Wood Talk Online - Episode 16

August 31, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Wood Talk Online | Leave a Comment 

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In this episode of Wood Talk Online we don’t mess around, we get right into answering your questions. OK, we do go off on some tangents but it wouldn’t be the same show without them!

First things first, a huge Wood Talk Online congratulations to Barry Johnson from Ewing, New Jersey! Barry is our very first winner of the monthly ‘WoodSlicer’ Bandsaw Blade giveaway from Highland Woodworking. Don’t lose heart if you’re not Barry, there’s always next month when we give another ‘WoodSlicer’ Blade away.

Marc and Matt love to flex their thinking muscles, so of course we have questions to answer too. Sed left us a voicemail on our new landline number and asked about power carving tools. We also have a few emails to answer, beginning with Glen’s inquiry into the use of a lubricant to keep his tablesaw gears working smoothly. Doug from Memphis is searching for really “cool” ideas to control the heat in his new 20′x30′ outbuilding. Stephane is wondering about a finish for the interior of a blanket chest he’s built, and we also have some feedback from Josh regarding he’s choice of the SawStop Tablesaw after comparing comparable models from more established manufacturers.

If you too have a question or comment you can reach us at either woodtalkonline@gmail.com or you can leave us a voicemail at (623) 242-2450.

Remember, if you haven’t entered for the monthly Highland Woodworking ‘WoodSlicer’ giveaway get your name entered by dropping us a line at wtopromo@gmail.com.

Irwin Giveaway Winners Announced

August 31, 2007 | Filed Under Blog | 1 Comment 

Thanks to all who entered the drawing for the Irwin Giveaway. Here are the lucky winners:

Powermatic Die Cast Truck- Allen Lindsey

Irwin Chalk Line- Claude Stewart

Irwin Quick Adjust Wrench- Kevin Riley

And we picked out three random winners for some Wood Whisperer Gear!

Shirt- Dan Siefer

Hat- Aaron Telian

Mug- Chester Kloss

Thanks to everyone who participated. This was another great giveaway. We will have another giveaway in Sept. only this one will be very different. I can’t say much just yet but keep your eyes open for the announcement. :)

Durable End Table Finish- Question of the Week

August 28, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 12 Comments 

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

I was watching your Episode 21 - Pare Essentials. I am making a end table with a walnut top and I am looking to protect the top from water rings, accidental spills etc. Do you have a suggestion for
something that will provide a little more protection or would a oil -varnish blend work? A buddy of mine mentioned that I could use wax as a final protective coat that would be easy to reapply as needed. Thoughts?

Thank you for the great shows and you are really doing a great job helping to teach other woodworkers.

And here was my reply:

“Hey Chris. An oil/varnish blend is ok, but probably not the right finish for a heavily used table. Your best bet would be full-strength varnish. So start with a coat or two of Seal-a-Cell or similar product. Then lightly sand between coats. Then follow up with 3-4 coats of Arm-R-Seal or similar varnish. This will leave you with a beautiful finish that protects the wood from the abuse it will most likely see. And skip the wax. Wax is pretty useless in terms of protection. And not to mention, once you apply wax, you are committed to a regular waxing regimen in order to keep the surface looking good. Eventually you will have that wax buildup issue too. So save the wax for your car. :) Good luck.”

General Finishes Original Seal-A-Cell Clear General Finishes Original Seal-A-Cell Clear
An unusual combination of oils and urethanes, Seal-A-Cell Clear is the ideal solution for achieving a natural look on beautiful woods that are not stained.


General Finishes Arm-R-Seal Urethane Topcoat General Finishes Arm-R-Seal Urethane Topcoat
Arm-R-Seal topcoats are made with only the highest quality urethane resin, making them extremely durable and long lasting.



Episode 26- AWFS Student Furniture Tour

August 23, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Video | 10 Comments 

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Believe it or not, there was more eye candy at AWFS than just tools. In the main hall there was an incredible display of student work. If this is how these kids are starting out, can you imagine the work they will be doing at the peak of their careers. Some of these designs truly inspire me to push the limits of my own designs. I hope you enjoy the tour.

Rout the Yo Yo- Question of the Week

August 21, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 16 Comments 

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

I’m hoping you can lend some suggestion to something for me. One small project I have enjoyed making are yo-yo’s, but I haven’t made them in quite some time because I haven’t found a safe way of routing/rounding the edges of the small wooden circles. In the past, I would laminate my wood, cut my circles and then hold (stupidly) these 2 1/4 inch diameter pieces of wood to the bit on the router table. The last time I made one of these, let’s just say, I had the opportunity to witness the miracle of the body’s healing ability (seriously - it was amazing… a small chunk of my finger was, uh, routed - and it grew back - gross but cool… finger-prints and all! :o) Anyway - I vowed not to make another yo-yo until I found a safer, easier and repeatable way to make them. Whatchya think?

