In the past few years, a number of woodworking tool manufacturers have entered the combination router market. These versatile router kits, which include a moderately powerful motor that is interchangeable between a fixed base and a plunge base, offer terrific value for woodworkers who maybe cannot afford an entire shop full of woodworking tools.

So, how does one know which router kit to buy?

Check out the About Woodworking list of the Best 5 Combo Router Kit Values. This list ranks these five routers based upon value rather solely on the quality of the router. Case in point: my favorite router (in terms of features and ease of use) on the list ranks #3 in terms of value. However, I'd think any of the five would represent a nice addition to any shop, particularly for those woodworkers who may only have room in their budget for one router.

(c) 2008 Chris Baylor licensed to About.com, Inc.

Woodworking Magazine is having an interesting contest that I thought a number of you might be interested in.

They're soliciting quotations related to woodworking. Any quotations that are printed in their magazine will result in a one-year subscription to Woodworking Magazine (we ran a review of their updated magazine a few months ago, which you can read here).

Even better, the best quote among all of the submissions will be sent a beautiful miter plane from Philly Planes. Learn more about the contest on the Woodworking Magazine web site.

Most novice woodworkers look at a chair, and see a seat, a back, four legs and maybe some arms. Piece of cake to build, right?

As any experienced chairmaker will tell you, building a quality chair is much more complicated. There are a lot of considerations that go into making a chair look nice, be strong enough to handle the stresses of sitting (and getting into and out of the chair), sliding the chair forward and back, and still be comfortable. This combination is a lot more difficult than one might think.

In Chairmaking & Design, Jeff Miller has written a basic but relatively thorough course in chairmaking, from theory to practical designs. Some of the chair plans could be considered modern, while others are more classic in design, but each successive design builds on the techniques learned in the previous chapter.

Read our woodworking book review of Chairmaking & Design by Jeff Miller, and get started building chairs of your own!

(c) 2008 Chris Baylor licensed to About.com, Inc.

We have updated the About Woodworking Tool Review Gallery, which now contains more than thirty tool reviews!

If you're looking for a new router, dovetail jig, compound miter saw, jigsaw or woodworking accessory, take a look through the gallery. Each page shows a large image of the tool in use, plus a link to the full review and, in many cases, a link where you can compare prices from some of the lowest vendors on the internet.

Visit the About Woodworking Tool Review Gallery for more information today.

I was recently asked a question by a reader. He was having a problem getting what he felt were accurate readings with his moisture content meter on pressure-treated stock. He was wondering whether the pressure treating was interfering with the moisture meter.

Learn how moisture content meters work, and whether ACQ pressure treated lumber will affect the readings provided by the meter in Does ACQ Pressure Treating Affect Moisture Meter Readings?.

I rarely post product recall information in this space, but when the product recall may affect a number of readers, I think it's important to make a note of it. This is one of those cases:

From the Consumer Product Safety Commission:

April 29, 2008

Release #08-259

Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 742-9178

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

DEWALT Recalls Table Saws Due to Laceration Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: DEWALT DW744 Jobsite Table Saws

Units: About 13,000

Manufacturer: DEWALT Industrial Tool Co., of Towson, Md.

Hazard: The pivot bracket on the saw can separate which can misalign the blade and the fence and cause kick back. This poses a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: DEWALT has received one reported incident of the table saw's blade misaligning. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the 10 inch DEWALT jobsite table saw model number DW744. Date codes included in the recall are 200715 through 200740. The table saws are yellow and black. The model number and date code are located on the name plate on the front of the saw. Table saws with an "X" stamped on the name plate by the date code are not included in this recall.

Sold at: Major home centers and hardware stores nationwide from April

2007 through January 2008 for about $500.

Manufactured in: Mexico

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled table saws and contact DEWALT for the location of a service center to obtain a free replacement table saw.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact DEWALT toll-free at (888) 742-9178 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.dewalt.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08259.html

No, it's not a sexy title, but if you use pneumatic woodworking tools such as finish nailers, brad nailers, narrow-crown staplers (or if you're a building contractor, framing nailers), you likely need a good air compressor to provide air for these tools. However, because air compressors are quite durable and somewhat "out of sight, out of mind", appropriate maintenance is easy to overlook.

Like any woodworking tool, you need to take care of your compressor. They don't require much to keep them running in top form, but if you neglect them, you'll eventually wish you hadn't. Learn the proper steps for Air Compressor Maintenance, so your compressor will be ready when you need it.

When most woodworkers begin purchasing woodworking machinery for their shop, the table saw is tyypically the first purchase. Other tools such as a band saw, miter saw or drill press will likely follow. In my opinion, once these major purchases have been made, the next machine that should be added is a quality jointer.

In order to properly align two boards, the edges must be straight. This is essential when "gluing up" a number of boards to create a single, wide panel, such as a table top. While a table saw is very useful for cutting the boards to a specific width opposite a parallel edge, but how do you get the straight edge from which to begin?

The answer is with a jointer. No other power tool will straighten an edge (or square one edge perpendicular with another) easier or quicker than a jointer. Learning how to use one is easy and fun. We cover all of the basics in Jointers - The Easy Way to Get Square & Flat Surfaces.

Once you've added a jointer to your shop, you'll wonder how you ever got along without one!

(c) 2008 Chris Baylor licensed to About.com, Inc.

Your choice of saw blade for on any particular cut on a woodworking project will determine how clean the cuts will be, which in turn will determine how much sanding you'll have to do.

To be perfectly honest, I really don't enjoy sanding. It is a tedious task, but I know that the better sanding job I do on the project, the better the finish will be. However, if I use the best saw blade for the material I'm cutting (and choose the proper direction of my cuts), I can dramatically reduce the amount of sanding necessary before finishing.

Would you like to learn how to reduce the amount of sanding you'll need to do on your projects? Learn how to Select the Right Saw Blade and you'll have far less sanding to do when the time comes.

(c) 2008 Chris Baylor licensed to About.com, Inc.

Yes, you read that headline right.

A few weeks ago, I was introduced to Joe Harmon, a grad student in the Industrial Design program at North Carolina State University. Joe has wanted to be a car designer since the age of 5, so when it came time to build his grad project, he wanted to build a car so memorable that it would be truly unforgettable. Of course, every other ID student who wants a design gig with a major car manufacturer has the same desire, so Joe needed something to really set himself apart, something so unbelievable that if he could make it happen, no one would forget about it.

Well, by George, I think he's found it. Joe and his crew (with the assistance of Delta/Porter-Cable and some other sponsors) have embarked on the quest to build a 600-HP super car made from wood. When I first heard about the project, I figured they were talking about a steel chassis, drive train and mechanicals with a wooden skin. Come to find out, a considerable amount of the super-structure, including the wheels and leaf springs for the car, are being manufactured from wood.

I was fortunate enough to have a Q&A with Joe about his project, the inspiration behind it and some of the difficulties encountered in making a car from wood in Splinter - The Wooden Supercar. This was a fascinating foray into some of the unexpected ways wood can be used, sometimes even to a level beyond imagination.

Image courtesy of Joe Harmon Design, www.joeharmondesign.com