Tips/Techniques

Recent Articles

• How To Turn A Sphere On Your Lathe May 8, 2019Bob Chambers
  Download the PDF Version Here Turning a sphere on a lathe can be a frustrating experience. It’s virtually impossible to free-turn a perfectly round ball by eye without a solid methodology. There is at least one commercially available jig that will accomplish this, but it’s quite expensive unless you need to produce a large number of ...
• Reviving Old Rulers April 17, 2019Warren Dufrene
  Old rulers with etched markings could be revived in a 3 simple steps: Clean dirt and rust off with Scotchbright pad and WD40 or CLR calcium, lime, and rust remover. Paint over the etched markings (enamel paint). Make sure to brush the paint in the etching. Wipe off the excess with dampened rag, wrapped tightly around a flat ...
• Faux V-Groove Dado Joint March 16, 2019Kesh Ikuma
  This article describes how to cut bird's-mouth dado joint, which is a stopped dado with its edges dressed to appear as a bird's-mouth miter joint.
• Free Cut List Computer Program March 7, 2019Jim Landry
  When I was reviewing the project to build the desks for HAART, I wanted to make sure we had enough wood, and we also optimized our cutting to minimize the waste wood. I found a free Cut List program that I saw recommended on a few woodworking forums and decided to give it a try. ...
• Rack for Turning Tools February 17, 2019Warren Dufrene
  A few scraps and brain is off and running I am getting into turning lately and built up a good selection of turning tools in my shop. To organize and make the tools easily reachable while turning, I created this 44-3/4″-wide tool rack on the wall right behind my lathe.The tools are held in short ...
• Kumiko—Japanese traditional decorative woodwork February 13, 2019Kesh Ikuma
  In my current end table build, I’m incorporating kumiko panels to the design. Pictured above are the 2 panels that I created. The pattern is called “Senbon-goushi,” which literally translates to “thousand-column lattice” due to the density of its vertical members. Ideally, I should’ve made the spacing even finer to get the full effect, but ...
• Economical Alternative for Scroll Chuck Wrench February 13, 2019Warren Dufrene
  To mount/release a NOVA scroll chuck from lathe spindle, you need a 1-1/2″ crescent wrench. These wrenches are expensive if you purchase one from woodworking/woodturning stores. I found a cheaper alternative… in an automotive section of a discount store. One of standard sizes for trailer hitch wrenches is 1-1/2″ and you can buy it for less ...
• “Regain Your Edge” from WOOD Magazine January 24, 2019Lee Owens
  FYI, this recent article from WOOD Magazine on saw blade sharpening lists a several out-of-state sharpening service options. Regain Your Edge The right sharpening service can revive dull saw blades for less than ...
• Gel Stains: An easy way to control wood blotching and do other cool stuff January 19, 2019Bob Chambers
  Staining wood is probably the thing woodworkers dread the most, and the reason is that so many common woods that we work with are prone to blotching. Testing your finishing strategy can certainly spotlight potential problems, but unless you test lots of scrap there's always the chance that you can be in for a nasty surprise once the stain goes on. Gel stains can help tremendously with woods that often blotch, and in this article we'll take a look at how gel stains work, how they compare to traditional stains, and how to apply them. We'll also look at a couple of other interesting things that you can do with gel stains that would not be possible with other types of stains.
• A pair of large grout floats as push pads January 10, 2019Mark Monistere
  These rubber grout floats are perfect to be used as pushpads for face jointing boards. This was mentioned in a past Safety Minutes and the tip was originally found here.

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Past Articles

Clear Bar and Tabletop Finish – detailed step by step article from BRWC member Bob Chambers on how to apply a clear bar or tabletop finish

Bowl Turning Skill Topic – video of BRWC June 2016 Skill Topic on Bowl Turning by Lee Owens

Dealing with Heavy Timbers on the Lathe – article from Terry Landry on how he dealt with turning heavy timbers

Wood Finishing – here is a copy of the presentation that Bob Chambers presented at the May 2016 Monthly Meeting on Wood Finishing

Rabbets Dados and Plows – See the latest article from Terry Landry on what these “specialty” planes can do.

Making Curved Moldings – Terry Landry describes how he made curved molding on a door.

Face Work on the Lathe – see how Terry Landry used a lathe to create column bases for an old building in the Clinton Area

Turning Duplicates – Terry Landry shows any easy method to make duplicate turnings

Finger Box Construction – list of steps by Wayne Matherne on making finger joint boxes

Making Cabriole Legs – article by Terry Landry on how to make cabriole legs using a band saw

Hand Dovetail Tips – handout that Mark Monistere had for the skill topic he did at the December 2014 Monthly Meeting on making hand dovetails

How to Turn Your Lathe Into a Horizontal Boring Machine – check out an article by Terry Landry on how he turned his lathe into a horizontal boring machine in order to bore a hole perpendicular to the end of a 4 foot long bedpost

BRWC Monthly Meeting Best Practices –  Check out some helpful suggestions to consider when preparing for giving a Skill Topic or showing a woodworking project during the Show’n’Tell at a monthly meeting.

Band Saw Circle Cutting Jig Instructions and Plans – instructions with plans for a band saw cutting jig that Terry Landry showed at the June 2014 Monthly Meeting

Pattern Routing – read an article by Terry Landry on using a router pattern to make chair parts

Sharpening a Handsaw – instructions with pictures and diagrams on how to sharpen a handsaw provided by Terry Landry

Glues for Woodworking – See a list and properties of the different woodworking glues that was discussed at the December Monthly Meeting.

Router Safety – See some safety tips on routers that were talked about at our September Monthly Meeting

Dovetail Jigs – If you ever wondered what is a dovetail jig or how to use one, make sure to attend the September 7th Monthly Club meeting to see several of these dovetail jigs being demonstrated.  If you like a little preview, check out the Rockler’s Website here and view the video’s that show a dovetail jig in action.

Stringing Story – Terry Landry

Info:  Stringing Story

Table Saw Sled – Terry Landry

Plans: Table Saw Sled Plans

Table Saw Tenon Jig – Terry Landry

Plans: Table Saw Tenon Jig Plans