Cutting and Shaping Wood

The table saw is the heart of most woodworking shops. When looking at stationary table saw, the choice most often is between a contractor saw or cabinet saw. Take a closer look at the differences and similarities you'll find on a cabinet table saw and a contractor table saw. In this case, we use the SawStop Contractor Saw and SawStop Pro Cabinet Saw as our examples of each category of table saw. The saw you choose will depend on the work you need to do with your table saw.

Every table saw comes with a miter gauge, and they’re made for making crosscuts and angled cuts. So why do you need a crosscut sled ? There are four good reasons why a crosscut sled can improve your safety and accuracy at the table saw. Chris Marshall will demonstrate all four in this video. So, whether you’re crosscutting big stock or little tiny workpieces, or making repetitive cuts or angled cuts. A crosscut sled can improve your safety and accuracy at the table saw.

Benchtop planers are an extremely useful tool for any workshop. The perform one of the most important tasks in woodworking — smoothing lumber and machining stock to a specific thickness. The Jet JWP-13BT Benchtop Planer with Helical Style Head is featured in this video.

Here's a mortising jig you can use with any plunge router that has a 7"-diameter or smaller base.

Learn how to make and use router templates when you are building your woodworking projects. Router templates can help you do three main things: First, they can help you trace complex shapes onto your project parts quickly and easily. Once you’ve got the template, you don’t have to lay all of this out again manually. Second, you can use your templates to actually make your project parts with a router and the right bits. And finally, you can keep your templates for possible re-use. That can save a lot of layout time down the road, if should you decide to make the project again.

Scrapers come in a variety of forms and have a variety of uses. Part of the author's collection is shown here: it includes, from left to right, a scraper for scraping interiors of hollow forms through a small opening; a large dome scraper; a straight or "boat-tailed" scraper; a diamond or "V" scraper; a form scraper for the interior of boxes; and one of a set of form scrapers for making captive rings.

This week we're taking an up close look at the new Rockler Portable Drill Guide and Self-Centering Vise. Take one plunge with our Portable Drill Guide and you'll instantly feel the qualities that set it apart from the rest. Smooth, precise and free of play, it gives you the accuracy and control of a drill press with the portability of a hand drill.

If you own a router table, you already know how much it can enhance your joint-making, template-routing and edge-forming tasks. I don’t have to convince you of that! But almost ANY router table can be improved with the right accessories so that it’s safer, more accurate or just plain more enjoyable to use! In this video, I’d like to suggest five accessories worth adding to your router table.