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26 votes
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Is working with MDF going to kill me?

Is working MDF bad for your health? Yes but only if you are ignorant of your tools and materials. It certainly can be. However the answer of "Yes" is misleading as the concerns surrounding ...
Matt's user avatar
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13 votes
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Is it better to let the tool run or stop in-between cuts?

Generally, that is the right thing to do. Obviously you wouldn't let a power tool run all day when you don't need it, or even walk away and let it run unattended. But keeping it running in between ...
Damon's user avatar
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13 votes
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How can I make precise corner or notch cuts on the edge of a board?

I presume it's obvious but I'll say it anyway, accurate layout and marking on the wood is an all-important first step. I have used my jigsaw or chisel for similar cuts on other projects. While I ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 64.5k
10 votes

What's the best way to neatly cut a wooden cube in half, removing little material?

I am hesitant about the best way of cutting the blocks in half as cleanly as possible and without removing too much material. Let me present a slightly different tack here. Looking at the first link ...
grfrazee's user avatar
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10 votes
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Tungsten Carbide grades

Regarding C1, C2, ... C6 carbide grades, higher numbers mean harder, but at the same time more brittle. C1 carbide cuts softer metals like aluminum and C6 carbide cuts hardest metals like steel. What ...
Emilio's user avatar
  • 156
10 votes
Accepted

Why a 5hp 14" table saw?

As a DIYer, there's no compelling reason for you to go out shopping for a 14" table saw. That said, if you're asking because there happens to be a 14" table saw available to you for an irresistible ...
Gern Blanston's user avatar
9 votes
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How do I cut a hole into a cutting board for a handle

Drill 2 holes (brace and bit if you're being serious about "hand" tools) with a forstner bit (or hole saw), then connect them with a cut using a coping (or jig) saw. Chisel/file/sand as needed. To ...
Aloysius Defenestrate's user avatar
9 votes
Accepted

Cutting a wooden ball in four pieces

This is what I would do: make those 4 equal parts separately as 4 little tetrahedrons - that way I'd be able to make sure the angles are correct make inter-contact surfaces as good fit as I can (...
Jan Spurny's user avatar
8 votes
Accepted

Does having more teeth on a saw blade help it last longer?

Intuitively, yes, this would be the case, but the question you are asking is potentially putting the cart before the horse. One generally would not choose tooth count based on how long they want the ...
rob's user avatar
  • 18.6k
8 votes

Cutting copper with woodworking saws

Would cutting the copper tubing be likely to damage the blade I doubt it since copper is one of the softest metals going, and bandsaw blades of spring-temper steel are already regularly used to saw ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 64.5k
7 votes
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Accurately cutting large (4x8) stock to size

Measure, mark, place fence, measure again before you cut. E.g. stick your circular saw on the piece like you're about to start, mark the blade position, check with a tape measure before pulling the ...
Jason C's user avatar
  • 5,613
7 votes

What techniques are there to find the optimal wood cutting list for a project?

If you're looking for quick and easy, I am currently using CutList Plus (no affiliation) and it does everything you mentioned in your question. I don't want this to sound like too much of a software ...
Steven's user avatar
  • 4,788
7 votes

How can I cut veneer with a hand saw and not chip it?

With a handsaw, one trick is to score through the veneer with a straightedge and sharp knife. Then use a finely-toothed blade, and let the blade do the work rather than trying to force it into the ...
keshlam's user avatar
  • 9,191
7 votes

Easiest way to make 5000 cuts'?

