STL185: Reading Bob Van Dyke's Mind

STL185: Reading Bob Van Dyke's Mind

Author: FineWoodworking.com March 15, 2019 Duration: 1:06:56

Enter for your chance to win Fine Woodworking's Shop Giveaway: Upgrade to Laguna! The winner will receive a prize that includes:

  • 14|12 Bandsaw
  • F2 Fusion Tablesaw
  • 1 HP Dust Collector
  • REVO 12|16
  • 6″ Jointer ShearTec II

Question 1: From Shawn: I'm working on a Christmas present for my sister.  It's a hallway table with 2 drawers in cherry. This is the first piece I've made with cherry.  Some of the surfaces have a quarter sawn grain orientation and I'm finding them highly prone to tear out. My card scraper seems to be the only tool I've got that can tackle it, and even then I still have to pay really close attention to the changing grain direction. I'd like to hear any recommendations you might have about tools and techniques to deal with tear out, and also about other tear out prone woods you've worked with. I've found quarter sawn maple to be difficult as well.

Question 2: From Joe: To build a bed for my grandson I ordered 50 bd ft of rough lumber,  Black walnut. The wood was beautiful but this is where my confusion began. I got the job done but I don't know if I went about it the best way. The bed with headboard, frame, 6 drawers underneath, and footboard had over 100 pieces. All the lumber was about 8 inches wide and about 10 feet long. Is it better to mill the long boards and then layout all the parts, or layout the parts oversize and cut them out and send smaller pieces through the planer and jointer?

Segment: All-Time Favorite Tool

Mike: 6-in. Combo Square
Bob: Stanley #4–Type 11
Ben: Lie Nielsen honing guide

Question 3:   From Mike: I've come to realize my jointer needs tuning, and i recall you guys saying how you set your outfeed table a hair lower than your cutter head. I can't find the episode that contains this discussion, but i don't recall there being any reasoning for this. I adjusted mine as y'all suggested but found this was causing the trailing ends of the boards to not touch the blades. After reading my powermatic manual, it says to have the outfeed table level with blade, so what's up with your hack causing me this grief?

Recommendations:


Every two weeks, a team of Fine Woodworking staffers answers questions from readers on Shop Talk Live, Fine Woodworking's biweekly podcast. Send your woodworking questions to shoptalk@taunton.com for consideration in the regular broadcast! Our continued existence relies upon listener support. So if you enjoy the show, be sure to leave us a five-star rating and maybe even a nice comment on our iTunes page.


Ever find yourself in the middle of a project, staring at a tricky joint or a piece of lumber that just won't behave, wishing you could ask an expert? That's the space where Shop Talk Live-Fine Woodworking lives. Hosted by the editors and seasoned contributors from Fine Woodworking magazine, this isn't a formal lecture. It's the sound of a conversation happening right in the workshop, where real questions from woodworkers at every level meet practical, time-tested answers. You'll hear the specifics-discussions on tool tuning, finishing nuances, joinery adjustments, and design problem-solving-all grounded in decades of collective hands-on experience. The dialogue is direct and the advice is applicable, whether you're building your first box or restoring a classic piece. This podcast from FineWoodworking.com pulls back the curtain on the craft's finer points, turning those moments of frustration into breakthroughs. It’s like having a master woodworker right there with you, offering clarity and confidence for your next cut. Tune in for the kind of shop talk that makes your time at the bench more productive and a lot more enjoyable.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Shop Talk Live - Fine Woodworking
Podcast Episodes
STL327: Live from Woodworking In America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:17
Rollie Johnson, Gary Rogowski, and Phil Huber join Amanda in front of a live audience at Woodworking In America 2024. For more information about our eLearning courses - http://www.finewoodworking.com/elearning For more i…
STL326: No Finish? No Problem! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:25
Seri Robinson, a.k.a. Dr. Spalting, says the best food-safe finish is no finish at all. For more information about Woodworking In America 2024 - https://www.woodsmith.com/article/woodworking-in-america-2024/ Links from t…
STL325: From logs to lumber [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:08
Amanda is joined by Brenon Plourde and Logan Wittmer to discuss milling logs, drying lumber, and their mutual "problem" of hoarding the perfect board. For more information about Woodworking In America 2024 - https://www.…
STL 324: Bridging creativity and technicality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:24
Amanda chats with Larissa Huff and Adrian Ferrazzutti, arguably two of the most creative woodworkers in our world. Both chat about boxes and prototypes, and their workflow. Mike and Ben answer a couple questions from our…
STL323: The woodworking behind your favorite records [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:55
Woodworker and recording engineer Kenny Varga joins Ben to discuss building furniture for some of the most famous recording studios in the world. For more information about Woodworking In America 2024 - https://www.woods…
STL322: Life is like a table saw [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:37
Mike, Anissa, and Ben discuss new the issue of FW, beveling bookshelves, bench height, and what direction to turn a table saw miter gauge. Find out more about Woodworking In America here: https://www.finewoodworking.com/…
STL321: One podcast, two Mikes. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:15
Ben and Mike Mascelli talk finishing and upholstery, Then Amanda chats with Mike about his thoughts on our "fine woodworking" question from the last episode.. Every two weeks, a team of Fine Woodworking staffers answers…
STL320: What is "fine woodworking?" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:38
Ben and Amanda chat with Vic about bandsaw accessories and what constitutes "fine furniture" Every two weeks, a team of Fine Woodworking staffers answers questions from readers on Shop Talk Live, Fine Woodworking's biwee…
STL319: You make your own dowels? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:47
Phil, Mike, and Ben discuss store-bought vs shop-made dowels, what wood to use for floating tenon stock, and whether CAD models negate the need for full-size mockups. For more information on our upcoming woodworking trav…
STL318: Back to School [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:14
Amanda is joined by Ashley Pieper and Bonnie Elisabeth Hawk to discuss woodworking education and how it has carved a path for them in their furniture making careers. For more information about our eLearning courses - htt…