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Introduction

Thanks For Visiting TheWoodshop.20m.com Web Site!

The purpose of this site is to simply exchange information about woodworking. This site provides detailed reviews of new and popular woodworking tools, a variety of how-to and general woodworking articles, and woodworking resources that we have compiled along the way.

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Web Site Features

The Woodshop web site provides the following features:

• Tool Reviews. The tool reviews appear to be our most popular feature.I publish reviews of tools that I use on a daily or regular basis.
  
  
• Articles. General and how-to woodworking articles that discuss topics such as machining drawer components, homeshop finishes, and building a panel cutting table.
  
  
• Projects & Plans. These pages show some of the recent projects we have completed and plans of past and future projects.
  
  
• Frequently Asked Questions. Over the past few years I have received hundreds of emails containing questions about various aspects of woodworking. I have compiled a few of the most popular questions and answers on this FAQ page.
  
  
• Woodworking Links. A few links to sites that are great sources of woodworking information.
  
  
• Build Your Own Kayak. My family has had loads of fun building and using these simple-to-build wood and canvas kayaks. Certainly one of our most popular features.
  
  

What's New!

• We just received the new BC24 (24" Blanket Chest) dovetail jig from AKEDA and the Jig Store so we are excited to run it through its paces. While we're at it, we updated our AKEDA DC16 review to reflect recent and relevant changes.
  
  
• Looking for a mortiser? Check out our review of the Mortise Pal - Router Mortising jig.
  
  
• Our friend, Marcelo Fonesca, has moved to the U.S. and is busy building incredible pieces of period furniture. His claim to fame: intricate and bold carvings! Our article shows a few of Marcelo's recent pieces. Click Here to view the Article
  
  
• Looking to purchase a new Jig Saw? Checkout our review of the Festool Trion PS300 jig saw. Our article also includes a comparision between the Festool Trion and the Bosch 1590EVSK. Click Here to view the Article
  
  
• Do you have a difficult time chucking and unchucking router bits from your router? Does your router require two wrenches to remove / install bits? Do you own a Woodrat? If so, check out our latest tool review, the Eliminator Quick-Change Router Chuck. Click Here to view the Article
  
  
• Do you own a dedicated half-blind dovetail jig? Would you like it to produce more pleasing looking joints? If so, check out my latest discovery regarding your cutter options for dedicated half-blind dovetail jigs like the PC 4112/5116/7116.Click Here to view the Article
  
  
• Interested in a tool that produces virtually every furniture/cabinet joint (box joints, dovetails, mortise and tenon, stopped dado, sliding dovetail, to name a few)? Check out our review of the WoodRat. The review includes our unique method for mounting the WoodRat as well.Click Here to view the Review
  
  
• We just added our review of the DeWALT DW618PK Router Kit. We have been using this router kit for the past 10 months or so and frankly have put our PC 690s on the shelf. The DW618 and Festool OF 1000 have become our favorites for use with our dovetail jigs and general routing. Click Here to access the review!
  
  
• Which is the best dovetail jig? Click Here to access our point of view !
  
  
• Updated our Homeshop Finishing page. Recently we have been using Daly's BenMatte tung oil on our smaller projects with great success, so I added information about Daly's and a similar, more widely known product, Waterlox.
  
  
• Read our review of the Festool CT Mini Dust Extractor/Vacuum. Click Here to access the review!
  
  
• Read our review of the Festool ES 150/3 EQ Random Orbital Sander. Click Here to access the review!
  
  
• Read our review of the Osborne EB-3 Miter Gauge. Click Here to access the review!
  
  
• Read our review of the Festool OF 1000 E Plunge Router. Click Here to access the review!
  
  
• Read our review of the Festool MFT Multifunction Table. The review includes instructions for calibrating the MFT, its guide rail, and the Festool ATF to crosscut and miter more accurately than virtually any radial arm or sliding miter saw. Click Here to access Part 1 of the review!
  
  
• How do you calibrate/square your miter gauge, crosscut sled, or sliding table? Click Here to read our article regarding table saw setup and squaring crosscut devices.
  
