Web Surfer's Review

Lipstick on Your Collar

"My normally fine cutting 1" Lenox carbide band saw blade has developed signs of a tooth out of alignment: a characteristic periodic gouge in the resawn board. Can you think of an easy way to find and fix this, or am I going to have to remove the blade and inspect each tooth relative to its neighbors with a straightedge?" -- Tom

The following advice was given in response to this question at an online message board. Obviously, what is being suggested is rather dangerous. Please do not take our reporting this as our recommendation. It is not. We would not put our fingers that close to a running band saw blade, and don't think you should either. If we were going to try this at all, we'd use wooden tongs to hold the lipstick, and would remove it from the metal tube first. Better yet, we'd use the tongs to hold a grease pencil, which would safely cut in half if it came in contact with the band saw blade. Still, we are just reporting, so read on. – Editor

Try lipstick first. With the saw running, very, very, very slowly advance the lipstick toward the side of the teeth. Watch the lipstick for the first hint of a saw mark. If the problem is with one tooth, there should be a tooth with a smidgen of grease on the tip. – Al

Of course, such suggestions are bound to bring out the jokesters, such as those in the next two responses. – Editor

Genius! Now, I need to know if I use the Pink Lady or Vivid Raspberry. I am wearing blue jeans with simple flats and a white tee. – Tom

Why does Al have lipstick? I know we tend to solve our problems with the tools we have. "If you only have a hammer all your problems start to look like nails." Perhaps you should be glad Al did not have warming gel. – Barry

But things soon returned to the serious and anecdotal. – Editor

Actually, lipstick is good for hanging doors. After you install the knob set you touch lipstick to the striker and close the door. The lipstick will mark the doorframe for exact location to drill the hole for the strike plate. Also good for telling where something is binding. Lipstick will transfer to anything that touches. Got a tube in my shop. – George

One wintry morning in the late 50's, I had occasion to fly a Cessna out of Alton, Illinois, in a search for a missing plane and pilot. It was bitter cold, and the Cessna had been hangered for several weeks. I preflighted the aircraft carefully, and got in with another pilot, his wife and an observer. The engine barely turned over, and we were surprised that it started. While it came up to temperature, we tested the controls and discovered that we could not easily move the yoke in and out; thus our elevator control was impaired. The pilot's wife had a lipstick which was used to grease the bar the yoke was mounted on, and that enabled normal movement of the yoke through the grommet in the instrument panel. The lipstick did not complement the aircraft interior, but it did get us in the air. – George

You might check visually right where the welded joint is. I don't have carbide-tipped blades, but when I have issues with the standard blades, they usually are near the weld. – Grant

Hand Plane versus Jointer

from WoodCentral

"It occurred to me that, when I read reviews of jointers, a common criticism is that the jointer bed is too short, theoretically limiting the length of the board that can be flattened. If this really is a limiting factor, how is it that you are able to flatten a long board using hand planes?" – Wilbur

Several pointed out that the job is not all that hard if you have helpers, either alive or dumb, for added end support. – Editor

"The problem with powered surface planers (jointers) is not that they won't flatten long boards because the tables are too short. The difficulty is more to do with balancing the board on the tables at the beginning and end of each cut. This involves laws of physics, mechanical advantage and moments about a point and all that sort of stuff. In practice, but with help of one sort or another, 20' planks can be flattened on a short-bed machine. The help required usually comes in the form of a nimble-footed but knowledgeable helper to balance the board at the beginning and end of each cut. An alternative is to precisely set up rollers at either end of the machine to support the wood at the beginning and end of the cut, thus effectively increasing the length of the tables. Hand planes are the opposite: small and light and easily balanced on the fixed piece of wood. It sounds like you already know how to get large planks flat with these, so there's no need for me to go over the details." – Sgian

"My record on a 6" jointer was straightening a 16' x 8" piece of 8/4 red oak for a hand rail for a store. It took two people -- one to push and one to hold the outfeed end up. It was a lot faster than doing it with a hand plane. It is not uncommon to have to mow 1/2" off portions of an edge to get a long piece straight. It can be done with a hand plane, slowly, but I don't see a hand plane replacing my jointer." – Bill

"Bill points out a critical factor in straightness, and it has nothing to do with the width of the jointer, except that wider jointers are usually longer as well. The old-timers knew that you could rig up an outfeed table to a short-bed jointer and extend its usefulness in straightening long boards. For my part, I had a 10" Inca jointer/planer in my shop before the fire, and I built a 4' outfeed table for it. I was able to routinely joint 14' boards and timbers on this odd setup and get near perfectly straight surfaces." – Ellis

"One of the local hardwood suppliers has tables built onto their jointer that extend a good 6' in front and in back. Doesn't all need to be cast iron." – Glen

Must it be either one or the other? – Editor

"I have had the experience of working with figured wood on a jointer and having terrible tearout. I have a 22" hand jointer plane, and I use it often to clean up a machine edge if I am looking for a fine fit on a panel glue-up. You need to know your wood and how it responds to both a machine jointer and hand jointing, and in some cases using them together can give you a superior result." – Jim

"Back when I had muscles, I was pretty good with a hand plane. I could take crooked, cupped lumber and straighten it out using not much more than a string, a level and maybe winding sticks. Once I got one side flattened, I could go around with a marking gauge and make a nice parallel plank. However ,it was hard sweaty work, and it took time. A jointer will accomplish more in the line of straightening and stock removal in a half hour than a powerful 30-year-old with hand tools could do in day. The machine knife ripple you can never quite eliminate comes right up with a hand or cabinet scraper. In recent years, I've seldom done any major lumber prep using a hand plane. I use a plane mostly as an adjunct with my woodworking machines. My usual reason for hand planing after I got a jointer and a planer was that it showed me where the locked-in strains lay and any funny grain that was present before I put the machines to it. In my opinion, hand tool users are the salt of the earth, but they're missing a good productivity bet by not using planers and jointers for lumber prep. OTOH, maybe that's why they avoid power tools. It gives them more time to work with the wood." – Forrest

"There is something very satisfying about using a hand plane to face and edge joint a board true, but man does it take forever. The few minutes I get in the shop just don't allow anything but the speediest methods." – Nick

For some, hand planes have the edge. – Editor

"Though slower, a hand plane has the advantage of being able to take off just enough if you're trying to conserve thickness or width. Power jointers use much larger increments, so you can end up being a 16th less than what you're shooting for. A minor point, I admit, but one guy I worked for was pretty particular about keeping tabletops at thirteen-sixteenths." – John

Labels versus Memory

from WoodCentral

To label or not to label, that is the question, and the answers may surprise you. – Editor

"I'm putting on drawer fronts on my shop drawers. As there will eventually be a total of 17 drawers on that wall, the subject of labeling drawers came up. So, labeling: yes, no or haven't really thought about it?" – JL

Some label. – Editor

"I labeled mine with masking tape and a Sharpie®. It's been almost 10 years now since I did this, the masking tape is getting transparent now, so they will be falling off in the next few years. I think I've got them memorized now." – Dale

Most don't. – Editor

"I know where all my stuff is without labels. The only reason I have any drawers labeled is so my Dad can find things." – Pat

"Several months ago, I finally got around to building drawers and cabinets in my shop. At first I was going to label everything, but didn't get around to it right away and discovered that I really didn't need to. I nearly always know where everything is." – Ron

For at least one, bad labels make good exercise. – Editor

"I built a 32-drawer storage unit along one wall of my shop. They all look the same and aren't labeled. I often go to the wrong drawer for what I'm looking for, and it takes a couple of tries, but at least I don't have to squat and squint to find the right one. The searches are good mental exercises." – Clint

This one insists memory works best without a net. – Editor

"I'd only label the infrequently used ones, if I labeled any at all. I find that if I write stuff down my brain decides that it's not important: if I don't write stuff down, I have much quicker recall." – Curly

Finally, there's the inevitable "drawers" joke. – Editor

"Mine say Fruit of The Loom or sometimes Hanes." – Ken

Rags to Riches, or the Other Way Around

from Woodcentral

"I've always kept a box in our linen closet where I toss old pieces of clothing to use as rags. I was wondering how suitable they might be to use for finishing. Although most are cotton, there are things that have nylon or some other synthetic in them. Would rags from colored or dyed cloth or rags that are not 100 percent cotton be useful for finishing?" – Wilbur
 
It was a good question, but only one person answered it directly.  Several others offered their method for acquiring rags, or described what they use instead. – Editor
 
"I find that most of the synthetics and blends have absorbency issues I don't like, so I don't use them. At your local Target or similar, in the auto section, you can buy a bundle of 100 percent cotton fine finishing cloths for about $6. Can't wait for the grandkids to wear out T-shirts that fast at that price." – Glenn

