Woodshop Life Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Dye Colors, Mitered Boxes, Glue Creep and MORE!! Nov 01, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

Hello Guys,
Love the show so much great information. I have recently got into scroll sawing. I am a comic book fan and I want to start scrolling the comic book art that I love. As you may know comic book art is very colorful. My goal is to start getting enough exotic wood to try and cover as much color as I can. In the mean time I would like to start using stain to color the woods. Are you all aware of any stains that have a good color spectrum.
Thanks
Korey from Independence KY

I am looking to build a shop building on my property. What is the minimum square footage you would recommend for a home hobbyist? I will have a miter saw, router table, table saw, and eventually a planer and dust collector. And of course a work bench with a saw vise.
I have plenty of room on my property, so that isn't a limiting factor. My biggest concern is not spending money that I don't need to on a building that is larger than needed.
What are some things you recommend that I plan for when building? Power outlet locations and qty, ceiling height, lighting type, etc.?
Thanks in advance! Kyle

Guys Questions:

I know you guys have referenced putting shellac under water based finish so you can have the richer look in the wood but ease/quick timeline of water based. I typically use an airless sprayer to apply General Finishes High Performance. I have some projects with walnut that I would normally finish with Arm-R-Seal to get the rich walnut tone. Id like to try the shellac coat first and then High Performance on top. I was wondering what is your standard application practice when you do this. Do you apply shellac (by hand or spray) and then wait a few hours/a few days/a week? Thanks for the advice and looking to avoid any pitfalls in the process being that Ive never done it before.
Thanks and keep up the good work on the podcast.
Pete from Uncarved Block Woodworks, Madison, WI

Do you have any tips for glueing up mitered-corner boxes to ensure they are square/plumb, etc.? I've had a hard time with this. Thanks David Vespoint

Huys Questions:

My local Rockler shut down and I found myself purchasing the Dark Half Tung oil from the real milk paint company at a steep discount. Never used the stuff but I’ve heard that dark tung oil can help give cherry a patina look without aging. I’m wondering if it can help walnut preserve its dark color over time?
Tung oil is supposed to be a pretty durable finish on it own. Have you guys tried using it as part of an arm r seal mix?
Thanks again for the help! Jose

All of my furniture pieces seem to have glue creep on all the table tops and panels. I switched from using titebond pva to titebond hide glue thinking this would solve the problem. On some newer pieces I built with the hide glue, I can now slightly feel the glue seams after a few weeks. The tops all have biscuits for alignment as well. Could this be a matter of temperature and humidity change from my shop to my house? About 40% humidity in my shop through the use of a dehumidifier. Temperature ranged from in the 50s this past winter to now it's in the 80s. Would you sand the seam lightly with 0000 steel wool or very high grit sandpaper? And any tips for future builds to avoid this again? Thanks guys! Jeff

Miter Station Size? Catastrophic Failures, Outdoor Finishes and MORE!!! Oct 18, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Guys Questions:

Gentleman, Chris here @custom_by_chris on Instagram. My shop is a single car garage roughly 11.5’ wide by 22’ long. I’d like to build a miter station along the front wall for my Kapex. Will I regret confining myself to that 11.5’ width? I would position the saw so I have at least 8’ of cutting capacity to one side. I am not doing regular trim work so don’t frequently deal with long stock. Lastly, when designing and building the miter station what features would you consider must-haves or things that aren’t necessary? It’s easy to get sucked into the YouTube rabbit hole of miter stations so please guide me back to the light. Chris

Zach from Minnesota here. I recently constructed a box using box joints for the first time (thank you, I hold the applause.) As the tutorial by wood magazine suggested, I cut the fingers a little long with the intention of trimming them later rather than risking them being slightly too short. I have come across numerous suggestions regarding the best way to trim flush these protruding fingers, and as with most things to do with woodworking every suggested method also includes a comment claiming that following any of the other suggestions will ruin my work piece. What method do each of you prefer to use when flush trimming your box joints? Thanks in advance.
Sincerely, Zachary T Owens

Hi Guy and other guys,
Thanks for the great podcast. I have learned a lot from all the great content you put out. I really appreciate your advice and perspective. I have a couple questions I was hoping you could answer.
Recently I was rubbing a beeswax and tung oil finish on a little box I made for my mother in law. I was using a white scotch bright pad. I guess I didn't softened one of the corners enough because the pad caught the grain and torn out a little piece of edge. My question is what do you do if something catastrophic happens while finishing? Do you sand it back repair it and then finish again? Do you have to sand the whole thing back or just the piece you are repairing? Or is there some trick to repairing finished wood? Or do you just trow it in the fireplace curse a lot and start over?
Thanks. Keep up the great work. Jon Moch

Huys Questions:

Hey guys, longtime follower and still enjoy listening to the podcast. Guy, it seems like you’ve fallen out of love with woodworking a bit and moved onto 3d printing? Is that just because you’ve been doing it forever haha? Always good to have a change.
I wanted to ask you guys about pigmented conversion varnish. I often hear you talk about it and I’ve never heard of it mentioned here in the uk across the pond, the only thing I can find online is it’s potentially the same as what we call acid catalyst? Is it dangerous to spray? Here in the UK acid catalyst (or commonly called AC) is quite toxic and you have to be in a proper booth with serious fume extraction and prober PPE respirator. Is this the same stuff? I’m guessing a pigmented conversion varnish would be a paint finish? Such as a solid colour? Any info would be great.
Keep up the great work guys, Mike

Hey guys thank you for all the information in the podcast and your previous answers to questions. For the most part I make sawdust. I build some furniture pieces, picture frames, boxes, etc. I also build some shipping crates for my real job which helps offset some of the cost of this hobby. The crates use 4x4, 2x8, 2x10 & 2x4 construction lumber and plywood. I've been using a sliding compound miter saw to cut up the boards. I'm reorganizing my garage and was thinking of selling the miter saw and going back to a Radial Arm Saw. I do not do any type of trim work or anything like that. Am I making a mistake wanting to go to the radial? It would just be for breaking down the boards to length. Thanks, Doug

Hi everyone,
Pretty much a novice woodworker with some questions on sapele. My primary question: I have a sapele front door that I inherited that has a finish that has not done well even in dappled sunlight. Fortunately, the door is completely structurally solid, so no repairs needed there. But my question is about how you would refinish it? I kind of like the look of a Danish oil or tung oil with a really solid coat of Total Boat marine finish to protect it. I have also seen people use Eipifanes as a protectant. But with little experience, I am guessing what the outcome will be. I would love to hear the team brainstorm what options I have to both enrich the beauty of the wood and the protect it. What should I optimally do to produce a nice piece that will last with regular care. Any suggestions on products?
More generally, we have some sapele accents in a refinished kitchen. Nothing too fancy or complicated - panhook bars and similar. I would like to build a few more simple pieces. Any thoughts on working with and finishing this type of wood from a broad perspective?
Great podcast. I love how you name brands and don't beat around the bush on advice. As a "maybe I can do it someday" woodworker, I find each episode valuable! Thank you. George

Cheaper Tools?, No Tablesaw?, Glues in the Shop and MORE!!! Oct 04, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:
Hey guys! Another quick question that I get from others in our field. And I'm interested in your input. What making basic shaker/frame and panel cabinet doors, I use the big box, larger ridged router with the FREUD T&G bit set. I'm tired of cutting the tongues and having blowouts..even when using a backer board when running the rail through the router. I've leaned in to using the BEADLOCK system from rockler. It's been great so far. Would you suggest that loose tenon joint, or stick to the TONGUE in the groove? For durability? Crafted Carpenter

What are some tool under $50 that you (or listeners) love. My examples:
-The Rockler or Milecraft center marking tool
-Temtop S1 Indoor Air Quality Monitor (cheap, accurate, see what’s actually happening in your shop instead of guessing)
-Any router coping sled
George

Guys Questions:
Hi guys
In two pervious shows you mentioned two things.
One. You would give up your table saw in favor of a band saw. The question is what can you do on a table saw that you can not do on a band saw. The only thing I can figure is a Dado joint.
Many thanks,
Paul Mitchell
Oki Mitch Crafts

Good day gentlemen
Long time listener (3-4 years) and still feel your the best woodworking podcast. I build a variety of wood project from band saw boxes to use up scrap pieces to some furniture.
I have a Domino DF 500 and use it often. You talk about a biscuit joiner being a different animal and used for different things. Can you give us examples where a biscuit joiner is the best choice? The examples may answer this question for me but do I need a biscuit joiner? Which brand(s) would you recommend?
Thank You Dean

Huys Questions:
Where do you purchase your shellac flakes? Do you use unwaxed? Thanks Mark Moeller

Hey guys. As always, appreciate the podcast and the information shared.
I thought as a topic you might discuss what glues you keep on hand (types more than brands) as well as what specialty glues you’ll acquire for a specific project or technique.
For example, I keep regular wood glue (partial to Gorilla Wood Glue) for most usage, but I always have liquid hide glue for any sliding joint, like dovetails or box joints. I keep 5 minute epoxy and CA glues, but use them less often (and often wish I hadn’t because they’re usually to fix a mistake). Thanks again.
Peter

Pocket Screw Spacing, 3D Printers In The Shop, Comtractor Saw Rebuild and MORE!!! Sep 21, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

Hello guys,
Love the podcast. Thank you for your time and expertise!
Question on making drawer boxes and other situations where butt joinery is used. How much of a difference would it make if I do not use any glue and rely only on pocket screws / regular screws? Main reason I am asking about skipping glue is because I usually use 2 side prefinished plywood to make drawer boxes so unless I figure out how to remove the finish where the joints are, it will not really stick.
Follow up question. What’s the rule of thumb on how to space pocket screws? Let’s say I have a drawer box that’s 12 inches high. How many pocket screws would I put on each butt joint?
Max
Greddie Woodworks

I’m building a very large display case for a museum, about 15 feet long and 4 feet high and 6 inches deep. Kind of like a giant shadow box. It will contain a canvas replica of the Shroud of Turin, with LED backlighting behind the shroud canvas and a ¼” glass front (2 sheets of glass with a seam in the middle). The back panel will be either 1/4" or 1/2" plywood. We will have legs under it to support the weight across the 15 foot length, as it will be very heavy once fully assembled on-site. Here’s my question; is it realistic to plane, cut, and sand a 15 foot long 6/4 board, about 6 inches wide? Am wondering if I could realistically handle such a board, and if so, would it remain flat and straight over time. Or, would I be better off making two 7-1/2 foot long boards and somehow joining them together to make one 15 foot long board. If two boards, what’s the best method for end-to-end joining of these boards to get a barely-visible joint and a perfectly straight assembly. Do I need to be concerned with sag in the middle if I have a plywood back panel? Mark

Guys Questions:

I have recently started using Arm-R-Seal and I am new to using finishes with long curing times. I have been prefinishing all my parts because I assume it's near impossible to get a nice finish after glue up. Is this correct? How long should I wait after applying the finish before glueing? Also, if the piece of furniture was for a customer, would you wait the full 30 days of cure time before delivery? Jeffrey Hughes

I teach a beginning woodworking class at a High School. I will be receiving two Bambu Lab X1 3D printers for one of the Engineering classes that I teach as well. I know that 3D printers can be very useful for woodworking and was wondering what ideas you would have to share for helpful tools or accessories that could be made using the 3D printer? Also do you have a specific website where you go to find premade tools and accessories that is trustworthy? Thanks in advance for any information that you could provide. Scott Kirkman

Huys Questions:

Hey it’s me again,
I have a 10” Metabo contractor saw I use for my house projects and finer pieces. It’s a quick and dirty saw that I can set up and knock down and roll into the corner. I love the wide table of it but it’s starting to feel wobbly when making cuts. Thinking of building a box around it to have out all the time and catch dust and shavings. Maybe on wheels? I’m no contractor so maybe I should just invest in a cabinet saw… love to hear thoughts. Ian

Hello,
I am getting ready to build a box beam to wrap an exposed LVL beam in the great room of our vacation home. It's a horizontal beam with about 2" protruding from a finished wall (drywall). The span is about 14', and the beam is about 4 1/2" tall. I will be using knotty pine to create a 3 sided box beam with mitereed corners. My challenge is that I cannot built and transport 14' beam, so I need to build 2 7' beams. Each end of the beam will butt against a wall, so there isn't much room. So my question for you all is what type of joinery would you use to seam the 2 beams together on-site?
Thanks, and I appreciste what you all are doing for the woodworking community. John

Track Saw Value?, Choosing Grain, Benchtop Finish and MORE!! Sep 06, 2024

Brians Questions:

I craft Shaker Furniture and then donate it. I am often gluing up tabletops. I have seen many discussions around "how to properly joint" the edges of a-joining boards. Am typically using plain sawn cherry.
After rough dimensioning, jointing, then planing the individual pieces, and arranging the pieces so they look nice, and hopefully having the grain run the same way (I finish the tops with a smoothing plane), it comes time to joint those edges that are to be glued.
There in lies the question....does one 1) rip them on a table saw, or 2) joint the edges such that there is a slight bow to allow compression in the center, or 3) take the pair of boards to be glued and joint them together in a book match style. I usually do 3)
I then clamp them using footed bar clamps and cawls over the top.
How do you all handle this part of the process. 1), 2),3)....something else??
Secondly, I use hide glue to glue the joinery, but have had trouble using it for table top gluing up table tops --not enough open time...use titebond instead....have you had success in using hide glue for tabletop glue up??
thank you, John

Hi,
I am a hobbyist woodworker who uses a mix of hand tools and power tools. I see a lot of people nowadays using track saws where I would normally use my table saw or my circular saw with a guide. What am I missing with the track saw trend? Won’t a simple plywood guide and cheap circular saw do the exact same thing as a track saw? Thanks Adam

Guys Questions:

Hi,
I enjoy the podcast, it is favorite woodworking podcast where you get right to the point and answer real questions without a lot of wasted time. Keep it up!
I am currently working on a fairly large cabinet & desk built-in. It will be an "L" shape, run along one wall for about 18 feet, and then wrap around and extend out about 6 feet, with the corner being the desk section. I've already completed the base cabinets, so the next step will be the desktop, followed by all the shelving.
My question is about the desktop(26in deep). My plan was to build this in 6 foot sections, which I would then join to span the whole wall. I've been going back and forth over whether I build this out of solid wood(thinking 8/4 rough sawn which I would mill down to maybe 1-1/2in), or using veneers. I planned to join each section using a Lamello Zeta P2.
I have access to the tools(6cfm pump from Veneer Systems) to do either method, but am not sure if one is really much better. I'be been leaning towards solid wood(Walnut) as I have that on hand, but not sure if that's more of me shying away from using veneers as I don't have a lot of experience on bigger projects. This is for my home so may be an opportunity to get more practice using veneers without worry of it being a customer piece. I'm interested in what you would recommend.
Thanks! Frank

Also a dummy, thank you Bob for opening the can of worms. Who cares if it is 1/4 sawn or 1/64th sawn?
When is it important to know? If riff sucks…then why use it or if plane is plain to unstable to use why use it etc. Strengths and weaknesses for price versus application might be interesting to discuss, especially if opinions can vary.
What is the wheelhouse for the different boards? I imagine it’s a combo of beauty, price and stability. Can you guys flesh out this conversation a bit? Benjamin

Huys Questions

I use Kreg work bench system so my benches are mostly straight and strong with the factors I stated above. I also am lazy or forgetful about putting down paper before glue ups. replacing the top of the work bench I have considered finishing it with thin layer or epoxy to allow a non-sticky surface for the wood glue or finishes I use. I am also going to make match fit dove tail clamp system ( would finish with epoxy then have the cnc redue the job to clean the channels ) maybe also with dog hole.
is the epoxy finish a good way to make a more permeant bench top ? should I just lay down plywood top and replace when needed? Am considering ordering a butcher block top to make the bench so it looks nice and is more lasting. bench is 44 square and supported by wood beams in the center so it doesn't dip.
Thanks folks Paul Oki Mitch Crafts Okinawa Japan

Hi, thanks for answering a couple of my questions in the past. I have another one now about using loose tenon joinery to glue up boards to make a panel, such as a tabletop.
One feature of a Domino or a biscuit joiner is that they reference off of a face of the board, assuring a perfectly flush (or close enough) show surface. I don’t own a Domino, but I have a biscuit joiner and a dowelling jig. I would like to use dowels on occasion, but I only have a simple dowelling jig that is of the self-centering type. If all my boards are of the exact same thickness then this in theory should give good results too, but sometimes I am using 3/4” boards right from the lumber yard that I have edge jointed but have not milled to a common thickness, since I don’t want to go any thinner than the 3/4”. So the thicknesses might be off by small amounts.
So in light of this, I was thinking that I should upgrade to a higher end dowelling jig, one that references off of a face surface. Does this seem like a worthwhile idea? If so, are there certain other features I should look for in a product, and do you have specific product recommendations that you can make?
Thanks. Steve

Recognizing Grain, Sanding Finishes, Installing Levelers and MORE!!! Aug 23, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

As a hobbyist who buys wood occasionally, I have never developed the skill of correctly identifying the grain pattern or even the cut type (plain, rift, quarter) in rough cut lumber at lumber yards. It’s all fuzzy and impossible for me to discern. Any tips for a dumb dumb like me? American Bob

Hey guys! I started listening to your podcast a couple months ago, and began dabbling in woodworking only a couple months before that. I can't tell you how helpful your podcasts has been to me, as I don't really have anyone to show me the ropes. I'm usually pretty good at figuring things out via YouTube and Google, but a lot of use concepts are so new to me that I'm not sure what to search for. I don't know what I don't know.
I have to admit that I have been cutting off sending in a question to you guys primarily because I'm listening to your podcast while I'm in my fledgling shop and I have a hard time putting down what I'm doing to get on my phone if I don't have to. Having said that, I'm sure that I can come up with enough questions to completely fill out half a dozen podcast episodes, so I'm finally answering the call. Thank you in advance for your answers and insights.
I chose to serve with this question because it is an issue I run into constantly. To put it simply, I do not as of yet own jointer or a planer, and I can't afford one for the time being. I have been trying to make do with a number of workarounds, to varying degrees of success. For example, cleaning a board or panel with a belt sander, which is exactly as much fun as it sounds. My recently discovered work around for jointing boards is a jig I made for my table saw. It's essentially a fence I guess, with an outfeed and in feed side. The outfeed side is flush with my saw blade, while the infeed side is offset. The width of my saw blade. I can send you a picture if you are curious. My question is, for a person who absolutely cannot afford a jointer and planer right now, are there any other tricks you can think of to accomplish these essential woodworking processes? Thanks again for your help and all the great information you provide. Zach

Guys Questions:

Hello, this is Zach from Minnesota again. I have a question that has been bugging me for quite some time now. Ever since I learned about water-based polyurethane, it's almost exclusively what I have used to finish my projects. I almost always apply this with my Wagner or HVLP sprayer with a detail nozzle and it has worked great for me. There are a lot of topics in woodworking where people have opposing views. One practice, however, that seems to be universally supported, and strongly so, is sanding between codes of polyurethane.
I very, very rarely follow this practice. For whatever reason, on one project I did not do this and it turned out fine, so I haven't really bothered since, and I haven't had any issues, even when I've applied polyurethane over paint. Why is sanding so strongly recommended, and what issues am I risking by skipping this step? Thanks again. Zach

Good morning Woodshop Life Podcast Folks!
I am about to finish up my largest commissioned work, netting me a nice little profit. This isn’t my full time job, so any sort of money I make from woodworking I want to put back into the shop and continue to grow as a woodworker.
I have the Dewalt DW735 Planer and a Grizzly 8” Jointer, both with straight knife cutter heads. If I could only do one for now, Which one should I upgrade first to a helical cutter head?
I love listening to you all when I am in the shop, and have grown tremendously as a woodworker because of it! Keep up the great work! Nathan

Huys Questions:

I just built a router table with a lift. Was going to upgrade to a 3+ hp router as I have been told “the large bits need 3 or more hp”.
Looking at the routers I can purchase they all come with 15 amp plugs. The 15 amp can only carry 2.4 hp max no matter what the hp of the motor is. Even if the plug / receptacle is 20 amp it still could not carry the watts/hp of 3 hp.
Just wondering why I should spend the money to upgrade. Can you enlighten me?

Thanks and love the show. John-Michael

Do you have any tips for drilling the holes in legs to insert leg levelers? I have practiced a few times and I can't consistently get the holes straight. I have avoided using the leg levelers because of this. Thanks Jeff

Do I need a Domino?, Cutting Weird Angles, Hide Glue? And MORE!!! Aug 09, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

I really enjoy your podcast. The information you provide is very informative and helpful. I am beginning to build more furniture items and considering purchasing a Festool Domino tool for both strength and convenience. I am having a difficult time, as I'm sure many do, justifying the cost. My question is: is it that much better and/or stronger than bisquits, dowels, pocket hole screws, fixed tenon, etc., or is this just a "status symbol" tool? Your opinion will help immensely. I do already own their CT Midi dust collector and a couple of sanders. Rick

Gentlemen: I’m a long time listener and can’t thank you enough for all the info you have shared through this podcast. I am a hobbyist woodworker who is moderately successful with my projects the majority of the time. I am being requested to make keepsake/ jewelry boxes for my grandkids. I have not made small boxes before so my questions are:
What species of wood should I consider to use. I have access to some exotics and have used numerous species on previous projects but are there specific species that would really help these boxes standout? Any species I should avoid?
Should I use veneer and plywood or solid hardwood? I am comfortable using miters with splines or finger joints but this guy doesn’t do dovetails.
What finish should I use. I can already hear Guy screaming shellac and amour seal. Anything else to consider like lacquer?
Thanks again Liam Indianapolis

Guys Questions:

Hi gentleman.
Thank you for all of your time sharing your experiences and helping to grow woodworking. You have saved me, and many others, countless board feet of mistakes
I am have transitioned from carpentry and repairs, to fine woodworking, such as desks, and mechanical puzzle boxes. This involves a lot of very precise measurements and cuts. I have needed to cut exact angles to fit together, slide, and hide the seams. You have mentioned using a router bit to cut an exact 45 degree angle, but how do you cut an exact angle other than a 45, such as a 73.43 degree angle?
Also, is there a specific finish that will help minimize wood swelling? While expansion is not always a concern with tables or chairs, for example, it is a real problem with mechanical puzzle boxes as the swelling can prevent the mechanical puzzle box from opening. Thanks for your help. George Allan

Hello Woodshop Life Crew,
I have a 1-car garage woodshop and want to add dust collection. I'm considering the Grizzly G0861 - 2 HP Portable Cyclone Dust Collector. ttps://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-2-hp-portable-cyclone-dust-collector/g0861
My shop is 12' x 24' and my main tools are a tablesaw, a plainer, and a jointer. Do you think a 2 HP system is too big? Too small? This unit has a 7" intake port that splits into three 4" ports, 1023 CFM of airflow, and a 1-micron filter size. A dedicated 30A 220V circuit is at the ready. Given the small shop size, I would be ok with hooking up one tool at a time or adding ducting to all tools. In short, what size of system and ducting would you recommend for a small 1-car woodshop like mine? Thanks as always for the great podcast.- Adam

Huys Questions:

Thanks for the content yall have been bringing the woodworking community. I’m new to the podcast, but have found the few episodes I’ve listened to extremely helpful. I’m living in New Hampshire, and recently moved my shop into a large barn. I have a section for wood storage on the second floor. The barn is open and in an uncontrolled climate. As of right now, I have a lot of pine and white oak, but would like to expand my selection as more projects become available. Do you have any suggestions on how to better control humidity/temperature to allow for better moisture regulation? Also, I am looking to upgrade my planer. I’m trying to decide between a 13 inch Grizzly bench top planer (G0940) and a 13 inch Jet bench top planer (JWP-13BT). Please let me know your thoughts on these or suggestions on another option in that price range. Thanks! Caleb

Hi gentlemen. This is my second question. I'm still catching up on past episodes and am now in 2024. I have learned so much from each of you.
On an earlier episode, you mentioned that if a drawer glue-up is not square, one option is to break it down before the glue sets and "fix it". My general question is, can you re-glue parts and still maintain their glue strength? If you remove any unset glue (assuming PVA) as much as possible, will the remaining glue embedded in the wood prevent a structurally sound joint? I'm assuming that no further milling is required to "fix" the joint. In other words, the glue-up didn't go as planned.
Thanks for this great podcast. Anthony

Finding Lumber, Using Metric, Using a Shaper and MORE!!! Aug 02, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

I am a hobbyist that wants to start making more polished pieces but am stuck making most of my furniture out of Douglas Fir or cedar. While these are fine options, I want to get into other species like walnut, ash, etc. but am usually priced out when buying one or two boards.
I feel like people buy in bulk or something to make the savings work. Could you offer some guidance on purchasing wood that isn’t the normal big box stuff at a fair price? Thx! Ian

Hi,I'm currently working on a cable railing for my stairs and have been laminating four 1-inch boards together to create 3⅝" x 3⅝" x 48" posts. However, I've encountered challenges achieving the final squared dimensions. My contractor's Bosch table saw is not capable to cut 3⅝" in one pass and doesn't provide a clean cut due to some broken teeth on the original carbide blade. Despite extensive searching, I haven't found a solution that doesn't require using a table saw. My current approach involves jointing and squaring two faces on the jointer, then flattening the remaining two faces on the planer. Initially uncertain about this method, I examined the posts and found all edges to be within an acceptable 90-degree tolerance, attributed to the accuracy of my approximately 70-year-old jointer fence.I'm curious why this method isn't more widely discussed. Could it be because most people don't typically work with this thickness, thus making the table saw seem unavoidable?
Keep up the great Vafa

Guys Questions:

I am really enjoying listening to your podcast and, although I have been woodworking for over 50 years, I invariably learn something new from you. An example is your discussion about the proper way to allow for wood movement on an inside shelf. I am currently working on just such a configuration and will now look at bread board ends for the shelf.
My question is about the advantages using metric in the wood shop. Canada, where I live, is only partly metric and most of my friends use inches when laying out parts in their shops. I took a course from Garrett Hack some years ago and said he likes to use metric as there are no fractions to deal with and in his view a millimetre (a 25th on an inch) is a good level of accuracy.
Do you ever use metric measurement when building your projects? Bob

In the midst of reorganizing my shop. My question is about dust collection. I have about 500sqft of 1000sqft garage dedicated to my woodworking projects. Every time I cut something or sand, I coat the bikes, and all the other things stored there. Not focusing on the vacuums, what do you do about cleaning up the air? I am thinking about one of those Grizzly air filters but not sure it will do the trick. Thanks! Ian

Huys Questions:

Curious to hear your experiences with mentorship. Do you think it’s important to have mentors in the shop? (Someone who you can learn from who’s also invested in your progress) Grateful to have your podcast and love to hear the different perspectives from the 3 of you. Such a valuable resource for the woodworking community. Ari

Hi guys,
*Thanks for answering my past questions, I have another multi part one for you. I recently picked up a grizzly 5hp shaper, I know it's probably bigger than I need but I traded a few days work for it so the price was right. My first project I plan to do with it was patern cutting some 3.5 inch thick table legs. I ordered an amana 61295 spiral cutter and followed bearing but after setting it up it quite frankly scares the crap out of me. How would you guys go about holding the work piece? Would you cut from one side to the middle then reverse the machine and cut from the other side to prevent cutting against the grain? I'm new to shapers so any other advice would be helpful.
**The other part is I'm looking at a job where I'll probably have to shape a few hundred lineal feet of trim so I'm looking at getting a power feeder as well. I see they range from 1/8 to several hp, how big should I be looking at? I'll mostly see myself using it with smaller shaper bits but that could change as well as possibly setting it up on my table saw when I have to do long miters or lots of rip cuts. I've never used one before and couldn't find much info online, any tips and tricks would be a big help. Thanks, Mike Arntz

Shelf Inside Table Legs, Which Blade?, Which Spray Gun? And MORE!!! Jul 12, 2024

This Episode's Questions:

Brians Questions:

Hey guys, I am building an arts and crafts style entryway table that is roughly modeled after a Stickley magazine stand. It will have an upper “shelf” that is surrounded on three side by the rails or stretchers on the side and back and is open on the front. The bottom “shelf” is identical. These two shelves are seated into the four legs. The front legs have a full depth groove cut into them that the shelf seats into and the rear legs have a cutout on the inside corner for the rear shelf support. I will include a link at the bottom showing the piece that I modeled my table after. The original is smaller and has three shelves, mine will only have two and will have spindles between the rear top and bottom stretchers as well. However, the way the shelves are attached will be the same.

My question is this: How can I attach the shelves to the front and rear legs without causing issues with wood movement? The shelves will be somewhere in the 13-14” deep range. Gluing the shelf to the rear legs and letting the shelf slide in the groove in the front legs would work but there is no front rail or stretcher connecting the two front legs so I don’t think that works. Can I glue the shelf to all four legs? Alternatively I suppose I could put a small low profile stretcher under the shelf connecting the two front legs, but I don’t think it exists on the original and I’d prefer not to if I don’t have to. Please feel free to contact me to clarify anything if I didn’t explain well enough. Kellen

I think the thing I struggle with the most in building furniture is laying out where each part is going to come from on the rough boards. All the wood I've bought so far was air dryed from Facebook marketplace, so maybe that has made it harder since the boards are never perfectly straight. I always use straight grain sections for the legs and I try to also use straight grain for any aprons, rails and stiles. This leaves alot of waste. If I have a 8" board and I use say 2.5" from each edge of straight grain, what do you do with the leftover center section that is just cathedrals? When do you not use straight grain on these types of parts? Any other advise on laying out parts on the rough boards? Thanks again for answering my questions and the best podcast. Jeff

Guys Questions:

Hey Guys,
I love your show! I usually listen on my commute or while I'm working in the shop.
I'm building a hayrake table out of walnut and haven't decided on the finish. I'm looking for something durable, easy to wipe clean (I have kids), and not super glossy. Any suggestions on what to use and how to apply it?
Thank you for all the great tips! Ezra

Thank you for your fantastic podcast! I really appreciate how accessible and practical you make woodworking for both beginners and experts alike.
I’ve been woodworking for about two years now, mostly building cutting boards, boxes, gifts and simple furniture out of basic hardwoods. I’ve also dabbled in making furniture with plywood, such as a bedside table for my 11-year-old. I’m fortunate to be a member of a shared woodworking shop at a local arts and crafts society, which is well-equipped with power tools including a SawStop cabinet saw.
Our shop uses a shared set of well-worn Freud blades which get pretty beat up, but I’ve had the privilege of using nicer table saw blades loaned to me by the shop keeper, who has been incredibly supportive as I develop my skills. This brings me to my question: I am ready to purchase my own table saw blades and have zoomed in on CMT as a brand for their value.
I’m considering three blades: an 80-tooth Hi-ATB crosscut, a 24-tooth flat top grind ripping blade, and a 50-tooth combination blade with ATB and one TCG tooth, all in full kerf. My research suggests that the main arguments for thin kerf blades are that they are easier on low power table saws and produce less waste. Since I have access to a SawStop cabinet saw, I don’t need blades suited for low power saws, and I’m not sure the reduced waste is worth the trade-offs.
Are there other advantages or reasons I should consider a thin kerf blade? It seems that full kerf blades offer more stability and cleaner cuts, and as I build my skills, my expectations for precision are increasing. What are your thoughts on kerf size and blade choice for someone in my situation?
Thanks for your advice, and keep up the great work! Stuart

Huys Questions:

Hey gents,
I'm getting into a kitchen remodel and will be building all the cabinets myself because I'm a glutton for punishment. I'm trying to find a white (tintable base) finish, but am a little overwhelmed by all the options. It for sure needs to be water based, and I have an Airless system as well as a 2-stage HVLP for application. Can you recommend any product for this purpose? I've been experimenting with Target Coatings water based pigmented lacquer (EM6500wp) with their CL100 cross-linker and was just "ok" with the results. I tried spraying it with the HVLP but I'm thinking the finish was too thick to properly atomize with a 2-stage turbine, so maybe I need to shoot it with the Airless? I'm not super keen on any finish with a real limited pot life, since I'll be doing this on the nights and weekends, and feel like that would lead to a significant amount of waste. Thanks in advance for the insight! Travis

Hello guys,
I have been a long time listener and I really appreciate all of the knowledge that you guys share with the woodworking community.
I have seen the Critter Siphon Gun advertised in the Lee Valley catalog and watched a few videos about it on YouTube. Have you had any experience with the Critter Siphon Gun and how does it compare to other options like HVLP sprayers?
Thanks, Daniel

Bowling Balls?, Project Planning, Aligning Drawer Faces and MORE!! Jun 28, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

I have a question for you about glueing up table aprons. And I’m mostly referring to large dining tables. The aprons I’m making are generally w 8/4 stock roughly 4” width. I can manage to get the legs and the aprons milled and cut square. All my joinery is w dominoes. Whenever I do the glue up everything is slightly out out square despite everything being square prior to glue up . I have pipe clamps and parallel clamps and have tried both. For some reason I can’t get the clamping pressure or positioning right. Any tips would be appreciated. Timber Tables

Hi guys!
Love your podcast and listen for over a year during my early walks in the morning. I’m always picking up a tip or two. Keep up the great work!
My question has to do with designing a bowling ball rack shelf system for my granddaughter. She is an outstanding bowler with well over 20 balls so my little ball rack is only going scratch the surface.
My plan is for a 12 ball bowling rack with three shelves with four 15# balls on each shelf. Each shelf will be made of 3/4 poplar (to be painted with college colors) and is 46” wide, 10” deep and will have 3” chamfered holes for each ball to sit in. So the shelf has to support 60# in bowling balls!
I’ll be fastening the shelves to the upright side with through tenons.
Do you guys think 3/4 poplar shelves with through tenons and chamfered holes to be enough to hold 60#? This is the first time I’ve created anything requiring that much weight to support. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks! Pappy

Guys Questions:

Hi all. Looking for recommendations for entry level laser engraver to be used for making router templates / engraving logos and simple designs on my woodworking projects such as cutting boards, wall decorations, etc. Are there any alternatives to a laser engraver that would do the same in a similar lower price point? thank you for a great show! Max

Hello gents, as always, the podcast is one of the best out there. My question for you is about pivoting. What I mean by that is, what do you do when something happens during a project that causes you to take a different direction? Recently I completed a humidor for a friend. He gave me the rough dimensions that he wanted, and his only specification was that it had some contrast and some nice looking grain. I made myself a plan and began working on making the box sides with alternating maple and cherry. My original intent was a 4 corner grain match. Unfortunately, my miters did not come out well, so I changed to a corner post design using mahogany. Since the client did not know the original plan, this was an easy change to do in my shop. Have you guys had to change your plan mid way through a project? How did you handle it and how well did it work out? As a side note, sometimes I appreciate the original plan going sideways because it forces me to think of viable alternatives.
Keep making sawdust and sharing what you love.
Joshua from The Blackdog Woodworks.

Huys Questions:

Hi guys, I have a question for the best woodworking podcast around. I bought some beautiful air dried white oak from someone who had it sitting in a barn for 20 years. I have two 4/4 boards that are 8 foot long, 10.5" wide and almost dead straight. I would like to use them for the top of a dresser but there are several lighter shaded bands going across the boards (on both sides). I believe these stains or marks are from stickering. I did a light pass through my planer and it doesn't appear that it made a difference. Are these boards totally ruined? I am not confident that if I keep planing them this will go away, plus they are just north of 4/4 in thickness and I was hoping to keep them as thick as possible. Jeff

Thank you for your informative podcast, enjoy the experience and diversity you bring to woodworking enthusiasts. I was recently installing drawer faces on a nightstand. The drawer boxes were just slightly inset so soft close slides would pull the drawer tight when face installed. The drawer faces are proud of the nightstand cabinet. I wanted to have very tight/consistent reveals between the two drawers and wanted the sides to line up perfectly flush with sides. This requires very precise holding of drawer fronts while securing from the back side of drawer box. I was able to get the drawer fronts flush with sides and use a 1/32 shim between drawer faces for the gap, great so far. The drawer face handle is a flat rectangular(lip style) wood pull at the top of the drawer face so there are no holes in the drawer face like there would be be with a more conventional pull. I attempted to use thin double sided tape to hold face securely in position until it could be attached but it was not secure enough to ensure the precise geometry for the drawer face until it could be attached. I felt thicker double sided tape was too flexible for desired outcome. I end up using pins strategically placed under the pull which works but the pins were barely visible. I find wood filler draws attention to pins so left them unfilled reasoning that no one would notice. My wife of course noticed right off the bat. Here is the question:
What other methods of holding drawer face in place before securing to drawer box which doesn't leave evidence:) Thanks, Dave at xcuse4tools custom woodwork

Figured Wood Finish, Need a Drum Sander?, Lumber Drying and MORE!! Jun 14, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

Hey guys thanks for the best podcast You knowledge and wisdom
Thanks for answering my last question about what project would help build my skills
My question now is I’m looking for a set of chisels and I don’t know what brand to get i’d save up to buy the brand that to get recommended cause I want a set that lasts
Thanks for your help and guidance wise ones Ashtin

I hope you can help me:
I made a 58 inch round table top out of 3/4 inch, good quality plywood. It's meant to sit on top of smaller round table (48 inches) to add additional seating for occasional use when extra guests are coming to dinner. I've done it before with good results. To make it manageable, and because it's quite heavy, I cut it in half.
I use a rug pad between the smaller table and the 'topper' table to keep the 2 halves from slipping. I fitted it and made sure it worked in the space and was stable before doing the finishing. All good so far.
My problem is: I finished one side with stain, lacquer and wax and it looks great. Then I turned both halves over and repeated the same process on the other side. When both sides were all finished, I noted that one of the halves had developed a slight bow, thus making the fitting together of the 2 halves a little wonky. But, when I turned only the bowed half over, the 2 halves fit together perfectly. YAY! BUT - here's my problem. With both sides lining up perfectly, and laying flat on the rug pad on top of the smaller table, the stain color is slightly different on the 2 halves.
Thinking about how this happened I realized I had to open a new can of stain part way through staining the 2nd side. I must have mixed one of the cans poorly. Or maybe different batches can be slightly different?
What are my options? I don't think any of these will work.
Do I:1. Try to clamp the bowed half of the table topper (plywood) for awhile hoping to eliminate the bow?
2. Try to refinish the halves that fit so they match?
3. Come up with a latch of some sort to eliminate the bow when using the table topper?
Since the lacquer is on and wax is rubbed in on both sides, I don't even think I could paint, or add a veneer.
Am I stuck with a harlequin table topper? Trish O'Neill

Guy's Questions:

In contrast to some podcasters who seem to think we are interested in listening to them talk for the sake of talking, you guys have the best podcast as far as communicating tips and techniques for woodworking so thank you for all your hard work.
I have been been working and building things wood for many years but within the last year have dove into making more fine woodworking type of projects, with nice woods like Walnut and Cherry for example.
I have been using shellac as well as 1:1:1 mixtures of BLO:Polyurethane:Turpentine and Beeswax:BLO:Turpentine for finishing so far. Wipe on, wipe off technique...
What finishes are considered best to really highlight the chatoyance/beauty nice figured woods? It seems like the finishes I have used so far are not doing it justice that or maybe I am just too critical. Quinn

Hey guys! Thank you so much for your hard work on the podcast. I love listening to how much fun you guys have and getting answers to questions on various woodworking topics. Great content! We are running a woodworking company, mainly doing cabinets, out of our 500 square foot garage. We have a Hammer 12" planer but would like a sander to assist with uniform door sizes. When it comes to sanders, what would you recommend? Would it be worth getting an open-ended wide belt sander (Grizzly 15" or something) for the extra horsepower and belt size, or would a drum sander be sufficient? Within the realm of drum sanders, would an open model (such as Supermax 2550) running on 110v be sufficient, or would you recommend a closed model with greater horsepower? More capacity, less power, or vice versa? Just want to hear your thoughts on width capacity, motor power, belt size, machine footprint, and which you think is most important. Sorry for the long question, and thanks in advance for your help on this! Gavin

Huy's Questions:

Hi, I have a question about applying finishes in cold conditions. My specific situation is that I have a bunch of drawer boxes for a desk I’m building, and I’ll be finishing them with a few coats of Zinsser Bullseye brand spray shellac. The only instructions on the can pertaining to the spray conditions say to apply it with "the can at room temperature”.
Based on my experience it does tend to smell up the house a little (or so my wife says), so what I’d like do is to spray them outside. The workpieces and the spray can would be brought outside to the 40 degree weather, then I’d quickly do the spraying, and then bring everything inside to dry. Although there will be some smell from the outgassing of the solvent, at least there won't be any smell from any overspray. What do you think about this plan? And is there any limit to how I can safely have them outside after spraying, before things would be adversely affected by the cold? Thanks. Steve Feldman

Gentlemen,
First I would like to thank you guys and Guy for the podcast and and for sharing all your knowledge.
About 6 months ago we had a large multi truck red oak tree fell down in the front yard. Being so frugal, I cut it up myself for later use. I painted the ends to help preserve the wood.
Now I’m looking to bring it to a sawyer. My wife/I are not a fan of the cathedral 80’s look nor the live edge. We both agree that quarter sawn would look nice.
We have a large space for a table and my kids are starting to have kids so a very long table would be nice to have.If I don’t have enough wood post kiln drying, how can I extend the table length to 12’.
*Breadboard ends?*Hardware to insert multiple leafs (any recommendations)?*butcher block some boards glued end grain to endgrain staggered?
The available logs I have vary from the biggest in diameter 15”-24” and length 8’-12’. The thickest being the shortest unfortunately. While the longer ones are curved.
I have limited woodworking outside of lots of endgrain cutting boards, the usual kitchen wares and a few boxes. This is one project I can afford to mess up.I don’t currently own a domino, but would be willing to buy one if needed. I have a 20”hh jet planer , 8”hh Laguna joiner, 8’ JLT panel clamp the big industrial type. Jason

Sanding End Grain, Storing Lumber, Intimidating Projects and MORE!! May 31, 2024

This Episode's Quesions:

Brians Questions:

I plan to build a handtool workbench in the future, maybe in a year or so, but as of right now, I do not have any workholding devices. I have a large assembly table that does have an overhang and the top is 1.25" thick. I have been using clamps to the top as a stop for planing and it does not work very well. I also need a way to hold the wood for using chisels, and I haven't bought any dovetailing tools yet because of the lack of workholding devices. Are there any good vises that don't require cutting a hole in my assembly table or makeshift ways to hold the wood until I can build a proper bench? Thanks Jeff

When sanding end grain, say when you’ve got a panel where you’ve chamfered or rounded over the edge, which direction should you sand? I’d imagine you continue to follow the grain direction from the adjacent face grain but I’m not sure. Can you sand across the grain? Thanks for the great podcast, you guys really do have the best wood working show out there! Eric

Guys Quesions:

Hey Guys
I am looking to set up a shop in my unheated garage. I live in Canada so the weather is inconsistent. Very cold in the winter and very hot and humid in the summer. I am thinking of setting up a small workbench in my basement to cut joinery and do glue ups/assembly. I would keep all of my big power tools( table saw, planer etc.) in the garage. This setup would allow me to work comfortably through the year. My question is with wood movement.
If I stored wood in my air conditioned basement and just took it out to the garage for a few hours at a time to plane and cut to size and then brought it back inside to cut joinery with hand tools, would the few hours spent in the humid or cold garage be enough time to warp the boards after I brought them back in?
Heating the garage isn’t a realistic option right now as I have two young children and would probably only be able to get a few hours in the shop a week. (Not worth the cost)
Thanks for all of the help. This podcast has been a huge influence in helping me to get started with woodworking. Derek

I have a small benchtop jointer that a friend gave me for free and a Dewalt 735 planer. For anything but pretty small parts, I use a sled to joint lumber in my planer. I'd like to upgrade both of these eventually. I have a big shop with plenty of power, so neither of those are an issue. My budget is generally the limiting factor. I do plan to keep using standalone machines for the convenience of maintaining settings and flexibility of workflow. I'd like to get a big jointer first and keep using the 735 while I save up for a big, heavy 220v planer. My question is about 12 inch combo machines. I keep seeing decent 12" combo machines come up used for way less than I can find a standalone 12" jointer. I've seen a few of the Jet machines for $2k-$2500 and a friend recently got a Hammer A3 31 for $3500. Even new, combo machines seem to run way cheaper than a 12" jointer. Why? I understand the beds are shorter, but other than that, what is the disadvantage. Is it ridiculous to buy one if I have no long term need of the planer function and don't plan to use it? Parker

Huys Quesions:

Hey guys,
Thank you for your many thoughtful responses to the questions you receive from your listeners.
I tend to get bored after I've made the same type of project several times (ie pencil boxes, pens, etc..).
If I am not in a time crunch, I like figuring out how to do something to make a project a little more challenging and interesting.
I like looking at projects to give me some inspiration on how I might make a new project. Early on in my woodworking journey I gained a lot of positive inspiration from watchin 'New Yankee Workshop'.
The way Norm broke down processes in his projects was very helpful to me.
However, there are some projects I've seen which are incredibly intimidating.(ie highboys, Maloof rockers, etc...). While I admire these types of projects, I don't think I would tackle them without taking a specific class.
Where do you guys find inspiration for you projects?
Are there any type of projects that intimidate you?
Thank you for your responses.
Have a great day.
Chuck

I am designing a dresser which will be 48” high and 72” wide and a chest of drawers which will be 60” high and 40” wide. I would like to join the carcass sides and top with dovetails. With the sides being 48” and 60” and the width being 72” and 60”, how should I clamp the sides and top/bottom to my bench and stand in order to cut the dovetails by hand? I’m only 5’8” and have never cut dovetails up by my head. With a dresser and chest of drawers being the above sizes, would you recommend another method for my joinery?
Love the podcast, keep up the great work!!
Mike

45 Deg Corners, Making Veneer, Clamping Pressure and MORE!! May 17, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Guy's Questions:

With mothers day around the corner, I plan on knocking out a couple of small jewelry boxes. Mitered corners and book matched grain for a seamless look. 2 questions leading into this project. The first is more likely for Guy.

