Sander or Scraper? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Jeff who asks: “Marc, generally speaking, when would you advocate using a sander, and when a scraper to finish a surface?”
And this was my response: “Well to put it bluntly, I never use a scraper for final finish preparation. My scrapers are tuned so that they take a pretty aggressive cut, which makes them useful for leveling. But I don’t really like the surface they leave behind when compared to a nice 180 grit sanding. That’s not to say you can’t get a killer finish prep with a well-tuned scraper, its just not my preferred way of doing it. Call me lazy, but I would much rather sit there and let the sander do all the work while I daze off into space and think about whats for dinner.” :) But, I know people that swear by the scrapers and as a result, save money on sandpaper. So there is definitely some merit to it. To each his own I suppose.”
Does anyone out there use scrapers before finishing?
Using Clamps Vertically or Horizontally? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Doug. “Hi Marc, Just watched the latest pod cast - good stuff as always. As I watched you glue up the doors, it occurred to me that I, we, you seem to turn the clamps with the “thin” side doing the work. Is there any reason we can’t turn the clamps on the side and use the bigger footprint? Inquiring minds want to know.”
And this was my response: “Hey Doug. No reason you can’t do that. I just find that the clamps are much easier to use in the vertical position. If you lay them horizontally, you will have trouble turning the handle. Many times, I will use one or two clamps vertically to secure the piece and keep it raised in the air a few inches. Then I will add a few clamps horizontally to take advantage of the extra surface area. Keep in mind though that when the clamp is on its side, there isn’t much vertical clamping surface. So for thicker boards, this would lead to excessive pressure at the top of the joint. But for thinner material, it should work perfectly.”
Recipe for Sanding Sealer? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from a viewer who writes: “I’ve really enjoyed your podcasts, they are all very informative. I recently found myself more exited about woodworking. Though I’ve had an interest since childhood, I never really had the resources, till now (my wife also supports my dream). Anyway, I was watching one of your podcasts and you mentioned a recipe for making your own sanding sealer. Would you mind repeating that on an e-mail, or even easier, remind me what episode I’ll find it. Thank you so much for the added inspiration, though I’m starting later in life than you (36, I know this is going to be a lifelong passion. Once again thanx Marc keep it up!!”
And this was my response:
“You just can’t underestimate the importance of spousal support in something like this. I know far too many people who have to work against the grain just to get a new tool. That doesn’t seem like much fun, lol.”
“As for a sanding sealer, I usually just use shellac. Typically a 1 lb cut. There are two ways to do this. I either buy pre-mixed shellac (Bullseye SealCoat), and dilute it from 2lb cut to 1lb cut. Or I simply but dry shellac flakes and mix my own using denatured alcohol. So its not a true sanding sealer by definition, but it accomplishes the same thing. Oh and just a word about true sanding sealers. In general, they contain material that can interfere with finish adhesion to a small extent. The stuff that makes it easy to sand is the same stuff that can weaken the bond of the finish to the surface. So in general, I stay away from commercial sanding sealers. Shellac on the other hand, provides a great base for just about any finish. Hope that helps.”
Finish for a Plywood Bathroom Vanity? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Gordon who asks:
“Hi Marc. I have a customer who has requested a bathroom vanity, where the sink sits in the middle. My problem is that she is requesting it be made all of wood and I am worried about a top that could be exposed to sitting water. Is there a finish you would recommend that would hold up under those conditions as well as something that might not be too hard to apply? I talked my customer into a plywood top versus all solid wood. I assume this is the best way to go to prevent expansion and contraction. My second worry is sanding through the veneer if I have problems with the stain and getting a perfect surface.”
And this was my response:
“This is one of those cases where you have a tough decision to make. True standing water protection just can’t be done without the use of a thick film finish. But most folks don’t want their vanity top to look like a bar top. So you need to do something with a thinner film. But the thinner you go, the less protection you have. So, that’s the game you have to play. In cases like that, I let the customer make the decision, since ultimately they have to live with the results. If you want the beauty and look of true wood and wood grain, you simply can’t pile on the finish. So it might not be a bad idea to make up some sample boards so the customer can see the look she will get from each level of protection. You can start with maybe a simple wiping varnish, 3-4 coats. Then move up to a full-strength varnish, 3 coats. Then move on to a spar (marine varnish), 3 coats. Then move up to a poured epoxy finish, which will make it look like a bartop. I think this is probably the safest approach and will help you deliver the product with confidence.”
“Using plywood here seems to be a wise choice. With the humidity swings in a bathroom, you want as much stability as possible. Just be careful when you trim it out, because that’s where you will burn through the veneer if its going to happen. Flushing up the trim is always the risky part. As for the rest of the ply, a light sanding with 180 grit is all you should have to do before finishing.”
