Matt's Basement Workshop - Audio

On today's episode we wrap up the construction of the Hock Smoothing Plane Kit from Hock Tools. Last week we assembled the pieces, glued it all up and set it aside to dry in the clamps. Today we start the work to make it a fully functioning hand plane. I'll walk you through one method of truing the sole to make it flat, which is extremely important for it to work the way it's suppose to. We'll shape the body to a size and feel that not only makes it unique from other planes on my shelf, but feels right in my hands. And then we'll take it for a maiden voyage and discuss a little bit about adjusting the blade of a wooden bodied plane vs the metal bodied versions with mechanical adjusters. If you've built a Hock Smoothing Plane or something similar, I'd love to hear about it. Send pictures if you have any available, I may even post them so others can see your work.

Today's episode is the first in a two (maybe three) part build series featuring the Hock Smoothing Plane Kit from Hock Tools. Previously we had such success building the Hock Shoulder Plane it only seemed like a great idea to come back and build this kit. Just like before, all the materials for successfully building a completely usable plane were included, all you need to add is glue and some shop time. In less than a weekend you can have a great tool that will quickly become one of your favorites. In part one, we tackle the assembly process. While it's very straight forward there are a few key tasks that need to be accomplished to ensure the rest of the setup goes as planned. So follow along and see why this kit maybe your entry into the world of hand planes. Help support the show - please visit our advertisers

Not to long ago Fine Woodworking Magazine announced the arrival of their first live woodworking event, Fine Woodworking Live. I had the pleasure of talking with FWW Editor Asa Christiana about the magazine and to fill us in on what Fine Woodworking Live is all about. We get all the details about the upcoming event, and even a few scoops on things that may still be in the works to round out the whole weekend. Fine Woodworking Live starts on Friday and Saturday morning with a large general session discussions and then branches off into small-group sessions in the afternoon to discuss topics by a variety of experts you'll recognize from the pages of Fine Woodworking Magazine. Saturday night, Nick Offerman, star of NBC's "Parks and Recreation" and a die-hard woodworker, will be the guest speaker at an optional banquet dinner. Then to wrap it all up on Sunday, there's a number of additional sessions being offered on specific topics in a small class setting. Some of these are limited in space and number of attendees, so get registered early before space fills up. Fine Woodworking Live is being billed as a "can't-miss weekend for anyone looking to dive deep into the craft, guided by the best and the brightest in the field of woodworking. Plus it's a great chance to meet fellow woodworkers in an engaging, enlightening, and fun event". If you have any questions about the event, head on over to www.finewoodworkinglive.com and you'll find all the information we talked about in today's show. Please take a moment to answer our listener survey for Matt's Basement Workshop Podcast. A few simple, anonymous questions with a chance to win a MBW T-shirt if you choose to leave your email. Your answers are private and will never be sold to spammers or advertisers. Matt's Basement Workshop Listener surveyHelp support the show - please visit our advertisers

After the last episode of Samantha's mirror frame project many of you wrote me to ask how I installed the mirror in the frame. It was a SLIGHT oversight on my part not to cover the topic, so I'm coming back with a third episode to remedy that mistake. While we're talking about how I did it, I'll share with you some other potential option for taking care of the same task. My own technique was a little unconventional, so it's important to see a few that are more traditional. Once we've covered the topic of installing the mirror in the frame, I wanted to address a couple more questions that came in regarding the construction process. A few of you wondered about options for cutting the rabbets using other techniques than the single blade method and a couple of you wanted to know about another way to create the stopped chamfers. Hopefully we'll answer your questions and concerns in today's show. Please take a moment to answer our listener survey for Matt's Basement Workshop Podcast. A few simple, anonymous questions with a chance to win a MBW T-shirt if you choose to leave your email. Your answers are private and will never be sold to spammers or advertisers. Matt's Basement Workshop Listener surveyHelp support the show - please visit our advertisers

On today's show we'll continue where we left off last week on the construction of the Cherry Mirror frame I recently built for my wife. As I mentioned in the last episode we purchased a full-length mirror for our bedroom and after getting it home I decided it was just a little too plain for our tastes. Thankfully I've been holding on to a stash of Cherry for a while now and this seemed to be the perfect project to break it out for. Last week we ripped and crosscut the stock to size (I also admitted to messing that up and having to re-draw the plans to accommodate for the mistake), we also cut the mortise and tenon joinery we'll use to assemble the project. This week we rabbet an edge on the backside of the frame to support the mirror. That sounds easy, but I chose to use just the tablesaw and I had to create stopped rabbets for the stiles. Then we chamfer the edges of the rails and stiles, but not end to end, instead we create a nice little stopped chamfer on the router table. We glue it all together and then add some shop made walnut pegs to help reinforce the mortise and tenon joinery. This was a great little project that could easily be completed in a weekend and leaves you looking like a hero to someone.

Today we start a new build project. We've (and by "we" I mean my wife) been in need of a full-length mirror in our bedroom for quite a longtime now. We (this time I mean "us") finally purchased one not to long ago and I intended to hang it behind the door in our bedroom. Even though it's beveled on the edges it just looked to plain, so we were trying to decide if it should be hidden away in a closet? It didn't take very long to think about it, but what we really needed was a nice frame to set it in and mount in position. So I headed to the basement and decided it was time to break into my stash of aged cherry. Now that we have the backstory of today's project, let's get started building it. This is a two part build video, starting with the basics of ripping and crosscutting the stock to its dimensions and then moving into "handcut" mortise and tenon joinery. Then next week we'll wrap it all up.

This week we return again to the stack of listener suggested topics and questions that have come in over the years. After bringing the 14" Steel City band saw into the basement workshop, many of you had questions specifically about the riser block I installed. The obvious benefits of a riser block to a 14" bandsaw is the increase in height. Normally the maximum resaw height on a saw this size is about 6" at most. By adding a riser block system you increase that significantly. What does that mean? It means all those wide boards you'd love to bookmatch for stunning panels are now possible, it means you can resaw your own veneers from WHICHEVER species of wood you want, it means all sorts of options. But with a variety of options available that also means there's some limitations too. While not necessarily significant anytime you alter a machine from it's original configuration, regardless of whether you use original manufacturer's kits, you're still going to run into hiccups that may require the machine to need a little more tweaking before using. I'd love your feedback on today's episode and your suggestion leave a comment in today's shownotes or drop us a line [email protected]. And if anyone noticed the video seems a little off, I've been experimenting with using my iPhone as a video camera...it still needs a little tweaking, but not too bad.

Today's episode is the first of a series answering many of the questions and topic suggestions you the audience has sent me over the last 6 years. I frequently get questions regarding choosing tools, stock, projects and great feedback on things we've already covered. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance, all that often, to take these questions and turn them into the great content they'd make. So while I'm currently finishing up a couple of project builds, I thought we'd do start tackling the list of audience inspired episodes. In today's show, a listener asked about choosing a shoulder plane. He asked specifically about two models, the Stanley No.92 and the Ron Hock Shoulder plane kit. While I prefer not to make specific recommendations on which tool to purchase, I do have an opinion on the features that make a good one and things to consider when thinking of purchasing. I'd love your feedback on today's episode and your suggestion for this listener and also the many others who have asked very similar questions about shoulder planes also. Leave a comment in today's shownotes or drop us a line [email protected] . And if anyone noticed the video seems a little off, I've been experimenting with using my iPhone as a video camera...it still needs a little tweaking, but not too bad.

Back in episode 470 I shared with you the construction of a "super simple" wooden box I've been making for my wife's photography business Shutter Sam Photography. I mentioned in the episode that since filming the original footage I had started to streamline the construction process. Just like with any project where you find yourself repeating the build over and over (think cutting boards, jewelry boxes, pens, etc.) you discover little shortcuts that can help to cut the production time down, but not affect the quality of the results. As I've mentioned before, I really appreciate tips and suggestions from you the audience. And once again, you've come through for me with a great tip that I'm using from this point out when building the boxes. Don (no last name in the email) suggested I checkout an article over at Fine Woodworking Magazine it's titled 2 Fast Ways to Build a Box and was written by Bill Nyberg. On page one of the downloadable PDF (it does require a membership to the digital media) Bill lays out a quick and easy two cut step that creates the lips of the two sides. Essentially the same thing I've been creating, but with my method I was spending way too much time setting it up. This new method cuts my setup time in HALF. Checkout today's show to see what I'm talking about. Just to let you know, I don't cover Bill's entire article, just this one little part that has made a huge difference in how I'll be cutting parts for more of these boxes and maybe even other projects down the road.

It's a new year, but we have a little work to finish up from the previous year. As promised, today's episode is the wrap up to our "Shelves and drawers" series. In part four we complete the "Shelves and drawers" by building the drawer fronts from solid maple, attaching the bases to each of the units and then adding all the final touches from painting to hardware. A lot of you had questions about using MDO; its workability, paintability, cost and more. Rather than addressing each of your questions as they come in, I tried to include all of them in the video. Hopefully I answer yours, but if not, don't hesitate to contact me.