360 with 360 WoodWorking Podcast

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking the 360 guys talk about all their unfinished woodworking projects. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Unfinished Woodworking Projects Woodworkers are notorious for having unfinished woodworking projects gathering dust around their shops. Chuck and Glen are not exceptions to this rule. What projects do they have awaiting completion? And what projects do you have and how long have they been sitting around the shop or in storage? * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench        

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking the 360 guys discuss a topic found on a woodworking forum – giving a piece a shellac wash coat prior to stain. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Shellac Wash Coat Woodworking forums are a great way for folks to hash out ideas. Sometimes the questions posed (and their subsequent answers) contain bits of erroneous information. Such is the case with the topic of today’s podcast. A forum commenter wanted to know if coating a picture frame (which contained a knot filled in with epoxy) with shellac would even out the color once stain was applied. Listen to the entire episode to find out what the guys think and how they would approach the problem.   * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench        

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking the 360 guys talk about drill and router bit sharpening. What do they do and why? Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys.     Drill and Router Bit Sharpening Drill and router bits get dull. We know this isn’t breaking news, but to what lengths do you go to use sharp bits? Do you sharpen or toss the old and buy new? There are arguments for either, but to which do Glen and Chuck subscribe? You’ll have to listen to this episode to find out.   * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench          

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking the 360 guys address a question posed by a listener about furniture proportions. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Furniture Proportions: Following Episode 6 of 60 with 360 WoodWorking, the guys received a question from a listener who was confused by all the mathematical ratios we’re supposed to use to create furniture. Is it possible to apply a general set of proportional rules to every piece of furniture? Furniture proportions and design are often subjective. Regional tastes and personal needs have to be considered. If you you attempt to apply strict ratios to furniture design, the functionality often suffers. And while some furniture can be considered art, the primary reason it exists is functional – a chair is meant to be sat upon.   * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench        

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking the 360 guys discuss ways of plugging errant screw holes. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Plugging Errant Screw Holes: What do you do when you drill a hole for a hinge screw only to find you’ve drilled it in the wrong spot? After a brief round of expletives, your left with a variety of choices of how to plug and re-drill the hole in the correct location. Glen recently saw a video in which the host drilled a hole and used a matching plug cutter to fill the hole with a side-grain plug. While this method has some merit, neither of the 360 guys uses this method regularly. So what methods do they each use? And exactly what is the primary hand tools Glen uses in this instance? For the answer to these, and other important questions about plugging errant screw holes, you’ll need to listen to this entire episode of 360 with 360 WoodWorking.   * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench        

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking the 360 guys talk about tips to help you sand better, quicker and smarter. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Sanding: We all love to sand (did we get enough sarcasm in there?), but there are lots of little things we can do to make the process more productive. There’s nothing worse than getting a project completed, applying the dye and seeing every surface blemish known to man show up. By including a raking light and introducing some kind of liquid to the process, you’ll reduce the frustration associated with finishing. Surface prep is the foundation of any good finish. If you don’t do a proper job of eliminating dents, scratches and tear out, they’ll haunt you throughout the finishing process. Each layer added to an imperfect surface traps that imperfection deeper below the top level of finish. Adding more finish won’t level out the surface, unless you’re using an epoxy pour-on bar top finish that’s 1/4″ thick. Even then, major blemishes will translate to the top surface. To get a good finish, start with good surface prep, and that means proper sanding. And if you’re going to sand, you might as well take advantage of learning a few useful tips from two guys who’ve screwed up more surfaces than any ten woodworkers you know.   * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench          

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking the 360 guys discuss whether a split fence or a single-piece fence is best for a router table. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Split Fence or Not: Many woodworkers purchase commercially made router tables that come with a split fence, but is it necessary to have one? Split and single-piece fences each have their pros and cons, but the guys choose a definite winner in this contest. Split fences allow the router table to be used as a jointer to straighten edges (sorry, no flattening happening here). They also allow full profile cuts when molding edges. By offsetting the outfeed fence you avoid sniping the end of the board. Single-piece fences allow for finer adjustment of the fence because you can lock one end in position and adjust by pivoting the other. Because you’re working along the hypotenuse of the triangle, you get a finer adjustment at the point where the bit intersects the plane of the fence. You also don’t have to worry about the infeed and outfeed faces of the fence getting out of plane. Your boards will always travel smoothly from infeed to outfeed. Which is your preference? * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench          

In this episode of 60 with 360WoodWorking, the 360 guys discuss various aspects of design in woodworking. Join the guys twice each month for 60 lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Better yet, give them a call and leave your question and contact info on the voicemail by dialing (513) 443-6651. You just might be included in a future episode. Woodworking Design: Below you’ll find time-codes for each segment of the show. Listen all at once, or in small bites. * How do we define, “Design?” * 0:24 – Are we talking drawings or engine repair? Designing a woodworking project is often more than working with paper and pencil. * What are the elements of good design? * 2:41 – Proportions and body mechanics go into it, but is there more? Good woodworking design takes many things into account. * Is good design subjective? * 28:12 – Do the elements of good design vary by period? Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but then there would need to be a style, or period, for every person whoever lived. * Form & Function * 39:29 – Would you ever sacrifice form for function? * Skill Builder * * 53:55 – Edumacate yo’ sef.

