Definitely nailed it when talking about the priority of an assembly table. I can't even count how many Tylenol it took me to learn that assembling projects on the floor was killing me.
As someone with decent experience, this is THE channel to watch for beginners to pro. Even with lots of experience, it’s good to come back to someone with so much basic common sense
Really good advice. I am 57 and about seven years into woodworking. Would not have happened without RUclips. Pretty sure most folks have looked at a finished project and said to themselves “ if I did this again I would do it ________ differently”. The process and the learning are what, to me anyways, makes this craft so interesting and enjoyable. Loved the tip with the oversized screw hole to account for wood movement. That one was new to me.
Yeah, that's one of the things I remember most when first watching the RUclips pros. Everything they did seemed flawless, because they would cover their mistakes. Only when I started watching this channel, and Mike Farrington, did I begin to realize that one of the most important skills of woodworking, is correcting your mistakes. No project will be perfect, but how you recover from a bad cut or drilling, separates the pros from people like myself ;)
On the other hand, I wish I had started with a combination hand saw, a #4 hand plane, and two chisels. I think the difference is product vs process mindset. Both are perfectly legit, and it's far from binary, but the human tendency online for self isolating subcommunities makes this concept difficult to find.
Love your approach to woodworking. I'm new/old to woodworking as a hobby (started some 30 years ago, raised 4 kids, restarted 2 years ago) and RUclips has vastly changed my learning curve. I used to buy magazines that kind of explained what I was trying to make and then I'd figure out, and screw up the rest. Your statement about good woodworkers being obsessed with making jigs hit home. Now at 65 years old, I purchased some quality tools, 36" 3hp SawStop vs. Craftsman Construction Saw, but still have my old 8" Delta Jointer and 12" Delta planer (looking to upgrade jointer to a helical head, and probably buy a new planer, old one only 1 speed still works), and my trusty drill press and 5 year old Hercules Miter saw. Got the SawStop because I'm teaching my grandkids how to woodwork so I don't want/need any unplanned missing fingers. There are enough hazards around the shop, so eliminating one help me with my sanity. Your comment about destroying a project in 2 hrs by not putting on a finish properly also hit home, alone with sanding before assembly. I purchased a 3M 6" sander (my arthritic hands thank me) which I love, and it's completely changed my attitude on sanding, I actually enjoy it now ... some what 🙂. BTW, I convinced my wife (of 39 years) to watch the video you did on finishes. I'm making a built in pantry (two base cabinets and 5 shelves) for her with hard maple. We got the maple from a tree my son cut down. I had it cut and kiln dried, we got 587 board feet out of it so plenty of maple to work with. Also got 327 bd feet from a hickory tree my neighbor gave us. Sorry, I digress (I was thinking about your comments on buying boards). Well, she opted for the clear hard wax finish. Easiest by far finish I've ever applied. Thanks for showing her all the options and helping me with finishing this project. As for pocket screws, I just purchased a Kreg 720 pocket hole machine (haven't used it yet), for my upcoming build of a bookcase, more cabinets and a desk for her sewing room. Now if I can get my sore back to cooperate maybe I'll get all these done without killing myself. Love your channel!!!
Having gone through this over the past 2 to 3 years, I 100% agree with your points. I'd also add 2 more that I think are important. 1) when you do make the step up to "fixed" tools like a table / miter saw, it's worth investing in a digital calibration set like what Rockler offers and learn to properly calibrate them! It makes a world of difference when the tools are set as good as they can be, not just for quality cuts, but also peace of mind and knowing that if there's a mistake it's a user-error issue that can be fixed through practice and learning. 2) If wanting to use oil based finishes, understanding how to safely dispose of rags!! Since my shop is in my garage, I pretty much only use water based stuff for now to avoid self combusting rags due to user-error. Thanks for all the great info and encouragement!
Buying tools as you need them is indeed one of the key tips for a beginner, along with purchasing used tools. Your point about the Festool and DeWalt routers doing the same job is also on point. Nice build!
I love that last bit… during a project I was working on (and felt like I was failing, badly) a buddy of mine grabbed me by the shoulders, looked me dead in the eyes, and said “ALWAYS remember this… TAN. This Ain’t NASA. This doesn’t need to go to outer space. This isn’t life or death. It can be imperfect and still be great.” I carry this with me, always.
I love it. I'm adding that to my arsenal, including "KISS" for Keep It Simple, Stupid. I'll KISS TAN, now I just need to find a woman who enjoys simple woodworking and a good tan lol. I usually take a quick look at people's channels I comment on, and I hope your shoulder is doing better all these years later. My dad's shoulder is messed up pretty bad right now but he can't afford getting it looked at.
One of the common beginner mistakes when they make things for others is the tendency to point out the mistakes. Trust me, unless they are as experienced as you they won't see them. Keep your mouth closed or just say thank you.
@@a9ball1 Good advice. I'm quite guilty of that - pointing out my mistakes. Most people who look at your work aren't searching for mistakes; they're probably genuinely impressed that you made something.
In a similar vein, I'll say something like, "It's not brain science... or rocket surgery." Same sentiment, but helps those paying attention self-identify.
12:15 I really like the way that profiled edge looks with a round over on top and chamfer on bottom. It’s like a simple molding. Clean. Effective. Nice.
Pre-sanding batches of like pieces long before assembly… game changer. I’ve actually grown to enjoy sanding with this increase-the-surface-area efficiency. Great tips! Thank you as always.
Add on to this: I got sucked into the "Only General Finishes Arrn-R-Seal is a good poly". HOGWASH! I started w/ Minwax Poly, using it as a wipe-on, but then I listened to "them" and I spent a LOT of money on those $28 to $40 quarts of the General Finishes stuff...and it MAY be better, but I sure couldn't see it when I compared it to MinWax poly ($15), thinned down to a wipe-on poly. And That is another part of the expense: Arm-R-Seal is "already thinned"...so it actually is twice the price to begin with!
Hi John, That was one of the best woodworking videos I have ever watched. All the lessons I learned the hard way you learned and ,more importantly, teach here. Bravo. Cheers, Keith
Excellent video! FWIW, I've made items I like very much that have a round-over made by sanding. My sanding block is an 8" piece of old-growth 2x4 that had been thrown out (side of the street) with a strip of sandpaper wrapped lengthwise around it. Hand-sanded round-overs don't have that factory-made look one can get with a router, but they can look very nice with careful sanding. I maybe even prefer the handmade look. I recently did spring for a router and bits but haven't used it yet -- still making round-overs by hand-sanding
3:39 OMG this inverse table saw jig is so cool! 🔥 I'll definitely get your guys' course when I start my tiny house project, I love all three of you for different reasons, I'm so glad you collaborated and I'm sure the end result is extremely high value ❤
I needed this video! I'm building a desk for the first time and I'm obsessing with perfect cuts and measurements. This was a great reminder that I won't achieve perfection but will still probably build something pretty cool. Thanks!
