A quick announcement about our biggest sale of the year!

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A French cleat is as ingenious as it is simple. It involves securing a strip of wood with a 45 degree bevel to the wall, and then securing an opposing beveled strip on the back of a cabinet or anything you want to hang. Its incredibly strong and versatile. Its a great way to hang cabinetry and as you'll see in this video, it can be used to make an awesome modular wall storage unit.

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Its that time of year again: HOLIDAY PROJECT TIME! So this year, I decided to make a few little keepsake boxes, thanks to some advice from The Great WOODini. I also took inspiration from a box Nicole keeps on her nightstand and developed a new design that is much more practical for the average woodworker to make. The boxes feature a secret locking pin. Once removed, the lid slides off on a sliding dovetail. And as always with these holiday gift projects, you can modify them by trying different sizes, shapes, and wood species to make your own one-of-a-kind box. And since they are so easy to make, its no problem batching out a bunch of them in a single weekend. If you decide to make some, please send me pics of your variations. Topics Covered: * Creating sliding dovetails * Using a dowel-centering pin to locate holes * Cutting a recess with a pattern bit * Sanding end-grain

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Finally, a thorough look at my new digs. Now my hope is that this shop is just temporary, until we sell the other house. But until then, I can make my 3-car garage a comfortable place to produce great projects! Enjoy the shop tour!

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A brief introduction to the world of flush trim bits. Flush trim bits come in all shapes and sizes, but they all share the same basic anatomy. After watching this video, you?ll have a much better idea of which ones to buy and when to use them. I also do a quick demo using a pattern bit (a variation of the flush trim bit). This video accompanies my upcoming article ?Get the Most From Your Router? in the December 2009 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. And if you are interested in that big fat pattern bit, you should contact William Ng.

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Nicole and I thought it would be fun to celebrate the show?s 3rd anniversary by going back to Episode 1, and making fun of everything I say. Actually it was quite interesting to observe the state of woodworking content at the time and compare it to what we have today. Hard to believe the difference three years makes! But its been a hell of a journey and we can?t wait to see what the next three years brings!

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In the final part of this series, I assemble and attach the base, install the handles, and apply the final finish to the top. This project was an incredible learning experience, and not in the way you might think. I actually found it incredibly challenging to step back from my primary shop tools, and focus only on the portable power tools. Not only did I find new ways of doing things, but I have a new found appreciation for the tools I have been taking granted for years. But hopefully you?ll see now that even with a very basic set of tools, you can still produce high quality furniture. A few of the topics covered in this part: * Constructing the base. * Gluing up miters using the tape trick. * Attaching the base using pocket screws. * Attaching the custom handles.

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An important aspect of building furniture that many new woodworkers overlook, is the importance of finishing BEFORE the project is completely glued together. That?s the primary focus of this part of the series. A few of the topics covered in this part: * How to deal with color differences between plywood and solid wood trim. * Raising the grain and applying water-based dyes. * Theory and application of wiping varnish. * Creating shelf pin holes for adjustable shelving. * Applying angled trim to the shelves. * Final glueup and clamping strategy.

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The absolute worst time to find out you've made a mistake is while the glue is drying. So this part focuses strongly on the importance of a dry assembly, which I consider to be an essential part of the glue up process. By the end we'll have a partially glue-up entertainment center. A few of the topics covered in this part: Gluing trim pieces. Using biscuits. Clamping strategies. Using a wood filler to hide miter flaws. Cutting the big bevels on the top and bottom trim. Sanding. Dry assembly strategy. Measuring and cutting the back panels. Initial glueup.

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If there is one major negative aspect to working with plywood and other sheetgoods, its the fact that we have to deal with the ugly exposed edges. But with a little know-how and some strips of wood, you can dress up the edges so that only a trained eye can tell that the board is not completely made of solid wood. A few of the topics covered in this part: * Edge-banding options. * Sources for solid wood edge-banding. * Attaching edgbanding to sheetgoods and trimming it flush with the surface. * Cutting grooves and rabbets for the back panels with a router and edge guide. * Using an inexpensive miter box.