In the past my boxes have been cut to 45.1 degrees to ensure a closed outside corner. My table saw is a jobsite saw and setting a precise angle is extremely difficult. I recently set up a router table and have seen guy use a 45 degree chamfer bit to cut miters this way. How close to 45 degree do these bits actually get? Is there a brand you recommend for better accuracy? How bad is the tear out?

2nd question. In the past I used a wiping poly to finish the boxes. However VOC's are a concern for these boxes. I'd like to finish the boxes with a base coat of shellac and finish with beeswax top coat. I purchased a block of beeswax but didn't really think about how to dissolve it for quick finish. Seems like mineral spirits are the leading candidate but I'm curious if anyone has used natural oil citrus solvent for the same task (I'd likely by the version from milk paint company). Jose

Gentlemen, thank you for all you do to support and educate the woodworking community through this podcast and other platforms. I'm planning out a full kitchen remodel for our home and will be building the cabinets myself. The style of cabinets will be frameless/euro style which means all the plywood will need to be edge banded. The plywood will be pre-finished, but the doors and drawer fronts will be painted. How would you recommend finishing the edge banding to match the door and drawer front color? Would you do hardwood edge banding and paint it? That seems like it would take a lot of taping which leaves room for lots of error. Is there such a thing as custom colored edge banding for cabinets that is either iron-on or peel-and-stick? I don't have an edge banding machine so that probably limits my options. Thanks in advance for your help! Joel

Hi guys,
Thanks for providing some great knowledge for fellow woodworkers.
My question is around drum sanders and the usefulness of them in a hobby shop. When do you use a drum sander and what type of projects are you using a drum sander on?
I just purchased a 20” bandsaw and would like to start resawing veneers for projects. In the past I would buy 1/16” thick veneers from a commercial veneer shop which worked well. But I question if a drum sander is actually required/desired for this operation. I’ve read a bunch about troubles with drum sander’s and really question if it speeds up the work.
Could I just joint a fresh face, resaw. Then joint another fresh face and so on. Then glue up the panel. And either clean up the panel on the planner or ROS?
In my future I probably have a set of kitchen cabinets and various built in cabinets(which I would either buy plywood or use commercial veneer and glue my own). I normally make freestanding furniture as well. This isn’t a production shop, and I have all the normal tools for dimensioning lumber, TS, Jointer, and planer.
Feel free to summarize my question, just wanted to give you guys enough context.
Thanks,Jesse Beechland Furniture

Huys Questions:

Hi Guys
Have known of & liked Guy’s YT channel for a number of years and recently came across this podcast which I’m really enjoying as I go through the back catalogue.
I must be on similar wavelength to you Guy as I love (& own a lot / most of) the Incra stuff, saw your MFT style outfeed which I’m about to build a copycat of (just awaiting delivery of the aluminium extrusion) and am in the midst of milling the timber to start building your mini workbench, the plans for which I recently bought.
I then happened on your YT channel the other day Huy and whilst watching the 6yo shop tour video was interested to see your boom arm. Could you tell me a bit more about it. Is it bought as is, or built up from tubing etc?
Keep up the good work.
Thanks Andy

I love your podcast, particularly that you spend the time talking about woodworking without a lot of jibber-jabber about unrelated stuff. I'm sorry to hear about Brian's accident, and appreciate very much that he was willing to share about it so we could all learn. Could you possibly send me the 10 safety rules from the Purposeful Design shop? Also, here's my question: are there any general rules for how much clamping pressure is advisable when doing a glue-up? Is it just enough to close the joint? Or does glue work better when extra clamping pressure is applied? I realize this is a broad question and the answer may differ depending on the situation, but any guidance you can provide would be much appreciated. Thanks for all you do! Jimmy B, Los Angeles CA.

Hello Guys,
I recently found your podcast and I love it. Great content and great chemistry between you all. I will be sad when I catch up on all the past episodes because then I will have or wait to listen to new episodes. I am new to woodworking and I currently use a Dewalt 8 1/4 inch job site table saw. For my 50th birthday I am looking to upgrade to a larger table saw. I am economically challenged so my budget is around $1000. I am looking at 2 different saws the first one is the Delta 36-725T2 for $699 and the other one is the Laguna Fusion F1 for $1080. Is the Laguna worth $300 more? Do you have any other suggestions? I would prefer to buy new. Thanks you all are awesome have a great day. Korey

Bandsaw Height, Darkening Cherry, Drill Press or Router? and MORE!!! May 03, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brian's Questions:

I'm so curious about the Laguna bandsaws that Guy used at work. Long time listeners of this podcast could easily believe that Laguna bandsaw tables are at knee height and unusable. But I have a Laguna 14/12 and the table is at 35", which seems really normal, and I'm pretty tall. All the other Laguna saws I've used or been around seem about in the same range. Is this not normal? Is Guy freakishly tall? Or an advocate of chest height bandsaw tables? Parker

I haven't felt like my woodworking really justifies a jointer yet. I don't generally mind using a planer sled to get flat faces and a jointer sled on the table saw to edge joint boards, but I've never tried to use those workarounds on long stock (over 4'.) With that being said, this dinner table project that is looming ahead of me seems like it might be the moment to finally take the plunge and buy a jointer. Do you think its possible to get the table top glue-ready without a jointer? I trust my planer sled to get flat faces, but I'm wondering if you think edge jointing such long boards is possible with an extra long table saw jointer sled jig. Any tips on milling and glue up for this table top would be very appreciated.

Part 2: Or maybe you guys can give me the nudge to consider this dinner table project as the moment to finally buy a jointer. I suspect that a bench top jointer wouldn't give me much (other than efficiency) over the work arounds that I already use for milling. Do you have any recommendations for a first jointer? I don't have major space limitations but I do like to save money, so I'm curious if you guys would send a case like mine to scour craigslist or facebook marketplace for an old delta 6".

Thanks as always for your contributions to the woodworking community! It can't be said too often: you guys really do make the best woodworking podcast there is!! Evan

Guys Questions:

Hey guys, I’m new to woodworking, really enjoying listening to the podcast!! I have a question, would you guys be able to go over what you use your 3/4, 4/4 etc lumber!? I often think that you need thick lumber for projects. I don’t have a project in mind but I bought some rough saw lumber that I plan on using for trim in the house but I bought enough to have plenty left over. Ivan

I want to build a cherry coffee table for my house. We've got a couple of cherry pieces that I've made. I really love watching them darken and get more beautiful with age. The other pieces I've made don't really see much direct blasting sunlight so the process is subtle. The coffee table however, would get some direct morning sunlight every day (or at least for the three months of the year that we get direct sunlight in the pacific northwest). I'm worried about uneven color change and sun shadows on the top where there would be decorative objects or books or things left in one spot for a period. If I pre-darken it by leaving it in the sun for some hours or a day or two will that slow the process enough to alleviate this? If so, should I do it before or after finishing? Is there anything else I can do to help, besides not putting stuff on top of course? Parker

Huys Questions:

Hi Fellas, I recently purchased a horizontal crown bit ( ref: Yonico 16172 ) to apply a soft dimple to the drawer faces on my tool cabinet. I will be recessing the drawer pulls within them.
The challenge that I'm facing is that the drawer faces are a little small, 5 1/2" x 3 1/4", and without being overly creative on work holding, I'm not seeing a safe way to plunge the face onto the bit in my router table, or plunge the bit into the face with a hand held router.
My plan is to chuck the bit into my drill press and use that to apply the cut. What experience, tips, or words of advice might you have in using a drill press with router bits? I have a Grizzly G7943 which only spins up to 3050 rpm.
Thanks in advance, and for all that you guys do for our craft of woodworking!
Justin

I have a 16' PVC board (8" tall * 3/4" * 16') that needs an edge profile added . The edge profile needed is to mimic a skirt board (this board installs at the bottom of an exterior siding). I purchased the 6" wide boards with the profile cut by the mfg, but they did not have an 8" so I'll need to cut this myself.
The profile is a 1/4" tongue that is 1" in length with a 45 degree cut underneath. This allows the skirt board to slip underneath the bottom row of siding (the 1/4" section) and still have the rain/water drip off (the 45 degree portion).
How would you cut this profile? I am thinking on a router table, but appreciate your input.
Thank you, Mark Moeller

Durable Kitchen Table, Hinge Wierdness, Sanding Slabs and MORE Apr 19, 2024

This Episode's Questions:

Brian's Questions:

Gentlemen,
First, I hope you all know that the sounds that pop through occasionally from your families in the background don't make a bad podcast; they make you human and THAT is part of what makes your podcast great.
On the subject of families, I have 3 young sons (6, 4, 2 years old) that love "helping" with woodworking projects and learning about tools. The family has outgrown our current dinner table, and I've been tasked with building a new one. I'm planning a 6.5'x3.5' dinner table that doesn't need to be an showpiece heirloom dining table, but I'd love to produce something that will look nice and can handle the inevitable mayhem of a young family. Can you recommend a wood species and some finish options that will stand up to these demands? I can feel white oak calling me here, should I answer the call? (For context, our kitchen cabinets and floors are all darker wood tones so more dark might just blend into the background too much.)
Thank you as always for your contribution to the woodworking community. Your knowledge, experience, and unique characters make this truly the best woodworking podcast. Evan

Hey guys! Love the podcast and appreciate all the work you put into it. My wife and I have been planning a remodel of our kitchen for a few years. I really want to build the cabinets, but also recognize that my time is pretty limited with work, and my wife doesn't want a partially completed kitchen for months. I'm currently designing the kitchen in Sketchup to a pretty high level of detail because we have some restrictions with the space that I need to ensure I take into account. The goal is to work through as much as I can in Sketchup to reduce guesswork, decisions, and time once I start building.

We have currently decided that I will build the cabinet boxes and face-frames since it will be easer to custom design and build for the space, and I'm researching options for outsourcing the drawer boxes and drawer/door fronts. We are planning on using rift sawn white oak with inset door and drawer fronts.

The drawer boxes seem like a pretty easy option to outsource, but the fronts seem like they could pose some challenges that I may not be considering. Should I be worried about significant color or grain differences between the outsourced supplier, and what I can get locally to build the face-frames?
Since they will be inset, do you have a recommendation on sizing when I order? For example, I'm planning on a 3/32" reveal between the face-frame and doors/drawers, should I order with 1/16" or the full 3/32" oversized so I can trim to the exact opening once the cabinets are installed in case something shifts?
Thanks for the help! Jason

Guy's Questions:

Hi guys. Love the podcast! Wish I could find a fishing podcast as good. Life would be perfect.
I made the move to a Fuji Sprayer. I bought one with the gravity feed gun but now think I made a mistake. I think it would be easier to hold finish in the cup between coats.
What is your preference and why?
Thanks so much. Joe

Hi Guys,

I recently asked a question concerning how to glue up a frame and panel so it’s flat. I took your advice and it worked great. Thanks so much!!!
I have two unrelated questions:
I recently purchased expensive hinges from Horton-brasses. When I received the hinges I made a jig out of MDF so I could simply rout out the mortises for the hinges to sit in. As usual, I make the jig so they are a perfect fit for the hing. I tested the jig on a piece of scrap and the hinge fit perfectly. I then used the jig on a cabinet I made and the hinge did not fit. I tried the various hinges I purchased and only one of the hinges fit (the hinge I used to make and test the jig). After measuring the hinges, I discovered that they were all different sizes varying by about .01”. I contacted Horton-brasses and explained the problem and they told me that their acceptable tolerance is +/- .05”. With some simple math this means that their tolerance is about 1/16”. I have purchased hinges from other manufacturers and never had this problem before. My question is: am I being too picky to expect the hinges to be the same size or a lot closer than +/- .01? When you make jigs for hinges, do you leave a little extra room for hinges that are off a little? Finally, where do you recommend purchasing hinges and other hardware from? Mike Gitberg

Huy's Questions:

Hi fellas, I would love to hear some advice regarding sanders. I have a small hobby business of selling large wood slabs that I mill with a chainsaw mill. I know this isn't traditional woodworking but it is enjoyable and brings me enough money to buy new tools and gain experience with real woodworking.
After each slab is dried I plane it down with a TrueTrac router sled system. It works great and only leaves minor ridges to sand out except on knots, crotch grain, curl and all the other "defects" that folks like in slabs where I get some tear out. I usually run 40 grit over each slab with my Dewalt random orbit but this can take a long time to get the tear out sanded. I have an old Makita belt sander but no matter what I do that seems to dig in at the tear of the belt and leave grooves in the wood.
If I were to buy a dedicated sander for just 40/60 grit first pass of slabs what do you recommend? A better belt sander? Or a wider diameter orbit and high quality sand paper?
Thanks for the great podcast, keep it up! Jeremy Westra

I've been woodworking for a few years but I'm still fairly new. Recently I've been building chairs that are either heavily influenced or loose copies of some famous Hans Wegner designs. So far I've built these chairs for friends and family but I'm getting more and more unsolicited requests. While I don't think making chairs for family and friends is an issue, I suspect posting and selling chairs online that are obvious copies of classic designs (like Wegner's ch25) could be patent or trademark infringement. What do you think? Also, its worth mentioning, many large retailers like Target, Walmart, Wayfair, etc. are selling obvious knock-offs based on famous designs while not mentioning the original. Apparently this is ok since I'm sure their legal departments reviewed the issue. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Earl

Water White Finish?, Gluing Up Square, Sagging Table Top and MORE!! Apr 05, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brian's Questions:

Hey guys I have a kinda lengthy question, so new to woodworking and I’ve been listening to your guys podcast and really like it!! Very helpful! Question #1 is it better to have a good table saw blade over a good saw #2 is it better to have a good table saw over a good incra fence!? Back story I have a delta table saw, I got for free from a friend, I was wondering if it’s worth spending the money or save and eventually get a better saw like a powermatic table saw etc.
maybe I get caught up in the details of tools and expect them to do the work for me, but I am someone that like to have the right tools for the job. Granted as new as I am it’s hard to justify $10,000 to have all the right tools, just wondering if I should focus more on making something then, on the tools! Hope it all makes sense and it’s not more of a rant!! Thank you for all the work you guys do!! Ivan

I'm making a mantle for my living room out of rift-sawn white oak plywood. 74" long, with a miter fold design. My wife wants it to look the same way it does before applying finish, and I'm not sure how to do that or if it is even possible. I've tested with water-based poly (Minwax), but it causes it to look a bit "golden". Suggestions? Brian

Guy's Questions:

Hi fellas,
Love the podcast and all your great advice.
I recently glued up a free-standing (liquor) cabinet and was very nervous about it being square, especially since it was difficult to check for square (measuring corner to corner in the front and back) with all the various clamps on. I ended up making the back panel (which fits into rabbets), which I knew was square, and placed it in the back (without glue) while the glue dried on the various joints (through tenons on top and bottom shelves, mid-shelves sit in stopped dados). The idea was that if the square back panel fit correctly, it would help pull the whole cabinet into square.

It turned out perfectly this time (wahoo!), but am not sure if I got lucky or if this is a reliable method to come back to. What do y'all think? Does this method make sense? Any other suggestions on how to check or ensure square with free-standing cabinets of a decent size (46" tall, 26" wide, 16" deep)?
Thanks, Bryan

Hi gents: long time listener here and as I’ve said before, thanks so much for the great content you deliver. You have discussed your spraying equipment set up in the past but I was hoping you could describe your spray BOOTH set up- obviously Brian is exempt from this question since he doesn’t apply finish. How do you guys spray volatile finishes in the winter on your garage? Do you have a spray booth like set up? Do you openly spray in your garage workshops? How do you vent potentially dangerous fumes? Any details you can provide would be appreciated as I would like to do more spraying of shellac and I like wipe on poly both of which are challenges in winter time when you can’t work outside.
Liam from Indianapolis

Huy's Questions:

I’ve recently found the podcast and am loving going back and learning from each episode! I’ve noticed that a ton of time has been dedicated to doling out wisdom on different types of finishing techniques and products. I’m sure the best way to learn all of this is through experience, but do you have and resources to recommend budding woodworkers as a go-to guide? With the way my brain works, learning the origins of each finish, their make-ups, and how that brings about their use cases and strengths/weaknesses would go a long way for me to internalize all of the various do’s and dont’s. Do you have a resource you go to when considering applicable finishing materials on a new project? Jeremiah

Love the show, I appreciate you guys giving it the time it takes to make it happen.
My question is about a solid Walnut table that I built for my eat in kitchen. The material was 30yr + air dried Walnut milled down to a thickness of about 15/16" for the table top each board is six to eight inches in width and makes up a 32" wide table top by 5' and change in length. I used Domino's for alignment titebond two for the glue. The table base is inspired by conoid table style from Nakashima and is connected to the table top using "buttons and screws" connected to the two rails at top each of the splayed legs. I did not add any type of support down the center nor any type of skirting or an apron so there's about four foot in between the table legs of unsupported table top. - I've been using table for a few months now, and every once in a while I'll place my Veritas straight edge on it and check. It hasn't seemed to move at all in any direction but yet I still think about this multiple times a week what are your thoughts? Will this eventually sag in the middle with out a continuous support running the center if the table? Joe R.

Common Fasteners, Dowels vs Dominos, Hand Plane or Sand Paper and MORE!! Mar 22, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

Hi guys! Love the podcast, as always. My question for you guys this time is about design. Specifically, it's about design based on that "special" piece of lumber. For example, I purchased a large piece of mahogany in the late 1990's to build electric guitars. I made two guitars from it and was left with a chunk of beautiful lumber that traveled with me for the next 25 years. Two years ago, I bought a mid-sized slab of black locust. I don't make "slab" furniture or use copious amounts of epoxy, so it'll end up getting cut up into a project.
I know you guys normally design your projects and then buy the lumber, but have you ever bought (or acquired) that unique board and then had to design a project to do it justice? If so, what was the project? As a follow up question, what is the longest that you have ever owned a piece of lumber that you just couldn't get rid of?

Thanks, Joshua from The Black Dog Woodworks.

I'm a new listener and your podcast has been a blast to listen to on my evening runs. I just finished a 3-year, gut-to-the-studs home renovation, and my 1 car garage was the renovation workshop. Now that the home is finished I am transitioning the shop into a proper woodworking space. During construction, I used a lot of 16D nails and 3" construction screws and tried to have a variety of fasteners on hand so I wouldn't be running to the hardware store 3 times a day.

This got me thinking. What are some common fasteners you like to keep in your shop? Any common screw sizes? Bolts? Washers? Nuts? Nails? Staples? It seems in woodworking shops that there's always a balance between having so many supplies that you'll never use most of them in 10 years to having so few supplies that you'll be running to the store 5 times a day. What is your approach to hardware consumables? Thanks for the great podcast.
Adam

Guys Questions:

Really appreciate the podcast, i have been listening for about 18 months and am also working through your previous podcasts. I am starting the dive into spray finishing. I have previously used wipe on or brush on finishes. I like shellac, but often coat with wipe on poly for extra protection. I would picture doing the same going forward. Question: What are considerations/benefits to using a water based conversion varnish over wb poly? What type of ppe is appropriate? I have a relatively large shop which is climate controlled, not attached to house and can set up an area for finishing when needed, what type ventilation would be desirable for occasional finishing in this situation? I build furniture and smaller items.
Thanks,
David at xcuse4tools custom woodwork
Hello everyone. Love the show. Great dynamic between you all and I really enjoy the lack of ego in the question answering. Your answers are efficient, helpful and easily digestible to a beginner woodworker.
I recently acquired a Jessem Pocket Mill Pro for loose tenon joints. Like many, I had lusted after a Festool Domino but couldn’t justify the price tag for a hobby shop. The Pocket Mill Pro is a fraction of the cost and does everything I need it to do for my projects.
The workstation that pairs with the pocket mill pro can also accept Jessem’s dowel jig. My question to you all is would a dowel jig even be necessary when I have the ability to make loose tenon joints already? Is there any advantage to adding the dowl jig to my arsenal or is it a waste of money when I already have the Pocket Mill Pro?
Thanks in advance for any insight.
Jason

Huys Questions:

I'm planning on making a face grain chess board. I'll use 3/4" MDF as my core and glue the chess squares on top (grain from all squares facing same direction). Chess squares will be about 1/8" thick. I assume I'll also need to glue some 1/8" wood on the bottom to balance out the stresses. I'll orient the bottom grain in the same direction as the top. My question is, do I need to glue both sides at the same time, or can I glue one side, let it dry, then do the other?
Scott Goldthwait

I love to use my handplanes and can't get over the smooth, glass-like feeling that it leaves on wood. However, many finishing manufacturers reccomend applying the finish to a surface sanded to a specific grit (e.g., Rubio reccomends applying to 120 grit, no higher). What are the advantages/disadvantages to applying finish to a sanded surface versus a hand-planed surface. I would like my handplane to be the last think that touches the wood, but I want to respect the manufactueres' reccomendations since they obvioulsy know information I don't (like what the ideal porosity of wood is). Thanks!
Peter Diaz

Clamping Pressure, Wood Hoarding, Iron and White Oak Mar 08, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions

Hello everyone,
Wanted your advice on dados and what I may be doing wrong. When I cut the dado and mating piece I make sure to get a good tight fit during the dry fit. My issue comes up when I'm sanding. I'll take all the pieces apart and sand them to the desired sand grit (180 or 220 depending on finish). But when I go to glue up my mating piece is now loose in the dado. Should I be making the dado smaller, should I just wait to sand till it's all glued up or do you have any other advice?

Thanks,
Paul at Twin Lakes Workshop

Guys Questions

I have listened to all your podcasts and have very much enjoyed and learned from them. I listen to primarily three woodworking podcasts and Woodshop Life is far and away the best.

I have to confess I am a wood hoarder. I do a lot of small projects (scroll saw, boxes, and the like) and end up with small pieces left over that should be good for something. But how do I organize them and what size is too small, in your opinion, to be useful? The same applies to pieces left over after building furniture or other large projects? Do I just throw everything in the burn pile or is there a logical way to sort and store small pieces of lumber?

And one small criticism: need to update the website with Brian’s information since he is officially part of the podcast. Roger Martin

Hey there fellas! I’m with a small furniture and cabinet shop called Silt Studio in Atlanta. Love the podcast and the great wealth of knowledge you guys bring to the world of woodworking. Guy, don’t let anybody tell you you’re wrong, they’re never right. I have a question about the relevance of our table saw. It’s a Powermatic PM2000 (I know guy loves his)with a 5x5 outfeed and a 36” rail extension. It’s really been a great workhorse for our shop. The space is about 3000 sq ft and we are quickly outgrowing the footprint for the amount of kitchen and cabinet jobs we’re taking on. There are also columns on a 9’x 14’ grid pattern so the space isn’t wide open. We’re talking about getting a large slider to facilitate speedier and more accurate square cuts. Currently we’re ripping down sheetgoods with our festool track saw then finishing on the table saw. If we get a slider, a large chunk of our milling/cutting space would be taken up. Is it worth keeping the powermatic and just losing the outfeed to save space or can we do everything we need to on the slider? We’re considering the laguna 12/8 model slider. Looking forward to your thoughts! Thanks so much, Sam

Huy's Questions:

Hello gentlemen.
Great woodworking podcast. I am in the market for a drum sander. Currently I have a Jet 22-44. It is a love/hate relationship with all the known issues. The budget would be around 2,000-3,000. I was thinking arbor open ended powermatic 22-44 o it would be better to get Grizzly 24 or 24, or something similar that is closed ended. Also would you recommend single or double. What about finding bigger 37” or a similar from shops liquidations. I know there is wiring and things like that. I have a hobby workshop with some 220 equipment. Like I mentioned it is a hobby now maybe it will grow may it will not. I originally got the openeded sander hoping that I can send wider boards (stupidly table tops) but obviously it is not as easy as it would seems to be. I do not know if that helped on made my question more murky. Sometimes there a good deals on Facebook Marketplace place but those deals do not last long and you need to be ready. There was Grizzly G1066R for $1,300 and now I regret not buying it. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thank you. Derek

Question for the podcast: When using white oak for trim, what fasteners can I use that won’t cause the tannins in the white oak to react to the metal of the fasteners? Thanks guys. Jay

Router Tables, Finishing Consumables, Throne Build? and MORE!!! Feb 23, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brian's Questions:

Hi guys.
Long term listener. Great pod cast.
I recent have a gotten my first 220 table saw. Grizzly 690. It works great and my router table, wood pecker P2.
I have a small shop and space always is tight.
I am thinking about buying an infra table fence with the router attachment as I can put it off to one side as my cut requirements are less than 24 inches. Mainly 12-18 inches wide as my happy space is projects within 2 ft by 4 ft.
Anything larger is handled on my Yeti Smart bench, 4x8 cutting capacity.
Guy is a big fan of incra tools and I just wonder if his opinion on what is best .
Replace a good table saw fence with the incra one that was mentioned before and an added router table attachment or keep things separate?
What is your opinions?
Thanks for helping out and making 8 quarter effort to help. Or 200% Paul Mitchell

First off, I really enjoy the podcast. I am a hobbyist woodworker who loves to build custom cornhole boards.
I have built some simple furniture like a coffee table using custom metal legs. I would like to make some simple wooden boxes for my adult daughters. I am think about trying box joints for my first attempt.
I have most of what I need to do this project but I don't own any chisels to clean up my work. Can you suggest a brand or set that would be affordable yet good quality that could last for future projects? Also, how easy is it to maintain the edges? Should I plan on sharpening them myself or send them out to a pro?
Thanks
John in Ohio

Guy's Questions:

Great show, I’ve asked a few questions over the years and you always have great advice.
I’m having problems when I glue up frame and panels for doors on cabinets and keeping the frame flat. This problem is exacerbated when there are two doors and they are both not flat. My joinery is square, the styles and rails and panel are all square and flat, so I know that’s not my problem. I’m am guessing that it’s the way I’m clamping it during glue up. I would appreciate any thought on what I may be doing wrong, or tips and techniques you use when gluing up panels.
Thanks for the help and keep up the great work!! Mike Gitberg

Could you give an explanation of your general setup and process for finishing regarding the consumables. I feel like I am not very efficient and am wasteful during this process. For example, I just finished a shaker end table that I put a sealcoat of shellac on, and followed that with a hard wax oil. It came out looking great but I feel like there is a huge mess to cleanup after. Because of the risk of the oil self-igniting, I laid everything on my garage floor after I was done, so it could to dry. I see that I used 8 rubber gloves, a dozen shop towels, scotch brite pads, several sheets of butcher paper and the mixing cup for the oil. Also, can I reuse the mixing cup from the hard wax oil? How would you clean out the leftover mix? Thanks for the great podcast! Jeff Hughes

Huy's Questions:

Hey guys, I’ve sent in questions before and always got great responses, but I have a strange one for you today.
I’m a teacher, and a bit of an eclectic one. I like to keep my kids on their toes wondering about me. I’ve always wanted to make a throne to keep in the room for me to lecture from, or to let kids sit on. I teach high school, so the kids are full human sized mostly and never careful, so well built is a necessity. Again, I’m a teacher, so budget friendly design is also a consideration. I have some recycled 3” square cedar posts, and other scrap, but I definitely can’t afford to go out and get 4” thick white oak or walnut. I am also a leather worker, so incorporating leather seats or whatnot is within my skills. Not afraid of carving or painting for details.
I’ve done some looking for inspiration and it just doesn’t seem folks are building thrones all that often. The only chair I’ve built is an Adirondack from plans. Any ideas, thoughts, recommendations, resources, donations? I’d especially like to at least start with dimensions to keep in mind.
Thanks, Peter
@Mr.Downing.Woodworking on Instagram

Hello all,
I have taken on a commission (from my wife) and have a few questions during my design process. For reference I am replacing and redesigning the Windham Wood Top Kitchen Island Off-White - Threshold from Target. The goal is to create more enclosed storage. I need to balance mobility and weight along with stability. This cart/island is used a lot for prepping food when we have company. I would prefer to construct the case out of solid hardwood panels for a sleeker look but I am concerned about the overall weight.
It appears that the logical solution is to use plywood and create frame and panel walls. As I have never used plywood for things other than drawers and shop furniture, I am concerned about color matching the plywood and hardwood. Is this a logical concern? I do not own a truck and would likely have to pay $75 for delivery of lumber from a local lumberyard (I live in Los Angeles). When I normally purchase hardwood, I have the guys cut it into manageable pieces that fit into my VW Tiguan.
Lastly, do you have any ideas for the back wall of the cart? The back panel needs to be attractive as it would often be seen when the cart is moved around the kitchen. Again plywood seems to be easiest option but would require me to order the plywood for delivery. Would a back panel made out of 4/4 material planed down to 5/8 in. create weight distribution issues and risk tipping? Would there be any overall concerns with so much hardwood and seasonal movement. Living in Los Angeles, we don't get seasons but some days are definitely more humid than others.
If I do decide to order the plywood, what would be a good thickness to consider? Is 3/4in overkill or will 1/2in suffice? Thanks for any advice or insight you can provide. Jose

Brians Back!, Taping Veneer Seams, Making Interior Doors, and MORE!! Feb 10, 2024

This Episodes Questions:

Brian's Questions:

Ashtin here Hey guys love the podcast thank you for putting out good content for all of us to hear

My question is I’m very new to the woodworking community I don’t have a shop or a space I work in I use all mobile equipment I do all my work outside I want to know what projects I can do that will help build my skills in and my confidence
I have a DEWALT Dw7491rs Table saw
A Bosch router table Ra1181
A craftsman jointer Cmew020
A wen 6524 spindle and belt sander combo
A dewalt Dws 780 miter saw
I do have a Incra 1000se
Also what blade would you recommend for my table saw for an all around use? I have been using Diablo blades sense I have had it. Ashtin

Brian also gives a nice PSA on shop safety and how thiungs can go wrong quickly

Guy's Questions:

I've been doing some veneering using a vaccum bag. Mostly just panels for doors and box lids. When I join two pieces of veneer together at a seam I'll use blue painters tape to hold the seem together. My.problem is when I get it out and start taking the tape off I'll get some of the veneer fibers coming off with the tape. How can I prevent it from happening? Thanks
John

Hi guys. Love the podcast. I've learned a bunch from you all. My question is about end grain. I'm building a cherry night stand that has a shelf that will be 20" long and about 17" wide. I'm making the shelf from solid cherry as well. The 17" dimension end grain will show on the left and right sides of the night stand. I made my own cherry veneer from the stock I have (it's about 1/32" thick) and was thinking I could edge band it to the ends. But if I do that, the glue holding the veneer will prevent the wood from moving, right? I was even thinking about using the banding so that the grain follows the top (like a waterfall). But it doesn't solve the glue issue. Am I correct in this thinking? How can I dress up the ends so that it doesn't look like amateurish? Or should I just sand the end grain to a very fine grit and/or seal the end grain before finishing so that it doesn't get darker than the shelf itself?
Thanks so much.
Anthony

Huy's Questions:

Hello Gentlemen,

I’m planning on replacing the cheap hollow-core door that leads from my conditioned basement to my workshop garage.

Any advise on materials? I know MDP is flat but edges are brittle. Can I use an mdf or plywood core and dress it up with thinner material? How should I go about this while accounting for wood movement? My jointer is the limiting factor, bench-top with only a couple feet in totable bed lengths combined.

Thanks Again, Dave

I’m an “aspiring” woodworker in Harvest Alabama. I have a 1 car garage with a 5x8x6 tornado bunker in the middle of the floor. If you had that, is there any way that you would reuse that space to your advantage? Not just storage space, but actively- like dust collection, or an extra long panel saw.
Tom

How Thick of Plywood?, Proper Hand Saws, Face Masks and MORE! Jan 26, 2024

This Episodes Listener Questions:

Guys Questions:

Hello Guy, Huy, and Brian,
Loving the content you guys are dishing out. Keep up the good work!

I have my sights set on a jointer in the near future as I would like to save time and energy squaring lumber. My preference up until now has generally been to buy new tools and the thought of refurbishing/repairing anything used has not appealed to me. However, the cost difference between a new/used jointer has me thinking differently. Also, the jointer seems to be one of, if not the easiest, of the big woodworking machines to refurbish given its simplicity. Correct me if I am wrong in this thinking. Curious to hear your thoughts if you think it is worth my time and effort to buy a used jointer or should I go new? What should I look for if I were to go used? I realize that moving a big machine like an 8" jointer will be challenging, but I can easily get some friends together and rent a trailer to get the job done if the cost savings are great enough. Plus some beers and pizza for the helpers will help. Thanks! -John

Hey Folks,
Thank you for for the podcast. I love how quickly you jump right into the questions! Here’s mine: I’m building a set of screen doors for a cottage. The doors will be exposed directly to the weather in Quebec.
The doors will get a lot of abuse. They will close with a spring and slam frequently. The screen will run the full length of the door. I’m hoping to use a domino for the joinery.
3 questions: 1) what glue should I use? 2) what wood should I use? 3) How should I finish the doors?
Thanks ! Larry

Gentlemen,
First let me thank you for the podcast. I recently stumbled upon it and you three are now my regular company on my daily commute. Thank you! I consider myself a beginner hobbyist woodworker. My shop is the third bay of a 3 bay garage. My question is about when it is appropriate to use 3/4 inch vs 1/2 inch plywood. 3/4 inch plywood is so common, I wonder if it is needed as often as it is used? What kinds of applications need 3/4 inch plywood and what are some examples of when 1/2 inch plywood would be sufficient? I know that I am often guilty of over building projects and I suspect many woodworkers are. :-) Thanks for any information you can provide.
James Aydelotte

Huy's Questions:

One more quick question, I'm working on getting into proper jointery. Is a nice hand saw worth investing in or is there an affordable option I can go with. I do mostly custom trim work but getting into more furniture grade work so it's not something I will be using all day every day. Arntz Construction

Huy,

I am considering a clearvue and Oneida cyclone dust collector. I know you have the clearvue. What is your opinion of its performance? I have heard that it is very loud, what do you think? Thanks! Don

I've been doing more and more hand tool woodworking, so less and less dust-producing activities, but I still have occasion to use regular power tools for certain things. I've been striving to get better performance from my roll-around single stage D/C (with add-on cyclone pre-separator) and upgrading my hand-held power tools to ones with better built-in dust extraction... but there are still operations (edge cuts on the TS or with the router) that just spew crap everywhere. One area I need to probably do better on is wearing some sort of dust mask and/or respirator. I've avoided wearing them in the past, due to having a beard and knowing that masks get a very poor if any seal as a result. I'm considering getting something like a Trend AirShield (powered respirator / face shield), and was wondering if you have any other suggestions? Monte

3D Printed Jigs, Spraying at Home, Jointing an Edge and MORE!! Jan 12, 2024

This Episodes Question:

Guy's Questions:

Why hello gentlemen. I have a crazy question for you all. I am about to build a vanity for my bathroom out of poplar. I am leaning towards staining the vanity, but I don’t know what to put on the vanity to protect it from moisture. Do you guys have any suggestions? If so, it would be very helpful.
P.S. I am always looking forward to listening to show keep up the amazing advice
Thanks, Ethan Thompson !

Hi guys!
Alissa’s question from the your last episode spurred a question if my own. Alissa asked about homemade box joint jigs and the consensus seemed to be that making your own box joint jig is more trouble than it’s worth because of the precision required (down to a few thousandths if an inch) and because of wood movement.
I was wondering if you had any thoughts on using 3d printers for jig construction. My only experience with 3d printing was about 15 years ago when we got to use a primitive 3d printer in middle school woodshop class, so I don’t really know the capabilities of 3d printers today.
Do you guys think it would be beneficial or even possible to 3d print components to homemade jigs (anything from a miter bar to a complete jig)? It seems like 3d printing would give you more precision and no movement, unlike wood.
If it is possible, What jigs do you think would lend themselves best to bring 3d printed? Andrew

After hearing Guy mention Target coatings and Emtech finishes I signed up for their email. They had a nice year-end sale and I ended up ordering their Emtech spray kit which is the Fuji LX-20 and some accessories. I'm new to spray finishing. I'm lucky enough to have a large 80 gallon 5 HP compressor, so I have plenty of air.
I'd like to know Guy's procedure for spraying small shellac projects. I've heard him mention he just whips out his spray gun and it's a quick process. Do you lay down drop cloths? Do you do anything for ventilation - I know with solvent and oil finishes you're supposed to, but I'm wondering if you bother if it's a small piece. Do you have a fan setup to blow overspray away? I will, of course, wear an organic filter respirator for any spray finishing I do, whether water based or not. I haven't purchased a respirator yet, any recommendations? Scott Goldthwaite

Huy's Questions:

Hey guys, I've finally got caught up on all the podcasts and look forward to hearing the next one. I have a multiple part question here. I just got a commission on a 12 foot walnut bar and matching 8-10 foot table. My next purchase is going to be a jointer and I was wondering if a 74 or 76 inch bed jointer will be long enough or if I should just cut with my tracksaw and build a shooting board and joint everything with a hand plane? Also what would you use to dye and finish? Do you use pore filler to get a glass smooth surface or just let the finish take care of everything? Arntz Construction

Hello guys, I found your podcast a couple months ago and I’m hooked and really enjoy all the knowledge you share. I appreciate you guys taking your time to produce the podcast. My question is for my Rikon Benchtop Radial Drill Press (Model 30-140). I purchased this drill press a couple of years ago but have rarely used it mostly because of time constraints. But when I do use it, I have an issue with chuck runout. I’ve spent more time working on it then using it at this point. I checked the chuck spindle runout, and it is about .001 and once the chuck is installed, the chuck has .003 to .005 runout, with a new Fisch drill bit installed the runout on the drill bit shank varies .005 to .007 runout. Given the runout I have, I can’t get a decent hole when drilling anything. I’ve followed the instructions closely and cleaned all grease from the spindle and chuck and have reinstalled several times. I’ve tried several techniques of tightening the bit in the chuck which changed nothing. Is this a problem that is common, and do you have a recommendation to fix it, or can you recommend a better chuck? I’m considering purchasing a Grizzley Keyless chuck. Or should I sell this drill press and purchase a different one that would meet the needs of woodworking better? Thank you for your advice and keep up the great job on the podcast. Daniel Held, Fort Colllins, CO

Hey fellas. A buddy of mine asked me to replace some bad fence slats on his driveway gate. The boards are 1/2" thick tongue and groove and look a lot like pine to me. I have a couple questions. First, do you think it's safe to use pine to get the best match with the existing boards, or should I just go with redwood and hope that it blends in when the entire fence is restained? This gate is in Los Angeles, so we don't get much moisture. My second question is regarding the design of the tongue and groove. They have a sharp "v" profile and don't look like anything I've ever seen in the big box stores. (Photo attached). Have you guys seen this type of profile on a board before? Where would you recommend I try to source these replacement boards from? And do you have any recommendations for how I might go about milling up my own stock if I cannot find a match here in town. Thanks for all your advice. Matt Miller

Design Workflow, Bad Tools, Outdoor Projects and MORE!! Dec 29, 2023

Guy's Questions:

Guys,
Recently I’ve been trying to expand my meager wood shop with budget friends older tools. (Most recently a delta x5 6” jointer to fix up and repaint for example).
What would you look for when shopping for a used band saw you’re hoping to re-saw with? Where do you look for parts for older/discontinued tools? Any advice on tools that are best to just buy new?
Many thanks, Dave

Can you share about your design process? My biggest challenge is coming up with designs or finding plans (or redesigning plans) that are going to come out terrific without being too far above my skills, the tools I have, or my available time. Do you ever make prototypes or miniatures first? Do you do your planning in Illustrator, Sketchup, Rhino or ? Or do you just make notes and sketches on paper? And where do you keep your notes so you can recreate the same results?
For context: I discovered woodworking during the pandemic and fell in love with it. I'm a senior woman and it's a wonderful hobby for me (not a career or a side hustle). I'll never make lots of the same item for selling, but making only one doesn't work because I don't get good at it until I make at least 3. Trish

Thank you so much for covering my question about building a Butcher Block. I was shocked that Guy could speak French!!! I should not be surprised as Guy is a French name (pronounced Gkee). However, I am not familiar with the expression he used, but he is excused since he prefaced it with "Pardon my French". Guy, you are forgiven, but if you want to use some really good French salty words to punctuate a thought, I am here for you buddy. We frogs need to stick together. On a side note, I have another question. I would eventually like to purchase a drill press. I really like the Nova Voyager and its direct programmable drive. My question is, what is the advantage of a free standing vs a bench mount drill press. I can see the advantage of a bench mount as it can provide storage space below. But why would any wood worker prefer a free standing unit? I believe I saw in huy's video he does have the Nova drill press. From Thailand, Bert Plourde

Huy's Questions:

Hi guys! Thank you for the great podcast. I look forward to listening to half of your show on the coincidentally timed drive to our local Woodcraft, and the other half on the way home. You put out great information, and humbly have the best show out there.
I have a question about sanding mops, and don’t know if any of you have experience with them. I’m currently making a large batch of ‘Contemporary Door & Drawer Pulls’ based on Larissa Huff & Robert Spieces’s article in FWW issue #289. Using Walnut.
One of the last steps in the article says, “To further refine the shape, and give the pull a nice soft quality, we finish up those hard to reach edges with a flap sander in the drill press. This sanding tool gives the pull a wonderfully tactile feel…”
After looking at the sanding mops in the Klingspor catalog, I’m a bit overwhelmed by the many options.
I’m curious as to which grit (grits) you might suggest to get that oh so important ‘wonderfully tactile feel’. I also wondered if there is a particular manufacturer you’ve had success with.
Thank you for your help!
Kevin Long

Hey guys,
As a hobbyist I like projects where I have to figure out something new (but not too extreme).
Sometimes I will modify a plan to make it more functional, more interesting, or just so I don’t get bored. Most of the time I don’t regret it, but occasionally I do kick myself.
As professional woodworkers how do you balance the need to be efficient and the desire to be creative?
Thanks, Chuck

Hello gentlemen,
I am in the middle of a remodel that will finish with painting the outside. I am going to make shutters for the windows and would like suggestions on what wood to buy. They will be painted.
I live in California and won’t have woods like alder or ash or southern pine available. The most common outdoor wood around here is redwood but that is normally stained and not painted. Can you use softwood in that application? Would even pine work?
I would love your thoughts.
Thanks, Rick

Box Joints, Bridge Building, Tool Purchase Regrets and MORE!! Dec 15, 2023

This Episode's Questions

Guy's Questions

Hey, fellas. Great show. I’ve been listening for a couple of years, and have really elevated my game based on tips from y’all. Guy, thanks for the Incra TS/LS videos. I got the combo version when I moved my router table to the wing of my Sawstop. I really love it. I have a follow up question from the Feb 24 edition: Guy, you were pretty emphatic on your answer regarding connecting 2 Festool rails. I’m curious to know if your opinion was formed on the original style or the new version? If the former, have you had a chance to play with the new ones. I replaced my old set with the self-adjusting version and they seem rock-solid to me. I leave a small gap between the rails in case the rails aren’t exactly 90 degrees. I’m also careful when moving the joined rail from one sheet to another that I don’t torque the joint. Just wondering which version your judgement was associate with? Pat Engel

Hi guys! My name is Elisa and I’m new to woodworking. I have a few fairly straightforward projects under my belt including a crate topper to go on top of my dog’s crate, a few blanket ladders, and a mobile workbench with a spot for my Ryobi 8 1/4 table saw.
I’m working on box joints right now. I’ve watched a ton of videos and made a lot of sawdust trying to make a jig and have been unsuccessful. I’m using a single blade with a kerf of .0665 in but I can measure the blade and make several cuts and not get the same measurement between them all, so there’s one problem. I’m trying to set the spacing up to be 1/2 inch but I can’t seem to get it right. The distance I’m off is small but bringing my pin closer or further from the blade seems to change the width of the pins and the slots and I can’t see a correlation between the changes that would help me figure out how to correct it.
In addition to the Ryobi saw, I have been using a sled I made, digital calipers, clamps, a set of steel thickness gauges. I’m using a variety of test piece’s including 3/4 in plywood, 3/8 and 1/2 inch S4S poplar and pine. If it helps to know, I have a miter saw, jig saw, a trim router, a regular size router, cordless drill and driver and basic hand tools.
I’d appreciate any help you can offer and if you can recommend some really good YouTube videos!
Thanks! Elisa Gonzales

Hello all. I have a veneering question. I want to wrap a elliptical cylinder with walnut veneer. It measures 18” inches long and 16” tall with end radiuses that are 4” round. The cylinder is made with stacked mdf each layer is cut in the elliptical shape and stacked to my desired height. I don’t have a vacuum press. mdf is notorious for absorbing solvents and water. I’ve ruled out PSA backed veneer since this will be adhered to the cut edges of mdf and most likely would peel away. I am thinking maybe 2 coats of solvent based contact cement on the mdf and one coat on the veneer. I need an adhesive that will hold those radial ends. Do you think contact cement will be strong enough and if so good recomm ndations? Also should I seal the mdf before applying the adhesive? Maybe with shellac or WB poly. I’d say lacquer but concerned the solvent in the cement would have a negative effect on the lacquer seal coat. Veneer hammer? Jeff (Maker)

Huy's Questions:

Gentlemen-
Sorry to not have rapped at ya in a while, winter is for snowboarding, and I tend to loose the plot in the shop. But whilst schussing down the slopes, I have been contemplating spring projects, namely, a bridge for my stream/river. The "slash" is because it is usually a stream, but two or three times a year gets very rowdy; the last time it washed the existing 16' long bridge off its moorings 90º, so it now sits parallel to the stream instead of across it. This bridge was made of pressure treated 2x12's, 4' wide, heavy, and chained to pins in boulders, so the water has some force when she's angry.
Instead of trying to lever and pulley the bridge back into place, let's build a new one. You guys know I love black locust and it's perfect for something like this with water and ground contact outside. But I want to get fancy, do an arch (which will also help with the bridge-washing-out issue). For something of this size how would you go about creating the curve? It needs to be at least 16' long (flat length, arch will rise probably 2' on a 20' radius) so steam bending is out. Would you glue up a "panel" of 2x material and then cut the curves out of it (or maybe even just use one big slab), or make a big form and bent laminations? I figure I need to make 2 of these curved beams for the sides of the bridge, and I probably won't paint it, just one more thing to keep up with.
This is one time where I probably won't have already done the thing I am asking about by the time I hear your answer, so I wait with bated breath. @figurawoodwork out. Tom Figgity-Figura

Good morning from Okinawa, Japan

This one is for Guy mainly I think but hey open game on for Huy or Sean to wiegh in on things.
First Japan is not great on space. My shop is large and very disorganized. I run a side business making some regular wood working projects but mainly custom military plaques usign the 2.5 D carving made possible by the yeti and shapeoko cnc. Almost went full time but my own disorginzation, project management, and efficency made things difficult. I havet really been set up to best handle slabs of local woods that I started useing mainly in my prjects.
slab milling to directional lumber
shop layout
spot one
10 by 12 tin can shed
yeti smart bench 4x8 cnc
spot two (next to the shed)
Kreg bench 44x64 table holding a Shapeoko XXL
12 ft miter station (6/8 ft for miter last part open for bench sanders and grinders.)
Router table (wood peckers premium)
Dewalt 745 table saw on a small cart
12 x 20 co2 laser mounted on a cart (36 x 28 cart)
questions
I am trying to save space and be more efficent. Have a chance to pick up a used Grizzly 10 inch table saw and new Laguna 14BX (I am 6'5 and i remember Guy saying the saw is low. but its the best band saw I can find out here)
Most of my work is taking slabs and turning them into lumber for projects. Guy mentioned he would give up a table saw before a band saw. I can only find a laguana 14 BX in my area from a local online retailer which has a flesmy feence. So would anyone pass the table saw for geting more shop space or buy both and make it work?
second question, (using google chrome it will translate the pages to english)
Kerv https://www.off.co.jp/category/A02B10/T_3114.html
Laguna https://www.off.co.jp/category/A02B10/T_3820.html
Otoro https://www.off.co.jp/category/A02B10/AA2014.html
These band saws do not have a solid fence clamping to both sides of the table for better resawing and straight cuts. Is there a after market feence that could be used, similar to the incra fence Guy pointed out in the recent episode?
future plans
tool buying. Would include a 100 watt co2 laser with 24 by 36 working space(foot print roughly 64 by 48 inches). Selling the old co2 laser and shapeoko to make room, moving the 4 x 8 cnc to the outside for keeping the shed a clean engraving and finishing area.
Tried to support the show but your button is not working :(

Hey Guys,
Every so often I have a great excuse to buy a new tool (usually a valid reason for my wife).
What tool(s) have you bought that you found more or less useful than you anticipated?
Thanks Chuck Lovelady

Holiday Message Dec 01, 2023

Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, we have taken a week off. Please feel free to listen to any other episode in our vast catalog!

