Click here for more information on Dovetail Bootcamp with Bob Van Dyke
and SketchUp Design for Woodworkers with Dave Richards

---

Question 1:

From Mike:
After years of being mostly an armchair woodworker and mostly focusing on DIY around the house, I’m finally starting to focus more on woodworking.  I’ve been using a Black & Decker Workmate for a workbench and a combination of Craftsman tool chest and pegboard to hold my tools, but I’d like to eventually replace both by building a proper workbench and tool chest, respectively.  Which do you recommend tackling first, both for immediate usefulness and the skills it would teach?  Also, what are your thoughts on a wall-hung vs. floor-based tool chest?

	How to Design a Tool Cabinet Every shop has specific needs, but the strategies for storing hand tools are universal.
	Build a Hanging Tool Cabinet Michael Pekovich shows you the highlights of his traditional hanging tool cabinet.
	Tool Chest with Drawers Build a custom chest to store your hand tools in style.

Question 2:

From Fred:
With wiping varnish and Shellac and oils and hard wax finishes, which type of applicator brush, cotton pad, rag if rag cotton, wool,  linen, microfiber, Scotch-Brite?  There are so many choices that it can be mind-numbing at times.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

	Ep 19: Simple shellac and wax finish Mike demonstrates one of his favorite finishing methods, which allows him to fully finish the cabinet in one sitting.
	Wiping Varnish: The Only Finish You’ll Ever Need Wipe it on for a low-luster look or brush it on for a higher sheen.

---

---

Question 3:

From Barron:
After listening to episode 257 I started pondering a question of ethics. In the discussion of junky table saws/saw fences, Ben and Barry talked about selling their old tools and upgrading.

My question is: is it ethical to sell a junk tool?  For example, if the saw has a fence that can’t be relied on or a table that won’t align, should an ethical woodworker foist this “tool-like object” onto a new woodworker?  

From the discussion, these were “beginner” tools.  So the next owner is probably also a beginner who has no more skill than you did in fixing the piece of junk you just sold them.  I am not asking about tools that work, but you have outgrown them, but tools that never really worked as they should. It seems that selling such an item is just inviting bad karma. 

I may have done something similar, not that I am admitting anything, and I feel that might explain some of the gaps in my dovetails, or miters that don’t quite close. What do you think?

STL257: Barry gets a table saw Anissa, Barry, and Ben discuss budget tablesaws, milling a bench top by hand, mobile bases, and finer furniture pads

---

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.