Woodworking myths (that STILL persist)

[@robertvick6430]

Steve, I don't care what kind of videos you make just don't stop making them. I have been watching for many years and really miss your build videos. I have made many of your items in the past and will continue to make them. I am (again) in the process of making your shoe rack right now.

[@jannabelle1000]

Keep em coming steve

[@rjearp99]

Couldn’t agree more, thanks for the entertainment too !!

[@Youngarchitect]

Agreed! Steve’s the man!

[@7andearth76]

Can I double thumbs up that!

[@skwalka6372]

"I don't care what kind of videos you make just don't stop making them" - that, my friend, is the very definition of contempt for quality, the woodworking version of "I want an orange clown in the White House, no matter the consequences."

[@Ensiferum888]

I'm a 37 years old programmer who never had any interest in woodworking before. I bought a house two years ago and in the past months I slowly started getting more interested. I started feeding a stray cat and want to care for him so I wanted to build an isolated cat shelter (Canadian, our winters are pretty rough) and started working on it a few days ago. Your videos are god-sent, I was NOT using my table saw correctly but yesterday with your help I built a cross-cut jig and my cat shelter is taking shape! You are very well spoken and have a good voice plus the info is very useful and to the point. I love watching your videos at night because not only am I learning stuff it's also very calming. Very very happy I stumbled on your channel!

[@jackhgallagher]

To me the #1 thing missing with the post-Sullivan end-grain glue-ups discussions are that because trees are... you know... tall but narrow, boards naturally are generally longer than they are wide. So the issue with end-grain glue-ups, both end-grain-to-end-grain but also corner butt joints, is the lever arm torque being applied to the joint. As a good experimenter, Patrick eliminated this variable by using ~4"x4" square cuts for all his experiments. So yes, he debunked "end-grain glue joints are inherently weaker because the wood pores starve the joint of glue". But he didn't debunk "end-grain glue joints are generally weaker because of the geometry in which one encounters them". Still a very valuable addition to collective woodworking knowledge, but really the lesson learned is that we all need to be more precise when explaining to new woodworkers *why* wisdom like "don't do end-grain joints" is true.

[@InShadowsLinger]

Right, but before Sullivan’s video nobody was saying that type of joint was weak because of geometry. Saying it was weak because of the end grain was just being right for wrong reasons. So let’s just don’t rewrite history and pretend that most woodworkers meant geometry when they said end grain. If that was the truth, the video would not have been so ground breaking/interesting.

[@kasroa]

Its lack of strength has nothing to do with the end grain so calling it end grain and saying it's weaker is misleading. Butting two long lengths of anything together end to end is always going to be weaker than butting them together side to side. It's purely surface area and torque, and the end grain actually makes it stronger than it should be.

[@fvu7296]

So much confusion about this. Sullivan showed that end-grain to end-grain can be bonded resulting in a joint about a strong as the glue. However, a board with uninterrupted grain along the grain - to which this joint should be compared, just as Steve just did, is far stronger! PVA Glue is as strong or stronger than the lignin, that's why long grain glue ups make sense and the width of a board can be increased. But the PVA glue is NOT stronger than the uninterrupted fibre itself, that's why a board cannot be extended along it's length.

[@FirstMM]

@@fvu7296 My opinion (in the absence of scientific test, just casual observation) is that a long grain glue up will generally fail *around* the joint, i.e., the joint itself will be intact, but the wood will tear in that area due to the interruption of forces compared to a single piece of wood. An end grain to end grain joint will normally fail on the joint itself rather than tearing the wood. The thicker the glue, the more apparent this it because any strength of an end grain joint probably comes from the glue soaking into the fibres on the end grain, kind of like a glue mitre.

[@Mikey__R]

I also wonder how well an end grain butt joint would last, even if left unstressed. Would it degrade after a decade or two of just holding its own weight?

[@NomenNescio99]

Steve, you still hold the title of planet earth's woodworking ambassador. Keep it up!

[@ericbackstrom6658]

Thanks Steve, as a manager for a retail woodworking store, I address these almost daily. I am going to draw on your knowledge to continue my own "myth busting"! Keep doing what you do! Thanks, Eric

[@jbbresers]

There is one table saw on sale in the UK that you can buy that will accept a dado stack. (but you'll have to have the stack shipped from north America) It is the Lumberjack TS1800. You can't ask employees to use it though, Steve is correct, it is UK law that guards just be used at all times in professional settings.