The Next Generation, Ripping Angles, Piston Fit Drawers and MORE! Nov 17, 2023

This episodes Questions

Guy's Questions:

Hi guys, I’m current up to episode 43 of the podcast and can’t get enough. During this episode you discussed the merits of having a radial arm saw in your shop, or lack thereof in todays workflow. This got me thinking and I wanted to ask: what other tools are you aware of that were once used in woodshops that are no longer in general practice? I’m not talking about rocks and flints from the Stone Age, but rather anything in the past 60 or so years that have gone out of vogue. I can’t wait to hear Guys comments on my use of the word “vogue”. Hope you are well, and thanks again! Jarrett

Gentlemen,
Thanks for your thoughtful responses to my questions and observations.
This might be a potential topic: Do you think youtube and maker communities have created a renaissance for encouraging young people to get into wood working as a hobby or a profession?
I watched some amazing videos of young people making incredibly complicated turnings (among other things).
Thanks again. Chuck Have a great day.

Hi guys,
I love your podcast and have listened to every episode. I spend a lot of time on the road and have listened to many woodworking podcasts, yours is by far the best. I especially admire the work you do at “Purposeful Design “
I’m from Montreal and started woodworking as a hobby 5 years ago. I have 3 kids (9 & 2x6) and I only have limited hours/week of shop time. Additionally, I’m quite sensitive to sawdust…
I have a wall mounted 1hp dust collector with a dust separator and a 1 micron filter bag.
What is your opinion on bypassing the filter bag and venting outside?
Thank you for your contribution to the woodworking community,
Many blessings. Mike

Huy's Questions:

I think that my next tool purchase might be for a tracksaw-like guide for a circular saw or something similar. We sometimes run into situations where we need to rip a straight line. This would actually be more for ‘carpentry’ applications than fine ‘woodworking’. Things like ripping a long 2x6 or 2x8 at an angle, or rip a sheet of plywood in the field (so portability and reasonable durability would be important).
Whatever we buy would be used by a lot of different guys and we’d keep it in our shared workshop. Most of the guys have Dewalt circular saws but several guys have other brands (Milwaukee, Ridgid, etc.). So the track would have to be adjustable for the bases of the various saws. I’ve spent zero time investigating this. Thought I’d start here. Any recommendations?
- Mark

Hello everyone, I was wondering if you could help me with figuring out a process for flattening double angled barstool legs in my shop. Last fall I was commissioned to build a set of saddle barstools for a client. The legs from front and back have a 5 degree angle on them, while the view from the sides had a 6.5 degree angle. I tried running them through my table saw (on the front and back sides) on a cross cut sled but this still produced some wobble from the 6.5 degree sides. I wound up just taking some adhesive backed sandpaper and sticking it on the flattest spot in my shop (my tablesaw) and sanding down for multiple hours. Do you know of anything that I can build or use that wont take the hours of sanding like I did for any future commissions.
Thanks, Paul Genereux (Twin Lake Woodshop)

Hey guys, I have a question around piston fit drawers and their longevity and overall use. I know they are a sign of the highest craftsmanship but how well do they hold up? In the summer will everything swell and the drawers will stick? If you ever moved how would that affect the piece? I don’t have an exact project in mind but debating the idea of trying my hand at this in my next build.
So when would you use piston fit for drawers over soft close mechanism, wooden runners ect? Is the juice worth the squeeze?
Thanks, Jesse

Perfect Miters, Bar Top Finish, Next Tool Purchase and MORE!! Nov 03, 2023

This Episodes Questions:

Brian's Questions:

I’m hoping to enhance my beginner(ish) skills by going back to the basics and making boxes. Any advice on getting perfect miters for small parts? I’ve got a table saw sled but my small DEWALT job site saw gives me issues finding 45. Any advice on reasonably priced dovetail saws or alternatives? Where do you source small parts like hinges and drawer pulls for a fair price? Many Thanks, Dave

Hi guys, Your podcast is excellent and I have been able to put your advice to use on multiple occasions. I know you have talked edge banding before but I still need a little help. I do quite a bit of plywood with a roughly 3/4 to half inch thick edge band trimmed with a flush cut bit with a vee groove to give it a little decorative look as well as make it easier to sand flush. The problem I'm having is I seem to struggle with getting my edge banding perfectly tight to the plywood so the seem is visible some of the time. I've tried jointing the edge banding but not the plywood because plywood through a jointer seems like a bad idea and that didn't seem to help. When only doing a few pieces I've clamped it to the shelf with slightly better results but often do between 8 and 15 8 foot long boards at a time so I don't have the clamps or space to clamp everything. Currently I glue then pin nail with my 23 ga nailer. What am I doing wrong? I'm hoping guy has some good insight here since he works in a more commercial/ production environment and that's more along the lines of what I do. Thanks, Mike Arntz

Guy's Questions:

Hello all, I recently stumbled on you podcast and greatly enjoy the format. I am recently new to woodworking partly out of boredom during Covid. My initial projects were too ambitious for my skill set, yet I forged ahead and learned more from my mistakes than what I did right. Since I live in Asia, hardwoods are easy to come by and recently someone gave me a 4" thick slab of Padauk. About 6 ft long. I can't imagine how much this would cost in NorthAmerica. I am making a breakfast table out it. Wood looks stunning but I understand it will darken with age. I will eventually move back home and would like to make an old style butcher block. The massive one butchers actually used to cut meat. However, plans or information on how to go about it is very sparse. I was thinking milling logs into 4x4 and fastening them end grain up somehow. I see some use long carriage bolts to hold the thing together. Any words of advice is much appreciated. I imagine this might not be a project you have done in the past, but how would you go about it? Thanks in advance, love your show and listen to your podcast when I go biking. Bert Plourde

I am building a floating shelf bar for my son. It's a 3 1/2" torsion box with red oak ply top and 3/4" redwood edging. It will be stained / dyed dark brown. I am trying to decide on a top coat. Shellac is easy and easily repaired. Oil will look good but provides minimal protection. "Shop" finish (oil/varnish/solvent) would probably work well. Maybe something else? Thoughts? Ron Guritzky

Huy's Questions:

Hey guys, I love your podcast and listen to it all day at work. While I don't do fine furniture work like you do I'm really trying to get better and do more. For a background I was a commercial carpenter turned finish carpenter and am trying to work my way up to fine finish work. I'm doing more built ins and that kind of work and am just curious as to what you recommend for tools. Right now I have a grizzly planer, benchtop jointer, mitersaw, jobsite saw, dovetail jig, and a decent collection of hand tools. I'm going to pick up an older craftsman 113 table saw and am looking for recommendations on an affordable fence. Current I work in both my shop and on site so I need to be fairly mobile but am also working on gearing up to do more shop work. Any additional advice is welcome. I also forgot to add I have mobile dust collection, and a grizzly mobile router table. Check out my profile for some of the work I've done. Thanks for the great podcast. -Mike Arntz

Hey fellas. I’m loving the podcast as usual! Keep up the great content. Here’s my question: one of the best parts of living near Silicon Valley, is the availability of old work benches from defunct tech companies. I got the one in the picture for $40 with the solid metal frame and solid maple butcher block style top. I added the plywood drawers in the bottom and I’ve been using this as a outfeed table and assembly table. However, I’ve noticed that the top is not perfectly flat, and that it is especially lower around the edges. I was considering taking the top off, ripping it into three pieces, so that it will fit through my 13 inch planer, and then using dominoes to glue it back together to try to get it flat. Do you think this is a good method or is there some better way to accomplish the same thing? I was also planning to drill dog holes into the top. However, on a recent episode, you talked about the limitations of many of the dogs on thicker tops. The current thickness is about 1 1/2 inches. Even after planing it down as previously described, I think the top will end up being at least an inch and a quarter thick. Are there dogs available that would work with a top that thick that you can recommend? @firelightwoodworks

Edge Routing, Outdoor Finishes, Cordless Tracksaw? and MORE!!! Oct 20, 2023

This Weeks Questions

Brian:
Hey guys, I just discovered this podcast and have been thoroughly enjoying the episodes so far! I am a guitar technician by trade and recently started to build my own solid body electric guitar. I have been studying up on tool safety and learning proper technique, as a beginner I don’t want to develop any bad habits or unsafe practices. I used a router table when creating the guitar neck from a template, but if i'm being honest I am a bit intimidated by it and would prefer to start routing with a hand held router instead. As a guitar player and thumb wrestling aficionado, I would like to keep all of my digits where they belong! With that being said, I have a few questions I’d like to ask specific to hand routers:
1. When edge routing hardwood, is there anything I need to be aware of that would cause the router to suddenly jump or kickback? Can I do this with a trim router, or do I need a 2+HP router? I am using figured curly maple for the neck and alder for the body. Does that make a difference?
2. How much wood can I safety remove per pass? (The neck thickness is around 1” and the body thickness is around 1.75”)
3. Any techniques or advice on how to minimize chipping, tear out and router burn? i.e. speed of push, router bit speed
Jordan

What is all the fuss about french cleats? Have you guys used them in your shop? Are they the organizational panacea they are made out to be or is there a better way to use wall space to keep your shop neat and your tools accessible?
Evan

Guys Questions:

Hey guys, I have a question about finishing.
I am about to purchase a solid Mahogany entry door and I’d like to finish it myself. (Not so much “like” inasmuch save a grand) But I’m not quite sure what to use. I’ve asked professional painters and looked online but get a ton of different responses. I don’t really want to stain it but rather get a color from an oil finish like you’d get from waterlox or Odie’s. From all my research I’m leaning towards Total boat marine wood finish.
I live in the south suburbs of chicago and my door faces directly west. It is covered by about a 4’ over hang and I have a 30 year old oak in front so it wouldn’t see much direct Sun, rain or snow.
Hopefully you get to this in the next couple episodes as I think it’s about a 4 week lead time and we’re ordering it this week.
Thanks!
Kurt

Hi gentlemen,

I love your podcast! It really gets me through tough hump days at work and gets me excited to get back into the shop each weekend.
I typically create midcentury modern furniture or pieces that are unique and allow some creativity, but I’ve developed a side-side gig of cutting boards and such by request for business to business type orders. Recently, my day job (I’m in biomedical research) requested Missouri shaped plaques with logos and script for visiting keynote speakers. I’ve avoided the CNC and laser world as I prefer hand tool woodworking, but one or the other would be necessary for this project and presumably a great feature in the shop. I’ve done my research and still can’t decide.
This will be an ongoing order so I don’t want to be too cheap, but clearly not industrial due to space. What would you suggest? Diode seems limiting, but it would quickly pay off. CO2 sounds ideal, but pricey. CNC (Shark?) sounds more useful to my main hobby and I could cut out the state shape too. I usually believe in “pay once, cry once”, but this is a significant decision.
Deana from Pomegranate Studios

Huys Questions:

Hi. You have a great show. I’m ready to buy my first track saw and am looking at the Festool TS55. I’m looking for opinions on whether the cordless model is worth an extra $170 over the corded. In the shop with a dust extractor it seems like the cord is not much additional encumbrance. Outside the cordless with just the dust bag would be advantageous. Thanks, John

Hey guys, as always, I love the show and how you guys are able to provide excellent information from various perspectives. Today I would like to pick your brains about food safe finishes for a couple different situations. My wife bought me an outdoor pizza oven for my birthday, and because I'm a woodworker, I promptly threw out the wooden pizza peel that I've been using for years so that I could make one. My first attempt was with cherry and spalted maple. The maple ended up being much more punky than I had expected so I made a second one with cherry, hickory, and bubinga. What would you guys suggest for finishes? The peel will be going into a 700 degree oven, and I plan on repurposing the one with spalted maple to a charcuterie or serving platter, so it might have hot pizza on it, but I would like it to be sealed. Keep up the awesome podcast!
Josh from the Blackdog Woodworks

Where to start?, Bent laminations, How many pocket screws and MORE! Oct 06, 2023

Brians questions:

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for the time, effort, and expertise you put into the show. As many listeners have said before, it really is the best woodworking podcast out there!
As a beginning woodworker, I am curious about what projects you have done that helped you learn new skills or refine key foundational skills to progress along your woodworking journey? Perhaps there are some "benchmark projects" that take a woodworker from sloppy beginner to capable amateur and beyond towards fine craftsmen? Where do the common projects like a cutting board, a cabinet, a dining table or something else fall along that spectrum?
Thanks again for all you do in support of the woodworking community.
Kind regards,Evan

One of my close friends just had a baby. I wanted to make the new baby something, but I wasn't sure what. I don't have the time to make any piece of furniture, but I would like to make a little gift or two. Do any of you have ideas for small gifts that the baby could either use/play with, or something they could keep for a long time?Thanks Matthew

Hi all,
Hobbyist woodworker working out of his 1 1/2 car garage (it doesn’t quite fit two cars and I share it with house storage stuff). Mobility has been key for me when working. One thing I struggle with is that my garage floor is not level. There’s two different angles and it can be an issue at times. For example my small outfeed table can’t be level with my worksite table saw because at times they may not line up. My work bench is in a fixed location but can’t hold anything round as it might roll off if I have to use it.
Any advice for my workshop woes or any sort of leveling feet you might recommend? Since I move things around, leveling a tool or table each time I use it can be a pain. Lifting the end of the workbench doesn’t seem to create stability when I am hand planing wood or chiseling.
Thanks, Jose

Huy's questions:

Hey all, love the podcast. Been listening for quite a while and always ready to take notes.
I have a bent lamination/ vaccum bag question. How do you handle epoxy squeeze out? Or any Glue for that matter? My last question is how long do I leave a bent lamination in the bag? Is there a rule of thumb?
I need a really rigid glue line for the tight 3in inside radius I am trying to achieve and think epoxy is my best bet. I'd rather not use urea resin.
I really appreciate the help. Casey the maker

Hey guys: I’m a loyal listener and am very grateful for all the great info you share. I have a finishing question for you. I make wood fishing nets for family and friends and might want to make a business of it. I have been using spar varnish as a finish which looks great but is a pain to apply (I brush it on), takes forever to dry and always seems to be a bit soft even when fully dry. Is there an alternate finish I could consider that would be easy to apply. I am willing to invest in a spray system to up my finish game so that’s not a limitation. Important to note is that I use walnut in all my nets. In episode 115 I learned that walnut will turn orange in the sun- something I didn’t know. So will the suggested finish have UV protection or will I need to dye the walnut to ensure it maintains it’s brown color after sitting on the bottom of a boat for many seasons. Thanks again for spending your precious time educating the less knowledgeable.
Liam, Indianapolis

Hey Guy, and other guys.
How many pocket holes/Screws do you actually need?
I watch people on youtube building stuff with pocket holes and 9 times out of 10 I think to myself, "Surely that doesn't need that many pocket holes." I see guys building something like an end table or maybe a small piece of shop furniture and inevitably they use about 17 to 239 in this relatively small piece of wood and I just don't understand it. Would love to hear the logic or what the general recommendation is. Jacob

Tool Purchase Regrets, Most Useful Tool, CAD Software Sep 22, 2023

Brian's Questions:

Hey guys,
First of all, thanks for the most helpful woodworking podcast around! My question(s) revolve around a home library project. I’m planning on bookcases on all four walls of a small room and wondering how you’d approach that, specifically:
(1) what would you do about the inside corners of the room where two sets of bookcases come together? Just blank them off? Something else?
(2) as far as the cases themselves, for cost reasons, I’m planning to do 3/4 plywood carcasses close to 8’ high with one fixed shelf in the middle (Domino construction) and shelf pins for the rest of the shelves. How wide can I reasonably go without sag in the shelves? Is one fixed shelf enough for stability or do I need two, say? Do I need a plywood back on each case?
Any other general tips on a library project or this type?
Thanks! Mat

What tools you guys do regret to buy?
Marcello

Alright fellas first question from me. I finally got a Makita track saw and went for the full 110". I'm going to tear down my old 2x4 oversized work bench and start over with a nice miter saw / work area cabinet wall.
My plan is to go about 30" deep to accommodate my DeWalt sliding dual bevel giant miter saw while also giving me ample assembly area. Maybe an mft style work area on one side, maybe t tracks here and there.
I'm going to leave it a little open ended for you guys to play around with the idea. What would your dream work area like this include? No limits, all the bells and whistles. No one to tell you no.
Thanks for taking my question. Jim G.

Huy's Questions:

Hi Guys,
Really enjoy the podcast and all the useful information. I wrote before about a walnut table I am making. I have a couple of questions. I looked at the walnut at the local lumber yard. Great selection but lumber is pretty expensive. Question 1: The lumber distributor has a great selection. For the table top should I spring for quarter sawn at roughly 1/3 more per board foot? Question 2: I am trying to bring some order to chaos in my shop and am considering some shop cabinets. a) should I consider casters? b) should I spend the extra to install side mount drawer slides or will homemade runners be good enough?
Thanks for your help and the great podcast.
-Scott

Good day guys..My question is probably primarily for Huy.
I am getting back into woodworking after a lengthy hiatus to a career that did not allow me the time. Now that I do have the time, I am diving right back in. I am a lifelong contract mechanical designer, and have been a SolidWorks user/license holder since 1999, dont do the math on how much that has depleted my bank account in the past 24 years, and I am no rocket scientist like Huy, I have only done work on 70 ton vehicles designed outside detroit.
SolidWorks is amazing, and I have designed many projects for my woodworking with it. However I feel it is a bit heavyweight on the design side for the projects I want to do. I want to be working in my shop, and not spending hours designing parts, making assemblies etc. Dont get me wrong, the end results are incredible on the design side, but design for my woodworking shoudlnt be 60% on SolidWorks and 40% on tools. Any suggestions for the best solution for this? I have not spent alot of time researching, but have looked into Fusion360 and other solutions but not greatly as I know there will a thought process change required.
I am just looking for something simple, quick and of course accurate. We live in a 3d world, and that is an important aspect for me.Thank you so much.
Kurtis, DutchMillWorks

Hey guys, Josh here, hope this is the right way to contact you all. My question is, what machine do you think you can get away with in order to produce the most projects? I was thinking a lathe for drinkware, baseball bats and so on depending on a mini, midi or full size lathe. But I'm no expert by any means, I only had a couple years of shop experience in school and most of the terminology has escaped me since, but all the hands on experience is still fresh in my mind and I'm hoping to get this hobby started up again. Thank you. Joshua

Sapwood is Evil, Dream Client, How Thick Should It be? and MORE! Sep 08, 2023

Brians Questions:

Hi guys, thanks for such a great podcast. You recently got me through the journey back from a road trip to Montreal, although when my wife heard you guys, she was like, "What the -hell-are you listening to?!" But then she fell asleep so we had no problem (don't worry, she wasn't driving at the time).

My question is about evening out the sapwood and heartwood colour in walnut, so you can maximise the yield from boards and slabs. Do you have a particular process and/or product you'd recommend here? If your solution is to simply cut it off, it seems a shame to waste all that wood... have you found any good uses for it? Phil Evans

Hi - I am building a seating bench out of figured ash. I'd like to give it a gentle brown color and really accentuate the curly figure in the wood. I'm worried that stain won't do much to bring out the beauty in it; should i use dye instead? What steps should I go through to highlight the figure? I don't have a spray solution, so whatever finish will need to be wipe on or brush on. I prefer to avoid rattle cans of finish too, for what that's worth. Mark

Guys Questions:

I recently had the client that all woodworkers dream of. Came to me literally saying money didnt matter and they wanted a high quality coffee table. I loaded it with design features and in the end it became my highest priced commission to date at over $12k for this 42" square coffee table. I say that mainly to encourage others that there's still people who will pay for quality. Anyway my question is that one of the design ideas i pitched this customer was to do a herringbone pattern on the sides of the table using shop sawn veneer. This will be my first time ever making veneer and doing anything with it. What tips can you give me? I have a VERY high quality bandsaw, the Laguna LT18 equipped with a Resawking blade. I do not have a drum sander. I plan to now get a Vacupress 300 for the task. What else should I know about veneering a herringbone pattern? AZ Custom Furniture Bilder

Hi Guys, thanks for the helpful podcast. I’ve been building furniture for a few years now and as a newish woodworker I have tried many different finishes in the pursuit of finding the one and only one. My question is, do you keep a log of which pieces of furniture have which finish so that you can see how they age and for when/if repairs or refinishes are needed? Thanks, Patty

Huy's Questions:

Thanks for the podcast, guys!
My question: I'm building a sideboard for utilitarian storage when entering from the garage.
It is mostly cherry, will have a cherry top and is about 22" deep by 60" wide and 30" tall.
I'm planning to use 8/4 cherry for the top, with a resulting thickness of whatever results from jointing and planing the boards to be edge glued for the top. Would there be any advantage in building the top from 4/4 boards face glued to make up the 8/4 thickness? I will be chamfering the bottom of the top so that any glue line would not be visible.
Thanks so much,
Bob Clark

Hi fellas,
I first want to say thank you for developing and producing this podcast and sharing your experience with the rest of mere mortals of woodworking. I am a nights and weekend hobbyist woodworker, making small projects for friends and family or DIY projects around the house. I am fortunate to have a modest collection of tools and enjoy trying new things and learning how to up my game. My question is really more about the process of using steel wool and vinegar to ebonize some red oak I'm making into a small case with a couple of drawers. The way I understand the process is that the combination of the steel wool and vinegar ultimately reacts with the tannins in the red oak, turning it darker (I'm hoping black). I've also recently discovered Original Tried and True finish (polymerized linseed oil and beeswax) and really like the results I've got on a few projects I've used it on. Would ebonizing the red oak change how a finish like Tried and True works? Is there a better finish in your opinion? How would each of you finish this if black was the end result, and FYI I don't have spraying equipment. Thanks again for all you do for the woodworking community!
-Trevor

Bandsaw Blades, Pricing Work, Making Drawers, And More!! Aug 25, 2023

Brians Questions:

Gentlemen,
Thank you so much for this podcast. I very much look forward to each episode. I primarily work with hand tools making traditional furniture. One of the few machines I own is a PowerMatic 15” bandsaw. Guy’s positive review of it sealed my decision and I’m very happy with it. Fantastic bandsaw. I mostly use it for long straight cuts and keep the Laguna 3/4” carbide tipped blade in it. On the occasions I need to make curve cuts I hate to change out blades. Call me lazy. I’d like to get another tool for this other than doing it by hand. It could be a smaller band saw with a thin blade, the DeWalt DW788 scroll saw, or something else. Mostly cuttin 4 quarter stock but on occasion eight quarter stock. What would you get and why? I also own a Makita corded jigsaw. Many thanks and keep up the great work.
Sincerely
Joe Leonetti.

Having two friends recently experience serious injuries while using their table saw, I am continuing to do more ripping using my bandsaw for safety sake. (I, like my two injured friends are in our 70’s- not as quick in our reactions, as good in our judgements or dexterous as when younger.) I’m fortunate to have two bandsaws, one of which I keep a 1/2” blade on for the purpose of resawing and ripping, so it works out quite well. The issue is the rough edge left by the bandsaw vs the smooth “gluable” edge that the table saw produces. What’s the best way to address this? I’ve heard mention of using a jointer after ripping - does this not introduce uncertainty as to the final width of the piece just ripped? For example, if I wanted a piece 10” wide and ripped it to 10 1/16”, I’d have to have my jointer set to remove exactly 1/16 which even if I accomplish that setting, may be hard to achieve and also get a perfect 90 degree edge. As an aside- I’m still considering selling my Powermatic and getting a Sawstop in the interest of increased safety. While some people might scoff at that idea, I don’t care-to each his own. Both of my two friends injuries were ugly, debilitating and expensive. Thanks for the best and most informative woodworking podcast! Tim Deal

Guys Questions:

Hello Huy and Guy, and welcome to the show Brian. My question today is about quoting pricing for inconvenience. What I mean by that is this: if a client comes to you with a request that you aren't really excited about does that affect how much you quote? Do you ever give them a high quote in the holes that they say no, but high enough that if they still say yes, it offsets any frustration you expect to have while building?
Thanks, and I'm still waiting for Brian's social media... and for Guy to say specificity again.
Joshua.

Huy's Questions:

Great podcast guys. I Really appreciate how you guys answer questions based on your individual experiences. I like hearing 3 or 4 different ways to perform a task using a variety of tools. My question: my current home has 1/2” particle drawer boxes and I’m replacing them. What would you recommend for drawer box construction concerning material, thickness, drawer bottom thickness, and finish. Thanks.
-Eric Brown

Greetings Gentlemen,
Thank you for continuing your podcast into 2023. It’s very informative, but in a relaxed and casual format. Also; a welcome to Brian. Sean was a long time co-host and will be missed but Brian has slipped into his slot with ease and is doing great.
My question today is about planing. I’m making a 4x6 ft table top out of true 1-1/8 inch thick x 6 inch wide, rough cut white oak. When dressing down the wood, I plan on jointing one surface then planing the other surface parallel. Finished thickness I think will be between ¾ and 7/8. Here is the question. How important is it to take equal amounts off of each side? Can I just joint one surface and plane the opposite down to my finished thickness or do I have to try to take an equal amount off of both sides. If it matters, the lumber is kiln dried down to 7%.
Terry W.

Small Shop Layout, Woodworking Software, Tool Storage and MORE! Aug 11, 2023

Brian's Questions:

I've recently walled off the third bay of my three car garage to give me a smaller space to heat and a wall to work with. I have started thinking about my ~270 sqft shop in three dimensions trimming all the fat and maximizing my functionality.What would you guys do with a nice healthy 11ft ceiling height considering I want pretty much my entire shop to exist is this space. What type of ideas would you have for multi functioning furniture? What would you put on the walls? Everything that can be is already on wheels. I've got most every major tool you guys do. Just curious on your take. How would you cram yourselves into this little space or do you already?
Thanks for continuing the podcast. -Jim G.

I am building an outdoor bench using steel legs and a currently rough cedar top. I plan on sanding the cedar smooth and finishing it. What would be the best grit to sand to, and what finish should I apply? It will get all-day full sunlight.
Jason H.

Guy's Questions:

Hi: As I have said before, this is the best woodworker podcast on the planet! I enjoy so much the focus on woodworkers questions. Your personalities shines through as well as your intellect and your skills as a woodworker. Thanks so much.
My question stems from a recent project I started. I tried to be more exacting. I designed the project on gridded paper, figured out each exact dimension and then started to calculate the wood requirements. I figured out the sheet goods by figuring out the rough layout of the parts on a scale grid diagram. Then I calculated the board feet of each of the solid wood parts using a board feet calculator app a selecting 10% for waste option. I then added them up and got ready to buy the necessary wood.
In the past I just winged it. I'd have a rough drawing on scrap paper and a guess at the wood requirements which often meant follow-up trips to the store. Projects often had a few rework, redesign elements on the fly and some issues that hopefully I could only see, hence the change to more exacting.
I have a few questions. How exact are you with your designs? Is this the process you go through before purchasing wood? Is there another way? Do you use any apps like:"BoardFeetEasy" or "SmartCut"? Do you use any other woodworking apps? If so which ones? Is 10% a good waste figure? Do you adjust the waste figure based on any criteria? What are the criteria?
Thanks again for you're time, focus and insite into the craft of woodworking.
Regards,Joe James

Hi, thanks for all the great work on this podcast. Yours is the only one that actually I even have a dedicated podcast app set up for, so that you guys are only a couple taps away for my sausage fingers whenever I have a free moment and want to learn something. Anyway, my question is about using a dryer plug for 220V machines. I'm planning a couple new tools for my basement shop, and whilst my first choice is to add a dedicated 220 line, I'd rather space things out financially if I can. One option seems potentially to use the dryer electrical socket until I have the cash flow to run dedicated electrics. I'm seeing mixed things in my research and wondering if you have any real world experience on using dryer plugs for tools with an adapter/extension, specifically if it's a hazard and the pros/cons? In my case the tools would be a Hammer A326 and Sawstop PCS 3HP. Thanks for any advice you can offer and keep up the great work. Phil Evans

Huy's Questions:

Hi guys, love the podcast! Thanks for all you do! I’m designing my first piece of larger furniture, an entry way table. I am planning 3 drawers across the top, and below that a cabinet in the center and open shelves to either side. I’m wondering how you guys decide on proportions for a build like this. Supposedly the 1.618 is some kind of magic formula that makes everything perfect, but how do you use it, or do you even bother? What if the piece has to fit a certain space, do you take that into account? Help me woodshop life, you’re my only hope! Matt

Hello all, how about another shop storage question? I’ve been primarily a power tool user for many years, but have started building a hand tool collection over the last 2 or 3 years. Im finding the “hybrid” approach more to my liking and feel it’s certainly improved the quality of my projects with the ability to fine tune fit and finish. Now being the proud owner of quality chisels, a few hand planes, scrapers and so on, most of the tools are in a tool box drawer.
I want to get these commonly used items out of the drawer and in reach, but I find myself starting to plan and build tool holders or storage solutions only to scrap it and move onto something else because I get lost in how simple or complex to make it.
I need to just shut up and do it, I know this. In your opinions, when you need a storage solution, do you just make whats basic and functional and after some use fine tune or remake it when needed? Or, do you spend time laying everything out and aiming for a one and done build?
-Mike

Making Your Own Dominos, Painting Your Projects, Plywood or MDF? and MORE! Jul 28, 2023

Brian's Questions:

Hey Fellas,
I’m in the market for a new table saw. I am coming from a 2hp Grizzly hybrid saw with a broken part I cannot find a replacement for. I’m debating between a 3hp Powermatic or Sawstop. Either of these will be a major upgrade from what I have but do you have opinions either way? The Sawstop technology is great and I understand accidents can happen but I tend to think if your hands are that close to the blade you’ve got bigger problems. That said, the Sawstop is up to $1,000 cheaper than the powermatic depending which add-ons you choose. Do you have any thoughts or are there other brands I’m missing and should look into?
Chris
Instagram: @custom_by_chris

Hi guys! I am a hobbyist/turning professional woodworker based in Portland, Oregon. I have really enjoyed listening to your podcast and thought I would quickly ask your opinion on rectangular dominos.
I have been creating shop-made dominos to save money. Creating them is a pain in the butt! Trying to nail metric round-overs with imperial bits at that level of precision is pretty involved. It usually takes a bit of time and wasted material to set the router table up correctly in order to batch a bunch out. Then running a glue groove on everything is another step that takes time. A thought came to me about creating square edged, rectangular tenons that aren't hitting the radii of the domino mortise. My thought is that the few millimeters of void wouldn't really affect the strength of the joint and the voids themselves would act as a hydrolock prevention by nature. Assuming these aren't used for through style tenons, do you see any issues using rectangular stock? Thanks for doing the podcast and I look forward to future episodes!
Sal Al-Sudairy
sfapdx@gmail.com
@oregon_woodworks Instagram

Guy's Questions:

Hey Guy’s
I know finishing gets hit often but this is perhaps a different spin. My basement garage is my workshop so odor and chemical safety is a concern.
I’m mostly done with my plywood/poplar painted dresser (thanks for the tips by the way, screwing and glueing without fancy jointery made assembly a breeze Guy).
That being said what is a good low odor option for finishing a paint grade project that’s being painted white? Yellowing and tannin bleed are therefore both concerns.
I’ve heard Ya’ll talk about conversion varnishes but also heard complaints about odor. Would BIN water based primer under enamel paint be best? Should I go the oil based primer/paint route for durability?
I have recently gotten a paint sprayer but am open to rolling if that’s preferable. I’ll attach my budget sprayer below for context.
Thanks so much, this is by far the best woodworking podcast.
-Dave

Hello Huy, Guy, and Brian! You gentlemen, as well as Sean, have been a huge help and inspiration to my woodworking journey. Keep the great content coming!
I recently picked up an older Bosch 1615 evs plunge router mounted to an old tabletop with an Incra Intelli fence. While I can find manuals online for both of these discontinued items, I'd like to get your input on how to best set up an older router with this fence. Since this particular router is in its own molded housing, I don't think a router lift is an option. What do you all recommend for setting this router up in a new table? I intend to likely build a stand-alone router table with a top made with melamine left over from a recent project, but I'm open to suggestions. Thanks, -Kurt

Huy's Questions:

Hi everyone,
Thank you for a great show. I've listened through the entire catalog twice, learning a lot.
In Episode #115 (and other episodes) you mention UV light turning walnut orange. I recently built a large dining room table out of walnut. I did not dye the table, even though I knew color change was possible. I have never used dye and the walnut was so stunning, I was afraid I would mess it up.
If my table turns orange, can it be sanded off? How deep does the UV "damage" go into the wood?
If I was to dye the walnut, could you please remind us what color dye you have used that works on walnut? How you have applied it to walnut, and when in the finishing process?
hanks again for a great show and a great woodworking education.
Kevin

Hello Gentleman,
Love the podcast. Thanks for all your hard work.
I am considering tackling a Entertainment unit for my bonus room; however I am struggling with material choice. The cabinet finish will be painted, do you suggest plywood or MDF? I plan on building some drawers with plywood boxes and MDF faces but I am concerned about the durability of the MDF when installing hinges if I use it for the carcass construction.
The overall length of this build is 16" long by 8' tall with drawers along the bottom open shelving on either side of that with the TV in the middle. Normally I am not so indecisive ; however this is such a large project and with the high cost of materials I want to start off on the right foot. Any guidance would be appreciated.
- Mike

Shop Built Jigs, Woodworking With Children, Finding Inspiration and MORE!! Jul 14, 2023

Brians Questions:

Every time I make a jig I struggle to get the fence square. How do I do this properly. Is this a common problem amongst new woodworkers? Love the show guys keep it up!

Johnny

This is Ben and I’m 8 years old. I would like to make a pocket knife with my dad. What suggestions do you have for making one?

Ben and Nathan

Guys Questions:

I recently found your podcast and have been binging it while in the shop. Guy, I was quite surprised to learn about your passion for 3D printing and various tinkering in his shop. I share the same passion for tinkering that extends beyond woodworking. In my shop I get almost as much satisfaction in discovering/creating a jig or tool to complete the job as I do in the actual finished product. My biggest “tool” build has been the ‘Mostly Printed CNC machine’, which is good enough for cutting various templates or basic v-carves. I can’t justify the price tag for an off the shelf machine to do that work when this one is good enough for me, at least for now. But I don’t think I could ever make something like a dowelmax, when I can buy a quality tool for relatively cheap. Apologies if this has been asked before. My question is about shop built tools and jigs vs. store bought. From your perspectives, with quality and cost in mind, what tools should be purchased off the shelf and what tools can be or maybe should be shop made? (Crosscut sleds, planer jointing sled, flattening jigs, clamping jigs, mobile bases, router tables…the list goes on and on). For reference I’m very much a hobbyist making stuff for the house or family and friends, while selling a piece here and there. So I do not work under any form of deadlines other than those imposed by my wife. Additionally, this is my creative outlet, I’m a gear design engineer the other 40 hours, this is my opportunity to make what I want to make. Keep up the great work!

Caleb Gurd Gears & Grain Woodcraft

Hey guys. You have been kind enough to answer a few of my questions in the past so thought I would throw a couple more your way. I have two questions which fall into the category of finishing. Number one - I'll be building a coffee table out of walnut which is a mix of heartwood and sapwood. I would like to find a way to blend the color of the mixed wood together. If I use a walnut dye on the entire project will the color of the heartwood and sapwood blend together and provide a uniform looking finish? If dying the wood is the solution can you recommend a brand of dye? Should the dye be oil or water based given that I'll likely use an oil based clear coat. I have never used dye in the past so any tips will be helpful. Answered - Second question. Our cherry wood kitchen table, which measures 36"W x 48"L, needs refinishing. I believe the original finish is an oil based pre-catalyzed lacquer. I'll be refinishing just the table top which has several scratches and shallow dents measuring up to 1/16" deep. The legs are painted black so no need to match the color of the top with the legs. Can you recommend a method for removing the original finish? I don't own or have access to a drum sander. Also, can you recommend a durable oil-based finish for refinishing the table top? Is spraying the preferred method for such a large surface area? Or, will a wipe-on poly do the job? Thanks again for all your help and expertise.

Jack Francis Geneva, IL

Huys Questions:

Hello fellas. Thanks for the enjoyable podcast, I've been listening for months but finally asking a question. Where do you look for inspiration when it comes to design for furniture pieces? Any particular magazines or books you like to reference when coming up with designs. Not necessarily looking for how to's , but more on design and style. Thanks again!

