# ![@workshopcompanion Avatar](https://lunarcrush.com/gi/w:26/cr:youtube::UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ.png) @workshopcompanion Workshop Companion

Workshop Companion posts on YouTube about how to, grain, diy, tools the most. They currently have [-------] followers and [---] posts still getting attention that total [-------] engagements in the last [--] hours.

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### Social Influence

**Social category influence**
[finance](/list/finance) [cryptocurrencies](/list/cryptocurrencies) [currencies](/list/currencies) [technology brands](/list/technology-brands) [social networks](/list/social-networks)

**Social topic influence**
[how to](/topic/how-to), [grain](/topic/grain), [diy](/topic/diy) #5035, [tools](/topic/tools) #979, [finish](/topic/finish) #1006, [if you](/topic/if-you) #2000, [band](/topic/band) #3369, [strong](/topic/strong) #716, [project](/topic/project), [in the](/topic/in-the)
### Top Social Posts
Top posts by engagements in the last [--] hours

"Custom Saw Stand A saw stand is one of the most useful tools in a woodshop. This is the shop assistant you never have to pay the family member you never have to bother to hold up the other end of the board. And despite its name its not just for use with table saws. Its an invaluable accessory for you jointer planer router table band saw sander virtually any stand alone power tool. Nick shows you not just how to build a saw stand but how to customize it for your specific woodworking needs. He shows how to figure the height range you need adjust the height with precision level the base tilt the"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=GFF57NC4PCY) 2022-07-08T20:37Z 997K followers, 207.1K engagements

"Hardwoods & Softwoods One of the decisions you have to make before you begin any woodworking project is: Should I make this from hardwood or softwood Theres a lot that goes into making that decision. It depends on cost strength durability appearance ease of finishing and a hundred more considerations that will determine the best wood for the job. Nick reviews some of the botanical differences between hardwoods and softwoods and how they may affect your woodworking. If this video whets your curiosity and you would like to know more about the 60000+ species of trees and shrubs that produce wood"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=fNwKgiSj_rg) 2026-02-12T16:44Z 997K followers, 611K engagements

"Always Cut Wood Downhill #woodworking #diy Almost all wood has a "grain slope" -- the wood grain runs at a slight angle through the board. Depending on the direction you're feeding the wood into the tool -- or pushing the tool across the wood -- you could be cutting "uphill" climbing the grain slope or 'downhill" neatly shaving the layers of grain. Cutting uphill often results in chips and tear-out -- the tool wants to lift the layers of grain. Cutting downhill always gives you the smoothest possible surface. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=02Z99R6SRQ0) 2024-02-28T18:04Z 997K followers, 2.1M engagements

"Making Strong Screw Joints When joining pieces of wood the orientation of the wood grain has a great deal to do with the strength of the joint. This is true of all joints including screw joints. A screw driven into face grain perpendicular to the cellulose fibers that make up the grain will hold better and last longer than one driven into end grain parallel to those fibers. When you drive a screw into end grain the wood immediately surrounding the screw the anchor breaks easily and lets the screw come loose. When the driven into face grain the anchor is stronger and more durable. But what"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=10mBKHspeJU) 2025-08-07T17:56Z 997K followers, 3M engagements

"Paste Wax Mix-Up Paste wax is an important element in every phase of woodworking. We use it to maintain our tools polish our finishes and keep our projects looking beautiful long after we've completed them. Nick shares recipes for two versions of a paste wax that combine the characteristics of four waxes one a "standard" paste wax that will serve most woodworking purposes and the other completely food safe for kitchen utensils children's toys and other projects where toxicity is a concern. You can download his recipes and a chart of common waxes FREE from out store at"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=6DdNMrRn_jk) 2021-08-13T13:00Z 997K followers, 232.2K engagements

"Making Board Butter Board butter is a blend of non-toxic wax and oil to make a food-safe finish for wooden kitchen implements cutting boards spoons bowls and so on. You can uses waxes and oils by themselves for this purpose but the combination makes the finish more attractive and durable. The oil soaks into the wood accentuating the wood grain. The wax helps keep the oil from leeching out and creates a sheen. Both protect the wood from water and food juices"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=7ihG3ecr6fE) 2025-01-28T19:40Z 997K followers, 2.2M engagements

"2x4s -- Straight Strong and Clear If your local lumberyard is like most the quality of the 2x4x8s in the commons bin sucks dead toads. Most are shot through with defects visual and physical that affect strength and stability. What do you do when you need a strong reasonably clear visually attractive 2x4 The answer lies in another bin and a little work on your part. Nick shows you where to look and what to do. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=8NI5OOY847Y) 2024-10-29T16:36Z 997K followers, 9M engagements

"Tying a Whiplash As much as we rely on adhesive tape to hold stuff together strings and ropes still come in handy from time to time. We use the bow knot to lash our shoes to our feet and the square knot to tie-up packages (and just about everything else). Travis and I have become enamored of the whipping knot or whiplash because of its applications in woodworking. It can be as strong as nails or screws; and because it compresses the wood it can keep the wood from splitting under extreme stress. The lash is completely reversible you can tie and untie the knot without marring the wood surface."
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Gfs_TH6lpi4) 2025-07-03T19:30Z 997K followers, 4.5M engagements

"Bowls From Boards -- Simple technique spectacular turnings A simple technique opens up a world of possibilities for creating figured and patterned bowls. Nick demonstrates a simple jig that slices a board into rings then glues those rings together to make turning stock for a bowl. This not only saves time and wood it allows you to create remarkable eye-catching lathe turnings from scraps. The plans for the jigs and fixtures used in this video are available from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/bowls-from-boards-project-plan .This project plan also includes and in-depth"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=KSuRwdlMagk) 2021-12-03T14:35Z 997K followers, 375.6K engagements

"Preventing Rust With Camphor Have trouble preventing your tools from rusting even when you keep them in a tool box protected from excess moisture Turns out that just a little bit of humidity in the air inside an enclosed space will condense on your tools and start turning iron into iron oxide. Fortunately theres an old machinists trick that will keep your stuff bright and shiny. If you would like a source of CAMPHOR visit our Amazon Associate's Store at https://workshopcompanion.com/affiliate-hardware-materials.html#Camphor To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=YtpRaK3AW7Q) 2024-12-24T05:25Z 997K followers, 7.7M engagements

"Breaking the Edges to Preserve Them #woodworking #wood Sharp crisp edges on a woodworking project look great but they can be quite fragile and occasionally painful subject to chipping and likely to throw splinter. You can prevent this -- and preserve that crisp look -- by simply easing or "breaking" the edges. Nick shows how. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=_BfKo2Yn-5A) 2024-02-22T17:17Z 997K followers, 5.1M engagements

"Spreading Glue Thin and Even There are a buh-zillion ways to spread glue beginning with your fingers and ending with precision glue knives" precisely designed for both the adhesive and the material on which its spread. During five decades of woodworking Ive tried about half of them including both fingers and knives. But the spreader I use most is one recommended to me by the chemists at Franklin International the makers of Titebond glue. Youve probably got one of them in your collection of orphaned hardware: A long bolt To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=g2LFFhl3STs) 2025-08-27T18:57Z 997K followers, 11.6M engagements

"Sandpaper Abrasives When we reach for a piece of sandpaper we rarely think about the stuff thats glued to it. Its sandpaper right. Its just abrasive sand. Except that its not there is no sand on sandpaper. That abrasive can be any one of several different materials and each material is made to abrade the work in a different way. If you know just a little bit about each of these materials you can match the abrasive to the work. This in turn will reduce the time you spend sanding and help produce better results. Heres a quick review of the most-used abrasives in woodworking. Note: We have"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=icRlm5nATVA) 2025-12-18T18:30Z 997K followers, 1.1M engagements

"Band Sawn Elves (and Santa) Some of you good folks asked us to design a band sawn Santa to go with our band sawn reindeer and band sawn sleigh. Weve been thinking about it for the better part of a year and heres what Travis and I came up with not just a Santa but a whole workshop full of elves These little guys are created using the same band saw magic Ive shown in earlier videos. Just cut two patterns in a single scrap of wood each from different directions. Additionally you can give each elf his own special look and personality simply by swapping body shapes caps beards pipes and wood"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=kJEsyvkNXEs) 2024-12-11T21:59Z 997K followers, 187K engagements

"Why Glue Alone Wont Make Strong Joints There's a lot to consider when you glue pieces of wood together -- gluing surface grain direction and wood movement to name a few. Nick gives a brief overview of how a glue joint works and then offers some tips for making it work better. Along the way he tests several types of glue joints and gluing techniques to show how the decisions you make will affect the overall strength of a glued-up assembly. If you'd like to know more about designing and making strong glue joints we recommend Nick's book "Woodworking Wisdom." The book contains the core"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=qnNsE4J-udc) 2024-11-13T21:50Z 997K followers, 220.5K engagements

"Reducing Tool Vibration A tool that vibrates excessively as it runs will not cut of drill accurately. Furthermore the excessive vibration can cause the tool to wear prematurely. Nick shows several simple thigs you can do to reduce the vibration and get the tool running smooth enough to balance a nickel on edge on the worktable. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=sk5DFCIfvxo) 2024-06-19T18:23Z 997K followers, 1.3M engagements

"Drill press Table - Woodworking A drill press is an absolute necessity in any shop but they can be frustrating for a woodworker. The table is too small it tilts the wrong way and there are no fences or stops to help align the work its designed for metalworking This quick-to-make fixture changes all that. Theres plenty of real estate to support large work pieces; the surface tilts front-to-back for angled holes; and it has and easy-to-mount fence and stop. It turns a standard drill press into a true woodworking tool. Plans for the drill press table are available at"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=EbeS91X3xYo) 2021-07-23T15:59Z 997K followers, 509.7K engagements

"Reviving Router Bits Got a router bit that's getting dull Nick shows how to restore an old bit to almost good as new; first by thoroughly cleaning the cutting edge to remove the pitch and then touching up the carbide knives on a diamond stone. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ . All our plans feature both English/Imperial and metric"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=QCFZcw-kOTA) 2024-06-28T22:11Z 997K followers, 1.9M engagements

"Band Saw Lumber-- Sawing Firewood into Usable Boards. If your band saw is big enough to do resawing it's big enough to do sawyering -- you can turn tree limbs and small logs into usable lumber. Nick shows how you can cut a log that's larger than the your band saw's capacity into wide flat boards. And just as important he explains how to assemble a small stack of lumber and wire it together so the lumber will air-dry evenly and all the boards will turn out straight and true. Amazingly this doesn't require complex jigs to turn your band saw into a saw mill -- just a scrap of plywood UPDATE A"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=bfmCV7qKtGk) 2021-10-08T19:28Z 997K followers, 1.7M engagements

"Preventing Tear-Out in Plywood #diy #woodworking #wood Plywood moreso than other woodworking materials tends to "tear out" when you cut it across the surface grain. The saw blade lifts the veneer as it exits the wood breaking it and leaving a row of splinters. The cut looks ragged. There are are several things you can do to prevent this tear-out and Nick shows one of the easiest: Tape the cut. Apply a length of masking tape over the line you wish to cut. This keep the grain from breaking and greatly reduce the splintering. And you can further reduce the tear-out by applying a great deal of"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ln2LqnrKrC8) 2024-06-14T19:33Z 997K followers, 6.2M engagements

"Making A Router Plane A small router plane is one of the handiest hand planes you can have in your tool box. With this tool you can reach down into dado groove or mortise and shave the bottom to fine tune the joinery. Its also useful for making inlays setting hinges and installing other hardware. Nick shows how to make a handsome capable router plane from a scrap of wood a piece of plastic and an Allen wrench If you would like the plans for this router plane -- including full-size patterns for the base and handle -- find them at"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=q_jT-dl0DII) 2022-01-07T23:24Z 997K followers, 412.8K engagements

"How to Sharpen and Use a Cabinet / Card Scraper Craftsman/Author Nick Engler reveals the magic behind scrapers -- thin sheets of tool steels that can smooth a surface in seconds. He explains the traditional method and the "easy" method to sharpen scrapers both rectangular and curved. Then he demonstrates how to use them leaving a surface as smooth as if you had sanded it with 120# sandpaper. For more information on using and sharpening scrapers pick up Nick's books "Using Hand Tools" and "Sharpening" from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/using-hand-tools and"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=uOah91g3PsI) 2020-10-08T19:08Z 997K followers, 136.4K engagements

"A Review & Comparison of Jorgensen Planes Not long ago Jorgensen Pony introduced two hand planes touting them as evolved versions of the iconic Stanley No. [--] smoothing plane and the Stanley No. 60-1/2 low-angle block plane. These are two of the most popular planes that Stanley ever made -- and the two most useful planes in my shop. I have often told novices that these are the two essential planes they should have. But what made these new tools most interesting was their price -- the new Jorgensens aren't any more expensive than some old Stanleys in need of restoration So I thought to do a"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=uygqFRQaFz4) 2024-08-28T18:08Z 997K followers, 79.7K engagements

