Bi-Weekly Podcast Focused on the Craft of Woodworking
Episodes
Saturday Aug 23, 2025
Saturday Aug 23, 2025
This Episodes Questions:
Brians Questions:
Hello gentleman, thank you again for one of the best woodworking podcasts available. I recently had the opportunity to travel to Lebanon IN for a few days of training at a tool manufacturer. I won't mention the company, but I got to use a Domino and a Rotex sander for the first time..., but I digress. While I was in the airport waiting for my flight home and enjoying a breakfast sandwich, I looked down at the table and noticed the "purposeful-design" logo branded on the top. This experience gave me two questions. One, what finish did Guy and Brian use on these tables to survive the abuse of so many travelers per day through an airport? Two, during the training we sanded a piece of cherry to 1500 grit, giving a very high sheen to the bare wood. What type of technique or finish would you use on something like that?
Thank you for the great podcast, and I'm sorry I didn't have time to say hi while I was in Indianapolis. I waved from the plane, but you probably didn't notice. Josh
Hello fellow wood-nerds. I would like some advice on finishing. I’ve been doing a bathroom remodel. Which means I’ve spent a very long time doing non-woodworking work and learning new skills and desperately missing my shop time. I’m near the end finally and actually get to do some woodwork to wrap it up. My new floor doesn’t quite line up with the floor in the next room and the transition pieces available don’t quite suit. So I’m making one custom out of walnut. My question is: what would be a good finish? I don’t want it glossy or “plasticy” looking. But of course it will be stepped on and exposed to humidity from the shower so it does need to be durable. Thanks in advance Jason
Guys Questions:
This one may for Guy specifically but I'm interested in getting a 3D printer and would like your opinion on what I might want to look at. I have a total budget of around $1000 and want something that is very turnkey; I don't have a ton of time to learn how to use the machine and would like that will work for me out of the box. I'm looking at the Bambu Labs p1S; would this be a good starter machine? Thanks again for the great Podcast! Ron Brewer
Hi Guys,
I am hoping to eventually upgrade my table saw from a jobsite saw. I have heard a little bit of discussion about the advantages of an induction motor over a universal motor but I was wondering if you could provide some insight about voltage for a table saw. Obviously higher power is available with table saws that operate on higher voltages but as a hobbyist I am wondering how much power I actually need. I do make some cabinets and furniture as well as smaller projects. So here is an assortment of questions that are perhaps intertwined:
Is the increase in power with a 240V saw worth it? I would also have to get new electrical added to my garage. Is the type of motor related to the voltage? In your opinion are table saws that can be rewired from 120 to 240V a viable option? Would the power actually change with the rewiring? Are there any other considerations that I am not thinking of?
Thank you all for your insight. Brad
Huys Questions:
If you're installing a herringbone floor, do you need to think about chatoyance, in addition to colour and grain pattern, when you're laying out the pieces? Do you want all of the pieces to be oriented to have similar chatoyance? Lauris
Hello Guys, I listen to your podcast while driving to and from work. I really appreciate that you stay on track and offer several opinions regarding woodworking without the cackling and inside jokes, poor microphone control etc that other woodworking podcasts seem to have.
I build a lot of Shaker style furniture with tapered legs and built my own taper jig, a sled which clamps the leg at the desired angle with the widest part of the cutoff leading into the blade. This has worked very well except that occasionally, the wedge that is cutoff tips into the crack between the saw blade and the insert, jamming and sometimes tripping the saw's overload protection. I have cut a brand new table saw insert with the intention of creating as close to a zero clearance slot as possible but it still is wide enough for the sliver edge of the taper cutoff to drop in. How have you avoided this in the past? Would a reverse orientation of the taper jig be safer such that the thinnest part of the cutoff is cut first and therefore at the back of the blade and the thickest part is the last part cutoff? Thank you! Don
Friday Aug 08, 2025
Friday Aug 08, 2025
This Episodes Questions:
Brians Questions
Hey guys, appreciate you answering several of my questions in the past, so I thought of a few more. Feel free to separate as they are not related:
1: What do you do, if anything, to maintain furniture you have built? What would you tell a client if they were to ask you. I have always heard Murphy’s oil is a good restorative, but when I looked at a bottle at the store I discovered it’s just mineral oil. I would never recommend that. Or should I? Lemon Pledge Furniture Polish. Joking, but seriously, what is a good answer? Paste wax? Or just wipe the dust off and let it be? Peter Downing
I’m building a dresser and have built the carcass out of cherry plywood. I’ve glued up a panel out of solid cherry that I want to use as the top. I want to attach the solid panel to the top of the carcass. Would you recommend using screws from the inside/underside of the plywood top and allowing for wood movement or is it ok to glue the solid wood top to the plywood carcass top? Eric
Guys Questions
Domino vs beadlock set up from rockler? Same principle...and , in my experience...same outcome. Thoughts? Crafted Carpentry Tampa
When I wanted to learn how to apply shellac, I did a search and found a Youtube video of Guy from the late 70's when Youtube first came out demonstrating his technique involving a balled up rag and a mason jar with a lid to keep it in so it doesn't dry out between coats. That video is fantastic and I learned a lot than just the rag and jar business.
Inevitably, when I'm done shellacking for the day, I leave the rag Guy's Jar. Because you never really know when you are done applying shellac to something until you arrive at that destination, I end up leaving that rag in the jar for a few weeks. It's amazing how well it keeps even weeks later. HOWEVER, on more than one occasion, when I pull Guy's Rag from the jar, it is moldy. This surprised me the first time because I assumed that the amount of alcohol in the shellac would prevent anything from growing.
Does this happen to y'all or is indicative of something amiss. I just toss it and get a new rag.
