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Finally! A woodworking video where no one complains about sanding! As a finish painter and piano refinisher, I love the tactile feel of bringing the surface down to a satin finish buy hand. I almost never use a machine to sand any of my projects. Bravo sir. By the way, you must give ECO-Steps waterborne finishes a try. They are phenomenal. I've been using them for years.
Such a bummer. I’m glad you were able to deliver and get paid. I know it stinks when you want to do a nice job for a client. That said, often when we like/love our clients we stay at the delivery too long, and then start answering questions that are going to keep us on the job even longer. Nothing worse than a client saying… I read on the internet…. Cutting your price stinks, but getting paid 🎉🎉🎉
Wow. Huge project. I would not attempt messing with something that big after breaking my bicep tenon 12 years ago on a much smaller bench top. Cool that shop connection you have, good guys to know. Final project looks great! Congrats !
Holy Moly! That is a whole lotta work! You have some good friends! Awesome is not cheap, so you will bear this in mind when you quote on future commissions because at the end of the day, the outcome has to be "win win" for all! Take care.
Hi Keith I really got a kick out of this video, the Joy of being young, fearless to take on any challenge ...lol. After I got my plumbers license in Orange County, NY, I started buying up some abandoned shells most were 3 or 4 family Historic Buildings in Newburgh NY. I was like a kid in a candy store, all these amazing old buildings that needed major surgery, but the ARC Board makes sure everything has to be done as it was it was built in 1890 or around there, it was hard to find the original Deeds or Architectural plans. I have always had a mechanical mind wanting to know how something tik's ...LOL I think I restored around 7 or 8 buildings before I kinda retired, running a plumbing & heating business while GC'ing the Restoration of these old Victorian Painted Ladies in very time con summing. I don't have X-ray eyes so when I was just do the plumbing & heating in a total gut re-hab, well sometimes I took much of a haircut . Estimating a gut rehab on buildings that used anything like a piece of steel railroad bead, as a header would pop-up, and now the oxygen-acetele torch was was part of my loss time and profit. But like yourself, my love of challenges was never a boring day, although it is tough on a marriage, in my case 2 of them. But honey I can't be home and make money at the same time, those are nerdy stock brokers. What I enjoyed was always taking pictures from day one until completion, yes this Grand Lady has a new Life, thanks to many great sub-contractors and myself. Whenever you find a job you enjoy doing, well you never really work a day at all, it's Fun !!! Thanks Keith for sharing your knowledge and experience, we need more Craftsman in our Beautiful Country and not junk made in China, You get what you pay for in life, buying good tools will last many years
Thanks for sharing your story! There is so much gratification and reward in restoring old homes to their former glory. It is not for the faint of heart and takes tremendous patience, planning, a great team and hard work. Cheers to efforts!
Great work as always. Pro tip from your colleagues at TimberFire Studio - Get a Festool STL450 Inspection Light & Tripod to provide consistent raking light down the length of your boards. We've use it to light up to 14 feet end to end. Our buddy at Greenwood Bay Woodworking recommended it to us and it has been a game changer for both sanding and finishing. It's designed for drywall finishers but perfect for furniture. We suggested it to our Festool-sponsored influencer friend, Tommy Mullaney, (who you may know) and he absolutely loves it.
I don't ever stock ambrosia maple either, but sometimes i get some in the maple for other stuff, and I'll make some little do-dad out of it. I always end up liking it more than I thought I would.
Looking good! I tested my Lamello out as a replacement for clamps on a panel and it worked out really well. It was only 3/4" material though. you'd probably want to do two tenso's vertically for something as thick as that slab.
For a slab, the Tensos wouldn’t provide enough clamping pressure to bring each side together and get adequate glue squeeze out and a tight joint. They only have about 33 pounds of clamping pressure versus pipe clamps which have up to 1000 pounds 💪🏻😁
Hi Keith. Yeah, I'd say for this project get 90-100% of the money upfront. If half of your business was working with slabs, then maybe get 50% down payment. I always request 50% down before starting on a client project. Currently I'm dealing with a client who changed their mind on the design when I was 60% done. The change was significant and required me to start over. However, I did have a section in the contract talking about change requests. Personally, I don't do slab work.
All good tips! We all operate our businesses differently, but having failsafes in place are a must. Like I said, it was totally my fault for proceeding with the job without approval or a deposit.
Keith. Love the videos. I think we have all lost money building furniture but for us little guys, it’s devastating. Glad to see the pro’s sometimes have this happen as well although I wish it didn’t for you.
Hey Scott! Yeah, not every job is a winfall or even a decent money maker. Sometimes you have to cut your losses and try to make it up on the next one. Thanks for the comment!
For not being a fan of the wood, you certainly made a great peoduct out od it! If you had to do it over again, would you just use a thinner shellac barrier or would you use a different product? I'm also kind of curious about the color/surface of the base they'll use. I would think anything other than a solid color and simple structure would take away from the ambrosia tops. Great video!
