Category: Uncategorized

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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