Additional data points:
Shallac is < 2 months old, made from flakes, sourced from Oregon's shellacshack.com
I'm using Platina colored shellac usually
I'm using "Finishers Edge Shellac Reducer" instead of denatured alcohol because is way more expensive so it must be better right?
Jar is a resealable mason jar with a rubber gasket
Cloth is from the "bag of t shirts" you can buy at your local woodworking store
Shellac still has a strong odor of fresh shellac
I reuse the same jar to store my rag
Because I'm not a proctologist, there is a chance I've misdiagnosed the mold so I attached an image of the rag. Robert
Huys Questions
Gents,
there is a question here, but I wanted to share some info with you first.
In a recent episode there was a bit of a discussion of using Tung oil and how to thin it, etc.
I recently made a walnut desk inspired by the Nakashima style. I've had the good fortune to get my eyes and hands on some of his pieces for inspiration - they are amazing. Anyway, on the Nakashima website they discuss the care of their furniture, mentioning how they use Southerland Welles Tung Oil Wiping Varnish. https://sutherlandwelles.com/product-category/wipingvarnish/
It is really easy to apply and looks fantastic, especially on walnut. I used the Sealer and High Lustre Polymerized Tung Oil finishes. I highly recommend them. (this is not a paid ad!)
Finally, here is my question: Have you ever taken a technique, tool, or finish that is used in another craft for your use in furniture making? An example might be Tru Oil used on gunstocks as a furniture finish? Or a technique used by luthiers that helped you in furniture making?
Thanks again for a great podcast!
Regards, David V.
Hi guy I have a question or re3ally looking for advice. I noticed the tension on the v-belt of my delat 14 inch band saw was lose. It looked like freely wabblying when spinning the balde and I could come reaelly close to touching the two sides together when pinching the belt. Anyways I found the manuel online and it says there should be 1 inch deflection. asuming the maker knows what they are talking about I never seen a belt with that much allowance after being tight, so what do you think? Also Wen mention how much a pain replacing the tires or wheels were, how do you do that (i know google will answer my questions too, but we like hearing you guys talk)? Last part, are these upgrades really worth it, sometime I buy into something that really is not an improvement (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpDA2X6L9Y4) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOa9EJf91g) Paul Miotchell
Friday Jul 25, 2025
Friday Jul 25, 2025
This Episodes Questions:
Brians Questions:
Howdy fellas,
Love the podcast! I'm in the process of building a bench and misjudged how much wood I could get out of a board. The plans call for two stretchers of 3/4 maple about 65" long and 4.5" wide. After squaring and thicknessing, I'm down to 0.75-by-65-by-4.25 which is 1/4" too narrow. I initially thought I'd start over with a new board, but have decided to forge ahead with the slightly narrower stretchers since it won't impact the joiner, should still be plenty strong and will probably be imperceptible. In this example or others from your experience, how big of a boo-boo do you allow in your projects? Sorry if you've covered this before, I'm still catching up.
Thanks, Bryan
In a previous podcast, Brian mentioned he had used raking light after sanding and was impressed by how clearly sanding marks were visible. I have tried to deliberately use raking light to identify sanding issues. You can lift a small item at a angle towards an overhead light and sight along the surface which works but if it is larger surface this isn't practical. I have taken an led trouble light and held it at an angle close to surface but rarely see the sanding marks stand out. At some point in the afternoon sunlight hits the top of a project and marks are clearly visible . Any suggestions on using raking lighting on larger surfaces? Thanks for the great program, look forward to each new podcast. Dave at Xcuse4tools Custom Woodwork
Guys Questions:
Appreciate you all and look forward to your podcast. I was making raised panel doors for the cabinets in my shop. The panels are cut on the tablesaw with a tall fence jig and the blade tilted. This works well but leaves a few saw marks on the beveled portion of the panel which need to be cleaned up. The best way i know to sand this area is to wrap sandpaper around a small flat piece of plywood and manually sand it. This is time consuming and you are sanding across grain on two of the four bevels. I was wondering if there are any powered options available. I still have a quarter sheet sander but you hit the outer edge of panel if you use this on the bevel. Have you used a mop or star sanding wheel? This appears to be good for contours. Hoping you might have some insights possibly with Huy's recent furniture restoration efforts. Thanks, Dave@Xcuse4tools Custom Woodwork
Hi there,
As always, love the podcast and all of the insights and expertise you share. I’m preparing to do a built-in cabinetry project for our entertainment center. The full set of cabinets will be be about 11 1/2 feet wide. I’m planning to do shaker style doors, but with a beaded pdf panel with vertical beads going across the full width of the panel. I know Guy is probably going to say, “I’d just buy the panels and be done with it”, but let’s say that I really wanted to make them myself. How would you recommend cutting all of those beads. I have a Powermatic PM2000 and a nice cast iron router table and handheld routers, but no CNC. I recently saw a video where someone made these kinds of panels with a “Magic Molder” on the table saw. Would love to hear if you have any other methods. Pete
Huys Questions:
I have been woodworking for 6 years and have learned allot from your podcast. I recently took a finishing class and learned about the different finishes. Mineral spirits is the recommended thinner for oil based finishes. Why does Guy recommend Naphtha. What is the difference between Naphtha and Mineral Spirits. What advantage is there in using Naphtha. Thank you for all the great information you bring to the community. John
Gents - Apologies for the long story, but you asked for questions.
At the peak of the COVID pandemic I found myself watching far too many YouTube channels and came upon makers using European combination machines. Call it boredom or simply a need for a good excuse to travel during a traffic density period we hope to never see again, I researched a variety of brands and settled on a Robland X-31. This 1,100 pound beast is equipped with a sliding table saw, jointer, planer, shaper and mortiser. It replaced the Delta Unisaw with a 52” Unifence, a 6” Delta clone jointer sold as “Pit Bull,” and a DeWalt DW-735 that I paid $220 because HomeDepot decided to run a price match plus 10-odd percent discount the same week HomeBase was doing its going out of business liquidation. Price shopping for the best planner deal was just a walk-about as both stores shared a common parking lot.
