Bill WIlson

Watco might dry to the touch in a couple hours, but I think it still takes a long time to fully cure. I used Watco on a couple items I made for Christmas presents. I finished them over 2 weeks ago. They were still off-gassing (an indication they aren't fully cured) when I bagged them up on Christmas Eve.

I keep MS in a spray bottle for pattern removal, clean-up etc. I think it's just one of those plant misters you can get at Walmart. I've used it for several years with no problems.

I have a Bosch and a Dewalt. The only thing I don't like about the Bosch is the depth adjustment. It's a little fussy to make fine adjustments. I prefer the depth adjustment on the Dewalt. I also like the plastic base on the Dewalt better. On mine, it's a little larger than the one on the Bosch, which helps it to be a little more stable. That said, both are fine tools and have served me well.

I think the term "trim router" comes from laminate trimmers, which were essentially small routers, originally designed to trim formica. People discovered they could be be used for other, conventional router tasks, and I think manufacturers began calling them palm routers. They now have most of the features of full size routers.

There are actually a couple different shellac products available at your local paint stores and home centers. Pre-mixed shellac is only available from Zinsser (owned by Rustoleum). They offer a product called Bulls Eye Shellac. This is available in either clear or amber. This product contains a natural wax and is not recommended for use if you intend to cover it with an oil based polyurethane or waterborne top coat, as there can be adhesion problems. Bulls Eye Seal Coat is available in clear only and is a dewaxed shellac that is a universal sealer. It can be used in much the same way as the regular shellac, but it really shines as a binder coat between incompatible finishes or over top of surfaces that may be contaminated in some way. It is also recommended for use with poly and waterborne top coats. Bulls Eye shellac is a 3 lb cut, as it comes in the can. Seal Coat is a 2 lb cut. What this means is that the shellac has a higher concentration of solids than does the Seal Coat. I spray both versions un-thinned. I used to thin them, but both versions spray just fine straight out of the can. For dipping, I would shoot for a 1 1/2 lb cut, which if you are using regular shellac, would be a 50/50 mixture with denatured alcohol. If you are using Seal Coat, you could use a little less DNA, but in reality, I doubt you would notice much difference if you thinned it 50/50. If using flakes, then mix them to achieve a 1 1/2 lb cut, which is 1 1/2 lbs of flakes to 1 gallon of DNA (smaller volumes - reduce accordingly, while keeping that ratio.)

Just a couple comments that may or may not be relevant to the original post. First, if one is going to topcoat a project and you want to use an oil first, I would suggest using BLO (full strength or thinned) instead of Danish oil. There is no real advantage of having the slight bit of varnish in the Danish oil, if you intend to top coat anyway. The downside to plain BLO over Danish oil may be a slightly longer cure time. Most recommendations are to let it dry several days to a week before handling or top coating. Your mileage may vary. Also, depending on what you topcoat with, the oil step may also be unnecessary. The attraction of oil is that it darkens the grain, making it pop by imparting a bit of an amber tint. If you are top coating with a similar product, like varnish or poly, they already contain oil, so they will accomplish this step, without the separate oil step. Lacquer and water borne finishes go on more clear and don't have the same grain popping quality as oil, so you still may want to apply the oil first, as a colorant. Just be sure to allow the oil to cure sufficiently before applying anything over top. My preferred finish for scrolled items is sprayed shellac. It imparts a similar amber tone to the wood, accomplishing the same thing that the oil does without the extra step. It also dries very quickly, with no lasting odor. It's easy to spray and I can even get inside most frets without the excess build up that you get with heavier finishes like poly. I've never tried dipping in shellac, but I know that others on the forum have advocated that method.

Nicely done. Looks elegant in that frame. The Deacon will be well pleased, I'm sure.

Hard to say for sure, without a visual. There are several variables to consider. One of which is the color of the painted wall. There should be contrast between the wood and the cutouts. A backer is the simplest way to accomplish this. However, the thickness of the piece and the size of the cut out areas play key roles as well.

I don't think it's right, but my first thought was Robert Duvall. Not the right kind of hat though.