Excellent video with awesome messaging. Really enjoyed your take on beginner woodworking and think you hit some excellent points. Everyone would benefit from seeing this!👍👍👍
John, you couldn't be more right about the smaller dogs. I also always had bigger dogs, labs in particular. Then about 14 years ago decided to "kill some time" at a local animal shelter because I was early for a meeting in the area... Left with a 20 pound Schnauzer Poodle mix... she doesnt shed, she doesnt eat a ton, she doesnt tear up my yard and she is a great shop and truck dog along with the 3 others we have had over the years. Fast forward to today, I still am a General Contractor but my wife and I own Dog Resorts now because of this one rescued dog. She never did well at our local resort so we said we can do it better, and we did.
For me, when I started I found 3 content providers that I trusted on the Tube. Steve Ramsey, Jay Bates and Matt Cremona (when Jay and Matt were actually building things) and watched and watched their videos. Then as the skills provided, I ventured to someone like Rob Cosman. I will never be that good but after all isn't woodworking about being within 1/4". Everything you say here is true, just get going! !! !!!
What is the accordion structure you have for your panel clamps? Was this a prior project? I struggle with holding and spacing clamps for panel glue ups and this looks like a great solution. Thanks.
I'm a noob at woodworking and I only have a circular saw, drill, Kreg crosscut station and kreg rip cut. This video was very informative and inspiring thank you. The thing about buying vs making it yourself has come across my mind like you said but to me it's about learning to build it. I'm from Southern California so I don't know if that's the reason why but lumber seems to be vary expensive at my local lumber yard and don't mean walnut or cherry type wood. A 2x10x12 yellow pine was going for $105.
I like your style of making videos and would love to see more on actually building stuff. One sentence in your video is quite true: you do not build cheaper than carpenter, but you build to your likings. I started with furnitures for my son's room. Carpenter asked for approx. 40k€ (approx. 50k US-$), so I decided to buy wood for 5k€ and the tools. Now, I invested more than 50k€ in tools, it is real fun, and I build multiple capinets, tables, desks, etc. for my home. Unfortunately, I am in Germany and not allowed to sell furnitures, since I have no masters degree in carpentry. But never mind, it is a great hobby and gives you some good time to relax.
I cut extra pieces when making raised panel cabinet doors. I ended up using 3 of the 4 "extra" pieces. Great piece of advice. Beats having to duplicate the setup. I've also found that very few people notice mistakes unless I point them out.
Speaking of shop managers, my 1st ever woodshop build is still in progress. I commandeered my father's 24' x 24' detached garage/dog kennel for my shop. Due to physical issues, he no longer used it so yeah me. I say dog kennel because outside is a dog run 6x24 fenced in for his hunting dogs over the years. Basically a concrete slab building 24 x 30 with a matching roof for a high-end dog run. It comes complete with a large 4x5 foot interior insulated and cedar chip mulch bed dog box inside the main building. Nice and cozy. Now that I have taken over I added a Mini Split and installed a dog door inside so the 12-year-old Black lab has full run of the shop inside and out and now refuses to sleep in his box. I mean why not. Its 70 degrees year round. The problem is dog hair it's everywhere. He also gets lonely (its 1.5 hrs 1 way for me) so when I'm around he wants to be under foot. He also loves belly rubs, a lot, and looks like a cookie rolled in sugar with floor dust. So it's a work in progress. I don't think Im going to get him to wear ear, eye, and dust mask so we have issues. *** Also he's a cookie monster and knows that word better than any other. He also knows they are kept in the refrigerator in the shop which is where he naps in front of. Sometimes he's allowed to retrieve his own ***
I have been interested in wood working for years, But I couldn't get "traditional" Joinery right/correct. so, I would give up just to try again sometime in the future, and again give up. Then I found pocket hole jigs, game changer I made heaps of stuff. Then gave up again because I couldn't cut strait and I would buy precut/cut to order from the store , that felt like i was just assembling not making. Plus it was expensive. Then in 2021 I was given a miter saw for fathers day, out came the pocket jig (a cheap rip off) and I was away again. I upgraded the jig to a Kreg again game changer. I bought more tools (cheap one's) and then bought a decent table saw. Last year I went back to school (at 57 I'm not the youngest in the class) and I'm now learning hand tools and joinery. I am now replacing my cheap tools with decent ones. My point I guess is don't diss any tool that get's you into a hobby or path that you enjoy.
Guy's a great source of information. Just like playing music, it never hurts to go back over the basics now and then, even if you're a pro. Just finished building my shop and these tips are just what I need to freshen up on what I thought I knew about building the finer things 👍
A professor liked to tell us that "perfection is the enemy of good enough." Some of the best advice I ever heard. Aim for perfect, but don't get yourself down over the little mistakes. They just create character.
I’m a beginner, taking my time with my first project since I just have a plastic picnic bench, some cheap sawhorses, and a whole lot of mdf spacers to try and keep things level lol. Basic circular saw, router, sander, drill. Making a corner shelf from some plans I bought online out of cherry. It’s a lot of time measuring, and some screw ups/redos, but it’s not impossible. I did make the simple zero tolerance edge guide for this project and it’s been a big help.
I’m not a novice but not an expert. I know enough to know I don’t know much. One thing that dawned on me a few years ago is how much you can do with a circular saw. The game changer for me was being able to breakdown 4x8 into straight accurate cuts with little waste. Circular saw jigs a BIG help. The new course looks awesome!
Jon, great video...I think this is one i will watch again because i am sure i missed some things by finding myself being one of those guys!! Happy New Years!
John, I often watch your content even though I'm well past the 'beginner' stages. I agree with all your points here... except the 'cheaper to make it' idea. You've got business smarts so you know that each project will decrement the cost per project of say, your table saw. If you stick with woodworking, you'll make very high quality stuff for far less than you'd pay in a store or commission. And I don't even think stuff like Ashley Furniture should be used to compare - it's freaking generica. I get exactly what I want, every time, and will last longer than AF generic stuff that everyone else has. Plus, I get to do woodworking. Other random comments: - Wow, you're really accumulating some serious trolls here since last I checked - makes me LOL - You can absolutely refurbish that router with new brushes - Thanks to you, Chris and Shaun for carrying on where Steve Ramsey left off
Nice video encouraging folks to make things! One advice you should mention, get affordable tools but immediately upgrade the blades, router bits and sand paper (consumables) as they make much bigger difference in quality than tools.
What an amazing video! ❤❤❤ As an experienced woodworker with all the tools, this is something the average Joe could learn from greatly. Great job, watched the whole thing and can completely relate to making do with minimal amount of tools. Perfect!❤️❤️❤️
Maybe that outs me as a beginner, but I love my water-based brush-on clear poly paint meant for stairs and hardwood floors. 2 coats with sanding in between is usually enough. It's super hard and gives my construction lumber furniture a slightly more luxurious feel.
I'd get a soft hardwood starting out. I started out doing a red oak project long ago and quickly found out how inadequate my cheaper tools were in working it. By the end of the project I was cursing my choice in wood as I had only used pine before. Think some tools broke too. 😂
I bought cheaper tools too, some are good and some, like a table saw need a higher quality one. I started with ryobi table saw and upgraded to dewalt which I recommend for a beginner one. I also upgraded to festool sander because of the vibration and turns out the sanding was faster and higher quality. I still use my other 2 sanders when needed. My other tools are all ryobi with the exception of my routers. I have a skill and dewalt compact.
