Marc Spagnuolo's Blog, page 57

Shop Heating Options

One of the biggest changes I have to adapt to after moving to Colorado is the need for heat. In fact, it’s been at least 15 years since heat has been anything more than an afterthought. So I had my work cut out for me as I researched current heating options and weighed that against my budget and what makes sense for my personal situation. So here’s a quick rundown of the options I considered and the video will go into detail on the system I installed. Special thanks to some kind folks on Facebook for providing me with images of their shop heaters.

Forced Air Heaters (Gas)

These units run on natural gas, propane, kerosene or diesel. They can be ceiling mounted or floor-standing (the kind usually found on job sites).  These are pretty efficient but do require a gas supply, an exhaust, and preferably a clean air intake and a sealed combustion chamber to prevent any major issues from the presence of wood dust or finishing fumes in the air. I had three issues preventing me from going down this path. First was my gas line. Apparently there is no convenient location to tap in and we’d have to make a very long run across varied terrain and concrete. Second, the clean air and exhaust would be visible on my front porch, which would be quite an eyesore. Third, the cost was prohibitive. Because of the gas run and some other factors, the first bid I received was over $5000. Obviously I’d need to get more bids but given all three reasons combined, I decided to consider other options. Thank you Michael Valentinas for the use of your picture.

Forced Air (Electric)

Similar in concept to the gas versions, these units rely solely on electricity to generate heat. While easy to install, the obvious drawback is the increased electric bill. This is the type of unit I installed in my shop for the sake of initial cost and ease of installation. I have both the Fahrenheat FUH54 and the Fahrenheat FUH724 installed.

Infrared Tube Heat

For the first couple of days of my research period I became convinced that infrared was the only way to go. It has an enclosed combustion chamber, makes very little noise, and doesn’t blow any air around the shop. They can be powered by electric or gas. The infrared energy, just like the sun, is unique in that it warms objects and bodies instead of warming the air. In fact, you can stand in front of one of these just after turning it on and immediately feel the heat on your skin. But the more research I did, the more I realized that this might not be the best option for me. First, the tubes are large and have to cover a fairly significant area of the shop to be effective. Second, this type of heat can result in hot and cold spots. At least while it’s bringing the room up to temperature, you could easily end up with a hot face and cold feet. But those who have these units installed seem to really love them, so your mileage may vary. Thank you Doug Lawrence for the use of your picture.

Pellet or Wood Stove

This is probably the most old school option. You simply drop a big old oven in the shop and start burning stuff. These things can really crank out the heat but you do have to keep stocked up on fuel and if you are concerned about kids or pets, this could be a big safety issue. Also, there could be insurance and code ramifications of installing something like this in a residential garage space. Thank you Kevin Culver for the use of your picture.

Ductless Mini Split Heat Pump

This one is near and dear to my heart since I’ve been running these in Arizona for the last 5-6 years, though I can count on one hand the number of times I used the heat setting. These units consist of an outside compressor unit and an indoor head unit that blows warm or cold air into the space. they are very energy efficient and quiet. As a heater, they aren’t very aggressive and they generally won’t work very well once the temperature drops to a certain point. I brought one of these with me from Arizona but as you’ll see in the video, things just didn’t work out. Thank you Matt Kummell for the use of your picture.

Radiant In-Floor Heating

After all of my research I have to say this is, in my opinion, the gold standard in comfortable efficient heating. A properly installed radiant system will heat the entire space from below evenly and without the need for extremely high temperature heat sources. But it generally does require installation prior to pouring the slab. There are ways to install it in a new sub-floor on top of the slab, but that’s a long ways away for me so even though I think this is the best solution, it’s just not practical right now. Thank you Nathan Jobe for the use of your picture.

Obviously there are quite a few other options available to woodworkers, but these seem like the most popular and accessible. If you have experience with one of these heating units or one I didn’t mention here, please feel free to comment below.

 My Setup

In the end, I decided to go with two forced air electric heaters. The video gives you all of my reasons why but I can tell you that these things work incredibly well. One the coldest days, I can get the shop up to a very comfortable working temperature (mid-60’s) within 45 minutes. Most days I wind up turning the more powerful unit off and turning the smaller unit down just to keep the chill away. So while I do anticipate a nice increase in my electric bill, these things don’t need to run constantly to be effective in my space. And just so you know, I have an insulated 4-car garage that’s about 950 sq ft.