"Making A Doge Box For Dogecoins - Scroll Saw Marquetry Recently the cryptocurrency Dogecoin took a wild ride. It had been started as a joke in [----] and managed to claw its way up to about $0.005 USD by January [--] [----] when a sudden interest by social media and a few comments by celebrities pushed it up to around $0.69 in early May [----]. Since then it has fallen to less than half of its peak price. But being a long-time dog lover I am still rooting for it. Dogecoins icon is a photo of Kabosu a female Japanese Shiba Inu who was rescued from an animal shelter by kindergarten teacher Atsuko Sat."
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=39Udyj9GJSQ) 2021-08-06T13:00Z 936K followers, 13.6K engagements

"Tall & Horizontal Table Saw Fences - L Fence If you own a table saw you need a tall fence now and then to cut boards on edge. Add a horizontal fence (sometimes called an L-fence) to the set-up and suddenly the usefulness increases exponentially. You can use this combination to straighten warped or bowed edges saw long tapers duplicate complex parts cut odd miters even shave a whisker off an edge or an end for a precise fit. Together these jigs vastly simplify complex woodworking operations without sacrificing precision. You can't buy either jig; you'll have to make them -- and you can find"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=8XnCBdPTbhY) 2021-05-26T18:17Z 936K followers, 226.3K engagements

"Hardwax Finishes Overexplained Hardwax occupies a unique niche among wood finishes. While most finishes build up a hard protective coating hardwax penetrates the wood and protects and beautifies from the inside out. They are a blend of wax resins and oils that are exceptionally easy to apply and allow you to handle -- even use -- your wooden projects before the finish is fully cured. But its not all good news; they have their limitations. Nick fully explains the advantages and disadvantages of hardwax how it differs from other finish types compares several popular brands and shares some"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=9xSJpkU-hsg) 2025-03-29T17:28Z 997K followers, 229.3K engagements

"How to Make the Plywood Cutting Grid Our Cutting and Handling Plywood video has stirred up a massive amount of interest thanks to you good folks. That video concentrates on how to USE our cutting grid and a good many people asked how to MAKE it specifically our unique knock-down sawhorses. Furthermore many requests came from DIY people who don't necessarily have a well-equipped woodworking shop. So Nick came up with a way to build the cutting grid with nothing more than a circular saw a hand-held drill and a few hand tools Heres how step by step. Additionally weve revised our plans for the"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=NhAP-b0FCqg) 2022-10-07T20:29Z 877K followers, 259.6K engagements

"Finish Won't Stop Wood Movement -- And That's a Good Thing. Wood finishes are semi-permeable. They allow moisture to travel back and forth between the environment and the wood. And because wood shrinks and swells across the grain as it releases and takes on moisture it continues to move whether you apply a finish or not. But finishes do slow down the exchange of moisture and this extends to useful life of the wood and the assembly. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=cizRz56pyBk) 2025-03-03T17:41Z 997K followers, 296.6K engagements

"How to Make a Hardwax Finish Hardwax wood finishes are growing more popular because they are easy to apply and produce an attractive natural look and fee. But commercial hardwax brands can be extremely expensive on the average five times the cost of other finish types. Fortunately hardwax is made from common readily available ingredients. If you like to save some money you can easily make your own Nick shows you how. And if you wish to learn more about hardwax (and get a second food-contact safe recipe) watch our video Hardwax Finishes Overexplained at"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=cvx9iaEHWfc) 2025-04-02T19:16Z 997K followers, 276.9K engagements

"15 Expert Drilling Tips Nick presents fifteen of his most useful drilling tips to help make your drill press and hand drill operations easier more accurate and -- most important -- safer. For more information see Nick's book on USING THE DRILL PRESS. It covers operations alignment selecting drill bits and keeping them sharp. It also includes well over a dozen drilling and drill press jigs that you can make yourself. The book is available in PDF format from the Workshop Companion General store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/using-the-drill-press . And if you'd like to have the"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=gXc8kHZgyuI) 2023-03-02T19:09Z 792K followers, 84.8K engagements

"Dealing with Millmarks Planer jointers and other rotary tools leave "millmarks." Because their knives and cutters travel in an arc they create a series of scallops with peaks and valleys. The peaks display more end grain than the valleys and because stains and finishes soak deeper into end grain than long grain the peaks will appear as rows of dark lines on the finished surface. The solution to this problem is simple -- remove the millmarks before you apply a finish. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=hgnWe0EmF8U) 2024-09-05T16:19Z 997K followers, 1.1M engagements

"Aniline Dye Tips Aniline dyes color the wood as well as a stain and they also preserve the appearance of the wood grain. Stains have pigments solid particles that partially obscure the grain -- they are only semi-transparent. Successive coats will give the surface an increasingly muddy look. Dyes are liquid chemicals that penetrate the wood and color it from the inside out. You can still see and enjoy the grain figure. Heres a quick primer on how to use aniline dyes. If you'd like to purchase the plans for the Halloween Lantern we show in this video see"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=lj0NWR92Bfw) 2024-10-11T20:55Z 997K followers, 1.3M engagements

"Best Adhesives for Chair Repair Restoring a chair presents special problems. The wooden surfaces are covered with old glue and the joints are loose making it difficult to create a strong bond. And not only must you reassemble the chair parts the adhesive you use must fill the voids in the loose joints. We test several readily-available glues for both their strength and gap-filling properties. We also investigate several materials made just for chair repair that claim to secure the joints either by filling the gaps or swelling the wood to fit. To get a FREE copy of the test results mentioned"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=mO03Ykqf2_U) 2020-02-18T05:00Z 919K followers, 59.1K engagements

"Must you always rest a hand plane on it's side Occasionally we find ourselves blindly following a rule while forgetting the reason for it. Always lay a hand plane on its side is one of those. Taken at face value it leads the novice to think that there must be something harmful about a benchtop that will dull the plane iron if you allow the two to come in contact. But theres a good deal more to it than that"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=pnB1QQx_aQU) 2024-12-31T21:35Z 997K followers, 1.4M engagements

"Squaring the Bandsaw Blade to the Table Its essential that you square the table of your band saw to the BACK of your blade. Squaring the table to the flat of the blade gives you a square cut the bandsawn edge is square to the top and bottom surfaces of the board. But if you make two cuts that meet in the middle of a board as when cutting an inside corner the table must also be square to the back of the blade for these cuts to meet properly. If the band saw blade leans forward it will look as if the cuts meet on top of the board but turn the board over and youll find they dont meet at all"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=qhC9rvUOsy4) 2025-09-21T21:15Z 997K followers, 965.4K engagements

"Using a Saw Kerf to Line Up Crosscuts You can use a kerf in a miter gauge extension to line up boards for crosscuts but not for very long. That kerf grows as you make repetitive cuts. Before long its too wide to serve as an accurate reference. Why is that Is there any way to prevent it Nick explains why it happens how the table saw itself is engineered to make the kerf grow and how you can do a little (but only a little) to slow it down. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=wiBa6NcRgiE) 2025-04-11T19:46Z 997K followers, 1.5M engagements

"Pegged Mortises & Tenons -- Square Pegs in Round Holes If youre still laboring under the childhood delusion that you cant put square pegs in round holes this may convince you otherwise. For millennia craftsmen have secured joints with wooden pegs called trenails or trunnels. In the last century makers of Craftsman or Mission-style furniture have used them as both fasteners and decoration. They pegged mortise-and-tenon joints together by driving square pegs into round holes leaving the heads visible for all to see. Nick shows how its done. If youd like to build the Craftsman bookcase that Nick"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=xXvCKCG3Fo8) 2023-09-21T14:46Z 817K followers, 85.6K engagements

"Finding the Perfect Finish Experienced craftsmen and women all have a "go-to" finish -- a versatile wood finish that takes minimal time and effort to apply. They use this for most projects simplifying their finishing needs. These needs vary so Nick shows how to find your personal go-to finish from the hundreds of choices that are available to you. He starts with some basic "coating chemistry" to reduce confusion and help you make an informed choice. Then he walks you though a simple experiment designed to compare the characteristics of popular commercial finishes. 0:00 Intro 1:58 Why Apply a"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=0z_xHK4-3cI) 2022-03-15T19:28Z 994K followers, 1.4M engagements

"Glue Surface vs. Grain Direction #diy #woodworking The larger the gluing surface the stronger the glue joint right Not necessarily. Nick demonstrates why grain direction may play a much more important role in the strength of a joint. If this interests you see our longer video on this subject at https://www.youtube.com/watchv=qnNsE4J-udc To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=AIf3bswowoU) 2024-12-04T16:44Z 997K followers, 2.4M engagements

"Gluing End Grain to End Grain Glue joints that involve end grain the ends of the long cellulose fibers that make up the wood and typically weaker than joints that adhere long grain to long grain. There are two reasons for this and the first is that wood is strongest along its grain. Keep the grain long and the joint can be as strong as the wood itself. Glue the ends of the fibers to each other and the joint can only be as strong as the glue which is usually somewhat weaker than the wood. The second reason is that end grain wicks up the liquid glue and draws it away from the joint often"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=HILYQ5zShJo) 2025-11-11T20:31Z 997K followers, 1.3M engagements

"How Cams Work Cams are used to (1) move stuff and (2) put pressure on stuff. If youre using a cam to create pressure as in a cam clamp you need to pay close attention to the shape of the cam. There are many ways to make it but only one will keep the pressure on. If you'd like to know more see our "Cam Clamps" video at: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=S_W6gWv6g_I&t=256s . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kp4NJAl5Pw4) 2023-04-24T20:48Z 991K followers, 3.4M engagements

"Pocket Holes Overexplained Nick does a thorough job of explaining pocket hole joinery telling you everything you need to know things you didnt know you needed to know and possibly one or two things you probably dont need to know but its fun to know anyway. All of this helps you to make intelligent decisions when making pocket holes including when to opt for another type of joint. Nick also offers some valuable information on screws in general and how to use them effectively. He insists that when you have completed this video you will qualify for an advanced degree in screwology (which you can"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=OmMN_XKJ4nc) 2022-08-12T21:56Z 990K followers, 1.3M engagements

"Fine Tuning a Bench Plane Possibly the most satisfying and certainly the most iconic activities in all of woodworking is planning with a bench plane. Effortlessly cutting a paper-thin shaving from a wood surface makes you feel that you have arrived as a craftsman. But getting a plane in condition to make those effortless cuts requires careful painstaking flattening sharpening and adjusting. This is what is called tuning a plane. Nick takes a deep dive into this essential procedure not just showing you how to do it but also explaining the whys and wherefores. 01:23 Parts of a Bench Plane 03:41"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Szan5pP4drQ) 2022-03-25T15:36Z 994K followers, 544.8K engagements

"Precision Saw Sled A saw sled carries your work past the table saw blade boosting accuracy by eliminating the friction that plagues an ordinary miter gauge. Nick shows how to get even more precision; how you can easily adjust a cut to with a few thousands of an inch or hundredths of a millimeter. And in addition to being more accurate sleds are also more versatile. Nick discusses the types of sleds you might build and shows the features you might pack into it -- fixed and adjustable fences stops guards auxiliary surfaces even a convenient storage cart. Detailed plans for the saw sleds and"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ThHQFVD00w4) 2022-02-08T21:10Z 989K followers, 632.1K engagements

"Bandsaw Magic - Melting Shelves Short Nick conjures up some bandsaw magic at lightning speed to create a unique set of shelving whose legs seem to be melting into the workbench. If you'd like to try performing this magic yourself the plans for the shelves are available from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/melting-display-shelves-plans . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=kSZJ2tTJkZo) 2021-09-21T18:53Z 995K followers, 377.4K engagements

"Sandpaper Sharpening Jig - Sharpening Tools On a Budget This is one of the least expensive and most effective sharpening jigs I've ever designed -- I use it for all my plane irons and most of my chisels. Unless the tool has been massively abused you can usually sharpen it in under [--] minutes. The secret is using ordinary wet-dry sandpaper on a hard flat surface. You have a broad choice of grits and you can replace a grit when it wears out for just pennies. And if you use the trick I show you with honing compound you can get an edge sharp enough to shave with. Really -- although that's one of"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=xYy-U2_ylAA) 2021-07-30T16:01Z 996K followers, 339.6K engagements

"Is Wood Glue Safe Are the glues that you commonly use toxic in any way Are they safe to use when making wooden kitchenware such as cutting boards Nick reviews the five types of glue commonly found in woodworking shops polyvinyl (white) glue modified polyvinyl (carpenters) glue polyurethane (original Gorilla) glue cyanoacrylate (Super) glue and two-part epoxy glue. He discusses how these adhesives differ from each other chemically and which of them can be considered food-contact safe after they have cured. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=75Mm-DE_EoA) 2026-01-23T17:18Z 997K followers, 1.5M engagements

