Woodshop Life Podcast

Brians Questions:

I craft Shaker Furniture and then donate it. I am often gluing up tabletops. I have seen many discussions around “how to properly joint” the edges of a-joining boards. Am typically using plain sawn cherry.
After rough dimensioning, jointing, then planing the individual pieces, and arranging the pieces so they look nice, and hopefully having the grain run the same way (I finish the tops with a smoothing plane), it comes time to joint those edges that are to be glued.
There in lies the question….does one 1) rip them on a table saw, or 2) joint the edges such that there is a slight bow to allow compression in the center, or 3) take the pair of boards to be glued and joint them together in a book match style. I usually do 3)
I then clamp them using footed bar clamps and cawls over the top.
How do you all handle this part of the process. 1), 2),3)….something else??
Secondly, I use hide glue to glue the joinery, but have had trouble using it for table top gluing up table tops –not enough open time…use titebond instead….have you had success in using hide glue for tabletop glue up??
thank you, John

Hi,
I am a hobbyist woodworker who uses a mix of hand tools and power tools. I see a lot of people nowadays using track saws where I would normally use my table saw or my circular saw with a guide. What am I missing with the track saw trend? Won’t a simple plywood guide and cheap circular saw do the exact same thing as a track saw? Thanks Adam

Guys Questions:

Hi,
I enjoy the podcast, it is favorite woodworking podcast where you get right to the point and answer real questions without a lot of wasted time. Keep it up!
I am currently working on a fairly large cabinet & desk built-in. It will be an “L” shape, run along one wall for about 18 feet, and then wrap around and extend out about 6 feet, with the corner being the desk section. I’ve already completed the base cabinets, so the next step will be the desktop, followed by all the shelving.
My question is about the desktop(26in deep). My plan was to build this in 6 foot sections, which I would then join to span the whole wall. I’ve been going back and forth over whether I build this out of solid wood(thinking 8/4 rough sawn which I would mill down to maybe 1-1/2in), or using veneers. I planned to join each section using a Lamello Zeta P2.
I have access to the tools(6cfm pump from Veneer Systems) to do either method, but am not sure if one is really much better. I’be been leaning towards solid wood(Walnut) as I have that on hand, but not sure if that’s more of me shying away from using veneers as I don’t have a lot of experience on bigger projects. This is for my home so may be an opportunity to get more practice using veneers without worry of it being a customer piece. I’m interested in what you would recommend.
Thanks! Frank

Also a dummy, thank you Bob for opening the can of worms. Who cares if it is 1/4 sawn or 1/64th sawn?
When is it important to know? If riff sucks…then why use it or if plane is plain to unstable to use why use it etc. Strengths and weaknesses for price versus application might be interesting to discuss, especially if opinions can vary.
What is the wheelhouse for the different boards? I imagine it’s a combo of beauty, price and stability. Can you guys flesh out this conversation a bit? Benjamin

Huys Questions

I use Kreg work bench system so my benches are mostly straight and strong with the factors I stated above. I also am lazy or forgetful about putting down paper before glue ups. replacing the top of the work bench I have considered finishing it with thin layer or epoxy to allow a non-sticky surface for the wood glue or finishes I use. I am also going to make match fit dove tail clamp system ( would finish with epoxy then have the cnc redue the job to clean the channels ) maybe also with dog hole.
is the epoxy finish a good way to make a more permeant bench top ? should I just lay down plywood top and replace when needed? Am considering ordering a butcher block top to make the bench so it looks nice and is more lasting. bench is 44 square and supported by wood beams in the center so it doesn’t dip.
Thanks folks Paul Oki Mitch Crafts Okinawa Japan

Hi, thanks for answering a couple of my questions in the past. I have another one now about using loose tenon joinery to glue up boards to make a panel, such as a tabletop.
One feature of a Domino or a biscuit joiner is that they reference off of a face of the board, assuring a perfectly flush (or close enough) show surface. I don’t own a Domino, but I have a biscuit joiner and a dowelling jig. I would like to use dowels on occasion, but I only have a simple dowelling jig that is of the self-centering type. If all my boards are of the exact same thickness then this in theory should give good results too, but sometimes I am using 3/4” boards right from the lumber yard that I have edge jointed but have not milled to a common thickness, since I don’t want to go any thinner than the 3/4”. So the thicknesses might be off by small amounts.
So in light of this, I was thinking that I should upgrade to a higher end dowelling jig, one that references off of a face surface. Does this seem like a worthwhile idea? If so, are there certain other features I should look for in a product, and do you have specific product recommendations that you can make?
Thanks. Steve

