Matt's Basement Workshop - Audio show

Matt's Basement Workshop - Audio

Summary: "Straight Grains & Sharp Blades" This is the audio only feed for MBW.

Podcasts:

 The New & Improved Matt's Basement Workshop Website Tour | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

The new website is up and running…obviously…and I have all of you to thank for making this happen. Not just those of you who donated to the fundraiser but to all of you who visit from time-to-time. If you're a frequent visitor and remember the layout of the old site hopefully you can see a huge difference in the way things are laid out on this current version. I really like the layout of this new site and have ongoing plans to make it more informative and easier to navigate, so you'll see the occasional tweak from time-to-time. As part of my thank you to the many donators that made this happen you'll find your name listed below…it's the least I can do to show you my appreciation for your generosity! Thank you to each of you (listed in no particular order): Zac Higgins Gunnar Olsson Brander Roullett Fr. Thomas Bailey, OSB Jim Ligon Richard Law Mitch Roberson Brian Glendenning Marilyn Guthrie Chris Schwarz Bill Schenher Chris Michalek Jeff Peterson Scott Bassin Dave Hart Tom Collins Randy Peterman Steve Brassard Larry Thayer Chris Nichols Jack Coats Jim Ashley Rik Minnich Chet Kloss Dyami Plotke Frank Bivins Tony Hamm Neal Becker Walter Keast Pierre Forget Bobby Slack Toby Sauer Shaun Wellert Erik Van Joe Wiener Richard Hall David Ulschmid Tobias Eklind Dick Moffett Mac Lyle Allan Grant Brett Watson Mark Loughran Ben Strano Jim Mossoney Alan Anderson Brian Brazil Eric Fortin Mick Montgomery Wes Fullenwider Big Cheese Stefan Gmoser Rick Gable Mike Tuxen Wilbur Pan Jon McGrath Jon "Dozer" Mendoza Jack Jacobs David Beecher Chris Birkland Scott Blanchett David Lankford Todd Clipping Tom Hoffman Tom Pritchard Eric Wolf Daniel Gardner Matt Robinette Shannon Rogers Ben Minshall Jonathan Szczepanski Mike Llewellyn Jay Tennier Ron Hock Tobias Sauer Kevin Van Deusen Ken Goodell Andy Gartzke Dennis Rozak Scott McClaury Cliff Merrill John Verreault Vic Hubbard Christopher Landy Marc Spagnuolo "Drunken Woodworker" Ron Shoemaker Elaine Andersen Stephen Glaesman John Laffoon Robert Teague Ernesto Segovia Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio

 April Schwag and a few changes... | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

A few things have changed since the last schwag giveaway sign-up was announced in the beginning of March. First of all, the new look of Matt's Basement Workshop is up and running now. Second, as many of you have pointed out, there's no longer a dedicated sign-up page for schwag entries. So what's a potential schwag winner to do? As I explain in today's video there's a new way to get your name in the drawing, just leave a comment. That's right, no more form to fill out. No page to search for each month. Just a quick "hello" on this post and you're all set. The entry method is the only thing that's changed, the rules are still the same: 1. One entry per person each month. 2. You have 30 days to claim your prize 3. If you win, please wait 60 days before re-entering. 4. Prizes maybe substituted based on your location (i.e. if you live outside of the USA and Canada it may be cost prohibitive to mail your prize, so an alternate prize will be offered) What kind of Schwag do we have to give away? Here's what's on the list so far this month...more to come, GOOD LUCK!!! HIGHLAND WOODWORKING WOODSLICER BLADE - 2 Winners Micro Jig Zeroplay Guide Bar System - 3 Winners "Build an 18th Century Workbench" & "The Workbench" DVDs - 1 Winner "Building Kitchen Cabinets Made Simple" - 1 Winner "Blanket Chests" - 1 Winner "Stots Dovetail Maker & Router Bits" - 1 Winner "3-Flute Profile Bit" - 1 Winner "Milescraft Stubby Drill and Router Bits" - 1 Winner Postage is handled directly by many of the schwag sponsors, but it's still a big expense for those that aren't. Please consider a small donation to help offset the expense: Matt's Basement Workshop Postage Donation. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

 504 Wooden Rings | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

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

 SawStop Z.C.I. Throat Plate Sneak Peek | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

I finally had a chance to install the new SawStop Z.C.I. Aluminum body throat plate, available at Infinity Cutting Tools www.infinitytools.com, in my SawStop this weekend. It's nice to have options when it comes to items like zero-clearance inserts for table saws and this one has some nice bells and whistles. This is just a sneak peek at the throat plate being installed and prepped for use. I'll share more about it's overall use when I release the SawStop review episode during Safety Week 2013. In the meantime, if you're a SawStop owner and were considering ordering a zero-clearance insert for your saw, now you have another option over the manufacturer's. Follow this link to Infinity Cutting Tools www.infinitytools.com to learn all about it. [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-SawStopZCIThroatPlate811.mp3" title="SawStopZCI"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

 503 Winter Woodworking Tips | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

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

 502 Maple Table Base Pt 2 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

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

 501 Maple Table Base Pt 1 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

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

 New and Improved MBW Website Fundraiser | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

It's never easy asking for financial assistance from anyone, especially family and friends, but in the seven years since I posted the first episode of Matt's Basement Workshop a lot of things have changed. Recording equipment, cameras, hosting services, shop set-ups and even the tools and projects I've used and built over that same time. The one thing that hasn't changed is the generosity and appreciation from the viewers and visitors of the show. I'm still uncomfortable asking for assistance in such a manner as this, but I know from previous experience, I've always been amazed by the heart-felt support and reaction whenever I've needed help. Amongst the many changes at MBW Podcast has been the format of the show. In 2006 the first episodes started as an audio only podcast. Shortly afterwards I recorded the first video episode, and since then, the show has continued evolving year after year. While my camera and audio equipment has undergone significant changes the most important piece of the show, the website, hasn't had a significant change in quite a long time. That's the reason for this fundraiser. In order to create an amazing destination for the audience to visit I need to raise the money to hire someone who can take my existing site and transform into something much more user friendly. A place where visitors can find the content they're looking for much easier, a site that's far more uncluttered than the current and one with plenty of room for upgrades and expansion as new and better ideas for interaction with fellow woodworkers arise. I've already talked with someone who can do just THAT and can't wait to get started! While I know many of you would be more than willing to donate money without the expectation of a reward, other than continuing to produce more and more content, I have a set of reward levels to say thanks for your donations. Once the new website is launched I plan to post a walk-through video to show off some of the new features and the overall new look. Level 1 - $5 - Your $5 donation gets your name posted as a "Friend of MBW" in the show notes for the walk-through video. My way of saying "Thank You" and letting others know you helped to make this much more improved website happen. Level 2 - $10 - Your $10 donation gets your name posted as a "Supporter of MBW" in the show notes AND included in the credits at the end of the video. Level 3 - $50 - Your $50 donation includes the same as Level 2 plus you get a "Your brain on Matt's Basement Workshop" t-shirt to wear proudly in the shop or wherever you need to look your best. Level 4 - $100 - Your $100 donation includes the same as Level 3 plus a "468x60" banner ad for your personal message, your company or whatever you want to promote (family friendly only) during a month of your choosing after the new website goes live. Level 5 - $200 - Your $200 donation includes the same as Level 3 plus a "Sponsorship" ad spot in the videos released during the month of your choosing after the new website goes live. A great opportunity to get your personal message, your company or whatever you want to promote (family friendly only) out to the people that can appreciate it the most. Thank you for taking the time to check out this fundraiser video and what I have to offer in exchange for your help. Even if you can't donate at any level, I truly appreciate your visiting the site as often as you have. "Straight Grains & Sharp Blades" Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

 500 Bedside Table Pt 6 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

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

 499 Bedside Table Pt 5 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

499 Shownotes 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. [caption id="attachment_7708" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Almost there!!![/caption] 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

 498 Bedside Tables Pt 4 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

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

 Tried and true dovetail technique | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Did I mention anything about how unhappy I was with the alternate half-blind dovetail technique I demonstrated in the latest video? Yeah, I probably have talked about it a little more than I should have, but I didn't want anyone to get the idea that I endorse that technique. So here's a bonus video this week - My old tried and true half-blind dovetail technique. To get the job done, it simply involves a dovetail saw, a couple of chisels and that's it nothing more! [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-TriedAndTrueDovetailTechnique784.mp3" title="tried and true"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

 497 Bedside Tables Pt 3 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

At this point in the project I've milled all the components I need to get things started for the joinery work, so it's time to move on. The first joinery task to tackle is cutting dovetails for joining the top front and back rails to the legs. But before moving on to the dovetailed ends of the rails, I need to cut them to length and then define the shoulders of the dovetails. This is a simple task, but when you're not paying close enough attention to your setup things can go wrong, as you'll see in today's video. As for the dovetails themselves - because they're not thru dovetails, and instead half-blind dovetails, removing waste material can be a little tricky. Rather than sticking to my usual technique that involves using a dovetail saw and a chisel or two, for some reason I decided to try something different. I'm a huge advocate of "trying something different" every now and then, but this time I should've stuck to my tried and true method. In the end the result was good, the joint is solid, but the route I took to get there was a little too windy. Plan on seeing a special excerpt video coming later this week where I demonstrate my tried and true technique. [haiku url="http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-497BedsideTablesPt3885.mp3" title="MBW497"] Download Video Download HD 720 Video Download Audio Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

 496 Bedside Tables pt 2 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

496 Bedside Tables pt 2

 495 Bedside Tables Pt 1 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

495 Bedside Tables Pt 1

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