Yeah, cleashe. But dude you are an idiot. Woodwork has been tested for over 2000 years and now some 20 year old knows better? Testing joint strength is not necessary? Oh my friend, although I can respect much of what you said you will yourself regret saying most of what you did in this vid in 10 years. And yes, I have trained in furniture building in Australia, England and Japan. After 45 years......new guys to timber....two things.... Do NOT take what this guy says, who apparently knows everything, for gospel. 2nd, you burn wood. You build with timber.
This video is for the novice/beginner not for a furniture maker. And we are not back in time 45 years ago. It’s for the person wanting to make something instead of going to IKEA. Yes I agree long lasting furniture should use proper joinery, but beginners aren’t making furniture and glue and screws will only last 20 years, most of today youth thinks that’s an antique. You are probably a kid. Be happy, you got response to your anger issues
HI mate. I have been wood working for more than 35 years I fully agree with you just go for it the more you make the more you will learn. Just do it get in your shop or shed & have fun doing it.
I HAVE been woodworking for 35 years and you Sir are absolutely freaking right in all of this. Too many people sitting in judgement. I would have never started had it been this judgy when all I had was a hammer and handsaw.
After 50 years of woodworking I still consider myself a beginner. This attitude is beneficial for two reasons: 1. I stay humble I can always learn something new from anyone. 2. I approach newbies with that humility. If I'm lucky, I'll learn something new too.
I like this guy! 74 year old retired professional commercial architectural millworker and custom woodworker here. Pretty smart for a youngster. Climate conditions and humidity are HUGE factors in wood selection, finishes and durability depending even on latitude location. Normal usage of wood fixtures affects finish more than anything else. I always stressed that the glue is stronger than the wood around it. Pinned mortise and tenons swell and shrink. Trust your glue to hold your joints, unless you're going for old school reality.
During one of the extremely busy cycles in the 2006 era I installed a set of white oak stairs in a house that was framed before the cold weather and finished to sheetrock before heating. The exposed framing wood was sweating when I put my stringers in. By the time I set my treads they had absorbed so much moisture they had to practically be beat into place with a sledge hammer. First and only house I ever worked in where they didnt acclimate before going to finish. I can only imagine how the oak flooring went in.
@@mark2talk2u Don't you get it? All the Aussies get the upside-down boards we Americans don't want because the 'cup' is facing down, while you Australians send us Americans all your upside-down boards! That way everybody's got "happy" boards to work with! 😊 = American boards 😢 = Australian boards
Bonus tip when you have a few different tape measures which ever one you grab to start the project stick with that one for the whole project most tapes end hook have different slack in them so if you switch tapes in the middle of your project your measurements will be off 😊
My dad accidently cut a tape measure with the RAS, he cut it down, re riveted the hook and went on. I was in his house, measured up for some wood, went home and cut it, only to find everything was six inches too long !!! when he saw that he mentioned the tape, he got a new one from me right after that as I threw that one out
I learned this the hard way. I kept wondering why the hell my measurements where never quite the same from one moment to the next. Don't use 5 different flippin' measuring tools! 🤣
I worked as lead man in a shop that manufactured custom frames for grocery stores. After a couple weeks of messed up frames, I took a look at tapes. All three workers had their own personal tapes, and each one was just a little bit outside, to paraphrase Mr Baseball. So...I went to our supplier and asked for a standard case lot of one particular tape measure, with the thought that not only would we be using the 'same' tape, but from the same manufacturing lot. Measurement errors dropped dramatically. Just sayin'...
Tip for the pencil trick with sanding. Not only do i use a thicker pencil, but i also use the side of the graphite rather than the tip itself. Not only does this prevent the pencil from dipping into the grain it has a nice side benefit of actually sharpening the pencil point
My theory when i started doing this is that you want it to dip in a little bit, that way if you have and deep scratches from lower grits you know you're getting them out. Would that be wrong?
@@AwesomeActsOfRandomnot wrong, but you do have to be careful that you are making divots, like was stated in the video. If you only have a few deep scratches and you sand in that very small area to get it out, then you will have a dip in the surface in that spot. I guess best practice would be to continue drawing on the surface until all the marks are gone, that way if you do have deep scratches, they’ll be removed while maintaining a relatively flat surface. The fastest way around this is a hand plane, thickness planer, or a jointer before sanding, but those are expensive. Haha
On the Glue and Sawdust - the trick there is to STAIN the Saw Dust then add glue to help blend in the repair. I do that all the time and works much better as glue itself prevents the stain from penetrating the wood fibers. After glue/sawdust then sanding, the exposed wood fibers do pick up some stain, but not like staining it first. My 2 cents.
Similarly the sawdust putty can have varnish as a binder instead of glue. The resulting putty will be sticky enough and dry pretty tough. It'll finish a bit lighter than varnished end grain. I often do this for gaps between floor boards prior to sanding.
As a finish stair builder putting stain grade finished stairs using the glue and sawdust method was not acceptable. We used wood putty that would take a stain. Best case scenario was to let the painter fill nail holes and put the putty on plugs we used to install posts and hand rails. Most discrete builders wouldnt allow us to even do that. They wanted the painter to deal with it to maximize the overall consistency.
Im a Ryobi user. I have over 40 tools that can all share the same batteries. Some of them are over 25 years old. Ryobi has kept the same battery platform for the 18 volt tools since they first started making 18 v tools. Great Video.
Additionally, my dad bought a ryobi drill when he and my mom moved in together, 40 years ago now. It's been used at least a few times a month for forty years, and it was _never_ treated well. It's still kicking. It was the first drill I learned on, and it's the one he brought to help me put up a fence at our place a couple years ago. Ryobi is "not as good as other tools", objectively speaking, but, geez, that's like saying "man, my corolla isn't as good as a corvette." It'll get you where you need to go just fine. Side note: their 40v line (mowers, edgers, etc) is pretty great. The large battery with the mid tier mower does my half acre lot in one charge, and I picked up their charger/battery generator thing and it's gotten us through a few power outages. :)
@@b4ux1t3-tech I've got several of the older tools and quite a few of the newer ones. 2 different sizes of weedeaters 3 different type of vacuums.(handheld and shopvac style ) Several different type of flashlights. A small mower, leaf blower, etc..... All take the exact same batteries. Ryobi makes around 200+ tools in the 18v+ family of tools. My personal opinion is that you just CAN'T BEAT THEM. I don't care what other people use. My money is well spent on Ryobi.
I found a Ryobi 18 Impact in the gritty ice bank of city road snowplows in my front yard a couple years ago. It had been there most of the winter and looked like it had been pushed down the road in front of a plow for a long time. Probably over a couple days. I wasn’t expecting anything so I gav it the double tap and it tried going! Battery out, flushed it with hot water, dried it with a shop vac, flushed it with alcohol, waited for a charger in the mail, tested and charged the battery. . . It’s good as new and my go to for plenty of work. Started buying stuff compatible with the battery, figuring it would eventually give up and make me get a pair of new ones but it’s still going strong too.
@@heatshield They are pretty tough. You can get older ones from the flea market or yard/garage sales really cheap. The older ones are blue. The battery will fit and work them as well. As far as I know your story is the best testament for Ryobi. 😎
@@c.blakerockhart1128 yep mine is blue, red badge, white lettering, neon green motor direction push-through switch. I asked around at the neighbors and down the street some, into neighbors I didn’t know, to find the owner. I think it was tumbled quite a way. LOL
I agree with everything you just said. For me “measure twice cut once” was always just another way of saying “double check your dimensions before you start ripping planks”. This content is hands down one of the more useful bits of woodworking advice I’ve seen on UA-cam. 👍
30 years on I'm marking direct measurements wherever possible, even framing a shed. Mostly mark with a utility knife. I find it faster and simpler than a tape, to set the board up and nick or score it with the knife from my pocket.
I worked in a custom timber door shop. When sanding thru the grits, we mostly used wax crayons for marking. Every stick got marked. Never had an issue of contamination. Little trick for taking a piece down to size. Lower the stationary saw blade down, push the piece of wood up against the blade making it deflect. Lift the blade up, start the saw and you will shave a very small amount off. Rinse and repeat until the desired fit. Enjoyed this video. I have been working with wood for over 40 years. Everyone developes their own styles. What works for some, won't for others. Keep 'em coming.
@@lukegoffkat Been used for decades without problems in commercial joinery shops with random orbits or large (1300mm wide) 3 belt industrial sanders. Resin in the timber is more likely to cause problems. Surprising but true.
Well done, John. I especially applaud you for the point regarding the beginner woodworker getting not so helpful advice from so-called "experts." There are several levels of woodworking that blur together, and making something with pocket hole joinery is done even by people like me who have been doing this for decades. Being able to say "I made that" yields a satisfaction I still enjoy today.
Your last sentence is the most important and sadly gets lost in all the noise. There are few things more empowering when starting out than that feeling of accomplishment.
As someone that has dabbled with woodworking over the years but never took the time to get very good, but I’m ready to get to work, I appreciate your common sense approach. Thanks.
Great video! When I bought my first drill I had people inform me that I bought a "crappy" Ridgid. I thought, great, I will buy a better one as soon as this one dies. Over 10 years later, it still has yet to die... I was really hoping I could get a new drill.
