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The Woodshop Life Podcast

Guy Dunlap

I have been a woodworker for long as I can remember. I fell in love with the craft when I was in junior high school, and I have been building furniture since. I treated woodworking as a hobby for many years, and then in the 1990s I opened my own shop and started a business making custom furniture. While I enjoyed the freedom and fulfillment it gave me, it was not as financially rewarding as I hoped it would be. So after a few years of trying very hard to make it work, I realized I would have to go back to a regular job and make furniture as a hobby again.

In the summer of 2016, I moved back again to doing woodworking full time. I have a very active presence on You Tube where I post videos of what I am currently working on, complete step by step project videos, and tips and technique videos. Recently I started giving classes in my shop, and really enjoy it. I also take on commissions for custom furniture and cabinetry. My days are very full!

Huy Huynh

My journey into woodworking started back in 2001. During high school and college I worked on a construction crew that specialized in roofing and framing, so rough carpentry came naturally to me. In 2011 shortly after graduating college, I bought a foreclosed “fixer-upper” and like many woodworkers, my interests were sparked by learning more complex DIY skills (carpentry, electrical, and plumbing). In 2013 I got married, and my wife was determined to change the “bachelor pad” into something more inviting. She wanted a hall tree to organize our jackets, shoes, and dog leashes.

With minimal tools I decided to build my own Arts and Crafts style hall tree rather than buy a piece of mass produced furniture. I quickly became obsessed with designing and building cabinets for our house and for my workshop. Being an electrical and aerospace engineer, I gravitated to the more technical side of cabinet making. However, I wanted to develop my weaknesses as a woodworker, which was design. Designing and building furniture incorporates both the technical and creative side to woodworking.

Sean Walker

Woodworking became a passion of mine in 2012 when I bought my first home. I soon realized that I needed furniture, and lots of it! I figured it would be a whole lot cooler to build my own furniture instead of buying , so I went to Lowes to stock up on a bunch of tools. Little did I know that I would end up spending more money on making the furniture rather than buying it. But what I did gain in the end, was the love for the craft. Ever since then I’ve been out in my shop building!

