Episode 35 – Perfect Miters, CNC Machines, Moving Large Pieces, & MUCH More!

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Guys Questions

1) I’m having trouble getting clean 45 degree angles (or any angle other than 90) on my table saw. I use an Incra Miter 1000. It seems like my workpiece shifts ever so slightly as the wood enters the blade and my miter isn’t clean. I don’t have confidence in the miter stop provided with the miter gauge cause it’s just a small round piece of metal. Any tips on cutting angles with this style miter gauge would be awesome. Also, do you recommend using it on the left or right miter slot of a left tilting blade. Much appreciated.  Keep up the good work. -Zach

2) I just got my first Lie-Nielsen plane (#4 bronze body smoother).  I’ve decided it’s time to up my sharpening game and purchase some quality stones to sharpen plane irons and chisels.  I had pretty much decided on Shapton Waterstones when I ran across their glass stones. The glass stones now seem to be the way to go but I’d like to have your guys take on glass vs. water stones before I pull the trigger. Love the show guys!  Thanks and Merry Christmas! – Jeff

Sean’s Questions

1) Hello guys, big fan of the podcast, I’ve listened to all your episodes and look forward to each one. I enjoy the Q&A format.

My question is about a workbench I want to build, more specifically the top. I have no formal workbench right now so I’m looking to build my first. I was initially looking to source some butcher block top and use that but last year I acquired a full 4×8 sheet of 1-1/4″ MDF leftover from a jobsite. I had to rip it down and cut it down to make it manageable enough to get it in my car so I have 2 5’x2′ pieces of 1-1/4″ MDF.

I was planning on laminating these 2 pieces together to get a 5′ X 2′ X 2-1/2″ thick benchtop. I’m wondering what if any issues I may encounter and any tips for gluing up, attaching a vise, etc. I was going to drill dog holes but I recently saw a video from Dave Piccuito at https://youtu.be/DYIwSm2wnAA where he puts in a t-track. I really like how his turned out and was thinking about doing that.

So I was just hoping to get some insight into anything I may want to look out for or be aware of. Pros/cons/thoughts. Thanks for everything you do guys, take care. – Michael

2) On a recent episode, you talked about using your CNC’s to cut out jigs, etc.  I’m interested in getting a CNC to complement my woodworking, which is a fairly new hobby for me since I retired a couple of years ago.  My only real interest is in using it to make jig parts and router templates for things like furniture legs – not interested in creating final products or 3D sculptures with the CNC, nor doing production for products to sale.  What are your recommendations (size, features, manufacturers) for a setup that would see light duty limited to this application? I’ve tried some of the online laser-cutting services – but they can get pricey pretty quick and have limited thicknesses, so I’m interested in my own setup.  Price is a big consideration – as I can’t see spending 5 grand for such a limited application. Thanks, Scott

Huy’s Questions

1) I started woodworking last year, and I’ve only been using jatoba, African mahogany, hickory, and hard maple. Mostly because I got good deals on Craigslist. Based on what I’ve heard you guys discussing, those might not be the easiest woods to work with.

My next project is to make a bed for my 4 year old son. What species would make my life easier? I’m in Denver, so cherry isn’t all that cheap. Also, any tips on making beds? -aaron

2) I have a commission for a 6’ round 12/4 (poplar but it doesn’t matter) dining table. I’ll fabricate the steel base, but how would you move such a massive piece around the shop? And any recommendations on the glue up? Guy, how do you move your large pieces at the new shop? Thanks gentlemen! Will

Thanks to Maverick Abrasives for sponsoring this episode!

Episode 34 – Workbench Vise, Multiple Dust Collectors, Spring Joint, & MUCH More!

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guy

1) I have a makita trim router with a ¼” up cut spiral bit routing a groove in the edge of a board and the collet keeps loosening the bit. I’m only taking ⅛” deep passes. Not sure what the problem is. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Douglas.

2) Love the show. My hobbiest shop is a 24×30 garage and I’m looking to upgrade the dust collection. I initially looked at a big 3HP dust collector and plumbing the whole shop with 4” and 6” ducting.

Now I’m looking at getting 2-3  Grizzly G0785 Or Rockler wall mount units and keeping each near 1-2 machines and not running expensive and cumbersome duct work all over my shop. It seems like for about $1200 I could have a pretty effective setup by going this way instead of 1 big dust collector.

