Category: Podcast Episodes

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Sean

1) Hey guys – Ray here from Ravenwood. I love the podcast and the information it provides!

I’m building a hand tool cabinet and had a quick question about storing hand planes in a plane till. I know conventional wisdom is to store planes on their side to protect the plane iron? How does a plane till change this? Do you guys retract the blade when storing in a till, or is the idea that the angle of the till sufficiently mitigates gravity such that the plane can remain set up?

2) A woodworking podcast that actually has woodworking content! Love your show.

My question deals with routing dados on large carcass builds  by hand.

When placing a straight edge, sometimes the router wants to jump on me and go off line. I tried placing a  straight edge on bottom and then at the top  of router while going in a left to right direction.

Should I be using two straight edges to keep router from veering of line? Or are there other factors such as speed and depth of bit?

Thanks. barriowoodworks

Guy

1) Hey guys, first love the podcast! Of course I’ve learned that I cannot do anything else while listening as I’m constantly having to pause the podcast and write stuff down haha.

My question is about shake/rail and stile doors and drawer fronts. I’ve made a handful at this point and it seems no matter what I do they never end up flat. They are twisted or just bowed out a bit or something. I try to be as careful as possible during glue up etc, but they just never end perfectly up flat in the end. Is there a good strategy that I just don’t know about? I use poplar usually for the rail/stiles and plywood for the inserts – Ephraim

2) I’m new to the world of veneering and would like your advice for my current project.

I’m building a simple hand tool cabinet from rift sawn sapele and would like to accent the door panel and drawer fronts with a contrasting veneer. Most likely, it will be maple.

In my design, there are two banks of drawers. The dimensions of their faces are 3.5″ x 6″ for the top set, and 4″ x 9″ for the bottom. Ideally, they will be 5/8″ thick.

My plan is to use baltic birch as the substrate for the door panel, but I would like to use solid wood for the drawers.

Given their size, how important is it to have a balancing veneer? If it’s not important, should I consider a more stable cut of wood, such as quarter sawn or rift?

Thanks in advance, Justin

Huy

1) Picture an oval shape in 2 halves and each edge will have fingers to interlock a center divider which will utilized a divider; shelf on the top and a half oval drawer on the bottom The long edges of the divider will have fingers that will interlock with each half of the oval..

I want to veneer the outside and inside of this oval and will dress the edges with a walnut 1/2″ thick edge banding. I am going to acquire some 24″ x 96″ sheets of walnut veneer. Most have a paper back.

1. will this veneer work in wrapping the outside and inside of the oval or will the curvature be too tight and cause the veneer to break. If so what would you recommend that may be a better solution.
2. With a glue up like this what would you recommend for glue?
3. I do not have a vacuum system or bags I will create a form from MDF to apply the pressure to the inside and outside. I am looking at veneering the insides first while it is still in 2 pieces. Once the 2 halves are together I will veneer the outside.
4. Any advice on the gluing of the veneer and thoughts on how to apply the pressure for the glue up.

This will probably be the most ambitious project I will be creating which is going to utilize new techniques and building processes I have never done. This design has been in my head for years and I have put it on paper years ago.

2) I was wondering about your ideal way to glue up book matched door panels. For instance, I have a 4/4 board and I’ll resaw it on the bandsaw. These boards will be my boards to make the panel. The thin boards are usually too thin to put in a clamp. My process is to use blue tape and a friction fit. I’ll put the tape on one side then prop it up in the center and put glue in the joint and wiggle it a tad back and forth along the joint then put more blue tape on the other side. I was wondering if you had another method that would be better.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives and sharing your knowledge with the community!

This episode is sponsored by Maverick Abrasives. Check them out at https://www.maverickabrasives.com

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Sean

1) Hi, I just joined as a new patron and my name is Dale. I have been listening for a couple months and have tried spraying shellac on ambrosia maple. I sanded with 400 grit between each of 3 coats, then I sprayed a water based polyurethane as a final coat. I am new to spraying but what I found was that all of the vertical surfaces turned out great but I got a lot of nibs on the horizontal surfaces. Any idea why? -Dale

2) Going to be using General finishes Gel Stain on small toy chest. I’ve heard two different methods to prevent blotches; apply a mineral spirits slip coat prior to staining or apply shellac prior to staining. Is one better than the other? Thank, Brandon

Guy

1) Guy since you started working in the other, more commercial, shop:

How did working there change your behavior in your own shop? Are you faster now? Do you still treat your own projects the same way you did before working there?

Cheers from Austria, max

2) Hey Guys (and Guy specifically).  I’m looking to possible build another router table (already have one in the wing of my table saw and love it) but being that I am for the time being in a smaller shop that everything has to be put away at night I need multi function.  Looking at how the LS attaches to the table I was thinking I could remove the positioner (and put it on the wall) when not in use.  Am I killing the whole function of the repeatability if I take it off and put it back on when I want to use it? Thank you, Doug

Huy

1)I have Question on wood glue. Usually I use Titebond but on the bottle it says it shouldn’t be used in temperatures lower than 50 degrees. So are there any glues that work in temperatures below freezing? My shop has no heat and the I’m in northern Iowa so we’ll go below zero before the winters over. Thanks for any advice you may have, keep the podcasts coming.

Josiah

2) Hi guys, first of all I sure have enjoyed your podcast and I have learned a tremendous amount. On a sidenote, my goal is to be just like Guy someday and be in a position in life to do whatever the hell I want and not give a damn what anybody thinks of me. I think it’s a noble goal. My question involves face joining boards. I wonder how much pressure I’m supposed to be pressing down on the board as it comes over the knives. Do I push down hard enough to take the spring out of the board? Or do I let it coast over naturally as to not take the spring out of the board?  If I put too much pressure on the board it just springs back after it comes off the machine. But if I don’t put enough pressure on I don’t get clean results. I sure appreciate your help, and I look forward to hearing your answer.  — Bill

Thanks to this show’s sponsor: Maverick Abrasives 

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Guy

1) Hi guys, huge fan of the podcast. I just have a question regarding sheet goods. I haven’t listened to every episode yet so I apologize if this was already covered. When I make cabinet carcasses I generally use some sort of store bought veneered plywood. I find it difficult finding plywood that is close to flat. It’s not as much of an issue when I break it down into smaller pieces, but when I make a larger cabinet it is very difficult to get square bc the plywood rarely straight. I put a face frame on it which Is square for the cabinets door/drawers, but often the carcass itself still has a bit of a visible curve in the panels. Any advice on his help improve this? -Timber Tables

2)  Hey guys, love the show and appreciate how much you cover, unlike those other woodworking Podcasts 🙄. My question is about edge banding. Fastcap has a peel and stick edge banding (Fastedge). It’s obviously easier to apply than the iron-on banding, but is it as durable? Are there any downsides to this vs traditional edge banding?
Thanks,
Shannon
Nashville, TN

Sean

1) Is there anything you look at differently when you buy slabs to make into boards vs just buying actual boards? I have a saw mill somewhat close that I have actually gotten good prices on slabs. I don’t use live edges and cut them off. Thanks, Ryan

2) I thought of a good question that might help some of us beginning woodworkers: I know that everyone makes mistakes (except Guy), but what kinds of mistakes do you see yourself making fewer and fewer of as you became seasoned pros? In other words, are there certain kinds of mistakes  that you should find yourself growing out of as you develop as a woodworker? -Adam

Huy

1) Hello again! So I am going to be moving my shop to a new garage and I wanted to upgrade the flooring before I move my stuff in. It currently has a basic concrete floor with quite a few cracks. I was considering either using polyurea or epoxy, but wanted to get your insight and see what you guys currently use and also what you would upgrade to if you had the chance? Garage dog Woodworks

2) Hey guys!  Thanks for the great podcast.  I had a question about table-saw blade sizes.  What are the pros and cons of 10 and 12 inch table saws?  Is one better than the other? And if you could do it all over again would you choose a 12 inch saw as I know you all have 10 inch saws. -Jeff

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Guy

1) Hey, Fellas! So in my last question, you recommended I keep an old but powerful Delta 15″ planer.  Good advice which I intend to follow.  However, I’d like to ditch its steel mobile stand for something that offers more storage.  The planer is approximately 400 lbs. so am I crazy for thinking I could build something out of milled 2×4 pine or douglas fir?  I’d use all mortise and tenon construction and install heavy duty casters on the bottom for mobility.  It would probably resemble Guy’s mobile miter station but with a front and back and no flip top.  I’d appreciate your advice!

 Joel

2) Today I need your help! I am planing to build a small corner table. The top has the shape of a quarter circle with about a 16″ radius.

To spice up the design (and challenge my woodworking skills) I want to put a drawer into the bowed apron. How do I go about cutting a precise and smooth opening for the drawer into this curved piece of wood? On a flat piece I would probably use a router template to clean up the rough cuts but I don’t see how I could do this on a curved piece. Any ideas?

The apron will be a bent lamination, about 2.5 – 3″ high, with the opening something like 1 3/4″ by 8″

Jarmo from Germany

Sean

1) If you explained it any of your previous episodes, I missed it. I’d love to know how the three of you hooked up and what led to the collaboration on the podcast.

2) Is it ok to make and sell a piece of furniture using somebody else’s plans. For example say I buy project plans from wood whisperer guild, am I able to build and sell it? Or should I ask for permission from the designer of the plans first? Garagedog Woodworks

Links mentioned in podcast: https://thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/selling-wood-whisperer-designs-for-profit/

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2009/08/29/is-it-ok-to-sell-furniture-based-on-fww-articles

Huy

1) Hey I have a question… I seem to be unintentionally creating a SPRING JOINT when I run my work pieces through my table saw. It’s every piece, and it’s nearly every time. It’s exaggerated on longer pieces.

This is great for pieces that I’m actually gluing together but for others it’s a big pain to deal with. I’m not sure what it could be. I’m leaning towards it being a fence issue? I have a grizzly table saw with a standard fence. Any thoughts? Timberworks NY

2) I bought some ebony and cocobolo turning blanks for a really low price with the intention of using them for handles on small boxes. I’m assuming the wood has not been dried (still coated in wax). I’ve never really messed with green wood and I know it likes to warp and move as it dries. That said, with the pulls being a few inches long and maybe an ⅝” thick, would I have a cause for concern, or should I wait a couple years for it to completely dry?

-Jacob

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Guy

1) I’m a part-time woodworker that does occasional commission work for a local distillery. Two weeks ago—after listening to several of your episodes discussing track saws and Guy’s affinity for the MFT style table—I decided to purchase a TSC55 and MFT/3 for the shop; I wish I had done it sooner. The accuracy, setup, and ease of use of the MFT coupled with the dust collection of the TSC is a game changer. I want to get the most out of the MFT as far as work holding options and overall versatility, and I was curious if you have any recommendations on bench dogs? I’ve read about aluminum dogs (Qwas Dogs), stainless steel dogs (Perf Dogs), dogs with special track attachments, and even Woodpeckers sells a set of fancy red dogs with a wedge clamp system all in a nifty systainer. I typically work with 4/4 and 8/4 material, plywood (1/2″ and 3/4″), and oak barrel staves. Is there a specific type of dog I should be looking at to get the most out of the MFT top and track system or am I overthinking this? Kind regards, Sean Fousheé (pronounced foo-shay)

2)Hey Guy, Huy, and Sean,

Could you explain the difference (in terms of function and application) between dust collectors, dust extractors, and shop vacuums?  Why are dust extractors so much more expensive than shop vacuums?  At what point is it worth the investment to get a dust extractor over a shop vacuum, especially if you also have invested in a dust collector for your larger stationary tools? Thanks, and keep up the great work with the show! Rob

Sean

1) Hey guys, love the podcast. I’ve been thinking of growing my skills to include hand planes as I have picked up quite a few from estate sales, most in good condition. Rust is a huge problem in my shop and I was curious how do you protect your hand planes? Any specific coating or routine you follow? Thanks for the great podcast! – Daniel

2) Hi guys…I’m making a Morris chair out of cherry. I’m ready to assemble, but before I do, I’m figuring out how to finish. I was listening to Guy speak about using a coat of garnet shellac and then a top coat of waterlox. Can you go into detail on this procedure, and any other favorite cherry wood finishing tips. Thanks so much.

Dale from Muskego

Huy

1)Very green to the craft I’ve built up my shop with a good stable of hand power tools, router table, job site saw, track saw etc. my shop is only partially insulated. I live in a humid area. Should I invest in getting it fully insulated and air tight before I invest in cast iron milling machines like bandsaw ,jointer, planer, etc Thanks Nathaniel

2) Do y’all ever apply salt to a glue joint?  I’ve known about this trick for a few years but never used it.  I’ve recently used it on a few shop projects and it worked surprisingly well.  I was most pleased with the efficiency of the glue up because I did not encounter any slipping joints during clamping.  Before introducing this into my standard glue up process, I want to know if the salt negatively effects the integrity of the glue and/or joint.

Thanks for the great podcast!  I’ve been a listener since episode 1 and I’ve enjoyed them all (even the ones that Guy is drinking heavily and cursing Laguna bandsaws.)