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Think you can?t build furniture because you only have a few basic tools? Well, check this out! This walnut low entertainment center was built using three primary tools: a circular saw, a router, and a drill. But that doesn?t mean I skimped on quality and design. The unit has sliding doors, good ventilation, a little shelf in the back for a surge protector, and all of the trim is beveled at an angle for a more interesting visual effect (even the trim on the shelves features this bevel). This video series is full of tips and tricks that will help you get professional results from these simple power tools! A few of the topics covered in this part: * Cutting down sheet goods. * Using a guide with your circular saw * The cheapest long rip guide on the planet. * Plywood thicknesses. * Cutting dados and grooves with the router. * Fixing a dado that was cut through when it should have been ?stopped? * Chiseling the stopped dados square. A Sketchup plan and cut list is on its way. We are hoping to have it by the release of the next part in this series.

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?The 2009 Fresh Wood Student Competition highlights outstanding construction and design achievements by students from the best high school and post-secondary woodworking programs in North America.? That?s according to the AWFS website. But the competition is so much more. There were so many fantastic pieces on display and unfortunately I couldn?t film them all. But I got the vast majority and I hope you enjoy the footage. Some of the talent in this competition is simply mind boggling.

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Grand Slam Tools is a small company run by fellow podcaster Tommy MacDonald. Their initial offering of products include high quality wooden marking gauges, baseball bat mallets, and paring blocks. You can buy the items separately or in a 4-pack to save a few bucks.

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AWFS is always a blast, even though this year we could see the effects of the economy in both corporate presence and attendance. But there were still some great products to see. In this video, you?ll see the following demos: Rockler: Tapering Jig, Box Joint Jig, Bench Cookies Tenryu: Festool Blades, Silencer series Kreg: Beaded Faceframe System DeWalt: New Lithium Ion Battery technology SawStop: Professional Cabinet Saw Gorilla Gripper: The Gorilla Gripper

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We just got back from another great AWFS Fair in Las Vegas. If you aren?t familiar, AWFS is the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers and its a show that occurs every other year at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This is just a quick video to give you an idea of what the show is like. Booths and product displays as far as the eye can see and lots of neat stuff to drool over. I even have some footage of the all wood sports car, ?The Splinter?, as well as a quick look at the Belt Sander Races. And as if that wasn?t enough, the one and only Matt Vanderlist from Matt?s Basement Workshop makes a guest appearance at the end of the video! Tool demos and the student furniture exhibit will soon follow.

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Krylon recently released a line of exterior wood stains in spray form. A very convenient way to transfer color to your outdoor projects! I sprayed 6 different test boards (maple and white oak) just to see how well the stain applies. Watch the video to see the results and hear my opinion of the product. If you want more information, check out SaveOurSaturdays.com

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Moving an entire wood shop is no fun. But you can save yourself a lot of back ache if you hire some help. Money well-spent if you ask me. In this episode I show you everything I did to get my shop ready for the road trip. By no means is this meant to be a guide of any sort. Rather, its just a peak into my personal experience. And if you ever have to move your own shop, you'll know what you're in for.

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In the final part of our series, Aaron puts the finishing touches on the trunk lid. If this is your first experience with SketchUp, I highly recommend checking out the tutorials located at SketchUpForWoodworkers.com.

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In part two of our three part series, Aaron shows us how to make the frame parts for the top of our lid. Now these videos do assume that you've opened the program and have a little familiarity with the tools.

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Its no secret that Google SketchUp is a very popular program amongst woodworkers. Considering what it does, its incredibly easy to use. But it can still be intimidating to someone who is using it for the first time. So with the help of my buddy Aaron Marshall, we put together a few videos showing how to construct the square lid to the Steamer Trunk. Now these videos do assume that you've opened the program and have a little familiarity with the tools. If this is your first experience with SketchUp, I highly recommend checking out the tutorials located at SketchUpForWoodworkers.com. Another thing you might want to check out is an older video I did showing how I typically use SketchUp. I rarely design an entire project from start to finish. I just use SketchUp to work out proportions and measurements. And you'll see me do that in the first episode of the Arts & Crafts Table series. You can download SketchUp here and if you are looking for the original file used to make this Steamer Trunk tutorial, you can download that in the forum in the SketchUp model area of our forum. There is a growing list of models there available for download. Let me know if you would like to see more videos on SketchUp.

