Page 109 - Learn Woodworking Tips with Rockler

  1. Getting Dadoes and Plywood Thickness to Match

    Getting Dadoes and Plywood Thickness to Match

    Have you ever used a 3/4" router bit to cut a dado for a plywood shelf, only to discover that "three-quarter inch" plywood isn't all that it claims to be? It can be a shock the first time; you're left a plywood-to-dado fit that has more than just a little "slop". In fact, the typical sheet of 3/4" plywood actually measures close to a hefty 1/32" less than its nominal thickness would lead you to believe.
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  2. Hand Cutting Dovetails with a Handsaw

    Hand Cutting Dovetails with a Handsaw

    The layout of dovetails involves cutting the tails (the pink wood on the left) and pins (the beige wood on the right), both cut to match the other. I like hand-cutting dovetails, and I’ve literally cut thousands of them. As a result, I try to execute them in a manner that hearkens back to the day when dovetails were all done by hand, and guys got paid to get them done fast and right.
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  3. Improving Table Saw Performance

    Improving Table Saw Performance

    As durable as most table saws are, they do require attention from time to time. If you're table saw is is leaving rough saw marks, burning wood or bogging down when you rip average stock thicknesses, chances are something's amiss, and it's time to diagnose the problem.
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  4. Understanding Angles - Calculating Polygons

    Understanding Angles - Calculating Polygons

    Calculating Polygons Polygon calculations come up frequently in woodworking. Finding the angles and dimensions of used in building multi-sided frames, barrels and drums (to name a few applications) begins with an understanding to the geometry of regular (symmetrical) polygons.
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  5. Woodworking Tools Angle Scales and Terminology

    Woodworking Tools Angle Scales and Terminology

    Not all woodworking machinery angle scales are created alike. In fact, there are two different conventions for the calibration of angle scales in common use on woodworking machinery. One type of scale is calibrated to treat a square cut as a 90 degree cut, while the other scale treats a square cut as a 0 degree cut. Along with that, the terms used in woodworking to describe angled cuts don't make the origin of the angle measurement perfectly clear.
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  6. Concealed Hinge Selection Guide

    Concealed Hinge Selection Guide

    There are many different types of hinges available on the market, but for Kitchen, Bedroom & Office Furniture you will generally find concealed hinges used. Concealed hinges are as the name suggests, they are hidden from view so that you only see the surface of the door. If you are constructing new cabinets, Rockler strongly recommends that you choose your cabinet hinges before you begin construction.
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  7. Choosing Cabinet Knobs And Pulls

    Choosing Cabinet Knobs And Pulls

    Whether you are updating existing cabinetry or finishing off a new cabinet project, selecting knobs and pulls is your chance to add a touch of your own individual style. There are no specific rules in selecting hardware, but there are a few common practices to be aware of, and a few things to watch out for. In this article, we'll touch on the most important considerations when choosing new cabinet hardware.
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  8. Best Scroll Saw for Your Budget

    Best Scroll Saw for Your Budget

    Fretwork and intricate cutting don't have to be expensive, there are some very affordable scroll saws on the market. The late Rodney Dangerfield probably would have felt a solidarity with scroll saws because, among all other woodworking machines, these seem to get the least respect — or more fairly, the least amount of press. When we need to cut curves, we tend to head to the band saw, and that’s a logical choice.
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  9. Fence Systems for Accurate Table Saw Ripping

    Fence Systems for Accurate Table Saw Ripping

    Ripping wood is a primary function of the table saw, and because its importance, many manufacturers pay particular attention to the quality the rip fence on the saws they offer. Still, many factory fence systems lack the reliability and precision that would qualify them for exacting work.
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  10. Video: Router Bits for Beginners

    Video: Router Bits for Beginners

    In this video the most common types of router bits are explained for the novice woodworker. The Rockler router bits highlighted in this video include: Straight, Rabbeting, Round Over, Flush Trim, Roman Ogee, Chamfer, and Undersized Plywood Bits.
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  11. Power Planer or Jointer? Why Not Both?

    Power Planer or Jointer? Why Not Both?

    Modern power planers are equipped to plane and do many of the same tasks as a shop jointer, but with added portability outside your workshop. The worlds of woodworking and construction are similar but don’t always overlap. Tools used for one aren’t always suitable for the other. Some newer power planers, like this one from Porter-Cable, feature a switch that allows you to change the direction that chips and dust blow out.!
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