A. Torres

Kind sirs- Wonderful job etc. and I hope this finds you well. I posit this question knowing full well that I "overthink things" (according to Guy), even though I am "really intelligent" and have "design style" (according to Huy, your Tom Fan Club membership package is in the mail, including a life-size Tom cutout, suitable for posing with for social media photos.) I need a second desk for a backup office when my in-laws visit. I have a nice 2.5" thick ambrosia maple slab about the right size, and a couple of 4' long, 6" x 8" pine posts. My idea is to wedge-mortice the posts through the slab to create two 30" legs, and then mortice those into the 18" offcuts to make wide "feet". Think two upside down capital "T" going through the slab 3' apart. Would this construction method obviate the need to consider wood movement, since I only have one point of contact between the pieces? My understanding of wood movement is that it is the constraining of movement that can cause issues; in this case I can see the mortices getting 1/16" wider in the winter but if they're wedged, who gives a care? Or, should I hide the mortices and give them a little wiggle room to avoid splitting if the legs swell? Would pine stretching, crack maple? There I go over thinking things again. But thank you for humoring me. I await your answers with bated breath -

Tom the Bomb Figura

Woodworking Classes, Router Tables, Dovetailed Drawers and More!! Jun 30, 2023

Brians Questions:

Hi guys,
I'm a hobbyist woodworker on the gold coast Australia. I have slowly acquired all the tools I feel are necessary to build those pieces that my children will one day inherit/sell in a yard sale 😜
I don't have a bandsaw and have gotten by with a jigsaw in most situations. My major issue is when I have thick lumbar (5/4 for example) and need only a thin board. It's wasteful and expensive to plane it down and I feel a bandsaw is required for a good quality resaw. Is this a good enough reason to purchase a bandsaw?
Sam Kruger

Hey guys,
Thank you so much for the podcast and as others say in almost every question, I learn the most from your podcast than any other woodworking podcast I listen to.
Being from Indianapolis, I have a woodworking buddy who has taken a lot of classes at Marc Adam’s School of Woodworking (not sure if Brian and Guy are familiar). He has tried to get me to join a class but it is quite an investment due to the cost and also other factors such as possibly a week off of work depending on the class you sign up for.
While I would love to take a class due to being exposed to new technique’s and tools, I just don’t know if it’s worth the investment when Im just a hobbyist with limited budget and space for tools.
Two questions:
1. Have any of you taken a woodworking class like this before?
2. Is it worth the investment for the class, or should I continue to build skills by online research and building my shop with tools?
Thanks for the great podcast and being willing to take my question.
Jason

Guys Questions:

Hey folks! First off, welcome aboard Brian. You have filled Sean's shoes without skipping a beat. And I particularly enjoy how you engage with extra followup questions too I was thinking in my head!
So my question is about Guys favorite bug excrement - shellac. She treated me wrong and I need help from my bros. Ok it's more of a rant, so hang with me.
I've been a shellac lover for a while. She's never been fickle. Used her on a dozen projects. Always great results. Always a good time. Always easy. And I always use a rubber...you know...to be safe. (babum psshh)
This time and I sanded down a second hand veneer 3'x4' table and decided to give it a shellac finish. Using the big box store's version, I grabbed my favorite blonde, got her drunk with half alcohol, grabbed a trusty rubber, and went to town on the table.
Ok. Ok. Enough with the puns. For the life of me, I ALWAYS got streaks on the surface no matter what I did. I tried different cuts, different applicators (rubber, foam brush and paint brush). Sanding between coats. Not sanding. Working super fast, going slow. Light coats, heavy coats. Whatever. I even went to the Google and found an article from 2010 in Fine Woodworking that said dilute with 25% mineral oil and then later wipe with Naphtha once dry. BIG mistake. Won't get into it. Still bitter. Apparently though, it's hard to apply shellac on large surfaces?
So here I am asking the experts. Do I really need to break out my HVLP spray gun and section off my garage? Or am I doing something wrong? Have any tips?
Paul

Thanks for delivering this content. I’ve learned a lot and I think I’ve listened to every episode.
My question is about which router table to purchase. I have an old Rockler—they’re cheapest model. Looking to upgrade and considering 3 models in particular: Woodpeckers, Incra, and JessEm https://jessem.com/products/ultimate-excel-ii-package
I believe Guy has both the woodpeckers and the incra and would like to hear from all of you what you have and what you would recommend.
Part 2 of my question is I would like to add dovetail joinery to my repertoire, and was considering the incra router table (with the super system LS17 fence) specifically because of its setup for doing that. Is that a good way to go or should I buy a stand alone dovetail jig and if so which one? The other things I use my router table for are raised panel cabinet doors, dados, and obviously edge treatment.
I’m a hobbyist trying to make this a full time job and primarily build cabinets and cabinet based furniture at this point. Have also done a bed and some tables (dining, and smaller). Sorry to be so long winded, I very much appreciate your input.
-Austin, AJ Squared Woodworks

Huys Questions:

Hey guys, really enjoy the podcast. I hear you were low on questions and I had a couple so I thought I would send them.
First question. I am looking to build a bed for me and my wife. How can I determine the best wood to make it from? Cost is much more a factor than how it looks. Another factor is we are heavyset people and I want to be sure it's not going to break while we are on it, sleeping or otherwise. ;P
Second question. I want to make the bed in the style that I have seen on my IG feed, with castle joints. My concern is, when you cut the notches, aren't you weakening that piece of wood? I assume you would want the notch on the top for the side rails where some of the weight would be carried. But in a joint like that, I have always wondered if that type of joint would weaken the piece with the notch taken out of the bottom half.
Thanks Gents! -Jacob

Hi guys! Thanks for continuing to put on an informative podcast, always a pleasure to listen to.
I have a question about dovetail jigs. I make a good amount of furniture pieces with drawers and am looking to potentially get a dovetail jig for drawers. 99% of my drawers are made of 1/2” stock. I have no desire to handcut, time and accuracy are important. I’ve heard these jigs can be a pain to set up but I’d imagine once set up it might be worth it. Any recommendations on a particular jig?
Thanks! Lindsey

Great First Projects, Hobby As A Side Hustle And Where Is Guy? Jun 16, 2023

Brians Questions:

Hi again guys, And thank you for contiuing to make THE BEST woodworking podcast. I have an 8" benchtop style crappy planer(jointer) thicknesser combo machine. The cheap ones you find in lots of colors. It has straight blades and quite short in and outfeed tables. I also have an Axminster AT330ST thicknesser, large lunchbox style, 330mm capacity with a spiral cutter head. I generally do my edge jointing on the table saw with a sled. First of all. When do you choose to skip plane instead face jointing the board first? And second: Would you do it differently with my setup. Thanks again, Gøran Eliassen Nomad Makes

Love the podcast, I have a small unheated shop in Northern Canada. I've learned that during the winter months I need to bring in all my glues and finishes as they don't respond well to freezing. I also learned the hard way that my warm glue on frozen wood doesn't work either. My question is, how long should the glue set before I can return it to freezing conditions? I usually try for 24 hours but this can create long delays in projects and fills my house with glue up panels. Also is there a type of glue that would work best in freezing conditions. CA glue works fine, but isn't strong enough for panel glue ups or assembly. - Ben

Thought this might be a fun question. If you aren't familiar with the phrase "the cobbler's children have no shoes," it often means that you are taking care of other's needs before your own. But it can also be used to mean something that everyone expects of you in your field/craft that you have never done. For example, I always hear that everyone's first project is a cutting board, but I was in the craft for years before I made one! And I've yet to cut a mortise and tenon! So, what haven't you made that everyone would think you had, or what skill do you not have that it would be assumed you do? Peter Downing @mr.downing.woodworking on Instagram

Huy's Questions:

Hey guys! I appreciate your podcast and always look forward on listening to the latest episodes! I am a hobby woodworker who has done some commission builds. As my hobby is turning into a side hustle more and more I am wondering at what point do I make it “official”. I live in the Nashville, TN area and there is a strong market for custom woodworking. Whilst I don’t “need” the money, the thought of fueling my hobby and having the extra cash seems viable. Have any of you became an LLC or setup a DBA? Are there benefits on doing so even if my business would stay relatively small? Again, love the podcast and thank you for your contribution to the community! God Bless! -Will

Great podcast! I am looking for your opinions on a good set of brad point drill bits that won't break the bank. I've been using a set from Harbor Freight, and I would like to step up in quality. I'm a hobbyist who doesn't need the best, just decent quality. Any ideas? -Dan

I think that my next tool purchase might be for a tracksaw-like guide for a circular saw or something similar. We sometimes run into situations where we need to rip a straight line. This would actually be more for ‘carpentry’ applications than fine ‘woodworking’. Things like ripping a long 2x6 or 2x8 at an angle, or rip a sheet of plywood in the field (so portability and reasonable durability would be important). Whatever we buy would be used by a lot of different guys and we’d keep it in our shared workshop. Most of the guys have Dewalt circular saws but several guys have other brands (Milwaukee, Ridgid, etc.). So the track would have to be adjustable for the bases of the various saws. I’ve spent zero time investigating this. Thought I’d start here. Any recommendations? - Mark

Big Tools In A Small Shop, Shellac Finish, Tool Reviews and MORE! Jun 02, 2023

Brians Questions:

I hear a lot of talk on forums and social media about buying smaller tools to make more room in your shop. I can see how something like a 52 inch rip fence will take up more room but in my little pea brain it takes as much room to plane and joint a 4 foot board on a 72 inch bed jointer and a 15 inch planer and it does a 46 inch bed jointer and a lunch box planer. Am I wrong? Should I take this into consideration when buying tools? I'm fortunate to have a 1000 sqft shop so space isn't necessarily at a premium but I'll also be shop building large built in closets and wine rooms and such so it may get tighter than I think. Thanks for all the info and keep it up. Michael

I know how to sand through the grits. And I know why to sand through the grits. But how long (in general) should you stay at each grit? Obviously higher grits are easy. I usually stay there until any major imperfections are smoothed out. But as I progress, I’m always thinking I should stay there for one more round. Especially at my final grit. Normally I just keep going until the piece “feels” nice and smooth and flat. So far that’s worked for me. I’m sure I’m overthinking it, but figured I’d ask the experts what they do. I’m using an Orbital sander by the way. Sorry for the long winded question, you obviously don’t have to read all that. I ramble haha. Thanks so much. Mick at Broken Levee Woodworks

Guys Questions:

Hey guys and Guy. I’m building a dining table for a friend out of walnut and quarter sawn WO and am starting to think about applying finish. I’m wondering about applying a couple of coats of shellac to deepen the grain and following up with water based poly for the top coat(s). After hearing Guy tout the water based conversion varnish, I’m considering the General Finishes product that has the catalyst you have to mix in. Is that what you use Guy? As far as the shellac, is that a bad idea? I don’t feel confident getting an even coat, especially on the top, using a hand application so I would like to spray. Does that sound feasible? I also don’t want to change the color, jus deepen the grain so what flavor of shellac and cut should I use? Enjoy you guys a lot. My favorite woodworking podcast. Tom Bigmuddy Woodworks

Hey fellas, I have a question about the Domino 500 and 700. What rule(s) of thumb do you use for when to use the 700 instead of the 500 when it's not an obvious situation? Other than the 3rd's of the stock thickness. Thanks for all of your different points of view on how to tackle situations we find ourselves in. Matt in AL

Huy's Questions:

Where do you find the most objective tool reviews? Have a great day Chuck

Alabama ww said he has done half blind dovetails where you cut thru dovetails and add an 1/8 piece on the front. Could you expand on your process for doing this specifically adding the false front and getting it flush to sub front sides. Thank you, Schatz

Best HVLP Finish, Norm Abrams, Conventions/Shows and MORE! May 19, 2023

Guy's Questions:

Hi all: First, I love the podcast. I listen to several others as well. This is by far the best, the Premier podcast on woodworking. Your focus on the questions is outstanding. I know that you repeat yourselves often but it it is so helpful to those of us that are trying to learn the craft. I learn something every time I listen. Thanks! My question has to do with spraying a finish. I just bought my first HVLP sprayer. I’ve watched many of the YouTube videos on the basic process with regard to how to tune the gun and the process and motion of applying the finish. Many of the finishes today, especially water based finishes, dry very quickly. So what do you do between coats? Do you always breakdown and clean the gun and all of the other components? Is there some tricks that you use to keep the gun clean and ready for the next coat, without breaking it all down and starting a new? Thanks again, Joe

Hey guys. I've been watching all the New Yankee Workshop episodes as they're being released on YouTube lately. Interesting to see how Norm did things back then, including how some of his techniques evolved over the years. One thing he almost always does is pin his tenons with dowels. I don't see this much today unless it's a draw bore, which I don't see Norm do ever. (This pinning is almost always followed up with one of Norm's favorite phrases, "That's never coming apart!") I guess the question is, should we be pinning tenons? Only in specific circumstances? Only if a draw bore? Peter

Infinity tools pro router table package with 3 1/4 Triton or a Grizzly G1035 shaper that can still run 1/2" router bits. Always lots of talk about router tables but never anything about smaller shapers. I found this podcast a while ago and have made my way through all the episodes, I really appreciate all the great content, keep it up. Mike

Huy's Questions:

Hey guys! I know you asked for more questions so I am going to try to help. I have a question about applying Odies Oil with a buffer. I’ve been using Odies because it’s too much work making a spray booth for spray finishing in my woodshop. I have applied Odies by hand with success but it’s a lot of buffing work. Gem buffers are pretty expensive, has anyone tried putting a hook and loop pad on a car buffer and just put a non woven pad on it? Big Cedar table Co.

Can you give any recommendations of hardwoods you enjoy to make furniture with? Alot of the furniture I've built in my house has been made from Walnut, White oak and cherry and am looking for something new. I'm looking to build some new furniture for my basement (tv stand, coffee table, maybe a dry bar to match species) but am looking for something new to use other than those stated above. Thanks for all you do. Paul Genereux at Twin Lake Woodshop

Hey, guys. Love the show. Appreciate the fact that you answer questions and although there is a little banter between the three of you, it doesn't dominate the podcast as other shows do. I want to attend a "convention" for woodworkers and am curious if you have suggestions on what would be a good convention for woodworkers to attend. Thanks in advance! Greg

Table Saw Safety, Dream Projects, Cheap Sprayers and MORE! May 05, 2023

Brians Questions:

I inherited my dad’s woodworking tools almost 20 years ago. I’ve upgraded several tools over the years. Most significantly, I replaced his Craftsman contractor table saw with a Sawstop PCS 175 5 years ago. I bought it for the safety mechanism, but I’ve really enjoyed using a cabinet saw. While I consistently use the riving knife, I have seldom used the blade guard cover. I like being able to clearly see the blade meeting the wood. Question/topic: how do you balance safety and convenience in your woodshop? Thank you. Chuck

Guys Questions:

Hey Gentleman (and Guy), Thanks for the great podcast. I'm lucky enough to be able to pester Guy directly with my questions, and he's gracious enough to answer them. Do you have any "Dream Projects"? Something that you have always wanted to build, but just haven't had the time or resources to do it? Think you will ever get to it? Thanks again for sharing all your knowledge, look forward to hearing your answers -Theo

I've heard at least one of you maybe Guy in the beginning say there were quite a few years that went by without a table saw in the shop. I very recently took a big step and got a rikon 14" deluxe band saw as well as the Makita track saw. My table saw is a deplorable early 90's job site Makita. really bad fence zero dust collection tiny arbor. It works but guy has maybe once compared a Cadillac vs a pinto and I own the table saw pinto that got into a wreck and then blew up and Given my two recent big purchases what would you say my big limitations are by not having a serious table saw? Can I get by wanting to make boxes? Can I get by without another big purchase such as a table saw? What do you guys see as limitations given my recent purchases? Jim

Huys Questions:

Hey all, another question. I'm wanting to get into spraying finish, I've seen the option and have heard decent things about the harbor frieght paint sprayer with regulator which is like 30$. I'm wondering what you guys think of it or if any of you have experiences with it? I have a 30 gal air compressor and I'm only looking at small pieces up to a night stand size, so I think that should suffice? I would love to get a 4 stage but that is very much out of the question price wise. Also I'm looking to mostly spray Shelac and conversion varnish. How easy is it to clean? Guy makes it sound extremely easy so I'm curious if Guy or Hue have any videos about cleaning? Sorry I know it's long winded but thank you guys for what you do! Look forward to hearing the answers. Blairswoodshop

I have a question about "refinishing" a shelf. I built a floating shelf out of walnut about 2 years ago and did miter-folded edges all the way around. It's a small shelf, only 32" long, 3" tall face, and 6" deep. My wife would like the same size shelf in white oak. Could i sand back the finish and veneer it in white oak? Or do I need to start from scratch and build a new shelf? Brian

Scrap Wood Projects, Online Classes, Drying Lumber and MORE!! Apr 21, 2023

Brians Questions:

Hey guys, Got another one for ya. I have never used real hardwood for a project. Everything I have done so far has been with random scraps, pine or plywood. I was wondering what you guys would suggest as a good first project using hardwood. I do have a small variety pack of 3 species I picked up from woodcraft a while back that was on sale. 3 small boards that are essentially 2' 1x4's. Couldn't tell you what species they are at this point. I had thought about starting out by making a simple wood mallet using these. As a companion question. What general advice would you give someone just starting out. I don't have a planer or joiner so where should I get my hardwood? Do typical wood suppliers have an option to purchase already dimensioned lumber? I know a big box store is always an option. What species would you recommend getting started with? Any other helpful tips for this rookie? Thanks again, Jon

Guys Questions:

Hello gents, My wife creates some really detailed pyrography on offcuts from my woodworking projects. Usually I give them a light coating of linseed oil or tung oil but We’ve found over time, and in particular when in direct sunlight, that the burnt image fades quite a lot. Any ideas on a finish that would help prevent or reduce this fading? Thanks Adam (listener from the UK)

Hey all this is Mason with Blairswoodshop again. I've been thinking of more questions to ask and I have a couple. I'll start with this one and send the others later. I've been seeing a lot of advertising from finewoodworking magazine about some online courses. I'm actually quite interested. I live in a rual area of Missouri and before that I was in a rural area of Southern California. So any kind of in-person class is always a 2-3 hour drive away. I know there is a lot of experience lost with the lack of hands on and in person instruction, but do you all still think there is something to be gained through online live instruction? Most of my experience is through hours of research, reading, listening to this podcast, YouTube, and hands on experience. I feel I could learn some processes faster even through a camera, where my questions can be answered directly at that moment. Sorry about the long winded question, but I am curious of what you guys think?

Huys Questions:

Huy, Guy, Newbie Brian - First off let me apologize for taking a month off from my regular queries. I had to go ahead and dodge a process server after my 7 year old made me get my wife a toilet seat heater for Christmas. Second, Happy New Year to you and yours. May your 2023 be filled with etcetera. Third, I got a hot one for you. Had a 30" diameter beech tree taken down out of my deck (it was growing through it), and saved the bottom 10'. Borrowed my buddy's chainsaw and Alaskan mill and slabbed it up into 8/4. Here is my conundrum. I am 95% sure I will use all but two slabs as milled lumber to make a big dresser. Would you, if you were in my size 13's, mill the lumber to rough size green/now, and then air dry it, or dry it as stacked slabs and then mill it? I can see advantages and disadvantages to both approaches, I'm leaning towards leaving it as slabs only because beech is notorious for twisting as it dries, and I feel like less mass moves easier. But then I consider that if it has innate tension, it's going to move when I mill it, no matter what. I have a whole bunch of other questions but I like a nice lead-in to warm up the audience, so I'll send them individually. You guys breaking trying to break up a multi-parter would just throw off my flow. Love you miss you. Tom @figurawoodwork

I use Odie’s oil. I don’t like it for furniture at all though. I think it looks nice, but I question the durability. That said, I do use it on pens that I sell. You do not get a high shine, but it does leave a nice, natural looking finish with a moderate shine. Plus it applies super easily and seems durable enough for my pens. I was wondering if you guys had a take on hard wax oils for wood turnings. We don’t talk about lathe work a lot. Dillon

Off Brand Tools, Perfect Drawer Slides, Selling Your Work For $$$, And MORE! Apr 07, 2023

Brians Questions:

Does a combination square needs to be a Starrett ($$$$) or we clan go with cheaper brands. Kind regards from São Paulo - Brazil.

Hey guys, quick question for you. I have an old grizzly 20" planer and I want to resaw some wood on my bandsaw down to 1/2" and 1/4" pieces. The bandsaw is from 1943 and doesn't leave the best finish. The minimum thickness on the planer is 1/2" but I see the piece do some shimmying when I put stock that thin through there. What's the best way to finish planing the stock and finishing it off without access to a drum sander? Any tips would be much appreciated. Love the show and keep up the good work! JARED

Guy's Questions:

Hey guys. I have been wanting to ask this for a while now. I have been asked by my wife to build dresser for our bedroom. This would be my first time building drawers. I have the cabinet built and the drawer boxes built. But when I put the slides on the drawers just don’t glide like I would think they would. I mean some of them do. I am just not sure what I am doing wrong. I have checked all my spacing for the openings. Could it be my boxes are not square? What is the best way to get them square? Nick.

I've been listening for a few years now, and have learned a lot. My most pressing question is about finishing. Recently l've built a couple kitchen tables that I really wanted to be special and put a lot of time into them. I thought everything turned out great, but at the final step, topcoating, I got a lot of streaking - more so than I've gotten before (although this is a bigger surface area project than I've ever done). I stained it, then used AquaCoat water-based grain filler (which left a few minor streaks across the grain that I couldn't sand out, but I can live with that), and then 3 coats of ArmRSeal satin. After the 3rd coat I had a dull sheen in one spot and so gave it a 4th coat of satin, pretty thick this time, and the sheen streaking got worse. Am assuming that I need to sand it down (and hopefully not get down into the stain) and start again. Someone suggested gloss or semi-gloss ArmRSeal and then a final coat with satin. Is there an easier solution - buff it out?? Mark Schmidt

Huy's Questions:

Hello gentlemen. I stumbled across your podcast a few months ago and have been enjoying it ever since. I apologize I have not spent a lot of time going back through older episodes, so this question may have come up already. I’ve been woodworking as a hobby for several years now and enjoy it as my creative outlet. I prefer making smaller pieces as opposed to big furniture but have dabbled with both as gifts and favors to friends. In 2023 I’d like to start turning this into a small business. I enjoy my day job, so this would be more of a side hustle to make enough money to buy more wood and tools (and maybe whiskey 😉). Do you have any tips or tricks for getting started selling projects? Facebook marketplace seems like a dead zone and Etsy seems saturated. Thanks, and I appreciate any advice you have on this subject. Nick Hellman

I am slowly trying to turn my tiny shed into a shop. It is coming along but is not climate controlled. I was recently glueing up some thin strips of wood for an accent on a holiday gift. I live in Oregon, about an hour east of Portland. It doesn’t get super cold here usually, but that week was a bit colder than usual. Anyway, when I went to trim up the strips they came apart where they were glued up. The glue didn’t bond at all. There was just white remnants of dry glue. After asking a friend who is a professional woodworker and reading the label I learned that you can’t use wood glue below 46°. The bottle says not to let it freeze. My friend told me once the bottle freezes it is not good anymore. I bought a new bottle and am keeping it inside the house and doing glue ups inside until the spring. Is this true that once the bottle freezes it’s no good? Any advice for working in the winter in an unheated shop? Should I worry about the wood moving when I bring it inside? Any other products I should worry about in cold temps? Thanks. Happy New Year! Jon Moch

Cabinet Construction, Tablesaw Jigs, Keeping Your Fingers Attached and MORE!! Mar 24, 2023

Guy's Questions:

Good afternoon Gentlemen, Thank you for your podcast, I really appreciate it, and you fellows. Long story short, I am a re-engaging woodworker after taking a 20 year hiatus. Due to life requirements and work travel frequency, I was unable to keep up my hobby. I now have the time (and hopefully will NEVER have to fly somewhere for work again) to start anew. Things have changed quite a bit in past couple decades, and so have my interests in terms of wood working. Over my hiatus, I sold some of my equipment in hopes the machines would be used instead of sitting idle and it is time to re-equip my shop needs with eliminated tools and new needs. My tool requirements are also much different today, then they were 20 years ago. One requirement I now have is a drum sander. I don't have the desire to rotate any work (key point), and want to acquire a machine that fits my specific needs, thus an 18" capability is perfect for what my new woodworking interests require. I also refuse to take any advice from boob tube woodworkers recommendations, as it seems that 90% of the creators I find may have started out providing woodworking content, but they mostly all just become prejudiced tool reviewers who conflict each other based on who is giving them free tools or paying them. I have lost a lot of respect for some woodworkers on YouTube who used to be considered by me as inspirations in their early YouTube careers, no longer. With that said, I have trimmed my interest list down to a Jet 1836 and Supermax 19-38. I imagine some or all of you have had experience with both, and would like your feedback. I am not currently considering models with moving/height adjustable belts such as the shop fox/grizzly, however if you have anything to add on those, it would be nice to hear. Glad you have a new host, it seems like he may be a great fit for the podcast. Well wishes to all of you, and Guy, I hope your health is well.

Kurtis Van Kampen

You fellas have filled my head with hours and hours of information. You’re truly the best Podcast I’ve found. So before Guy’s head begins to swell, on with the question. I’ve started watching Nee Yankee workshop again now they I actually have a 520 sqft shop to work out in. In the first season Norm used what he called a panel cutting jig for the table saw. The fence of the jig was located on the blade side rather than the operator side like the modern crosscut sled. This jig is dead simple being made of only three boards. I had big plans to make a modern crosscut sled (not the aircraft carrier) with all the bells and whistles. Now I’m completely rethinking my next table saw jig. Since Guy (like myself) is the only one of you old enough to remember the first episode, this should probably be HIS question. Keep up the great work fellows. I appreciate what each of you bring to the table. -Bryan

Huy's Questions:

I’d first like to say that I listen to a bunch of other woodworking podcasts as well, but of all of them, yours has the lowest level of useless off-topic banter. Keep up the good work. I have a question about the usage of my shop air cleaner. It’s a Jet AFS-1000B, and my ceiling is only 7’6”, so can’t hang it from there. So I have it on a roll-around cart. My shop is 13’ x 17’. I don’t have a central dust collection system, but for the following tools I hook up my shop vac to the tool: table saw, planer, drum sander, router table and random orbit sander. I also have a circular saw, a handheld router, a jigsaw, a drill press, a belt sander and a palm sander. My question is, for which tools should I be turning on the air cleaner, and on which setting? (it has low, medium and high settings) And how long should I keep it on for after the tool has been turned off? Thanks. Steve

My perception is that the people who seem to get hurt the most are woodworking professionals who become too comfortable/familiar with machines. Is that a fair assessment? [I am a hobbyist woodworker.] FYI, on 3 I am just asking for a comment on my observation. Have a great day Chuck

Brians Questions:

First, love the podcast and thank you! Question: I’m building a 28 foot table. I’m thinking that I will essentially build 4 table tops and connect them with ‘double breadboards’ with runners between the tressels (5). Thoughts? Back story: I am a veteran and I run a program that addresses PTSD, Substance Abuse and homelessness in the the veteran community. An essential component is that the veterans cook meals and eat together and as the program has grown, there is an assortment of tables in the house and I want too big a build one. I am an average woodworker and I can do the basics. It doesn’t have to be piece of art, just chunky and uniform. Also, there’s not a big endless budget so I am doing what I can. The vision: I fhave to build it in my garage and put it together on site. 28 feet long, 38 inches wide (the space dictates it). The only way I can work out the jointing is a double breadboard end that joins each section. I thought about end jointing with dowels alternating the lengths of the boards so there was no single joint across the length of the board which was quite the puzzle to figure out. 5 trestles essentially spaced under the middle breadboards with 2 runners supporting the table between legs and one runner connecting the legs 1/3 up from the bottom of the leg. Craig laseur

Hi Guys, I love your podcast. I have listened to every single episode! Please keep them coming! I was listening to Episode 114 about the domino tips and I am now thinking of completing my kitchen cabinet project using dominoes instead of pocket screws for the cabinet construction as I already own a domino. I was curious as to how Brian prefers to assemble cabinets. I have already watched Guy's videos! ;) Do you use the domino? How do you go about end panel construction? How do you finish your cabinets? Any tips you can provide is greatly appreciated! Thanks, Natasha Round Lake, Ontario, Canada

Jointing Edges, Painted Furniture, Is It Still Handmade? and MORE! Mar 10, 2023

Brian's Questions:

Hey Guys! Love the podcast. Long time listener, first time asking a question! I am looking for recommendations on how to remove saw marks after ripping pieces to final width on the table saw. I recently built a couple rocking chairs for my kiddos, and was looking for a super smooth surface finish on all four sides. My solution was to joint and plane the parts on 3 sides and then rip a 1/32 or so oversized. After that I set my jointer to 1/32 and ran the cut edge back over the jointer to remove the saw. This m I recently scored a router table on Facebook marketplace for $500. Woodpecker PRL 1 lift, Incra jig ultra fence, and Porter Cable 3.25 horse router. 1, what's your favorite lubricant for threaded parts like router lifts and table saw arbor tilts? 2, Other than keeping them clear of dust so they don't over heat is there any other maintenance to extend the life of a router? They don't make the Porter Cable routers anymore so I want to keep it in top condition. - Tylerethod seems to work nicely. I am using a Jet cabinet saw and not matter how much I try to adjust it, I can never seem to get a rip without at least a few saw marks. Just looking for ways to improve my efficiency while in the shop! Thanks again Dylan.

Hey guys, You said you needed more questions so here ya go... I have a couple hundred bucks left over from my December birthday and Christmas haul that I plan to spend on woodworking supplies/tools. I keep a running wish list throughout the year of various woodworking things I "need" So there is no shortage of things I could spend it on, however I don't want to waste it. That has encouraged me to just sit on it for now and I feel like I'm at a bit of a crossroads. Do I simply save it and put it towards a big more expensive tool down the road (for example I don't currently have any kind of planer or joiner). Or do I use it to buy some of the less sexy but more useful day to day items that every shop should have (i.e. better bits, blades, consumables, jigs, etc...) For reference: At this point in my woodworking career I do mostly hobbyist/DIY level work. I have either budget or second hand versions of most basic hand and power tools and the basic bigger tools (Benchtop Drill Press, Contractor Saw, Miter Saw) I would love to delve in to the more serious side of woodworking one day, so I do have a goal of getting a planer and joiner down the road. But realistically I know if one fell down from the heavens in to my shop tomorrow it wouldn't get used immediately. Regardless of my own personal decisions I thought it would be cool to get y'alls take on what you would consider the top small ticket items that every shop should have. I think we all get more excited about big expensive tools, because frankly it's more fun, but for people like myself just getting started on this journey it can be easy to miss the basics as a result of that excitement. Thanks for being so awesome, Jon

Guy's Questions:

Good day fellas, Been listening for a while, and really enjoy the podcast. Here is my problem/question. For Christmas this past year I made a few cutting boards as gifts using Maple, Walnut and a few pieces of Purple Heart. In my design process I managed to make one of the cutting boards slightly too big to fit (on first glue up) through my Dewalt DW735 planer. In order to save some time, I just ran the piece through the table saw to get the over width down to just under 13". On the first pass through the planer, everything went as planned. The second pass through didnt go so great. At around ¾ of the way through, the planer dug into the piece and put some pretty nasty snipe into the piece. Id say around 4-5" from the end of the board, and almost 1/8" deep. What would cause that to happen? Narrower pieces that ive ran through after havent given me any snipe since. Is it due to me using the entire 13" of the cutter head? Because of my snipe issue, im really hesitant on running anything wide through the planer now. I want to experiment using some cheaper wood, but just havent found the time to do so yet. Thanks for the help. - Dwayne

Hey guys, heard you are in need of some questions from the last show, so thought I would send one your way. What do you think is the best paint for furniture that will see use and abuse? I’ve been experimenting with some different options and haven’t found anything that I think I will stick with, and I do not want to put a clear coat over the paint. Looking for something very hard and durable, as the next time I need it will be for chairs. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Huy's Questions:

When does something cross the line between being 'handmade' and 'machine made'? My nephew had a CNC machine and advertised the products as 'handmade.' Is this all subjective anyways? Have a great day Chuck

Yes or No to a RouterTable, Track Saws, Bubbles and MORE! Feb 24, 2023

Brians Questions:

Hi Friends: I really enjoy every podcast you guys put out. Thanks to Brain for stepping up to be the third host. He seems to be a natural with podcasting and teaching woodworking techniques. My question is related to tool choice. I am currently planning to build out a router table into the black phenolic extension table for my sawstop PCS 175. I have the 36inch cut capacity. I have seen videos on modifiying the extension table and dropping in a router lift. It seems like a great shop space saver. I have two questions for you guys. Do you think there is any value in having a stand alone router table? or is modifying the phenolic table a reasonable approach. I plan to build a custom fence to attach to the sawstop fence. My second question is - how important is it to buy a full size (3.25hp) router versus just getting a mid size router (2.25hp)? I currently have the milwaukee battery powered palm router (1.25hp) which has been useful but I want the accuracy and stability of a router table. The bulk of my work is edging and dados, but I would like the capacity to do raised panel cabinet doors and even to take my router out of the table and eventually build a flattening jig for large slabs. Is 2.25hp enough for these tasks? I am a hobbyist and don't have any production needs for this setup but don't want to be limited. Accuracy is important to me so I am going to go with a lift rather than buying a router with a base that can be screwed onto a table (like the triton). One issue is that a lift + router setup for a 2.25hp router is about $350 and for 3.25hp, I'm looking at $800+. Thaks in advance for your thoughts Sincerely, Jeremy Los Angeles, CA

ey guys I just wrote in and submitted a question but I do have another which I hope can be answered I’m building a kitchen table, 36x60” with a 1.5” top. The table is being made out of Rustic Rift Sawn White Oak Question is what is the best or a best method to ensure the top stays flat. This is in San Diego, Ca so weather/ humidity changes are the quite mild. I was thinking maple cleats across the bottom/ not glued but screwed allowing for movement. Any suggestions would be great Thanks and can’t wait for the next episode Nicholas

Guy's Questions:

1. What are the best responses to people who want you to make them something (usually for little or nothing)? [Most people are clueless regarding the effort and expense it takes to make something nice.] Have a great day Chuck

Hello all, the WoodMech here, I just purchased a ts55 festool tracksaw with the 55” guide rail for my kitchen remodeling project. I was wondering how accurate joining two tracks together compared to having the longer track? I was thinking about getting the guide rail with the shelf pin spacing holes and using that as the extension for cutting length wise on sheets of plywood. What are your thoughts or experiences? Thanks for the great show! Jeff Baran

Huy's Questions:

Gentlemen and Guy :) Have been listening for about a year and this is still the best woodworking podcast out there. I'd also like to thanks Sean for his contributions and welcome Brian to the show! My question is, there are so many woodworking content makers out there today. Who are the woodworkers that you guys follow ?? Second question... Assume you have become retired and now have lots of time on your hands. What woodworking projects would you work on? Would you go into production work and sell your goods, custom furniture??? What would be your ultimate retired woodworking project??? Thanks ! Liam Indianapolis, IN

So I'm having trouble with bubbles. Both when I'm using epoxy and fast drying/instant glue (Starbond) any advice on how to avoid them? I'm not doing large pours, this is simply some gap filling and knot hole stabilization. With the Starbond I do use their accelerator, but I've done it with and without, and it doesn't seem to make a difference w/r/t the bubbles. Also, how do you get the glue/epoxy down into a pin hole? Mark Bett

Finding Shop Time, Using Dowels, Securing Table Legs AND MORE! Feb 10, 2023

Brians Questions:

Good evening everyone, Wanted to reach out to you about time in the shop. Im expecting my second child in a matter of days and was curious how you all find/found time in the shop with little kids running around and being constantly tired? My second question is a follow up regarding a question you all read regarding "Box Materials" on October 20th. Loved the double answer but was looking for Drawer box material to use. BB (or whatever you can find now) or a hardwood? Thanks, Paul at Twin Lake Woodshop

Hey guys love the podcast. I have been listening for a while now and hear you need some questions. What has been your favorite thing to build and why? something you’ve built in the past or even something you would like to build in the future. Please share how you built it (or want to build it) and what it was (or will be) enjoyable about the project. Thanks for all the great content and hopefully I’ll bring some more specific questions in the near future. -Nicholas

Guys Questions:

Long time listener, first time caller. You guys have mentioned water-based conversion varnish and that you can get it pigmented. I hate painting woodworking projects, but the wife wants what she wants. Why do you prefer conversion varnish and is there a certain product you prefer? I have a five stage Apollo sprayer, so spraying shouldn't be a problem. I live on the southside of Indianapolis so it isn't the easiest place to get supplies. Thanks, Geoff

Hi Fellas, I found the podcast a few months ago and have been really enjoying it. Thanks for the great content and knowledge. I am very much a novice woodworker so I have lots of questions. Sounds like you need questions and I would love some answers so maybe we can all come out on top here. Probably me more than you. Question #1 of 2. I have a little doweling jig, I think from Rockler. It gets the job done, but just barely. I would really like to upgrade to something that is more efficient but more importantly, that is more versatile. I want something with adjustable height and that can do acute angles. I would love a domino but its out of my price range right now. I saw that grizzly, triton and mafell all make a doweling joiner similar to a domino. Yes, one of these things is not like the other. The mafell looks incredible but it costs more than the domino. The triton and grizzly look fine and are very reasonably priced but the reviews tell me they probably aren’t worth spending the money. The dowelmax system looks great but its only does 90° and 45°, and you have to buy the 45° adapter plate. After all that, I may as well save a little longer and get the domino. My questions is: should I risk it with the triton, get a biscuit joiner (which I’m worried won’t have enough strength for certain applications) or just keep saving and get a domino down the road? Or is there another product I don’t know about? Thanks. Happy New Year! Jon Moch

Huy's Questions:

I have been given a mission to make a wooden serving dish. The shape is basically an elongated oval. Dimensions are 21" x 9" x 1 1/2". My patron (hum hum) called the design a fish platter. Wood will probably be walnut. The walls of the dish are to be sloped and just slightly curved. With some hand work I think I can achieve the outside wall of the dish. The issue creating the most questions for me is how to do the inside wall of the dish. I have seen plenty of bowl and tray bottom router bits. All cut a vertical wall. Bevel router bits I have seen have a bearing on the bottom. The bearing would interfere with the bottom of the dish. Because of the inside and outside curve of the wall I doubt if making a custom scratch stock would yield good results. I don't want to get into the CNC rabbit hole. Any thoughts? You have a great podcast and provide a valuable service to the wood working community. Cheers, Bob

On one of the kitchen tables that I made I used mortise-and-tenon joinery, which turned out well, with everything plumb, and then to make sure it was strong I also put in a corner brace cut at 45-degrees, screwed into the skirt on each side, and then ran a cabinet screw through that corner brace into the leg. I left a small gap, about 1/16" between the corner brace and the leg. When I tightened up the braces the legs splayed out a little bit, making them not quite plumb. My concern with seeing the leg move is that I may have stressed the tenons (although I didn't hear any cracking). Is the best practice to omit this corner bracing when doing mortise-and-tenon tables? Mark Schmidt

Assembly Tables, Shop Furniture, 3D Printing and MORE! Jan 27, 2023

Guys Questions:

Hey guys. I just finished listening to your latest podcast, really good information and insight as usual. I'm still a novice user of the Domino so really enjoyed the tips and tricks you provided in answering a Domino related question. You mentioned being very short on questions so I'm going to send a similar question to one sent a couple of months ago that didn't get answered. I built an outfeed table a couple of years ago to use solely as an extension of my table saw. Now I find that I use it for glue-ups, as an assembly table and just about every other task. The table is roughly 44" x 44". I would now like to rebuild it as a true multi-functional table with the proper hold-downs and clamping devices and could use some design advice from you based upon the pros and cons you find with your own MFT's. One particular area I'm interesting in is the size of dog holes to use (imperial vs metric) and some recommendations on the type of dogs and clamping devices I should buy to get the best use of the MFT. Thanks again for having by far the best woodworking podcast available. And Brian, welcome to the team. Jack Francis Geneva, IL

Happy New Year Guys, and welcome Brian. Guy and Huy have been kind enough to answer a number of my questions in the past (and Huy has always been helpful in making me spend money lol). With my last question you helped me convince myself to invest in a CNC which is on order now, and after watching Guy’s video on his 3D Printer (and he was kind enough to answer a question on the video for me) I was wondering if you three would expand on your thoughts on CNC, 3-D printing, and Lasers in the wood shop for the hobbyist woodworking. I foresee having all three in my arsenal at some point in the near future. Thanks as always and I look forward to your insights, Doug

Brians Questions:

Fellow travelers on this path of wood- First off, there has to be a better way of saying that. Secondly, I don't think I have told you recently how much I am enjoying the podcast, and your new addition Brian. At first I was like "two hosts from Indiana and I don't even believe that state actually exists," but you've won me over. On to my question. I find myself wanting maple doors for my house, but I need...13 to start for the upstairs. And I want them to be curly maple. So, because I got into woodworking to save money (duh), I'm going to build them myself. 4-panel Shaker style interior doors ranging from 24" to 36" wide. Would you recommend using maple ply for the panels, or glueing up stock? Honestly my concern isn't so much wood movement as the P.I.T.A. it would be to make all those panels (Pain in the...). And while we are on the subject of pains in the posterior, would you recommend a Domino or Lamello, save me a few minutes on those mortice and tenons, or just jig it up? Unfortunately I think the hand tools have to sit on the sidelines for this one. Thank you for your sage advice. Excelsior! - Tom Figura

Hi Guy, Huy, and Brian, Thank you for the very informative podcast, I’ve been listening for years. The knowledge that I’ve gained from the Woodshop Life podcast helps me make my limited time in the shop way more efficient. Thank you for generously sharing your wisdom. Question for you guys about sheet good selection. What sheet goods do you typically use for the projects in your shop and what is your thought process when deciding if if a particular project should use Baltic Birch, common 7 layer plywood, MDF, etc.? Baltic Birch is the premium grade option, but do you use it for projects such as shop cabinets, sleds, and fixtures? Thank you, Dominic Santa Cruz, CA

Huy's Questions:

Hello. My question is regarding the placement of a dust collector. I have a 250 SF shop so every SF is precious. I am a hobbyist woodworker/DIYer. My current dust collection is a shop-vac with a dust-stopper bucket separator in a cart. 1 hose, all my tools and multiple converters to fit each tool. The cart doubles as an outfeed table for the table saw. I have an open rafter ceiling with a storage floor in it (currently filled with crap I should get rid of). I am considering a more powerful collector and ducting to 2 machines (miter and table saw) and to a boom arm that can be used for miscellaneous tools (skill saw, drill press etc.). I'm looking at the Jet DC-650MK or something similar (1 -2 HP, $600 - $800ish ranges. So finally, my question: Could a system like this be mounted in that attic storage above the shop and function correctly? Any obvious issues I'd run into? I have simple pully system for getting the full bag from there to the main floor. A couple of concerns are performance issues based on the elevated height, safety (I don't really have any concerns, but this is totally a "I don't know what I don't know" situation) and???? I love the podcast guys. I binged all of your episodes during the height of the pandemic (summer of 2020) and just loved it. I took a break for more than a year but I'm back, and I'm so glad you're still here! Best regards, Michael

Hey Guys. Ive been woodworking for a couple years now and really enjoy the show to learn the fundamentals. I’m currently planning a walnut tv stand build and have a question about box bottoms. The piece will have two support legs (one on either side), a low shelf and a 8 inch deep box on the top spanning the 48 inch width between the legs. The box on the top will have a lid opening from the top similar to a blanket chest and be used to hold exercise dumbbells which collectively weight about 200 lbs. my question is… how should I make the box bottom so that it can support so much weight without any extra supports across the 48 inch span? Hardwood? plywood? Dado a groove for the bottom? From what I can tell online, it might make the most sense to use 3/4 ply and a 3/4 dado however my understand is that the recess below the dado should be the same width as the ply which will leave a 3/4 deep recess under the box that might be noticeable since it’s floating above the lower shelf. Also in a 8 inch tall box, I will be losing precious storage space quickly. I was thinking about cutting a rabbet in the ply to insert only a 1/2 inch in the groove and fill some of the recess under the box bottom but I’m not sure about strength. Maybe I could get away with just 1/2 inch ply in that case? The carcass of the rest of box will be made of solid walnut. I hope that all made sense. Thanks a lot for your thoughts. -Tyler

How Does UV Light Effect Finish, Which Style of Workbench, Sanding Tips and MORE! Jan 12, 2023

Guys Questions:

Hey gentlemen, welcome Brian. I have a commission for a big walnut slab table that will live in a nook with windows on 3 sides (lots of UV exposure). What do you recommend for finishing. I seem to recall Guy mentioning some walnut finishes don’t hold up well to UV exposure. I’m probably a month out from delivery so hopefully this makes it to the show before then! Sincerely your accidentental woodworking fabricator. Will

In the past I’ve done a few small veneering projects and am currently working on one which will require a few larger panels- about 24”x 31”. Previously I used a train-load of clamps and cauls to press the veneer but now I want to step up my game so I ordered a vacuum press. Thanks to a few of Guy’s videos the process seems pretty straightforward but I do have a question on the glue. For veneering my only experience is with Titebond cold press veneer glue with good results but in some videos I’ve seen some folks recommend Urea-formaldehyde glue - especially for larger panels. Do any of you have experience with this stuff? Sounds a bit nasty but if it’s better for the application I’ll give it a shot. Thanks! Jeffrey

Brians Questions:

Been listening to the podcast for a couple years now, and while I'm sorry to see Sean step away for now, I'm happy that you found someone willing to chip in! Two things, both mainly for Brian. One, you've mentioned that you don't have much of a social media presence or any way to really show case your work. While a lot of people do turn to Facebook, Instagram, etc. for this... I wonder if maybe simply an account on SimpleCove.com (Sean's website) might be a good fit? Two... work bench. Lots of questions - what style are you planning (Roubo, Nicholson, Moravian, Shaker, hybrid, something else?), size, what kind of wood are you thinking of using - fancy with hardwoods, or something simpler ala Siemensen's Naked Woodworker bench or Schwarz's Anarchist Workbench (both 2x construction lumber)? I think you'd mentioned still being up in the air about vise hardware - are you leaning towards wood screws like Lake Erie Toolworks, or metal like Benchcrafted? Maybe Hovarter, which has some quick-release options? And then the really big question... dog holes. Round or square? Answer carefully ;) I'm one of those people who has to fight the urge to build almost every bench design I see. Started with a Nicholson, but kind of went off in a weird direction with it and didn't like how it turned out. Deconstructed it and re-purposed most of the lumber for other projects. Couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to build next (not enough room for one of each!) so I put some inexpensive import (Yost) vises on a utility bench in the shop, and have been living with that for now. Not ideal, but it's letting me work out a few ideas on a trial basis before I have to commit. Very much looking forward to hearing (or seeing) more about your bench project! - Monte

Thank you all for spreading the knowledge and answering questions. I find myself building more cabinets lately out of plywood and I'm edge banding them with solid lumber (I go with 5/16 on the banding). I cut the banding a little wider than the sheet goods, glue it on and then trim it flush. I'm running into some issues during the trimming that I'm hoping you guys can chime in on. Often times, when I'm trimming the banding I get a little gouge here and there on the face veneer. It's not a huge deal on paint grade stuff but when I'm using something like walnut, cherry or white oak ply, it becomes a problem. What tips do you have for trimming the edge banding cleanly and efficiently without damaging the veneer? Below are some things I've tried and some of my experiences with these methods. I'm curious if you have other methods, or if you have some tips to improve what I'm already doing. Things I've tried so far: - Router balanced on the edge - so far the worst method. Too tippy and additional supports can take a while to set up, with ocasional slipups still. - Router jig - I saw Fredie @periodcraftsmen share a jig for flush triming the edge banding and I copied it. The jig has a flat wide reference face that rides on the panel face (laid flat) and it has a 90 degree fence that holds up a trim router horizontally. Using a downcut bit, the router is adjusted so that the bit is almost flush to the reference face and it trims the edgebanding protruding above the flat face. I hope you can picture that. This gives good results but I ocasionally run into issues at the start and end of the panel where the jig may want to tip a bit and bite into the face. - Tall fence on the table saw - using it kind of like an L-fence, the sacrificial face is set up above the blade and flush with the outer teeth. The panel rides the fence vertically and the edgbanding rides under the fence where it gets trimmed off. This so far gives the best results especially when I went to an extra tall fence to give it more of a bearing surface and not let the panel tip. Ocasionally the panel is a bit bowed which gives it a bit of trouble and it can be a bit unwieldy if the panel is large. Can be hard to keep it flat on a long panel. It is fast though. - Hand plane - using a block plane carefully work it down. I have still bit into it a few times when not careful but this is overall the most accurate method. It is slow though and can be a pain if there is a lot of trimming. - Bojan

Huy's Questions:

When you're building a piece of furniture (like a dresser), do you follow a specific order? Like cutting everything first, arming (make sure that everything works), disarming. Karel

I love your podcast. You try hard to fully answer questions asked and not provide flippant answers like other shows do. That’s what makes this show great. Now to my question. I have been wanting to upgrade my sanding game. I want to reduce the vibration, have it stop quickly, and produce a great result. I would love to hear your thoughts on what you look for in sanders such as the size (5 or 6 in), pad types (soft through hard), brands you have used and liked, and what brand of paper you buy. I’m starting to realize no one sander does it all anymore, so do you have a progression of sander purchases you would make for a simple furniture maker? Thanks you for anything you provide. - Brian Russell

Domino Tips, Riving Knives, Panotrouters and MUCH MORE! Dec 29, 2022

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Guy's Questions:

Hey guys, Have a, “what is your favorite finish” question. While this has been asked and answered a thousand times, I’m struggling to find a good answer for my scenario. I’m putting up a pine tongue and groove wall in a small bathroom. What would you suggest for the best and easiest application for finishing a wood bathroom wall with irregular surfaces? I want a slightly amber but not darkening, matte to approaching semi-gloss finish. I prefer to prefinish the uncut boards and cut to fit. Preferred options for finish application are either my electric spray gun or wipe on finish…although with the irregular surface I don’t want a difficult wipe on finish option. -Zack

Hey guys, I enjoy the podcast. I recently got a festool domino. I wanted to see if you guys could provide some tips that would help a new user. Also if you have bought or made some jigs that you would recommend. Thanks, Scott Birmingham, AL

Brian's Questions:

Hello! I hope you all are doing well! I live in the great state of Alabama just up the road a short bit from Huy in Toney. I greatly enjoy your podcast as it is definitely the best one on the subject of woodworking! I would consider myself a hobbyist woodworker although, I have built some commissioned pieces. I have a Ridgid contractor saw mounted to the mobile stand that it came with. I use this saw for all sorts of projects, including ripping full sheets of plywood. My question is concerning the riving knife. Are there any benefits to the dang thing? I may have bent mine during a previous operation but, it seems to me that it just gets in the way and prevents me from being able to move material smoothly through the blade and is causing burning in some or most of my cuts. Also, I am using the blade that came with the saw. Should I swap to a different blade? Is the brand of blade as important as the type of blade? Thank you very much for answering my questions and I look forward to listening to many more episodes of the podcast. Juston Bohannan

Huys' Questions:

I thought these two might lead to some good conversations. 1. If you were to build a set of dining chairs. What is your absolute tool you couldn’t do without. Would it be a domino or would you spring for a panto router. Maybe a shaper origin. 2. Besides a captured veneered panel could you get away with 1/16 veneers on one side and 3/32 backing veneers on the other side on a panel? Essentially would you veneer a panel with different thickness of veneers on either side. Reason I ask I might make a builtin shelving unit with 1/16” veneer on the front and some 3/32 backing veneer on the back side that faces the wall. It would be captured with the cabinet carcass dado so I would assume it wouldn’t potato chip. But who knows. Jesse @ beechlandfurniture

Mortise and tenon joinery, Door construction, Sharpening and MUCH MORE!! Dec 15, 2022

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Guys Questions:

Hello fellas. I greatly appreciate your show, as its the only one that I haven’t gotten tired of over the years. I’m making a chimney cupboard for the most difficult of clients – my wife. She really dislikes, frame and panel doors and wanted solid doors. So there will be two 40 inch high by 20 inch wide – full overlay doors. I’m using beautiful air dryer sinker Cypress for the entire piece. I’ve convinced her that big slabs of solid wood doors would potentially bow or twist overtime, so I have developed an idea of making each door like this - I’ve sourced a 26 inch wide 8 foot board. after milling and cutting to 44 inch pieces, I cut the middle out to be the panel and will use the adjoining pieces for the rail and styles. The panel will be tongue and grooved to sit flush with the front with the styles - with an 1/8 inch gap. Therefore, it will be a frame and panel door, but out of one piece of wood that looks solid. My question is relating to the inside panel and its thickness. It seems if I leave it thicker (currently 5/8”) it will be more prone to twisting the frame, where if I bring it down thinner like 3/8”, it may be more prone to splitting. Please let me know your thoughts . Thank you so much. Mike Sibley

Hi Gents. Love the show. I've invested in a 3 stage sprayer and have been trying it out, getting the hang of it. Any General advice to a new sprayer user? Also, while a perfect coat is the goal, would it be better to put down too much, or too little of 'sprayables'? It seems too little is much easier to fix. Usually just add another coat after it's dried. Thanks for the great show! Mark Bett

Brian's Questions:

Guy’s, I love the podcast and listen often but haven’t caught completely up yet. What is a good method of making mortise and tenon jointery with a router only? I’ve got a Bosch 1/2” router and intent to buy a router table too. I’ve seen various jigs on the market but was wondering what the best option is for the money having only a router, and small DEWALT 8.5” lunchbox table saw. I intend to build smaller household furniture such as side tables, nightstands and a dresser. Thanks for the advice, love the show, Dave Huffman

I would love to get a subscription to a woodworking magazine for my fiance for Christmas. He's a big fan of your podcast. You have mentioned one before but now I can't find it. What are your suggestions? - Lauren Zontini

Huy's Questions

I have a Dewalt 733 planer and the blades are starting to go dull. I saw online where I could build a jig out of a 2x4 by cutting 2 slots at 42 degrees angles and placing my blades inside the slots. You would then run the blades over a sharpening stone to give it a new edge. Is this a good method for sharpening my blade or should I be looking for another method. Keep making this podcast and I am sure that all of us out here listening will continue to tune in and keep asking questions. Happy Holidays to all of you Cory

Sorry if this is a repeat only mostly caught up. The wife wants a painted double dresser. I dislike painted furniture and prefer to work with maple or walnut but we compromised… so the wife’s getting a painted double dresser. I intend to use plywood since it’s a paint grade project but don’t have much experience with it. What’s a good construction method for plywood? I’ve got a small table saw, 1/2” router, kreg jig and hand tools. Can I get way with using the kreg jig and but joints for carcass construction? How about plywood drawers? I intend to use latex paint, should I add a top coat over it? Many Thanks, love the podcast Dave Huffman

We Welcome our new Co-Host Brian! And of course we answer YOUR woodworking questions! Dec 01, 2022

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Guys Questions:

Hello fellow wood shop enthusiasts! I was recently watching Guys YouTube videos of the secretary with tambour doors. He made a comment about sanding the door to I think 350, but also made a comment about treating the end grain differently so that it would not take on more oil and I assume darken it more then the face. He did not really elaborate on the technique. How is end grain treated differently when applying oil finishes and when staining? - Unkown

Hey guys this is Mason from Blairswoodshop again. A follow up from the first question I asked about the jet 16-32 conveyor belt, I did what you said and now there is no more constant adjustments and it seems to work great now thank you for the help! Now for the next question. I have some really nice looking spaulted maple, as you know it's not structurally the most sound. I was thinking about maybe making it into thin veneer for box lids and things like that. I have no veneering experience or a vacuum pump, what is a cheap way to start veneering with out breaking the bank? I've been spending so much on tools last thing I need to do is go to the wife saying I need more tools haha, Thank you all for what you guys do! Look for to hear what you guys suggest. P.S. I do have everything to make the veneers just looking for diffrent ways to attach it to my work pieces. Mason Blair

Brian's Questions:

1- I have a Dewalt dw735 planer and so far so good, But I noticed that if I try with a wide plank the planer makes a noise that sounds like it's too much for him to handle, how do you guys use a planer? One dimension several passes with 32s increments? - Karel

Any advice for someone trying to start their own woodworking buisness? I do small crafts currently, but I plan to start selling furniture in the near future . Feel free to check out what I’m doing at the moment. - Dillon

Huy's Questions:

Hey guys, Do you know where I can find information on guidelines for building furniture? (i.e. website or books) For example, I'm looking to build a queen size platform bed frame with 20 inch legs and use castle joint joinery to connect the four sides to the legs. I'm trying to figure out what the minimum size the four sides, feet should be and how deep should the castle joints be? Deeper than my 10 inch table saw can cut? Thanks for all the great help. - Matt

I would like to monetize my woodworking as a side business, if possible, in the future. Honestly, I am not sure if that means cutting boards or commissions, but I am leaning towards some simple stuff and seeing where it goes. I’ve thought of adding some sort of CNC to the mix. I am on the fence if I should go the route of a Shaper Origin as I can use this to make patterns for furniture projects, aid in doing some repetitive work, and do some custom accents on small items to personalize items for people or do I go the route of getting a Onefinity or other similar sized DIY CNC machine? The Onefinity would obviously take up much more room and cannot be brought to the project but could work on its own so to speak so if I am going to try and make money it can be working on something while I am doing something else. So, the part two to this question is if I go this route do you think I should get an add on laser attachment again for decorative personalization of future items to be made?

Host Departure, Your Woodworking Questions & MUCH More! Nov 17, 2022

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Guy

1) Hi Guy, Huy, and Sean. I have a question about prefinishing and glue. I know that the generally recommended best practice when prefinishing is to tape off any surfaces that will later be receiving glue. However, I'm building a project that is going to have basically a grid of cross lap joints, and taping off all of those surfaces sounds really annoying. If I use epoxy as my glue instead of yellow wood glue, could I get away with not taping off the glue surfaces? The joints I am making should be pretty strong, so the glue is really just there to stop things from shifting. Thanks! Matthew

2) I'm curious what you do when your local lumber store doesn't have what you want or need? We have one hardwood dealer in town, and the next nearest supplier is 3-4 hrs away (each way). The local place has a lot of the most common stuff, but every once in a while I hit a wall when looking for something they don't carry. I've heard of people ordering lumber either over the phone or online and having it shipped to them. I think Guy has mentioned calling his local store and having them deliver it to his door; I don't know if this would be a similar process, or something else entirely. Thanks, Monte

Sean

1) Hi Guys,

Thank you for all the hard work you put into the podcast. It is extremely educational and very helpful.

I am sure you discussed it in some form previously, but I wanted to ask if each of you can describe the equipment you use for spraying, does it handle different type of finishes (i.e. paint, poly, etc.) and would you buy the same equipment again or switch to a different one? Thank you again. Omer

Huy

1) Hi Guys, (and Guy),

I wrote you a few weeks back about a glue up question. The advice that you gave was spot on. Thank You for clearing up the questions that I had on that topic. Once again, YOU GUYS ROCK!

And Guy, you mentioned to place my Cherry boards outside in the sun for a day to darken them up, WOW did that do the trick! It is tips like that, that really make you guys stand out compared to other podcasts.

I am on to another project now, and that is building my grand kids toy dump trucks for Christmas.

Here I have another glue up question. A neighbor gave me a quart of Titebond Cold Press for Veneer glue. I was gonna try and use this like regular wood glue. I do not think this would cause any issues but I thought I would run it past all of you to see if I am missing anything. Is there an issue with using Veneer glue like this? Cory

2) Hi guys! Awesome podcasts, as always, and thank you for answering some of my previous questions. I really appreciate the feedback that you have been able to provide. My question today is about mobility versus stability. I do the majority of my woodworking out of one half of a two car garage and I often switch between power tool focused projects and hand tool projects depending on the project. My project list, both for clients and for my wife and myself, is always changing so it seems that my work flow and my shop setup changes on a regular basis. My bench and assembly table are built on locking casters making them easily mobile, but not stable enough for serious hand tool work. How do you balance stability with mobility? Also, how do you incorporate adequate dust collection with the power tools when they are mobile? I have a 3 1/2 HP Harbor Freight dust collector with 4" hose, but I have not yet installed any fixed piping in my shop, I'm currently moving it from machine to machine. Would you recommend putting it in a corner and running pipes along the ceiling to drop down to the machines? Thank you guys, Joshua The Blackdog Woodworks

Hollow Chisel Mortisers, Crazy Burls & MUCH More! Nov 03, 2022

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Guy

1) Dear Guy / Huy / Sean - First off, thank you for the podcast you produce. It is the only podcast I listen to that I have to pull over in the car to take notes on the way to work. I wish I lived closer to any of you to interact with you on a personal level instead of only podcasts. Anyway...my question has to do with needing advice on what to do with a crazy looking piece of burl. I have been helping my parents move out of their lifelong home and have "inherited" lots of wood from my Dad. The most interesting wood is a wild piece of knobby burl (not sure the species). I'm struggling with what to do with it though. It's roughly 6" per side but has many 'branches'. I can send a pic if needed but wasn't sure how on the website. I have essentially all the needed woodworking equipment including a mini-lathe but cannot figure out what to do with such a weird piece. I would love to make something unique but cannot figure out what to make out of this crazy wood. I would appreciate any creative advice you can give. P.S. - Guy - the desk you built was jaw dropping and I saved several pics. That desk is the inspiration for my someday desk. I wish I lived in Indiana to work alongside you as it seems like you have a dream job. Huy - similar story to you as well. As an engineer, I tried to get on with NASA but that path is not for me it appears. Sean - I'm not sure what your personal life is like as you seem somewhat reserved but I feel like we have parallel lives! We would make good neighbors / friends I think. Thank you all for that you guys do. Keep the saw dust flying! Cheers, Greg

2) Hi Gents,

Thanks for the great podcast and constantly sharing your knowledge, war stories and humor every 2 weeks. It's always a good day when the Woodshop Life shows up in my podcast feed.

That's enough about how great you all are - onto my question.

For the 8+ years I've been wood working I've constantly heard that you should lightly spray your project with water to raise the grain and sand back before applying finish. So my question is what's the advantage of using water to raise the grain? Why not apply a light coat of Shellac or poly to raise the grain and then sand back and you're a coat of finish further on? Is there any advantage to using water?

Thanks again for everything you do.

Regards, John McGrath, Houston, TX

3) Hey Guys, love listening to your podcast while in the shop. As an Asian American who does woodworking, really appreciate seeing, and hearing, from other Asian Americans like Huy who share the same interest in this space. My question for you guys: I am making a round dining table. The top will be glued up walnut planks with a 51 inch diameter. The base will be pedestal style base with a diameter of around 22 inches. It will be constructed out of bent plywood (using kerf relief cuts and veneering the outside with walnut) and hollow inside except for some cross braces for rigidity. I plan on sealing the bottom with either (1) a 22 inch diameter plywood( or solid wood) base to cover the bottom and add weights inside the base to make sure the top doesn't tip over or (2) a larger than 22" diameter base. My questions is if I do the first option, is there a calculation as to minimum weight is needed to make sure the solid walnut top of 51" won't tip over?

Or if I do option 2, how large of a bottom base to do I need to prevent tip over? Is there a calculation for that? I think option 1 is a cleaner and preferred look, but I don't want to risk tipping over and crushing a child or a toe.

Thanks in advance and look forward to listening to the next podcast. Dennis

Huy

1) Almost done with the nightstands I have been working on and asking questions about the past month. Made from two hand sawn walnut logs I salvaged etc. Out of logs. Drawer front is 1/2" too narrow side to side. Solution is to put a 1/4" edge band on the drawers. Problem solved. But I decided to make it complicated. Want to do 1/2" edge band on the top as well. Should I just glue this on or attempt to make the smallest breadboard ends ever? By my math I would have 1/2" strips- 1/8" shoulder 1/8" peg 1/8" tenon past that and 1/8" on the strip covering it up. Is this necessary, feel like I am making dollhouse furniture here after the shed and 10' long bookshelves I just finished. Edge banding would run across the grain, 14" x 12.5" x .625" (5/8) top, ripped and glued as per my question a month ago, picture below for reference. Tom

Thanks for the amazing podcast. You fellas have answered my questions and were very helpful! I”m having trouble centering my hollow chisel mortiser. I used the “X” method. Mark a horizontal line and then two opposing 45’s to get center. I have used a marking gauge, and kept adjusting till it lands on the same mark. I then adjust my x and y axis table to hit center, then it’s not center.

Any thoughts would be great! Thanks so much!

Scott Bonin

Burned By Clients, Box Material, Glue Creep, & MUCH MORE! Oct 20, 2022

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Sean

1) Wanted to start off by saying how much I enjoy listening to all yall! Been learning quite a bit from the 3 of you. My question seems fairly simple but I know it can turn into a can of worms depending on who you ask. Anyways, considering the woods: Walnut, Red Oak, White Oak, Paduk, and other species similar to those listed. What would be each your top 3 finishes and why? Finished look that I'm not after is shiny or "plastic" looking. I feel it looks really tacky. I'm more towards flat and matte.

Thanks for everything yall do!

2) Hello everyone, Wondering what materials you prefer using when building boxes? I see many people using BB ply but wondering if you prefer using solid wood over the ply (soft maple, poplar?). Thanks, Paul at Twin Lake Woodshop

Guy

1) I am a hobbyist woodworker and constantly battling kids' clutter and vehicles in my shop. All my tools are mobile but, one challenge that I come across is finding level ground to set up my tools on. My garage has a floor has a drain in the center of it and the floors all slope inward accordingly making it difficult to set up level and flat, ie: Dewalt Contractor saw and outfeed table. Any suggestions that you may have other than re-pouring the floor or building it up would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again, and keep up the great work. Mike from Calgary Alberta Canada.

2) Just recently started listening to your podcast. I was hoping you guys could discuss a topic I am wrestling with called glue creep.

Last year I completed 2 table top projects using Titebond 2. 1 project I used 8/4 white oak and the other was 8/4 hard maple (both dried ~14-17% MC in SE Indiana). At the time of project completion, both tables were sanded smooth and finished (1 with a stain and water based poly, the other with briwax). However, after a year I can feel the glue seam of both tables with my fingernail which I am learning is a condition called glue creep.

I am not sure if it is because the wood is shrinking and the glue isnt, or if the glue is expanding due to joint stress? The joints seemed rather tight from the jointer and I used dowel rods (triton dowel joint tool) to align them. Curious if its the glue or joint stress from either not tight joint faces or dowel rods that are not aligned perfectly causing joint stress. I do find that some dowels are not perfectly aligned when I clamp because the tool has a ton of issues, I just recently bought a domino jointer XL so I hope this helps with alignment.

I would like to know how to avoid this as it poses a threat to the quality of my project. Thank you ! Ty

Huy

1) I've had the bad fortune of being burned by a few clients, the common denominator in these experiences being that I either didn't ask the right questions or set the right expectations in the intake stage of the process.

For instance, one client refused to pay the balance he owed on a Murphy bed because it took too long to finish. The reason it took so long, however, was that the bed I built for him was too big to fit up his staircase, so I had to build a second that could be assembled on site. On other occasions, I've had clients request a custom quote or design, then balk at the price and vanish on me, leaving me out several hours of work designing a piece I no longer have any intention of building.

I'd love to hear what your intake process is from the moment you receive a request to when you start building so you can anticipate and sidestep potential issues such as these. I modify my intake questionnaire each time I have one of these experiences (e.g., charging a design fee, asking whether there's a clear path to the landing site, etc.), but I worry there's icebergs I don't see and would love to benefit from more knowledgeable peers. Thanks again, Patrick Bock PDB Creations

2) I recently finished a console table and had some questions about the joinery. The table and legs were 2-3/4” thick and 15” wide solid poplar. For the joinery I planned on using dowels and my mastercraft drill guide. My first plan was to use 3 each leg 1-3/8” diameter dowels but when I practiced the drilling with the guide I could not get repeatable 90deg holes. I ended up using a simple guide and drilling 1/2” dowels but still had some small issues with alignment so on the second leg I made a template and things went much smoother. Anyways I was wondering what you all would do without having a high end drill guide, drill press, or domino. The legs were to big for me to feel comfortable making a Traditional tenon on my contractor saw so that’s why I went with the dowels. Anyways the table turned out great just trying to think of new ideas for next time.
Thanks in advance. Big fan of the show. Adam

Top Coat For Paint, Mobile Workstations, Headboard Wood Movement, & MUCH More! Oct 06, 2022

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Sean

1) Hi fellas. I found your podcast a few months ago and I'm working my way from the start to get all caught up, so please forgive me if you've addressed this question before.

For the last few years, I've been mostly focused on turning, but my wife would really like a new bed frame and has asked me to design and build one similar to one from a local wood furniture shop. I'm planning to make it out of solid cherry. I hear a lot of talk about wood movement, and particularly how it is problematic in cross grain situations. I was planning on using the domino to attach the horizontal pieces of the headboard and footboard to the posts, but that creates a cross grain situation. Is that a mistake? Any tips for making that joint and accounting for movement?

Thanks for the great content. For someone who hasn't made furniture in quite some time, it helps to give me reminders of all of the things I've forgotten. - Firelight Woodworks

2) Hello, thank y’all for the awesome podcast. I am looking at moving from south texas to mid-Tennessee and I worried about the change in humidity. I have many projects on the agenda that I can either push to completion or wait until after the big move. It is extremely humid here in Texas and I have already purchased all my raw materials. So I will have to move all the materials to my new shop (space undetermined at the moment) or risk the humidity shift in the completed furniture. Joshua

Guy

1) Hello guys, always love the show and I tried out the Guy’s tip of the flat cart at Lowes to haul plywood. Not easy still but easier for sure, I had never thought of it! That got you a new Patreon Subscriber and glad to support you.

My latest challenge in the shop has been the quality of cut from my bandsaw. Please don’t laugh. I’m working with a 14” Delta clone from overseas that I bought in about 1986. It has always needed a concrete block on the base to keep it from waddling out of the shop on it’s mobile base when it’s running so I would never call this precision balanced machinery. I do have the guides and blade tension well dialed in, or as much as you can dial in a 35 year cheap bandsaw. I have replaced the tires and the blade I’m currently using is good quality and sharp. Motor is 1HP 120V that have never seem to have bogged down. I typically use 4 or 6 TPI ¼” blades because I’m just too lazy to swap blades.

The saw tracks well but the cut has never been smooth. It’s not rough like a 10 tooth circular saw blade would be on particle board it’s more like a washboard surface with consistently spaced ridges on all the surfaces. This happens with any kind of wood, every feed rate I can try and It happens when I’m cross cutting or ripping. I have made it work over the years with sanding it all out but I wanted to bounce it off you guys to see if you’ve ever experienced that and been able to pin point it’s cause. Vibration is present in the saw but I always figured I got what I paid for and I can’t remember if the saw made that kind of cut when it was new.

I am studying reviews to buy a new bandsaw but I wanted to pass this one down to a beginning woodworker and would love for it to be cutting smoother.

Thoughts? Thanks Bob

2) G'day fellas,
I found your podcast a couple of weeks ago, and I have since binge-listened to every episode (I operate mining machinery in 12 hr shifts, so I have a LOT of listening time).
I'm a motorcycle enthusiast, currently fitting out a new workshop in my spare time. I decided to fit out the workshop myself, and in the process of researching that, I have become obsessed with woodworking.
I'm in the position of having a large, new space to develop as I see fit. It consists of 55m² (about 700 square feet) in total, with a 1200mm high retaining wall along one wall (I have excavated an 2.4m (8ft) high space under the house, and had to leave a metre along one wall for the stability of the foundations), resulting in a floor space of 45m², and a 10m² "shelf" along one side.
Up until listening to your show, I intended to use the space on top of the retaining wall to build workbenches, in order to make the space usable. However, you all seem to value mobility of your workspaces, so I am now considering my options, and think that I could be better off using the majority of the space on top of the retaining wall for storage, with a mix of cabinets and shelving, with a relatively small space for a workbench along that wall, and keep the rest of my bench space mobile.
What do you blokes think? If you had this much space, would you continue to value mobility of workstations, or create more permanent areas? What other tips for setting up a space like this can you give me, keeping in mind that sawdust is the natural enemy of shiny bikes?
Keep up the great content, and thanks for all keeping me awake through the long night shifts!
Jim

Huy

1) Hi Fellas, love the podcast. The value and knowledge us woodworkers get from your content is unmatched. Great mix of personalities and experience. I have worked hard over the last five years to renovate my shop and acquire tools. I have a small space (260sqft) but fully dedicated. Insulated wires everywhere with multiple 240 circuits. I have midrange tools, 6” jointer, 13” planer, table saw, router table, bandsaw, drill press, 14” radial arm saw(yet to rebuild but plan for a joint miter armsaw station. A friend of mine is getting into woodworking and just bought a house that came with a fully loaded cabinet shop. 1600sqft fully loaded. This shop is 5 minutes from me. With access to this, what would you change to your workflow and small shop? I do really like having a full shop so I can work at night when kids are asleep.

Second question, got a pile of zebra wood from an estate sale, I have a 8/4 12” wide 4’ long piece. What would you do with it? Robert

2) Got another one for ya. I know you all have talked extensively about finishing on multiple different occasions but I have a question regarding top coats after painting and I don’t recall that officially being discussed.

I made my son a lofted bed during the pandemic. Really basic construction grade lumber piece ( go easy on me Guy). At the time I stained it with a dark oil based gel stain and followed up with an oil based poly top coat. I am now repurposing the bed for his younger sister. I’ve disassembled it and plan on giving everything a good sand because frankly I didn’t do a good enough job with that the first time around. I’m planning on painting the bed white so right now I’m thinking I’ll need to prime it and seal it before using a basic latex paint and then finish it off with a water based poly. Thoughts? My guess is y’all aren’t painting very many pieces, but when you do what kind of top coat do you use, if any?

Thanks again.Jonathan

Tambour Doors, No Table Saw in The Shop?, Dead Flat Assembly Table & MUCH More! Sep 22, 2022

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Sean

1) I’ve found some really nice walnut burl veneer that I would like to use on the tambours. I plan on veneering these on to solid walnut in the hopes of both accounting for wood movement in the veneer, and not seeing an ugly MDF substrate when opening the doors. Am I going overboard by using solid walnut for the backing substrate, or is there a way to hide the edges of the MDF as to not see them when moving the doors? And would using MDF as a substrate cause issue with the veneer moving over time? I plan on using the heat lock veneer glue to adhere the veneers to the substrate.

2) Hello Sean, Guy, and Huy. You guys always make one of the best podcasts and i love hearing your different outlooks on topics. My question today is about design and encouraging creativity. Obviously, this will be different depending on whether or not there is a client involved, but how do you decide on a direction for the design of a piece of furniture? How do you begin, with the design or the materials? Have you ever looked at a piece (or stack) of lumber and designed your project to highlight something special about it? On the other hand, have you ever designed a piece, and then had to find the perfect piece of lumber to make it with?

Thank you, Joshua from The Blackdog Studios (finding beauty in former trees)

Huy

1) So I've heard of some folks making the decision to not have a table saw in their shops. 2 main reasons cited being safety (IF ITS NOT A SAWSTOP YOU WILL DIE) and also space. Personally, I understand their position, but don't think I could do it. I simply like my saw too much. Would any of you consider it? Additionally, what operations does the table saw perform that you could not duplicate on/with another machine? I realize this is more of a thought experiment than question, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

thanks for the great show!

Mark

2) Hey all, thanks for the great show. I notice I have been getting diminished quality cuts from my full kerf glue line rip blade on my table saw. (That is- minor saw blade marks, occasional burning) in addition, I notice a touch of increased resistance as I begin to exit my rip cuts, and the blade seems to make contact again as the board moves past the blade.

To address these issues, I have adjusted the blade to about 2 thou to the left (I cut on the right of my blade generally) and adjusted my fence. I have an older , beat up Powermatic 64B contractor saw. I have noticed the plastic faces of the fence are a bit wavy (again, a few thousands, maybe about 10-15 thou variation throughout) but I have the extreme front and back of the fence perfectly aligned. My rips aren’t perfect when I cut from the left of the blade, but the resistance feels more consistent and predictable.

I am currently transitioning from hobbyist to full time and would like to solve this annoyance, as it occasionally affects my panel glue ups, and cutting board season is nearly upon us. I think for now, I will clamp on an MDF fence to see if that can help suck out the issue. If it is a fence face or alignment issue. Do you think I should maybe invest in a better fence, or should I consider replacing my glorious Powermatic saw with a SawStop Cabinet saw exclusively to spite Guy. I do have 220 in the shop now powering my heater and big Grizzly bandsaw, with amperage remaining for a 3hp cabinet. It would also be great to have a table saw with dust collection.

Side note:

Sorry for the length, y’all always ask for more details. And a replacement cabinet saw wouldn’t have to be a SawStop, but I think it may be good insurance when I can afford to hire an employee. That said, this would be an upgrade maybe 3-8 months down the line if I’m making consistent money. Longer if I can get the Powermatic figured out. I do a range of things. From small CNC projects, shelves, cutting boards, and plan to move onto selling furniture.

Dillon

Guy

1) Got one more question for ya. Shorter this time. I recently popped open a can of water based poly that I’ve had in storage for a while. The top 3/4 of the can was great but when I got to the bottom 1/4 it had turned in to a thick gel like substance. I did some quick googling and found a forum post where somebody suggested creating CO2 gas by mixing baking soda and vinegar in a jar and “pouring” that gas in to a partially used can of poly. The CO2 will displace the oxygen in the can and then you seal it up. This preserves the leftover poly as the reaction with oxygen is what hardens it. Obviously it’s too late for my can but have you all ever heard of this? If so have you ever done it? Thought it was pretty interesting regardless.

Thanks,

Jon

2) Hi guys love the podcast. My question is this , is it of absolute importance to have a dead flat assembly table to glue up your work square and keep it square?

I ask because I built a dresser and glued it up checked it for square and moved it to my floor which is steel plates, rechecked it for square and it was fine. Came beck the next morning and took it out of clamps and out of square it was had to disassemble and re glue very frustrating. So now looking to build an assembly table that is flat and level so I want to know how flat does it need to be.

Thanks keep up the good work.

Fred clarke

Drawer Bottoms, Performax Drum Sander Issues, Table Top Attachment & MUCH More! Sep 08, 2022

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Guy

1) Thanks for the great podcast, I’ve learned a lot throughout the episodes. I’ve been a wood turner for twelve or so years but now getting into fine furniture making. A shout out to Sean as I’m a fellow Kentuckian (Louisville).

My question is: I’m working on two shaker side tables right now that are 20”x20”. As I think about the drawer construction, I’m at a bit of a crossroads with the bottom of the drawer. I could get high quality 1/4” plywood for the drawer bottom and put the plywood in grooves. However, I don’t like the thought of putting plywood into my tables if I were to be honest. I’m sure it would be structurally fine and I wouldn’t have to worry about wood movement. However I’d like for the bottom to be made of poplar like the sides and back of the drawer. How do I make a drawer bottom from 4/4 lumber? My planer says I can’t plane anything thinner than 1/2” and I don’t have a drum sander. What is the best way to thin a board to 1/4” or 3/8” for a drawer bottom? I’d rather not use hand tools as I have arthritis in my hands. Is this a job for a planer sled?

Thanks much, John

My shop tools:

Router & table

Lathe

Drill press

Bench

Shaper

6” Jointer

13” planer

14” Bandsaw ( Jet Euro style)

Small Saw Stop (still alive!)

2) Hey guys! As always, I love the podcast, appreciate your individual takes on questions, and hearing about what's going on in your shops, except for Guy, he's too busy working to have anything going on in his own shop.

My question is about learning from your mistakes. Throughout your woodworking adventures, I'm sure you have all had that project that did not come out the way you had planned or expected. I recently found some very old woodworking projects that I made somewhere in the late 1990's. Instead of throwing them out, I put them in my shop to remind me of two things. Where I've come from, and what not to do. Do you guys have anything like this in your shops? What do you use to remind you to do better?

Thanks

Joshua from The Blackdog Woodworks

3) Hi guys, Thanks for the great, inspiring and sometimes intimidating podcast, because you guys are so good. I have a couple of questions. I have been asked to build a dining room table for my daughter. My first question is about design. The table will likely be a trestle style, made of walnut, a wood I have never worked before. The table will be about 6 feet long by 40" wide to fit into the space available. Is there a reason to glue the top along the long edge or along the short edge, or is this strictly or primarily an aesthetic decision? It seems like I would be likely to get a better edge to joint a 40" edge rather than a 60" edge. Second question if I can be presumptious, how do you keep focused on completing a project? It is always exciting to start a new project, but then as the time it takes stretches out, the endless sanding continues, the fear of applying a decent finish, the excitement diminishes and I get to the point I just want to get it finished. Thanks again for the great information and terrific format.

Scott

Sean

1) Hello sirs. Thank you for providing the best woodworking podcast bar none! I am building a couple of side tables for my living room to go on either end of my couch. I am using 8/4 walnut slabs for the table tops. I'm wondering what kind of finish you would recommend for these slabs? Bear in mind that I'm assuming my wife and children are not going to be too keen to reach for a coaster every time they want to put a glass of water down. I prefer more of a matte finish, so don't really want to use epoxy or anything that's going to look like a layer of glass is sitting on top of the slab. So what products

do you suggest to achieve maximum water protection without compromising a matte look? And please include any specific application techniques, ie: number of coats, levels of sanding, etc. Many thanks. Keep up the amazing podcast!

2) Good evening, I'm Mason with blairswoodshop. Before I ask my question I just want to mention I love the podcast! It's awesome for my morning commute i think I'm about 80 episodes compete and look forward to more. Thank you guys for all the hard work on the podcast! Just had a question for Sean. I see he has the performax 16-32, I just acquired a same style Jet 16-32. My question is if you have ever had issues with the conveyor belt tracking? I can't seem for the life of me to get it to track straight. No matter what I do it always tracks to the right, it has already took a chunk out of my brand new maveric abrasives conveyor belt. I know I'm not the only one with this issue, but no one seems to really have a fix. The only thing I've seen that might work is to buy a rubber conveyor belt which is upwards of 125$ plus shipping. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

3) Good afternoon, good evening and good night gentlemen. Wanted to hear your preferred method of table top attachment to a base. (Z clips, figure 8s or oversized holes or any other method you can speak on that you prefer)

Paul

Tips For Panel Glue-ups, Storing Battery Powered Tools In The Cold, & MUCH More! Aug 25, 2022

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Huy

1)I recently got a new 12x16 shed and am planning on shifting all of my woodworking tools out of the multi purpose garage and creating more of a dedicated shop space. I may have more questions on that in the future but for now I’ll start with a simple one.

I have a few different battery tool platforms and I know it’s bad for the long term battery life to expose the batteries to lots of temperature and climate changes. As a result I have all of my batteries and chargers in our laundry room for now. I ( and my wife) would prefer to store these in the shop but I’d rather not sacrifice the batteries well being if I don’t have to.

I know yalls workshop space is climate controlled so you probably don’t have this issue. But I wanted yalls thoughts/opinions on the issue in general. Would making some kind of insulated storage cabinet be worth trying. Or is that just poppycock. Ha. For reference I live in NC so the winters occasionally get down to the teens and the summers often the 90s. Thanks for all you guys do. Respectfully, Jon

2) I have been practicing cutting dovetails by hand because I'm silly Using the Veritas dovetail saw I'm pretty sloppy But using a Veritas rip carcass saw I'm pretty on point Is it possible my big rock biter hands are better suited to a larger saw and that offers a better advantage to my end result, than the specific size and toothing of the dovetail saw?

These used to be such big strong hands. I know a girl who dated Atreyu from Never Ending Story. Apparently, very short. But I digress. Thank you for any insights before I drop some serious change on Bad Axe or Lie Nielsen saws.

These Veritas saws are all from the annual scratch and dent sale. Which is why I have a rip carcass saw oops.

I guess I should also say that my other thought was that the Veritas saws are too light and that's why I'm having a problem with the really small dovetail saw it has no mass. Tom

3) Thanks for making ‘Woodshop Life Podcast’ part of my life! It’s a great mix of styles, knowledge and a little snark - from Guy’s aged wisdom. My question takes off from the last podcast, and the ending talk on an eco-friendly woodshop. I work primarily with reclaimed woods, being involved in that part of the industry since the late 1990’s, so was caught by the subjects lead in the podcast No. 103 marquee. I wasn’t disappointed or surprised that reclaimed woods did not make it onto any of the short lists - though Sean did trail off the session with “and like the wood - recycle it” - though I imagine that it referred to using shop scraps, but possibly other types of salvaged wood material.

So my questions is mostly an open ended one on any experience that you all may have in using reclaimed material - or why it can provoke different reactions among woodworkers, whether used for it’s original or rustic surfaces or resurfaced?. Huy, working in Alabama, must come across some antique pine, though I think he mentioned taking a pass on its uneven grain and amber tone. We’ve sent regular tractor trailer loads of this salvaged old growth material to Alabama - or maybe back to Alabama, as it covered large parts of the state until the mid-1800’s. My perspective on availability can be off, as there’s a lot of the old buildings here in New York City framed with the old softwoods. The longleaf pine is getting harder and more competitive to acquire, but there’s often the Northern softwoods - like less desirable spruce, hemlock and fir, but still old growth in quality. along with the signs that are witness to it’s history - nail holes, stress cracks, aged surfaces, etc. And even if it’s among the local woods available, the mix of species, sources and not least, embedded nails can cause woodworkers to barricade the shop doors.

Also - myself and my business partner Klaas Armster, put out a book a short while back ‘Reclaimed Wood: A Field Guide’. We’d be happy to send along a copy and/or some boards of salvaged wood (dry and de-nailed).

Thanks again for reclaiming the tradition of woodworking in America - the craft itself seems at the heart of an eco-friendly workshop, despite any type wood that is used. Alan

Guy

1) Hi Guys, I want to start by saying that you all Rock. I listen to a few woodworking pod casts and yours is the best at passing along knowledge.

Thank you for helping all of us out with your insights on wood working.

I am very new to this hobby and am in the process of building my wife a cabinet. It will be used for holding potato's and onions and a few other things that clutter our kitchen up.

My question has to do with the glue up for the top of the cabinet. I am glueing 3pieces of 3/4 cherry together to make the top and I am concerned about it ending up flat. I am wondering if I should use dowels to help with this. I am thinking about buying a dowel jig from rockler and want to know if this is worth it or should I try a different technique.

I would like a good jig but do not want to break the bank because it will not be used too often.

Also, what type of finish would be good for cherry. I am thinking some stain and then a poly. Thanks again, Cory

2) Hey guys, Jared from Houston here. Really appreciate the podcast!

I'm making a wall-hanging cabinet intended to store a couple whiskey bottles and glasses. The cabinet will be solid cherry with one door and maybe a drawer on the bottom. I'm moderately experienced with wood but woefully beginner with finishes. I typically would finish with shellac only and wipe down with steel wool to a matte finish. However, due to the likelihood of contact with alcohol, I believe another approach might be wiser. My favorite idea right now is to put two coats of shellac then follow with a coat of spray can lacquer. What do you guys recommend? Also, to what grit do you sand before applying your first coat of finish? Last consideration on these questions...I'll be donating this to auction at a local school fundraiser and do not want to get called for finish repairs down the road! Thanks for any advice you can offer! Jared

3) Hello guys (and guy), thank you for delivering an awesome podcast!

I know this topic is taboo, but I was wondering what y’all’s thoughts were on veneering one side of a panel when it is already in its frame.

I am planning on building a tool cabinet (loosely inspected by FWW Mike Pekovich tool cabinet) the door in question would be a traditional frame and panel door with a 1/2” plywood panel set into a 1/4” groove. The back of the door has a case style frame attached to the back to give the hinged door some depth to house tools.

The reason I am wanting to only veneer one side is due to lack of material, (the door frame will be made of mesquite, and the panel shop sawn veneer out of spalted hackberry) I know I could veneer the back with another material but I am also trying to save on weight/ thickness of the panel.

Hopefully y’all will have some advice / experience on this topic. I am planning on doing this project in about 6 months. Thanks in advance, Josh

Attic Drying, Handling Large Sheet Goods, Bench Flattening, & MUCH More! Aug 11, 2022

Sean

1) Hey fellas. Hope this finds you well.
I’ve come into a work bench that needs some tlc. I’d like to rehab it if I can. It has a solid steel tube base (clearly store bought) with a butcher block style top that is 2’x4’. It’s laminated strips of what I believe to be maple. (Sorry; my janka hardness test machine is on the fritz, but I can’t dent it with a fingernail). It’s got a significant bow from front to back (across the 24” dimension) of at least a 1/4”. Whats the best approach to flatten it? I’d like to save the thickness as it’s about 1 1/2”. It doesn’t need to be dead flat. It would be a secondary work area (aka a horizontal surface that collects all manners of various and assorted things. )

Thanks for all that you do and keep up the good work!
Mark

2) Hey guys. Don’t want you run out of questions, so here’s another one: When and how often do you sharpen your hand tools? I don’t really like sharpening and find myself going through chisels to find a sharp one and using that favorite plane although it’s not sharp anymore because I’m telling myself that it’s not worth it yet to get those stones wet. What’s your balance? Should I just buy new tools when they are not sharp anymore? Just kidding, although I would love to.
Jonas

Guy

1) Hello gentlemen, love the podcast and I took your last advice to heart and have been staining some of my projects with polyurethane with great results. Thank you for the encouragement.

My question today is on handling full 3/4" plywood sheets from the store to the shop. I have not built much carcass based projects as I've been a little too impatient to get everything square then find myself disappointed in the outcome. As I approach 6 decades on earth I find myself slowing down and enjoying the craft a little more leisurely instead of a to do list and punching a task list as complete approach. That being said I have built 2 projects now out of plywood starting with full 4 x 8 sheets and they have been fun challenges but I find myself not planning another project because of the challenges of getting a 4 x 8 sheet of 3/4 ply to my shop. It seems like plywood has gotten 1 pound heavier every year that I have aged. I enjoy solo working in the shop so it's not really easy to get somebody to help me go to the big box store and load a single sheet of plywood.

I was wondering what are some of the tricks and tips you guys use for handling big heavy sheets. I use the foam board insulation as a backer when breaking it down into panels and I use a cheap cordless circular saw with a homemade fence. It's cheap and slow but that part works fine. I have one of the handle things that you hook under the plywood to carry it with a handle but that doesn't make the panel any lighter. I do have a utility trailer so hauling it isn't a problem.

Any other other tips, tricks or tools you would recommend for heavy sheet goods? Thanks

2) Hey there, OK so this is a pretty simple question but you did say you need some so…

I have a Delta 14” bandsaw, pretty typical and I have had it for about 35 years (holy cow, I just realized how old I am!). Anyway, its pretty basic, and lacks any feature to keep the tires from gumming up as I am cutting. Do you have any advice on devices, brushes etc. that I can add to keep them cleaner as I use the saw? I do connect a shop vac to the dust port, that helps but I still find I have to scrape the wheels. Using you instead of google or Pinterest for this one ;)

Huy

1) Hi guys, I recently had a walnut tree taken down, brought the log to a sawyer and they cut into 4/4, 8/4, and 12/4 boards. I cannot air dry the boards on my property so I am planning on drying them in my basement. My basement is dry, and of course little to no air movement. After about a year, I am considering completing the drying process by putting the boards in the attic above my garage. There is Sheetrock under the rafters in the attic, so there will be very little air movement again. Should I be concerned with the heat in the attic adversely impacting the boards when they are not completely dry. I live in CT so the attic can get well over 100 degrees in the summer. Thanks for any word of wisdom you might have, Mike Gitberg

2) Hey guys I've got a door construction question for you. I've been tasked with making an extra large sliding barn door for my house. The door will need to be 8' 10" tall by 48" wide by 1.75" thick. The kicker is my shop is in the basement and I can't fit that large of a piece up the stairs. I have an empty room on the 1st floor that I can assemble and possibly use a vacuum press.
My thoughts were to make an outer frame(walnut) with a torsion box interior made from 1/2" ply or possibly 1/4 ply and filling the void with rigid foam. I was going to skin each side with 1/4" MDF and then veneer each side with commercial 3/32 walnut veneer.
Some of the issues I think I will run into.
This would require a 6'x10' vacuum bag (which I would have to make), I'm not sure if my pump can pull a bag that large down and hold. I have a 3 cfm and according to Joe woodworker a max size for that pump is 4'x9'.

After I've pressed the veneer down I have some clean up and and sanding to do, which I'm not fond of doing this on the 1st floor. Also there's finishing which my only option is a hard wax if I finish it inside. Or carry the damn thing outside and spray under a pop up tent.

I've been thinking of instead of one large panel making a series of say 3 horizontal panels pressing and finishing them in the shop, sanding and pre-finishing then and then installing them to the frame with some sort of 1/16" shadow line or maybe a brass inlay between each panel.

Or do I just scrap the idea and find a garage to assemble, sand and finish in and bring it to the house for install. Granted this garage will not be climate controlled.

I'm concerned about weight, I have a 200# max on the door hardware. I'm open to other ideas for assembly. Also I can't spilt the door into two separate ones, the opening will not allow a door to rest on either side of the opening.

Thanks in advance for the advice and keep up the great work with the podcast!!

Jesse

Eco-Friendly Woodworking, Grain Matching Logs, Jointing Thick Lumber Without Jointer & MUCH More! Jul 28, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

This episode is sponsored by: Shaper Tools, makers of Shaper Origin

Sean

1) How often should I be cleaning my planer roller and do you know any plans to build a rolling lunchbox planer stand or cabinet.

I have the HD ridgid 12" planer. So I guess a better question is how often should I change blades in jointer and planer and maintenance my cheaper tools I use daily. To rid of snip and a seemingly guy crooked planer bed? Broken_pine

2) Hello everybody. First time listener, long time caller. Wanted to hear of any shop items you use that would be more "eco-friendly". An example that comes to mind is instead of using the disposable glue brushes using a silicone one. Thanks, Twin Lake Woodshop

Guy

1) My question is that I have two logs (from the same branch but non-contiguous), and need two nightstands, primarily composed of a 16" w x 14" h x 12" deep mitered box/case. One log is dead straight grain and the other, beginnings of a crotch. Aesthetically, would each of you combine the two logs to make two "truly" matched (well bookmatched) nightstands, or use one log for each nightstand, matching grain WITHIN the individual nightstands, but not BETWEEN the pair? That's confusing even reading it back so please contact me with any questions,

For reference the bed these will flank is a California king California king so there is a good deal of distance between them it's not like they'll be on on both sides of a twin. -Tom

2) Hey guys, from time to time I’ve been asking questions and you’ve always provided great advice. My question is, I’m tuning up my jointer and I have the tables co-planner within .002” out 18 inches from the cutter head. Is this close enough? Should I invest in a longer straightedge? Currently I’m using a 24” ruler from a good combination square. Looking online for straightedges, the Starrett 36” is $247.50 and it accurate within .0002”. I also found the Veritas 38” aluminum straightedge for $44.90 and is accurate to .003”. How strength of a straightedge do I need? And can I get away with an aluminum straightedge? Thanks so much for your thoughts. -Mike Gitberg

Huy

1) I am a newbie in woodworking! and I'm working on my indoor stairs to the second floor. Stairs are completely removed and we plan to have an open riser 3 1/2" thick tread. I have somebody who confirmed the structure and adapted it to city codes for me. So nothing dangerous is happening here.