Before retiring, I was a tradesman. I got fed up with my chargers getting heisted (intentionally or not). So I figured that if I went with an unpopular brand, that would cease. Phased out my Milwaukee stuff and went full on Ridgid. Theft problem ended and I'm satisfied with all my tools except my orbital sander. (The dust collection sucks and it tends to want to coat you in dust unless you hold it backwards. )
Hey, I just want to thank you on this point you made about which tools to buy. You're correct. I'd like to addmy top four those looking at tools. 1st Look at the range of tools a brand has to offer and make sure the brand covers what you need. 2nd stick with 1 brand as much as possible with the battery powered tools, you don't want to have to buy several different brands of batteries and chargers because that's the biggest cost for tools. 2nd.B if you're buying power corded tools, the brand doesn't matter. 3rd, don't buy power tools from pawn shops. 4th You get what you pay for. If you're a hobbyist, ryobi and harbor freight should be good enough to get you by for small projects. But if you're going to take it serious or this is for your trade in carpentry/ construction, don't go cheap. It's worth the extra cost when you need that tool everyday for the next decade.
You are not an idiot. I appreciate your video. You're good at identifying the root cause of problems and the most significant factors that affect projects.
I have the short term memory of a gold fish so measure once, forget, measure twice, forget, then find a piece of paper, draw & dimension a little plan, shove it in my pocket and forget it's there. Spend 5 mins looking for it, draw & dimension another little plan then finally go and cut some stuff up (not before I get distracted doing something else though)......
Been woodworking for about 35 years and I'll say you nailed it. Sad to say I fell for a few of these myself. Where was the internet (and you) when I needed it.
Your comments are tool brand are spot on. When you are just starting out, the tool brand you chose should be whatever you can afford. There's no need to invest in pro grade tools unless you are doing pro level work and you can always upgrade later on if you decide to.
All great tips. Couldn't agree more. I'm 74 and been working home shop projects for as long as I can remember back into my fathers shop in the 50s. I still have a lot of his old tools that have been pasted to him by his father. Thanks for carrying on.
How did you unpaste the tools from your father? And why did your grandfather paste tools to your father? That seems like it would make things difficult.
People who go online to rant about all the things brought up in this video aren’t looking for logical responses to explain their flawed advice, they’re looking for others to affirm themselves and feed their ego. No amount of great videos like this will stop the inane responses from happening, unfortunately.
That's true, but what it will do is give those of us who actually want to learn something a place to do it instead of getting stuck in an echo chamber.
As a custom furniture maker for over 45 years, it is nice to hear some solid advice. I would add 2 (of many) additional simple items. First is what many people fail to mention about pocket hole assembly (personally I use a domino whenever possible because of both the strength and the perfect alignment of the parts) ; unless you are making a rustic looking item, definitely clamp your parts when shooting the screws. Pocket holes, because they are angled, will pull the faces of the joined pieces out of alignment unless you have them firmly clamped. The second item is if you plan to make projects out of expensive solid hard woods and want good long term results, invest in a moisture meter. You can get a decent one for as little as $40 and it is a solid investment. I have pulled boards from stacks at my local hardwood supplier where two nearly identical boards from the same stack has over a 10% spread in the moisture readings. Using those together (or even using the board that was at over 10% at all) is an invitation to failure.
Measure twice, cut once is a better tip for carpentry than finer woodworking. Like you I find referential measurement, cutting to fit, and sneaking up on dimension to be more precise.
You're spot on, all good tips! I built a garden stool for my Mom years ago when I didn't have many tools, using nothing but glue on butt joints... not a screw or nail or dowel in it. She plops it in the dirt and pulls weeds, so it's not sitting flat and takes on a good bit of tension and twisting and she's not a 'small' woman either, it's been left outside in the rain accidentally but just gets thrown in the garage normally and years later is just fine and still looks good too. I say build it however you can with what you have.
I agree with you Don't alternate growth rings in my past learning experience my woodshop teacher was teaching alternate growth rings and it was Not successful! Warping took place and the shop teacher asked me to find out why the small table top warped. I was a apprentice learning furniture making and asked Mr Enrico Liberti about alternating growth rings he said that was Not correct! Wrong and Not true! This man should have been inducted into the woodworkers Hall of Fame! Look him up he was well known for Antique Reproductions and Restoration. I hope this helps people have a better understanding. Thank You for Sharing your Video! Have a Wonderful Day!
Thank you so much for this video. I run a woodworking manufacturing company and the number of videos and tips online that are either absolutely wrong or are for those people who are happy to take hours just to fashion one fancy joint is absolutely crazy. We need more videos like these!
I wouldn't know why pocket holes would be insufficient for a table when most people in the world are using knockdown stuff held together with janky little Ikea fasteners and getting by just fine.
My thoughts exactly! I remember getting into woodworking because I was putting together some IKEA furniture thinking, "I could make something stronger than this for much less money!" Turns out, I was right. Then I went down the woodworking rabbit hole only to learn why everything I made was trash... And yet everything I made was better looking, stronger, and cost less than the furniture I was using it to replace! It's all too easy to get in to a hobby only lose sight of the original reasons you got into a hobby to begin with. My wife still likes the furniture I make. I still enjoy making it. And we still save a bunch of money on each piece. Still a win win win.
I personally wouldn't use pocket holes for a table. If I didn't have a domino I'd use one of those handy dowel jigs, they've gotten really good the last few years. Buy once cry once.
@@ThekiBorantechnically dominoes and biscuits are only there to line up the wood until the glue dries, I have never seen glue fail at a joint if it's properly applied. In fact it's stronger than the wood itself
HeilRy, I respectfully can not agree, but on a detail of nuance, not of fundamental opposition to your viewpoint. Personally, I have come to the conclusion that perfection is a valid goal and an honourable objective, in all manner of things. From cutting the lawn, to cutting framing studs, installing vapour barrier during a reno, preparing food to cook with uniform dimensions, working on a bicycle or choosing an outfit that matches well with complimentary colours. It doesn't matter what I do, I want it to be perfect. The difference between this compulsive (possibly obsessive) objective of perfection is the acknowledgement that while perfection is a valid goal, there will always be losses or deficiencies that subtract from 100%. I call it the 97% rule, because that is what I am willing to accept as a viable outcome. I still aim for 100%, but will accept slightly less, because being too fixated on a perfect outcome detracts from the overall joy of any activity. This is what keeps me from throwing away (repurposing) every board in a fence, or just generally being unhappy with much of what I accomplish every day. If no one but I can see the 3% deficiency and it does not inhibit the functionality of what has been produced, I have learned to be totally satisfied with the outcome, and proud of my work. After all, if you are performing what I call "hand work", on a one-off basis, it is the inevitable outcome. If ultimate precision were the only acceptable outcome, every single item would be produced with a CNC out of uniform manufactured materials, and specifically NOT what the author of this vid identifies in the phrase "wood is always moving". (what a gift of a description!). I hope this help you to be proud of you work, and to always keep learning!
The best tool is the one you can afford to have. With out tools you can beg, borrow, or own all you have is a bunch of UFO’s aka un- finished objects. I believe is the moto of this Channel, so I am subscribing 👍
I built a really nice dresser for my daughter with glue and staples. Still works fine today 3yrs later so far. I routed in the shelves on one side and the whole bottom so she has a couple cubby shelves on the side of her dresser. I built it out of beach wood.
Dear LINCOLN ST., As the son of a world renown violin repairman I have over 50 years of woodworking experience. I can affirm everything you've said in this video is true, sound advice.
Thanks for calling B.S. on two of my favorite mouth-breather gallery topics: Joint strength and tool brands. My first media console was assembled with every 'wrong' technique possible... butt joint screws, pocket screws, glued end grain... but it looks great on the outside and years later it hasn't imploded and it's still doing a great job of sitting on the floor and being furniture. On the tool subject my Dad has used and abused an old Ryobi cordless 5pc kit for years (remember when they were blue?) and guess what... they still get the job done.
The new batteries have the same platform. As long as the voltage is the same, a new battery WILL work in an old drill/saw/or other. But... The new Chargers Won't work for older batteries.
I'm a beginner woodworker, but am a full time husband, dad, and domestic repairman. Regardless of what tool brand I buy I will eventually wear it out. However I would have gotten enough years and use out of it that it really didn't matter which color tool I chose.
@@coreytohme9861 The reason that I chose Ryobi is because I can buy one new tool and get a battery that will work in an old yard sale / garage sale / or flea market tool that only cost $3-$10. For that price you can afford to get several more tools than you can with other brands that continuously change the battery platform so you have to buy new batteries for the new tool.
Good point on tool brand. My Hyper Tough Walmart power tools might not be as nice looking as my Milwaukee or Rigid tools but they all are 2/3 less and are still running strong. I originally bought the Walmart brand because I did not want to damage the high price Milwaukee or Rigid tools while working with tile and cement. Seems I can not wear these cheap tools out while the Milwaukee Sawzall died cutting down our metal swing set. No worries though a $45 Hyper Tough saved the day.
OMG, the tip about using a large pencil vs a mechanical pencil for marking before sanding was awesome. I'm always using a mechanical pencil and I get so frustrated because I sand and sand and sand and the pencil mark never goes away. Thanks!
Built a bookcase last month. I've built countless basic wood projects over the years (I'm an old guy) but now that I'm retired I spent many hours getting tips from pros in videos. So with this bookcase I stepped up my game, a lot. The end result is nicer than anything I've built before, but many mistakes were made along the way, and that will surely help with the next project. A big challenge is developing skills and tools to fit my budget, workshop space, and desires (i.e. how much effort I want to put into it--I have many other interests too). So I resonate with what was said in this video. I'm not looking to become a master craftsman, I just want to get to where I can build simple projects and am pleased with the end-result. Probably won't get into hardwoods, will stick with pine because it's so much cheaper and easier to work with. And am looking to develop techniques that make it easier to hide the flaws in the wood and the lower precision tools I'm using (i.e., nothing but hand tools). I'll keep learning from master woodworkers, but apply it in ways that work for me.
