Tip from a woodworker on difficult to calculate measurements: don't measure them. Scribe them off the actual piece, set up your stop block to cut to that line, test. Once it's right all your parts will be right using the same stop block setup. Measuring off the existing piece will mean it's always the right size and you don't have to calculate anything. Scribing is always more accurate than measuring. Also, give yourself grace, wood moves. Keep up the good work EC. Love from Montana.
Yep, that works great for the shoulder of Scott's half lap. But he was having difficulty with the depth of the half lap (the height of the saw blade). The precise, no-measure way that I use is to raise the blade to just shy of half, make a trial cut, flip the stock and make another trial cut. Tweak the blade up a hair and repeat. When the cuts on opposite sides meet, your blade height is set.
Nice to hear Kenny getting so much love and recognition. Scott recognizes what a legend Kenny is and I’m glad he often gives him the love he deserves. We need some merch with an image of Kenny and his chair on it.
When your friend said there was nothing he would change about his work bench after 30 years.. that was impressive. I’ve never built one without a couple regrets. I’ve been looking forward to this series like you wouldn’t believe!
After high school in the 70's, I spent a few decades wishing for a table saw. After buying my own house and freeing myself from debt and sending my kids off to live their own lives, I ended up buying a table saw. In a few short years, after actually doing some woodworking, I've found that I enjoy the journey of using chisels, plains, and hand saws more than using a table saw, router, bandsaw, plainer, jointer... not that I don't have the machines, but it's just quieter and I get closer to the woodworking, by using the hand tools... plus I learned I could make my own tools... that is my journey, glad to hear about your journey... keep up the good work!
You might enjoy watching Paul Sellers here on TH-cam. I am in the same boat as you, except when it comes to ripping boards. I'll take a table saw any day because it seems that I can't saw a straight and plumb line to save my life!
As a lifelong occasional wood-worker, I always look forward to your videos. And indeed, I picked up a couple of tools I needed at the time, a "vintage" (meaning made in America) Milwaukee Saws-all for $50, and a 12" De Walt surface planer that included new blades, and that one was $150. Both were project necessities at the time, and both served their purpose well, and they both remain in the arsenal should the itch to make some sawdust hit me yet again. My sole experience in hand-cut dove-tailing was a project I made for my father several decades ago. a small box with a Cribbage inlay on top, the box in walnut, the inlay in cherry and maple (and cocobolo for start and end.) My mother insisted that I take the box back when my father died, as my brother never picked up Cribbage. They were crappy dovetails, but it was a labor of love, and I hope that my son will own it when I pass on.
My Great Grandfather never turned down a single carpentry job, furniture, framing, all of it. From a time when Craftsman wasn't a brand it was an actual person 😂
Jointer tip- the fence doesn’t have to be square. If you alternate which face rides against the fence the angles cancel each other out. Hope that made sense. Love your channel!
The lesson learned was not so much that it wasn't square, but that Scott neglected to check a "new to him" used tool. Making it square is easy once you know you have to.
E.C. You're absolutely right about Porter Cable falling from grace. The best circular saw I've ever owned was a P.C. "left handed" circ saw. It finally got put into my home use tool box. Somehow the bed got bent and I haven't been able to locate a replacement. Keep up the good work!
I really love that you are diving into this project and expanding your skills and tools. There is pride in framing houses and building solid structure but furniture making is where the trade becomes craft and there is no better feeling that making something useful AND beautiful.
Thank you for the update Scott. One thought I had when you were talking about the 2-3/4 and 2-1/4 dimensions was relative dimensioning. It’s applicable when joints need to fit and your overall dimensions are not affected. It’ll save you from crazy fractions by just getting “half” with a tri-square or caliper based on the part’s thickness. No math, just dimensioning based on final desired outcome. It’ll save you from many headaches. 😉
I remember learning to cut half laps and it can be an exercise in frustration. Slight variants in the width and thickness of the material can throw off the fit. It’s great to watch you learn these skills and share your struggles, and successes with us!
I am just loving this series. I am finally able to build my own workshop, and will definitely want to make this bench for it. I know how to build boats, but not houses or buildings. I have learned so much from just watching your segments. As a way of giving back, If you want, or have a need to have your own Leigh 24” dovetail jig, I have one I will gift to you. I really don’t need two of them. Just let me know. Also, let me know when these plans are available. Thank you.
It is interesting to see a master framer go through the paces of learning woodworking precision and workflows. Makes me not feel so terrible when my tolerances aren't pristine...I just gotta keep at it. Thanks, Scott
Dovetail router jigs are great. They're handy when doing a kitchen full of drawers. The real fun is dovetailing custom boxes where you can lay out and knife your lines, saw, and chisel by hand. This allows you to change up the sizes, the type of dovetail joints, and can make a project look spetacular.