So back to the Robland. I convinced myself that I need a change. I started milling logs and the Pit Bull wasn’t going to cut face jointing wide boards. I needed a 12” jointer. The 20 by 24 foot shop could not accommodate length of a dedicated 12” jointer, said the little voice in my head. I could sell the Unisaw and the Pit Bull, stuff the DeWalt in a cabinet, it said. The collective footprint of these three tools (the DeWalt was on a mobile base) would be about the same as the X-31, it declared. It will fit into a one-car garage if and when you downsize, it summarized. So off to new custodians these two reliable tools that faithfully served hundreds of tasks. I trekked from Sacramento, California to Yakima, Washington with my 85-year-old dad to pickup a rarely used (red flag as it turned out) green X-31 that had - as the second owner said - sat in the basement of a dentist.
Fast forward to today … can’t say, yet, if I like or dislike the Robland. It is a pain in the ass to set up. The jointer works great once one learns how to accommodate the relatively short wings. I had electrical problems for the first year. I appreciate the planer’s 9” capacity. I miss the efficiency of moving from one dedicated machine to another. There is little end snipe compared to the 735. I don’t know if I’ll ever use the mortiser, particularly after buying a Domino. I love the cross cut table. I hate the lack of micro adjustment to the blade height on the table saw. The shaper is a great addition to the shop. It pains me that woodworking with a micrometer was helpful with the Unisaw and is a frustration with the Robland.
As I deal deal with these tool grievances, the questions:
1. What would be your advice to a new woodworker to purchase dedicated vs. combination machines? What combination would you recommend and why?
2. We’re friends here, right? Did I make a mistake with the Robland?
Finally, at risk of being accused of pandering: I agree with Guy’s sentiment that the SawStop is a good tool, but its safety feature isn’t a replacement for responsible use of power tools. There is a reason SawStop doesn’t warranty for injuries. Age for age, I wouldn’t trust a 10-year-old SawStop any more than I would a vintage Walker Turner table saw.
Hey guys,
---------------------------------
First off, thanks for all the knowledge you share—I’ve been woodworking for a while, but I’m always learning from your podcast. During COVID, I sold my Delta Unisaw, jointer, and DeWalt planer to pick up a Robland X-31 combo machine with a sliding saw, jointer, planer, shaper, and mortiser. I loved the idea of saving space and getting a 12" jointer, but now I have mixed feelings. I like the crosscut table and shaper, but I miss the efficiency and precision of dedicated machines, and the X-31 can be a hassle to set up.
So my questions are:
1) For someone just getting into woodworking, would you recommend dedicated machines over a combination unit? Why?
2) Be honest—did I make a mistake going with the Robland?
Thanks again for all the insight you share each week. Craig
Friday Jul 11, 2025
Friday Jul 11, 2025
This Episodes Questions
Brians Questions
Hi guys. I've listened to every episode of the podcast and some of them more than once. Really appreciate all of the insights you give. It makes my commute much more fun and I've learned a ton!
This question is primarily for Brian. I've heard you all poke fun at him for using Excel to plan his projects on multiple occasions. I'm very curious to learn more about how he accomplishes this. I understand that he makes each cell square and draws, but maybe he could give us a little tutorial. What cell height and width does he use? What does each cell represent (an inch, six inches, a foot?). Any other of the steps you use would be super helpful. I'm planning on a built-in set of cabinets coming up and I thought I'd give your method a shot. Pete
Hello Guys
I am looking into getting a router table. Based on your experience which would be a better option. A full size stand alone router table or a router table insert for my table saw. I have plenty of space and I am looking to spend around $600 to $700. Is a router lift an important add on. Thanks for all the knowledge you all give and keep that PMA (positive mental attitude) going.
Thanks Korey from Independence, KY
Guys Questions
Gentlemen
I listen to every podcast and invariably learn something from your answers to the questions. Keep up the great work.
I have a Canadian made 14 inch General thickness planer that is about 40 years old and it has been working well and reliably over the years. Lately I noticed that one edge of a full width (14 inch) board is about .7 mm (28/1000 inch)thicker when compared to the other. It may have always done this but I am edge jointing some wide boards into panels and the variation in thickness means I have to hand plane the joints. There is no way to adjust the base to make it parallel to the cutter head. I almost always use a sled so I could adjust it to offset the inequality.
My question is am I being a bit too fussy with the small difference? Would you accept this level of planing inaccuracy when working in your own shop?
Bob Vergette, Pender Island BC, Canada
Here is my next question. I am making a shadowbox out of walnut. I want to put brass splines on the corners. I built a spline jig and I purchased a new CMT 201.024.10 Industrial Ripping Saw Blade, 10-Inch. x 24 Teeth FTG Grind with 5/8-Inch. Bore, PTFE Coating. This blade measures 1/8 with calipers across two of the carbide tips. However the cut comes in at 5/32. The brass I purchased is exactly 1/8” This leaves very small but noticeable gap. I've also tried with another blade and got the same results. What suggestions or tips you may have to get that saw kerf to 1/8 inch? I may next try a slightly larger thickness of brass and file/sand it down but that will be more work. I hate to say this but guys on Youtube make it look easy and have no gaps, but don't provide the tips and how they got such tight fits. Thanks in advance!
