Matt's Basement Workshop HD Video Feed

Shortly after the release of the most recent video featuring the new photo boxes I'm making for my wife's business I received an email from an audience member asking if I was concerned about the expansion and contraction of the box's bottom panel effecting the metered corners of its sides? In truth, not really, or at least not nearly as much as I would be if this was a different project and with larger dimensions and maybe even different materials. Of course, it's not just the dimensions and materials that make confident against the wood movement having drastic effects on the boxes, there's also a few other things too that make me feel confident about my decision. In today's video I discuss these topics in the hopes that I answer the audience member's concerns and maybe some others from folks who were thinking along the same lines. Items mentioned in today's post: Timber Check Moisture Meter Lee Valley Wood Movement Reference Guide Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Every year I try to help my wife's business by making wedding boxes for her clients. They're simple and plain and are made to hold a few pictures and maybe a CD or other archive of the images from their happy occasion. This year we changed things up a bit, and went with a new design. One that's easier for me to build and batch out, often using not much more than some smaller scraps and off-cuts that normally might be thrown out or burned in a campfire. The joinery for this easy to build box is also quite simple. Grooves, rabbets and a miter are all there is to it, all joinery that can be accomplished on a table saw alone or with a variety of tools if you prefer. Simple and understated, this box can be built completely for utilitarian purposes or dressed up for something more elegant. Enjoy! Tools featured in today's video include: Bessey Web Clamp Kreg Bandsaw Fence Whiteside Router Bit Steel City Tool Works 14" Band Saw Bench Dog ProMax RT Bench Dog Feather-Loc Double Featherboard Milescraft Push Stick SawStop Cabinet Saw Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

While working on the new wedding boxes for my wife's photography business www.shuttersam.com (shameless plug I know...because I love her) I discovered that the 1/8" diameter straight cutting bit I was using to route an important groove didn't seem to be adequately surrounded by my smallest diameter throat plate in the router table. No big deal really, but I didn't want to take the risk of the material catching or splintering or tearing out or...whatever could go wrong. So better to be safe than sorry, I broke out a customizable insert plate and made one that would work perfectly for this task. Tools featured in today's post: Bench Dog 40-300 ProMax RT Complete Bench Dog Tools 40-150 ProLift Router Adjustment System Bench Dog 40-136 Zero Clearance Insert for Large Bench Dog ProPlate and ProLift 1/8" Downcut Spiral Bit Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

It's time to wrap up the construction of the wooden drink carrier (six-pack) so we can all get back out in the sun and enjoy the rest of our summer (or for our friends in the southern hemisphere…prepare for the summer). Today's episode we pickup at the bandsaw where we'll shape the middle divider and then continue from there to create some finger holes for easier carrying and then on to final assembly. There's also a little discussion about materials for building your own and possibly some dimensions for carrying larger bottles than the standard 2.5" diameter size used for this particular version. If you decide to make one or something very similar, please share your pictures and results. I know I'd love to see it! Tools mentioned in today's show: Veritas Spokeshave Gorilla Wood Glue FISH Forstner Bits Bora Pistol-grip Clamps Woodslicer Resaw Bandsaw Blade Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

AHHHH SUMMER!!! The time of year that I find it's hardest to get myself into the shop to work on projects, but yet I can't fight the need to be in there. So to help ease my burden of guilt I like to do smaller projects that are easily accomplished at night or for a few hours on a weekend. Today's project is exactly the kind of "small project" I'm talking about. Plus another great thing about it is the fact I'm using up some of my smaller stock and scraps that ordinarily become firestarter for our summer bonfires in the backyard. Completely based on the dimensions of a typical cardboard six-pack, the six openings are the perfect fit for standard 12oz glass "beverage" bottles. The bottles fit perfectly in the openings and are very stable when you're carrying them from one location to another (not to mention, depending on what stock you make it from, you'll look pretty darn cool too!) And unlike the standard cardboard six-pack, the handle is much friendlier on the fingers and you could easily adjust it so it rises up further from the bottles for EVEN more comfort. Today's episode is the first of two parts. We'll cover a little bit of the milling and dimensioning of the stock along with much of the straight forward joinery I used to make assembly easy and strong. Tools featured in today's episode: Veritas Small Router Plane Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