Thanks Michael! I would just dilute the shellac with more alcohol next time. However, I rarely use maple, so it’s possible it just reacted with the surface more than it does with walnut or white oak. But it was only sanded at 80 grit, so the pores were wide open and overly ready to receive the shellacky goodness. 😂
Can’t wait to hear the next podcast to find out what tool might of taken a trip across the shop when you found out the bad news. Sorry KJ, hoping if I ever take a client build (other than family and friends) I can learn from this
Here is a trick for joining pieces. Double stick tape the piece you want to joint to the bottom. Space the top piece with another of the same thickness as the add on. Use a saber saw and do NOT cut a straight line, more of a long squiggle, ramble type of cut. Because the top and bottom are cut on the same line, they should match up quite well and because of the "show pattern" of the wood, the line will be almost invisible. A straight cut, even with very matching grain will almost always show, because it is a straight cut. A long squiggle line won't catch the eye as much as a very straight line. Try it on a piece of scrape and see what you think. The scrap has 2 sides so straight cut on 1 and a squiggle cut on the other.
Well done, great work Client definitely didn't deserve it as they were not ready to pay full price. I think you should show them ready project and then send them f far away for insulating you like that. And the great table like that would sell itself on auction. All the best 👍
Great video as always! I learned something new with CV gloss being added for clarity…but why add satin for the last coat? I use CV for my cabinets and yes it’s a terrible smell. Those 3M masks help a lot
Another great video Keith! Sucks to lose money at any deal we do, but there's always a powerful lesson in those experiences. Had many of them myself. Also, just dropped you an email with some pics of a project you helped me with a few weeks ago. Let me know if you get it.
Very true! Definitely a bit of a gut punch when it hits you in the wallet, but like my old boss used to say…some are winners and some are losers 😂. And I’ll check my email. Thanks!
Nice job! You mentioned a signed work order, what all do you normally have on a work order for a commission project? I might have a large project coming up soon and was thinking about doing something like that
My estimates/quotes have all the requisite details for the job including materials, sizes, finishes, etc. It's basically a detailed description of what the client is purchasing. Hope this helps.
That turned out amazing! So with a countertop, how would you or I guess the customer deal with seasonal expansion? Assuming with a countertop that large it would tear apart the cabinets?
Is ambrosia maple not a good/desirable wood? $1500 seems super cheap? Usually people are talking about singles slabs costing $3,000-$5,000+. And they're usually shorter.
It’s a trendy wood, very loosely, named for the holes and discoloration left behind by the ambrosia beetle. It’s not actually a species of maple. Most often this beetle is going to attack softer woods, and the result is most of the slabs you will see for sale are actually silver maple. Silver maple is often called a junk wood, but that’s a little mean. It’s gained popularity due to backyard sawmills being able to grab up these logs from tree companies who don’t find much value in them for firewood or for Milling. I can be a really pretty wood, and I like some of my recent encounters with the wood, as it was used for exposed framing, and looked great. However, with a hardness on the Janka scale of 700, (eastern white pine is 400, Walnut is 1050, and red oak 1200), silver maple is almost too soft to be a surface that takes every day use and abuse or to make a piece of furniture that will really stand the test of time. Sugar maple, sometimes called hard maple, clocks in on the hardness scale at 1400, about double silver maple and roughly the same as white oak. Durability is paramount in woodworking, and you’ll usually see wood prices reflect that, but of course, other factors such as figure and rarity can affect that. Silver maple without the ambrosia beetle marks is going to cost even less. It could be a great practice wood for that price, but beware, it’s softness means it’s prone to tear out and you’ll want to keep all your edges extremely sharp.
Just in case someone else hasn’t said it, those bug holes are the reason for the ambrosia look. Ambrosia beetles bore into the tree and introduce a fungus that helps them feed on the tree and causes those streaks. So whenever you get ambrosia maple, you will always see those holes. And they’re from beetles, not worms. 😊
Lol 10 y ago I built a corner cabinet with an agreed price of $800. I bought materials right away, client had a few changes. I think I made $5/hr on that build.
Seriously dude...im building a cherry bookcase right now that's really pushing my woodworking and workflow skills and a couple of times ive thought....how would keith from RUclips do this....i really did think that!
Is that clear epoxy you used for the bug holes? I’m currently working on a table with the same wood and I’m on the fence if I should just use black epoxy or clear.
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking Its a beast, but totally worth it. I have the 1ph time saver, 37". SOOOOOOO Worth the money. I've thought about downsizing and can never bring myself to sell it.
@@GearheadDaily I've had an alert on bidspotter for 3y for a wide belt to come up They're like unicorns.....probably because no one ever wants to get rid of one lol
@Gearhead Daily my 12" jointer was a bear to find too, that one I had to wait a year for, they would pop up every now and then but essentially on the moon as far as location goes I always tell everyone that those industrial auctions are excellent places to look for Bandsaws and Tablesaws, there are always some available, big planers are a little more rare, but still come up fairly often, shapers are next on the rarity list, large jointers 10"+ and shapers are rare af, and drum sanders in the 36-42" range are basically unicorns....You see some in the 20"s range and like 3 stage 30hp 3ph MONSTERS in the 50"+ range but that "Small Shop Sweetspot" in the mid 30s-low 40s are basically nonexistent or someone in Fiji is selling one lol. If you are building out a shop at home and happen to come across one in that size range snap it up immediately, even if it's the first pc of equipment imo because it may be a long ass time before you see another one
Looking good, man. I need to find me some friends like that here on the west coast :). I know you talked about trying different types of hardwax oil on the podcast, but did you try Rubio Natural? I’m considering something like that for a lighter wood piece I’m draining (probably not Maple though lol)
Indeed it is! The boys down at True Trade are the best! And the Jerry and Lola were definitely missed...they were very happy to be back in the shop this week. 😺😺
I’ve never been as scared watching a RUclips video as when you were on top of that ladder sealing the crack, worrying it was going to slip out from underneath you
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking Thank you, Keith. That was a great table you did for Woodpecker. I see they are coming out with router bits. I was going to get a bit from Bits Bits but maybe the Woodpeker probably has some top stuff.
