WORKSHOP
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What makes a tool brand rank among the best tool brands? It’s not an easy question to answer. DIY users generally wan...
A glue gun is a versatile tool that can bond just about any two items together. The adhesive strength is effective, b...
You don’t need to own a ton of tools before realizing that some kind of storage is essential. The question is, what k...
Building an extensive collection of tools takes time. Even DIYers with a few years and plenty of projects under their...
A wide range of projects around the home requires appropriate safety glasses to help ensure I’m protecting my eyes fr...
Q: I understand that I should use painter’s tape rather than masking tape to get the clean, professional finish I am ...
A glue gun is a household tool that is both easy to use and extremely versatile. A crafter’s best friend, it can be p...
Staple guns are one of those long-standing, classic tools that all DIYers can use. They aid in reupholstering furnitu...
Q: I have some old wooden furniture that I’d like to restore. I was going to repair the damage with wood glue because...
It’s difficult to imagine the immense torque (twisting force) that an air impact wrench can apply, but here’s an exam...
Few things can bring a building project or repair effort to a grinding halt like a stripped screw or bolt. This frust...
The broad versatility of jigsaws means you’ll find them just about everywhere, from home tool kits to construction si...
Among the wide variety of measuring tools available, a combination square is perhaps the most versatile. It can not o...
When it comes to saws with versatility, reciprocating saws have always been at the top of the heap. But to increase t...
The finish nailer is arguably the most versatile of the many types of nail guns available. The nails they use provide...
Angle grinders are a versatile power tool with a rapidly rotating disc that cuts, grinds, polishes, sharpens, and cle...
While there are a variety of different sander devices, each is designed for different types of work. The detail sande...
Although a back saw may not be considered an essential woodworking tool, it should by no means be viewed as a luxury ...
A wood router is an indispensable tool both in the workshop and on the job site. The tools are powerful yet easy to m...
While the design might seem simple, table saws are incredibly customizable. Pros and hobbyists can choose from an arr...
As a DIY woodworker or carpenter, there are seemingly endless species of wood from which to choose. Whether it’s a ba...
Bushcraft, also referred to as wilderness survival skills, requires an extensive amount of knowledge and talents. Amo...
A car engine, wall studs, and other tight spaces simply aren’t accessible to most standard corded or cordless drills....
The proper setup in your garage or workshop is key to quickly and efficiently completing projects. You need a sturdy ...
If you take woodworking seriously, a router can be one of the most valuable tools you can own. Routers offer the abil...
If you’re a hot rodder at heart or simply prefer not to pay for vehicle work that can be done yourself, having the ri...
Like a rain jacket for your hands, the best waterproof gloves are essential accessories for those working—or playing—...
Although square and triangular drives appeared around 40 years earlier, it was William G. Allen’s hex drive, introduc...
Circular saws are important tools for many workshops, capable of custom cuts in a wide variety of materials including...
It often seems there are pliers for every task, but few offer the versatility of the best slip joint pliers. They mak...
Whether for cutting up downed trees for firewood, cleaning up after a bad storm, or doing some pruning around the yar...
Hammers have been an essential carpentry tool for centuries and are found in practically every household tool chest. ...
During the milling process, metal, wood, or plastic is fed through a rotating, multipoint cutter on a table that move...
The miter is perhaps the most common of woodworking joints. Simple miters can be cut by hand using a miter box. It’s ...
Where you’re a pro or a hobbyist, taking a woodworking project from good to great requires a bit of an edge—quite lit...
Bitter temps lead to cold hands and numb, painful fingers, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The best hand warmers ...
Turning a router upside down and mounting it to a table gives a router a whole new level of functionality. By adding ...
Bench sanders enable you to sand down large surfaces quickly and easily, so you can finish a woodworking project fast...
There’s no denying that swinging a sledgehammer is a ton of fun for many people, but beyond the amusement at hefting ...
