Episodes

Thursday Mar 25, 2021
Thursday 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

Thursday Mar 11, 2021
Thursday 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

Thursday Feb 25, 2021
Thursday 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

Thursday Feb 11, 2021
Thursday 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

Thursday Jan 28, 2021
Thursday 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

Thursday Jan 14, 2021
Episode 63 - Warped Plywood, Mistakes As You Grow, 10" vs 12" Blades, & MUCH More!
Thursday Jan 14, 2021
Thursday 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

Thursday Dec 31, 2020
Episode 62 - Bowed Aprons, Cocobolo Blanks, How Did We All Meet?, & MUCH More!
Thursday Dec 31, 2020
Thursday Dec 31, 2020
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife
Guy
1) Hey, Fellas! So in my last question, you recommended I keep an old but powerful Delta 15" planer. Good advice which I intend to follow. However, I'd like to ditch its steel mobile stand for something that offers more storage. The planer is approximately 400 lbs. so am I crazy for thinking I could build something out of milled 2x4 pine or douglas fir? I'd use all mortise and tenon construction and install heavy duty casters on the bottom for mobility. It would probably resemble Guy's mobile miter station but with a front and back and no flip top. I'd appreciate your advice!
Joel
2) Today I need your help! I am planing to build a small corner table. The top has the shape of a quarter circle with about a 16" radius.
To spice up the design (and challenge my woodworking skills) I want to put a drawer into the bowed apron. How do I go about cutting a precise and smooth opening for the drawer into this curved piece of wood? On a flat piece I would probably use a router template to clean up the rough cuts but I don't see how I could do this on a curved piece. Any ideas?
The apron will be a bent lamination, about 2.5 - 3" high, with the opening something like 1 3/4" by 8"
Jarmo from Germany
Sean
1) If you explained it any of your previous episodes, I missed it. I'd love to know how the three of you hooked up and what led to the collaboration on the podcast.
2) Is it ok to make and sell a piece of furniture using somebody else’s plans. For example say I buy project plans from wood whisperer guild, am I able to build and sell it? Or should I ask for permission from the designer of the plans first? Garagedog Woodworks
Links mentioned in podcast:
Huy
1) Hey I have a question... I seem to be unintentionally creating a SPRING JOINT when I run my work pieces through my table saw. It’s every piece, and it’s nearly every time. It’s exaggerated on longer pieces.
This is great for pieces that I’m actually gluing together but for others it’s a big pain to deal with. I’m not sure what it could be. I’m leaning towards it being a fence issue? I have a grizzly table saw with a standard fence. Any thoughts? Timberworks NY
2) I bought some ebony and cocobolo turning blanks for a really low price with the intention of using them for handles on small boxes. I’m assuming the wood has not been dried (still coated in wax). I’ve never really messed with green wood and I know it likes to warp and move as it dries. That said, with the pulls being a few inches long and maybe an ⅝” thick, would I have a cause for concern, or should I wait a couple years for it to completely dry?
-Jacob

Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Episode 61 - Favorite Cherry Finish, MFT/3 Hype, Salt With Your Glue?, & MUCH More!
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife
Guy
1) I'm a part-time woodworker that does occasional commission work for a local distillery. Two weeks ago—after listening to several of your episodes discussing track saws and Guy's affinity for the MFT style table—I decided to purchase a TSC55 and MFT/3 for the shop; I wish I had done it sooner. The accuracy, setup, and ease of use of the MFT coupled with the dust collection of the TSC is a game changer. I want to get the most out of the MFT as far as work holding options and overall versatility, and I was curious if you have any recommendations on bench dogs? I've read about aluminum dogs (Qwas Dogs), stainless steel dogs (Perf Dogs), dogs with special track attachments, and even Woodpeckers sells a set of fancy red dogs with a wedge clamp system all in a nifty systainer. I typically work with 4/4 and 8/4 material, plywood (1/2" and 3/4"), and oak barrel staves. Is there a specific type of dog I should be looking at to get the most out of the MFT top and track system or am I overthinking this? Kind regards, Sean Fousheé (pronounced foo-shay)
2)Hey Guy, Huy, and Sean,
Could you explain the difference (in terms of function and application) between dust collectors, dust extractors, and shop vacuums? Why are dust extractors so much more expensive than shop vacuums? At what point is it worth the investment to get a dust extractor over a shop vacuum, especially if you also have invested in a dust collector for your larger stationary tools? Thanks, and keep up the great work with the show! Rob
Sean
1) Hey guys, love the podcast. I've been thinking of growing my skills to include hand planes as I have picked up quite a few from estate sales, most in good condition. Rust is a huge problem in my shop and I was curious how do you protect your hand planes? Any specific coating or routine you follow? Thanks for the great podcast! - Daniel
2) Hi guys...I'm making a Morris chair out of cherry. I'm ready to assemble, but before I do, I'm figuring out how to finish. I was listening to Guy speak about using a coat of garnet shellac and then a top coat of waterlox. Can you go into detail on this procedure, and any other favorite cherry wood finishing tips. Thanks so much.
Dale from Muskego
Huy
1)Very green to the craft I’ve built up my shop with a good stable of hand power tools, router table, job site saw, track saw etc. my shop is only partially insulated. I live in a humid area. Should I invest in getting it fully insulated and air tight before I invest in cast iron milling machines like bandsaw ,jointer, planer, etc Thanks Nathaniel
2) Do y'all ever apply salt to a glue joint? I've known about this trick for a few years but never used it. I've recently used it on a few shop projects and it worked surprisingly well. I was most pleased with the efficiency of the glue up because I did not encounter any slipping joints during clamping. Before introducing this into my standard glue up process, I want to know if the salt negatively effects the integrity of the glue and/or joint.
Thanks for the great podcast! I've been a listener since episode 1 and I've enjoyed them all (even the ones that Guy is drinking heavily and cursing Laguna bandsaws.)

Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Episode 60 - Your Own Designs, Link Drive Belt Hype!, Bed Construction, & MUCH More!
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife
Guy
1) My question is: I am making a bed and I am contemplating the best way to attach the bed rails. I like the bed rail hangers/brackets because mortising and screwing them in should be simple. However, I want the bed to be tight and not squeak when the Mrs and I get busy. My other thought is to use bed bolts because I am thinking the bed will be much tighter, but lining up the bed bolt into the rail seems difficult because my bed rails will be 5/4 thick. Do any of you have experience making beds and what method of attaching the rails did you use. Mike
2) My 2nd ( serious) question relates to resawing, I can't resaw very straight even using a fence, I have watched plenty of YT videos and have seen different jigs from different manufacturers including the Magswitch fence that lets you pivot the workpiece. So...... to resaw should you be able to set up a fence and run the piece through getting a straight cut (as we would do with a TS) ? or is constant adjustment required ? Geoff Richards
Sean
1) Hey guys love the podcast,this is exactly what everyday woodworkers wanna listen to in a podcast. Question is I just started woodworking 6 months ago I turned my 2 car garage into a full fledge wood shop. Acquired all the big milling machines and just about everything you can think of. As of now I only follow detailed plans from others designs. I can follow plans to a T but actually making my own designs/plans seems somewhat daunting. I have sketchup and have been trying to learn. For whatever reason it’s not coming easy. Do you think because I can’t design my own pieces I should find another hobby. Or do these things take time to eventually learn. I’ve only been woodworking for 6 months I’ve mainly done case work a few cabinets and a built in for my wife’s closet. - Nathan
2) Hey guys!!! Listening to episode 58 right now and had a question: for a small shop, what finishes would you keep on hand, ready to go? Stain? Shellac? Poly? Also, what other finish supplies do you keep on hand as well?? Thanks! -Justin
Huy
1) Hey Guys, it’s Justin, with Liberty Craftsman. I really appreciate y’all answering my previous questions and now I’ve got some more for you. 1) when doing commission work, I tend to struggle with accurately picking a finish date, as the project inevitably gets delayed (generally on my end due to my full time job), so I have to talk with the customer and let them know what’s going on. I recently had a client ask for a refund, due to me delaying delivery by about 3 weeks. We had some personal family stuff happen that caused a significant delay in the project. So, long story short, do you think I should not give a date, but a range 8-10 weeks and wait until a certain point in the project to communicate a more accurate completion date?
2) Do y'all have any experience or thoughts on replacing a machine's V-belt with an adjustable link drive belt? I've recently purchased a used 17" drill press that has more vibration than I'd prefer. The pulleys appear to be aligned, so the next thing I would try is replacing the V-belts. Are link belts worth it, or are they just a gimmick?

Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
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Guy
1) Hello, got a question for the show! Will wiping mineral spirits on wood before finishing, to get the dust completely off, mess with the finish being applied correctly? I have read some places that mineral spirits will not change anything, but on Rubio‘s website for example, they say mineral spirits can mess with the finish. Just not sure if they’re saying this so that you buy their wood cleaner instead. Thanks! Buffalo Custom Woodworking
2) So I'm interested in getting a drum sander. Most of its use will be for panel doors etc. One of the things that I really like is a quality piece of equipment that I'm really not going to have too many problems with. I've looked at the Laguna supermax, the jet, and the powermatic. What can you tell me as far as quality in these different models and what should I be considering or looking for? Is there another company I should consider? Thanks again for a great podcast. Marlan
Sean
1) Hey guys, thanks for answering my last question about the MFT. I was wondering if you all could talk about the cordless tools you use in your shops. I wouldn't say I'm in the market for new stuff (been using Ridgid 18v for close to a decade), but I'm always curious to hear what other people prefer/use and why. Thanks for the great show! Cardinal Custom Woodworking
2) Do you think machine cutting joinery instead of doing it by hand (dovetails for example) makes the finished product less desirable to a client or the general public? I've been practicing my hand cutting of joinery for about a month now and I think I would enjoy other aspects of building much more but I don't want to lose potential customers by not having that aspect in my builds. I look forward to your feedback and keep up the great work. Thanks. Miller
Huy
1) I just recently started listening to your podcast and I've already learned a lot. I've followed you on Instagram and have been really inspired by your work. I started a woodworking business this year and I'm constantly trying to set up my shop to be the most beneficial for my daily tasks. One of the things I'm trying to improve right now is my dust collection. I currently have the harbor freight dust collector that I have run to my larger tools like my table saw, bandsaw, jointer, and planer. I'm trying to cut down on the amount of dust that is in the air in my shop as much as I can. My question for you is this: Is there anything wrong with setting the dust collector completely outside of the shop in order to take one more step to keep dust out of the shop? And part of the reason I ask that question is because I actually live in the middle of woods with no neighbors around me to have dust blown into their yards or complain about the sound of the dust collector. I also wonder if this would eliminate the need for a filter. And I would also obviously cover the dust collector in some way to keep it from the elements. Thanks for all the help you guys provide on the podcast and keep up that good work!
Heath
2) I recently got a spray system and am beginning to incorporate spray finishing to as many projects as possible. I am starting a new build of walnut record cabinet, and I am contemplating pre finishing. The finished piece will be about 60"x30", so it will be much easier to pre finish the panels before assembled. I am thinking of using conversion varnish for durability.
My question is, should I prefinish the inside and outside of all of the panels? Or just the inside, and finish the outside once the whole cabinet is assembled? If I only finish one side, do I have to worry about warping within the few days until I glue it up and finish the other side? On the contrary, it seems it would take quite a bit longer to prefinish both sides at once, having to wait for a side to dry before you can flip it over for a coat on the other side? Id love to hear how you guys have tackled prefinishing a cabinet in the past! - Sean Moore