"Rolling pin - How To / Intro to Lathe Turning Nick turns his elegant rolling pin into a quick lesson in basic lathe turning techniques. Using this awesome turning project as an example Nick explains how every turning no matter how complex is comprised of just three simple shapes. He then walks you through the tools and techniques used to create each shape. You come away with the core knowledge you need to turn almost anything If you'd like the shop drawings for these rolling pins complete with step by step instructions and full-size templates for the shop aids that Nick uses in this video"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=9g_7-9LRNEE) 2021-03-05T21:01Z 997K followers, 115.2K engagements

"Glue Steps and How to Avoid Them Where do glue steps come from the lines and ridges that often develop in ta wood surface where youve glued boards edge to edge They are the results of uneven movement. And where does this movement come form Nick explains in this short video. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ To follow us on social media try:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=AAOQBwA6y3Q) 2025-02-14T21:42Z 997K followers, 1.1M engagements

"Cutting & Handling Plywood in a One-Person Shop Handling and cutting a full sheet of plywood -- or any sheet material -- can be a challenge in a one-person shop. To make your woodworking life a little easier Nick has developed four simple fixtures and combined them in a ingenious system for managing sheet materials. Used together these shop-built tools allow you to move position and make amazingly accurate cuts in plywood particleboard and other sheet goods. And because we know you will be asking Nick's co-star in this video is Bella our shop-dog-in-training. She's a one-year-old short-haired"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=FCqh3eg5Ut0) 2022-05-28T03:59Z 997K followers, 2.9M engagements

"Perfect Alignment For Glue-ups When you tighten the clamps around a glue joint the boards sometimes slip out of alignment. Here are two ways to keep that from happening. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ . All our plans feature both English/Imperial and metric measurements. And you can pick up one of Nicks books FREE just for visiting To follow"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=FRlqWsfKsKQ) 2024-09-11T18:46Z 997K followers, 9.6M engagements

"Is Wood Antibacterial Is wood naturally antibacterial Yes but not to the extent you might hope for or in ways that you expect. Nick explores the facts and myth-conceptions that surround this complex topic and evaluates whether or no wood is a sufficiently sanitary material from which to make cutting boards and other utensils that come in contact with food. He concludes the wood can be just as sanitary as any other material but only if you do one simple thing. If this interests you and you want more information than Nick has time to convey in this short video be sure read the pinned comment."
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=GEldO3xva2o) 2026-01-13T19:51Z 997K followers, 2M engagements

"Files Rasps & Floats Files rasps and floats are simple hand tools about as simple as you can get. Most are just bars of tool steel with teeth cut into the surface. They are designed to remove stock allowing you to smooth round or shape a surface. Rasps and floats are designed to work wood and files will work wood or metal. The major difference between these tools is their teeth. Files have rows of short teeth spaced closed together that stretch across the width of the bar. Rasps have stitches small teeth that are no wider side-to-side than they are front-to-back. Floats have larger teeth than"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=NgQgq2MCpWk) 2025-12-08T21:35Z 997K followers, 875.1K engagements

"Lubricating Woodworking Tools Lubricating woodworking tools can be a botheration. Oil and grease mix with fine sawdust to create a pernicious goo that sticks to everything and does little to lubricate. So instead of traditional lubricants you must rely on dry lubes such designed to reduce friction in dusty environments. Nick reveals what lubricants to use and where to use them. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=S_boipfDQzQ) 2025-04-22T18:20Z 997K followers, 3.1M engagements

"Scrapwood Rolling Pin Nick turns an elegant rolling pin at super-speed from small bits of hardwood softwood and plywood. This is an awesome turning project that will use up some of those scraps that you just can't bear to throw away and may cost you nothing to make. If you'd like the shop drawings for these rolling pins (including both English and metric measurements) step by step instructions and plans for the shop aids that Nick uses in this video visit https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/scrapwood-rolling-pin To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=SkSRPM_zu0c) 2020-01-03T15:28Z 997K followers, 1.8M engagements

"Bending Wood With Heat You can easily make tight permanent bends in thin pieces of wood simply by heating one side Nick walks you through the technique as he demonstrates an ingenious fixture that serves as both a heat source and a bending form. This shopmade jig holds propane torch as it heats a short section of plumbing pipe. This in turn heats the board as you bend it. The plans for this heat bending jig (and the measuring cup that Nick makes to demonstrate the technique) are available from the Workshop Companion General Store at:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=UlWlXJrh8S8) 2023-08-17T18:04Z 997K followers, 635.5K engagements

"Saw Nibs Explained Occasionally you run across an antique hand saw with a strange nib near the toe a small protrusion or a bump on the back of the saw plate. What were these for After a hundred years of electric craftsmanship their purpose has been lost to us. Nick dredges a possible answer up from a memory of his grandfather teaching him to use a hand saw. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=WWm8t157LL4) 2023-06-22T21:01Z 997K followers, 17.9M engagements

"Screw it Ultra-Precision for Shopmade Tools Need to add a precision adjustment to a shopmade jig Want to position it level it or move it in small accurate on-the-nose increments Use machine screws Certain sizes of machine screws have a thread pitch (the distance between each thread) that corresponds to a small common measurement. This is true for both Imperial and metric screws and you can take advantage of this when building jigs and fixtures. Want to see more Visit our woodworking channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ For woodworking books and plans visit our"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=_NRci_96WLQ) 2023-07-05T17:38Z 997K followers, 8.3M engagements

"Bandsaw Magic - Making a little known trick a little more known 2:20 Lamp Base 4:00 Patterns 7:10 Table Legs 10:58 Shelves Nick explores an obscure compound cutting technique from our short "Bandsaw Magic." And it is indeed a magical way to create elegantly curved surfaces and three-dimensional shapes with just two cuts on a band saw. Nick experiments with some practical uses for these shapes and in the process discovers a simple way to add joinery to these magical shapes so you can incorporate them in larger assemblies. The plans for the "Melting Display Shelves" that Nick creates in this"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=aAD5yGaHunw) 2021-09-03T21:55Z 997K followers, 732.5K engagements

"Knowing Your Oaks How do you distinguish red oak from white oak Sometimes its hard to tell especially when working with old wood such as the materials in antique furniture. If you want to restore or repair the piece what wood should you use Fortunately theres a simple test you can do. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ . All our plans feature"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=d3K1jYwVK8o) 2024-08-09T19:51Z 997K followers, 1.6M engagements

"Is Glue Stronger Than Wood No You cannot simply say that glue is stronger than wood (or that wood is stronger than glue) because wood is not a homogenous material. It is a composite made up long fibers held together by a glue-like polymer. The fibers are very strong; the polymer is relatively weak. More important the fibers give the wood grain and this unique composite structure makes the wood stronger parallel to the grain than it is across it. The strength of a glue joint depends on the orientation of the wood grain in the adjoining parts much more than it does on the glue itself. To see"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=eR14v3dpH4w) 2023-08-30T15:59Z 997K followers, 11.5M engagements

"Using a Round Mallet Although we think of it as belonging to an older way of working wood the round mallet is a technological marvel. The wooden mallet does minimal damage to your chisels on impact and the damage you do to the mallet is spread over such a broad surface that the mallet itself seems indestructible. The light weight insures that your muscles dont tire and gives you superb control over how deep the chisel cuts. And because you can use the entire circumference of the wooden cylinder as a striking surface you dont have to worry about the orientation of the mallet when you strike."
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ie3atUaWPkk) 2025-07-01T16:55Z 997K followers, 2.5M engagements

"WEN 9" Bandsaw Review 0:00 Introduction 0:35 Bandsaw Specifications 2:10 Smoothing the Table 3:15 Bandsaw Base 3:58 Changing the Blade 6:15 Tensioning the Blade 6:58 Blade Tracking 8:01 Adjusting the Bearings 9:55 Squaring the table to the Blade 13:29 Saw Modification 14:13 Final Thoughts Our bandsaw projects have been extremely popular but some viewers have commented that they can't afford a bandsaw. So we went looking for the least expensive bandsaw that (1) had the capacity to handle our projects and (2) could still be considered a decent tool. This is what we found: The WEN has a 9""
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=oJkg-0G2CJQ) 2025-09-21T21:14Z 997K followers, 85.6K engagements

"The Way Wood Works -- What Every Woodworker Needs to Know About Wood. If you are a novice woodworker this is stuff you absolutely need to know before you cut another board. If youre a master craftsman you know it well enough to understand that a quick review never hurts. And if youre somewhere in between this may fill in some important gaps. What I present here is the very foundation of wood technology; the way wood works as a construction material and the basic concepts you must keep in mind to get it to work for you. Novice or master please understand that these are the just the basics."
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=oZkYLVrTYe4) 2021-11-03T15:46Z 997K followers, 798.2K engagements

"The Dangers of Furniture Polish While commercial furniture polish is remarkably easy to use and leaves a pleasant sheen it may be creating problems down the road. One ingredient in particular that seems to be common to almost all polishes makes it difficult to repair a finish or refinish a wooden surface when the finish is damaged beyond repair. And it does little to care for the wood beyond enhancing its appearance. It seems that an ancient technology -- paste waste -- is still the best way to care for finished wood. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=yog33yzzMN0) 2024-03-08T20:11Z 997K followers, 4M engagements

"Keeping Long Boards Straight #woodworking #diy Want to keep a board straight and flat without having to glue or attach it to a larger assembly The solution is simply to rip the board in two and glue it back together. Of course you have to carefully rearrange the ripped parts so their tendencies to warp or cup will be perfectly opposed to one another Nick demonstrates just how to do this. This procedure also lets you reclaim badly warped lumber that would otherwise be unusable. Nick also shows several useful jigs and fixtures in this short video. If youre interested in knowing more about them"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=0fphrTm3pYg) 2024-10-17T19:27Z 997K followers, 2.4M engagements

"Assembly table - Best gluing jig ever This is one of those tools where once you have it you cant imagine doing without it. And like most good shopmade jigs its simple to build and easy to use. Nicks assembly tables offer a flat rigid surface that has been slotted and perforated so you can attach a clamp anywhere you need one. The table helps hold the project together and keeps the pieces and parts properly aligned while the glue cures. Not only does this simplify assembly your project comes off the table perfectly flat square and true. Plans are available at"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=1ujUF5skCzI) 2021-02-24T17:12Z 955K followers, 551.5K engagements

"Making a Heart Box Want to make something special for someone special Nick shows how to make a simple "heart box" using a band saw to cut the box from a single block of wood. In fact he has designed four unique heart-shaped boxes each with a different romantic theme. There is an Entwined Heart Box for a budding relationship a Broken Heart Box for one navigating troubled waters and a Mended Heart Box for one having found safe harbor. Finally there is just a Plain Old Heart Box for a well-established relationship or one that youd like to establish. The plans and FULL-SIZE PATTERNS are available"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=6XcZIdF4uTo) 2025-02-11T17:02Z 997K followers, 321.2K engagements

"5 Expert Table Saw Tips 0:00 Introduction 0:25 Lining up the cut mark 1:44 Squaring the miter gauge 3:55 Keeping wood from pinching the blade 5:22 Cutting plastic 6:47 Setting the blade angle 9:36 Setting the miter gauge angle Master craftsman and woodworking author Nick Engler reveals five professional secrets to help you get better results when using your table saw. For more table saw information of the printed variety pick up a copy of Nick's book "Using the Table Saw" from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/using-the-table-saw . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ALkltNQnPhs) 2020-01-23T20:30Z 958K followers, 661.4K engagements

"Bandsaw Magic - Little Known Compound Cut Technique This old old band saw technique has been used by shop teachers the world over to keep their students awake. This attention-getter seems to produce magical results but really it's just an exercise in geometry. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ All our plans are in both Imperial/English and metric"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=DteAwffOnqI) 2021-04-15T15:45Z 947K followers, 1.4M engagements

"Making "Pocket Dowel" Joints A "pocket dowel" joint combines the strength of a dowel joint with the simplicity of a pocket screw joint. Nick shows how to make these unique joints quickly and easily using an ordinary pocket screw jig and a 12"-long aircraft drill. If you need a 3/8" x 12" aircraft drill see: https://amzn.to/3qahVKD Want to see more Visit our woodworking channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ For woodworking books and plans visit our store at: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ Our Music is Licensed through Epidemic Sounds -"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=EpY2emtobKk) 2023-08-01T16:17Z 968K followers, 6.5M engagements

"Solved THE Most Infuriating Router Problem. We've all been there. You're just routing along when suddenly you notice that the router bit has slipped It's come loose in the collet and dropped down creating an ugly divot in your workpiece. What could you have done to prevent this disaster Nick shows you exactly what to do and it's not what you might think. The solution to this pernicious problem is deceptively simple. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=GAuOV4IpHMk) 2021-08-20T20:09Z 946K followers, 338.5K engagements

