STL235: Are saw guides really cheating?
Vic Tesolin joins Mike and Ben to discuss jack planes, smoothing planes, shop lighting, and if saw guides are cheating or not.
Question 1:
From Bob:
I have another question about planes. I hear you talk about jack and smoothing planes. You also talk about #4 and #5 planes. Sometimes you will talk about a #4 smoother or a #4 jack. Can you explain the difference between a smoothing plane and a jack plane? Does it have something to do with the way it is sharpened or the way it is set up? Enquiring mind would like to know.
Make a wooden pull plane
Question 2:
From Matthew:
I am in the process of finishing my shop and I need to figure out how to best create natural light during the short winter days. The space is roughly 20×15 with 10′ ceilings and two main working areas. During the day, windows allow for plenty of natural light comfortable for working. Currently I am using basic utility lights with “daylight” bulbs as a way of getting started. I quickly realized multiple light sources cast unwanted shadows making marks difficult to see.
My question is: What are the best types of overhead lighting that can give a similar feel as natural daylight and also an even light? I am curious about not only bulb temp but also style of fixture such as tracks with multiple heads, fluorescent, or something that is more direct and moveable like an articulating desk lamp.
‘The Centre for Woodworking Authenticity’
Mike recommends following and supporting @woodschrew on Instagram.
Ben recommends grinding down a washer to tighten down your Lie Nielsen honing guide.
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Comments
One needs as few gewgaws, bits, bobs, and duplicates in the shop as possible.
This was a fantastic episode. Thank you Vic for defending the dovetail guide!
A dovetail guide. A simple tool that allows me to cut dovetails faster and better. True, if I’m ever on a desert island with only a saw and there’s a dovetail competition I’m f***** but I’m going to risk it. #hero.
Loved this episode. Just bought Vic's book and a dovetail saw guide. Threw in the Fine Woodwrking book on hand tools for good measure. Now I have to find Mike's router bit. Great conversation and truly inspirational.
good job guys cudos to Vic never stop trying, learning, improving, or enjoying
Jigs & aids to guide the tool .....
Is there a tool that doesn't incorporate a jig? A knife edge needs the knife body to support it and a handle to operate it. Even a rock to hit a post is better if it's a human hand size and shape rather than one suiting an elephant's trunk, eh? Did Big Uggy sneer at Little Grunt because Grunt preferred his rocks to be this size and shape rather than that? Probably.
Just because a jig isn't intimately connected to the tool using it doesn't mean the jig is "cheating" or inessential. (Cheating who; or which rule-set)? Try using a table saw without a fence. I've seen it done but fainted because of the worry the lad was going to come to a bad end.
****
Perhaps there could be a FWW contest in which readers send in pics or vids of themselves using completely unjigged tools? How long does it take to plane a table top flat using just the plane blade but no plane, for example? I believe there is a Japanese chisel-thing that is used in this fashion, mind. It has a handle though - is that cheating? Perhaps Vic will be making one so we can see?
Lataxe
I purchased one of the LED headlamps the guys mentioned to use as task light when cutting dovetails and it made a world of difference.
Fantastic episode. I would have happily listened to the raw 90 minutes of this podcast.
Hey Ben, can you please post the link where Vic mentions he watched or read an article how Mike uses the trim router for dovetails?
It's shown in detail here:
https://www.finewoodworking.com/2020/03/26/all-in-one-workstation-for-dovetails
And here:
https://www.finewoodworking.com/2020/01/07/ep-5-fitting-the-dovetails
Thanks for posting this, Ben. I was wondering how Mike balanced the router on the pins. This cleared it up.
Thanks for the links Ben. You saved me a lot of searching. Now I have a good reason to buy a small router. Is there a link somewhere to the bit that mike used?
You three make a great combination for the podcast. For some reason the chemistry between this trio creates a lot of very helpful information. I’d like to see Vic join you more often.
BTW — The dovetail jigs came Friday from Tailspin Tools. They also threw in Tailspin SQd as a bonus. I’m looking forward to trying both out sometime this year when I have a project that requires dovetails. Thanks for setting up the possibility for me to win them.
Yea, a plane is a jig for a chisel, and a table saw a jig for a handsaw, but personally, when I see these guys with a backdrop wall of systainers,,,
Where is the line? It is a personal decision and does not itself matter in the quality of work. Machined wood is how production furniture and quality woodworking tools are made.
I think, Ben said it best, nobody says, Oh boy, now I get to use my screaming router!
I adopted Mike P.'s method of routing the pin waste with the short flush trim bit, but with one adaptation. He demonstrates it with a hand held trim router on a clever bench on bench clamping platform thing.
I found it much simpler (and faster) to just clamp the workpiece to a simple right angle backer and use the flush trim bit in the router table.
I made a clearance rabbet at the bottom of the backer to create some space for the bearing to pass all the way through the pin board.
As an added bonus, I have much better dust control at the router table.
This system has probably cut down my hand dovetailing time by 50%. Thanks Mike!
For shame! One less doo-dad I need collecting dust in my shop. Miss you guys:)
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