Episode 41 - Determining Wood Thickness, Wide Belt Sanders, Cooling The Shop, & MUCH More!

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Guys Questions: 1: Hey guys, this podcast has quickly become my favorite - appreciate the time put in.Can you speak a bit on wide belt sanders (with a platen head) versus drum sanders? How important are they versus convenient?I currently own the Powermatic 5HP Open End Belt Sander. I like it a lot, but often run into issues dialing it in and recently have discovered the feed table is not totally coplaner with the platen. Was thinking about selling and either (a) buying a different machine or (b) exchanging if a widebelt is that advantageous - maybe I just got a bad machine. -Ray 2: I am researching efficient methods for breaking down sheets of plywood for shop cabinets, and I am trying to avoid splintering the outer layer and achieving square cuts. I do not own a tracksaw but do own a tablesaw, miter saw, and circular saw with combination blades. What do you guys recommend for most effective methods at a decent cost point? What style of saw blade, TPI, and brand of blade do you recommend? Or do I run out and get a tracksaw or keep it as simple as blue painters tape to hold the layer? And what variables should I think about regarding the plywood selection itself? Thank you much for the input! Keep up the great podcast. James   Sean's Questions 1:I am designing a small cabinet with frame and panel doors. I want there to be a small chamfer (less than 1/8") on the inside edge of the frame. How do I cut it? On the rail I can just use my block plane or run it along a chamfer bit on the router table but on the stile? The chamfer would have to stop exactly where it meets the rail. Do I cut it partially with the router and finish it off with a chisel after assembly? Or should I cut it after assembly with a bearing guided chamfer bit? That would still leave the inside corners unfinished, though..Any input would be appreciated. Keep up the great work!Jarmo from Germany 2:Hey guys, great podcast. I have a question about how to determine what wood thickness to use for a project. I’m making a console table out of soft maple. I was planning for the shelves to be 1-inch after milling, but couldn’t find any 5/4 or 6/4 maple boards, so I ended up getting some nice 8/4 boards. If I mill these 8/4 boards down to 1-inch thick though, it seems like a waste of wood (I don’t have a bandsaw so can’t re-saw them into thinner boards). So I was thinking maybe I’d make the shelves 1.5 inches thick, but that would make the table a lot heavier. What are the pros and cons to using thicker versus thinner woods (thinking about weight, wasted wood, joinery, etc)? For reference, I’m going to use tongue and groove joinery to joint the boards and dados to attach the shelves to the legs.Thanks and keep up the good work! -Billy   Huy's Questions: 1: Hey Guys! Great job with the podcast, learning so much! Wanted to get Huy’s feedback on the new table saw blade he got, the woodworker 2 clone. Keep crushing it! -Wood.by.nate 2: Here’s my question, I woodwork out of my two car garage and I’m looking to get more serious and take my woodworking to the next level, but living in mid-Michigan, I run into high humidity and temps in the summer that make working in the garage unbearable. The garage has no windows but does share a wall with the house and my master bedroom is over the garage. I’ve considered installing a dehumidifier and swapping out the two basic lights in the garage for ceiling fans. What are your thoughts on this solution? How do you guys keep your shop comfortable when your working in the hot summer? Thanks in advance for the help. -Jason