Author: Shannon Rogers

On today’s Wood Talk “Weekend Edition” we’re talking about helical heads in planers and their advantages…or not.

How about you?

Have you upgraded to a helical head cutter for your planer or any other tool? What are your impressions?

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s show, we’re talking about finishing oily woods, when to mill rough lumber, and when to re-flatten sharpening stones

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is editing video of his sculpted rocker
• Shannon is contemplating the design of an urn for his dog
• Matt is either building a CNC or a Terminator

What’s New?

• Marc likes a video about a meat cleaver from a saw blade
  
• David shared a video with us about Japanese carpentry
  
• Dan shared his discovery of a woodworking treasure of archived articles
• Marc shared a video of a Tin Pan guitar build.
  

Kickback

• Jason has a suggestion for widening dados with a circular saw
• Britt says the plural of Lego is Lego, Marc doesn’t care.
• Ka-Loon has some kickback about rehashing woodworking content online

Voicemail

• Josh wants to know what to build with his spalted maple.

Email

• Dan has a question about finishing Bubinga.
• John is curious when to mill his rough lumber.
• Darth Rust wants to know when to flatten his sharpening stones

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by SawStop, after more than a decade, SawStop’s combination of safety and precision has made them the number one cabinet saw in North America. Use the interactive tools at SawStop.com to build and price your ideal SawStop, then find a dealer online or near you. Protect yourself today. That’s SAWSTOP!

On today’s show we’re talking about popping figured maple without warming it up, gluing face grain to edge grain, and traditional turning tools vs carbide insert tools.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is working on bent lamination rockers
• Shannon’s shop is being taken over by house overflow.
• Matt has released his dresser project in a video on demand format.

What’s New?

• The Design in Wood Competition is coming to the San Diego County Fair
• Peter Korn has a new book and listen to this interview where he talks about it, “Why We Make Things, and Why It Matters”

Poll of the Week

Where do you go for tool buying advice?

Kickback

• Jeremiah left us a voice mail with a not so good review of Woodworker’s Journal
• Larry, Dave, and Steve all had great information about Woodsmith merging with ShopNotes.
• Oscar suggests using a Forstner bit for the radius edges of a hinge mortise.
• Greg has some great feedback on using tinted lacquer from a luthier’s perspective and urges use to check out the Telecaster forum for more info.

Email

• Robert is looking for a finishing solution to pop the grain on figured Maple without adding too much additional color to the natural wood.
• Richard has a question about grain orientation while making a long grain cutting board.
• Chris is just starting with wood turning and wondering about the differences between traditional gouges and carbide insert turning tools.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s Wood Talk “Weekend Edition” we’re talking about which woodworking magazines we “read” and a little about what makes each distinctive.

This topic was inspired by several emailers from the past few weeks. Apparently inquiring woodworkers want to know.

How about you?

Which woodworking magazines do you subscribe to or read and why? Have any feedback on the lesser know publications that we know nothing about? Leave your insights in the comments below.

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by Brusso Hardware – Brusso provides high quality American-made woodworking hardware for YOUR next project. As a special discount for new customers, use coupon code ‘WT2015’ for 10% off orders at Brusso.com.

Also by SawStop, after more than a decade, SawStop’s combination of safety and precision has made them the number one cabinet saw in North America. Use the interactive tools at SawStop.com to build and price your ideal SawStop, then find a dealer online or near you. Protect yourself today. That’s SAWSTOP!

On today’s show we’re talking about how to achieve a white lacquer finish, small dust collectors, and gouges for hinge installation.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is Maloofing his Maloofy Maloof Chair
• Shannon installed a mailbox and some other home improvement stuff.
• Matt finished his MattKEA project with the help of his wife.

What’s New?

• • Shawn Graham has another interesting take on woodworking education for kids.
  • Mt Vernon built a virtual tour website where you can see a lot of nice furniture.
  • Kurt Balleby Pipes, a cool video on pipe making. Smoke if you got ’em

Poll of the Week

What do you do with your woodworking magazines?

