STL282: This is a woodworking podcast!

F
FineWoodworking • Jan 13, 2023

Audio Brief

Show transcript
This episode covers essential woodworking workshop practices, from long term tool storage and rust prevention to the integration of modern technology like 3D printing, amidst a co-host's announced departure. There are four key takeaways from this discussion. First, meticulous rust prevention is critical for long term tool storage, particularly addressing sawdust as a moisture trap. Second, 3D printing offers a highly cost effective and practical solution for creating custom workshop jigs and parts. Third, Digital Woodworking integrates modern tools like 3D printers and CNCs to enhance problem solving and creativity. Fourth, carefully consider safety when modifying power tools, favoring appropriate standard tools for specific tasks. A primary concern for long term tool storage is meticulous rust prevention. Sawdust traps moisture against metal surfaces, making thorough cleaning crucial before applying protective barriers like wax or oil. For complex tools such as hand planes, disassembly is recommended to prevent rust at tight contact points where moisture often accumulates. The integration of 3D printing offers significant practical value in the workshop. It serves as a cost effective tool for creating custom jigs, templates, and specialized parts like dust collection adapters that commercial options often cannot provide. Many woodworkers leverage online repositories for pre designed models, saving considerable design time. The concept of Digital Woodworking encompasses using modern technologies like 3D printers and CNC machines to solve workshop challenges. This approach enhances creativity by allowing woodworkers to rapidly prototype and produce custom solutions. A 3D printer is viewed as an integral workshop tool, not just a separate hobby. The episode cautions against modifying power tools for unintended functions, using the example of adapting a jointer for shaper duties. Such modifications can be dangerous, stressing the importance of using the right tool for the right job. A router table, for instance, offers a safer and more appropriate alternative for lightweight shaping tasks. This discussion highlights the importance of meticulous tool care, embracing technological advancements, and prioritizing workshop safety for all woodworkers.

Episode Overview

  • The hosts discuss shop life, including a humorous dust collector standoff and the announcement of co-host Barry’s departure to Vietnam.
  • They provide practical advice on preparing woodworking tools for long-term storage, with a focus on rust prevention methods like cleaning, waxing, and disassembly.
  • The conversation shifts to modern technology in the workshop, highlighting the value of a 3D printer for creating custom jigs, adapters, and parts.
  • Throughout the episode, they answer listener questions, including a speculative and humorous discussion about the dangers of modifying a jointer to perform shaper duties.

Key Concepts

  • The primary concern for long-term tool storage is rust prevention, with sawdust being a key issue as it traps moisture against metal surfaces.
  • Protective storage methods include meticulously cleaning tools, applying a barrier of wax or oil, and considering disassembly for complex tools like hand planes to prevent rust at contact points.
  • The integration of 3D printing in woodworking is framed as a practical and cost-effective solution for creating custom jigs, templates, and specialized parts like dust collection adapters.
  • The concept of "Digital Woodworking" is introduced, incorporating modern tools like 3D printers and CNC machines to solve workshop problems and enhance creativity.
  • Online repositories like Thingiverse are valuable resources for woodworkers, offering pre-designed 3D models that save time and effort.
  • The conversation explores the risks of modifying power tools for unintended functions, using the example of a jointer-as-shaper to highlight the importance of using the right tool for the job.

Quotes

  • At 2:13 - "Oh, that was an active choice on my part. I didn't want to deal with it." - Barry jokingly admits he chose not to install the "full" alert sensor on the shop's dust collector.
  • At 4:16 - "It is not like full, it is not like kind of, it is screw you full." - Barry humorously describes the extreme degree to which the dust collector is packed with sawdust.
  • At 6:56 - "So, February 10th is my last day on the job... on the 26th, I fly to Vietnam and I will live there for the foreseeable future." - Barry officially announces his departure from the show and his plans to move abroad.
  • At 19:38 - "I don't want sawdust on there because that holds moisture, and if that hangs out on my hand planes, I'm afraid it will..." - Ben explains his primary reason for meticulously dusting his tools before storage.
  • At 21:30 - "I was getting interference from the phone, so I thought, let me just get my phone as far away from me as possible... and I thought, 'Oh, I'll just slide it down to the end of the bench,' and it just went..." - Barry explains why he accidentally slid his phone off the workbench, causing a humorous interruption.
  • At 22:30 - "When you buy an old tool, when you take it apart, that's where you find the rust, is where everything is." - Barry explains his reasoning for disassembling tools for storage, noting rust commonly forms where parts are in close contact.
  • At 44:51 - "I wanted to call it Digital Woodworking because we're getting a CNC." - Ben casually reveals that a CNC machine is coming to the shop, surprising his co-hosts.
  • At 46:23 - "The 3D printer to me is a tool in my woodshop... I use it for making jigs and little doodads for woodworking." - Ben clarifies that he views his 3D printer as an integral workshop tool, not a separate hobby.
  • At 49:21 - "Downloading it and printing it requires two to five, ten minutes of your actual attention... The rest of the time your robot is making the thing." - Ben explains the efficiency of using pre-existing 3D models from online resources.
  • At 54:16 - "Bang for your buck tool in the woodshop, easily one of my biggest returns on investment." - Ben strongly endorses the value of an inexpensive 3D printer for its ability to create custom, precise parts.
  • At 59:00 - "For a home shop, would it be possible to outfit a jointer with shaper cutters and a power feeder for lightweight shaper duties?" - The hosts read a listener's creative but potentially dangerous question.
  • At 1:00:11 - "Lightweight shaper duties, that sounds like a router table to me." - Ben offers a practical and much safer alternative to the listener's idea of modifying a jointer.

Takeaways

  • Always thoroughly remove all sawdust from tools before long-term storage, as it is a primary culprit for trapping moisture and causing rust.
  • For complex tools like hand planes, consider disassembling them before storage to protect the tight-fitting metal contact points where rust commonly forms.
  • View a 3D printer not as a separate hobby but as a highly valuable, low-cost workshop tool for creating custom jigs and adapters that commercial options can't provide.
  • Leverage free online resources like Thingiverse to find and print pre-made solutions to common shop problems, minimizing design time and maximizing efficiency.
  • Before attempting complex and potentially dangerous modifications to power tools, first consider if a safer, standard tool (like a router table) already exists to perform the desired function.
  • Proactively install and maintain alert features on shop equipment, like dust collector "full" sensors, to avoid preventable problems.
  • Apply a protective barrier like wax or oil and wrap tools in wax paper to create a physical shield against humidity during long-term storage.