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Guy's Questions: Good afternoon Gentlemen, Thank you for your podcast, I really appreciate it, and you fellows. Long story short, I am a re-engaging woodworker after taking a 20 year hiatus. Due to life requirements and work travel frequency, I was unable to keep up my hobby. I now have the time (and hopefully will NEVER have to fly somewhere for work again) to start anew. Things have changed quite a bit in past couple decades, and so have my interests in terms of wood working. Over my hiatus, I sold some of my equipment in hopes the machines would be used instead of sitting idle and it is time to re-equip my shop needs with eliminated tools and new needs. My tool requirements are also much different today, then they were 20 years ago. One requirement I now have is a drum sander. I don't have the desire to rotate any work (key point), and want to acquire a machine that fits my specific needs, thus an 18" capability is perfect for what my new woodworking interests require. I also refuse to take any advice from boob tube woodworkers recommendations, as it seems that 90% of the creators I find may have started out providing woodworking content, but they mostly all just become prejudiced tool reviewers who conflict each other based on who is giving them free tools or paying them. I have lost a lot of respect for some woodworkers on YouTube who used to be considered by me as inspirations in their early YouTube careers, no longer. With that said, I have trimmed my interest list down to a Jet 1836 and Supermax 19-38. I imagine some or all of you have had experience with both, and would like your feedback. I am not currently considering models with moving/height adjustable belts such as the shop fox/grizzly, however if you have anything to add on those, it would be nice to hear. Glad you have a new host, it seems like he may be a great fit for the podcast. Well wishes to all of you, and Guy, I hope your health is well. Kurtis Van Kampen You fellas have filled my head with hours and hours of information. You’re truly the best Podcast I’ve found. So before Guy’s head begins to swell, on with the question. I’ve started watching Nee Yankee workshop again now they I actually have a 520 sqft shop to work out in. In the first season Norm used what he called a panel cutting jig for the table saw. The fence of the jig was located on the blade side rather than the operator side like the modern crosscut sled. This jig is dead simple being made of only three boards. I had big plans to make a modern crosscut sled (not the aircraft carrier) with all the bells and whistles. Now I’m completely rethinking my next table saw jig. Since Guy (like myself) is the only one of you old enough to remember the first episode, this should probably be HIS question. Keep up the great work fellows. I appreciate what each of you bring to the table. -Bryan   Huy's Questions: I’d first like to say that I listen to a bunch of other woodworking podcasts as well, but of all of them, yours has the lowest level of useless off-topic banter. Keep up the good work. I have a question about the usage of my shop air cleaner. It’s a Jet AFS-1000B, and my ceiling is only 7’6”, so can’t hang it from there. So I have it on a roll-around cart. My shop is 13’ x 17’. I don’t have a central dust collection system, but for the following tools I hook up my shop vac to the tool: table saw, planer, drum sander, router table and random orbit sander. I also have a circular saw, a handheld router, a jigsaw, a drill press, a belt sander and a palm sander. My question is, for which tools should I be turning on the air cleaner, and on which setting? (it has low, medium and high settings) And how long should I keep it on for after the tool has been turned off? Thanks. Steve My perception is that the people who seem to get hurt the most are woodworking professionals who become too comfortable/familiar with machines. Is that a fair assessment? [I am a hobbyist woodworker.] FYI, on 3 I am just asking for a comment on my observation. Have a great day Chuck   Brians Questions: First, love the podcast and thank you! Question: I’m building a 28 foot table. I’m thinking that I will essentially build 4 table tops and connect them with ‘double breadboards’ with runners between the tressels (5). Thoughts? Back story: I am a veteran and I run a program that addresses PTSD, Substance Abuse and homelessness in the the veteran community. An essential component is that the veterans cook meals and eat together and as the program has grown, there is an assortment of tables in the house and I want too big a build one. I am an average woodworker and I can do the basics. It doesn’t have to be piece of art, just chunky and uniform. Also, there’s not a big endless budget so I am doing what I can. The vision: I fhave to build it in my garage and put it together on site. 28 feet long, 38 inches wide (the space dictates it). The only way I can work out the jointing is a double breadboard end that joins each section. I thought about end jointing with dowels alternating the lengths of the boards so there was no single joint across the length of the board which was quite the puzzle to figure out. 5 trestles essentially spaced under the middle breadboards with 2 runners supporting the table between legs and one runner connecting the legs 1/3 up from the bottom of the leg. Craig laseur Hi Guys, I love your podcast. I have listened to every single episode! Please keep them coming! I was listening to Episode 114 about the domino tips and I am now thinking of completing my kitchen cabinet project using dominoes instead of pocket screws for the cabinet construction as I already own a domino. I was curious as to how Brian prefers to assemble cabinets. I have already watched Guy's videos! ;) Do you use the domino? How do you go about end panel construction? How do you finish your cabinets? Any tips you can provide is greatly appreciated! Thanks, Natasha Round Lake, Ontario, Canada  

Brian's Questions: Hey Guys! Love the podcast. Long time listener, first time asking a question! I am looking for recommendations on how to remove saw marks after ripping pieces to final width on the table saw. I recently built a couple rocking chairs for my kiddos, and was looking for a super smooth surface finish on all four sides. My solution was to joint and plane the parts on 3 sides and then rip a 1/32 or so oversized. After that I set my jointer to 1/32 and ran the cut edge back over the jointer to remove the saw. This m I recently scored a router table on Facebook marketplace for $500. Woodpecker PRL 1 lift, Incra jig ultra fence, and Porter Cable 3.25 horse router. 1, what's your favorite lubricant for threaded parts like router lifts and table saw arbor tilts? 2, Other than keeping them clear of dust so they don't over heat is there any other maintenance to extend the life of a router? They don't make the Porter Cable routers anymore so I want to keep it in top condition. - Tylerethod seems to work nicely. I am using a Jet cabinet saw and not matter how much I try to adjust it, I can never seem to get a rip without at least a few saw marks. Just looking for ways to improve my efficiency while in the shop! Thanks again Dylan.   Hey guys, You said you needed more questions so here ya go... I have a couple hundred bucks left over from my December birthday and Christmas haul that I plan to spend on woodworking supplies/tools. I keep a running wish list throughout the year of various woodworking things I "need" So there is no shortage of things I could spend it on, however I don't want to waste it. That has encouraged me to just sit on it for now and I feel like I'm at a bit of a crossroads. Do I simply save it and put it towards a big more expensive tool down the road (for example I don't currently have any kind of planer or joiner). Or do I use it to buy some of the less sexy but more useful day to day items that every shop should have (i.e. better bits, blades, consumables, jigs, etc...) For reference: At this point in my woodworking career I do mostly hobbyist/DIY level work. I have either budget or second hand versions of most basic hand and power tools and the basic bigger tools (Benchtop Drill Press, Contractor Saw, Miter Saw) I would love to delve in to the more serious side of woodworking one day, so I do have a goal of getting a planer and joiner down the road. But realistically I know if one fell down from the heavens in to my shop tomorrow it wouldn't get used immediately. Regardless of my own personal decisions I thought it would be cool to get y'alls take on what you would consider the top small ticket items that every shop should have. I think we all get more excited about big expensive tools, because frankly it's more fun, but for people like myself just getting started on this journey it can be easy to miss the basics as a result of that excitement. Thanks for being so awesome, Jon   Guy's Questions:   Good day fellas, Been listening for a while, and really enjoy the podcast. Here is my problem/question. For Christmas this past year I made a few cutting boards as gifts using Maple, Walnut and a few pieces of Purple Heart. In my design process I managed to make one of the cutting boards slightly too big to fit (on first glue up) through my Dewalt DW735 planer. In order to save some time, I just ran the piece through the table saw to get the over width down to just under 13". On the first pass through the planer, everything went as planned. The second pass through didnt go so great. At around ¾ of the way through, the planer dug into the piece and put some pretty nasty snipe into the piece. Id say around 4-5" from the end of the board, and almost 1/8" deep. What would cause that to happen? Narrower pieces that ive ran through after havent given me any snipe since. Is it due to me using the entire 13" of the cutter head? Because of my snipe issue, im really hesitant on running anything wide through the planer now. I want to experiment using some cheaper wood, but just havent found the time to do so yet. Thanks for the help. - Dwayne   Hey guys, heard you are in need of some questions from the last show, so thought I would send one your way. What do you think is the best paint for furniture that will see use and abuse? I’ve been experimenting with some different options and haven’t found anything that I think I will stick with, and I do not want to put a clear coat over the paint. Looking for something very hard and durable, as the next time I need it will be for chairs. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!   Huy's Questions:   When does something cross the line between being 'handmade' and 'machine made'? My nephew had a CNC machine and advertised the products as 'handmade.' Is this all subjective anyways? Have a great day Chuck    