Magnetic screwdrivers create a connection between the tip of the screwdriver and the screw. This magnetic pull settle...
Whether you’re a professional automotive technician, a maintenance mechanic in a factory, or just a DIYer who likes t...
Many electrical connections rely on a terminal (a bolt-down or push-fit connector) with an open end crimped onto the ...
If you’ve spent any length of time working on automobiles, you’ve likely come across the benefits an impact wrench of...
A bike repair stand can save you time, money, and trips to the cycle shop by making it easy to maintain and repair yo...
Wrecking bars, crowbars, and pry bars are often combined in the same category, but important differences exist. One o...
Garages and workshops are often well designed for the jobs you need to tackle, but personal comfort isn’t always a hi...
Stainless steel is all around, and it is only a matter of time before it makes its appearance in a project. An alloy,...
If there’s one thing most DIYers, craftspeople, homeowners, and really anyone can agree on, it’s that walking around ...
If you are interested in acquiring a new hands-on skill, you’d be hard-pressed to find something better than learning...
The right screwdriver makes a world of difference. Instead of damaging the fastener head or having the blade slip and...
Cordless ratchets allow you to work on your vehicles or your home without putting in the effort to operate a manual r...
In situations like searching for the fuse box in a power outage or checking your car’s stalled engine in the dark, a ...
You put stress on your feet every day just by walking around. If you’re on your feet all day for work, you need a soc...
Woodworking can be an incredibly satisfying hobby or career. A perfect joint or fit between two boards often creates ...
When working on important tasks, you need sufficient lighting in your work area, whether it is a professional work lo...
Instead of leaving tools out on your workbench or having paint cans littering the floor of your garage, get a garage ...
Shopping for a new pair of work boots can be a challenge. A boot may look good, but if it doesn’t wear comfortably th...
Without tools, you can’t finish (or even begin) many projects. So, what’s the best way to store, organize, and transp...
As a woodworker or DIYer, there are certain essential tools that, once you find them, help unlock your real potential...
A sturdy band saw can be one of the most versatile pieces of equipment in any serious workshop. These power tools mak...
Whether shaving down a wood door that’s sticking or smoothing the surface of a wavy board, no tool works quite as wel...
Whether you need a stable work surface at a jobsite or don’t have room for a permanent shop, a portable workbench is ...
Calipers have been around for centuries, standing the test of time as one of the most effective and accurate measurin...
Whether you’re searing the perfect crust on a rump roast or brazing a copper pipe fitting in a bathroom remodel, a bu...
Hand tools are the mainstay of any well-equipped workshop. Choosing the right ones will go a long way toward helping ...
Whether you're using several small tools for automotive work or need to move larger power tools from one spot to anot...
A wood lathe is a power tool for your workshop or garage that rotates a piece of wood around a horizontal axis so you...
Whether you’re working on a car, installing a doorknob, or driving a screw by hand into a piece of dense wood, the a ...
These days it seems that every cutting tool—reciprocating saw, circular saw, compound miter saw, jigsaw—has a motor o...
When it comes to popular power tools, the oscillating tool is the new kid on the block. While oscillating tool techno...
Wood may have natural beauty, but to bring it out in furniture and other fine carpentry projects, woodworkers must op...
There are few things more frustrating than struggling with stubborn nuts and bolts that don’t want to budge. A handhe...
A jobsite radio must stand up to tough conditions and still keep playing music. It might face billowing clouds of dry...
You only have two hands—and that can often be a challenge in certain projects. Indeed, there may also be times when u...
Cold-weather days can turn your garage into a frigid, uncomfortable, and unproductive workspace. An electric garage h...
A torque wrench is a specialized tool prominent in automotive repair that addresses various parts of a car. For examp...
It used to be the only cordless circular saws out there were mini saws with small 4¼-inch blades. If you wanted to cu...
While a good table saw makes large jobs easier and more accurate when it comes to cutting wood, it’s only as good as ...
A magnetic drill press, also known as a magnetic drill or mag drill, is a tool designed for drilling into metal. A st...
Whether it’s to cut that padlock with the missing key from the backyard shed, or to trim metal chain links for a fenc...
Professional lumberjacks, landscapers, and arborists—as well as ambitious DIYers—turn to chainsaws for a variety of w...
If you’re drilling into seriously dense materials, your standard drill driver might not cut it. Materials like concre...
There aren’t many materials strong enough to put holes in hardened steel. When you need that kind of strength, the on...
Chisels have been around for thousands of years, standing the test of time as one of the most versatile hand tools av...
Whatever work you do in your garage, it helps to have sufficient lighting. Dismal, dimly-lit garages are not only dif...
Whether working on a bicycle, replacing your kitchen outlets, putting batteries in your child’s remote control car, o...
Tap and die sets may not be as well-known as common tools like screwdrivers or socket sets, but their specialized fun...
Tool belts carry the essential items for a project while you’re working, and tool boxes transport more than just the ...
Needle-nose pliers have pointy, long-jawed pliers that can reach into extremely tight places. They can also help you ...
Drill bits aren't cheap, but they do seem to dull quickly. Whether you're drilling through dense hardwood or hardened...
If your hands feel like blocks of ice when you ski or enjoy other outdoor sports, shovel snow, have an arthritic flar...
A quality socket wrench set is essential for a wide variety of auto and home repairs. It’s one of the most important ...
A surefire way to hinder progress is by trying to work in the dark. It fatigues your eyes and your mind. Plus, when y...
Handy homeowners and do-it-yourselfers who have spent any time on improvement projects have encountered situations wh...
The brad nailer is one of the tools that helped spur the DIY movement and made many projects accessible to home DIYer...
Q: When shopping for the right tool for the job, I see so many choices. Cordless drill, hammer drill, and impact driv...
Whether you’re ripping sheet goods or cutting long lengths of lumber to width, a track saw is often the way to go. Tr...
When you’re wrist-deep in nuts and bolts, having a set of socket wrenches on hand can make all the difference. Socket...
When your DIY project requires some precision drill work, only the best benchtop drill press will do. These handy too...
If you have a DIY project that calls for a lot of manual screwdriving into places too tight for your trusty drill, an...
A router is a powered cutting tool that uses different bits to cut various grooves, angles, and shapes into wood. The...
One formula definitely does not fit all when it comes to glues for your DIY projects. Adhesives are chemically design...
When your yard work extends to jobs like cutting up fallen tree limbs or trimming some fence posts to size, nothing c...
A heat gun is a versatile tool—and one of the best-kept secrets in an avid DIYer’s toolbox. These handy tools resembl...
Angle grinders are versatile power tools that can be used for a variety of projects, such as cutting iron pipe to rep...
Jigsaws are specially designed power tools for cutting curves, but they can also be used to cut lumber to length and ...
If your projects require intricate cuts, such as those needed when you craft gingerbread trim or fashion elaborate je...
Almost any home DIY project is made easier by having a clean, flat surface to work on. If this surface sits at the pe...
Table saws cut with more accuracy than circular saws, and they can cut large pieces of material—whether wood, plastic...
Many common DIY projects around the home, and in professional trades as well, require the use of safety glasses. Whet...
Hammer drills are a less familiar specialty tool in the workshop, unlike power drills—even among experienced DIYers. ...
There comes a point when collecting a complete DIY set of tools starts causing storage issues. A tool box might do th...
They may not gallop, but a good set of sawhorses is key to getting your construction, woodworking, or DIY project acr...
It may sound fancy, but a French cleat is simply a sturdy beveled support board, a secret that builders and craftsmen...
Workshop and DIY projects create piles of sawdust, sanding dust, and all sorts of tiny bits of debris that add to gen...
Every homeowner should have a tool kit, and every tool kit should have the essentials. Don’t start the New Year without having these tools and supplies at the ready.
The more you tackle fix-it projects yourself, the more crowded your toolbox becomes. But at the end of the day, there...
Grow your workshop (and your skill set) with these 15 handy power tools, accessories, and more. This content is paid advertising created in partnership with ...
Even if you pride yourself on your well-equipped workshop with every state-of-the-art tool you need for construction ...
When the time comes to buy a backyard shed, size is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Surprisingly, th...
In summertime, the backyard becomes a major destination. There’s gardening and barbecues, to be sure, but the possibi...
A backyard shed is great</em> for all-purpose storage, but it can be so much more than just a place to stash landscaping tools. Today, folks of all stripes are di...
Every weekend warrior dreams of a convenient backyard structure that's spacious enough not only for storing tools but...
Shipping pallets have all sorts of uses for do-it-yourselfers, but versatility isn't their only virtue. Additionally,...
With the arrival of spring comes a certain bouquet of seasonal scents, ranging from fresh-cut grass to spilled gasoli...
This holiday season, give the people on your list something they'll actually use. After all, some of the greatest gifts are practical.
If you’re setting up a home workshop for your do-it-yourself projects, recognize that in a room with so many power to...
Finding a home for every single possession—and remembering to return them to their specified spots—is always a challe...
Though plywood is a versatile and affordable material, ideal or at least serviceable for hundreds of uses, it's not t...
Where do you keep your workshop? It's best to set it up in a place where noise, dust, and space aren't an issue. But there are other considerations to keep in min...
Any woodworker is well-acquainted with the router's myriad uses. The tool comes in handy for many projects around the house, both functional and decorative. It's ...
Whether you’re a woodworker, gardener, craftaholic or avid DIYer, you need a comfortable area where you can do what you love to do. Sure, there are loads of craft...
Contemporary safety glasses are much improved. They offer comfort and clear vision as well as protection from flying...
Perforated hardboard, more commonly known as pegboard, has been a staple of workshops and retail stores for decades. ...
A bench dog is a great tool for any woodworker's shop. Bench dogs are often used in pairs, with one pair set into a...
As any homeowner will attest, there is always something to fix at home. If it involves woodworking, you’ll want to equip your workshop with the right set of tool...
Here's how to save your aching back next time you have to move something heavy in the workshop. A workshop dolly is ...
Does it look like a bomb went off in your workshop? Even the best tools are useless if they are nowhere to be found w...
One of the great advantages of a workshop—as distinct from a toolbox carried to a workplace—is the opportunity to pu...
Workshop safety consists of more than just wearing proper protective gear. Here are a few other guidelines:Know Thy T...
Whether your workbench has a working surface the size of a sheet of plywood or one that more nearly resembles the sch...
Worktable. If there is room for it, make yourself a worktable using a full sheet of three-quarter-inch plywood. It's ...
Woodworker's Bench. This is perhaps the most familiar configuration for a workbench. Its top is of hardwood and is u...
The woodworking bench is to the workshop as bases are to the game of baseball: Without a proper bench at which to wor...
It hardly needs to be said, but you should of course do everything you can to reduce the risk of fire in you workshop...
Consider some of these issues as you're planning your woodworking shop. Doorways. Standard household doors are often ...
At a minimum, you need a conveniently located switch at the entrance that powers up the main lighting. Most likely, ...
Power tools swallow up power the way dogs consume their food: in great, huge gulps. Most tools have two kinds of dema...
Your head is swimming with the challenges presented by the size of your machines, the limitations of the available sp...
A landscape designer friend of mine tells a story about the college he went to. During his years there, the universit...
If you're serious about working, you may want to consider building a special structure, or converting an existing one...
You may think you already know what you need. "Just a practical space, you know, enough for my table saw and to try o...
One frequent complaint of homeowner-handypersons is tool inaccessibility: It's a pain to do even simple jobs if findi...
Perhaps you already know exactly where you will be locating your workshop. Maybe you already have a workplace in some...