"Making A Doge Box - Short In one of our previous videos Nick created a Dogebox with a secret compartment using scroll saw marquetry techniques. This is the short version and it's still enough to open some eyes as to what amazing things can be done with a scroll saw. If you'd like to try it for yourself (or just make a cool box with a secret compartment) the plans for the Dogebox are available at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/doge-box-plans . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=GJy-k5L6jR0) 2021-08-20T14:57Z 949K followers, 102.5K engagements

"Crosscut Sled Plus Ever seen a crosscut sled that will cut tenons and splines That is unaffected by the sawdust that piles up between the fences With adjustable guides and fences that can be made perfectly true and square That enables you to dial in repetitive cuts to the nearest 1/128" or [-----] mm This double-sided crosscut sled will do all that and more. Nick reviews some unique designs that you will certainly want to incorporate into your next sled. The plans for this brilliant sled its guards stop and tenoning jig that Nick explains are available from the Workshop Companion General Store"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=NymFcUFDb0Q) 2023-06-09T19:11Z 987K followers, 352.4K engagements

"Mustache Handlebars Short Nick steam bends mustache handlebars for a Wright bicycle replica. Longer version can be found here - https://youtu.be/7PRkoM-eVdY Song - MATHILDA JUNE Vintage Dream"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=QBYW1Ayv72Y) 2022-12-05T20:08Z 943K followers, 3.7M engagements

"Red Oak Sucks and Blows YouTube Short Open-grain hardwoods have pores -- tiny tunnels and channels that distribute nutrients to the living wood through capillary action. And nowhere are these pores so open than in red oak. Did you know that you can actually suck up liquids through the pores in a 6" (15 cm) long piece of red oak Or blow bubbles through it Author/craftsman Nick Engler has some fun with this amazing and little-known property of oak wood. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=QGaQsrNuZYk) 2021-12-10T16:38Z 943K followers, 191.9K engagements

"Harbor Freight Jack Plane - How Does It Stack Up 0:00 Introduction 0:35 An overview of bench planes 4:35 The parts of a bench plane 12:50 Identifying types of steel 17:30 Sharpening the plane iron 24:14 Lapping the sole 26:05 Modifying the castings 31:20 Testing the tuned bench plane Author/craftsman Nick Engler unpacks a cheap ($14 USD) bench plane from Harbor Freight and Salvage which at first glance seems to be a reasonable copy of a Stanley No. [--]. But there are so many hidden problems that this unpacking video quickly becomes a quest to re-make this tool as it should have been made in the"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=QSnLgE7fWCQ) 2020-12-08T17:59Z 949K followers, 453.8K engagements

"Nitric Acid A No-Problem Stain for Problem Woods Nitric acid is my go-to stain for hard-to-stain woods. The results are always even and consistent never any blotches no surface conditioner necessary. Just mix up a thin solution (5% to 10%) apply and let it soak in for a few minutes and then hit it with a heat gun. A beautiful brown color will develop as the acid oxidizes the wood surface. Not only is this a good chemical stain for problem woods you can use it to restore antique patinas and simulate old wood. Be sure to read the safety concerns I posted in the Comments. For more information"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q_g2LjjnHuM) 2021-05-03T18:59Z 960K followers, 300.4K engagements

"Band Saw Lumber Part [--] -- Reading the Grain If you prepare your own lumber will it work just as well as wood bought from a commercial source The answer is a qualified yes. If you have properly dried and stabilized the wood it will work just the same. But there will be some differences that require you to read the grain more closely. The wood will be a mix of grades selects firsts seconds and commons with more sapwood and less heartwood than is usual especially if you have lumbered small-diameter logs and limbs. In this video Nick unstacks the walnut lumber he cut from firewood just over a"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=RG2sbDJqxOo) 2023-01-14T01:23Z 979K followers, 363.7K engagements

"Making Cams and Cam Clamps If you need a lot of clamping power making your own cam clamps is an inexpensive way to go. Nick explains how to design a cam that will not slip under pressure and walks you step by step through the construction of four clamps each with a different bar wood and metal round and rectangular. This allows you to choose among several options for high strength low cost and ease of construction. We offer a digital project plan for these clamps including detailed instructions FULL SIZE templates and patterns for the jaws and cams an in-depth tutorial explaining how to"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=S_W6gWv6g_I) 2023-05-04T17:27Z 971K followers, 147.7K engagements

"Making Santa Stuck in a Chimney Santa for some absurd reason insists on entering your home every Christmas through its chimney. This small statuette shows one possible result of his fixation on chimney ingress/egress. Why a fat man would insist on sliding down a skinny chimney into a burning fire -- then exiting the same way -- is beyond all of us. But the absurdity inspires grins. It takes a bit of effort to make this grin-inspiring project there are a lot of steps; but they are all relatively easy. You can find the plans at:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=UGTdIlm0sts) 2025-12-01T18:56Z 997K followers, 26.4K engagements

"Bandsaw Reindeer We offer printable FULL-SIZE templates and plans with step-by-step directions in PDF format here: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/band-saw-reindeer Also check out our Santa's Sleigh plan: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/santas-band-sawn-sleigh To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ . All our plans feature"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vx9t6A9oYV8) 2023-10-19T19:14Z 997K followers, 744K engagements

"Scrapwood Reindeer Band Saw Compound Cutting Project: How to If youve seen our time-lapse video on scrapwood reindeer and what to know more about creating this compound cutting band saw sculpture heres Nick at regular speed. He explains the compound cutting technique in detail and imparts quite a few tips about gluing-up the scrapwood block cutting and sanding it. He even explains how many reindeer pull Santas sled just in case youre thinking of reproducing the whole crew. It isnt what you think You can get the plans and full-size patterns for these reindeer from our store at"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=W335wRyLLiY) 2020-12-07T21:13Z 944K followers, 351.8K engagements

"7 Ways to Prevent Rust on Your Tools 0:00 Introduction 0:50 Dehumidifier 1:32 Dust Collector 1:58 Enclosed Space 2:35 Camphor 3:30 Wax 4:28 Oil 5:47 Nipping Rust In The Bud Author/craftsman Nick Engler shares seven valuable secrets that he employs to keep the tools in his woodworking shop from rusting. Rust he explains is an electrochemical reaction between three substances iron oxygen and water. You cant remove the iron or the oxygen so you must cut down the amount of water that comes in contact with your tools. This means either reducing the humidity or moisture in your shop or sealing off"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZVeY9d5Xk2Q) 2020-10-22T19:00Z 943K followers, 113.1K engagements

"Water-Popping -- the Secret to a Great Finish When you have sanded a woodworking project and before you apply a finish wipe the surface with a damp rag. The water swells any wood cells that may have been crushed by the sanding process. It also causes any loose wood fibers to pop up. When the surface dries give it a light sanding with the last grit used. This will smooth out any irregularities and knock off the loose fibers. This technique is called water-popping and it greatly improves the wood surface for finishing. Stains and finishes penetrate deeper cure smoother and look better. To see"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=_wESZVDHApY) 2024-09-20T20:00Z 997K followers, 2M engagements

"Sanding Past [---] - How Smooth Should You Go #woodworking #diy It's a given that carefully sanding a wooden surface to make it clean and smooth greatly improves the look and feel of a finish. But can you take this too far Apparently you can. Nick performs a simple experiment that demonstrates that "oversanding" -- sanding past 220# -- can prevent a finish/stain/adhesive from properly penetrating and bonding with the wood. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=fMOU7gxL_pk) 2023-11-14T21:33Z 997K followers, 7.8M engagements

"Scored Story Stick -- Dead On Accurate Need to make repetitive measurements A story stick is the way to go. Need those measurements to match precisely With a "scored" stick you can transfer each set of measurements easily and accurately. Nick shows how to break the pencil habit and use a knife to "feel" each measurement as you transfers it from a ruler to a stick then from the stick to your work. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=hsjdWT6gqhE) 2022-06-08T17:41Z 945K followers, 154.8K engagements

"Making Domino Joints for $30 Nick demonstrates how domino joints were made in days gone by when they were known as loose tenon joints and all you needed was a hand-held drill and a doweling jig. This method isnt as fast as a dedicated domino joiner perhaps; but its effective and economical. Nick uses a self-centering doweling jig a type that is available at many hardware stores home centers and online in a wide ranges of brands and prices from $30 US and up. For a high-quality jig consider the Premium doweling jig from Task USA:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=jgAHkyVjpzQ) 2022-08-01T21:05Z 943K followers, 247.4K engagements

"Scrapwood Sleigh - Band Saw Compound Cutting Project: How to Like our Band Sawn Reindeer this miniature wooden sleigh is designed to be cut out quickly and simply on a band saw. Make eight (or nine) reindeer add this sleigh and you have Santa's entire team And it's small enough to use up some of those special wood scraps you just couldn't bear to throw away. The BAND SAW SLEIGH PROJECT PLAN along with FULL-SIZE PATTERNS is available in PDF format from the Workshop Companion General store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/santas-band-sawn-sleigh . And if you'd like to have the"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=nDqRZjIaiYo) 2022-11-23T22:16Z 967K followers, 84.1K engagements

"Plywood -- Making Your Own Occasionally you have to make plywood to keep the parts of your project as strong as possible. If the wood grain runs in just one direction its only strong in one direction. If the forces affecting this part come from several directions you need an assembly plywood that will resist forces from many directions. To make your own plywood glue up layers of wood so the grain of each layer is perpendicular to the layer above and below it. Build up the assembly from a middle layer with pairs of top and bottom layers above and below the middle. Each pair should be the same"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=o2vPlXUjkE4) 2025-10-30T20:52Z 997K followers, 564.8K engagements

"Concealed Hinges [---] The first step in successfully installing concealed cup hinges is to choose the right one Nick shows three basic types of doors inset overlay and partial overlay and demonstrates how to fit them to cabinets explaining how to select exactly the hinge you need based on how the door fits the cabinet. He then walks you step by step through a typical installation choosing marking drilling attaching and adjusting traditional lipped doors on a framed cabinet. 1:40 Choosing the right hinges 6:55 Making a template to position the hinges or the doors and cabinet 9:27 Marking and"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=prv2fDdCqGg) 2023-04-05T20:45Z 938K followers, 376.5K engagements

"Touching Up Saw Blades - Harbor Freight Saw Blade Sharpener 2:24 Setting up the machine 5:48 Mounting a blade 10:36 Touching up saw teeth 12:42 The results Nick reviews an inexpensive "circular saw blade sharpener" from Harbor Freight/Central Machinery'. While this little machine is no where near sturdy enough to do precision sharpening or restore the symmetry of your blades it does a decent job of "touching up" -- that is lightly sharpening the teeth and restoring their keen edges. This will not eliminate to need to have your blades professionally ground from time to time but it will greatly"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=wXk8X93LTtU) 2021-09-27T20:52Z 940K followers, 76.1K engagements

"Band Sawn Elves (and Santa) Weve shown you how to make band sawn reindeer how to make band sawn sleighs and now well show you how to make band sawn elves This includes one jolly old elf a band sawn Santa Clause especially designed to sit in our band sawn sleigh. If youd like to make these as gifts or decoration the plans a an FULL-SIZE patterns are available from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/band-sawn-elves-and-santa To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ydC42K74VR0) 2024-11-25T20:11Z 997K followers, 482.8K engagements

"Fast Reindeer - Made From 2x4 With A Bandsaw Incredibly fast reindeer. Wondering what to do with all those 2x4 cut-offs Well with a few simple band saw cuts you can make a fast reindeer If you'd like to see this woodworking project demonstrated a little slower check out the extended video at https://www.youtube.com/watchv=ho8XX4ava4A. And if you'd like the plans and a full-size pattern for these reindeer they're available from our store at https://workshopcompanion.selz.com/item/band-sawn-reindeer . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=zz4lVwmFYZw) 2021-05-10T20:38Z 943K followers, 124.3K engagements

"Spooky Making a Halloween Lantern Once upon a time the ancient peoples of the British Isles believed that the spirits of the dead could cross over into the world of the living at the end of October. So they dressed in strange costumes to confuse the spirits and carried lanterns made from hollowed-out vegetables to ward them off. This custom survives today as Halloween an opportunity to disguise ourselves decorate our homes in comically scary themes and celebrate our shared mortality in a way that has become all the more fun for its ridiculous excess. Here is our contribution to this"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=wr8KVBQxFsM) 2024-10-08T17:03Z 997K followers, 34.1K engagements