[@tompritch56]

When I was in 7th grade woodworking class (early 60's) our instructor would make us take planes apart and put back together if we set plane on sole. Interesting to see that as one of your points you are bringing up.

[@paulsimpson4764]

I stumble across a video of you . 8 years ago glue joint strength edge grain to edge grain . You said the glue joint was stronger than the wood , me no way . So the next day repeated what I saw then I understood. Then watched ever video I could find of you . Hence started my wood working hobby. So thanks for causing me to spend a bunch of money lol ... I really enjoy it

[@paulsimpson4764]

@@Tracyannbanks123 I'm flattered but you're way too young to know me listen to your parents get a good education have a good life

[@bobwadsworth4799]

I really like videos like this that inform as well as your project videos. I work at a wood working store and I always recommend your channel to beginning woodworkers who come into the store asking for advice.

[@ninjadane9365]

The myth of handplanes have been touched upon by Paul Sellers and according to his knowledge it comes from the time when the British public school introduced woodworking to the kids and in order for them not setting down the handplane on a piece of metal or nail and ruin the plane, the teachers taught the kids that they should always place them on the side. Years later a simple (and logic) reasoning for keeping tools safe and working longer became a myth with weird explanations.

[@benjackson1506]

And he said that *big* maybe you should set on the side if its on a metal surface but he said you're not using it on metal it's just sitting there just fine

[@johngaltline9933]

I'm curious on this one... I always figured it was a holdover from wooden planes to keep them from warping if stored long term on an uneven surface

[@FirstMM]

@@johngaltline9933 I doubt it will make any difference in all honesty. Wood will change shape according to humidity levels and temperature regardless of which surface you put face down. I have had an old Japanese wooden smoothing plane in my workshop for years, it gets thrown around the shop any which way and it is still fine, despite sometimes hanging half off the edge of a bench or box for months at a time!

[@nefariousyawn]

It's always a pleasure to see you upload. I have been listening to the WTS podcast, and I liked your discussion with Sam the DIY Huntress about the stress of using KZbin as a career vs a hobby. I'm under the impression from other established channels that I enjoy that their Patreon income allows them to take more time on videos, posting less frequently, but with more focus on quality and subjects that they enjoy filming. Anyway, I hope you have found that balance, and I look forward to listening to your latest episode with Grady while I glue the end grains of all the scraps that I have been hoarding.

[@as7river]

It's hilarious that after watching the end grain to end grain joint experiment my very first thought was "awesome, but how can I use this in a project?" to which you immediately answered.

[@dougclem7711]

Depends STRONGLY on the adhesive. Lumber companies do the zip ends and glue to produce more finished wood. I use half lap with pins and gorilla glue.

[@Zooooch1989]

Hey Steve, I love your channel :) I'm not sure how many other people had this experience, but my grandfather taught me to always put a plane on its side so that there is no risk of you putting it down on a nail or stone that will chip the blade and force you to spend half an hour filing it back in to working order.

[@d.k.1394]

I was tort the same tooooo

[@TheLunnyBear]

This makes sense, it's good practice when on the job site, or outside etc and then people took the advice without thinking of why and think they need storing the same way.

[@karl_alan]

Wood by Wright has been doing a lot of testing of woodworking myths. He tackled the hand plane one recently & it was great

[@hydrochloridrix]

Great video, as always! I only ever use end grain to end grain when I'm gluing together scraps for a board. That way everything is held in place by strips left and right to the end grain/end grain joint. I have just finished building a saw till from oak scraps using this method. It turned out beautifully and it is very sturdy. For pieces where there is no support left and right you can just snap off the end grain/end grain, though, so I had to move around the pieces and adapt the layout, accordingly. I had other plans for that oak but most of that ancient beam turned out to beyond salvageable, so I improvised because the good parts were just too beautiful to throw away and as it turned out, such a joy to work with. Which brings me to my other point: for me at least it all comes down to the project which material I choose. They all have their merits and pros and cons and I try to choose to best fit the project. As a famous KZbinr once said "woodworking is not about woodworking" and for me that means for example to enjoy the process itself and understanding how to best work with the material at hand and maybe not so much the thing I'm trying to build. I'd like to use a dado stack, but I'm one of those pesky Europeans and that means the arbor in my table saw is way too short for one. Oh well. Instead, I got a flat tooth saw blade and moved on by accepting the fact that I have to do several passes. At least, Tamar's design for a kerfmaker makes it a little easier, so I don't have to sneak up on cuts anymore and the flat tooth saw blade leaves a nice surface which I don't have to clean up afterwards. Plus, I suppose changing just one blade is probably a lot faster than installing a dado stack and fine tuning it afterwards. But that may just be the envy talking ;-)

