May/June 2021

May/June 2021 Issue Preview

In spite of all its drawbacks, the pandemic has prompted many folks to try woodworking on for size as a new hobby. If you’re one of these newbies, several projects in this issue will help you build some good woodworking skills as you make new things for your shop and yard.

Benchtop Tool Cart: Jobsite table saws often suffer from poor (or no) workstands and limited outfeed support. This handy four-drawered cart will combine your saw with a full-size router table that can act as a support surface for sawing. It could be a tool marriage made in heaven, and it’s a great beginner’s cabinetry project.

Cedar Potting Bench: Create an attractive all-weather bench for potting plants and carrying out other gardening tasks. While this build includes a few mortise-and-tenon joints, most of its construction is simple pocket-screw joinery and screwed butt joints.

Rolling Task Light: Here’s an articulating, rolling shop helper that can shed some raking light on your finishing tasks or other shop efforts that could use a few more directed lumens.

Cloud Lift Dining Table: Our publisher puts his router table and Rockler’s updated BeadLock Jig to good use constructing this handsome white oak dining table. It’s sized right for smaller living spaces and built to last.

Woodturning: Carbide-insert turning tools offer easy entrance into general woodturning, and they require no special sharpening gear or skills. Our expert offers his thoughts about where these tools excel and where traditional gouges and scrapers might still have the leg up.

Tool Tutorial: Adequate shop lighting is essential for working accurately and safely. When overlight lights seem to come up short, the right task lights around your shop could really shine. A.J. Hamler shares some of the options.

Tool Preview: Castle USA has been building industrial-quality screw pocket machines for a long time. Their new 110 Pocket Cutter is a rugged home-shop option with the heart of a router.

Hardworking Woods: Longleaf pine is more commonly used as framing lumber than furniture wood. But, don’t sell it short. It could be a beautiful option for your next project.

Shop Talk: One of our staffers helped build school desks for distance learners last winter and shares her experiences. Rockler now is expanding its lumber inventory substantially in select stores.

Getting Started: Roughsawn lumber is a more affordable option for buying hardwoods, and it’s common to specialty yards. We’ll help prepare you for selecting and purchasing it like an old pro.

Buying Lumber: A home center isn’t the only place to find the wood you need. Here are four more shopping alternatives that can save you money and expand your range of species options in a big way.