Woodshop Life Podcast

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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.)

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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