We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you aren’t in the loop on this, it’s about time someone bring you up to speed. When it comes to dimensional lumber, there's a difference between a board's nominal...
Category: Woodworking
From table legs to support columns, the compressive strength of a given wood species is key in determining the minimum dimensions for your lumber. If you opt for a board that's too narrow, you risk the possibility of your lumber...
Nothing completes a wood piece better than a neatly applied finish. And more times than not, that wood finish is applied with a paint brush. To ensure that you purchase the correct size brush, view our paint brush sizes chart...
Bending Strengths of North American Softwoods Not all softwoods are built the same. This means the wood species that's best suited for your project will change depending your the application's needs. For instance, the outdoor bench on the patio is...
Board Foot Thickness Guide Board Foot Thickness Decimal Value for Formula 1/4" 0.25" 2/4" (1/2") 0.5" 3/4" 0.75" 4/4" 1" 5/4" 1.25" 6/4" 1.5" 7/4" 1.75" 8/4" 2" 12/4" 3" 16/4" 4" What's a Board Foot? Used throughout North America,...
WARNING! No sugar-coatings beyond this point. Best Random Orbit Sanders by Category Affordability BLACK + DECKER Overall Value Bosch Quality DEWALT BLACK + DECKER Strengths: For anyone working on a tight budget, this is the sander for you. At only...
When starting a new project, you always have to consider whether or not your tools are suitable for the task at hand. For instance, you can't easily cut wood that is too thick or too large for the size of...
Drilling Lag Screw Pilot Holes Part wood screw & part bolt—lag screws are a beast of their own. Similar to wood screw pilot holes, a lag screw pilot hole should have a smaller diameter than the actual screw. This creates...
Woodworker's Guide to Drill Bit Types As woodworkers, our projects often require a lot more than just wood. There are obvious necessities such as hardware and glue that hold the pieces together. Then there are more complex pieces that require...
This article isn't about bashing mortise machines. They are without a doubt much faster and more precise than a human with a chisel. But at the end of the day, you can't own every tool that's out there. We have...
Want to know the hardness rating of a particular softwood? You've come to the right place. We created an easy-to-reference chart that lists the Janka hardness ratings for different North American softwoods. From Douglas fir & redwood to different varieties...
Want the perfect table to go with your Adirondack chairs? Look no further. Hand Tool Essentials offers free plans for you to build your very own DIY Adirondack table. Not only is this the perfect outdoor woodworking project, but your...