I am trying to get the costs down while I like the walnut looks and because of that I am thinking of ripping and altering grain on 2"x12" nominal lumber from the big box store and making 3" x 11½" x 37½' butcher block of yellow southern pine (construction grade, kilin dried) and veneer it with 1/4" walnut.

I am buying a 16' 2x12 kiln dried yellow southern pine and will start ripping it after stocking it for a month in my garage.

Should I be worried about wood movement? I mean movement between walnut and SYP. I am not worried about SYP core because I have one of them made two month ago and it's been staying inside with us and cupping/twisting, has not been observed.

Will the 1/4 glued walnut veneer is a good idea for this application in term of resisting wear and tear?

I am using regular glue for making the core. any advice on glue for making the core and veneer?

Will you approach same method to do this project? If not, What will you do? vafa

2) G'day team
It's the old guy (older than Guy) from Australia who potters around in the shed in his thongs ( Aussie footwear Guy )
I recently bought a Dewalt 735 thicknesser because I like to use reclaimed wood but I really don't have a clue what I am doing but you need to start somewhere.
Anyway I recently used the thicknesser on a couple of large pine blanks that came from some sort of industrial packaging which were approx 5 inches wide and 3 inches tall ( I used imperial for you guys)
I ran both blanks through the thicknesser " jointing" one side first by using a planer sled and some shims and then running the other side through squaring up the sides to each other and then gluing both pieces together to make a blank for a bandsaw box, everything seemed good at this stage.
I started to cut the blank on the bandsaw only to realise that it wasn't square to the table and that I had actually made a square block that was tilted ( I think it's called a parallelogram, I wanted to use a big word so Huy would feel at home)
How can I square this up ? The block is approx 5 by 5 inches and my table saw height is 3 inches.
I probably did this all backwards but even though I'm old enough to remember dust being invented I still like to learn.
Do I need to buy a jointer ?
Thanks for your help (ps, the nurse is cranky with me because I took some other guys slippers and won't take my medication, hope you guys get this while I'm still alive.........still no Sawstop) -Geoff

Storing Plywood, Biscuit Joiners, Invisible Seams & MUCH More! Jul 14, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guy

1)Jacob from North Carolina, long time listener, 3rd time questioner.

I’m building a trestle style kitchen table that will have a painted base. Not my first choice, but happy wife happy life. My question is: What do y’all use to eliminate seams when painting? Spackle, putty, or some other product. My seams are tight, right and smooth, but when I’ve painted projects in the past, the seams remain visible. For the trestle table legs, I would like them to be seamless and look like one piece. Any insight is appreciated. FYI, I’ll be spraying the paint.

2) Gentleman love your podcast and have listened to every episode, keep up the great work. My question is about fence length. Currently the saw I own is a 1980 Delta Unisaw with a 52" fence. I purchased it new in 1980. I am retiring this year after I sell my company. My wife wants to purchase a new Sawstop for me because I'm always complaining about the dust collection on my old saw. She wants to buy me the Sawstop Industrial saw (I love tools), and wanted to know do I want the 36" or 52" fence. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I used the additional length on my current fence and was just wondering do you guys have the 36" or 52" fence assembly and is it worth having the larger fence. Normally I just have stuff sitting on it.

Second question is for Guy, as I'm in my late sixties and my skin is quite dry and I use lotion regularly I've heard you talk about using gloves in the shop. What type of gloves do you use and are you happy with them.

And one last thing Guy at 5'8" I love my Laguna bandsaw the table height is perfect for me :) Kris

Sean

1) Hey guys I just wanna say thank you for the amazing contact the guys put out! I found you guys about four months ago I’ve been going through the old episodes to catch up. But I was wondering if you guys could help me out and point me to a good affordable biscuit joiner. I would love to get a festool biscuit joiner but it’s just out of my price range, is there anyway you guys can recommend A biscuit joiner that is worth the best bang for his buck. Thank you again for awesome content Ethan thompson

2) I am contemplating making a new workbench to go with my inkliened vise. I like my current workbench made of southern yellow pine but would like to add a few features like a two piece top for clamping as well as an end vise/wagon vise. My question is would ambrosia maple be a good/bad material choice for a workbench? From my wood store is $3 cheaper than soft maple. I could see the color variance possibly being an issue during use and sighting material. I'm not sure the holes in the material would be that problematic. What says you guys? Thanks, Ryan

Huy

1) Hey guys. New listener here! Love the genuine vibe of the show and of course all the knowledge. I build barn doors, blind mount shelves and mantles out of my garage to support my family. I recently had to switch to plywood for most builds due to cost of solid wood (1x and 2x materials) . My question is..I live in Tampa Florida and my wife hates that our pool table room has become the lumber storage room. Now that I'm using sheet goods and don't want to break them down far in advance of projects...what are your thoughts on ways to store plywood in a NON climate controlled Florida garage? Also storing solid woods as well. Oh, and my material is always pine or poplar. I would love your thoughts on this topic. Humidity, drastic weather changes hourly and no climate control? The garage is a dedicated, yet messy work space.

2)Hey Fellas, Thanks for addressing my last question on fuzzy cutting boards. Sean was correct - I was over-sanding after each raising of the grain. So many ways to shoot yourself in the foot it seems...

I want to ask your thoughts on the practical limits of mitre saws. I'm sure you've addressed similar before, but as Guy often points out, what haven't you addressed before! Maybe not from this angle perhaps? There are folk who do anything and everything with a mitre saw and those who wouldn't cut a precise mitre with one to save their lives. In my journey thus far I think the most important thing for novices is to appreciate the full capabilities as well as the limitations of their equipment.

Assuming a novice user.., one with a reasonable quality mitre saw and table saw.., one who has learned to keep both reasonably well calibrated.., but one who has yet to be collecting after-market devices such as advanced mitre gages etc..

Can you point to any examples of types of operations that represent a limit, or exceed the limit, of what a novice should reasonably expect from themselves and their mitre saw? Or put another way.. for this or that operation - have at it.. but at such and such a point.. well then it's time to be pursuing table saw jigs or other skillsets to get where they need/want to go?

Thanks again, hope this finds you all well, keep on keepin' on! Colin

Milling Your Own Logs, Checking, Maker Spaces & MUCH More! Jun 30, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

This episode is sponsored by: Shaper Tools, makers of Shaper Origin

Guy

1) Hey guys, Jonas from Germany here. Since you’re always looking for question, here is another one. As a weekend woodworker who doesn’t get much time in the workshop, I regularly get the problem that milled stock doesn’t get touched for several days before I can continue with the project. Right now I am working on an outdoor table made from European oak and there might be a few weeks between milling the boards and actually assembling the table. I have heard of the solution to use plastic bags or shrink wrap but that doesn’t really work for 7-foot boards. How do you handle stuff like that?

2) Hey guys, love the podcast and thank you for all you guys do! I made a dining room table for my sister-in-law about a month ago. The table is made out of Hard Maple and is 3.5’ wide by 8’ long. I noticed when I first bought the boards that there were some very small, hairline cracks at the very ends of the boards. After glue up I was able to square up the table by cutting the end that had the worst cracks completely off. Unfortunately, I did not have enough material to completely eliminate them from the other end. So instead, I cut as much as I could from the other end and filled the remaining hairline cracks with Plastic Glue wood filler. This seemed to have remedied the problem! I then finished the table with 4-5 coats of water based poly, achieving a nice, thick coat of finish. Now, about a month later, my sister-in-law is showing me spots where the hairline cracks are reappearing. Curiously enough, they’re reappearing from both ends too. My question is multilayered. First, is this cause for concern? The cracks are very small and not easily noticed unless you look very closely. However, will these cracks continue to grow over the years? Second, given how small these cracks are, how can I go about repairing this issue? I don’t know if thin CA glue will help with the issue or simply act as a bandaid. And I don’t believe these cracks are large enough to allow thin epoxy to seep into them. Any help/advice you guys could give would be very much appreciated!
Chris

Sean

1) Love the show and appreciate what all of you contribute to the woodworking community. I have been a hobbyist woodworker for a long time and though my projects are not fine furniture or wining any awards I truly enjoy time in the shop and making simple things for friends and family.

My question is about finishing. I hate finishing, so much that I feel guilty sometimes that my project truly never really gets completed even those it's gifted away. I justify to myself that I'm letting the new owner finish it to their preferences but the reality is I hate that step. I've done spray on (rattle can) shellac, poly, cheap spray paint, Briwax and rubbed on some polyurethane but I would like to venture out a little farther without fear of ruining my hard work.

Any suggestions on how to take the next step without jumping in over my head? I have sanders, planers, all the usual finishing tools but I'm basically lazy.

2) I am a hobbyist woodworker with a full time job to support my hobby, and I am lucky in the fact that people are asking me to make things that I want to make. With the urban lumber I am really enjoying the wild and crazy figure that comes from non-commercial trees, crotch grain especially, and the randomness of pallets (everything from cedar to white oak and an occasional exotic species). My question, since we are all woodworkers, is how much would you spend to not buy commercial lumber? As an example, I purchased my 14" bandsaw, 6" joiner, and 10" planer used for $400 total. The chainsaw and chainsaw mill cost $130. Am I crazy? Joshua

Huy

1)Good morning gents. I hope this finds you well. Thanks for the great show.

So 2 questions that are related:

I'm losing access to my current workshop - a 2 car garage. Renting commercial space is very expensive, so any other suggestions for finding a space for my workshop would be appreciated. I'm only looking for 400 square feet or so.
Because of #1, I'm considering joining a community maker space. Pros and Cons?

thanks

Mark

2) I made a slatted bench out of red oak, but I'm questioning how I want to finish it. The bench is from Steve Ramsay's course, and can be seen here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-LKKPyBEVE/

Because of the slats, which are about 3/4" wide and 2 1/2" deep, getting finish down there with a sprayer would be impossible, so I think I want to do something I can wipe on. I've created my own simple finish of equal parts spar urethane, mineral spirits, and boiled linseed oil (so similar to a Danish oil) that I've wiped on to other projects with success, but not sure if there may be other options that I should consider. This is a gift for my parents and will live inside, probably by their patio door for them to sit down on to put on their shoes.

Also, if I go the homemade Danish oil route, any suggestions on how many coats to apply, and what to do between coats? Keep up the great podcast, thank you! -Nick

Episode 99 - Resaw Blades, Finish Both Sides?, Dull Blades From Sanding & MUCH More! Jun 16, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

This episode is sponsored by: Shaper Tools, makers of Shaper Origin

Guy

1) I recently discovered your podcast and it has drastically improved my hour long commute to and from work. I began making attempts at creating things with wood about a year and 1/2 ago after wandering into a woodcraft and seeing all of the beautiful exotic species in person. I made afew cutting boards and smaller items, but nearly gave up because my few feeble attempts at joinery completely tanked. I’m kind of a high energy/ ADHD person with almost no attention span, and woodworking just wasn’t working for me. Then I found wood turning, and found it to be extremely satisfying, almost therapeutic. I still have a long ways to go, but I no longer feel completely incompetent and have made several decent items. I eventually hope to learn some joinery techniques and attempt some small furniture type items.

I recently purchased a Jet JWBS -15 bandsaw and so far have been very pleased with it. It has a large cast iron table along with cast iron wheels. The only thing it’s missing is a brake, but since it’s my first bandsaw, I don’t miss it. This particular model, however is not carried by most of the wood working stores and very few people even mention it other than Shawn. Is there a reason why this saw is not popular? The only issue I have is that I go through bandsaw blades like water. I typically use either a green wood blade or the timber wolf 3/8” 4tpi blades and have not gotten more than a month of light use from any. Is this normal? I cut a lot of rosewoods, ebony and dense exotic turning blanks. I considered getting a carbide blade but they are upwards of $200 for my saw. Any thoughts? Nicole

2) Hey guys, you’ve answered a few of my questions over the years so I’m now running out of ways to say how awesome this podcast is. I just want y’all to know that it’s been extremely insightful, helpful, inspirational, and motivational (oh yeah, and funny). Woodworking is a great stress reliever for me and your podcast motivates me to keep at it, so thanks again.

My question today is about how to determine the weight-bearing capacity of something you build. I generally don’t build off plans. I find inspiration from photos online and then create my own design, but this sometimes means I’m deciding how much support to give certain pieces. For example, I recently completed an outdoor bench with planter boxes on either side. I really didn’t know how much I needed to do to support the bench and the weight of those who might sit on it. It’s 4.5 feet long, so can fit up to 3 adults at a time.

I’ll describe what I did and send some photos, but if there are any rules of thumb or resources you can share that would be helpful in determining the weight capacity for furniture builds, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks again for the awesome podcast. Billy

Sean

1) Hey guys, I'm looking to purchase a better flush trim router bit. I'm comparing Whiteside bits UDFT 5152 and the UDC 9112 from Bits and Bits with the astra coating. Other than the bit diameter, cut length, and one having two bearings. What would make you choose one over the other if the bit diameter didn't matter? Do you think the 9112 would run cooler due to the larger diameter? I plan on getting the 1/4" compression flush trim bit for small curves. Thanks for all the real world advice you give. Matt in AL

2) I'm building a console-style liquor cabinet that will have a walnut slab top. The slab is 1-1/2 inches thick, 60 inches long, and 16 inches wide. I'll be using an oil finish and am wondering whether I should apply the oil finish to both the top and bottom of the slab... or if just finishing the top (and edges, of course) is enough. It's my first time working with a slab and I don't want to screw it up!

Thanks for the great show! - Dan

https://www.woodshopnews.com/columns-blogs/finishing-both-sides-is-warped-thinking Article mentioned during Podcast.

Huy

1) Great show, love it! I have a small shop in Denmark, and recently I talked to a rep from Festool that told me not to sand my wood before all cutting is done, as the small sand grits would make your blades dull. What are your thought on this? Thanks, Ali @toolguy.dk

2)Hello from one of your dedicated listeners!

My question concerns a router dropping bits. The router in question is a fairly new Triton TRA001 3 1/4 HP plunge router. Three times now, while making a fairly easy pass, the bit has dropped out. The first time it happened was while I was cutting a quarter inch deep rabbet on a half inch cherry panel. The bit cut a hole in the panel and ruined it as it fell straight down onto the floor. The two other times have been while cutting a 3/8 inch deep dado through some 3/4 inch maple ply.

Any advice would be welcome. And thanks for all the thoughtful and informed conversations about woodworking. Martin

Episode 98 -Dado Stacks, Countersink Bits, Childproofing Shop & MUCH More! Jun 02, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

This episode is sponsored by: Shaper Tools, makers of Shaper Origin

Sean

1)Thank you all great information from both the podcast.

Right now I have a woodriver spoke shave, wood river shoulder plane, i have buck brothers #4 four plane and block plane, both from home depot, totaling $50. I have learned to sharpen well and get whispy shaving and a mirror surface on most woods. Though the plane seems to loose it's setting quickly and the blade chips on any thing harder then pine.

I have some money and want to buy a new plane. I only have about $350 to spend. Which plane would you recommend? I think Bevel up veritas or wood river and buying a second 50 degree blade. Scott

2) Thanks for the informative podcast.

I have a question regarding dado blades. I have a 10 inch delta table saw (36-725T2), and I am wondering what blade to get. Most of the dado blades I see for sale are 8", and some 6". Being that my table saw motor is not overly powerful , would a 6" blade be better to reduce the weight? What are your recommendations on size and maybe some brands you have used and suggest? Thanks. Trevor

Guy

1) I have a question about drilling pilot holes for wood screws. There seem to be 2 types of pilot hole/contersink bits. One style has a straight bit and the other style has a tapered bit. I have read conflicting information about the different types.

Are the tapered bits only for tapered screws and the straight bits for newer straight shank woodscrews or are the tapered bits preferable for everything?
When drilling the pilot holes should I drill a larger hole through the top board to pull the boards closer?
If using the tapered bits how is the countersink adjust for longer or shorter screws as the hole depths are different?
Should I just forget about the combination drill/countersink bits and use a separate drill and coutersink.

Thanks for your advice. Bob

2) I recently started monetizing my woodworking skills as a side hustle, which has been great as it has allowed me to upgrade a lot of my tool arsenal. I just bought a Sawstop professional cabinet saw, and of course, the differences between it and a jobsite saw are night and day. I have managed to cut both of my hands on 2 separate occasions with my DeWalt table saw (without removing digits, fortunately), so if there ever was a person who needed to invest in a Sawstop, I am that man.

I think my next buy will be a Festool (most likely) track saw, or perhaps a helical blade planer. Currently my bread-and-butter work tends to be sliding barn doors. I don't claim to be an extremely highly skilled woodworker who does intricate joinery at this point; I simply realized that I could capitalize on my accrued skills and make smaller-scale projects for extra "shop money".

The one tool I have not invested in yet is a Jointer. I highly desire to have one but I have been able to get by for this long without it, so I am in no particular hurry to get one.

My question is this: How beneficial does having a jointer tend to be in your experience, and is it something you use all the time? Is it something you would consider a must have for any serious woodworker?

I apologize for this being long-winded. Thanks in advance. Nate

Huy

1)Good Evening Gentlemen....and I use that term loosely

I have been blessed to be a Dad for a little son who is now 3.5 years old.

I have had him out in the workshop trying out some of the tools....spokeshaves, hand planes, drill press, clamps and vises, and some other hand tools that I deem safe under direct supervision. It is so much fun to see the wheels turn as he experiments with them.

I have made a decision to expose and introduce him to these experiences early on in the hope of planting the seed for curiosity and establishing a foundation of fundamental skills and understanding of how things are created.

I do worry though as he becomes comfortable with different tools, he will eventually want to try and experiment on his own. I am always reinforcing that he is not allowed to do things without me, but at some point, I do worry that he might try and do things while I am gone.

At this time, I flip all of the breakers for the power tool circuits and I am comfortable with this solution now, however, as he gets older and might understand why I am opening and closing that grey panel, I am looking for some more control of when things run.

Are you guys aware of any solutions with new smart breakers ect that would allow more direct control over how and when circuits can have power? I have looked online at square D's website and I am not finding a simple solution for this in terms of a retro fit solution on a standard electric panel. It seems like a few smart breakers that are password protected would be a perfect solution.

Some of the tools have those yellow plastic inserts in the switch, but I was looking for something a little more elegant to control the power at the circuit level.

Benjamin and I often listen to the show after the lights go out for bed time, so if you can keep the jokes reasonably clean that will save me some explaining later for his mother. Love the show and keep up the great work. Brad

2) Thanks for your podcast, I enjoy it tremendously and it is obvious that the three of you are really good friends!

I recently saw a short Y.T. video from WWGOA/George Vondruska about a track saw guide rail set that can be adapted to almost any regular circular saw, and provides accurate straight line cutting of sheet goods and dimensional lumber on a standard track rail. (Please see the video on YT from WWGOA: "Benefits of a Track Saw | Woodworkers Guild of America ")

It would appear that you can buy these track saw rails and adapter plate, and if the instructions are followed correctly, bolt your regular circular saw to a base that indexes on their track accurately and with repeatability for making straight cuts. The purpose of this is to reduce the expense of buying a single purpose saw, when you already generally have one that can be used for this purpose.

The adapter plate is bolted to your regular circular saw base with 4 bolts. (Which are supplied by True Trac), using a guide to index for square positioning of the saw onto the adapter plate. The guide rail track is then trimmed perfectly using the saw, and performance at that point is identical to any other track saw.

There are several video clips on YT about this track, and it's available on Amazon as well as direct from the manufacturer.

It gets excellent reviews if you place any faith in them.

I believe all 3 if you esteemed gentlemen already have either the Festool or Makita track saws & guide rails, so you are extremely knowledgeable and experienced with this type of device.

Your thoughts, please?

Thanks again for your great service to the woodworking community.

John Malcolm

Episode 97 -Solid Slab Tops, Our Inspiration, Alcohol in California & MUCH More! May 19, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

This episode is sponsored by: Shaper Tools, makers of Shaper Origin

Sean

1)Hey guys,

Thanks for all of the knowledge you guys pass on over this platform, it’s great being able to learn from others more well versed in woodworking than myself, especially when it seems that serious hobbyists are few and far between where I’m at. My question is about shellac, which it seems you guys talk about every other, if not every, episode. Because I live in California, denatured alcohol cannot be purchased, even through Amazon. I’ve heard of people using Everclear as a substitute for denatured alcohol, but as research shows, everclear looks to be banned in California as well.

What else can I use to dissolve these shellac flaked ?? Thanks again for the sick content, Tyler

2) Before I ask my question, I just wanted to thank you for your feedback on my last project. The advice you gave me about the box I was working on was perfect. Thank you! Hoping to get your input again.

I have about $1,500 to spend on a bandsaw. Resawing is the priority. Bang for the buck is important, but in this case I could be convinced to set aside another couple hundred or so since I think that the "buy once, cry once" approach could be worth it.

If I remember correctly, Guy has a Powermatic, and I remember seeing Sean's YouTube video about the Hammer. Not sure what Huy has. Regardless, I'm very interested in your thoughts, whether you like what you have, and whether there are other options that I should consider.

Thanks again for a great podcast and for being so generous with your experience. I'm a big fan. Keep them coming! John

Guy

1) What is the most challenging project you've ever completed? What made it challenging? How did you approach the problem-solving required to overcome the challenge? Help us listeners get "in your shoes" and learn from your approach to tackling challenges in woodworking by providing a specific example from your experience. Thanks for all the insights you continue to share on the best woodworking podcast in the universe!

From the other side of the wall, Brian Schmidt

2)You all are an inspiration to me and have always given honest legitimate answers to thousands of questions through the years for so many folks. I’d like to know who was an inspiration to you as you were growing as a craftsman? Especially Guy since he came up in the trade before the internet and social media. Secondary question if you had the chance to meet or learn from one craftsman, who would that be? Brent Jarvis

Huy

1)Kind sirs-

After my last couple of diatribes I'll endeavor to keep this question brief. My wife is a lovely, patient woman and for Valentine's Day I would love to make a pair of nightstands she's been hinting at for a while. Of course, I would have needed to start those two months ago to have any chance at making February 14th. But maybe for next year, with your help.

I'll be making these out of some walnut scavenged from the power company clearing lines. I took two roughly 18" long x 24" diameter logs, and hand-ripped them into rough parts (1" panels, 2" leg stock) about 18 months ago with this in mind, they've been air-drying since.

My conundrum is that these logs are from BRANCHES - the actual tree, still standing, is about 6' in diameter. So for nightstands, wanting a roughly 16" x 22" top, though my inclination is to use the nicest "slabs," maybe get a little sap wood in there, my gut tells me that will look nice for a year and then end up like Sean's cherry table panels, especially because they're air-dried. In your esteemed opinions, should I further rip the slabs into dimensional lumber and then glue up panels for construction? Aesthetically, I could probably use some "traditional" furniture, my wife says the house looks like the Keebler elf village already, we have a 14' long 4" thick live edge mantle, all maple trim with walnut plugs, and I use interesting off-cuts to trim windows.

That was brief, for me. Thanks Tom

2) Thank you so much for taking the time every two weeks to produce this outstanding podcast, which I have thoroughly enjoyed, and have integrated many of your ideas and tips into building my shop and developing skills as a woodworker.

I am in need of an outfeed table, and also a stable, dead flat assembly surface. I think that Huy's "MO/AT" is a terrific solution, but I have a few questions.

I know that the torsion box portion is based on Ron Paulk's popular workbench, which includes the dog holes (that I really want to utilize for clamps, etc.), and the interior storage space. Also, the removable hardboard surface, with its reference dowels, is a great idea that requires access inside the box.

However, I have watched torsion box build videos by Guy, Steve Johnson, Marc Spagnolo, and others, and their designs all differ in that they are thinner, and have a much denser array of "honeycomb" grid elements, which suggests to me a greater chance of remaining dead flat. But of course, they do not allow for meaningful use of dog holes, or interior access.

So I am looking for the best compromise design, one that allows the dog hole array and all of the clamping options, but also has the best longevity for staying flat. Is there a best height, best grid layout configuration that I can aim for? I'm thinking that between you three engineers, the perfect solution will be forthcoming.

Thank you, and please keep up this very much appreciated podcast! Best, Tom Stanley

Episode 96 - Dust Collector Filters, Piston Fit Drawers, Drill Press Selection & MUCH More! May 05, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guy

1)First I want to say fantastic podcast guys. By far the best woodworking podcast out there. I recently discovered the podcast and have binge listened to old past episodes while building the cabinets for our new home.

We are building a new home with a shop / garage combo and I finally have the space to buy the tools that I have never had the space to own before. Next up on my list is a drill press and trying to decide what size to get. Bench top model vs floor model, size motor, features to look for, etc. I build furniture and cabinets mostly but like pushing my creative side and making other odd things as well. I want the best bang for the money but don’t mind spending a little extra to get what will be my lifetime drill press.

Thanks for your help. Keep up the good work. Plan to be a long time listener but I didn’t buy a SawStop so I might die soon! LOL. - Tom

2) My question is regarding learning more about design for my projects. Up to now most of my projects have been based on an existing design or product. I scroll Instagram, Pinterest, furniture store sites and find pieces similar to what I want and duplicate them or mash a few together to make my “own”. I’d like to start developing a design style of my own or pick a lane of design such as Mission or Greene and Greene and focus a little more on that.

Can you recommend any books or authors to give me a better understanding of the popular design periods that speak to the elements, features, woods used and so on for the various periods of design to help pick one?

I’d also be interested in any books that teach elements of a good design like proper proportions, and similar for furniture building so I can design and build a well balanced piece.

There is so much it might be impossible to put it all in a book, but you all offer good insight to us listeners so I’d welcome whatever you have to offer of any recommendations you might have. Thanks all! Mike

Sean

1) Gents - Found your show mid way through a 22-hour drive into Mexico. Listening to you - particularly Guy- reminds me of the people and shops I visited while a board member of the San Joaquin Fine Woodworking club in California. Simple, not too fussy advice that is useful for those picking up the woodworking hobby or far into the deep end this avocation. Keep up the good work.

You’ve spent a fair amount of time discussing the likes and dislikes of Waterlox. A recent project was a 42” x 78” patio table from 4/4 and 8/4 sapele. Legs are 5” square steel tube tapered and coped in a McIntosch style. As it would live outdoors, I opted to finish with Waterlox Marine Finish in gloss. Prep: Sand to 220 grit; vacuum and compressed air; wipe down with mineral spirits; apply Waterlox with a Jen foam brush. The first coat was a disaster with dime size voids in the finish … as if the surface was waxed before the Waterlox went down. I believe the cause was the mineral spirits: I applied the finish about a half hour after after the wipe down … something I often do without issue with spar urethane. Subsequent coats went down fine after letting the piece off gas for four days. My thinking is the tung oil interacted with the residual solvent. Thoughts? Thanks - Craig P.S. Mentioned the foam brush brand because I’ve found it to be the only that rivals a high quality bristle brush for brush application

2)Hi guys, thanks for the podcast, really helpful info! Keep hearing your requests for more questions, so here are a few.

You talked a lot about dust extraction recently. I've seen people claiming that by replacing the filter bag with a fine cartridge filter people have seen major improvements in the performance of their extractor units. Do you have any experience with these? Thanks for all the time you put in, love listening.

Best wishes - Chris (UK based enthusiastic amateur)

Huy

1)Hi, long time listener that truly appreciates all of the wisdom and humor you have provided over the years in your great podcast.

I have a couple design questions for a sofa and a pair of side tables I am making for my living room. They are a pretty simple design that uses mortise and tenon joinery for the aprons and legs. I use my router with a 1/4" bit to make the mortise, and the table saw with a dado blade to make the tenons. The legs will be just under 2" from the thickest material I can get from my 8/4 stock and about 28" long. The aprons will be 3/4"thick and 6" tall, they could be slightly thicker, they will come from 4/4 stock.

I want to try my hand at piston fit drawers instead of using drawer slides. How would you attach the inner structure that supports the drawers underneath and on the sides inside the table? I don't have a domino or biscuit joiner. I have never had good results with pieces attached with pocket holes staying in place during installation and I am afraid the slight movement will ruin the piston fit. Thank you. Julio

2)Gentlemen-

Congratulations as you near your 100th episode, and well-deserved syndication riches. I'm about to complete my workbench of air dried black locust (top) and white oak (base). I am installing leg and twin screw tail vises. I will need to procure additional lumber for the thick components of both. I thought it might look nice to use some Walnut, but I can only get 12/4 kiln dried. I don't see a problem with the leg chop, it's attached with the vise hardware, but would dovetailing a kiln dried tail skirt onto an air dried laminated top would be asking for problems? Thank you for any advice or relevant anecdotes you may have.

Tom

Episode 95 - Managing Rust, Building Kitchen Cabinets, Secondary Woods & MUCH More! Apr 21, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1)First off I want say how much I’ve enjoyed listening to your podcast over the past year or more. With the right balance of instruction and interaction between the hosts, it’s both informative and entertaining.

I’ve been woodworking for quite some time and I ran across something I never experienced before and was hoping you might have some insight. I’m building a floor lamp with three curved legs as a base. I made a template for the leg profile out of ¼ inch hardboard. Using a straight pattern bit on my router table, I was able to easily create three legs out of ¾ plywood for my prototype. Happy with the design I used the template to trace out the legs on some ¾ walnut. I then rough cut out the legs on the band saw, leaving a 1/16inch of material outside of the line. From there it was back to the router table where I attempted to flush cut the legs using the template and straight pattern bit. This gave me no trouble at all when routing the plywood prototype legs, but as soon as I carefully eased the walnut into the bit, it would immediately catch and tear out. I purchased a ¼ inch spiral flush trim bit and also used a starting pin but the results where the same. I continued to get bad catches and tear out no matter how carefully or slowly I went. In all my years of woodworking, I’ve never run across anything like this. Any ideas on what I could do different? Terry

2) Hi guys and thanks again for making the ULTIMATE (remember that episode?) woodworking podcast,

And by the way, thanks for answering my last question. I live in Bergen, Norway and a small local timber merchant is selling Beech (I guess it is European beech) and Alder (again European alder I believe) at quite a reasonable price. Here in Norway poplar is not readily available.

Given a choice between the two, which would you choose as a secondary wood (for drawers and parts that won't be seen)? And if you were to make furniture project wholly out of one of them, which would you choose? And of course, why?

Both are rated as perishable. The beech is quite a lot harder according to the janka scale. 6460N vs. 2890N. The beech is supposedly superb for steam bending, but I have yet to get there in my skill set. And both seem to have quite good workability.

I am not sure I appreciate the ray fleck look or the slightly yellow look on the beech that I have seen, but that may be fixed during finishing if the other attributes make it worth while. I have however, little experience with alder. Looking forward to your discussion on this. Sincerely, Gøran Eliassen Nomad Makes

Guy

1) Hey guys. My question is about pricing your woodworking and getting past imposter syndrome. I have recently started making some items for a group of dog breed enthusiasts and I have experienced a substantial growth in demand for items that fall much more into the "art" category than the "furniture" category. As a hobbyist woodworker, I do not have a huge portfolio of work that I've sold, only a few items here and there. Moving forward, I plan on building into a more substantial business. I obviously want to price my work at what it's worth, but I can be very self conscious about my skills and tend to undervalue what I'm worth. I obviously want to sell as much as I can, but how do I sell my work at a value that gets its out into the world without setting a low bar price-wise for the future? I am my harshest critic. Joshua

2) Hey Guy(s)! Thankfully this question is not very time sensitive, so hopefully you can get to it before I need to take your answer(s) into consideration.

My wife and I are in the process of redesigning our kitchen that is in need of a serious facelift. We plan on contracting out the plumbing and electrical and fortunately aren’t doing any structural modifications to the house itself.

Our current debate involves the cabinetry. I’m a fairly competent woodworker and love a good challenge. Personally, I’d rather take the money we would pay a cabinet shop to build and install new cabinets and make some needed upgrades and additions to my own workshop to do them myself. I’m not a fan of raised panel designs so I’ll probably do more shaker style cabinets.

I have a Sawstop contractor saw, 14” bandsaw, 13” planer, basic router table, bench top drill press, and an older model Festool track saw, plus various other hand tools

Considering I expect to save somewhere in the range of $5-10K by doing it myself, what additional tools would you recommend? As specific as you’d like to be would be great if you have machines you’ve been very happy with.

Side note: we had to take down a large white oak in our back yard and I plan to have it milled up and kiln dried to continue its life on our property.

Thanks for your time and your continued insight to help us all become better woodworkers!

Shawn @terpax

Huy

1) Aloha Boys!

I have a question about managing humidity and rust in the workshop. I live in Hawaii and have my workshop in a detached garage. Most buildings here including my workshop have jaulosie style windows and I can't completely seal and temperature control my shop.

I am spraying or wiping down my larger tools with T-9 and other rust inhibitors, but many of my other various tools and equipment are quickly rusting.

Outside of temperature controlling a shop, any other tips tricks or ideas? Are silicone gel packs a waste of money? Would it be crazy to put rubber weather sealing on cabinet doors? Mahalo boys, you are the best! Matt

2)Hey again, love the podcast and the advice you give. Recently you answered why I suck at hinges, and one reason mentioned was the cheap hardware I often use. This lead me to another thought. When do you buy the hardware for a project? Before you begin, or once it's all made?

I tend to wait until after the project is made, and unfortunately that also means I sometimes struggle to find hardware that will work. I've been known to buy many different sets of hinges to take home and see how they look on a box, or even carried boxes into Rockler to try there.

I've also ran into the issue of fit. I recently made a shoe-shine box, and when I planed the lumber, i just ran it through until I thought it looked good. I didn't measure at all. But when I went to buy hinges, the odd sizing left me with hinges that were either too big and stuck out, or not strong enough for the weight of the lid/shoe support. I ended up with external hinges that I didn't like, and 3 of them for strength, all because I didn't plan ahead. My wife likes it, but what does she know about design? Peter

Episode 94 - L-Fence, Flattening A HUGE Table top & MUCH More! Apr 07, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Jolly good day Guy, Huy, and Sean. I've always found the imperfections in wood like knots, funky grain, and discoloration to be interesting. I have decided to try and start using them more as design aspects in my projects. I am tackling using a knot for the first time and other than "use epoxy" I am at a loss as to what brand, type and tints. There is a myriad of options. Any recommendations on products, methods and tints for an end table top knot in mixed clear/brown yellow birch? As always, thank you for sharing the knowledge! -

I want to Stabilize mostly, but I have heard that clear epoxy yellows. Should I tint darken to handle that? Daniel Stickman Woodworking

2) Thank you guys for everything you do with the podcast. My question for you is about table top flattening. My current situation is with a 42”x90” dining room table that went a little wonky during the glue up. A couple of the boards came out of alignment with the rest and so now the top is not flat. I know where I messed up and how to prevent this in the future, but I’m wondering what your suggestions would be to flatten a top of this size back to everything being even. I am currently using my router sled to do this and it is very time consuming. Thank you in advance for you answers. Sincerely, David Glowacki

3)Hey guys. I love the podcast. I learn something new from each episode. Thank you for answering my question and all the hard work you put into your tube and podcast.

I'm currently working very hard to increase my brand recognition to try and make wood working a full time thing. I know none of you have your own "Full time woodworking gig". and I feel that is a choice. It seems like you guys could break out full time. Any advice on how to increase my reach to people to start bringing in more business would be super appreciated.

Scott Bonin @tomrarwoodworks

Huy

1) Thank you for the great podcast! I listen to it all the time and get so much out of it!

I just recieved a free delta unisaw with sliding table. Two question on this table saw:

1: This saw does not have a riving/splitter. Thoughts on adding one??

2: I want to rebuild my shop around this saw. Right now my table simply butts to my work bench which is also my out feed table. I would like to attach the bench/outfeed table to the saw but the floor is not level. (garages shop). Would you build to level? ie, level the saw and build everything to that plane or build to square with the floor.

Great pod cast! Great people! GREATEST INFO! Scott

2) Hi folks - I am moving in the next year, and am hopeful that I can sell many of my current stationary tools and move up to some used industrial-scale equipment. However, I have never purchased equipment that I couldn’t transport myself or simply have dropped off with lift gate service. I am interested to hear any advice regarding the transportation of large tools back to the shop after winning them at auction far from home (for example). I love my Toyota Tacoma but I’d be limited to picking up one tool at a time, which would be a real scheduling nightmare. Does one hire riggers to load a truck, have the truck driven to one’s own place, and hire riggers to get the stuff off the truck? I don’t have a forklift or anything like that (yet), and as much as I would love to I would rather direct my funds at tools vs material handling equipment. I am simply an enthusiastic amateur looking to get into large equipment for both the fun and the machines’ capacity. Andrew

3) The amount of information you all have given to the community has helped out so many folks and I’d like to say thank you for your knowledge and dedication.

My question is in the concerns of a L fence. I have been hearing about them lately and would like to know if any of you have used one. From what I have seen and understand is it increases the safety of making certain cuts. Could you help us understand what an L fence is and if it’s worth making.

Again, thank you all for the information you have given to us all.

Brent Jarvis Clean Cut Woodworking

Episode 93 - Bandsaw Drift, Fuzzy Boards, Rearranging The Shop & MUCH More! Mar 24, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Hey Guy,Huy,& Sean. I just picked up a pair of Mitutoyo calipers. I use a straight edge and feeler gauges to set up machines like my jointer. Do you guys use precise tools like calipers,feeler gauges, and straight edges. when your building furniture, it seems like they could be really useful. All 3 of you have that engineering type of brain. (Huy being an actual engineer). If you do use them in your furniture. What do you use them for? Or are tools like calipers overkill for woodworking. Cheers, Nate

2) When you bring a new tool into the shop do you find yourself using that tool as an excuse to rearrange your shop, even if it’s an upgrade from a tool you already have?

I’ve found myself rearranging my entire workflow every time I introduce a new tool even if the one I’m upgrading one that’s been in a certain spot for years.

I hope all has been well with you and your families. Please continue with the fantastic content! Thank you for your time. Brent Jarvis Clean Cut Woodworking

Huy

1) Hey my name is Mike from odd materials woodworks I have been really enjoying your podcast.

I have been following all three of you for a while.

Anyways in listening to some of your past podcasts you have discussed the mft with the flip up arm and how you don’t use it anymore.You just use a set of dog with the rail clip which I have been thinking of switching to. My question is how would you approach making repeatable cuts on an MFT style table? Thanks again Mike

2)What is your method for fixing drift when re-sawing with a fence on your bandsaw? Michael

Guy

1)Hi Guys, love the show and the chemistry between you guys, I'm fairly new in the woodworking world with previous experience as a finisher, now I moved to making my own furniture line. I have three questions for you guys:
1- Any tips for crosscutting plywood?
2- How do you guys keep the shop organized with the leftovers of material?
3- If budget weren't an issue what would you buy first a Festool Track Saw or a Sawstop Cabinet Saw?? (I mostly work with sheets of plywood) Thank you and keep up the good work, Karel

2) Hope this is a quick one for ya - I'm stumped on something and it's making me crazy. I'm making cutting boards, I've got about 10 under my belt at this point. Most of my quality priorities are improving nicely with time and experience but I have a problem with finishing; specifically grain that raises on my finished product shortly after the board gets put into use.

For context I'm talking about edge grain boards. I get a great glue-up, scrape them down, finish plane, then onto sanding. I take it to 180 all around, then I raise the grain. I take that down with 220, then I raise it again. I really thought that raising the grain twice, incrementally, would give me an extra level of redundancy against surface issues moving forward. I finish with 320, then go with a generous treatment of mineral oil followed by the 4-1 oil/beeswax routine.

The "fuzziness" isn't across the entire board, but there's enough of it there to both mystify and frustrate me. I really put a lot of work into these and I'm trying to get the highest quality that I can achieve. Everyone expects a board to need care, but my gut says that sandpaper shouldn't be involved.

What am I overlooking here? Any assistance will be greatly appreciated; love the show, keep up the great work. collin

The Real Episode 92! Prototyping For Strength, Stair Tread Staining, Radial Arm Drill Press, & MUCH More! Mar 10, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) I’ll save you the airtime by not mentioning how awesome y’all are and how awesome your podcast is because you already know that. If Huy and Sean didn’t know that already just ask Guy… he will talk for hours! Hahah
Two part question is… when contemplating buying a new tool do you let the space you have for that tool determine if you’ll be getting one over the other? Also, when you bring a new tool into the shop do you find yourself using that tool as an excuse to rearrange your shop, even if it’s an upgrade from a tool you already have?
I’ve found myself rearranging my entire workflow every time I introduce a new tool even if the one I’m upgrading one that’s been in a certain spot for years.
I hope all has been well with you and your families. Please continue with the fantastic content! Thank you for your time.
Brent Jarvis
Clean Cut Woodworking

2) Hey fellas, I'm looking into a new drill press. I'm looking to spend about 500$. I noticed the rikon radial arm drill press is the same price as the standard drill press. why wouldn't I buy the radial arm drill press?

Thanks Scott

Huy

1) Howdy from Madison, AL! I’m pretty new to woodworking although
I have been building (and finally finished) our kitchen cabinets including 43 drawers! Now I’m getting into ‘finer’ woodworking and am building a 2” thick (6’x4’ oval) walnut/maple kitchen table. My question is about building a base for the table - any idea how to prototype the build so that I can see if the base will actually hold all the weight of the table? I can build it in Sketchup but that really won’t tell me how much weight it will support… I also thought about building a ‘tulip’ style base as our home has very contemporary styling…

Adrian Abshire

2) First off, this MAY be a repeat (I’ve sent it to SOME podcast but who can keep them all straight ?). I’m making a high chair for a friend, which I hope to complete before the kid goes off to college, from box store mahogany so I’m thinking it’s sapele. I’d love suggestions on how to finish so it’s both durable and safe for a tiny human to gnaw on
Jason

Guy

1) Hey guys I’ve been listening from the start. Awesome podcast and has been super informational so thank you for all you do. My question to you guys is, is it worth upgrading my dwelt 734 to a helical head or buy a new 735 four post and upgrade the head later on?(money reasons for later on) The 734 has worked great for my for about 3 years. My only complaint is the knives are crap. They don’t last very long. My question is it worth upgrading the old 734 Vs getting a new four post and upgrading later. It’s a better machine so maybe it will last longer in the end. Thank you for your time! Mike

2) Hello. My brother-in-law’s house flooded during a recent hurricane. They have a heavy duty metal circular staircase that had carpet covered plywood stair treads that were trashed. I’ve made new stair treads with red oak and was planning to use Osmo to finish, but now they say they want them “dark”.
What product would you recommend to both darken and seal that would hold up long-term to foot traffic. I’m thinking a stain with Osmo might eventually wear off leaving an uneven color.
Thanks in advance, Mike Sibley Sibley Manor Woodworks

Episode 92 - Kind of... Feb 25, 2022

Be back in a couple of weeks!

Episode 91 - Glass Stones, Edge Details, Knockdown Hardware & MUCH More! Feb 11, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1)Hi all, Love learning from y’all, though your podcast has cost me a bit of money since I hear about some great things that I HAVE to buy!

However, my spouse says that we are running out of room in our tiny 16.5 x 8.75 foot garage and has put their foot down on a thickness planer. They pretty much use a lathe and other machinery to help support their lathe work (benchtop bandsaw, sander, drill press, job site table saw), and have no stated need for a thickness planer. I am interested in moving more into furniture and cutting boards, so I thought a thickness planer, and possibly one day a jointer, would be helpful in my woodworking. I found plans for a jig that I could use my router on but didn’t know if this was a sufficient substitution. Have any of you used such a jig for planing and if so, how did you find it compares to the thickness planer? Also, do you have any suggestions to efficiently plane or joint wood without a planer or jointer? Thanks in advance for your help. Adrien

2) I see and hear people referring to how many hours they have in a particular project - 50 hours for this, 100 for that, etc. and so on. More so for people doing commission work than just personal stuff, I guess, but it got me wondering... how do you generally figure the hours for a project? Do you keep track of your shop time, or is it more of a 'best guess'? Do you count stock prep? Tool sharpening during the course of a project? Building jigs necessary for the project? Time spent waiting between coats of finish? How deep in the weeds do you go on this, and how does it differ between 'individual' projects that you do at home, vs. say projects done at work (in Guy's case)? Thanks! Monte

3) Two things.

#1 – for the listeners… there seems to be only 58 Patreon members. This is a great resource and I hope more of them contribute, as $5/month is a bargain.

#2 – for the gentlemen, can you please talk about when you do your edge details in relation to sanding. For example, if you’re doing a small chamfer with a block plane, I would think this happens after all sanding is complete. But if you’re looking to blend in a top and bottom roundover, I assume you do this before any sanding, but at the risk of losing some symmetry. Look forward to your thoughts on this topic. Thanks, Glen

Guy

1) Hey guys, recently found love the show. I started at the beginning and am nearly caught up, but forgive me if this has been discussed already. I'm planning to build my wife a very large craft desk/work area. She wants it to be 'U' shaped so she can rotate in place and complete each operation of her projects. Due to the shape and size, I naturally want to assemble this in a manner that it is easy to disassemble to allow for future relocation. Aside from basic, but strategically located, screws or bolts for assembling each section to one another, have you guys used any sort of "knockdown" hardware. I have used connector bolts on cheap throw-away furniture pieces before, but not on pieces that I have built. I can foresee some difficulty in accurately locating the various holes to be drilled when using that type of system. Any thoughts on products and/or approach for such an application?

Ps. I have seen a couple of neat options using the Domino and Lamelo biscuit joiner. I have a Dewalt biscuit joiner, but neither of the two other tools are currently at my disposal. Perhaps this is my excuse to invest in the Domino? Thanks and keep up the good work! Jason

2)Hey guys. I really enjoy the podcast. Thanks for sharing your expertise with the woodworking world.