"Another excellent source for rags is the secondhand store. You can pick up a bunch of T-shirts for just a few cents each." – Tom

"If you have any commercial T-shirt screen printers in your area, sometimes they will sell their rejects very cheap." – Tom

"I used to get them from a couple of sources. One was a commercial linen service that sold rags by the pound. The other was a guy who collected all the clothes that weren't good enough for the thrift store. He would wash and sell them as rags pretty cheap." – Tom

Not everyone uses cloth towels, though. – Editor

"Viva® paper towels. I'd cut them into quarter sheets, cut off the perforated edges, fold the quarter towel to a nice size, and they worked great. I used to have a plastic container full of quarter sheets of Viva towel in the shop." – Dale

"I use blue Scott brand paper shop towels to apply wipe-on polyurethane. They work great. I have noticed, however, that they don't like alcohol, so they tend to disintegrate with shellac." – Tom

"I apply stains and finishes with small chunks of nylon abrasive pads; the gray when a bit of abrasion would be helpful and white when it is not. The pads stay wet longer, don't wick water, hold more finish, and manipulate thicker materials, like gels, more easily. I wipe off with those blue Scott paper shop towels. They are cheap enough to throw away so I won't try to save them and risk wiping a clean surface with a rag that had come in contact with wax or oil." – Michael

But for one unfortunate reader, the whole subject was most painful. – Editor. 

Routing MDF: Mild-mannered or Metal Menace?

from Women in Woodworking

"My contractor, along with another woodworking friend ,has suggested that we use MDF for all the baseboards and trim in our home, though both agreed that it would not be a good idea to use in the wet areas. Both have said that using a router on it is a dream. Then I read a disagreeing post regarding MDF and am wondering what gives." – Bwamer

"MDF is medium-density fiberboard. Essentially, it is glue and sawdust compressed under great pressure to make a sheet like plywood. It cannot handle moisture. It swells wildly. It is very smooth and flat and makes good molding, and is easy to paint. It is pretty heavy; a three-quarter-inch thick 4'x8' runs upwards of 115 pounds. As for using the router, yes, it is an ideal tool for MDF, but you will make lots of dust that is harmful to breathe. Respiratory protection is a must." – Carol

"As Carol said, MDF works well for painted trim. If you need trim in damp places or where it will get wet, like the kitchen from mopping, MDO might work better. MDO uses moisture-resistant glue to help prevent the swelling." – John

That sounded encouraging, with everyone more or less in agreement, but then someone posted a warning with a completely opposite view, echoing a commonly held belief among woodworkers. – Editor

"Actually, MDF is terrible on routing tools. It is made from scrap wood and pallets ground to fine dust. The pallets are used nails and all, and there is a pretty high metal content in MDF, so it dulls tools quickly. Add to that the dust and mess from routing along with the difficulty painting it, and I think poplar is a far better choice for trim work." – Ralph

Ah, yes, the old question. Are there ground-up nails and old pallet wood in MDF, or is that a woodworking myth? This woman had an answer. – Editor

"MDF is not made out of pallets, at least in the plant my husband works at that makes MDF. They use the branches and scraps that can't be used for veneers. All bark is removed before the process even begins, the chips are then dried in huge heated air tunnels. Pieces that are too large, too wet, or are not wood, don't make it to the top and are dropped out of the bottom. They have strict quality control, and on-site labs. All boards are metal tested, and batches are lab tested to assure top quality in every board. You can cut MDF with a router. As with any woodworking, wear a mask and glasses." – Mntgirl

Physics: 1; Woodworkers: 0

from WoodCentral

Summer seems to bring out the whimsy in all of us. Take a look at this woeful tongue-in-cheek exchange, and you will see what we mean. – Editor

"After years of research, I have concluded that glue, any type, has the ability to change the physical nature of wood, sometimes quite a bit. My research is based upon the phenomenon I observe during complex glue-ups of projects. I will dry fit test an assembly, sometimes more than once, and everything will come together quite nicely. I will prepare myself with open clamps and even rehearse the clamping so I know just how the clamps need to be applied. Then, when totally ready, I apply the glue and proceed with the glue -up. This is where, before my very eyes, the same assembly that fit together beautifully 20 minutes earlier now cannot possibly seem to come together without frantic pounding with a mallet and tremendous torque of the clamp handles, along with a mad dash for more and more clamps. There appears to be no obvious explanation." – Tom

Sympathy for this cruel yet seemingly widespread phenomenon abounds, and others shared their sad stories. – Editor

"Yes! Hey, I've even had the grain change direction. I KNOW I matched the panels up so they looked good together and the cathedrals were all going the same direction. Then just about the time the tenons locked into the mortises, THEY CHANGED DIRECTION!" – Larry

"You got it, Tommy! I thought that only happened to me! Titebond® and the others should put a warning label on the glue bottles that says Caution: this product may move your mortises and change the grain direction if used according to directions." – Jesse

Others shared explanations of the curious happening. – Editor 

"Most recent research shows that wood indeed has memory, Tommy. The wood cells remember how nice everything was up until the time they were attacked with sharp objects, buzz and band saws, and beaten into submission. Naturally, the wood movement you complain about during glue-up is wood's natural retaliation. It is getting back at you. To complain about it is, well, like de-barking up the wrong tree."
- George 

"You are right! I've been looking at it all wrong. This is not a physics problem, this is a biology problem! Thank you for scientifically enlightening me." – Tom

"All of your observations can be readily explained by Maxwell's Demon. Maxwell's Demon resides in all woodworking joints decreasing the entropy of the joint, grain orientation, tenon size or mortise size in any perfect dry-fit joint. Thermodynamically speaking, this doesn't make sense, but who can argue with your direct observation?" – Jim

Some postulated equally absurd and therefore thoroughly appropriate solutions.  – Editor

 "I think that I will start freezing all the 'male' components, and putting all the 'female' components in a heated oven. Works on all British motorcycles. Don't see why it wouldn't work on my wood projects. What do you think?" – Bill

"Solution to all fit problems: a bigger hammer." – Basil

Finally, one person described how he effectively dealt with a project in which the wood just refused to obey. – Editor

The Dadonator: Judgement Day

from WoodCentral

On a more serious note, someone asked about Infinity saw blades, a thread that caught our eye because we had just spoken to those folks. Here's what the denizens of WoodCentral have to say about them. – Editor

"I'm in the last stretch of resettling here in Brisbane, and I will be ordering a PM2000 tomorrow. Then I'm going to need some saw blades. I've seen good reviews of the Infinity Dadonator dado set, but has anyone used their other saw blades and have any comments? Reason I ask is that there is a good package including the Dadonator set available. Thanks." – Mark

Nothing but good comments followed. – Editor

"I use their router bits and the thin-kerf ripper. I have had excellent results with their products. The Dadonator looks impressive. Hope this helps; enjoy your new saw!" – Patrick

"I, too, have the thin kerf rip blade. Have been well pleased with it. Quiet and smooth cuts." – Bill

"I've been using the 50T Combomax TK for much of the summer and am really pleased with it. Very comparable to other top-line blades like Forrest, Ridge Carbide and Tenryu Gold. The router bits I've used are very impressively made, too. Some of their package deals are pretty attractive. Keep your eyes peeled for specials, too. Their recent Father's Day incentives were great deals." –  Scott

They must have convinced him, because he came back and posted this. – Editor

"Thanks, everyone. I just ordered a combo kit plus an additional dedicated rip blade. It seems to be the best deal going at the moment here." – Mark

To learn more about Infinity, sidle on over to the Tool Maker Insider segment of this issue. – Editor

Speaking of Festool...