Brians Questions:  Hi Friends: I really enjoy every podcast you guys put out. Thanks to Brain for stepping up to be the third host. He seems to be a natural with podcasting and teaching woodworking techniques. My question is related to tool choice. I am currently planning to build out a router table into the black phenolic extension table for my sawstop PCS 175. I have the 36inch cut capacity. I have seen videos on modifiying the extension table and dropping in a router lift. It seems like a great shop space saver. I have two questions for you guys. Do you think there is any value in having a stand alone router table? or is modifying the phenolic table a reasonable approach. I plan to build a custom fence to attach to the sawstop fence. My second question is - how important is it to buy a full size (3.25hp) router versus just getting a mid size router (2.25hp)? I currently have the milwaukee battery powered palm router (1.25hp) which has been useful but I want the accuracy and stability of a router table. The bulk of my work is edging and dados, but I would like the capacity to do raised panel cabinet doors and even to take my router out of the table and eventually build a flattening jig for large slabs. Is 2.25hp enough for these tasks? I am a hobbyist and don't have any production needs for this setup but don't want to be limited. Accuracy is important to me so I am going to go with a lift rather than buying a router with a base that can be screwed onto a table (like the triton). One issue is that a lift + router setup for a 2.25hp router is about $350 and for 3.25hp, I'm looking at $800+. Thaks in advance for your thoughts Sincerely, Jeremy Los Angeles, CA ey guys I just wrote in and submitted a question but I do have another which I hope can be answered I’m building a kitchen table, 36x60” with a 1.5” top. The table is being made out of Rustic Rift Sawn White Oak Question is what is the best or a best method to ensure the top stays flat. This is in San Diego, Ca so weather/ humidity changes are the quite mild. I was thinking maple cleats across the bottom/ not glued but screwed allowing for movement. Any suggestions would be great Thanks and can’t wait for the next episode Nicholas   Guy's Questions: 1. What are the best responses to people who want you to make them something (usually for little or nothing)? [Most people are clueless regarding the effort and expense it takes to make something nice.] Have a great day Chuck Hello all, the WoodMech here, I just purchased a ts55 festool tracksaw with the 55” guide rail for my kitchen remodeling project. I was wondering how accurate joining two tracks together compared to having the longer track? I was thinking about getting the guide rail with the shelf pin spacing holes and using that as the extension for cutting length wise on sheets of plywood. What are your thoughts or experiences? Thanks for the great show! Jeff Baran   Huy's Questions: Gentlemen and Guy :) Have been listening for about a year and this is still the best woodworking podcast out there. I'd also like to thanks Sean for his contributions and welcome Brian to the show! My question is, there are so many woodworking content makers out there today. Who are the woodworkers that you guys follow ?? Second question... Assume you have become retired and now have lots of time on your hands. What woodworking projects would you work on? Would you go into production work and sell your goods, custom furniture??? What would be your ultimate retired woodworking project??? Thanks ! Liam Indianapolis, IN So I'm having trouble with bubbles. Both when I'm using epoxy and fast drying/instant glue (Starbond) any advice on how to avoid them? I'm not doing large pours, this is simply some gap filling and knot hole stabilization. With the Starbond I do use their accelerator, but I've done it with and without, and it doesn't seem to make a difference w/r/t the bubbles. Also, how do you get the glue/epoxy down into a pin hole? Mark Bett

Brians Questions: Good evening everyone, Wanted to reach out to you about time in the shop. Im expecting my second child in a matter of days and was curious how you all find/found time in the shop with little kids running around and being constantly tired? My second question is a follow up regarding a question you all read regarding "Box Materials" on October 20th. Loved the double answer but was looking for Drawer box material to use. BB (or whatever you can find now) or a hardwood? Thanks, Paul at Twin Lake Woodshop Hey guys love the podcast. I have been listening for a while now and hear you need some questions. What has been your favorite thing to build and why? something you’ve built in the past or even something you would like to build in the future. Please share how you built it (or want to build it) and what it was (or will be) enjoyable about the project. Thanks for all the great content and hopefully I’ll bring some more specific questions in the near future. -Nicholas Guys Questions: Long time listener, first time caller. You guys have mentioned water-based conversion varnish and that you can get it pigmented. I hate painting woodworking projects, but the wife wants what she wants. Why do you prefer conversion varnish and is there a certain product you prefer? I have a five stage Apollo sprayer, so spraying shouldn't be a problem. I live on the southside of Indianapolis so it isn't the easiest place to get supplies. Thanks, Geoff Hi Fellas, I found the podcast a few months ago and have been really enjoying it. Thanks for the great content and knowledge. I am very much a novice woodworker so I have lots of questions. Sounds like you need questions and I would love some answers so maybe we can all come out on top here. Probably me more than you. Question #1 of 2. I have a little doweling jig, I think from Rockler. It gets the job done, but just barely. I would really like to upgrade to something that is more efficient but more importantly, that is more versatile. I want something with adjustable height and that can do acute angles. I would love a domino but its out of my price range right now. I saw that grizzly, triton and mafell all make a doweling joiner similar to a domino. Yes, one of these things is not like the other. The mafell looks incredible but it costs more than the domino. The triton and grizzly look fine and are very reasonably priced but the reviews tell me they probably aren’t worth spending the money. The dowelmax system looks great but its only does 90° and 45°, and you have to buy the 45° adapter plate. After all that, I may as well save a little longer and get the domino. My questions is: should I risk it with the triton, get a biscuit joiner (which I’m worried won’t have enough strength for certain applications) or just keep saving and get a domino down the road? Or is there another product I don’t know about? Thanks. Happy New Year! Jon Moch Huy's Questions: I have been given a mission to make a wooden serving dish. The shape is basically an elongated oval. Dimensions are 21" x 9" x 1 1/2". My patron (hum hum) called the design a fish platter. Wood will probably be walnut. The walls of the dish are to be sloped and just slightly curved. With some hand work I think I can achieve the outside wall of the dish. The issue creating the most questions for me is how to do the inside wall of the dish. I have seen plenty of bowl and tray bottom router bits. All cut a vertical wall. Bevel router bits I have seen have a bearing on the bottom. The bearing would interfere with the bottom of the dish. Because of the inside and outside curve of the wall I doubt if making a custom scratch stock would yield good results. I don't want to get into the CNC rabbit hole. Any thoughts? You have a great podcast and provide a valuable service to the wood working community. Cheers, Bob On one of the kitchen tables that I made I used mortise-and-tenon joinery, which turned out well, with everything plumb, and then to make sure it was strong I also put in a corner brace cut at 45-degrees, screwed into the skirt on each side, and then ran a cabinet screw through that corner brace into the leg. I left a small gap, about 1/16" between the corner brace and the leg. When I tightened up the braces the legs splayed out a little bit, making them not quite plumb. My concern with seeing the leg move is that I may have stressed the tenons (although I didn't hear any cracking). Is the best practice to omit this corner bracing when doing mortise-and-tenon tables? Mark Schmidt