[@lucidmoses]

The plane thing comes from the days of metal tool boxes. Of course it's still value but you don't see many metal tool boxes anymore. Maybe some metal shelfs. Anyway. Look up galvanic corrosion and keep in mind how small the sharpened edge is.

[@nefariousyawn]

I like your take on hand plane storage. I always thought it was weird when people preach storing them on their side.

[@JonnyDIY]

Great vid Steve! Hope you're doing well 👍

[@ReverendTed]

I think the one caveat to the "use what you want" manufactured wood advice is that MDF may not be as strong as solid wood in certain applications. During lockdown, while some folks were baking sourdough bread I took up amateur woodworking. I found some plans online for a loft bed for my daughter, but they didn't specify what wood to use, so I just got what was cheapest and most convenient - pre-primed MDF. My thinking was "well I've had lots of Ikea furniture made out of MDF, it should be good enough." I've had to replace a few parts on it that are clearly not strong enough for the way they're being used.

[@boomerangfreak]

Fair point. I'm no fan of mdf either but it does have it's uses. I'd always opt for plywood over mdf but then again I also don't really build furniture.

[@alikadz85]

Great video keep up the good work, i am from the UK and been working in the cabinet making trade for 20 years and YES you can leagally use dado blades aslong as they are properly guarded. Most table saws here in the industry have the guards on an arm attached to the saw table not on the riving knife so aslong as the guard is wide enough to cover the dado you can use them

[@williamivey5296]

I've glued a lot of 45 deg. miters and they're about as strong as the equivalent area of face grain to face grain at much as I can tell. Test joints have taken considerable pull to break, and, like face grain, often show wood failure rather than glue fails. I did learn a trick, though, and also use it when gluing end grain to face grain: Apply a coat of glue to the "thirsty" side first (both sides in a miter), let it soak in a few seconds and wipe off the excess. Then apply a thin "refresher" coat to one side and clamp it for 45 minutes; avoid stressing the joint for 48 hours. (I use Titebond mostly, but have used other similar glues.) Makes a really solid joint. Of course, adding keys or dowels is even better, if they're an option. Note: The above works well for hardwoods and baltic birch ply, but pine and similar woods are a bit riskier. Especially the cheap "sappy" stuff. Glue just doesn't grab as well there and I don't trust it alone.

[@luciflash]

You can't buy Dado sets in Europe, but we do have custom wide blades (8mm or 12mm blades, that fit into a normal table saw). Sort of giant router bits. I've bought a DeWalt 7942, specifically because it has a longer arbor, and had a machinist make a custom dado stack.

[@matthew4878]

The end grain glue joint may be stronger that the transverse strength of the wood, but it's still much weaker than the longitudinal strength.

[@Goalsplus]

The strength of the glue doesn't change but the strength of the wood does.

[@johngaltline9933]

On the planes, I think the practice has more to do with protecting the sole than the blade. Putting a nice gouge in the sole is sure to ruin your day as it leaves scratches down your piece while planing. Have also heard it is a carry over from wooden planes, to keep the sole from bowing if they are not used for a while.

[@Erik_B]

Hear hear, more of this indeed Steve! Great seeing your again. Hope you`re doing well!!

[@strictpress5070]

WOULDN'T MIND SEEING A GLUE JOINT STRENGTH TEST. I KNOW THERE'S LOTS OF VIDEOS ON THEM ALREADY BUT I LOVE WATCHING YOUR TAKE ON A LOT OF THINGS LIKE THAT AND THINK YOU WOULD DO A GREAT REVIEW ON IT

[@ddutton0]

This is a great video, yes please more myth videos, well videos in general! Also I love the WTS podcast!

[@sidknowles4619]

Hi Dado blades would be very nice to have here in the UK however we do have a balde called a woble blade I use a small 5mm thick blade nearly as good as a dado blade. Gread video thanks Steve please keep them coming.

[@karl_alan]

I used ti have a wobble blade.

[@sapelesteve]

Great video Steve! You should make more of these types of videos. What about the myth associated with the use of pocket screws? Now that would be a good one. 👍👍🔨🔨

[@marc0387]

Happy to see a video from you this morning Steve. Thank you as always

[@karl_alan]

Please talk about the myth regarding table saw blade height. So many people out there claiming that having a super high blade reduces kickback somehow, but the science doesn't support it, every chanel I've seen approach testing this doesn't support it, and all of the manufacturer safety guides & osha rules also say keep the blade only 1/8 - 1/4 inch above the height of the workpiece.

[@mipakr]

Really enjoy every time you throwback to your earlier m... microjig... err i mean music. Perhaps a re-imagining of the ABCs of Woodworking intro for Myths?

[@SpecificLove7]

Definitely keep making these videos.

[@voyager336]

Steve, Love your videos. especially your build videos. Not only are you entertaining, you are also relatable as a armature wood worker.

[@ObsessiveAboutCats]

I love this video. Thank you! More myth videos would be great. I would like to first thank you for the biggest myth you've devoted this whole channel to busting - that woodworking has to be expensive. I have learned so much from your channel and I very much appreciate all that you do. One myth I have not (yet) performed my own tests on: Obviously sawdust is flammable, but I've heard that sawdust, like flour, can explode when heated under pressure. In fact flammability in general would be a good video topic for safety reasons (such as varnish-covered shop rags tossed into a closed trash can, keeping pressurized containers away from heat sources, etc.). Also electricity, including static; I know my dust collector pops sawdust like popcorn kernels after I've been using my planer. I would contest your statement that mitered joints are always weak, even for picture frames. In fact, I claim that this is (sometimes) a myth! I use Titebond Quick & Thick and a Harbor Freight strap clamp to hold them in place, nothing complicated. I tried to kill one a while back (it had been dry for days) when I was very bored. Throwing it did nothing. I ended up clamping one in a 6" vice and had to put most of my body weight into it to snap the joints. I hadn't reinforced them at all beyond the glue. The frame was made of cherry (really ugly cherry with some vugs in it, which is why it got used for experimentation), 5" x 7" and about an inch thick. I would say this myth is probably more likely to be true for bigger frames, but have not tested this. I mean, I wouldn't make furniture out of these joints, but the frames are decently sturdy for what they are meant to do.

[@UGPepe]

why would you not make furniture out of these joints then?

[@garypopa6384]

Great video. I'd like to watch more woodworking myths!

[@chrisbrannan3784]

This was a fun video and wouldn't mind seeing more. Always love your down to earth practical thoughts on things. I have two suggestions for WTS: A dentist does DIY , and Dad How Do I.

[@Erik_The_Viking]

Definitely "A dentist does DIY" - he's been making some great content.

[@nefariousyawn]

@@Erik_The_Viking Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check that out.

[@nefariousyawn]

@@Erik_The_Viking is it "A dentist Does Home Implement"?

[@Erik_The_Viking]

@@nefariousyawn Yes that's the one

[@Rodbuilder109]

Steve it depends on the quality of the plywood, mdf, or particle board. The different grades is huge.

[@dudeistpriest787]

That's very true. I refuse to use MDF because of the dust, but as long as you can get good quality it's perfectly fine. With plywood, I'd be willing to argue that good quality plywood can look even better than solid wood because with a little bit of creativity and a trim router you can make some very cool patterns out of the different layers.

[@hotfishy]

Please do more myth videos, I really enjoy them!!

[@aluyanoworkshop1166]

I purchased my DeWalt contractor's table saw in Europe a few years ago - it is sold for the EU market and it specifically mentions having an arbor long enough to accept dado stacks. I purchased a CMT dado stack as well and I have used it with success.

[@IndieCato]

Love this topic, and I'm glad to see some logic applied to the end-grain glue discussion. Yes, end grain to end grain is kinda strong. But it is still impractical in real world builds!