Speaking of Festool… from Saw Mill Creek

With the release this month of the Festool Domino mortiser, we were curious as to what folks online had to say about the company. – Editor

"I am new here and very much a novice where it concerns woodworking. I'll ask a really stupid question. I see the posts about Festool products. What I would like to know is what makes Festool products so desirable." – Ron

"Festool produces high quality tools with high-level features. They are not for everyone. But for the most part, folks who purchase swear by them rather than at them." – Jim

A Slippery Slope

A Slippery Slope from WoodCentral

Over at WoodCentral, they also had a few choice things to say about the company, starting with their sanders. – Editor

"Try a Festool sander, and there's no turning back. You've started down the slippery slope." – Jesse

"I wish a sander was a sander and a saw was a saw. I would've spent much less on my shop over the years. Compared to [the other] sander I have , the Festool sander is much smoother running and quieter. The [other sander] makes my fingers numb and eventually hurts my wrist that already has problems from repetitive stress. I can run the Festool all day without a problem. Hooked to a shop vac, the sander was pretty good with [dust collection], but the Festool is better. Just being able to run it all day without buzzing hands, earplugs, or dust masks makes it worth the money for me." – Jay

"What Jay said, plus a couple of other things I really like: there is no static electricity (anti-static hose) like on a shop vac, so no shocks whenever you touch the vac; the paper is great - doesn't load, extra holes improve dc; both the sander and the vac have speed control; some of the sanders have dual mode as very aggressive orbit or gentle orbit; the vac comes on automatically when I turn on the sander and stays on 10 seconds after the sander is off to get those last few bits of dust, the vac has bags that seal easily so you are not emptying the vac into a trash can and making a cloud of dust, and if you use the saw, too, everything is already there and set up. Just swap the electric plug and the hose." – Jesse

It's not just sanders they like. Comments about other Festool offerings also showed up on this thread. – Editor

"I've heard lots of good comments about the sander, but I have my eye on the 12v C12 drill/driver. With the offset drive head additions it looks like something I would love using in the shop. I recently purchased a Festool TS 55 circular saw with guide rail to cut sheet goods. So far, I have been very pleased with both the performance of the saw and with the accurate cutting I can do with it. I have a small shop and no room for a slider. This has been a good alternative for me." – Tom

Tapping a Keg/Coplanar Band Saw Wheels

How to Tap a Keg from WoodCentral

"I use enough lacquer these days that I buy it in five gallon buckets. Do any of you know of a tap or faucet that I can put on the paint bucket so that, rather than decanting the lacquer off into empty one-gallon thinner cans, usually creating a mess, I can just put the lacquer right into the spray gun?" – Mark

A couple of people told him where to find a tap, some cheaper than others. – Editor

"I just purchased my first five of lacquer a week ago. I also purchased a 79-cent spout that is supposed to fit in the bung hole, according to the paint store." –  Dale

"Try here, Mark." – Carol

"If you do not want to try drilling a hole and buying a spigot, go to a local home brew supply store and get a five-gallon fermentation bucket with a spigot, lid and even an airlock. Probably more expensive than making your own, but ready to use." – Dan

Not everyone thought that a good idea. – Editor

"While the fermentation bucket is food grade and quite durable, lacquer (and the solvents therein) might make pretty quick work of the fermentation bucket or of its spigot. Metal would be the order of the day." – Jason

Others offered advice on how to pour without either a spigot or a mess. – Editor

"When pouring from a five-gallon container, it may seem intuitive to pour with the spout situated closest to the side from which you are pouring, but if you pour with the spout farthest from the side you are pouring from, you will make almost no mess. If you use a funnel, you can actually pour from a five without spilling a drop. This same principle also works for square gallon cans with the spout in one corner." – Robin

"For round cans, lay the can resting on its lip on a bench with the pour hole at the very top and the can at a slight backwards angle. Initially, you might need a small riser block under the lip to let you remove the cap with no initial spillage, but not after the first pour. Remove the cap and start to roll the bucket. As you roll it, the hole gets lower and feeds out liquid, glug-free. It works until the can is just about empty." – Michael

"They also make a stand you clamp the five-gallon can into that swivels to help eliminate spilling." – Tom

Business 101

Starting a Business: from WoodCentral

"I've been working as a cabinetmaker for a few years and have decided to go on my own. Can you guys offer any advice on getting started or what to watch out for, like unforeseen expenses? Thanks." – Chris

"I like the book Working at Woodworking by Jim Tolpin. It will answer a lot of questions for you. I wish you luck!" – David

"Watch your pricing. If you cost out a job and think you should charge 5k, make it 6k or more, as you will probably underbid. No reason to work for any less than you can. If you do very good work, you should be able to get very good prices for your work. If you think you can do a job in a week, charge based on a week and a half, 'cause it will probably take that long. For every week you work in the shop, you will end up spending at least another half a day or more doing other general administrative tasks that need to be accounted for. Good luck!" – Mary

All good advice, but one reader, who was clearly speaking from long personal experience, came up with an 11-item "Top 10" list that was sometimes humorous but always right on the money. – Editor

Rule #1 Make sure your spouse has a good job with family benefits.
#2 You will spend nearly as much time running the business as woodworking. Phone calls, material runs, estimates, walk-in customers, tax, etc.
#3 Plan on working 1/2 days as a business owner. (That's 12 hours.)
#4 The last vacation you had will have been your last one.
#5 Residential customers always want you to come out for a sales call after they get off work. See rule #3.
#6 When you get to the end of the year with what seems like a really nice profit, don't forget that April 15th will erase most of that.
#7 Get a signed contract and a down payment before you ever start any job. No matter how small.
#8 Don't be afraid to say no to a job. Cutting your estimate or low balling a bid to get work never works out.
#9 Word of mouth is your very best sales tool. An upset customer will tell lots of people they didn't like you.
#10 You will now have a different boss with every job. You are the business owner, not the boss.
#11 You will never be more proud of telling anyone what you do for a living.
Don't get me started on hiring employees. The first couple of those make more money than you do. Make sure you have a few months of backlog before pulling the trigger unless you really have rule #1 covered. Best of luck to you!" – Dick

Interesting that every single person that responded wished him good luck. We have the distinct feeling he may need it, so we'll add ours. Good luck! – Editor


Spreading the Word: from WoodCentral

"So, here I am, graduated a nice school, have my shop all set up, just about ready to work, but I still have to ask: For those of you who build furniture and other things for a living, how have you gotten your name out there? It's nice to envision a shop where I build custom pieces for a living, but the whole 'getting the attention of the customer' thing has me baffled. On my budget, I don't think I can afford ads in magazines yet, so I'm curious to hear how other people have tackled this issue. So many woodworkers I know run for their tools when confronted with the whole business side of things, and I'm trying not to run into that trap." – James

Many old hands offered a lot of good advice. – Editor

"Donate a spec piece to a local charity, maybe for a fundraising event, making sure you get good publicity. Not for your donation, but for the exquisite design, flawless craftsmanship and tasteful selection of wood, stressing your willingness to collaborate with the customer so an heirloom is created that can be proudly handed on to future generations. You will have to write it yourself. No one else understands as well as you do. If you can't articulate it, you can't sell it. Get the idea?" – Carol

"Business acumen is the key to success. You can be a great woodworker and a lousy businessman and your chances of success are limited. On the other hand, there are many mediocre woodworkers out there that are great at the business side of things, and they lead comfortable lives. I'm not saying you can't be great at both, just that good business practice is all -important to your success." – Ted

"I agree with both Ted and Carol, and would like to add that you need to keep a good portfolio of all of your work, especially that which you are most proud of. If you can afford to, make a few things that show your talent, then enter them into juried shows. This will put your work in front of a wide audience." – Keith

One regular on this board offered a half dozen cheap advertising suggestions gleaned from his own experiences. – Editor

"There have been about six things that have paid off big-time for me.
1) Signs on my truck. Make sure they are simple and easy to read, even at 60 mph. Include your web site address if you have one. Mine are magnetic and cost $75 for the pair.
2) Advertise on your local access TV channel. Mine costs $25 per month. Have them run the ad for six months, then drop it for a few months, then do it again. If done right, people will remember it.
3) Make a few things for a few friends that want you to build something for them. Charge them for materials only, but the attached string is they can't tell anyone what it cost them, but they have to tell everyone who built it. Surprising how fast word of mouth travels, especially if your workmanship is first class.
  4) A web site done professionally. Not something that has to be done right away, but has paid off for me. Might be because I advertise it extensively. Shop around carefully here. I'm a true believer that getting it designed locally will be the cheapest way to go.
5) Business cards. I give mine out, and I'm not shy about it.
6) I bought a woodburning tool with my shop's logo. Now and then I'll cut up some scrap oak, burn my logo, drill a small hole into one corner, thread a chain through it, and I now have a memento to give to current or prospective customers." – Ron

"Best I've found is to weasel your way into small specialty shops with good managers. Go in on consignment for stupid low prices. After a while, when folks see your stuff in other folks' houses and offices, you start sneaking the prices up a bit at a time." – Steve

"Word of mouth kept me busy for a long time, and it still does today. My business took a turn when I started teaching, and that has been a huge boost. The Internet is good, but it is limited. Getting involved in a local guild and getting to know other people in the trades is good networking. People will refer others to you if they know about you and like your work, and do not do it themselves. Carpenters who build million dollar houses are not interested in making tables for those houses, but they like to have someone to whom they can refer when they are asked. Above all, do good work and take good care of your customers. As to the web page stuff, it is the cheapest portfolio you can have, and the easiest for people to access." – Bill

