Episodes
Friday Mar 24, 2023
Friday Mar 24, 2023
Guy's Questions:
Good afternoon Gentlemen, Thank you for your podcast, I really appreciate it, and you fellows. Long story short, I am a re-engaging woodworker after taking a 20 year hiatus. Due to life requirements and work travel frequency, I was unable to keep up my hobby. I now have the time (and hopefully will NEVER have to fly somewhere for work again) to start anew. Things have changed quite a bit in past couple decades, and so have my interests in terms of wood working. Over my hiatus, I sold some of my equipment in hopes the machines would be used instead of sitting idle and it is time to re-equip my shop needs with eliminated tools and new needs. My tool requirements are also much different today, then they were 20 years ago. One requirement I now have is a drum sander. I don't have the desire to rotate any work (key point), and want to acquire a machine that fits my specific needs, thus an 18" capability is perfect for what my new woodworking interests require. I also refuse to take any advice from boob tube woodworkers recommendations, as it seems that 90% of the creators I find may have started out providing woodworking content, but they mostly all just become prejudiced tool reviewers who conflict each other based on who is giving them free tools or paying them. I have lost a lot of respect for some woodworkers on YouTube who used to be considered by me as inspirations in their early YouTube careers, no longer. With that said, I have trimmed my interest list down to a Jet 1836 and Supermax 19-38. I imagine some or all of you have had experience with both, and would like your feedback. I am not currently considering models with moving/height adjustable belts such as the shop fox/grizzly, however if you have anything to add on those, it would be nice to hear. Glad you have a new host, it seems like he may be a great fit for the podcast. Well wishes to all of you, and Guy, I hope your health is well.
Kurtis Van Kampen
You fellas have filled my head with hours and hours of information. You’re truly the best Podcast I’ve found. So before Guy’s head begins to swell, on with the question. I’ve started watching Nee Yankee workshop again now they I actually have a 520 sqft shop to work out in. In the first season Norm used what he called a panel cutting jig for the table saw. The fence of the jig was located on the blade side rather than the operator side like the modern crosscut sled. This jig is dead simple being made of only three boards. I had big plans to make a modern crosscut sled (not the aircraft carrier) with all the bells and whistles. Now I’m completely rethinking my next table saw jig. Since Guy (like myself) is the only one of you old enough to remember the first episode, this should probably be HIS question. Keep up the great work fellows. I appreciate what each of you bring to the table. -Bryan
Huy's Questions:
I’d first like to say that I listen to a bunch of other woodworking podcasts as well, but of all of them, yours has the lowest level of useless off-topic banter. Keep up the good work. I have a question about the usage of my shop air cleaner. It’s a Jet AFS-1000B, and my ceiling is only 7’6”, so can’t hang it from there. So I have it on a roll-around cart. My shop is 13’ x 17’. I don’t have a central dust collection system, but for the following tools I hook up my shop vac to the tool: table saw, planer, drum sander, router table and random orbit sander. I also have a circular saw, a handheld router, a jigsaw, a drill press, a belt sander and a palm sander. My question is, for which tools should I be turning on the air cleaner, and on which setting? (it has low, medium and high settings) And how long should I keep it on for after the tool has been turned off? Thanks. Steve
My perception is that the people who seem to get hurt the most are woodworking professionals who become too comfortable/familiar with machines. Is that a fair assessment? [I am a hobbyist woodworker.] FYI, on 3 I am just asking for a comment on my observation. Have a great day Chuck
Brians Questions:
First, love the podcast and thank you! Question: I’m building a 28 foot table. I’m thinking that I will essentially build 4 table tops and connect them with ‘double breadboards’ with runners between the tressels (5). Thoughts? Back story: I am a veteran and I run a program that addresses PTSD, Substance Abuse and homelessness in the the veteran community. An essential component is that the veterans cook meals and eat together and as the program has grown, there is an assortment of tables in the house and I want too big a build one. I am an average woodworker and I can do the basics. It doesn’t have to be piece of art, just chunky and uniform. Also, there’s not a big endless budget so I am doing what I can. The vision: I fhave to build it in my garage and put it together on site. 28 feet long, 38 inches wide (the space dictates it). The only way I can work out the jointing is a double breadboard end that joins each section. I thought about end jointing with dowels alternating the lengths of the boards so there was no single joint across the length of the board which was quite the puzzle to figure out. 5 trestles essentially spaced under the middle breadboards with 2 runners supporting the table between legs and one runner connecting the legs 1/3 up from the bottom of the leg. Craig laseur
Hi Guys, I love your podcast. I have listened to every single episode! Please keep them coming! I was listening to Episode 114 about the domino tips and I am now thinking of completing my kitchen cabinet project using dominoes instead of pocket screws for the cabinet construction as I already own a domino. I was curious as to how Brian prefers to assemble cabinets. I have already watched Guy's videos! ;) Do you use the domino? How do you go about end panel construction? How do you finish your cabinets? Any tips you can provide is greatly appreciated! Thanks, Natasha Round Lake, Ontario, Canada
Friday Mar 10, 2023
Jointing Edges, Painted Furniture, Is It Still Handmade? and MORE!