I've decided to upgrade my sharpening media by moving away from Norton water stones and purchasing two of the DMT Duo Sharp diamond plates (220/325 mesh and 600/1200 mesh) and the 6000 grit Shapton Glass Stone for final honing. It's my understanding the ceramic on the glass stone will require flattening but not nearly as often as the Norton stones which I flatten after every use. Can you tell me how to best determine when my 6000 grit glass stone will need flattening especially since it will be used primarily only for final honing? Also, can the DMT diamond plates be used for flattening the glass stone? If so, which grit/mesh do you recommend. Thanks again and keep up the great work. Jack Francis - Geneva IL

3) Question mainly for Guy: ive heard you talk about your love for the Incra 5000 many times. I have one myself for a few years. One part i wanna pick your brain on is how you claim to be able to square it up in seconds. I will preface this by saying that i hope i am missing something in my own experience. But I find i still need to do 5 cut methods for mine every now and then because when the fence gets bumped... you can no longer trust the registration marks until its squared again. Aside from this, theres also so much play in the outer end of the fence before you lock it down so how do you ever truly trust the angle? I find myself only setting it to 90 and still occasionally find its misaligned. I wouldnt dare trust it for angles like 45 etc because of the play of the arm and the other factors. What am i doing wrong? (I have made sure everything is tight) - tree of life woodworking

Episode 90 - Favorite Species For Hand Tools, Side Rail Box Hinges, Quality or Quantity & MUCH More! Jan 27, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) If I use the 1/3 rule for the tenons on the aprons, the tenons would be 1/4" thick if I use 3/4" stock. Do you think this is thick enough for a side/sofa table that won't see much abuse?

2) Hey guys, love the podcast! I have been following Sean's box build and wanted to talk about box hinges. For side mount hinges, what's your preferred installation method that works every time? It's something I struggle with and would like some tips or tricks. Thanks, Deron

Guy

1) Thanks for the great podcast and answering a number of my questions in the past. As with many of us I have a love hate relationship with finishing. I have been using Shellac with a Rubber (I know Huy dislikes that term) using Guy's method of preparing and using. I've recently tried hard wax oil (Odie's) which I like, but want to try spraying. I have a Home Right Super Finish HVLP (ie CHEAP) Sprayer, can I use this for spraying Shellac? I know recently Guy had mentioned that he pretty much just sprays shellac now. If I do this would I prepare the ratio the same as I have been for rubbing? Any tips or tricks you could share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Doug

2) To my question, how do you guys balance getting stuff done vs quality? Is quality always important? Thanks again Liam

Huy

1) What is your favorite species of wood to work on with hand tools and why? Michael

2) I want to make a bow front bedroom set (night stands, chest of drawers and dresser). I plan to make the draw fronts out of bending ply and 1/16 shop sawn veneer. I was considering sawing them out of 12/4 or 16/4 cherry but some of the drawers will be 10 inches tall and I’m concerned about the stability of the wood over time.

After I bend and glue up the drawer fronts, How should I square up the ends so they are parallel plus have a flat on the back for the draw sides? Also, I usually hand cut dovetails when making drawers, since the fronts will basically be plywood, I am thinking this will be difficult. Is there another technique that you could suggest that would be strong, yet simple to make?

Also, the dresser will be two drawers wide with a single bow (each drawer will have a half bow). Whatever technique I use to make the drawer fronts on the end tables and chest of drawers will need to be different for these drawers, how do you suggest I square up the ends and create a flat on the back for the dresser drawers?

Mike

Episode 89 - Saw Height, Lacquer Tinting, Steamy Glasses! & MUCH More! Jan 13, 2022

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guy

1) Gentlemen-

Enjoying, as always, the podcast. Especially with the recent addition of my questions, and your informative, insightful, and obviously thoroughly researched and considered thoughts on my quandaries.

Onto my current woodworking-related predicament. I find myself both lacking a proper workbench, and having a surplus of black locust and white oak from my aforementioned shed project. My current workbench is a tall (40") dining room table- when it served as such, it came as set with stools, not chairs. From Bloomingdales. For $2600 f@CKING DOLLARS! IT'S MDF SCREWED TOGETHER! Who gets a tall dining room table as the only horizontal surface in a 400 square foot Manhattan apartment? My ex-wife. Because that makes sense and if it doesn't you are in the bad boy corner. Word of advice to your listeners - if your fiancée insists on haircuts that cost more than a Woodpeckers router lift, don't. Just don't and run and make up an excuse, but don't. Ever. 5 months of hard lessons right there.

But I digress.

I have enough black locust to make a 26" x 78" top at about 3.5" thick. My lumber dimensions range (rough, not nominal) from 4x4s to 2x10's. The only bench top dimension limited by the lumber is the thickness. I feel like I want a "girth-ier" bench. The legs are going to be 4x6 white oak with 2x6 stretchers and in the drawings the top looks out of proportion.

I'm a big feller (6'4") and I generate a lot of force with my hand tool work. I don't want to bring the base dimensions down to suit the current possible top thickness.

So do you think I should suck it up and go grab some more 2x6+ and get me a 6" thick top?

The goal here is to get rid of all of this black locust - it's not good for woodworking, it's the best for outdoor building, but I want to get back to woodworking.

But my parents, who live nearby, need a cathouse. The kind for sheltering an outdoor animal, not housing prostitutes. So I could potentially use the excess to make that impervious to the elements, and make my mom happy. Because apparently Jeff told her his little bitty feet get cold on the stone patio, and my dad built what looks like a homeless encampment out of tarps and pallets as a temporary shelter.

But I digress.

Tell your listeners to look @figurawoodwork on instagram they can see what I am talking about. I'm going to send you a pic direct so you don't have to dig around. Continue the superlative work, may your blades stay sharp, and your fences square. Tom

2)Hey,

Thanks so much for the podcast! I have a delta contractor saw 36-725T2. I'm very happy with the saw and it happens to line up with my work bench well. The one thing I'm struggling with is, I feel the table is a little tall. I need to really stain to look straight down on the blade to line up fine joiner cuts. Such as diver tails and tenons. I thought of lowering the saw but I like my bench height, and don't have room for an outfeed table and a bench. Which height is more important? Scott

Huy

1) Hey fellas! Love the podcast and the wealth of info you share. I’m building a dining room table out of old growth fir. I know it’s a bit silly to use such a soft wood for such a high traffic piece, but the wood came from a 12x12 post that was holding up part of my childhood home.

I’ve inset some brass pins and tubes in a flowing pattern on the table top and plan to finish it with Osmo oil ebony stain for colour to contrast the brass, but I’m stuck on what to do for an impact resistant top coat. Have any of you used a foam roller to roll on epoxy and build a couple of coats up? Would an epoxy with high solids be more durable than other more ‘tried and true’ finishes? The table is being gifted to my brother in law and they have a veeeery active toddler, so dents are inevitable but I’d like to protect it as best I can without doing an epoxy pour-over. Apologies if this question has been asked as I’m only on Ep 22! Thank you from Vancouver, BC - Bruce

2) Great podcast fellas, such a wealth of knowledge. My question is about Sherwin Williams Hi-Build Precat Lacquer (low gloss white). I’ve been spraying it thru my Fuji for a few years. I know SW can tint it but I have a big assortment of trans tint dye. Wondering if it works as well as SW tints. Thanks David Morton ,Central Kentucky

Sean

1) As I sit here coughing and assuring everyone it isn't covid I just have lungs full of Sapele, I thought to myself... The woodshop life guys can maybe help me. I try my best to wear all my PPE but I often find myself choosing between lung protection and eye (and ultimately hand) protection. I have tried many different masks and

Eye protection but every time if I am wearing both the glasses fog up and I can't see so I take off the mask. What do you all wear or have you used to overcome this. I have seen the full face mask with Ac blowers but I can't spend 500 and need something economical

Will

Episode 88 - Induction Motors, Tools That Didn’t Work Out, DENTS & MUCH More! Dec 30, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) My question for you is regarding finishing. I have used an alcohol based dye and sealed it with shellac as ‘it sticks to everything and everything sticks to it’. I’m also using a water based poly over that. Specifically regarding the legs, they are an upside down ‘U’ shape or ‘A’ shape and I have them set up to brush on the poly. Would you finish the outward face and edges first, let dry and then flip to do the inner face (legs are laying flat on painters pyramids that are set up on top of the table saw). Or would you poly all sides at once and try to touch up finger marks as you go?

If I were to spray the poly, what would be my order of operations (spray one side and all edges first or all sides at once). What about orientation of the table legs (lay flat/ stand them up/hang from a wire?)
The poly I’m using is Zar Premium Finishes fast drying semi gloss. It says on the container ‘do not thin’ if spraying can I disregard this and add up to 10% water to lower the viscosity as I might with other finishes?

Thank you so very much for such an in depth dive into this glorious craft. Bruce

2) Thanks for answering my last question on stickering new cherry boards in a horizontal rack. I did sticker them and they stayed stable but in the future I will probably not if they are kiln dried as I have limited space and need to maximize.
I just completed a shaker end table with the cherry I had bought and realized when putting the top on that the painter's pyramids that I used to hold the top while I was applying the finish left dents in the top. I finished the top with a coat of BLO and then five coats of shellac. The finish looks great but the dents are ruining the look of the smooth top. I know you can steam the dents out but I am afraid to try this as I do not want to damage the finish. What are your thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks again,
Jim

Guy

1) Hi guys… I’m a truck driver and listen to your podcast allot.
Guy,, do you still use your Incra TSLS fence? Why don’t we see more woodworkers using them? Even on YouTube the videos are years old. Your thoughts please. Brent

2) Name a tool that you have that you're not particularly happy with, but for some reason have not upgraded, and give your reasons why you haven't bit the bullet and bought a better version of that tool?

Huy

1) Gentlemen- I [insert enthusiastic verb] your podcast, and think you all are etc..I have a...different...finishing question. I am about to complete a small timber framed shed. No fasteners used except 4 hurricane straps and nails for the roof deck. Guy you would hate your life here all the mortise and tenon joinery was cut by hand. The frame base, flooring, and siding are black locust, the rest of the beams are SPF. All locally sawn, and then transported on the roof of my Subaru. The roof is going to be a living moss roof (i have no lawn only moss on 4 acres). I went through the trouble of bookmatching the siding when I made it, and even though black locust will last 100 years outdoors, I would like to, as the kids say, "pop" the grain. Would you recommend any sort of oil-based finish? I know i would have to reapply periodically which isn't a problem, however sanding would be. I live about an hour outside of NYC, we have seasons. Any other info you need feel free to ask. Thanks. Tom

2) I recently bought a combination machine (itech c300). It's a HUGE step up for me, and I'm worried about neglecting something because of my own ignorance. What would you say are requirements for servicing induction motors? Any other tips or tricks for someone who has just upgraded to a serious piece of kit for the first time?

Episode 87 - Critical Mistakes Were Made, Crappy Shellac Finish, Shop Lights Layout & MUCH More! Dec 16, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Recall an instance when you messed up at a critical step in a build. Then describe what you did to shake off the setback, and what if anything, you did to save the project? Michael

2) Hey guys, I have a question about “chasing the burr” when sharpening plane irons.

I use a veritas mark II guide and get a great polish on my PM-V11 plane irons with a 12,000 grit Shapton stone. After the microbevel has a consistent sheen all the way across, I take the iron out of the guide and use the ruler trick to remove the burr. I’ve tried swiping back and forth just once all the way up to 7 or 8 times.

Sometimes I can shave my forearm hairs at that point, but often have to go to a strop for a few passes before doing the ruler trick again on the 12,000 grit stone.

Since I primarily use bevel up planes with differing blade angles, I’d really prefer not to have to use the strop because it’s hard for me to tell what angle I’m at when stropping freehand.

Do you guys have any advice that can help me remove the burr without having to chase it? Damon

Huy

1) I’m moving to a new basement shop with no windows. My concern is about overhead lighting.

Did you use program to help layout of design? I’m working on tool and dust collector now.

Also I’m leaning to 4’ LED at 5k color. Suggestions? Thanks, Chris Hough

2) My current project required extensive use of a tongue and groove bit set (specifically the Freud adjustable kit) to make siding and flooring. My next project is a set of cabinets for my laundry room (lowers, uppers, and a full-height pantry). Shaker-style, no profiles on the cope-and-stick frames. Is there any reason I shouldn't / can't use the T&G set to route the rails and stiles for the cabinet doors and frames, and should purchase a set with a more "refined" profile? I like the Freud kit, you can really dial in the fit, especially for veneered center panels, but all the cool kids on the interwebs seem to use specific, profiled bits. I should mention I saw Guy did a video with an adjustable set, but you know what they say - don't trust anyone over 40 (I'm 44). Regardless there are 3 of you, so death match over it or something.

The cabinets will be made of hard maple which I know is a P.I.T.A. to work with and route cleanly, but I got a tree in the kiln and the T&G I just finished was over 1000 linear feet of Black Locust, so whatever I do will be relatively easy. Frame of reference - Huy, the Honey Locust you had a hard time on your daughter's...bassinet(?) with is 1580lbf Janka. Black Locust is 1700. Hard Maple - pffft only 1450. Cherry/Walnut right around 1000.

Thanks for the advice. I'm starting on these in early December, so I'll probably use whatever answer you provide in early January (in case your recent requests for questions have resulted in a backlog). Thanks for keeping it real. Tom

Guy

1) I have a question about cleaning my 3 HP dust collector with dual canisters. I have the Grizz G0562 but I assume that the Jet, Powermatic and other brands similar models are maintained the same. How often, if ever, should I clean the canisters and how best to do that? I recently gave my shop the semiannual leaf blower clean and when I passed the blower in front of the canisters I saw a huge amount of fine dust drop down into the bag. I somewhat often spin the handle on top of the canister but that doesn't seem to release anything noticable. Thanks fellas, keep up the great work! Jeremy

2) Enjoy the podcast and this is the second time I’ve submitted a question. You addressed my first question very well so let’s see if we can go 2 for 2.
I hear you guys, especially Guy, touting the benefits of shellac. I’m not feeling the love personally. Now I don’t use flakes and mix my own which may be the problem. I use the Zinzer product and brush it on. I have trouble with uneven coats, some areas drying too fast keeping me from working with a wet edge. Lots of runs and just generally uneven and ugly. I hear you talking about spraying which I can do but haven’t tried that yet. When spraying what do you use to clean the sprayer? I’m using ammonia per instructions to clean my brushes but not thrilled with using it on the sprayer.
Do I just need to start mixing my own to get a decent finish? Also the Zinzer leaves too much of a glossy finish, how do I get more satin? Tom

Episode 86 - Shop Ceilings, That Farmhouse Look, More Enjoyable Shop Time & MUCH More! Dec 02, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Huy

1) Gentlemen- Had two questions, figured I would break them into two missives to keep it organized. Again, thank you for podcast.

What are some non-tool, non-woodworking-related "things" that make your time in the shop more enjoyable or productive? For example, for me, it might be my Sirius XM or Amazon Music subscriptions, pot, or the cage I keep my children in. Huy, in your old shop, maybe your mini-split. Do you have anything like that? If you say "blue tape" Mike Pekovich will eat your soul. Tom

2) I’m cutting a 7x5” opening into the countertop of a washer/dryer surround made of 3/4” walnut plywood, in order to access the water shut off if ever needed.

Anyways, I’d ultimately like to figure out a way to cut the opening and reuse the off-cut piece as the new “lid” for the opening. I have a 1/8” spiral trim bit for my router and thought to plunge it down to begin the cut… then follow the template I made.

I feel like there not a lot of room for error here… any suggestions for cutting openings in order to grain match and reuse the off-cut piece?

Thanks! Chris

Guy

1) Hey guys, Figured I’d ask your opinion on shop ceiling heights. I’ve been planning on building a new detached shop/garage next year. My original design is a shed roof with an interior height of 12’ on the high side and 9’ on the low side.

But recently I’ve been thinking maybe a gable roof with a dormer would be nice. Which could make room for a loft however the ceiling height would end up around 9’ or 10’.

Other than stacking lumber vertically, I don’t see the advantage of 12’ ceilings. Side note, I was planning on running some dust collection through the slab floor. Thanks as always, Jesse Beechland Furniture

2) I usually build cabinets with doors and drawers overlapping the face frame. However I would like to inset the drawers on a pair of Shaker style side tables that I am building. How much gap (1/16", 1/8" should I plan for between the drawers and face frame. Drawer face is just under 6" wide. I live in the Intermountain West and it remains pretty dry all year.

After I get the position set, any tips to temporarily hold drawer faces in position on the drawers until I can install screws from the inside? Wild Horse Woodworking

3) I've gotten a couple requests from family members wanting some items with the "modern farmhouse" look - specifically rough-sawn boards for some of the 'show' faces. Given that most of the tools in my shop were purchased with the intention of making wood nice and smooth and square... I was wondering if you have any tips/tricks for intentionally creating a rough-sawn look on boards. Thanks, Monte

Episode 85 - Hinge Tips, Lumber Storage, Pocket Holes Need Glue? & MUCH More! Nov 18, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1)Wanted to start out by saying thank you for making my 30 min drive to and from work some of the most enjoyable and informative time of my day. My question is regarding lumber storage; I have a small one car garage shop that has a slight twist from the norm. Though it is a “garage” it is built over a basement and has a thick wooden floor. The basement space is unused and is connected to the basement of the house via a door. Do you guys think the atmospheric conditions in the basement would differ enough from the above garage space as to cause issues if I used it for my lumber storage area. My shop is well organized but pretty tight. I’ll have storage in the shop for smaller wood and I have a dedicated shelve system under my miter saw station to store all the parts for a single project minus larger sheet goods. I want to use the basement to keep 200-300 board feet to allow it to acclimatize to my shop. Side note, the basement space under the garage has a small garage door for lawnmower storage so air transfer will be similar to the garage above.

I know Guy I’ll comment so here is the answer, no I don’t park my car over the basement on the wooden floor. Thanks guys and keep up the great work. Brian

2) Hey guys, love the podcast. You guy's, all, have jointer/planers with carbide cutter heads. What kind of finish are you getting with these? Is scraping or sanding still needed for a final finish, or are your parts ready for finish? Are these cutter heads, all they are cracked up to be? Ken

Guy

1) Thanks the great podcast! I've been catching up on them recently; not quite all the way though. Haven't heard Guy use 'specificity' for a while, so if you could see to that I'd appreciate it! ;)

This question is about pocket hole joints and the need for glue - or not. Given that pocket hole joints most commonly involve butt joints, i.e. short grain to long grain, is it really worth adding glue to the mix? Part of me wonders whether with plywood having alternating grain direction to the layers might offset that a little? I realize that it probably doesn't hurt anything in the long run, but it seems like it just makes everything more slippery and difficult to align. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks and keep up the good work, Monte

2) I'm interested in what you'd recommend for a beginner-friendly spray finish setup for occasional use on projects ranging from small boxes on up to possibly cabinets - if it's even feasible for one setup to cover that kind of range. If not, what would you recommend for one vs. the other. Thanks and keep up the great work, Monte

Huy

1) So it seems every time I install hinges there is some issue with them, whether it's a lid not closing flush, a door that swings open, or spacing around a door not being consistent. I will qualify that I rarely if ever use "quality" hinges. I'm more likely to use home center or the cheaper Rockler/Woodcraft options.

Can you give any advice on having the best success with hinges? Both by hand and using power tools, please. I consider myself a decent woodworker but this continues to be an issue for me. Peter

2) I have been binge listening to your podcasts for the last several weeks and I am loving it. I love the format (especially compared to the other podcasts out there). I have learned a lot from listening to you as a new wood worker. I finally found and went to a hardwood dealer near me and bought some beautiful 5/4 and 8/4cherry. I put it on my lumber rack to acclimate to my shop. They are on a Bora horizontal rack. Do you recommend sticking them to allow air flow all around or should I just
stack one on top of the other? I look forward to your next show and hopefully I make it.

Thanks,
Jim

Episode 84 - Feed The Planer, Favorite Drawers, Carbide Turning & MUCH More! Nov 04, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Can we talk about chisels? I know I need to get some in order to start inlaying, but I'm struggling to spot the differences (other than price) between chisels. I'm happy to sharpen my own before use. Bearing that in mind, what features should I look for? What do you each use? Why are some chisels SO expensive? Chris

2) I am Gøran from Nomad Makes on Youtube and Instagram. I am currently on my 3rd binge listen on the podcast and enjoy it immensely.

I recently watched Sean’s video an making the William and Mary Highboy and noticed him using carbide tipped tools when turning.

I know Guy has said he is not a very proficient turner. And Sean also asked the viewers to go easy in that video. However you guys turn very well for being «not proficient» and only turning occasionally. Which is why I thought you would be perfect for answering this question, as I really don’t turn that often either.

Excluding a Tormek style grinder, since I don’t have the space. My shop is 132ft2 and I have crammed in a proper cabinet saw in that space. I am considering learning to sharpen the turning tools (gauges and all) by hand or getting some with replaceable carbide tips.

What do you think would be the pros and cons?

Note that I already own a normal (not carbide) roughing gouge and 5 more turning doohickeys.

Thanks and keep up the good work.
Cheers from Bergen, Norway.

Huy

1) My Dewalt 735 planer is occasionally having issues feeding my lumber through. There will be times where it stops feeding and I try to assist it through by pushing a little or pulling from the outfeed side, although that doesn’t feel the safest. It may stop 4 or 5 times in the course of one board. It will likely leave the board with black lines across the width of the board and sometimes cause divots where the planer ate up more wood than it should have. I assume this is an issue with the rollers on the inside. I try to get rid of extra wood chips in there (I am using a DC too) and I’ve also tried mineral spirits on the rollers. Do you guys have any solutions? Matthew

2) Hey Guy, Huy, and Sean,
I recently picked up some used hand tools while on vacation on the northern coast of Maine. I picked up a 24” hand saw, a Stanley 78 rabbet plane, and a sharpening stone in a custom fit wooden box (not as nice as Sean’s sharpening station). The two sides of the sharpening some are labeled “fine” and “course”. How can I tell if they are oil stones or water stones, and if they are oil stones, what type of oil should I use? The stone looks to be mostly gray (that may just be residual steel) but might have a brown or reddish hue to them.
Additional question, if they are oil stones and I use water will that cause damage? Same question if they are water stones and I use oil. Thank you for the best Woodworking podcast.
Joshua

Guy

1) Hey Guys. Jig question for you: when do you decide on whether to keep a shop made jig or pitch it in the trash? I like saving jigs that I plan on using again but I’m starting to run out of wall space to hang them. Is there a category / type of jig that you’ll make over and over vs one where you’ll try to make it once to keep for years? Ben

2) Hi, thank you for the time you invest in this excellent podcast!

I have a question about drawers and would like to invite you to tackle this subject quite broadly:
what is the type you usually install in fine furniture, in workshop furniture,...

Can you give tips on how to fit them correctly?

What is your favorite drawer construction method?

I'm asking this question in this way because in the past year I made and installed two different cabinets (including drawers). On these builds I used a gripless push-to-open type mechanism. I’m pleased with it altough it was a bit of work to get the fronts lining up correctly. Since this build I realised this sort of work can be rather tricky and now I would like to hear your take on it!

Thanks!
Bart

Episode 83 - HVLP Sprayers, Squeeze Out In Corners, Warped Bench Top & MUCH More! Oct 21, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) How do you guys remove remove squeeze out on inside corners? Let’s assume that you forgot to do any prep work for squeeze out. Is the only option short repetitive tedious strokes with sandpaper and scrapers? It seems like any other sanding options leave cross grain scratches. Blue bees woodworking

2)Hi guys - Watching YouTube videos I see more and more people using dust masks / breathing apparatus these days.
As an old guy ( I'm even older than Guy ) this equipment was never available or even thought of many years ago, perhaps we would slip on some safety glasses and call it quits. I must confess a lot of my pottering around in the shed is done with just a pair of thongs ( I think maybe in the US you call them flip flops)
edit: I don't want you guys thinking I'm wandering around my shed in a g-string ( thong / thongs), translations between countries varies . (I live in Australia)
Anyways these days I see people wearing breathing masks / filters/ respirators that start from a simple mouth covering such as a mask to outrageously looking respirators that look like something from a Star Wars movie set.
Do you guys use breathing protection ? If so, which type and your thoughts behind your choices
PS: I'm older than Guy and don't own a SawStop, please answer as soon as you can as my time on earth is limited

Regards
Geoff

Guy

1)I have a question regarding cutting and joining 2x 45 degree angles. My question mostly applies to using hardwood, not plywood and thicker stock, like 6/4 and 8/4 for things like a waterfall style table or bench.

I have the FeStool tracksaw, which is what I’ve used to cut my 45s. I find that it’s pretty dialed in when I check the angle after the cut, but for some reason when I join the 2 45s it’s always a few degrees off from 90. For what it’s worth, I join the 45s w dominos. I’m just having difficulty getting a perfectly even/square joint.

Don’t really know if it’s a clamping or cutting issue to be honest.

Any suggestions on clamping or cutting that could Help w this issue?

(I’m not opposed to making a table saw sled just for when cutting 45s, but that’s not really an option for larger pieces) - Byran

2) Hey guys, thanks for answering my last question, I thought I’d return with another!

My question is about water based finishes and HVLP spraying. I’ve been looking at buying a Fuji sprayer but unsure if it’s suitable and also what stage to go for?

I have a small shop and feel HVLP is the way to go although I’ve been advised to go for an airless system instead

Mainly be spraying water based paint finishes, but again unsure if this is suitable with HVLP?

Also use a lot of Polyx osmo oil, is this suitable to be sprayed? -Mike

Huy

1)For this question. I have a 4ft by 4ft bench. You guessed.... 2x4 frame screwed and glued to 4x4 legs with 1 sheet of 23/32 ply wood (cut in half hence the 4x4 ft top) screwed down. I did not glue the top. My thought was i can change/flip them if one sides gets beat up.

There is a slight crown in my bench top. The center is a bit higher then the edges and the corners are lowest. What are your suggestions on on flatting this out.

It become a problem mostly hand planing as the corner is lower, and the work piece tips up. Thank you, Scott

2) Hello fellas, this is Garrett Roberson from HMR Custom Woodcraft. I have a question about building a 36" wide by 72" long wall hanging that will go up behind a dart board. The customer wants something to hang on the wall behind a dart board to protect the drywall behind it. I would like to make it hang from the wall so that they can change or move it in the future instead of permanently attaching it to the wall. My plan is to use a 1/4" ply backing board, then make 6" wide x 1/2" thick panels out of walnut and lay it out in a herringbone pattern going 18" to either side from center. Finally I plan to trim out around it to cover the ply and give it a more finished look. What would be the best way to attach the panel pieces to the backing ply? Should I glue up each piece, laminating it to the plywood? Use pin nails and no glue? Both? Would it be best to paint the ply behind it and leave a slight gap or can I push them right up next to each other? I just want to make sure I don't have any wood movement issues or things like that. Any help you can give would be appreciated and keep up the great work.
Garrett

Episode 82 - Router Speed, Christmas Gifts, Hardwood of Softwood? & MUCH More! Oct 07, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Huy

1) Hey guys. This is definitely more of a "beginner" question, but can you elaborate on how you determine what speed setting to use on your router? Does it change depending on the hardness of the wood? Or the type of grain you're routing? Or maybe the size or particular profile of the bit? Whether you're routing in a router table or freehand? Plunging versus edge work? I own the DeWalt (DW618PKB) plunge router with speed setting 1-6. I always leave it on 6 and never think twice about it. But I'm wondering if I could get better results (less tear out, less burning) if I pay more attention to the speed setting? Thank you for all the interesting information every week. Thank you! Matt @WoodMillerDesigns

2) Hey everyone! Love the show. Have heard you talk about shellac for an initial coat or 2 of finish, then topped with something else such as a water or oil based poly. I know an only shellac finish can have clouding issues if someone leaves a drink on the surface, ie drink rings. I know shellac also could dissolve if an alcoholic beverage was spilled and not cleaned quickly. My question is: would you still have these issues if you did 1-2 coats of shellac and then several top coats of water or oil based poly? Or does the poly topcoat eliminate these shellac drawbacks? Ron

Sean

1) Hey there great podcasters! Just wanted to say after you kindly answered my question about grey streaky raindrop trails in my water-based poly finish (your suggestion was that I was using waxed shellac) that I did check what shellac I had used. Sure enough, it was waxed bullseye shellac! I had a can of the sealcoat de-waxed that I had finished and must have picked up the regular, waxed stuff by mistake. (I know, I know, I should mix up my own...) Thanks so much for your excellent deduction and help!

Not sure if you're still in dire need of questions, but if you are, I have one you could use: are any of you making woodworked holiday presents this year? If so, what are you thinking? If not, what's the best small, wood-based gifts you've made for people in the past?

2) Second, in a separate conversation, I said I sanded 80, 120, 180, 220. My boss sands 100, 120, 150, 220. (We both sand 320 after the first two layers of finish and 400 is any further sanding is needed.) When he heard that I went from 120 to 180 he said "I don't skip grits." Which didn't make sense to me because he "skips" 180. It made me think about all the advice on sanding I've heard. I always heard "proceed through the grits, don't rush, don't skip grits." But rarely does anyone mention a specific grit besides where they stop (which can be anywhere from 220 to 400). So where do you start and what are all of the grits you use? Mike

Guy

1) Heyy-o! I am a new woodworker and in the process of trying to get my shop together so I can start making custom pieces. I am also a new listener. My biggest question that I have searched and searched for and cannot seem to find a satisfactory answer is: How do I decide what type(s) of wood I should use for a project? I know that there is hardwood and softwood, but which is which and how do I know which to use and when?? How do I know what types of wood are paint grade or stain grade, or just clear finish grade? It seems like everyone just skips over this, and doesn't really explain the differences. Your help on this would be awesome and super beneficial! Thanks, Daniel

2) Hey Guys, Looking for some direction on Slab style kitchen doors. I’ve got a small kitchen, walk in pantry and laundry room that needs some cabinets. My wife wants smooth style modern doors so they are easy to clean and wipe down. And she wants them painted. I’ve made plenty of frame and panel doors but curious how you guys would tackle the construction of these. Is it just as easy as cutting up a sheet of MDF or Plywood laminating some edging and spraying them? Or would you make stave cores? Other details. These are full overlay doors, I think the tallest door might be 36” tall in the laundry room. But everything else is standard heights and widths for a kitchen. Thanks guys keep up the good work!! Jessee

Episode 81 - Kitchen Table Finish, Two Table Saws!?, Underrated Tools? & MUCH More! Sep 23, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) My question is a little out of the ordinary and is about the mental side of woodworking. I have a fast paced, high pressure job that requires a lot of my time. That being said it has allowed me the luxury of jumping into the hobby with both feet and get some really good tools right off the bat. Probably a bad idea what what the hell. Lol. The down side of the job is it limits my time in the shop and also makes it hard to transition into the mindset for woodworking. I have to multitask and move quickly at work, traits that don’t lend themselves well to the hobby. Do you guys ever have trouble slowing/calming down when you are in the shop? And if so how do you combat this.Thanks, Brian Wilson.

2) I was surprised to hear Guy say he wasn’t a fan of parallel clamps (and instead preferred pipe clamps due to their clamping pressure). They seem to be standard issue for every woodworker I see.

Can I ask you all to share any other overrated (or underrated) woodworking tools? Danny

Huy

1) Hello, I have upgraded my table saw to a 3HP Powermatic 66 and was looking at building an outfeed table but seeing wood prices lately, I am just going to use my old 1 1/2 HP contractor as the "outfeed" table with both saws pushed back to back making sure the miter slots don't interfere with each other. I'm trying to decide on what blades to get for the 2 saws. I see the work you guys do, so I was wondering which blades you would keep installed. Both saws have router tables, so any dado would be done with a router bit. Thanks for all the great podcast, I have been listening since #1- keep up the great work! Travis

2) Hey guys, thanks for putting out such a great podcast! I have been binge listening to the older shows and have heard several discussions on dust collection. Most of them have been focused on connection a large hose to a smaller dust port and not getting the full performance from this collection. I don’t have a dust collector, just a DeWalt shop vac. Would you saw that some dust collection is better than no dust collection at all? Working on getting a bandsaw that has a 4 inch port, used green (not the newer blue paint job) Rikon 10-315 12” deluxe, and dust collector would be the next purchase after that. Do you think it would be fine to at least use the shop vac to help, or is this a waste of time? Tim Preach

Guy

1) Hello guys and Guy. Wondering if you could give any recommendations for a table saw blades. I purchased the Forrest WW2 10" 40T blade back in May, however it is on backorder until November. Is there another blade you recommend that would be easier to find and use for the time being? I'm currently running the SawStop PCS 3 hp and just have the standard SawStop blade that came with the saw. Thanks, Paul

2) Hi guys. For a walnut kitchen table, would you use conversion varnish or Arm-r-seal? I can spray if need be. - Ken

Episode 80 - Do I Really NEED A Large Planer?, Dovetail Tips, Milling Wax Blanks & MUCH More! Sep 09, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) If I wanted to try my hand at veneering my own panels, what set up process do you recommend? This would be an attempt to do it without diving in and purchasing what I hear you guys talk about as a vacuum bag. Is it even possible to veneer my own panels without a vacuum bag? Matthew

2) Hey guys thanks for a great podcast and for answering questions from all of us. I have a question about planers. I am looking to upgrade my lunch box planer to something that is better than what I have now (ridgid 12.5"). I had a 15" planer years ago and am wondering if I "need" a large planer (15-20") or would something like the Dewalt 735 work just fine? Thanks for your input. Troy

Guy

1) Thanks to you all for the wonderful podcast. Really enjoy the way you discuss our (sometimes dumb) questions with great care. I appended my question to an earlier message, but I don't think it got answered. (If it did, please just re-direct me?) I was finishing up a console made of red oak lately with a couple coats of shellac followed by 3-4 coats of Total Boat Water-Based Poly. Again and again, I'd put on a coat of the poly that looked completely smooth only to come back to what looked like dirty grey raindrops with long tails -- not the look I was going for my beautiful sandy red oak piece! I was using a foam brush to apply. I didn't see any of these trails when I was putting on the finish. And it happened on both horizontal and vertical surfaces I finished. Is this a well known problem with water-based poly? Is it my brushes? But most importantly, is there a way to avoid it? I loathed having to sand it back and reapply. Also, while you're at it, is it worse to finish things vertically rather than horizontally because it the finish might collect and drip down? Thank you for your thoughts! (Oh, and tell Guy that he never needs to apologize for giving his "opinion". Frequently, it's not just an opinion but a position arrived at from lots of expert observation!) Adam Potthast

2) Hey guys, thanks for always producing such great content. My question is about dovetails for beginners. I’ve never done dovetails before, but recently purchased the Leigh through dovetail jig TD330 and am eager to get going. What tips, tricks, and general words of wisdom would you give someone who is just starting to work with dovetails? I know that’s super open-ended so here are a couple specific questions to get the juices flowing- I see that this jig can be used with a handheld router or a router table. Do you have a preferred method when making your dovetails? I’ve also heard people say to buy extra material when starting to work with dovetails, but how much extra? If I’m making a box, should I plan to buy enough materials for 6 sides (basically giving myself 2 extra box sides in case of screw-ups)?

Thanks again for all the great shows. I’ve learned so much from you guys and really appreciate it. Billy

Huy

1) Hey guys! Quick question - I like to resaw turning blanks to make small boxes and they often come covered in wax (or something). When I receive them, should I scrape off the wax immediately and let them acclimate to the shop? Or wait until I'm ready to mill them? Also, what's the best way to do that? I was thinking skim-cuts on the table saw. Thanks!!
Dan

2) Which type of router would you suggest for fitting to a router table?
I imagine that if I buy a plunge or fixed type and mount it to a table and I can always take it out and use it handheld etc but with a motor body I can leave it set up and just purchase a plunge type as well ( more tools is always a good thing) -Geoff

Episode 79 – The ULTIMATE Bench?, L-Fence's Are All The Rage, Beginner Projects & MUCH More! Aug 26, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guy

1) I am looking to build a new bench that will serve many functions. It would be an outfeed table, assembly bench, finish bench, and anything else I see fit to use it for. I am very intrigued with the Ron Paulk Smart bench design and will most likely go that route. The big question comes down to what type of hold down/ clamping surface is best. I see lots of people do numerous T-tracks and use all the new style clamps designed for this, but on the other end is the numerous dog holes like an MFT top. I do currently have a track saw that I use a fair amount to break down items too unwieldy to use on my small contractor table saw. Which design do you think is better and why. If you choose the dog holes design is there any preference on 3/4" holes vs 20mm holes?

Great podcast and keep up the great work.

-Chris

2) This may be more of a question for Guy, specifically. I've heard him mention Trans Tint Dye multiple times on the show. As a hobbyist, I've used Minwax oil based stains for quite a while, but I'm starting to understand why Guy dislikes it. Could y'all explain a bit deeper how you use Trans Tint Dye? After a bit of research, it looks like it comes concentrated and should be diluted before use. Just trying to understand a bit more about the product as it seems preferable over oil based stains.

Also, do any of you have any experience with any water based stains? And would you still prefer a water based dye over a water based stain? -Josh

3) Thanks for the great show. The question portion is a great help. We had a house built 4 years ago and the cabinet, doors, and drawers were sprayed with conversion varnish. The leftover product was left with us for touch up. I was under the impression that conversion varnish had a very short shelf life and would not keep but the painter said that as long as it was sealed it would be fine.

Something recently fell against 2 of the drawers and damaged the fronts. I repaired the damage and tried

doing the touch up with the leftover paint and a brush and it was not good. A friend sprayed it for me with his gun and they look great. The problem is that they have a glossy look that we can live with but they are also a bit tacky. They were sprayed 3 weeks ago and there is still a slight tackiness to them. Is the problem the fact that conversion varnish does not keep and is bad? Will it cure or should I strip it, go to Sherwin Williams, get a product they sell to the public, and redo them? Thanks -Bob Smith

Huy

1) Hey guys I purchased a L-Fence from Ben Brunik. So far I’ve used it for long bevels. Do any of you use a L-Fence in your workflow? If you do what other procedures is it good for? Thanks guys -Nate

2) Hey guys! I am a huge fan of the show. I’ve been listening for a few months now and as a novice wood worker I’ve been learning a lot.

I’m generally in my shop alone I’m looking to build out a first aid kit.

I’ve got the basic tweezers and alcohol I use pretty regularly. But I feel like having a proper first aid kit would make sense around all of the blades I've got going. I’ve been looking at tourniquets, something I absolutely hope I never have to use but just trying to be on top of safety. Love to know if you guys keep something nearby like that just in case god forbid something were to happen. Thank you for the great show, stay well!

-Mohamed

3) I’m a newish woodworker and noticed that it’s hard to gauge the actual difficulty level in potential projects (maybe youtubers just make it all look easy). What are some projects you would suggest beginners avoid until they establish a larger skill set? Any that look harder or easier than they actually are? Thanks for the podcast and covering so many nooks and crannies of the craft, certainly a better and more entertaining resource than the many Woodworker 101 books out there. Tyler

Episode 78 – Robots In The Shop?, Getting Finger Joints Right, H2O Finish Warping Door Panels? & MUCH More! Aug 11, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1)Hi,

I want to start using SketchUp and wondering if you guys had any tips on coming up to speed with the app? Did any of you take any training or know of some good video series?

I'm fairly tech savvy, will be using Windows PC and Android devices.

Thank you for your down to earth, real world views! By far the best podcast out there!

Eric

2)Hello again, hope all is well. Perhaps this is somewhat of a tool true woodworkers would never use ,but I've always thought CNC machines are really cool and have always wanted to get one in my shop eventually to make custom signs, jigs, gifts and whatever more intricately detailed thing I couldn't do by hand. Have you guys ever used a CNC machine for anything at any point, or maybe more importantly, WOULD you ever use one? Why or why not? Keep up the great work with the podcast - Brendon.

Guy

1)Hey guys, I'm working on building table tops for 4 or 5 pieces of living room furniture. I wanted to know if I should install something underneath the tops of the Coffee and console tables like 2 metal U channels to keep the tops flat? The coffee top will be about 4ft x 2ft and console top 2ft x 5 or 6ft. I'm using various hardwoods cut into long strips with different widths like a cutting board. My plan at the moment for the coffee top is to glue it up in 2 halves and use dowels to join the two. Also planning to use Z clips to secure the tops to the bases. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us,

Matt in Alabama

2)I’ve tried making finger joints/box joints. I’ve bought the flat grind blades and used the common technique of making groove in a sled and then shifting the pieces over into the slot/shim that I’ve created. It starts out fine for boards less than 4”, but for boards greater than 4”, I can’t get them to fit just right. Either they won’t join together or they’re too loose. What am I doing wrong? I don’t want to have to remake the sled/jig, but will do so if it means I can get boards of any size to fit properly together? How do you guys go about making box joints?

ChrisCustomWoodworks

Huy

1)I know it's best to plane, joint etc. with the grain (rubbing the cat from head to tail instead of tail to head). I have trouble determining which direction the grain is running. Any foolproof pointers?

Thanks for the best woodworking podcast around!

Great podcast - thanks for all the information! - Tim in North Carolina

2)Hi Guys from across the pond in the Uk! Love the podcast, the time in the shop is more enjoyable when I’m listening to you guys laugh and chat about your woodworking knowledge, it’s a great help and has answered so many of my questions already. I wanted to ask your advice on shaker cabinet doors. I make a lot of shaker doors for cabinets, alcove units and fitted wardrobes. The problem comes when painting. I don’t spray anything and use water based finishes. I use a water based wood primer undercoat and then a acrylic eggshell topcoat. I lay the doors flat and level on my bench, as soon as the first coat of undercoat goes on the door bows badly, it bows with the centre going away from you on the painted side. After about half an hour the undercoat has gone off enough for me to flip the door and paint the other side which then flattens the door back out but it sometimes doesn’t go back to what it should and also this just doesn’t feel great to me, with my straight edge the door is perfect after glue up/sanding but it’s never this good after painting. Any tips on what I could do/am missing when it comes to finishing these doors. Would love to hear from you guys and keep up the good work, love the show and keep producing great work!

Thanks

Mike @mgscarpentry

Episode 77 – The ULTIMATE Finish , Sled? What Sled!, MDF For Shop Furniture? & MUCH More! Jul 28, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1)Hi guys

I'm in the market for a miter gauge for my table saw and really like the look of the Incra Miter 5000 but the cost over here in Australia is a bit on the high side ($700 plus postage). Ive started looking around at different manufacturers etc and the usual YouTube searching and I notice a lot of users using a miter gauge only as opposed to a sled with miter type options.

Would you use a miter gauge only as opposed to a sled configuration. Thanks for the great podcast Geoff

2) I would like to make a assembly table top with dog holes just like the MFT basic. I already have an MFT table. Would it be possible to use my existing MFT table top as a template on a larger piece of 3/4 MDF? I was thinking of clamping it down somehow and pre drilling some holes and using my festool plunge router with a flush trim bit. Would this work and how would you do it with what kind of router bit? I see a lot of jigs made or bought online for this but if I already have a MFT table why not use it as a template - Anythony

Guy

1) Long-time podcast listener, thanks for the great content and helpful advice for woodworkers of all skill levels! I'm a few years into woodworking and have a 12 x 15 shop in my basement. No windows in the basement and my workshop is in the climate-controlled utility room with the finished basement just outside the workshop door. I make a variety of things such as boxes, crosses, shelves, trays, etc out of hardwoods, primarily walnut and curly maple. So far, my go-to finish has been a few coats of Shellac (Zinsser Sealcoat) finished with a coat of satin Arm-R-Seal. This finishing process can be a bit tedious, especially when making crosses and boxes that have lots of small crevices. I'd love to settle on a finish that checks the following boxes:

- Easy to apply

- Isn't overly smelly, given my workshop location and lack of outside ventilation

- Accentuates the beauty of the wood (e.g. highlights the figure in the curly maple, richness of color of the walnut).

- Doesn't involve pre-finishing, if possible, as I'm lazy and often have some sanding and clean-up work to do after assembly.

- Is quick from start to finish, as my workshop time is limited with 3 young kids and I want to spend as much of the shop time as possible making sawdust, not applying finish.

- Easy to clean up. For example, I'd love to avoid spending 30 minutes cleaning a spray gun after using it. Also, I don't have a ton of space due to my Sawstop PCS 36" saw, router table, planer, drill press, etc.

