Episode 17- A Pressing Matter

May 31, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Video | 12 Comments 

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In this episode, I show you the process of making your own vacuum bag. There are two materials to choose from, polyurethane and vinyl. My old bag is made from vinyl but this time I am going to try my hand at polyurethane, which is supposed to be more durable. My source for all for all of the materials and the instructions is one of my favorite sites on the web, VeneerSupplies.com. Not only does Joe provide detailed tutorials and information on making your own vacuum bag and making your own vacuum press, he also provides all the materials you need to do it. He even sells pre-made bags.

The results of this little project are not exactly what you might expect. It was quite a learning experience. If you are considering making your own bag, this video is a must see!

*Special Update*

Just for clarification, the sister site of JoeWoodworker.com is VeneerSupplies.com. Joe informed me that all e-commerce will be done solely through VeneerSupplies.com. And JoeWoodworker.com will be available for information and research on vacuum systems and bags. So bookmark it, remember it, love it!

Joe also let me in on a super secret hidden coupon code on his site. If you go to VeneerSupplies.com and hover your mouse over the tagline (under the title) that says “The Internet Source for Exotic Veneer and Supplies”, you will see a little coupon code pop up. Just write down the codes and click on the tagline. Now just enter the codes and you got yourself a 25% OFF coupon for a gallon of veneer glue in your choice of 3 colors. Now……that’s a deal!

Oil-Soaked Rags- Question of the Week

May 30, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 3 Comments 

This week’s question comes from Craig. He writes:

“I’m aware of the potential dangers that exist with oily rags used for staining and cleaning with mineral spirits so I’m always careful to dry them out completely before I dispose of them. My question is this: Can you ever reuse these rags for anything or do you always just use them once and throw them away? I’m doing 3 coats of danish oil on a 6 shelf bookcase and I’m going through rags like crazy it seems like such a waste to use them once and toss them. Any advice?”

And here was my reply:

“Hey Craig. Once they harden up, they are pretty much useless. They don’t absorb anything so I’m not sure where you would find a use for them. Now here’s an idea. Instead of throwing the rags away between projects, you can try putting them in a ziplock bag between uses. The reason the rags catch fire is because they oxidize. And you need oxygen to oxidize. So if you put some extra mineral spirits on the rag and place it in a bag, then squeeze out all the air and seal it up, you should be able to reuse the rag. I always put mine on the concrete floor just in case (you cant be too safe).”



Wood Talk Online- Episode 8

May 25, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Wood Talk Online | 11 Comments 

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In this episode Marc and Matt have lots to talk about. Such topics as posting the winners of the Video Shop Tour Challenge to the great marketing ideas from Rockler. Marc also gives valuable insight on his new Makita drill. Also a very interesting survey was reviewed by Marc and Matt from Cabinet Maker Magazine. It has very interesting statistics from the small shop readership point of view.

From there Marc and Matt went to the voice mail questions. First question was from J.D., a novice woodworker that mainly works on furniture and tables. His question involved what his next most practical purchase be? He was considering between a band saw or a jointer. Marc and Matt both agree that he would get more uses and save money in the future milling his own stock if he chose the jointer.

Ken wanted to know the different uses for french cleats? Marc noted that they are a very secure way to hang cabinets. It distributes the weight along multiple wall studs.

Our last voice mail was from Allen, who wants to make a parquet floor. He asked if Marc and Matt had any suggestions or tips on patterns. Matt recommended Google search and Amazon.com and both recommended the library for some good books on design and instuctions.

From there, Marc and Matt went to their emails. Mike writes in, “Do either of you use a marking knife or gage regularly? What tools, techniques do you use to keep cuts and joints accurate?”

J.T. asks if they could share their techniques on how to work efficiently in the shop.

Mike had a question about a show he had seen by David Marks, where he believed he used polyurethane glue, but noticed it had not foamed up. Marc suggests that David may have been using plastic resin glue, which doesn’t foam up. But if they did use poly glue they simply left out the part where it foams.

