Shop Tips
Looking Back: The Era of Manmade Machines
A generation of woodworkers overcame the high cost of machinery by building their own
A look back at some of the fascinating shopmade machinery throughout the history of Fine Woodworking, from wooden tablesaws to bandsaws, planers, and more.
Read the original articles that inspired our contributors:
(available for a limited time)
| • Shopmade Bandsaw | • Mortising Machine |
| • Wooden Jointer | • Shop-Built Thickness Sander |
| • A Wooden Tablesaw | • Shopmade Scroll Saw |
| • Shopmade Lathes |
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Makita LS1219L Miter Saw
This is the saw I want in my shop. For one, it’s easy to use. All of the controls are easy to reach and manipulate, and the glide mechanism is both robust and smooth. The handle works well for righties and lefties. Then there are added bonuses that no other saw has. For instance, its hold-down is superb, as it can move to different locations, hinges for a greater range of coverage, and actually holds down the work. In addition, the saw has two points of dust collection, letting it firmly beat the rest of the field. The one downside was the saw’s laser, which was so faint we had to turn off the shop lights to see it. Still, all these pluses in a package that fits tight to the wall? That’s a winner for me.
Hedgehog featherboards
The Hedgehog's unique spiral shape and single knob make it easy to set up and fast to adjust.
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