Friday Mar 10, 2023
Friday Mar 10, 2023
Brian's Questions:
Hey Guys! Love the podcast. Long time listener, first time asking a question! I am looking for recommendations on how to remove saw marks after ripping pieces to final width on the table saw. I recently built a couple rocking chairs for my kiddos, and was looking for a super smooth surface finish on all four sides. My solution was to joint and plane the parts on 3 sides and then rip a 1/32 or so oversized. After that I set my jointer to 1/32 and ran the cut edge back over the jointer to remove the saw. This m I recently scored a router table on Facebook marketplace for $500. Woodpecker PRL 1 lift, Incra jig ultra fence, and Porter Cable 3.25 horse router. 1, what's your favorite lubricant for threaded parts like router lifts and table saw arbor tilts? 2, Other than keeping them clear of dust so they don't over heat is there any other maintenance to extend the life of a router? They don't make the Porter Cable routers anymore so I want to keep it in top condition. - Tylerethod seems to work nicely. I am using a Jet cabinet saw and not matter how much I try to adjust it, I can never seem to get a rip without at least a few saw marks. Just looking for ways to improve my efficiency while in the shop! Thanks again Dylan.
Hey guys, You said you needed more questions so here ya go... I have a couple hundred bucks left over from my December birthday and Christmas haul that I plan to spend on woodworking supplies/tools. I keep a running wish list throughout the year of various woodworking things I "need" So there is no shortage of things I could spend it on, however I don't want to waste it. That has encouraged me to just sit on it for now and I feel like I'm at a bit of a crossroads. Do I simply save it and put it towards a big more expensive tool down the road (for example I don't currently have any kind of planer or joiner). Or do I use it to buy some of the less sexy but more useful day to day items that every shop should have (i.e. better bits, blades, consumables, jigs, etc...) For reference: At this point in my woodworking career I do mostly hobbyist/DIY level work. I have either budget or second hand versions of most basic hand and power tools and the basic bigger tools (Benchtop Drill Press, Contractor Saw, Miter Saw) I would love to delve in to the more serious side of woodworking one day, so I do have a goal of getting a planer and joiner down the road. But realistically I know if one fell down from the heavens in to my shop tomorrow it wouldn't get used immediately. Regardless of my own personal decisions I thought it would be cool to get y'alls take on what you would consider the top small ticket items that every shop should have. I think we all get more excited about big expensive tools, because frankly it's more fun, but for people like myself just getting started on this journey it can be easy to miss the basics as a result of that excitement. Thanks for being so awesome, Jon
Guy's Questions:
Good day fellas, Been listening for a while, and really enjoy the podcast. Here is my problem/question. For Christmas this past year I made a few cutting boards as gifts using Maple, Walnut and a few pieces of Purple Heart. In my design process I managed to make one of the cutting boards slightly too big to fit (on first glue up) through my Dewalt DW735 planer. In order to save some time, I just ran the piece through the table saw to get the over width down to just under 13". On the first pass through the planer, everything went as planned. The second pass through didnt go so great. At around ¾ of the way through, the planer dug into the piece and put some pretty nasty snipe into the piece. Id say around 4-5" from the end of the board, and almost 1/8" deep. What would cause that to happen? Narrower pieces that ive ran through after havent given me any snipe since. Is it due to me using the entire 13" of the cutter head? Because of my snipe issue, im really hesitant on running anything wide through the planer now. I want to experiment using some cheaper wood, but just havent found the time to do so yet. Thanks for the help. - Dwayne
Hey guys, heard you are in need of some questions from the last show, so thought I would send one your way. What do you think is the best paint for furniture that will see use and abuse? I’ve been experimenting with some different options and haven’t found anything that I think I will stick with, and I do not want to put a clear coat over the paint. Looking for something very hard and durable, as the next time I need it will be for chairs. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Huy's Questions:
When does something cross the line between being 'handmade' and 'machine made'? My nephew had a CNC machine and advertised the products as 'handmade.' Is this all subjective anyways? Have a great day Chuck
Friday Feb 24, 2023
Yes or No to a RouterTable, Track Saws, Bubbles and MORE!