  
• Read our rencently updated review of the AKEDA DC16 Dovetail Jig. The review includes video footage, setup and use instructions, and a comparison of four popular dovetail jigs. Click Here to view Page 1 of the AKEDA DC-16 review!
  
  
• Read our review of the Festool ATF 55E Circular Saw, Festool Guide Rails, and the CT22E Dust Extractor. The review includes video footage of the ATF 55E and its accessories. Click Here to access Part 1 of the review!
  
  
• We have completely redesigned the web site and have updated several of the tool reviews, articles, and FAQ/Link pages.
  
  
• Due to popular demand, we added images of the crosscut sleds we use in the shop to our crosscut sled how-to article.
  
  
• Due to popular demand, we added additional images of our shop layout.

Coming Soon!

Stay tuned for the following tool reviews:

• DeWALT 625 Plunge Router. We purchased a DeWALT 625 from Amazon.com, taking advantage of their promotional codes and so forth--too good of a deal to pass up. Pat Warner claims the DW625 is the best 3 HP plunge router on the market--I guess we'll see. I'm not a big fan of plunge routers, but we plan to put this monster to good use with the WoodRat and other jigs.
  
  
• Stots Dovetail Template Master. You want to make your Katie or Keller-style through dovetail jig? The Stots Dovetail Template Master is the product for you. For less than $50 for the Stots Template Master and a chunk of 3/4" MDF you can build your own Katie or Keller-style jig. For another $30 you can purchase the router bits and a helpful video--both of which I recommend. Review is on the way.
  
  
• Stots Saw-Aid (Push stick). The Stots Saw-Aide is a high-tech push stick that is well worth the $15.00 asking price. I have used shop-made push sticks, shaped similar to the Saw-Aid for many years. Since receiving the Saw-Aid, I use it on every table saw rip operation. It includes several nice features like a 6" hook ruler, center finder, depth gauge, and so forth. I liked it so much, I purchased one for my Father. Review is on the way.
  
  
• Porter Cable Model 7116 Omnijig Dovetail jig. We receive lots of questions regarding our PC 7116. I just have not gotten around to writing a review for it. Suffice to say, it works very well for machining half-blind dovetails. Some complain about the "cookie-cutter" pattern of dovetails it (and its competitors) produce, and I agree to some degree, but the bottom line is, nothing produces half-blind dovetails faster, easier, or on material as wide as this jig. When I need to whip out drawers quick, this is the tool I use. Period. Oh, and if you don't like the appearance of the standard dovetail it produces, check out my discovery for better-looking dovetails: .Click Here to view the Article
  
  
• CMT/Sommerfeld Pocket Hole Jig. I have been using this tool for two weeks. It works great, and a review is on the way, but I have to say, I was extremely dissapointed that it was molded plastic, and I do mean plastic. The pre-release version I saw, I could swear was cast metal. I know the new Kreg jigs are plastic, but frankly, plastic stuff is not my cup of tea. I would not have purchased this jig knowing that....more to come!
  
  
• Bosch 1617 EVS Router. The review is on the way. I have received lots of emails about this router. The short of it. It is a great all around router, but still a disappointment for us in several ways.
  
  
• Porter Cable 690 LRVS Router. Adding the variable speed was nice, but the new lock release mechanism is what I was most happy about. Unfortunately, the lock release is poorly executed, a piece of cheap stamped steel. It works, but is easy to twist and bind when locking while holding the router to a particular depth. I added a Pat Warner clear offset subbase to provide more stability when using the router with dovetail jigs, plus it allows me to follow the cutter visually during dovetail jig routing operations. Again, the review is on the way....
  
  
• Router Comparision. When I have finished reviewing the above routers, I plan to distill the information in comparison format. Also, there is obvious interest in a few other recently release routers........

Stay tuned for the following articles:

• 24 Feet of Kitchen Cabinets! How to build cabinets using my take on the Marc Sommerfeld method.
  
  
• Videos: Festool, Akeda, PC 7116 Omni dovetail jig, dovetail jig shoot out, etc.

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