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Friday Live! – Insurance, Dovetail Saws, Air-Drying Lumber

Recorded Live 12/30/16 – We’re talking insurance for the shop, dovetail saws, air drying lumber, and of course a bunch of questions from the audience. The rundown is below. And don’t forget to check out our support options on Patreon. Your help is appreciated! http://patreon.com/woodwhisperer

2:13 – Kansas City Woodworking Show Dates

2:33 – Happy Birthday George

3:06 – Shop Update

3:20 – Arcade Cabinet Update

4:52 – How do you handle insurance in your shop?

6:03 – How does your mobile base work on your 20” Bandsaw?

7:55 – Do you have any recommendations on where to buy handsaws?

10:32 – Do you know how to store and dry felled trees? Wood Magazine Article

15:35 – What finish would you put on trivets?

18:18 – Any suggestions for a 2 car garage shop air cleaner

19:31 – What’s the web address to sign up for the Guild? Start building today!

20:29 – Is it worth buying a miter gauge for a Dewalt saw, or just make a sled?

21:38 – How do I prevent endgrain from soaking up paint/finish?

23:12 – Where did you get the buttons for the arcade?

24:05 – Are there any considerations that need to be made when finishing a cabinet that will reside in the bathroom?

25:32 – Have you ever considered skylights in the shop for extra lighting?

26:52 – Have you been able to use your sleds on the Dewalt table saw?

27:30 – When will you give more info on the Denver meetup?

Thursday, January 19, 2017 at 5:30 PM CST – Farm House at Breckenridge Brewery –  2990, Brewery Ln, Littleton, CO 80120 – (303) 803-1380

28:35 – Any advice for a second baby?

32:48 – Good beginner projects for a new table saw?

34:13 – Patreon Shoutouts

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Friday Live! – 3M WorkTunes & Calavera Tool Works

Recorded live 12/24/16. Today we’re talking about 3M WorkTunes Bluetooth and Calavera Tool Works as well as a bunch of questions from the audience. Here’s the topic rundown.

1:20 – Shop Lighting & Painting Update – American Green Lights

3:47 – Are you using studio lights along with the overhead lights?

5:45 – Hearing Protection Review

3M Bluetooth WorkTunes

Sanyo Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries

8:10 – Calavera Tool Works Shop Apron and Pouches

11:25 – Arcade Cabinet Update

13:40 – When will Nicole get her own microphone?

14:25 – Mateo’s thoughts on Christmas.

15:40 – What do you think of your Narex chisels?

16:55 – Do you have any recommendations for active hearing protection?

17:40 – Can you make the electronics easily exposed for the arcade cabinet?

18:54 – Have you decided if you’re going to keep the big bandsaw or not?

19:20 – When and where is the Denver Meetup? Click here for the Facebook event.

19:53 – Will you ever get a CNC or laser cutter?

21:45 – Have you met Frank Howarth?

22:41 – Has rust been a factor on your tools since your move?

23:25 – Are you a knitter hater?

24:09 – What shop made jigs got cut during the move?

25:10 – Do all planers work in the cold weather?

26:06 – Have you explored your community yet?

27:09 – What will the next guild project be?

28:02 – Have you ever attempted to make your own MFT top?

28:32 – Do you ever take your wedding band off in the shop?

29:00 – Will you ever have an open house in Denver?

29:36 – What project do you regret the most? / Would you do over again?

31:45 – Any clues on creating a salted oak finish?

31:51 – Do you ever meet up with other Youtubers?

33:11 – What are your thoughts on Hitler? Totally not a setup

34:08 – Did you make it out to Austin Hardwoods?

34:30 – What do you think of collaboration videos?

35:00 – Why do people not understand Marc’s humor?

36:20 – What do you think the next shop setup task is going to be?

37:00 – Have you looked at the EVO miter saw?

Don’t forget you can support the show directly on Patreon, and we truly appreciate your help!

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Friday Live! – Torsion Box, FLEXVOLT Table Saw, and Kansas City

This week we discuss my torsion box table design, my initial impressions of the DeWalt FLEXVOLT table saw, and a possible trip to the Kansas City woodworking show. Here’s the Q&A rundown thanks to Scott Hampshire.

2:10 – Is it an absolute sin to use metal drawer slides instead of wood runners?

4:05 – Is there anything you would change about your torsion box assembly table if you were to do it again?

7:02 – The Wood Whisperer at ‘The Woodworking Show’ in Kansas City

8:18 – What kind of corner clamp would you use to hold picture frames together?

11:00 – Shop Heating update

12:30 – When should I use Paste Wax as a finish?

15:03 – Are there plans for more guild meetings in the future?

