Category: Uncategorized

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions:

Howdy fellas,
Love the podcast! I’m in the process of building a bench and misjudged how much wood I could get out of a board. The plans call for two stretchers of 3/4 maple about 65″ long and 4.5″ wide. After squaring and thicknessing, I’m down to 0.75-by-65-by-4.25 which is 1/4″ too narrow. I initially thought I’d start over with a new board, but have decided to forge ahead with the slightly narrower stretchers since it won’t impact the joiner, should still be plenty strong and will probably be imperceptible. In this example or others from your experience, how big of a boo-boo do you allow in your projects? Sorry if you’ve covered this before, I’m still catching up.
Thanks, Bryan

In a previous podcast, Brian mentioned he had used raking light after sanding and was impressed by how clearly sanding marks were visible. I have tried to deliberately use raking light to identify sanding issues. You can lift a small item at a angle towards an overhead light and sight along the surface which works but if it is larger surface this isn’t practical. I have taken an led trouble light and held it at an angle close to surface but rarely see the sanding marks stand out. At some point in the afternoon sunlight hits the top of a project and marks are clearly visible . Any suggestions on using raking lighting on larger surfaces? Thanks for the great program, look forward to each new podcast. Dave at Xcuse4tools Custom Woodwork

Guys Questions:

Appreciate you all and look forward to your podcast. I was making raised panel doors for the cabinets in my shop. The panels are cut on the tablesaw with a tall fence jig and the blade tilted. This works well but leaves a few saw marks on the beveled portion of the panel which need to be cleaned up. The best way i know to sand this area is to wrap sandpaper around a small flat piece of plywood and manually sand it. This is time consuming and you are sanding across grain on two of the four bevels. I was wondering if there are any powered options available. I still have a quarter sheet sander but you hit the outer edge of panel if you use this on the bevel. Have you used a mop or star sanding wheel? This appears to be good for contours. Hoping you might have some insights possibly with Huy’s recent furniture restoration efforts. Thanks, Dave@Xcuse4tools Custom Woodwork

Hi there,

As always, love the podcast and all of the insights and expertise you share. I’m preparing to do a built-in cabinetry project for our entertainment center. The full set of cabinets will be be about 11 1/2 feet wide. I’m planning to do shaker style doors, but with a beaded pdf panel with vertical beads going across the full width of the panel. I know Guy is probably going to say, “I’d just buy the panels and be done with it”, but let’s say that I really wanted to make them myself. How would you recommend cutting all of those beads. I have a Powermatic PM2000 and a nice cast iron router table and handheld routers, but no CNC. I recently saw a video where someone made these kinds of panels with a “Magic Molder” on the table saw. Would love to hear if you have any other methods. Pete

Huys Questions:

I have been woodworking for 6 years and have learned allot from your podcast. I recently took a finishing class and learned about the different finishes. Mineral spirits is the recommended thinner for oil based finishes. Why does Guy recommend Naphtha. What is the difference between Naphtha and Mineral Spirits. What advantage is there in using Naphtha. Thank you for all the great information you bring to the community. John

Gents – Apologies for the long story, but you asked for questions.
At the peak of the COVID pandemic I found myself watching far too many YouTube channels and came upon makers using European combination machines. Call it boredom or simply a need for a good excuse to travel during a traffic density period we hope to never see again, I researched a variety of brands and settled on a Robland X-31. This 1,100 pound beast is equipped with a sliding table saw, jointer, planer, shaper and mortiser. It replaced the Delta Unisaw with a 52” Unifence, a 6” Delta clone jointer sold as “Pit Bull,” and a DeWalt DW-735 that I paid $220 because HomeDepot decided to run a price match plus 10-odd percent discount the same week HomeBase was doing its going out of business liquidation. Price shopping for the best planner deal was just a walk-about as both stores shared a common parking lot.
So back to the Robland. I convinced myself that I need a change. I started milling logs and the Pit Bull wasn’t going to cut face jointing wide boards. I needed a 12” jointer. The 20 by 24 foot shop could not accommodate length of a dedicated 12” jointer, said the little voice in my head. I could sell the Unisaw and the Pit Bull, stuff the DeWalt in a cabinet, it said. The collective footprint of these three tools (the DeWalt was on a mobile base) would be about the same as the X-31, it declared. It will fit into a one-car garage if and when you downsize, it summarized. So off to new custodians these two reliable tools that faithfully served hundreds of tasks. I trekked from Sacramento, California to Yakima, Washington with my 85-year-old dad to pickup a rarely used (red flag as it turned out) green X-31 that had – as the second owner said – sat in the basement of a dentist.
Fast forward to today … can’t say, yet, if I like or dislike the Robland. It is a pain in the ass to set up. The jointer works great once one learns how to accommodate the relatively short wings. I had electrical problems for the first year. I appreciate the planer’s 9” capacity. I miss the efficiency of moving from one dedicated machine to another. There is little end snipe compared to the 735. I don’t know if I’ll ever use the mortiser, particularly after buying a Domino. I love the cross cut table. I hate the lack of micro adjustment to the blade height on the table saw. The shaper is a great addition to the shop. It pains me that woodworking with a micrometer was helpful with the Unisaw and is a frustration with the Robland.
As I deal deal with these tool grievances, the questions:

1. What would be your advice to a new woodworker to purchase dedicated vs. combination machines? What combination would you recommend and why?
2. We’re friends here, right? Did I make a mistake with the Robland?
   Finally, at risk of being accused of pandering: I agree with Guy’s sentiment that the SawStop is a good tool, but its safety feature isn’t a replacement for responsible use of power tools. There is a reason SawStop doesn’t warranty for injuries. Age for age, I wouldn’t trust a 10-year-old SawStop any more than I would a vintage Walker Turner table saw.

Hey guys,

First off, thanks for all the knowledge you share—I’ve been woodworking for a while, but I’m always learning from your podcast. During COVID, I sold my Delta Unisaw, jointer, and DeWalt planer to pick up a Robland X-31 combo machine with a sliding saw, jointer, planer, shaper, and mortiser. I loved the idea of saving space and getting a 12″ jointer, but now I have mixed feelings. I like the crosscut table and shaper, but I miss the efficiency and precision of dedicated machines, and the X-31 can be a hassle to set up.

So my questions are:

1) For someone just getting into woodworking, would you recommend dedicated machines over a combination unit? Why?

2) Be honest—did I make a mistake going with the Robland?

Thanks again for all the insight you share each week. Craig

This Episodes Questions

Brians Questions

Hi guys. I’ve listened to every episode of the podcast and some of them more than once. Really appreciate all of the insights you give. It makes my commute much more fun and I’ve learned a ton!

This question is primarily for Brian. I’ve heard you all poke fun at him for using Excel to plan his projects on multiple occasions. I’m very curious to learn more about how he accomplishes this. I understand that he makes each cell square and draws, but maybe he could give us a little tutorial. What cell height and width does he use? What does each cell represent (an inch, six inches, a foot?). Any other of the steps you use would be super helpful. I’m planning on a built-in set of cabinets coming up and I thought I’d give your method a shot. Pete

Hello Guys
I am looking into getting a router table. Based on your experience which would be a better option. A full size stand alone router table or a router table insert for my table saw. I have plenty of space and I am looking to spend around $600 to $700. Is a router lift an important add on. Thanks for all the knowledge you all give and keep that PMA (positive mental attitude) going.
Thanks Korey from Independence, KY

Guys Questions

Gentlemen
I listen to every podcast and invariably learn something from your answers to the questions. Keep up the great work.

I have a Canadian made 14 inch General thickness planer that is about 40 years old and it has been working well and reliably over the years. Lately I noticed that one edge of a full width (14 inch) board is about .7 mm (28/1000 inch)thicker when compared to the other. It may have always done this but I am edge jointing some wide boards into panels and the variation in thickness means I have to hand plane the joints. There is no way to adjust the base to make it parallel to the cutter head. I almost always use a sled so I could adjust it to offset the inequality.

My question is am I being a bit too fussy with the small difference? Would you accept this level of planing inaccuracy when working in your own shop?

Bob Vergette, Pender Island BC, Canada

Here is my next question. I am making a shadowbox out of walnut. I want to put brass splines on the corners. I built a spline jig and I purchased a new CMT 201.024.10 Industrial Ripping Saw Blade, 10-Inch. x 24 Teeth FTG Grind with 5/8-Inch. Bore, PTFE Coating. This blade measures 1/8 with calipers across two of the carbide tips. However the cut comes in at 5/32. The brass I purchased is exactly 1/8” This leaves very small but noticeable gap. I’ve also tried with another blade and got the same results. What suggestions or tips you may have to get that saw kerf to 1/8 inch? I may next try a slightly larger thickness of brass and file/sand it down but that will be more work. I hate to say this but guys on Youtube make it look easy and have no gaps, but don’t provide the tips and how they got such tight fits. Thanks in advance!

Dudley @ Pappys Hangar

Huys Questions

Gents, what a great podcast! I love the format, the focus on answering questions, and the valuable information. I especially like hearing Guy’s perspectives who’s both a pro and a hobbyist. Thanks and keep it up. I’ve been woodworking as a hobbyist for about 50 years – yes I’m older than Guy but not dying anytime soon thanks to my Sawstop – but just now getting into spray finishing. I have heard Guy talk numerous times about using pigmented water based conversion varnish. I have an upcoming project involving kitchen cabinet door panels that need to be finished to match the existing which is conversion varnish tinted to match Benjamin Moore Linen White. Because I have also heard Guy saying he gets his finishes from Target Coatings, I contacted them but was told they do not tint their conversion varnish and I would need to tint it myself. Their suggestion though is to apply their pigmented water based lacquer for the color match, and then coat that with their polycarbonate urethane for durability comparable to the conversion varnish. That two-step process sounds cumbersome compared to one step conversion varnish. So the question is do you get your pigmented conversion varnish elsewhere? Do you get it at Target coatings and have it tinted locally? Tint it yourself? Thanks for your advice. John

My grandparents had a marquetry landscape picture hanging on the wall of their house for years when I was kid. After they passed, one of my uncles received the picture as part of their inheritance. I decided to try to make my own version of this picture as the chalet had a few discrepancies in it. The picture was of a man walking down a winding path between a chalet and a couple of trees and mountains in the background. I have tried to use 1/16″ veneer but it seems prone to tearing/chipping when I use my Dewalt scroll saw. I have tried several different styles of blades with no success. I have also had some difficulties getting the jigsaw pieces, so to speak, to fit closely together. It seems if I remove a little from one side of a piece then it alters another side. I have let’s say gone through a bit of extra veneer. What suggestions would you make so that the veneer doesn’t tear/chip out? Is there a better way to cut the pieces? Would you use a different thickness or completely go away from the veneer to something else? Lastly, what techniques can you offer up to get the pieces to fit snugly given the sometimes difficult shapes? Jim

Brians Questions:

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and opinions – and answering my previous questions. It’s been a great help.
My shop is in my single car garage, which I share with household storage. It has a very high ceiling. I recently got a good deal on a new Jet AFS-1000B Air Filtration System. (note: I do not have a dust collection system, as I try to do mostly hand tool work, but I do use power tools as needed. So there is plenty of dust).
The question is: where to locate the device?
The options are:

1. I have a shelf that is suspended from the ceiling and could test to see if it will support the Jet unit.
2. There is a metal storage cabinet that I can set it on, and attach to the wall (per Jet instructions).
3. Place it on the lower shelf of my Moravian style workbench.
   Attaching it directly to the ceiling is out, as it is too high, and I don’t have ladders or scaffolding to get up there.
   The easiest is option 3 – on the lower shelf of the workbench. Will it be effective down there – about a foot off the ground? Or should I go for options 1 or 2?
   Thanks for any insight.
   David V. – Baltimore, MD

Gentlemen,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to share your knowledge through the podcast. I’ve recently caught up on all the previous episodes and really look forward to the bi-weekly insights you provide. It’s been a tremendous help as I navigate the early stages of woodworking and material sourcing.
I have a question regarding quality expectations when purchasing from regional hardwood suppliers. I’ve recently started buying from a distributor in the Texas/Oklahoma area that operates multiple warehouses. While I’m still relatively new to this type of procurement, I’ve noticed a gap between what I expected from a “select & better” grade product and what I actually received.
My recent order was for cherry lumber—select & better, RW&L, averaging 6 inches wide, 9 feet long, and 15/16″ thickness, graded 90/70+. The issue I encountered was significant end-checking and splitting—some boards had cracks extending 10 to 18 inches. Since the lumber (along with some maple and walnut) was bundled and strapped to a pallet, it wasn’t until I got home—over an hour away—that I realized the extent of the damage.
I understand that some waste is always part of the equation, but I’m trying to get a sense of what’s considered “normal” for a premium grade. Should I have contacted the supplier once I noticed the issue? Or is it standard practice to inspect the order before it leaves the yard? I’d appreciate any guidance or rules of thumb you might recommend for handling situations like this.
Thanks again for your time and for all the valuable information you share. It’s been a huge help.
Best regards, Mark

Guys Questions:

I’m preparing to build a set of kitchen cupboards from white oak. The style will be Mission, with some Frank Lloyd Wright Prairies Style touches. I have several questions.
I’m going to build some assembly tables. I don’t want hundreds of dog/hold-down holes in each, but I will probably drill a few. I’m wondering about 3/4” (the traditional North American standard) vs. 20 mm (a standard popularized by Festool, etc.). I know this isn’t a black and white choice, but could you share some thoughts on what one might consider before committing to one size vs. another. Darrin

I frequently seem to struggle with keeping the countersink concentric concentric with the screw clearance hole.
I have both the multi-flue countersink and the countersink with one diagonal hole but they both want to wander.
I also have a tapered drill bit with set-screwed countersink. Maybe I should be trying harder to use that type.
So my question is – do you have any suggestions for keeping the countersink centered on the clearance hole, and what is your preferred type of countersink.
Steve

Huys Questions:

Hello guys, my name is Jim Rose. I live in north central Kansas and have a couple of completely different topics for questions.
Before the questions, I wanted to say, thanks so much for an awesome podcast. I have been a listener since Brian came on board. In fact, the 1st episode I listened to was his 1st episode!!!
First off, I have a question about beetle kill pine. I am currently building a new house and have purchased beetle kill pine to put on the walls and ceiling of a sunroom. My question is what finish should I use if any so that the blues and reds of the beetle kill pine will show the best and not change colors in anyway. I have seen different opinions on the internet ranging from a clear poly to nothing at all. Some have even said that a finish will change to colors which I definitely dont want. Not sure if this is true so thought I would the experts. Thanks in advance. Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again, Jim

Hey Fellas’ as many say “love the podcast”, I’ve learned a ton and look forward to more as I work my way through previous shows and keep up with new ones. The ask … you’ve shared a fair amount regarding adhesive/glues including talking shelf life. How can we tell when an adhesive/glue has exceeded its shelf life and should be discarded and replaced? I mean knowing this is prior to using it and the project failing and pieces not sticking as needed. Thanks, Chris Hudson

Guys Questions

Hey guys, I really love your show. My question is about food safe finishes. I do a lot of CNC carving and one of my favorite is deviled egg trays. The first couple I made for my wife I just finished with some butcher block oil, the composition of an egg Has something in it I think and it quickly turned the reliefs in the wood surface black. I talked to my sister-in-law who’s a chemical engineer and she told me that polyurethane once it’s cured would be fine for this. I have done a few with this and it seems to be holding up OK but I am curious what your guys thoughts are on the long-term effect of this. Most of my egg trays are made out of a butcher block style material that has lots of maple cherry ash a little bit of oak and various leftovers. Unfortunately, I can’t use walnut in my wood shop due to my wife’s tree nut allergy again guys. I really appreciate your podcast and look forward to listening to it. Albert

Thanks for the great podcast, I learn something from every episode.
I recently made a few band saw boxes for Christmas gifts. They are a good way to use up some offcut lumber and the family seems to appreciate something handmade.
The 3 drawer box with a curved top and side (pictures attached) caused me a bit of trouble.
Joni had preciously asked for a sideboard style cabinet to place between out living and dinning room areas. After 2-3 month we still hadn’t found a design she liked….until she saw the curved band saw box. I quote “I love that design and want one like that only much bigger”
My question is what suggestions do you have for making the curved top and sides, I am thinking the sides could be made using walnut plywood by cutting kerfs and bending the plywood over a frame but I am open to other ideas.
The top has me stumped, I have made segmented arches for a table support but they were only 4″ wide and I cut the arch on a band saw. That would not work for a wide dresser top.
Approximate dimensions would be 30″ -35″ wide and 45- 55″ tall and 20-22″ deep
Thanks in advance for you help DH

I realize this isn’t a fine precision woodworking question, but I figure you guys have probably dealt with manhandling sheets of plywood. We have about 140 sheets of plywood that we need to put down on a floor. The median age of the guys doing this is somewhere between 65 and 70. Any suggestions for how to safely handle this many sheets of plywood to minimize strains and injuries ?
Thanks, Mark

Huys Questions

Good Morning, I appreciate the podcast as I continue to learn its been a great resource, thank you!

Quick background. I grew up watching PBS’s Norm Abram and This Old House but never had much opportunity to learn wood working. As an adult I started learning both construction building and cabinet/furniture making helping others, reading and youtube etc. Starting in basement workshops with mostly benchtop tools. ~15 years into the journey I am starting to get a decent foundation. Recently I built a house with a planned garage workshop and have started outfitting it. Bones are there, lots of organization needed but I have now have 3hp grizzly table saw, bosch miter saw with large counter style station, 8″ Grizzly jointer, 24″ Grizzly Drum Sander, Grizzly Bandsaw and dust collector Planer still needs upgrading, have a Ridgid 13″ but watching for a used 20″ helical head. I have been busy chasing used deals! Also recently setup a 10’x10′ popup tent with furnace filter setup tied into 12″ exhaust fan as a spray booth, works great! Spraying with a Fuji mini mite 5 stage and PPS cup system. Space is 32’x32′ when cars are out with 12′ ceiling, in floor heat. Rural northern New York. Not a Rockler or similar store within a days drive but we have ample local sawmills to find solid wood if your willing to mill it and access to cabinet grade plywood delivered from suppliers.

With this shop setup I am now building cabinets, furniture, trim, doors etc for our house. Starting in some areas I don’t mind making some mistakes. Two areas that I am struggling to figure out:

Finishes-your recent episode had some decent comments but I would love a thorough discussion on when you would choose a certain finish over another. In particular thinking of kitchen cabinets, vanities, built in’s, kitchen table. High traffic areas. I have played around with conversion varnish from Woodwright. Seems like very durable stuff and I don’t mind cleaning up with solvent but when is that necessary vs going with an easier to work with finish such as Sherwin Williams Emerald? Or middle ground lacquer??I do have Bob Flexners book but would love to hear your experiences/ opinions? If I do use conversion varnish how do you handle any touch ups?

I have quite a lot of experience with airless on sheetrock so its not a huge jump but any suggestions on HVLP setups, when to use which tips etc. would be helpful.

*Doors- I appreciated the conversation on doors recently. I have several very custom interior and exterior doors I want to tackle. I agree with your comments on buying pre hung for standard doors but between custom nature of what we want and because I just want to do it I am going to try to build my own. I want to buy the festool domino machines in time anyhow and I think that would be a good way to build the doors. I would enjoy hearing a conversation on specifics on how you would choose to build interior vs exterior doors, rail and style material vs. panel material vs jamb material. Is there a way to insulate the exterior door? Finishes? If you had the shop described above and both domino size machines what would you do?

Thank you! Matt Wendig

This one is a wood selection question. I am looking for a wood that has both good elasticity and shock resistance. I am building a Japanese makiwara board, which is a training tool that provides progressive resistance to striking force by the martial artist. The training board is about 55″ tall, 5″ wide and is tapered – so thick at the base and gradually tapers to the top. This allows for “flex” when the board is struck. In Japan – Japanese beech is typically used, but not readily available near me. I am thinking along the lines of Ash or Elm for my build. I appreciate your thoughts. Crafted Carpentry Tampa

Hello gentlemen and thank you for the wonderful podcast.
I live in the niagara region in Ontario Canada and for the last while I’ve been looking at upgrading my current table saw (Ridgid R4520) to something that runs on 220v for more power or possibly replacing it all together with a bandsaw.

I have an oversized single car garage that houses my furnace, hot water tank, ATV, motorcycle, mechanical shop and woodshop so space is at a premium and that is the motivation to possibly do away with a table saw all together.

I have a router table, mitre saw and track saw so I feel all the functions I may lose not having a table saw will still be covered by these tools plus I have a Ridgid job site table saw (R4518ns) I use for the odd job I do off site.

I currently have an older 110v 14″ king bandsaw that I find severely underpowered and that I want to replace anyways, so with the sale of my current bandsaw and table saw plus my current budget and with some convincing of my wife I’m thinking I’ll have roughly $3000-3300CAD to buy either one bandsaw or have to use those fund to buy both a bandsaw and table saw.

I am 6’4″ and if my memory serves me correctly guy has said Laguna bandsaw tables are closer to the ground and I’ve quickly looked at some king bandsaw and craftex bandsaws but I’m not sold on them either.

So my question question to you guys is, what would you do? Use all the funds on a bandsaw and if so which one and what type of blades should I purchase with it? Or split up the funds to purchase 2 machines and again which ones? And do you go new or used in both of those situations?

Thank you ahead of time for taking the time to read and respond to my inquiry. James

This Episodes Questions:

Brians Questions

When making trivets, how to cut the grooves – when I cut mine I hogged out half the thickness of the wood in one pass. That led to some pretty rough cuts and gouges (i.e. scrap). I assume the answer is a router table with a lift, but of course I don’t have one YET. 🙂 Also, what finish to put on a trivet (which is used for hot pans)? – different finish than a cutting board? Tung oil? Danish oil? I assume ’not’ ArmRSeal. Mark

I’m preparing to build a set of kitchen cupboards from white oak. The style will be Mission, with some Frank Lloyd Wright Prairies Style touches. I have several questions.
I have a SuperMax style cantilever 25-50 drum sander. Do you think that this is a feasible tool to level out the boards to remove the planer snipe? …and avoid having to cut 3” of the end of each piece? Darrin

Guys Questions:

Been enjoying your podcast through several projects. My background is homebuilding, but through my sawmill hobby and unwillingness to pay for overpriced garbage…I have found myself learning about woodworking. My question is about making doors.
I have made one door so far using only groove cuts into the stiles’s and gluing the tenons of the rails and panels into these cuts. I don’t have much faith in the longevity of this door, but it’s been a year now.
What is the traditional methodology for attaching the individual parts of a simple 3 panel door
Should I just buy a domino and get it done…
Also per your latest podcast episode, what is the best way to midi gate the wood movement at the joint of the rails/ stiles. As these joints are not small nor parallel.
Sorry for the low brow question. Appreciate the knowledge. Lucas

Hello esteemed woodworking gentlemen! Thanks for the amazing podcast and the contribution to the woodworking community. I’m seeking some general advice and hope you can help.
I was recently watched a YouTube video where someone stated that a track saw blade should always be buried for the straightest possible cut. That made me wonder if I can be causing unnecessary blade deflection on my jobsite table saw and Dewalt miter saw. I often struggle achieving perfect 90 on those machines when crosscutting.
As a hobbyist with limited shop time, setting up machines is pain but I understand its necessity. Can you speak on this blade deflection and are there any go to tricks that you have for ensuring your machines are set up properly?
Thanks for any help you can provide.-Jose

Huys Questions:

A while back my wife and I bought and moved into a house with no dishwasher, then later purchased one after realizing how much not having one sucked. We made the mistake of assuming that we would be fine putting the dishwasher at the end of the counter, because we figured the top of the machine would look like a run-of-the-mill home appliance like a washer or dryer, rather than the monstrosity that it actually is.
It is ugly. I think I actually recall my wife crying when she saw it, and not in a good way. Since then my loosely held plan has been finding a way to move or dispose of the contents of one section of our cabinets, then cut a section out of said cabinets big enough for the dishwasher to fit underneath. Recently, however, thanks in large part to your podcast, I have developed enough confidence in my woodworking skills to attempt a different idea. My thought is to make what is essentially an end cap or sidewall, which will match the existing cabinetry, anchor it somehow, and then place a new section of countertop between this end cap and the existing end cap of the cabinets. I would essentially be “extending” the countertop, thereby concealing top and visible side of the dishwasher. From what I can tell, all I would have to make, stain, and finish would be a cabinet side panel, a piece of trim to run along the bottom, and a partial face frame.
So here come the questions: do you think this is doable, either generally or the way I am thinking? And what would be the easiest way to tackle this project? Note that I’m not particularly concerned over whether or not I use the same method of instruction as was used for the rest of the cabinetry. For example, I don’t particularly care to use particle board with a veneer as the rest of the cabinets may have done if it would actually be easier or cheaper in this instance to just make the side panel out of a solid piece of wood. So long as it looks close, its fine with me. The applicable tools I can think of that I have at my disposal are a table saw with a crosscut sled, a compound miter saw, a jigsaw, fixed base router, various types of Sanders, a pocket hole jig, 15, 16, and 23 gauge nailers, and of course all of the basic hand tools. I would describe my skill level as approaching novice.
Sincerely,Z achary T Owens

Howdy yall,
I’m wondering if you can recommend any smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors in the woodshop? I work out of a one car garage in Minnesota so have a gas heater to help me stay warm during our bitter winter months, but am also worried about oil rags possibly spontaneously combusting. When I first moved into the shop I tried installing a regular smoke detector however it kept on getting set off when I had excessive dust flying (thank you router). Is there anything that you know of on the market that won’t get set off by dust but that I can keep my home protected and have a little more peace of mind?
Thanks, Paul at Twin Lake Woodshop