Regardless of what comments you receive, your advice is sound and practical. Having started my woodworking journey over 40 years ago, I've personally encountered every one of the mentioned subjects in this video and I can attest that your advice is genuine. The one I suggestion I've seen that I really don't like is the wood glue and sawdust. Whenever I've tried that I've found the concoction ends up setting itself before I get to use it. Maybe I was using the incorrect glue but the glue started to dry too fast. Your info on glued boards cupping, as you mention, is spot on. I glued up a table top of mahogany 4/4 boards using the alternating method and that tabletop ended up at 3/8" thick as I continuously battled the top cupping after each sanding. I eventually decided to seal BOTH sides after the final flattening and viola! the top stopped cupping. Thanks for your videos. I enjoy everyone you've made.
Thanks for helping reaffirm I'm not a total idiot in the shop. Simple, logical explanations to some great debates. I've always looked the overall integrity of a project and not just one single joint. And your best advice, pick your favorite color, and go with that for a battery system, brilliant. Great video, thanks for sharing.
I have to say to the "Measure Twice Cut Once" being replaced by sneaking up on a cut with the internal piece; You are still practicing what is meant by rule/law in that statement, you're in keeping with the spirit of "Measure Twice Cut Once" when you're sneaking up on the cut. I'm not even a hobby joiner but I use this saying as a reminder of due diligence in my field/trade.
I love this video, I've been working with wood since the mid 1970's and I was trained by my polish immigrant Grandfather who was a master fine furniture maker this video is 110% correct! ❤❤
Oh man your bit about measuring is so reassuring!! I do this. I cut everything a bit long and then run back and forth to my saw until it's a perfect fit and have been berating myself that I don't know how to measure better! I do it with wood, and with tile, and now I can do it happily instead of thinking that I'm an idiot. 🎉🎉🎉😂😂😂
When I build fence gates with boards, I find that I have to alternate the crowns to keep the door somewhat straight, but it doesn't need to be flat like a counter top or table top. Good video.
The issue with that is that it ignores how the force flows through the material. My parents house had a corner completely rotted out before it got repaired and you would have never noticed it without inspecting it without the dry wall on. If that had been the only part of the wall carrying the load, it would have collapsed, but being just a small section, it barely sagged. (Obviously, that's something to fix immediately if it's happening, but it's probably not going to lead to a small house collapsing)
this is what a breath of fresh air feels like. been hobby WW about 2 years and it didnt take long for me to figure out that some YT makers are saying weird sh?t to chase clicks. But as a newbie it is still hard to figure out who is telling the truth and who isnt. This channel has no axe to grind so I believe him.
Pick a color you like and run with it!!! Probably the best advice ever!! I've been woodworking for 20 years, I use ryobi and have never had a problem with their battery platform.
In 2000 I built a huge, beautiful, solid oak round dining table (and it was finished on all surfaces) while we were stationed in Alabama. The Army advised us against moving it to Korea due to the size/space issues there, so it was stored in a much drier place in California for over four years. When we got back in 2005 it had dried significantly and was a totally ruined $4500 investment (in woodworking experience). The original wood was high-quality red oak that was supposedly properly dried. My mistake was literally different (indoor) weather. In my opinion, you should store properly seasoned wood l-for a year if you can-IN THE TARGET CLIMATE before you do anything else with it. Doing that has required some home weather proofing, but my shop is now a fully climate controlled space at least 90% of the time. When the weather is nice I do open it up when I’m working. I also pop open a window whenever the dust collection vacuum is running because the beast tends to suck all the comfy HVAC air out of our house otherwise. A typical hobbyist can store some wood in a closet, under a bed, behind a sofa, etc. and will notice it finds a new normal size and shape in a month or two after coming inside from the non-climate controlled wood yard where it was purchased. (Most such wood was in transit from who knows where not too long before you bought it.) Let it rest where it’s gonna live before you build with it.
I measure the same way. I learn that we all are fast so I start practicing to slow myself down by measuring more. To be AWARE of myself to practice quality and enjoy what I'm doing, with excellent results.
All sage advise! Another excellent video - thank you sir! I use the pencil sanding method. For the pencil I use one of those really big flat carpenter pencils - seems to work well for me. One thing I always try to do when I am finishing up removing the pencil lines is - wait for it - always finish your sanding in the direction of the wood grain, never at an angle to it.
Same. I also sometimes like to use a piece of chalk - even easier and quicker than a carpenter's pencil. Not always suitable though - sometimes the chalk doesn't stick enough and a pencil is required.
Great advise and video John. Pocket hole joinery and wood glue is strong (great for beginners or any experience level) and most people underestimate the strength of wood glue alone!
I was impressed too,life in general is full of gatekeepers,I think it was Michael Faraday who said "there is nothing more disconcerting than a man who thinks he is right"
100% correct. I'm a firm believer that there is always more than one way to do something. The cranky gatekeepers think their way is the only right way and that will usually put me off of what they are trying to describe.
I have a low shelving unit that I glued together 20 years ago in high school shop class with basic 90 degree glue joints in a white oak frame inset with plywood panels and while I know it isn't the best idea I have stood on it several times, including when I was kind of fat. Thing is solid as a tank.
I've been using the same Black and Decker cordless drill for 11 years. Used it on everything around the house building a ton of storage shelves in the basement, used it to build workbenches and frame in the non-load bearing walls in my basement (the horror!) using high strength deck screws and build my kids treehouse and build numerous planters and benches for our backyard across two houses and for building tons of store-bought furniture. I even tried using it as a hammer drill a few times by hitting the back quickly with a mallet (did not work well) and it still works great today. I have their yard tools that share the same battery and those work great too. I've never understood the hate. Outside of trying to hammer the drill to speed up concrete drilling, I don't abuse my tools and generally take care of them. And they take care of me. I've really gotten into woodworking in recent years and consider myself to be between a hobbyist and a professional. I also have some Dewalt tools, some Porter-Cable tools, and they all work great. The only tool that I have that sucks is a Skil table saw that is almost 30 years old that my grandpa gave me, and I'm going to replace it with a Saw Stop later this year because it scares the living hell out of me and is so bent out of square. Also you know what's the best bang for your buck value? Wen tools. Their larger power tools are very affordable and good quality.
I have some blur Ryobi tools from 25 years ago that came NiCad batteries. They still work and use the newest batteries. For the hobbyist, Ryobi is a good choice. For shading with a pencil to help sanding, I like to use a 5.6mm mechanical pencil. Big, soft lead shades well and you never need to sharpen. It doesn't break much either.
I use milwuakee tools and absolutely love them, but I also do a lot more than wood working. I bought my dad a bunch of ryobi tools when his 30 year old black and decker tools were finally dying and honestly, the only difference I noticed was the sound and torque. The Ryobi has slightly less torque, but it felt more comfortable to use. If I lost all my milwuakee tools somehow, I’d probably restart with Ryobi, mostly for their dedication to battery consistency. But yea, all cordless tools these days are comparable. Motors and batteries are getting cheaper and more powerful, so the main difference is form factor.
Important thing to remember is apply the same number of coats of the same finish to both sides. I have a table with top made of white pine boards edge glued (yes, alternating grain). The top is glued to the frame using only butt joints. No fasteners were used in the table. It spends its time in an unheated, mostly glass room where it sits in direct sun and the temp can vary from below freezing up to 80F in the course of a day in winter and is hot and humid, into the upper 90'sF, in the summer. The table has no cupping. Its 40 years old.
I started out woodworking a few months ago and I am still a beginner. But I bought a lot of tools and spent a lot of time on overkill joinery based on recommendations. Half laps look easy and are very strong but they can add days to a project ! As a weekend warrior the feeling that you cut a lot of half laps or joints but you didn’t finish the project makes you think. I have a pocket hole jig but pocket holes don’t help with alignment, my wood always moves when I screw in the pocket holes. I use teak and it splits visibly 1 out of 4 pocket holes. So I bought a dual spindle doweling cutter. Best $100 bucks spent: you can do exactly what the UA-camrs do with their festool domino, just with dowels instead of dominos. Now I dowel + glue everything together and call it a day. Getting stuff finished in a weekend is more important than following some ideology. Maybe I will think differently when I have more experience.
@@jk_22 I agree, if I do pocket holes I do dowels for alignment, but mostly I use dowels alone. Be ware, there are some expensive dowel jigs out there, you don’t need them. A drill and those spiky things you can put into the dowel hole to transfer the location of the dowel to the other part is enough. Or get a dual spindle doweling machine.
Really appreciate the way you think about things. I have a family member who is an incredible woodworkers. The problem is I can never let him know I’m even thinking about working on something because he’ll criticize every little things. For me, as a parent, often I really need to prioritize speed to complete something. For him it’s about perfection and often takes him months to complete something. That’s totally cool when you’re trying to craft something really great, but just not feasible when you need a small bookshelf to put some extra books on and need it done fast.
I've actually been keeping my sawdust in a jar just incase. Good to know it has a specific use. I also noticed when sanding my latest piece (a cat-house for my cat), once the pencil marks are gone it feels PERFECT! :D Great video!