[@geraldaugustus739]

I started on plywood sheet goods for the types of builds I was doing out of necessity and quite enjoyed it, but held similar snobbery around MDF. Until I started working with MDF. Holy cow. It's actually an amazing product in a lot of ways, and like anything in woodworking, it's about knowing the when, how, and why. MDF is easy to shape, easy to shape precisely, super stable, perfect for painting, and can actually be incredibly strong and durable if you think about how and where the project will be stressed (something you should always be doing anyway).

[@cewaffles]

I'm with you on the MDF, and it honestly has to deal with how the Item is put together and held together. I've had both Solid wood and MDF Cabinets that were terrible because of how they were joined together and with what. I ended up having to repair/fix this.

[@AkosLukacs42]

Re planes: Paul Sellers said something like that was an advice for an age when people started that job in their teens, and they were careless as teens :) And his advice was pretty much what you said: blade down, so you don't cut yourself, or don't damage the blade by hitting it with some metal tool.

[@Angel_Ghr]

I love these types of videos and even though you point us to the direction on where to find more information, would be nice for you to do some real testing on your own for the one's that are possible to be tested... Some kind of MythBusters - Wood Edition or something like that. I know the time and effort would be much greater but also would have the raw data to back it up.

[@MyGrowthRings]

Another excellent video and yes, this topic was great! I particularly appreciate your summary after your final observation. Well done as always, Scott

[@zellsworth]

Neil Patrick Harris gave Steve a shoutout in the latest Hot Ones episode! And now I know about the podcast due to that. Thanks Steve!

[@clandry156]

Thank you Steve. More please... I love your videos. You have taught me a great deal about woodworking, which I use regularly.

[@diether2423]

Regarding the dado stack: Apparently it has to do with the fact that there are regulations in place that require a saw to stop spinning within a certain amount of time after powering down. With the heavy dado stacks, most home-use table saw simply don't have the brake capacity to do that. It's mentioned in regulation "2006/42/EC" and it says: "The machinery must be equipped with an automatic brake that stops the tool in a sufficiently short time if there is a risk of contact with the tool whilst it runs down;"

[@BartonMaxwell]

My understanding as well. Though I hit the info from, I believe, a Stumpy Nubs video

[@pasil]

Here in Finland we usually have the problem that there is not enough room for more than one blade in any saw. But now I have bought a Dewalt saw that actually has that possibility to use a dado blades. And I have also found one Finnish company that actually sell them here too. But they are 200€ so I haven't bought them yet but I now have the possibility to use them if I see the need

[@pauldignon]

Thanks for that! Good information. Never have being able to buy a dado stack in Australia I honestly don't know what they are. Now, I'm guessing they are just a stack of the same type of blades. Probably still won't use one, we shall see!

[@MCsCreations]

I have no prejudice against sheet goods, but I can't use MDF here. Because it melts down in a pretty short time. 😬 Anyway, thanks for the testing, Steve! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@nefariousyawn]

Florida swamp dweller here. Any MDF stored in the garage inevitably swells and warps. I hate the stuff.

[@MCsCreations]

@@nefariousyawn Yeah, I can imagine. 😕 I'm from Brazil and I live near the beach, so...

[@stefanfyhn4668]

Regarding the dado stack in Europe, even in danish communities there's some disagreement whether the problem is the removal of the riving knife or the guard itself. Regardless, it affects which tools you can buy. In that sense, dados are indirectly "illegal", since you can't buy a riving knife the size of the dado you want to run. Though I think the purpose is to discourage dado blades in general. The proper way to do it here industrially is with a routing table. So I can imagine why they would want to discourage dado stacks when routers is the recommended tool for the job. I honestly thought it was because of the amount of mass spinning that wasn't within spec and therefore a safety hazard. So basically exactly what you said. Good job on digging that up haha

[@NPC20567]

I love plywood and mdf. What I DONT like is when they get used in kitchen settings when they are (mdf especially) EXTREMELY susceptible to water damage compared to properly treated solid wood.

[@SpideyScott72]

Definitely would like to hear more mythbusting. Another topic that might be interesting to hear is what tool upgrades have you indulged in and actually made a huge difference in your end result? For example, getting a higher end fence for your table saw, is it a night and day difference in which kind?

[@bjsmithart]

Not going to lie, I kinda like MDF. I used some today to make a board & baton style wall in my home art studio. I’m also using it to wrap my benches that were made from 2x4s. Nice paintable surface & it cuts like butter. Having said that, I still have some solid raw cherry wood that I’m using to build us a new dining table.