Kickback

• • Apparently a LOT of you guys transport lumber as our Truck Yeah episode received a ton of feedback including a the roof rack surfing Dyami who strongly endorses roof racks for moving lumber.
  • Nathan has some good advice on managing humidity with air movement
  • KT wants us to build projects and have a competition for our wives to build it the fastest like this video:

Email

• Heath wants to know how to tint lacquer.
• Matt is looking for a small footprint dust collector.
• Serious Turtle is looking for a gouge to install hinges.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s Wood Talk “Weekend Edition” we’re talking about how we get the lumber to our shops.

This topic was inspired by an email from Vinnie who had this to say,

I have a question about what might possibly be the most expensive but least talked about woodworking tool. A truck. Or van. Or some way to get lumber from its source to its destination. Our family of four currently owns a Prius which can fit a large bag of toothpicks IF I take all the car seats out. I know I can get lumber delivered but getting a bunch of pine delivered seems silly when I’m 30 minutes away from my local lumber yard and I just want a couple of 10 foot boards. How do you guys transport your lumber?

How about you?

How do you transport your lumber? Ever tied it to your back and biked home?

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by Brusso Hardware – Brusso provides high quality American-made woodworking hardware for YOUR next project. As a special discount for new customers, use coupon code ‘WT2015’ for 10% off orders at Brusso.com.

On today’s show we’re talking about panel movement in a grill stand, concerns over basement humidity, and cutting compound angled tenons.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is working on the headrest for his rocking chair
• Shannon played with his axes and bungee lathe
• Matt is having new project indecision

What’s New?

• A coopered Cedar Cup
• Andrew sent us a video of his cool drawer making invention
• Here are two guys making wooden sunglasses with a pedal powered duplicator
• Check out Bob Lang’s updated New Woodworker’s Guide to SketchUp
• Kevin sent us a cool video of a woodworker building a Pembrooke Table, but its a great quality Vimeo video so well worth the time to watch

Poll of the Week

How many blogs do you follow?

Kickback

• John sents us a link to a rust prevention product called The GoldenRod and another one called CRC 36

Voicemail

Bob from The Tulip City called in with a question about choosing hinges. Marc mentioned an article from Rockler

Email

• Cliff is concerned about the best way to handle wood movement for his Cedar Smoker cabinet.
• Kevin wants to know a good way to deal with a high humidity basement workshop.
• Tim is wondering how to deal with an angled tenon shoulder on a chair back.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s Wood Talk “Weekend Edition” we’re talking about where we would locate our woodworking businesses and why.

This topic was inspired by an email from Bobbie who had this to say,

If you could locate your woodworking business or hobby anywhere in the US; where would it be? For me there are several factors, availability of lumber, reasonable cost to purchase shop space, a place to sell the furniture, and personal safety. I am sure there are many other factors.

How about you?

Where would you put your woodworking business. And don’t say next door to Marc, cause Shannon already called “shotgun”.

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by Brusso Hardware – Brusso provides high quality American-made woodworking hardware for YOUR next project. As a special discount for new customers, use coupon code ‘WT2015’ for 10% off orders at Brusso.com.

On today’s show we’re talking about workbench finishes, rust prevention in the tool cabinet, and whether to wipe away glue when it’s wet or dry.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is still working on his rocking chair
• Shannon did nothing but lay in bed
• Matt is dreaming of a new office project

What’s New?

• Some beautiful turning with Steve Kennard
• JC shared a great website for basic carpentry techniques
• Frugal shared with us a great blog and video producer Richard Maguire of The English Woodworker and his latest “Richard Rants” video
  

Poll of the Week

How Do You Fund Your Woodworking

Kickback

• Dyami called in again in a calm and controlled manner to express his opinions on miter saws and lumber dimension numbers.

Voicemail

Gerard has a question about cutting 90 degrees on his table saw because his saw doesn’t cut 90 ever.

Email

• Martin wants to know what would be the best finish for a workbench.
• Kevin is wondering about rust prevention measures inside his hand tool cabinet.
• Jonathan wants to know how we deal with cleaning up glue squeeze out.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s Wood Talk “Weekend Edition” we’re talking about the one thing in woodworking we are worst at and how we are working to improve it, if at all.

How about you?

What is the one thing you are worst at and what steps are you taking to improve?

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by Festool and SawStop.

On today’s show we’re talking about using boiled linseed oil before a clear coat, tinting epoxy, and whether to pre-finish edge banding on a plywood box.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is carving the seat of his Sculpted Rocker
• Shannon made a saw dust coated finish
• Matt is painted his Dresser project and it’s B-E-A-utiful

What’s New?