Friday Feb 24, 2023
Friday Feb 24, 2023
Brians Questions:
Hi Friends: I really enjoy every podcast you guys put out. Thanks to Brain for stepping up to be the third host. He seems to be a natural with podcasting and teaching woodworking techniques. My question is related to tool choice. I am currently planning to build out a router table into the black phenolic extension table for my sawstop PCS 175. I have the 36inch cut capacity. I have seen videos on modifiying the extension table and dropping in a router lift. It seems like a great shop space saver. I have two questions for you guys. Do you think there is any value in having a stand alone router table? or is modifying the phenolic table a reasonable approach. I plan to build a custom fence to attach to the sawstop fence. My second question is - how important is it to buy a full size (3.25hp) router versus just getting a mid size router (2.25hp)? I currently have the milwaukee battery powered palm router (1.25hp) which has been useful but I want the accuracy and stability of a router table. The bulk of my work is edging and dados, but I would like the capacity to do raised panel cabinet doors and even to take my router out of the table and eventually build a flattening jig for large slabs. Is 2.25hp enough for these tasks? I am a hobbyist and don't have any production needs for this setup but don't want to be limited. Accuracy is important to me so I am going to go with a lift rather than buying a router with a base that can be screwed onto a table (like the triton). One issue is that a lift + router setup for a 2.25hp router is about $350 and for 3.25hp, I'm looking at $800+. Thaks in advance for your thoughts Sincerely, Jeremy Los Angeles, CA
ey guys I just wrote in and submitted a question but I do have another which I hope can be answered I’m building a kitchen table, 36x60” with a 1.5” top. The table is being made out of Rustic Rift Sawn White Oak Question is what is the best or a best method to ensure the top stays flat. This is in San Diego, Ca so weather/ humidity changes are the quite mild. I was thinking maple cleats across the bottom/ not glued but screwed allowing for movement. Any suggestions would be great Thanks and can’t wait for the next episode Nicholas
Guy's Questions:
1. What are the best responses to people who want you to make them something (usually for little or nothing)? [Most people are clueless regarding the effort and expense it takes to make something nice.] Have a great day Chuck
Hello all, the WoodMech here, I just purchased a ts55 festool tracksaw with the 55” guide rail for my kitchen remodeling project. I was wondering how accurate joining two tracks together compared to having the longer track? I was thinking about getting the guide rail with the shelf pin spacing holes and using that as the extension for cutting length wise on sheets of plywood. What are your thoughts or experiences? Thanks for the great show! Jeff Baran
Huy's Questions:
Gentlemen and Guy :) Have been listening for about a year and this is still the best woodworking podcast out there. I'd also like to thanks Sean for his contributions and welcome Brian to the show! My question is, there are so many woodworking content makers out there today. Who are the woodworkers that you guys follow ?? Second question... Assume you have become retired and now have lots of time on your hands. What woodworking projects would you work on? Would you go into production work and sell your goods, custom furniture??? What would be your ultimate retired woodworking project??? Thanks ! Liam Indianapolis, IN
So I'm having trouble with bubbles. Both when I'm using epoxy and fast drying/instant glue (Starbond) any advice on how to avoid them? I'm not doing large pours, this is simply some gap filling and knot hole stabilization. With the Starbond I do use their accelerator, but I've done it with and without, and it doesn't seem to make a difference w/r/t the bubbles. Also, how do you get the glue/epoxy down into a pin hole? Mark Bett
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Finding Shop Time, Using Dowels, Securing Table Legs AND MORE!
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Brians Questions:
Good evening everyone, Wanted to reach out to you about time in the shop. Im expecting my second child in a matter of days and was curious how you all find/found time in the shop with little kids running around and being constantly tired? My second question is a follow up regarding a question you all read regarding "Box Materials" on October 20th. Loved the double answer but was looking for Drawer box material to use. BB (or whatever you can find now) or a hardwood? Thanks, Paul at Twin Lake Woodshop
Hey guys love the podcast. I have been listening for a while now and hear you need some questions. What has been your favorite thing to build and why? something you’ve built in the past or even something you would like to build in the future. Please share how you built it (or want to build it) and what it was (or will be) enjoyable about the project. Thanks for all the great content and hopefully I’ll bring some more specific questions in the near future. -Nicholas
Guys Questions:
Long time listener, first time caller. You guys have mentioned water-based conversion varnish and that you can get it pigmented. I hate painting woodworking projects, but the wife wants what she wants. Why do you prefer conversion varnish and is there a certain product you prefer? I have a five stage Apollo sprayer, so spraying shouldn't be a problem. I live on the southside of Indianapolis so it isn't the easiest place to get supplies. Thanks, Geoff