17:45 – DeWalt Flexvolt Tool Preview (Table & Circular Saw)

30:00 – Can you join picnic table tops together without spaces?

31:50 – Are you still going to build in a subfloor in the shop?

32:20 – Did you put in the new LED lights up yet?

33:20 – What do you think of the Rockler dovetail jig?

33:50 – Marc on Rough Cut.

35:40 – Congratulations Baby Cremona #2!

35:54 – What tools will you be replacing to fit your new space?

36:55 – Are you going to do more “Things woodworker’s know” videos again? (44:20 – Woodworking Not-so-Common Sense)

37:45 – Are you going to do a TV show?

39:30 – Describe your experience at your new local hardwood dealer Austin Hardwoods.

42:50 – Wood Whisperer sooper-dooper secret handshake reveal

43:15 – Patreon Supporter Shoutouts

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Shop Tour & Sub-Panel

Before we get too far with the renovation details, I’d like to take a minute or two to show you the garage space itself. I’m working with about 950 square feet which is pretty respectable! There are two single car garage doors flanking a double door in the middle. I have three large windows that are all fairly high on the wall. The floor has a significant slope and because the property itself is sloped, the rear wall has a concrete bump-out that could make utilizing the wall space just a bit trickier than usual. But before we can do anything else, we need to talk about POWER!

One of the first things I did in the space was have the sub-panel installed. Without electricity, I obviously can’t connect any of my tools. So I went with a surface-mounted panel of the highest capacity the electrician recommended: 125A. That should be enough capacity for tools, heaters, computers, lights, and anything else I could possibly need considering I’m a one-man shop.

And speaking of heat, it’s starting to get cold and you’ll probably see in the background that the mini-split is already installed. More on that next time.

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Friday Live – American Green Lights LEDs, WFC Results, & Outdoor Finish Comparison

1:20 – Patreon Announcement – Support the show!

3:10 – Offcuts channel Youtube update

4:50 – Woodworkers Fighting Cancer Results

7:35 – Garage Shop Update

7:55 – Lighting – American Green Lights

10:35 – Heating

13:00 – Handmade Holiday Gift Ideas

14:22 – Do you apply finish before you install Euro hinges?

15:38 – Have you considered building a Thien baffle?

17:22 – What are some do’s and dont’s about getting your name out there as a new business?

21:01 – Which finish on your Adirondack chairs held up the best?

26:54 – What kind of child safe paint would you spray for a finish?

27:45 – Would you recommend classes at a community college for someone starting out in woodworking?

29:32 – Will you ever do another cooking class together?

30:04 – Is there anything wrong using hard maple for Greene and Greene screw plugs?

30:53 – Do you know anyone who owns a public woodworking shop?

32:07 – What’s a good blade to use on my table saw?

32:48 – Do you miss Wawa coffee?

33:15 – What’s your favorite species to work with?

34:43 – Marc Tap-dances

34:54 – Will you make some carts for your new shop?

36:45 – Patreon Thank You

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Handmade Holiday Gift Ideas!

photo credit Guild member Michael EspositoThere is something special about giving and receiving gifts that were made by hand. As a maker, it can sometimes be difficult to find the right customer. So in the spirit of this great story, we want to help you find some great handmade goods from our community! Keep in mind everyone of these makers put a lot of time and energy into their products. Your purchases are making a difference for someone that is either doing this full time or hoping to do it full time in the future!

Knotty Log Woodworks – Every item in Brad’s store is made to order just for you! Pens, Cutting Boards, Pepper Mills, Custom Signs, Coffee Scoop, Jewelry Box, Baby Rattles and more! You can also follow him on Facebook

Goodman Drum Company – This father and son team that make unique, handcrafted solid wood drums, reclaimed wood tables cutting boards and much more out of Jackson, SC! You can also follow them on Facebook

3D Woodworking Plans – A great present for a woodworker! Bruce started a few years ago with a plan for a bed in a box from a Fine Woodworking article and his site has grown to approximately 160 different plans!

Sewing Oaks – A husband and wife team that combine their love of fabric, wood and monograms to create products you will enjoy giving to others or keeping for yourself. iPad Stands, Christmas Ornaments, Balancing Bottle Stands and more!

Top Hat Honey Bees – A husband and wife team that sell handmade baby toys and handmade soaps. (She does the soaps and he does the woodworking)!

Bumpa’s Wood Creations – Tom and his wife create the cutest carved Santa’s you will ever see. He is sold out currently, but is taking special orders!