Dudley @ Pappys Hangar
Huys Questions
Gents, what a great podcast! I love the format, the focus on answering questions, and the valuable information. I especially like hearing Guy's perspectives who's both a pro and a hobbyist. Thanks and keep it up. I've been woodworking as a hobbyist for about 50 years - yes I'm older than Guy but not dying anytime soon thanks to my Sawstop - but just now getting into spray finishing. I have heard Guy talk numerous times about using pigmented water based conversion varnish. I have an upcoming project involving kitchen cabinet door panels that need to be finished to match the existing which is conversion varnish tinted to match Benjamin Moore Linen White. Because I have also heard Guy saying he gets his finishes from Target Coatings, I contacted them but was told they do not tint their conversion varnish and I would need to tint it myself. Their suggestion though is to apply their pigmented water based lacquer for the color match, and then coat that with their polycarbonate urethane for durability comparable to the conversion varnish. That two-step process sounds cumbersome compared to one step conversion varnish. So the question is do you get your pigmented conversion varnish elsewhere? Do you get it at Target coatings and have it tinted locally? Tint it yourself? Thanks for your advice. John
My grandparents had a marquetry landscape picture hanging on the wall of their house for years when I was kid. After they passed, one of my uncles received the picture as part of their inheritance. I decided to try to make my own version of this picture as the chalet had a few discrepancies in it. The picture was of a man walking down a winding path between a chalet and a couple of trees and mountains in the background. I have tried to use 1/16" veneer but it seems prone to tearing/chipping when I use my Dewalt scroll saw. I have tried several different styles of blades with no success. I have also had some difficulties getting the jigsaw pieces, so to speak, to fit closely together. It seems if I remove a little from one side of a piece then it alters another side. I have let's say gone through a bit of extra veneer. What suggestions would you make so that the veneer doesn't tear/chip out? Is there a better way to cut the pieces? Would you use a different thickness or completely go away from the veneer to something else? Lastly, what techniques can you offer up to get the pieces to fit snugly given the sometimes difficult shapes? Jim
Friday Jun 13, 2025
Friday Jun 13, 2025
Brians Questions:
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and opinions - and answering my previous questions. It's been a great help.
My shop is in my single car garage, which I share with household storage. It has a very high ceiling. I recently got a good deal on a new Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System. (note: I do not have a dust collection system, as I try to do mostly hand tool work, but I do use power tools as needed. So there is plenty of dust).
The question is: where to locate the device?
The options are:
1. I have a shelf that is suspended from the ceiling and could test to see if it will support the Jet unit.
2. There is a metal storage cabinet that I can set it on, and attach to the wall (per Jet instructions).
3. Place it on the lower shelf of my Moravian style workbench.
Attaching it directly to the ceiling is out, as it is too high, and I don't have ladders or scaffolding to get up there.
The easiest is option 3 - on the lower shelf of the workbench. Will it be effective down there - about a foot off the ground? Or should I go for options 1 or 2?
Thanks for any insight.
David V. - Baltimore, MD
Gentlemen,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to share your knowledge through the podcast. I’ve recently caught up on all the previous episodes and really look forward to the bi-weekly insights you provide. It’s been a tremendous help as I navigate the early stages of woodworking and material sourcing.
I have a question regarding quality expectations when purchasing from regional hardwood suppliers. I’ve recently started buying from a distributor in the Texas/Oklahoma area that operates multiple warehouses. While I’m still relatively new to this type of procurement, I’ve noticed a gap between what I expected from a “select & better” grade product and what I actually received.
My recent order was for cherry lumber—select & better, RW&L, averaging 6 inches wide, 9 feet long, and 15/16" thickness, graded 90/70+. The issue I encountered was significant end-checking and splitting—some boards had cracks extending 10 to 18 inches. Since the lumber (along with some maple and walnut) was bundled and strapped to a pallet, it wasn’t until I got home—over an hour away—that I realized the extent of the damage.
I understand that some waste is always part of the equation, but I’m trying to get a sense of what’s considered “normal” for a premium grade. Should I have contacted the supplier once I noticed the issue? Or is it standard practice to inspect the order before it leaves the yard? I’d appreciate any guidance or rules of thumb you might recommend for handling situations like this.
Thanks again for your time and for all the valuable information you share. It’s been a huge help.
Best regards, Mark
Guys Questions:
I’m preparing to build a set of kitchen cupboards from white oak. The style will be Mission, with some Frank Lloyd Wright Prairies Style touches. I have several questions.
I’m going to build some assembly tables. I don’t want hundreds of dog/hold-down holes in each, but I will probably drill a few. I’m wondering about 3/4” (the traditional North American standard) vs. 20 mm (a standard popularized by Festool, etc.). I know this isn’t a black and white choice, but could you share some thoughts on what one might consider before committing to one size vs. another. Darrin
I frequently seem to struggle with keeping the countersink concentric concentric with the screw clearance hole.
I have both the multi-flue countersink and the countersink with one diagonal hole but they both want to wander.
I also have a tapered drill bit with set-screwed countersink. Maybe I should be trying harder to use that type.
So my question is - do you have any suggestions for keeping the countersink centered on the clearance hole, and what is your preferred type of countersink.
Steve
Huys Questions:
Hello guys, my name is Jim Rose. I live in north central Kansas and have a couple of completely different topics for questions.
Before the questions, I wanted to say, thanks so much for an awesome podcast. I have been a listener since Brian came on board. In fact, the 1st episode I listened to was his 1st episode!!!
First off, I have a question about beetle kill pine. I am currently building a new house and have purchased beetle kill pine to put on the walls and ceiling of a sunroom. My question is what finish should I use if any so that the blues and reds of the beetle kill pine will show the best and not change colors in anyway. I have seen different opinions on the internet ranging from a clear poly to nothing at all. Some have even said that a finish will change to colors which I definitely dont want. Not sure if this is true so thought I would the experts. Thanks in advance. Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again, Jim
Hey Fellas' as many say "love the podcast", I've learned a ton and look forward to more as I work my way through previous shows and keep up with new ones. The ask ... you've shared a fair amount regarding adhesive/glues including talking shelf life. How can we tell when an adhesive/glue has exceeded its shelf life and should be discarded and replaced? I mean knowing this is prior to using it and the project failing and pieces not sticking as needed. Thanks, Chris Hudson
Friday May 30, 2025
Friday May 30, 2025
This Episodes Questions:
Brians Questions:
What are the the most useful 3d prints for a woodworking shop.