Hi Fellas, I found the podcast a few months ago and have been really enjoying it. Thanks for the great content and knowledge. I am very much a novice woodworker so I have lots of questions. Sounds like you need questions and I would love some answers so maybe we can all come out on top here. Probably me more than you. Question #1 of 2. I have a little doweling jig, I think from Rockler. It gets the job done, but just barely. I would really like to upgrade to something that is more efficient but more importantly, that is more versatile. I want something with adjustable height and that can do acute angles. I would love a domino but its out of my price range right now. I saw that grizzly, triton and mafell all make a doweling joiner similar to a domino. Yes, one of these things is not like the other. The mafell looks incredible but it costs more than the domino. The triton and grizzly look fine and are very reasonably priced but the reviews tell me they probably aren’t worth spending the money. The dowelmax system looks great but its only does 90° and 45°, and you have to buy the 45° adapter plate. After all that, I may as well save a little longer and get the domino. My questions is: should I risk it with the triton, get a biscuit joiner (which I’m worried won’t have enough strength for certain applications) or just keep saving and get a domino down the road? Or is there another product I don’t know about? Thanks. Happy New Year! Jon Moch
Huy's Questions:
I have been given a mission to make a wooden serving dish. The shape is basically an elongated oval. Dimensions are 21" x 9" x 1 1/2". My patron (hum hum) called the design a fish platter. Wood will probably be walnut. The walls of the dish are to be sloped and just slightly curved. With some hand work I think I can achieve the outside wall of the dish. The issue creating the most questions for me is how to do the inside wall of the dish. I have seen plenty of bowl and tray bottom router bits. All cut a vertical wall. Bevel router bits I have seen have a bearing on the bottom. The bearing would interfere with the bottom of the dish. Because of the inside and outside curve of the wall I doubt if making a custom scratch stock would yield good results. I don't want to get into the CNC rabbit hole. Any thoughts? You have a great podcast and provide a valuable service to the wood working community. Cheers, Bob
On one of the kitchen tables that I made I used mortise-and-tenon joinery, which turned out well, with everything plumb, and then to make sure it was strong I also put in a corner brace cut at 45-degrees, screwed into the skirt on each side, and then ran a cabinet screw through that corner brace into the leg. I left a small gap, about 1/16" between the corner brace and the leg. When I tightened up the braces the legs splayed out a little bit, making them not quite plumb. My concern with seeing the leg move is that I may have stressed the tenons (although I didn't hear any cracking). Is the best practice to omit this corner bracing when doing mortise-and-tenon tables? Mark Schmidt
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Assembly Tables, Shop Furniture, 3D Printing and MORE!
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Guys Questions:
Hey guys. I just finished listening to your latest podcast, really good information and insight as usual. I'm still a novice user of the Domino so really enjoyed the tips and tricks you provided in answering a Domino related question. You mentioned being very short on questions so I'm going to send a similar question to one sent a couple of months ago that didn't get answered. I built an outfeed table a couple of years ago to use solely as an extension of my table saw. Now I find that I use it for glue-ups, as an assembly table and just about every other task. The table is roughly 44" x 44". I would now like to rebuild it as a true multi-functional table with the proper hold-downs and clamping devices and could use some design advice from you based upon the pros and cons you find with your own MFT's. One particular area I'm interesting in is the size of dog holes to use (imperial vs metric) and some recommendations on the type of dogs and clamping devices I should buy to get the best use of the MFT. Thanks again for having by far the best woodworking podcast available. And Brian, welcome to the team. Jack Francis Geneva, IL
Happy New Year Guys, and welcome Brian. Guy and Huy have been kind enough to answer a number of my questions in the past (and Huy has always been helpful in making me spend money lol). With my last question you helped me convince myself to invest in a CNC which is on order now, and after watching Guy’s video on his 3D Printer (and he was kind enough to answer a question on the video for me) I was wondering if you three would expand on your thoughts on CNC, 3-D printing, and Lasers in the wood shop for the hobbyist woodworking. I foresee having all three in my arsenal at some point in the near future. Thanks as always and I look forward to your insights, Doug
Brians Questions:
Fellow travelers on this path of wood- First off, there has to be a better way of saying that. Secondly, I don't think I have told you recently how much I am enjoying the podcast, and your new addition Brian. At first I was like "two hosts from Indiana and I don't even believe that state actually exists," but you've won me over. On to my question. I find myself wanting maple doors for my house, but I need...13 to start for the upstairs. And I want them to be curly maple. So, because I got into woodworking to save money (duh), I'm going to build them myself. 4-panel Shaker style interior doors ranging from 24" to 36" wide. Would you recommend using maple ply for the panels, or glueing up stock? Honestly my concern isn't so much wood movement as the P.I.T.A. it would be to make all those panels (Pain in the...). And while we are on the subject of pains in the posterior, would you recommend a Domino or Lamello, save me a few minutes on those mortice and tenons, or just jig it up? Unfortunately I think the hand tools have to sit on the sidelines for this one. Thank you for your sage advice. Excelsior! - Tom Figura
Hi Guy, Huy, and Brian, Thank you for the very informative podcast, I’ve been listening for years. The knowledge that I’ve gained from the Woodshop Life podcast helps me make my limited time in the shop way more efficient. Thank you for generously sharing your wisdom. Question for you guys about sheet good selection. What sheet goods do you typically use for the projects in your shop and what is your thought process when deciding if if a particular project should use Baltic Birch, common 7 layer plywood, MDF, etc.? Baltic Birch is the premium grade option, but do you use it for projects such as shop cabinets, sleds, and fixtures? Thank you, Dominic Santa Cruz, CA