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"A Simple Varnish Finish" available now at TheWoodWhisperer.com/store

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I received a number of great questions for Safety Week and this video covers three of them. The first question concerns running small pieces over the tablesaw and router. The second question is about the proper installation and safe use of a dado blade. The final question concerns the disposal of chemicals and hazardous waste in the shop. An important link I mention in the video is Earth911.com, where you can find your local hazardous waste recycling and disposal centers.

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The most common topic request for Safety Week was dust and respirators. So here's a quick review of the dust and fumes that can make our lives miserable in the shop, and why we need respirators for pro-active protection.

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This is just a quick video of me assembling an Eagle America coping sled. I find this type of sled is not only helpful, but a necessity, when making frames and raised panel doors. Its a great jig for running those narrow pieces through a big router bit. Speaking of raised panel doors, check out Raising Arizona for a quick review of the process of making raised panel doors with router bits.

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Darrell Peart is a furniture-maker, author, and instructor living in the Pacific Northwest. His work is heavily influenced by the work of the Greene brothers and as you can see on his website, Darrell likes to put his own spin on it. This interview took place in March of 2009 at the William Ng School. I took Darrell's Aurora End Table class and he was kind enough to sit and chat with me about all kinds of things: influences, design theories, copying other works, and Greene & Greene. Darrell also gives a few tips to help bring out that inner designer inside of all of us (if it isn't coming out naturally).

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The final installment of the Steamer Trunk series. I apply the faux walnut straps, apply the water-based finish using my HVLP turbine, and install the tansu hardware. All in all, this was a great project that really reinforces simple frame and panel construction. At the end of the video, I even have a little update on Duane?s progress on his trunks. Things are coming along nicely. Best of luck to you Duane!

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A quick way to set up a dado blade with no measuring!

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In this episode, I go over some pre-finishing tips and finish the inside of the trunk. I then go through the entire assembly and glueup process from start to finish. I then discuss the trunk?s lid, which is different from the original plan. You can download a Sketchup plan for the lid below. Once the lid is glued up, I realize that rushing through this project has resulted in a number of errors. So I fix them. I know how you guys love it when I make mistakes so you won?t be disappointed in this one, haha.

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Moving right along, we continue cutting and assembling parts for the steamer trunk. I spend a good deal of time on techniques that will help you when working with plans. The key is to realize that some parts need to be cut using measurements from your project, NOT from the plan itself. I also spend some time creating the thicker top panels, since they are not as simple as they appear from the outside. Now that all the joinery is pretty much complete, I show you an alternative method for making the tongue and groove joints that could very well be faster and easier, if you have a router table. I use a tongue and groove bit set from Eagle America. Check out the links below if you are interested in going that route. And why do I wear a dunce cap in this episode? You'll have to watch to find out.

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This is the first of a new short form video series called "Whisper Minis". The idea is to cover a single topic in a very concise manner. I plan on covering all kinds of tips, tricks, techniques, and we'll even throw in some product-related stuff now and then. This is just a good way for me to capture and distribute all those little things that don't really have a place as a full Wood Whisperer episode. I hope you enjoy them. This mini covers the process of sawing off a box top. This particular box is part of the Sawmill Creek Forum's Keepsake Box Collaboration. Germain told me about it, and Jim and Dewey invited me to join in on the fun. The idea is that this keepsake box will travel the country to different woodworkers' shops, and each person will work on one part of the project. And the final box will be auctioned off for charity. Now I must admit, cutting the top off of someone else's box makes me a little nervous. So you'll see I took some precautions. But it was well worth it as the results were great. Now I need to send the box off to the next person in line. You can keep up with the latest on the Sawmill Creek Forum.

