YouTube is amazing. There are thousands of creative people sharing and learning from one another online. It’s shocking when you realize that YouTube has only been around for five years. As I find interesting YouTube channels and videos I will share them here so that others might be inspired on their woodworking journey as well.

This is a remarkable time to be a craftsman. The opportunities for inspiration and education have never been so accessible.

It’s truly a revolution that people from all over the world are presenting a wide variety of interesting and unique skills, absolutely free for anyone to watch online.

Today’s featured YouTube channel Rakuou001 is from Japan. I have returned to watch this collection time and time again. The work produced in this small shop is as good as any I have ever seen. I really like the simplicity of their sparse and elegant designs. Watching how they flawlessly execute their traditional Japanese woodworking joinery inspires me to continue to learn and become a more skilled woodworker.

Carefully crafted wood components for fine Japanese furniture.

The multiple generations of men and women working in these videos are obviously highly skilled. They do precision work with hand tools but also use high performance power tools to move the process along. I can only imagine the amount of knowledge and information that has been passed down through the generations in this small Japanese workshop. Below are three selected videos from their channel. You can watch a dozen more by going to Rakuou001′s YouTube page. I have watched all of the videos, some several times, and found them all fascinating.

Japanese Hand Saws - Gyokucho RazorSaws

I have given up on western style push saws unless they are tensioned blade saws like a hacksaw or bow saw. Standard western saws without a blade stiffener have to be very thick and stiff to overcome the blade wanting to bend and fold on itself during the push motion through the stock. They even wear me out, and I am fairly strong and coordinated. There are of course some very fine western style back saws and dovetail saws with blade stiffeners, but these tend to be very expensive. I have actually owned some of these but have been very disappointed in the cost to performance ratio. I’ve tried to resharpen the teeth myself as well as paying a sharpening service, with very poor results.

Japanese saws are the best overall value.

Japanese woodworking saws are my choice, and have been for many many years. I come from the “let’s get on with it” school of woodworking. I want to do good precise work, but I don’t want to fuss over a consumable tool like a saw. For me hand saws are consumables like sandpaper. I won’t make big monetary and emotional investments in handsaws, unlike say a special square and ruler set, or a good hand plane, both of which will last a lifetime.

Pull down with gravity to cut with Japanese saws.

I do not refer to these saws by their Japanese names because I feel ridiculous trying to pronounce them. Fortunately it doesn’t matter what I call them, what matters is how they cut.

These saws cut like nothing you have ever used before, and I think they are one of the best values in woodworking tools.

In my four part Japanese Saw video series I show the three different saws I use on a daily basis. Two of the handles are well over twenty years old. When the blade dulls I can easily order a replacement blade from Japan Woodworker. The replacement blades generally last me about two to three years.

Replacement blades for Gyokucho RazorSaws are easy to change.

If you could only purchase one Japanese saw, buy this one:

Carpenter’s Saw – Ryoba Noko Giri – Gyokucho brand RazorSaw – A double edged saw
Handle and 12″” blade: #19.616.0 $41.00
Replacement blade only: #19.616.1 – $28.00

If you could buy two Japanese saws, add Allan’s favorite:

Crosscut Saw w/thicker blade – Kataha Noko Giri – Gyokucho brand RazorSaw -A single edged saw
Handle and 9.5″ blade: #19.410.0 $33.00
Replacement blade only: #19.410.1 – $17.00

For delicate furniture work, like dovetails, this works best:

Dovetail Saw/Crosscut Saw – Kataha Noko Giri – Gyokucho brand RazorSaw -A single edged saw
Handle and 9.5″ .3mm blade: #19.300.0 – $42.00
Replacement .3mm blade only: #19.300.1 – $21.00

Several years ago, a hardware store where I am a long time customer gave me several Japanese “style” saws to try that they just started carrying. Even though they weren’t my brand I was willing to give them a try. Two weeks later, after an honest assessment using them in my shop, I returned them to the store much to their surprise. I told them they were inferior products to Gyokucho RazorSaws. They were priced within just a few dollars of the RazorSaw, but even if they cost one quarter of Gyochucko’s saws, they still wouldn’t be worth it.

