STL186: Machinery Placement Guidelines

STL186: Machinery Placement Guidelines

Author: FineWoodworking.com March 29, 2019 Duration: 55:32

Question 1: From Harry: How can I prevent Camellia from becoming all gummy. After letting a plane set for a few weeks that had been wiped down with Camellia Oil it was next to impossible to get the plane apart. I actually caused some minor damage it was stuck so hard.

Rollie's answer: On tools if you have areas that the oil is applied to that don't see use it can build a bit, but not much and over a long period of time. A quick wipe with a bit of naphtha or acetone will clean it off. Those solvents are essential because they are fully volatile and won't leave any oily residue, which mineral spirits will do.

Question 2: From Mike: In in a couple months I will be building a house and I will be putting my shop in the basement. Currently I have a small shop, but in my new shop it will be large (about 25x35). Since I have this rare opportunity, I want to put power in the floor and dust collection the floor. Therefore, I have to decide where to put my tools and I will not be able to move them. Are there general guidelines on placement of tools? How far should a table saw be away from a wall? What about a bandsaw, how far from a wall or in the sides? Same question for a router table, jointer and thickness planer.

Segment: All-Time Favorite Technique

Mike: Using a bendy stick to hold in moldings as you glue them

Anissa: A Box Worth Repeating by Laura Mays #240–May/June 2014 Issue

Ben: Using blue tape and CA glue as a stand-in for double-sided tape

Mike's double-down technique: Using a bendy ruler clamped in a pipe clamp as a curve bow


Question 3:  

From Chris:
Do those of you with kids suffer like I do from a never ending queue of fix it items that are piled on the workbench and take precedence over projects? It's fun to hack together solutions for beloved toys, and see the delight on their faces when it works, but it sucks up most of my limited shop time. Any tips on quick fixes, or do I just need to wait this period out until they are teenagers?

Question 4:

From Jim:
I recently upgraded table saws with a killer deal on a used Delta Unisaw with a Unifence. I'm used to a Biesemeyer fence, and have a number of jigs utilizing the parallel faces of the fence, such as an L fence. I do not think I can use these jigs on the Unifence because it lacks the parallel faces necessary to track or clamp the jigs. Any ideas for Unifence modification or other tricks to increase the utility of the Unifence?

Recommendations:

Ben - StewMac's YouTube Channel
Anissa - Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Mike -  Lee Valley - Lee Valley Toggle Clamp Plate


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
STL355: Pencil Geeks Assemble! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:33
Blackwing president Grant Christensen discusses pencils with Mike and Ben, while Anissa, Amanda, and Ben debate unanswerable woodworking questions. For more information about our eLearning courses - http://www.finewoodwo…
STL354: Go and Do the Thing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:51
Amanda and Vic chat with Erik Curtis about furniture design, teaching, and creating content. For more information about our eLearning courses - http://www.finewoodworking.com/elearning For more information about our Wood…
STL353: A Big Bit of Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:45
Megan Shannon joins Ben to talk about all of the ways that her school A Tiny Bit Of Wood brings joy to her community. For more information about our eLearning courses - http://www.finewoodworking.com/elearning For more i…
STL352: I Am Miserably In Love With Wood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:23
Recorded live at Woodworking in America 2025, this episode has Alexis Dolese and Shea Alexander joining Vic and Ben to discuss the triumphs and trials of woodworking. For more information about our eLearning courses - ht…
STL351: Woodworking From UK to the USA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:51
Mike Pekovich and Phil Huber join Ben to debrief their week-long woodworking tour of England—part museum crawl, part shop class, all inspiration. From London's Building Crafts College (trade-focused millwork and stonemas…
STL350: Texas Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:24
Frank Strazza and Eric Yocom chat with Amanda about the Texas woodworking community, and the impact it's made in their lives. For more information about our eLearning courses - http://www.finewoodworking.com/elearning Fo…
STL349: Finishers on Flexner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:06
Mike Mascelli, Mitch Kohanek, and John Coffey talk about their friend and one of the godfathers of finishing, Bob Flexner. For more information about our eLearning courses - http://www.finewoodworking.com/elearning For m…
STL: Zen-Wu's Low-Speed Woodworking [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:40
Ben and Amanda chat with Luke Lyu, who founded Zen Wu Toolworks, a tool company making traditional chinese planes with a modern approach. Tickets for Woodworking in America - https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/72385419/woodwo…
STL348: Adam Godet and the Three Jewels of a Shared Shop [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:11
Adam Godet shares the secrets of making a shared shop work, and the way he diversifies income as a full time woodworker. Tickets for Woodworking in America - https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/72385419/woodworking-in-america-…
STL347: Don't Reinvent the Bench [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:36
Ben, Amanda, and Owen catch up about our dream shops, what we would go back and change, and what's okay being left alone. Tickets for Woodworking in America - https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/72385419/woodworking-in-america…