Matt's Basement Workshop Video Feed
144 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 7 years ago - ★★★★ - 43 ratingsThis is the video only feed for Matt's Basement Workshop Podcast. If you prefer to watch your woodworking content this is the feed for you!
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Episodes
Woodworking in America 2013 - Mary May "Linenfold Carving"
August 23, 2015 04:46At the top of my "woodworking things that intimidate me to tears" list you'll find woodcarving somewhere in the top 5, definitely far below "magnifying glass pyrography". Considering I took the plunge not so long ago and faced my fear of woodturning, and currently I'm alive and not noticeably maimed (thanks to tricky camera angles at least), I figure it's time to start knocking one or two more off the list. Thankfully this year Mary May returned to Woodworking in America and taught a coup...
Woodworking in America 2013 - Peter Follansbee "Carved Spoons"
August 23, 2015 04:45This year I decided I really wanted to take a class or two on topics that normally I wouldn't be drawn towards. In the past this usually meant something to do with turning, carving a linenfold or leaf and especially nothing to do with hand-hewing a log. It's not that I don't think they're worthwhile topics, it's just up until now my interests at Woodworking in America have been more about bench tools or projects that I see myself doing as soon as I got back to my shop. You know…topics I'...
549 Turned bottle opener
August 22, 2015 02:58The beauty of owning a lathe is being able to turn small scraps of wood into fun little projects. Typically these are quick & easy to make and something friends and family love to receive as gifts (or that you can sell to customers rather than burning in a fire pit with the rest of the scraps.) Earlier this year on a trip to my local Woodcraft store with my wife reluctantly tagging along, we saw these bottle opener hardware kits. Before I knew it, I had a basket full of them and a list of...
548 Samantha's Brunch Table "Woodworking with spouses"
June 16, 2015 11:07It's pretty much next to "NEVER" when Samantha wants to work on a woodworking project with me. So when she asks about us building a large table together I didn't quite jump at the chance at first, I kind of carefully asked some probing questions before I agreed to anything. Don't get me wrong, if you have a spouse that enjoys working in the woodshop with you (even only once in a while) consider yourself lucky. Having a shared hobby with your significant other is a great way to spend time. ...
547 Sharpening station upgrade “no more chasing the stones!”
June 02, 2015 01:39I don’t which I’m more excited about, the new and improved work surface I’m using for my sharpening station or the little addition I just added the other day? Sharpening my hand planes and chisels has always been one of those things that I begrudgingly did. It’s not that I didn’t get good results, it’s just that to achieve those results I felt like I was always jumping through hoops to get there. If you’ve ever seen one of my shop tours in the past you’re probably familiar with my previous ...
546 The Drillnado hits the basement workshop
May 22, 2015 10:44I've been trying to distance myself further and further away from product reviews. Since they consist entirely of opinions they can be a little tricky to pull off successfully. This is especially true if you've had plenty of time to try the item out and can navigate your way around it like a seasoned pro, and forget to mention the number of times it took you to get to that point (I promise I've never done that on this show...tempted to do it, but never have!) One tool in the wood shop that ...
545 Madison’s Dresser Pt 9 “The big reveal”
April 26, 2015 13:44In today’s episode we wrap-up this epic nine-part series on the construction of the 8 Drawer Tall Dresser for my daughter Madison. It always seems to happen no matter how hard we try to avoid it. As we near the end of a build there are plenty of small (and sometimes significant) details we have to tackle before we can move on to the finishing process, and this build is no exception to that rule. For this project those loose ends include the final dimensioning and installation of the top, an...
544 Madison’s Dresser Pt 8 "Drawer Construction"
April 10, 2015 13:05The end of the tall dresser build is almost here. One of the final things left to do, other than apply the paint, is to build the drawers. So that’s what we’re doing in today’s episode, it’s all about drawer construction. We’ll discuss dimensioning the Baltic Birch plywood for the drawer box sides. Fabricating the drawer runners that the boxes will ride on to keep them centered in their openings, not to mention how they’ll help to make opening and closing them much smoother. Then we’ll fol...