Excellent advice, there is not one thing that you said that l could find myself disagreeing with. I only wish; that l saw something like this many years ago. I have to admit though; l’ve been a “home woodworker” for many years now, and l still manage to make some sort of cock up on a pretty regular basis. Perhaps that’s where my lack of planning comes in? Have a great New Year ❤🇦🇺
Once I accepted the fact that I will make mistakes and that nothing I make will ever be perfect, it allowed me to enjoy the hobby more and accept mistakes as learning the craft better. It went from being constantly worried about making mistakes to just enjoying myself in the process. It made a huge difference.
Excellent video - funny and informative at the same time. Some of the best advice on youtube I've ever seen. Also, really nice looking table design. Looking back, the first piece of furniture I ever made was an ottoman with a nice puffy stuffed top. It was made from 2x4's with only a 3/8" drive hand drill and a handsaw. Oh, and some sandpaper and a tape measure. I now have a whole shop full of tools, some of which I don't really need and should never have bought. With all that I've never made anything I'm more proud of than that damn ottoman.
There are certainly times you can save money building it yourself, but when I got into woodworking it was because we wanted custom pieces that fit in specific areas and the box stores only sell generic sizes. The other nice thing is you can add any features you would like. If a generic piece will work, we usually buy it over building it, unless I have the time and am just looking for the enjoyment of working out in the shop. Pocket holes are usually my go to if they will be out of sight. Occasionally I will use them in seen areas but use plugs to hide them but usually I turn to glue and pins for a better look and speed of not using clamps.
So much of this applies to any hobby where you create items--e.g. garment sewing or leatherworking (latter is my business, sewing & wood is for stuff I want). You have ro enjoy the process & material--when i started it was PBS & internet still military secret--so ratio of really good info was higher than on yT now... New tools are always fun to admire, but get the best you can afford when needed... And practice the fundamentals. I also golfed... No matter the tool/hobby, it is always the squishy organic part that determines the outcome.
While I agree that glue is perfectly adequate to hold the legs to the table, a couple dowels drilled through at each of those joints would have looked very nice! This was a really great video. Solid advice.
I consider myself a reasonably advanced intermediate woodworker, but I still find this video great and very helpful. I think this might have been one of your best in recent memory.
I have been a wood finisher for over 35 years. I totally agree about the staining. If you MUST stain wood NEVER apply the stain directly to the wood. Especially if it’s something like pine or a lighter wood that you would prefer to be a darker tone. The only way to do it and have it not get blotchy is to mix your stain with either polyurethane or lacquer and spray it on and build up the darkness you want the results will amaze you and it’s super easy to do. But you do need the space to spray obviously. Otherwise, I totally agree. Use the tone of wood that matches the tone you’re looking for. But if you can’t do that, you can stain it without putting stain directly on the wood as I described above. Another thing to keep in mind about staining wood is that the smoother you sand, the bear wood the less the stain will penetrate in clear areas, but the more it will penetrate in Natier rougher woodgrain areas. If you absolutely must apply stain directly to the wood make sure you sand it only to 100 grit so the whole surface is equally rough. Then when you stain it, the stain will take more evenly across all of the wood. With a little practice, you can actually make it look quite good. Another good practice is to thin down. You’re staying 25 to 50% with mineral spirits and then wipe it on wipe it off. Let it dry if it needs more wipe it on wipe it off again, but remember to make sure you have not sand it to a super fine 400 grit smooth surface. I’m sure this is obvious enough, but I also would add. Make sure you always sand with the grain and never in a circular motion. Any slight swirl. Mark will show up horribly in the staining if you’re applying it directly to the wood not so much if you’re spraying on polyurethane or lacquer that has stain mixed in with it. But definitely if you’re wiping it on.
Totally agree! I am always asked for stained furniture. When staining pine or other notably splotchy wood, I take ready to use shellac and dilute 50% with denatured alcohol. After sanding to 120 grit, I apply the diluted shellac brush it on liberally so it can soak in. The alcohol evaporating may cause the surface temp to drop a little, so once the surface has warmed back up to room temp, I know the shellac has dried. I then sand again with 120 grit and stain. Here's another tip: If your are planning to stain your project, be very mindful of glue drips on your exposed surfaces, especially if you will be using a dark stain. Most glues will prevent the wood from accepting stain causing a bare spot. Gorilla white wood glue seems better than Titebond in this regard. But when I do get a glue drip, I used to use a wet rag to wipe it off. Instead, I will put a piece of tape next to it to remind me it's there and let it dry. Once dry I will use a chisel or scraper to scrape the glue spot being careful not to create a divot that will be visible in the light reflection of the finish. But sometimes I don't see it before it's time to stain. When that happens, I will fix it immediately instead of waiting for the stain to dry. First, sand or scrape the glue out and repeat the sanding process on the spot and a couple of inches around it remembering to use a larger radius with each grit, then re-stain the whole area before the original stain has dried. If you catch it before the stain dries, you won't even know it was there, but if not, you will see it. Alternatively, you can leave it and use an artists brush and disguise the spot by dabbing it with a 50/50 mixture of stain/finish during the finishing process. This is very hard to hide so I try to avoid this option.
Like @tavarish says, “Wrench every day”. Similar with woodworking - get out there and work on something often enough and it will build your skills; once you have the skills, that tinkering will help refine them. Great video, Jon!
One of the things I think that gets newcomers is the image of "you need this tool to do this job." You talked a bit about this, using a golf reference. Yet even in golf, there is the same "if you only had this graphite shafted scientifically designed driver, you too could drive like Tiger" and "if you only had this scientifically balanced putter, you could putt like Nicholas" mantra going on. I can't count the number of times someone on RUclips has said "You don't need a Domino to do mortise and tenon joints but that's what I'm going to use." I'd say to those RUclipsr's if you aren't going to show an alterntive, then why mention it? They're just making it seem to a beginner that they need the Domino. For me personally, I know the different ways, including by hand with a mortise chisel and don't own a Domino, but someone just starting out is looking for the tool that means they jump from beginner to Norm Abram without the step in between. I think that's where so many RUclips's miss the mark, so I was glad to see you making cuts with an old circ saw.
Water based, or hybrid* oil varnish meant for floors if you like getting done within a day with a very resilient finish! Or lacquer (brush on) or shellac for speed and ease. For blocking resin and knots (and before staining?), Apply Zinsser BIN shellac base (solvent is alcohol, ideally ethyl or isopropyl) it is heavily pigmented white and EVERYTHING sticks to it and it sticks to everything. You lose the natural color but gain sealed grain and it is a high performance primer. *(Hybrid = oil base in a water emulsion, cleans up like water base, dries faster than oil and is likely as durable as oil, will also likely yellow)
2:18 You can also use stair gauges which you can find for under 8 bucks at Lowe's paired with a framing square if you don't wanna build the jig. Also, you don't really need an impact driver or cordless tools. You can use a corded circ saw and a corded drill(variable speed trigger for precise/cautious drilling).
Another thing to mention...a sharp blade is more important then an expensive tool. If you hit a nail with a circular saw blade and continue to use it to frame a house no big deal. If you try and use that blade woodworking, your cuts are going to have a lot of tare out with rough end grain, which will require a lot more sanding.