Should I keep with Shellac and Arm-R-Seal, or should I look at a spray option? And if a spray option, should I do an actual sprayer or buy rattle cans of finish? I'm open to recommendations. Thanks! Brian

2) Being 69 years old now, I find my reflexes, muscle control, eyesight etc. aren't quite as good as they used to be. Would it be, in your opinion, foolish to go to a SawStop table saw for the increased safety, when my Powermatic PM 2000 works fine. I realize there are other sources of hazards in the shop, but reducing one at the table saw is being considered. Thanks for the great podcast! Tim in North Carolina

Huy

1)Hi Guy, Huy, and Sean, love the podcast, I learn so much every episode. After only a year of woodworking, I've decided it's time to get my shop better organized. I'm going to start making a lumber cart, clamp racks, flip top tool stand, various storage cabinets, assembly table, etc. Most designs for these kinds of things call for plywood. But with plywood prices through the roof, I don't want to spend a ton of money on each thing. MDF prices are still high but seem a bit more reasonable. How can I determine when MDF can be substituted for plywood? And do you have any other tips for how to make shop furniture on the cheap with today's prices? Thanks, Matthew

2) Hey Guys, love your podcast; it’s one of the few woodworking podcasts out there that actually pushed me to be a better woodworker. Keep it coming. My question is this: I’m considering purchasing a dust extractor. I currently don’t any any Festool products, but I am considering the new Festool C15 dust extractor. (My budget doesn’t allow for the high prices of the other units with Bluetooth and since I dont own any other Festool products, I don’t see a reason to have any of the other units, but maybe someday). My current set up for my orbital sander, biscuit jointer, etc is a 4 gallon 5hp Dewalt shop vac with 90 CFM. I also have the vac and tools plugged into an I-socket auto switch which allows the vac to automatically turn on/off when I run my tools. I find that this set up does really well. With a price tag at $350, do you think it’s worth it in my situation to upgrade to a C15? What additional benefits do I gain from it that I don’t already have?

- Scott

Episode 76 – Tracksaw Cutting Straight,Scraps? What SCRAPS! , Woodworking Tools Used for WHAT?, & MUCH More! Jul 15, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Huy

1) When using a hold-down clamp to prevent wood movement -for example on the Incra 5000 crosscut sled, I find that often the wood moves veers slightly as I tighten the knob to hold the clamp against the workpiece. Have you experienced the same? If so, how do you deal with it? Would adding some sandpaper to the bed of the jig potentially create other accuracy issues, you think? Great podcast - thanks for all the information! - Tim in North Carolina

2) What tool or machine do you use for something it’s not necessarily intended for? ( I wanna hear more than I use every tool as a hammer haha.) For example: buiscuit joiners are intended to align two boards but people also use them to make slots for Z clips. Or table saws to make cove cuts instead of a shaper. Etc. ) I’m curious to hear if you guys have any neat tricks up your sleeve? As always love the podcast and keep up the great work.

Nick

Sean

1)With increasingly limited space in my workshop, how do you decide what scraps to get rid of, and which to keep? Mark

2) I really hope all has been well with you all. It has been a while since I have wasted your time with a question for the podcast. I mean, come on, we all know how the answers that were getting from this podcast are as spot on as much as the MSRP of a new car. Anywho, I was wondering if any of you use your woodworking tools for other materials other than wood. I have always been weary of using my table saw or bandsaw and such for cutting things like acrylic or even aluminum sheets. Since I have made the router sleds I have found myself more and more using my woodworking equipment to cut those two materials in particular. Now, I do not use my expensive woodworking blades for this purpose but I was just curious if any of you have used your equipment for different materials.
Thanks a bunch for wasting your time to keep my interests peaked just enough to listen to every episode in hopes that one day I’ll learn something.
Brent Jarvis
Clean Cut Woodworking

Guy

1) I have a makita corded track saw that I've had for about 4 years. I don't have a table saw, so the track saw is probably my most used power tool, and I'm really relying on it to give me straight, finished cuts I can reference from.

Recently I was cutting some Baltic birch for a jig where squareness of the panels is critical, so I was checking every cut afterwards. I found that my track saw was not cutting straight. I haven't put A ruler to it, but it might be 1/64 or maybe 1/32 out over 4 feet.

I took everything apart, cleaned sawdust out of every nook, cleaned the grippy strips on the track, cleaned and waxed the top of the track, cleaned the blade, tightened the track snuggers. I checked the back edge of the track against my straight edge, and that appears straight.

Do you guys have any suggestions? The blade I have on it is more than 2 years old, so I ordered a new one. if that doesn't help, I can reach out to makita about how to check and adjust the blade for squareness relative to the track slot on the saw base. If none of that works, I'll probably order a 55 inch festool guide rail (Amazon reviews say they work interchangabley with the Makita saw).

Anyway, I find this very frustrating, but I'm glad to have a reason to write in! I love the show, thank you all! - Jonathan

2) I am going to be making a 72”w x 14”h x 14”d credenza with a mitered waterfall edge out of walnut with a finished thickness of 3/4”. (All four corners mitered) There will be 3-4 drawers in it. My initial thoughts were to do it out of solid wood but I am now wondering if using walnut plywood would be a better choice as it is more stable than solid wood. I plan to use a domino to join my edges but not really sure how to account for wood movement on a large mitered box.

Love the podcast and have learned a lot from you guys, please keep it coming!

Lindsey

Episode 75 – Marking Gauge, Straining Consistencies, Tight Blades, & MUCH More! Jul 01, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1)It seems that no matter what I try its hard to make great mitre cuts. I have a sawstop with a Osborne mitre gauge, an older radial arm saw (70's craftsman) that I've tried the broken fence technique on and I seem to still have trouble with mitres. I do all kids of woodworking from segmented bowls (though rarely) to picture frames to simpler miters. It always seems to have issues. Is the solution the Kapex? if its really amazing (as the domino is) I'll spend the money but is there a better less costly solution? You guys are awesome!

thanks,

Dan

2) My question is concerning marking gauges, a lot of suggested beginners kits include some sort of marking gauge. When watching youtube very rarely do you see a marking gauge, and even more rare is someone that is putting one to use. While I understand what a marking gauge is and how it functions, i don't see a place it in my workflow. Do you, gentlemen use marking gauges commonly in your workflow, and if you do when do you use them?

As a related question, do you guys use marking knives? I understand marking knives will give you more accurate results but again rarely do you see YouTubers using marking knives.

-Jim

Guy

1) Gentlemen I greatly enjoy your podcast. I have a question about stain. I just finished a large dining table and like most other projects I’m very disappointed in how the finish turned out. The table is red oak and I stained it a medium brown followed by three coats of General Finish Armor Seal Satin . I don’t go cheap on stain, I forget the brand of stain but it was $35 per quart and was custom mixed at my lumber supplier. Is there any tricks that you guys can recommend to get a more even end product? The top is six boards that are different grain patterns so maybe I’m expecting too much.

Also Guy I heard your comment a few episodes back about only using pipe clamps and kind of snickered but in gluing up this table top which is 7’ x 42” my Besseys couldn’t begin to compare with the old reliable pipe clamps. I used dominoes for alignment purposes and it took a pretty good squeeze to pull everything together. I’m a believer. -Tom

2) Hello again (you said you needed questions so submitting a second today)

Like most woodworkers, I started out with pre-milled lumber at mostly 3/4 inch. Once I got a planer, I found myself often planing lumber down for aesthetic reasons. I make mostly smaller projects, and 3/4 is just too thick for my tastes.

My question is, beyond looks, when do you worry about thickness choice? Is there a weight determiner, length of boards, etc. Ever made a mistake and went too thin to suffer later?

As a slight followup, do you ever purposely buy thicker material with the anticipation of re-sawing over planing down (like from 3/4 to 1/2") and just wasting material?

Peter

Huy

1) Hey guys, love listening to the podcast and was hoping you could help me out with a problem I ran into. I put a nice new glue line saw blade on my table saw and when I went to switch out the blade to my multi purpose, I physically can’t get the blade off the arbor. It is not the arbor nut, that was removed easily, it is the blade itself that is stuck on the arbor. Has this ever happened to any of you and what would be your solution. I have been thinking about heating up the blade to expand it off the arbor but wanted to see if you had any other options. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again for the awesome podcast!! Seanvella designs

2) Hey guys, Have any of you taken a chance on wood species that are uncommon both in wood working and lumber yards. Their are many local species in my area (north Arkansas) that I could get, but wonder if people don't use them because there garbage or their just not good for commercial sales. Some of the trees are black gum, Osage, paw paw, pecan, cotton wood, dogwood

Tyler

Episode 74 – Chemical Tricks, Outdoor Lumber, Frame & Panel Glue-up, & MUCH More! Jun 17, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Second question: This question is for Sean, mostly. I'm getting ready to make a blanket chest with frame-and-panel front, sides, and back, out of cherry and walnut, but the recipient wants the wood from a single source. So for the first time I'll be making the internal panels out of resawn cherry rather than plywood. I remember that you said you had a problem with trapped hardwood panels in a set of end tables (I think?) you made for your parents a while back. I can't quite find the episode, but I was wondering what how you would go about doing hardwood panels for a frame-and-panel cabinet now -- what would you do differently to keep the wood movement under control? Any tips for making thinner, 1/2 inch panels in general? Thank you all -- I love supporting such a great conversation.
Adam

2) Hi guys! Another quick question - I'm making a small table and the base will be ash, ebonized with India ink. What would be a good choice for topcoat over the India ink? I was thinking of using a water-based poly, but it seems to "reactivate" the ink. Maybe shellac would be fine? Thanks!!
Dan

Huy

1)I was recently setting up to rip 60 facets to create a hexagonal column that is 1.5 inches across the flats. I have a right tilting arbor on my table saw. With my rip fence on the right side of the blade the blade tilts toward the fence. This would mean the top facet would be cut with that geometry and the the work piece would be pinched against the fence. I could move the fence to the other side which would allow me to cut the bottom facet and the work piece would not be pinched against the fence. I have never ripped on the left side of my blade. I ultimately decided to do this on the bandsaw which worked fine.
This brought up the question as to which is the preferred tilt direction for the table saw? Do we need one of each or is one direction more useful than the other. I would like to know your thoughts about this.
Thanks,
Dave Pollatta
Ontario, New York

2) I rarely hear mention of woods like Cumaru and Ipe for exterior use in articles, podcast or see it used by woodworkers I follow on social media, is there a reason? Weight and hardness Im sure factor into the decision as they can be difficult to work, but are they still worth a mention?

Guy

1) Question: I prefer 3/16” solid wood edge banding over the veneer, have to ask your opinion?
Harder to install, but better I think. Glenn

2) Hey guys! First off, I have to say, glad to have fellow metalheads in the woodworking community! I wanted to follow up on something good ole' Guy said a while back about how he makes his own Danish Oil.
Poly, BLO, and.... Naphtha? The Naphtha threw me for a loop seeing as how every YouTube video says to use Mineral Spirits. Well, I gave it a side-by-side test and yep, I liked Naphtha better! Good call!
So, my question is, what other chemical tricks do you guys have up your sleeve? Anything out of the ordinary novice woodworkers may not know? I pretty much have one of each and only a little used from each. So I'm looking for inspiration!
And lastly, we all hear the combustible chemicals need to be stored in a metal cabinet. Why? It'd have to cram in next to all my other wooden shop cabinets anyway.
Keep up the great work!
Paul

Episode 73 – Cabinet Door Panels, Switching to Metric, Glue Cleanup, & MUCH More! Jun 03, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Shop router table or store bought. Pros and cons -trszki

2) Hi guys, I'm curious as to whether you guys use metric or imperial. I'm thinking it makes sense to switch to using metric for fine woodworking. I'm curious your take, what you are using and if you are using metric how was the switch and what are your pointers on making the switch. Thanks and I love the podcast.
Trent

Huy

1) I'm planning on replacing my melamine kitchen cabinet doors/drawer fronts with Shaker style I make. I'll be using Whiteside's Shaker Rail and Stile set in a router table and the doors/drawers will be painted.
I would like your opinion on material. I was thinking poplar for the rails and stiles and MDF for the panels.
Also, do you have a preference on type of hinges and brand? My current plan is to use European style, using jigs for drilling and mounting. I've never used European hinges, so any tips would be greatly appreciated if you agree this is the way to go.

2) Good morning fella's. I have a question about timing a unique finishing option when assembling an outdoor closet (used for storing shovels, rakes, etc.). I'm making the closet out of white oak and it will be hanging off of the back of my brick outdoor fireplace. Lately the internet cannot decide what to call the finish I want to use, so I'm just going to say that I want to do a burned/charred wood finish. The question is, when to do it. I want to do traditional mortise and tenon assembly where the bottom is mortised into the sides and the sides into the top. Do I burn all the wood first then cut the joinery? Do joinery first then burn while avoiding the joinery locations? Or assemble the whole thing and burn as one piece? Any help would be appreciated and keep up the great work.
Garrett

Guy

1)Hi there, I’ve written in before and appreciate you answering my questions.
I have another question that I would love some guidance on. I was wondering if your had any tips on cleaning up glue squeeze out on inside corners. The majority of my work I’m using titebond 2 glue. Ive tried letting the glue gum up and scrape it, and also tried wiping it right away w a wet cloth.
The orbital sander doesn’t full clean out the inside corners, and sanding the corners by hand and the rest of the piece w an orbital sander tends to show a subtle difference in how those areas take the finish. Any tips would be a huge help. Thanks again, Bryan

2) Thanks for the best woodworking podcast on the web! I know it’s best to joint and turn “downhill” in regards to grain direction. How does one tell which end of a board was closest to the top or bottom of the tree ?
Thanks again,
Tim in North Carolina

Episode 72 – Finishing A Desk, Dialing In Miters, Sanding Before Dovetails?, & MUCH More! May 20, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Do you sand inside surfaces before or after gluing dovetailed parts together? Sanding before = potentially changing the fit and sanding after = having to sand inside corners. TheRoaringWoodwork

2) Do you buy your hide glue or make it yourself? Leather by Dragonfly

3) Would you guys ever want to build a wooden bathtub? Keith

Guy

1) So I’m new to veneering. I finally purchased a vacuum pump and bag. I love the fact that you can arrange veneer into different orientations to get the look that you desire. I want to make a modern credenza and want the grain to run in the same direction and match from the vertical carcass pieces to the horizontal carcass pieces. What’s the best method to ensure grain matches. Robert Couch

2) I recently got an old school desk and am planning to repair and refinish it so that my kids can use it. I'm starting to think about what kind of finish to use since it will obviously be getting some abuse, but I don't know a lot about finishes. I've just kept it simple and have always used Arm-R-Seal for my projects so far. I know finishes is a huge topic, but could you talk a bit about if certain kinds of finishes are better for pieces that you know will get abuse (e.g. desk, table) versus projects that are more accent pieces? Is it simply a matter of applying more coats to get a more durable finish or are certain types of finishes really better? Lastly, does the sheen (satin vs glossy) make a difference? Maybe nicks and dings wouldn't show as much with a satin sheen? Thanks in advance and keep up the great work. -Billy

Huy

1) After reading Bill Pentz’s website, my eyes have been opened as to the proper way of setting up a dust collection system. I’d like to run a 6” main run coming directly from my Oneida dust collector inlet. Pentz’s suggests maintaining the duct sizing and reducing right up until the tool. He also suggests keeping the ports as large as possible as well. However, almost all of my tools have a 4” port. For the bandsaw, it makes sense to have 4” ports since there are two of them (one right under the lower roller bearing and one in the lower cabinet). However, my table saw only has one 4” port. Wouldn’t it be better to increase the port size to 6” to get more airflow? Do you think it would be worth increasing the port size to 6”? For context, I have a SawStop 1.5hp PCS. Moser Woodcraft

2) I’m very new to woodworking. I have a modern chair piece that I’d like to build with lots of angles. I have it modelled out in SketchUp and everything looks great. However, when I start cutting the test pieces on the miter saw or on the table saw with a miter gauge, I can’t get the angles just right and I end up with small gaps. Everything will be joined with floating tenons. Are there any techniques or methods that might solve my gappy joint problem? All.Woodworking

Episode 71 – Shellac Boogers, Festool TS 55 and MFT vs the Kreg Adaptive Cutting System, Table Construction, & MUCH More! May 06, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Great show guys. Been listening a while and I've heard them all. Thanks for sharing your experience. Hoping you can give me some ideas for potential workaround. I recently made a mitered box out of a nice piece of cherry, with continuous grain running around the sides. I rabbeted the inside edges of the top and the bottom and used those rabbets to seat in some 1/4 in. baltic birch plywood veneered with bubinga and wenge. I'm a relatively new woodworker but I think they turned out pretty nice. After the glue dried I noticed that I had slightly undersized one of the rebated panels on two of the ends. Maybe somewhere between a 32nd and a 64th. As this is on the outward face of the box, what are the alternatives for closing this gap? The rest of the box looks pretty nice, and I'm afraid to goof it up with a sloppy patch job. Any suggestions? Thanks again guys for the great work! - John

2)So I've been trying my hand at shellac, with mixed results. I've put a coat on some soft maple sanded to 220. I decided I didn't like it so I wanted to sand it off. After waiting several hours, while it looks dry and feels dry to the touch, when I sand it, it is clogging my sandpaper. I then tried waiting over night. Same results. Is this normal? Some details: it is a 2# cut of amber shellac flakes, freshly mixed with denatured alcohol, applied with a blue shop towel. Temps were in the low 60's to high 50's with humidity ~40-50%. Shellac flakes don't get old do they? Is it possible that the denatured alcohol doesn't have a high enough % of booze in it? I did buy it @ the big box store. -Mark

Huy

1) How would you get rid of bandsaw marks from thin shop made veneers, that are less that an eighth of an inch thick, but still come out with a consistent thickness. I don't have a drum sander, yet. Was thinking of a sled with the veneer stuck down with double sided tape in the planer. Just afraid it will explode under the planer knives. I've tried a hand plane, to no avail. I have an old Inca, Jointer/Planer with a Tersa head. Any help would be very cool.

ps..Love the Podcast - Ken

2) Hey guys. I’m looking into buying a track saw along with corresponding work table. More specifically, the . I’m hoping you all could give some insight when comparing and contrasting these two and whether the Kreg system, while more budget friendly, sacrifices quality or is lacking in any way. Love the show and look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks, Phil.

Guy

1) I have many slabs of 8/4 maple that have been air drying for a couple of years after I milled them. I know how you feel about slabs, but don't worry, I plan to dimension these to 6/4 and 10" wide with the aim to build a dining room table of approximately 8ft long by 40" wide.

For legs, I'm thinking of the "panel" style that are situated about a quarter of the way in from each end. I'll use a cross beam between the two panel legs, but does the top panel require an apron or any additional underpinning or support structure?

Thanks for near 70 shows of insights. Glen

2)Hey guys - can you explain why tool companies produce / sell multiple tool brands? The latest I’ve noticed is the South Bend tool line that Grizzly is distributing - it looks very similar to the Grizzly line of tools but with a new paint job. I’m sure they’re not the only company with this practice. What gives? As a follow up, as someone only a few years into the hobby, which single brand would each of you select if you were starting a new shop (and I’m assuming Guy’s answer will be Powematic)? Thanks for the episodes - really enjoy them - Mike

Episode 70 – 36" or 52" Table Saw?, Sander Vibration, Wax Removal, & MUCH More! Apr 22, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Hi all, greetings from Australia. Love the show and appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge with people like me who are just starting out. I have a question about router dust collection. I have recently built a router table and am looking at the dust collection. I have a router lift and round body router installed I am waiting for the port to come for the fence dust collection, but have a question for under table dust collection. What do you recommend here? I have seen something from milescraft called a dust router 1501 that has a router fence and router dust collection. Currently the router is mounted on a router lift which technically will sit inside a space covered by a door. Any advice welcome - Jamie

2) I just bought a new house with some property and it has

A big detached 2 car garage that will be my new shop. I was planning to get a Laguna Fusion F2 to upgrade my dewalt jobsite tablesaw, but they are backordered until August. I can still find Sawstops in my area so it looks like I'll plop the extra money and save my life. At this point the 52 inch fence is only $100 more than the 36 inch

In your opinion is the 52 worth the money and extra space or is the 36 big enough, I mostly build custom furniture but will be doing all the cabinets in the new house remodel, bathrooms and kitchen as well as bed frames, a master closet, building etc. So a mix of sheet goods and hardwood builds.

I don't have a track saw, I use a circular saw with the bora NGX strait edge system to roughly break sheet goods now.

Thanks for the great show I learn so much.

Will @ Oleksy wood works

Guy

1)I have a question about Festool sanders. I currently use a delwalt 5" random orbit sander that works well enough. I have it hooked up to a shop vac that I run with a standard filter and a hepa filter at the same time. This results in no dust coming out of the vacuum, and it gets most of the dust from sanding coming off the sander itself. I still have to wipe down my work after sanding which I don't mind.

I recently built a desk and had to sand vertical surfaces for the first time and was surprised at how much harder this was and how numb my hand was afterwards. It was pretty miserable.

I have the chance to upgrade to a Festool sander and I see several different used models for sale locally. I was leaning towards the RO 125 because of its versatility but have read that it can be difficult to handle and can vibrate more in random orbit mode than the sanders specifically designed for random orbit sanding like the ETS.

Will one of the Festool sanders actually leave a better finish than my dewalt? If so, is it better to go with the RO 125 because of its versatility or will a dedicated random orbit sander have less vibration? Will I see a difference in finish between the RO 125 and an ETS 125?

I am somewhat new to woodworking but I am fortunate enough to have a well outfitted shop. I have been working on smaller projects like boxes and shoe racks. I'd like to get into building more desks, tables, cabinets, and doors. I don't really strip or refinish furniture, so I may not have a need for the material removal capabilities of the RO 125? Thanks Julio

2) Hello, I've been a fan of the podcast since the beginning and thought I'd finally submit a question. So, I plan to make one of those bath tub trays for my soon to be wife. It will be made with 1 inch thick purple heart wood with various little slots and grooves and routed out sections to place a wine glass, hold a phone or book, put a candle on that sort of thing. My question is what would the best finish be for something like this that is always going to be used on a bathtub and be exposed to water every time it's used even if it's only for short periods of time. I've basically only ever used typical stain and brush on poly/varnish for my projects, but wouldn't mind using a satin oil finish for the look. What do you guys think is the best finish for such a thing? Thanks - Brendon

Huy

1) Jonas from Germany here! Love the podcast and the wealth of Know-how you guys provide!

Since you’ve been asking for questions, here is mine:

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around wood movement in general and more specifically around keeping wood straight while still allowing for movement. I am in the midst of building my workbench right now and a couple of questions have come up. I know that wood moves mainly across its width. Is that still the case if you flip a bunch of boards 90 degrees and glue their face sides together, as is often done for workbench tops? Not sure if that would mean that the top now moves mainly in its thickness or width.

Also, If i wanted to build my workbench more like a mft (but from solid wood) with aprons on all sides and less like a traditional workbench. What would I have to look out for regarding grain direction and wood movement? I guess the long sides/aprons are not the problem as they Would be Long grain, just like the top. What about the short aprons?

2) Hello Guy, Huy and Sean. Over the summer I made one the nesting serving trays from a plan in Fine Woodworking. I used paste wax as my finish. It looked great and really brought out the character in the mahogany. Then I used it for it’s intended purpose on a camping trip. It was much more convenient than bringing the cooking ingredients from the camper to the grill, then I put the plates with the warm food on it to bring to the table. The heat melted the wax. Did I just ruin my piece by using wax as the only finish? Is there a way to remove it and put something more durable on like lacquer or shellac? Is there any finish that I could put over the wax if I fix the affected areas? If I have to remake it, I have enough mahogany left over, but I’m cheap and I ran out of waxed cotton threads for the handles... help me Wood shop life, you’re my only hope!! -Joshua

Episode 69 – Dream Bandsaw?, Three Phase, Tunes in The Shop, & MUCH More! Apr 08, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Hey guys, I became a patron supporter a couple months ago and I really love the format of the podcast. I am a beginner woodworker who is in the process of acquiring more tools. I would like to start to resaw my own lumber from rough sawn. I was hoping to get your advice on what is the best bandsaw you all would recommend. If money was no object what would you recommend? Again, my main objective is to resawn Lumber and the number one challenge I’m facing in picking a machine is they are not on display at any of the usual stores, Woodcraft or Rockler. I appreciate your response in advance. Juan from Boston

2) Hey guys! Digging the podcast, keep up the good work.

I have a question and curious how you guys would approach fixing tear out on a table top?

I’ve got a ambrosia maple top I just glued up. And noticed a nice 1/2” x 1/2” wide chunk that’s about a 1/16 to 1/8” deep right in the middle of the top. How would you fix it? Also you can’t flip the top, there another mark/divot that’s worse on the bottom side.

Would you use a decorative inlay/ bow tie? Or try to hide it?

Details: Top is 1.75” thick, I know a little heavy but gets a large chamfer on the underside. Overall it will be 40” wide by 7ft long.

And I don’t have access to a wide belt sander.

Thanks, Jesse

Huy

1) Hey guys! Great show! I have been having problems with raising and lowering the height of my table saw blade. I have a Grizzly 1023RLW. It is new from Grizzly, and have had it for about 6 months. My question is, what do you guys use as a lubricant for the moving parts? I cleaned everything good, and used grease. Like packing bearings grease. It works great for about a week, and then gets all packed with sawdust. Is there a better way? Thanks for the show, it has been a real help. Keep it up! Marc

2) Good day Sean, Huy and Guy. Thank you for the podcast. It is an excellent resource. I prefer the french pronunciation of Guy, so in my world Huy and Guy rhyme which greatly increases my enjoyment of the podcast.

I recently got a 20" bandsaw for free. It has a 3 phase motor right now. Is there a compelling reason to purchase a phase convertor as opposed to a new motor? They are in the same ballpark in terms of price--the motor being a bit more expensive. It may be more difficult to find the motor with the proper mounting brackets and etc. but I would guess I can find it. Is there a performance based reason to select one or the other? (Huy should great insight on this as a rocket scientist which is a close cousin to an electrical engineer, right?)

Thank you for any insight you may have. Darrick

Guy

1) So a bit of non woodworking question for you - I need some new music to listen to in the shop. What’s on your playlists right now?

For the record, I don’t listen to music while I’m using anything with a blade or cutter, it’s too distracting. only when I’m sanding and finishing. Just sayin’.

Thanks, Mark B

2) My shop is being constructed and I’m about to face the electrical decisions. One decision I’m stuck on and could use some other input on is about the tools in the middle of the shop. I don’t like cords running across the floor to trip on, so I’m considering putting some outlets in the ceiling and having the cords come down with the dust collection run. I’ll need 240 and 120 for the center tools. Does this sound like a good idea? Should I try to get something in floor instead? This would add cost, but then think I would need to consider adding dust collection pipe as well to free up my head space. My ceilings will be vaulted, so that brings another complication. Just looking for thoughts from seasoned woodworkers.

Brian

Episode 68 – Radial Arm Saws?, Laminating Two Pieces, Best Size Bandsaw Blade, & MUCH More! Mar 25, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guy

1) Hey guys! I love the pod cast, ya'll really do a great job. My question is about radial arm saws. I have recently started selling tables on the side to try and make some extra cash. Right now I do pretty much all my cross cuts with my 10" Chicago Electric miter saw and I am tired of having to flip over anything wider then a 2×4 to cross cut. It seams that these radial arm saws are a dime a dozen on the market place apps and can be bought pretty cheap. How do they stack up to a sliding miter saw? I've really been thinking about giving one a shot just based on the $75 price tag. - Jimmy

2) Another question for you all. Every power tool I own seems to come with it's own set of tools - allen wrenches, different heads, attachments, maybe a spare cutter or bolt, etc. How do you organize these 'spare parts' in your shops to keep them handy when you need them, and help identify which of these things belong to which tools? Attach them to the tool somehow (with string? duct tape? magnets?) With hand power tools, keep the paraphernalia with the tool?

The Ziploc bag method I'm using now seems so gauche. thanks for the great show Mark mlbettwoodworks

Sean

1)In a recent episode you discussed laminating two pieces of hardwood together and the need to offset grain directions to avoid warping. I’m building a simple, traditional writing desk (with a modern flare) and my plan is to accent the air dried walnut drawer fronts (5/8” thick) with an 1/8” piece of curly maple. I’ll be routing out the section to receive the maple taking the walnut thickness to about 3/8”. My plan at that point was to laminate the maple into place.

Is this a situation where I should be concerned about movement? Do you think the lack of material thickness will minimize these potential issues? Any advice or input would be helpful. I have sent a sketch photo to your IG page for reference. Cheers, Taylor (not Tyler)

2) I recently completed a build for two white oak desktops and, in my excitement to see how the grain would pop and without considering the ramifications of my actions, I threw on some mineral oil. Man, those desktops looked BEAUTIFUL. After applying just one coat, I realized I should've done some research. I'm still learning about finishing techniques and figured I could use mineral oil the same way as mineral spirits in this context. I quickly realized the gigantic mistake I had made. After spending some time on a few woodworking forums, it became clear that there's really nothing to do but lean into finishing these desktops with more coats of oil as no other finishes will properly adhere. However, I have seen some comments mentioning shellac as a possible option since shellac and mineral oil are used in combination for French polishing. This is not necessarily the look I'm going for but I'm wondering what you'd advise in this situation.

PS I'd really like to avoid sanding it all down again. And its 10 degrees outside so I'm limited in chemical options if I have to open the garage doors for ventilation.

Thank you guys for all you do. This podcast is always a huge help!

Christina

Huy

1)I currently have my bandsaw (Rikon 10-326) set up for resaw with a 1/2" Woodslicer blade and its working great, but now I need to cut some curved workpieces. I only need to do a couple and then I would want to go back to the setup for resaw.

I dread having to change the blade and set the guides for 1 cut, and then again for resaw, but I also don't want to distort or dull my resaw blade.

Should I just use this blade for both jobs or is there a blade or configuration that works for general purpose to minimize the changing blades and guide setup? Dan

2) I have a question regarding drawer slides: I am just getting into cabinet making and am excited to slowly make cabinets for my shop. I am first working on a built-in of sorts in my house as part of a bathroom remodel. The built in faces out into the hallway and the back juts into the bathroom, it creates a nook for the toilet area. I made the carcass and have it installed in the wall so that the bathroom side of the project can continue.

I plan to have two deep drawers on the bottom and then shelves with drawers above. I am a little unsure of how to properly size the drawer slides and would love to hear a discussion from you three on this subject. I ordered 21" undermount Blum softclose slides last fall when I was planning the project. Now that the carcass is made, the inside depth from front (frameless design) to back is 20 3/4". I see quite a bit online regarding how to install various drawer slides including different YouTube videos that you guys have but I am having trouble with the beginner step of learning how to size the drawer box and drawer slide properly. Do I buy a slide for the cabinet depth or for what my drawer box will be? I think the next available size down for a Blum slide is 18", will this be difficult to mount in my deeper carcass? Thanks guys, keep up the great content! Jeremy

Episode 67 – Shellac Tips For Large Surfaces, Starting Clamp Collection, Break Down Workbench, & MUCH More! Mar 11, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1)Hey fellas. 2 questions for you

Purely hypothetical- you can only have 1: table saw or track saw. And why?
When sanding back, how far is back? Are you aiming for a perfectly flat surface? This is harder to achieve on open grain woods like oak, yes?

Keep up the great show. Mark Aka Matt

2)I am finishing a large table, 10'x 5', and would like to use Shellac on it, then seal it with water based poly, specifically General Finishes High Performance Water based Satin.

How important is it to keep a wet edge with the shellac? Since it dries so quickly, I can see some difficulty keeping a wet edge on a piece this big. If so, any advice on how to do that?
On a test piece I've been using, the above mentioned poly is drying FAST. As in completely tack free in under 10 minutes. I'm working indoors in Central Ohio, with temp about 68, and low relative humidity, probably around 35-40%. Should I be concerned that the Poly is drying that fast? Will it cause any problems?

Thanks and keep up with the great show!

MLBett WoodWorks

Huy

1) Good morning. I have a quick question about building a slab top hand tool bench. I was recently gifted a great 60”x20”x4.5” oak slab. I’ve read Chris’s book and would like to do a roubo style bench. My problem is my current shop is in the basement and I would eventually like to move to a new outbuilding shop down the road. What design ideas would you suggest for a sturdy base design that is functional but could eventually be broke down and moved them out back together? I was thinking sliding dovetails in the bottom of the slab then build a base to connect to that? I have no idea. 😂 appreciate the help. Cheers, Garrett

2)New Patreon supporter here. Love the show. Love you Huy! Love you Sean! Kind of like you, Guy! HA! (Why is he so cranky?!)

I'm a garage hobbyist who loves to work in the shop as a getaway from real life. Generally speaking I'm a neat freak and the dust in my garage makes me crazy. I'm currently using a 2HP Harbor Freight Dust Collector with Dust Deputy XL and Wynn filter. I've got a combination of PVC piping and flex hose to my tools. The PVC joints are taped together but not glued. I try to keep the wynn filter blown out and have even taped the top of my plastic bag to the metal housing for a better seal. Every time I turn the collector on I get a ton of fine dust in the air. It covers everything in the shop and even gets to the point of looking a little foggy. I intend to get an air cleaner (or just some box fans) but I can't imagine that it will take care of all the dust. I don't know what to do. I'm considering the Oneida Supercell because it seems totally self contained with no exposed filter or bag, but that's a big purchase for a hobbyist. I see shops that look spotless online. Is having a dustless shop really possible? Is there anything you suggest I look at in my current system to minimize the dust?

Thanks for all you do for the woodworking community and Guy, please cheer up. Thanks- Ben in North Carolina

Guy

1)Good day gentlemen. Great information but let's jump right in and not boost your egos more than necessary :)

My wife and I built a custom house in 2020 which somehow has a master closet that is only 50sqft smaller than my woodshop. Can you help me understand how I allowed this to happen?

Ok kidding, I am grateful to have my own shop space but I would like your thoughts on using pre-finished plywood for making built-ins for said closet. It will be a huge project and the thought of spraying latex or a pre-cat lacquer on that many cabinets sounds daunting.

The built-ins will be some shade of white with lower drawer banks and upper open shelving/hanging areas. On the lower sections, I can use UV finished ply as the interior will not need to be white but can I get custom colors for the open uppers?

If I go the route of using pre-finished ply then all joinery will need to be concealed and I would likely need to purchase a system for this. The Lamello p-system looks slick but a hefty investment. What system would you choose for this application? Thank you for your input, Chris Olsen

2) Hey fellas, when starting a clamp collection, what size parallel and f style clamps do you use the most? My future projects include several cabinets for a wet bar, benches, coffee table, and maybe a round dining room table. Thanks for the help! - Chris

Episode 66 - Expense of Woodworking As a Hobby, Multiple Dust Collectors?, Wood Floor In The Garage, & MUCH More! Feb 25, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Hey fellas. So I’m having some trouble getting nice glue lines when I’m edge jointing long boards (6’+). I’m building a table top (72”x36”) out of hard maple. How particular are each of you when building table tops? Should the glue joints be flush off the jointer? Do you massage them with a hand plane? Are small gaps ok as long as they close up with a bit of clamping pressure?
I have checked, rechecked and rerechecked my jointer and it seems dialed in so I’m pretty sure this is user error.
Thoughts on using a magnetic feather board on the infeed side of the jointer to help with stability?
Love the show - keep it coming!
Mark
MLBettWoodWorks

2) Hey guys I have a question/conversation. Just wanted to get your guys thoughts on the topic of the expense of woodworking as a hobby. I feel a lot of woodworking influencers I guess you’d call them are afraid to actually talk about the real cost of woodworking. I feel it’s taboo or something. If your someone who is cheap or doesn’t have the means I don’t think this is the hobby for you. Things like having a climate controlled shop. Having proper dust collection. Having all the proper 220 installed in your shop. Then having the right tools to do each operation. I dunno I guess I’m just blunt about it. If you wanna do this hobby right and also safely it’s a lot of money. Just wondering your thoughts
Nathaniel

Guy

1) Thanks for the best woodworking podcast around! It's so good to have a podcast that's all relevant information and without the hosts' constant snickering among themselves, as if they think that's entertaining. Here's a question regarding pocket hole joinery:

When assembling cabinets for my shop, and other projects using pocket screws, I often end up with the parts sliding out of alignment as the screws are installed. I have and use the Kreg clamp that has the pin that goes in one of the pocket screw holes, but still often end up with the parts slightly misaligned. I'm considering driving a couple pin nails before driving the screws. Any other ideas that won't leave telltale (albeit small) holes that have to be dealt with?

Thanks again for the great format! Tim

2) Hey guys,
I’ve been pondering the idea of adding a second smaller dust collector to my shop instead of upgrading to a 3 hp system fully piped to each machine.
Currently I’m in a small basement shop that’s about 400 square foot. I have a HF dust collector with a cyclone and filter. I’ve piped it with 4” to the table saw, jointer, planer and miter saw. It’s not the best but it gets most of the chips from the planner and struggles with the other machines.
My thought was to add a wall mounted dust collector to the table saw and the miter saw. Then leave the planer and jointer hooked up to the cycle dust collector.
Curious how much of a difference a larger dust collector fully piped would make.
Thanks,
Jesse

Huy

1) Hey Guys...Wondering if you could give us opinion of the Festool domino machine. Any tips and tricks you may have figured out? Can the cutters be resharpened? What size domino do you mainly use? Do you make your own dominoes vs. buying them? Just curious. - Dale

2) Hello gentlemen. First, thanks for your input w/r/t my belt sander question. I did keep it, and it saved me a bunch of elbow grease on an epoxy project.
I’m kicking around the idea of installing a wood floor in my shop which is a 2 car garage with a concrete floor. I would frame it with 2x4 with plywood on top of those right over the concrete. Benefits include :
- easier on my feet
- save the edges of my dropped tools
- be able to run electric & dust collection, among others. I can’t seem to find any drawbacks outside of the cost. What am I missing? For the record no cars park inside, and I do have large stationary tools including a table saw, 6” jointer, bandsaw etc.
weight considerations? Should I use 2x6 instead? What about moisture possibly wicking up through the concrete?
Thanks for the input and the great podcast.
Mark Bett

Episode 65 - Routing Dados on Large Carcass Builds, Veneering Solid Stock, Edge Gluing Thin Stock, & MUCH More! Feb 11, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Hey guys - Ray here from Ravenwood. I love the podcast and the information it provides!

I’m building a hand tool cabinet and had a quick question about storing hand planes in a plane till. I know conventional wisdom is to store planes on their side to protect the plane iron? How does a plane till change this? Do you guys retract the blade when storing in a till, or is the idea that the angle of the till sufficiently mitigates gravity such that the plane can remain set up?

2) A woodworking podcast that actually has woodworking content! Love your show.

My question deals with routing dados on large carcass builds by hand.

When placing a straight edge, sometimes the router wants to jump on me and go off line. I tried placing a straight edge on bottom and then at the top of router while going in a left to right direction.

Should I be using two straight edges to keep router from veering of line? Or are there other factors such as speed and depth of bit?

Thanks. barriowoodworks

Guy

1) Hey guys, first love the podcast! Of course I've learned that I cannot do anything else while listening as I'm constantly having to pause the podcast and write stuff down haha.

My question is about shake/rail and stile doors and drawer fronts. I've made a handful at this point and it seems no matter what I do they never end up flat. They are twisted or just bowed out a bit or something. I try to be as careful as possible during glue up etc, but they just never end perfectly up flat in the end. Is there a good strategy that I just don't know about? I use poplar usually for the rail/stiles and plywood for the inserts - Ephraim

2) I'm new to the world of veneering and would like your advice for my current project.

I'm building a simple hand tool cabinet from rift sawn sapele and would like to accent the door panel and drawer fronts with a contrasting veneer. Most likely, it will be maple.

In my design, there are two banks of drawers. The dimensions of their faces are 3.5" x 6" for the top set, and 4" x 9" for the bottom. Ideally, they will be 5/8" thick.

My plan is to use baltic birch as the substrate for the door panel, but I would like to use solid wood for the drawers.

Given their size, how important is it to have a balancing veneer? If it's not important, should I consider a more stable cut of wood, such as quarter sawn or rift?

Thanks in advance, Justin

Huy

1) Picture an oval shape in 2 halves and each edge will have fingers to interlock a center divider which will utilized a divider; shelf on the top and a half oval drawer on the bottom The long edges of the divider will have fingers that will interlock with each half of the oval..

I want to veneer the outside and inside of this oval and will dress the edges with a walnut 1/2" thick edge banding. I am going to acquire some 24" x 96" sheets of walnut veneer. Most have a paper back.

will this veneer work in wrapping the outside and inside of the oval or will the curvature be too tight and cause the veneer to break. If so what would you recommend that may be a better solution.
With a glue up like this what would you recommend for glue?
I do not have a vacuum system or bags I will create a form from MDF to apply the pressure to the inside and outside. I am looking at veneering the insides first while it is still in 2 pieces. Once the 2 halves are together I will veneer the outside.
Any advice on the gluing of the veneer and thoughts on how to apply the pressure for the glue up.

This will probably be the most ambitious project I will be creating which is going to utilize new techniques and building processes I have never done. This design has been in my head for years and I have put it on paper years ago.

2) I was wondering about your ideal way to glue up book matched door panels. For instance, I have a 4/4 board and I’ll resaw it on the bandsaw. These boards will be my boards to make the panel. The thin boards are usually too thin to put in a clamp. My process is to use blue tape and a friction fit. I’ll put the tape on one side then prop it up in the center and put glue in the joint and wiggle it a tad back and forth along the joint then put more blue tape on the other side. I was wondering if you had another method that would be better.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives and sharing your knowledge with the community!

This episode is sponsored by Maverick Abrasives. Check them out at https://www.maverickabrasives.com

Episode 64 - Darn Dust Nibs!, Glue In Cold Conditions? , Guys Work Experience, & MUCH More! Jan 28, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Sean

1) Hi, I just joined as a new patron and my name is Dale. I have been listening for a couple months and have tried spraying shellac on ambrosia maple. I sanded with 400 grit between each of 3 coats, then I sprayed a water based polyurethane as a final coat. I am new to spraying but what I found was that all of the vertical surfaces turned out great but I got a lot of nibs on the horizontal surfaces. Any idea why? -Dale

2) Going to be using General finishes Gel Stain on small toy chest. I've heard two different methods to prevent blotches; apply a mineral spirits slip coat prior to staining or apply shellac prior to staining. Is one better than the other? Thank, Brandon

Guy

1) Guy since you started working in the other, more commercial, shop:

How did working there change your behavior in your own shop? Are you faster now? Do you still treat your own projects the same way you did before working there?

Cheers from Austria, max

2) Hey Guys (and Guy specifically). I'm looking to possible build another router table (already have one in the wing of my table saw and love it) but being that I am for the time being in a smaller shop that everything has to be put away at night I need multi function. Looking at how the LS attaches to the table I was thinking I could remove the positioner (and put it on the wall) when not in use. Am I killing the whole function of the repeatability if I take it off and put it back on when I want to use it? Thank you, Doug

Huy

1)I have Question on wood glue. Usually I use Titebond but on the bottle it says it shouldn't be used in temperatures lower than 50 degrees. So are there any glues that work in temperatures below freezing? My shop has no heat and the I'm in northern Iowa so we'll go below zero before the winters over. Thanks for any advice you may have, keep the podcasts coming.

Josiah

2) Hi guys, first of all I sure have enjoyed your podcast and I have learned a tremendous amount. On a sidenote, my goal is to be just like Guy someday and be in a position in life to do whatever the hell I want and not give a damn what anybody thinks of me. I think it’s a noble goal. My question involves face joining boards. I wonder how much pressure I’m supposed to be pressing down on the board as it comes over the knives. Do I push down hard enough to take the spring out of the board? Or do I let it coast over naturally as to not take the spring out of the board? If I put too much pressure on the board it just springs back after it comes off the machine. But if I don’t put enough pressure on I don’t get clean results. I sure appreciate your help, and I look forward to hearing your answer. -- Bill

Thanks to this show's sponsor: Maverick Abrasives

Episode 63 - Warped Plywood, Mistakes As You Grow, 10" vs 12" Blades, & MUCH More! Jan 14, 2021

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guy

1) Hi guys, huge fan of the podcast. I just have a question regarding sheet goods. I haven’t listened to every episode yet so I apologize if this was already covered. When I make cabinet carcasses I generally use some sort of store bought veneered plywood. I find it difficult finding plywood that is close to flat. It’s not as much of an issue when I break it down into smaller pieces, but when I make a larger cabinet it is very difficult to get square bc the plywood rarely straight. I put a face frame on it which Is square for the cabinets door/drawers, but often the carcass itself still has a bit of a visible curve in the panels. Any advice on his help improve this? -Timber Tables

2) Hey guys, love the show and appreciate how much you cover, unlike those other woodworking Podcasts 🙄. My question is about edge banding. Fastcap has a peel and stick edge banding (Fastedge). It’s obviously easier to apply than the iron-on banding, but is it as durable? Are there any downsides to this vs traditional edge banding?
Thanks,
Shannon
Nashville, TN

Sean

1) Is there anything you look at differently when you buy slabs to make into boards vs just buying actual boards? I have a saw mill somewhat close that I have actually gotten good prices on slabs. I don't use live edges and cut them off. Thanks, Ryan

2) I thought of a good question that might help some of us beginning woodworkers: I know that everyone makes mistakes (except Guy), but what kinds of mistakes do you see yourself making fewer and fewer of as you became seasoned pros? In other words, are there certain kinds of mistakes that you should find yourself growing out of as you develop as a woodworker? -Adam

Huy

1) Hello again! So I am going to be moving my shop to a new garage and I wanted to upgrade the flooring before I move my stuff in. It currently has a basic concrete floor with quite a few cracks. I was considering either using polyurea or epoxy, but wanted to get your insight and see what you guys currently use and also what you would upgrade to if you had the chance? Garage dog Woodworks

2) Hey guys! Thanks for the great podcast. I had a question about table-saw blade sizes. What are the pros and cons of 10 and 12 inch table saws? Is one better than the other? And if you could do it all over again would you choose a 12 inch saw as I know you all have 10 inch saws. -Jeff

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