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking the 360 guys talk about hinge gains. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Hinge Gains: Hinges vary, so why shouldn’t hinge gains? And we’re not just talking about a 2″ hinge versus a 3″ one. Depending on how (and where) the hinge is made you can get variations in thickness, width and length from hinge to hinge. Sometimes they even vary from one leaf of the hinge to the next. So, what’s a woodworker to do? Our best advice is to mark and fit each leaf individually. That sounds like lots of work, and it is, but the end result is definitely worth the effort.   * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench          

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking the 360 guys talk about screwdrivers – what to look for, how they work and what they actually do. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Notes: First off, a butter knife is not a screwdriver: It’s a can opener. Screwdrivers are noble tools that should be treated with dignity and respect. The vast majority of screwdriver users have no idea how to choose the right one, or how to use it once they’ve got one in their hands. While we can’t demonstrate proper usage in an audio podcast, we can discuss what goes into a proper screwdriver. When they’re made right, they just work. We also discuss why an improper screwdriver not only buggers up the slot and head of a decent screw, but makes your work a whole lot harder. Once you understand how to choose the right screwdriver, you’ll find you’ll work less and enjoy the process more. In the show we mention Elkhead Tools and their fantastic screwdriver. You can find them here.     * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench        

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking, because we know you didn’t get enough, the 360 guys discuss why quality has been sacrificed for quantity. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Notes: In an overall sense, general knowledge of, and appreciation for items of quality is being lost. The primary reason is profitability. This is true whether those profits go in your pocket as a consumer who has purchased something at a “bargain” price or to the manufacturer that produced it at a cost that still makes them obscene amounts of profit, even at that “bargain” price. As a society, we simply are not educated enough about the products we buy to know what is good in terms of design and/or quality. If woodworking, as a profession and a hobby, is in decline, this is the primary reason. The leg featured in this post is a perfect example of a leg that lacks the proper proportions, style and details. The shell is too small for the knee, while the over-exaggerated ball & claw foot is too large. The leg lacks the proper curvaceousness and is rounded off, obliterating any definition.     * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench          

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking, because we know you didn’t get enough, the 360 guys talk again with Matt Bickford about something other than Hollows & Rounds. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Notes: Learn more about Matt Bickford and his incredible molding planes by clicking here. Check out the Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking You might also be interested in one (or both) of our Hands-on Classes with Matt. Click here to find out about “Build a Round, leave with a Hollow.” Click here to learn more about how to “Make Moldings by Hand.”   * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench          

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking, the 360 guys discuss how there are few, if any, simple answers to woodworking questions. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Notes: * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench        

In this episode of 360 with 360WoodWorking, the 360 guys talk with upholsterer, Michael Miscelli. Join the guys twice each week for six lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys.   Notes: * Sponsors Microfence         Adjust-a-bench          

In this episode of 60 with 360WoodWorking, the 360 guys answer a question from a listener about what tools a beginner should buy. Join the guys twice each month for 60 lively minutes of discussion on everything from tools to techniques to wood selection (and more). Chuck & Glen, and sometimes a surprise guest, all have their own opinions. Sometimes they agree and sometimes they don’t, but the conversation is always information packed and lots of fun. If you have topics you’d like to hear covered in future episodes, click here to send an email to the guys. Better yet, give them a call and leave your question and contact info on the voicemail by dialing (513) 443-6651. You just might be included in a future episode. Notes: Below you’ll find time-codes for each segment of the show. Listen all at once, or in small bites. * If you had $1500 to spend to get started woodworking, what would you buy and why? * 0:24 – Did Glen actually recommend a hand tool (that isn’t a Shinto rasp)? * Let’s break it down: What do you look for in a table saw? * 15:51 – Trunion, trunion, who’s got the trunion? Nah, that’s a fence. * How about chisels? * 28:16 – Oh, just buy ’em all (or not). * What’s the saw story? * 36:14 – Do I really need as many saws as Ron Herman? * The Plane, the plane! * 45:22 – This must be Fantasy Island, because I thought I heard Glen suggest… * How about a router? * 53:11 – Really, Glen talks routers again? * The little chipmakers. * 1:03:11 – It’s all grinding up wood, but some are better than others. * Skill Builder * 1:09:01 – Get some class.