Then we had a question from Justin as to the pro and cons of a sliding compound saws versus the radial arm saw. Marc and Matt both agreed on the sliding compound saw for various features as being more dependable, versatile and portability.

Then lastly we had a question from Scott: His question concerned the use of leather to line his vises. They both agreed that it shouldn’t make too much of a difference but that he could check out tool forum at Woodnet.net or Matt recommended Christopher Schwartz at Popular Woodworking.

Troubles With Inlay Kit- Question of the Week

May 23, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 1 Comment 

This week’s question comes from Fred. He writes:

I am going to try making inlays. Any tips for making a template to use with a guide bushing? I tried by drilling a hole on each end of piece and drawing a straight line to like connect the dots. I then very carefully cut along the line with my jigsaw. The results were awful. Maybe I should use some straight 1/4″ strips between the holes so I get a real straight line. What say you?

And here was my reply:

“Hey Fred. Here is my tip: learn how to do it without the guide. :) That may sound tongue-in-cheek but I am actually serious. I have tried those inlay kits in the past and they brought me nothing but frustration. Every time I used it, I always slipped and messed something up. I would always have to fall back on my free-hand inlay skills and the work was better for it. Have you reviewed my free-hand inlay picture tutorial? Here is the link: Free-Hand Inlay

Give that a shot and see what you think.”

Shop Tour Video Challenge Winners Announced

May 22, 2007 | Filed Under Blog | 4 Comments 

A big congratulations to the winners and an even bigger congratulations to everyone who participated. I know many of you have never uploaded video to the web before so I appreciate you venturing into new territory. It was so cool getting a sneak peak into everyone’s shops. I already have several new ideas for future shop projects!

You guys did a fantastic job and i really wish we had enough stuff to send to everyone. But here are the randomly-selected winners:

Here are the two lucky winners of LJ/TWW shirt from Martin plus the Furnitology 101 DVD and TWW Coffee Mug from Me:

* Schroeder
* Chadnuesmeyer

And here are the three lucky winners of LJ/TWW shirt from Martin plus Powermatic shirt and TWW Coffee Mug from Me:

* TheAggie
* Paul
* Don

So if your name is up there, be sure to email Martin or myself your mailing address and we’ll get your prizes out ASAP. Once again a HUGE thank you for the great response to this contest. We really enjoyed your videos!

You can check out all the entries right here: Shop Tour Videos

Episode 16- Wish You Veneer

May 17, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Video | 14 Comments 

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Ever wanted to make your own veneer? Well I’m gonna show you how! Its really not that hard and the benefits are worth the extra effort. Making your own veneer is a great way to conserve high quality material. If you have a one-of-a-kind piece of figured wood, why not slice it up and use it in three or four projects instead of just one? So fire up the bandsaw cause we’re cutting our own veneer!



More Prizes For Shop Video Challenge

May 16, 2007 | Filed Under Blog | 4 Comments 

Martin and I have decided to add two more winners, so now there will be 5 lucky woodworkers. The two new prize packs will contain the Lumberjocks/Woodwhisperer combo shirts, The Wood Whisperer Mug, and a Furnitology101 DVD. Special thanks to Neil over at the Furnitology Podcast. Check out more of Neil’s stuff at the Furnitology Website.

Now, lets look at the math here. We’ve receive 8 awesome video entries at this point, and there are 5 possible winner. Sounds like your odds of winning will be pretty good. So if you haven’t already, get your butt out there an take some footage of your shop! Check out the original post for more information.

Finish Advice for Quartersawn White Oak- Question of the Week

May 15, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 8 Comments 

This week’s question comes from Jeff. He writes:

I am almost complete on my commision of a quartersawn oak barrister cabinet. I am now ready to apply the finish and am looking for a way to make the ray flecks really “pop”. The customer is looking for a medium color in the white oak. If you were building this cabinet, how would you go about making the ray flecks really stand out?