[@DconBlueZ]

Thanks for the video, always enjoy watching!

[@MrKockabilly]

When I need to glue an end grain I prime it first - that is, I apply a first layer of glue until it is sucked by the wood (maybe a couple of minutes), then put a new coat of glue before joining the pieces.

[@alpscraftshack599]

Myth - 'Harbor Freight Tools are junk?' -- I am a craft woodworking hobbyist and a moderate intermediate woodworker. I have been purchasing & using only Harbor Freight Tools for 20+ years and have never had any problems with any of them. The key is to know the limit(s) of the tool(s) you are purchasing. I do not try to push them beyond their limits and generally use them at 85 to 90% of their limit. Another thing I do is a full inspection & trial use of the tool before putting it out for regular use - that way I can fix (repair, tighten, replace, modify) any issue (loose screws, crappy switch, instability, poor quality part, etc...) before it becomes a problem. Also, after every 40 hours of use, I clean, inspect, and tighten any screws, nuts, bolts, etc...) that may have become loose. I am very happy with Harbor Freight Tools and would not buy any other brand. But, if you are a heavy intermediate or above woodworker, a professional woodworker, a construction woodworker, or plan on pushing tools to & beyond their limit(s), then you should probably purchase the appropriate brand & quality of tools for that.

[@GraemePayne1967Marine]

If I needed a longer board and glung blocks end-grain was the best option, I would do it, but using scarf joints or dowels.

[@onebackzach]

I've seen you address it in other videos, but I'd like to see you tackle the myth that painted projects are somehow inferior or less impressive than raw wood with a clear finish. There's such a weird phobia of paint amongst woodworkers. I get that wood is a beautiful material and I would never paint expensive hardwoods, but in my opinion if you can't design something that looks good independently of the wood grain, it's not a very good design. Paint is also incredibly durable, easy to clean, and easy to refinish. Overall I think woodworkers just pay a lot of attention to joinery and what's impressive to them and lack perspective of what most people actually want out of their furniture. In the end people should build what makes them happy, but it's just a pet peeve of mine when a painted project gets treated like some kind of huge design faux-pas by people who keep building the most boring, unoriginal live edge tables that are going to be outdated in 10 years.

[@fiver-hoo]

I feel like Steve made a video defending painted projects many years ago. Agreed it is worth a visitl

[@ryansouter9881]

The thing about dados in the UK is so frustrating - times when I've needed to cut grooves and had to run the workpiece through a single blade several times is difficult to make consistent cuts. Using a router isn't always an ideal, or even safe option, given the situation.

[@jerry-p]

Bring on more, Steve!

[@rickculpepper709]

Very good Steve ,keep them coming

[@bearthompson6506]

As you point out (and I believe Patrick Sullivan did, too, in his original vid), the problem with end grain joints is not so much the innate weakness of the joint (the wood still fails before the glue does) but the leverage applied to it. And don't get me started on measuring twice and cutting once! 😉

[@davidfigueroa1969]

Another great video.. :-) As for the end-grain glue up thing. I've been thinking about this for a while.. My thought process was that maybe it's a function of the total surface area for glue relative to the torque by the length of the piece being glued.

[@glg3945]

Love all your videos! Great information on here. Peace and good fortune and good health to you and your family. 😃

[@TheBlinky88]

Thank you Steve! Amazing as always!! Took your teachings and applied them to pretty much all my hobbies! You always need an extra shelf or a custom tool holder or a bed for your kid. :) thank you 🙏

[@Randonium8]

I spend years on youtube and dont comment much or subscribe. Im 33, this is my first time I've gone to hit the subscribe button and it already said "subscribed"

[@raymitchell9736]

Hey Steve, Great to see another video from you it's been a while. I just built an organizer for my storage bins. I used plywood, stained it, edge banded it, assembled with pocket holes... and it looks great, after all it is going in my shed. But if I took a little more time I could have made something that I would be proud of using in the house... Thanks to your Weekend Woodworkers Courses. So I do have one issue with those plywood shelves, 3/4" and 58" long has some deflection that a previous piece I built (same design) doesn't have that deflection, I guess the plywood has changed? How could I drill pocket holes midspan of the shelf on the back against the wall (to hit a stud) while it is still up on the wall so I don't have to take it apart (ugh!)?