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On to our next project: a steamer trunk. This project was built and filmed in an effort to assist my new friend, Duane. The video gives the whole story. And here is a forum thread about the project: Wood Whisperer Forum This first part focuses on building the frames that make up the sides of the trunk case. I cover numerous topics, but I spend a significant amount of time on grain matching. And since I don?t work with plans on the show very often, I thought it would be good to review some tips, tricks, and overall strategy for working with plans. I am incorporating a few notable changes to the original plan. First is the joinery of the corner ?legs?. I will be using a rabbet instead of a reinforced miter. The second, and most dramatic change is the top. The plan calls for an arched top, and I have opted for a square top.

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Here is my review of the DeWalt Tracksaw, FINALLY! As much as I tried to focus solely on the Tracksaw, its nearly impossible not to draw comparisons to the Festool TS line of plunge saws. Let me sum it all up by saying you need to be really picky to find distinctions that will make a real difference to the average woodworker. If you are trying to make a decision between these two saws, you will probably need to look at bigger picture things like price, system approach, warranty, and interoperability with other tools. But if you are looking for a saw that makes extremely safe and clean cuts with good dust collection, either saw will fit the bill.

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About 4 days before Christmas, I started making a nice little picture frame for a custom piece of art I had made up for Nicole. A gift for a special girl requires some special wood. So I pulled out my best sheets of curly maple veneer and a couple of sheets of home-sawn adzalia?? wood that I received from David Marks. Now to be honest, I have no idea how you spell the name of this stuff and my research hasn't yielded anything yet. David is in India right now so I can't get the answer. But as soon as I know the proper spelling, I will let you know. You may find it odd that I decided to use solid maple as the substrate for the frame. I thought this would be a fun experiment, and when the rabbets are cut in the back, there won't be any unsightly ply to look at (not that it matters that much). Small projects like this are just a great place to experiment with techniques and materials you might not normally use. All the extra effort pays off in the end when the finish hits the wood. KABLAM!!!! The wood just comes to life!

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A quick update on the latest products and services here at TheWoodWhisperer.com. Our Schwarz shirts are in. These shirts feature a cool image of Popular Woodworking's Chris Schwarz and the phrase, "May the Schwarz be with you." The shirts also feature the Wood Whisperer logo on the back. We have the highest respect for Chris's writing and craftsmanship. Fortunately, he also has a great sense of humor. So pick up your very own Schwarz shirt today! We recently added some new features to our live page, including two new windows where you can choose from nearly 20 live stream shop cams. Check it out on our Live Page. On Jan. 1st, The Wood Whisperer Guild officially launched and we are very pleased with the response so far. If you're looking for more Wood Whisperer episodes and live demos, as well as great standing discounts with woodworking supply vendors, you have to check out The Wood Whisperer Guild. We finally set up a video release schedule. You can find that and other important events listed in our new calendar. And don't forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

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A quick look into David's latest creation. Its a massive disc-shaped turned piece with a big marquetry image on the front. David gives us a rundown on his process and some of the challenges he is facing with this piece. Its almost like an episode of Woodworks.....sort of.

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David Marks finishes up his tour with a review of his wood boiling apparatus (used for drying out turnings), and his art gallery. The gallery contains many beautiful pieces by David as well as other amazing woodworkers. David caps off the tour by showing us his skills on the drums! And believe it or not, we have a few outtakes! Also, David recently released his Scrapers DVD. It contains everything you need to know to properly sharpen card scrapers, cabinet scrapers, and gooseneck scrapers. I watched the DVD a few weeks ago and I instantly felt like I was watching a new episode of Woodworks (only more REAL!) You can pick the DVD up here.

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Last summer, on our Gadget Station delivery trip, we decided to stop and visit the one and only David Marks. If you're not familiar with David, he is an incredible woodworker, and used to host a show on the HGTV and the DIY Network called Woodworks. But the show has been over for nearly 5 years and David has moved on to bigger and better things. While we were there, he was kind enough to give us a nice shop tour. This is pure gold for any big Woodworks fans out there! Also, David recently released his Scrapers DVD. It contains everything you need to know to properly sharpen card scrapers, cabinet scrapers, and gooseneck scrapers. I watched this for the first time last week and I instantly felt like I was watching a new episode of Woodworks (only more REAL!) You can pick the DVD up here.

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Ever wish you could fast forward 5 years and see how your projects are holding up? That would certainly be useful information as it would let you know what worked, and what didn't. So in this episode, I pull out a number of old projects and examine them closely for damage, flaws and evidence of wood movement. I'll also go over the joinery used in each project and what you can expect from them over time. And the grand finale is my chess board (the second project I ever made). Let's just say that you should never underestimate the power of wood movement. Incidentally, if you answered our viewer survey this past summer, you've already seen this episode.

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A road trip to the Wood Werks Store in Columbus, OH.

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Nicole and I run down our top holiday gift picks for 2008. Perfect for that special woodworker in your life!

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This video is from a live demo I did on Wed. Nov 19th, 2008. The topic was staining blotchy woods. After the demo, I've included a portion of the Q&A from the chat room. Thanks to everyone who participated!

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A small contemporary clock with lots of options for customization.

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These simple and elegant magazine racks make great holiday gifts!

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We drove all the way up to Petaluma, CA to deliver the gadget station to the one and only Leo Laporte. We had the pleasure of hanging out in the TWiT Cottage where Leo records all of his shows, and streams them live at TwitLive.tv. And the coolest part is that the gadget station seems to have found a permanent home on the shelf behind Leo's desk. Nicole and I were quite ecstatic to meet Leo. Mission accomplished!

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Well I finally made it to the finish line. This episode covers the hinge installation, pegging the tenons in the doors, making custom ebony handles, and finishing. I end the video with a justification of my design. If you are interested in the Gripper system I showed for cutting small parts, you can pick one up in our Amazon.com Store. And if you are looking for the finishing DVD I mentioned, you can find that right here.

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In this video, I resaw the spalted maple panels on the bandsaw using Laguna?s Resaw King. What a bandsaw blade! I then glue up the doors and begin creating the ebony plugs for the case. I finish up by showing my process for fitting inset doors.

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In this video, I cut and fit the door components. I also cut the mortise and tenon joinery for the rails and stiles. A stupid mistake causes a small injury and a bit of a setback, so the last part of the video is dedicated to fixing that mistake.

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In this video, I glue the back panel strips to the shelves, add an extra ebony adornment with a slot-cutting bit, and give a relatively lengthy tutorial on chopping the resulting mortise nice and square. I finish up by creating the ebony strips for the front of the top and bottom case pieces and I finish up by gluing the case together.

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This video focuses on the back panel system, which includes the installation of rare-earth magnets. I also show how a #7 jointer plane can be very useful in getting a perfectly straight edge on highly figured woods. To make life a little easier, I start gluing up a few sub-assemblies. And you will also see the new Final Cut Blade make an appearance. And yes my friends, more hand tools!

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I made quite a bit of progress in this video. The legs are cut from the bubinga blanks, and I finally have an opportunity to do a dry fit. I am in for a surprise as you will see, and a change is made to the original plans.

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Now we're really getting into the meat of the project. I show how to create a jig for the hinge mortises. I also cover the joinery being used to connect the legs to the case. I finish up by cutting the dados and rabbets in the case sides, and show you just how imperfect our machines can be. The router plane saves the day!

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Road Trip! I was originally convinced that the Gadget Station would call for knife hinges. But just for fun I decided to take a trip to my local Woodcraft to see what they might suggest. Well, surprise surprise! I discovered a hinge that I had never noticed before. The Soss Invisible Hinge. I actually like this hinge better and I think it will suit this application perfectly. I hope you enjoy this little review of common hinges with our friend Frank Galloway, at the Chandler, AZ Woodcraft Store.