When cutting the live edges off to join them together couldn't you have angled the track more so the live edge you were keeping had a more consistent reveal?
When you are going the two pieces bye using the jointer, isn’t it better to get them as close as possible and then the track saw down them as it would mirror the cut on either side?
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking aha what I mean is where the two joints meet each other place the track on the meeting point of the two pieces, therefore the blade is cutting both pieces at the same time giving a mirror image on each piece. Then they will butt up perfect. Does that make more sense lol. Love your videos 👍 There’s a guy I watch that builds tables that’s how he joins big tables.
@@ashleewainwright7877 I'm just not a big fan of that method. The track saw is great, but I don't always trust it for a glue-ready edge. I have definitely done it that way, but I just prefer to use the jointer when possible. And thanks so much for the kind words!
Given the time to sand w tiny 5-6" ROS's compared to a larger diameter Surcare ROS, not sure why they aren't in wider use? Mine has last 20 years and is still a beast - worth the money in time saved for larger sized slab/panels.
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking Yes it costs more but does 7x the work in the same time due to area. So in one hour of sanding you'd save 7 (6?) hours of labor- how long to pay for tool? Big cost but only a couple of festool's price and you're finishing at 7x the previous area/rate of finish. Seems worth it to me, I hate standing there for days getting from 'smooth' up to finished!
@@kevinmorin7965 Glad it's working for you, but Id don't do enough slab work to justify it. And hoisting a 27 pound sander up on my bench isn't my idea of a good time. LOL. I have the GEM 11" sander and it's more trouble than it's worth.
The tracksaw is fully capable of giving you a perfect matching edge. You just have to have a good blade and run it down the middle so it shaves off a bit from both slabs. if you want a roll of the kickback dice, you could freehand it with a simple handsaw to match sone grains.
As someone that works extensively with industrial paints and coatings, i figured how bad can that conversion varnish be? I peeked at the SDS and wow! I bet that stuff smells like pure death.
Hey Keith, what kind of safety glasses do you use? I have been looking for some decent/comfortable safety glasses that will fit over my glasses and i feel like I'd have to order 1 of each because so many suck.
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworkingThat's awesome and I definitely need to look into that. Just that you took the time to read my question and respond is why you're one of my favorite people. Please don't change my friend and pet the kitties for me. My cats say hi BTW... I mean they don't but ya know... I make excuses for their indifference LOL!
OMG dude!! 😂 What is with that thing?!?!? And even more annoying is you can only turn it off with the panic button and not with unlock button. Serenity now!!
I’d rather cut my losses than do spec work and put in a bunch of labor into something that may never sell. Its’s a good idea for someone interested in taking that route, but it’s not for me.
I can`t say i understand your confusion as to what to do with those ambrosia maple slabs. The answer is "Anyting! Everything!"!! Is this client the only one that likes Ambrosia Maple? Can you not keep it in inventory with your other lumber? Will your usual inventory burst into flames if A.M touches it? Your problems are different from my problem lol I don`t get it. But yes, when dealing with that kind of money, you need some cash up front.
I have zero storage capacity for something like that. Zero. I’m in a 2 car garage shop. And I haven’t had a client ask for Ambrosia Maple in 20 years. So yes, they are the only one.
I’m wondering that (i never used i’m noob) if the shellac preventing the epoxy bonding to the wood fibers or there is not any kind of problems like this?
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking I mean the shellac bonds to the wood and the epoxy bonds to the shellac. Is it still a strong bond or weaker like glueing two painted thing. I guess on the shellac parts the epoxy bonds to the shellac not the wood fibers itself.
@@zoltan2728 I think the shellac is only meant to keep the (darkened), epoxy from embedding into the surrounding grain of the holes, not the holes themselves. Any errant shellac that gets into the holes, will not cause an issue with the epoxy.
That’s probably your best quality of video yet. Not your most interesting as you’ve built some way cooler stuff. But the pacing and storytelling seem like you’ve really put in the effort to improve. It just seems less robotic and more natural. That feels like a backhanded complement. Just trying to say keep up the good work
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking I'm near KY and TN and that area, but I guess I'm used to walnut at between 16 to 24$ a board foot - air dried / kiln dried boards. Building a table turns into a 2400 adventure (with top, apron, legs -and I go cheaper with oak or even pine for a frame because it would be even more). I want to do slab, never have but I hate plastic rivers. Most I do with epoxy is clear or maybe colored pours into knot holes. That's my contribution.
Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: www.masterworks.art/keithjohnson Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more . See important Masterworks disclosures: www.masterworks.com/cd
Just me here commenting for the sake of the algorithm hoping the ad revenue helps offset your poor decessions. Lol. Good luck KJ
😂 And it’s much appreciated, Joshua! 🙌🏻
I’ll second that. 😊
All hail the algorithm
C'mon youtube, give this man some much deserved credit already 😊
Another comment to feed the algorithm beastie.
And let all the ads to run through for 30s as well.
Finally! A woodworking video where no one complains about sanding! As a finish painter and piano refinisher, I love the tactile feel of bringing the surface down to a satin finish buy hand. I almost never use a machine to sand any of my projects. Bravo sir. By the way, you must give ECO-Steps waterborne finishes a try. They are phenomenal. I've been using them for years.
Thanks Kenneth! It's all in the prep work, right? It's definitely the most important part of the process, especially in your line of work. Cheers!
Few understand the joys of creating and destroying the happy feeling with the business side of the process. Excellent job Keith!
😂 It’s satisfying, rewarding and soul crushing all at once.
Such a bummer. I’m glad you were able to deliver and get paid. I know it stinks when you want to do a nice job for a client. That said, often when we like/love our clients we stay at the delivery too long, and then start answering questions that are going to keep us on the job even longer. Nothing worse than a client saying… I read on the internet….
Cutting your price stinks, but getting paid 🎉🎉🎉
Thanks Mike! Yeah, sometimes those quick deliveries turn into looooong deliveries. LOL.
Wow. Huge project. I would not attempt messing with something that big after breaking my bicep tenon 12 years ago on a much smaller bench top. Cool that shop connection you have, good guys to know. Final project looks great! Congrats !
Thanks Bob! Yeah, my bad back could not have handled these slabs on my own!
Nice work Keith..good to see you kept your sense of humor through such a challenging project.
Thanks Dennis. It’s not easy 😜😂
Holy Moly! That is a whole lotta work! You have some good friends! Awesome is not cheap, so you will bear this in mind when you quote on future commissions because at the end of the day, the outcome has to be "win win" for all! Take care.
Yes indeed! Thanks Juliet 🙌🏻
Hi Keith I really got a kick out of this video, the Joy of being young, fearless to take on any challenge ...lol. After I got my plumbers license in Orange County, NY, I started buying up some abandoned shells most were 3 or 4 family Historic Buildings in Newburgh NY. I was like a kid in a candy store, all these amazing old buildings that needed major surgery, but the ARC Board makes sure everything has to be done as it was it was built in 1890 or around there, it was hard to find the original Deeds or Architectural plans. I have always had a mechanical mind wanting to know how something tik's ...LOL
I think I restored around 7 or 8 buildings before I kinda retired, running a plumbing & heating business while GC'ing the Restoration of these old Victorian Painted Ladies in very time con summing. I don't have X-ray eyes so when I was just do the plumbing & heating in a total gut re-hab, well sometimes I took much of a haircut . Estimating a gut rehab on buildings that used anything like a piece of steel railroad bead, as a header would pop-up, and now the oxygen-acetele torch was was part of my loss time and profit.
But like yourself, my love of challenges was never a boring day, although it is tough on a marriage, in my case 2 of them. But honey I can't be home and make money at the same time, those are nerdy stock brokers.
What I enjoyed was always taking pictures from day one until completion, yes this Grand Lady has a new Life, thanks to many great sub-contractors and myself.
Whenever you find a job you enjoy doing, well you never really work a day at all, it's Fun !!!
Thanks Keith for sharing your knowledge and experience, we need more Craftsman in our Beautiful Country and not junk made in China, You get what you pay for in life, buying good tools will last many years
Thanks for sharing your story! There is so much gratification and reward in restoring old homes to their former glory. It is not for the faint of heart and takes tremendous patience, planning, a great team and hard work. Cheers to efforts!
Great work as always. Pro tip from your colleagues at TimberFire Studio - Get a Festool STL450 Inspection Light & Tripod to provide consistent raking light down the length of your boards. We've use it to light up to 14 feet end to end. Our buddy at Greenwood Bay Woodworking recommended it to us and it has been a game changer for both sanding and finishing. It's designed for drywall finishers but perfect for furniture. We suggested it to our Festool-sponsored influencer friend, Tommy Mullaney, (who you may know) and he absolutely loves it.
Great tip! I’ll look into it. Thanks for the info! 👊🏻
Awesome work. I had hypothesized to myself about the gloss coats with a satin coat; glad to hear it confirmed.
Right on! Depending on which finish you use, it can definitely make a big difference.
I don't ever stock ambrosia maple either, but sometimes i get some in the maple for other stuff, and I'll make some little do-dad out of it. I always end up liking it more than I thought I would.
I think on small pieces I would be able to tolerate it 😜. But on a large scale…it’s a bit much for me 😬😂
Looking good!
I tested my Lamello out as a replacement for clamps on a panel and it worked out really well. It was only 3/4" material though. you'd probably want to do two tenso's vertically for something as thick as that slab.
For a slab, the Tensos wouldn’t provide enough clamping pressure to bring each side together and get adequate glue squeeze out and a tight joint. They only have about 33 pounds of clamping pressure versus pipe clamps which have up to 1000 pounds 💪🏻😁
Beautiful, Keith! Fantastic work! 😃
Too bad you won't make the rest, I'd love to see it!
Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Yeah, I would have loved to make the table base, but it’s going to be some kind of metal structure. Thanks!
Thank you Keith, I found Willard Brothers because of this video. So much closer to me and I can have my gas pumped for me in NJ.
😂🤣 complimentary gas pump is what’s all about.
Hi Keith. Yeah, I'd say for this project get 90-100% of the money upfront. If half of your business was working with slabs, then maybe get 50% down payment. I always request 50% down before starting on a client project. Currently I'm dealing with a client who changed their mind on the design when I was 60% done. The change was significant and required me to start over. However, I did have a section in the contract talking about change requests. Personally, I don't do slab work.
All good tips! We all operate our businesses differently, but having failsafes in place are a must. Like I said, it was totally my fault for proceeding with the job without approval or a deposit.
Keith. Love the videos. I think we have all lost money building furniture but for us little guys, it’s devastating. Glad to see the pro’s sometimes have this happen as well although I wish it didn’t for you.
Hey Scott! Yeah, not every job is a winfall or even a decent money maker. Sometimes you have to cut your losses and try to make it up on the next one. Thanks for the comment!
We can never have foresight of every complication, but this video demonstrates your master recovery skills. Impressive.
Thank you so much! 🙏🏻
For not being a fan of the wood, you certainly made a great peoduct out od it! If you had to do it over again, would you just use a thinner shellac barrier or would you use a different product? I'm also kind of curious about the color/surface of the base they'll use. I would think anything other than a solid color and simple structure would take away from the ambrosia tops. Great video!
Thanks Michael! I would just dilute the shellac with more alcohol next time. However, I rarely use maple, so it’s possible it just reacted with the surface more than it does with walnut or white oak. But it was only sanded at 80 grit, so the pores were wide open and overly ready to receive the shellacky goodness. 😂
Can’t wait to hear the next podcast to find out what tool might of taken a trip across the shop when you found out the bad news. Sorry KJ, hoping if I ever take a client build (other than family and friends) I can learn from this
😂 This time was just a case of severe temporary depression 😜
Here is a trick for joining pieces.
Double stick tape the piece you want to joint to the bottom.
Space the top piece with another of the same thickness as the add on.
Use a saber saw and do NOT cut a straight line, more of a long squiggle, ramble type of cut.
Because the top and bottom are cut on the same line, they should match up quite well and because of the "show pattern" of the wood, the line will be almost invisible.
A straight cut, even with very matching grain will almost always show, because it is a straight cut.
A long squiggle line won't catch the eye as much as a very straight line.
Try it on a piece of scrape and see what you think. The scrap has 2 sides so straight cut on 1 and a squiggle cut on the other.
Cool technique! 👍🏻
I'm a software engineer. Hardware is not my art. That said, watching Keith build stuff with amazing commentary is a hobby of mine. Cheers!
Cheers! Thanks so much for watching 🙏😃
Beautiful work! Business can be tricky but education isnt cheap sometimes.
Very true! Hard business lessons aren’t taught in school 😜
Well done, great work
Client definitely didn't deserve it as they were not ready to pay full price.
I think you should show them ready project and then send them f far away for insulating you like that.
And the great table like that would sell itself on auction.
All the best 👍
Thanks mate! I appreciate it.
Props on the Seinfeld robot butcher and opera reference in the ad read😂
Much appreciated, Steven. Glad you got it 😉😁
Another beautiful build Keith you always deliver above and beyond to you clients. So sorry you got taken on the price
Thanks Jim! Another hard lesson learned 😜
Great video as always! I learned something new with CV gloss being added for clarity…but why add satin for the last coat? I use CV for my cabinets and yes it’s a terrible smell. Those 3M masks help a lot
Gloss make it look like a gymnasium floor - too glossy. 😜
At 2:17 I took of my headphones to see why my car alarm was going.
😂🤣 👏🏻
I learned a couple of tidbits on this one. Thanks as always, Keith!
Great to hear! Thanks Richard 👍🏻
That’s a BIG SEXY Ambrosia Maple Table!! I was worried that you wouldn’t get done on time without Jerry and Lola’s Supervision lol 🤣
😹😜 Maybe that's why I got it done faster than usual...🤔
Another great video Keith!
Sucks to lose money at any deal we do, but there's always a powerful lesson in those experiences. Had many of them myself. Also, just dropped you an email with some pics of a project you helped me with a few weeks ago. Let me know if you get it.
Very true! Definitely a bit of a gut punch when it hits you in the wallet, but like my old boss used to say…some are winners and some are losers 😂. And I’ll check my email. Thanks!
Nice job! You mentioned a signed work order, what all do you normally have on a work order for a commission project? I might have a large project coming up soon and was thinking about doing something like that
My estimates/quotes have all the requisite details for the job including materials, sizes, finishes, etc. It's basically a detailed description of what the client is purchasing. Hope this helps.
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking it does, thank you!
That turned out amazing! So with a countertop, how would you or I guess the customer deal with seasonal expansion? Assuming with a countertop that large it would tear apart the cabinets?
Screw along the back of the countertop and then elongate the screw holes at the front of the countertop to allow for movement.