"Double Pegboard Cabinets -- 2x the storage Need more wall space to store and organize your tools Nick shows how to build and install a unique storage cabinet that features pegboard panels inside and out. This enables you to hang twice as many tools in the same vertical space. The design is easily adjustable to fit your shop and it will accommodate many types and sizes of tools. It attaches directly to a wall frame at both the top and bottom and an ingenious "lip" on both the doors keeps them from sagging under the weight of the tools. The plans for this brilliant sled its guards stop and"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=QeI5C54wtyk) 2024-07-22T17:15Z 997K followers, 47.4K engagements

"Bandsawn Nesting Boxes This is actually two videos in one In the first part Nick shows how to set up your band saw for precise resawing keeping the re-sawn wooden slabs at a consistent thickness and the block from which you are cutting them square and true. The second part shows how to use this set-up to cut the parts to make "nesting" boxes -- a collection of matching boxes that fit or "nest" inside one another. These can all be cut from a single block of wood or a block that you assemble from several wood species to create a decorative pattern like the wooden "ribbons" shown here. Watch the"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=i6z65s_xfLw) 2023-12-30T15:03Z 997K followers, 151.9K engagements

"Nesting Christmas Trees We offer printable FULL-SIZE templates with step-by-step directions in PDF format. These plans also show how to added lights to you Christmas trees should you want them Find them here: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/nesting-christmas-tree-plan Also check out our other Christmas-y plans: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/band-saw-reindeer-and-sleigh-plan-combo To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=mMGsK7uHlzM) 2023-12-14T17:18Z 997K followers, 555.7K engagements

"A Cheap Way To Get Into Woodworking Folks who want to begin woodworking often ask what tools they should buy. My go-to answer is "used tools" because it reduces the investment you must make just to see if you want to learn the craft. And if I'm further pressed on what specific used tools to buy I recommend a Shopsmith Mark [--]. You get a lot of tool for your money. It's a multi-tool that converts to become a table saw disc sander drill press and wood lathe. It's well-built durable and accurate. If you're short of space it stores in an area only a little bigger than a lawn mower. And if you need"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=noPdOUM7z94) 2023-11-17T23:24Z 997K followers, 2.5M engagements

"Wood Moves Wood is in constant motion with changes in the weather and this movement can cause a wooden assembly to distort boards to split and glue joints to pop. Proper wood joinery accommodates this movement. Here are a few important rules of thumb to help you design woodworking projects that will stay together look good and work well even as the parts move. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in"
[YouTube Link](https://youtube.com/watch?v=D3DlZHZheRg) 2023-09-27T18:06Z 997K followers, 1.2M engagements

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Social Influence

Social category influence finance cryptocurrencies currencies technology brands social networks

Social topic influence how to, grain, diy #5035, tools #979, finish #1006, if you #2000, band #3369, strong #716, project, in the

Top Social Posts

Top posts by engagements in the last [--] hours

"Custom Saw Stand A saw stand is one of the most useful tools in a woodshop. This is the shop assistant you never have to pay the family member you never have to bother to hold up the other end of the board. And despite its name its not just for use with table saws. Its an invaluable accessory for you jointer planer router table band saw sander virtually any stand alone power tool. Nick shows you not just how to build a saw stand but how to customize it for your specific woodworking needs. He shows how to figure the height range you need adjust the height with precision level the base tilt the"
YouTube Link 2022-07-08T20:37Z 997K followers, 207.1K engagements

"Hardwoods & Softwoods One of the decisions you have to make before you begin any woodworking project is: Should I make this from hardwood or softwood Theres a lot that goes into making that decision. It depends on cost strength durability appearance ease of finishing and a hundred more considerations that will determine the best wood for the job. Nick reviews some of the botanical differences between hardwoods and softwoods and how they may affect your woodworking. If this video whets your curiosity and you would like to know more about the 60000+ species of trees and shrubs that produce wood"
YouTube Link 2026-02-12T16:44Z 997K followers, 611K engagements

"Always Cut Wood Downhill #woodworking #diy Almost all wood has a "grain slope" -- the wood grain runs at a slight angle through the board. Depending on the direction you're feeding the wood into the tool -- or pushing the tool across the wood -- you could be cutting "uphill" climbing the grain slope or 'downhill" neatly shaving the layers of grain. Cutting uphill often results in chips and tear-out -- the tool wants to lift the layers of grain. Cutting downhill always gives you the smoothest possible surface. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
YouTube Link 2024-02-28T18:04Z 997K followers, 2.1M engagements

"Making Strong Screw Joints When joining pieces of wood the orientation of the wood grain has a great deal to do with the strength of the joint. This is true of all joints including screw joints. A screw driven into face grain perpendicular to the cellulose fibers that make up the grain will hold better and last longer than one driven into end grain parallel to those fibers. When you drive a screw into end grain the wood immediately surrounding the screw the anchor breaks easily and lets the screw come loose. When the driven into face grain the anchor is stronger and more durable. But what"
YouTube Link 2025-08-07T17:56Z 997K followers, 3M engagements

"Paste Wax Mix-Up Paste wax is an important element in every phase of woodworking. We use it to maintain our tools polish our finishes and keep our projects looking beautiful long after we've completed them. Nick shares recipes for two versions of a paste wax that combine the characteristics of four waxes one a "standard" paste wax that will serve most woodworking purposes and the other completely food safe for kitchen utensils children's toys and other projects where toxicity is a concern. You can download his recipes and a chart of common waxes FREE from out store at"
YouTube Link 2021-08-13T13:00Z 997K followers, 232.2K engagements

"Making Board Butter Board butter is a blend of non-toxic wax and oil to make a food-safe finish for wooden kitchen implements cutting boards spoons bowls and so on. You can uses waxes and oils by themselves for this purpose but the combination makes the finish more attractive and durable. The oil soaks into the wood accentuating the wood grain. The wax helps keep the oil from leeching out and creates a sheen. Both protect the wood from water and food juices"
YouTube Link 2025-01-28T19:40Z 997K followers, 2.2M engagements

"2x4s -- Straight Strong and Clear If your local lumberyard is like most the quality of the 2x4x8s in the commons bin sucks dead toads. Most are shot through with defects visual and physical that affect strength and stability. What do you do when you need a strong reasonably clear visually attractive 2x4 The answer lies in another bin and a little work on your part. Nick shows you where to look and what to do. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a"
YouTube Link 2024-10-29T16:36Z 997K followers, 9M engagements

"Tying a Whiplash As much as we rely on adhesive tape to hold stuff together strings and ropes still come in handy from time to time. We use the bow knot to lash our shoes to our feet and the square knot to tie-up packages (and just about everything else). Travis and I have become enamored of the whipping knot or whiplash because of its applications in woodworking. It can be as strong as nails or screws; and because it compresses the wood it can keep the wood from splitting under extreme stress. The lash is completely reversible you can tie and untie the knot without marring the wood surface."
YouTube Link 2025-07-03T19:30Z 997K followers, 4.5M engagements

"Bowls From Boards -- Simple technique spectacular turnings A simple technique opens up a world of possibilities for creating figured and patterned bowls. Nick demonstrates a simple jig that slices a board into rings then glues those rings together to make turning stock for a bowl. This not only saves time and wood it allows you to create remarkable eye-catching lathe turnings from scraps. The plans for the jigs and fixtures used in this video are available from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/bowls-from-boards-project-plan .This project plan also includes and in-depth"
YouTube Link 2021-12-03T14:35Z 997K followers, 375.6K engagements

"Preventing Rust With Camphor Have trouble preventing your tools from rusting even when you keep them in a tool box protected from excess moisture Turns out that just a little bit of humidity in the air inside an enclosed space will condense on your tools and start turning iron into iron oxide. Fortunately theres an old machinists trick that will keep your stuff bright and shiny. If you would like a source of CAMPHOR visit our Amazon Associate's Store at https://workshopcompanion.com/affiliate-hardware-materials.html#Camphor To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
YouTube Link 2024-12-24T05:25Z 997K followers, 7.7M engagements

"Breaking the Edges to Preserve Them #woodworking #wood Sharp crisp edges on a woodworking project look great but they can be quite fragile and occasionally painful subject to chipping and likely to throw splinter. You can prevent this -- and preserve that crisp look -- by simply easing or "breaking" the edges. Nick shows how. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format:"
YouTube Link 2024-02-22T17:17Z 997K followers, 5.1M engagements

"Spreading Glue Thin and Even There are a buh-zillion ways to spread glue beginning with your fingers and ending with precision glue knives" precisely designed for both the adhesive and the material on which its spread. During five decades of woodworking Ive tried about half of them including both fingers and knives. But the spreader I use most is one recommended to me by the chemists at Franklin International the makers of Titebond glue. Youve probably got one of them in your collection of orphaned hardware: A long bolt To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
YouTube Link 2025-08-27T18:57Z 997K followers, 11.6M engagements

"Sandpaper Abrasives When we reach for a piece of sandpaper we rarely think about the stuff thats glued to it. Its sandpaper right. Its just abrasive sand. Except that its not there is no sand on sandpaper. That abrasive can be any one of several different materials and each material is made to abrade the work in a different way. If you know just a little bit about each of these materials you can match the abrasive to the work. This in turn will reduce the time you spend sanding and help produce better results. Heres a quick review of the most-used abrasives in woodworking. Note: We have"
YouTube Link 2025-12-18T18:30Z 997K followers, 1.1M engagements

"Band Sawn Elves (and Santa) Some of you good folks asked us to design a band sawn Santa to go with our band sawn reindeer and band sawn sleigh. Weve been thinking about it for the better part of a year and heres what Travis and I came up with not just a Santa but a whole workshop full of elves These little guys are created using the same band saw magic Ive shown in earlier videos. Just cut two patterns in a single scrap of wood each from different directions. Additionally you can give each elf his own special look and personality simply by swapping body shapes caps beards pipes and wood"
YouTube Link 2024-12-11T21:59Z 997K followers, 187K engagements

"Why Glue Alone Wont Make Strong Joints There's a lot to consider when you glue pieces of wood together -- gluing surface grain direction and wood movement to name a few. Nick gives a brief overview of how a glue joint works and then offers some tips for making it work better. Along the way he tests several types of glue joints and gluing techniques to show how the decisions you make will affect the overall strength of a glued-up assembly. If you'd like to know more about designing and making strong glue joints we recommend Nick's book "Woodworking Wisdom." The book contains the core"
YouTube Link 2024-11-13T21:50Z 997K followers, 220.5K engagements

"Reducing Tool Vibration A tool that vibrates excessively as it runs will not cut of drill accurately. Furthermore the excessive vibration can cause the tool to wear prematurely. Nick shows several simple thigs you can do to reduce the vibration and get the tool running smooth enough to balance a nickel on edge on the worktable. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format:"
YouTube Link 2024-06-19T18:23Z 997K followers, 1.3M engagements

"Drill press Table - Woodworking A drill press is an absolute necessity in any shop but they can be frustrating for a woodworker. The table is too small it tilts the wrong way and there are no fences or stops to help align the work its designed for metalworking This quick-to-make fixture changes all that. Theres plenty of real estate to support large work pieces; the surface tilts front-to-back for angled holes; and it has and easy-to-mount fence and stop. It turns a standard drill press into a true woodworking tool. Plans for the drill press table are available at"
YouTube Link 2021-07-23T15:59Z 997K followers, 509.7K engagements

"Reviving Router Bits Got a router bit that's getting dull Nick shows how to restore an old bit to almost good as new; first by thoroughly cleaning the cutting edge to remove the pitch and then touching up the carbide knives on a diamond stone. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ . All our plans feature both English/Imperial and metric"
YouTube Link 2024-06-28T22:11Z 997K followers, 1.9M engagements

"Band Saw Lumber-- Sawing Firewood into Usable Boards. If your band saw is big enough to do resawing it's big enough to do sawyering -- you can turn tree limbs and small logs into usable lumber. Nick shows how you can cut a log that's larger than the your band saw's capacity into wide flat boards. And just as important he explains how to assemble a small stack of lumber and wire it together so the lumber will air-dry evenly and all the boards will turn out straight and true. Amazingly this doesn't require complex jigs to turn your band saw into a saw mill -- just a scrap of plywood UPDATE A"
YouTube Link 2021-10-08T19:28Z 997K followers, 1.7M engagements

"Preventing Tear-Out in Plywood #diy #woodworking #wood Plywood moreso than other woodworking materials tends to "tear out" when you cut it across the surface grain. The saw blade lifts the veneer as it exits the wood breaking it and leaving a row of splinters. The cut looks ragged. There are are several things you can do to prevent this tear-out and Nick shows one of the easiest: Tape the cut. Apply a length of masking tape over the line you wish to cut. This keep the grain from breaking and greatly reduce the splintering. And you can further reduce the tear-out by applying a great deal of"
YouTube Link 2024-06-14T19:33Z 997K followers, 6.2M engagements