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Although for me, IWF was about representing my sponsors and meeting up with readers/viewers, nearly everyone else has one thing on their mind: tools. So we did our best to get some footage of the most talked about tools of the show. I know we missed quite a few (specifically, Jet?s new oscillating drum sander). But with our tight schedule and impending exhaustion, we did the best we could. Nothing fancy, nothing funny, just tools!

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In this video, I focus on cutting the joinery for the case sides, as well as cutting the square holes for the ebony plugs. I discuss at length various ways of doing both operations and I cover some basic chisel techniques, including how to deal with a very dense wood like bubinga. And you won't want to miss the public service announcement at the beginning!

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This episode is primarily focused on the design of the legs. I present several options and show how I create a basic template. At the end, you will see the final test leg. The process of cutting the leg itself will be covered in detail when we cut the final legs out of the bubinga stock.

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This is an excerpt from the live Demo Night that took place 7/23/08. The topic was creating Greene & Greene style joint for the Gadget Station project. Its a long video, but lots of details were covered and numerous questions were thrown out by the chat room. This was our best turnout yet with 180+ viewers! This isn't exactly as fun as the live experience but its a close second for those who couldn't make it. Enjoy!

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For the first time ever, I am using mail-ordered wood. This material came from Bell Forest Products and I was very impressed with the quality. The shipment came in two packs and contained some really nice wide bubinga boards, as well as a piece ebony for the trim and some spalted maple for the doors. I sticker and stack the wood and talk about acclimation, and how it pertains to this particular situation. I talk a little bit about moisture meters as well and finish up by showing my strategy for cutting the cabinet parts out of the rough lumber so that the grain flows nicely.

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Time to embark on our next project: a Gadget Station. An interesting point of interest with this project is that the recipient is the one and only, Leo Laporte (The Tech Guy).

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In the second and final part of our tablesaw setup series, we continue our quest for fine tuning. Topics include setting the blade bevel angle, adjusting fence alignment with the blade, adjust fence so that it is square to the table, setting up the insert, and lining up the splitter. And at the end, you will get a nice full view of the new saw. For those who are curious, it is a PM Custom from the folks at Wood Werks Supply.

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Our tools are no good to us unless they are tuned up properly. As the heart of the workshop, its crucial that our tablesaws are configured to perform their best. So whether you are setting up a new saw, or tuning up your current one, this video guide will get you where you need to be. Part 1 covers three different methods for aligning the miter slot to the blade as well as a simple technique for attaching and leveling the extension wings. I am sure you will also notice that this is a new sexy tablesaw. For those who are curious, it is a PM Custom from the folks at Wood Werks Supply. And even a big fancy saw still requires a good bit of setup and tweaking.

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This is a long clip from our new website feature, Demo Night. The topic was sharpening options. This live, interactive demo took place on our Wood Whisperer Live page. Everyone seemed to enjoy the new format and it looks like we will make this a regular feature. Check our Woodworker?s Calendar for upcoming demos. Obviously the audio and video are not up to the normal show quality, but this is the best we can do. Enjoy!

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Interview with Popular Woodworking Editor, Chris Schwarz.

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Some general miter saw safety tips including clamping and operation tips. The Festool Kapex makes its first appearance in our show as well. And finally, some outtakes.

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In the years that I?ve been woodworking, I have only had a few close calls. Fortunately, most of my injuries have been minor. Most of those injuries took place early in my career before I knew anything about anything. This video will show you some of the stupid mistakes I?ve made, what happened to me, and how I avoid repeating those mistakes.

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Whenever I have a new student in the shop, I try to convey what if feels like when something is going wrong on the tablesaw. This may seem like an abstract idea, but knowing how to identify a problem before it goes too far could give you that extra second or two you need to prevent disaster.

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One thing I do every time I approach a tool is think of the worst-case scenarios. Its a bit gruesome to let your imagination take you there, but there is a good reason for it. This simple mental exercise not only raises your awareness of the potential dangers, but essentially shows you exactly what you need to do to prevent injury.

