Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Is Heft a Cultural Thing?

I’m never quite sure. I used to think Record’s steel sash clamps of old for joinery were the best but my mind changed through the years and I wouldn’t really want them near my furniture these days. Then, living in the USA, I used US Jorgensen pipe clamps for my making and they worked fine...

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Monday, April 22, 2024

JessEm Rulers, Optima Mortise Chisels, Harvey RG-2 Roller Guide | Tools Unleashed 01

Welcome to a new series I’m calling Tools Unleashed, where I’ll provide first impressions and mini tool reviews for your enjoyment. UNLEASH THE TOOLS! 

JessEm SS Precision Rulers – Sent to me for free. No affiliate link.

JessEm is expanding their line of measuring and marking tools and the latest offering is their Stainless Steel Precision rulers. The unique feature here is the grippy tabs that help the rule grip the work with just a small about of finger pressure, reducing the chances of slippage during use.

Blue Spruce Optima Mortise Chisels – Sent to me for free. No affiliate link.

Blue Spruce, now owned by Woodpeckers, adds to their line of excellent chisels with the new Optima Mortise Chisels. The chisels are beefy, well-balanced, and incredibly comfortable in-hand. The chisels are ready to use right out of the box and steel core means every mallet strike transfers all the energy right to the tip of the chisel.

Harvey RG-2 Roller Guide – Purchased by me. No affiliate link.

Harvey’s RG-2 Roller Guide is completely over-engineered and I’m here for it. I love this thing! I’ve used it at both the bandsaw and the table saw and the two independent rollers provide just the right amount of pressure to the work. The best part is that you can adjust the pressure on the fly by simply turning a dial.

Don’t miss the pre-order pricing for Caleb James’ 3-Legged Coffee Table course in the Wood Whisperer Guild!

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Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Work Related

Last week was a lead-in week to more full-time working where I tested different parts to my body to see what could and would not work and to see what I could and could not do. This was all in relation to pain surrounding my ribs being broken and the breathing issues that followed. During...

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Monday, April 15, 2024

I Bought My Workbench! | Ask TWW 05

00:00:00 – Intro

00:00:42 – Adam – What happened to your Hybrid Workbench?

00:01:36 – StriperSeeker – Trouble using a jointer.

00:04:22 – Caleb James Round Top Table

00:05:10 – Derik – Recommendations for self-centering bits?

00:06:30 – TheGhostofRigbyReardon – Pre-milling material to help it dry faster

08:41:00 – Matthew – Recommendations for knock-down hardware.

Links

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Monday, April 8, 2024

The MOST Expensive Miter Gauge on the Market | Worth it?!

Sawstop recently released two new miter gauges, the Scale Miter Gauge and the Revolution. The Scale appears to be very similar to the Incra 1000HD so I didn’t feel compelled to review it. The Revolution, however, is now the most expensive miter gauge on the market. I just had to check it out to see if it’s worth it. So I hope you enjoy this Sawstop Revolution Miter Gauge Review.

Relevant Links:

Please note that any Amazon links are affiliate links, meaning you pay the same price but I get a small percentage of the sale.

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A Good Start . . . Learning to See

I often think that the many things we are drawn to as children may well indicate what we will embrace in our unfolding future. Several things jump out at me that became integral and cohesive elements of adult life for me, woodworking, artwork of several types but especially pencil drawing, nature and the study of...

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Thursday, April 4, 2024

The Missing Years . . .

. . . shadows of the past. Some of you have known, some have noticed and some have no idea. I’ve skirted around it a little with an occasional nod and nudge to a part of my life living as what is called a Resident Alien migrant in the USA, Texas in particular. I arrived...

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Wednesday, April 3, 2024

What’s the Point?

For me, my pencil point is very much the same as a chisel edge and saw teeth, they might need to, can be and should now and then be sharpened slightly or majorly differently––sharpened to task, as it were. Legalism has always choked off creativity. I think it always will. Following fixed and rigid rules...