Huy's Questions:
Hello. My question is regarding the placement of a dust collector. I have a 250 SF shop so every SF is precious. I am a hobbyist woodworker/DIYer. My current dust collection is a shop-vac with a dust-stopper bucket separator in a cart. 1 hose, all my tools and multiple converters to fit each tool. The cart doubles as an outfeed table for the table saw. I have an open rafter ceiling with a storage floor in it (currently filled with crap I should get rid of). I am considering a more powerful collector and ducting to 2 machines (miter and table saw) and to a boom arm that can be used for miscellaneous tools (skill saw, drill press etc.). I'm looking at the Jet DC-650MK or something similar (1 -2 HP, $600 - $800ish ranges. So finally, my question: Could a system like this be mounted in that attic storage above the shop and function correctly? Any obvious issues I'd run into? I have simple pully system for getting the full bag from there to the main floor. A couple of concerns are performance issues based on the elevated height, safety (I don't really have any concerns, but this is totally a "I don't know what I don't know" situation) and???? I love the podcast guys. I binged all of your episodes during the height of the pandemic (summer of 2020) and just loved it. I took a break for more than a year but I'm back, and I'm so glad you're still here! Best regards, Michael
Hey Guys. Ive been woodworking for a couple years now and really enjoy the show to learn the fundamentals. I’m currently planning a walnut tv stand build and have a question about box bottoms. The piece will have two support legs (one on either side), a low shelf and a 8 inch deep box on the top spanning the 48 inch width between the legs. The box on the top will have a lid opening from the top similar to a blanket chest and be used to hold exercise dumbbells which collectively weight about 200 lbs. my question is… how should I make the box bottom so that it can support so much weight without any extra supports across the 48 inch span? Hardwood? plywood? Dado a groove for the bottom? From what I can tell online, it might make the most sense to use 3/4 ply and a 3/4 dado however my understand is that the recess below the dado should be the same width as the ply which will leave a 3/4 deep recess under the box that might be noticeable since it’s floating above the lower shelf. Also in a 8 inch tall box, I will be losing precious storage space quickly. I was thinking about cutting a rabbet in the ply to insert only a 1/2 inch in the groove and fill some of the recess under the box bottom but I’m not sure about strength. Maybe I could get away with just 1/2 inch ply in that case? The carcass of the rest of box will be made of solid walnut. I hope that all made sense. Thanks a lot for your thoughts. -Tyler
Thursday Jan 12, 2023
How Does UV Light Effect Finish, Which Style of Workbench, Sanding Tips and MORE!
Thursday Jan 12, 2023
Thursday Jan 12, 2023
Guys Questions:
Hey gentlemen, welcome Brian. I have a commission for a big walnut slab table that will live in a nook with windows on 3 sides (lots of UV exposure). What do you recommend for finishing. I seem to recall Guy mentioning some walnut finishes don’t hold up well to UV exposure. I’m probably a month out from delivery so hopefully this makes it to the show before then! Sincerely your accidentental woodworking fabricator. Will
In the past I’ve done a few small veneering projects and am currently working on one which will require a few larger panels- about 24”x 31”. Previously I used a train-load of clamps and cauls to press the veneer but now I want to step up my game so I ordered a vacuum press. Thanks to a few of Guy’s videos the process seems pretty straightforward but I do have a question on the glue. For veneering my only experience is with Titebond cold press veneer glue with good results but in some videos I’ve seen some folks recommend Urea-formaldehyde glue - especially for larger panels. Do any of you have experience with this stuff? Sounds a bit nasty but if it’s better for the application I’ll give it a shot. Thanks! Jeffrey
Brians Questions:
Been listening to the podcast for a couple years now, and while I'm sorry to see Sean step away for now, I'm happy that you found someone willing to chip in! Two things, both mainly for Brian. One, you've mentioned that you don't have much of a social media presence or any way to really show case your work. While a lot of people do turn to Facebook, Instagram, etc. for this... I wonder if maybe simply an account on SimpleCove.com (Sean's website) might be a good fit? Two... work bench. Lots of questions - what style are you planning (Roubo, Nicholson, Moravian, Shaker, hybrid, something else?), size, what kind of wood are you thinking of using - fancy with hardwoods, or something simpler ala Siemensen's Naked Woodworker bench or Schwarz's Anarchist Workbench (both 2x construction lumber)? I think you'd mentioned still being up in the air about vise hardware - are you leaning towards wood screws like Lake Erie Toolworks, or metal like Benchcrafted? Maybe Hovarter, which has some quick-release options? And then the really big question... dog holes. Round or square? Answer carefully ;) I'm one of those people who has to fight the urge to build almost every bench design I see. Started with a Nicholson, but kind of went off in a weird direction with it and didn't like how it turned out. Deconstructed it and re-purposed most of the lumber for other projects. Couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to build next (not enough room for one of each!) so I put some inexpensive import (Yost) vises on a utility bench in the shop, and have been living with that for now. Not ideal, but it's letting me work out a few ideas on a trial basis before I have to commit. Very much looking forward to hearing (or seeing) more about your bench project! - Monte