Which Saw Blade Should I Buy? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Pat who asks: “Marc, sorry for writing a book here. I am shopping for a blade for my used TS-3650 I just bought and will be buying a Dado blade also. I’m on a budget but good blades and safety are a must. Any light you can shed will be appreciated. I am still confused as to why some blades have fewer or more teeth than others. To which, the DeWalt #DW7647 has 80 teeth; the DW7646 has 60 albeit with the same Hook Angle. Wherein lies the advantage of one over the other?”
“As I write, I have five new blades in front of me, purchased this evening. Welcome to ‘Blade City’! Four will be returned unopened but I wanted all specs in front of me. The differences astound me. All are 10″:
(1) FREUD Woodworking, 80T, Thin Kerf, “Ultra Fine Crosscut”
(2) FREUD Combination, 50T, C4 Carbide
(3) CRAFTSMAN Carbide C300, 80T, “Fine Finish Trim”
(4) DEWALT WOODWORKING SERIES, DW7647, 80T, ATB, “Recommended Applications: Crosscuts”
(5) Oldham WOODWORKERS SIGNATURE SERIES, 40T, Combination/Table Saw Premium Carbide. (Note that Pentair purchased Oldham).”
“But why the variance in quantity of teeth? What I am gradually picking up here is that some blades are better at Crosscutting, others at Ripping. My needs will be both. I am not a professional Woodworker by any means but in due time I’d like to get into Cabinet making, etc. For now though until my skills are honed, it’s going to be lots of pine boxes, plywood, small items such as outdoor planters, indoor planters, Jewelry boxes…bookcases…bookshelves…you get the idea.”
“I may find myself having to crosscut anything from 1×4 to 2×4 to 2×6’s. Or ripping 1×4’s. Maybe just having one blade isn’t going to suffice for what I need to do. And on top of it, I want a clean, neat cut. (I.e, the Woodworker-II claims to essentially cut a finish where sanding isn’t required. How much I believe that…well, common sense tells me it’s probably cleaner than most but also a bit of advertising embellishment in there. Or is it actually THAT good?). Am I trying to mix too many Worlds into one blade?”
And here is my response:
“Hey Pat. Like most things in woodworking, too many options can simply muddy the water and do more harm than good in terms of confusion. So let’s simplify. More teeth equates to a smoother cut with less tearout. Less teeth equates to a more aggressive cut with potentially more tearout. Having less teeth means less heat buildup and more room between teeth for exiting sawdust, which makes this scenario idea for really plowing through wood.”
“So a dedicated ripping blade should have a relatively low tooth number, because most rips are long and the cut is with the grain. So tearout is kept to a minimum and we can afford to use a more aggressive blade here. Cross-cuts, on the other hand, are usually shorter in duration and because you are cutting across the grain, they are more likely to tearout. So we like a higher tooth number for cross-cuts. Mitersaws, for instance, usually do best with a higher tooth number since every cut is a cross cut. But if you use a cross-cut blade (like an 80-tooth) for ripping operations on a tablesaw, you are likely to have lots of burning and a tougher time pushing the wood through. And likewise, using a ripping blade on cross-cuts isn’t exactly a good idea either. The cut will be fast and easy, but the quality will be bad. You’ll have a good bit of tearout to contend with.”
“Now in most shops, we have one other issue to consider, and that is plywood. We always want a smooth crisp edge, and a cross-cut blade with a high tooth count will do that for you. So ideally, you would have both a ripping and a cross-cut blade in your shop. But if you ask me, its a real pain in the butt switching back and forth from one blade to another. I am just too lazy for that. So what I opt for is a combination blade (usually 40-50 tooth). A high quality combo blade is capable of giving you excellent results in both rips and crosscuts. Is it as good as using high quality separate blades? No. But for the convenience and savings in time, I will deal with what little tearout I experience, if any at all. And after about 5 years of working with a Forrest WWII, I can honestly say I have never once thought, ‘Boy that cut would have better with an 80 tooth blade.’”
“Is it capable of producing finish-ready cuts? Well, in my opinion, no. The cut might be super smooth on its best day, but I will always prep my materials by hand before finishing. So mill marks never really bother me.”
“In summary, 30 tooth and below for rips, 40-50 tooth for combo, and 60 tooth plus for cross-cuts. My favorite? A 40T Forrest WWII. “Hope that helps!”
“Oh and by the way, if you want to try a blade that actually does produce nicely sanded edges, check out the Final Cut blade. I am reviewing it as we speak. http://www.finalcutblade.com/ ”
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