The important thing is to set up a jig or fixture so you can quickly and easily make repeat cuts. You could rig up a fence/guide and sled for your scroll saw and use a very fine blade, but for such ...
rob's user avatar
  • 18.6k
7 votes

Advice for cutting a thick, wide, poplar board

You could rip it both on the table saw and on the band saw. With the table saw, you'll need to do at least two cuts, as the depth of cut probably is around 3". If the board is straight and has a ...
Eli Iser's user avatar
  • 3,565
6 votes
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Build a grid out of vertical, thin wood bars

Yes, this is a great way to make such a grid, although you want the joints to be as tight as possible vs. cutting the slots slightly wider than the slats. With a looser fit, the grid will be more ...
rob's user avatar
  • 18.6k
6 votes

How do I cut a hole into a cutting board for a handle

With hand tools only, I suppose the way is to use a coping saw. You drill a small hole inside the waste of the handle, and then pass the coping saw's blade through the hole. This will allow you to ...
Eli Iser's user avatar
  • 3,565
6 votes
Accepted

How should I cut a sheet of plywood for easy re-joining?

Congrats on an excellently done question! In terms of how to cut the board apart I don't think it matters that much, but with an angled cut providing a wider glue surface area that will provide a ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 64.5k
6 votes

How do I cut a hole into a cutting board for a handle

Drill first and pare with a chisel would be the easiest way to remove the most material faster and you would clean up the inside edge with a paring chisel. Using auger bits that are the exact width ...
Matt's user avatar
  • 20.2k
6 votes
Accepted

How to remove a smaller cube from the end of a wooden beam

I ended up doing the job with a jigsaw and a drill. Jigsaw saws are available in several sizes. One of them went exactly 10cm deep. Of course it would bang into the wood if I would saw the 3 plains. ...
Christiaan Westerbeek's user avatar
6 votes
Accepted

Easiest way to make 5000 cuts'?

I need to make 5000 3mm slices, preferably within a few hours. Best of luck with that! If we assume "a few hours" is three hours that's one cut every 21 seconds with no breaks or pauses. If you ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 64.5k
6 votes

Table saw bogging down more than usual

Test the same blade on some softwood you've cut before as a control. Still bogging down? It's the saw. Rate of cut the same as you're used to? It's the hickory and you just have to live with how ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 64.5k
6 votes

How do you cut a 4x8 in half without a panel saw?

I lay the sheet on top of a 4x8 piece of 2in pink foam insulation board and then just walk/crawl on top of it while pushing the saw along the track. Unless it's a really delicate material, I've never ...
herbertsmith's user avatar
6 votes
Accepted

How to cut a square hole about 1" deep into the wood

Square holes in wood are mortises. We call them that even if it's not part of a mortise-and-tenon joint, hence "chiselling out the mortise for a lock" and other references you'll come across....
Graphus's user avatar
  • 64.5k
5 votes
Accepted

How can I improve my strategy for flush trimming with a router?

Table vs. handheld depends on what you are trimming flush to what and whether it's easier to move the workpiece or the tool. "Carpet tape" is the woodworking standard double-sided tape. For cleanest ...
keshlam's user avatar
  • 9,191
5 votes

Build a grid out of vertical, thin wood bars

For what it is worth I have also made something like this. I fitted an old flute case with partitions to hold my collectible playing cards. At this time I did not own a table saw so it was not ...
Matt's user avatar
  • 20.2k
5 votes

How to remove a smaller cube from the end of a wooden beam

Here are two approaches: Saw and chisels. This is the easiest and least expensive approach. A sharp hand saw will make short work of cutting into the wood on all three faces cutting a triangular ...
Ashlar's user avatar
  • 8,274
5 votes
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What are the precautions to take when working with Desert Ironwood

Cut slowly. Watch out for kickback. Be aware that blades/bits will dull faster than they would on a softer wood. I'm not sure what family "desert ironwood" belongs to, but Ipe (the most common "...
keshlam's user avatar
  • 9,191
5 votes

Should I resaw before or after gluing up thin panels?

I would resaw first. An 8" resaw is going to take lots of skill and luck to achieve. If the 8" board is only slightly out of plumb (an issue of skill) at any point during the cut, you will very ...
Ast Pace's user avatar
  • 3,667
5 votes
Accepted

Pocket hole tearout

You have two things happening here. First is loose pocket hole plugs. Second is tear-out of the veneer face of the plywood. For the problem of loose pocket hole plugs, you will want to make sure you ...
Katie Kilian's user avatar
  • 2,762

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