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

As a hobbyist who buys wood occasionally, I have never developed the skill of correctly identifying the grain pattern or even the cut type (plain, rift, quarter) in rough cut lumber at lumber yards. It’s all fuzzy and impossible for me to discern. Any tips for a dumb dumb like me? American Bob

Hey guys! I started listening to your podcast a couple months ago, and began dabbling in woodworking only a couple months before that. I can’t tell you how helpful your podcasts has been to me, as I don’t really have anyone to show me the ropes. I’m usually pretty good at figuring things out via YouTube and Google, but a lot of use concepts are so new to me that I’m not sure what to search for. I don’t know what I don’t know.
I have to admit that I have been cutting off sending in a question to you guys primarily because I’m listening to your podcast while I’m in my fledgling shop and I have a hard time putting down what I’m doing to get on my phone if I don’t have to. Having said that, I’m sure that I can come up with enough questions to completely fill out half a dozen podcast episodes, so I’m finally answering the call. Thank you in advance for your answers and insights.
I chose to serve with this question because it is an issue I run into constantly. To put it simply, I do not as of yet own jointer or a planer, and I can’t afford one for the time being. I have been trying to make do with a number of workarounds, to varying degrees of success. For example, cleaning a board or panel with a belt sander, which is exactly as much fun as it sounds. My recently discovered work around for jointing boards is a jig I made for my table saw. It’s essentially a fence I guess, with an outfeed and in feed side. The outfeed side is flush with my saw blade, while the infeed side is offset. The width of my saw blade. I can send you a picture if you are curious. My question is, for a person who absolutely cannot afford a jointer and planer right now, are there any other tricks you can think of to accomplish these essential woodworking processes? Thanks again for your help and all the great information you provide. Zach

Guys Questions:

Hello, this is Zach from Minnesota again. I have a question that has been bugging me for quite some time now. Ever since I learned about water-based polyurethane, it’s almost exclusively what I have used to finish my projects. I almost always apply this with my Wagner or HVLP sprayer with a detail nozzle and it has worked great for me. There are a lot of topics in woodworking where people have opposing views. One practice, however, that seems to be universally supported, and strongly so, is sanding between codes of polyurethane.
I very, very rarely follow this practice. For whatever reason, on one project I did not do this and it turned out fine, so I haven’t really bothered since, and I haven’t had any issues, even when I’ve applied polyurethane over paint. Why is sanding so strongly recommended, and what issues am I risking by skipping this step? Thanks again. Zach

Good morning Woodshop Life Podcast Folks!
I am about to finish up my largest commissioned work, netting me a nice little profit. This isn’t my full time job, so any sort of money I make from woodworking I want to put back into the shop and continue to grow as a woodworker.
I have the Dewalt DW735 Planer and a Grizzly 8” Jointer, both with straight knife cutter heads. If I could only do one for now, Which one should I upgrade first to a helical cutter head?
I love listening to you all when I am in the shop, and have grown tremendously as a woodworker because of it! Keep up the great work! Nathan

Huys Questions:

I just built a router table with a lift. Was going to upgrade to a 3+ hp router as I have been told “the large bits need 3 or more hp”.
Looking at the routers I can purchase they all come with 15 amp plugs. The 15 amp can only carry 2.4 hp max no matter what the hp of the motor is. Even if the plug / receptacle is 20 amp it still could not carry the watts/hp of 3 hp.
Just wondering why I should spend the money to upgrade. Can you enlighten me?