I often print out small pattern templates and fixtures for hole placement. Even storage solutions for various tools etc... what are your top suggestions? Josh
Hi, let’s talk about working with laminated plywood.
I just picked up about 25 sheets of 3/4”x 22”x6’ birch plywood that has Formica laminated on both sides from the free pile of a high volume cabinet shop. I want to encourage everyone to find local cabinet or mill work shops in your area and drive by them often! I do on my commute to and from work.
What kind of design/construction considerations would you make when building cabinets with drawers for my garage using only this 3/4” plywood? It will be for my garage. I know it’s common to make drawers using thinner plywood but I’m not trying to spend money if I have to. how would you finish the edges? I’m going to make a blanket chest next, The laminate is a fancy textured walnut wood grain that actually looks pretty good. I currently don’t have a shop but have some hand tools and hand power tools like a router, circular saw with track, and a lot of imagination! With the help from your podcast I just recently purchased a biscuit jointer and a large (rather intimidating) 45 degree chamfer router bit. Haywood
Guys Questions:
Hi Guys, I’ve been listening to your podcast since the beginning and it’s by far the best. There’s not even a close second.
My question is: I want to make shop sawn veneer. I have a band saw with 11” cut capacity, grizzly 8” jointer, a dewalt 735 thickness planner with a Byrd Shelix helical cutter head, but I don’t have a drum sander. I would like to end up with 1/16” cherry veneer that is 10” wide, but I’m not sure about the process to make it. Would the thickness planer be too aggressive to remove the bandsaw marks or would I need to purchase a drum sander? Also, after cutting a piece of veneer from the stock, do I need to reflatten the stock before cutting another piece of veneer. In general, I guess what I’m asking is given the set of tools above, how would you go about making veneer? Mike
I am building a trestle table out of African Mahogany, more specifically
Khaya. I am using 8/4 for the top and 12/4 for the legs. It is going to live on a jalousy window sun room that is not climate controlled in the state of Florida. What finishes do you guys recommend to use to help preventwood movement or warping over time, or is that just going to happen. David
Huy's Questions:
Hello Gents,
This is a bit of a long winded question regarding aftermarket sliders for the table saw and how to best use them.
I recently purchased an old Excalibur sliding table from my saw. This is an older model but from my understanding is almost identical to the current SawStop sliders, as SawStop took over the old Excalibur models (maybe this is incorrect or you have more insight?). I mounted the slider to the extension table on the left so I get the full size of the TS top and the slider fence is long enough to reach all the way to the blade. I figured that this way I get the best of both worlds, and I do have the space for it.
My purpose for the slider was to help break down sheet goods, manage angled cuts on larger pieces, and to help cut miters on larger case panels. I've made a few cases in the past with mitered corners and running a long case panel on the TS to cut the miters is a bit of a pain. I was hoping that the slider would simplify that process as it would allow the long panel to move over the table smoothly while held square to the blade.
Here is the kicker, the slider mounts on the left of the saw which is the direction that the blade tilts. In my mind, this creates a problem as I have to run the panel up-side-down, under the tilted blade, and the offcut would now be dropping on top of the blade where it will create a kickback situation.
In general, I wouldn't run the piece "under" the blade when using a rip fence as it is trapped, but with the slider that's not really true. Seems problematic for the offcut but gives more accuracy and control on an otherwise unwieldy piece and may be worth rolling the dice. I figure that with the slider I have plenty of space to stand out of the firing line when that offcut goes flying, but it is probably smarter to avoid the situation in the first place.... What are your thoughts? How are others handling miters with a slider? It seems most folks in North America have them mounted on the left, and most of the saws tilt to that side. Bojan
Hey guys I’ve been listening to lots of episodes of the podcast lately and find it very helpful me being a beginner.
This will be a long one but here is the situation, I’m not far from Indianapolis so a couple of you understand the weather. Earlier this year I cut down a couple of trees from a family property before it got demolished for development. Trees were run through a local saw mill and kiln dried for me. When I picked them up from the local guys I brought the stack back and put it in a barn on the family farm. The barn is generally shut up but it is not conditioned. I do all my wood working in my basement at home that is conditioned. I’m getting ready to buy a used 8” jointer to help me handle all these boards. I will not be carrying a large jointer into the basement to do the work it will be at the farm where the wood is stored.
Question is, with an unconditioned barn do you think it will be a problem to joint a few boards there, bring them back to the basement Woodshop and let them acclimate for a few weeks before proceeding to plane/cut up for projects? Would it be better to joint just a couple at a time as I’m going to need them or would jointing most of the boards and storing them unconditioned during the year and moving them to the Woodshop as needed be ok?
Thanks for the podcast and all the info you guys provide. I’ve learned multiple things from you guys already and hope to continue learning more. Drew
Friday May 16, 2025
Friday May 16, 2025
Guys Questions
Hey guys, I really love your show. My question is about food safe finishes. I do a lot of CNC carving and one of my favorite is deviled egg trays. The first couple I made for my wife I just finished with some butcher block oil, the composition of an egg Has something in it I think and it quickly turned the reliefs in the wood surface black. I talked to my sister-in-law who’s a chemical engineer and she told me that polyurethane once it’s cured would be fine for this. I have done a few with this and it seems to be holding up OK but I am curious what your guys thoughts are on the long-term effect of this. Most of my egg trays are made out of a butcher block style material that has lots of maple cherry ash a little bit of oak and various leftovers. Unfortunately, I can’t use walnut in my wood shop due to my wife’s tree nut allergy again guys. I really appreciate your podcast and look forward to listening to it. Albert
Thanks for the great podcast, I learn something from every episode.
