Ⓕ Checking Workbench Flatness - Winding Sticks (ep88)

[@NickFerry]

1:40 - my wife was watching through the window and thought I was trying to be a bobblehead or had something wrong with my neck - It's amazing anything I do still surprises her

[@KSFWG]

lmao... I bet she rolled her eyes, shook her head, and muttered... "WTF is that boy up to now?" She probably thinks you stay up at night just thinking of things to surprise her... lol Thanks for the video, Nick!

[@NickFerry]

If I do my job right, I’m able to surprise (shock) her at least once a day - after this long it takes some really weird behavior

[@KSFWG]

Really weird behavior comes naturally to me... lol

[@bentcountershaft]

That's the part where I thought you looked like a bull staring down the bench in warning of what was to come.

[@NickFerry]

it looked at me sideways and I was like, bench please!

[@TheMuzShop]

An other great tip a lot of us knew but may have forgotten or not knew at all . Thanks for sharing Nick. Can't wait to see the video.... Hello to you and your wife from me and my son.👍👍

[@NickFerry]

Refreshers are always good - thanks buddy!

[@cudazi]

Using the software to simulate what you see is really smart! I've seen it described so many times, but this is the video I'll share when people ask how winding sticks work.

[@NickFerry]

thanks Curt - I figured it made it more clear that way - could get the camera to focus on both the front and back board very well

[@TheRodlund]

Awesome tip! Hey Nick for another video, maybe some tips on how to fix things that aren't square. All the videos I watch say to check if it's square, but it always is in the video. Not many woodworkers show how they remedied something they were making and it ended up not square. Keep up the cool videos!

[@NickFerry]

thanks Ryan - not a bad idea at all

[@davidwatts9822]

I’ll second that request too please Nick. Always enjoy your content, thanks for the time you spend doing these vids.

[@NickFerry]

thanks much man!

[@David.M.]

I just saw this bench in Wood magazine. Congrats!

[@NickFerry]

Thanks - I have yet to see the copy

[@deankramasz2896]

Glad to hear someone clarify the difference between level and flat. As a bricklayer, I hear it used incorrectly more often than not. Level and plumb is another insistence confused. I tend to use "range" and or just "plane" when speaking of something in line of each other. Thanks Nick, Dean Kramasz

[@NickFerry]

thanks Dean - and as a bricklayer I'd say you have seen a plumb bob or two - good hearing from you again!

[@numberninja-i1v]

Thanks for the tip Nick! It only took me until the middle of 2018 to learn information readily available to the ancient Greeks. Glad to see I'm a quick study. :)

[@NickFerry]

haha - better late than never - well most of the time that is but I won't get into all that

[@715woodworks2]

I never heard of winding sticks before but next time I need to make sure something or flat I’ll use them. Thanks! :D

[@NickFerry]

no problem - just glad you could pick something up - I'm always hesitant to share a lot of things thinking they are already known

[@tps1539]

thanks Nick

[@NickFerry]

No problem

[@loudozer2416]

GENIUS!!!!. Will definitely use this technique.

[@NickFerry]

Awesome to hear!

[@davidmcgrath6507]

Great tip Nick!

[@NickFerry]

Thanks man!

[@robharrod]

YAY! Science!! Coplaner?! Such fancy words! Good to see your still plugging away! I enjoyed the video, good info!

[@NickFerry]

always appreciated brother!

[@craigpereira6381]

Thanks for the tip

[@NickFerry]

thanks for checking it out!

[@FredMcIntyre]

Thanks for the info Nick! 👍😀👊

[@NickFerry]

thanks for checking it out buddy!

[@patless74gaming]

Good tip - thank you for sharing. always appreciate the work.

[@NickFerry]

thanks for the support!

[@sakesan13]

Yea, yea. Great explanation on winding sticks. But, what is the "periscope" looking PVC pipe coming out of your house at the 1:41 mark? :)

[@NickFerry]

that's to be able to see over an attack wave of extremely short ninjas - or HVAC intake and exhaust

[@AverageJoProduction]

Awesome video as usual but is there any way you could make a video on how to fix this twisting issue once you identify it?? This is one of my biggest hurdles when building anything with 4 legs.

[@valamaas]

Perfect. Designing my workbench atm

[@NickFerry]

sweet - I am planning on having a cutlist available for this project - hopefully next week sometime - it would make a perfect workbench too

[@KeithCooper-Albuquerque]

Another great video, Nick! I'm looking forward to the project video! Love your work, man!

[@NickFerry]

the support is greatly appreciate Keith!

[@m.a.6781]

Its about time you made a video my friend

[@NickFerry]

I couldn't agree more

[@normjacques6853]

NICK!! Good to see you back! I was wondering what was keeping you so busy...just the other day...really! :-) Anyway, I have missed your videos, and hope you can find the time to be around a bit more often!

[@NickFerry]

thanks Norm - I appreciate the support - hope to have more out - might be changing it up a bit - some the ways I was doing it before I really wasn't happy about - my channel might get a little scattered but it is what it is

[@normjacques6853]

Change is good, Nick! Personally, I would look at the crosscut sled video as a model, maybe. That was the one that got my attention in the first place, anyway. Not necessarily the content (although it's the best such design that I've seen!), but the way you presented it. Getting off into other things could be fun, too, though! I love woodworking, but spend at least as much time in music and electronics...just as a 'for instance.' Jimmy DiResta has made a career out of being diverse!! Go for it....I can't wait to see what you've got in mind! :-)

[@NickFerry]