Thanks and love the show. John-Michael

Do you have any tips for drilling the holes in legs to insert leg levelers? I have practiced a few times and I can’t consistently get the holes straight. I have avoided using the leg levelers because of this. Thanks Jeff

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

I really enjoy your podcast. The information you provide is very informative and helpful. I am beginning to build more furniture items and considering purchasing a Festool Domino tool for both strength and convenience. I am having a difficult time, as I’m sure many do, justifying the cost. My question is: is it that much better and/or stronger than bisquits, dowels, pocket hole screws, fixed tenon, etc., or is this just a “status symbol” tool? Your opinion will help immensely. I do already own their CT Midi dust collector and a couple of sanders. Rick

Gentlemen: I’m a long time listener and can’t thank you enough for all the info you have shared through this podcast. I am a hobbyist woodworker who is moderately successful with my projects the majority of the time. I am being requested to make keepsake/ jewelry boxes for my grandkids. I have not made small boxes before so my questions are:
What species of wood should I consider to use. I have access to some exotics and have used numerous species on previous projects but are there specific species that would really help these boxes standout? Any species I should avoid?
Should I use veneer and plywood or solid hardwood? I am comfortable using miters with splines or finger joints but this guy doesn’t do dovetails.
What finish should I use. I can already hear Guy screaming shellac and amour seal. Anything else to consider like lacquer?
Thanks again Liam Indianapolis

Guys Questions:

Hi gentleman.
Thank you for all of your time sharing your experiences and helping to grow woodworking. You have saved me, and many others, countless board feet of mistakes
I am have transitioned from carpentry and repairs, to fine woodworking, such as desks, and mechanical puzzle boxes. This involves a lot of very precise measurements and cuts. I have needed to cut exact angles to fit together, slide, and hide the seams. You have mentioned using a router bit to cut an exact 45 degree angle, but how do you cut an exact angle other than a 45, such as a 73.43 degree angle?
Also, is there a specific finish that will help minimize wood swelling? While expansion is not always a concern with tables or chairs, for example, it is a real problem with mechanical puzzle boxes as the swelling can prevent the mechanical puzzle box from opening. Thanks for your help. George Allan

Hello Woodshop Life Crew,
I have a 1-car garage woodshop and want to add dust collection. I’m considering the Grizzly G0861 – 2 HP Portable Cyclone Dust Collector. ttps://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-2-hp-portable-cyclone-dust-collector/g0861
My shop is 12′ x 24′ and my main tools are a tablesaw, a plainer, and a jointer. Do you think a 2 HP system is too big? Too small? This unit has a 7″ intake port that splits into three 4″ ports, 1023 CFM of airflow, and a 1-micron filter size. A dedicated 30A 220V circuit is at the ready. Given the small shop size, I would be ok with hooking up one tool at a time or adding ducting to all tools. In short, what size of system and ducting would you recommend for a small 1-car woodshop like mine? Thanks as always for the great podcast.- Adam

Huys Questions:

Thanks for the content yall have been bringing the woodworking community. I’m new to the podcast, but have found the few episodes I’ve listened to extremely helpful. I’m living in New Hampshire, and recently moved my shop into a large barn. I have a section for wood storage on the second floor. The barn is open and in an uncontrolled climate. As of right now, I have a lot of pine and white oak, but would like to expand my selection as more projects become available. Do you have any suggestions on how to better control humidity/temperature to allow for better moisture regulation? Also, I am looking to upgrade my planer. I’m trying to decide between a 13 inch Grizzly bench top planer (G0940) and a 13 inch Jet bench top planer (JWP-13BT). Please let me know your thoughts on these or suggestions on another option in that price range. Thanks! Caleb

Hi gentlemen. This is my second question. I’m still catching up on past episodes and am now in 2024. I have learned so much from each of you.
On an earlier episode, you mentioned that if a drawer glue-up is not square, one option is to break it down before the glue sets and “fix it”. My general question is, can you re-glue parts and still maintain their glue strength? If you remove any unset glue (assuming PVA) as much as possible, will the remaining glue embedded in the wood prevent a structurally sound joint? I’m assuming that no further milling is required to “fix” the joint. In other words, the glue-up didn’t go as planned.
Thanks for this great podcast. Anthony

