2007 Marc vs 2026 Marc | Woodworking Morning Show

This week Marc and Nicole worked through a stack of member and chat questions: secondary bevels, rust spots on a saw table, how long glue and finish actually last, what to look for in a drill press, water popping versus raising the grain, and drying air-dried spalted beech. Greg kicked off a new segment that digs a 2007 clip out of the archive and asks whether Marc still stands by it — this week, “Is the Festool Domino worth it?” Marc also gave first impressions of the Kreg Edge, and shared what he has heard about IWF, including SawStop’s upcoming bandsaw and Harvey’s non-destructive Dream Saw prototype.

Announcements: the Guild Back to School sale runs through September 4 (20% off one course, 30% off two, 40% off three or more). Marc’s Mid-Century Modern Table course is on pre-order and starts October 2, with weekly video releases and live office-hours sessions. The Guild Stream free preview weekend starts at 4:00 pm Central today on youtube.com/thewoodwhisperer/live. Questions, kickback, and project photos are always welcome at twwmorningshow@gmail.com, and you can send in questions each week through Patreon or the YouTube join button.

Referenced in this episode: Marc’s recent article on what counts as fine woodworking, his earlier “Is Traditional Finishing Dead?” article, and the build-or-buy article and quiz Also included in the Shop Notes collection. Also mentioned: Matt Cremona on air-dried lumber.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Cold open: hang in there, Jack
• 00:01:24 Welcome to the Woodworking Morning Show
• 00:02:14 Giveaway preview: the Mid-Century Modern Table course
• 00:03:55 Back to School Guild sale (through September 4) https://thewoodwhispererguild.com/guild-sale/
• 00:04:46 New content: the 22-year-old bookcase and “What Is Fine Woodworking?”
• 00:05:36 New show email: twwmorningshow@gmail.com
• 00:06:51 Cathy’s manual Super Chat and the Book of Nice
• 00:09:23 Kickback: Rich Hurtle’s bandsaw outfeed table
• 00:11:04 Skeeters Fish Tacos
• 00:12:45 What’s on the bench: $630 of sheet goods for the laundry room
• 00:14:26 Kreg cabinet jigs and the Kreg Edge: what do you want from this review?
• 00:17:23 Why honest tool reviews burn bridges
• 00:19:29 Then vs now: is the Festool Domino worth it? (2007 vs 2026)
• 00:23:05 Marc’s 2007 answer, and how little it changed
• 00:24:20 Old voices, gray hair, and beard permission
• 00:26:26 Q: Secondary bevels on plane irons and chisels?
• 00:27:42 Donny, Matt Cremona, and being “kind of a celebrity”
• 00:28:58 Q: Any update on single-component Natural One Coat?
• 00:31:29 Q: Anything from IWF catch your eye? (SawStop bandsaw, Harvey Dream Saw)
• 00:34:25 A Rockler run with no shopping list
• 00:35:16 Q: How do you remove small rust spots from a saw table?
• 00:36:57 Q: Why don’t you have a Trinity?
• 00:39:03 Q: Is tinted shellac still a good finish?
• 00:39:54 Q: How long does wood glue actually last?
• 00:42:50 Q: What do you use to tint an oil-based finish?
• 00:44:30 Q: Build it or buy it? The $5 flea market shelf
• 00:46:26 Q: How much does brand matter on a drill press?
• 00:49:33 Q: Water popping, or is it raising the grain?
• 00:52:57 Q: Which keyless chuck should I buy?
• 00:55:02 Giveaway time: put “guild” in the chat
• 00:55:33 Q: How long does air-dried spalted beech need to dry?
• 00:58:24 Q: Can we get reviews after months of real use?
• 01:00:56 Q: Are Festool jigsaws worth it?
• 01:02:11 Q: Do you make the sandpaper in the shop?
• 01:03:26 Q: How long do unopened cans of stain and poly last?
• 01:04:17 And the winner is: Blax Wood Studio
• 01:04:42 What a Guild membership actually gets you
• 01:06:23 Guild Stream and this weekend’s free preview https://thewoodwhispererguild.com/preview-schedule/
• 01:08:54 Wrap-up