Guys Questions: Hey guys. I just finished listening to your latest podcast, really good information and insight as usual. I'm still a novice user of the Domino so really enjoyed the tips and tricks you provided in answering a Domino related question. You mentioned being very short on questions so I'm going to send a similar question to one sent a couple of months ago that didn't get answered. I built an outfeed table a couple of years ago to use solely as an extension of my table saw. Now I find that I use it for glue-ups, as an assembly table and just about every other task. The table is roughly 44" x 44". I would now like to rebuild it as a true multi-functional table with the proper hold-downs and clamping devices and could use some design advice from you based upon the pros and cons you find with your own MFT's. One particular area I'm interesting in is the size of dog holes to use (imperial vs metric) and some recommendations on the type of dogs and clamping devices I should buy to get the best use of the MFT. Thanks again for having by far the best woodworking podcast available. And Brian, welcome to the team. Jack Francis Geneva, IL Happy New Year Guys, and welcome Brian. Guy and Huy have been kind enough to answer a number of my questions in the past (and Huy has always been helpful in making me spend money lol). With my last question you helped me convince myself to invest in a CNC which is on order now, and after watching Guy’s video on his 3D Printer (and he was kind enough to answer a question on the video for me) I was wondering if you three would expand on your thoughts on CNC, 3-D printing, and Lasers in the wood shop for the hobbyist woodworking. I foresee having all three in my arsenal at some point in the near future. Thanks as always and I look forward to your insights, Doug Brians Questions: Fellow travelers on this path of wood- First off, there has to be a better way of saying that. Secondly, I don't think I have told you recently how much I am enjoying the podcast, and your new addition Brian. At first I was like "two hosts from Indiana and I don't even believe that state actually exists," but you've won me over. On to my question. I find myself wanting maple doors for my house, but I need...13 to start for the upstairs. And I want them to be curly maple. So, because I got into woodworking to save money (duh), I'm going to build them myself. 4-panel Shaker style interior doors ranging from 24" to 36" wide. Would you recommend using maple ply for the panels, or glueing up stock? Honestly my concern isn't so much wood movement as the P.I.T.A. it would be to make all those panels (Pain in the...). And while we are on the subject of pains in the posterior, would you recommend a Domino or Lamello, save me a few minutes on those mortice and tenons, or just jig it up? Unfortunately I think the hand tools have to sit on the sidelines for this one. Thank you for your sage advice. Excelsior! - Tom Figura Hi Guy, Huy, and Brian, Thank you for the very informative podcast, I’ve been listening for years. The knowledge that I’ve gained from the Woodshop Life podcast helps me make my limited time in the shop way more efficient. Thank you for generously sharing your wisdom. Question for you guys about sheet good selection. What sheet goods do you typically use for the projects in your shop and what is your thought process when deciding if if a particular project should use Baltic Birch, common 7 layer plywood, MDF, etc.? Baltic Birch is the premium grade option, but do you use it for projects such as shop cabinets, sleds, and fixtures? Thank you, Dominic Santa Cruz, CA Huy's Questions: Hello. My question is regarding the placement of a dust collector. I have a 250 SF shop so every SF is precious. I am a hobbyist woodworker/DIYer. My current dust collection is a shop-vac with a dust-stopper bucket separator in a cart. 1 hose, all my tools and multiple converters to fit each tool. The cart doubles as an outfeed table for the table saw. I have an open rafter ceiling with a storage floor in it (currently filled with crap I should get rid of). I am considering a more powerful collector and ducting to 2 machines (miter and table saw) and to a boom arm that can be used for miscellaneous tools (skill saw, drill press etc.). I'm looking at the Jet DC-650MK or something similar (1 -2 HP, $600 - $800ish ranges. So finally, my question: Could a system like this be mounted in that attic storage above the shop and function correctly? Any obvious issues I'd run into? I have simple pully system for getting the full bag from there to the main floor. A couple of concerns are performance issues based on the elevated height, safety (I don't really have any concerns, but this is totally a "I don't know what I don't know" situation) and???? I love the podcast guys. I binged all of your episodes during the height of the pandemic (summer of 2020) and just loved it. I took a break for more than a year but I'm back, and I'm so glad you're still here! Best regards, Michael Hey Guys. Ive been woodworking for a couple years now and really enjoy the show to learn the fundamentals. I’m currently planning a walnut tv stand build and have a question about box bottoms. The piece will have two support legs (one on either side), a low shelf and a 8 inch deep box on the top spanning the 48 inch width between the legs. The box on the top will have a lid opening from the top similar to a blanket chest and be used to hold exercise dumbbells which collectively weight about 200 lbs. my question is… how should I make the box bottom so that it can support so much weight without any extra supports across the 48 inch span? Hardwood? plywood? Dado a groove for the bottom? From what I can tell online, it might make the most sense to use 3/4 ply and a 3/4 dado however my understand is that the recess below the dado should be the same width as the ply which will leave a 3/4 deep recess under the box that might be noticeable since it’s floating above the lower shelf. Also in a 8 inch tall box, I will be losing precious storage space quickly. I was thinking about cutting a rabbet in the ply to insert only a 1/2 inch in the groove and fill some of the recess under the box bottom but I’m not sure about strength. Maybe I could get away with just 1/2 inch ply in that case? The carcass of the rest of box will be made of solid walnut. I hope that all made sense. Thanks a lot for your thoughts. -Tyler

Guys Questions: Hey gentlemen, welcome Brian. I have a commission for a big walnut slab table that will live in a nook with windows on 3 sides (lots of UV exposure). What do you recommend for finishing. I seem to recall Guy mentioning some walnut finishes don’t hold up well to UV exposure. I’m probably a month out from delivery so hopefully this makes it to the show before then! Sincerely your accidentental woodworking fabricator. Will In the past I’ve done a few small veneering projects and am currently working on one which will require a few larger panels- about 24”x 31”. Previously I used a train-load of clamps and cauls to press the veneer but now I want to step up my game so I ordered a vacuum press. Thanks to a few of Guy’s videos the process seems pretty straightforward but I do have a question on the glue. For veneering my only experience is with Titebond cold press veneer glue with good results but in some videos I’ve seen some folks recommend Urea-formaldehyde glue - especially for larger panels. Do any of you have experience with this stuff? Sounds a bit nasty but if it’s better for the application I’ll give it a shot. Thanks! Jeffrey Brians Questions: Been listening to the podcast for a couple years now, and while I'm sorry to see Sean step away for now, I'm happy that you found someone willing to chip in! Two things, both mainly for Brian. One, you've mentioned that you don't have much of a social media presence or any way to really show case your work. While a lot of people do turn to Facebook, Instagram, etc. for this... I wonder if maybe simply an account on SimpleCove.com (Sean's website) might be a good fit? Two... work bench. Lots of questions - what style are you planning (Roubo, Nicholson, Moravian, Shaker, hybrid, something else?), size, what kind of wood are you thinking of using - fancy with hardwoods, or something simpler ala Siemensen's Naked Woodworker bench or Schwarz's Anarchist Workbench (both 2x construction lumber)? I think you'd mentioned still being up in the air about vise hardware - are you leaning towards wood screws like Lake Erie Toolworks, or metal like Benchcrafted? Maybe Hovarter, which has some quick-release options? And then the really big question... dog holes. Round or square? Answer carefully ;) I'm one of those people who has to fight the urge to build almost every bench design I see. Started with a Nicholson, but kind of went off in a weird direction with it and didn't like how it turned out. Deconstructed it and re-purposed most of the lumber for other projects. Couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to build next (not enough room for one of each!) so I put some inexpensive import (Yost) vises on a utility bench in the shop, and have been living with that for now. Not ideal, but it's letting me work out a few ideas on a trial basis before I have to commit. Very much looking forward to hearing (or seeing) more about your bench project! - Monte Thank you all for spreading the knowledge and answering questions. I find myself building more cabinets lately out of plywood and I'm edge banding them with solid lumber (I go with 5/16 on the banding). I cut the banding a little wider than the sheet goods, glue it on and then trim it flush. I'm running into some issues during the trimming that I'm hoping you guys can chime in on. Often times, when I'm trimming the banding I get a little gouge here and there on the face veneer. It's not a huge deal on paint grade stuff but when I'm using something like walnut, cherry or white oak ply, it becomes a problem. What tips do you have for trimming the edge banding cleanly and efficiently without damaging the veneer? Below are some things I've tried and some of my experiences with these methods. I'm curious if you have other methods, or if you have some tips to improve what I'm already doing. Things I've tried so far: - Router balanced on the edge - so far the worst method. Too tippy and additional supports can take a while to set up, with ocasional slipups still. - Router jig - I saw Fredie @periodcraftsmen share a jig for flush triming the edge banding and I copied it. The jig has a flat wide reference face that rides on the panel face (laid flat) and it has a 90 degree fence that holds up a trim router horizontally. Using a downcut bit, the router is adjusted so that the bit is almost flush to the reference face and it trims the edgebanding protruding above the flat face. I hope you can picture that. This gives good results but I ocasionally run into issues at the start and end of the panel where the jig may want to tip a bit and bite into the face. - Tall fence on the table saw - using it kind of like an L-fence, the sacrificial face is set up above the blade and flush with the outer teeth. The panel rides the fence vertically and the edgbanding rides under the fence where it gets trimmed off. This so far gives the best results especially when I went to an extra tall fence to give it more of a bearing surface and not let the panel tip. Ocasionally the panel is a bit bowed which gives it a bit of trouble and it can be a bit unwieldy if the panel is large. Can be hard to keep it flat on a long panel. It is fast though. - Hand plane - using a block plane carefully work it down. I have still bit into it a few times when not careful but this is overall the most accurate method. It is slow though and can be a pain if there is a lot of trimming. - Bojan Huy's Questions: When you're building a piece of furniture (like a dresser), do you follow a specific order? Like cutting everything first, arming (make sure that everything works), disarming. Karel I love your podcast. You try hard to fully answer questions asked and not provide flippant answers like other shows do. That’s what makes this show great. Now to my question. I have been wanting to upgrade my sanding game. I want to reduce the vibration, have it stop quickly, and produce a great result. I would love to hear your thoughts on what you look for in sanders such as the size (5 or 6 in), pad types (soft through hard), brands you have used and liked, and what brand of paper you buy. I’m starting to realize no one sander does it all anymore, so do you have a progression of sander purchases you would make for a simple furniture maker? Thanks you for anything you provide. - Brian Russell