@MAGAMAN Incra looks like a nice setup. For $500 (through Lee Valley) It gives you what, three different size dovetail bits so you can make the double dovetails. That still only gets you through DTs, half blind DTs, and sliding DTs. I think my Porter-Cable jig will only give you through DTs and half blinds in 1/4" or 1/2" tails. This means I could do only one size of double DTs with it. However, With a sharp DT saw (eastern or western) a sharp chisel and good layout you can cut out an infinite variety of dovetail joints and sizes that actually fit the size, proportion and layout of the box or project your working on. I have small tea boxes I've built that have DT pins as small as 3/16" and my workbench has lapped DTs as big as 2". Once you get the skill down, the sky is the limit.
The best furniture makers I know can make glued up lumber look seamless, color and grain, from different trees. They pay little or no attention to end grain orientation. Your glue up looks great!
I think Scott is rapidly learning the difference between a carpenter and a woodworker! The tolerances are an order of magnitude different when your doing 'fine woodworking'. I lean to the woodworking end of the spectrum, and my most frequently used measurement device is digital calipers. I often say that woodworkers make lousy carpenters, because they're way too fussy. The (very skilled) carpenter that is currently replacing siding on my house agrees with me every time I try to help him 🙂
Made my first attempt at dovetails by hand using Paul Sellers' method. Baby steps, but I'd recommend everyone to try to learn to make them with hand tools - a *sharp* marking knife, a few *sharp* chisels, a *sharp* dovetail saw, and practice. More satisfying that tuning a jig, which is needed for mass production only, I feel.
Welcome to the furniture making world sir, still got a lot of tools to look into and great satisfying adventures, but like you always say " keep up the good work "
Scott I have a space set aside and will begin the construction and assembly of my own woodshop this spring. Over the past 6 years or so I've managed to collect tools that were on sale or from FB Marketplace or even been blessed to receive some donations from friends an friends of friends. I look forward to following along on your builds and seeing if an 2 old carpenters (you & me) can make things happen of quality. Keep up the good work my friend!
Use painters tape to reduce bit tear out. Works great in almost any species, especially that white oak. I just made a white oak dovetailed box this week, and the tape allowed zero tear out. Hope it helps!
I'd like to add that on your project with half lap joints that I use my radial arm saw with a set of dado blades and start out with the blades a little above halfway on the joint and keep lowering till I get it tweaked out to exactly what it takes I've been building cabinets and furniture for years with a lot of half lap joints and find out that this works well and if you have the radial saw you will find out that this works out very well keep up the great work I'm 75 and I'm still learning
Just a little suggestion from an old timer. Subject: Clamps "Pipe clamps" come from a time when radial arm saws ruled the world. When this kind of clamp is put under pressure, the iron pipe starts to distort or bend. this results in distorting the actual clamping pads so they are no longer in parallel but rather "opening up." the result is that clamping pressure will then cause the wood panel will start ot distort out of flat. I want to strongly suggest that a panel in the process of being glued up must remain flat even when the clamps are fully tensioned. Otherwise, any distortion in the panel will remain in place even after the glue has dried. Finally, in regards to gluing up the half-laps. Best clamp for the purpose is a "F" style with a jaw depth of 3". Also, to keep from marring the top surfaces, created little sacrificial wood pads that , when in place , prevent any clamp denting. Have fun and bravo to you for being willing to get into the woodworking weeds.s
I gotta say thanks for making these videos, its nice sitting down for lunch and watching a video that makes me feel like building or honing my skills. No politics boring news or excessive sales of junk just nice shop talk and productive educational content. I wonder what brand of tobacco ken smokes.
We bought several pieces of Amish-built oak furniture and the dovetail joinery used on the drawers is absolutely perfect, as is the rest of the construction, real wood (not ply or manufactured) even where it will never be seen, and lovely finishes. Fit and finish is A1. I would love to see their shop and processes. The only commercial parts used are ball-bearing drawer slides and hinges. Some of the cabinet knobs are turned wood, others are simple, yet elegant wrought-iron.
I like how you do a test run on the dovetails before going onto the real thing.... As a handyman, I always try to practice a new technique/process at home before I take it out to a customer's just so it's not my 1st time and so I'm not stumbling around at their home!
When routing across the grain, as when routing the half-lap joints you described about 8 minutes into the video, be sure to put a sacrificial piece of wood on the side of the piece where the router finishes, or you'll get tear-out (especially with grainy species like oak) along the edge of the board. Alternatively, you could rough-cut with table saw and then just get a smooth finish pass with the router. If not removing as much wood, won't get (much) tear out. Ken Jordan may have an alternate approach to eliminate tear out, but will certainly know how to show you what I'm referring to.
Part of those pipe clamps look like they use galvanized pipe - the zinc coating is slick and will cause issues with the dogs biting in. I had good luck roughing up the pipe with a belt sander to give the clamping dogs a place to bite. Look into the Bessey Revo style bar clamps and the various knock-offs. You won't need a rack full of them, but 4 - 6 of them 36"+ long are game changers for certain applications.
Finally! Lol I’ve been waiting patiently for series to start, I’m sure it will be great. It’s off to a good start with some sound advice, see you on the next one!