Show Me ... Your Pocket Knife

 
Show Me: from WoodCentral

There's a brand-new woodworking show doing the rounds this year, and it did not take long for folks on WoodCentral to notice it and ask each other questions about it. – Editor

"I just got an ad for the Consumer Woodworking Expo in today's mail. Has anyone here ever been to one? Their web site doesn't have much to say about the show itself, but does promote the seminars. Mike Heavey, Jim Heavey and Kerry Pierce are the presenters, and truthfully, I have never heard of any of them. This show is a two-hour drive away from here, and I'd hate to make the trip only to find out I can cover the whole show in 15 minutes, so does anyone have any experience with this show series?" – Jim

"Jim, I'm not sure I have the details right ,but Zachary Zeidler owns that show. He was with The Woodworking Shows (TWS). TWS was supposed to be sold in July to American Woodworker (AW) magazine, which itself was sold in December by Readers' Digest. That was announced at the AWFS Show in Las Vegas. Three weeks after the letter of intent was signed, AW pulled out of the deal. Then a couple of vendors tried to form a consortium to buy the show, but they couldn't reach consensus, so that fell apart. TWS was finally sold to two vendors: Bad Dog and Woodline, so now they own the show, but have no show background or understanding of what a show really is about. Making this 'stew' even thicker, the right man for TWS left in May and launched his own woodworking shows, so now there's another company out there, modeled after the old TWS, confusing the consumer even more. Zachary Zeidler is probably this person, naming his new creation Consumer Woodworking Expo. If this is correct, my guess is that the Consumer Woodworking Expo will be just another rehash of the old TWS." – David

"So that leaves only one guy with show experience and venue connections and experience with the vendors. That would be Jonathan Frank and the WoodWorks Shows. Earlier today, I went online to buy band saw blades from a company who does shows and one I admire greatly. She is doing one Consumer WW Expo near her home, probably to check them out, but is doing all of the WoodWorks shows and none of the TWS shows. Now I understand her reasoning. The scenario with woodworking shows this year will be interesting to watch." – Carol

"Carol, the classes you gave typify why I go to shows, and why I prefer WoodWorks. A couple of years ago. they had a maker of African drums as a demonstrator. That was a unique experience worth the drive and money." – Chuck

Of course everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, but according to their web site, The Woodworking Shows are still going strong and have by far the largest show schedule this year. – Editor

"I plan to be at the Schaumburg WoodWorks show myself. I've been affiliated with them since they first launched in 2002. Actually, the WoodWorks shows grew out of the American Woodworker shows, which I had helped launch in 1995. Jonathan Frank, the WoodWorks show owner and manager, was our manager back in those days as well. He knows show business very well and puts on a very classy and information-packed show with lots of well-known demonstrators and authors. You won't be disappointed." – Ellis


…Your Pocket Knife: from WoodCentral

Quick, name any woodworker you know who does NOT carry a pocket knife. Tough, huh? That's one tool all of us tend to carry, but which one, and why? This message board denizen wondered, too. – Editor

"Just thought I'd take a quick poll. I just bought a new pocket knife, and started wondering what brand others here at WoodCentral tend to favor. Personally, I favor the 'Boker' stockman with carbon steel blades. What do you use and why?" – Pat

"Gerber UltraLite L.S.T. Two-inch blade makes it small and very handy! Fits well on keychain." – Mark

"When we were at Smoky Mountain Knife Works in Tennessee I picked up a kit to make my own lock-back pocket knife. I used cocobolo for the handle." – Moses

"Swiss army knife. You never know when you will need a screwdriver, can opener, small pliers…" – JL

"Laguiole, obtained on our anniversary a number of years ago. It's a beauty, and I don't understand why our airlines won't let me carry it." – Bruce

"I got a Gerber several years ago. What I really like about it is that the resistance to folding out the blade is adjustable. What I don't like about it is that it's stainless steel and therefore difficult to put a edge on." – Lee

"Bulldog. Liked the shape of the sowbelly stockman." – John
 
"I'm fond of the Benchmade knives." – John

"My favorite by far is the Kershaw Chive. The most important feature for me in a knife is that I can open it with one hand." – Chad

"Victorinox Executive. It is small, has scissors and toothpick." – Peter

"Leatherman Micra. Carried the small Victorinox Swiss army version for years, but the Leatherman Micra has much more functional scissors, a blade, tweezers, screwdrivers, nail file, and bottle opener. I never leave home without it." – John

"Right now, I carry a Queen whittler." – Rick

"I have a Buck Cadet that I've carried for over 20 years. It holds a great edge. I rarely leave home without it." – Lee

"Thirty- year-old Al-Mar. Good steel and never gets lost." – Clint

Clint is lucky, but not everyone manages to spend 30 years without losing a knife. George, for instance, loses enough to make up for Clint, and then some. – Editor

"I've lost several million pen knives. As replacements, I can always get another when there is a flea market somewhere. Then I get several at $1.00 apiece." – George

Let's see; several million at one dollar each comes to… Whoa! Talk about repeat business. We should be selling pen knives to a customer like you.  – Editor

Rail Sleds and Snow Sleds

Rail Sleds from WoodCentral

"I got a rail and stile set to do some doors. The panel profile worked just fine, but when it comes time to cut the rail ends, I haven't figured a way to feed the piece so that the bit doesn't take a deeper chunk at the start of the cut until the bearing makes contact. Those here who use these router bits care to share the details on how to do this?" – Mark

Several folks quickly explained, using a variety of methods. – Editor

"When coping the ends, you do not need a bearing. What you need is a split fence on the router table, with as small of an opening as possible and a miter gauge set at exactly 90 degrees. The miter gauge will need to have some way to securely hold the piece in place. Set the outfeed fence exactly even with the shallowest cut of the router bit. Set the infeed fence a little deeper than the outfeed fence. Cut your stock to the exact length needed plus twice the difference of the two fences. Example: If the infeed fence is 1/16" deeper than the outfeed fence, then cut your stock 1/8" longer than needed. Run a piece of scrap through the coping setup and use this as a backer to prevent blow-out. I could have had it all set up faster than it took to type all of this up." – DB

"I tried cutting using the miter gauge as a carrier, and that would work fine if I could get the fence exactly parallel to the miter slot, but that was too much trouble. Instead, I use a scrap pusher block that is fairly large, or at least wide, maybe six or eight by twelve. I put that behind the piece and use it to keep the rail square to the fence and from moving in and out. You could make up a fixture with clamps, but for me it works just as well to squeeze the wood tight to the edge with my fingers and take a light pass, and then do it again taking the rest. The pusher block gets the profile cut in the edge and then serves as the backer to avoid tearout. I seldom, if ever, use the guide bearing." – Barry

"In the past, I've just installed the router bit and set the height. Then, using a straightedge, set the fence flush with the bearing on the bit. Next, I set up my miter gauge with a flat scrap of wood or MDF attached as a backer and make sure it's square to the fence. Set the rail against the miter gauge and hold it firmly while running it past the bit. This worked for me for years. Last year, I bought a rail coping jig that was on sale, and I plan to use it when I get the next opportunity. Not only will it clamp the rail down securely, but it has a backer piece that helps prevent tearout and a handle to grasp while pushing the work. Something like this might make the job easier, safer, and make the cuts come out better. The prices aren't bad either." – David

That's especially true when you consider the safety issue, which makes a safety improvement like a rail coping jig downright cheap. – Editor

Snow Sleds from WoodCentral

Rob was not the only one noticing the end of summer recently, but this chilly thread illustrated the importance of location. – Editor

"Big sigh. Summer's over, I guess. Two inches of snow when I got to work this morning." – Gary

"Well, it's not near that bad here in the Midwest, but trees are changing color fast. I spent most of the weekend on the bike. It won't be long before the snow will be too deep to ride it." – Ron

Of course, it all depends on where you live. – Editor

"Yeah, right. High 70s here in Vista today. Enjoy the snow." – Joe

That was California, but Texas chimed in, too. – Editor

"Heat index was 110 yesterday. It'll be about the same for the rest of the week." – Phil

And for some, winter is ending and spring is just beginning. – Editor

"Depends on where you live in the world. There's blossoms on my apple tree, the oak leaf buds are swelling, the avian dawn chorus is deafening, the temp is 55 degrees, and I turned the clocks forward one hour over the weekend. This is all going to add up soon to many pleasant evenings in the shop." – Angus, enjoying Spring in New Zealand.