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

I am a hobbyist that wants to start making more polished pieces but am stuck making most of my furniture out of Douglas Fir or cedar. While these are fine options, I want to get into other species like walnut, ash, etc. but am usually priced out when buying one or two boards.
I feel like people buy in bulk or something to make the savings work. Could you offer some guidance on purchasing wood that isn’t the normal big box stuff at a fair price? Thx! Ian

Hi,I’m currently working on a cable railing for my stairs and have been laminating four 1-inch boards together to create 3⅝” x 3⅝” x 48″ posts. However, I’ve encountered challenges achieving the final squared dimensions. My contractor’s Bosch table saw is not capable to cut 3⅝” in one pass and doesn’t provide a clean cut due to some broken teeth on the original carbide blade. Despite extensive searching, I haven’t found a solution that doesn’t require using a table saw. My current approach involves jointing and squaring two faces on the jointer, then flattening the remaining two faces on the planer. Initially uncertain about this method, I examined the posts and found all edges to be within an acceptable 90-degree tolerance, attributed to the accuracy of my approximately 70-year-old jointer fence.I’m curious why this method isn’t more widely discussed. Could it be because most people don’t typically work with this thickness, thus making the table saw seem unavoidable?
Keep up the great Vafa

Guys Questions:

I am really enjoying listening to your podcast and, although I have been woodworking for over 50 years, I invariably learn something new from you. An example is your discussion about the proper way to allow for wood movement on an inside shelf. I am currently working on just such a configuration and will now look at bread board ends for the shelf.
My question is about the advantages using metric in the wood shop. Canada, where I live, is only partly metric and most of my friends use inches when laying out parts in their shops. I took a course from Garrett Hack some years ago and said he likes to use metric as there are no fractions to deal with and in his view a millimetre (a 25th on an inch) is a good level of accuracy.
Do you ever use metric measurement when building your projects? Bob

In the midst of reorganizing my shop. My question is about dust collection. I have about 500sqft of 1000sqft garage dedicated to my woodworking projects. Every time I cut something or sand, I coat the bikes, and all the other things stored there. Not focusing on the vacuums, what do you do about cleaning up the air? I am thinking about one of those Grizzly air filters but not sure it will do the trick. Thanks! Ian

Huys Questions:

Curious to hear your experiences with mentorship. Do you think it’s important to have mentors in the shop? (Someone who you can learn from who’s also invested in your progress) Grateful to have your podcast and love to hear the different perspectives from the 3 of you. Such a valuable resource for the woodworking community. Ari

Hi guys,
*Thanks for answering my past questions, I have another multi part one for you. I recently picked up a grizzly 5hp shaper, I know it’s probably bigger than I need but I traded a few days work for it so the price was right. My first project I plan to do with it was patern cutting some 3.5 inch thick table legs. I ordered an amana 61295 spiral cutter and followed bearing but after setting it up it quite frankly scares the crap out of me. How would you guys go about holding the work piece? Would you cut from one side to the middle then reverse the machine and cut from the other side to prevent cutting against the grain? I’m new to shapers so any other advice would be helpful.
**The other part is I’m looking at a job where I’ll probably have to shape a few hundred lineal feet of trim so I’m looking at getting a power feeder as well. I see they range from 1/8 to several hp, how big should I be looking at? I’ll mostly see myself using it with smaller shaper bits but that could change as well as possibly setting it up on my table saw when I have to do long miters or lots of rip cuts. I’ve never used one before and couldn’t find much info online, any tips and tricks would be a big help. Thanks, Mike Arntz

This Episode’s Questions:

Brians Questions:

Hey guys, I am building an arts and crafts style entryway table that is roughly modeled after a Stickley magazine stand. It will have an upper “shelf” that is surrounded on three side by the rails or stretchers on the side and back and is open on the front. The bottom “shelf” is identical. These two shelves are seated into the four legs. The front legs have a full depth groove cut into them that the shelf seats into and the rear legs have a cutout on the inside corner for the rear shelf support. I will include a link at the bottom showing the piece that I modeled my table after. The original is smaller and has three shelves, mine will only have two and will have spindles between the rear top and bottom stretchers as well. However, the way the shelves are attached will be the same.