"Making A Router Plane A small router plane is one of the handiest hand planes you can have in your tool box. With this tool you can reach down into dado groove or mortise and shave the bottom to fine tune the joinery. Its also useful for making inlays setting hinges and installing other hardware. Nick shows how to make a handsome capable router plane from a scrap of wood a piece of plastic and an Allen wrench If you would like the plans for this router plane -- including full-size patterns for the base and handle -- find them at"
YouTube Link 2022-01-07T23:24Z 997K followers, 412.8K engagements

"How to Sharpen and Use a Cabinet / Card Scraper Craftsman/Author Nick Engler reveals the magic behind scrapers -- thin sheets of tool steels that can smooth a surface in seconds. He explains the traditional method and the "easy" method to sharpen scrapers both rectangular and curved. Then he demonstrates how to use them leaving a surface as smooth as if you had sanded it with 120# sandpaper. For more information on using and sharpening scrapers pick up Nick's books "Using Hand Tools" and "Sharpening" from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/using-hand-tools and"
YouTube Link 2020-10-08T19:08Z 997K followers, 136.4K engagements

"A Review & Comparison of Jorgensen Planes Not long ago Jorgensen Pony introduced two hand planes touting them as evolved versions of the iconic Stanley No. [--] smoothing plane and the Stanley No. 60-1/2 low-angle block plane. These are two of the most popular planes that Stanley ever made -- and the two most useful planes in my shop. I have often told novices that these are the two essential planes they should have. But what made these new tools most interesting was their price -- the new Jorgensens aren't any more expensive than some old Stanleys in need of restoration So I thought to do a"
YouTube Link 2024-08-28T18:08Z 997K followers, 79.7K engagements

"Making A Doge Box For Dogecoins - Scroll Saw Marquetry Recently the cryptocurrency Dogecoin took a wild ride. It had been started as a joke in [----] and managed to claw its way up to about $0.005 USD by January [--] [----] when a sudden interest by social media and a few comments by celebrities pushed it up to around $0.69 in early May [----]. Since then it has fallen to less than half of its peak price. But being a long-time dog lover I am still rooting for it. Dogecoins icon is a photo of Kabosu a female Japanese Shiba Inu who was rescued from an animal shelter by kindergarten teacher Atsuko Sat."
YouTube Link 2021-08-06T13:00Z 936K followers, 13.6K engagements

"Tall & Horizontal Table Saw Fences - L Fence If you own a table saw you need a tall fence now and then to cut boards on edge. Add a horizontal fence (sometimes called an L-fence) to the set-up and suddenly the usefulness increases exponentially. You can use this combination to straighten warped or bowed edges saw long tapers duplicate complex parts cut odd miters even shave a whisker off an edge or an end for a precise fit. Together these jigs vastly simplify complex woodworking operations without sacrificing precision. You can't buy either jig; you'll have to make them -- and you can find"
YouTube Link 2021-05-26T18:17Z 936K followers, 226.3K engagements

"Hardwax Finishes Overexplained Hardwax occupies a unique niche among wood finishes. While most finishes build up a hard protective coating hardwax penetrates the wood and protects and beautifies from the inside out. They are a blend of wax resins and oils that are exceptionally easy to apply and allow you to handle -- even use -- your wooden projects before the finish is fully cured. But its not all good news; they have their limitations. Nick fully explains the advantages and disadvantages of hardwax how it differs from other finish types compares several popular brands and shares some"
YouTube Link 2025-03-29T17:28Z 997K followers, 229.3K engagements

"How to Make the Plywood Cutting Grid Our Cutting and Handling Plywood video has stirred up a massive amount of interest thanks to you good folks. That video concentrates on how to USE our cutting grid and a good many people asked how to MAKE it specifically our unique knock-down sawhorses. Furthermore many requests came from DIY people who don't necessarily have a well-equipped woodworking shop. So Nick came up with a way to build the cutting grid with nothing more than a circular saw a hand-held drill and a few hand tools Heres how step by step. Additionally weve revised our plans for the"
YouTube Link 2022-10-07T20:29Z 877K followers, 259.6K engagements

"Finish Won't Stop Wood Movement -- And That's a Good Thing. Wood finishes are semi-permeable. They allow moisture to travel back and forth between the environment and the wood. And because wood shrinks and swells across the grain as it releases and takes on moisture it continues to move whether you apply a finish or not. But finishes do slow down the exchange of moisture and this extends to useful life of the wood and the assembly. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL"
YouTube Link 2025-03-03T17:41Z 997K followers, 296.6K engagements

"How to Make a Hardwax Finish Hardwax wood finishes are growing more popular because they are easy to apply and produce an attractive natural look and fee. But commercial hardwax brands can be extremely expensive on the average five times the cost of other finish types. Fortunately hardwax is made from common readily available ingredients. If you like to save some money you can easily make your own Nick shows you how. And if you wish to learn more about hardwax (and get a second food-contact safe recipe) watch our video Hardwax Finishes Overexplained at"
YouTube Link 2025-04-02T19:16Z 997K followers, 276.9K engagements

"15 Expert Drilling Tips Nick presents fifteen of his most useful drilling tips to help make your drill press and hand drill operations easier more accurate and -- most important -- safer. For more information see Nick's book on USING THE DRILL PRESS. It covers operations alignment selecting drill bits and keeping them sharp. It also includes well over a dozen drilling and drill press jigs that you can make yourself. The book is available in PDF format from the Workshop Companion General store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/using-the-drill-press . And if you'd like to have the"
YouTube Link 2023-03-02T19:09Z 792K followers, 84.8K engagements

"Dealing with Millmarks Planer jointers and other rotary tools leave "millmarks." Because their knives and cutters travel in an arc they create a series of scallops with peaks and valleys. The peaks display more end grain than the valleys and because stains and finishes soak deeper into end grain than long grain the peaks will appear as rows of dark lines on the finished surface. The solution to this problem is simple -- remove the millmarks before you apply a finish. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please"
YouTube Link 2024-09-05T16:19Z 997K followers, 1.1M engagements

"Aniline Dye Tips Aniline dyes color the wood as well as a stain and they also preserve the appearance of the wood grain. Stains have pigments solid particles that partially obscure the grain -- they are only semi-transparent. Successive coats will give the surface an increasingly muddy look. Dyes are liquid chemicals that penetrate the wood and color it from the inside out. You can still see and enjoy the grain figure. Heres a quick primer on how to use aniline dyes. If you'd like to purchase the plans for the Halloween Lantern we show in this video see"
YouTube Link 2024-10-11T20:55Z 997K followers, 1.3M engagements

"Best Adhesives for Chair Repair Restoring a chair presents special problems. The wooden surfaces are covered with old glue and the joints are loose making it difficult to create a strong bond. And not only must you reassemble the chair parts the adhesive you use must fill the voids in the loose joints. We test several readily-available glues for both their strength and gap-filling properties. We also investigate several materials made just for chair repair that claim to secure the joints either by filling the gaps or swelling the wood to fit. To get a FREE copy of the test results mentioned"
YouTube Link 2020-02-18T05:00Z 919K followers, 59.1K engagements

"Must you always rest a hand plane on it's side Occasionally we find ourselves blindly following a rule while forgetting the reason for it. Always lay a hand plane on its side is one of those. Taken at face value it leads the novice to think that there must be something harmful about a benchtop that will dull the plane iron if you allow the two to come in contact. But theres a good deal more to it than that"
YouTube Link 2024-12-31T21:35Z 997K followers, 1.4M engagements

"Squaring the Bandsaw Blade to the Table Its essential that you square the table of your band saw to the BACK of your blade. Squaring the table to the flat of the blade gives you a square cut the bandsawn edge is square to the top and bottom surfaces of the board. But if you make two cuts that meet in the middle of a board as when cutting an inside corner the table must also be square to the back of the blade for these cuts to meet properly. If the band saw blade leans forward it will look as if the cuts meet on top of the board but turn the board over and youll find they dont meet at all"
YouTube Link 2025-09-21T21:15Z 997K followers, 965.4K engagements

"Using a Saw Kerf to Line Up Crosscuts You can use a kerf in a miter gauge extension to line up boards for crosscuts but not for very long. That kerf grows as you make repetitive cuts. Before long its too wide to serve as an accurate reference. Why is that Is there any way to prevent it Nick explains why it happens how the table saw itself is engineered to make the kerf grow and how you can do a little (but only a little) to slow it down. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION"
YouTube Link 2025-04-11T19:46Z 997K followers, 1.5M engagements

"Pegged Mortises & Tenons -- Square Pegs in Round Holes If youre still laboring under the childhood delusion that you cant put square pegs in round holes this may convince you otherwise. For millennia craftsmen have secured joints with wooden pegs called trenails or trunnels. In the last century makers of Craftsman or Mission-style furniture have used them as both fasteners and decoration. They pegged mortise-and-tenon joints together by driving square pegs into round holes leaving the heads visible for all to see. Nick shows how its done. If youd like to build the Craftsman bookcase that Nick"
YouTube Link 2023-09-21T14:46Z 817K followers, 85.6K engagements

"Finding the Perfect Finish Experienced craftsmen and women all have a "go-to" finish -- a versatile wood finish that takes minimal time and effort to apply. They use this for most projects simplifying their finishing needs. These needs vary so Nick shows how to find your personal go-to finish from the hundreds of choices that are available to you. He starts with some basic "coating chemistry" to reduce confusion and help you make an informed choice. Then he walks you though a simple experiment designed to compare the characteristics of popular commercial finishes. 0:00 Intro 1:58 Why Apply a"
YouTube Link 2022-03-15T19:28Z 994K followers, 1.4M engagements

"Glue Surface vs. Grain Direction #diy #woodworking The larger the gluing surface the stronger the glue joint right Not necessarily. Nick demonstrates why grain direction may play a much more important role in the strength of a joint. If this interests you see our longer video on this subject at https://www.youtube.com/watchv=qnNsE4J-udc To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format:"
YouTube Link 2024-12-04T16:44Z 997K followers, 2.4M engagements

"Gluing End Grain to End Grain Glue joints that involve end grain the ends of the long cellulose fibers that make up the wood and typically weaker than joints that adhere long grain to long grain. There are two reasons for this and the first is that wood is strongest along its grain. Keep the grain long and the joint can be as strong as the wood itself. Glue the ends of the fibers to each other and the joint can only be as strong as the glue which is usually somewhat weaker than the wood. The second reason is that end grain wicks up the liquid glue and draws it away from the joint often"
YouTube Link 2025-11-11T20:31Z 997K followers, 1.3M engagements

"How Cams Work Cams are used to (1) move stuff and (2) put pressure on stuff. If youre using a cam to create pressure as in a cam clamp you need to pay close attention to the shape of the cam. There are many ways to make it but only one will keep the pressure on. If you'd like to know more see our "Cam Clamps" video at: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=S_W6gWv6g_I&t=256s . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT"
YouTube Link 2023-04-24T20:48Z 991K followers, 3.4M engagements

"Pocket Holes Overexplained Nick does a thorough job of explaining pocket hole joinery telling you everything you need to know things you didnt know you needed to know and possibly one or two things you probably dont need to know but its fun to know anyway. All of this helps you to make intelligent decisions when making pocket holes including when to opt for another type of joint. Nick also offers some valuable information on screws in general and how to use them effectively. He insists that when you have completed this video you will qualify for an advanced degree in screwology (which you can"
YouTube Link 2022-08-12T21:56Z 990K followers, 1.3M engagements

"Fine Tuning a Bench Plane Possibly the most satisfying and certainly the most iconic activities in all of woodworking is planning with a bench plane. Effortlessly cutting a paper-thin shaving from a wood surface makes you feel that you have arrived as a craftsman. But getting a plane in condition to make those effortless cuts requires careful painstaking flattening sharpening and adjusting. This is what is called tuning a plane. Nick takes a deep dive into this essential procedure not just showing you how to do it but also explaining the whys and wherefores. 01:23 Parts of a Bench Plane 03:41"
YouTube Link 2022-03-25T15:36Z 994K followers, 544.8K engagements

"Precision Saw Sled A saw sled carries your work past the table saw blade boosting accuracy by eliminating the friction that plagues an ordinary miter gauge. Nick shows how to get even more precision; how you can easily adjust a cut to with a few thousands of an inch or hundredths of a millimeter. And in addition to being more accurate sleds are also more versatile. Nick discusses the types of sleds you might build and shows the features you might pack into it -- fixed and adjustable fences stops guards auxiliary surfaces even a convenient storage cart. Detailed plans for the saw sleds and"
YouTube Link 2022-02-08T21:10Z 989K followers, 632.1K engagements

"Bandsaw Magic - Melting Shelves Short Nick conjures up some bandsaw magic at lightning speed to create a unique set of shelving whose legs seem to be melting into the workbench. If you'd like to try performing this magic yourself the plans for the shelves are available from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/melting-display-shelves-plans . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format:"
YouTube Link 2021-09-21T18:53Z 995K followers, 377.4K engagements