543 Madison's Dresser Pt 7 “Standing on Her Own”
March 20, 2015 01:58When I first came up with the basic design for Madison's dresser I knew I wanted to incorporate turned feet into it. I'm still as novice a woodturner as anyone can be, but as I've learned over the years the quickest way to becoming better is to be at the tool rest as frequent as possible. So for today's episode it's all about my time in front of the lathe turning and shaping the four tapered feet that support the entirety of the dresser. Originally I tried to convince myself that a much sim...
542 Madison's Dresser Pt 6 "The Glue Up”
March 13, 2015 10:41With all the drawer frames built, and assembled it’s time to glue them into position in their corresponding dados between the two sides. Glue ups aren’t all that bad on a small scale, but when you have this many pieces to put together in a short amount of time it can be downright scary if you let it. But if you take the time to do a few practice runs to anticipate where things might get sticky (pardon the pun) it’s not that difficult to formulate a plan for when you finally breakout the gl...
541 Madison's Dresser Pt 5 "More drawer frame stuffs”
March 06, 2015 03:56Just when you thought you were finished, they pull you right back in again! Actually I was never really finished, once I had the drawer frames glued up I still had a little more work to do on them before we're ready to assemble the entire body of the dresser. So in today's episode we're going to finish the construction of the drawer frames. This involves cleaning up the dried glue and tweaking the joinery to insure the drawers will slide in and out smoothly every time. And it also involv...
540 Madison’s Dresser Pt 4 “Drawer Frames”
February 27, 2015 13:21We’re making progress with the 8 drawer tall dresser I’m building for my daughter Madison. In today’s episode we’re moving on to building the drawer frames for the dresser. Drawer frames are a crucial component in the overall body of the dresser, and while most probably won’t notice them in their entirety (other than the edge of the front facing rail) it’s still important to make sure they’re well constructed. There are a number of joinery options to choose from, including non-traditional j...
539 Madison’s Dresser Pt 3 “Sides, sides, everywhere are sides”
February 19, 2015 09:32It’s time to get started with the actual building of Madison’s tall dresser, and the first steps in the process is making the sides for the body. These consist of two wide, solid-wood panels just over 49 inches in length and 19 inches in width. In order for us to attach the drawer frames (which not only support the drawers but are an important part of the overall structural framework of the dresser,) we need to plow out a few dados across the width of the sides and cut rabbets at the top/...
538 Madison's Dresser Pt 2 "Sorting the Stacks"
February 12, 2015 03:33Now that the design, and dimensions of Madison's Dresser have all been worked out in the planning process it’s time to order the lumber, and sort through the stacks looking for just the right pieces for each component. Given the fact this project is being painted, I’m far less worried about matching colors or grain patterns, but I still need to find stock that can easily accommodate specific sizes for components, and not to mention setting "flawed" pieces aside that might work better for int...
537 Madison's Dresser Pt 1 "Design Talk"
January 31, 2015 20:11I'm only a few years behind finally building a dresser for my daughter, but it’s just in time for her to graduate from High School in a couple of years and head off to college. In this first episode of a multi-part build series we talk about my own design process, starting from the rough idea in my head then taking it to the finished plans and drawings. For many, inspiration comes from a variety of places, but for myself it's mostly a result of the family identifying a need and letting me ...
536 "I love lamp" the veneer lampshade
December 21, 2014 22:09During the long, cold winter nights I like to cozy up with a hot cup of cider and sit down to watch a movie or read a good book, and to help set the mood (because who DOESN'T take the time to set a mood?) I'll turn on a nice accent light and let it bath me in its warm glow. On today's episode we're making a wood veneer lampshade for just the kind of accent lighting that I like to use. The project is super simple, and you can batch a whole bunch of them out to be placed wherever you think ...
535 Wood body coffee scoop
December 11, 2014 01:26Mornings can be rough for me, but a good cup of coffee can make all the difference. Over the years we’ve tried several different coffee makers, including the K-cups, but in the end we always come back to our good old Mr. Coffee coffee maker. As a result it's important to make sure I get the right amount of coffee grounds in the filter every time for the perfect cup. This doesn’t sound like it should be a big deal, but when I’m doing it with one eye open (and that one eye is unfocused and sl...