Is ambrosia maple not a good/desirable wood? $1500 seems super cheap? Usually people are talking about singles slabs costing $3,000-$5,000+. And they're usually shorter.
Meh. Definitely not on my short list of desirable woods. Light woods just dont' have much character and maple itself is too vanilla.
It’s a trendy wood, very loosely, named for the holes and discoloration left behind by the ambrosia beetle. It’s not actually a species of maple. Most often this beetle is going to attack softer woods, and the result is most of the slabs you will see for sale are actually silver maple. Silver maple is often called a junk wood, but that’s a little mean. It’s gained popularity due to backyard sawmills being able to grab up these logs from tree companies who don’t find much value in them for firewood or for Milling. I can be a really pretty wood, and I like some of my recent encounters with the wood, as it was used for exposed framing, and looked great. However, with a hardness on the Janka scale of 700, (eastern white pine is 400, Walnut is 1050, and red oak 1200), silver maple is almost too soft to be a surface that takes every day use and abuse or to make a piece of furniture that will really stand the test of time. Sugar maple, sometimes called hard maple, clocks in on the hardness scale at 1400, about double silver maple and roughly the same as white oak. Durability is paramount in woodworking, and you’ll usually see wood prices reflect that, but of course, other factors such as figure and rarity can affect that. Silver maple without the ambrosia beetle marks is going to cost even less. It could be a great practice wood for that price, but beware, it’s softness means it’s prone to tear out and you’ll want to keep all your edges extremely sharp.
Just in case someone else hasn’t said it, those bug holes are the reason for the ambrosia look. Ambrosia beetles bore into the tree and introduce a fungus that helps them feed on the tree and causes those streaks. So whenever you get ambrosia maple, you will always see those holes. And they’re from beetles, not worms. 😊
👍
The more you know....thank you
Lol 10 y ago I built a corner cabinet with an agreed price of $800. I bought materials right away, client had a few changes. I think I made $5/hr on that build.
😂 i made more than that shagging carts at a grocery store in high school 😜
Seriously dude...im building a cherry bookcase right now that's really pushing my woodworking and workflow skills and a couple of times ive thought....how would keith from RUclips do this....i really did think that!
😂 I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing 🤔😜
Absolutely beautiful finished product!
Thank you so much! 🙌🏻
Is that clear epoxy you used for the bug holes? I’m currently working on a table with the same wood and I’m on the fence if I should just use black epoxy or clear.
This was clear. 👍
Well, the tabletop looks absolutely beautiful! Nicely done! #totalboatbaby
Thank you! The #totalboatBABY always comes in clutch! 😍
nice work as always...... can't wait for next project, cheers V!
Thanks very much! Cheers!
FYI. i have a 1ph wide belt. Seriously the best tool of all time. Worth the money.
Can’t really fit one in my garage shop 😂
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking Its a beast, but totally worth it. I have the 1ph time saver, 37". SOOOOOOO Worth the money. I've thought about downsizing and can never bring myself to sell it.
@@GearheadDaily
I've had an alert on bidspotter for 3y for a wide belt to come up
They're like unicorns.....probably because no one ever wants to get rid of one lol
@@scrotymcboogerballs6452 YEP! That should tell you something!
@Gearhead Daily my 12" jointer was a bear to find too, that one I had to wait a year for, they would pop up every now and then but essentially on the moon as far as location goes
I always tell everyone that those industrial auctions are excellent places to look for Bandsaws and Tablesaws, there are always some available, big planers are a little more rare, but still come up fairly often, shapers are next on the rarity list, large jointers 10"+ and shapers are rare af, and drum sanders in the 36-42" range are basically unicorns....You see some in the 20"s range and like 3 stage 30hp 3ph MONSTERS in the 50"+ range but that "Small Shop Sweetspot" in the mid 30s-low 40s are basically nonexistent or someone in Fiji is selling one lol.
If you are building out a shop at home and happen to come across one in that size range snap it up immediately, even if it's the first pc of equipment imo because it may be a long ass time before you see another one
Wow! Thanks for sharing this journey with us.
You bet! Thanks for watching 👍🏻
Another great build! The tensos could have come in handy for that edge patch👍
Good point! That definitely would have been a great way to clamp it in place 👍🏻
Looking good, man. I need to find me some friends like that here on the west coast :). I know you talked about trying different types of hardwax oil on the podcast, but did you try Rubio Natural? I’m considering something like that for a lighter wood piece I’m draining (probably not Maple though lol)
Rubio Natural is yellow and milky. Good on White Oak, but not maple, in my opinion. 👍🏻
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking Gotcha. I'll try to stick to white oak then lol
It is wonderful that your friends have shop space to work in with those massive slabs, however, the cats were sorely missed.
Indeed it is! The boys down at True Trade are the best! And the Jerry and Lola were definitely missed...they were very happy to be back in the shop this week. 😺😺
Woodworking jackery at 8:40
freshly sharpened, too 😜
I’ve never been as scared watching a RUclips video as when you were on top of that ladder sealing the crack, worrying it was going to slip out from underneath you
It was tough to see on on camera, but the jointer bed was very close and would have prevented that from happening 👍🏻
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking see, I knew you were smarter than you looked! 😅 (kidding)
@@danielrybin2006 😂
Hi Keith, I live near Paramus. Can you tell me a few lumber gourds you use? Same for Cabinet-grade Baltic Birch. Thanks, Steven
Garden State Lumber, Boards and Beams, ML Condon, Kuiken Bros.