And here was my reply:

“There is no doubt in my mind that the best way to make the ray flecks “pop” is to do a classic ammonia-fumed finish. First order of business is to attain some aqua ammonia. I got mine from a local pool/spa supply but many people have luck going to a blueprint supply house. You need to build some sort of airtight (or near airtight) tent outside. Do not be tempted to do this indoors. I usually drape plastic sheeting over the project and make something that resembles a tent. If you can build some sort of makeshift frame that would be even better. But build the tent in such a way that you have one access point that you can occasionally open and close. Now before going any further, we need to discuss safety. Aqua ammonia is dangerous stuff. Without the proper precautions things can go badly real fast. So you will absolutely need a respirator with an ammonia-filtering cartridge, sealed eye goggles, and gloves. Its a good idea to cover all exposed skin as well. Pour the ammonia into a shallow pan or two and place these inside your tent. You also want to put a test piece of scrap wood in the tent as well. This is your color indicator. Seal everything up and wait about an hour or so. Pull out your test board and see if the color is where you want it. The color change happens gradually and depending on how well sealed your tent is, you could hit your desired color as fast as an hour. So check the board every hour or so (with your protective gear still one). But the idea is to catch it at just the right color and remove the ammonia. Then open up the tent (with your protective gear still on), and let the wood air out. You are probably best off leaving it outside overnight. The color will appear a bit grayish. Don’t worry, it will look beautiful once we add some finish. Here is my finish schedule: one coat of amber or orange dewaxed shellac (2lb cut) to seal the surface. Sand lightly with 320. Then apply a dark brown glaze and wipe off the excess. This will put a nice dark color into all of the open pores. Let dry overnight. The next day, apply another coat of the shellac to seal in the color. Then for some extra protection, I like to add a few coats of a wipe-on varnish. When its all done, the finish should look something like this: Q-Sawn Hall Table

Now if you are even slightly uneasy about working with the ammonia, consider some of the other finishes that are designed to mimic the fumed look. Here is a great example: Jeff Jewitt’s Mission Oak Finish

Wood Talk Online- Episode 7

May 14, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Wood Talk Online | 5 Comments 

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Marc talks about the latest feature that has been added to Wood Talk On Line….Voicemail, you can now submit your questions either the standard e-mail way or by voice mail. Matt tells everyone about his recent review of the “Router Bit of the Month”, sponsored by Woodcraft and made by Whiteside Machine Company–this month’s bit is the Classic Pattern Profile which is a cove with a round over. Marc discusses the relative dimensioning technique, which basically is cutting pieces to fit rather than cutting them to a specific number.

Favorite finishes is the next topic of conversation. Marc uses all types of finishes depending on the project, but says if he had to pick a favorite it would probably be a good ole’ wiping varnish formulation or a oil vanish mixture, while Matt likes to stick with a simple polyurethane. Marc also talks about a video he watched on the Fine Woodworking website presented by Andy Ray. Its a special top coat method consisting of one part boiled linseed oil, one half part varnish and a half part pore filler.

Our first question comes from Steve who is looking for a new drill press and would like some recommendations. Marc and Matt discuss the advantages of bench top vs. floor models, models that are laser equipped and the variable speeds available. Marc also tells us about the drill press on his drool tool wish list! Then Ron wants to know what Matt and Marc think about alternating growth rings when gluing up panels. Matt says it has not really been an issue for him and he has not paid much attention to it and so far his projects have been fine. Marc is not convinced that it really makes a difference.

David writes in and asks what is the difference between the lever and the wheel for table adjustment on a jointer, and why would you want one over the other. The next question concerns how many clamps are required for glue ups, how much pressure is needed and where is the proper placement for clamps. Marc and Matt provide some good ideas and tips on clamping and glue squeeze-out. And lastly, Gordon from Australia would like to do some decorative inlay on a coffee table top and is concerned about movement. Marc says a thin inlay will move with the base and it should not be a problem.

Episode 15- Updated Shop Tour/Live Q&A (Pt 2)

May 12, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Video | 18 Comments 

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And here is the conclusion of our live Q&A session. I apologize for the length of the video, but I guess that just shows you how much fun we had. The questions just kept coming and I really enjoyed the constant interaction. It was a very fun day and I look forward to doing more things like this in the future.

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