Am I missing something?  Do you see any disadvantages of going with multiple smaller units mounted close to my machines? – Ron

Sean

1) Hey guys I’ve got a workbench vise question. I’m in the process of building a new workbench and am ready to mount a front vise.

I have an old record style vise that I was going to use and mount to the apron leaving it proud. However everyone I see now mounts there vise inset using the bench apron as the rear jaws of the vise. Granted these are all quick release Lee Valley style vises.

Would you mount the vise proud or inset the vise? I found some info from Paul Sellers in favor of mounting a vise proud to avoid pinching fingers. But haven’t found any info on people using vises that are flush to the apron of the bench.

Btw this isn’t my end all be all beautiful shaker/rubo bench. It will probably last 5-7 years before I replace it.

Thanks

Jesse

Beechland Furniture –

2) I am a very green woodworker. I am building a small side/end table. I’ll attach the top to the aprons and allow for wood movement. I want to add a shelf at about a third of the length from the top to the floor. I thought about attaching it to the legs. How would you guys do it?

Thanks for the great podcast. – Omer

Huy

1) Thank you all for devoting such time to this podcast. I am a new woodworker and I am learning so much in every episode.

I am writing with a question about jointing and spring joints. I refurbished an old Atlas 6000 6 inch jointer. It’s a beast and I think I did a pretty good job getting everything aligned — very sharp new blades at the right height. But when I edge-joint longer boards (60″ — the outfeed table of the jointer is only about 26″), I do get a very small, wide arch (crook or frown face) on the jointed edge. When I put two jointed boards edge to edge to make a panel, there is a small (1/32-1/16″) gap in the center, but the ends of the board are flush. I lamented this to a fellow woodworker and he told me not to worry — that it’s a best practice to make a “spring joint’ by leaving such a gap and closing it up via clamps during a glue-up. So my question is: is my friend right — should I just go with a spring joint? And if he’s not right, how can I calibrate my jointer so I get a straighter edge? – Adam Potthast

2) I’m going to be building a run of side chairs in the near future, and am in the design phase. My question is about the necessity of lower stretchers for durability. I’d like these chairs to last for decades (at least), and my kids/nephews are maniacs. Do lower stretchers on a side chair add measurable strength, or are the mortise/tenon joints for the seat aprons sufficient on their own? I love your podcast. Thanks very much. – Andrew

Episode 33 – Solid Wood Cabinets, Blade Cleaning, Finishing Cedar, & MUCH More!

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guy:

1) Hi Guys, been thinking a lot lately on getting into woodworkering. I follow several instagram and YouTube channels but just wanted to get some input on what i need to get started and what are some really nice projects for a complete beginner to start off with. -acam22

2) Gentleman, thank you for answering my question in Episode 7. Ive got a new question for you. Blade Cleaning versus Blade Sharpening. We all know it’s a good practice the clean blades regularly and personally I go with some warm water and simple green, it’s worked great for me. My question is, what are the signs I should look for when I’m beyond this simple solution and it’s time to get my blades sharpened. Thanks and keep up the good work! -Hubble_workshop

Sean:

1) How do you like the jet combo jointer/thickness planer? I’m space limited and thinking of replacing a 6” ridgid jointer and 10” inca combo machine. I’d like to have a larger jointer and was wondering how you like the combination machine. Did you consider other similar models? 

Thanks – Adam

2) I recently acquired 120 bf of ash and thought it would be perfect to make a new office desk. I was thinking of making a metal base with ash top and ash cabinets underneath. There would be a single cabinet box on either side. I was thinking of making the cabinet box out of solid ash. Is this a good idea? Any concerns or should I still to plywood? The reason for ash would be to keep consistent wood/grain/color throughout. And the fact I have a lot of it. If solid wood is ok, any recommendations on box construction? Thanks! – crwoodshop

Huy:

1) Is there a distinct advantage to a cast iron router surface over a laminate one? The price difference seems negligible between the two.

  1. Is there anything that we should consider specifically when getting a router table wing/insert with regards to fence and dust collection? For example, Saw Stop looks like it uses a proprietary fence that doesn’t have dust collection at the fence. We’re trying to “future-proof” our shop as best we can, so we don’t want to be limited by being stuck to a single solution with regards to fences. Our plan is to put a JessEm Mast-R Lift II in whatever wing we get with the Porter Cable 7518.