[@wiseoldfool]

Keep on bustin' them myths Steve. Especially bustin' the busted myths.

[@erallen97]

Good video topic. I would like to see you include pocket hole joinery myths next time.

[@conrat2000]

Awesome video. Really good point on quality and availability.

[@richpeggyfranks490]

Thanks for another entertaining informative video. I actually agree with all your points, including using sheet goods for furniture. I always retract the blade on my planes before storing them. I also learned to add splines to picture frames years ago (don't ask why).

[@geoffreyopulski138]

that's fine but you still trap moisture with sole being on it's face. blade retraction is one way to solve the issue. but you can't stop moisture from getting where it wants to go. So answer this what's your solution for storing molding planes that date back to the 1700's?

[@-Benedict]

@@geoffreyopulski138 The solution is extremely simple. Actually look after them properly. I have dozens of antique wooden moulding planes. Every couple of months I wipe the metal parts with light engineering oil, and the wooden parts with furniture wax. Boom. No rust or mildew, in an unheated workshop. The same approach works just as effectively with modern planes.

[@richpeggyfranks490]

@@geoffreyopulski138 I buy anti-rust bags from Taytools and store my planes in the bags with a small cloth saturated with light oil. I live near the Gulf coast and rust is a constant concern. Also, I wipe some oil on the iron and wax the wood whenever I think about it or after I have used them. I have some planes from the 1800's and they are fine. Good luck.

[@yossiyaari3760]

To work around the dado shortage, I have a wide grooving blade, that has more than twice the kerf and a flat top tooth.

[@JackCliffordWilliams]

Great video, Steve! I'm one of those sad Brits wishing we could use dado stacks!

[@AllenBrosowsky]

About the dado blades. You are correct, there are no laws against them. But Elf n' Safety have stepped in and prevented table saw manufacturers from building table saws with a long enough arbour. You will have to out source to get the blades also. However there are no table saw police visiting wood shops taking away dado stacks. I've lived in England=land for 24 years and looked into this in depth.

[@Mike_Gray68]

you made that long board out of short pieces and showed how easy it was to break up. how about doing a comparison by making one that is the same width but using long grain glue up and see how it holds up. one thing that everyone seems to not say when they are talking about end grain glue ups, is that they are stronger per square inch of surface being glued.

[@chrisisd]

Just ordered a dewalt 7492 in germany which has an arbor long enough for dado. The Bosch GTS 10XC has a shorter arbor that the US version. It can be changed. I specifically ordered the dewalt so I could make dado cuts I have learned from your videos.

[@steelvalleysportsmen7737]

As a finish carpenter, I glue end grain all the time. You can't always get moldings in the lengths needed, heck you can't even get ut in 16' some times these days. That being said anytime you are gluing long pieces of wood together with simply a glue joint and no reinforcement you are asking for trouble.

[@minispud]

The response to solid wood construction being quality makes me think of the Gerstner company's time honored tool boxes

[@nibbsminton]

I live in Ireland and have a DeWalt DWE-7492 table saw, it has an arbor long enough to fit dado blades, was the main reason I bought it.

[@woodsmokemirrors703]

I've seen comments about gluing mortise and tenon joints, that it is not worth putting glue to the end-grain surfaces because adhesion would be so weak. I think the myth-busting proved that reasoning to be wrong.

[@SenorHeisaCoolguy]

Plywood would 100% be something I use if I had a table saw. But as a mostly hand tool user (space limitations), plywood is a commitment in and of itself just to break it down into usable pieces

[@lincolndickerson1293]

Great video, do another on😃Myth to bust: Sharpening without a guide is better.

[@djhousley1]

A good while ago you asked for tips on a potential bandsaw purchase. Some of us had recommended lower cost versions to go with your startup/low cost wood working. (I suggest the Wen brand). Is this something you are still considering?

[@smash_it7912]

I think one of the issues with dado blades in the UK is health and safety in the workplace, it's everywhere and there's no way you'll get around it in an 'official workplace'

[@nicolasmahdavian1793]

I have heard that you can equipe your shop with tools for under $1000. That must be a myth, can you look into it? Steve, keep making these honest videos.

