Category: Podcast Episodes

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Guy

1) My question is: I am making a bed and I am contemplating the best way to attach the bed rails. I like the bed rail hangers/brackets because mortising and screwing them in should be simple. However, I want the bed to be tight and not squeak when the Mrs and I get busy. My other thought is to use bed bolts because I am thinking the bed will be much tighter, but lining up the bed bolt into the rail seems difficult because my bed rails will be 5/4 thick. Do any of you have experience making beds and what method of attaching the rails did you use. Mike

2) My 2nd ( serious) question relates to resawing, I can’t resaw very straight even using a fence, I have watched plenty of YT videos and have seen different jigs from different manufacturers including the Magswitch fence that lets you pivot the workpiece. So…… to resaw should you be able to set up a fence and run the piece through getting a straight cut (as we would do with a TS) ? or is constant adjustment required ? Geoff Richards

Sean

1) Hey guys love the podcast,this is exactly what everyday woodworkers wanna listen to in a podcast. Question is I just started woodworking 6 months ago I turned my 2 car garage into a full fledge wood shop. Acquired all the big milling machines and just about everything you can think of. As of now I only follow detailed plans from others designs. I can follow plans to a T but actually making my own designs/plans seems somewhat daunting. I have sketchup and have been trying to learn. For whatever reason it’s not coming easy. Do you think because I can’t design my own pieces I should find another hobby. Or do these things take time to eventually learn. I’ve only been woodworking for 6 months I’ve mainly done case work a few cabinets and a built in for my wife’s closet. – Nathan

2) Hey guys!!! Listening to episode 58 right now and had a question: for a small shop, what finishes would you keep on hand, ready to go? Stain? Shellac? Poly? Also, what other finish supplies do you keep on hand as well?? Thanks! -Justin

Huy

1) Hey Guys, it’s Justin, with Liberty Craftsman. I really appreciate y’all answering my previous questions and now I’ve got some more for you. 1) when doing commission work, I tend to struggle with accurately picking a finish date, as the project inevitably gets delayed (generally on my end due to my full time job), so I have to talk with the customer and let them know what’s going on. I recently had a client ask for a refund, due to me delaying delivery by about 3 weeks. We had some personal family stuff happen that caused a significant delay in the project. So, long story short, do you think I should not give a date, but a range 8-10 weeks and wait until a certain point in the project to communicate a more accurate completion date?

2) Do y’all have any experience or thoughts on replacing a machine’s V-belt with an adjustable link drive belt?  I’ve recently purchased a used 17″ drill press that has more vibration than I’d prefer.  The pulleys appear to be aligned, so the next thing I would try is replacing the V-belts.  Are link belts worth it, or are they just a gimmick?

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Guy

1) Hello, got a question for the show! Will wiping mineral spirits on wood before finishing, to get the dust completely off, mess with the finish being applied correctly? I have read some places that mineral spirits will not change anything, but on Rubio‘s website for example, they say mineral spirits can mess with the finish. Just not sure if they’re saying this so that you buy their wood cleaner instead. Thanks! Buffalo Custom Woodworking

2) So I’m interested in getting a drum sander. Most of its use will be for panel doors etc. One of the things that I really like is a quality piece of equipment that I’m really not going to have too many problems with. I’ve looked at the Laguna supermax, the jet, and the powermatic. What can you tell me as far as quality in these different models and what should I be considering or looking for? Is there another company I should consider? Thanks again for a great podcast. Marlan

Sean

1) Hey guys, thanks for answering my last question about the MFT. I was wondering if you all could talk about the cordless tools you use in your shops. I wouldn’t say I’m in the market for new stuff (been using Ridgid 18v for close to a decade), but I’m always curious to hear what other people prefer/use and why. Thanks for the great show! Cardinal Custom Woodworking

2) Do you think machine cutting joinery instead of doing it by hand (dovetails for example) makes the finished product less desirable to a client or the general public? I’ve been practicing my hand cutting of joinery for about a month now and I think I would enjoy other aspects of building much more but I don’t want to lose potential customers by not having that aspect in my builds. I look forward to your feedback and keep up the great work. Thanks. Miller

Huy

1) I just recently started listening to your podcast and I’ve already learned a lot.  I’ve followed you on Instagram and have been really inspired by your work. I started a woodworking business this year and I’m constantly trying to set up my shop to be the most beneficial for my daily tasks. One of the things I’m trying to improve right now is my dust collection. I currently have the harbor freight dust collector that I have run to my larger tools like my table saw, bandsaw, jointer, and planer. I’m trying to cut down on the amount of dust that is in the air in my shop as much as I can. My question for you is this: Is there anything wrong with setting the dust collector completely outside of the shop in order to take one more step to keep dust out of the shop? And part of the reason I ask that question is because I actually live in the middle of woods with no neighbors around me to have dust blown into their yards or complain about the sound of the dust collector. I also wonder if this would eliminate the need for a filter. And I would also obviously cover the dust collector in  some way to keep it from the elements. Thanks for all the help you guys provide on the podcast and keep up that good work!

Heath

2) I recently got a spray system and am beginning to incorporate spray finishing to as many projects as possible. I am starting a new build of walnut record cabinet, and I am contemplating pre finishing. The finished piece will be about 60″x30″, so it will be much easier to pre finish the panels before assembled. I am thinking of using conversion varnish for durability.

My question is, should I prefinish the inside and outside of all of the panels? Or just the inside, and finish the outside once the whole cabinet is assembled? If I only finish one side, do I have to worry about warping within the few days until I glue it up and finish the other side? On the contrary, it seems it would take quite a bit longer to prefinish both sides at once, having to wait for a side to dry before you can flip it over for a coat on the other side? Id love to hear how you guys have tackled prefinishing a cabinet in the past! – Sean Moore

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Guy

1) Hey guys! I know you all have CNC’s in your shop. I am about to buy one and I have about $2500 to purchase one. I have thought about the shapeoko XXL or the shaper origin. I know you have experience with gantry style CNC machines, but what do you think of the shaper origin? Would any of you trade your gantry style CNC machines in for the shaper origin if you had the chance? Isaac

2)Hi fellas — I’m a novice woodworker with a question about the use of dowel versus domino joinery:

I’m trying to understand all the hate and derision that is thrown towards dowel joinery versus all the love and infatuation with domino joinery.  It seems to me they are both loose tenon joinery and the only real difference is the shape of the loose tenon.  So what makes the dowel such a “poor man’s” joint and the domino an heirloom quality joint?  If I use dowels with the same approximate surface area as a domino, won’t I get the same strength and holding power?  Is there something special about the rectangular shape of the domino versus the round shape of the dowel?

Thank you! I love the podcast! 

David

PS: my daughter wants to be a rocket propulsion engineer, so Huy, you rock!  (Guy and Sean are pretty good, too)

Sean

1) Hello Master Woodworkers, I appreciate all you do on the podcast and can’t wait to listen to the next episode. I am getting ready make a bunch of small to medium size boxes as gifts for family out of walnut and maple. I don’t have a spray setup and don’t really have time to learn it this year. I am looking for a fast and reliable finish for the boxes, in a matte to semi-gloss. These will be 3×5 on the small side and 8 x 10 on the large. Thanks for all you do, and keep the podcast coming! – John

2) How to understand the grain and what to look for would be a great topic of conversation for the podcast for beginners like myself. Geoff

Huy

1) Outside of my shop I would like to build a small shed for storing sheet goods. I live in northern Iowa where it can get pretty cold in the winter. is there any potential problems with storing sheet goods outside covered, dry and then bringing them in prior to using them letting the temperature come up to my shop temperature. Would the low humidity cause any harm to structure of the sheets. Marlan Mincks