You have me on everything in this video except for the Ryobi circular saw, which I have, and I have no idea how it got past QC. The plate is not parallel to the blade by 1/8 front to back, the depth lever can't lock if the cut is deeper than 3/4" because it hits the plate, and anything more than a feather touch tilts the blade off axis. On top of that, I can't fix these problems because everything is riveted or welded, and I couldn't take it back because it was a gift. The other brands, 100%. A truck is a truck and there's functionally no difference between the big players, but Ryobi is very much a get-what-you-pay-for when it comes to precision.
Nice discussion. You're a natural teacher. You're right about joint strength until the furniture is thrown on a moving van and hauled to a different part of the country or world. As a military guy (and woodworker) for 36 years, done that. Otoh, my very strong impression is that the raw strength of the joint is less important than its ability to keep functioning after the glue has failed. Imo _that's_ why dovetails get all the street cred for durability. Pinned or wedged M&T are in the same vein. We have some 200+ yo pieces with everything dovetailed. Many have failed glue, but the pieces still look and work fine. Of course pocket screws are perfect for built-ins that never go anywhere :-).
Thank you so much for the guidance. Anytime somebody has an overtly angry reaction to an instructional video for budding woodworkers, the projection is absolutely astounding. Thanks again and can’t wait to follow up on your work.
Great advice. I see the wood glue and sawdust advice all the time for small imprefections and cracks. I always use CA Glue or Epoxy. It just works better and finishes a lot better as well. Thanks for sharing.
Small tip. Don't use epoxy glue with oak, tannins in the oak will affect epoxy. leaving you with messy goop, that has to clean out of wood surface. Learn that in hard way
On the measure twice cut once point, I think it is worth pointing out that it is good to make a job stick for certain jobs where the measurement is made once on the stick and cut marks made. You then use this as a reference on all the workpieces so they are all the same even if your first measurement was slightly out of what you intended.
The whole alternating grain thing only works if you laminate together an equal numberof pieces of wood with alternating grain orientation in several layers. That way they can exert opposite forces. Glueing them side by side in a single layer does SFA, because the twisting force isn't opposed by anything.
dig your video. electrical contractor 25 years, finally building my own house. learning many things along the way, wood working tool collection is growing as well as knowledge. debating kitchen cabinet build as its looking more and more doable. thanks for your info
Thanks for the encouragement/info for us newbies. The most important thing is to build stuff and get better over time. So many ppl are quick to criticize. We all start somewhere. I wonder what they have built?
Hey John, please make more videos, your delivery & sarcastic humour is a joy to watch. So, young man, more content, less working on customers orders 🤣🤣✊
FINALLY! a good and accurate way to do table tops, I had an old woodworker say that a GOOD woodworker always put the heart towards the inside, and now you see why, wood does shrink, and it should be put in the same form it grew.
Brilliant video, I've found the catch with alternating growth rings is that it can make planing the surface without trearout tricky. Through years of practice and learning from people who actually know what they're doing I can avoid tearout with a well set plane / cabinet scrapers but for someone starting out thats a steep learning curve. I guess thats where sanders are so handy, I just hate using them vibration, noise, breathing in dust etc.
Love the ethos of just getting people into woodworking and not worrying about joint strength and tool types. I used screws for my coffee table and thankfully it can hold the weight of one cup of coffee 😂
AHAHA! Gosh, I just love this one... It reminds me of some "discussions" I've had with other pro chefs in kitchens I worked. All the lore and fiction when simple physics or chemistry just say the opposite, like adding oil to the pasta cooking water...
@@mrcryptozoic817 Yeah, heard that one too... Except that the only things preventing water to boil over is the heat intensity under the pot and the level of water in said pot.
@@Lincolnstww It's just wasting good oil for varied dubious reasons IMHO. Best for pasta is just water and salt, 10g of salt per liter of cold water, about a third of seawater salt content. Give a 1 minute boil to the water to diminish the chlorine and other compounds that can evaporate.
I am a house and furniture restorer started at 17 I'm 62 now this guy is all good as far as I'm concerned it comes down to what works do you keep it simple or complex that's a personal preference thing as long as what's built furniture or home can stand the test of time 😢
I caught something you said- varnish/protect the bottom of your table from moisture. Ive made a handful of tables/furniture. Should I start doing this? Thank so much for you simple and to the point lessons!
I'll tell you one thing from experience, Don't buy Ryobi. Especially their miter saw. Yeah maybe their drills are ok.. But don't buy any tools from Ryobi where you expect precision. I speak from experience, I ended up returning their miter saw and router. Got a DeWalt and Milwaukee. Huge difference.. Worth it investment.
@luthiermatt some of those older power tools are actually decent. They might not have all the power and technology of new ones, but they were precise and reliable. I have some old old power tools from the 60's or probably and they still work like new, but I don't use them for work. I have new power tools for that but those old tools are awesome just to have around in case you're in a pinch.
"Measure 3x and sneek up on it! " quote from Charles Neil my first mentor after Murphy, LOL! Putting finish on both sides will even the hydrostatic pressure on the boards. sealing the ends is very important if you live in MN. extreme changes in temprature and humidity. Also tension in the wood is important. even in dried wood. Great examples and good suggestions particularly for first projects. In shop furniture I think mechanical joints are best if you have changing needs. I like the recommendation of laying the piece your fitting on top and sneeking up on the final cut.
Im old school, Mortice and tennon joints are what I will continue using, having learned them a long time ago. Good carpentry is common sense and lots of experience. Dont hurry, enjoy your work ...
Old school scribbling before sanding. Real old school I saw in action when I was an apprentice patternmaker in 1979 to 1981. We built massive projects pieced together which were hand planed perfectly flat by the journeyman. They used a stick that was at least minimum in length the size of the flat surface being worked. They would use black chalk or similar on the edge of the stick and rub it on the surface being made flat. Any high spots would catch the chalk which would then be surfaced with the large hand planes. These guys were incredibly skilled.
Yeah, cleashe.
But dude you are an idiot.
Woodwork has been tested for over 2000 years and now some 20 year old knows better?
Testing joint strength is not necessary?
Oh my friend, although I can respect much of what you said you will yourself regret saying most of what you did in this vid in 10 years.
And yes, I have trained in furniture building in Australia, England and Japan. After 45 years......new guys to timber....two things....
Do NOT take what this guy says, who apparently knows everything, for gospel.
2nd, you burn wood. You build with timber.
I present exactly what I'm talking about round 2.........
blah, blah, blah
pretty sure timber is made of wood
This video is for the novice/beginner not for a furniture maker. And we are not back in time 45 years ago. It’s for the person wanting to make something instead of going to IKEA. Yes I agree long lasting furniture should use proper joinery, but beginners aren’t making furniture and glue and screws will only last 20 years, most of today youth thinks that’s an antique. You are probably a kid. Be happy, you got response to your anger issues
Oh, it's been tested? Where are the evidence based studies?
HI mate.
I have been wood working for more than 35 years I fully agree with you just go for it the more you make the more you will learn. Just do it get in your shop or shed & have fun doing it.
Amen
Man, I wish I had more space. I have a tiny little folding bench on my back patio and that's about it. lol
I HAVE been woodworking for 35 years and you Sir are absolutely freaking right in all of this. Too many people sitting in judgement. I would have never started had it been this judgy when all I had was a hammer and handsaw.
After 50 years of woodworking I still consider myself a beginner. This attitude is beneficial for two reasons:
1. I stay humble
I can always learn something new from anyone.
2. I approach newbies with that humility. If I'm lucky, I'll learn something new too.
I like this guy! 74 year old retired professional commercial architectural millworker and custom woodworker here. Pretty smart for a youngster. Climate conditions and humidity are HUGE factors in wood selection, finishes and durability depending even on latitude location. Normal usage of wood fixtures affects finish more than anything else. I always stressed that the glue is stronger than the wood around it. Pinned mortise and tenons swell and shrink. Trust your glue to hold your joints, unless you're going for old school reality.
During one of the extremely busy cycles in the 2006 era I installed a set of white oak stairs in a house that was framed before the cold weather and finished to sheetrock before heating. The exposed framing wood was sweating when I put my stringers in. By the time I set my treads they had absorbed so much moisture they had to practically be beat into place with a sledge hammer. First and only house I ever worked in where they didnt acclimate before going to finish. I can only imagine how the oak flooring went in.
I only use boards with happy faces at the end. I see a sad face, I throw it back. I don't need that negativity in my woodshop.
😂 underrated comment 💀
@@JosephSastreShowsYou me too, but when I see that frown, I just turn it upside down.
Oh man! Don't you know those pieces are exactly what they need on the other side of the world!
But what do Australian woodworkers do???
@@mark2talk2u Don't you get it? All the Aussies get the upside-down boards we Americans don't want because the 'cup' is facing down, while you Australians send us Americans all your upside-down boards! That way everybody's got "happy" boards to work with! 😊 = American boards
😢 = Australian boards
Bonus tip when you have a few different tape measures which ever one you grab to start the project stick with that one for the whole project most tapes end hook have different slack in them so if you switch tapes in the middle of your project your measurements will be off 😊
This one! Not enough people worry about this
My dad accidently cut a tape measure with the RAS, he cut it down, re riveted the hook and went on. I was in his house, measured up for some wood, went home and cut it, only to find everything was six inches too long !!! when he saw that he mentioned the tape, he got a new one from me right after that as I threw that one out
I learned this the hard way. I kept wondering why the hell my measurements where never quite the same from one moment to the next. Don't use 5 different flippin' measuring tools! 🤣
I worked as lead man in a shop that manufactured custom frames for grocery stores. After a couple weeks of messed up frames, I took a look at tapes. All three workers had their own personal tapes, and each one was just a little bit outside, to paraphrase Mr Baseball. So...I went to our supplier and asked for a standard case lot of one particular tape measure, with the thought that not only would we be using the 'same' tape, but from the same manufacturing lot. Measurement errors dropped dramatically. Just sayin'...