My question is this: How can I attach the shelves to the front and rear legs without causing issues with wood movement? The shelves will be somewhere in the 13-14” deep range. Gluing the shelf to the rear legs and letting the shelf slide in the groove in the front legs would work but there is no front rail or stretcher connecting the two front legs so I don’t think that works. Can I glue the shelf to all four legs? Alternatively I suppose I could put a small low profile stretcher under the shelf connecting the two front legs, but I don’t think it exists on the original and I’d prefer not to if I don’t have to. Please feel free to contact me to clarify anything if I didn’t explain well enough. Kellen

I think the thing I struggle with the most in building furniture is laying out where each part is going to come from on the rough boards. All the wood I’ve bought so far was air dryed from Facebook marketplace, so maybe that has made it harder since the boards are never perfectly straight. I always use straight grain sections for the legs and I try to also use straight grain for any aprons, rails and stiles. This leaves alot of waste. If I have a 8″ board and I use say 2.5″ from each edge of straight grain, what do you do with the leftover center section that is just cathedrals? When do you not use straight grain on these types of parts? Any other advise on laying out parts on the rough boards? Thanks again for answering my questions and the best podcast. Jeff

Guys Questions:

Hey Guys,
I love your show! I usually listen on my commute or while I’m working in the shop.
I’m building a hayrake table out of walnut and haven’t decided on the finish. I’m looking for something durable, easy to wipe clean (I have kids), and not super glossy. Any suggestions on what to use and how to apply it?
Thank you for all the great tips! Ezra

Thank you for your fantastic podcast! I really appreciate how accessible and practical you make woodworking for both beginners and experts alike.
I’ve been woodworking for about two years now, mostly building cutting boards, boxes, gifts and simple furniture out of basic hardwoods. I’ve also dabbled in making furniture with plywood, such as a bedside table for my 11-year-old. I’m fortunate to be a member of a shared woodworking shop at a local arts and crafts society, which is well-equipped with power tools including a SawStop cabinet saw.
Our shop uses a shared set of well-worn Freud blades which get pretty beat up, but I’ve had the privilege of using nicer table saw blades loaned to me by the shop keeper, who has been incredibly supportive as I develop my skills. This brings me to my question: I am ready to purchase my own table saw blades and have zoomed in on CMT as a brand for their value.
I’m considering three blades: an 80-tooth Hi-ATB crosscut, a 24-tooth flat top grind ripping blade, and a 50-tooth combination blade with ATB and one TCG tooth, all in full kerf. My research suggests that the main arguments for thin kerf blades are that they are easier on low power table saws and produce less waste. Since I have access to a SawStop cabinet saw, I don’t need blades suited for low power saws, and I’m not sure the reduced waste is worth the trade-offs.
Are there other advantages or reasons I should consider a thin kerf blade? It seems that full kerf blades offer more stability and cleaner cuts, and as I build my skills, my expectations for precision are increasing. What are your thoughts on kerf size and blade choice for someone in my situation?
Thanks for your advice, and keep up the great work! Stuart

Huys Questions:

Hey gents,
I’m getting into a kitchen remodel and will be building all the cabinets myself because I’m a glutton for punishment. I’m trying to find a white (tintable base) finish, but am a little overwhelmed by all the options. It for sure needs to be water based, and I have an Airless system as well as a 2-stage HVLP for application. Can you recommend any product for this purpose? I’ve been experimenting with Target Coatings water based pigmented lacquer (EM6500wp) with their CL100 cross-linker and was just “ok” with the results. I tried spraying it with the HVLP but I’m thinking the finish was too thick to properly atomize with a 2-stage turbine, so maybe I need to shoot it with the Airless? I’m not super keen on any finish with a real limited pot life, since I’ll be doing this on the nights and weekends, and feel like that would lead to a significant amount of waste. Thanks in advance for the insight! Travis

Hello guys,
I have been a long time listener and I really appreciate all of the knowledge that you guys share with the woodworking community.
I have seen the Critter Siphon Gun advertised in the Lee Valley catalog and watched a few videos about it on YouTube. Have you had any experience with the Critter Siphon Gun and how does it compare to other options like HVLP sprayers?
Thanks, Daniel