I recently made a few band saw boxes for Christmas gifts. They are a good way to use up some offcut lumber and the family seems to appreciate something handmade.
The 3 drawer box with a curved top and side (pictures attached) caused me a bit of trouble.
Joni had preciously asked for a sideboard style cabinet to place between out living and dinning room areas. After 2-3 month we still hadn't found a design she liked....until she saw the curved band saw box. I quote "I love that design and want one like that only much bigger"
My question is what suggestions do you have for making the curved top and sides, I am thinking the sides could be made using walnut plywood by cutting kerfs and bending the plywood over a frame but I am open to other ideas.
The top has me stumped, I have made segmented arches for a table support but they were only 4" wide and I cut the arch on a band saw. That would not work for a wide dresser top.
Approximate dimensions would be 30" -35" wide and 45- 55" tall and 20-22" deep
Thanks in advance for you help DH
I realize this isn’t a fine precision woodworking question, but I figure you guys have probably dealt with manhandling sheets of plywood. We have about 140 sheets of plywood that we need to put down on a floor. The median age of the guys doing this is somewhere between 65 and 70. Any suggestions for how to safely handle this many sheets of plywood to minimize strains and injuries ?
Thanks, Mark
Huys Questions
Good Morning, I appreciate the podcast as I continue to learn its been a great resource, thank you!
Quick background. I grew up watching PBS's Norm Abram and This Old House but never had much opportunity to learn wood working. As an adult I started learning both construction building and cabinet/furniture making helping others, reading and youtube etc. Starting in basement workshops with mostly benchtop tools. ~15 years into the journey I am starting to get a decent foundation. Recently I built a house with a planned garage workshop and have started outfitting it. Bones are there, lots of organization needed but I have now have 3hp grizzly table saw, bosch miter saw with large counter style station, 8" Grizzly jointer, 24" Grizzly Drum Sander, Grizzly Bandsaw and dust collector Planer still needs upgrading, have a Ridgid 13" but watching for a used 20" helical head. I have been busy chasing used deals! Also recently setup a 10'x10' popup tent with furnace filter setup tied into 12" exhaust fan as a spray booth, works great! Spraying with a Fuji mini mite 5 stage and PPS cup system. Space is 32'x32' when cars are out with 12' ceiling, in floor heat. Rural northern New York. Not a Rockler or similar store within a days drive but we have ample local sawmills to find solid wood if your willing to mill it and access to cabinet grade plywood delivered from suppliers.
With this shop setup I am now building cabinets, furniture, trim, doors etc for our house. Starting in some areas I don't mind making some mistakes. Two areas that I am struggling to figure out:
Finishes-your recent episode had some decent comments but I would love a thorough discussion on when you would choose a certain finish over another. In particular thinking of kitchen cabinets, vanities, built in's, kitchen table. High traffic areas. I have played around with conversion varnish from Woodwright. Seems like very durable stuff and I don't mind cleaning up with solvent but when is that necessary vs going with an easier to work with finish such as Sherwin Williams Emerald? Or middle ground lacquer??I do have Bob Flexners book but would love to hear your experiences/ opinions? If I do use conversion varnish how do you handle any touch ups?
I have quite a lot of experience with airless on sheetrock so its not a huge jump but any suggestions on HVLP setups, when to use which tips etc. would be helpful.
*Doors- I appreciated the conversation on doors recently. I have several very custom interior and exterior doors I want to tackle. I agree with your comments on buying pre hung for standard doors but between custom nature of what we want and because I just want to do it I am going to try to build my own. I want to buy the festool domino machines in time anyhow and I think that would be a good way to build the doors. I would enjoy hearing a conversation on specifics on how you would choose to build interior vs exterior doors, rail and style material vs. panel material vs jamb material. Is there a way to insulate the exterior door? Finishes? If you had the shop described above and both domino size machines what would you do?
Thank you! Matt Wendig
This one is a wood selection question. I am looking for a wood that has both good elasticity and shock resistance. I am building a Japanese makiwara board, which is a training tool that provides progressive resistance to striking force by the martial artist. The training board is about 55" tall, 5" wide and is tapered - so thick at the base and gradually tapers to the top. This allows for "flex" when the board is struck. In Japan - Japanese beech is typically used, but not readily available near me. I am thinking along the lines of Ash or Elm for my build. I appreciate your thoughts. Crafted Carpentry Tampa
Hello gentlemen and thank you for the wonderful podcast.
I live in the niagara region in Ontario Canada and for the last while I've been looking at upgrading my current table saw (Ridgid R4520) to something that runs on 220v for more power or possibly replacing it all together with a bandsaw.
I have an oversized single car garage that houses my furnace, hot water tank, ATV, motorcycle, mechanical shop and woodshop so space is at a premium and that is the motivation to possibly do away with a table saw all together.
I have a router table, mitre saw and track saw so I feel all the functions I may lose not having a table saw will still be covered by these tools plus I have a Ridgid job site table saw (R4518ns) I use for the odd job I do off site.
I currently have an older 110v 14" king bandsaw that I find severely underpowered and that I want to replace anyways, so with the sale of my current bandsaw and table saw plus my current budget and with some convincing of my wife I'm thinking I'll have roughly $3000-3300CAD to buy either one bandsaw or have to use those fund to buy both a bandsaw and table saw.
I am 6'4" and if my memory serves me correctly guy has said Laguna bandsaw tables are closer to the ground and I've quickly looked at some king bandsaw and craftex bandsaws but I'm not sold on them either.
So my question question to you guys is, what would you do? Use all the funds on a bandsaw and if so which one and what type of blades should I purchase with it? Or split up the funds to purchase 2 machines and again which ones? And do you go new or used in both of those situations?