In what is called a hijack in message board parlance, a chap from Denmark asked the following. – Editor

"So Angus, where in New Zealand would you recommend someone to go for a couple of weeks to get away from the dark and cold here in Old Zealand?" – Jesper

Angus suggested a couple of places, and reminded him that the seasons are not all that are reversed south of the equator. – Editor

"Right now, I say go to the north of the country to escape the cold. This is the southern hemisphere, so you've got to think opposite of what you may be accustomed to in the North. In a few more months, the whole country should be well warmed up." – Angus

Life's Little Mulligans

Forget the Finish; Change the Wood from WoodCentral

"I bought a mailbox post at Lowe's®. It is aromatic cedar, light with dark blotches, and I don't know if I can stain it or not. Your thoughts?" – Brian

At first, there was the usual set of suggestions and disagreements. – Editor

"I'd just put a couple coats of spar varnish on it." – Ron
 
"Do not finish aromatic cedar with any kind of oil-based finish. Aromatic cedar will soften an oil-based finish to a sticky state. I became aware of this in researching to build a blanket chest with aromatic cedar lining and was advised to not finish at all any part of the chest interior containing aromatic cedar. In a chest, place no finish at all on the cedar as this would kill its pleasant odor, which can be revived with a light sanding." – Lance

Good advice with regard to chest linings, since in addition to the aroma, finish will also block the vaunted moth-chasing properties of the wood. – Editor

"Aromatic cedar can be finished with either a solvent based lacquer or any waterborne latex, acrylic, or urethane finish." – Clint

Just when the finish issue was sorted out, a very strange thing happened. Brian posted a picture of the post itself. At that point, the thread went in a decidedly different direction once people saw the picture. – Editor

"I wouldn't have purchased that post if there is as much sapwood as it looks like in the picture. The sapwood of cedar is not very durable. When buying a cedar post, you definitely want to find one with mostly heartwood. It is likely that all the sapwood in the ground will rot away within a couple of years which can result in a loose post or one that will break off. That above ground will split and slough off in very few years." – Larry

"Yikes, I was going to say much the same thing the second I saw that picture. The white will rot away relatively quickly outdoors and especially in contact with the ground. When I cut cedar 4x4s for fence posts on my sawmill, I make sure most of each face is heartwood and allow some white only on the corners. I save boards with white for inside use. The old pole barn on this place was built with red cedar poles. It had a corner of the roof missing for at least 20 years. The sapwood on that corner had rotted completely to mush from getting wet every time it rained, but the heartwood was still in perfect shape." – John

So, what did Brian do? – Editor

"Thanks everyone. I'm returning the post and will buy a red cedar post instead." – Brian

Square Drilling and Iron Buff

Drill Square from WoodCentral

A square peg in a round hole is the classic description of someone who does not fit in, but we woodworkers make it happen all the time. Here's one man's quest to drill a square hole and the helpful, creative suggestions he got from his online cohorts. – Editor

"Just for fun, I'm making a cocobolo shift knob for my car. The shaft is square, but not the size of any standard mortising chisel. It's around five eighths of an inch wide. So what is the best way to drill a square hole in cocobolo maybe two and a half inches deep, but that does not go all the way through? I have only two ideas. One is use the next smaller size mortising chisel and then widen it a little with a bench chisel. The other is using a round bit, then a corner chisel to square it up. Any other ideas?" – Doug

"One idea would be to use a standard quarter inch square mortising chisel and punch a hole in each corner. It would then be easy to use the same bit to punch out the webs between the holes. Sharpen the bit well. Cocobolo is hard and tough." – Barry

"If I didn't have a mortising chisel, I would simply drill it close to size and then use a small chisel to clean up the corners and possibly the sides. Cocobolo cuts pretty well, but it is a harder wood. If you do have a mortising chisel, I would also recommend using a smaller one and drill each corner. If necessary, clean up the sides with the mortising chisel." – John

Then things took a different turn. – Editor

"You could get closer to square with a router and a small bit rather than a large round bit. Could drill a series of small holes within the square to make the chiseling easier, or use a dado blade to cut a 5/8 slot the right depth, then glue pieces in to fill the sides. You could make them contrasting." – Bill

Bill's suggestion introduced a whole new approach and sparked more ideas along those lines. – Editor

"The easiest way might be to take the block apart and put it back together. Slice a layer off the top. Slit the bottom part in half vertically. Cut rabbets in the two halves of the bottom blocks and glue them back together. if you reassemble the pieces carefully, the joints won't show much. Not nearly as much fun as leaving it in one piece." – Barry

"Here's a couple more ideas. Drill a large hole so the knob will slide over the corners of the square. Fill the crescent-shaped gaps with epoxy and a filler to make the square hole. The other idea is similar. Drill that large hole again, but make four wood fillers to fill the spaces." – Dick

"How about machining the metal shaft to fit your mortiser, or weld/braze some shims to fit the next larger size." – John


Iron Buff from WoodCentral

"My brother was told about a recipe of steel wool and vinegar that is used to make a black transparent stain on some woods, but the person was very vague about the recipe. Does anyone know the recipe and if it works, and what woods does it work on?" –  Loren

Ah, yes. It's our old friend iron buff: rust and vinegar on tannin-based wood. We suspect most magazines have run this formula many times, but it's one of those that is worth repeating now and again. Let's see how the online community handles it. – Editor

"Woods with tannic acid in them will react. Walnut will turn jet-black. I buy a pint of cheap white vinegar and shred up a pad of steel wool in it. I let it set three or four days in an open container. This is important as the chemical reaction forms a gas. I strain it through a cone-shaped coffee filter when I'm ready to use it. The liquid remains clear, but the wood will change color in a few minutes." – Bob

Excellent description, Bob. Now how about a suggestion for woods that don't contain a lot of tannin? – Editor

"You have good info here. I've used it on woods that just wouldn't do anything but turn a dull gray. I then made up a batch of tea. Yup, the kind we all drink. I dropped my hollow form into that ,and it instantly started turning black. Tea provides the tannin some woods lack. I used one steel wool pad  in one pint of vinegar, the cheapest you can find. I soaked it overnight, filtered it, and used it. Worked great." – Ed

Of course, you can always get your iron from another, more direct source. As you read the next entry, remember that the symbol for iron on the periodic table is Fe, short for ferrum, the Latin word for iron. – Editor

"I used a solution of ferrous sulfate to accomplish this on walnut grips. It turned them jet-black. Just a teaspoonful in a cup of warm water did it." – Lee

Old Tools, Old Tool Prices

Old Saws from WoodCentral

"Have radial arm saws outlived their usefulness? About six years ago, I invested in a compound draw miter saw. Before the purchase, I used a radial arm saw for all my crosscuts. What an improvement my draw saw was over the radial arm. A lot of woodworkers must feel the same way, 'cause I can't give my radial arm away! Am I missing something?"  Geary

We are about to slide into serious alphabet soup, so to forestall any confusion, here's a quick glossary. RAS = radial arm saw; CMS = compound miter saw; SCMS = sliding compound miter saw. OK, now dive in. – Editor

"I love my RAS. I leave a dado blade in it and crosscut flawlessly on it." – Matt

"I wouldn't give mine up for anything. Properly tuned, it crosscuts wider and more accurately than a SCMS, is much more quiet than the screaming universal motor on a CMS, and the large table makes it easier and (I believe) safer to cut on. I just don't get the danger aspect of a RAS. Just put a negative hook blade on it and keep your hands away. The same rules you have on any saw. It's great for short dadoes, half-laps and even some quick tenons. I've tried various CMS and SCMS and they are nice, but I'll never give up my RAS. In fact, I'm looking for an upgrade. Just an individual preference and what you are used to." – Mike

"Personally, after working without one, and now working with one, I can't see how anyone would not want to have one. But, that's just my preference." – Jeb
 
After the RAS love fest came some less complimentary assessments. – Editor

"My Sears RAS was probably the worst tool purchase of my life. The table is difficult to impossible to adjust, the saw wobbles in its carriage rails, which are just half-round soft steel rods, and the column fit is sloppy. It has been converted into a drum-sanding station where it is somewhat useful." – Dave

"My RAS was only 18 months old when I sold it for about half what I paid for it. It was a lousy tool, and continuous tune-ups were a pain. I was never satisfied. Got a SCMS and put the dado head in my table saw. Have lived a happy life since." – George

Eventually, more evenhanded appraisals prevailed. – Editor

"I think the popularity of the SCMS is largely due to the portability factor. Most builders and carpenters can easily tote around an SCMS or CMS, whereas it takes at least two people to move a radial arm saw. The other key is tune-ups. If you don't tune up your RAS regularly, then your cuts will be anything but accurate. The SCMS is pretty accurate right out of the box and doesn't take a long time to tune up. As far as safety is concerned, it can be frightening to have the saw come at you as it cuts and grabs a bit. Negative hook angle helps, but not completely, but used with care it is safe enough. It is certainly not a tool for all beginners and wouldn't be my recommendation for a first power saw in the shop." – Lee