Thank you all for spreading the knowledge and answering questions. I find myself building more cabinets lately out of plywood and I'm edge banding them with solid lumber (I go with 5/16 on the banding). I cut the banding a little wider than the sheet goods, glue it on and then trim it flush. I'm running into some issues during the trimming that I'm hoping you guys can chime in on. Often times, when I'm trimming the banding I get a little gouge here and there on the face veneer. It's not a huge deal on paint grade stuff but when I'm using something like walnut, cherry or white oak ply, it becomes a problem. What tips do you have for trimming the edge banding cleanly and efficiently without damaging the veneer? Below are some things I've tried and some of my experiences with these methods. I'm curious if you have other methods, or if you have some tips to improve what I'm already doing. Things I've tried so far: - Router balanced on the edge - so far the worst method. Too tippy and additional supports can take a while to set up, with ocasional slipups still. - Router jig - I saw Fredie @periodcraftsmen share a jig for flush triming the edge banding and I copied it. The jig has a flat wide reference face that rides on the panel face (laid flat) and it has a 90 degree fence that holds up a trim router horizontally. Using a downcut bit, the router is adjusted so that the bit is almost flush to the reference face and it trims the edgebanding protruding above the flat face. I hope you can picture that. This gives good results but I ocasionally run into issues at the start and end of the panel where the jig may want to tip a bit and bite into the face. - Tall fence on the table saw - using it kind of like an L-fence, the sacrificial face is set up above the blade and flush with the outer teeth. The panel rides the fence vertically and the edgbanding rides under the fence where it gets trimmed off. This so far gives the best results especially when I went to an extra tall fence to give it more of a bearing surface and not let the panel tip. Ocasionally the panel is a bit bowed which gives it a bit of trouble and it can be a bit unwieldy if the panel is large. Can be hard to keep it flat on a long panel. It is fast though. - Hand plane - using a block plane carefully work it down. I have still bit into it a few times when not careful but this is overall the most accurate method. It is slow though and can be a pain if there is a lot of trimming. - Bojan
Huy's Questions:
When you're building a piece of furniture (like a dresser), do you follow a specific order? Like cutting everything first, arming (make sure that everything works), disarming. Karel
I love your podcast. You try hard to fully answer questions asked and not provide flippant answers like other shows do. That’s what makes this show great. Now to my question. I have been wanting to upgrade my sanding game. I want to reduce the vibration, have it stop quickly, and produce a great result. I would love to hear your thoughts on what you look for in sanders such as the size (5 or 6 in), pad types (soft through hard), brands you have used and liked, and what brand of paper you buy. I’m starting to realize no one sander does it all anymore, so do you have a progression of sander purchases you would make for a simple furniture maker? Thanks you for anything you provide. - Brian Russell
Thursday Dec 29, 2022
Domino Tips, Riving Knives, Panotrouters and MUCH MORE!
Thursday Dec 29, 2022
Thursday Dec 29, 2022
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Guy's Questions:
Hey guys, Have a, “what is your favorite finish” question. While this has been asked and answered a thousand times, I’m struggling to find a good answer for my scenario. I’m putting up a pine tongue and groove wall in a small bathroom. What would you suggest for the best and easiest application for finishing a wood bathroom wall with irregular surfaces? I want a slightly amber but not darkening, matte to approaching semi-gloss finish. I prefer to prefinish the uncut boards and cut to fit. Preferred options for finish application are either my electric spray gun or wipe on finish…although with the irregular surface I don’t want a difficult wipe on finish option. -Zack
Hey guys, I enjoy the podcast. I recently got a festool domino. I wanted to see if you guys could provide some tips that would help a new user. Also if you have bought or made some jigs that you would recommend. Thanks, Scott Birmingham, AL
Brian's Questions:
Hello! I hope you all are doing well! I live in the great state of Alabama just up the road a short bit from Huy in Toney. I greatly enjoy your podcast as it is definitely the best one on the subject of woodworking! I would consider myself a hobbyist woodworker although, I have built some commissioned pieces. I have a Ridgid contractor saw mounted to the mobile stand that it came with. I use this saw for all sorts of projects, including ripping full sheets of plywood. My question is concerning the riving knife. Are there any benefits to the dang thing? I may have bent mine during a previous operation but, it seems to me that it just gets in the way and prevents me from being able to move material smoothly through the blade and is causing burning in some or most of my cuts. Also, I am using the blade that came with the saw. Should I swap to a different blade? Is the brand of blade as important as the type of blade? Thank you very much for answering my questions and I look forward to listening to many more episodes of the podcast. Juston Bohannan
Huys' Questions:
I thought these two might lead to some good conversations. 1. If you were to build a set of dining chairs. What is your absolute tool you couldn’t do without. Would it be a domino or would you spring for a panto router. Maybe a shaper origin. 2. Besides a captured veneered panel could you get away with 1/16 veneers on one side and 3/32 backing veneers on the other side on a panel? Essentially would you veneer a panel with different thickness of veneers on either side. Reason I ask I might make a builtin shelving unit with 1/16” veneer on the front and some 3/32 backing veneer on the back side that faces the wall. It would be captured with the cabinet carcass dado so I would assume it wouldn’t potato chip. But who knows. Jesse @ beechlandfurniture
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Mortise and tenon joinery, Door construction, Sharpening and MUCH MORE!!
