There aren’t many fillers that meet all the requirements which is why my choice is P-Tec 8400.
Generally I find fillers are thicker than other products used to fill gaps like epoxy or CA glue. Because of that I like to use a flexible metal putty knife. I find that the plastic versions aren't rigid enough and you can't force the filler into the gaps effectively. The metal putty knife also makes a great stir stick and helps you mix the two parts really well.
Simply take up some of the filler on the end of the knife and press it into the gap or crack that you're trying to fill. I like to go over the spot multiple times to make sure that I've got everything filled the way I want it.
Once I'm confident that the gap is filled, I scrape some of the excess from around the defect to reduce the amount of planing and sanding I'll have to do later.
Personally, I like to start with a small hand plane first. This removes the majority of the filler and smooths out a lot of the lumps and bumps prior to sanding. Don't fret, your hand plane won't be damaged by the filler nor will your blade become dull.
Then I switch over to a random orbital sander and I stop sanding at 180 grit. It's not recommended that you go past 180 grit because the surface of the filler can become too smooth and finishes won't stick to it. If you are accustomed to using hard wax oils stopping at 180 will be natural.
Absolutely! Not only does it except paint well but it also takes most clear coat finishes, oils, and waxes. Just be sure to not sand past 180 grit making the surface too slick. Always try a sample area first to make sure that your finishes compatible.
I like using the natural flaws and sap lines in the wood in my furniture making but that sometimes requires a bit of repair. For dark knots and bark inclusions, P-TEC 8400 is a great choice.
Shop P-TEC 8400 by Chill Epoxy
Prefer a video instead? Head on over to our YouTube channel to learn how to use a wood filler like P-Tec 8400.
]]>We recommend a pattern router bit (template bit) such as the Whiteside (3004) for 1/4" shank, or the Whiteside (3022A) for 1/2” shank.
We recommend Honey Bee’s Natural Wood Cream which is a soft paste wax perfect for finishing cutting boards. It is made with only two ingredients: pure beeswax and 100% food grade mineral oil.
Prefer a video instead? Head on over to our YouTube channel to learn how to make a charcuterie board using a handle template.
]]>Installation is the same as the 110° hinges and they are interchangeable. This is handy if you decide to reconfigure a cabinet to include slide out drawers or trays. You can get these hinges in either full or half overlay configurations.
If the doors you are attaching are to corner cabinet, then these are the hinges of you. The installation is the same as the others with the only different being the shape of the hinge arms.
Blum soft close concealed hinges are a great option for both kitchen cabinetry or furniture making. They are easy to install and adjust and the soft close feature is a joy to experience. Give them a try on your next project with doors.
Prefer a video instead? Head on over to our YouTube channel to watch a video on how to install Blum hinges on cabinet doors.
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There are certain things in life that you can count on: death, taxes, and of course wood movement. No matter what we try to do as woodworkers, there is no way to arrest wood movement completely. We can only do our best to reduce and manage it.
As seasons and humidity levels change, wood takes on moisture and releases it. In Southern Ontario, were I currently hang my shingle, wood takes on moisture in the warmer months and dries out over the winter. Many people think that wood movement is less of a concern because climate-controlled spaces are more common. I can assure you that it still happens, on a smaller scale mind you, but it’s still important and something to account for. If you build a piece in a shop that is not climate-controlled and it ends up living in a space that is, you will see the havoc wood movement can cause.
One of the best ways to plan for this is to understand wood movement. There are many calculators available online that will calculate the movement based on several factors. Primarily, these calculators look at the swing in humidity, the species of wood, and the type of cut (flat, rift, or quarter sawn). If you aren’t familiar with these terms and how they affect wood movement, I highly recommend adding R. Bruce Hoadley’s book “Understanding Wood” to your woodworking library. This is a helpful book that will teach you all about wood as a medium for making. I refer to mine often.
Now that I have made my case that wood movement is real in climate-controlled spaces, we need to talk about how to allow it and deal with it effectively. Like most things in woodworking, there are several options to tackle this task. In this blog post I’m going to talk about one way that I use to help keep large panels (think dining tabletop) flat. I introduce to you the C-channel.
This simple bit of metal hardware is a great way to help keep wide surfaces flat over the years. The secret behind this hardware’s success are the rolled corners. These corners, combined with the thickness of the steel, provide ample strength to help hold things flat. Elongated holes along the length allow the hardware to be secured to the wood while still allowing for the all-important movement that is going to occur.
Installation of the C-channel is simple. It involves routing two parallel dados across the width of the underside of the tabletop. You will need a minimum of two C-channels and perhaps more depending on the length of your piece. These dados should be about 25mm longer than the length of the hardware, again to allow for the wood to move. The C-channel should be secured by installing threaded inserts and machine-thread screws or bolts. The Rampa 1/4-20 inserts are a great choice because of their strength and ease of installation. You can learn more about Rampa hardware in my previous blog and video.
Another nice thing about the C-channel is that it doesn’t interfere in the aesthetic of your work. This hardware lives on the underside of the tabletop, so only the cat will see it and I’m sure Mittens will appreciate the hard work you put into keeping the table flat and true. Large slabs of wood are beautiful, but they have their limitations. The C-channel allows you to work with slab tops without the worry of serious cupping and warping. Less worry and flatter surfaces, music to my woodworking ears.
]]>The threaded insert allows you to use machine thread bolts or screws in wood products. These include hard and softwood as well as manufactured products like MDF, particle core, and veneer core plywood. There are two main reasons that I like to use threaded inserts. The first is when I want to increase the pullout strength of a connection I’m making. The second is on projects where thread erosion or stripping will be a potential problem.
I have used threaded inserts over the years in a variety of woodworking projects. They are great when making various types of power and hand tool jigs and fixtures. Oftentimes these projects have a certain level of adjustability, so the threaded inserts allow for tightening and loosening a wood screw without stripping the hole. Threaded inserts are also handy for making furniture that is designed to be disassembled and reassembled a few times. As the father of a daughter who is in university, designing furniture that can be reliably taken apart and moved makes my life much easier.
I’ve used them on display cases where the contents of the case need to be accessible for the user. A common one for me was a display case that held a ceremonial sword for a colonel in the military. The case displayed and protected the sword and scabbard, and it could be accessed when needed for parades or other ceremonial duties. They can also be used for wooden shipping or traveling crates that hold precious cargo, especially if those crates will be used repeatedly, and they are great for installing drawer pulls or handles because of the dependability of the machine threads. These are just some of the uses for threaded inserts, but really, the list could go on and on.
Installing threaded inserts is straight forward. Follow the manufacturers recommendations for the pilot hole size and be sure to drill the hole deep enough to allow the insert to fully seat. In the case of Rampa inserts, the company recommends 10 to 10.5mm depending on the density of the material. 10mm would be suitable for softer woods like pine and 10.5mm would be better for hard maple.
Be extra careful if you are installing the insert close to the edge of a component since there is a chance that the insert can split the substrate. There is a way to secure the insert in place and make sure this doesn’t happen. Frist, drill a slightly larger hole that is equal to the outside diameter of the external thread. In the case of the Rampa insert, the larger hole would be 12mm. Next, mix up some 5-minute epoxy. Then place the insert into the hole and add the epoxy to the sides of the hole. To protect the inner threads from epoxy, cover the bottom of the insert with a small dot of masking tape.
Threaded inserts have been around for quite a while and there are many different types available. Like all hardware, you can get bargain-basement inserts that are poorly made and inexpensive, or you can get well-made versions that will stand the test of time. My vote is always high quality because the cost of good hardware never outweighs the potential failure of a project.
Vic
]]>There are so many different types of tools for woodworking and to someone new to the hobby, it can be a bit daunting. The world of drill bits is no exception. There are so many types and brands that it can be hard to decide. Over the years I’ve learned what drill bits are essential in my shop. Here are the ones that I use most often and why.
First a few words on quality. Drill bits are being made with many different steels. Without getting too far into the weeds, the two most commonly available are high-carbon steel (HCS) and high-speed steel (HSS). For all my woodworking needs I almost always go with HSS bits because they stay sharper longer and are generally better made. I usually go with HCS for any projects around the house because I’m more likely to subject those bits to more wear and tear. The HCS are usually less expensive or more likely to be on sale, so I often buy replacements once they get dull.
Brad point bits get the most use in my shop. They are precisely ground and have points in the right places to make a woodworker’s life easier. There is a fine point ground in the center which makes it easy to locate a small prick mark on the wood. I try to make the smallest mark possible, so the bit doesn’t have a chance to wander. There are also cutting lips on the outside of the bit that score a clean line on the entrance and exit surfaces. These lips are the biggest difference between Brad point and twist bits. Twist bits are great for metal, but they can make a big mess on the surfaces of wood.
Forstner bits are the answer if you want a hole with clean sides and a flat bottom. Though they can be used in a hand power drill, I prefer to use them in a drill press. Oftentimes, I am performing a milling operation with these bits like in the case of drilling out a mortise. When used in a drill press (in conjunction with a fence) it’s easy to drill overlapping holes to remove much of the waste. All that’s left is to pare the side with a chisel to clean things up and voilà...you have a mortise! You can also drill angled holes with a Forstner provided the piece is sufficiently clamped to the drill press table.
Disc & Plug Cutters - I’ve talked a lot about making holes but what if the goal is to fill a hole? Sometimes it’s nice to hide a screw or nail under the surface and that’s where a plug cutter can come in quite handy. I choose a plug cutter diameter that matches the size of countersink hole I make so that the plug glues in easily and with no gaps. You can try to match the plug to the type of wood you are using or you can choose a contrasting wood to add some visual interest.
When you need to make a hole in woodworking it normally needs to be accurate and clean, so don’t waste your money on cheap bits that may burn or let you down. As my father used to say: “When you buy quality tools, you only cry once”.
Vic
]]>Gone are the days of using wooden slides to get drawers in and out of cabinets. Sizing them can be tricky and they often get sticky and bound if they aren’t made just right. Ball-bearing slides are simple to install and often come available with a “soft-close” feature that is more elegant than a slamming drawer. The slides I like to use are referred to as “full-extension” which means that the drawer box can come all the way out of the cabinet, allowing complete access to the contents. In addition to a soft close and full-extension, there are two mounting types that I tend to use often: side mount and under-mount. Deciding which to choose is largely a matter of personal preference, but there are some situations where one type may work better than the other. Let’s explore this.
Side-mount slides are a less expensive option but don’t think that is a reflection of their performance. They have slick ball-bearings that make opening and closing a drawer a joy. Side-mount slides separate to allow one part of the glide to be fastened to the cabinet and the other attached to the drawer.
There are a few things to consider before choosing these slides. They are the lesser of the two styles cost wise, but they are also the most visible. They are easily seen as they run the length of the drawer side, so you must be okay with seeing them. They also require a bit more space to fit in a cabinet. In most cases you will lose around 24mm (1”) to accommodate the slides. This in turn means that your drawer box needs to be a tad smaller, not a deal-breaker to my mind but something to consider.
Under-mount slides are slick in both installation and operation. To start, they completely mount to the side of the cabinets. The drawer then slides onto them and interfaces with a small pin at the back and clip at the front. This makes them easy to remove if you ever have to repair something or if you want to take the contents of the drawer to another location. Imagine a shallow drawer of fasteners that you can take to your bench to work on a project.
Making any drawer box requires a certain level of precision, but drawers with under-mount slides have specific requirements. Generally, the underside of the drawer bottom needs to be 12mm (1/2”) from the bottom of the drawer side and the width and length need to be spot on. This isn’t a difficult thing to achieve, you just need to be aware of it. The nicest feature of under-mount slides is that they all but disappear when they are installed.
Regardless of which style you choose, ball-bearing slides add a slickness to the drawers of whatever style of furniture you are making. If cost is a consideration, then you can’t go wrong with the side-mount option. If you want that clean look, under-mount is the way to go. Personally, I will often choose the undermount, even for shop furniture because I like the clean look. Ultimately the choice is yours and you can’t go wrong with either one. Both will give you a pleasant experience when opening and closing drawers because whether in the shop or home, there is nothing better than a smooth operating drawer.
Vic
]]>Furniture-grade plywood is great for some aspects of furniture construction because of the stability of the parts. Not dealing with the swelling or shrinking of components is a powerful draw to this style of building. Though, it’s not without its challenges. Plywood requires special consideration for joinery, often requiring metal fasteners or connectors. You also need to be careful when cutting plywood as it’s not as straight forward as solid wood.
Furniture-grade plywood comes in different forms and qualities. I usually aim for the higher quality materials, but what does that mean? Different sheet goods come with different cores, so I typically choose ones that are referred to as veneer core. This is what you would first think of when someone says ‘plywood’. With veneer core, there are a number of thicker veneer sheets laid with the grain running 90° to each other. This creates a core that is typically quite stable. I usually avoid things like particle or MDF cores because they are too soft for my preferences and they don’t take fasteners very well - it’s like driving screws into cheese.
I like to breakdown the sheets first using a track saw so that the pieces are more manageable on the table saw. Don’t feel that you need a table saw though, all of your work can be done with a track saw. Regardless of the saw you use, the key is to use a sharp, clean blade that is designed for plywood and laminates. These blades make all the difference when working with veneered plywood. Ignoring this advice and using an inappropriate blade will lead to a mess. Gummy, dull blades will rip out the outside veneer and expose the core beneath so be sure to remove any pitch or send the blade out for sharpening.
Another practice I use when working with plywood is that I always make sure the cut is backed up. With my track saw, I make sure that the splinter guard is in place and in good shape. I also do all my cuts on foam insulation sheets.
Using these sheets as a sacrificial substrate protects the surface of the plywood and backs up the underside to further prevent splintering. Over time the foam will get saw kerfs all over it, but that’s okay. I have two sides to work with and they are fairly inexpensive to replace. On crosscuts I go even further by taping the cut line with a strip of blue painter’s tape.
Using furniture-grade plywood is a great way to save some time on a project and is great for built-in furniture or stand-alone pieces alike. All you need is a little bit of extra care and attention to have success with this material.
Vic
]]>Here in North America we have access to some of the world’s nicest furniture making woods. That said, I always find myself being drawn to some of the more exotic woods from around the globe. Timber like rosewoods, wenge, or ebony always interest me when it comes to small objects or accents to things that I build. As beautiful as they are, some of them definitely require extra thought and care while using them.
Some exotics can cause allergic reactions. Not that domestics woods are safe for all to use, there are just more examples of exotics causing problems. Exotic woods are also typically harder and require a different approach when it comes to tools and surface preparation. There are also considerations to be made when gluing exotic woods. Let’s take a look at some of the practises I use when working with this beautiful stuff.
When I was a student at Rosewood Studio I had a severe reaction to makore. This species of wood is associated with the following symptoms: irritation, nausea, headache, giddiness, and nervous system/blood effects. Needless to say, I don’t work with makore any longer. The Wood Database has a great chart that lists some of the worlds most common woods that can cause health issues. This doesn’t mean that you will have the reactions listed. It’s simply something to consider when you are deciding on a new wood to work with. It goes without saying that you should always be reducing the chance of inhaling wood dust through effective dust collection systems and/or wearing a mask. Wood dust is a known carcinogen, so please take appropriate measures.
When working with any of the tropical hardwoods like rosewoods, it’s best to take more care when gluing them up. Tropicals are typically extremely dense and oily which can cause issues if you use water-based adhesives like PVAs. The oil resists water-based glues and can cause a joint failure. It’s important to note that the resistance to PVA doesn’t always happen, but it is something to consider. I prefer to not take chances with this, and thankfully there are a few simply techniques that can make adhering these woods a bit more effective.
The first thing I like to do is scuff up the surface with some 150-grit sandpaper. Tropical hardwoods are incredibly dense. Combine that with the oiliness and the glue will not be able to penetrate the surface. Sanding helps, but don’t over do it because you can end up taking the glue surface out of flat, causing even more problems.
The next thing I do is remove some of the surface oil with a rag and solvent. There isn’t a hard and fast rule as to what solvents will do the trick. Depending on the species, oil content, and density, I will experiment a bit to figure out which solvent to use. Some of the most common solvents that seem to work are: mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, denatured alcohol, and acetone.
Speaking of glue, there are some considerations here as well. I avoid using PVA glues of all types simply because the risk of failure is too high for me. Instead, I prefer to use an epoxy resin as my adhesive of choice for these exotics. A thin layer is all you need and I have found good results with EcoPoxy brand epoxy. I personally like this brand because epoxies tend to give me a headache when working with them, but the EcoPoxy doesn’t. No need for headaches.
It’s pretty safe to assume that you can all but put away your hand planes when working with many exotics. That certainly doesn’t mean that I don’t try though. In my experience, you need to use high cutting angles to get them to tame these hard woods. I usually try 60° or higher which means either using a wooden plane with a high angle blade bed or a bevel-up plane with at least a 50° blade bed. This high angle will result in a Type 2 chip that fractures the shaving early and often making it more difficult for the wood to tear out.
It’s also important to ensure that the plane you are using has a tight mouth opening. The tighter the mouth, the more support you will get directly in front of the blade, which will in turn reduce the chance of tear out. With blade angle and mouth opening covered, it’s time to move onto maintaining the blade’s sharpness. This is perhaps the most important factor when using a plane to work with exotic woods (or any woods) Blade sharpness is one of the most important factors to a plane’s performance. Many exotics have a blunting effect on tools because of mineral deposits or silica in the wood. This means you will be doing a lot of sharpening, not only to your planes, but any other tools you use.
I find scrapers to be the most useful tools to use on exotic woods. Scrapers all but remove the chance of tear out and leave a beautiful, lustrous surface on the wood. Card scrapers do a fine job but keep in mind that they don’t have a sole. This lack of sole can lead to uneven surfaces, especially if you are working in a small area that may have tear out. The #80-style cabinet scraper is my tool of choice if I’m going to scrape a surface. They are fairly easy to set up and have enough sole to prevent taking surfaces out of flat. You can also use a scraping plane, but these tools are notoriously tricky to set up and can cause more headaches than dealing with the wood itself.
The final option is always sanding, but it’s important to work with a sander that has great dust collection like the Festool sanders and dust collection systems. As I personally found out, even just a small amount of airborne makore dust was enough to induce coughing, watering eyes and a runny nose. Please don’t take any chances with your health. We have to stay healthy if we want to keep woodworking!
Using exotic woods is a great way to spice up your woodworking colour palette as they can add interesting grain, textures, and figure to your work. They require a bit of extra care and consideration, but they are worth the effort in my opinion. The best way to get familiar with these woods and their qualities is to simply try them out. In order to understand, you must do.
Vic
A simple straight bit is great to have at your disposal because of it’s versatility. In my shop this bit gets used to create dados, grooves, and rabbets. One of the most common uses for me is when I’m working with 3/4” cabinet-grade plywood. Often in case construction, you have to create a dado to receive a shelf or divider. I will usually cut a 1/2” dado into the case side then cut a 1/4” rabbet on the shelf, creating a 1/2” tongue. I can control the thickness of that tongue and therefore dial in the fit perfectly. Cutting a 3/4” dado for a 3/4” piece of plywood doesn’t work because 3/4” plywood is never actually 3/4”.
I think furniture should always be pleasing to the hand as well the eye, so a round over bit is perfect for the task. I like a small 1/16” round over to ease the edge of parts because it doesn’t remove too much material, keeping the edges looking crisp and clean. Different sizes of round overs can also be helpful depending on the edge treatment you are looking for.
If you find yourself working with plywoods a lot or cutting rabbets to the same sizes often, you would likely benefit from a rabbet bit. The bearings give you an appropriate offset to achieve different widths of rabbet. You can increase the versatility of a rabbet bit by purchasing different diameter bearings which will allow you to change the width of the rabbets.
The Whiteside bits I’ve mentioned here are the ones I reach for most often so I spend a bit more money on them. Buying quality bits means that they stay sharper longer, which makes them more dependable. Now I know not every one likes using routers, but when used safely and correctly, they can really speed things up in the shop. 90% of the time, I use routers and their bits in a router table because it is much safer. You have the table to rest the work on and a fence to guide things smoothly. Ultimately, what’s most important, is that you enjoy your time in the shop. If you’re curious about router bits and wonder about using them, remember… in order to understand, you must do.
Bonus Video! Learn how to get well fitting dados
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Welcome to Wood Slivers
Hello and welcome to Wood Slivers. I’ve been woodworking for over 20 years and during that time I’ve picked up little bits of woodworking information, slivers if you will, that I like to share with others. Sometimes they are bits of hard-won wisdom that came from mistakes, while others are little tips or tricks that can help your woodworking journey go a bit smoother.
These quick reads will hopefully give you an insight into how and why I woodwork. They may inspire you to try new things or avoid them like the plague (that’s a bit on the nose). You may want to try things that I show you and decide for yourself if it is something you want to do. Many people may know me from my book The Minimalist Woodworker but may be surprised to learn that I am not a Minimalist Woodworker myself. I’m not a machine jockey or a hand tool-only kind of guy, I’m somewhere in between. I like my machines to help me do the grunt work but prefer hand tools to finish things off.
While slivers are nice little tips and bits of information, they are also those little pieces of wood that sometimes end up under your skin.. I may introduce topics that challenge your own woodworking philosophies and techniques.. I may talk about things like sharpening or the metric system for example that may bother you. While my goal is to not make you feel annoyed, I do like some healthy debate and to challenge long standing woodworking thoughts or techniques.
So welcome to my little corner of KJP Select Hardwoods. I’m so happy to be working with a company that I have loved for so long. Since the very beginning, KJP has always been my favourite wood store. When I moved from the Ottawa area to Southern Ontario, I was sad to leave KJP behind. Finding a good wood store is just as difficult as finding a good barber or stylist … when you find one, you don’t ever want to lose them. Sometimes, when we least expect it, we can find slivers of silver linings. This pandemic has allowed me to reconnect with my favourite wood store and to work with a company that continues to grow and work hard to give their customers what they want.
For now, stay in your shops and use this time to develop your woodworking skills if you can. Practice and an open mind is what helps us grow. Remember, in order to understand, you must do.
Vic