In part 1 of the Teak shoe rack build I milled this amazing Teak stock my friend Jim sent. In today's episode it's time to wrap up the milling process by taking the components over to the router table and profiling the edges on all the pieces followed by prepping them for the mechanical fasteners. The final result is an amazing project that my family will put their shoes all over, soaking wet and nasty. But since it's made from Teak I'm not worried about it all. Tools featured in today's show: Fisch Drillbit/Countersink Set Bench Dog 40-300 ProMax RT Complete SawStop Cabinet Table Saw Steel City Tool Works 14-Inch Band Saw Wood Slicer Resaw Bandsaw Blade Bora Pistol Grip Clamps Micro Jig ZeroPlay Guide Bar System Download HD 720 Video Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Thanks to a generous donation of some amazingly beautiful Teak boards from a friend of the show, I have an opportunity to work with an species of wood I probably would ordinarily not use. It's not that I don't want to use different species, I just have a few that I'm readily familiar with and just haven't had a reason to step out of my comfort zone before. So the first thing I'm building with these gorgeous boards is a...shoe rack! Tools featured in today's show: JET Benchtop Oscillating Spindle Sander with Spindle Assortment, 110-Volt 1 Phase SawStop Cabinet Table Saw Steel City Tool Works 14-Inch Band Saw Wood Slicer Resaw Bandsaw Blade Bora Pistol Grip Clamps Micro Jig ZeroPlay Guide Bar System [haiku url="https://archive.org/download/506TeakShoeRackPt1/506%20Teak%20Shoe%20Rack%20Pt%201.mp3" title="MBW506"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

On today's episode I'm sharing my full review of the 110V, 1.75HP SawStop cabinet saw I received as part of an advertising deal back in October of 2012. As I had mentioned in the previous video "Hello New Saw", I wanted to spend a little time with the saw before I shared my opinions about it. And that's exactly what I do in this episode. It's been a little over 6 months and I've had a chance to build a few projects with the new saw, this has allowed me to get a "real world" feel for whether a saw like this is worth the investment for a home woodworker or serious hobbyist. Of course what would a SawStop review be without firing off the braking system? So we do that today too, in fact we do it TWICE just to show off that flesh isn't the only conductive material that could set off the system. Interested in purchasing a SawStop or SawStop Accessories for your woodshop? You can find them at the following locations: Highland Woodworking Woodcraft.com Amazon.com [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-505SawStopMeTheFullReview291.mp3" title="MBW505"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

You've seen the pictures and some of you have even been asking how I did it? After all, jewelry might be an amazing way to win over the love and affection of your significant other. Or it could simply be a way to wow your friends who still think the only thing you can do in your shop is "claim to be building a piece of furniture" but they can't understand why it takes days, weeks or even months considering the guys on TV do it in 30 minutes or less. Back around Valentine's Day 2013 I posted a blog entry titled "Fastest way to her heart is with wooden jewelry?" and ever since then I've been down in the shop experimenting with scraps and even buying some exotic stock to try and make new pieces that EVEN I can't believe came from me. In today's episode I share with you some of the basics to wooden ring making I've discovered over the past few weeks. I'll demonstrate the first technique I tried and the one I'm having a lot of success with currently. It's so simple and you probably already have all the tools on hand. Tools mentioned in today's post include: Auriou #6 rasp Rikon 70-100 Mini Lathe Forstner bits Milwaukee 49-56-0051 1-1/8-Inch Super-Tough Bi-Metal Hole Saw IRWIN 226340 4-Inch Drill Press Vise ***UPDATE*** Since recording this video I've been experimenting with a couple more options, which appear to be easier and more successful, for creating these beautiful rings. Keep a look out for follow-up posts and maybe even a follow-up video too? [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-504WoodenRings353.mp3" title="MBW504"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

I swear I wasn't waiting until the warm weather was just around the corner before I posted this content, but that's exactly what it looks like! So many of our fellow woodworkers give up woodworking in the cold months of winter because their shops are located in unheated or under heated locations. Be it a garage, a shed or a large out building like a pole-barn when it's cold out even the most passionate woodworker is thinking more about burning their stock to stay warm versus building with it. But the biggest concern isn't so much about how to heat the shop as it is on what the long cold winter months do to our lumber and our tools. Let me start by saying I'm no expert by any means on this topic. My shops have always been in climate controlled locations of my house. But that doesn't mean I'm immune from the cold. And considering there's the occasional project or two that requires me to temporarily move into my under heated garage to complete them, it only makes sense I learn a little something about the environment I work in. So in today's episode I cover some very basic tips on winter woodworking. Starting with some common sense tips on lumber storage, moving on to ideas to help minimize rust building up on your metal surfaces and even a suggestion or two about cold-weather glue-ups and finishing. Today's episode is as a cold as ice (not really, but it sounded cool in my head). Tools and resources mentioned in today's episode: Book I vaguely referenced Sandor Nagyszalanczy's "Setting Up Shop: The Practical Guide to Designing and Building Your Dream Shop" HTC Large Machine Cover Magnetic Tool Cover Link to USDA "Storage of Lumber" Handbook [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-503WinterWoodworking328.mp3" title="MBW503"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