"Newer saws are probably the best for the average woodworker who wants convenience and accuracy and is probably a little gun-shy about safety. For many older, experienced workers who cut their woodworking teeth back a few years, the radial saw works just fine and will do few things that the modern saw won't. Neither one is better than the other. It depends on the skill and prior experience of the individual." – Don

"I have both an RAS and a CMS, and love both. True what Don said, both have their place and function, but I wouldn't be without either." – Ron


Tool Bargains? from WoodCentral

With the season of gift giving close upon us, we figured it was the perfect time to share this bit of online nostalgia about the way things were. – Editor

"I was digging through my archives of old books this weekend and ran into a 1944 catalog from a machine tool dealer in California. Here are some prices:
Stanley 1/4" electric drill - - $36
Black & decker 1/4" electric drill - - $32
12" Delta wood lathe - less motor - $87
10" Delta Unisaw - $137
6" Delta jointer with enclosed steel stand - w/o motor - $77
14" Delta band saw with steel base - w/o motor - $83
24" Delta scroll saw with open base - w/o motor - $53
6x48" Delta belt sander w/motor - $72
Carter brand routers - $67-197
Lots more machines and tools are in the catalog. This is only a sampling. It was interesting to note most powered machinery was offered without electric motors and that the early power hand tools were very expensive." – Pete

Now, before you get all in a tizzy about how cheap things were then, check out the next response in the thread from someone who converted those prices into today's dollars. It was very sobering. – Editor

"Doing a cost comparison: the average wage in 1942 was $3,450. Average wage in 2006 was $38,651. So over 11.2 times (ignoring increased taxes etc.). Multiplying by 11 would be a somewhat realistic figure as far as today's cost.

"Stanley 1/4" electric drill - - $36 X 11 = $396
Black & decker 1/4" electric drill - - $32 X 11 = $352
12" Delta wood lathe - less motor - $87 X 11 = $957
10" Delta Unisaw - $137 X 11 = $1507
6" Delta jointer with enclosed steel stand - w/o motor - $77 X 11 = $847
14" Delta band saw with steel base - w/o motor - $83 X 11 = $913
24" Delta scroll saw with open base - w/o motor - $53 X 11 = $583
6x48" Delta belt sander w/motor - $72 X 11 = $792
Carter brand routers - $67-197 X 11 = $737-$2,167

"I have used many of the tools from that era. I remember I received my first drill around 1953 as a Christmas present. The quarter inch drills were quite high speed, with a lot less power than today's for $350 - $400! As I recall, few people owned many (if any) power tools. Most were used in industry or by large commercial businesses. The only table saw in the area was owned by the Farm Bureau Co-op as they had a small lumberyard. As I remember, the local carpenter handyman that lived in our small town and worked throughout the area building and repairing homes had one power tool, a worm drive circular saw, and he guarded it like it was gold. Looking at the price comparisons above, it probably was." – Larry

Fair enough; we promise we won't complain about the cost of tools this year. – Editor

Which Saw?

Which Saw? from Sawmill Creek

"I have a project to do that requires me to resaw some 4/4 cherry down to 3/8" thick stock. I don't have a decent band saw, and a new one is not currently in the budget. What I do have is an old Sears Craftsman 12" band saw. It's basically a flimsy piece of junk, but it does run. Would it be a total waste of my time and money to get a decent resawing blade and give it a go on this saw? I'd hate to waste so much good lumber planing 4/4 down to 3/8" stock. Your thoughts?" – Jeff

The first response was to use the table saw instead. – Editor

"If it is a full inch thick and less than six inches wide, you can resaw it on a 10-inch table saw. Make one pass, flip it, keeping same side against the fence, and make a second pass. There will be more waste than on a band saw, but not as much as planing it down." – James

"If resawing on a table saw, a thin kerf blade will be easier on your saw and not as wasteful. Don't saw all the way through. Leave a small amount in the center so the two sides are still connected and finish the cut with a hand saw. Much safer this way." – Lance

Another suggested it was possible with the band saw but admitted the table saw was a good fallback position when you consider how much planing it takes to remove errant band saw drift. – Editor

"Get a good blade and you can resaw, but go slowly. If the machine vibrates as badly as my old Craftsman you need to go the table saw route as you will waste just as much wood trying to straighten it back out." – Scott

Then someone suggested he take advantage of the ever present online bonhomie. – Editor

"Why don't you put your location in your user profile? I'm sure there's no shortage of folks who'd volunteer to do it for you on a good band saw if they knew you were close by." – Doug

Which Saw? from Women in Woodworking

"I'm just getting my feet wet in woodworking and I'm wondering what is the best multipurpose saw to get. I would like to start small and build some bird feeders and birdhouses, and maybe a coupleof  magazine racks. I'd also like to replace a lot of the door and window trim in my house. I'm trying to decide between a table saw and a miter saw. I know eventually I'll need both kinds, but I just was trying to make the best choice for the next purchase. My husband has a nice jigsaw, a Sawzall, and an old circular saw. I'm leaning towards a table saw, but can you cut mitered corners with a table saw?" – Mary "

Table saw is my first choice. You can make several jigs for the power hand saw and use it in place of a power miter box for most projects." – Joe

"It's my opinion that a table saw is the best first choice to make, but it needs to be set up right and kept in very good maintenance or it's worth nothing. With the right jigs, you can make just about any cut you can think of. By the way, if you haven't already done so, I suggest that you order some woodworking catalogs, then read the description of every item on every page. The information you gather before you buy could save you lots of money." – John

That was about what we expected to see, but then someone weighed in with a completely different opinion. – Editor

"I'm going to depart from the general opinion and suggest a band saw. I am also a new woodworker. I've had my own shop for a couple of years, and I find the band saw the most flexible tool I own. You can rip, crosscut, cut joinery, saw curves, etc. With the right jig, you can do an awful lot. Granted, the band saw has limited width capacity, but you said you wanted to start with small projects anyway. The band saw is also safer in some uses than a table saw. The blades are also less expensive than a table saw's. I did not get a band saw until I had been woodworking seriously for a year and it was like 'Where have you been all my life?' I love it." – Susan

Coping and Cupping

Coping with irritation from WoodCentral


"I have been using Deft lacquer for a finish for decades. I actually sort of like the smell. Now I am noticing that my nose is bothering me. It runs, and itches. The problem has been sporadic, but so is my use of Deft. I don't have a spray booth and have been doing small projects and ventilate when I can. I usually spray a bowl or hollow form and leave the area, going upstairs.
Does anyone know if this sounds like a reaction to the Deft, or dry winter air, or dust, or just getting older?" – Barry



Quite a bit of good advice followed, starting with a direct, and rather obvious, answer to Barry's questions. – Editor

"All of the above." – Mark


"You might try a semi-controlled test. Pick a day when you're fine, then spray some lacquer and see what happens. If you get symptoms, I'd let those clear, and then repeat. If it happens twice, odds are fairly good you may have your culprit. Obviously ventilation would help, but you might want to see your doctor." – John

"I would suggest that you either set up an exhaust fan to the outside that you can spray near, or shoot finish outdoors." – Mark

"There are a number of components of aerosol lacquers that can be sensitizers. Unlike allergens that evoke a response with the first exposure, sensitizers may start out to seem fairly benign. As you get older, or as you increase your cumulative exposure, you can start to become more sensitive to them. Eventually you start showing symptoms that increase in intensity, and respond to smaller and smaller amounts of the sensitizer. If you plan to continue using lacquer, you should wear a good respirator that blocks the components of the lacquer and you should be spraying toward the fan of a booth. You need ventilation when you spray, whether you are using a spray gun or an aerosol can. That can may look harmless, but it still produces a cloud of airborne solvents and particulates. When you spray, ventilate." – Michael

Of course, there is always the requisite wag available to add levity to  the online thread. – Editor

"Don't worry unless you have hallucinations, unless, of course, you've always had hallucinations, in which case, don't worry unless the hallucinations stop." – Clint


Cupped Top from WoodCentral

"I have a glued four foot by eight foot table top hickory panel. It was flat in the shop. I brought it in the house and it has cupped about three sixteenths of an inch in the middle with the outside edges rolling up. I have not put cleats on or fastened it to aprons yet, nor have I put any finish on it. Should I wet one side then fasten it down and finish it or what?" – Tom

At first, several cautious bits of  advice were offered. – Editor

"Leave it be to acclimate to the room temp, and it will probably return to flat. If it doesn't, then decide what to do." – Ron

"While you're letting it readjust, be sure air can get to both sides." – Kneale

"I never recommend wetting, but I do recommend trying to dry the convex side more than the concave side when trying to control bowing and cupping. If you have a radiant heat source that you can expose to that side will help it dry faster than the other, should help pull it back." – Keith

"It's hard to predict what will happen to this top unless we have a better idea of the moisture content and the cut of the wood (flatsawn, quartered, etc.). It would also help to know if the relative humidity in your shop is a lot different from your house. Regardless, I would not rely on a top this large staying flat on its own without aprons or cleats. My advice is to just let it acclimate for a while in your house while you make the base for it. Make the aprons wide enough to resist any cupping forces (but not so wide that knees can't fit beneath them). When you anchor the top to the base, use a sturdy attachment method, such as hardwood buttons, that will be strong enough to keep the top flat. Ultimately, you want to finish both sides equally, so that seasonal humidity swings don't cause it to shrink unevenly on the top and bottom, causing more cupping and bowing." – Ellis

At that point, someone must have looked more closely at the numbers, and that resulted in some very different advice, and the feeling that this was clearly a tempest in a teacup. – Editor

"Three sixteenths over four feet? Forget about it. Three sixteenths across four feet is nothing to worry about assuming the top is not two inches thick. I'd suggest you just finish it evenly on both sides and fasten it to your base, which will hold it flat." – Lee

Squaring and Milk Paint

Web Surfer's Review is a sampling of  a couple of interesting discussions we found recently on woodworking message boards. We neither write it nor vouch for the accuracy of the content. – Editor


A Square Deal: from WoodCentral

"I am building cabinets that are 26 inches deep and 27 inches tall. The sides are three quarter inch ply. The problem that I am experiencing is that the carcasses are square in the back when I put the half inch ply backs on, but when checking the diagonals in the front, they are out of square by an eighth to a quarter of an inch. These will be frameless cabinets. Is this to be expected with cabinets of this depth, or should I do something now to get them squared before installing them?" – Howard

"If this is after the fact, I don't have any suggestions for a frameless carcass. If you still have more to make or haven't glued the carcasses yet, you could clamp some square blocks of solid wood or plywood in the front corners during your assembly. These will help square the front, and the plywood back will take care of the rear." – David

"You should be able to get closer to square on the front. Can you shim one side or the other to raise up that corner a bit? If your wall isn't flat or perpendicular to the floor, it will tend to rack your cabinet. Without reinforcement in the front at the corners, I would expect they might vary about that much on the diagonal." – Lee

"Is it possible that the pieces of plywood are not exactly square to begin with? When building our kitchen cabinets, I found that it is more difficult than I thought it would be to get pieces cut that were exactly square. I finally constructed a large sled for my table saw, and that was a tremendous help. Another thought is whether or not you are getting the plywood side edges to fit together well during glue-up. If the edges will not show, a brad nailer would help hold them together until the glue sets up. I glued the four sides together first, then added the back and stapled one edge, lined up the other edge and stapled that, then the remaining two edges, and then let the glue dry. I got diagonals closer than a sixteenth." – Jim

"A 26-inch deep frameless cabinet will have a lot of give at the front. I would try to make sure they are square when you glue and screw or biscuit or whatever you are doing, but you should not have any problems installing them square if the plywood sides are cut square. A lot of people assume that plywood sheets are square. So long as the two sides are the same length at the front, and the top and bottom are the same width, you should be able to install them with doors so that everything lines up." – Moses

"Sorry, Moses, but doesn't this also describe a parallelogram? On the last cabinets I did, it quickly became apparent that I was responsible for making the square crosscut to length. Easier said than done. Too long to use the table saw, and too wide for the SCMS, that left me with a couple of choices. I could rough cut to length and re-cut on the table saw with the sliding table, but I don't like doing things twice. I settled on using a circle saw and a really careful guide system. Checked and double-checked for square before cutting. That went well. Getting the pieces exactly the same length was next. If the sides are different lengths, there's no chance of a square cabinet box. Ditto for the top and bottom. I used a pair of long straight-edge metal yardsticks with stair stops on them to set the saw guide. Simply clamp them in place on the end, and clamp the saw guide against the end of the straight edges. Double-check for square before removing the straight edges, and you're good to go. It was a little fussy at first, but then I stacked the parts and ran my fingers around the edges to find them exactly the same size. Anyway, that's how I get square boxes. The rule I taught in class was mirror images for sides, mirror images for tops and bottoms, and 90° corners on all make for a square box." – Carol


Milk Paint: from WoodCentral

"I just tried some milk paint on a few Shaker boxes. The paint was easy to mix and use, but I was surprised that the manufacturer recommended a clear finish top coat. I used equal parts of boiled linseed oil, polyurethane and thinner and then applied. I was not happy with the results because it needed another coat. I was wondering what other people use as a top coat." Tom

"After a few experiments, I determined that clear satin waterbased polyurethane is a very easy topcoat for milk paint. The kicker is that it is something that I've always got around the shop." – John

"It depends on what you want. An oil-based topcoat mixture like the one you mentioned will darken and saturate the color of the milk paint. It will also largely soak in without building appreciably, so if you're after a film finish for some reason, you will have to apply several coats to build up a luster. If you want a thicker film, I'd suggest a brushing varnish, though I am not convinced that Shaker boxes need this amount of protection. Waxes and waterbased polyurethane will leave the color of the milk paint closer to its original color." – Ellis

"I generally put on two to three coats of milk paint, lightly buffing with sandpaper between coats. I've used tung oil, but lately am using two or three coats of Watco Danish Oil, then buff out with 000 steel wool. Love the look. The Danish Oil protects and gives it a soft, aged look." – Dave

Sawdust, Success and Swapping

Swapping:

Vacuum Pressing and Fancy Plywood

Vaccum Pressing: from WoodCentral

Sidle on over to the Industry Interview segment of this eZine, and you will notice that we talk to the owner of Quality VAKuum Products, a company that makes vacuum pumps and sells both clamping and bag systems. Coincidentally, we found this thread about the same subject on one of our favorite message boards. – Editor

"I just bought and set up a vacuum pressing system this weekend. I did a test panel and it was a success, but the manual suggests making caul panels when pressing veneers. What if you don't use a caul and simply cover the applied veneer with a non-stick barrier?" – Tom

"The caul or platen acts to distribute pressure evenly. Also, if you simply draw a vacuum without a caul or platen, you have much more likelihood of any small sawdust or anything sitting on the veneer to telegraph through and vice-versa. I really don't think you can get an effective glue-up without a caul." – Norman 

Not everyone agreed entirely. – Editor

"When I can, I use platens on both sides of the piece being pressed, but have often used a platen on the lower side and some breather mesh on top. I have not had any problems." – Jerry

"Ditto on breather mesh. A caul is handy if you are doing the same operation many times. Cauls are next to impossible with curved work, so I always use mesh on that." – Jesse

Dadoes and Nuts

Skinny Dadoes: from WoodCentral

Plywood is often smaller than the nominal size it is called. This chap knew it, and asked for suggestions for cutting skinny dadoes to match. – Editor

"I'm going to be making up some kitchen cabinet doors using solid wood for the rails and stiles, and quarter-inch plywood for the panel. I'd like to machine the dado on my table saw. My dado set doesn't cut much smaller than a light quarter inch. I'm thinking of trying a pair of seven and a quarter circular saw blades with a bit of shim between them to get the undersized plywood to fit right. I really don't want to rout the groove. Any input would be welcome." – Les

"Norm's method is to cut it with your favorite blade in two passes. Set the blade to the correct height and fence slightly off-center. Using scraps of identical thickness, run them through the blade and then reverse it and run it with the other face against the fence. This assures the dado or groove is centered in the stock. You just have to fiddle the fence setting until you get the groove you want. This does not take as long as it sounds like, unless you are making thousands of pieces. Since you don't have to even remove the existing blade from the TS, you don't have to take the time it takes to install the two blades and figuring out what the spacer would be." – Barry

"The method suggested by Barry has always worked well for me as well, especially for stiles and rails of equal thickness. However, for stiles and rails of different thickness, to keep from getting confused, I mark the backside on all the pieces and keep that side against the fence. Then, after making the initial cut, just move the fence slightly - always keeping the marked side against the fence. Keep a practice piece handy to check your setting. In fact, keep several practice pieces handy. Oh yes, watch out for plywood that varies in thickness. Hope this helps." – Jim

The Borg and Choices

We are the Borg; Resistance is Futile: from WoodCentral

Online message boards are the perfect place to air frustrations. This long, sad tale is a poignant testimonial to the state of customer service today. – Editor

"The other day, I needed a sheet of three-quarter -inch birch plywood. I decided to go to Home Depot. I went early on a weekday morning to avoid the crowds and hopefully be in and out quickly. I got to the birch ply, cast off the first few top sheets as they were in sad condition, and found one that appeared reasonably flat and not chewed up. I  figured, 'I have to cut this sheet down anyway, so why not get it cut in half here?'

