Tip of the day for

Drill Bit Holder I bought a drill fractional gauge for $2.97 from a mail order catalog. This is a 3" x 6" metal plate with holes ranging from 1/16" to 1/2", in 1/64" increments. I screwed the plate to two wood blocks glued to a wooden base, then drilled into the base using the gauge as a guide to make a 1/2" or 3/8" deep hole for each bit. The holes in the base hold the bits securely, and each bit is visibly numbered. I store them with the cutting end down for safety.

Expert Advice

Beginner woodworking projects
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Introduction to Veneering
Refacing Your Cabinets with Veneer
Making Your Own Custom Cabinets
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Finding the Right Table Saw for your Shop

Woodworking 101

Setting up your workshop & getting started in woodworking
This is the best of our Forums plus some great ideas sent specially for this section! You find a diverse and thoughtful group of opinions and guidelines for getting started in woodworking. To get started click on one of the subject pages to the left. In some cases, we've added links or clarified terms, but essentially these are the suggestions from real woodworkers based on their real-life experience. If you don't see a topic that meets your needs, do a search in the Forums.

Designing Your Own
23rd in a series of articles by Barb Siddiqui

One of the first hurdles a new woodworker must get past is the fear of messing up a project, and one of the best ways to tackle that apprehension is to simply "think outside the box". Most beginners decide to start with something simple (but may not know which projects have simple joinery) and then set out on a search for preprinted plans to make such- and-such. In doing so, a beginner has set herself up for...

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Click on the links below to see the previous articles by Barb Siddiqui.