Surface Prep - Page 3 of 12

It’s difficult to control long boards when face planing. Benchdogs don’t always work, and a simple end stop doesn’t control long boards well, especially when you skew the plane. This…

Long-lasting mesh sanding pads

Ben Brunick takes a look at these contortionist sanding sheets

Here’s a simple way to flatten uneven stock using standard shop tools. It’s especially helpful for rough tree-trunk slabs that would otherwise be difficult to handle. It involves two 3⁄4-in.…

We've all been there. Hand planing a thin piece of wood—a workholding nightmare—you find that your planing stop is too tall. Even if it isn't, the second the blade engages…

If you're painting a cabinet, medium-density fiberboard is hard to beat

See how Bob Van Dyke uses a 45º blade in his low-angle bevel-up planes to tame highly figured wood and to break hard edges without worrying about grain direction.

When you need to sand a small area without damaging the surface around it, strip-sanding is a great method. Cut a long strip of sandpaper and trap it between your…

A while back I built a Shaker-style round stand but wasn’t sure how to plane accurate tapers on both sides of each leg. I found the answer in the curvy…

Scrub planes can do more than just rough work.