"Earlier, when I was sorting through the birch ply there were plenty of slack-jawed orange-vested kids wandering around. But when the time came for really needing assistance, I swear the entire store was deserted. I was ready for tumbleweeds to roll by. I pressed the distress button next to the panel saw. That, of course, activated the lovely woman's voice saying, 'Customer service needed; saw area.' I waited a while and nothing, so I pressed the button again, and again. Nothing. Now mind you, I probably was the only customer in the store at the time.

"Finally, I walked up to the front where an orange-vested woman was sitting, looking like she was supervising the battery display. I said to her,  'Hi, I need a piece of plywood cut but can't locate assistance. Mind if I use the panel saw myself?' Well, those must be the magic words. Suddenly a flurry of walkie-talkie activity ensued between several orange-vested people throughout the store. She indicated that there was only one guy in the store that knew how to use the saw and that he was on his way. One guy?

"I saw an adult in an orange vest lumbering down the aisle towards the panel saw. 'You the guy who needs something cut?' Now mind you, I am standing next to the panel saw holding a full sheet of plywood and there is nobody else in sight. 'How do you want it cut?' I said, 'Cut it in half width-wise' He gets a puzzled look on his face so I rescue the awkward moment by saying I want two four-foot by four-foot pieces. Unfortunately, that only created an even more awkward moment as I could see the wheels slowly turning in his head trying to figure out if it was even possible to get two four-by-four pieces from a full sheet. Sure enough, he grabs a tape measure and measures the sheet to make sure. Meanwhile, my eyes are uncontrollably rolling.

"What ensued was comical as he attempted to set up the saw for the cut. The saw had been turned to make a length cut and needed to be turned back to do a cross cut. After much trial and error he figured it out, but not before knocking the dust collector hose off ,which retracted behind the saw frame. He performed a series of monkey-like maneuvers to get the hose looped back over and reconnected to the saw. Finally, we get my sheet of ply on the saw and Mr. orange vest lines up the cut. He turns and says, 'Do you want me to cut right on the four foot line?' At this point, I wonder if I am on a hidden camera TV show. I said 'Yes, that'll be fine.' He pulls the saw trigger and nothing happens. Then he remembers he needs to activate power to the saw.

"There is a power box off to the side, but before he can activate the power he has to enter a security code into a key pad to the side of the box. You guessed it: he had trouble remembering the code. Finally, by some miracle and after several attempts, he entered the right set of numbers. He activates the power which in turn activates a warning siren and a spinning red fire engine light, all features I presume were suggested by Home Depot's crack staff of lawyers.

"The guy proceeds to make the cut on the four foot line. As I watch, I notice that the saw blade leaves really ragged edges on both sides of the kerf. I chose not to waste my breath by commenting. I grabbed my sheets and made a beeline for the checkout, and, yes, the checkout girl was of course confused because only one sheet on my cart had a bar code." – Tom

Tom, you have our sympathy. – Editor


Shellac Over Polyurethane: from WoodCentral

For those who hate the smell of the finishes they use, the time it takes for the odor to dissipate may seem unnecessarily long. – Editor

"I'm nearly finished with a project, and I've applied a couple coats of polyurethane, but I think I'd like to do a coat or two with shellac as well to prevent the odor issues of the polyurethane. Can that be done?" – Cody

Most responses suggested that patience is the order of the day. – Editor

"Unless it's inside a closed cabinet or drawer, it's a short-lived problem." – Jerry

"I've learned that once polyurethane is cured, it really doesn't smell. I'd forget the shellac as an overcoat at this point." – George

"The smell is mostly the solvents evaporating. Drying-oil finishes cure through a chemical reaction called polymerization which can actually take months depending on conditions and the finish's formula. Putting shellac over your polyurethane will just slow down this chemical process because it will cut off much of the oxygen the oil finish needs to cure and become stable and odor-free. Let your piece sit open for a while and be patient." – Mark

For some, though, the odors are far from objectionable. – Editor

"Somehow this issue of temporary finish odor was not a problem until relatively recently. It strikes me as undue fretting. I suspect there is a significant generation gap here. Odors that I cherished because I associated them with good things, like turpentine, mothballs, varnish and freshly painted rooms, do not seem to be as appreciated these days. Once someone complained that a chest smelled like mothballs. Mothballs equate to skating, ice fishing, deer camp, sledding and snowmen. For me, the smell of varnish means a project is nearly completed, and pleasure receptors are tingling. What has happened?" – Bill

Winners and Losers

Table Saw vs. Finger: from WoodCentral

"Just a split second brain fart, and I no longer have a finger. The index finger on my right hand went up against a dado blade. The blade won. They couldn't save it, so it's gone just below the knuckle. I was using the dado blade emptying out the middle of a box top. After I had run it through, I decided to get rid of the ridges by working the piece back and forth over the blade. The wood kicked back and flipped my hand onto the blade. I myself am somewhat of a rookie, with only five projects under my belt. I know how very lucky I am, and I'm all right with it, but remember, shop safety is very important. I learned the hard way." – Edward

Naturally, there was plenty of sympathy, along with personal experiences, some quite disturbing. – Editor

"I'm very sorry to hear of your accident, and glad it wasn't worse. While I do not fear my table saw, I certainly have a tremendous respect for it. I had a summer job once where we built temporary horse stalls out of rough lumber. We had to rip it all down to size on a table saw. No guards, of course. One of our favorite pastimes was taking scrap and dropping it on the spinning blade to see how far it would go. They would fly 40 or 50 feet out into the field in the blink of an eye. Stupid? Yes. Luckily none of us were ever hurt. Heal up fast, and thanks for the safety reminder. I just wish we did not have to get reminded this way." – Don

"I have a part-time job at a woodworking store. Once in a while, I come across customers who have their hands or fingers bandaged, and they all share stories similar to poor Ed's. I always find the table saw and router the most dangerous tools in my shop and, to save my hands, palms, and fingers, I always use a push stick or push block." – Chuck

Some suggestions were about how to prevent such things for others. – Editor

"When I purchased my table saw about 35 years ago, I was being helped by an older man. He could tell that I knew nothing about saws. He went to a bookshelf and picked up a Rockwell book on table saw use. As he handed it to me he put his hand on my shoulder, looked me straight in the eyes and said, 'Son, don't turn that saw on until you read this book.' I would like to suggest to anyone else here who has not had the proper training in the use of a table saw to get and read a book about its use. All the safety principles are not intuitive. Some just have to be learned from a teacher or a book. Tools are dangerous. Following sound safety principles is simply a must in this field." – John

"I hate posting this after someone has just had an accident, because your life is forever changed by it and that sucks. But if anyone else can be persuaded to treat their table saw with the respect it deserves, then I think it is worth it. Edward, I wish you the best. Please be careful." – Rob

"Sorry for your misfortune. You might want to consider a SawStop if you continue. Your story makes me glad I decided to buy one." – Bri

Editor's Note: Be on the lookout for the May/June 2008 print issue of Woodworker's Journal for an article on how well the SawStop performs in real shops.

"Woodworking can be dangerous. I'm so sorry you lost the battle with that dado blade. Looking back, I can hardly believe that I have not had a serious table saw incident in all my years of woodworking. I'm sorry you had to suffer the consequences of an ill-considered technique. You say you only have five projects to date. I would advise you to seek more instruction before you tackle the next job. You need to raise your awareness of the kinds of things that are potentially dangerous, and learn where to draw the line. Thank you for letting us know about your incident. I hope it will be a wake-up call to others, as it was to you." – Ellis

Mostly, there was gratitude that Edward was willing to post his accident specifics in order to help others avoid it. – Editor

"I'm sorry to hear of your accident, and glad that you mentioned it here, especially the explanation of what happened, as that will help other people to understand and prevent accidents. The guys I work with seem to think I am a fanatic about safety, but I have seen too much to not be concerned about it. If you follow unsafe habits, sooner or later it will bite you. I am glad your injury was not worse, and hope you heal quickly." – Moses

"You did all of us a service by telling the story. I believe accidents are less likely to happen if a person is totally focused on the task being performed, but given our human nature, we make mistakes. Sorry you learned the hard way, and I hope you heal quickly without being put off with woodworking afterwards. Good luck, and thanks." – George


Humidity vs. Benchtop: from Sawmill Creek 

"I want to share the following with you because it happened to me. I heat the shop during winter using a forced air system. This creates a very dry heat that could result in benchtops not being as flat as we might need them. With a precision straightedge held flat on the back edge of the bench, the total gap in the top is an eighth of an inch. I recently bought a mo