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Monday, April 1, 2024

A Special Surprise for my Bro! | MCM Walnut Dining Table with Curves

MCM Walnut Dining Table with Curves!

It’s not often that I have an opportunity to build something for my brother. He’s been in London for the past ten years and recently moved back to the States. His house is pretty empty so I’ve taken on the challenge of building as much furniture as possible for his new house. I’ll get the process started with a MCM Walnut Dining Table with Curves. When I asked him what he liked, he sent me numerous pictures of tables that were firmly in the current interpretation of the Mid-Century Modern style. To be frank, I’m having a bit of MCM fatigue so I came up with a design that should make us both happy. And because he’s my brother, I just to include a special surprise.

Important Links

Please note that all Amazon links are affiliate links and we receive a small percentage of the sale at no cost to you.

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How Opinions Confuse the Issues

I’m never quite sure that people always get it but I do understand the willingness to be a solution. I’ve written about how little many opinions really count in the reality of life. Often, I’ve found a marked increase in confusion surrounding a genuine request for some kind of solution to a frustrating problem and...

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Friday, March 29, 2024

Allowing Time to Master Your Working

Growing woodworking skills to become an owned and well-earned craft takes time. For hand tool woodworking there is no substitute. With hand tool woodworking you cannot extract yourself from the whole high demand process by sending wood along fences, into power feeds or along alignment jigs like power router guides that cut dovetails in place...

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Monday, March 25, 2024

I’m Doing Okay!

Just an update. My fourth day recovering and with an incident like this your mind returns to the moment trying to make sense of what happened. What stands out most is not the incident of aggression but the subsequent kindnesses of those stopping Samaritans coming to me in my hour of need to lift my...

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Saturday, March 23, 2024

Quiet & Rest for a While

Paul’s workshop will be temporarily falling silent. On Thursday 21st of March Paul was assaulted. He was pushed from his bike as he cycled home at the end of the day. Police are aware and investigating. Paul has three broken ribs. He is in good spirits and receiving all the medical help he needs. He...

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Wednesday, March 20, 2024

I Almost Didn’t Post This Video | Lazy Susan

Even the simplest project can be sabotaged by poor planning. I recently had a Guild Apprentice in the shop (hi, Mat!). We worked so well together that the table we were building was finished two days early. To help fill the gap, a recently-requested lazy susan project seemed like it would fit the bill. In truth, I hadn’t fully worked out the details yet. However, I assumed we could just wing it and figure it out as we go. Unfortunately, that was a very bad idea! While a lazy susan is very simple in concept, it can actually get quite complex if you decide to make the top and bottom different diameters. You can further muddy the water by making a recess in the top so that there’s a nice lip around the edge. Add to that a desire to recess the hardware into both pieces and you have a recipe for disaster if you aren’t thinking ahead.

I truly considering not posting this video at all as it lays bare some major flaws in my decision-making. But pretending things like this never happen really doesn’t do you any favors, especially if you’re just starting out. Mistakes happen to all of us. We are all capable of having a bad day in the shop. The key is to understand why the mistakes happen and to learn how to prevent them in the future. It’s also important to realize that when mistakes start to compound, it’s best to just walk away. You can always tackle those problems the next day with a fresh set of eyes.

If you’re interested in building one of these lazy susans, here’s the hardware I used: TamBee 10″ Lay Susan Hardware Please note that if you plan to use this hardware you’ll need to use small washers to raise the hardware above the surface allowing the rings to spin.

Looking for some Backside Sandpaper? Click here.

If you like that t-shirt, you can get yours here: Mario 85 T-Shirt

Please note that all Amazon links are affiliate links. The price doesn’t change for you but a small percentage of the sale comes to me. I appreciate your support.

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Sunday, March 10, 2024

We Sold The Box

Some of you will have noticed that we offered one of my boxes for sale on eBay and that the money raised, £640, went to support the work at a local preschool my granddaughter attended for two years before starting primary school. We were glad to be able to do this and decided to do...

