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Question 1: 

I have an old Stanley No. 3 that I have been using as a smoothing plane. Over the weekend, I was smoothing the inside of a bunch of box parts, and I noticed that as I use the plane, the shavings are continually getting thicker and thicker. I’m guessing that this is an adjustment issue, but I wasn’t sure what to change -Corey

Question 2:

Is it wrong to use pocket screws in fine woodworking?  I am building a cabinet inspired by a FWW May/June 2015 Paolini A&C sideboard.  Mine is shorter, narrower, shallower. and without drawers. The Paolini piece has a frame and panel case bottom with mortise-and-tenon construction.

I certainly could join the styles and rails with M&T or dowels but I do not need the strength of either.  Would it be sacrilege to use pocket screws? I have used this method liberally while constructing prototypes and full-size mockups, but never in a final piece.  No one, save me, my cousin, or some conservator who up-ends appraising the piece on Antiques Roadshow 2060 will ever know of my transgression.  -Dean

• Pocket-Hole Joinery is Fast and Strong – by Mark Edmundson #245–Jan/Feb 2015 Issue
• Book: Pocket Hole Joinery by Mark Edmundson

Question 3:

I’m making a counter-height table for someone for their kitchen.  They want to be able to store their cookbooks underneath the table, so I thought of building a box which would be pocket screwed to the underside of the top to function as a small book cubby.  My question is about how to attach the cubby to the underside of the top considering I’ll get wood movement across the top.   -Michael

All-Time Favorite Tool of All Time

Mike – V-groove router bit

• Video: Easy Plywood Box or Tray by Tom McKenna

Tom – His entire sharpening rig

• Plane Blades and Chisels Need a Flat and Polished Back by Chris Gochnour #232–Mar/Apr 2013 Issue
• A Simple Sharpening Cart by Roland Johnson

Ben – Miter spring clamps

• Fine Furniture with Biscuit Joints by Michael Fortune #227–July/Aug 2012 Issue

Question 4: 

How do you tell when a band saw blade is too dull to use? What are the signs? Also, can band saw blades be sharpened, or is it just better to replace them when they get dull.  -Matt

• Essential Bandsaw Blades by Roland Johnson #252–Jan/Feb 2016 Issue

Question 5:

I’m an amateur woodworker and I have recently started selling some of the tables that I have made. I would like to start jointing my own lumber but I cannot decide between a 6″ and an 8″ jointer. The price difference between the 2 is almost double. ($400-600 for 6″ $800-1100 for 8″ second hand) Is the extra 2″ worth it in the long run?  -Stephen

Listener Comments:

From Larry via email:

I was watching STL #158 today and Ben Strano was talking about the lateral adjustment on the hand plane. I have started using a digital depth gage to set the depth of the plane blade and to check that the cutting- edge depth is the same on both sides of the plane. I don’t recall ever seeing this technique being used before. It is much easier than look and feel. Mike Pekovich may want to include this approach in his classes on hand planes.

From Greg via YouTube: RE: The warped bandsaw table from episode 158

“A tool & die shop with a Blanchard grinder will flatten a piece of cast iron like that top for about $100”

From Tanc Sade via twitter:

Listening to @fwmagazine‘s podcast; #shoptalklive while memorising lines and doing front squats. This is the life. 😆

— tanc sade (@TancSade) March 2, 2018

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Ben Strano Web Producer	Tom McKenna Editorial Director	Mike Pekovich Creative Director

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Every two weeks, a team of Fine Woodworking staffers answers questions from readers on Shop Talk Live, Fine Woodworking‘s biweekly podcast. Send your woodworking questions to [email protected] for consideration in the regular broadcast! Our continued existence relies upon listener support. So if you enjoy the show, be sure to leave us a five-star rating and maybe even a nice comment on our iTunes page.