Shop Tips

Downsizing from an ample workspace spurs innovation.

Simply drill holes in a hand-screw and secure it to a bench or tabletop using F-style clamps with a bar-type tip.

At just under 200 sq. ft. and without electricity, Follansbee’s shop suits the way he works.

Build this plywood table for a drill press with two layers of Baltic birch glued and screwed together, then add a sliding insert that can be moved forward and back-or replaced entirely.

A building that can hold large machines, provides beautiful natural light, and is filled with a community of artists leaves Pat Moriarty inspired.

To create a simple board jack, screw a board to the underside of your benchtop, making sure the end of the board is far enough from the vise to allow it to be used normally.

For mitering parts for boxes and trays, tilt the table-saw blade to 45 degrees and use this simple sled to support the parts, with a toggle clamp added to help keep them in place.

Clamping a combination square to the fence on your miter saw turns it into a stable, accurate stop.

When attaching solid tops to traditional casework, the common approach is to elongate the screw holes in the back of the cabinet to send any expansion or contraction to the back edge. But when the back edges of the top and the cabinet are flush, do the opposite.

A simple benchtop, customized for carving, rests upon an affordable miter-saw stand.