You have a schnauzer! My last dog was a schnauzer wonderful breed. Nice table, and I’ve made all the mistakes you mentioned except getting bogged down with traditional joinery. I’m a big fan of Peter Millard at 10 Minute Workshop and he convinced me that, because of the resale value, I could ‘afford’ a domino. Best investment I have made so far.
Great job on this video. I can appreciate the extra effort you go to to actually use the basic tools for this demonstration. that being said - what is your scissor jig that has the parallel clamps attached at 9:58? And where does one get that?! I so need one!
Brushes for the router are easy to replace. They wear, so if there is less than 1/4” of carbon at the end of the spring, head to a good hardware store like an Ace with your old brushes (or the entire router). The fit doesn’t have to be perfect for it to work, and they are pretty cheap.
New woodworker here. I'd like to have room in my basement shop for a workbench, but I did make room for a 4'X8' assembly table (on casters) and a mitre saw workstation up against a wall. I can't imagine not having a flat surface on which to assemble components, let alone the final product.
Prayers are in order for you my friend, let us know where the nearest dump site is so we can go find you. Nice project, easily explained for the lame duck woodworker here...✋
If the dewalt has used brushes you should be able to easily check it, most tools have accsible brushes from the outside, so you dont have to disassemble the whole tool, I dont have a dewalt, but my guess would be that if you undo the top cover you will see them.
I think the best part of making your own is that you can make it whatever size and shape you want. Are you tired of cabinets being too high or too low. When you make them yourself you can make them 24 inches high or 40 inches high. Whatever you want. I find that is usually the number one reason why I made it instead of buying it.
I would argue that it still is about saving money, but not against the cheapest Swedish furniture, instead it’s a (relatively) cost effective way to get high end furniture that will last a lifetime
I think once you get a shop up and running, yes, that is a reasonable expectation. Think about the missus asking for a new closet, and you're staring at your garage full off tools (that youve bought over the years) + 400$ in wood vs a 12k quote from a local contractor.
Mention was made about 'order of operation'. If I have learned anything in my 35+yrs of sawdust manufacturing, it is order if operation. I took a job, early on in my journey, to set up and operate a frame shop. Think cabinet door, minus the panel. I was tasked with designing, prototyping, and mass producing a product the employer has been buying out. I was tasked with developing a process so simple that a person off the street could be fully functional within the first day. Order of operation was the key. Every project benefits from the minutes...maybe hours...you spend on order if operation.
Tool complainers are some of the most annoying. You have to have SOME tools. If you are someone who thinks everything is super expensive? You haven’t learned anything about tools or how to work the used market. If you see a domino and want to complain? You can generally do all of what they do with dowels. It’s just slower and more tedious. Which is the whole reason the domino exists. To reduce friction/build time for builders. If you don’t have any of the tools and you’re in the comments complaining about what you don’t have? You probably can’t build what the person is building even if you suddenly had everything. You’d probably be more likely to cut your fingers off.
Good video. It was short enough you could have built the homemade track saw jig to show the beginners how simple it is to build. If they are starting with no experience it could have been useful.
The way that old dewalt sounded. I would say the brushes are bad. I can say I started out with that same router from my dad. I put 5 sets of brushes in it, before the motor finally just got so bad it would not run anymore. And to give a good age my dad had it for about 5 years and I had it for around 6
No hardwood is cheap where I'm from. The reason I got into woodworking was to save money; so I bought pine. The other reason was to build stronger furniture that was the exact size I needed. My old projects don't look the best, but they're functional and cheap. If I spent back then what I spend today on hardwood, I never would have started this.
I'm making a 48"x24" waterfall coffee table and two waterfall end tables from select 8/4 white oak. I have about $2500 into the wood and I'm sure I can buy a set for less but it won't be nearly the quality of 1.75" thick solid white oak that this build will yield. Just a tip for those buying hardwood off Marketplace. If the seller can't prove the wood has been kiln dried, don't buy and buy a good quality moisture meter designed to read the wood species you want. Lignomat are good meters. My WO was cheap ($2.20 BF) but I had to take it to be kiln dried and that's only cheap if you bring 12' lengths and a like 1000 BF. Otherwise, the lumber needs to be stacked with other people's wood with stickers all lined up in the pile and the cost for smaller pieces doesn't save much, if any. All in, I paid around $10/BF when I could have bought kiln dried of equal quality for $10.50/BF.
Probably not. You might be able to find used furniture slightly cheaper but unlikely to find solid wood new for cheaper. The coffee table alone would likely cost $1200 new.
"Accept that you will make what feels like catastrophic mistakes..." As an older human, I have learned more through failure than I ever did in school. Experience is the teacher; wisdom the result.
Well, when I started out. I knew when my dad would be at work so I planned my shop time around his work time. We didn’t get along but he respected I had the balls to use his tools without asking. Good working relationship. Couple close calls. Drove my mom crazy. I finally started getting my own tools. Didn’t realize that since dad owned the roof, he owned what was under it to.
The Best Beginner Woodworking Course...Period Sign Up - www.bestbeginnerwoodworking.com/
Awesome video for new or seasoned! Where can I find the plans for this table? I love it! I went to your plans link above but nothing there. Thanks!!
Definitely nailed it when talking about the priority of an assembly table. I can't even count how many Tylenol it took me to learn that assembling projects on the floor was killing me.
As someone with decent experience, this is THE channel to watch for beginners to pro. Even with lots of experience, it’s good to come back to someone with so much basic common sense
Really good advice. I am 57 and about seven years into woodworking. Would not have happened without RUclips. Pretty sure most folks have looked at a finished project and said to themselves “ if I did this again I would do it ________ differently”. The process and the learning are what, to me anyways, makes this craft so interesting and enjoyable. Loved the tip with the oversized screw hole to account for wood movement. That one was new to me.
Glad it helped!
Yeah, that's one of the things I remember most when first watching the RUclips pros. Everything they did seemed flawless, because they would cover their mistakes. Only when I started watching this channel, and Mike Farrington, did I begin to realize that one of the most important skills of woodworking, is correcting your mistakes. No project will be perfect, but how you recover from a bad cut or drilling, separates the pros from people like myself ;)
Definitely needed to hear this today. Been beating myself up about foolish mistakes in wood joinery. No one’s perfect. Thanks for the vid.
On the other hand, I wish I had started with a combination hand saw, a #4 hand plane, and two chisels. I think the difference is product vs process mindset. Both are perfectly legit, and it's far from binary, but the human tendency online for self isolating subcommunities makes this concept difficult to find.
Dang look at those drawrbinets
Love your approach to woodworking. I'm new/old to woodworking as a hobby (started some 30 years ago, raised 4 kids, restarted 2 years ago) and RUclips has vastly changed my learning curve. I used to buy magazines that kind of explained what I was trying to make and then I'd figure out, and screw up the rest. Your statement about good woodworkers being obsessed with making jigs hit home. Now at 65 years old, I purchased some quality tools, 36" 3hp SawStop vs. Craftsman Construction Saw, but still have my old 8" Delta Jointer and 12" Delta planer (looking to upgrade jointer to a helical head, and probably buy a new planer, old one only 1 speed still works), and my trusty drill press and 5 year old Hercules Miter saw. Got the SawStop because I'm teaching my grandkids how to woodwork so I don't want/need any unplanned missing fingers. There are enough hazards around the shop, so eliminating one help me with my sanity. Your comment about destroying a project in 2 hrs by not putting on a finish properly also hit home, alone with sanding before assembly. I purchased a 3M 6" sander (my arthritic hands thank me) which I love, and it's completely changed my attitude on sanding, I actually enjoy it now ... some what 🙂.