"Sandpaper Sharpening Jig - Sharpening Tools On a Budget This is one of the least expensive and most effective sharpening jigs I've ever designed -- I use it for all my plane irons and most of my chisels. Unless the tool has been massively abused you can usually sharpen it in under [--] minutes. The secret is using ordinary wet-dry sandpaper on a hard flat surface. You have a broad choice of grits and you can replace a grit when it wears out for just pennies. And if you use the trick I show you with honing compound you can get an edge sharp enough to shave with. Really -- although that's one of"
YouTube Link 2021-07-30T16:01Z 996K followers, 339.6K engagements

"Is Wood Glue Safe Are the glues that you commonly use toxic in any way Are they safe to use when making wooden kitchenware such as cutting boards Nick reviews the five types of glue commonly found in woodworking shops polyvinyl (white) glue modified polyvinyl (carpenters) glue polyurethane (original Gorilla) glue cyanoacrylate (Super) glue and two-part epoxy glue. He discusses how these adhesives differ from each other chemically and which of them can be considered food-contact safe after they have cured. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
YouTube Link 2026-01-23T17:18Z 997K followers, 1.5M engagements

"Rolling pin - How To / Intro to Lathe Turning Nick turns his elegant rolling pin into a quick lesson in basic lathe turning techniques. Using this awesome turning project as an example Nick explains how every turning no matter how complex is comprised of just three simple shapes. He then walks you through the tools and techniques used to create each shape. You come away with the core knowledge you need to turn almost anything If you'd like the shop drawings for these rolling pins complete with step by step instructions and full-size templates for the shop aids that Nick uses in this video"
YouTube Link 2021-03-05T21:01Z 997K followers, 115.2K engagements

"Glue Steps and How to Avoid Them Where do glue steps come from the lines and ridges that often develop in ta wood surface where youve glued boards edge to edge They are the results of uneven movement. And where does this movement come form Nick explains in this short video. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ To follow us on social media try:"
YouTube Link 2025-02-14T21:42Z 997K followers, 1.1M engagements

"Cutting & Handling Plywood in a One-Person Shop Handling and cutting a full sheet of plywood -- or any sheet material -- can be a challenge in a one-person shop. To make your woodworking life a little easier Nick has developed four simple fixtures and combined them in a ingenious system for managing sheet materials. Used together these shop-built tools allow you to move position and make amazingly accurate cuts in plywood particleboard and other sheet goods. And because we know you will be asking Nick's co-star in this video is Bella our shop-dog-in-training. She's a one-year-old short-haired"
YouTube Link 2022-05-28T03:59Z 997K followers, 2.9M engagements

"Perfect Alignment For Glue-ups When you tighten the clamps around a glue joint the boards sometimes slip out of alignment. Here are two ways to keep that from happening. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ . All our plans feature both English/Imperial and metric measurements. And you can pick up one of Nicks books FREE just for visiting To follow"
YouTube Link 2024-09-11T18:46Z 997K followers, 9.6M engagements

"Is Wood Antibacterial Is wood naturally antibacterial Yes but not to the extent you might hope for or in ways that you expect. Nick explores the facts and myth-conceptions that surround this complex topic and evaluates whether or no wood is a sufficiently sanitary material from which to make cutting boards and other utensils that come in contact with food. He concludes the wood can be just as sanitary as any other material but only if you do one simple thing. If this interests you and you want more information than Nick has time to convey in this short video be sure read the pinned comment."
YouTube Link 2026-01-13T19:51Z 997K followers, 2M engagements

"Files Rasps & Floats Files rasps and floats are simple hand tools about as simple as you can get. Most are just bars of tool steel with teeth cut into the surface. They are designed to remove stock allowing you to smooth round or shape a surface. Rasps and floats are designed to work wood and files will work wood or metal. The major difference between these tools is their teeth. Files have rows of short teeth spaced closed together that stretch across the width of the bar. Rasps have stitches small teeth that are no wider side-to-side than they are front-to-back. Floats have larger teeth than"
YouTube Link 2025-12-08T21:35Z 997K followers, 875.1K engagements

"Lubricating Woodworking Tools Lubricating woodworking tools can be a botheration. Oil and grease mix with fine sawdust to create a pernicious goo that sticks to everything and does little to lubricate. So instead of traditional lubricants you must rely on dry lubes such designed to reduce friction in dusty environments. Nick reveals what lubricants to use and where to use them. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and"
YouTube Link 2025-04-22T18:20Z 997K followers, 3.1M engagements

"Scrapwood Rolling Pin Nick turns an elegant rolling pin at super-speed from small bits of hardwood softwood and plywood. This is an awesome turning project that will use up some of those scraps that you just can't bear to throw away and may cost you nothing to make. If you'd like the shop drawings for these rolling pins (including both English and metric measurements) step by step instructions and plans for the shop aids that Nick uses in this video visit https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/scrapwood-rolling-pin To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
YouTube Link 2020-01-03T15:28Z 997K followers, 1.8M engagements

"Bending Wood With Heat You can easily make tight permanent bends in thin pieces of wood simply by heating one side Nick walks you through the technique as he demonstrates an ingenious fixture that serves as both a heat source and a bending form. This shopmade jig holds propane torch as it heats a short section of plumbing pipe. This in turn heats the board as you bend it. The plans for this heat bending jig (and the measuring cup that Nick makes to demonstrate the technique) are available from the Workshop Companion General Store at:"
YouTube Link 2023-08-17T18:04Z 997K followers, 635.5K engagements

"Saw Nibs Explained Occasionally you run across an antique hand saw with a strange nib near the toe a small protrusion or a bump on the back of the saw plate. What were these for After a hundred years of electric craftsmanship their purpose has been lost to us. Nick dredges a possible answer up from a memory of his grandfather teaching him to use a hand saw. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in"
YouTube Link 2023-06-22T21:01Z 997K followers, 17.9M engagements

"Screw it Ultra-Precision for Shopmade Tools Need to add a precision adjustment to a shopmade jig Want to position it level it or move it in small accurate on-the-nose increments Use machine screws Certain sizes of machine screws have a thread pitch (the distance between each thread) that corresponds to a small common measurement. This is true for both Imperial and metric screws and you can take advantage of this when building jigs and fixtures. Want to see more Visit our woodworking channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ For woodworking books and plans visit our"
YouTube Link 2023-07-05T17:38Z 997K followers, 8.3M engagements

"Bandsaw Magic - Making a little known trick a little more known 2:20 Lamp Base 4:00 Patterns 7:10 Table Legs 10:58 Shelves Nick explores an obscure compound cutting technique from our short "Bandsaw Magic." And it is indeed a magical way to create elegantly curved surfaces and three-dimensional shapes with just two cuts on a band saw. Nick experiments with some practical uses for these shapes and in the process discovers a simple way to add joinery to these magical shapes so you can incorporate them in larger assemblies. The plans for the "Melting Display Shelves" that Nick creates in this"
YouTube Link 2021-09-03T21:55Z 997K followers, 732.5K engagements

"Knowing Your Oaks How do you distinguish red oak from white oak Sometimes its hard to tell especially when working with old wood such as the materials in antique furniture. If you want to restore or repair the piece what wood should you use Fortunately theres a simple test you can do. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ . All our plans feature"
YouTube Link 2024-08-09T19:51Z 997K followers, 1.6M engagements

"Is Glue Stronger Than Wood No You cannot simply say that glue is stronger than wood (or that wood is stronger than glue) because wood is not a homogenous material. It is a composite made up long fibers held together by a glue-like polymer. The fibers are very strong; the polymer is relatively weak. More important the fibers give the wood grain and this unique composite structure makes the wood stronger parallel to the grain than it is across it. The strength of a glue joint depends on the orientation of the wood grain in the adjoining parts much more than it does on the glue itself. To see"
YouTube Link 2023-08-30T15:59Z 997K followers, 11.5M engagements

"Using a Round Mallet Although we think of it as belonging to an older way of working wood the round mallet is a technological marvel. The wooden mallet does minimal damage to your chisels on impact and the damage you do to the mallet is spread over such a broad surface that the mallet itself seems indestructible. The light weight insures that your muscles dont tire and gives you superb control over how deep the chisel cuts. And because you can use the entire circumference of the wooden cylinder as a striking surface you dont have to worry about the orientation of the mallet when you strike."
YouTube Link 2025-07-01T16:55Z 997K followers, 2.5M engagements

"WEN 9" Bandsaw Review 0:00 Introduction 0:35 Bandsaw Specifications 2:10 Smoothing the Table 3:15 Bandsaw Base 3:58 Changing the Blade 6:15 Tensioning the Blade 6:58 Blade Tracking 8:01 Adjusting the Bearings 9:55 Squaring the table to the Blade 13:29 Saw Modification 14:13 Final Thoughts Our bandsaw projects have been extremely popular but some viewers have commented that they can't afford a bandsaw. So we went looking for the least expensive bandsaw that (1) had the capacity to handle our projects and (2) could still be considered a decent tool. This is what we found: The WEN has a 9""
YouTube Link 2025-09-21T21:14Z 997K followers, 85.6K engagements

"The Way Wood Works -- What Every Woodworker Needs to Know About Wood. If you are a novice woodworker this is stuff you absolutely need to know before you cut another board. If youre a master craftsman you know it well enough to understand that a quick review never hurts. And if youre somewhere in between this may fill in some important gaps. What I present here is the very foundation of wood technology; the way wood works as a construction material and the basic concepts you must keep in mind to get it to work for you. Novice or master please understand that these are the just the basics."
YouTube Link 2021-11-03T15:46Z 997K followers, 798.2K engagements

"The Dangers of Furniture Polish While commercial furniture polish is remarkably easy to use and leaves a pleasant sheen it may be creating problems down the road. One ingredient in particular that seems to be common to almost all polishes makes it difficult to repair a finish or refinish a wooden surface when the finish is damaged beyond repair. And it does little to care for the wood beyond enhancing its appearance. It seems that an ancient technology -- paste waste -- is still the best way to care for finished wood. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
YouTube Link 2024-03-08T20:11Z 997K followers, 4M engagements

"Keeping Long Boards Straight #woodworking #diy Want to keep a board straight and flat without having to glue or attach it to a larger assembly The solution is simply to rip the board in two and glue it back together. Of course you have to carefully rearrange the ripped parts so their tendencies to warp or cup will be perfectly opposed to one another Nick demonstrates just how to do this. This procedure also lets you reclaim badly warped lumber that would otherwise be unusable. Nick also shows several useful jigs and fixtures in this short video. If youre interested in knowing more about them"
YouTube Link 2024-10-17T19:27Z 997K followers, 2.4M engagements

"Assembly table - Best gluing jig ever This is one of those tools where once you have it you cant imagine doing without it. And like most good shopmade jigs its simple to build and easy to use. Nicks assembly tables offer a flat rigid surface that has been slotted and perforated so you can attach a clamp anywhere you need one. The table helps hold the project together and keeps the pieces and parts properly aligned while the glue cures. Not only does this simplify assembly your project comes off the table perfectly flat square and true. Plans are available at"
YouTube Link 2021-02-24T17:12Z 955K followers, 551.5K engagements

"Making a Heart Box Want to make something special for someone special Nick shows how to make a simple "heart box" using a band saw to cut the box from a single block of wood. In fact he has designed four unique heart-shaped boxes each with a different romantic theme. There is an Entwined Heart Box for a budding relationship a Broken Heart Box for one navigating troubled waters and a Mended Heart Box for one having found safe harbor. Finally there is just a Plain Old Heart Box for a well-established relationship or one that youd like to establish. The plans and FULL-SIZE PATTERNS are available"
YouTube Link 2025-02-11T17:02Z 997K followers, 321.2K engagements

"5 Expert Table Saw Tips 0:00 Introduction 0:25 Lining up the cut mark 1:44 Squaring the miter gauge 3:55 Keeping wood from pinching the blade 5:22 Cutting plastic 6:47 Setting the blade angle 9:36 Setting the miter gauge angle Master craftsman and woodworking author Nick Engler reveals five professional secrets to help you get better results when using your table saw. For more table saw information of the printed variety pick up a copy of Nick's book "Using the Table Saw" from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/using-the-table-saw . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE"
YouTube Link 2020-01-23T20:30Z 958K followers, 661.4K engagements

"Bandsaw Magic - Little Known Compound Cut Technique This old old band saw technique has been used by shop teachers the world over to keep their students awake. This attention-getter seems to produce magical results but really it's just an exercise in geometry. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ All our plans are in both Imperial/English and metric"
YouTube Link 2021-04-15T15:45Z 947K followers, 1.4M engagements