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking Thank you, Keith. That was a great table you did for Woodpecker.
I see they are coming out with router bits. I was going to get a bit from Bits Bits but maybe the Woodpeker probably has some top stuff.
The only consistent source in NJ I've found for good Baltic Birch (besides Boards and Beams) is Opdykes in Milford (near Flemington).
@@boardsbybrent5521Thanks for the tip! I haven’t heard of them before. Mendham Plywood is another source 👍🏻
When cutting the live edges off to join them together couldn't you have angled the track more so the live edge you were keeping had a more consistent reveal?
On the conference table?
The ending was the best part. Lol.
You actually made it to the end?! That is impressive 😜. Thanks Matt! 👊
I been to Willard Brothers Woodcutters, and got some wood before.
Cool! 👍🏻
When you are going the two pieces bye using the jointer, isn’t it better to get them as close as possible and then the track saw down them as it would mirror the cut on either side?
I think there are few words missing in your question...I don't quite follow.
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking aha what I mean is where the two joints meet each other place the track on the meeting point of the two pieces, therefore the blade is cutting both pieces at the same time giving a mirror image on each piece. Then they will butt up perfect. Does that make more sense lol. Love your videos 👍
There’s a guy I watch that builds tables that’s how he joins big tables.
@@ashleewainwright7877 I'm just not a big fan of that method. The track saw is great, but I don't always trust it for a glue-ready edge. I have definitely done it that way, but I just prefer to use the jointer when possible. And thanks so much for the kind words!
Given the time to sand w tiny 5-6" ROS's compared to a larger diameter Surcare ROS, not sure why they aren't in wider use? Mine has last 20 years and is still a beast - worth the money in time saved for larger sized slab/panels.
Probably because it’s almost $2k and not common in the US
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking Yes it costs more but does 7x the work in the same time due to area. So in one hour of sanding you'd save 7 (6?) hours of labor- how long to pay for tool? Big cost but only a couple of festool's price and you're finishing at 7x the previous area/rate of finish. Seems worth it to me, I hate standing there for days getting from 'smooth' up to finished!
@@kevinmorin7965 Glad it's working for you, but Id don't do enough slab work to justify it. And hoisting a 27 pound sander up on my bench isn't my idea of a good time. LOL. I have the GEM 11" sander and it's more trouble than it's worth.
Those are some large pieces! I hope to be able to make things like that one day soon.
Definitely too big for one person! 😜🤣
Why has no-one invented a sanding “bit” for a small CNC yet?
Good question / idea!
Hmmmm…well, they do have robotic sanding arms, but adapting a CNC for sanding?? I like the way you think! 🙌🏻
I really like this Ambrosia Maple!
Lots of people do! 👍🏻
I think the solution to the Shellac problem would have been to dilute or reactivate the Shellac with alcohol first before scraping.
That’s definitely worth a try. Good idea. Thanks!
I’m sorry that I canceled my order.
I’ll just charge you double on the next one 💰
I love how you guys riff on each other. Great community!@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking
@@danc2207 Thanks Dan! We are all in this crazy content world together and need constant moral support, as well as having our chops busted 😂
The tracksaw is fully capable of giving you a perfect matching edge. You just have to have a good blade and run it down the middle so it shaves off a bit from both slabs. if you want a roll of the kickback dice, you could freehand it with a simple handsaw to match sone grains.
I am aware of a track saw’s abilities. Do what you’re comfortable with
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking I guess you tried it. What was your experience?
Keep up the good work!
Thank you! And thanks for watching!
As someone that works extensively with industrial paints and coatings, i figured how bad can that conversion varnish be? I peeked at the SDS and wow! I bet that stuff smells like pure death.
😂 It’s not environmentally friendly ☠️
I really enjoy your videos! Thank you for sharing your work :)
Thank so much! I'm so glad you like them. Thanks for watching!
Great stuff KJ 👏
Thanks Ian!
22 years into it and still find it awkward asking for money 🤷♂️
Is it even really a domino joiner without the patented hip thrust?
finished project looks amazing
😂🤣 Maybe that’s why they didn’t line up perfectly…
Nice build as usual Keith!
Thanks very much!
Wait, you mean to tell me sometimes you do make money selling furniture? I need to try that.
It’s not common and very underrated 😂
Hey if your close to Marlboro NJ I can flatten anything you need on our Slabmizer !
Thanks man! But my buds at True Trade are 15 mins away 👍🏻
Gotta keep those kitties fed..... Nice video.
Truth! They are very demanding 😹
Hey Keith, what kind of safety glasses do you use?
I have been looking for some decent/comfortable safety glasses that will fit over my glasses and i feel like I'd have to order 1 of each because so many suck.
I have prescription safety glasses from Zenni Optical
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworkingThat's awesome and I definitely need to look into that.
Just that you took the time to read my question and respond is why you're one of my favorite people. Please don't change my friend and pet the kitties for me. My cats say hi BTW... I mean they don't but ya know... I make excuses for their indifference LOL!