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Woodworker's Safety Week is finally here! No it doesn't mean that this is the only week we have to be safe, haha. Obviously, our shops are full of danger. So its very important that we adopt the safest practices possible. And with so many folks new to the hobby, its critical that we take a step back occasionally and focus on safety. With the cooperation of the rest of our internet woodworking community, I hope we can create a whole series of blog posts, videos, audio programs and articles that can be referenced all year long. And knowing most of these folks, their contributions will be interesting and entertaining. So enjoy this crazy week of content, fun, giveaways, and more.

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A quick review of Festool's new offerings.

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I get quite a few questions about water-based finishes and how to make them look more like oil-based. Its a common problem since water-based finishes are "water-white", which means they don't impart any color to the wood. This can be great in certain situations, but not so great when you want your project to have that warm glow to it. In this episode, I use dye, shellac, and boiled linseed oil to try to spice up our water-based finish. I also packed in a bunch of related tips and tricks as I went through each process.

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My favorite outdoor finish for a hot desert climate.

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This video covers my initial impressions and experience with the Earlex Spray Station 5000.

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The basics of chiseling a mortise for a hinge, sawing, and planing end-grain.

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Many of you might already be familiar with Kaleo. He is runs KaleosWorkshop.com and does the This Week in Wood Podcast. He is also recent graduate of the Australian School of Fine Furniture. And now that he's back in the states he's gearing up to start his own woodworking business. I was able to spend a whole afternoon with Kaleo and it was like hanging with an old friend. I decided to do a brief interview with him (this video) as well as have him show us a few rudimentary hand tool techniques (next video). Enjoy!

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Well here it is: the big finale!! This video focuses primarily on finishing techniques and the attachment of the top to the table. I will warn you ahead of time that there are a lot of Wood Whisperer musings in this episode. This End Table series proved to be one of the most challenging and thought-provoking sets of videos I have ever produced. So needless to say, I had a few thoughts and conclusions that I felt I needed to share. Thanks for playing along everyone and enjoy! Oh and one more thing, nothing will prepare you for the first 25 seconds!

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We have some big design decisions to make. And thanks to all the great suggestions from you folks, I had a lot to think about! But I finally made a decision. I show you how I use a Kutzall carving burr and a die grinder to blend in the protruding center piece, and I discuss the creation of the template for the top. I also show you how I rout the grooves for the steel dowels that will suspend the tabletop in the middle of the piece (you'll understand when you see it).

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Time for the fun stuff! The legs are routed and then shaped by hand with a cabinet-maker's rasp. I then show you how you can use card scrapers and sandpaper to achieve the smoothest finish possible. And finally we will glue all the legs to the center pieces. I finish up by requesting suggestions for a top to the table. What would you do?

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In this episode, I start by gluing the leg blanks to the aprons. I then cut the rough shape out on the bandsaw. And finally, I use the template and a flush trim bit in the router table to get the exact shape we?re after. I also spend a good deal of time discussing the dangers involved with this routing operation. And finally, an nice treat for everyone: a Nicole Break!

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Creating sliding dovetails for our apron to leg joint.

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Extended interview with Asa Christiana, Editor of Fine Woodworking.

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Extended interview with Anatole Burkin, Publisher of Fine Woodworking Magazine.

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A behind the scenes tour of Fine Woodworking Magazine.

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Some of you may recall rumors of Nicole and I starting another show. Unfortunately, we had to shelve the idea due to the increasing demands of The Wood Whisperer and Nicole's "real" job. We only shot one episode and had no idea what to do with the footage. So I decided to do a rough edit and release it here. Since most of you know Nicole and I pretty well, I figured you would get a kick out of it. It's not woodworking, but it's fun. So happy holidays and be sure to try a batch of this awesome Crunchy French Toast.

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In this episode, I start building a modern end table with some very unique legs. This video will walk you through the design phase, including discussion of inspiration, design options, and template construction.