Not knocking your choices although in the industry the phrase " Friends dont let friends buy Grizzley" has been around for decades although they have improved. Love your show!
Search everywhere for a good old wood vise. You'll want a patternmaker's vise because they look so cool, and if you find one, great. But even ordinary vises are perfectly usable as long as they work. Same story for everything, you can get something new that looks like a vise and doesn't work, something new that appears to cost a fortune or something old that has always worked.
Hi Scott, I have recently retired as a cabinetmaker/ Antique restorer/ educator after 48 years at the bench. If i didn’t live on the other side of the Pacific Ocean in Sydney I’d offer too give you one on one instruction on making dovetailed drawers correctly. can i first advise you get rid of the dovetailing machine and do it by hand. It’s quieter, more satisfying and you’ll get a better quality joint with more surface area contact for the glue where it matters. Can i recommend you watch Rob Cosman on dovetailing drawers. He learned this marking method from the late Alan Peters who could easily lay claim to being one of the best designer makers of the twentieth century. You, myself and Rob are probably the same age so he’ll be taking in a language that both you and i can understand. i do have issues with the bench design but they are personal preferences developed over nearly five decades in the trade. so continue as planed. Kind Regards, Terry Gleeson.
The best dust collection systems are in a separate room or lean-to, so the fine dust gets sucked completely out of the workshop. Blow it right into an enclosed trailer if you can so you can just hitch it to the Kubota, haul it out into a field and dump it. Be aware that large amounts of fine sanding dust are not only a respiratory and fire hazard but an EXPLOSION hazard as well. Especially if you dump it into a burning fire.
Great video as judged by this new to woodcraft learner. I bought a Saw Stop 3 hp cabinet saw and am making workshop cabinets to learn. I look forward to watching more. For hand dovetails I like to watch Rob Cosman in Canada as his charity deals with combat wounded veterans learning woodcraft.
Finally the workbench build is starting! I was hoping you would learn to hand cut the dovetails but I understand you don´t want to or can´t invest the time. Looking forward to the next video!
A suggestion, make the height of the planer rollaround such that when the boards are exiting the planer you can use your workbench as the outfeed table. In other words, the roll around is lower then the height of your bench. One of the things I discovered AFTER I made my benches and roll arounds. It was just dumb luck that my table saw height and work bench height are equal. Makes things quite convenient.
My best advice, invest in a good air filtration system your lungs will thank you. I now run a Jet afs -1000 hanging system, I was surprised at just how much fine particle dust I was inhaling. I coughed for 4 months straight until I figured out why. Thanks for your content.
MicroJig offers a 1/2 jig that I have used successfully. It helps set a blade/bit height very close to 1/2 the thickness of the surface it is on. Perfect for half-laps. While using mine, I have only had to make minute adjustments to get the height perfect. I haven't used it extensively, but I have seen others that use it a lot and swear by it. Regarding routers; my sons tell me I don't change router bits, I just change routers. In my opinion, they are like clamps. You can't have too many. lol
I'm loving your journey of learning a new skill Scott. That stop block on the table saw fence is a great safety tip that could use its own explanation video. It's tempting to just use the fence but there's a significant risk of the part jamming and getting thrown across the workshop, potentially taking a few fingers with it.
Agreed. However, in the example that Scott showed the stop block isn't 100% necessary in that there is no waste piece that will fall off and jam. But new woodworkers don't always recognize the difference between the scenarios, so using the stop block is good practice.
It is fun to watch a carpenter transition to furniture making. You found some great tools on your bargain search. From what I can see those are pipe clamps not bar clamps. A small point but there is a difference and the two perform differently.
I’m jealous you’re using such fantastic resources on a router workbench. I’d have saved those boards for a family creation to pass down. We’ll never get that wood again.
You can save yourself a lifetime of panel glue-up headaches by sticking a cheap little 4 inch machinists square to your new jointer with a magnet. Those fences always creep just the tiniest bit, and I can't tell you how many times I've kicked myself for not checking (always after the glue is dry, of course!)
I loved the phrase "I sprained my wrist reaching for my wallet." Not one I'd heard before. I'm guessing that means you were so eager to make the deal you hurt yourself doing it?
I'm a framing Carpenter too had a real woodworker tell me I had to throw away my big carpenters pencil to do woodworking LoL and he was right it's hard to get it in your head that a 1/16th doesn't matter keep up the great videos
Whenever Norm Abrams finished a dovetail joint with his router jig, he'd slide them together and say "Perfect result, every time!" The only time I got perfect results is on test boards. It's all to the good, though, as I find I rather more enjoy hand-cutting them. I still screw up plenty, but at least I know where and how I screwed up, so there's a whole lot less profanity and a whole lot more "I'll get better next time."
Oh no I can't watch you anymore, jig cut dovetails 😢 Only hand cut are good. Or that's what the internet says. But when I cut them it takes a while to read the jig setup instructions. 😂 Need to use it more so i dont have to learn it from scratch. Once I figure I out they go fast and they work great. Looks like your shop is coming together nicely.