I agree with Dan, FD UR #1's will work well for this. I just finished cutting 1/2" stacks of BB ply for a boat load of ornaments and used the FD UR #1. It's pretty much my go-to blade for fine fretwork in all but the thickest/hardest material. The #3 will work a little better on the letters, as there are a lot more straight lines and the #3 will offer a little better control, but the #1 would work fine for those as well.

Rolf, I guess I wouldn't literally file it off. Poor choice of words on my part. I have a pair of end cutting pliers that get pretty close, but do leave a slight bit of the pin protruding past the surface. Sand paper even works to grind it down flush. Kevin, I wouldn't try nailing over an anvil. That's asking for a jam in the nailer.

I can see the benefits of a pin nailer for this purpose and may have to give it a try sometime. I have a Porter Cable 23 ga pin nailer. I think the shortest pin it takes is 5/8" and most of my stacks are 1/2" or less, so I would likely only use it on larger pieces, where I need something in the middle to hold the layers together. The excess length could easily be nipped off and filed down smooth. Threads like this are illustrative though, of how diffferently we all work. There are very few, if any, one size fits all solutions to the various challenges we face. There is always something to be learned. That's one of the great things about forums like this.

I don't want to come off as bashing benchtop saws, but to me, putting a 52" Biesmeyer fence on a table top saw is a little like putting lipstick on a pig. The fence is probably worth more than the saw. That said, I have heard of similar configurations, only a cabinet saw instead of a benchtop. It looks cool and very sophisticated, but I never liked the idea of a router table tied in with my TS. Space restrictions may make it desirable for some. I don't have a big shop, but I don't think that set up would work very well for me. We all work differently, so to each his own.

The 735 has slightly more width capacity - 13" vs 12.5" of the 734. Also I think the 735 is supposed to have better chip collection. One advantage of the 734 is that it comes with infeed/outfeed tables, while the basic 735 does not. I have a 734 and like it a lot. I don't use it for a lot of heavy planing, so the single speed has never been an issue for me. It leaves a very nice surface that requires just a little sanding. I've heard of people putting helical cutting heads on the 735. Not sure if the 734 is compatible with them or not.

I don't own a jointer and don't have room for one. After all these years without one, I've developed alternate methods for flattening and straightening warped, bowed and cupped boards using the tools I do have. Woodworking purists may disagree, but I contend that a jointer isn't absolutely necessary.

Bandsaw and planer - to mill your own thin stock Rigid Oscillating belt/spindle sander - that thing is just too handy

I can't imagine using one of those in a living space. Way back when I was working in construction, we used to use those in unheated houses so that we could work inside in the winter. Even with no insulation or siding and maybe only plywood over the door & window openings, you could still smell the kerosene fumes if you stood too close to the thing for too long.

I dunno, you put a big bushy beard on that face and a Santa hat on his head and it could be ole St Nick!

I'd like to see a Covid vaccine in the top 3.

What is this "organize and properly store" of which you speak?

Same here. The Dust Deputy works great. Although, a downdraft table may be a worthy addition, even with the ROS hooked to a shop vac. It could help with dust from hand sanding or from sanders that don't have a shop vac connection.

I have an EX-21 and it's all I need. So since we're dealing in hypotheticals, if money were no problem, I would likely find a lot of other stuff to spend it on.

Well, I know people can be real sensitive and take offense at just about anything, but for the life of me, I can't imagine how anyone could twist the words of Fred Rogers to be anything other than what he intended. No man in the public eye ever was more sensitive and considerate of the feelings of his audience than Fred Rogers.

Fresh coat of paint, some new curtains and a couple new throw pillows on the couch. Looks OK to me. By the way Travis, thanks so much for what you do with the forum.

As has been said, it's not a simple answer. Each person may have a different position of preference, based on various ergonomic and physical factors. There are a couple of issues that tend to crop up when scrolling for long periods of time. One is numbness in the hands. The other is soreness in the neck and shoulders. I'm sure there are others, but as far as table height is concerned, I think these are the 2 main ones. I've never had a problem with hand numbness, but my neck & shoulders are a different story. I like to keep the table a little higher, so that I'm not so hunched over. This helps with the neck & shoulder soreness. For some, this could cause problems with their hands. I think tilting the table can alleviate this somewhat. If the table is a little higher and on an angle, it fits a little more naturally with the bend of your elbows.