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

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Guys Questions: Hello fellas. I greatly appreciate your show, as its the only one that I haven’t gotten tired of over the years. I’m making a chimney cupboard for the most difficult of clients – my wife. She really dislikes, frame and panel doors and wanted solid doors. So there will be two 40 inch high by 20 inch wide – full overlay doors. I’m using beautiful air dryer sinker Cypress for the entire piece. I’ve convinced her that big slabs of solid wood doors would potentially bow or twist overtime, so I have developed an idea of making each door like this - I’ve sourced a 26 inch wide 8 foot board. after milling and cutting to 44 inch pieces, I cut the middle out to be the panel and will use the adjoining pieces for the rail and styles. The panel will be tongue and grooved to sit flush with the front with the styles - with an 1/8 inch gap. Therefore, it will be a frame and panel door, but out of one piece of wood that looks solid. My question is relating to the inside panel and its thickness. It seems if I leave it thicker (currently 5/8”) it will be more prone to twisting the frame, where if I bring it down thinner like 3/8”, it may be more prone to splitting. Please let me know your thoughts . Thank you so much. Mike Sibley Hi Gents. Love the show. I've invested in a 3 stage sprayer and have been trying it out, getting the hang of it. Any General advice to a new sprayer user? Also, while a perfect coat is the goal, would it be better to put down too much, or too little of 'sprayables'? It seems too little is much easier to fix. Usually just add another coat after it's dried. Thanks for the great show! Mark Bett Brian's Questions: Guy’s, I love the podcast and listen often but haven’t caught completely up yet. What is a good method of making mortise and tenon jointery with a router only? I’ve got a Bosch 1/2” router and intent to buy a router table too. I’ve seen various jigs on the market but was wondering what the best option is for the money having only a router, and small DEWALT 8.5” lunchbox table saw. I intend to build smaller household furniture such as side tables, nightstands and a dresser. Thanks for the advice, love the show, Dave Huffman I would love to get a subscription to a woodworking magazine for my fiance for Christmas. He's a big fan of your podcast. You have mentioned one before but now I can't find it. What are your suggestions? - Lauren Zontini Huy's Questions I have a Dewalt 733 planer and the blades are starting to go dull. I saw online where I could build a jig out of a 2x4 by cutting 2 slots at 42 degrees angles and placing my blades inside the slots. You would then run the blades over a sharpening stone to give it a new edge. Is this a good method for sharpening my blade or should I be looking for another method. Keep making this podcast and I am sure that all of us out here listening will continue to tune in and keep asking questions. Happy Holidays to all of you Cory Sorry if this is a repeat only mostly caught up. The wife wants a painted double dresser. I dislike painted furniture and prefer to work with maple or walnut but we compromised… so the wife’s getting a painted double dresser. I intend to use plywood since it’s a paint grade project but don’t have much experience with it. What’s a good construction method for plywood? I’ve got a small table saw, 1/2” router, kreg jig and hand tools. Can I get way with using the kreg jig and but joints for carcass construction? How about plywood drawers? I intend to use latex paint, should I add a top coat over it? Many Thanks, love the podcast Dave Huffman

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife   Guys Questions: Hello fellow wood shop enthusiasts! I was recently watching Guys YouTube videos of the secretary with tambour doors. He made a comment about sanding the door to I think 350, but also made a comment about treating the end grain differently so that it would not take on more oil and I assume darken it more then the face. He did not really elaborate on the technique. How is end grain treated differently when applying oil finishes and when staining? - Unkown Hey guys this is Mason from Blairswoodshop again. A follow up from the first question I asked about the jet 16-32 conveyor belt, I did what you said and now there is no more constant adjustments and it seems to work great now thank you for the help! Now for the next question. I have some really nice looking spaulted maple, as you know it's not structurally the most sound. I was thinking about maybe making it into thin veneer for box lids and things like that. I have no veneering experience or a vacuum pump, what is a cheap way to start veneering with out breaking the bank? I've been spending so much on tools last thing I need to do is go to the wife saying I need more tools haha, Thank you all for what you guys do! Look for to hear what you guys suggest. P.S. I do have everything to make the veneers just looking for diffrent ways to attach it to my work pieces. Mason Blair Brian's Questions: 1- I have a Dewalt dw735 planer and so far so good, But I noticed that if I try with a wide plank the planer makes a noise that sounds like it's too much for him to handle, how do you guys use a planer? One dimension several passes with 32s increments? - Karel Any advice for someone trying to start their own woodworking buisness? I do small crafts currently, but I plan to start selling furniture in the near future . Feel free to check out what I’m doing at the moment. - Dillon Huy's Questions: Hey guys, Do you know where I can find information on guidelines for building furniture? (i.e. website or books) For example, I'm looking to build a queen size platform bed frame with 20 inch legs and use castle joint joinery to connect the four sides to the legs. I'm trying to figure out what the minimum size the four sides, feet should be and how deep should the castle joints be? Deeper than my 10 inch table saw can cut? Thanks for all the great help. - Matt I would like to monetize my woodworking as a side business, if possible, in the future. Honestly, I am not sure if that means cutting boards or commissions, but I am leaning towards some simple stuff and seeing where it goes. I’ve thought of adding some sort of CNC to the mix. I am on the fence if I should go the route of a Shaper Origin as I can use this to make patterns for furniture projects, aid in doing some repetitive work, and do some custom accents on small items to personalize items for people or do I go the route of getting a Onefinity or other similar sized DIY CNC machine? The Onefinity would obviously take up much more room and cannot be brought to the project but could work on its own so to speak so if I am going to try and make money it can be working on something while I am doing something else. So, the part two to this question is if I go this route do you think I should get an add on laser attachment again for decorative personalization of future items to be made?

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

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

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

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Sponsored by 3M Xtract   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  

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Sponsored by 3M Xtract   Sean 1) I’ve found some really nice walnut burl veneer  that I would like to use on the tambours. I plan on veneering these on to solid walnut in the hopes of both accounting for wood movement in the veneer, and not seeing an ugly MDF substrate when opening the doors. Am I going overboard by using solid walnut for the backing substrate, or is there a way to hide the edges of the MDF as to not see them when moving the doors? And would using MDF as a substrate cause issue with the veneer moving over time? I plan on using the heat lock veneer glue to adhere the veneers to the substrate. 2) Hello Sean, Guy, and Huy. You guys always make one of the best podcasts and i love hearing your different outlooks on topics. My question today is about design and encouraging creativity. Obviously, this will be different depending on whether or not there is a client involved, but how do you decide on a direction for the design of a piece of furniture? How do you begin, with the design or the materials? Have you ever looked at a piece (or stack) of lumber and designed your project to highlight something special about it? On the other hand, have you ever designed a piece, and then had to find the perfect piece of lumber to make it with? Thank you,  Joshua from The Blackdog Studios (finding beauty in former trees) Huy 1) So I've heard of some folks making the decision to not have a table saw in their shops. 2 main reasons cited being safety (IF ITS NOT A SAWSTOP YOU WILL DIE) and also space. Personally, I understand their position, but don't think I could do it. I simply like my saw too much. Would any of you consider it? Additionally, what operations does the table saw perform that you could not duplicate on/with another machine? I realize this is more of a thought experiment than question, but I thought I'd throw it out there. thanks for the great show! Mark 2) Hey all, thanks for the great show. I notice I have been getting diminished quality cuts from my full kerf glue line rip blade on my table saw. (That is- minor saw blade marks, occasional burning)  in addition, I notice a touch of increased resistance as I begin to exit my rip cuts, and the blade seems to make contact again as the board moves past the blade. To address these issues, I have adjusted the blade to about 2 thou to the left (I cut on the right of my blade generally) and adjusted my fence. I have an older , beat up Powermatic 64B  contractor saw. I have noticed the plastic faces of the fence are a bit wavy (again, a few thousands, maybe about 10-15 thou variation throughout) but I have the extreme front and back of the fence perfectly aligned. My rips aren’t perfect when I cut from the left of the blade, but the resistance feels more consistent and predictable. I am currently transitioning from hobbyist to full time and would like to solve this annoyance, as it occasionally affects my panel glue ups, and cutting board season is nearly upon us. I think for now, I will clamp on an MDF fence to see if that can help suck out the issue. If it is a fence face or alignment issue. Do you think I should maybe invest in a better fence, or should I consider replacing my glorious Powermatic saw with a  SawStop Cabinet  saw exclusively to spite Guy. I do have 220 in the shop now powering my heater and  big Grizzly bandsaw, with amperage remaining for a 3hp cabinet. It would also be great to have a table saw with dust collection. Side note: Sorry for the length, y’all always ask for more details. And a replacement cabinet saw wouldn’t have to be a SawStop, but I think it may be good insurance when I can afford to hire an employee. That said, this would be an upgrade maybe 3-8 months down the line if I’m making consistent money. Longer if I can get the Powermatic figured out. I do a range of things. From small CNC projects, shelves, cutting boards, and  plan to move onto selling furniture. Dillon Guy 1) Got one more question for ya. Shorter this time. I recently popped open a can of water based poly that I’ve had in storage for a while. The top 3/4 of the can was great but when I got to the bottom 1/4 it had turned in to a thick gel like substance. I did some quick googling and found a forum post where somebody suggested creating CO2 gas by mixing baking soda and vinegar in a jar and “pouring” that gas in to a partially used can of poly. The CO2 will displace the oxygen in the can and then you seal it up. This preserves the leftover poly as the reaction with oxygen is what hardens it. Obviously it’s too late for my can but have you all ever heard of this? If so have you ever done it? Thought it was pretty interesting regardless. Thanks, Jon 2) Hi guys love the podcast.  My question is this ,  is it of absolute importance to have a dead flat assembly table to glue up your work square and keep it square? I ask because I built a dresser and glued it up checked it for square and moved it to my floor which is steel plates, rechecked it for square and it was fine.  Came beck the next morning and took it out of clamps and out of square it was had to disassemble and re glue very frustrating.  So now looking to build an assembly table that is flat and level so I want to know how flat does it need to be. Thanks keep up the good work. Fred clarke

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Sponsored by 3M Xtract   Guy 1) Thanks for the great podcast, I’ve learned a lot throughout the episodes. I’ve been a wood turner for twelve or so years but now getting into fine furniture making.  A shout out to Sean as I’m a fellow Kentuckian (Louisville). My question is: I’m working on two shaker side tables right now that are 20”x20”.  As I think about the drawer construction, I’m at a bit of a crossroads with the bottom of the drawer. I could get high quality 1/4” plywood  for the drawer bottom and put the plywood in grooves. However, I don’t like the thought of putting plywood into my tables if I were to be honest. I’m sure it would be structurally fine and I wouldn’t have to worry about wood movement. However I’d like for the bottom to be made of poplar like the sides and back of the drawer. How do I make a drawer bottom from 4/4 lumber? My planer says I can’t plane anything thinner than 1/2” and I don’t have a drum sander. What is the best way to thin a board to 1/4” or 3/8” for a drawer bottom? I’d rather not use hand tools as I have arthritis in my hands. Is this a job for a planer sled? Thanks much, John My shop tools: Router & table Lathe Drill press Bench Shaper 6” Jointer 13” planer 14” Bandsaw ( Jet Euro style) Small Saw Stop (still alive!) 2) Hey guys! As always, I love the podcast, appreciate your individual takes on questions, and hearing about what's going on in your shops, except for Guy, he's too busy working to have anything going on in his own shop. My question is about learning from your mistakes. Throughout your woodworking adventures, I'm sure you have all had that project that did not come out the way you had planned or expected. I recently found some very old woodworking projects that I made somewhere in the late 1990's. Instead of throwing them out, I put them in my shop to remind me of two things. Where I've come from, and what not to do. Do you guys have anything like this in your shops? What do you use to remind you to do better?   Thanks Joshua from The Blackdog Woodworks 3) Hi guys, Thanks for the great, inspiring and sometimes intimidating podcast, because you guys are so good. I have a couple of questions. I have been asked to build a dining room table for my daughter. My first question is about design. The table will likely be a trestle style, made of walnut, a wood I have never worked before. The table will be about 6 feet long by 40" wide to fit into the space available. Is there a reason to glue the top along the long edge or along the short edge, or is this strictly or primarily an aesthetic decision? It seems like I would be likely to get a better edge to joint a 40" edge rather than a 60" edge. Second question if I can be presumptious, how do you keep focused on completing a project? It is always exciting to start a new project, but then as the time it takes stretches out, the endless sanding continues, the fear of applying a decent finish,  the excitement diminishes and I get to the point I just want to get it finished. Thanks again for the great information and terrific format. Scott   Sean 1) Hello sirs.  Thank you for providing the best woodworking podcast bar none!  I am building a couple of side tables for my living room to go on either end of my couch.   I am using 8/4 walnut slabs for the table tops.  I'm wondering what kind of finish you would recommend for these slabs?  Bear in mind that I'm assuming my wife and children are not going to be too keen to reach for a coaster every time they want to put a glass of water down.  I prefer more of a matte finish, so don't really want to use epoxy or anything that's going to look like a layer of glass is sitting on top of the slab.  So what products do you suggest to achieve maximum water protection without compromising a matte look?  And please include any specific application techniques, ie: number of coats, levels of sanding, etc.  Many thanks.   Keep up the amazing podcast! 2) Good evening, I'm Mason with blairswoodshop. Before I ask my question I just want to mention I love the podcast! It's awesome for my morning commute i think I'm about 80 episodes compete and look forward to more. Thank you guys for all the hard work on the podcast!  Just had a question for Sean. I see he has the performax 16-32, I just acquired a same style Jet 16-32. My question is if you have ever had issues with the conveyor belt tracking? I can't seem for the life of me to get it to track straight. No matter what I do it always tracks to the right, it has already took a chunk out of my brand new maveric abrasives conveyor belt. I know I'm not the only one with this issue, but no one seems to really have a fix. The only thing I've seen that might work is to buy a rubber conveyor belt which is upwards of 125$ plus shipping. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! 3) Good afternoon, good evening and good night gentlemen. Wanted to hear your preferred method of table top attachment to a base. (Z clips, figure 8s or oversized holes or any other method you can speak on that you prefer) Paul  

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Sponsored by 3M Xtract   Huy 1)I recently got a new 12x16 shed and am planning on shifting all of my woodworking tools out of the multi purpose garage and creating more of a dedicated shop space. I may have more questions on that in the future but for now I’ll start with a simple one.  I have a few different battery tool platforms and I know it’s bad for the long term battery life to expose the batteries to lots of temperature and climate changes. As a result I have all of my batteries and chargers in our laundry room for now. I ( and my wife) would prefer to store these in the shop but I’d rather not sacrifice the batteries well being if I don’t have to. I know yalls workshop space is climate controlled so you probably don’t have this issue. But I wanted yalls thoughts/opinions on the issue in general. Would making some kind of insulated storage cabinet be worth trying. Or is that just poppycock. Ha. For reference I live in NC so the winters occasionally get down to the teens and the summers often the 90s. Thanks for all you guys do. Respectfully, Jon 2) I have been practicing cutting dovetails by hand because I'm silly Using the Veritas dovetail saw I'm pretty sloppy But using a Veritas rip carcass saw I'm pretty on point Is it possible my big rock biter hands are better suited to a larger saw and that offers a better advantage to my end result, than the specific size and toothing of the dovetail saw? These used to be such big strong hands. I know a girl who dated Atreyu from Never Ending Story. Apparently, very short. But I digress. Thank you for any insights before I drop some serious change on Bad Axe or Lie Nielsen saws. These Veritas saws are all from the annual scratch and dent sale. Which is why I have a rip carcass saw oops. I guess I should also say that my other thought was that the Veritas saws are too light and that's why I'm having a problem with the really small dovetail saw it has no mass. Tom 3) Thanks for making ‘Woodshop Life Podcast’ part of my life! It’s a great mix of styles, knowledge and a little snark - from Guy’s aged wisdom. My question takes off from the last podcast, and the ending talk on an eco-friendly woodshop. I work primarily with reclaimed woods, being involved in that part of the industry since the late 1990’s, so was caught by the subjects lead in the podcast No. 103 marquee.  I wasn’t disappointed or surprised that reclaimed woods did not make it onto any of the short lists - though Sean did  trail off the session with “and like the wood - recycle it” - though I imagine that it referred to using shop scraps, but possibly other types of salvaged wood material. So my questions is mostly an open ended one on any experience that you all may have in using reclaimed material - or why it can provoke different reactions among woodworkers, whether used for it’s original or rustic surfaces or resurfaced?. Huy, working in Alabama, must come across some antique pine, though I think he mentioned taking a pass on its uneven grain and amber tone. We’ve sent regular tractor trailer loads of this salvaged old growth material to Alabama - or maybe back to Alabama, as it covered large parts of the state until the mid-1800’s. My perspective on availability can be off, as there’s a lot of the old buildings here in New York City framed with the old softwoods. The longleaf pine is getting harder and more competitive to acquire, but there’s often the Northern softwoods - like less desirable spruce, hemlock and fir, but still old growth in quality. along with the signs that are witness to it’s history - nail holes, stress cracks, aged surfaces, etc. And even if it’s among the local woods available, the mix of species, sources and not least, embedded nails can cause woodworkers to barricade the shop doors. Also - myself and my business partner Klaas Armster, put out a book a short while back ‘Reclaimed Wood: A Field Guide’. We’d be happy to send along a copy and/or some boards of salvaged wood (dry and de-nailed). Thanks again for reclaiming the tradition of woodworking in America - the craft itself seems at the heart of an eco-friendly workshop, despite any type wood that is used. Alan   Guy 1) Hi Guys, I want to start by saying that you all Rock. I listen to a few woodworking pod casts and yours is the best at passing along knowledge. Thank you for helping all of us out with your insights on wood working. I am very new to this hobby and am in the process of building my wife a cabinet. It will be used for holding potato's and onions and a few other things that clutter our kitchen up. My question has to do with the glue up for the top of the cabinet. I am glueing 3pieces of 3/4 cherry together to make the top and I am concerned about it ending up flat. I am wondering if I should use dowels to help with this. I am thinking about buying a dowel jig from rockler and want to know if this is worth it or should I try a different technique. I would like a good jig but do not want to break the bank because it will not be used too often. Also, what type of finish would be good for cherry. I am thinking some stain and then a poly. Thanks again, Cory 2) Hey guys, Jared from Houston here. Really appreciate the podcast! I'm making a wall-hanging cabinet intended to store a couple whiskey bottles and glasses. The cabinet will be solid cherry with one door and maybe a drawer on the bottom. I'm moderately experienced with wood but woefully beginner with finishes. I typically would finish with shellac only and wipe down with steel wool to a matte finish. However, due to the likelihood of contact with alcohol, I believe another approach might be wiser. My favorite idea right now is to put two coats of shellac then follow with a coat of spray can lacquer. What do you guys recommend? Also, to what grit do you sand before applying your first coat of finish? Last consideration on these questions...I'll be donating this to auction at a local school fundraiser and do not want to get called for finish repairs down the road!  Thanks for any advice you can offer! Jared 3) Hello guys (and guy), thank you for delivering an awesome podcast! I know this topic is taboo, but I was wondering what y’all’s thoughts were on veneering one side of a panel when it is already in its frame. I am planning on building a tool cabinet (loosely inspected by FWW Mike Pekovich  tool cabinet) the door in question would be a traditional frame and panel door with a 1/2” plywood panel set into a 1/4” groove. The back of the door has a case style frame attached to the back to give the hinged door some depth to house tools. The reason I am wanting to only veneer one side is due to lack of material, (the door frame will be made of mesquite, and the panel shop sawn veneer out of spalted hackberry) I know I could veneer the back with another material but I am also trying to save on weight/ thickness of the panel. Hopefully y’all will have some advice / experience on this topic. I am planning on doing this project in about 6 months. Thanks in advance, Josh

Sean 1) Hey fellas. Hope this finds you well. I’ve come into a work bench that needs some tlc. I’d like to rehab it if I can. It has a solid steel tube base (clearly store bought) with a butcher block style top  that is  2’x4’. It’s laminated strips of what I believe to be maple. (Sorry; my janka hardness test machine is on the fritz, but I can’t dent it with a fingernail). It’s got a significant bow from front to back (across the 24” dimension) of at least a 1/4”.   Whats the best approach to flatten it? I’d like to save the thickness as it’s about 1 1/2”.  It doesn’t need to be dead flat. It would be a secondary work area (aka a horizontal surface that collects all manners of various and assorted things. ) Thanks for all that you do and keep up the good work! Mark 2) Hey guys. Don’t want you run out of questions, so here’s another one: When and how often do you sharpen your hand tools? I don’t really like sharpening and find myself going through chisels to find a sharp one and using that favorite plane although it’s not sharp anymore because I’m telling myself that it’s not worth it yet to get those stones wet. What’s your balance? Should I just buy new tools when they are not sharp anymore? Just kidding, although I would love to. Jonas   Guy 1) Hello gentlemen, love the podcast and I took your last advice to heart and have been staining some of my projects with polyurethane with great results.  Thank you for the encouragement. My question today is on handling full 3/4" plywood sheets from the store to the shop.  I have not built much carcass based projects as I've been a little too impatient to get everything square then find myself disappointed in the outcome.  As I approach 6 decades on earth I find myself slowing down and enjoying the craft a little more leisurely instead of a to do list and punching a task list as complete approach.  That being said I have built 2 projects now out of plywood starting with full 4 x 8 sheets and they have been fun challenges but I find myself not planning another project because of the challenges of getting a 4 x 8 sheet of 3/4 ply to my shop. It seems like plywood has gotten 1 pound heavier every year that I have aged. I enjoy solo working in the shop so it's not really easy to get somebody to help me go to the big box store and load a single sheet of plywood. I was wondering what are some of the tricks and tips you guys use for handling big heavy sheets. I use the foam board insulation as a backer when breaking it down into panels and I use a cheap cordless circular saw with a homemade fence. It's cheap and slow but that part works fine.  I have one of the handle things that you hook under the plywood to carry it with a handle but that doesn't make the panel any lighter.  I do have a utility trailer so hauling it isn't a problem. Any other other tips, tricks or tools you would recommend for heavy sheet goods? Thanks 2) Hey there, OK so this is a pretty simple question but you did say you need some so… I have a Delta 14” bandsaw, pretty typical and I have had it for about 35 years (holy cow, I just realized how old I am!). Anyway, its pretty basic, and lacks any feature to keep the tires from gumming up as I am cutting. Do you have any advice on devices, brushes etc. that I can add to keep them cleaner as I use the saw? I do connect a shop vac to the dust port, that helps but I still find I have to scrape the wheels. Using you instead of google or Pinterest for this one ;)   Huy 1) Hi guys, I recently had a walnut tree taken down, brought the log to a sawyer and they cut into 4/4, 8/4, and 12/4 boards. I cannot air dry the boards on my property so I am planning on drying them in my basement. My basement is dry, and of course little to no air movement. After about a year, I am considering completing the drying process by putting the boards in the attic above my garage. There is Sheetrock under the rafters in the attic, so there will be very little air movement again. Should I be concerned with the heat in the attic adversely impacting the boards when they are not completely dry. I live in CT so the attic can get well over 100 degrees in the summer. Thanks for any word of wisdom you might have, Mike Gitberg 2) Hey guys I've got a door construction question for you. I've been tasked  with making an extra large sliding barn door for my house. The door will need to be 8' 10" tall by 48" wide by 1.75" thick. The kicker is my shop is in the basement and I can't fit that large of a piece up the stairs. I have an empty room on the 1st floor that I can assemble and possibly use a vacuum press. My thoughts were to make an outer frame(walnut) with a torsion box interior made from 1/2" ply or possibly 1/4 ply and filling the void with rigid foam. I was going to skin each side with 1/4" MDF and then veneer each side with commercial 3/32 walnut veneer. Some of the issues I think I will run into. This would require a 6'x10' vacuum bag (which I would have to make), I'm not sure if my pump can pull a bag that large down and hold. I have a 3 cfm and according to Joe woodworker a max size for that pump is 4'x9'.    After I've pressed the veneer down I have some clean up and and sanding to do, which I'm not fond of doing this on the 1st floor. Also there's finishing which my only option is a hard wax if I finish it inside. Or carry the damn thing outside and spray under a pop up tent.  I've been thinking of instead of one large panel making a series of say 3  horizontal panels pressing and finishing them in the shop, sanding and pre-finishing then and then installing them to the frame with some sort of 1/16" shadow line or maybe a brass inlay between each panel. Or do I just scrap the idea and find a garage to assemble, sand and finish in and bring it to the house for install. Granted this garage will not be climate controlled. I'm concerned about weight, I have a 200# max on the door hardware. I'm open to other ideas for assembly. Also I can't spilt the door into two separate ones, the opening will not allow a door to rest on either side of the opening. Thanks in advance for the advice and keep up the great work with the podcast!! Jesse  

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife This episode is sponsored by: Shaper Tools, makers of Shaper Origin   Sean 1) How often should I be cleaning my planer roller and do you know any plans to build a rolling lunchbox planer stand or cabinet. I have the HD ridgid 12" planer. So I guess a better question is how often should I change blades in jointer and planer and maintenance my cheaper tools I use daily. To rid of snip and a seemingly guy crooked planer bed? Broken_pine 2) Hello everybody. First time listener, long time caller. Wanted to hear of any shop items you use that would be more "eco-friendly". An example that comes to mind is instead of using the disposable glue brushes using a silicone one. Thanks, Twin Lake Woodshop   Guy 1) My question is that I have two logs (from the same branch but non-contiguous), and need two nightstands, primarily composed of a 16" w x 14" h x 12" deep mitered box/case. One log is dead straight grain and the other, beginnings of a crotch. Aesthetically, would each of you combine the two logs to make two "truly" matched (well bookmatched) nightstands, or use one log for each nightstand, matching grain WITHIN the individual nightstands, but not BETWEEN the pair? That's confusing even reading it back so please contact me with any questions, For reference the bed these will flank is a California king California king so there is a good deal of distance between them it's not like they'll be on on both sides of a twin. -Tom 2) Hey guys, from time to time I’ve been asking questions and you’ve always provided great advice. My question is, I’m tuning up my jointer and I have the tables co-planner within .002” out 18 inches from the cutter head. Is this close enough? Should I invest in a longer straightedge? Currently I’m using a 24” ruler from a good combination square. Looking online for straightedges, the Starrett 36” is $247.50 and it accurate within .0002”. I also found the Veritas 38” aluminum straightedge for $44.90 and is accurate to .003”. How strength of a straightedge do I need? And can I get away with an aluminum straightedge?  Thanks so much for your thoughts. -Mike Gitberg   Huy 1) I am a newbie in woodworking! and I'm working on my indoor stairs to the second floor. Stairs are completely removed and we plan to have an open riser 3 1/2" thick tread. I have somebody who confirmed the structure and adapted it to city codes for me. So nothing dangerous is happening here. I am trying to get the costs down while I like the walnut looks and because of that I am thinking of ripping and altering grain on 2"x12" nominal lumber from the big box store and making 3" x 11½" x 37½' butcher block of yellow southern pine (construction grade, kilin dried) and veneer it with 1/4" walnut. I am buying a 16' 2x12 kiln dried yellow southern pine and will start ripping it after stocking it for a month in my garage. Should I be worried about wood movement?  I mean movement between walnut and SYP. I am not worried about SYP core because I have one of them made two month ago and it's been staying inside with us and cupping/twisting, has not been observed.  Will the 1/4 glued walnut veneer is a good idea for this application in term of resisting wear and tear? I am using regular glue for making the core. any advice on glue for making the core and veneer? Will you approach same method to do this project? If not, What will you do? vafa 2) G'day team It's the old guy (older than Guy) from Australia who potters around in the shed in his thongs ( Aussie footwear Guy ) I recently bought a Dewalt 735 thicknesser because I like to use reclaimed wood but I really don't have a clue what I am doing but you need to start somewhere. Anyway I recently used the thicknesser on a couple of large pine blanks that came from some sort of industrial packaging which were approx 5 inches wide and 3 inches tall ( I used imperial for you guys) I ran both blanks through the thicknesser  " jointing" one side first by using a planer sled and some shims and then running the other side through squaring up the sides to each other and then gluing both pieces together to make a blank for a bandsaw box, everything seemed good at this stage. I started to cut the blank on the bandsaw only to realise that it wasn't square to the table and that I had actually made a square block that was tilted ( I think it's called a parallelogram, I wanted to use a big word so Huy would feel at home) How can I square this up ? The block is approx 5 by 5 inches and my table saw height is 3 inches. I probably did this all backwards but even though I'm old enough to remember dust being invented I still like to learn. Do I need to buy a jointer ? Thanks for your help  (ps, the nurse is cranky with me because I took some other guys slippers and won't take my medication, hope you guys get this while I'm still alive.........still no Sawstop) -Geoff    