BTW, something else I see on gov planet pretty often is metal. Aluminum plate, steel plate, square tubing, most of it going for less than the cost to ship it.
I am super excited about you entering the woodworking world! Also insanely jealous of your bar clamp purchase -_- the money spent on clamps outweighs every piece of machinery i own...
Not everyone agrees. Alternating doesn't cancel out the warping, it just makes it warp in multiple directions causing a wavy pattern that is harder to fix than a single warp direction.
@@MAGAMAN for the last thirty years it’s the way I do glue ups for the custom furniture, I sign every piece I build and it comes with a lifetime warranty, I haven’t had a dining room table returned yet. You also need to hand select the wood you are using.
@@briantaylor9266 true, and for some furniture I hand lay veneer. I use a traditional European bench with tail vices and bench dogs I made in out of Maple I have the maple side grain up, kinda like butcher block.
It really is sort of amazing the subtle differences between poorly made router bits and excellent ones. I basically only buy Whiteside bits at this point. I've also been looking into getting a Leigh jig. Leaning towards a Super16. I think it would do everything I need. I've heard that you can get cleaner cuts on the Leigh jig by simply adding painters' tape to the board and failing that, use a sacrificial board. Personally, for the dovetail cuts, I'd setup a second router with a straight cutting bit to do a first pass and then use the router with the dovetail bit.
I always make my box just a bit bigger than what it needs to be that way you can cut and get you half pins perfect with going crazy trying to figure out the math.
Cut to the eventual chase of dust collection and invest in a fixed setup with ductwork and a larger dust collector. Moving a portable unit or hose from machine to machine will get old real quick and you'll eventually find an excuse not to use it.
PorterCable could use the wrath of the internet! For over 4 decades I've used their routers/sanders and specialty tools, Now I'm saving worn out parts to try and keep my stuff going because the new offerings from everybody suck. Switches from the 691 router fit the 503 belt sander if this will help anybody else?
Yep. When Dewalt took them over they decided to make P-C one of their junk-grade sub-brands. P-C 690 and P-C 758x were legendary. I have a Bosch ROS65 sander that I generally love and I can't understand why Bosch chose to discontinue it.
Ah yes, experience!!! That and, in my case, mistakes make all the difference in the end. Woodworker?! HA! Woodbutcher is a more appropriate moniker for me although I did manage to make a tolerable bed and headboard which has lasted a bit more than 20 years. If I ever attempted dovetails they would turn out more like pigtails. Truth in advertising. Pray maintain speed and course!
I just can't believe you never had to do a dovetail.... say a drawer. Just seems so strange I did my first dovetail in Jr High. Your just 4 years older than I am and we had to do all kinds of archaic joints.
Dovetails are overrated. I prefer cocktails. Thing about cocktails is that the more you drink when you are operating your sharp dangerous power machinery, the less you care about what your joints look like. If you are doing it correctly, you shouldn't even be able to pronounce the word "joint" by the time you're done. Always happy to help. Hit me up for other shop tips any time.
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
Tip from a woodworker on difficult to calculate measurements: don't measure them. Scribe them off the actual piece, set up your stop block to cut to that line, test. Once it's right all your parts will be right using the same stop block setup. Measuring off the existing piece will mean it's always the right size and you don't have to calculate anything. Scribing is always more accurate than measuring. Also, give yourself grace, wood moves. Keep up the good work EC. Love from Montana.
Nah sounds too easy. 😅
@@jerbear7952 best when you are making a one off in the backyard or garage by a human and not a robot.
Measure once, cut twice.
And always try to keep the line then fine tune to the line?😅
Yep, that works great for the shoulder of Scott's half lap. But he was having difficulty with the depth of the half lap (the height of the saw blade). The precise, no-measure way that I use is to raise the blade to just shy of half, make a trial cut, flip the stock and make another trial cut. Tweak the blade up a hair and repeat. When the cuts on opposite sides meet, your blade height is set.
Nice to hear Kenny getting so much love and recognition. Scott recognizes what a legend Kenny is and I’m glad he often gives him the love he deserves. We need some merch with an image of Kenny and his chair on it.
When your friend said there was nothing he would change about his work bench after 30 years.. that was impressive. I’ve never built one without a couple regrets. I’ve been looking forward to this series like you wouldn’t believe!
After high school in the 70's, I spent a few decades wishing for a table saw. After buying my own house and freeing myself from debt and sending my kids off to live their own lives, I ended up buying a table saw. In a few short years, after actually doing some woodworking, I've found that I enjoy the journey of using chisels, plains, and hand saws more than using a table saw, router, bandsaw, plainer, jointer... not that I don't have the machines, but it's just quieter and I get closer to the woodworking, by using the hand tools... plus I learned I could make my own tools... that is my journey, glad to hear about your journey... keep up the good work!
planes?