Use a knife to mark (5-10x more precise) and a pecil to indicate on which side to cut. Or write an O over the knife cut to find it again 😉.
Sneaking up on cuts is fantastic advice! Definitely something I wish I had learned sooner
Tip for the pencil trick with sanding. Not only do i use a thicker pencil, but i also use the side of the graphite rather than the tip itself. Not only does this prevent the pencil from dipping into the grain it has a nice side benefit of actually sharpening the pencil point
I started using a carpenter's pencil for similar reasons. Seems to work pretty good for me thus far.
My theory when i started doing this is that you want it to dip in a little bit, that way if you have and deep scratches from lower grits you know you're getting them out. Would that be wrong?
@@AwesomeActsOfRandomnot wrong, but you do have to be careful that you are making divots, like was stated in the video. If you only have a few deep scratches and you sand in that very small area to get it out, then you will have a dip in the surface in that spot.
I guess best practice would be to continue drawing on the surface until all the marks are gone, that way if you do have deep scratches, they’ll be removed while maintaining a relatively flat surface.
The fastest way around this is a hand plane, thickness planer, or a jointer before sanding, but those are expensive. Haha
You smartass!
@@nolansprojects2840You can flatten a surface using a sander and a straight edge. The Honest Carpenter channel did a demo showing how to do it.
Saving knots was clever AF, I'm gonna safe all knots from now and make a piece with thousands of knots in it!
Thousands?! That's knot cool!
I wonder if I can save money at the big box store by just buying the knots.
I like wood with holes and voids. I’m going to save them all and make a piece of wood with a thousand voids.
On the Glue and Sawdust - the trick there is to STAIN the Saw Dust then add glue to help blend in the repair.
I do that all the time and works much better as glue itself prevents the stain from penetrating the wood fibers.
After glue/sawdust then sanding, the exposed wood fibers do pick up some stain, but not like staining it first.
My 2 cents.
Similarly the sawdust putty can have varnish as a binder instead of glue. The resulting putty will be sticky enough and dry pretty tough. It'll finish a bit lighter than varnished end grain. I often do this for gaps between floor boards prior to sanding.
As a finish stair builder putting stain grade finished stairs using the glue and sawdust method was not acceptable. We used wood putty that would take a stain. Best case scenario was to let the painter fill nail holes and put the putty on plugs we used to install posts and hand rails. Most discrete builders wouldnt allow us to even do that. They wanted the painter to deal with it to maximize the overall consistency.
That's awesome that you made something with your kids just to prove the point. I hope that beginner didn't just quit. The advice out here is crazy!
Im a Ryobi user. I have over 40 tools that can all share the same batteries. Some of them are over 25 years old. Ryobi has kept the same battery platform for the 18 volt tools since they first started making 18 v tools. Great Video.
Additionally, my dad bought a ryobi drill when he and my mom moved in together, 40 years ago now.
It's been used at least a few times a month for forty years, and it was _never_ treated well.
It's still kicking. It was the first drill I learned on, and it's the one he brought to help me put up a fence at our place a couple years ago.
Ryobi is "not as good as other tools", objectively speaking, but, geez, that's like saying "man, my corolla isn't as good as a corvette." It'll get you where you need to go just fine.
Side note: their 40v line (mowers, edgers, etc) is pretty great. The large battery with the mid tier mower does my half acre lot in one charge, and I picked up their charger/battery generator thing and it's gotten us through a few power outages. :)
@@b4ux1t3-tech I've got several of the older tools and quite a few of the newer ones. 2 different sizes of weedeaters 3 different type of vacuums.(handheld and shopvac style ) Several different type of flashlights. A small mower, leaf blower, etc..... All take the exact same batteries. Ryobi makes around 200+ tools in the 18v+ family of tools. My personal opinion is that you just CAN'T BEAT THEM. I don't care what other people use. My money is well spent on Ryobi.
I found a Ryobi 18 Impact in the gritty ice bank of city road snowplows in my front yard a couple years ago.
It had been there most of the winter and looked like it had been pushed down the road in front of a plow for a long time. Probably over a couple days.
I wasn’t expecting anything so I gav it the double tap and it tried going!
Battery out, flushed it with hot water, dried it with a shop vac, flushed it with alcohol, waited for a charger in the mail, tested and charged the battery. . .
It’s good as new and my go to for plenty of work. Started buying stuff compatible with the battery, figuring it would eventually give up and make me get a pair of new ones but it’s still going strong too.
@@heatshield They are pretty tough. You can get older ones from the flea market or yard/garage sales really cheap. The older ones are blue. The battery will fit and work them as well. As far as I know your story is the best testament for Ryobi. 😎
@@c.blakerockhart1128 yep mine is blue, red badge, white lettering, neon green motor direction push-through switch.
I asked around at the neighbors and down the street some, into neighbors I didn’t know, to find the owner. I think it was tumbled quite a way. LOL
I agree with everything you just said. For me “measure twice cut once” was always just another way of saying “double check your dimensions before you start ripping planks”. This content is hands down one of the more useful bits of woodworking advice I’ve seen on UA-cam. 👍
Never switch betweem measuring tapes in a project.
Theres a video out there showing why...
I absolutely agree. My sentiments exactly!
The problem with m2c1 is that you have a brain f@rt when designing, and you then confidentially and accurately cut the wrong size.
So true, for me the “measure twice cut once” really comes into play is more when you’re installing finish woodwork, rather than constructing it
30 years on I'm marking direct measurements wherever possible, even framing a shed. Mostly mark with a utility knife. I find it faster and simpler than a tape, to set the board up and nick or score it with the knife from my pocket.
I worked in a custom timber door shop. When sanding thru the grits, we mostly used wax crayons for marking. Every stick got marked. Never had an issue of contamination. Little trick for taking a piece down to size. Lower the stationary saw blade down, push the piece of wood up against the blade making it deflect. Lift the blade up, start the saw and you will shave a very small amount off. Rinse and repeat until the desired fit. Enjoyed this video. I have been working with wood for over 40 years. Everyone developes their own styles. What works for some, won't for others. Keep 'em coming.
The wax doesn't build up in the sandpaper? I would think it does.
@@lukegoffkat Been used for decades without problems in commercial joinery shops with random orbits or large (1300mm wide) 3 belt industrial sanders. Resin in the timber is more likely to cause problems. Surprising but true.
OMG. Are you for real???? Someone who speaks 'common sense' is unheard of today. THANK YOU!
Well done, John. I especially applaud you for the point regarding the beginner woodworker getting not so helpful advice from so-called "experts." There are several levels of woodworking that blur together, and making something with pocket hole joinery is done even by people like me who have been doing this for decades. Being able to say "I made that" yields a satisfaction I still enjoy today.
Your last sentence is the most important and sadly gets lost in all the noise. There are few things more empowering when starting out than that feeling of accomplishment.
As someone that has dabbled with woodworking over the years but never took the time to get very good, but I’m ready to get to work, I appreciate your common sense approach. Thanks.
Great video! When I bought my first drill I had people inform me that I bought a "crappy" Ridgid. I thought, great, I will buy a better one as soon as this one dies. Over 10 years later, it still has yet to die... I was really hoping I could get a new drill.
The trap of a temporary solution that becomes....what how long has it been like this?
@@Can_Driver
Nothing is more permanent than a temporary fix😁
Before retiring, I was a tradesman. I got fed up with my chargers getting heisted (intentionally or not).
So I figured that if I went with an unpopular brand, that would cease. Phased out my Milwaukee stuff and went full on Ridgid. Theft problem ended and I'm satisfied with all my tools except my orbital sander. (The dust collection sucks and it tends to want to coat you in dust unless you hold it backwards. )
That is funny. I still have my first drill too. 30 years later, it's still working fine.
First measuring tape I got was hot pink, 40 years later it still hasn't been swiped.
Hey, I just want to thank you on this point you made about which tools to buy. You're correct. I'd like to addmy top four those looking at tools. 1st Look at the range of tools a brand has to offer and make sure the brand covers what you need. 2nd stick with 1 brand as much as possible with the battery powered tools, you don't want to have to buy several different brands of batteries and chargers because that's the biggest cost for tools. 2nd.B if you're buying power corded tools, the brand doesn't matter. 3rd, don't buy power tools from pawn shops. 4th You get what you pay for. If you're a hobbyist, ryobi and harbor freight should be good enough to get you by for small projects. But if you're going to take it serious or this is for your trade in carpentry/ construction, don't go cheap. It's worth the extra cost when you need that tool everyday for the next decade.
You are not an idiot. I appreciate your video. You're good at identifying the root cause of problems and the most significant factors that affect projects.
My motto is measure twice, cut once, go back to Home Depot again.
🤣🤣🤣
I have the short term memory of a gold fish so measure once, forget, measure twice, forget, then find a piece of paper, draw & dimension a little plan, shove it in my pocket and forget it's there. Spend 5 mins looking for it, draw & dimension another little plan then finally go and cut some stuff up (not before I get distracted doing something else though)......
