Best trick you have ever learned in woodworking...

[Joe Chritz]

Start with ten, end with ten.

Joe

[Joe Shinall]

Start with ten, end with ten.

Joe

Pretty much beat me to it in different wording. My grandad always told me:

"the wood goes into the saw, the wood comes out of the saw. You put it in with ten fingers and you bring it out with at least 9 5/8..."

[John Toigo]

Well I learn tricks & interesting stuff all the time. Today I learned I have a Dovetail Plane. It is wayyyyyyyyy cool. I thought it was just a worn skew rabbet plane. Duh!

[Bill Geyer]

There are too many lessons to list here...
but,
First learn to do something well, then learn to do it quickly.

[Lee Koepke]

Havent read all of this yet, but last night one "trick" stood out.... I saw David Marks do it and its became instinctive for me.

Using the eraser end of a pencil to hold smaller pieces of wood when cutting on a tablesaw. I was cutting small pieces with the mitre guage last night and the pencil keeps my fingers away from the blade and the work piece tight against the fence.

[ken gibbs]

I forgot how to do this arc. Do you have the references so I can look it up? Thanks.

[Brett Nelson]

I forgot how to do this arc. Do you have the references so I can look it up? Thanks.

If you are talking about a segment arc, it is pretty easy.
Here is a link. If it doesn't work, let me know and I'll explain it.

http://books.google.com/books?id=V8L...sticks&f=false

If you are talking about an elipse, you'll use a string instead of sticks.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=25994

[Ryan Welch]

using painters tape along my cut line to prevent plywood splintering

honing with a leather strop

best tip of all is the old saying: buy the best and you only cry once. Would have saved me alot of money, if i had learned this earlier.

[zayd alle]

A dado reference board took all the guesswork and frustration out of cutting dados. Basically, start with the outer cutters of a stack dado set and cut a dado in a scrap of plywood. Then progressively add chippers and shims (being sure to label the board as you go!) and cut additional dados alongside. When you're done, you have a reference gauge whenever you need to find out exactly what size dado to cut and what chippers/shims will get you there.

[Jamie Schmitz]

Use the same device to transfer the measurement. In other words don't make a measurement with a metal ruler and then use your tape to transfer it.
Put a blade on backwards to cut thin plastic. The idea here is it will basically melt it as opposed to shattering it.
http://youtu.be/JuYx3ANp_Jg

[Tom Rick]

Use a band saw to rip small stock.

[Dave Zellers]

1. How to cope an inside corner, and spring the moulding in place. You'll never have a cracked joint.

The best tip re coping I was shown is to leave the bottom 1/8 to 1/4 inch as the miter and only cope above that. Then position the piece and mark the miter line onto the bottom of the installed square cut piece with a sharp knife. Set aside the coped board and with the knife, cut straight up along the scribed mark on the installed trim that same 1/8 to 1/4 inch and remove the waste.

This way when you install the coped trim it will look like it was mitered.

[Peter Gregory]

If you are doing the water and iron trick to remove dents, use distilled water. Tap water might mess with your finish.

[Larry Fox]

If I ever get married I need to keep separate bank accounts.

HA - Zach has been paying attention.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Patience...

Yeah,well, Bruce.......I tried that once, but it took up too much of my time.