Woodshop Life Podcast

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

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Guys Questions:

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

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

Brian's Questions:

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

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

Huy's Questions:

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

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

Host Departure, Your Woodworking Questions & MUCH More!

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Guy

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

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

 

Sean

1) Hi Guys,

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

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

 

Huy

1) Hi Guys, (and Guy),

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

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

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

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

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

 

Hollow Chisel Mortisers, Crazy Burls & MUCH More!

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Guy

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

2) Hi Gents,

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

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

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

Thanks again for everything you do.

Regards, John McGrath, Houston, TX

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

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

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

 

Huy

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

2)

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

Any thoughts would be great!  Thanks so much!

Scott Bonin

 

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

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Sean

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

Thanks for everything yall do!

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

 

Guy

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

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

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

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

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

 

Huy

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

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

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

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

 

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

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Sean

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

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

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

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

 

Guy

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

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

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

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

Thoughts? Thanks Bob

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

 

Huy

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

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

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

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

Thanks again.Jonathan

 

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

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Sean

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

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

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

Huy

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

thanks for the great show!

Mark

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

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

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

Side note:

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

Dillon

Guy

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

Thanks,

Jon

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

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

Thanks keep up the good work.

Fred clarke

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

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Guy

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

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

Thanks much, John

My shop tools:

Router & table

Lathe

Drill press

Bench

Shaper

6” Jointer

13” planer

14” Bandsaw ( Jet Euro style)

Small Saw Stop (still alive!)

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

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

 

Thanks

Joshua from The Blackdog Woodworks

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

Scott

 

Sean

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

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

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

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

Paul

 

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

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Huy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Guy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sean

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

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

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

 

Guy

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Huy

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

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

This would require a 6'x10' vacuum bag (which I would have to make), I'm not sure if my pump can pull a bag that large down and hold. I have a 3 cfm and according to Joe woodworker a max size for that pump is 4'x9'.   

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

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

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

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

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

Jesse

 

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

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Sean

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

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

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

 

Guy

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

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

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

 

Huy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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