You might enjoy watching Paul Sellers here on TH-cam. I am in the same boat as you, except when it comes to ripping boards. I'll take a table saw any day because it seems that I can't saw a straight and plumb line to save my life!
As a lifelong occasional wood-worker, I always look forward to your videos. And indeed, I picked up a couple of tools I needed at the time, a "vintage" (meaning made in America) Milwaukee Saws-all for $50, and a 12" De Walt surface planer that included new blades, and that one was $150. Both were project necessities at the time, and both served their purpose well, and they both remain in the arsenal should the itch to make some sawdust hit me yet again.
My sole experience in hand-cut dove-tailing was a project I made for my father several decades ago. a small box with a Cribbage inlay on top, the box in walnut, the inlay in cherry and maple (and cocobolo for start and end.) My mother insisted that I take the box back when my father died, as my brother never picked up Cribbage. They were crappy dovetails, but it was a labor of love, and I hope that my son will own it when I pass on.
Such a wonderful thing to see a modern trademen learning old way crafts. Love it
My Great Grandfather never turned down a single carpentry job, furniture, framing, all of it. From a time when Craftsman wasn't a brand it was an actual person 😂
Jointer tip- the fence doesn’t have to be square. If you alternate which face rides against the fence the angles cancel each other out. Hope that made sense.
Love your channel!
The lesson learned was not so much that it wasn't square, but that Scott neglected to check a "new to him" used tool. Making it square is easy once you know you have to.
E.C. You're absolutely right about Porter Cable falling from grace. The best circular saw I've ever owned was a P.C. "left handed" circ saw. It finally got put into my home use tool box. Somehow the bed got bent and I haven't been able to locate a replacement.
Keep up the good work!
I love how Kenny is always there...
Keep up the good work
Kenny is a great resource, but personally, I'd feel intimidated having someone of his caliber looking over my work.
I really love that you are diving into this project and expanding your skills and tools. There is pride in framing houses and building solid structure but furniture making is where the trade becomes craft and there is no better feeling that making something useful AND beautiful.
Thank you for the update Scott. One thought I had when you were talking about the 2-3/4 and 2-1/4 dimensions was relative dimensioning. It’s applicable when joints need to fit and your overall dimensions are not affected. It’ll save you from crazy fractions by just getting “half” with a tri-square or caliper based on the part’s thickness. No math, just dimensioning based on final desired outcome. It’ll save you from many headaches. 😉
I remember learning to cut half laps and it can be an exercise in frustration. Slight variants in the width and thickness of the material can throw off the fit. It’s great to watch you learn these skills and share your struggles, and successes with us!
65 year old master still humble and learning!!
old man replacement with a big heart. still waitng for the guttering to be fixed hehe
I am just loving this series. I am finally able to build my own workshop, and will definitely want to make this bench for it. I know how to build boats, but not houses or buildings. I have learned so much from just watching your segments. As a way of giving back, If you want, or have a need to have your own Leigh 24” dovetail jig, I have one I will gift to you. I really don’t need two of them. Just let me know. Also, let me know when these plans are available. Thank you.
It is interesting to see a master framer go through the paces of learning woodworking precision and workflows. Makes me not feel so terrible when my tolerances aren't pristine...I just gotta keep at it.
Thanks, Scott
Dovetail router jigs are great. They're handy when doing a kitchen full of drawers.
The real fun is dovetailing custom boxes where you can lay out and knife your lines, saw, and chisel by hand. This allows you to change up the sizes, the type of dovetail joints, and can make a project look spetacular.
The incra router table system allows this. You can whip out dovetails in minutes once you get the hang of it.
@MAGAMAN Incra looks like a nice setup. For $500 (through Lee Valley) It gives you what, three different size dovetail bits so you can make the double dovetails. That still only gets you through DTs, half blind DTs, and sliding DTs. I think my Porter-Cable jig will only give you through DTs and half blinds in 1/4" or 1/2" tails. This means I could do only one size of double DTs with it. However,
With a sharp DT saw (eastern or western) a sharp chisel and good layout you can cut out an infinite variety of dovetail joints and sizes that actually fit the size, proportion and layout of the box or project your working on. I have small tea boxes I've built that have DT pins as small as 3/16" and my workbench has lapped DTs as big as 2". Once you get the skill down, the sky is the limit.
The best furniture makers I know can make glued up lumber look seamless, color and grain, from different trees. They pay little or no attention to end grain orientation. Your glue up looks great!
Paul Sellers is the guy to watch for dovetails
I think Scott is rapidly learning the difference between a carpenter and a woodworker! The tolerances are an order of magnitude different when your doing 'fine woodworking'. I lean to the woodworking end of the spectrum, and my most frequently used measurement device is digital calipers. I often say that woodworkers make lousy carpenters, because they're way too fussy. The (very skilled) carpenter that is currently replacing siding on my house agrees with me every time I try to help him 🙂
Made my first attempt at dovetails by hand using Paul Sellers' method. Baby steps, but I'd recommend everyone to try to learn to make them with hand tools - a *sharp* marking knife, a few *sharp* chisels, a *sharp* dovetail saw, and practice. More satisfying that tuning a jig, which is needed for mass production only, I feel.