• • • Safety Day is May 15th and is being celebrated by The Modern Woodworkers Association
    • Marc made an appearance on the Woodshop 101 podcast.
    • Check and vote for your favorite in the Powermatic ICFF Vote 2015
    • Check out this company that makes furniture with hidden compartments
    • Bad Axe Tools is hosting Sawlapalooza next year
    • Don’t miss the Lego Wood Shop

Kickback

• • • Lance, Tony, Dyami, and a sizable percentage of woodworkers wanted to let us know that the Bosch Glide Miter Saw fits right up against the wall. We “strongly agree”
    • Alex is concerned about explosions when trying to cure finishes in the oven
    • Steve build a sculpted rocker and discovered that wood moves a lot when sawing away the inside of a curve
    • Wilbur thinks our high horsepower tools today compensate for duller blades and faster feed rates

Voicemail

Tom captivates and entertains us with his smooth radio voice safety tip

Email

• • • James wants to know if he should apply a coat of Boiled Linseed Oil to his Cherry bathroom cabinet before top coating with poly
    • Gary is building kitchen cabinets and wants to know if he should edge his plywood and when to finish it
    • Eric wants to know how to change the color of his epoxy to match the wood he is using

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s Wood Talk “Weekend Edition” we’re talking about buying tools before we need them.

How about you?

What tools have you bought with great expectations only to see them collect dust? We don’t mean the tools you regret buying, just the one you haven’t used yet.

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by SawStop. Check them out at SawStop.com!

On today’s show, we’re talking about curing finishes in the oven, small shop miter saws, and hardware for connecting cabinets

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is matching grain for his Sculpted Rocker
• Shannon sharpened his lawnmower blade
• Matt is playing with the reveal on his drawer fronts

What’s New?

• • Steve came across an article and I thought if you replace “quilt” with “furniture” it would make sense for furniture making.
  • David sent us a video of Mark Supik turning a massive half sphere table.

• Kay sent us an article about a cool new chair and wonders if this is the future of woodworking.

Kickback

• Dave bought some Craig’s List lumber and had kind of a mixed bag experience.
• Zach isn’t sure about using a thin kerf blade on a SawStop
• Ira thinks he learns a lot more form someone who recently learned something over the grizzled veteran.
• John uses a glue size recipe from Lee Valley to control blotch in his woods.

Email

• • Scott is wondering if he can use his oven to speed up the curing time on his small project finishes
  • Jeff wants to know what would be a good sized miter saw for a small shop

• Kevin wants to know if there is an elegant way to connect cabinets together. We suggested connector bolts from Rockler

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by SawStop. Check them out at SawStop.com!

On today’s show, we’re talking about respirators in the wood shop, tips for staining pine, spraying finish on deep cabinets.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc took some time off
• Matt still playing host to Bavarians
• Shannon gave up on finishing weather and went back to work on his blanket chest

What’s New?

• Aaron shared a video on a French company reusing and restoring antique wall panels

Poll of the Week

What are your tool storage preferences?

Kickback

• Bob, Matt, and Chris all had great feedback on the MKII honing jig scandal from episode 234
• Andrew and Jonathan both have great suggestions on woods for making a bow and Andrew suggested the Bingham Project
• Paul is a design engineer for Graco and had some kickback about the Graco Sprayer mentioned in episode 234.

Voicemail

• Joe wants to know what he should consider when buying lumber off Craig’s List

Email

• Casey wants a recommendation on a good respirator for power carving and should he use a chemical filter
• Richard needs some advice on making Pine or Poplar look like Walnut and Matt suggests an article from some “Whisperer Guy“
• Dave is looking for advice on spraying inside cabinets with his Earlex 5500

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s Wood Talk “Weekend Edition”, we have been asked to discuss our origin stories. Sorry there are no radioactive spiders or secret government lab experiments…or are there?

Now You Go

How did you get into woodworking? Share your origin story in the comments, we really want to hear about stories that involve alien occupations, contracts with supernatural beings, or tacos.