@@HyperactiveNeuron You're welcome! Thanks so much for watching - I greatly appreciate it! 👊🏻
Thanks for being you man. You're awesome. I love your content, personally and sense of humor. Love the cats too.
@@HyperactiveNeuron 🙏🏻🤙🏻😺
As an owner of a 2020 f150. All the mother flipping time with that panic button. 🤬🤬🤬🤬
OMG dude!! 😂 What is with that thing?!?!? And even more annoying is you can only turn it off with the panic button and not with unlock button. Serenity now!!
No good deed ever goes unpunished.
Sad, but true 😂
The "Piece De Resistance" is the being able to see what all that hard work produced. We didn't get to see the finished table at the end with the legs.
Neither did I. It’s still not made 😂
Table looks so smooth I’d sleep on it
😂 don’t wear your silk pajamas or you’ll slide right off!
You could have made a couple smaller tables and auctioned them or sold them on your website (assuming you have one)
I’d rather cut my losses than do spec work and put in a bunch of labor into something that may never sell. Its’s a good idea for someone interested in taking that route, but it’s not for me.
Very entertaining, I like your style 👌
Thanks Andy! I appreciate it. Cheers!
You can learn from Futurama, having issues with a client, jist give em the clamps!
My cartoon diet is reserved for Family Guy 😂
Beautiful ❤
Thanks Melissa!
Not sure that Ambrosia Maple isn't worth the $$$ it is very pretty, and I don't see it often.
There’s definitely a market for it…it’s just not me 😜😂
Doing my part 👌 shit happens, sawdust! Feel bad for you though 😅
Thanks! 👍🏻
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Keith, I like you.
🙏😃🙌
Every time you said 'Clamps', I thought of Futurama.
😂🤣
I can`t say i understand your confusion as to what to do with those ambrosia maple slabs. The answer is "Anyting! Everything!"!! Is this client the only one that likes Ambrosia Maple? Can you not keep it in inventory with your other lumber? Will your usual inventory burst into flames if A.M touches it? Your problems are different from my problem lol I don`t get it. But yes, when dealing with that kind of money, you need some cash up front.
I have zero storage capacity for something like that. Zero. I’m in a 2 car garage shop. And I haven’t had a client ask for Ambrosia Maple in 20 years. So yes, they are the only one.
I’m wondering that (i never used i’m noob) if the shellac preventing the epoxy bonding to the wood fibers or there is not any kind of problems like this?
Sorry, I don’t understand the question.
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking I mean the shellac bonds to the wood and the epoxy bonds to the shellac. Is it still a strong bond or weaker like glueing two painted thing. I guess on the shellac parts the epoxy bonds to the shellac not the wood fibers itself.
@@zoltan2728 I think the shellac is only meant to keep the (darkened), epoxy from embedding into the surrounding grain of the holes, not the holes themselves. Any errant shellac that gets into the holes, will not cause an issue with the epoxy.
Why that specific finish and not a hard wax finish?
Client requested it to be as bombproof as possible, and conversion varnish delivers
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking - thank you. I have a lot to learn about different finishes and appreciate the reply.
Nice!
Thanks a lot! 👍🏻
Keith I see the source of your problem! No Shaper Origin in this build.......
😂 I knew there was something missing…
Thanks
👍🏻
Who's the client? A.G. Pennypacker will give them the sale of a century.
😂🤣 Get out the pricing gun!
A true industrialist! 🙃
That’s probably your best quality of video yet. Not your most interesting as you’ve built some way cooler stuff. But the pacing and storytelling seem like you’ve really put in the effort to improve. It just seems less robotic and more natural.
That feels like a backhanded complement. Just trying to say keep up the good work
All good! Thanks for the feedback, Rhett. I do appreciate it 👊🏻
Willard Brothers is the best.
No doubt about it! 💪🏻
I really enjoy the sanding process. I know…I’m weird, but it sounds like u r too. 🤣🤣
😂 It can be relaxing sometimes…and it also signifies the end of the project is near 😜
Maybe Keith can release a 10 hour sanding video 😂
@@heywazup99 LOL. I'll put that on my ASMR channel!
@@heywazup99 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I like it
The real question is how much muscle you gained from lifting those 300 lbs tops 💪
You won’t even recognize me the next time you see me 💪🏻😂
What did the title have to do with the video?
Everything.
What a waste of an ending. I’m subscribing.
You made it to the end?! You must have been taking a long poop 😂
No Jerry, no Lola...UNSUBSCRIBED!😛
😹 They were not happy with 2 weeks of no shop time either!
1500$? Wow that’s good deal.
Well, it’s maple and it’s the East coast 😜
@@KeithJohnsonCustomWoodworking I'm near KY and TN and that area, but I guess I'm used to walnut at between 16 to 24$ a board foot - air dried / kiln dried boards. Building a table turns into a 2400 adventure (with top, apron, legs -and I go cheaper with oak or even pine for a frame because it would be even more).
I want to do slab, never have but I hate plastic rivers. Most I do with epoxy is clear or maybe colored pours into knot holes. That's my contribution.
Hardworker.
Thanks!
Just a comment for the algorhythm.
The algorithm is a myth 😜😂