WoodMan’s First Japanese Saw

I bought my first Japanese saw when I was 25 and destroyed the blade in just a few days. I was trying to “country mule” it through the wood while holding it and using it like a western saw. Japanese saws have become very popular here in the U.S. but invariably when I see one being used, it is always with the handle up and the blade pointed down, in the manner most of us were taught since childhood. It took years for it to finally dawn on me to drop the handle towards the floor and pull the stock being cut into the supporting surface. The saw cuts on the pull, so why not pull down to with the aid of gravity and into the support of the work piece? I have never said a word about this to anyone. Dudes do not appreciate being told they are cutting like a kid.

Allan Little cuts a tenon using a Japanese hand saw.

Of course there are times when you have to have the handle up. Namely when cutting wide pieces or panels where the blade is unable to span the distance. When I’m working with a piece of this size I just use my panel saw or my table saw. Japanese saws for me are used for joinery and cutting billets of wood for a specific project.

Japanese saws look strange if you’re not familiar with them, but for the price, you can’t afford not to give them a try.

I highly recommend the Gyokucho RazorSaw brand of Japanese pull saw. I bought my first one 26 years ago. It still has the original handle and I use it every day.

I just made my first video series demonstrating Japanese hand saws. If you watch the videos in this post you’ll get an introduction to using these invaluable tools. You’ll see me hand cut a tenon,  rough cut a board and quickly change the blades.

I love laminate. It’s a low cost and extremely durable choice for work surfaces in woodworking shops. Once you learn a few basic techniques with regard to how to size, glue and trim laminate, most woodworkers will find many practical uses for it.

Plastic laminate is the ideal surface for table saw extensions as well as shop made router table tops. The low friction surface works great for in/out feed tables because work pieces slide easily with minimal resistance.

The low price per square foot of Wilsonart or Formica makes it an affordable option that is impossible to beat. And when you pair all of the features above with the fact it’s easy to work using basic tools, woodworkers of any skill level will enjoy working with and using laminate in the workshop.

mobile laminated multi-function table

While I love the bright colors of Wilsonart laminate, I prefer white or lighter colors for my shop because you can sketch and make quick calculations in pencil that are easily erased. You can wipe away pencil marks and even use a razor blade to scrape off glue, finish, paint etc…

Easy to clean and great for caluculations.

The Ultimate Multi-Function Work Table

I am a big fan of the Festool system of woodworking tools. When I bought their TS55 EQ saw and multi-function table to quickly and accurately cut panels, I really did not grasp the power of the perforated top until I bought the horizontal clamping fixtures (488030) to hold panels in place while cutting. The Festool multi-function table is the ideal tool to dedicate to panel sawing, but I find it much too fragile and small to act as my day in, day out work table. I need a work table in my shop that is stout and strong.

I took a 60″ x 60″ sheet of 3/4″ (18mm) Baltic birch plywood, drilled a perforated 20mm hole pattern, and set it on super stout saw horses with lateral steel connectors and voila, my quest for the perfect shop table was realized.

And after I adhered a piece of Wilsonart laminate to it I knew I had the ultimate low cost versatile woodworking work table.

My table takes a beating 8 days a week and is not anywhere close to needing replacement. And another great feature of laminate is when you’re ready for a fresh surface, all you have to do is apply new laminate directly over the old and retrim.

In the videos below I laminate the top of the Mobile Vacuum Work Station that houses my Festool vacuum. In this short series I show several ways to cut laminate, how to apply the contact cement, roll out, file the edges and trim the laminate to the pre-dilled holes in order to make your own multi-function work table.

I’ve been given many tools over the years by friends, family and other craftsmen. It makes sense when you aren’t using a tool, or you buy a new one, to pass the old one on to someone who may have a use for it. I recently purchased a new Makita 9820-2 Horizontal Wheel Wet Blade Sharpener and did just that. My old Makita still worked pretty well, it just needed a new 1600 grit stone and some more epoxy repair. My friend Adan makes knives, and I knew he could really use one of these machines for blade shaping. So I decided after twenty-one years of use I could splurge and buy myself a new one and pass the old one on to a friend. I’m interested in knife making too, so I’m really looking forward to Adan showing me some of his techniques after using this machine.

Allan gives his old Makita machine to Adan

Makita makes some quality items and the Makita 9820-2 Horizontal Wheel Wet Blade Sharpener is definitely one of them. I know I’ve sharpened my chisels, plane irons and joiner blades hundreds, if not thousands of times. In my early woodworking years, I would procrastinate on sharpening my blades because I didn’t have my technique down. Now that I  have mastered this machine, I sharpen my knives the second I feel they are not cutting at peak performance. It’s so easy once you spend the time to learn how to use this machine. You’ll never tolerate dull knives again.

My father-in-law gave me an old hatchet made from excellent Swedish steel. The handle was very spongy so I made a new wenge handle for it. My friend Adan saw the hatchet and appreciated how special it was so he insisted on making a custom case for it. He knows I like nature and canoeing, so he hand tooled some artwork into the leather. It really means a lot. I didn’t realize what a artisan he was and then found out he had no wet sharpening machine to shape his knives, I wanted him to have my old Makita machine. Now we are going to help each other make some cool hunting knives.

Old hatchet given to me by my father-in-law with new wenge handle.

Custom leather hatchet case made by my friend Adan Flores.

So if you have an old electric drill you’re not using, or an extra clamp, or something that you think would be appreciated by a friend or neighbor, I say pass it on. I enjoy giving when I am able. I don’t give tools with the thought that I’m going to receive something from someone else, but it often happens. Share your old or unused tools. Giving is good.

Visit AskWoodMan’s Flickr stream to see more photos of this hatchet and case, as well as other tools that have been refurbished, gifted, or passed down to Allan over the years.

I have spent thousands of hours sanding. If I could only impart one tip to all woodworkers regarding sanding, it would simply be this,

SAND THE SEQUENCE.

*

Most woodworkers know the secret to a great finished woodworking project is great sanding. If you can resist the urge to start with a higher grit, and start with 80 grit and sand the sequence, it will always save time. Don’t jump ahead and don’t skip steps. I’ve done this and it always ends up taking longer, costing more in abrasives, and it’s frustrating trying to achieve the desired results. These two videos are an introduction to understanding sandpaper and sanding theory. They are the synthesis of my experience to produce the best sanded surface in the least amount of time, for the least amount of money and effort.

What is Sanding The Sequence?

Sanding using each of the grits below in succession.
80 • 100 • 120 • 150 • 180 • 220 • 320

When you start sanding using 80 grit you quickly set the shape and remove machine marks, embedded glue and level uneven joint surfaces. Then you continue sanding using 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, 320 without skipping any of the sequence. Remember,  after this initial shape is set with 80 grit then all the other subsequent sanding grits are only removing the previous grits sanding marks. So, you are not trying to remove material any more, you are only polishing the wood. This is crucial to understand.

Half Sheet Sanders

I have used and worn out more sanders than I can count. What I have finally determined is that half sheet sanders do the best overall job for the investment. I still have a couple random orbit sanders, but I rarely use them. My Festool half sheet sander works perfectly for 90% of my sanding needs. For flat surfaces, half sheet sanders are the best. They are also great for sanding edges and into corners.

Save Money Buying Sandpaper

The best way to purchase sandpaper isn’t at your local hardware store, it’s buying online or at an industrial supply store. Making this one change can save you lots of time and money. I always buy full sheets of paper and cut them down into half sheets myself. (video shows this simple technique). The two types of paper I use and recommend are Mirka and VSM Vitex. I buy Mirka from BeaverTools.com and I buy VSC Vitex from Weatherford Company here in Austin, Texas. (I’m sure they’ll be happy to ship you some paper if you can’t find a local source.) Buying paper 5 sheets at a time pre-packaged is not the most economical way to buy sand paper.

WoodMan’s Tips:

1. Sand the sequence for a successful finish
2. Use a half sheet sander
3. Buy quality sandpaper in full sheets  (Woodman recommends VSM Vitex and Mirka)
4. Watch my videos for even more details

Have a question that wasn’t covered? Please Ask Woodman in the comment box below. I will be happy to answer you!

If you do any operation long enough you will inevitably have an accident, it’s the law of probability.

I just finished fabricating my new steel work table, and there were hours and hours of drilling involved. I don’t even know how many cheap drill bits I used for this project, but I know at least seven shattered on me in the process.

One large bit shattered and a piece broke off and hit my safety glasses with such force that my head snapped back.

I would be blind right now in one eye if I hadn’t been wearing my Condor safety glasses.

I buy them from WW Grainger, they cost $1.80  a pair, or you can live a little and buy the scratch resistant models that I prefer for $2.10.

This drill bit shattered and a piece hit my safety glasses

Some of the drill bits that shattered during one project

I like the Condors, model #1FYX6, because they are totally clear without a black bar across the top, you have full vision. Many times I reach for a pair and realize I already have a pair on. They are that light and comfortable.

When you drill as many holes as I had to drill in this table, it’s nice to be able to horse through the holes with a powerful half inch drill without worrying about blinding yourself. I use a Hilti UH700 half inch drill, it’s a beast. Because I’m wearing proper eye protection I can utilize it’s full power with confidence.

Woodman's box 'o bits

I recycle all my old shattered drill bits, but the dull ones I just keep resharpening until here is no more life in them. I have a box of old drill bits that I constantly rummage through, to see if I can find a bit that I can make work just one more time. I don’t like to waste anything. It’s no surprise that these old bits have metal fatigue, because I work them until they break.

FYI: I’ve never used a Drill Doctor or any of the other drill bit sharpening systems for sale on the market. In the coming months I will post a video that shows how to quickly sharpen a dull twist bit with a hand held angle grinder that you probably already own. It’s a great system that I have been using for years.

Technorati Tags: woodworking, safety, drilling, educational

New finish on sipo door next to 15 year old finish on table

Sanding and finishing go hand in hand. Sanding through the sequence of grits until there are no machine marks and the wood is polished, a.k.a. Sanding The Sequence, is the key to making even average wood look it’s best. And when you apply a penetrating finish like Waterlox, great results are guaranteed. But before the finish goes on, clean the surface really well in order to keep from trapping particles in this crystal clear finish.

A well sanded and finished 2×4 stud looks better to me than a piece of rosewood with planner ripple and sanding swirl marks covered in a polyurethane finish. ~ Allan Little

When I started making this frame and panel solid wood sipo door, I decided it was the perfect project to document my finishing, sanding, glueing and clamping techniques to share.

The finish that I have used almost exclusively for the last twenty plus years is Waterlox Original. In the series of videos below, I will show step by step how to produce a spectacular finish in a very low-tech, low overhead manner. Every aspect of producing this unmatched finish is covered; from sanding, surface preparation, application of the finish, and scratching or etching between multiple coats. I also show a very unique way I suspend the door horizontally on an inexpensive shop made rotisserie mechanism that allows all surfaces of the door to be finished without handling.

In the photo at the top of this post you will see why I love the Waterlox finish. The genuine mahogany bedside table was built and finished over fifteen years ago and I haven’t touched the finish since. Since Waterlox reveals the natural color of the wood, the only apparent difference of these finishes is that one is redder than the other. Sipo, also known as African mahogany is naturally browner while genuine mahogany is a warmer, redder color. The mahogany table has darkened substantially over the years, but the finish has held up perfectly.

Hope you find these videos helpful. You can watch the whole series of videos on my YouTube channel. There are a total of 17 for this project.

If you want to be notified each time I upload a new video, visit my YouTube channel: AskWoodman.TV and hit subscribe. If you don’t have a YouTube account, you have the option of signing up to my blog in the box on the top right of my site. Or you can create a YouTube account and subscribe to both!

Technorati Tags: woodworking, finishing, sanding, educational

I know a lot of creative and talented people. My friend and long time Toyota mechanic, Mark Larkin, is one of them. I spend hour upon hour milling wood, sanding or brushing finish which allows my mind to wander to inventions and labor saving devices for my shop. I suspect Mark’s active mind is engineering solutions to his many inventions as he sets the valves on a Corolla for the ten thousandth time.

Mark recently called me to see his latest creation before he gave it to his son. When I went to his shop to check it out I was flabbergasted. He made a human powered beer can crusher. It’s all stainless steel with bronze bushings and it fits on a 16 gallon steel drum.

I tried to explain it to my friends and realized that my words couldn’t do it justice. So I asked Mark if he would bring it to my shop so we could document it and share it with the world. It wasn’t easy getting it back from his son Jesse, as it was a hit with his college buddies.

During our video taping and photo session I helped Mark come up with the name, the Mark-Co 3000 Can Crusher.

Sure I could crush a can by stomping on it with my size twelve Red Wing boot, but the joy of the creative process is to make an elegant solution to a simple problem. It’s the creative journey that is common to all of us craftsmen.

This isn’t just a crazy contraption, it’s an elegant and simple invention that does exactly what it’s suppose to do, make crushing beer cans fun and easy!

The Mark-Co 3000 shows me that new inventions and creative thinking is alive and well, at least in Austin, Texas. When someone tries to tell you that everything has been invented, this proves that’s not true. I plan to show you many more of Mark Larkin’s creations in future posts and videos.

Attention Austinites: Mark Larkin has been my mechanic for over 15 years and he’s awesome. If you live in Austin, Texas and you drive Toyotas, I highly recommend using “An Honest Mechanic”. He’s located in South Austin, off Congress Avenue at 121 Pickle Road.

Technorati Tags: can crusher, human powered, invention,

Flat, straight and square lumber is crucial to starting any woodworking project. Your board has two faces and two edges that must be square and parallel to one another. Four Square, or S4S is a milling term used to describe this. Inaccurately milled wood creates problems that will compound themselves throughout a project. The procedure for accurately milling lumber is always the same. When this sequence of six steps is followed on every board you will be off to a great start!

Step 1: Read The Grain!

I can not stress enough how important it is to read the grain direction on every board before every milling operation. This first step is so important and often overlooked. This step alone will save you time and money by producing a much finer surface as well as saving you wear and tear on your knives.

Grain direction determines feed direction over the jointer.

Grain direction determines feed direction through the planer.

Step 2: Make one face flat on the jointer. (I like to join the crowned face first.)
Step 3: Make the opposite face straight and flat using the planer, to produce two parallel faces.
Step 4: Choose either edge to straighten on the jointer.
Step 5: Rip the remaining rough edge on the table saw to produce two parallel edges.
Step 6: Square the ends on the table saw.

In the videos below I perform all six steps of milling lumber and explain in detail how to achieve S4S.

Technorati Tags: woodworking, planer, jointer, milling lumber, S4S, wood, woodworking demo

Bubinga, wenge and pecan desk

Many times in the last twenty-five years while planing or jointing, the knife became damaged and caused me to stop working. The second I feel my knives are dull or damaged I place my Makita sharpening stone in warm water. Without missing a beat, I can remove the knives, sharpen them quickly, reinstall them and get back to work.

As woodworkers we don’t have to suffer with dull and damaged knives.

In the videos below I reinstall my planer and jointer blades after they have been sharpened. Even if you don’t have the exact machines I have, my point is that having a machine that’s easy to pull the knives and reinstall them is of the utmost importance. I speak from experience as I’ve done this hundreds and hundreds of times.

The Hitachi P100F planer is beautiful and elegant regarding pulling and reinstalling the knives. It really can’t be improved upon. It’s fool proof. The Grizzly jointer, on the other hand, takes a little more finesse, but the same accuracy can be achieved quite simply. I also made a short video that shows a quick way to test the alignment of the jointer blades after installation.

What is most important is to have a system in place to deal with the most difficult woods to work. Very soft woods pose problems and very hard woods pose problems, but the problems they pose are completely overcome with very sharp planer and jointer knives. Not to mention that having sharp blades will extend the life of your machines and save you many hours per project in sanding time.

Technorati Tags: woodworking, planer, jointer, blade installation, sharpening, wood, woodworking demo