How Many Clamps Is Too Many? | 7

Marc introduces a new way to submit questions to Wood Talk: voicemail. Matt also talks about his Router Bit of the Month series with Woodcraft and Whiteside Machine Company, including the Classic Pattern Profile bit, which combines a cove with a roundover.

Marc explains relative dimensioning, the practice of cutting parts to fit the project rather than relying on exact measurements for every piece. The conversation then turns to favorite finishes. Marc leans toward wiping varnish and oil-varnish blends, while Matt tends to stick with polyurethane. Marc also describes a Fine Woodworking video from Andy Rae showing a final topcoat made from boiled linseed oil, varnish, and pore filler to create a smooth surface on open-grained wood.

The first listener voicemail asks for drill press recommendations. Marc and Matt compare benchtop and floor-standing models, variable speeds, lasers, and other useful features. Marc also mentions the Powermatic drill press sitting on his wish list.

Another listener asks whether growth rings should alternate when gluing up a panel. Matt has never paid much attention to the old “bark up, bark down” rule, and Marc questions how much difference it makes in a properly built project. Both put more weight on choosing the best-looking faces and matching the grain.

They also compare lever and handwheel adjustments on jointer tables before getting into one of the larger discussions of the episode: clamps. How many do you need, how far apart should they be, and how much pressure is enough? Marc and Matt discuss clamp placement, cauls, glue squeeze-out, and the problems caused by using more pressure than the joint needs. Even squeeze-out along the joint is a useful sign that pressure is being applied where it belongs.

The episode wraps with a question from Gordon in Australia about decorative inlay in a solid-wood coffee table. Marc explains that thin inlay is flexible enough to move with the surrounding wood, so normal seasonal movement should not create a problem.

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