There is no one perfect workshop plan: Each of us has different needs, depending upon whether we're cabinetmakers, oc...
There are so many manufacturers, and so many kinds and types and models of virtually every tool, that the options may...
The grading system for white pine alone consists of about ten levels. If you are going to work with wood professional...
The way to avoid the I-can't-find-it syndrome is to have appropriate containers for tool storage and transport. Seve...
As with any structure, a new garage foundation plays a crucial role in the integrity of the building above: A quality...
To some, a garage is much more than a place to park the car and store junk. To the car enthusiast, it is a nerve cen...
When you first start tackling home projects, it's no problem to hit the hardware store for one of those sandpaper mul...
Since my wife and I recently downsized, I am making do with a much smaller basement workshop these days. Whereas I co...
The workbench is any DIY project's hub, where supplies are kept and progress gets made. Sure, you can buy a workbenc...
Whether you're looking for a stocking stuffer or a gift to slip under the tree, our top tool picks will help you shop for the tool-loving handyman or woman in you...
If your last-minute fall chores have you climbing a ladder, here are some tips to save time and stay safe up there. L...
You’re probably thinking I’m about to list my all-star tool picks. Nope. My five must-haves for a basement workshop h...
The next time you need to move something big and heavy in the workshop or around the house, save your back and build ...
While spring is generally considered the month for cleaning windows, airing out the house, reorganizing the cupboards...
Like everything with moving parts—your car, your computer, your body—your power tools will last longer and work bette...
In laying out your workshop, have you considered the following? Taking these factors into account will help make bui...
There's no reason why your woodworking shop can't be easy on the eyes, outside and in. The one pictured above was cre...
Although I used to have a pretty big workshop back in Cambridge, things changed once we sold the place and became sno...
DIYDiva Kit Stansley They are the heroes of their own dramatic real-life home makeovers. They save buildings from de...
As a kid growing up, I remember visiting my grandparents’ house and heading straight for granddad’s garage. It was im...
The only thing canine about a bench dog is that, in a sense, it's like a tooth protruding from a jaw. A bench dog is ...
Buy four casters, pick over your scrap pile, and find a few wood screws. With those supplies in hand, you can save yo...
Making a bench isn’t especially difficult if you have some basic skills and a good basic tool kit. However, there are...
Noise is an occupational hazard in any shop where power tools are used. Strategies must be employed to minimize the d...
For most of us, the answer isn't a separate building, a closet, or even the garage. The single most popular alternati...
This is the classic garage work area. The bench is fixed on the end wall and your car is still comfortably situated i...
The generously sized workshop has a functional layout and a unique vinyl floor designed by architect Gregory Rochlin.
Bob tours the showroom with the founder’s great-granddaughter, and then visits the factory to see how the vitreous china is manufactured.
Jonathan Adler invites Bob into his Soho boutique, which features an eclectic collection of furniture and housewares. Many pieces from the store will be used in t...
Bob takes the first of many visits to the Winterthur Garden and Museum in Delaware's Brandywine Valley.
Bob visits with Alex Krutsky at the North Bennet Street School in Boston. Bob and Krutsky discuss the school's admissions process, which requires previous carpent...
Furniture maker Tommy MacDonald demonstrates a few of the techniques he employs to create hand-carved furniture details.
Bob and contractor Bob Ryley review the architectural plans. Features such as loft storage are discussed, in addition to the project's post-and-beam construction.
Bob pays a visit to the site as work on the foundation gets underway. Once the excavation is complete, the forms (for the poured concrete) are assembled and put i...
A Grinnell sprinkler system goes into the garage building. Bob gets a brief history of the sprinkler concept and a few tips on installation.
Carpenter Bob Ryley demonstrates how the front hall mirror is custom-built in the workshop.
A country-style door, built by carpenter Bob Ryley in the workshop, is hung in the new entry of the Plymouth project house.