534 "Sharp as a Razor"
November 22, 2014 18:08The end of Movember is rapidly approaching, and that means soon there's going to be a run on razor blades as some men return to their clean shaven ways. I'm not quite sure why anyone would want to do that, but to each their own I guess? So in today's episode we're making a stylish, and custom razor from a turning kit that's readily available at woodworking retailers such as Woodcraft.com. It's a fun and easy project that once again let's you use up some of those scraps you have laying around...
533 Hickory Beard Comb
November 06, 2014 00:42In today’s episode we’re making a fun little project from more scrap wood lying around my shop, specifically we’re building a beard comb. Why a beard comb? Given it’s the beginning of November, that means it’s also the beginning of “Movember.” So I thought it would be a fun little project for some of my full-bearded woodworking friends, and an unique way to draw attention to the Movember cause. The comb is very easy to make, only requiring a simple bridle joint and a little time shaping th...
532 H.O. Studley Tool Chest
October 19, 2014 23:18The H.O. Studley Tool Chest is considered by many to be THE "Iconic Tool Chest," the very tool chest that all others are compared to, and the envy of every woodworker who set their eyes upon it. [caption id="attachment_12920" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Image courtesy Don's Barn blog[/caption] On the outside it's constructed of a gorgeous Cuban Mahogany, but it’s the meticulousness of the organization on the inside that sets it apart from everything. When opened, it reveals the breath...
531 Desktop Album Rack
October 10, 2014 10:47No one will ever be able to say the Vanderlist family vinyl collection is overwhelming. It's diverse to say the least, but that has more to do with them being picked up solely for use in a photo shoot by my wife versus played. Actually, we don't even own a turntable, so even if we wanted to listen we'd have to take them to a friend's house. Regardless, the lack of a full collection (or a player) is no reason they can't be displayed well. And that's what we're doing in today's episode, crea...
Become a Patron of Matt’s Basement Workshop
October 04, 2014 17:13For a long time now I've been trying to find a way to take Matt's Basement Workshop Podcast to the next level. So what exactly is the "next level?" Well I have an idea, but it's never been worth talking about because I never had the time to create a plan to get there. That was until recently! I'm so excited about this, I want to get started on it right away. So here it is: Why should I become a Patron of Matt's Basement Workshop? Maybe the better question to start with is "what is a Pat...
530 Small turned mallet or "My first turning project!”
August 29, 2014 00:53I knew it was eventually going to happen, the temptation is far too great to avoid. Don't worry, I'm not talking about turning to the darkside and taking up knitting (although I wouldn't mind making my own matching wool scarf and woobie set for winter, especially if it's as cold as last year.) Instead, I'm talking about another blackhole of woodworking that I've been very vocal about avoiding for years...WOODTURNING! Sure I've had the lathe for awhile now, and yes I've dabbled a little b...
529 Scrap wood magnet clips
August 14, 2014 01:20If you haven't noticed yet there's a bit of a theme to my videos this summer. Have you figured it out? It's "Scrap wood projects!" Continuing along with the last couple of episodes this one is no different. For today's project all you need are some Metal Hinge Clips, Magnet discs, and scrap wood. What I find great about this project is that it's an opportunity to use some of your smallest scraps and you're truly only limited by your imagination when it comes to shape and size. Okay, maybe ...
528 Hip photo clipboards
July 26, 2014 02:09In the never-ending quest to answer the timeless woodworker question "what do you do with your scraps?" I have yet another answer, photo clipboards! Actually, this one came directly from my beautiful and amazing wife Samantha, who was looking for something new to present to her wedding photography clients. The concept is simple. Take a beautiful piece of scrap wood, shape it a little if necessary, clean up its surfaces so there's no splinters, apply a simple finish to protect it and attach ...
527 Another bottle opener?
July 11, 2014 03:02Short of having a bottle opener in every room of the house I don't really have a need for another one. But when inspiration strikes, who am I to stand in its way? So on today's episode we're making another bottle opener. Except this time, I know for a fact you can easily find this version just about everywhere (even Amazon.com), and in most cases for under a $1. Plus, with this style of opener, there's a lot of ways you can dress it up or have a little a fun with the scraps you'll be using....
