How Strong are the MicroJig Dovetail Grooves?
Viewers have asked if there is any tendency for the dovetail grooves used with MicroJig’s Matchfit Dovetail Clamps to break under pressure. I show how the clamping pressures are balanced to support the substrate and prevent tear out.
Simple Lathe Drum Sander
The drawer fronts in the Triptych Mirror build feature a reverse curve that requires shaping and sanding. The Woodcademy shop does not feature a drum sander large enough to work a 4” wide part.
So in this video, Ralph shows how to quickly adapt your lathe to the task using 1” cloth backs sanding roll from 2sand.com.
Between the grit selection and lathe speed control, this trick gives you complete control over the sanding process.
First Look at MicroJig's Dovetail Hardware
In our Miter Gauge Upgrade Episode, we showed you how we attached the auxiliary fence to the miter gauge using MicroJig’s Dovetail Hardware. In this Bonus video, Ralph explains how the hardware works and offers some suggestions for how it can be used around the shop.
Folding Router Table Update
Our Folding Router Table plans from Season 2 have been downloaded more than 500 times so far, which is awesome, thank you!
But sadly, Rockler has discontinued the T-Track Hold Down Clamp that was specified in the plans to hold the fence.
Fortunately, we found a nearly-perfect replacement from Lee Valley Tools that requires no changes to the fence.
The plans have been updated with this new information, but for those of you who have already downloaded the plans, this video shows you how to adapt the Lee Valley clamps.
Sharpening a Card Scraper
During the Backgammon Game build in Season 2, Episode 3, Ralph shows you how to use a card scraper for smoothing the veneer game board. Learn how to prepare the scraper and set the hook to get great results every time.
Dowel Centers and Transfer Punches
You’ve seen Ralph use dowel centers to mark hole locations, and now in the Folding Router Table build he uses transfer punches to do the same. Learn how they differ and when you should use each in this short video.
Make Butterfly Splines Using a Dovetail Bit
In Woodcademy Episode 8, Ralph talks about making a bow tie spline using a special "butterfly" router bit from Freud. In this video, Ralph teaches you how to use the same dovetail bit to make the groves and spline key as well. To do this, it will take a little more set up, but it is certainly doable.
The Key to Great M&T Joints: The Shoulder Plane
Ralph prefers to hand-make mortises, cutting the tenons oversize and then fitting them using a shoulder plane. In making the Butterfly Leaf Table, Ralph relies on this technique for creating the mortise and tenons in Episode 7.
In this Bonus Content video, Ralph demonstrates what defines a shoulder plane and how to use shoulder planes to both fit and position the tenon accurately.
Three Easy Ways to Plug Pocket Screw Holes
The chairs we build in Woodcademy Episodes 5 & 6 now streaming on Amazon Prime, we use pocket screws pretty extensively. And although the holes are positioned so that they are generally unseen, plugging the holes gives the project a more polished, handcrafted look.
In this video, Ralph demonstrates three easy ways to plug the pocket hole screws to fully finish the look of your chairs.
Make Wider Dados
In just two passes, you can make dados as wide as 1-5/8” without marking, measuring, or test cuts. Watch as Ralph walks you through how he did exactly this to create wide half-laps while making the back splats for the chairs in Woodcademy Episode 6.
Blind Nails
Ralph used blind nails while performing some template routing tasks while creating dining chair parts in Woodcademy TV Episode 5. So, what exactly are blind nails? Watch our bonus content video to learn about this versatile tool from FastCap and how using them can make your shop more efficient.
Using Welding Table Clamps in the Workshop
In Episode 4 of Woodcademy TV, Ralph used some unusual clamps during the library stand build. Watch our welding table clamps video to learn how you can use specialty clamps, like these from Bessey Tools, in your workshop.