Thank you ahead of time for taking the time to read and respond to my inquiry. James
Friday May 02, 2025
Friday May 02, 2025
This Episodes Questions:
Brians Questions
When making trivets, how to cut the grooves - when I cut mine I hogged out half the thickness of the wood in one pass. That led to some pretty rough cuts and gouges (i.e. scrap). I assume the answer is a router table with a lift, but of course I don’t have one YET. :) Also, what finish to put on a trivet (which is used for hot pans)? - different finish than a cutting board? Tung oil? Danish oil? I assume ’not’ ArmRSeal. Mark
I’m preparing to build a set of kitchen cupboards from white oak. The style will be Mission, with some Frank Lloyd Wright Prairies Style touches. I have several questions.
I have a SuperMax style cantilever 25-50 drum sander. Do you think that this is a feasible tool to level out the boards to remove the planer snipe? …and avoid having to cut 3” of the end of each piece? Darrin
Guys Questions:
Been enjoying your podcast through several projects. My background is homebuilding, but through my sawmill hobby and unwillingness to pay for overpriced garbage…I have found myself learning about woodworking. My question is about making doors.
I have made one door so far using only groove cuts into the stiles’s and gluing the tenons of the rails and panels into these cuts. I don’t have much faith in the longevity of this door, but it’s been a year now.
What is the traditional methodology for attaching the individual parts of a simple 3 panel door
Should I just buy a domino and get it done…
Also per your latest podcast episode, what is the best way to midi gate the wood movement at the joint of the rails/ stiles. As these joints are not small nor parallel.
Sorry for the low brow question. Appreciate the knowledge. Lucas
Hello esteemed woodworking gentlemen! Thanks for the amazing podcast and the contribution to the woodworking community. I’m seeking some general advice and hope you can help.
I was recently watched a YouTube video where someone stated that a track saw blade should always be buried for the straightest possible cut. That made me wonder if I can be causing unnecessary blade deflection on my jobsite table saw and Dewalt miter saw. I often struggle achieving perfect 90 on those machines when crosscutting.
As a hobbyist with limited shop time, setting up machines is pain but I understand its necessity. Can you speak on this blade deflection and are there any go to tricks that you have for ensuring your machines are set up properly?
Thanks for any help you can provide.-Jose
Huys Questions:
A while back my wife and I bought and moved into a house with no dishwasher, then later purchased one after realizing how much not having one sucked. We made the mistake of assuming that we would be fine putting the dishwasher at the end of the counter, because we figured the top of the machine would look like a run-of-the-mill home appliance like a washer or dryer, rather than the monstrosity that it actually is.
It is ugly. I think I actually recall my wife crying when she saw it, and not in a good way. Since then my loosely held plan has been finding a way to move or dispose of the contents of one section of our cabinets, then cut a section out of said cabinets big enough for the dishwasher to fit underneath. Recently, however, thanks in large part to your podcast, I have developed enough confidence in my woodworking skills to attempt a different idea. My thought is to make what is essentially an end cap or sidewall, which will match the existing cabinetry, anchor it somehow, and then place a new section of countertop between this end cap and the existing end cap of the cabinets. I would essentially be "extending" the countertop, thereby concealing top and visible side of the dishwasher. From what I can tell, all I would have to make, stain, and finish would be a cabinet side panel, a piece of trim to run along the bottom, and a partial face frame.
So here come the questions: do you think this is doable, either generally or the way I am thinking? And what would be the easiest way to tackle this project? Note that I'm not particularly concerned over whether or not I use the same method of instruction as was used for the rest of the cabinetry. For example, I don't particularly care to use particle board with a veneer as the rest of the cabinets may have done if it would actually be easier or cheaper in this instance to just make the side panel out of a solid piece of wood. So long as it looks close, its fine with me. The applicable tools I can think of that I have at my disposal are a table saw with a crosscut sled, a compound miter saw, a jigsaw, fixed base router, various types of Sanders, a pocket hole jig, 15, 16, and 23 gauge nailers, and of course all of the basic hand tools. I would describe my skill level as approaching novice.
Sincerely,Z achary T Owens
Howdy yall,
I'm wondering if you can recommend any smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors in the woodshop? I work out of a one car garage in Minnesota so have a gas heater to help me stay warm during our bitter winter months, but am also worried about oil rags possibly spontaneously combusting. When I first moved into the shop I tried installing a regular smoke detector however it kept on getting set off when I had excessive dust flying (thank you router). Is there anything that you know of on the market that won't get set off by dust but that I can keep my home protected and have a little more peace of mind?
Thanks, Paul at Twin Lake Woodshop
Friday Apr 18, 2025
Friday Apr 18, 2025
This Episodes Questions:
Brian's Questions:
My neighbor gave me a beautiful maple root ball that is approximately 3' in diameter about 6 months ago. I am currently letting it dry for another 12 to 24 months. I'm thinking of eventually rough cutting it with a large reciprocating saw. The wood will be used for small boxes or knife handles. Am I crazy? Do you have any advice on dry times and using root wood? George
Guy, I am making a bow front dresser and plan to use Blum Blumotion undermount slides for the drawers. However, I’m not sure how I should attach the front of the slide to the bottom of the draw, since the draw front will be curved. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also, the draws will be inset, but since the blumotion has a fair amount of flexibility (up/down and left/right) I am thinking aligning the draw fronts should be doable. But do you have any suggestions to make it as simple as possible? Finally I see Rockler has a “JIG IT” under mount drilling guide. Do you use this jig and do you recommend it?
Thanks so much!!! Mike
Guy's Questions:
I live in Fishers, IN and am new to woodworking and was wondering how to find good places for hardwoods? It’s been pretty tough to find anything local without driving a decent distance to a mill on the west side of town. Chayse Bell
I’m preparing to build a set of kitchen cupboards from white oak. The style will be Mission, with some Frank Lloyd Wright Prairies Style touches. I have several questions.