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife   Guy 1)Jacob from North Carolina, long time listener, 3rd time questioner. I’m building a trestle style kitchen table that will have a painted base. Not my first choice, but happy wife happy life.  My question is:  What do y’all use to eliminate seams when painting?  Spackle, putty, or some other product.  My seams are tight, right and smooth, but when I’ve painted projects in the past, the seams remain visible.  For the trestle table legs, I would like them to be seamless and look like one piece.   Any insight is appreciated. FYI, I’ll be spraying the paint. 2) Gentleman love your podcast and have listened to every episode, keep up the great work. My question is about fence length. Currently the saw I own is a 1980 Delta Unisaw with a 52" fence. I purchased it new in 1980. I am retiring this year after I sell my company. My wife wants to purchase a new Sawstop for me because I'm always complaining about the dust collection on my old saw. She wants to buy me the Sawstop Industrial saw (I love tools), and wanted to know do I want the 36" or 52" fence.  I think I can count on one hand the number of times I used the additional length on my current fence and was just wondering do you guys have the 36" or 52" fence assembly and is it worth having the larger fence.  Normally I just have stuff sitting on it. Second question is for Guy, as I'm in my late sixties and my skin is quite dry and I use lotion regularly I've heard you talk about using gloves in the shop. What type of gloves do you use and are you happy with them. And one last thing Guy at 5'8" I love my Laguna bandsaw the table height is perfect for me :)  Kris   Sean 1) Hey guys I just wanna say thank you for the amazing contact the guys put out! I found you guys about four months ago I’ve been going through the old episodes to catch up. But I was wondering if you guys could help me out and point me to a good affordable biscuit joiner. I would love to get a festool biscuit joiner but it’s just out of my price range, is there anyway you guys can recommend A biscuit joiner that is worth the best bang for his buck. Thank you again for awesome content Ethan thompson 2) I am contemplating making a new workbench to go with my inkliened vise. I like my current workbench made of southern yellow pine but would like to add a few features like a two piece top for clamping as well as an end vise/wagon vise. My question is would ambrosia maple be a good/bad material choice for a workbench? From my wood store is $3 cheaper than soft maple. I could see the color variance possibly being an issue during use and sighting material. I'm not sure the holes in the material would be that problematic. What says you guys? Thanks, Ryan   Huy 1) Hey guys. New listener here! Love the genuine vibe of the show and of course all the knowledge. I build barn doors, blind mount shelves and mantles out of my garage to support my family. I recently had to switch to plywood for most builds due to cost of solid wood (1x and 2x materials) . My question is..I live in Tampa Florida and my wife hates that our pool table room has become the lumber storage room. Now that I'm using sheet goods and don't want to break them down far in advance of projects...what are your thoughts on ways to store plywood in a NON climate controlled Florida garage? Also storing solid woods as well. Oh, and my material is always pine or poplar. I would love your thoughts on this topic. Humidity, drastic weather changes hourly and no climate control? The garage is a dedicated, yet messy work space. 2)Hey Fellas, Thanks for addressing my last question on fuzzy cutting boards.  Sean was correct - I was over-sanding after each raising of the grain.  So many ways to shoot yourself in the foot it seems... I want to ask your thoughts on the practical limits of mitre saws.  I'm sure you've addressed similar before, but as Guy often points out, what haven't you addressed before!   Maybe not from this angle perhaps?  There are folk who do anything and everything with a mitre saw and those who wouldn't  cut a precise mitre with one to save their lives.  In my journey thus far I think the most important thing for novices is to appreciate the full capabilities as well as the limitations of their equipment. Assuming a novice user.., one with a reasonable quality mitre saw and table saw.., one who has learned to keep both reasonably well calibrated.., but one who has yet to be collecting after-market devices such as advanced mitre gages etc..  Can you point to any examples of types of operations that represent a limit, or exceed the limit, of what a novice should reasonably expect from themselves and their mitre saw?  Or put another way.. for this or that operation - have at it..  but at such and such a point..  well then it's time to be pursuing table saw jigs or other skillsets to get where they need/want to go? Thanks again, hope this finds you all well, keep on keepin' on! Colin  

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife This episode is sponsored by: Shaper Tools, makers of Shaper Origin Guy 1) Hey guys, Jonas from Germany here. Since you’re always looking for question, here is another one. As a weekend woodworker who doesn’t get much time in the workshop, I regularly get the problem that milled stock doesn’t get touched for several days before I can continue with the project. Right now I am working on an outdoor table made from European oak and there might be a few weeks between milling the boards and actually assembling the table. I have heard of the solution to use plastic bags or shrink wrap but that doesn’t really work for 7-foot boards. How do you handle stuff like that? 2) Hey guys, love the podcast and thank you for all you guys do! I made a dining room table for my sister-in-law about a month ago. The table is made out of Hard Maple and is 3.5’ wide by 8’ long. I noticed when I first bought the boards that there were some very small, hairline cracks at the very ends of the boards. After glue up I was able to square up the table by cutting the end that had the worst cracks completely off. Unfortunately, I did not have enough material to completely eliminate them from the other end. So instead, I cut as much as I could from the other end and filled the remaining hairline cracks with Plastic Glue wood filler. This seemed to have remedied the problem! I then finished the table with 4-5 coats of water based poly, achieving a nice, thick coat of finish. Now, about a month later, my sister-in-law is showing me spots where the hairline cracks are reappearing. Curiously enough, they’re reappearing from both ends too. My question is multilayered. First, is this cause for concern? The cracks are very small and not easily noticed unless you look very closely. However, will these cracks continue to grow over the years? Second, given how small these cracks are, how can I go about repairing this issue? I don’t know if thin CA glue will help with the issue or simply act as a bandaid. And I don’t believe these cracks are large enough to allow thin epoxy to seep into them. Any help/advice you guys could give would be very much appreciated! Chris     Sean 1) Love the show and appreciate what all of you contribute to the woodworking community. I have been a hobbyist woodworker for a long time and though my projects are not fine furniture or wining any awards I truly enjoy time in the shop and making simple things for friends and family. My question is about finishing.  I hate finishing, so much that I feel guilty sometimes that my project truly never really gets completed even those it's gifted away. I justify to myself that I'm letting the new owner finish it to their preferences but the reality is I hate that step.  I've done spray on (rattle can) shellac, poly, cheap spray paint, Briwax  and rubbed on some polyurethane but I would like to venture out a little farther without fear of ruining my hard work. Any suggestions on how to take the next step without jumping in over my head?   I have sanders, planers, all the usual finishing tools but I'm basically lazy. 2) I am a hobbyist woodworker with a full time job to support my hobby, and I am lucky in the fact that people are asking me to make things that I want to make. With the urban lumber I am really enjoying the wild and crazy figure that comes from non-commercial trees, crotch grain especially, and the randomness of pallets (everything from cedar to white oak and an occasional exotic species). My question, since we are all woodworkers, is how much would you spend to not buy commercial lumber? As an example, I purchased my 14" bandsaw, 6" joiner, and 10" planer used for $400 total. The chainsaw and chainsaw mill cost $130. Am I crazy? Joshua Huy 1)Good morning gents. I hope this finds you well. Thanks for the great show. So 2 questions that are related: I'm losing access to my current workshop - a 2 car garage. Renting commercial space is very expensive, so any other suggestions for finding a space for my workshop would be appreciated. I'm only looking for 400 square feet or so. Because of #1, I'm considering joining a community maker space. Pros and Cons? thanks Mark 2) I made a slatted bench out of red oak, but I'm questioning how I want to finish it.  The bench is from Steve Ramsay's course, and can be seen here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-LKKPyBEVE/ Because of the slats, which are about 3/4" wide and 2 1/2" deep, getting finish down there with a sprayer would be impossible, so I think I want to do something I can wipe on.  I've created my own simple finish of equal parts spar urethane, mineral spirits, and boiled linseed oil (so similar to a Danish oil) that I've wiped on to other projects with success, but not sure if there may be other options that I should consider.  This is a gift for my parents and will live inside, probably by their patio door for them to sit down on to put on their shoes. Also, if I go the homemade Danish oil route, any suggestions on how many coats to apply, and what to do between coats? Keep up the great podcast, thank you! -Nick