In today's episode we're wrapping up the two part series on the construction of a Maple table base for a our friend's daughter. Previously we touched a little on the overall design of the legs and then spent the rest of the episode creating the template to duplicate the legs with our solid Maple stock. I used the template to not only rough out the legs on the material but I also used it to finesse them on the router table by flush trimming the oversized pieces down to their finished sizes. In this episode we're picking up where we left off last time and starting to assembly the project into the finished base. The hard part is all done, so this should be straight forward and pretty uncomplicated. But you know me…I can't let anything be that uncomplicated. In the process of drilling holes for dowels to use in the assembly I make a small mistake that really can't be ignored. So part of this episode is devoted to how I fixed the mistake and was able to get things back on track to a great ending. In today's episode we're wrapping up the two part series on the construction of a Maple table base for a our friend's daughter. Previously we touched a little on the overall design of the legs and then spent the rest of the episode creating the template to duplicate the legs with our solid Maple stock. I used the template to not only rough out the legs on the material but I also used it to finesse them on the router table by flush trimming the oversized pieces down to their finished sizes. In this episode we're picking up where we left off last time and starting to assembly the project into the finished base. The hard part is all done, so this should be straight forward and pretty uncomplicated. But you know me…I can't let anything be that uncomplicated. In the process of drilling holes for dowels to use in the assembly I make a small mistake that really can't be ignored. So part of this episode is devoted to how I fixed the mistake and was able to get things back on track to a great ending. [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-502MapleTableBasePt2357.mp3" title="MBW502"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Today's episode is the first of a two part series on the construction of a solid Maple table base built for our friend's daughter. The tabletop is a pre-manufactured top with a Maple edge banding, so we won't be covering the construction of it. In this first part I'll demonstrate creating a template pattern for re-creating the four legs I need and then I'll take the stock from rough to finished. All four legs are curved and attached at 90º to each other and when designing them, our friend's already had a specific shape in mind, so it was a matter of duplicating it as close as possible. After a little trial and error, I found a quick and easy to achieve the curves without having to buy expensive drafting devices. I'll talk a little bit about it in the beginning and hopefully you'll find it useful. [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-501MapleTableBasePt1768.mp3 " title="MBW501"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Please help my fundraiser to reach it's new goal! Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

The end of the "Bedside Tables Build" is upon us. I've once again been working on them a little longer than I had anticipated, but I have a slew of excuses for that...some actually true too! In today's episode there's a lot to cover; from assembling the body to assembling the drawers. There's dimensioning and attaching the tops and drawer fronts to a few other things in between. In other words, this is a busy episode! But in the end, the final result is a couple of matching bedside tables for me and Samantha. Finally something that has plenty of room for our stack of bedside reading (iPads and the occasional magazine), a lamp, and maybe even an alarm clock? Not to mention a drawer for hiding midnight snacks and more!!! Tools mentioned in today's show: Knew Concepts Fretsaw Veritas Low-angle block plane [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-500BedsideTablesPt6278.mp3" title="MBW500"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

The holidays have really set me behind schedule on completing this set of bedside tables. Luckily though, I've been promising Samantha I'd build them for a few years now, so she's use to the delayed schedule. In today's episode I'm concentrating on getting the drawers built. Nothing fancy about these boxes. Rabbeted ends on the sides to attach to the front and back of the boxes. A simple groove for the plywood bottom. And then eventually a false front for the drawer face (a topic I'll discuss in an upcoming episode). I know many of you will be asking why there's no dovetailed boxes or why I decided to use basic drawer slides vs homemade or a more expensive version. The fact of the matter is simply that the boxes will be closed the majority of the time, and while I love dovetailed joinery, I don't feel the need to use it all the time when there's other options. Speaking of options, the one point of controversy I'm anticipating from today's video will be surrounding my single blade method of cutting the rabbets. I won't go into details about it here, but I stand by method and will simply state once again; it works, it's safe and if you're not comfortable with it don't do it. Tools featured in today's episode: Micro-Jig Grrripper [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-499BedsideTablesPt5865.mp3" title="MBW499"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

The last few episodes of the Bedside Table build have been all about milling of components for the project and playing around with joinery techniques. It's time to start the final assembly. The first step is attaching the dust frames and shelves to the sides. We have a lot of joinery options to get the job done, but in my opinion the one that's right for this particular project isn't a complicated one, it's dowels. Years ago I bought my first dowel jig and feel in love with the simplicity of the joint. Unfortunately I hated the dowel jig! So eventually I abandoned the technique for something else. Recently though I bought a better jig and have started to use dowels in more of my projects. The result is a happy woodworker! In the line up of joinery techniques dowels appear to get a little more respect than biscuits or pocket hole joinery but aren't on the same level as mortise and tenon or other "traditional" joinery. Seems a shame considering how strong the joint can be, not to mention their versatility in location. Tools used in this episode: Wide capacity economy dowel jig Bora Pistol Grip Clamps 24" Veritas Aluminum straight edge Veritas Dovetail Saw Wentzloff & Sons Carcass Saw Benchcrafted Moxon Vise Bessey Bar Clamps Kreg K4 Kit Kreg Micro Jig [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-498BedsideTablesPt4873.mp3" title="MBW498"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers