STL293: Camber Alert! – FineWoodworking

question 1:

From Chris:
I’ve always wondered what an easy way to keep a workpiece square when drilling diagonally on a drill press. If the head is tilted and the workpiece is rotated from a right angle to the head, everything will come off. How do you keep the X and Y axes square without using a laser set to give a square reference?

Question 2:

From Nils:
I’m planning to build a bathroom vanity, but I’m worried about the movement of the wood in a fairly harsh environment. When you take a shower, the humidity level and temperature rise sharply, but only for a short time. Will such a sudden increase in humidity and temperature affect the movement of the wood, or is the duration too short to be concerned? What materials are recommended for a build like this? Solid wood is the best choice? Or is the veneer of the artificial sheet product more stable? I am worried about the peeling of the veneer.

Question 3:

From Charlie:
Hello shoptalk! I’m Charlie from Glenwood Springs, Colorado. I love your show and listen to it on my daily commute. My question is about creating camber for plain irons. Do you have camber only on smoothing planes? What I’ve learned using the honing guide is to tilt the blade slightly at the corners first, then slowly work your way to the center. Any advice on how much to tilt the blade to begin with? How much camber should I have?

Question 4:

From Robert:
Dear all big fans, my name is Rob. I am building a new workbench and have decided between a tail vise and a traditional face vise. I have all the hardware and know how to put everything together. My question is, if I use a round dog, do I need to angle the holes in the same way as I would for a square dog? ikura? How do I glue/assemble this post?

PS: I’ve noticed that many tail vises have a flange at the far end that makes an “L” shape, but they don’t seal tightly against the apron. Is this not meant to be used as a facial vise or am I missing something?

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