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Saturday, March 9, 2024

It Was Just a Dream . . .

. . . Or Was It a Vision The day was just about starting with the usual hint of the bright sunshine Texas is known for. I’d loaded the U-Haul box trailer with my display panels and furniture pieces to drive to the small town called Mesquite, Texas the night before. Mesquite’s only fifteen miles...

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Sunday, March 3, 2024

Crispness

Crispness comes in things we least expect––and then too, as if to surprise us the more, at times we least expect. There comes a sharpness to what we do that defies our ability to encapsulate what we feel yet undeniably it came from our own imperfect hands, causes us to stop, to hold our breath...

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Monday, February 26, 2024

Harvey MG-36 Pro Miter Gauge: Worth the Upgrade?

Two years ago, I did a massive comparative review of ten different miter gauges. One of the most anticipated in the review was the Harvey MG-36. In spite of the high price and promise of quality, I found the gauge came up short in numerous areas and I had to give it a “do not buy” recommendation. Recently, Harvey released the MG-36 Pro and many of you asked me to provide an update. So here’s my Harvey MG-36 Pro review.

Normally I like to spend a few months with a product before doing a review, but this miter gauge is very similar to the non-pro version and I was able to spot the improvements and problems within minutes of opening the box. I then spent a few weeks actually using the gauge just to see how things played out.

Appearance

The fit and finish of the MG-36 Pro is just as beautiful as the original.

Price

I paid $399 in August of ’23 with a final price of $447.51 with shipping and tax. I’ve since monitored the price at Harveywoodworking.com and like seemingly all of their products, the price fluctuates by the day. The lowest price I’ve seen so far was $299. If the price is any higher than that, I’d recommend checking back daily and holding out for the lowest price possible.

The Miter Bar

The miter bar was extended 1″ which allows for cutting wider workpieces. The bar also now features an additional concentric washer at the user end, solving a wobble issue that existed in the original MG-36. Harvey also changed the concentric washers to a design that I find easier to adjust and more reliable.

The Protractor Head

Harvey upgraded the protractor head from the gappy 1 degree resolution of the MG-36 to a new gap-free vernier scale system boasting 0.1 degree resolution. They also improved the sloppy detent issue I observed previously. While somewhat snappier, the spring pin still feels too soft for my tastes. It’s still far too easy to pop in and out of the detents. Much like the original MG-36, there’s really no need for the pin retraction button. I personally feel the design of this system is flawed. Fortunately, if you give the fence a little wiggle you’ll find that it tends to settle into the center of the detent. I also found that tightening the knob usually sends the pin home. I say “usually” because as you’ll see in the video, you can still easily lock it down and find that you’re off the mark. Thanks to the new vernier scale, you can see exactly how much error is present and correct it if necessary.

The Fence

The fence is nearly identical (if not actually identical) to the original MG-36. I had an issue with mine where the red extension piece tilted back when tightened down. A replacement from Harvey corrected this issue. The fence extension is listed as 36″ long but I was able to measure about 40″, which is a nice bonus. Unfortunately, Harvey still refuses to correct the false claims on their website that their fence is the longest on the market. Tsk Tsk!

The Stop

While the previous stop had a couple of issues, none of those were deal-breakers. And thankfully, the problems I discovered in the previous version were actually improved. Unfortunately this was one step forward and two steps back, since the stop is now unusable for workpieces that aren’t at least 5/8″ thick. This is because there’s a 5/8″ gap between the stop and the fence. Of course, you can get around this problem by using a sacrificial fence (something you should be using anyway). But if you like to go commando with no sacrificial fence, the stop is going to prove problematic at some point.

The other bigger issue I found with the stop is that Harvey shortened the spine that rides in the fence slot by about 50%, resulting in 0.012″ of potential movement. So while the stop boasts 0.001″ micro-adjustability, a light tap of the stop can knock it out as much as 0.012″. I was able to test two of these stops and they both exhibited this issue. The movement was also confirmed by two other MG-36 Pro owners and Harvey themselves.

