Matt's Basement Workshop - Audio

As I mentioned Monday the countdown to Woodworking in America 2011 is on and in full swing. I hope you plan on attending the lectures or at least make it for the marketplace, it's like walking into the most amazing woodworking store ever! Imagine asking the tool makers themselves about the item you want to buy vs a sales person (no offense sales people LOL!) Today's episode is the second compilation of previously unseen footage I recorded. This time it's from the 2009 Design and Construction conference in St. Charles, IL. Again, I wish it could've been more, but that's not fair to the presenters and way to much to download. On Friday I'll post links to many of my previous episodes that were released each year, including the 2010 Conference. So come back to check that out. function recordOutboundLink(link, category, action) { _gat._getTrackerByName()._trackEvent(category, action); setTimeout('document.location = "' + link.href + '"', 100); } Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

The countdown to Woodworking in America 2011 has entered the final weeks. With about a month left on the calendar before woodworkers from all over the country (and even FROM other countries) flock to Cincinnati Ohio for what has become for many, THE WOODWORKING EVENT OF THE YEAR, I wanted to share a few of my favorite moments from WIAs past. I've been very privileged to be able to attend each year, and appreciate being invited back, so for those of you who can't make it for what-ever reason I always try to get as much footage as possible to give you a little taste of the experience. This whole week I'm re-posting links and footage from the last 3 years, along with a couple of videos of previously unseen content. While I'd love to post the entire length of the lectures, it's not fair to the presenters and quite honestly that's a lot of footage, so you'll have to enjoy these short snippets. Hopefully you'll be able to attend a conference in person, if not this year than maybe in upcoming years. Today's episo

It's the final episode in the "Walls of Shelves" series. In today's episode I'm applying a veneer edge banding to the exposed edges of the shelving units and ALL the shelves that go with them. Unlike in previous builds where I've opted to use solid edge banding, this time I'm turning to the pre-glued version. I've always been skeptical, to some degree, about how reliable it can be. But once the heat re-activated the glue, all my skepticism went out the window. It not only holds better than I anticipated, it set up faster than I thought it would. So there was a bit of a learning curve to getting it in place without a lot of swearing. My other big concern with edge banding veneer was whether it would fake and obviously applied. But just like with any wood joint, solid or not, it's a matter of leveling and sanding for a perfect mating surface. In fact, hopefully in the second half I'll be able to adequately show you what I mean. If after watching the show you have an alternate method to anything we'

So far in the "Walls of Shelves" series you've seen me working on some rather straight forward, basic shelving units. Along with these regular pieces, the client had asked if I could build a corner shelving unit for them also. The corner piece isn't all that different from the other units except for the curved shelves. In today's episode I'll demonstrate how I cut those curved shelves using a tablesaw and a jigsaw, and then in the second half of the episode I'll share with you some optional tools we can use to make the same cuts. If after watching the show you have an alternate method I didn't mention I'd love to hear about it, leave a comment below or drop me a line. [dewplayer:http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-462WallsOfShelvesPt4715.mp3]Click to PlayDownload iPod VideoDownload AudioHelp support the show - please visit our advertisers

Today's episode starts off with drilling the series of holes on the sides for the adjustable shelves. The key to this task is to get them parallel to the edges of the sides and of course more importantly with each other. To get the job done right I'm using the Veritas Shelf Drilling Jig. It's at this step that even with the flattest shelves, if the holes are misaligned, the shelves are nearly impossible to correct and the books or nick-knacks displayed on them will really emphasize the mistake. And once we finish with the adjustable holes, it's time to move onto the glue-up and assembly. In the second half of the episode we'll talk more about a fix to help take care of unsquare glue-ups. One that doesn't involve tearing the assembly apart and starting all over. No special tools required, just the clamps you're already using. Tools mentioned in today's episode along with link's to our affiliate programs to help support the show: Veritas Shelf Drilling Jig - Lee Valley 3D Square - Highland Woodworking Corner

In today's episode we continue the construction of the "Walls of shelves" for my client by routing the dados for the fixed shelves and then ripping the sides to size. Also we'll cut the fixed shelves and create the blind rabbet joint that not only attaches the top fixed shelf to the sides, but will help to add some rigidity and strength to it. Once this is all done, we're about halfway through the construction phase and we can begin to move into the assembly of the shelves next week. In the second half of today's show I want to discuss a little bit about understanding the basics of the plywood grading system. Other than exterior vs interior plywoods, the biggest concern is understanding how the grading system can tell you which pieces are best for fine woodworking and which ones are more utilitarian. In the episode I mention a great article at WOOD Magazine's Website which is a nice basic look at understanding the grading system and what you can expect from the various grades of plywood. CLICK HE

Just in case you've been an even more amazing father than you already are and your family are looking for the perfect gift to remind you how much they really appreciate all you do...like we don't know already. Here's a quick list of some things I know I would like to receive, so I'm willing to bet you would too. All of these items are available through my sponsor Highland Woodworking, but you could easily find similar gifts at Woodcraft, Lee Valley or even on Amazon.com. ; Just to help make it easy for everyone I'll have links in the show notes for all these items and to the various retailers where you can find them.

Today we're starting a new build series on the show. ; Over the next couple of weeks we'll be covering the construction of an entire wall or two of book shelves.

Maybe I'm getting a little kit crazy, but I've built my second hand plane from a kit and I'm loving it. In today's episode I'm showing off my new Hock Shoulder Plane that I built a few weeks ago. It's a great way to spend some time in the shop and have something you'll use over and over on a variety of projects. And on top of it, it wasn't very difficult. The instructions are easy to follow and everything you need to complete it (except the glue) is included. It's a great project for woodworkers of all experience levels. Available at Woodcraft.com or through Hock Tools . Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

It's the first week of May and that means it's time for Safety Week 2011! Since its creation in 2008, Safety Week has been a great opportunity for woodworkers to be reminded of the importance of safety in the shop. Of course, safety isn't an once a year thing, it's an everyday thing in the shop. But with all the websites, shows and other resources dedicating the topic of safety for this one week, you'll have plenty of reminders throughout the coming year. Today's episode is a re-post of an episode that wasn't originally posted during a Safety Week in the past 3 years. But the topic is very much one that can lead to longterm health problems if it's not addressed. Because many of us are home woodworkers with shops in the basement or attached garages, keeping the sawdust and fine particulates to a minimum outside the shop is crucial. You'll find a few of my favorite steps I've taken to help clear the air in our house and keep it clean.

At the heart of safety is the development of Good Habits. Good habits that will stick with you regardless of the situations you find yourself in, in the shop. Today's episode is a re-post of a show from a previous Safety Week. It's titled "Sensible About Safety" and discusses a few good habits we should practice everyday that will serve us well when they're needed the most.

On today's show we're wrapping up the walnut buffet build. Really there's not much more to discuss other than the finishing process, and how and why I chose to roll my nicely layed out mitered edges on the top (here's a hint, sharp edges won't just bite you when you bump into them. They also like to break off too). And then there was that whole moment where the buffet fell 3 feet off the sawhorses and came smashing down onto the workshop's concrete floor. What, you didn't hear about that? With all the crying and gnashing of teeth I don't know how you could've missed it. Well regardless of whether you knew about it or not, I'm going to show the life-saving technique Kari Hultman demonstrated for the Popular Woodworking Magazine Tricks of the Trade column that kept me from going over the edge. After you watch me do it in the second half of today's show, check out Kari's version by visiting the video HERE . Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

We're almost done with the construction of the Walnut Buffet , only a couple more episodes and this series will be wrapped up. If you have any questions about what I've covered so far make sure to send me an EMAIL or leave a comment in the shownotes. I'm planning on doing a followup show to answer any you have. In today's episode we're building the base for the buffet. It was a simple construction, 3 pieces in all. One long span down 2/3rds the length of the bottom and butted at either end by two feet that were approximately 2/3rds the depth. I attached the pieces with screws and glue, but after assembling it I was a little worried it may be pulled apart during regular use. So I decided to reinforce the end grains with dowels. How'd I do that? Checkout the episode to find out. [dewplayer:http://blip.tv/file/get/Mattvan-456WanutBuffetPt6809.mp3]Click to Play Download iPod VideoDownload AudioHelp support the show - please visit our advertisers

We’re nearing the end of the Walnut Buffet build. Just a couple more episodes and we’re done. If you have any questions so far about some aspect of the construction, drop me a line EMAIL YOUR QUESTION or leave a comment in today’s shownotes. Today I’m showing you how I constructed the drawer boxes for the two large drawers. Drawer box construction is really simple. At the heart of it, it’s nothing more than assembling an open topped box that slides into an opening. The big question on my mind when I’m building drawers for any project are how will they slide in and out of the opening and what joinery am I using to assemble the drawer sides to the front and back? The first joint most woodworkers will answer with – dovetails. But is it the only joint you can use? What if you don’t know how, or you’re just not fond of them? Let’s discuss some common joinery techniques that not only look good but are just as strong as the dovetail. That’s what

Today we're installing the doors on the Walnut Buffet. ; The design requires inset doors, which can be very tricky to get placed correctly for an uniform reveal on all four edges.

In today's episode we start construction of the doors. But before we can really get into it, I need to cut and install the horizontal dividers between the drawers and doors. For this part of the project I chose pocket hole joinery. For me, it was a perfect joinery technique for a piece that was less structural and more design. Speaking of pocket hole joinery, in the second half of today's show I wanted to share with you some information about getting the best results from pocket hole joinery - especially since so many of you seem to be a little apprehensive about using it. While setup of a pocket hole jig is important, choosing the correct screws for use in those pocket holes is even more vital. Here's a great Kreg Screw Kit available at Highland Woodworking I found some great information at Kreg Tool's website. Obviously they sell their own screws, but even the after-market versions have characteristics listed in today's show that will give you excellent results. Thanks to Kreg Tool for the great informat

In the second part of the construction of our friend's Walnut Buffet we've completed the construction of the carcass that makes up the majority of the project. From this point forward it's now a matter of adding pieces of the structural details. The dividers between the doors and drawers, the boxes for the drawers, the drawer fronts and the doors themselves. But before we get into all of those components, I want to add the solid walnut pieces that cover the exposed plys of our premium walnut plywood. Because the design requires the face frames to be the same thickness as the plywood itself, I had a couple of different options for how I was going to attach it. I already decided I wanted solid walnut vs a simple edge veneer. But I wanted to make sure it was securely fastened other than simply glued flat face to plywood edge. I thought about either biscuit joinery or even reinforcing with brads. Both didn't seem very appealing, so I did a little more research. What I came up with was to use an edge banding bi

It's time to get back to some serious content...or at least as close as I'll come to it. ; Today we start the construction of the Walnut Buffet. This is part 1 of a multi-part series and it begins with the rough construction of the buffet's body.

It's official! Five years have come and gone and Matt's Basement Workshop Podcast is still going strong. I've talked before about the beginnings of the show so there's no need to re-hash it again...but you're welcome to ask me about any time you want! In today's episode we have a little bit of catching up to do from the long holiday hiatus. One of the big things I wanted to share is news that I finally completed the migration of all the archived material from episode 1 up to the current posts. This has been a long time coming and WAY OVER DUE. So take a look around and find your favorite old episode or discover one you might have missed. Something else you'll find in today's episode is an unique look at something many of you have asked me about in the past, "What's a typical day in your life?" Rather than just talking about it, we had a crew document a day in the life of the host of Matt's Basement Workshop. Hopefully it'll answer all those questions you had in the past. Coming up next week, the

A quick hello before Christmas and the New Year celebrations take over. We're heading into the Holiday Hiatus, so it'll be a few weeks before new episodes of both Matt's Basement Workshop and the Spoken Wood Podcast will be coming out. Of course as I tend to do lately, I'll probably be adding the occasional blog post to let you know of cool things coming up or going on right now. I have high hopes that 2011 will be a big year for both shows. While 2010 was yet again another amazing year for the show, it wasn't without a few glitches here and there, but then again that's just how things go. I wish all of you and your families the Merriest of Christmas, the Happiest of New Years and whatever else I may have forgotten or overlooked depending on what you celebrate as this year winds down. I really appreciate all of you stopping by week after week, take care and be safe! Don't forget to enter for free Schwag and please support our sponsors by visiting their links on our website. Take advantage of the 15% discou