Referential measurements and trading your pencil out for a marking knife are game changers! Good luck with the journey and enjoy the process!
Welcome to the furniture making world sir, still got a lot of tools to look into and great satisfying adventures, but like you always say " keep up the good work "
Scott I have a space set aside and will begin the construction and assembly of my own woodshop this spring. Over the past 6 years or so I've managed to collect tools that were on sale or from FB Marketplace or even been blessed to receive some donations from friends an friends of friends. I look forward to following along on your builds and seeing if an 2 old carpenters (you & me) can make things happen of quality. Keep up the good work my friend!
Use painters tape to reduce bit tear out. Works great in almost any species, especially that white oak. I just made a white oak dovetailed box this week, and the tape allowed zero tear out. Hope it helps!
I'd like to add that on your project with half lap joints that I use my radial arm saw with a set of dado blades and start out with the blades a little above halfway on the joint and keep lowering till I get it tweaked out to exactly what it takes I've been building cabinets and furniture for years with a lot of half lap joints and find out that this works well and if you have the radial saw you will find out that this works out very well keep up the great work I'm 75 and I'm still learning
I love this channel. I’ve learned tons of things. You’re an excellent teacher. Thank you for producing such great content. Blessings!
Just a little suggestion from an old timer. Subject: Clamps
"Pipe clamps" come from a time when radial arm saws ruled the world. When this kind of clamp is put under pressure, the iron pipe starts to distort or bend. this results
in distorting the actual clamping pads so they are no longer in parallel but rather "opening up." the result is that clamping pressure will then cause the wood panel
will start ot distort out of flat.
I want to strongly suggest that a panel in the process of being glued up must remain flat even when the clamps are fully tensioned. Otherwise, any distortion in the panel
will remain in place even after the glue has dried.
Finally, in regards to gluing up the half-laps. Best clamp for the purpose is a "F" style with a jaw depth of 3". Also, to keep from marring the top surfaces, created little
sacrificial wood pads that , when in place , prevent any clamp denting.
Have fun and bravo to you for being willing to get into the woodworking weeds.s
I gotta say thanks for making these videos, its nice sitting down for lunch and watching a video that makes me feel like building or honing my skills. No politics boring news or excessive sales of junk just nice shop talk and productive educational content. I wonder what brand of tobacco ken smokes.
We bought several pieces of Amish-built oak furniture and the dovetail joinery used on the drawers is absolutely perfect, as is the rest of the construction, real wood (not ply or manufactured) even where it will never be seen, and lovely finishes. Fit and finish is A1. I would love to see their shop and processes. The only commercial parts used are ball-bearing drawer slides and hinges. Some of the cabinet knobs are turned wood, others are simple, yet elegant wrought-iron.
Scott if you want a fits first time method for dovetails all be it by hand check out Rob Cosman’s videos!
Or step it up one more notch and check out Paul Sellers
I have hand cut dovetails over and over and I haven't got it yet. The router jigs are pretty nice. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Scott, learning keep us young.
I like how you do a test run on the dovetails before going onto the real thing.... As a handyman, I always try to practice a new technique/process at home before I take it out to a customer's just so it's not my 1st time and so I'm not stumbling around at their home!
Can't wait to follow along on this adventure. Great idea to test on the scaled down table.
Can’t wait for more
It’s reassuring to hear that woodworking can be intimidating for even an experienced carpenter.
When routing across the grain, as when routing the half-lap joints you described about 8 minutes into the video, be sure to put a sacrificial piece of wood on the side of the piece where the router finishes, or you'll get tear-out (especially with grainy species like oak) along the edge of the board. Alternatively, you could rough-cut with table saw and then just get a smooth finish pass with the router. If not removing as much wood, won't get (much) tear out. Ken Jordan may have an alternate approach to eliminate tear out, but will certainly know how to show you what I'm referring to.
Part of those pipe clamps look like they use galvanized pipe - the zinc coating is slick and will cause issues with the dogs biting in. I had good luck roughing up the pipe with a belt sander to give the clamping dogs a place to bite. Look into the Bessey Revo style bar clamps and the various knock-offs. You won't need a rack full of them, but 4 - 6 of them 36"+ long are game changers for certain applications.
Finally! Lol I’ve been waiting patiently for series to start, I’m sure it will be great. It’s off to a good start with some sound advice, see you on the next one!
Not knocking your choices although in the industry the phrase " Friends dont let friends buy Grizzley" has been around for decades although they have improved. Love your show!
Search everywhere for a good old wood vise. You'll want a patternmaker's vise because they look so cool, and if you find one, great. But even ordinary vises are perfectly usable as long as they work. Same story for everything, you can get something new that looks like a vise and doesn't work, something new that appears to cost a fortune or something old that has always worked.
Hi Scott,
I have recently retired as a cabinetmaker/ Antique restorer/ educator after 48 years at the bench. If i didn’t live on the other side of the Pacific Ocean in Sydney I’d offer too give you one on one instruction on making dovetailed drawers correctly.
can i first advise you get rid of the dovetailing machine and do it by hand. It’s quieter,
more satisfying and you’ll get a better quality joint with more surface area contact for the glue where it matters.
Can i recommend you watch Rob Cosman on dovetailing drawers. He learned this marking method from the late Alan Peters who could easily lay claim to being one of the best designer makers of the twentieth century. You, myself and Rob are probably the same age so he’ll be taking in a language that both you and i can understand.
i do have issues with the bench design but they are personal preferences developed over nearly five decades in the trade. so continue as planed.
Kind Regards,
Terry Gleeson.
The best dust collection systems are in a separate room or lean-to, so the fine dust gets sucked completely out of the workshop. Blow it right into an enclosed trailer if you can so you can just hitch it to the Kubota, haul it out into a field and dump it. Be aware that large amounts of fine sanding dust are not only a respiratory and fire hazard but an EXPLOSION hazard as well.
Especially if you dump it into a burning fire.
Cannot wait friend!! Kenny keep this good man going!!!
Go Scott! Good luck with the bench. Love your videos.
I have that same Grizzly jointer. I installed a carbide cutter head and it's fantastic.
Great video as judged by this new to woodcraft learner. I bought a Saw Stop 3 hp cabinet saw and am making workshop cabinets to learn. I look forward to watching more. For hand dovetails I like to watch Rob Cosman in Canada as his charity deals with combat wounded veterans learning woodcraft.
Finally the workbench build is starting! I was hoping you would learn to hand cut the dovetails but I understand you don´t want to or can´t invest the time. Looking forward to the next video!
A suggestion, make the height of the planer rollaround such that when the boards are exiting the planer you can use your workbench as the outfeed table. In other words, the roll around is lower then the height of your bench.
One of the things I discovered AFTER I made my benches and roll arounds. It was just dumb luck that my table saw height and work bench height are equal. Makes things quite convenient.
My best advice, invest in a good air filtration system your lungs will thank you. I now run a Jet afs -1000 hanging system, I was surprised at just how much fine particle dust I was inhaling. I coughed for 4 months straight until I figured out why. Thanks for your content.
Been waiting for this series since you first mentioned it. It is going to be great. Thanks
MicroJig offers a 1/2 jig that I have used successfully. It helps set a blade/bit height very close to 1/2 the thickness of the surface it is on. Perfect for half-laps. While using mine, I have only had to make minute adjustments to get the height perfect. I haven't used it extensively, but I have seen others that use it a lot and swear by it.
Regarding routers; my sons tell me I don't change router bits, I just change routers. In my opinion, they are like clamps. You can't have too many. lol
you can't go wrong on those old Porter-Cable 690 routers they are the best
I'm loving your journey of learning a new skill Scott.
That stop block on the table saw fence is a great safety tip that could use its own explanation video. It's tempting to just use the fence but there's a significant risk of the part jamming and getting thrown across the workshop, potentially taking a few fingers with it.
Agreed. However, in the example that Scott showed the stop block isn't 100% necessary in that there is no waste piece that will fall off and jam. But new woodworkers don't always recognize the difference between the scenarios, so using the stop block is good practice.
It is fun to watch a carpenter transition to furniture making. You found some great tools on your bargain search. From what I can see those are pipe clamps not bar clamps. A small point but there is a difference and the two perform differently.
The Bob Ross of carpentry!! 🫡
Hi Scott, I hope the router is variable speed as you will need that for large bits. Also check Lock Mitre bits if you haven't already.
All those clamps for that price was a steal!
Keep up the good work!
Great job. Thank you 😊
I’m jealous you’re using such fantastic resources on a router workbench. I’d have saved those boards for a family creation to pass down. We’ll never get that wood again.
My dresser has Knapp joints. They were only made for 30 years from 1870-1900. I had no idea how old it really was.
Very nice .... L00K up Paul Sellers on there...
peace
You can save yourself a lifetime of panel glue-up headaches by sticking a cheap little 4 inch machinists square to your new jointer with a magnet. Those fences always creep just the tiniest bit, and I can't tell you how many times I've kicked myself for not checking (always after the glue is dry, of course!)
I loved the phrase "I sprained my wrist reaching for my wallet." Not one I'd heard before. I'm guessing that means you were so eager to make the deal you hurt yourself doing it?
I'm a framing Carpenter too had a real woodworker tell me I had to throw away my big carpenters pencil to do woodworking LoL and he was right it's hard to get it in your head that a 1/16th doesn't matter keep up the great videos
I think your next video should be about the deer antlers hang on the wall and some nice hunting story .
When the time comes for a hand saw (and that time WILL come), go with the Japanese saws. They cut on the pull and make a mockery of American saws.
Man this is a lot of fun. Dont discount how useful a bandsaw is for so much of woodworking.