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s show, we’re talking about jointing away from the fence, choosing a router for a router table, and using floats.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is buying Walnut for his upcoming sculpted rocker project
• Shannon did some spring cleaning and blew the dust out of his shop
• Matt got brisket nachos then went back for seconds after experiencing plywood gravitational kickback

What’s New?

• • Wade shared a blog on medieval woodworking
  • Mark shared a post from Reddit on termite wood in a project
  • Tommy shared some amazing cutting boards on the mtmwood YouTube channel

• Jeremy shared an article that busts the Golden ratio myth

Kickback

• David wants some clarification on match planing and if we have any tips.
• Stein has kickback on plane sole flatness and needs to only be as flat as the thickness of the shaving.
• John doesn’t get how running a panel through the planer right out of the clamps would work
• Jeff talks about injuries in the shop from the professional woodworker’s perspective.

Voicemail

• Brian is having problems with his MKII honing jig.
• Mark is looking for a wood to make a bow.
• Roberto is wondering about a specific paint sprayer model.

Email

• Joel wants to know why Marc run his boards across the jointer away from the fence.
• Jeffrey is looking for a second router and wants to know if cheaper is an option.
• Chris wants to know, “what is the deal with floats”.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is brought to you by Festool:
Whether you are sawing, routing, ripping down large sheets or cutting a clean miter, you want definitive authority and control in your hands. See how to get it festoolusa.com.

On today’s show, we’re talking about should you leave the marking gauge line or get rid of it, how flat does a jointing plane need to be and sharpening a fine toothed saw.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is building a bathroom mirror and going old school on his video production
• Matt is dealing with tear out on his drawer sides
• Shannon went birding with his wife and now has to build a bird feeder

What’s New?

• There is a new episode of The Highland Woodworker

Poll of the Week

What are your thoughts on Poplar?

Kickback

• Geoff is a knitter and he wants respect!
• Josh wonders if maybe gaps between boards are necessary when building outdoor projects
• John doesn’t get how running a panel through the planer right out of the clamps would work
• Joe the shop teacher is gellin’ with his cushioned inserts
• Vinny called back in to clarify which Roomba he is using for his shop

Voicemail

• The OCD Woodworker called in to ask about anti fatigue matts and our opinions on hard or soft
• David from KC wants to know what he is doing wrong when it comes to pore filling Mahogany

Email

• Tim wants to know if we leave the knife line on our dovetail baselines or remove it, and why, and how.
• Tony has a slightly out of flat Stanley #8 jointer and wants to know if it is a user or a junker…so banana hands Matt comes tot he rescue.
• Josh is wondering if really fine dovetail saws can be sharpened and how the heck do you do it.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s Wood Talk “Weekend Edition”, we are talking about how we glue up panels and how we have changed our technique over the years.

Email

We received a few panel related emails from Richard and Jonathan (and some others) which inspired this episode.

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s show, we’re talking about Anti-fatigue mats, Pore-filling, Build or buy the first workbench?, wood movement in an Adirondack chair, and shop vac vs dust collector vs air filter.

What’s on the Bench?

• Matt didn’t follow his own cut list and came up short on wood
• Shannon went zen with his smoothing plane
• Marc worked his sick butt off to finish his chest of drawers project

What’s New?

• • Aaron shared a video of new kind of wood turning

• • Dane is trying to bridge the gap between woodworkers and knitter…and he is not allowed to submit anything ever again for that egregious breach of trust!!!!!

• Shaun shared an article about a guy who grows chairs

Poll of the Week

What are the tools you regret buying?

Kickback

• Jared has a solution to fix an out of alignment Dewalt 735 planer like Shannon’s
• David called in to share a Bessey Clamp sale going on in Kansas City…but Matt went and bought all of them
• Somebody in Atlanta called in to say the Roomba in a workshop is a great idea

Voicemail

• The OCD Woodworker called in to ask about anti fatigue matts and our opinions on hard or soft
• David from KC wants to know what he is doing wrong when it comes to pore filling Mahogany

Email

• Jim is debating whether to build or buy his workbench
• Dave wants to know if traditional wooden joinery is a bad idea in an outdoor chair when it comes to wood movement
• James wants to know what will give him the biggest bang for his buck: dust collector, shop vac, or air filtration unit.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s WoodTalk “Weekend Edition”, Marc was out sick so Matt and Shannon talked about small shops whether they be garage or basement and the lessons we have learned from our own small workshops.