Guy's Questions: Good afternoon Gentlemen, Thank you for your podcast, I really appreciate it, and you fellows. Long story short, I am a re-engaging woodworker after taking a 20 year hiatus. Due to life requirements and work travel frequency, I was unable to keep up my hobby. I now have the time (and hopefully will NEVER have to fly somewhere for work again) to start anew. Things have changed quite a bit in past couple decades, and so have my interests in terms of wood working. Over my hiatus, I sold some of my equipment in hopes the machines would...
Published on: 2023-03-24
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Brian's Questions: Hey Guys! Love the podcast. Long time listener, first time asking a question! I am looking for recommendations on how to remove saw marks after ripping pieces to final width on the table saw. I recently built a couple rocking chairs for my kiddos, and was looking for a super smooth surface finish on all four sides. My solution was to joint and plane the parts on 3 sides and then rip a 1/32 or so oversized. After that I set my jointer to 1/32 and ran the cut edge back over the jointer to remove the saw....
Published on: 2023-03-10
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Brians Questions:  Hi Friends: I really enjoy every podcast you guys put out. Thanks to Brain for stepping up to be the third host. He seems to be a natural with podcasting and teaching woodworking techniques. My question is related to tool choice. I am currently planning to build out a router table into the black phenolic extension table for my sawstop PCS 175. I have the 36inch cut capacity. I have seen videos on modifiying the extension table and dropping in a router lift. It seems like a great shop space saver. I have two questions for you guys....
Published on: 2023-02-24
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Brians Questions: Good evening everyone, Wanted to reach out to you about time in the shop. Im expecting my second child in a matter of days and was curious how you all find/found time in the shop with little kids running around and being constantly tired? My second question is a follow up regarding a question you all read regarding "Box Materials" on October 20th. Loved the double answer but was looking for Drawer box material to use. BB (or whatever you can find now) or a hardwood? Thanks, Paul at Twin Lake Woodshop Hey guys love the podcast. I...
Published on: 2023-02-10
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Guys Questions: Hey guys. I just finished listening to your latest podcast, really good information and insight as usual. I'm still a novice user of the Domino so really enjoyed the tips and tricks you provided in answering a Domino related question. You mentioned being very short on questions so I'm going to send a similar question to one sent a couple of months ago that didn't get answered. I built an outfeed table a couple of years ago to use solely as an extension of my table saw. Now I find that I use it for glue-ups, as an...
Published on: 2023-01-27
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Guys Questions: Hey gentlemen, welcome Brian. I have a commission for a big walnut slab table that will live in a nook with windows on 3 sides (lots of UV exposure). What do you recommend for finishing. I seem to recall Guy mentioning some walnut finishes don’t hold up well to UV exposure. I’m probably a month out from delivery so hopefully this makes it to the show before then! Sincerely your accidentental woodworking fabricator. Will In the past I’ve done a few small veneering projects and am currently working on one which will require a few larger panels- about...
Published on: 2023-01-12
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Guy's Questions: Hey guys, Have a, “what is your favorite finish” question. While this has been asked and answered a thousand times, I’m struggling to find a good answer for my scenario. I’m putting up a pine tongue and groove wall in a small bathroom. What would you suggest for the best and easiest application for finishing a wood bathroom wall with irregular surfaces? I want a slightly amber but not darkening, matte to approaching semi-gloss finish. I prefer to prefinish the uncut boards and cut to fit. Preferred options for finish application are either my...
Published on: 2022-12-29
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Guys Questions: Hello fellow wood shop enthusiasts! I was recently watching Guys YouTube videos of the secretary with tambour doors. He made a comment about sanding the door to I think 350, but also made a comment about treating the end grain differently so that it would not take on more oil and I assume darken it more then the face. He did not really elaborate on the technique. How is end grain treated differently when applying oil finishes and when staining? Hey guys this is Mason from Blairswoodshop again. A follow up from the first...
Published on: 2022-12-15
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife   Guys Questions: Hello fellow wood shop enthusiasts! I was recently watching Guys YouTube videos of the secretary with tambour doors. He made a comment about sanding the door to I think 350, but also made a comment about treating the end grain differently so that it would not take on more oil and I assume darken it more then the face. He did not really elaborate on the technique. How is end grain treated differently when applying oil finishes and when staining? - Unkown Hey guys this is Mason from Blairswoodshop again. A follow up...
Published on: 2022-12-01
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife   Guy 1) Hi Guy, Huy, and Sean. I have a question about prefinishing and glue. I know that the generally recommended best practice when prefinishing is to tape off any surfaces that will later be receiving glue. However, I'm building a project that is going to have basically a grid of cross lap joints, and taping off all of those surfaces sounds really annoying. If I use epoxy as my glue instead of yellow wood glue, could I get away with not taping off the glue surfaces? The joints I am making should be pretty...
Published on: 2022-11-17
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife   Guy 1) Dear Guy / Huy / Sean - First off, thank you for the podcast you produce.  It is the only podcast I listen to that I have to pull over in the car to take notes on the way to work.  I wish I lived closer to any of you to interact with you on a personal level instead of only podcasts.  Anyway...my question has to do with needing advice on what to do with a crazy looking piece of burl.  I have been helping my parents move out of their lifelong home...
Published on: 2022-11-03
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife   Sean 1) Wanted to start off by saying how much I enjoy listening to all yall! Been learning quite a bit from the 3 of you. My question seems fairly simple but I know it can turn into a can of worms depending on who you ask. Anyways, considering the woods: Walnut, Red Oak, White Oak, Paduk, and other species similar to those listed. What would be each your top 3 finishes and why? Finished look that I'm not after is shiny or "plastic" looking. I feel it looks really tacky. I'm more towards flat...
Published on: 2022-10-20
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Sponsored by 3M Xtract   Sean 1) Hi fellas. I found your podcast a few months ago and I'm working my way from the start to get all caught up, so please forgive me if you've addressed this question before. For the last few years, I've been mostly focused on turning, but my wife would really like a new bed frame and has asked me to design and build one similar to one from a local wood furniture shop. I'm planning to make it out of solid cherry. I hear a lot of talk about wood...
Published on: 2022-10-06
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Sponsored by 3M Xtract   Sean 1) I’ve found some really nice walnut burl veneer  that I would like to use on the tambours. I plan on veneering these on to solid walnut in the hopes of both accounting for wood movement in the veneer, and not seeing an ugly MDF substrate when opening the doors. Am I going overboard by using solid walnut for the backing substrate, or is there a way to hide the edges of the MDF as to not see them when moving the doors? And would using MDF as a substrate cause...
Published on: 2022-09-22
By Woodshop Life Podcast
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/woodshoplife Sponsored by 3M Xtract   Guy 1) Thanks for the great podcast, I’ve learned a lot throughout the episodes. I’ve been a wood turner for twelve or so years but now getting into fine furniture making.  A shout out to Sean as I’m a fellow Kentuckian (Louisville). My question is: I’m working on two shaker side tables right now that are 20”x20”.  As I think about the drawer construction, I’m at a bit of a crossroads with the bottom of the drawer. I could get high quality 1/4” plywood  for the drawer bottom and put the...
Published on: 2022-09-08
By Woodshop Life Podcast