BTW, I convinced my wife (of 39 years) to watch the video you did on finishes. I'm making a built in pantry (two base cabinets and 5 shelves) for her with hard maple. We got the maple from a tree my son cut down. I had it cut and kiln dried, we got 587 board feet out of it so plenty of maple to work with. Also got 327 bd feet from a hickory tree my neighbor gave us. Sorry, I digress (I was thinking about your comments on buying boards). Well, she opted for the clear hard wax finish. Easiest by far finish I've ever applied. Thanks for showing her all the options and helping me with finishing this project. As for pocket screws, I just purchased a Kreg 720 pocket hole machine (haven't used it yet), for my upcoming build of a bookcase, more cabinets and a desk for her sewing room. Now if I can get my sore back to cooperate maybe I'll get all these done without killing myself. Love your channel!!!
Having gone through this over the past 2 to 3 years, I 100% agree with your points. I'd also add 2 more that I think are important. 1) when you do make the step up to "fixed" tools like a table / miter saw, it's worth investing in a digital calibration set like what Rockler offers and learn to properly calibrate them! It makes a world of difference when the tools are set as good as they can be, not just for quality cuts, but also peace of mind and knowing that if there's a mistake it's a user-error issue that can be fixed through practice and learning. 2) If wanting to use oil based finishes, understanding how to safely dispose of rags!! Since my shop is in my garage, I pretty much only use water based stuff for now to avoid self combusting rags due to user-error.
Thanks for all the great info and encouragement!
Buying tools as you need them is indeed one of the key tips for a beginner, along with purchasing used tools. Your point about the Festool and DeWalt routers doing the same job is also on point. Nice build!
Dude that new miter saw station looks so damn cool as a backdrop and the upper cabinet drawer idea is genius. 💪🏾💯
Thanks! I’m really liking it so far
I love that last bit… during a project I was working on (and felt like I was failing, badly) a buddy of mine grabbed me by the shoulders, looked me dead in the eyes, and said “ALWAYS remember this… TAN. This Ain’t NASA. This doesn’t need to go to outer space. This isn’t life or death. It can be imperfect and still be great.” I carry this with me, always.
I love it. I'm adding that to my arsenal, including "KISS" for Keep It Simple, Stupid. I'll KISS TAN, now I just need to find a woman who enjoys simple woodworking and a good tan lol.
I usually take a quick look at people's channels I comment on, and I hope your shoulder is doing better all these years later. My dad's shoulder is messed up pretty bad right now but he can't afford getting it looked at.
Love that. Stealing TAN for sure
One of the common beginner mistakes when they make things for others is the tendency to point out the mistakes.
Trust me, unless they are as experienced as you they won't see them. Keep your mouth closed or just say thank you.
@@a9ball1 Good advice. I'm quite guilty of that - pointing out my mistakes. Most people who look at your work aren't searching for mistakes; they're probably genuinely impressed that you made something.
In a similar vein, I'll say something like, "It's not brain science... or rocket surgery." Same sentiment, but helps those paying attention self-identify.
12:15 I really like the way that profiled edge looks with a round over on top and chamfer on bottom. It’s like a simple molding. Clean. Effective. Nice.
Yeah its a really nice look
I was going to say the same. I am going to use that on the coffee table I am making now.
Going middle out with the slats was smart. Provides optimal tip-to-tip efficiency.
One of my favorite scenes of all time. MJT
@@Lincolnstww 😂 I knew there was no way that line in the video wasn’t intentional. Well done.
Pre-sanding batches of like pieces long before assembly… game changer. I’ve actually grown to enjoy sanding with this increase-the-surface-area efficiency. Great tips! Thank you as always.
Add on to this: I got sucked into the "Only General Finishes Arrn-R-Seal is a good poly". HOGWASH! I started w/ Minwax Poly, using it as a wipe-on, but then I listened to "them" and I spent a LOT of money on those $28 to $40 quarts of the General Finishes stuff...and it MAY be better, but I sure couldn't see it when I compared it to MinWax poly ($15), thinned down to a wipe-on poly. And That is another part of the expense: Arm-R-Seal is "already thinned"...so it actually is twice the price to begin with!
Hi John,
That was one of the best woodworking videos I have ever watched. All the lessons I learned the hard way you learned and ,more importantly, teach here. Bravo.
Cheers,
Keith
Amateur off and on sawdust creator here, for the last 50+ years, and I really enjoyed this video and your style of delivery 😎.
Excellent video! FWIW, I've made items I like very much that have a round-over made by sanding. My sanding block is an 8" piece of old-growth 2x4 that had been thrown out (side of the street) with a strip of sandpaper wrapped lengthwise around it. Hand-sanded round-overs don't have that factory-made look one can get with a router, but they can look very nice with careful sanding. I maybe even prefer the handmade look. I recently did spring for a router and bits but haven't used it yet -- still making round-overs by hand-sanding
3:39 OMG this inverse table saw jig is so cool! 🔥
I'll definitely get your guys' course when I start my tiny house project, I love all three of you for different reasons, I'm so glad you collaborated and I'm sure the end result is extremely high value ❤
I needed this video! I'm building a desk for the first time and I'm obsessing with perfect cuts and measurements. This was a great reminder that I won't achieve perfection but will still probably build something pretty cool. Thanks!
Nailed it. If you ever get that perfect build let us all know! you will be the first
Like he said, it's far more important to have them the same size rather than an exact size.
I love stop blocks, jigs and templates.
Really great advice here. Good reminders even for those of us who are slightly beyond the beginner stage. Thanks for sharing!
Excellent video with awesome messaging. Really enjoyed your take on beginner woodworking and think you hit some excellent points. Everyone would benefit from seeing this!👍👍👍
Much appreciated!
John, you couldn't be more right about the smaller dogs. I also always had bigger dogs, labs in particular. Then about 14 years ago decided to "kill some time" at a local animal shelter because I was early for a meeting in the area...
Left with a 20 pound Schnauzer Poodle mix... she doesnt shed, she doesnt eat a ton, she doesnt tear up my yard and she is a great shop and truck dog along with the 3 others we have had over the years.
Fast forward to today, I still am a General Contractor but my wife and I own Dog Resorts now because of this one rescued dog. She never did well at our local resort so we said we can do it better, and we did.
For me, when I started I found 3 content providers that I trusted on the Tube. Steve Ramsey, Jay Bates and Matt Cremona (when Jay and Matt were actually building things) and watched and watched their videos. Then as the skills provided, I ventured to someone like Rob Cosman. I will never be that good but after all isn't woodworking about being within 1/4". Everything you say here is true, just get going! !! !!!
What is the accordion structure you have for your panel clamps? Was this a prior project? I struggle with holding and spacing clamps for panel glue ups and this looks like a great solution. Thanks.
Also wondering the same, would love to build with that
@@dogedogego- Woodpecker has the xpander clamp system.
I believe this is the Izzy Swan X-CLAMP SYSTEM. Woodpeckers also makes an Xpander setup in two sizes.
I tell my students that learning is a journey, not a race. The journey is more fulfilling. Thank you for your videos. Happy New Year.🎉
I'm a noob at woodworking and I only have a circular saw, drill, Kreg crosscut station and kreg rip cut. This video was very informative and inspiring thank you. The thing about buying vs making it yourself has come across my mind like you said but to me it's about learning to build it. I'm from Southern California so I don't know if that's the reason why but lumber seems to be vary expensive at my local lumber yard and don't mean walnut or cherry type wood. A 2x10x12 yellow pine was going for $105.
I like your style of making videos and would love to see more on actually building stuff.
One sentence in your video is quite true: you do not build cheaper than carpenter, but you build to your likings. I started with furnitures for my son's room. Carpenter asked for approx. 40k€ (approx. 50k US-$), so I decided to buy wood for 5k€ and the tools. Now, I invested more than 50k€ in tools, it is real fun, and I build multiple capinets, tables, desks, etc. for my home. Unfortunately, I am in Germany and not allowed to sell furnitures, since I have no masters degree in carpentry. But never mind, it is a great hobby and gives you some good time to relax.
I cut extra pieces when making raised panel cabinet doors. I ended up using 3 of the 4 "extra" pieces. Great piece of advice. Beats having to duplicate the setup. I've also found that very few people notice mistakes unless I point them out.
Speaking of shop managers, my 1st ever woodshop build is still in progress. I commandeered my father's 24' x 24' detached garage/dog kennel for my shop. Due to physical issues, he no longer used it so yeah me. I say dog kennel because outside is a dog run 6x24 fenced in for his hunting dogs over the years. Basically a concrete slab building 24 x 30 with a matching roof for a high-end dog run. It comes complete with a large 4x5 foot interior insulated and cedar chip mulch bed dog box inside the main building. Nice and cozy. Now that I have taken over I added a Mini Split and installed a dog door inside so the 12-year-old Black lab has full run of the shop inside and out and now refuses to sleep in his box. I mean why not. Its 70 degrees year round. The problem is dog hair it's everywhere. He also gets lonely (its 1.5 hrs 1 way for me) so when I'm around he wants to be under foot. He also loves belly rubs, a lot, and looks like a cookie rolled in sugar with floor dust. So it's a work in progress. I don't think Im going to get him to wear ear, eye, and dust mask so we have issues. *** Also he's a cookie monster and knows that word better than any other. He also knows they are kept in the refrigerator in the shop which is where he naps in front of. Sometimes he's allowed to retrieve his own ***
I have been interested in wood working for years, But I couldn't get "traditional" Joinery right/correct. so, I would give up just to try again sometime in the future, and again give up. Then I found pocket hole jigs, game changer I made heaps of stuff. Then gave up again because I couldn't cut strait and I would buy precut/cut to order from the store , that felt like i was just assembling not making. Plus it was expensive. Then in 2021 I was given a miter saw for fathers day, out came the pocket jig (a cheap rip off) and I was away again. I upgraded the jig to a Kreg again game changer. I bought more tools (cheap one's) and then bought a decent table saw. Last year I went back to school (at 57 I'm not the youngest in the class) and I'm now learning hand tools and joinery. I am now replacing my cheap tools with decent ones. My point I guess is don't diss any tool that get's you into a hobby or path that you enjoy.
That is a great journey! There are lots of ways to get into a hobby!
Thanks for this. I purchased your woodworking course and look forward to learning more.
Guy's a great source of information. Just like playing music, it never hurts to go back over the basics now and then, even if you're a pro. Just finished building my shop and these tips are just what I need to freshen up on what I thought I knew about building the finer things 👍
Appreciate it!
A professor liked to tell us that "perfection is the enemy of good enough." Some of the best advice I ever heard. Aim for perfect, but don't get yourself down over the little mistakes. They just create character.
amen
I’m a beginner, taking my time with my first project since I just have a plastic picnic bench, some cheap sawhorses, and a whole lot of mdf spacers to try and keep things level lol. Basic circular saw, router, sander, drill. Making a corner shelf from some plans I bought online out of cherry. It’s a lot of time measuring, and some screw ups/redos, but it’s not impossible. I did make the simple zero tolerance edge guide for this project and it’s been a big help.
That sort-of track saw guide was really cool looking, as was the circular saw to miter saw jig.. I have never seen either before!! Great video.
I’m not a novice but not an expert. I know enough to know I don’t know much. One thing that dawned on me a few years ago is how much you can do with a circular saw. The game changer for me was being able to breakdown 4x8 into straight accurate cuts with little waste. Circular saw jigs a BIG help. The new course looks awesome!
Jon, great video...I think this is one i will watch again because i am sure i missed some things by finding myself being one of those guys!! Happy New Years!
Good points. I'm still using stuff I built with minimal tools 35 years ago.
John, I often watch your content even though I'm well past the 'beginner' stages. I agree with all your points here... except the 'cheaper to make it' idea. You've got business smarts so you know that each project will decrement the cost per project of say, your table saw. If you stick with woodworking, you'll make very high quality stuff for far less than you'd pay in a store or commission. And I don't even think stuff like Ashley Furniture should be used to compare - it's freaking generica. I get exactly what I want, every time, and will last longer than AF generic stuff that everyone else has. Plus, I get to do woodworking.
Other random comments:
- Wow, you're really accumulating some serious trolls here since last I checked - makes me LOL
- You can absolutely refurbish that router with new brushes
- Thanks to you, Chris and Shaun for carrying on where Steve Ramsey left off
Nice video encouraging folks to make things! One advice you should mention, get affordable tools but immediately upgrade the blades, router bits and sand paper (consumables) as they make much bigger difference in quality than tools.
What an amazing video! ❤❤❤ As an experienced woodworker with all the tools, this is something the average Joe could learn from greatly. Great job, watched the whole thing and can completely relate to making do with minimal amount of tools. Perfect!❤️❤️❤️
Much appreciated!
Maybe that outs me as a beginner, but I love my water-based brush-on clear poly paint meant for stairs and hardwood floors. 2 coats with sanding in between is usually enough. It's super hard and gives my construction lumber furniture a slightly more luxurious feel.
I'd get a soft hardwood starting out. I started out doing a red oak project long ago and quickly found out how inadequate my cheaper tools were in working it. By the end of the project I was cursing my choice in wood as I had only used pine before. Think some tools broke too. 😂
Honestly, I actually like natural SYP color and grain, I would stick to it anyway even if things like oak were not as expensive
I bought cheaper tools too, some are good and some, like a table saw need a higher quality one. I started with ryobi table saw and upgraded to dewalt which I recommend for a beginner one. I also upgraded to festool sander because of the vibration and turns out the sanding was faster and higher quality. I still use my other 2 sanders when needed. My other tools are all ryobi with the exception of my routers. I have a skill and dewalt compact.
Excellent advice, there is not one thing that you said that l could find myself disagreeing with. I only wish; that l saw something like this many years ago. I have to admit though; l’ve been a “home woodworker” for many years now, and l still manage to make some sort of cock up on a pretty regular basis. Perhaps that’s where my lack of planning comes in?
Have a great New Year ❤🇦🇺
Once I accepted the fact that I will make mistakes and that nothing I make will ever be perfect, it allowed me to enjoy the hobby more and accept mistakes as learning the craft better. It went from being constantly worried about making mistakes to just enjoying myself in the process. It made a huge difference.
Excellent video - funny and informative at the same time. Some of the best advice on youtube I've ever seen. Also, really nice looking table design. Looking back, the first piece of furniture I ever made was an ottoman with a nice puffy stuffed top. It was made from 2x4's with only a 3/8" drive hand drill and a handsaw. Oh, and some sandpaper and a tape measure. I now have a whole shop full of tools, some of which I don't really need and should never have bought. With all that I've never made anything I'm more proud of than that damn ottoman.
There are certainly times you can save money building it yourself, but when I got into woodworking it was because we wanted custom pieces that fit in specific areas and the box stores only sell generic sizes. The other nice thing is you can add any features you would like. If a generic piece will work, we usually buy it over building it, unless I have the time and am just looking for the enjoyment of working out in the shop.
Pocket holes are usually my go to if they will be out of sight. Occasionally I will use them in seen areas but use plugs to hide them but usually I turn to glue and pins for a better look and speed of not using clamps.
So much of this applies to any hobby where you create items--e.g. garment sewing or leatherworking (latter is my business, sewing & wood is for stuff I want). You have ro enjoy the process & material--when i started it was PBS & internet still military secret--so ratio of really good info was higher than on yT now... New tools are always fun to admire, but get the best you can afford when needed... And practice the fundamentals. I also golfed... No matter the tool/hobby, it is always the squishy organic part that determines the outcome.
Excellent insight and advice. Thank you for sharing, I appreciate your time. All the best in the new year!
While I agree that glue is perfectly adequate to hold the legs to the table, a couple dowels drilled through at each of those joints would have looked very nice! This was a really great video. Solid advice.
What a great video. Right to the point and a lot of very useful information. Well done sir, and the Arm-R-Seal 👌
I consider myself a reasonably advanced intermediate woodworker, but I still find this video great and very helpful. I think this might have been one of your best in recent memory.
Much appreciated! made my day
9:57 what is that fold out stretcher clamp? I have those same clamps, but the fold out mechanism seems super useful
I have been a wood finisher for over 35 years. I totally agree about the staining. If you MUST stain wood NEVER apply the stain directly to the wood. Especially if it’s something like pine or a lighter wood that you would prefer to be a darker tone. The only way to do it and have it not get blotchy is to mix your stain with either polyurethane or lacquer and spray it on and build up the darkness you want the results will amaze you and it’s super easy to do. But you do need the space to spray obviously. Otherwise, I totally agree. Use the tone of wood that matches the tone you’re looking for. But if you can’t do that, you can stain it without putting stain directly on the wood as I described above. Another thing to keep in mind about staining wood is that the smoother you sand, the bear wood the less the stain will penetrate in clear areas, but the more it will penetrate in Natier rougher woodgrain areas. If you absolutely must apply stain directly to the wood make sure you sand it only to 100 grit so the whole surface is equally rough. Then when you stain it, the stain will take more evenly across all of the wood. With a little practice, you can actually make it look quite good. Another good practice is to thin down. You’re staying 25 to 50% with mineral spirits and then wipe it on wipe it off. Let it dry if it needs more wipe it on wipe it off again, but remember to make sure you have not sand it to a super fine 400 grit smooth surface. I’m sure this is obvious enough, but I also would add. Make sure you always sand with the grain and never in a circular motion. Any slight swirl. Mark will show up horribly in the staining if you’re applying it directly to the wood not so much if you’re spraying on polyurethane or lacquer that has stain mixed in with it. But definitely if you’re wiping it on.
bare
Totally agree! I am always asked for stained furniture. When staining pine or other notably splotchy wood, I take ready to use shellac and dilute 50% with denatured alcohol. After sanding to 120 grit, I apply the diluted shellac brush it on liberally so it can soak in. The alcohol evaporating may cause the surface temp to drop a little, so once the surface has warmed back up to room temp, I know the shellac has dried. I then sand again with 120 grit and stain. Here's another tip: If your are planning to stain your project, be very mindful of glue drips on your exposed surfaces, especially if you will be using a dark stain. Most glues will prevent the wood from accepting stain causing a bare spot. Gorilla white wood glue seems better than Titebond in this regard. But when I do get a glue drip, I used to use a wet rag to wipe it off. Instead, I will put a piece of tape next to it to remind me it's there and let it dry. Once dry I will use a chisel or scraper to scrape the glue spot being careful not to create a divot that will be visible in the light reflection of the finish. But sometimes I don't see it before it's time to stain. When that happens, I will fix it immediately instead of waiting for the stain to dry. First, sand or scrape the glue out and repeat the sanding process on the spot and a couple of inches around it remembering to use a larger radius with each grit, then re-stain the whole area before the original stain has dried. If you catch it before the stain dries, you won't even know it was there, but if not, you will see it. Alternatively, you can leave it and use an artists brush and disguise the spot by dabbing it with a 50/50 mixture of stain/finish during the finishing process. This is very hard to hide so I try to avoid this option.
great info here
Those drawerbinets look amazing in the background, just saying.
hell yeah
Like @tavarish says, “Wrench every day”. Similar with woodworking - get out there and work on something often enough and it will build your skills; once you have the skills, that tinkering will help refine them. Great video, Jon!
One of the things I think that gets newcomers is the image of "you need this tool to do this job." You talked a bit about this, using a golf reference. Yet even in golf, there is the same "if you only had this graphite shafted scientifically designed driver, you too could drive like Tiger" and "if you only had this scientifically balanced putter, you could putt like Nicholas" mantra going on. I can't count the number of times someone on RUclips has said "You don't need a Domino to do mortise and tenon joints but that's what I'm going to use." I'd say to those RUclipsr's if you aren't going to show an alterntive, then why mention it? They're just making it seem to a beginner that they need the Domino. For me personally, I know the different ways, including by hand with a mortise chisel and don't own a Domino, but someone just starting out is looking for the tool that means they jump from beginner to Norm Abram without the step in between. I think that's where so many RUclips's miss the mark, so I was glad to see you making cuts with an old circ saw.
Prayers sent brother! Always great content!
Water based, or hybrid* oil varnish meant for floors if you like getting done within a day with a very resilient finish! Or lacquer (brush on) or shellac for speed and ease.
For blocking resin and knots (and before staining?), Apply Zinsser BIN shellac base (solvent is alcohol, ideally ethyl or isopropyl) it is heavily pigmented white and EVERYTHING sticks to it and it sticks to everything. You lose the natural color but gain sealed grain and it is a high performance primer.
*(Hybrid = oil base in a water emulsion, cleans up like water base, dries faster than oil and is likely as durable as oil, will also likely yellow)
Thank you. My son in law asked for his first tools to start learning.
2:18 You can also use stair gauges which you can find for under 8 bucks at Lowe's paired with a framing square if you don't wanna build the jig.
Also, you don't really need an impact driver or cordless tools. You can use a corded circ saw and a corded drill(variable speed trigger for precise/cautious drilling).
