Woodworking: A Rockler inspired table saw taper jig idea

| October 5, 2023

This isn’t the first time I’ve admired the clean professional, but “make-able” jigs from Rockler. This taper jib would be great to have when and IF I decide to make nesting tables. I do already have a “questionable quality” … but adjustable … taper jig that I quickly made for the high chair project, but […]

Workshop tinkering, ordering and an impressive post idea

| August 26, 2023

Since I now have a few more featherboards to use with my table saw and router table, it seemed like a good idea to add a couple T-Tracks. Most modern woodworking workshops now seem to use these anodized aluminum tracks for a variety of purposes … they will be helpful for hold downs on my […]

A zero-clearance Table Saw throatplate and featherboard clamp

| March 13, 2022

When it comes to workshops, tools, jigs and helpers, we all have our go-to favorites and my 35 year old featherboard is no exception. For years now, I’ve told myself that I was going to make a new one since this was just a quick temporary one (like the miter saw hold down below), but […]

Simple TableSaw or Bandsaw miter jig idea for #Woodworking

| December 28, 2021

As usual, I was late in coming across a simple workshop miter guide for my table saw, although more recently something I needed for my small bandsaw. While working on a Christmas project for my granddaughter, I needed to cut a bunch of small pieces where I didn’t lose so much wood to the table […]

Woodworking: Love this simple table saw push-stick design

| May 27, 2021

When I come across an item that interest me in woodworking, I either try to write them down, take a photo or save the plans. In this case the idem is a simple shop helper … a table saw push stick, of which I have many … BUT, I really like the simple curves and […]

Business change, server updates, an idiom & a friend’s new toy

| March 27, 2021

This past week was an on and off work week. I’ve been struggling to update software and the latest Linux flavor on an old server while telling myself “I’m getting too old for this.” Right or wrong attitude, I think keeping up with fast-paced technology change is a young person’s game. On the plus side, […]

Woodworking: Tinkering on a prototype desktop book stand

| February 20, 2021

The weather has been … well, wintery and I’ve been working on a self-designed prototype desktop bookshelf or bookstand with the thought of making a couple of them. Unfortunately desks … let alone books … are disappearing as a Future of Everything WSJ article mentioned this past year. The design is relatively simple in that […]

Workshop brainstorming for better chip and dust containment

| February 16, 2021

It is time for a little more research on better dust and chip control in my basement workshop. Brenda can deal with the noise and giving me a place to escape, but she is not fond of the dust that makes its way upstairs – those with basement woodworking workshops know what I mean. I’ve […]

It was on my mind, so made a better Featherboard Hold-Down

| July 1, 2020

As mentioned a couple days ago, I saw a fellow woodworker using a better featherboard hold-down clamp … and after over 30 years of using my “temporary” pine featherboard … with a makeshift wedge style clamp, I finally hodgepodged a new one together. The new “hold down clamp” works just fine, but after using an […]

Woodworking idea to better clamp a table saw featherboard

| June 27, 2020

I’ve used the same combination of featherboards on my table saw for years (photo left). I also have a Shopsmith commercial featherboard which fits the smaller table perfectly, but it only works to hold larger sized pieces against the fence on my cabinet saw. Then there is the temporary one that I made 40 years […]

A miter jig for cutting door frames and a #TBT feather board

| April 9, 2020

Last week while continuing to s-l-o-w-l-y work on the bookshelves and painting project, in-between outdoor yard cleanup and cutting the lawn for the first time in 2020, I also used the frame cutting miter jib previously mentioned. It is amazing just how much more accurate this set-up for my table saw crosscut sled is over […]

Finally, a crosscut table saw sled jig for my woodworking shop

| December 10, 2019

After posting a photo of a table saw crosscut sled a couple weeks ago, I finally decided to finish the one I had been planning. In part because I had some extra 1/2” white finished plywood (I didn’t want to use the heavier 3/4”) and in part because I needed to cut a bunch of […]

Finally, dedicated 220 volt power to a couple workshop tools

| November 27, 2019

When we remodeled our kitchen in the spring of 2017, I disconnected the 40 amp 220 volt electric range that we originally had in the island, and dropped the capped wires through the floor and ceiling of my basement workshop. My intention was to eventually “drop” a 220 volt line so I would have a […]

Archive: Reorganizing my workshop and a new outfeed table

| November 24, 2019

While I was suppose to be cleaning up and throwing away junk that has taken over some of my basement woodworking shop, as usual ended up sidetracked in making a few jigs for my upcoming projects AND reorganized a couple of cabinets that were buried under boxes and clutter on a back wall. I moved […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog