Episode 39 – Deciding Your Next Purchase, When To Use Brad/Pin Nails, Pricing Your Work, & MUCH More!

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

Guys Questions:

1) First thanks for the great podcast y’all have put together I really enjoy listening. I am looking for a new bandsaw for the shop. I had a 18” Jet bandsaw that I really liked but it was just to big for my shop. I am looking for a 14” bandsaw to replace the old one. I have looked at the Jet JWBS14-SFX and the Laguna 14/12 and the Laguna 14BX 2.5 HP models. There is not a huge price difference in them but I have also noticed that Harvey Woodworking has a bandsaw that looks very similar to the Laguna 14BX but I have not seen or heard of them before. I believe the Jet has ball bearing guides and the Laguna has ceramic. Do any of you have an opinion on these saws. My local Woodcraft has both Laguna machines and the Jet in store but I am torn between them. Any help would be much appreciated. Keep up the good work guys! – Troy

2) Hey all, love the show – Guy is looking handsome as ever – 

I’ve been watching a lot of old New Yankee workshop and noticed that Norm reinforces like EVERYTHING with brad nails – I’m especially talking about show faces on projects like the shaker wall clock he built – he shot like 10 brads into face grain on the sides of the clock where everyone will see – 

I’m sure he is hiding them in the finishing process with a filler, but I’m wondering if a brad is really necessary on non load bearing joints / projects – We have all seen the tightbond ads showing that the glue joint is actually stronger than the wood itself – Do I really need to brad / pin nail in a divider piece on a wall clock? Or trim molding that is glued otherwise??

SB

Seans Questions:

1) How do you decide what the next Purchase in the shop will be with a given budget? I have 1500-2k I can spend so I’m debating between many different things

2) Hey guys I have just got into listening to the podcast and have really enjoyed it. I was wondering how do y’all go about selling the projects that you make and where to advertise the pieces so that they get sold. Also what are some good ways to get your name out to the community to let them know about you and the skills that you have.
Thanks, Logan

Huys Questions:

1) My question concerns instagram/maker etiquette. I am a novice in woodworking/cabinetry, and I am always curious what other maker costs are in some of their projects. I guess my question is, is it ok to ask other makers how much they have in a project and what their net profits are on the project?? I’d like to know how I’m doing when it comes to margins. -Cole

2) The WWGOA has made a pretty big push lately regarding the Harvey “Ambassador” Cabinet Table Saw. Would you share your thoughts on the C200 & C300 models? I have been saw shopping for some time, reviewing all available “cabinet style” brands, and recently put this saw into the mix of choices.

Episode 38 – Finishing both sides of plywood, Horizontally vertical lumber storage, Calculating wood movement, & MUCH More!

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

Guys 

1) Hi guys. I have a question for the podcast. I recently made a miter station out of some 3/4 birch plywood. Originally thought I wasn’t going to apply any finish but have decided I would like to mostly for protection of the work surfaces and also for aesthetics. Would it be a bad idea to apply a water based poly to only the visible table top and drawer fronts and skip the inside of the cabinet? On a normal furniture project I know it would be best to finish all surfaces, but wondering if this would be passable for shop furniture. Thanks! John

2) Hi guys, your podcast is brilliant, thank you all.

I am a hobbyist woodworker only, I started after I found out about French cleats when searching shed storage projects. In an earlier podcast Guy talks about the benefits of buying a piece of equipment against fussing about making it when time can be spent better using the tool rather than making it, in my case a crosscut sled which took me a fair bit of time and after finally giving up on the 5 cut method and fixing the fence with a framing square only to find the sled binds so I cut it in half and now have a right and left handed sled, I really would like to buy the Incra mitre gauge and watch many operations where it is used straight on the table saw without a sled, so my question is ‘is a crosscut sled necessary or beneficial “

Thanks for your time -Geoff

Sean’s 

1) Hey fellas. I don’t currently have any milling tools. I’ve seen bench top jointers in my research but don’t really hear about or see them in the YouTube or Instagram community. Those are the jointer currently in my budget, am I better off saving up for a big boy jointer or would this get me rolling albeit with smaller projects? Appreciate any and all advice. -Trevor

2) So question for the podcast; what do you think about verical/horizontal lumber storage like this (Shows picture of hotizontal lumber rack with boards laying on their edges/sides instead of laying face down)? I can’t store a lot of lumber vertical as my ceilings aren’t that tall and all my cutoffs are not that long so this was a hybrid solution I thought up but it sounds like a few others have had the same thought. Food for thought?

Huy’s

1) Hello everyone, really enjoy the podcast and learn new things every show!  I have a question on how to deal with harmful fumes from finishes, etc. My workshop is in my basement in a completely walled off room from the rest of the basement without any windows….When I have to finish a project I have to move it up into the garage but then I have to deal with dust and other factors that I can’t control since it is a garage.  I can control the environment in my shop but being a tad close to the furnace and or other open flame devices…..I really don’t want to blow up the house. I don’t mind drilling through the wall but I really can’t exceed 4″ diameter through the wall to vent to the outside. So do you have any ideas of what kind of fume extraction device exists for this purpose?

Thanks! Kalman

2) Calculating expansion. Is there an actual formula or do I just keep on making an educated guess based on my feelings for what a particular piece of wood might do. A good example to ponder. I recently built a 12 foot tall, solid wood paneled, sliding barn door for a Master Bedroom out of Alder. Each board is 6 inches tall by 30 inches wide and .5 inch thick. The boards are in a dado on both the rail and stile in the door frame. That is 144 inches of horizontal grain that will do what ever it is going to do. How would you calculate or estimate the vertical expansion? – Alex

Links mentioned in the podcast from Huy in regards to calculating wood movement:

How to Calculate Wood Shrinkage and Expansion

Episode 37 – Durable Finishes, Old vs New Machines, Powering The Shop, & MUCH More!

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

Guys Questions:

1) Hey guys and Guy, back with another question for you. I foolishly agreed to make the new dining table for my fire department. We Firefighters are basically 240 pound toddlers, so this thing needs to be essentially bomb proof. My main concern for this piece is finishing. I have listened to a lot of podcasts and done some reading but most of the discussion on finishing is in regards to the nicest finish. Not how to gorilla proof a finish. I’ve had people suggest epoxy, but I don’t really want to do an epoxy pour, especially with the stigma surrounding epoxy right now. My go to finish is the minwax oil based poly. And I’m wondering should I just go that rout and add extra layers? I’ve even considered using a poly for hardwood floors. What do ya’ll think? I am probably going to build with 8/4 hickory. Thanks in advance. -Hunter

2) I’m new to veneering, but was curious about the subject of cross grain glue ups with veneer. If one wants to veneer a panel with a Baltic birch plywood core, how would you glue something over 4ft? With plywood grain running the 8ft length, my guess is you would have to put a layer of backing veneer perpendicular to the plywood grain and then lay up the finish veneer on top of that.  I know using MDF would make this easier but I’m not love with it. For reference this would be a cabinet side for a 9ft tall built in with an outside face. -Jesse

Sean’s Questions:

1) My one car detached garage is 109 years old and is running off of one single 20A 120V circuit. I have just two outlets in the garage right now and I want to have a subpanel installed with more amperage and ideally a 220V circuit as well. That’s what I’m wondering about. I was thinking a total of 100A with three 20A 110V circuits and one 40A 220V circuit. I’m not an electrician so I don’t even know that that’s possible, but if so, does that power setup sound good. I’m trying to “future-proof” it a bit, thinking about potentially expanding the garage one day,  having a 220V dust collector and maybe a Hammer combo machine like Huy once I get that rocket engineer kinda money but I was also thinking of externally mounting the panel box so I could run external conduit to have flexibility for future outlet layout changes. So yeah, I just want to get an opinion on power availability throughout the shop and what your thoughts are. Jonathan Scott woodcrafts

2) What is the piece that you built and wish to forget about? – Eric

Huy’s Questions:

1) I have a 1970s Rockwell floor stand drill press I restored with no appreciable run out as well as a powermatic 180 (18 inch planer) with helical head upgrade.  They are older but seem sturdier that today’s machines. Just wondering what machines you might consider looking for older versions that may be better than today’s equivalent as I do not see many of the type in your shops. Thanks again, Matthew

2) I have a lot of a variety of types of clamps that is on a simple wall rack now. I need the wall space in my growing ever smaller 2 car garage shop. Considering a clamp cart or possibly under benches? Please discuss options and how you each deal with them being out of the way but handy when needed. -Darren

Thanks to Maverick Abrasives for sponsoring this episode. Check them out at https://www.maverickabrasives.com

Episode 36 – Veneer Glue, Capacity or Helical Cutter, Cheap Bits & MUCH More!

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

Guys Questions

1) Can you speak a little in general about expansion and contraction of wood with some basic Do Not vs. Do when it comes to glueing and allowing wood movement?  Thanks in advance, I am learning a ton! April

2) Hey Guys, I’ve got a question for the podcast that I’ve never heard anyone address. Is it worth it to invest in high-dollar drill bits? 

As a hobbiest on a tight budget, I generally get new bits at the box store, but sometimes I can look at them while they are spinning, and tell that they are not spinning straight. They seem to do the job, but I always wondered if having better bits (or possibly a better drill, I guess) is worth the money?

Thanks, and love the great show format.

Sincerely,

Scott A.

Jackson, TN

Sean’s Questions

1) Hello, I would like your opinion what would be the better upgrade option around the 300-400 dollar range. I currently have a 60’s era Delta 6″ jointer with a 1.5HP motor and am debating on whether I should upgrade to a carbide helical cutter head or should I upgrade my capacity with a used 8″ jointer which I can usually find around here for about a hundred more. Thanks for the podcast, it’s going great! – Travis

2) Love your podcast. Your show is amazing and I love all three of your social stuff. Guy, your YouTube page is amazingly helpful for me. I’m a hobbiest woodworker who sells pieces based upon commission only. I’ve been building out my shop via commissioned projects over the past 4 years. I started with all HD Ryobi stationary tools to learn on and now am upgrading to more professional tools. Here’s what I have so far: Laguna F2 hybrid table saw, just got it and love it, it took some mods for dust collection but it’s awesome. Wen drill press. Craftsman used lathe(got it for $100 from a neighbor) basically brand new. Rigid miter saw station. Porter and cable router on a homemade table. Dust collection system with a shop vac and dust deputy. 10 inch wen band saw. My question is what do I get next? Drum sander? Or planer/jointer combo? My budget is around $1200 and space is an issue. I work in a 1 car garage. I do have everything on wheels except the table saw. Hope I didn’t ramble. Keep up the great work. Brad 

Huy’s Questions

1) What glue do you use for veneering? Are there any circumstances when you would change the glue your using, such as curved panels, color of veneer, or purchased vs shop sawn veneer?
Douglas

2) I don’t think I have heard y’all talk about these before so here you go. Woodpecker tools. What do y’all think of them?  Are there better or cheaper tools out there that will work as good? I have a few Woodpecker tools and I really like them and find them very useful but just looking for other options out there. I also have bought a few of their one time tools and have been very pleased with them. Keep up the great work guys! – Troy

Thanks to Maverick Abrasives for sponsoring this episode!

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

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

Guys Questions

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

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

Sean’s Questions

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

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

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

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

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

Huy’s Questions

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

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

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

Thanks to Maverick Abrasives for sponsoring this episode!