[@SenorHeisaCoolguy]

Oh myth I'd love for you to address: using the charlesworth ruler trick on chisel back. James Hamilton has a video that suggests, via a limited experiment, that a small back bevel will not impact a chisel's ability pare flat

[@ianmcpherson2301]

I was taught the plane should be store with the toe, on a block, about an inch above the heal to avod moisture damage to the surface of the plane and to always wipe your plane with an 'oil cloth tin' before storing.

[@jamescarter4312]

Hey Steve I would love to see a video of you building and painting the sign in your Workshop that says Camp Crystal Lake

[@ilive4livemusic]

Definitely would like to see more like this.

[@kencoleman7762]

Steve, that was enjoyable and, yes, I'd like more, please.

[@ravenwinger1]

Nothing at all wrong with MDF in a painted application.Built very nice looking cabinets for the laundry room with it. However, it doesn't half lap well, and forget about dovetails. I don't use it much because it's heavy and very messy to cut.

[@michaelphillips1966]

Table saws in the UK have a brake so that when you press the stop button they quickly stop,when you stop a dado blade the central knives continue spinning and knock the teeth from the outer blades. That’s what I was told when I tried to buy one so I just use a router instead

[@grat2010]

Great video. Definitely cleared up a couple of myths for me.

[@nextlevel8822]

I always thought the plane storage thing referred to a wooden shelf. In a humid shop, the plane being against the moisture-filled wood could cause more rapid rusting. But I'm not sure if that's even true.

[@steveconlon8936]

Paul Sellers tells us that the Plane-on-the-sole thing came about when hand woodworking was being taught in schools and the school kids would put them down on top of things like nails and screws, damaging the irons. Sounds reasonable (but I wasn't there!) :)

[@warsuper4681]

I think if you are storing a plane on a wooden shelf and you are in the right climate you should be fine. But if you are in a humid climate maybe not. Or if you are storing it in a drawer with other items or where it could slide on the surface? The best advice is to store any cutting tools in a manner as to prevent the cutting edge from contacting other objects, this would include router bits, files, planes and knives.

[@fiver-hoo]

apply oil before storage. Mr Sellers has an excellent video on how to make an oiler out of an old soup can and scrap fabric.

[@joelbrown1859]

Steve, I heard the dado blade is because of the lack of brake to stop the blade, overseas they have a time limit for the blade to stop and with the dado stack in, the blade cant stop in time or something along those lines.

[@mrtnsnp]

As for kitchen cabinets made from MDF (or chipboard): horses for courses. I think I'd make those out of plywood because it is better at holding its shape against moisture.

[@fiver-hoo]

as someone who has toured more fix and flip houses than is healthy for the mind, water ingress or long term humidity exposure to MDF is the #1 destroyer of kitchens I see. Oil based paint, wrapped in formica, melamine, UV cured magic, blessed by jesus himself, it matters not. All it takes is one good chip, ding, crack, glue starved joint, or installer error. After that, once the water starts getting in the failure just spreads and spreads over time, physically growing like a tumor and barfing out little bits of rotten smelly fiber material. Usually with no good way to perform an attractive repair other than total tearout and replace. MDF in the kitchen will always end up being gross and disgusting. All it takes is years. Bathroom medicine cabinets and such usually can survive life as MDF because despite the humidity they aren't subjected to the type of daily use, abuse, and accidents of a kitchen location.

[@andyf1235]

I never knew that end grain 'myth' was a thing. I would totally use off cuts and join them together to make a table, cutting board or some other kind of thing as to make the most of the materials I have. Not like how it was done in the video but reinforced and maybe overlapping to increase the glue surface area. As part of a panel the strength would be more than enough. Here short pieces of scrap construction lumber around (12 inches or 30 cm) are recycled by making a fine v type pattern in the end and then glued together and used again to make long run timber. It is just as strong or stronger than normal timber. I don't get the snobbery around this kind of joint when done properly. It has many uses with some creativity.

[@MRichK]

All of the things you are talking about are making it NOT end grain to end grain. glu up ... and that is kind of the point.

[@andyf1235]

@@MRichK I get your point. That is true. I was more thinking an end to end joint

[@cliviss2477]

How about "I watched a guy on KZbin use a drill press//table saw//jig saw//etc which I don't have so I'm guessing I'm not building that project". There are many ways to reach the end goal, some will take longer but you'll learn a lot and overcome different challenges. Keep doing what you're doing bud