Anthony Janflone – Decorative 3D Seasonal Plaques, Wooden Ornaments, Small Ring Boxs and more!

Denette Woodworks – Russell builds fine custom furniture from Conway, AR. He has a number of ready to ship pieces that include cutting boards, business card holders, beautiful boxes, birdhouses and shelves. His made to order pieces include Greene and Greene Adirondack Benches and Chairs and custom cutting boards.

Rowdy Penguin Productions – Cutting Boards, Coasters, Wall Art, Mini Bottle Openers, Wine Gift Boxes, Keepsake Boxes, Candle Holders and more!

US of Wood – Wouldn’t it be cool to have a wooden topographic map of any US state? Well Noah is who can make them for you. Each item is made by hand in a one-person shop in Pennsylvania.

DeanCreates – Dean creates some beautiful custom cutting boards. They take 2 weeks to produce so get those orders in now!

SALT: Saving A Life Together – Guild member Scott McClaury’s wife is a partner in a non-profit that sells beautiful bags and accessories made by women in Cambodia who would otherwise be at risk for human trafficking.

Wood Majestic – Scott makes hand crafted custom ink pens, pen cases, pen stands, hand turned bowls, custom display cases and other wood working items such as tables and other furniture!

Donny Carter – Bottle Stoppers, Bee Traps and Seam Rippers!

Offcuts Austin – Reused & recycled materials made in beautiful necklaces!

Alexanders Studio – Alexander offers made to order cutting boards, tables, lamps, cat scratchers and posts from Baltimore, Maryland!

McIntyre Furniture – Kim creates beautiful handmade tea boxes that are ready to ship! Custom orders are also welcomed!

Handmade Wood Gifts – A husband and wife team that create pens, cutting boards, pepper grinders, clocks, tables, turned bowls, cuff links and coffee scoops! All ready to ship! Custom orders available too from their website!

Ivy Church Woodworks – featuring Wood Turned Angel Ornaments with more products coming soon!

Custom Historical Displays – Scott creates amazing custom historical displays. Seriously click on the link and check out some of his past work.

Oak Lane Woodworks – Chris has great in stock gifts, as well as made to order, all made in New Jersey! Here are just a few products he is offering Pens & Desk Accessories, Clocks, Candle Holders, Cutting Boards, Wall Signs and More!

Benham Design Concepts – Brian specialize in creating unique pieces of custom furniture and functional art from Colorado Springs, Colorado! Head over to his website to see his impressive portfolio and learn more about having a custom piece made for you or a loved one!

PlanX – Bill creates fun scroll saw art figurines, magnets, napkin rings, ornaments and puzzles! You can also follow him on Facebook

Board To Home – Tiran creates beautiful George Nelson Inspired Slat Table Mid Century Bench from Westfield, New Jersey!

Mike Rhode Woodworking – Mike creates handmade wood products like endgrain cuttingboards, cheese/bread cutting boards, board paste and more from Coon Rapids, Minnesota!

App Wood Works – Neil offers some very unique handmade, high quality wooden and acrylic pens! Check out his Steampunk Pen, and various bullet pens!

Biscuit Tree Woodworks – John has a selection of beautiful wooden cheese boards, Bread/Bagel Knifes and Rustic America Flag art ready to ship today!

Coast 2 Coast Woodworks – Tom has a HUGE online store full of ready to ship one of a kind items like coffee & ice cream scoops, unique pens, detachable key chains, cutting boards, bottle openers, razors, seam rippers, letter openers, light pulls and more!

Lews Wood Design – Matt creates custom wood furniture to meet your needs. He offers made to order furniture like an entry bench and coat rack, a subway tile bookcase, rustic tables, wooden maps and more!

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Joe’s Annual Christmas Ornaments

With the holidays fast approaching I thought I’d share this quick little project that has become very meaningful to me. My family has an obsession with Christmas Ornaments, its pretty obnoxious the amount that we’ve accumulated over the years. For as long as I can remember I’ve gotten an ornament as one of my stocking stuffers to use on the tree for the following year. Its a tradition in my family and acts as a reminder that Christmas is a time to remember years that have passed and the time spent with the ones you hold dearest. That may sound corny, but that’s what ornaments mean to me. Every year, when we decorate the tree with our kids, ultimately we end up telling a story around a specific ornament and the year we got it, which often brings smiles and laughter and sometimes even tears. So that’s a little backstory behind this quick and thoughtful project.