Nice.
Let's just hop Kenny gets his percent on the plans🙏
Whenever Norm Abrams finished a dovetail joint with his router jig, he'd slide them together and say "Perfect result, every time!" The only time I got perfect results is on test boards. It's all to the good, though, as I find I rather more enjoy hand-cutting them. I still screw up plenty, but at least I know where and how I screwed up, so there's a whole lot less profanity and a whole lot more "I'll get better next time."
Good episode
If you are cheating at all its having a friend like Kenny. I've had one of my own. Its like playing on easy mode. :)
5:37 My mind is childish ... I couldn't stop laughing!
Oh no I can't watch you anymore, jig cut dovetails 😢 Only hand cut are good. Or that's what the internet says. But when I cut them it takes a while to read the jig setup instructions. 😂 Need to use it more so i dont have to learn it from scratch. Once I figure I out they go fast and they work great. Looks like your shop is coming together nicely.
BTW, something else I see on gov planet pretty often is metal. Aluminum plate, steel plate, square tubing, most of it going for less than the cost to ship it.
I am super excited about you entering the woodworking world! Also insanely jealous of your bar clamp purchase -_- the money spent on clamps outweighs every piece of machinery i own...
Like a lot of tools/machinery get the most powerful, biggest, heaviest you can afford. A dust collector is the same, Get the most CFM you can.
Yes you should be alternating the grain on your glue ups.
Not everyone agrees. Alternating doesn't cancel out the warping, it just makes it warp in multiple directions causing a wavy pattern that is harder to fix than a single warp direction.
@@MAGAMAN for the last thirty years it’s the way I do glue ups for the custom furniture, I sign every piece I build and it comes with a lifetime warranty, I haven’t had a dining room table returned yet. You also need to hand select the wood you are using.
... or if you're going high end, use rift or quarter sawn stock!
@@briantaylor9266 true, and for some furniture I hand lay veneer. I use a traditional European bench with tail vices and bench dogs I made in out of Maple I have the maple side grain up, kinda like butcher block.
It really is sort of amazing the subtle differences between poorly made router bits and excellent ones. I basically only buy Whiteside bits at this point.
I've also been looking into getting a Leigh jig. Leaning towards a Super16. I think it would do everything I need. I've heard that you can get cleaner cuts on the Leigh jig by simply adding painters' tape to the board and failing that, use a sacrificial board. Personally, for the dovetail cuts, I'd setup a second router with a straight cutting bit to do a first pass and then use the router with the dovetail bit.
I always make my box just a bit bigger than what it needs to be that way you can cut and get you half pins perfect with going crazy trying to figure out the math.
Cut to the eventual chase of dust collection and invest in a fixed setup with ductwork and a larger dust collector. Moving a portable unit or hose from machine to machine will get old real quick and you'll eventually find an excuse not to use it.
Ah, beautiful. Welcome to the woodworking world where you will spend one or two decades finetuning your dust extraction system :)
Framers!! lol
Unless one has a true fetish for fancy joinery, dovetails are really way more trouble than they are worth.
Looks good but what about the gate? I drive by your place on my way home and keep looking for the new gate!
Holy shit you got a good deal on those clamps..
PorterCable could use the wrath of the internet!
For over 4 decades I've used their routers/sanders and specialty tools, Now I'm saving worn out parts to try and keep my stuff going because the new offerings from everybody suck.
Switches from the 691 router fit the 503 belt sander if this will help anybody else?
Yep. When Dewalt took them over they decided to make P-C one of their junk-grade sub-brands. P-C 690 and P-C 758x were legendary.
I have a Bosch ROS65 sander that I generally love and I can't understand why Bosch chose to discontinue it.
Scott: He who dies with the most tools wins... 🤣
Ah yes, experience!!! That and, in my case, mistakes make all the difference in the end. Woodworker?! HA! Woodbutcher is a more appropriate moniker for me although I did manage to make a tolerable bed and headboard which has lasted a bit more than 20 years. If I ever attempted dovetails they would turn out more like pigtails. Truth in advertising. Pray maintain speed and course!
Speaking for myself: I want to see the whole build process as if it were another spec house.
I’ve been woodworking for 10 years… he’s already better than me 😂
I just can't believe you never had to do a dovetail.... say a drawer. Just seems so strange I did my first dovetail in Jr High. Your just 4 years older than I am and we had to do all kinds of archaic joints.
Is porter cable a stanley now?
Wait you’re using a router? EC get out the dovetail saw I believe in you
amazing finds there. this is recycling at its best. rather not buy new new here
who said an old dog can't learn new tricks
Learn to cut dovetails without jigs. Once you learn, it doesn't take too much time at all.
Dovetails are overrated. I prefer cocktails.
Thing about cocktails is that the more you drink when you are operating your sharp dangerous power machinery, the less you care about what your joints look like. If you are doing it correctly, you shouldn't even be able to pronounce the word "joint" by the time you're done.
Always happy to help. Hit me up for other shop tips any time.