http://www.mrhandicraft.com Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:23:19 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en How to Finish Woods Here are some of the most commonly used furniture woods with suggested finishes for each. With the materials described above and the rules described here, you can work out many finishes of your own. Walnut Hard and porous, walnut always requires filler for a smooth finish. However, if ... http://www.mrhandicraft.com/furniture/choosing-and-applying-the-finish-part-three Stain Finishes Wood is stained to emphasize grain and natural figure. Many professionals use stain when wood has little natural beauty of color or graining. Most stains give the wood surface little or no protection, so you may want to use a protective finish as well. For proper staining, the wood surface ... http://www.mrhandicraft.com/furniture/choosing-and-applying-the-finish-part-two Once you have completed the construction of a piece of furniture, you should decide on the type of finish you will give the wood. The most suitable finish depends on two considerations: how tough a surface you want and the type of wood you are using. Before applying your selected ... http://www.mrhandicraft.com/furniture/choosing-and-applying-the-finish-part-one If you want completely closed storage, you will need by-passing panels. This calls for three stops – one in the center and one on each side. Use a ¼-inch-square strip at the center and ¼-inch round on the sides If you have a power saw with dado-blade assembly, you can dispense ... http://www.mrhandicraft.com/diy/cabinet-doors-part-two Although you can make your own cabinet doors easily enough, you may buy ready-made doors from builders’ supply houses – provided your cabinet frames will accept standard sizes. Stock units come in a variety of facings and styles. When hanging doors, allow for free movement between matching doors (and around hinges). ... http://www.mrhandicraft.com/diy/cabinet-doors-part-one Some methods for making drawers and runners call for the skill of a professional cabinet maker, but those written here are both simple and sure. Drawer Construction Regardless of the construction method, each drawer will normally require the same number and size of grooves and cuts. By standardizing your procedure, you can ... http://www.mrhandicraft.com/diy/drawers-for-assembling-and-installing Threaded rods can also be used to join planks. You need a drill bit long enough to drill through the width of the board, and a doweling jig is almost a necessity for boring straight holes. Drill the hole to a slightly larger diameter than that of the threaded rod. ... http://www.mrhandicraft.com/diy/making-tabletops-part-two Building a table can be easier than you think if you master a few basic techniques. The suggestions offered here concern making and cutting tabletops. Most tabletops consist of several boards fastened together in some manner as to form a flat surface. Large planks can be joined either with dowels or ... http://www.mrhandicraft.com/diy/making-tabletops-part-one When starting on the actual construction of a piece of furniture, the first question the home craftsman should ask himself is, “What is the best way to join the pieces together?” There are many types of joints commonly used in woodworking – some are easy to make, other are not ... http://www.mrhandicraft.com/diy/joining-pieces-together   In almost any variety of home crafting, power tools make a noticeable difference – most jobs can be done easier, faster, and with more precision than by hand. There are two general categories of power tools – portable and bench-mounted. http://www.mrhandicraft.com/diy/using-power-tools-for-easy-work