Email

• Jared wants to know if “size does matter” when it comes to a workshop
• Josh is looking for layout advice in his small 14×20 shop

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by Brusso Hardware. New customers get 10% OFF any order at Brusso.com using code WT2015.

On today’s show, we’re talking about sharpening router plane blades and minding the gap…between cabinet doors.

What’s on the Bench?

• Matt added a ship lap back to his chest of drawers project
• Shannon is amazed how long little details take on his projects

What’s New?

• • Caleb James posted an embedded video of Peter Galbert on Rough Cut making a windsor chair. Great woodworking. Great episode.
  • The Russian Domino

• • The Ma‘agan Michael shipbuilding project which is an endeavor to rebuilt a 2400 year old ship that was found near the shores of Israel using tools from that era.
  • How to make a mallet from milk jugs. – Peter Brown’s Shop Time

• • A group of woodworkers stepped in to save the day when a storm destroyed some heritage trees downed in a 2010 storm. It’s cool to see how they interpreted the design brief to honor the spirit of the garden’s founder.
  • David Marks has a video up describing the design and build of his “Egypt-inspirated tabula” or something like that

• Introducing the Skottbenk, Scandanavian “sticking bench”

Poll of the Week

What is your go to finish?

Kickback

• Chris, Jeremy, and Aaron add their 2 cents on cut lists in reference to episode 226.

Email

• Allen wants to know how to sharpen a router plane blade
• Dan wants to know how to plan for the gap between cabinet doors.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s WoodTalk “Weekend Edition”, we’re talking whether hand tools can improve your power tool skills.

Email

Tim is wondering if becoming proficient with hand tools help your skills on wood working machines?

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by Brusso Hardware. New customers get 10% OFF any order at Brusso.com using code WT2015.

On today’s show, we’re talking about an emergency safety alert for your shop, how long should that table stretcher be, and SketchUp cut lists

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc loves epoxy and especially the squishy pump noises
• Matt broke a sweat gluing up his chest of drawers
• Shannon’s case assembly went so well he is worried his next project will fail miserably

What’s New?

• The Internet was abuzz with Ellen’s Design Challenge debacle
• Washington Post Article
• Tim McClellan’s interview on Ellen’s show
• Scotty shared a video about making a branding iron using a 3D printing service
• Mike shared a video about selling our projects
• Dan shared a good article on buying lumber
• David shared an article about a furniture maker in St Paul, MN

Kickback

• Eric shared his thoughts on “tool or class” from episode 223
• Mike and Dave both shared thoughts on using wide boards in reference to episode 224

Voicemail

• Shawn has a question about shrinking rubber in the cold messing with his machines
• John wants to know what to do with his Purpleheart

Email

• Ryan is looking for ideas for a safety alarm or notification system for his stand alone shop
• Young wants to know how long to make the trestle on a table seating 3 people to a side
• Brian wants to know what we think of the cutlist plugin for SketchUp

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s WoodTalk “Weekend Edition”, we’re talking about shop furniture projects. How nice do you make them?

Email

Dustin is wondering about shop projects. Do you treat them with the same attention to detail as furniture projects? Do you use all matching wood or just use up whatever scraps you have lying around? What about quality of materials ie. home center plywood vs high quality plywood? My OCD tendencies have me wanting to build all my cabinets and carts with matching wood, hardware, etc., but is this considered going overboard for just a shop?

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by Brusso Hardware. New customers get 10% OFF any order at Brusso.com using code WT2015.

On today’s show, we’re talking about finishing plywood, full extension shop made drawer slides, and controlling hand plane tearout.

It’s Shannon’s birthday tomorrow and Marc had a custom song made for him from 1HappyBirthday.com!

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is using long Dominos as panel straighteners
• Matt is mentally preparing for the big, dresser glue up
• Shannon decided to just read about woodworking with Peter Galbert’s new book, A Chairmaker’s Notebook

What’s New?

• • Michael shared a video about salad tongs in Butternut

• • The latest episode of The Highland Woodworker is out!

• Shannon shared a link to the digital copy of “With Hammer in Hand“, an excellent book on 18th Century Tools and Technique

Poll of the Week

Have You Ever Purchased Tools from a Woodworking Show?

