Woodshop Life Podcast

Hey guys. Love the show. Been binge watching for a few months now and have learned a ton. Thanks for providing such great information. I have a sears craftsman table saw I bought for a hundred bucks off an older gentleman who needed to free up more space in his shop. It works great but I would really like to install a riving knife for obvious safety reasons. Can it be done and how would I go about doing this? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks again for the great content. Jonathon Long time listener but only second question Ive sent in. Received a great answer on my first so thought I would try again. What would be the best hand plane to use for edge jointing boards? None of my projects are super long the longest would be around five feet long. Thanks for a great podcast. Robert Guys Questions 1) Guy mentions Hide Glue as a good option due to ease of clean up. There are several different hide glues commercially available. Titebond liquid hide glue, Old Brown and the powdered mix that you make with a heat pot and water. Which type do you use/recommend?Thanks, Dave @ Xcuse4tools Custom Woodwork I have a chance to get a free radial arm saw. I already have a compound miter saw. Why would I use one over the other? Julie Huys Questions I’m finishing a whole home remodel where I’ve built all our cabinets. I’m about to start door and drawer faces and would love some tips to make the production work go more smoothly. There’s a mix of paint grade (poplar and MDF) along with stain grade (rift sawn white oak).I bought a rail and stile shaker router bit set to help but what else will make this quicker and easier? Jake Thank you for your podcast. It is a great resource for woodworkers. I am at a point in my woodworking journey when I feel I am finally ready to build a set of dining room chairs. Nothing too fancy, but still comfortable. modern and stylish. I believe I have all the necessary big and small tools. Do you have a source that you would recommend that sells physical router templates? If not, any plans you would recommend? I do have a 3d printer, if I need to print them out, but I do not have a cnc. Max

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This Episodes Questions Brians Questions: Hey Gents, As always love the podcast. I just upgrade from a bosch jobsite table saw to a general international 50-220 hybrud thats about 20 years old. It is in great shape and I want to keep it that way. What are some general maintenance things you would initially do with an older saw such as this and what would you do going forward to keep it in tip top shape? Thanks again! Tyler You guys often talk about pocket hole screws being an easy way to fasten boards together. I find I often have the boards move on me and misalign the joints when I use pocket hole screws. Do you experience this / how do you prevent it? Especially when one of the boards is too long to feasibly clamp it well. Tyler Guys Questions: Hey guys… Indianapolis native woodworker/DIYer here. Second time to ask a question and unfortunately is one you have probably answered before, but hopefully there is a slight twist to this one.I’m looking to refinish a dinning table that is currently made of oak with a light yellower stain with a clear coat that is knicked up and scratched. The wife would like for the table to be black. I’m interested in using Target Coatings EM6600 - Raven black pigmented laquer. I’ve never used the pigmented laquer and hopefully it’s easy enough for a DIY guy to do a decent job. Couple questions about this:1. Do I need to sand the old finish off or use a chemical to soften the finish and then sand it off, or can a pigmented laquer go on over and the finish since it is covering over the old colors completely? Or instead of sanding can you use Target coatings HSF5000 primer, surfaced, and grain filler over the top of the old finish?2. If I do need to sand it at least to scuff it up for the primer to adhere how far back do I need to sand it back? Is it just enough to rough it up, or do I need to be all the way back to bare wood?3. Lastly has anyone ever used the grain filler primer from Target Coatings? Am I wasting my money on this product? Wood grain showing through the black finish isn’t the end of the world, but if we could have a completely smooth finish and little to know grain causing a “feeling” on the table that would be preferable. And maybe we would get that from the laquer building up already.Thanks for the awesome podcast. I’ve learned a ton from you all!Thanks Jason Im 62 years old been woodworking for years and would love to use sketch up to help design and build projects. I know that there are versions dedicated to woodworking. My question is do you guys use sketch up? What version do you use? I know there are subscription fees. Im concerned about the learning curve. Ive watched some YouTube videos Im a small hobbyist shop doing small projects, built ins and i do a lot of design just in my head. Would love to be able to design and refine projects on the computer before i start building. Appreciate any advice on beginning this. Thank you, Phil Huys Questions: G'day guys , from Australia. long time listener and I finally have a question.An auction for a closing business appeared on my Instagram feed and it was nearby so I bid and won around 3000 square metres of veneer (roughly 32,000 square feet or 3/4 of an acre.)for the princely sum of $56 AUD or $39 USD.The veneers were shopsawn in house and are 1.8mm - 2.4mm with some of the walnut 5000mm long and 600mm wide the species also include.- Walnut burl.- Yellow poplar burl.-Maple- Pacific maple.- European Walnut- European oak- Silky Oak- QLD Pepperwood- Palisander Rosewood- Tasmanian blackwood- Fiddleback Tasmanian Blackwood- BlackbuttIt's a lifetime supply for me and I have already started to flatten and sort some of the stock , which brings me to my first question.The poplar burl is extremely dry, crinkled, and bubbly. I sprayed it with a homemade veneer flattening solution( alcohol, glycerine and water) and pressed it in cauls and clamps.The veneer definitely flattened out and became pliable and flexible, however.As it

Brians Questions: Hello! I recently got into woodworking in part after being inspired by finding a local lumber yard and not being beholden to the big orange box. I’ve realized my next step is to figure out a planing method - the wood I buy is rough sawn, and I’m not in a position to buy a planer or jointer given the size of my garage shop/price constraints. I’ve done some research on hand planes and plan to start experimenting with some used/refurbished ones. Do you think this is a reasonable method for small/medium projects (bookshelves and tables would be largest I’d do), or should I jump right to other methods like a router or electric planer. Thanks! Ryan Zach from Minnesota here. I heard you're in need of questions, so I figured I'd come to the rescue.My question is regarding developing and learning new techniques and skills in the shop. You guys have previously made the suggestion that when trying to learn new skills, the best approach is to take on a project which incorporates one new skill (the one you would like to learn) versus diving into a project that's going to involve several unfamiliar skills. While I think that's a great approach, my question is: how do I know when it is time to move on to another new skill?For example, if I decide I want to learn how to use dovetails, how many projects in a row should I spend focusing on that technique before progressing to learning another new one? Should I keep at it until I feel that I've mastered dovetails, or should I just practice it until I feel like I have a firm understanding of the process?Thanks again for all of your expertise and your dedication to the woodworking community at large. I eagerly anticipate each new episode. I hope all of your projects are doing well, and I hope you are doing even better. Guys Questions: Hello,I’m really enjoying the podcast—it’s become one of my favorites to listen to. I appreciate how genuine and down-to-earth you all are.I’m currently building a small part-time crafting business using a Onefinity CNC and an xTool laser. For software, I use LightBurn and Carveco Maker+.I recently heard Guy talking about using his laser, and I think I’ve also heard you discuss CNC work in past episodes. I was curious if either of you have any advice for laser engraving softwoods like pine. I often get blotchy or inconsistent results because of the varying grain density, and I’m always looking for ways to improve my finished products.On the CNC side, I’d love to hear your thoughts on workholding methods. My spoilboard has dovetail tracks, so I use homemade clamps quite a bit. I also use double-sided tape regularly. Surprisingly, the foam double-sided tape from Dollar Tree (three rolls for $1.25) has worked far better for me than some of the CNC-specific tapes I’ve tried, which didn’t seem to hold very well.For two-sided projects, I’ve also made a few fixture boards with dowel-pin locators, and those have been a huge help with alignment.I’ve learned that there’s always something new to learn in this hobby, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Thanks for the great content, and keep up the awesome work!Have a great day! Kevin I’m building a round table with an x-frame base. The top 60” in diameter and 1 1/4” thick hickory. The x-frame is 37” across. I also plan on adding an apron about 3 1/2” tall to the table. I have heard more cons than pros on c-channel but would like your guys opinion on this. I definitely can’t have this thing droop. Also, while I have your attention, how would you attach the apron to the top taking into account wood movement. Thanks for having a great podcast. You have helped me a number of times in the past with valuable advice. Tom Huys Questions: I have an old park bench that I rebuilt three years ago using white oak. I applied 3 coats of Minwax spar urethane over the wood, sanding with 240 grit sandpaper between coats. Now, after 3 years, the finish has failed and the wood has noticeable spl

This Episodes Questions: Brians Questions: Hey all, great podcast, thank you for doing what you do.What are some favorite Christmas gifts to make with scrap wood?Specific context for me: been woodworking for a while, hobbyist, been giving gifts to people for years and now I've lost track of who has gotten what. Just trying to get some ideas for this year. Time is easier to give to a project than money. I also like the lathe for scrap projects. Have found a good glue up can make a good looking bowl.Follow up/more specific questions:What are some favorite scrap wood projects that are not kits from Rockler (or similar companies)?Other than a bowl, what are some other gifts that can come off the lathe?What are some non kitchen items to make from scrap wood? (I believe I've given too many cutting boards, charcuterie boards, cooking utensils over the years). Jim Hello friends, I haven't submitted a question in a hot minute, as the kids say, but I finally have a good one for you and it's regarding something I'm truly stumped about. After hitting you guys with question after question about, "How do I do _______ without a jointer or planer?" I finally got myself a thickness planer. It's louder than all hell, and it's nothing fancy, but I'm glad I have it. There's only one issue that I'm having with it, and I can't figure out what's causing it. When I'm getting ready to Mill down some stock, I first set the height of the planer blades so they aren't taking off any material at the start. The depth of cut indicator is at "0". I'll even send the board through with the blades at this height sometimes just to make sure the gauge is accurate. I then lower the blades by 1/64", aka a quarter turn of the handle. I send the piece of stock through, it takes off some material, whatever. So far, so good.Here's what's throwing me off: after I've fed that board through the planer, I can feed that same board right back through, with the blades still set at the same height, and the planer will take off about the same amount of material, from the sound of it. This doesn't only happen on a second pass, either. I can feed the same board through the planer six, seven, or eight times, without adjusting the cutting depth, and the planer continues to remove material at each pass. Unless I'm missing something about how planers work, I would think that the material should have been planed down to thickness on the first pass. I can't figure out why it continues to remove material after multiple passes when I haven't changed the settings. This happens to me every time I use my planer.Not sure if this is relevant but I have a Ridgid #R4331 planer. I also attached a link to a very loud video demonstrating this phenomenon. Thank you in advance for your help and expertise, and thank you for continuing to take the time to put out this phenomenal woodworking podcast. I hope your projects are doing well, and I hope you're doing even better.Sincerely, Zachary T Owens Guys Questions: Hello,Thank you for the great podcast and for answering my questions. I have a question on using Transtint dye. I heard Guy and Huy mention they use it. Not sure about Brian. Anyway, I screwed up 2 projects when trying to apply it. In both cases I mixed it into Zinser Sealcoat shellac. Firs time applied with foam brush on elm. The second time wiped on on maple plywood. In both cases, the color was very inconsistent. I ended up throwing away the plywood and sanding the elm back to bare wood. My question is, is it ok to add Transtint dye to shellac? If so, what could be my problem?More importantly, can you tell me the process you follow to apply Transtint dye?The dye I was using is Transtint Dark Walnut. Max I have owned my Sawstop cabinet saw for nearly a year now and I have consistently been impressed with the quality of the machine. One thing that has bugged me since I got the saw is the occasional binding I get when I do a rip cut especially. I have meticulously aligned t

This Episodes Questions: Brians Questions: Love the podcast fellas! I have a simple question: When I use my table saw, I usually just check if the blade is "high enough" i.e. any height higher than the wood piece. Is there an ideal blade height for a given wood thickness? Thanks!Matt What is the most difficult project you've ever done?Brian Guys Questions: I’m wondering how thick is too thick to veneer onto a plywood box. I’ll be making a treasure chest for my daughter’s wedding (for cards and such) and lining it in leather. I have some wood I’d like to use for the outside as “veneer”, but it is a 3/8” thick. The species is morado, and they were a “special buy” thing at a Woodcraft I got a while ago. Basically, I have them and I’d like to use them if possible rather than buying something else.My bandsaw isn’t always the most reliable, so while I would feel comfortable splitting them and then planing them flat again, that might be as thin as I’m able to do. I’m guessing 1/8” thick once all the processing is done. Is that too thick to use as veneer? Is there a glue that’s better for a thicker veneer than a thin one?Thanks, Peter I recently bought a small bandsaw mill (Woodmizer LX30) and am becoming an amateur sawyer, exclusively to supply lumber for my own projects. 2 questions, here's the first: 1. In what use cases, if any, would you use air-dried lumber for your projects, assuming it is stickered properly, outside, with a rain cover on the top, for a year per inch of thickness? I was told by a friend who operates a kiln that air-drying in southern Indiana will never get the moisture content much below 13-15%, it will dry unevenly throughout the board, and it won't kill powder post beetles and other insects. His conclusion is that for any indoor woodwork projects, I should only use kiln-dried lumber. Do you agree? Why or why not? Fortunately, he's well-respected, trustworthy, and at $.35/bd-ft dried, affordable. But I can air-dry for free, so I'd be curious to know when, if ever, that may be workable.Kyle Huy's Questions: I have another good fundamentals of woodworking type question for you. Could you explain the differences between grain density and porosity? For a while I thought I knew what at least one of these meant. That was until I heard Guy describe oak as a tight-grained, open pore species. That whole description goes more or less right over my head. I'd really appreciate it if you guys could explain what grain density and wood porosity look like visually, as well as what effects these attributes have on working with a particular species, finishing it, etc. Thanks for all of your time and for sharing your expertise with all of us. The Fridays when you guys have new episodes are my favorite days of the week.Zach Hello Friends,I have a woodshop at my house in the PNW. I’m somewhere between a beginner and not a beginner.If you want to answer this question on your fantastic podcast, you can of course skip the preamble. I offer it here so you can understand the context and environment in which my question lives. Because we are friends, I care what you think, so I hope you don’t arrive at the conclusion that I’m impractical. I’ve tried to create a shop environment that incorporates a whimsical and creative aesthetic because that is how I aspire to be in this space.I built an entry door and carriage doors for my 500sq foot detached woodshop. Doors guts are constructed from poplar frames, 1.5” ridged insulation in the voids, MDO skin on the exterior side trimmed in the craftsman style with ¾ cedar. The interior side of the doors are skinned in plywood and laminated with orange counter top material. The orange is the same color as those orange shirts people who work hard wear. I like to wear these shirts to give my wife the impression that I too am working and not just fudging around. I wanted my workshop to feel likewise. Door window sills and trim are walnut. On the entry door, I’ve installed