And here was my reply:

“Hey Jchon. That sounds like quite a challenge. I couldn’t actually see the picture from the link you provided, but I am pretty familiar with yo yos. :) I would say your best best is to double stick tape the disks to a piece of ply and secure that to the workbench. Then you can keep both hands on the router as you rout the edges. Turner’s tape is a great product for this and will hold them securely. You might even want to attach a small spacer block (same thickness as your yo yo) to each side of your router base so that you dont tip as you rout the edges of the yo yo. Think that will work for ya? Good luck and protect those fingers!”

So what do you guys think?

Turner's Two Way Tape Turner’s Two Way Tape
1” wide x 25 yards two-way tape…

Turner’s Two Way Tape

TWW Gear Store and Cutting Board Plans

August 21, 2007 | Filed Under Blog | 4 Comments 

We are proud to announce the Grand Opening of The Wood Whisperer Gear Store. No we are not selling sprockets and cogs. We have some excellent men’s and women’s t-shirts as well as coffee mugs. The prices and quality are MUCH better than our previous 3rd party vendor store. So check it out when you have a chance. Click the link in this post or the button in the right column. You really can’t miss it. :)

The second announcement is that we finally have a plan available for the cutting board I made in Episode 7- A Cut Above. The plan was made by my good friend (and a heck of a woodworker), Ron Jones. You can download the plan as a pdf from Ron’s site, AWLFreePlans.com, or click here.

The Woodwright’s Shop……FINALLY!

August 19, 2007 | Filed Under Blog | 19 Comments 

Roy Underhill

I haven’t been able to watch an episode of The Woodwright’s Shop in years because my local PBS station doesn’t carry it. If you aren’t familiar with this show, its hosted by Roy Underhill. He’s an odd one, to say the least, but in a quirky cool way. As far as woodworking goes, he is a complete Neanderthal. The only thing electric in his shop seems to be the lights! I just love watching this guy do his thing. It really puts things in perspective for me. In fact, after watching a few episodes, I feel like a real jerk because I concern myself with issues like whether or not my 8″ jointer is wide enough. This dude is cutting his own stock from logs with an ax! Anyway, I was delighted when my buddy Paul emailed me and told me that Season 26 is available for viewing online! Yeehaa! So go to The Woodwright’s Shop website and check it out. Its time well-spent! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go unplug some tools.

Glue-line Router Bit For Strength?- Question of the Week

August 16, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 9 Comments 

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

Do you have any opinions on the use of glue-joint bits for the use of making thick table tops. I am talking about gluing boards at least 1-1/8 inch thick for a project i am working on. I hate biscuits and want the extra strength that glue-joints offer. Other than self-aligning properties. Is it really needed?

And here was my reply:

“Hey Alexander. The short answer is no. The long grain glue bond in a tabletop glue-up is stronger than the wood itself. So if its going to break, it should not break along the joint. Now biscuits do help with alignment but don’t add much in the way of strength. A glue-line bit will also help in alignment, but some people believe it actually decreases the strength of the joint. So if you don’t have alignment issues, all you really need is glue and clamps. If you do have alignment issues, I recommend a set of cauls or just a biscuit every 8-10 inches. Good luck!”

*Note*- For those of you who aren’t familiar with glue-line bits, check out this article on NewWoodworker.com. Also, be sure to read the comments section of this post for further clarification on the weakened glue-line issue.

Free Wood Slicer Bandsaw Blade

August 15, 2007 | Filed Under Blog | 2 Comments 

Want to find out how? Well, you’ll have to check out the most recent episode of Wood Talk Online to find out.

Episode 15

Wood Talk Online - Episode 15

August 14, 2007 | Filed Under Blog, Wood Talk Online | Leave a Comment 

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You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. We now have an actual phone number for leaving voicemail messages! The number is. Just dial 623-242-2450 and leave us a message - it’s not a toll free call, unless you live near Marc - but it’s worth every penny! Of course you can still email us at woodtalkonline@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at the website too!

In this episode we hear more about some of the great new contributers to the blogs at the Wood Talk Online website. And we also learn that Matt and Marc aren’t the only woodworkers getting on the podcasting bandwagon. Some of our fellow podcasters include:

Matt’s Basement Workshop

The Wood Whisperer

Stu’s Shed

Rough Cut Show

Woodworking Online

Woodworkers Resource

ToolTalk

Novice Garage Woodworker

The Folding Rule

Of course we answer questions. Starting with Jeff’s voice mail asking about recommendations for friction free surfaces. Jim’s request for clues to tell when to resharpen jointer/planer knives. J’s link recommendation for a possible answer to “what constitutes a good basic toolkit”. Jim’s concern about drawer clearance and finally Dan’s questions about buying 20% extra wood for his projects.

Don’t forget to get your name in for the upcoming monthly drawing of a WoodSlicer Bandsaw Blade from Highland Woodworking. Send your name in to wtopromo@gmail.com

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