Kickback

• Dean, Dana, and Steve all had great thoughts to share about buying tools or taking a class from our last show

Voicemail

Nathan has some wide boards and wants to know if he should rip them down for stability

Email

• Colin wants to know how to blend his Walnut plywood with his solid Walnut face frames
• Russell wants to know if all wood full extension drawer slides are possible and Matt shared some links from Fine Woodworking: Full Extension Slides, Shop Made Full Extension Slides
• Jim is having trouble with tear out in Walnut and wonders how to control tear out with a hand plane

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s WoodTalk “Weekend Edition”, we’re talking about whether to take a class or spend the same money on buying tools.

Email

Joe is wondering whether to spend his $1000 graduation money (congrats Dr. Joe) on 8″ jointer, a spiral head lunchbox planer, or take a week long Class at the Connecticut valley school of woodworking on Fundamentals of Furniture-Making with Bob Van Dyke and Steve Kain?

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s show, we’re talking about attaching a sitting bench top to the base, is the router plane fence necessary, and dealing with mystery goo after finishing.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc’s got nothing
• Matt is having his router bit time of the month
• Shannon has the sniffles from his oily and resinous woods

What’s New?

• • Adam shared a video about the largest plane he’s ever seen.

• • Mitch shared an indie film about plywood: Love Letter to Plywood
  • Shannon shared Jim Tolpin’s video with stop motion animation and woodworking

Poll of the Week

Do You Use Metal Drawer Slides?

Kickback

• Lance tells us that Ikea using solid wood has been happening in Europe for a while now and this new push must be a North American thing
• Brian wants to know if Pretentious Matt has suggestions for safety monocles for shop use

Email

• John wants to know of a good, strong way to attach a top to a sitting bench
• Matt wants to know if router plane fences are useful.
• Michael wants to know where the gooey mess in the bottom of his cedar chest cames from.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s WoodTalk “Weekend Edition”, we’re talking about measuring and marking tools: which ones we love and how we use them. We also talk about the premium tool market and what is really necessary and what is just bling. (Bling is good sometimes)

Email

Eric asked us which measuring and marking tools we own and specifically which brands we like.

Our Marking and Measuring Tools

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s show, we’re talking about using a sliding dovetail to stabilize a panel, fixing gappy dados, and cleaning your files and rasps.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is feelin’ groovy working on his chest of drawers or dresser or bureau.
• Matt is getting matchy matchy with his chest dados.
• Shannon is on the bent lam[b] with a Get Woodworking project.

What’s New?

• Marc shared a link about Ikea integrating more solid wood into their furniture. Good or Bad?
• This week is Get Woodworking Week

Poll of the Week

Have you ever taught another woodworker?

Kickback

• Adam reminded us that glue and sawdust also makes a great pore filler.
• Lucas called us back to update us on the workbench he built over Christmas break instead drinking and partying like the other college kids
• Dave was concerned about excess moisture in the wood if it is stored outside like in Shannon’s lumber shed.

Email

• Jacob wants to know if he can use sliding dovetails to stabilize a wide panel cabinet door.
• Alan wants to know how to fix a gappy dado.
• Chris wants to know if he should and how to clean his files and rasps.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s WoodTalk “Weekend Edition”, we’re talking about how we store our lumber.

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David wants to know how we organize our lumber stash and just how organized one needs to be with their lumber storage.

Our Lumber Storage

Also here are some details on Shannon’s Garden/Lumber Shed

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s show, we’re talking about filling pores, do you need to use a lot of different glues, and starter carving chisels.

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc is making everybody jealous with his Multi Router.
• Shannon is on to his second commissioned project: an plant stand for a prize Orchid.
• Matt is a router sign making machine.

What’s New?

• Aaron sent us a link about a guitar manufacturer using recycled Detroit materials.
• Tony sent us a video on cleaning a record with wood glue

Poll of the Week

Have you ever dished out woodworking advice?

Kickback

Brian and Jonathan chimed in on their thoughts about the Design shows on TV.

Voicemail

Ryan has a question about sandpaper. Marc recommended this video.

