Here’s today’s woodworking conundrum.

You are building a table with an 18″ diameter round top. You have the apron, legs and other things cut and assembled, and they are looking GOOD….

You now have to cut the top.  How do you do the deed?

With tomorrow being Independence Day in the United States, I’ve noticed some things happening in my neighborhood.  Fireworks which are illegal in my county explode all night. American flags replace the little ‘summer fun’ banners that hang from flag poles. And, decorative cut out yard decorations start to grace the front lawns my my neighbors’ yards. Something like this:

You got it – a sheet of plywood, a jigsaw, some paint and a way to have them stand in the ground and bingo, you have a yard decoration. And it’s not just Independence Day when these appear – there are reindeer for Christmas, Cupids for Valentine’s Day, rabbits for Easter… the works.

This week, let us know if you have ever built a wooden yard ornament for any holiday, or if  the idea of building them turns you off.

When it comes to woodworking, properly securing wood while working on it can make your work safer and more accurate than having it flop around on the bench.

There are many ways to secure your work.  You can use a vise and bench dogs, some wedges, planing stops or clamps, but the classic tool are hold downs – heavy duty iron or steel rods with a bend in them that are hammered down into a bench dog hole and provide tremendous holding force.

This week, do you use hold fasts to hold your work at your bench?  If not, tell us how you do it.

Happy Father’s Day to the dads out there!

Now, first of all – a salute to us guys out there:

Now, for the matter at hand – spending time with your kids (Or someone else’s kid – maybe nieces, nephews, grandkids… the works) in the shop can be a great way to pique a kid’s interest in woodworking, and a great way to create some memories that will last a lifetime.

This week, tell us how frequently you let the kids work with you in your shop?  Is it an everyday kind of thing, or is it a rare treat?

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few days, you may have heard that Marc (The Wood Whisperer) and Nicole (The Lady of Leet) Spagnuolo are expecting their first child sometime in late December. Congratulations, Marc and Nicole!  That’s a big step  in your lives.

This got me thinking – how much did the arrival of children in your home affect your shop time?  Did the big event have a major or just a minor impact on your shop time?  Do you even have kids, or did you start woodworking well after they were grown?

When it comes to woodworking, it seems as if we are always in some part of the project building process.  Whether just starting to develop plans and gather materials to buffing out a glowing finish and moving it to it’s place of honor, there are definitely places along the path where we find ourselves.

So, why not share with us what ‘state’ your projects are in?  Right now as you sit to read this poll.  If you need to, poke your head out into your shop and come back to answer… we’ll be waiting!

They are often the first power saw a home owner will buy. They can cut curves and straight lines. It can cut through wood, metal, plexiglass and other materials. With the right blade and proper techniques, they can make very smooth cuts, or with the wrong blade… it will make a  mess of your project.

The jigsaw or saber saw is one of those tools most woodworkers either love or don’t… it can be a problem solver or its own problem altogether.   What are your thoughts about the humble jigsaw?