512 Platform Bed Build No. 1 "the Undercarriage"
June 30, 2014 11:44The Platform Bed build is just getting underway. This first episode is the construction of the "undercarriage" or support system for the slats that will be used to keep the mattress from falling through the middle of the platform frame. Because it's being hidden from view I decided to not use the same wood species as the rest of the bed frame, in fact the secondary wood is just Poplar. It's plain, simple and more importantly in my neck of the woods, inexpensive. The design of this support...
526 A bottle opener's wooden makeover
June 29, 2014 01:39For sure the warm days of summer are upon us in the Northern hemisphere, and as I mentioned in a recent post, that means it's time for me to start spending more time out of the shop. I'd love to say all that time outdoors is devoted to hanging with the family; swimming in the big lake, riding bikes and just all around having fun. But typically the summer is usually filled with plenty of yard work and home repairs too. While shop time can get limited in the summer, I still manage to head i...
525 Bathroom cabinet part 4 “Skinny legged base"
June 14, 2014 03:48I've finally navigated my way through the quagmire that is "the loose ends" of the final steps to completing a project. It was a rough trail with a few pitfalls along the way. But regardless of the route I took to get here, the final video of the bathroom cabinet project is complete. In today's episode we're covering the basics of the construction of the base upon which the cabinet will sit. And I have to admit, it looks good from the front, but from the side it appears I may have misread my...
513 Platform Bed Build No. 2 "A Box"
May 31, 2014 14:18The next component of the platform bed build to tackle is the box encasing the undercarriage assembly. It has three purposes: First, it's a means to support the undercarriage assembly for when it's attached to the platform proper. Second, it'll act as part of the support and reinforcement system for when we attach the legs in an upcoming episode. Third, it just looks cool and is an opportunity to cut some beautiful thru-dovetails and show off my mad joinery skills (of which you'll learn...
524 Bathroom cabinet part 3
May 02, 2014 15:40After what felt like forever I finally completed the pre-finishing process for the body of the bathroom cabinet. A brown dye with a few coats of poly and it's now ready for assembly. If you’re curious how this first attempt at a pre-finish went, checkout my earlier blog “Confessions of a first time pre-finisher”. In today’s episode we’re concentrating on getting the doors installed. At this point it's all about finessing the fit to get the desired reveal I like for inset doors. While I ...
523 Bathroom cabinet part 2
April 21, 2014 10:30In today’s episode we’re moving along on the bathroom cabinet by constructing all three doors. The two on top and the flip down version below. All three are a form of frame and panel construction, but the biggest difference is in how I chose to assemble them. For the two larger doors up top, the panel is actually 3/4” plywood glued to the stiles creating one large piece. Then for the flip-down door I used a more “traditional” construction technique and turned to a rail and stile router...
522 Bathroom cabinet part 1
April 05, 2014 01:28My next big project is already underway, a “commission” piece for an old neighbor. After they did a little bathroom renovation, there’s now a need for a cabinet that can store towels and all those things you don’t necessarily want hanging out making the place look all cluttered. The cabinet itself is a pretty good sized piece. In fact a lot bigger than I had originally envisioned, but so far it’s coming together rather nicely. The body of the cabinet is being constructed of a premium cher...
My thoughts on the K5
March 29, 2014 17:10I’ve had an opportunity over the years to tryout a few versions of the Kreg pocket hole jig and I’ve always been impressed with their ease of use, repeatability and accuracy. It’s not that Kreg radically redesigns the jigs each time, but instead they make small improvements to their look and feel that make them more user friendly while still working exactly the same way. A little while ago Kreg sent us a new K5 Pocket-Hole Jig to use in the basement workshop. Considering I’ve always been...
514 Platform Bed Build No. 3 "The legs have it”
March 29, 2014 17:03It doesn’t matter how amazing the joinery or how beautiful the stock is that I’m working with, if this bed doesn’t have a decent set of legs upon which to stand, it’s not worth the effort as far as I’m concerned. At 3-1/2” square the ideal stock for making these legs might be straight-grain 16/4 maple, but for mine they’re being made from laminated pieces of 8/4. And while these aren’t pretty in their design, their chunky style and solid construction ensure they’ll stand the test of time ...
