Episode 32 - The Perfect Assembly Table, Router Bit Safety, Making Your Own Plywood, & MUCH More!

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Guy

1) Have you ever made your own plywood from solid wood for projects?  I’m thinking a void free core of walnut plywood could allow me to use it in projects where the edge could be exposed unlike traditional veneered plywood and also give me some dimension stability.  You thoughts? Tips? Brian

2) I know at least one of you uses the Leigh dovetail jig. Just wondering how well the jig is made. If the tail and pin boards align, and if there is a lot of tweaking to get the jig to work properly. I have Porter Cable 4216 jig. I have been trying to get this to work for a case I am working on. I was having some problems with the tails and pins being about a sixteenth out of alignment. I took many measurements to be sure that the tail board is centered in the template only to discover as I loosened the template it could shift side to side by more that a thirty second of an inch. There are a few other things I am not crazy about with this jig. Just wondering what your experiences have shown using other jigs,

Also, thanks for answering all of my previous questions! - Dave

Sean

1) I have been a weekend woodworker for 5 or so years as time permits with 3 kids and a busy schedule. I am working out of a 3 car garage that my wife and I both park in. I use about 1.5 bays currently and when I do not have a project I move equipment so I can park. I do not have an assembly or outfeed table to work from and often use the garage floor. Frustrating... I am looking for space savings option for a table, preferably one with dog holes so I can clamp to route, biscuit joint, and other assembly work. I currently do not have hand tools i.e. handsaws, planes, or chisels for heavy duty hand tool work. Maybe one that is portable like Guys outfeed table as I have an incra tablesaw fence as well. I don't know if a festool mft3 would be a solution as I could store it when not working/assembling. Maybe a storabe outfeed table as well as a storable assemble might work. I don't think I am ready for a hand tool workbench yet. My father in law had a production cabinet door and counter top shop with a large industrial CNC machine and could cut a festoool style top out of MDF that would not cost me anything out of pocket. Is that a good option? Any recommendations would be appreciated.

2) Shhhh.... don’t let Guy know I asked another question. Let’s just say this one is from Boudreaux François... hahaha

With as many jigs and templates that are made for your projects through the years what do you do with them? Do you make them one time, use them then toss them out or repurpose them for other jigs? Aside from the obvious ones that are traditionally used in the shop (cross cut sleds, tapering jig, edge jointing jig for the table saw... etc) at what point do you say “I’m going to keep this one”. I have always struggled with the idea of spending the time to make these jigs and templates even if I know that I won’t necessarily be using it again in the next 6 months then just trashing it. Just curious.

As always, Thank you for your time and please keep up the absolutely wonderful work y’all are doing on the podcast and your shops! The information y’all share is always spot on!

Thanks,Brent JarvisClean Cut Woodworking

Huy

1) I am making a pair of side tables that are based on Philip Morley's table design from the #275 Fine woodworking issue. I've scaled it down and modified it to be a side table more than a dining table (proportionally shrunk all the dimensions, increased apron size to fit a shallow drawer in it and added a low shelf) but I am trying to keep a similar look to his original piece. So, I am using his techniques to create the legs which have a curved taper and Phil achieves this shape with a two-sided jig that he runs along a flush cut trim bit.My legs are 2 and 5/16 thick at the thickest part. Add on about 1/2 inch for the jig and that meant I needed to get a pretty tall flush cut bit.