Thanks for the awesome podcast. By far my favorite wood working podcast and something we look forward to every time we see a new episode release. Keep up the good work!

Chris and Lydia

2) I’m planning on building a few cedar shutters. I want to maintain the original wood color as much as possible and prevent the cedar from graying over time. What finish would you recommend that would both protect the wood from rain/sunlight and also prevent the wood from graying too quickly?

Thanks! – Josh

Thanks to the sponsor of this episode, Maverick Abrasives

Episode 32 – The Perfect Assembly Table, Router Bit Safety, Making Your Own Plywood, & MUCH More!

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guy

1) Have you ever made your own plywood from solid wood for projects?  I’m thinking a void free core of walnut plywood could allow me to use it in projects where the edge could be exposed unlike traditional veneered plywood and also give me some dimension stability.  You thoughts? Tips? Brian

2) I know at least one of you uses the Leigh dovetail jig. Just wondering how well the jig is made. If the tail and pin boards align, and if there is a lot of tweaking to get the jig to work properly. I have Porter Cable 4216 jig. I have been trying to get this to work for a case I am working on. I was having some problems with the tails and pins being about a sixteenth out of alignment. I took many measurements to be sure that the tail board is centered in the template only to discover as I loosened the template it could shift side to side by more that a thirty second of an inch. There are a few other things I am not crazy about with this jig. Just wondering what your experiences have shown using other jigs,

Also, thanks for answering all of my previous questions! – Dave

Sean

1) I have been a weekend woodworker for 5 or so years as time permits with 3 kids and a busy schedule. I am working out of a 3 car garage that my wife and I both park in. I use about 1.5 bays currently and when I do not have a project I move equipment so I can park. I do not have an assembly or outfeed table to work from and often use the garage floor. Frustrating… I am looking for space savings option for a table, preferably one with dog holes so I can clamp to route, biscuit joint, and other assembly work. I currently do not have hand tools i.e. handsaws, planes, or chisels for heavy duty hand tool work. Maybe one that is portable like Guys outfeed table as I have an incra tablesaw fence as well. I don’t know if a festool mft3 would be a solution as I could store it when not working/assembling. Maybe a storabe outfeed table as well as a storable assemble might work. I don’t think I am ready for a hand tool workbench yet. My father in law had a production cabinet door and counter top shop with a large industrial CNC machine and could cut a festoool style top out of MDF that would not cost me anything out of pocket. Is that a good option? Any recommendations would be appreciated.

2) Shhhh…. don’t let Guy know I asked another question. Let’s just say this one is from Boudreaux François… hahaha

With as many jigs and templates that are made for your projects through the years what do you do with them? Do you make them one time, use them then toss them out or repurpose them for other jigs? Aside from the obvious ones that are traditionally used in the shop (cross cut sleds, tapering jig, edge jointing jig for the table saw… etc) at what point do you say “I’m going to keep this one”. I have always struggled with the idea of spending the time to make these jigs and templates even if I know that I won’t necessarily be using it again in the next 6 months then just trashing it. Just curious.

As always, Thank you for your time and please keep up the absolutely wonderful work y’all are doing on the podcast and your shops! The information y’all share is always spot on!

Thanks,
Brent Jarvis
Clean Cut Woodworking

Huy

1) I am making a pair of side tables that are based on Philip Morley’s table design from the #275 Fine woodworking issue. I’ve scaled it down and modified it to be a side table more than a dining table (proportionally shrunk all the dimensions, increased apron size to fit a shallow drawer in it and added a low shelf) but I am trying to keep a similar look to his original piece. So, I am using his techniques to create the legs which have a curved taper and Phil achieves this shape with a two-sided jig that he runs along a flush cut trim bit.
My legs are 2 and 5/16 thick at the thickest part. Add on about 1/2 inch for the jig and that meant I needed to get a pretty tall flush cut bit. I bought a flush cut bit (top and bottom bearing) that is 2 and 1/2 inches long (2 and 1/2 cutting length, 3/4 wide, 1/2 shank, overall length 4 and 7/8) so that I could route it in one pass.
I will set it up on the router table and I intend to cut real close to the line so I don’t have much material to remove, but I am still a little nervous about it when I think about that tall bit. I have never used such a large bit before and would like to know what special considerations to take.
Should I be concerned about the stability of the bit when it is that tall?

2) Hello again, some advice/brainstorming sought.
I am building a puzzle building table. If you are unfamiliar, it is essentially a large box with a very shallow bottom so that a puzzle can be built on that surface. Two large leaves then fold over from the ends to cover the entire top, leave a table for other use.

Because of the leaves unfolding and draping over the short ends, I need the end to be flush across, so a normal leg with the rails mortised in won’t really work as insetting the rail isn’t possible with the hinges, and flush (to me) won’t look right. The ones I’ve seen on the internet build a big box then attach the legs inside the corners. I’d also like the legs to be removable so that it can be transported more compact as it will be “pub height” of about 40″
I’m wondering what attachment method you might use to lace the legs on the inside corners, preferably removable, but also sturdy and non wracking.
The rails will be about 8″ wide (still designing) with the “bottom” about an inch from the top. So there will be about 6-7″ available corner space underneath the top for the legs to rest.
Any ideas?

Thanks, Peter
@mr.downing.woodworking on Instagram

Our social media picks:

Sean:  @thosmoser
Guy: @pdindy
Huy: @meredithhartfurniture

Thanks to the sponsor of this episode, Maverick Abrasives 

Episode 31 – Refinishing, Wax over Danish Oil, When Square is Square, & MUCH More!

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife

Guys Questions:

1) Hi guys , I have been pondering this for a while and just wanted some other perspectives, if you don’t mind. Question, how would you go about veneering a cabriole leg, something in the Louis 14th era. I haven’t found anything on how it was done (some kind of hammer veneering I’m guessing)
I want to do this for a personal project and would appreciate any insights.
Cheers, joey chalk.

2) I have an older coffee table. Nicely made from oak. It is finished in a dark brown stain and then covered in a glossy varnish (at least I think it’s a stain/varnish combination). I like the coffee table, but the finish is not my style and would prefer it to be matt and/or lighter in color .
I guess the easiest work is to just get it matt by lightly sanding it and refinishing it with matt varnish? Getting the color lighter will require more sanding and more work?
What would your approach be? Any suggestions for stains, oils or another finishes that look natural/lighter?

Thank you!
Bart (from Belgium)

Seans Questions:

1) I was wondering your thoughts about putting a wax finish over danish oil. I’ve heard that it’s more upkeep and unnecessary. I’ve finished a few small gift boxes made out of walnut with danish oil but I feel that I don’t quite get the patina I’m looking for. Do you have a favorite finish for small gift boxes? – Scott

2) Hi Guys,
Thanks for putting together such a great podcast! I know that Guy has a 12″ jointer/planer combo machine and believe Huy and Sean may also. I’ve asked Guy a few questions about his machine in the past and he has been kind enough to answer and even do a review of his machine…thanks Guy! I am looking to eventually purchase a similar machine to Guy’s, but the Canadian importer I will purchase from offers both 12″ and 16″ models. Has there been a time that you’ve wished for a machine larger than 12″? Obviously the 16″ is more money, an extra $1000 or so. Would you go for the 16″, or is 12″ more than enough? – Kreg

Huys Questions:

1) I always here people talk about how you can’t trust the square you just bought to be square. Well, if nothing I have is square, then how the hell do I know what is actually square? This question of what is really square and what is not has been screwing with me for a couple of years now. So I just pass over it and get my stuff close enough…. which, of course, makes for its own set of headaches….PyratWoodworking

2) Loving the podcast guys! My question is regarding third party upgrades to bigger machines. Recently found a used Jet JJ-6CSX on marketplace for pretty cheap ($550) and the commercial contractor selling it must not have used it because it’s in amazing condition. That being said, I’m tempted to upgrade the cutter head. Although the knives are functional and fine, I know that a helical head has a lot more long term benefits.

So my question is: Have any of you upgraded a cutterhead from a third party vendor before? If so, how did it work out? I have also only been able to find a couple of options from Grizzly or Byrd. Are there others out there that also make something that can fit this model and what should I be weary of when looking?

As always thanks for all you guys do.

Joey
Winter Wolf Woodworking

Our Social Picks:

Sean: @StudioCSH

Guy: @retiredwithwood

Huy:  @fernwehwoodworking