Oh wow. Never thought of that. Brilliant
It's really easy to check if the brushes are going bad, just look for what looks like a big plastic flathead screw on the motor and remove it.
Great video! I appreciate how you keep it real!
Always!
As a man who also has a laundry room to finish, I absolutely felt that outro lol.
Please don't remind me.
the pain is real
Another thing to mention...a sharp blade is more important then an expensive tool. If you hit a nail with a circular saw blade and continue to use it to frame a house no big deal. If you try and use that blade woodworking, your cuts are going to have a lot of tare out with rough end grain, which will require a lot more sanding.
What I have found on pine is that wood prep stuff will help the stain penetrate.
Good advice about finding affordable hardwoods. Red oak and Ash are out of fashion (affordable) and widely available.
Nice table Jon! Looks like that is going to be an awesome beginner woodworking course!
Thanks man!
Several tips that were so genius! Love your format as well. Link to Circular Saw Edge Guide went to account page
You have a schnauzer! My last dog was a schnauzer wonderful breed. Nice table, and I’ve made all the mistakes you mentioned except getting bogged down with traditional joinery. I’m a big fan of Peter Millard at 10 Minute Workshop and he convinced me that, because of the resale value, I could ‘afford’ a domino. Best investment I have made so far.
No schnauzer, two little doodles!
Great job on this video. I can appreciate the extra effort you go to to actually use the basic tools for this demonstration. that being said - what is your scissor jig that has the parallel clamps attached at 9:58? And where does one get that?! I so need one!
Woodpecker xpander. Bessey has their less refined k-body revolution system as well.
Yes, the scissor clamp thing is not exactly a basic tool… I usually use glue+pocket screws for that kind of thing
This was a prototype Izzy swan developed before selling the idea to woodpeckers. They offer it for sale now I think
Are we now saying clamps aren’t a beginner tool? They expanding doesn’t change how they work, it’s just faster for me
@@Lincolnstww thank you sir!
This was very informative. Great video.
Thank you!
I agree about the assembly table...
Great advice and great job!😊
Brushes for the router are easy to replace. They wear, so if there is less than 1/4” of carbon at the end of the spring, head to a good hardware store like an Ace with your old brushes (or the entire router). The fit doesn’t have to be perfect for it to work, and they are pretty cheap.
awesome thanks for taking the time to comment on that
Great advice!
New woodworker here. I'd like to have room in my basement shop for a workbench, but I did make room for a 4'X8' assembly table (on casters) and a mitre saw workstation up against a wall. I can't imagine not having a flat surface on which to assemble components, let alone the final product.
its an actual game changer
I finally got myself a Dewalt trim router and I use it more than my plunge router.
There's gold dust in this vid. Have a great holiday and new year. May the Force be with you.
and also with you
All great points... and please finish the laundry room 😂
Good video. As a hobbyist…spot on.
Appreciate that!
Prayers are in order for you my friend, let us know where the nearest dump site is so we can go find you. Nice project, easily explained for the lame duck woodworker here...✋
When smoothing a finish between coats, don't use steel wool on a water base finish, use scotch pads or similar.
If the dewalt has used brushes you should be able to easily check it, most tools have accsible brushes from the outside, so you dont have to disassemble the whole tool, I dont have a dewalt, but my guess would be that if you undo the top cover you will see them.
I think the best part of making your own is that you can make it whatever size and shape you want.
Are you tired of cabinets being too high or too low. When you make them yourself you can make them 24 inches high or 40 inches high. Whatever you want.
I find that is usually the number one reason why I made it instead of buying it.
I would argue that it still is about saving money, but not against the cheapest Swedish furniture, instead it’s a (relatively) cost effective way to get high end furniture that will last a lifetime
I think once you get a shop up and running, yes, that is a reasonable expectation. Think about the missus asking for a new closet, and you're staring at your garage full off tools (that youve bought over the years) + 400$ in wood vs a 12k quote from a local contractor.
Great video and 🙏 god speed.
Mention was made about 'order of operation'. If I have learned anything in my 35+yrs of sawdust manufacturing, it is order if operation.
I took a job, early on in my journey, to set up and operate a frame shop. Think cabinet door, minus the panel. I was tasked with designing, prototyping, and mass producing a product the employer has been buying out. I was tasked with developing a process so simple that a person off the street could be fully functional within the first day. Order of operation was the key.
Every project benefits from the minutes...maybe hours...you spend on order if operation.
Tool complainers are some of the most annoying.
You have to have SOME tools.
If you are someone who thinks everything is super expensive? You haven’t learned anything about tools or how to work the used market.
If you see a domino and want to complain? You can generally do all of what they do with dowels. It’s just slower and more tedious. Which is the whole reason the domino exists. To reduce friction/build time for builders.
If you don’t have any of the tools and you’re in the comments complaining about what you don’t have? You probably can’t build what the person is building even if you suddenly had everything. You’d probably be more likely to cut your fingers off.
Good video. It was short enough you could have built the homemade track saw jig to show the beginners how simple it is to build. If they are starting with no experience it could have been useful.
Great advice
The way that old dewalt sounded. I would say the brushes are bad. I can say I started out with that same router from my dad. I put 5 sets of brushes in it, before the motor finally just got so bad it would not run anymore. And to give a good age my dad had it for about 5 years and I had it for around 6
No hardwood is cheap where I'm from. The reason I got into woodworking was to save money; so I bought pine. The other reason was to build stronger furniture that was the exact size I needed. My old projects don't look the best, but they're functional and cheap. If I spent back then what I spend today on hardwood, I never would have started this.
Really nice video Jon!
thanks!
I'm making a 48"x24" waterfall coffee table and two waterfall end tables from select 8/4 white oak. I have about $2500 into the wood and I'm sure I can buy a set for less but it won't be nearly the quality of 1.75" thick solid white oak that this build will yield. Just a tip for those buying hardwood off Marketplace. If the seller can't prove the wood has been kiln dried, don't buy and buy a good quality moisture meter designed to read the wood species you want. Lignomat are good meters. My WO was cheap ($2.20 BF) but I had to take it to be kiln dried and that's only cheap if you bring 12' lengths and a like 1000 BF. Otherwise, the lumber needs to be stacked with other people's wood with stickers all lined up in the pile and the cost for smaller pieces doesn't save much, if any. All in, I paid around $10/BF when I could have bought kiln dried of equal quality for $10.50/BF.
Probably not. You might be able to find used furniture slightly cheaper but unlikely to find solid wood new for cheaper. The coffee table alone would likely cost $1200 new.
"Accept that you will make what feels like catastrophic mistakes..." As an older human, I have learned more through failure than I ever did in school. Experience is the teacher; wisdom the result.
Using pocketholes with that lovely cherry wood is a question of professional pride.
Thanks for being an example of one of his points. There is always one snob in the comments section.🤐
@@richardlug6139 There is nothing wrong with pocketholes as a system. As he said one has to learn when to use them.
Excellent video, except for the throwback picture… lol
Well, when I started out. I knew when my dad would be at work so I planned my shop time around his work time. We didn’t get along but he respected I had the balls to use his tools without asking. Good working relationship. Couple close calls. Drove my mom crazy. I finally started getting my own tools. Didn’t realize that since dad owned the roof, he owned what was under it to.