I do plenty of diverse things - been wiring electronics since age 8, vinyl work, welding since 16, college art at 12, not to mention all sorts of oddball stuff - I’m glad you mentioned the sled - that’s the style video I like doing every so often but it’s draining on me to edit that way and keeps me out of the shop for too long - I might do some more off the cuff kind of stuff - I’m not much of a computer guy and sitting at it editing for 20 hours or more drives me nuts

[@normjacques6853]

Within the next few weeks, I'll be 'retired' from answering to someone else, full-time!! I want to start a KZbin channel (having nothing to do with woodworking), and I think my idea is solid...even if it doesn't make a ton of money. Professionally, I've had to mess with computers fairly extensively...and I'm a part-time working musician, and can edit TAPE with the best! Nonetheless, having to edit video, with these digital programs, although it sounds good in theory...being all artistic, etc...terrifies the hell out of me! LOL So, I can only imagine the stress that comes with that aspect of making videos. Gonna give it a shot, anyway, but it would be nice if it were simpler. My wife is a retired art teacher....maybe I can convince her to....well, maybe not! LOL How do I get a PM to you?

[@NickFerry]

you can email me through my website - nickferry.com/contact-me/ - the editing can be fun - it's just another way of expressing creativity - many times I do enjoy it but I am a shop rat at heart - currently I have about 10 videos recorded and the projects long gone and out of my shop but I always seem to convince myself that I should be out in the shop working on things rather than editing - don't get me started on social media - KZbin just added a ton of features and it makes my head spin trying to care to keep up I'd say have a go at it and do your best to keep it enjoyable for you to do - at least that's what I'm TRYING to do

[@protect.your.digits.creations]

Thank Nick GREAT Tip.

[@NickFerry]

thanks for checking it out!

[@clemmcguinness1087]

Great video, thanks Nick.

[@NickFerry]

thanks much!

[@Snipercastt]

The best congratulations mister 🖖🇺🇸

[@NickFerry]

thanks!

[@curtfatherree7474]

Nick.... I've seen those before... never knew they were called winding sticks though.

[@NickFerry]

I doubt ever since inception they were called that, but it is handy to know the name of what the modern populous calls them - thanks for watching Curt!

[@jeremyspecce]

You always have such a clear way of illustrating concepts that are maybe simple, at their core, but don't always click for people. Your 5 cut method video comes to mind. Nice work. And nice tip with the black line. Just maybe should emphasize that it is critical that those boards have parallel and straight edges.

[@NickFerry]

thanks much - I'm glad you think so - I certainly try to come across as clear as possible

[@tonyozimek2116]

nice video!

[@NickFerry]

thanks Tony!

[@IEnjoyCreatingVideos]

Good tips Nick! Thanks for sharing them.😎👍JP

[@NickFerry]

thanks buddy!

[@IEnjoyCreatingVideos]

You're very welcome Nick! 😎

[@Josh_2019]

That technique is also great for making doors flat too.

[@calebsamuel2214]

Yes so happy a video

[@NickFerry]

once in a blue moon it happens

[@JimDockrellWatertone]

The sunglasses are you dude, you own that look!

[@NickFerry]

haha - thanks Jim

[@DragonGateDesign]

Awesome vid

[@NickFerry]

thanks

[@beartenon888]

I use a long level (8 feet) because the surfaces of the level are straight. For me, it isn't the bubble that is important in determining flatness. It is the flat edge that is probably the longest straight edge I have in my shop. Just suggesting another use of a level that doesn't have anything to do with the "level" function.

[@NickFerry]

correct - that's why I mentioned the bubble specifically - I wanted to talk about straight, bowed, cupped, twisted, crowned etc. but I was loosing the scope of the original idea - I often use a level as a straightedge but was focussing more on twist as winding sticks are easier to identify that than a level (straightedge) across multiple points

[@和也塚本-m1y]

👍good

[@NickFerry]

thanks as always!

[@davidabineri908]

Surely a level could also be used as one of the winding sticks since it probably has very parallel edges. Just don't consider the bubble position!

[@NickFerry]

for sure - two different colored levels would be even better

[@DoItProjects]

Your thumbnail game is strong 👍

[@NickFerry]

thanks - been using Photoshop since around 2000 - I like to have fun with the thumbnails a lot of the time

[@bohaggin5913]

A starrett straight edge will determine what's flat and what's not

[@NickFerry]

Determine what is flat or what is straight?

[@Thom4123]

Awesome tutorial Nick showing both on the computer and real world was perfect. Nick you should have told your wife yeah my neck is hurting now that you mention it, I could use a neck rub Lmao 😂. Take care buddy

[@NickFerry]

She knows not to believe me in those cases

[@AdrianPreda]

Nothing it's flat, they all have a 6300km/4000 miles radius :))

[@NickFerry]

figured someone would bring that up

[@ScottHaun]

the earth isn't flat?!? lol

[@AdrianPreda]

Scott Haun Not yet😄

[@ManCrafting]

It's not normal to have a twist? Hmmm. Food for thought.

[@NickFerry]

Only in ice cream and unicorn horns

[@wb_finewoodworking]

I bet your wife is glad you’re building her something. What new tool did you get for this build?

[@NickFerry]

Oh she is - new tool?

[@lobird23]

A word of caution, this method only determines if the front and back are parallel. What happens in between is unknown. What happens in between determines flatness .

[@SirBenJamin_]

wait what? people use a spirit level bubble to check for flatness? ...I can't even begin to understand how they think that would work?

[@NickFerry]

I see it a lot actually - they might be using it as a straightedge and think the whole surface is flat - either way I hope not to muddy the water even more

[@NickFerry]

to see if it has a crown or bow sure - but the twist can be found with just the sticks

[@ScottHaun]

I thought you said "potty bench" LOL

[@NickFerry]

I've made those before with chamber pots