2) Great podcast, guys! I appreciate all the advice you give.  I am a fairly new woodworker and I’ve been building some furniture to start to sell.  Nothing massive, trying to stick to smaller pieces because of experience and size of shop. I planned to find people in my area around Nashville TN who appreciate local handmade pieces, but my wife brought the question of what I do if a customer wanted me to ship them the finished product. So my question to you guys is how do I go about figuring that process out? And is it even worth it? I assume I would pass that shipping cost on to the customer. Would be getting into the custom crate building business then too? Thanks for your time! Matthew

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Guy

1) I am looking at getting a Festool domino machine. I was wondering which one you all use the most? They are a lot of money and I want to get both, but only one is in the budget currently. I am currently building a big green egg cart similar to Mark Spagnolo and he used both in his build. I mostly will be building small tables and small cabinets and am thinking of getting the 500 but was wondering what you all think. Thank you. David

2) Hey, Fellas!  I wanted to get your advice on something.  I inherited a Delta DC380 15″ planer that has a newer brushless motor on it and straight knives for a cutter head. It’s a beast, but it’s a big piece of equipment for my shop which is just the size of a one-car-garage.  I’m thinking about selling it and “downgrading” to a DeWalt DW735 with a helical head.  Am I crazy?  What might I end up sacrificing if I go with the DeWalt after working with the Delta for a few years now?  My biggest concerns with keeping the Delta is potential upcoming maintenance (it’s an older machine), overall size, and lack of storage in the industrial rolling base. -Joel

Sean

1) Hi fellas. You answered my question a while back on dining chair design re: lower stretchers. That was very helpful. Thanks.

I’ve prototyped a chair (I can email through a picture if that would help), and am now on to batching out the set in white oak. While I was doing the prototype, I pattern routed the back legs and found that I was getting a fair amount of tear out due to grain direction. So, I invested in a compression flush trim bit thinking that this would solve my problems. I’m finding that it isn’t the magic solution that I thought it’d be. I’m still facing issues with the bit chewing into grain that would ordinarily be in the wrong direction.

A little background information: I don’t have a router table. I’m doing this handheld, taking light passes, and I’ve got the speed slowed way down on the router. I’m using a 2.25 hp router, which should be able to handle this kind of thing.

Am I missing something? Do I need a router table for this to work? Should I reject technology altogether and live in the forest?

2) I listen to 2 podcasts. Yours is by far the better. Professional and informative while being personable.

I inherited a 12/4 100” x 18” Norwegian pine slab from my 93 year old mentor Bert.  Having been stored under his saw these past 30 years he wanted to see it used.  Grow locally here in SE Minnesota, I estimated it was a sapling in about 1870 making it 2nd growth.

It quickly became apparent neither 40 grit on a 4” hand drum sander nor No. 5 jack plane would work well, so I built an 8 foot x 2-1/2 foot router sled.  Using my Bosch 1617 and a Whiteside 6220 planing bit I eliminated the twist and the bandsaw marks then ROS to 80/150/220, amber shellac and wiping varnish made using Minwax. Final thickness was 3”. You can find pics at @wilsoncellulosics.

While acceptable for a fireplace lintel the resulting quality was good but not furniture grade. Have either you all or your colleagues done slab planing?  I am open to tackling another slab sometime when the opportunity arises. Are third party slab planers worth the considerable cost (meaning furniture-grade results)?  If so recommendations to consider? Bob Peterson

Huy

1) Hello gentlemen. This question is for all three of you. I have a 2hp Shop Fox table saw and wanted to add on to it by upgrading the fence and possibly building things into the wings. Have some trouble deciding on what fence when I realized this is a trend for me making these types of improvements everywhere. So…..What are the best third party upgrades you’ve made to tools in your shop (excluding the obvious things like the Super Incra Miter Sled 9000). Maybe a two answer format – best made shop improvement vs. best purchased improvement. What the thing you added that made life so much better. Thank you boys, keep up the great work. Joey – Winter Wolf Woodworking

2) Hi guys, love the podcast! I’ve got a question about a ceiling mounted air filters. I have a small (200ish sqft) shop in the basement. I was looking at something like the RIKON 62-400 since it’s a small area. However if I step up to the 62-100, which is 2.5x the price, I can get carbon filters for it, it’s not an option on the smaller unit. My question is: With my shop being in the house is it worth being able to get carbon filters to help get rid of some of the fumes from finishes, or is the bigger unit just overkill in such a small shop? Im not spraying conversion varnish or anything like that, usually it’s wipe on finish on small boxes and things, if that makes a difference. Also the HVAC is in the corner of the shop, and the basement outside my shop door is a finished living area, which is why I want to put in air filtration. Thanks! Matt

WoodWhisperer flattening workbench: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtkBZHLJyD0

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Guy

1) I’ve been building small furniture projects (Shaker tables, end tables, walnut table, lounge chairs) in my hobby shop using a skill saw or a hand saw when a bandsaw has been called for. My furniture projects are getting more complicated (a dresser, more lounge chairs) and I’m thinking it is time to get a bandsaw. But which one? I don’t see me doing much resawing, although I don’t want to completely foreclose that possibility. I’ve thought about the following options: Jet 14 inch deluxe pro (1.25 hp, $1000), Grizzly GO555LX 14 inch (1 hp, $750), and Rikon table top deluxe 10 inch (0.5 hp, $440). I note that Lowe’s also has a Porter Cable 13 inch and a Delta 13 inch, but at their price point I think I’d be better off with the Grizzly. What are your thoughts? Many thanks. …Tom

2) Hey fellas, big fan of the show. Really enjoy the “specificity” you bring to the craft. Question: you guys talk about not trusting your mitre saws for accurate cross cuts (kapex excluded). So I assume your trusted method is with a table saw. How do you manage getting accurate cuts on large pieces. I know trying to shave a 1/8” off of the end of a 8ft x 6 x 4/4 piece of lumber is not easily done with a mitre jig or a sled on a table saw. How do you get that perfect 90 on something other than a mitre saw on large and long stock? P.S. I don’t trust my mitre saw either. -Zach

Sean

1) I really enjoy the podcast and I always learn a lot listening to your show. My question is about finishing. I have been noticing that several woodworkers that I follow apply a glossy clear coat for the first few layers and then they will finish with a semi-gloss clear coat. What is the purpose of starting with a “shinier” coat and then finish with a “less” shiny coat? Thanks in advance…Josh

2) Love the show, I have heard throughout several episodes of each of you stocking up on hundreds of board feet of lumber for potential future projects. Is there a specific dimension, specifically thickness and length that you typically look for? I’m assuming that in order to achieve a specific width, you can always glue boards together, but for posts or say table legs, is this what you do as well? Or for those specific projects do you just custom order a thicker stock in order to get the desired thickness. Hope my question makes any sense, apologize if it is basic. Keep the episodes coming!! Christopher

Huy

1) I am a retired rocket scientist who now obsesses over furniture rather than missiles which means I take precision to meaningless extremes.  I am replacing my 1977 Craftsman with a Powermatic 64B bought sight unseen.   I have a Vega 50” fence which I like quite a bit. The Craftsman will be donated to Habitat. Which of the two fences should I send along to Habitat or are they just a horse apiece?

My skill level is intermediate. If at all helpful the items I make are cabinets and tables used either at home or donated for charity auctions. The blade is a WW2, Bench Dog router table for the left wing.

bob

2) if I got one of those EXPENSIVE Forest Woodworker II combination blades (the modified one with a flat bottom cut), would I fall out of love with blade changes? Are they really that much better that I wouldn’t feel the need to change that I do now? I much prefer the cuts I’m getting now with the specific grinds compared to combination blades I’ve used in the past (the better quality “home center”  brands).

Is there a time, even with those expensive combination blades, that you all go back to a specifically rip or crosscut blade?

Thanks for any input!