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I was working on a simple cabinet recently and I started thinking of all the different ways there are to cover the exposed edges of plywood. Veneer tape, solid edge banding, oversized edgebanding, and even joinery itself all do a fine job of hiding this unsightly side-effect of using plywood. And since plywood seems to enter our shops more frequently than not, its important to know how to deal with it. With a little know-how, you'll be edging plywood like a pro in no time.

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In this episode, I put the finish on the pencil holder. Learn how to Pop the grain.

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This video covers wood selection, milling, and assembly of a fancy little pencil holder.

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Building a simple, yet sturdy outfeed table.

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Lets make some raised panel doors!

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So how do you spend your time between projects? For me, its a great time to tune up my equipment, wax the cast iron tables, touch up the chisels, and do some general cleanup.

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A glimpse into the world of machine-cut through dovetails.

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A brief tour of the amazing student projects on display at AWFS.

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Interviews with numerous companies. We get to see their latest and greatest products.

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The exclusive David Marks interview.

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A look inside AWSF 2007. Live demonstrations from David Marks, Scott Phillips, and Mike Heavey. And the magical moment when I actually got to talk to Norm Abram.

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A live interactive finishing Q&A session.

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A quick lesson in paring using a nice sharp chisel and some tips for applying oil/varnish mixtures.

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Making a fancy step-stool for the upcoming AWFS Fair in Las Vegas.

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Construction of a clever stand for our assembly table.

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Construction of a torsion box assembly table.

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Learn how to make your own vacuum bag for a veneer press!

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Ever want to make your own veneer? Well, Im gonna show you how!

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The conclusion of our live Q&A session.

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Our first ever LIVE shop tour and Q&A session!

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My 3-step method for sharpening card scrapers.

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Basic setup and tuneup of one of the coolest tools in the shop, the bandsaw. Whether you plan on cutting veneer, re-sawing lumber, or cutting curves, the quality of the cut will improve if your bandsaw is properly tuned. Learn how to properly tension the blade, set the guides, adjust for drift, as well an many other tips can tricks.

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All about clamps. Which one's to buy and which one's to avoid.

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Making curved templates, routing with a flush trim bit, finishing, glueup, and joinery discussion.

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In this episode, I glue up, scrape, and sand the table top. I begin milling the aprons and discussing our joinery options. I also give you a good view of the Festool Domino in action.

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In this episode, I select and prepare the stock for the table legs and table top. I also review strategies for cutting thick stock, stabilizing large knots, and milling extra long boards.

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Construction of an alder Arts & Crafts style table and an introduction to SketchUp.

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Several ways to make tenons and fast alternative methods for creating a mortise and tenon joint. Also, a demonstration of the Festool Domino Joiner.

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How to make a traditional joint: the mortise and tenon.

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Two more exciting interviews and some closing remarks and the 2006 Woodworking Show.

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A look into the 2006/2007 Woodworking Shows.

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A quick look into hardwoods that undergo significant color changes.

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Learn how to finish and maintain this beautiful cutting board.

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How to make a fancy end-grain cutting board.

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A quick guide to milling lumber.

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A gift guide for that special woodworker in your life.

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Some pointers for your first trip to the hardware dealer and a review of hardwood terminology.

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Finally!!! The last part of the refinishing series is here!! Seems like I?ve been wearing the same shirt for weeks now. In this video, I give a brief overview of my spray finishing techniques as well as provide a few tricks of the trade.

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I discuss and demonstrate my two favorite pore-filling processes. Pore filling is very important when you want to apply a high gloss topcoat. If you are working with oak, mahogany, or walnut, this is something you should consider, so check it out

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I show my tricks for sanding down turned legs. I also get a little frustrated with my wife. Later in this part, I go into detail on one of the most commonly-used tools in the shop, the random orbit sander.

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Finish and stain removal as well as tips can tricks for getting into those tight areas.

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Determining the type of finish on an existing piece and testing for lead.

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A journey into the fun-filled world of refinishing. I analyze and old piece of furniture and develop a refinishing strategy.

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Shop tour and tips for setting up your own small or large shop.

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An introduction to The Wood Whisperer.

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