Cut off five times and still too short
@@Jamessansome I think we have the same brain, i swear i had this happen to me last week exactly
I told my father when I was 14. “I cut this board three times and it is still to short”.
😂😮😮
Been woodworking for about 35 years and I'll say you nailed it. Sad to say I fell for a few of these myself. Where was the internet (and you) when I needed it.
Yea but you got to live in a normal world haha... I'll trade you my internet for your normalcy sir! : )
Do what you can with what you've got where you are
Your comments are tool brand are spot on. When you are just starting out, the tool brand you chose should be whatever you can afford. There's no need to invest in pro grade tools unless you are doing pro level work and you can always upgrade later on if you decide to.
All great tips. Couldn't agree more. I'm 74 and been working home shop projects for as long as I can remember back into my fathers shop in the 50s. I still have a lot of his old tools that have been pasted to him by his father. Thanks for carrying on.
How did you unpaste the tools from your father?
And why did your grandfather paste tools to your father? That seems like it would make things difficult.
People who go online to rant about all the things brought up in this video aren’t looking for logical responses to explain their flawed advice, they’re looking for others to affirm themselves and feed their ego. No amount of great videos like this will stop the inane responses from happening, unfortunately.
That's true, but what it will do is give those of us who actually want to learn something a place to do it instead of getting stuck in an echo chamber.
Pretty ignorant post, don´t you think?
@@justinharper6909 seems more to me like a comment borne out of a great deal of observation of the behavior of ignorant people
Great video !
@@justinharper6909 you're so ironic without realizing it that its...ironic
As a custom furniture maker for over 45 years, it is nice to hear some solid advice. I would add 2 (of many) additional simple items. First is what many people fail to mention about pocket hole assembly (personally I use a domino whenever possible because of both the strength and the perfect alignment of the parts) ; unless you are making a rustic looking item, definitely clamp your parts when shooting the screws. Pocket holes, because they are angled, will pull the faces of the joined pieces out of alignment unless you have them firmly clamped. The second item is if you plan to make projects out of expensive solid hard woods and want good long term results, invest in a moisture meter. You can get a decent one for as little as $40 and it is a solid investment. I have pulled boards from stacks at my local hardwood supplier where two nearly identical boards from the same stack has over a 10% spread in the moisture readings. Using those together (or even using the board that was at over 10% at all) is an invitation to failure.
Great tips!
Measure twice, cut once is a better tip for carpentry than finer woodworking. Like you I find referential measurement, cutting to fit, and sneaking up on dimension to be more precise.
You're spot on, all good tips!
I built a garden stool for my Mom years ago when I didn't have many tools, using nothing but glue on butt joints... not a screw or nail or dowel in it. She plops it in the dirt and pulls weeds, so it's not sitting flat and takes on a good bit of tension and twisting and she's not a 'small' woman either, it's been left outside in the rain accidentally but just gets thrown in the garage normally and years later is just fine and still looks good too.
I say build it however you can with what you have.
I agree with you Don't alternate growth rings in my past learning experience my woodshop teacher was teaching alternate growth rings and it was Not successful! Warping took place and the shop teacher asked me to find out why the small table top warped. I was a apprentice learning furniture making and asked Mr Enrico Liberti about alternating growth rings he said that was Not correct! Wrong and Not true!
This man should have been inducted into the woodworkers Hall of Fame! Look him up he was well known for Antique Reproductions and Restoration.
I hope this helps people have a better understanding.
Thank You for Sharing your Video!
Have a Wonderful Day!
Thank you so much for this video. I run a woodworking manufacturing company and the number of videos and tips online that are either absolutely wrong or are for those people who are happy to take hours just to fashion one fancy joint is absolutely crazy. We need more videos like these!
I wouldn't know why pocket holes would be insufficient for a table when most people in the world are using knockdown stuff held together with janky little Ikea fasteners and getting by just fine.
My thoughts exactly! I remember getting into woodworking because I was putting together some IKEA furniture thinking, "I could make something stronger than this for much less money!"
Turns out, I was right. Then I went down the woodworking rabbit hole only to learn why everything I made was trash... And yet everything I made was better looking, stronger, and cost less than the furniture I was using it to replace!
It's all too easy to get in to a hobby only lose sight of the original reasons you got into a hobby to begin with. My wife still likes the furniture I make. I still enjoy making it. And we still save a bunch of money on each piece. Still a win win win.
I personally wouldn't use pocket holes for a table. If I didn't have a domino I'd use one of those handy dowel jigs, they've gotten really good the last few years. Buy once cry once.
@@ThekiBorantechnically dominoes and biscuits are only there to line up the wood until the glue dries, I have never seen glue fail at a joint if it's properly applied. In fact it's stronger than the wood itself
Ikea fasteners are designed for knock-down furniture. Pocket hole screws are designed for low-stress joinery, like cabinet frames or casework.
Well said 👍
Great stuff! As a newbie myself, I always have to remember not to chase perfection. It doesn’t exist. There is nothing wrong with “good enough”.
Some of my best pieces feature happy accidents.
HeilRy, I respectfully can not agree, but on a detail of nuance, not of fundamental opposition to your viewpoint. Personally, I have come to the conclusion that perfection is a valid goal and an honourable objective, in all manner of things. From cutting the lawn, to cutting framing studs, installing vapour barrier during a reno, preparing food to cook with uniform dimensions, working on a bicycle or choosing an outfit that matches well with complimentary colours. It doesn't matter what I do, I want it to be perfect. The difference between this compulsive (possibly obsessive) objective of perfection is the acknowledgement that while perfection is a valid goal, there will always be losses or deficiencies that subtract from 100%. I call it the 97% rule, because that is what I am willing to accept as a viable outcome. I still aim for 100%, but will accept slightly less, because being too fixated on a perfect outcome detracts from the overall joy of any activity. This is what keeps me from throwing away (repurposing) every board in a fence, or just generally being unhappy with much of what I accomplish every day. If no one but I can see the 3% deficiency and it does not inhibit the functionality of what has been produced, I have learned to be totally satisfied with the outcome, and proud of my work. After all, if you are performing what I call "hand work", on a one-off basis, it is the inevitable outcome. If ultimate precision were the only acceptable outcome, every single item would be produced with a CNC out of uniform manufactured materials, and specifically NOT what the author of this vid identifies in the phrase "wood is always moving". (what a gift of a description!). I hope this help you to be proud of you work, and to always keep learning!
@@michaelharvey-nb6vw you will never make anything artistic
--- does that "good enuff" apply both when you are buying as well as selling ? I suspect it's a 'one way' attitude
@@michaelharvey-nb6vw you will never make anything artistic
The best tool is the one you can afford to have. With out tools you can beg, borrow, or own all you have is a bunch of UFO’s aka un- finished objects. I believe is the moto of this Channel, so I am subscribing 👍
I built a really nice dresser for my daughter with glue and staples. Still works fine today 3yrs later so far. I routed in the shelves on one side and the whole bottom so she has a couple cubby shelves on the side of her dresser. I built it out of beach wood.
Dear LINCOLN ST.,
As the son of a world renown violin repairman I have over 50 years of woodworking experience. I can affirm everything you've said in this video is true, sound advice.
I love how you're giving 'sound advice' as the son of a violin repairman
Violins do make the best sound.
@@HenkjanDeKaasboer he also says "I have over 50 years of woodworking experience" that is a lot of years
@@mailleweaverunderrated comment
Did your dad alternate 2x4's on the violins? Yes, it's a joke...
Thanks for calling B.S. on two of my favorite mouth-breather gallery topics: Joint strength and tool brands. My first media console was assembled with every 'wrong' technique possible... butt joint screws, pocket screws, glued end grain... but it looks great on the outside and years later it hasn't imploded and it's still doing a great job of sitting on the floor and being furniture. On the tool subject my Dad has used and abused an old Ryobi cordless 5pc kit for years (remember when they were blue?) and guess what... they still get the job done.
The new batteries have the same platform. As long as the voltage is the same, a new battery WILL work in an old drill/saw/or other. But... The new Chargers Won't work for older batteries.
I'm a beginner woodworker, but am a full time husband, dad, and domestic repairman. Regardless of what tool brand I buy I will eventually wear it out. However I would have gotten enough years and use out of it that it really didn't matter which color tool I chose.
@@coreytohme9861 The reason that I chose Ryobi is because I can buy one new tool and get a battery that will work in an old yard sale / garage sale / or flea market tool that only cost $3-$10. For that price you can afford to get several more tools than you can with other brands that continuously change the battery platform so you have to buy new batteries for the new tool.
@@coreytohme9861 It will take you a looong time to wear out good tools.
Good point on tool brand. My Hyper Tough Walmart power tools might not be as nice looking as my Milwaukee or Rigid tools but they all are 2/3 less and are still running strong. I originally bought the Walmart brand because I did not want to damage the high price Milwaukee or Rigid tools while working with tile and cement. Seems I can not wear these cheap tools out while the Milwaukee Sawzall died cutting down our metal swing set. No worries though a $45 Hyper Tough saved the day.
“Sometimes it’s good, Sometimes it’s shit.” I am still laughing at that one. Its perfect! Its gonna be my mantra this week :)
That was awesome!
yes, general gattuzo is the goat :)
Same heren! LMAO
It completely caught me off guard. 😂
OMG, the tip about using a large pencil vs a mechanical pencil for marking before sanding was awesome. I'm always using a mechanical pencil and I get so frustrated because I sand and sand and sand and the pencil mark never goes away. Thanks!
Built a bookcase last month. I've built countless basic wood projects over the years (I'm an old guy) but now that I'm retired I spent many hours getting tips from pros in videos. So with this bookcase I stepped up my game, a lot. The end result is nicer than anything I've built before, but many mistakes were made along the way, and that will surely help with the next project.
A big challenge is developing skills and tools to fit my budget, workshop space, and desires (i.e. how much effort I want to put into it--I have many other interests too). So I resonate with what was said in this video. I'm not looking to become a master craftsman, I just want to get to where I can build simple projects and am pleased with the end-result. Probably won't get into hardwoods, will stick with pine because it's so much cheaper and easier to work with. And am looking to develop techniques that make it easier to hide the flaws in the wood and the lower precision tools I'm using (i.e., nothing but hand tools). I'll keep learning from master woodworkers, but apply it in ways that work for me.
Regardless of what comments you receive, your advice is sound and practical. Having started my woodworking journey over 40 years ago, I've personally encountered every one of the mentioned subjects in this video and I can attest that your advice is genuine. The one I suggestion I've seen that I really don't like is the wood glue and sawdust. Whenever I've tried that I've found the concoction ends up setting itself before I get to use it. Maybe I was using the incorrect glue but the glue started to dry too fast.
Your info on glued boards cupping, as you mention, is spot on. I glued up a table top of mahogany 4/4 boards using the alternating method and that tabletop ended up at 3/8" thick as I continuously battled the top cupping after each sanding. I eventually decided to seal BOTH sides after the final flattening and viola! the top stopped cupping.
Thanks for your videos. I enjoy everyone you've made.
Much appreciated! and thanks for watching
Thanks for helping reaffirm I'm not a total idiot in the shop. Simple, logical explanations to some great debates. I've always looked the overall integrity of a project and not just one single joint. And your best advice, pick your favorite color, and go with that for a battery system, brilliant. Great video, thanks for sharing.
I have to say to the "Measure Twice Cut Once" being replaced by sneaking up on a cut with the internal piece; You are still practicing what is meant by rule/law in that statement, you're in keeping with the spirit of "Measure Twice Cut Once" when you're sneaking up on the cut.
I'm not even a hobby joiner but I use this saying as a reminder of due diligence in my field/trade.
Except that in reality, he's measuring (presumably) twice and cutting AT LEAST twice. So, it's really not the same, but can save aggravation later.
I love this video, I've been working with wood since the mid 1970's and I was trained by my polish immigrant Grandfather who was a master fine furniture maker this video is 110% correct! ❤❤
Oh man your bit about measuring is so reassuring!! I do this. I cut everything a bit long and then run back and forth to my saw until it's a perfect fit and have been berating myself that I don't know how to measure better! I do it with wood, and with tile, and now I can do it happily instead of thinking that I'm an idiot. 🎉🎉🎉😂😂😂
When I build fence gates with boards, I find that I have to alternate the crowns to keep the door somewhat straight, but it doesn't need to be flat like a counter top or table top. Good video.
"Not shitty boomerangs" That made me laugh out loud Jon. Good stuff.
lol same
Best present-day New Zealand post-punk band, and some might say they're even better than the Six Pistols.
Ditto
Thank you thank you!
The issue with that is that it ignores how the force flows through the material. My parents house had a corner completely rotted out before it got repaired and you would have never noticed it without inspecting it without the dry wall on. If that had been the only part of the wall carrying the load, it would have collapsed, but being just a small section, it barely sagged. (Obviously, that's something to fix immediately if it's happening, but it's probably not going to lead to a small house collapsing)
Good advice on that last tip. Marking instead of measuring is usually faster, more accurate and easier.
Reliable, proven techniques along with a great positive attitude. Nicely done. Thank you for supporting the future generations of woodworkers.
this is what a breath of fresh air feels like. been hobby WW about 2 years and it didnt take long for me to figure out that some YT makers are saying weird sh?t to chase clicks. But as a newbie it is still hard to figure out who is telling the truth and who isnt. This channel has no axe to grind so I believe him.
I have made a ton of furniture using pocket holes. Works fine.
Pick a color you like and run with it!!! Probably the best advice ever!! I've been woodworking for 20 years, I use ryobi and have never had a problem with their battery platform.
In 2000 I built a huge, beautiful, solid oak round dining table (and it was finished on all surfaces) while we were stationed in Alabama. The Army advised us against moving it to Korea due to the size/space issues there, so it was stored in a much drier place in California for over four years. When we got back in 2005 it had dried significantly and was a totally ruined $4500 investment (in woodworking experience). The original wood was high-quality red oak that was supposedly properly dried. My mistake was literally different (indoor) weather. In my opinion, you should store properly seasoned wood l-for a year if you can-IN THE TARGET CLIMATE before you do anything else with it. Doing that has required some home weather proofing, but my shop is now a fully climate controlled space at least 90% of the time. When the weather is nice I do open it up when I’m working. I also pop open a window whenever the dust collection vacuum is running because the beast tends to suck all the comfy HVAC air out of our house otherwise.
A typical hobbyist can store some wood in a closet, under a bed, behind a sofa, etc. and will notice it finds a new normal size and shape in a month or two after coming inside from the non-climate controlled wood yard where it was purchased. (Most such wood was in transit from who knows where not too long before you bought it.)
Let it rest where it’s gonna live before you build with it.
I measure the same way. I learn that we all are fast so I start practicing to slow myself down by measuring more. To be AWARE of myself to practice quality and enjoy what I'm doing, with excellent results.
All sage advise! Another excellent video - thank you sir! I use the pencil sanding method. For the pencil I use one of those really big flat carpenter pencils - seems to work well for me. One thing I always try to do when I am finishing up removing the pencil lines is - wait for it - always finish your sanding in the direction of the wood grain, never at an angle to it.
Same. I also sometimes like to use a piece of chalk - even easier and quicker than a carpenter's pencil. Not always suitable though - sometimes the chalk doesn't stick enough and a pencil is required.
Great advise and video John. Pocket hole joinery and wood glue is strong (great for beginners or any experience level) and most people underestimate the strength of wood glue alone!
"Ignore those cranky gatekeepers" is a great title for a complete youtube channel. Love this.
I was impressed too,life in general is full of gatekeepers,I think it was Michael Faraday who said "there is nothing more disconcerting than a man who thinks he is right"
100% correct. I'm a firm believer that there is always more than one way to do something. The cranky gatekeepers think their way is the only right way and that will usually put me off of what they are trying to describe.
To challenge is one way we learn from history@@JohnWaclawski
DIY audio groups are WAY worse that that...
I have a low shelving unit that I glued together 20 years ago in high school shop class with basic 90 degree glue joints in a white oak frame inset with plywood panels and while I know it isn't the best idea I have stood on it several times, including when I was kind of fat. Thing is solid as a tank.
I've been using the same Black and Decker cordless drill for 11 years. Used it on everything around the house building a ton of storage shelves in the basement, used it to build workbenches and frame in the non-load bearing walls in my basement (the horror!) using high strength deck screws and build my kids treehouse and build numerous planters and benches for our backyard across two houses and for building tons of store-bought furniture. I even tried using it as a hammer drill a few times by hitting the back quickly with a mallet (did not work well) and it still works great today. I have their yard tools that share the same battery and those work great too. I've never understood the hate. Outside of trying to hammer the drill to speed up concrete drilling, I don't abuse my tools and generally take care of them. And they take care of me. I've really gotten into woodworking in recent years and consider myself to be between a hobbyist and a professional. I also have some Dewalt tools, some Porter-Cable tools, and they all work great. The only tool that I have that sucks is a Skil table saw that is almost 30 years old that my grandpa gave me, and I'm going to replace it with a Saw Stop later this year because it scares the living hell out of me and is so bent out of square.
Also you know what's the best bang for your buck value? Wen tools. Their larger power tools are very affordable and good quality.
I’ve been woodworking for 120 yrs. And when I finish my tops I can’t see them bc my eyesight is completely gone. So I feel them with my whiskers
An honest man
I've seen your work. Its amazing.
This man's name? Albert Gretzky.
@@BillyCarsley - So, his son was a hockey player - Wayne? That's a man that could swing some wood.
Excellent advice ! Been woodworking for 35 years. You are 100% correct.
I have some blur Ryobi tools from 25 years ago that came NiCad batteries. They still work and use the newest batteries. For the hobbyist, Ryobi is a good choice.
For shading with a pencil to help sanding, I like to use a 5.6mm mechanical pencil. Big, soft lead shades well and you never need to sharpen. It doesn't break much either.
I use milwuakee tools and absolutely love them, but I also do a lot more than wood working. I bought my dad a bunch of ryobi tools when his 30 year old black and decker tools were finally dying and honestly, the only difference I noticed was the sound and torque. The Ryobi has slightly less torque, but it felt more comfortable to use.
If I lost all my milwuakee tools somehow, I’d probably restart with Ryobi, mostly for their dedication to battery consistency.
But yea, all cordless tools these days are comparable. Motors and batteries are getting cheaper and more powerful, so the main difference is form factor.
I have been working with wood for more than 30 years. This guy is right
Important thing to remember is apply the same number of coats of the same finish to both sides. I have a table with top made of white pine boards edge glued (yes, alternating grain). The top is glued to the frame using only butt joints. No fasteners were used in the table. It spends its time in an unheated, mostly glass room where it sits in direct sun and the temp can vary from below freezing up to 80F in the course of a day in winter and is hot and humid, into the upper 90'sF, in the summer. The table has no cupping. Its 40 years old.