Four years ago, after getting a lathe for  that Christmas, I thought it would be cool to so something a little more memorable then just buying a new ornament for the tree and the trunk of that year’s tree became my vision. So I cut off the stump in 2013 and let it dry until the following December and turned my first ornament. It wasn’t anything special but I put a date on it, hung it on the tree, and its become one of the best traditions I could have ever started. I’ve gotten a little bit better every year and now my wife’s favorite part of decorating the tree is finding out what ornament I’m going to make for the year.

One day, a long time from now, our kids will hang these ornaments on their trees with their families and hopefully have some of those memories and stories that bring laughter and tears.

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Friday Live – Arcade Cabinet & LED Lights

This week I talk about an upcoming arcade cabinet project where I’ll be collaborating with my buddy Brian from Coverville. I also show the temporary LED lighting solution I’m using that’s giving me pretty decent results. Here’s the topic and Q&A rundown courtesy of Scott Hampshire:

Woodworking discussion, current events, and Q&A.

1:10 – Garage Shop Update

2:50 – Upcoming Project – Game Cabinet

4:27 – New Table Saw

9:50 – Wood Whisperer SuperFan Cards

10:10 – Marc joins the beard club

11:27- LED replacement lights: http://amzn.to/2gPDKtm

13:00 – What is a Wood Whisperer Super Fan?

13:40 – What’s with all the talking?

15:00 – What would be a good beginner chisel and handplane set?

17:07 – How do I get dried glue off the bar on my clamps?

18:07 – How did your relationship with Powermatic come about?

19:09 – Have you ever used dowel joinery on your projects?

21:05 – How did you manage to get your name out there?

23:30 – How are you moving around your large tools?

25:53 – Do you have tickets to Rogue One?

26:28 – Are the drums staying in the shop?

26:50 – Are you going to use the crawl space for shop equipment?

27:15 – What is your opinion of the Jet Jointer/Planer combo unit? Please note that my comments are with reference to the benchtop models, not the floor-standing model.

29:15 – Do you have any ideas for kids gifts made in the shop?

30:58 – Can Danish oil be finished with lacquer?

31:35 – Have you looked at the new Laguna dust collectors?

32:30 – Oneida Dust Collector Update

35:00 – Tim Walsh – Jointer/Planer user review

35:50 – Why isn’t Marc on TV?

37:09 – Nicole says a naughty word.

37:18 – Wood Whisperer Patreon debut

38:28 – When will your shop be done?

40:05 – Where did you get your anti-fatigue mats?

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Win an Arbortech Mini-Grinder or a VerySuperCool Tools Standard T-Square Package!

The end of the year is here and we have a great giveaway sponsored by Arbortech and VerySuperCool Tools! Learn about both of the prizes below and make sure you enter before December 31st to support these generous companies!

Congratulations to Andrew F. from Mechanicsville, MD! He is our winner from last month of the JET Drum Sander and Stand! Click here for a consolidated list of all the past winners and prizes.

Thanks to our friends at Arbortech we have both a Mini-Grinder and Mini Carbide blade to give away this month! The Mini-Grinder is the most versatile woodcarving power tool that you’ll ever own! The Mini Grinder is so easy to use and lets you do everything from rough shaping to the finest details and even sanding. This tool’s unique shape allow you excellent visibility and access to your workpiece. The Arbortech carbide blade for the mini-grinder is good at shaping, sculpting, trenching, planing, and trimming. The carved surface is left remarkably smooth, whether carved with or against the grain, as the rounded teeth effortlessly remove wood. Designed into each blade is a chip limiter, which restricts the depth of cut and helps prevents kickback and grabbing.

See a demo of the Mini Grinder!

Thanks to VerySuperCool Tools we are happy to offer up a great package for your tablesaw! This is the Original VerySuperCool T-Square. It has a fixed throat and works with a standard 3″x2″ guide rail OR 75mm X 50mm guide rail if you have metric sized tubing. You can be sure if you own a Biesemeyer fence or have a Biesemeyer style guide rail system, this T-square system will work perfectly. The package will also include a 42 inch machined aluminum extrusion and tnuts/bolts! The lucky winner will be drawn at random at the end of the month will the full VerySuperCool Tools package!

Learn more about how To square your Aluminum Extrusion Fence to your Table Saw

Use the widget below to enter the giveaway. If you take advantage of every option, you’ll get as many as 10 entries! If you don’t see the widget below, you can also try the mobile version that lives on Facebook. If you are on a desktop computer and don’t see the widget, try the following: clear your cache, turn off pop-up blockers, turn off ad-blocking plugins, and/or try a different browser.

Arbortech & VerySuperCool Tools Giveaway

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