Email

• Nick wants to know more about pore filling when finishing his projects. Marc recommends this video.
• Kyle wants to know why he would need to use a wider variety of wood glues than the Titebond III he uses now.
• Jeffrey wants to know which carving chisels he would need to get started with letter carving.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

Today’s show is sponsored by Festool and Harry’s. Be sure to get your free $15 engraving using the code WOODTALKVALENTINE at checkout!

On today’s show, we’re talking about double tenons vs large single tenons, mortising for curves, when to sharpen your hand saws, and our thoughts on two new furniture-building shows (Framework and Ellen’s Design Show).

What’s on the Bench?

• Marc – Starting the chest of drawers, because calling a tall chest of drawers a “dresser” is dumb.
• Shannon – Started display shelf and thinks it boring
• Matt – Started the dresser build, because calling it a tall dresser is as cool as bowties and beards

What’s New?

• TWW Live on Friday at 8pm Eastern at TheWoodWhisperer.com
• A Video Look at an English Lumber Yard
  
• A video shared by Brandon Gore called Gas Dust and Grease

Poll of the Week

Does plywood belong in fine woodworking?

Review

We share our thoughts on Ellen’s Design Challenge and Framework, two new TV shows about furniture design.

PLUS…tune in to this week’s Weekend Edition of WoodTalk for an interview with Brandon Gore, one of the judges on Framework for an insider’s take on the show and furniture design.

Kickback

Roberto sent us a picture of what happens when you put a lightbulb, finish, and glue into a Coleman cooler and leave it for two weeks. (sounds like an intro to a bad joke).

Glenn, Glen, Tim, and Jeremy all have suggestions for keeping finishes and glue from freezing. None of these we recommend (see the episode on Project Creep).

Email

• Crickett wants to know if he should use single or double tenons.
• Dan is stumped on how to deal with a curved rail and many slat mortises.
• Craig wants to know how to know when his saw is dull and how to know if it is a poorly tuned saw or bad technique throwing off his cut.

How You Can Support Us

Use the links in the left column and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s WoodTalk “Weekend Edition”, we’re talking about choosing the right finish for your project.

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Matt wants to know if there is some kind of resource to help on choose which finish to use to match a specific look.

Recommended Resources:

• • Charles Neil’s Finishing A to Z DVD series or his accompanying Finish Reference Sheet
  • Hendrik Varju’s Finishing DVD is comprehensive to say the least
  • Understanding Wood Finishing – Flexner
  • Taunton’s Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing – Jewitt

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review

On today’s show, we’re talking about grain orientation for planing, matching plywood and solid wood, and keeping glue and finishes warm in freezing temps.

Special Announcements

• New WoodTalk.com website. Psst, you’re on it right now
• WoodTalk Weekend: a 2 day intensive hands on woodworking conference hosted by your 3 favorite podcast hosts, and Marc, Matt, and Shannon will be there too.

What’s on the Bench

• Marc- Putting additional finish on rustic table, laying out parts for the dresser and nightstands, and dodging airplanes.
• Shannon – Thinking about three upcoming commissions from a previous customer.
• Matt – sorting and rough dimensioning lumber.

What’s New?

• Marc on Rough Cut with a goofy grin:

• Denny sent us a box joint jig video: “This has to be the most organized back wall I have ever seen” (sorry no embed, they are disabled by the author of this video).
• Marc found this cool cross-cut sled example.
• Two new TV shows on furniture design, “Ellen’s Design Challenge” on HGTV premieres tonight, 1/26/15. And “Framework” on Spike TV. We’ll discuss these shows more next week after we get a chance to watch them.

Poll of the Week

• What’s the most you’ve spent on a single woodworking book?

Kickback

• Chris and Wilbur both had comments on our discussion about Project Creep
  and here’s Wilbur’s hollow chisel test.

Voicemail

• Peter wants to know if we would still use Sketchup even if we weren’t sharing the plans with an audience.

Email

• • Eric wants to know how to deal with glued-up panels with reversing grain.
  • David wants to know what wood would be good for a faceframe on a Mid Century Credenza made with one of a kind Rosewood Plywood
  • Rex wants to know if there is a way to make a heated cabinet for his glue and finishes for those long dark Canadian winters

How Can You Support Us?

Use the links on the left and sign up for a recurring donation, kick it up a notch and wear a Wood Talk T-Shirt, or leave us an iTunes Review