515 Platform Bed Build No. 4 “Box assembly”
March 29, 2014 16:15t feels like I skipped around a little in the last episode and should have instead saved working on the legs until after the assembly work in today’s episode. With that said, in this episode we’re assembling the box upon which the platform will rest and the legs will be attached. In other words, we’re doing the foundation work. We’ll start by prepping the outside surface of the box itself, followed by joining the dovetails and then inserting and attaching the “undercarriage”. So let’s get...
516 Platform Bed Build No. 5 "We have legs!"
March 29, 2014 13:58It’s official, the platform bed now has legs to stand on! We constructed and shaped them awhile ago, but finally attached them to the rest of the subassembly just recently. My biggest concern is making sure they’re properly reinforced and can withstand potentially being dragged across a floor or from a leap across the room Superman style (it happens…and not just by my son either…) As has been happening all along, the original plan and design has been altered slightly and we’ll cover a litt...
521 Thickness planer “Death Match”
March 15, 2014 14:37Now that I lured you in with that “misleading” title here’s what today’s episode is really all about, a side-by-side comparison of my old Rigid 13” thickness planer and the new-to-me Steel City Tool Works 13” thickness planer with helical-style cutter head. Actually that description is also a little misleading considering the only thing being compared are the cutter heads. The Rigid planer has a traditional 2 straight-blade cutter head while the SCTW has a helical-style cutter head, which f...
520 Veneered smart phone case
March 01, 2014 18:15Looking for a fun project in the shop that doesn't take long and you can carry it around in your pocket where ever you go? Here's one for you, a custom veneered smart phone case. One of the benefits of being a woodworker is that we can frequently customize everyday items. Whether it's building them from raw materials or adding a little flair to an existing item, it's relatively easy to find a way to spruce them up a bit. In today's episode I'll show you a little fun I've been having lat...
517 Platform Bed Build No. 6 “A place to lay down”
February 27, 2014 12:43We’re FINALLY moving forward with the platform bed. After this round of construction it actually resembles a place you could lay down and take a snooze. In today’s episode we construct the platform itself. A simple mitered frame that gets attached to the “undercarriage” and a series of slats to keep the mattress from falling through the larger openings. Perhaps the hardest part of the build today was dragging my son’s mattress into the basement for the test fit. Even gluing the miters ...
518 Platform Bed Build No. 7 “Headboard Schmeadboard”
February 27, 2014 12:30I’m getting oh so close to the end of the platform bed build, but we still have a couple more episodes to go before we finally wrap it up for good. On today’s episode we start working on the headboard. More specifically we start working on the supports that will hold the headboard itself in place. The supports were originally designed as single pieces 6 inches wide, but after yet another re-design, the new version of the support will work much better. Help support the show - please visi...
519 Platform Bed Build No. 8 "Finally!"
February 20, 2014 01:36I won't make any excuses for the length of time it took to complete the construction of the platform bed. Sure it was supposed to be done by Thanksgiving...and then by Christmas...and then by...well, you get the picture. The truth of the matter for me is simple, large projects should not be started anywhere near holidays that involve family visits and travel plans. When you know you'll be gone or preoccupied every weekend of those month(s), whittling might be a better project to tackle t...
Centipede Sawhorse Giveaway on MBW
August 03, 2013 14:15It has been awhile since I’ve given out schwag and the guys over at Centipede Tool have convinced me it is time to break that streak with a contest to win one of the first Centipede PRO Sawhorse Kits to ever be made. To enter this contest, they ask that you submit one of two entries: 1. Tell us about how traditional sawhorses have failed you in the past. 2. Tell us about why you can’t wait to get your hands on a Centipede Sawhorse of your own. Pictures, videos and some passion in your ...
447 Hendrik in November
November 24, 2010 02:39 - 131 MBIt's Thanksgiving weekend in the States, so I thought it would be a perfect time to bring our resident expert Hendrik Varju back to the show. ; I figure many of you have a long weekend off and could use a little something to listen too and maybe inspire you while in the shop...or being dragged along OUT to shop for Black Friday deals.Just recently Hendrik released his two newest titles to his Private Woodworking Instruction in a Box series of DVDs.