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife
Guys Questions:
Hello fellas. I greatly appreciate your show, as its the only one that I haven’t gotten tired of over the years. I’m making a chimney cupboard for the most difficult of clients – my wife. She really dislikes, frame and panel doors and wanted solid doors. So there will be two 40 inch high by 20 inch wide – full overlay doors. I’m using beautiful air dryer sinker Cypress for the entire piece. I’ve convinced her that big slabs of solid wood doors would potentially bow or twist overtime, so I have developed an idea of making each door like this - I’ve sourced a 26 inch wide 8 foot board. after milling and cutting to 44 inch pieces, I cut the middle out to be the panel and will use the adjoining pieces for the rail and styles. The panel will be tongue and grooved to sit flush with the front with the styles - with an 1/8 inch gap. Therefore, it will be a frame and panel door, but out of one piece of wood that looks solid. My question is relating to the inside panel and its thickness. It seems if I leave it thicker (currently 5/8”) it will be more prone to twisting the frame, where if I bring it down thinner like 3/8”, it may be more prone to splitting. Please let me know your thoughts . Thank you so much. Mike Sibley
Hi Gents. Love the show. I've invested in a 3 stage sprayer and have been trying it out, getting the hang of it. Any General advice to a new sprayer user? Also, while a perfect coat is the goal, would it be better to put down too much, or too little of 'sprayables'? It seems too little is much easier to fix. Usually just add another coat after it's dried. Thanks for the great show! Mark Bett
Brian's Questions:
Guy’s, I love the podcast and listen often but haven’t caught completely up yet. What is a good method of making mortise and tenon jointery with a router only? I’ve got a Bosch 1/2” router and intent to buy a router table too. I’ve seen various jigs on the market but was wondering what the best option is for the money having only a router, and small DEWALT 8.5” lunchbox table saw. I intend to build smaller household furniture such as side tables, nightstands and a dresser. Thanks for the advice, love the show, Dave Huffman
I would love to get a subscription to a woodworking magazine for my fiance for Christmas. He's a big fan of your podcast. You have mentioned one before but now I can't find it. What are your suggestions? - Lauren Zontini
Huy's Questions
I have a Dewalt 733 planer and the blades are starting to go dull. I saw online where I could build a jig out of a 2x4 by cutting 2 slots at 42 degrees angles and placing my blades inside the slots. You would then run the blades over a sharpening stone to give it a new edge. Is this a good method for sharpening my blade or should I be looking for another method. Keep making this podcast and I am sure that all of us out here listening will continue to tune in and keep asking questions. Happy Holidays to all of you Cory
Sorry if this is a repeat only mostly caught up. The wife wants a painted double dresser. I dislike painted furniture and prefer to work with maple or walnut but we compromised… so the wife’s getting a painted double dresser. I intend to use plywood since it’s a paint grade project but don’t have much experience with it. What’s a good construction method for plywood? I’ve got a small table saw, 1/2” router, kreg jig and hand tools. Can I get way with using the kreg jig and but joints for carcass construction? How about plywood drawers? I intend to use latex paint, should I add a top coat over it? Many Thanks, love the podcast Dave Huffman
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife
Guys Questions:
Hello fellow wood shop enthusiasts! I was recently watching Guys YouTube videos of the secretary with tambour doors. He made a comment about sanding the door to I think 350, but also made a comment about treating the end grain differently so that it would not take on more oil and I assume darken it more then the face. He did not really elaborate on the technique. How is end grain treated differently when applying oil finishes and when staining? - Unkown
Hey guys this is Mason from Blairswoodshop again. A follow up from the first question I asked about the jet 16-32 conveyor belt, I did what you said and now there is no more constant adjustments and it seems to work great now thank you for the help! Now for the next question. I have some really nice looking spaulted maple, as you know it's not structurally the most sound. I was thinking about maybe making it into thin veneer for box lids and things like that. I have no veneering experience or a vacuum pump, what is a cheap way to start veneering with out breaking the bank? I've been spending so much on tools last thing I need to do is go to the wife saying I need more tools haha, Thank you all for what you guys do! Look for to hear what you guys suggest. P.S. I do have everything to make the veneers just looking for diffrent ways to attach it to my work pieces. Mason Blair
Brian's Questions:
1- I have a Dewalt dw735 planer and so far so good, But I noticed that if I try with a wide plank the planer makes a noise that sounds like it's too much for him to handle, how do you guys use a planer? One dimension several passes with 32s increments? - Karel