How much planer snipe is too much? I have a Dewalt 13” model 735 benchtop planer. If I take a short board—say, two feet—and run it through once taking a 1/16 cut, I get 8/1000ths snipe. Is this to be expected? …or should I look at getting my planer serviced or maybe trading up. (The Laguna Tools PX16 planer looks amazing, but six times the money.) Darrin
Huy's Questions:
Thank you all for what you do. Like so many other woodworkers, I have accumulated quite a bit of wood through my own purchases and also from inheriting my fathers wood collection after he passed away. I would like to move it out of my two car garage workshop to free up space, and am considering building some sort of dry storage box to store it under a deck in my backyard. (I don’t have room for a large lumber shed). Thinking roughly 14 foot by 4 foot by 4 foot. This box would obviously be exposed to the weather as the deck is not sealed. What are your thoughts on this? And if you were to build this box, would you seal it relatively airtight or would you simply stack the lumber off the ground and put a piece of tin or something over the top to allow airflow. In the second example, I worry about snow, rain and bugs getting access to the lumber. Thanks in advance for your response.
Eric in Lincoln Nebraska
Hey gentleman, first of all, thank you for the amazing podcast and the fluff-free format.
I’ve been a hobbyist woodworker for about 6 years and I’m at the point where I’m considering turning my hobby into a side job of sorts.
My question is: in your opinion, what separates an amateur woodworker from a professional woodworker? Are there certain skills, techniques, or projects you learned that really elevated your confidence or status in the craft?
Thanks again, and keep up the awesome content! Adrien from Toronto (Canada)
Friday Apr 04, 2025
Friday Apr 04, 2025
This Episodes Questions:
Brian's Questions:
I’m preparing to build a set of kitchen cupboards from white oak. The style will be Mission, with some Frank Lloyd Wright Prairies Style touches. I have several questions.
I have a question about milling lumber. There seems to be a trade-off: keep the boards long and you need to joint more off to get a flat face, hence the risk of falling below your desired thickness. But cut the boards to length first and you have to allow for more cut-offs on the ends to remove planer snipe. How should I think about this? In general, do the three of you cut longer boards to length for parts first and then plane and joint? Or do you joint and plane the boards whole (mine are 6’ to 8’) and take the perhaps larger losses to thickness but avoid multiple areas of planer snipe? I know that much depends on the boards, but I'd be interested in your general approaches. Darrin
Hey guys I absolutely love the podcast, amd have already learned a lot. I recently have decided to do this for more than a hobby. I have been doing small or easier projects like cutting boards and tongue and groove ceilings. I have been wanting to start building entry level tables and furniture but keep psyching myself out of it. How did you guys build up the confidence to move on to more advanced projects? And did you guys get discouraged or frustrated at the beginning?
Thank you David Caraway
Guy's Questions:
Thank you all for such a great show! I'm an amateur woodworker working out of a 550 square foot two-car attached garage. We keep two cars in the garage, so all my equipment is on mobile bases.
My question has to do with shop climate control. I live in southern Indiana, with hot muggy summers and cool-to-cold winters. The garage is insulated, including the door, and sits under a conditioned bonus room, but the garage itself is not heated or cooled. Although it never freezes, for a few of the coldest winter weeks, it will be in upper 30s. Mostly it's at least 45 degrees.
I'm contemplating installing a 1 ton/12,000BTU mini-split for heating and cooling, DIYing installing it for less than $1000. I'm trying to decide if it's worth it, basically for the few hottest and coldest weeks. I can also migrate easily to my unfinished basement in the coldest weeks for glue-ups and finishing. I wouldn't want to run the mini-split all the time, and often I am only out in the shop for short bursts, so pre-heating or pre-cooling seems wasteful.
$1000, plus the energy to run the mini-split, could buy plenty of other woodworking equipment and supplies. If this were your shop, what would you do?
Thanks, Kyle Kramer
Always a pleasure listening to your podcast. Thank you for your knowledge and insight.
I am planning to rip the carpet off my Stairs treads and somehow get a relative match to my wood flooring either upstairs and downstairs. Assuming the exact color isnt important in my question.
The treads are likely just pine but I haven't pulled the carpet yet to find out. My thought was to veneer the treads. Then I would most likely us a transtint dye to reach the color and finish off with shellac washout and water based poly for durable finish. Is this a good approach or destined for failure?
Thanks for your time. Josh
Huy's Questions:
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.
My second question is about compositing saw dust. My wife likes to garden and keep a compost pile. We use saw dust and wood shaving to balance the moisture of the compost pile. I occasionally use MDF and plywood and I am wondering if all the bad stuff in those materials are bad to use in the compost. I guess I'm pretty sure they are not good. I've heard that most of those chemicals breakdown form the heat of the compost but I am skeptical of that. I use an oneida dust separator. Do you think it is worth trying to partition two dust bins, one for raw wood and one for everything else? Do you think a blast gate under the separator would accomplish that or would it mess with the air flow of the separator?
Thanks. Keep up the great work. Jon Moch
A lot of people talk about spraying water on wood when changing sanding grits, to raise the loose fibres and get a smoother finish.
I have taken to spraying isopropyl alcohol (I think you would call it rubbing alcohol) between grits. I can spray it quite heavily and have it evaporate within a minute so I can continue sanding without having to wait.
I doubt I'm the first person in the history of woodworking to think of this (I'm no rocket scientist, Huy), but I never hear of anyone else doing this. That makes me think there may be a good reason to not do this.
So what do you blokes reckon? Is there a reason why I shouldn't be doing this, apart from water being free and alcohol being expensive?
FYI, I usually work in recycled jarrah (an ultra hard Western Australian wood) and finish with Tung oil when using the alcohol
Thanks fellas, love your work!
Jim