Customer Service

The customer service I received was much improved over my previous experience. In fact, it was stellar. They were friendly, responsive and eager to fix my issues. Unfortunately, the sloppy stop is a design failure that can’t be fixed with a Bandaid solution and a refund was offered if I felt the product didn’t meet my expectations.

Conclusion

I’m happy to say that the Harvey MG-36 Pro is a serviceable miter gauge. It’s not perfect and depending on the kind of work you do the sloppy stop issue might be a deal-breaker. The sloppiness in the detents is still a big disappointment. However, with the caveats discussed in the video you can achieve decent results. Overall, Harvey addressed pretty much every issue I found in my previous review. They either improved them greatly or fixed them. That said, if you’re in the market for a miter gauge I think the Jessem Mite-R-Excel II is still your best bet for the money. Even if you’re able to get the MG-36 Pro at $299 (the lowest price I’ve seen), the Jessem can be had for only $25 more. And the Jessem doesn’t suffer from any of the issues found in the MG-36 lineup.

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Wednesday, February 21, 2024

A New Product for Rust Removal!

Save 10% on your purchase at Carbon Method using the code SpagCoat

Please note that this video is a paid advertisement and I will receive a small commission if you purchase something from Carbon Method using my code or link. I truly appreciate your support.

You may already know Carbon Method for their rust preventative I showed off in this video and the subsequent testing I did in this video. They have since released a new product for rust removal, the Carbon Coating Prep Kit that contains three abrasive pads and their Reconditioning Oil. Using their kit you can remove rust faster, easier, and more effectively that with traditional abrasive or chemical techniques. When you’re done, the surface is prepped and ready for the rust preventing Carbon Coat. Get your kit here and say bye bye to rust! 

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Monday, February 19, 2024

Own it or Make it!

This box is my latest offering in box design. I was very pleased with the outcome and decided we should video its making for others to make. I cannot recall the timing of things but in the way of how all things often come together, my family wanted to contribute something in support of my...

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Sunday, February 18, 2024

Choosing a Wood

How often we see figured grain and say how pretty that looks, imagine exposing such beauty and such wood to enhance a piece like the neck of a spoon, a ladle’s bowl. Why choose so for the back of a cello and a violin, its neck and scroll and more in the bouts with tight...

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Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Is Woodworking Self-care :-)?

Well, of course, it is! It seems that all things extra in life now carry the added titles of well-being, mental health care, and quality of life together with two dozen others. Often this state of well-being breaks down into something encapsulated as physical wellbeing it’s really a relatively new term identifying what has always...

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Monday, February 12, 2024

Top Construction & Oil Finish | The Big Finish | Sideboard Pt 11

As the Sideboard Series comes to a close, we’ll embark on the Top Construction & Oil Finish. The top is really just a large walnut panel. I like to use Dominos to help keep the panels aligned curing the glueup though the same thing could be achieved by using several sets of cauls. The idea is to keep the boards as even as possible so that it limits the amount of work we need to do after the glue dries. After the top is fully scraped and sanded, I added a small 1/8″ roundover. If you’re looking for more information and tips for making wide panels that stay flat, check out this video. 

The finish I used is Bumblechutes, a natural tung oil finish thinned with citrus solvent. You can save 10% using the code TWW10 at Bumblechutes.com This finish is not the most protective in the world, but it does just fine on a piece of furniture that doesn’t require a ton of protection.

The top is attached to the case using screws and elongated screws. 1 1/4″ should do the trick as long as you don’t drive them too deep. The back panel is then added with glue and brad nails.

If you enjoyed this series, please let us know in the comments. This kind of content just doesn’t do well on YouTube these days but for a business like ours, the view numbers only tell part of the story. So give us some feedback and in the meantime, check out The Wood Whisperer Guild for more high quality detailed courses from some of the best instructors in the industry.

Looking for the Summary version of this build? Click here!