Wow, real advice, instant sub
I started out woodworking a few months ago and I am still a beginner. But I bought a lot of tools and spent a lot of time on overkill joinery based on recommendations. Half laps look easy and are very strong but they can add days to a project ! As a weekend warrior the feeling that you cut a lot of half laps or joints but you didn’t finish the project makes you think.
I have a pocket hole jig but pocket holes don’t help with alignment, my wood always moves when I screw in the pocket holes. I use teak and it splits visibly 1 out of 4 pocket holes.
So I bought a dual spindle doweling cutter. Best $100 bucks spent: you can do exactly what the UA-camrs do with their festool domino, just with dowels instead of dominos. Now I dowel + glue everything together and call it a day. Getting stuff finished in a weekend is more important than following some ideology.
Maybe I will think differently when I have more experience.
I wish I’d have invested in a nice dowel jig before a pocket hole jig
@@jk_22 I agree, if I do pocket holes I do dowels for alignment, but mostly I use dowels alone. Be ware, there are some expensive dowel jigs out there, you don’t need them. A drill and those spiky things you can put into the dowel hole to transfer the location of the dowel to the other part is enough. Or get a dual spindle doweling machine.
Home Depot always asks, did you find everything you need? I reply I'll know when I get back home.
That sounds about right. Every trip is usually followed by a couple more because I forgot some small item or random object that I definitely ‘need’.
Really appreciate the way you think about things.
I have a family member who is an incredible woodworkers. The problem is I can never let him know I’m even thinking about working on something because he’ll criticize every little things.
For me, as a parent, often I really need to prioritize speed to complete something. For him it’s about perfection and often takes him months to complete something. That’s totally cool when you’re trying to craft something really great, but just not feasible when you need a small bookshelf to put some extra books on and need it done fast.
I've actually been keeping my sawdust in a jar just incase. Good to know it has a specific use.
I also noticed when sanding my latest piece (a cat-house for my cat), once the pencil marks are gone it feels PERFECT! :D
Great video!
Loved this, Im a believer in the end result versus the method
I’ve been doing woodwork about 40 years professionally, and everything you said was spot on.
You have me on everything in this video except for the Ryobi circular saw, which I have, and I have no idea how it got past QC.
The plate is not parallel to the blade by 1/8 front to back, the depth lever can't lock if the cut is deeper than 3/4" because it hits the plate, and anything more than a feather touch tilts the blade off axis. On top of that, I can't fix these problems because everything is riveted or welded, and I couldn't take it back because it was a gift.
The other brands, 100%. A truck is a truck and there's functionally no difference between the big players, but Ryobi is very much a get-what-you-pay-for when it comes to precision.
Nice discussion. You're a natural teacher. You're right about joint strength until the furniture is thrown on a moving van and hauled to a different part of the country or world. As a military guy (and woodworker) for 36 years, done that. Otoh, my very strong impression is that the raw strength of the joint is less important than its ability to keep functioning after the glue has failed. Imo _that's_ why dovetails get all the street cred for durability. Pinned or wedged M&T are in the same vein. We have some 200+ yo pieces with everything dovetailed. Many have failed glue, but the pieces still look and work fine. Of course pocket screws are perfect for built-ins that never go anywhere :-).
Thank you so much for the guidance. Anytime somebody has an overtly angry reaction to an instructional video for budding woodworkers, the projection is absolutely astounding. Thanks again and can’t wait to follow up on your work.
Great advice. I see the wood glue and sawdust advice all the time for small imprefections and cracks. I always use CA Glue or Epoxy. It just works better and finishes a lot better as well. Thanks for sharing.
Small tip. Don't use epoxy glue with oak, tannins in the oak will affect epoxy. leaving you with messy goop, that has to clean out of wood surface.
Learn that in hard way
On the measure twice cut once point, I think it is worth pointing out that it is good to make a job stick for certain jobs where the measurement is made once on the stick and cut marks made. You then use this as a reference on all the workpieces so they are all the same even if your first measurement was slightly out of what you intended.
The whole alternating grain thing only works if you laminate together an equal numberof pieces of wood with alternating grain orientation in several layers. That way they can exert opposite forces. Glueing them side by side in a single layer does SFA, because the twisting force isn't opposed by anything.
dig your video. electrical contractor 25 years, finally building my own house. learning many things along the way, wood working tool collection is growing as well as knowledge. debating kitchen cabinet build as its looking more and more doable. thanks for your info
Thanks for the encouragement/info for us newbies. The most important thing is to build stuff and get better over time. So many ppl are quick to criticize. We all start somewhere. I wonder what they have built?
No sure why and how I ended up watching this video but I really enjoyed this direct common sense approach backed up with facts. Good job man!
7:33 had me dying 😂
Came here to comment the same. And I'm watching at 2x speed so caught me completely off guard!
Hey John, please make more videos, your delivery & sarcastic humour is a joy to watch.
So, young man, more content, less working on customers orders 🤣🤣✊
lol thanks!
FINALLY! a good and accurate way to do table tops, I had an old woodworker say that a GOOD woodworker always put the heart towards the inside, and now you see why, wood does shrink, and it should be put in the same form it grew.
Brilliant video, I've found the catch with alternating growth rings is that it can make planing the surface without trearout tricky. Through years of practice and learning from people who actually know what they're doing I can avoid tearout with a well set plane / cabinet scrapers but for someone starting out thats a steep learning curve. I guess thats where sanders are so handy, I just hate using them vibration, noise, breathing in dust etc.
Great video mate! As an Austrian living in in Australia I can confirm these boomerangs are crappy 🤣😂🤣
Love the ethos of just getting people into woodworking and not worrying about joint strength and tool types. I used screws for my coffee table and thankfully it can hold the weight of one cup of coffee 😂
but can it hold the weight of the bottle of whiskey as well? what about your feet?
AHAHA! Gosh, I just love this one... It reminds me of some "discussions" I've had with other pro chefs in kitchens I worked. All the lore and fiction when simple physics or chemistry just say the opposite, like adding oil to the pasta cooking water...
An odd place to talk about pasta water...but The reason to do that is solely to prevent boil-over
Serious statement. Do I add the oil or not? I just assumed thats what you do
@@mrcryptozoic817 Yeah, heard that one too... Except that the only things preventing water to boil over is the heat intensity under the pot and the level of water in said pot.
@@Lincolnstww It's just wasting good oil for varied dubious reasons IMHO. Best for pasta is just water and salt, 10g of salt per liter of cold water, about a third of seawater salt content. Give a 1 minute boil to the water to diminish the chlorine and other compounds that can evaporate.
@@wildpat03thanks!
I am a house and furniture restorer started at 17 I'm 62 now this guy is all good as far as I'm concerned it comes down to what works do you keep it simple or complex that's a personal preference thing as long as what's built furniture or home can stand the test of time 😢
I caught something you said- varnish/protect the bottom of your table from moisture. Ive made a handful of tables/furniture. Should I start doing this?
Thank so much for you simple and to the point lessons!
Great video! Thanks for that. Old habits die hard. Mortise and tenon were essential 100y ago when glue was weak.
"Sh!tty boomerangs." I love it!
I'll tell you one thing from experience, Don't buy Ryobi. Especially their miter saw. Yeah maybe their drills are ok.. But don't buy any tools from Ryobi where you expect precision. I speak from experience, I ended up returning their miter saw and router. Got a DeWalt and Milwaukee. Huge difference.. Worth it investment.
He wasn't talking about miter saws or even table saws in this video he was targeting mainly battery operated drill and drivers
Yeah Ryobi is never accurate without a bunch of recalibration.
Oddly enough, I have a Ryobi drill that's so old it's dark blue. Used it again today.
@luthiermatt some of those older power tools are actually decent. They might not have all the power and technology of new ones, but they were precise and reliable. I have some old old power tools from the 60's or probably and they still work like new, but I don't use them for work. I have new power tools for that but those old tools are awesome just to have around in case you're in a pinch.
That's awesome that you made something with your kids just to prove the point. I hope that beginner didn't just quit. The advice out here is crazy!
"Measure 3x and sneek up on it! " quote from Charles Neil my first mentor after Murphy, LOL! Putting finish on both sides will even the hydrostatic pressure on the boards. sealing the ends is very important if you live in MN. extreme changes in temprature and humidity. Also tension in the wood is important. even in dried wood. Great examples and good suggestions particularly for first projects. In shop furniture I think mechanical joints are best if you have changing needs. I like the recommendation of laying the piece your fitting on top and sneeking up on the final cut.
Us real carpenters don’t make youtube videos, we keep our secrets to ourselves 😊
Dude . . . I love your honesty in presenting. And I watch or listen to your videos several times a day. Keep it up!
Thanks Brian!
Im old school, Mortice and tennon joints are what I will continue using, having learned them a long time ago. Good carpentry is common sense and lots of experience. Dont hurry, enjoy your work ...
Did an entire schoolie conversion with the Back & Decker Matrix tool set. When its all you got, if it spins it will probably work.
Old school scribbling before sanding. Real old school I saw in action when I was an apprentice patternmaker in 1979 to 1981. We built massive projects pieced together which were hand planed perfectly flat by the journeyman. They used a stick that was at least minimum in length the size of the flat surface being worked. They would use black chalk or similar on the edge of the stick and rub it on the surface being made flat. Any high spots would catch the chalk which would then be surfaced with the large hand planes. These guys were incredibly skilled.