Any advice for someone trying to start their own woodworking buisness? I do small crafts currently, but I plan to start selling furniture in the near future . Feel free to check out what I’m doing at the moment. - Dillon
Huy's Questions:
Hey guys, Do you know where I can find information on guidelines for building furniture? (i.e. website or books) For example, I'm looking to build a queen size platform bed frame with 20 inch legs and use castle joint joinery to connect the four sides to the legs. I'm trying to figure out what the minimum size the four sides, feet should be and how deep should the castle joints be? Deeper than my 10 inch table saw can cut? Thanks for all the great help. - Matt
I would like to monetize my woodworking as a side business, if possible, in the future. Honestly, I am not sure if that means cutting boards or commissions, but I am leaning towards some simple stuff and seeing where it goes. I’ve thought of adding some sort of CNC to the mix. I am on the fence if I should go the route of a Shaper Origin as I can use this to make patterns for furniture projects, aid in doing some repetitive work, and do some custom accents on small items to personalize items for people or do I go the route of getting a Onefinity or other similar sized DIY CNC machine? The Onefinity would obviously take up much more room and cannot be brought to the project but could work on its own so to speak so if I am going to try and make money it can be working on something while I am doing something else. So, the part two to this question is if I go this route do you think I should get an add on laser attachment again for decorative personalization of future items to be made?
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Host Departure, Your Woodworking Questions & MUCH More!
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife
Guy
1) Hi Guy, Huy, and Sean. I have a question about prefinishing and glue. I know that the generally recommended best practice when prefinishing is to tape off any surfaces that will later be receiving glue. However, I'm building a project that is going to have basically a grid of cross lap joints, and taping off all of those surfaces sounds really annoying. If I use epoxy as my glue instead of yellow wood glue, could I get away with not taping off the glue surfaces? The joints I am making should be pretty strong, so the glue is really just there to stop things from shifting. Thanks! Matthew
2) I'm curious what you do when your local lumber store doesn't have what you want or need? We have one hardwood dealer in town, and the next nearest supplier is 3-4 hrs away (each way). The local place has a lot of the most common stuff, but every once in a while I hit a wall when looking for something they don't carry. I've heard of people ordering lumber either over the phone or online and having it shipped to them. I think Guy has mentioned calling his local store and having them deliver it to his door; I don't know if this would be a similar process, or something else entirely. Thanks, Monte
Sean
1) Hi Guys,
Thank you for all the hard work you put into the podcast. It is extremely educational and very helpful.
I am sure you discussed it in some form previously, but I wanted to ask if each of you can describe the equipment you use for spraying, does it handle different type of finishes (i.e. paint, poly, etc.) and would you buy the same equipment again or switch to a different one? Thank you again. Omer
Huy
1) Hi Guys, (and Guy),
I wrote you a few weeks back about a glue up question. The advice that you gave was spot on. Thank You for clearing up the questions that I had on that topic. Once again, YOU GUYS ROCK!
And Guy, you mentioned to place my Cherry boards outside in the sun for a day to darken them up, WOW did that do the trick! It is tips like that, that really make you guys stand out compared to other podcasts.
I am on to another project now, and that is building my grand kids toy dump trucks for Christmas.
Here I have another glue up question. A neighbor gave me a quart of Titebond Cold Press for Veneer glue. I was gonna try and use this like regular wood glue. I do not think this would cause any issues but I thought I would run it past all of you to see if I am missing anything. Is there an issue with using Veneer glue like this? Cory
2) Hi guys! Awesome podcasts, as always, and thank you for answering some of my previous questions. I really appreciate the feedback that you have been able to provide. My question today is about mobility versus stability. I do the majority of my woodworking out of one half of a two car garage and I often switch between power tool focused projects and hand tool projects depending on the project. My project list, both for clients and for my wife and myself, is always changing so it seems that my work flow and my shop setup changes on a regular basis. My bench and assembly table are built on locking casters making them easily mobile, but not stable enough for serious hand tool work. How do you balance stability with mobility? Also, how do you incorporate adequate dust collection with the power tools when they are mobile? I have a 3 1/2 HP Harbor Freight dust collector with 4" hose, but I have not yet installed any fixed piping in my shop, I'm currently moving it from machine to machine. Would you recommend putting it in a corner and running pipes along the ceiling to drop down to the machines? Thank you guys, Joshua The Blackdog Woodworks