"Making "Pocket Dowel" Joints A "pocket dowel" joint combines the strength of a dowel joint with the simplicity of a pocket screw joint. Nick shows how to make these unique joints quickly and easily using an ordinary pocket screw jig and a 12"-long aircraft drill. If you need a 3/8" x 12" aircraft drill see: https://amzn.to/3qahVKD Want to see more Visit our woodworking channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ For woodworking books and plans visit our store at: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ Our Music is Licensed through Epidemic Sounds -"
YouTube Link 2023-08-01T16:17Z 968K followers, 6.5M engagements

"Solved THE Most Infuriating Router Problem. We've all been there. You're just routing along when suddenly you notice that the router bit has slipped It's come loose in the collet and dropped down creating an ugly divot in your workpiece. What could you have done to prevent this disaster Nick shows you exactly what to do and it's not what you might think. The solution to this pernicious problem is deceptively simple. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of"
YouTube Link 2021-08-20T20:09Z 946K followers, 338.5K engagements

"Making A Doge Box - Short In one of our previous videos Nick created a Dogebox with a secret compartment using scroll saw marquetry techniques. This is the short version and it's still enough to open some eyes as to what amazing things can be done with a scroll saw. If you'd like to try it for yourself (or just make a cool box with a secret compartment) the plans for the Dogebox are available at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/doge-box-plans . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL"
YouTube Link 2021-08-20T14:57Z 949K followers, 102.5K engagements

"Crosscut Sled Plus Ever seen a crosscut sled that will cut tenons and splines That is unaffected by the sawdust that piles up between the fences With adjustable guides and fences that can be made perfectly true and square That enables you to dial in repetitive cuts to the nearest 1/128" or [-----] mm This double-sided crosscut sled will do all that and more. Nick reviews some unique designs that you will certainly want to incorporate into your next sled. The plans for this brilliant sled its guards stop and tenoning jig that Nick explains are available from the Workshop Companion General Store"
YouTube Link 2023-06-09T19:11Z 987K followers, 352.4K engagements

"Mustache Handlebars Short Nick steam bends mustache handlebars for a Wright bicycle replica. Longer version can be found here - https://youtu.be/7PRkoM-eVdY Song - MATHILDA JUNE Vintage Dream"
YouTube Link 2022-12-05T20:08Z 943K followers, 3.7M engagements

"Red Oak Sucks and Blows YouTube Short Open-grain hardwoods have pores -- tiny tunnels and channels that distribute nutrients to the living wood through capillary action. And nowhere are these pores so open than in red oak. Did you know that you can actually suck up liquids through the pores in a 6" (15 cm) long piece of red oak Or blow bubbles through it Author/craftsman Nick Engler has some fun with this amazing and little-known property of oak wood. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL"
YouTube Link 2021-12-10T16:38Z 943K followers, 191.9K engagements

"Harbor Freight Jack Plane - How Does It Stack Up 0:00 Introduction 0:35 An overview of bench planes 4:35 The parts of a bench plane 12:50 Identifying types of steel 17:30 Sharpening the plane iron 24:14 Lapping the sole 26:05 Modifying the castings 31:20 Testing the tuned bench plane Author/craftsman Nick Engler unpacks a cheap ($14 USD) bench plane from Harbor Freight and Salvage which at first glance seems to be a reasonable copy of a Stanley No. [--]. But there are so many hidden problems that this unpacking video quickly becomes a quest to re-make this tool as it should have been made in the"
YouTube Link 2020-12-08T17:59Z 949K followers, 453.8K engagements

"Nitric Acid A No-Problem Stain for Problem Woods Nitric acid is my go-to stain for hard-to-stain woods. The results are always even and consistent never any blotches no surface conditioner necessary. Just mix up a thin solution (5% to 10%) apply and let it soak in for a few minutes and then hit it with a heat gun. A beautiful brown color will develop as the acid oxidizes the wood surface. Not only is this a good chemical stain for problem woods you can use it to restore antique patinas and simulate old wood. Be sure to read the safety concerns I posted in the Comments. For more information"
YouTube Link 2021-05-03T18:59Z 960K followers, 300.4K engagements

"Band Saw Lumber Part [--] -- Reading the Grain If you prepare your own lumber will it work just as well as wood bought from a commercial source The answer is a qualified yes. If you have properly dried and stabilized the wood it will work just the same. But there will be some differences that require you to read the grain more closely. The wood will be a mix of grades selects firsts seconds and commons with more sapwood and less heartwood than is usual especially if you have lumbered small-diameter logs and limbs. In this video Nick unstacks the walnut lumber he cut from firewood just over a"
YouTube Link 2023-01-14T01:23Z 979K followers, 363.7K engagements

"Making Cams and Cam Clamps If you need a lot of clamping power making your own cam clamps is an inexpensive way to go. Nick explains how to design a cam that will not slip under pressure and walks you step by step through the construction of four clamps each with a different bar wood and metal round and rectangular. This allows you to choose among several options for high strength low cost and ease of construction. We offer a digital project plan for these clamps including detailed instructions FULL SIZE templates and patterns for the jaws and cams an in-depth tutorial explaining how to"
YouTube Link 2023-05-04T17:27Z 971K followers, 147.7K engagements

"Making Santa Stuck in a Chimney Santa for some absurd reason insists on entering your home every Christmas through its chimney. This small statuette shows one possible result of his fixation on chimney ingress/egress. Why a fat man would insist on sliding down a skinny chimney into a burning fire -- then exiting the same way -- is beyond all of us. But the absurdity inspires grins. It takes a bit of effort to make this grin-inspiring project there are a lot of steps; but they are all relatively easy. You can find the plans at:"
YouTube Link 2025-12-01T18:56Z 997K followers, 26.4K engagements

"Bandsaw Reindeer We offer printable FULL-SIZE templates and plans with step-by-step directions in PDF format here: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/band-saw-reindeer Also check out our Santa's Sleigh plan: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/santas-band-sawn-sleigh To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and PROJECT PLANS in digital format: https://workshopcompanionstore.com/ . All our plans feature"
YouTube Link 2023-10-19T19:14Z 997K followers, 744K engagements

"Scrapwood Reindeer Band Saw Compound Cutting Project: How to If youve seen our time-lapse video on scrapwood reindeer and what to know more about creating this compound cutting band saw sculpture heres Nick at regular speed. He explains the compound cutting technique in detail and imparts quite a few tips about gluing-up the scrapwood block cutting and sanding it. He even explains how many reindeer pull Santas sled just in case youre thinking of reproducing the whole crew. It isnt what you think You can get the plans and full-size patterns for these reindeer from our store at"
YouTube Link 2020-12-07T21:13Z 944K followers, 351.8K engagements

"7 Ways to Prevent Rust on Your Tools 0:00 Introduction 0:50 Dehumidifier 1:32 Dust Collector 1:58 Enclosed Space 2:35 Camphor 3:30 Wax 4:28 Oil 5:47 Nipping Rust In The Bud Author/craftsman Nick Engler shares seven valuable secrets that he employs to keep the tools in his woodworking shop from rusting. Rust he explains is an electrochemical reaction between three substances iron oxygen and water. You cant remove the iron or the oxygen so you must cut down the amount of water that comes in contact with your tools. This means either reducing the humidity or moisture in your shop or sealing off"
YouTube Link 2020-10-22T19:00Z 943K followers, 113.1K engagements

"Water-Popping -- the Secret to a Great Finish When you have sanded a woodworking project and before you apply a finish wipe the surface with a damp rag. The water swells any wood cells that may have been crushed by the sanding process. It also causes any loose wood fibers to pop up. When the surface dries give it a light sanding with the last grit used. This will smooth out any irregularities and knock off the loose fibers. This technique is called water-popping and it greatly improves the wood surface for finishing. Stains and finishes penetrate deeper cure smoother and look better. To see"
YouTube Link 2024-09-20T20:00Z 997K followers, 2M engagements

"Sanding Past [---] - How Smooth Should You Go #woodworking #diy It's a given that carefully sanding a wooden surface to make it clean and smooth greatly improves the look and feel of a finish. But can you take this too far Apparently you can. Nick performs a simple experiment that demonstrates that "oversanding" -- sanding past 220# -- can prevent a finish/stain/adhesive from properly penetrating and bonding with the wood. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we"
YouTube Link 2023-11-14T21:33Z 997K followers, 7.8M engagements

"Scored Story Stick -- Dead On Accurate Need to make repetitive measurements A story stick is the way to go. Need those measurements to match precisely With a "scored" stick you can transfer each set of measurements easily and accurately. Nick shows how to break the pencil habit and use a knife to "feel" each measurement as you transfers it from a ruler to a stick then from the stick to your work. To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkshopCompanion Also visit the WORKSHOP COMPANION GENERAL STORE where we offer a wide selection of Nick's BOOKS and"
YouTube Link 2022-06-08T17:41Z 945K followers, 154.8K engagements

"Making Domino Joints for $30 Nick demonstrates how domino joints were made in days gone by when they were known as loose tenon joints and all you needed was a hand-held drill and a doweling jig. This method isnt as fast as a dedicated domino joiner perhaps; but its effective and economical. Nick uses a self-centering doweling jig a type that is available at many hardware stores home centers and online in a wide ranges of brands and prices from $30 US and up. For a high-quality jig consider the Premium doweling jig from Task USA:"
YouTube Link 2022-08-01T21:05Z 943K followers, 247.4K engagements

"Scrapwood Sleigh - Band Saw Compound Cutting Project: How to Like our Band Sawn Reindeer this miniature wooden sleigh is designed to be cut out quickly and simply on a band saw. Make eight (or nine) reindeer add this sleigh and you have Santa's entire team And it's small enough to use up some of those special wood scraps you just couldn't bear to throw away. The BAND SAW SLEIGH PROJECT PLAN along with FULL-SIZE PATTERNS is available in PDF format from the Workshop Companion General store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/santas-band-sawn-sleigh . And if you'd like to have the"
YouTube Link 2022-11-23T22:16Z 967K followers, 84.1K engagements

"Plywood -- Making Your Own Occasionally you have to make plywood to keep the parts of your project as strong as possible. If the wood grain runs in just one direction its only strong in one direction. If the forces affecting this part come from several directions you need an assembly plywood that will resist forces from many directions. To make your own plywood glue up layers of wood so the grain of each layer is perpendicular to the layer above and below it. Build up the assembly from a middle layer with pairs of top and bottom layers above and below the middle. Each pair should be the same"
YouTube Link 2025-10-30T20:52Z 997K followers, 564.8K engagements

"Concealed Hinges [---] The first step in successfully installing concealed cup hinges is to choose the right one Nick shows three basic types of doors inset overlay and partial overlay and demonstrates how to fit them to cabinets explaining how to select exactly the hinge you need based on how the door fits the cabinet. He then walks you step by step through a typical installation choosing marking drilling attaching and adjusting traditional lipped doors on a framed cabinet. 1:40 Choosing the right hinges 6:55 Making a template to position the hinges or the doors and cabinet 9:27 Marking and"
YouTube Link 2023-04-05T20:45Z 938K followers, 376.5K engagements

"Touching Up Saw Blades - Harbor Freight Saw Blade Sharpener 2:24 Setting up the machine 5:48 Mounting a blade 10:36 Touching up saw teeth 12:42 The results Nick reviews an inexpensive "circular saw blade sharpener" from Harbor Freight/Central Machinery'. While this little machine is no where near sturdy enough to do precision sharpening or restore the symmetry of your blades it does a decent job of "touching up" -- that is lightly sharpening the teeth and restoring their keen edges. This will not eliminate to need to have your blades professionally ground from time to time but it will greatly"
YouTube Link 2021-09-27T20:52Z 940K followers, 76.1K engagements

"Band Sawn Elves (and Santa) Weve shown you how to make band sawn reindeer how to make band sawn sleighs and now well show you how to make band sawn elves This includes one jolly old elf a band sawn Santa Clause especially designed to sit in our band sawn sleigh. If youd like to make these as gifts or decoration the plans a an FULL-SIZE patterns are available from our store at https://workshopcompanionstore.com/products/band-sawn-elves-and-santa To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk480B1pofOjThMfkBjhDpQ . And please visit the WORKSHOP"
YouTube Link 2024-11-25T20:11Z 997K followers, 482.8K engagements

"Fast Reindeer - Made From 2x4 With A Bandsaw Incredibly fast reindeer. Wondering what to do with all those 2x4 cut-offs Well with a few simple band saw cuts you can make a fast reindeer If you'd like to see this woodworking project demonstrated a little slower check out the extended video at https://www.youtube.com/watchv=ho8XX4ava4A. And if you'd like the plans and a full-size pattern for these reindeer they're available from our store at https://workshopcompanion.selz.com/item/band-sawn-reindeer . To see all of our videos and SUBSCRIBE for more see:"
YouTube Link 2021-05-10T20:38Z 943K followers, 124.3K engagements