Stuff I Used:

Download the FREE Plans:

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Tuesday, February 6, 2024

This Wooden Plane . . .

. . . .cuts grooves fast and accurately. But it does a lot more if you want it to. I think we might have undervalued the wooden plane but even more so the men that used them for centuries before we abandoned them almost altogether. It’s the lightness of them that we really lost but...

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Friday, February 2, 2024

Sawtooth Standards | Door Coves & Adjustable Shelves | Sideboard Pt 10

Before starting on the sawtooth standards, we’ll need to add a detail to the sliding doors that I nearly forgot about: finger holds. To make sure the door has something to grip, we’ll simply add a cove to the edge. I only added one cove to my doors but might consider adding another later. After all, the doors need to slide in both directions.

For the adjustable shelves, there are several ways we can have them interact with the case. Typically we use a series of holes and shelf pins but on a piece like this, I felt we should go the extra mile by building sawtooth standards. If you’re not familiar, this system includes standards that are notched so they can receive shelf supports that run from front to back. It’s a very cool but labor intensive choice that has the added bonus of requiring no metal or plastic. A classy way to construct adjustable shelves!

Looking for the Summary version of this build? Click here!

Don’t miss the pre-order price for Philip Morley’s Tambour Record Console course. Price goes up February 9th!

Stuff I Used:

Download the FREE Plans:

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Thursday, February 1, 2024

Would the Router . . .

. . . by any other name be as sweet? Mention router to anyone and the mind immediately conjures up thoughts of a screaming, two-handed hand-held machine in Bosch turquoise, Dewalt yellow or Festool bright green and black. Additionally, that is with you the machinist wearing protective headgear like a gladiator ready to do battle....

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Monday, January 29, 2024

Ten Years Ago

Looking back through my archives I found this piece I designed, made and videoed for Woodworking Masterclasses. I wanted a piece that could be made from store-bought one-bys but that would enable me to teach a variety of things surrounding housing dadoes by hand. It was a great project. Ever since I began teaching other...

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Saturday, January 27, 2024

The House Update Video

We created a video covering the progress on the Sellers’ home up to the end of 2023, to show what we have achieved over the last three years making two dozen and more sizeable pieces primarily using commonly available hand tools and a bandsaw for resizing stock. When everyone says it can’t really be done...

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Saturday, January 20, 2024

Dimpled Texture | Drawer Fronts | Sideboard Pt 9

These aren’t your average drawer fronts! We’ll make the front from two pieces and create an integrated pull by creating a relief where the two pieces join. We’ll also create a dimpled texture using a Carbide Burr and a Die Grinder. The dimpled texture provides a super cool look to the fronts even though the wood itself is just regular walnut. Each dimple disrupts and reflects the light in such a way that it confuses the eye and invites people to come in for a closer look. It’s a great way to add an accent but I definitely believe it needs to be used sparingly. Here’s another example where I used the dimpling technique on a Trestle Table in case you want to see an additional application.

It’s important to remember that if you’re building this piece, you don’t need to make your drawers fronts look like mine. Have fun, get creative, and make a drawer front that suits your tastes.

Looking for the Summary version of this build? Click here!

Stuff I Used:

Download the FREE Plans:

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Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Making My Box Part II

Having leveled the edges top and bottom and then too the outside we can focus on fitting the bottom and the lift-up lid. Fitting the bottom first allows us to take care of minor discrepancies in squareness before fitting the lid. Making the first corner square and then working parallel will push the box into...

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Monday, January 15, 2024

Making My Box

It was the thought of Christmas that did it—that and the fact that I love my box design for several reasons. I have made half a dozen of the designs without the idea of personally making money from them or future ones. I’m thinking this to be a benevolent piece. I want to give them...

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Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Happy Birthday Paul!

This is Joseph, Paul’s son, and I am here to ask you all to join me in wishing him a very happy 74th birthday! We had a low-key celebration at work yesterday for him and have a further family celebration planned for this weekend. Despite his 74 years of age my dad is fit as...

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