Rough Cut Show
Podcasting to the “serious” woodworker. Tommy MacDonald brings us into his shop as he builds his classic furniture.
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Episode 148 - Bedroom Set: Tall Chest Talk
October 24, 2008
Moving on to the tall chest of the bedroom set, Tommy lays out the boards to find the sapwood in the material so he can accentuate it. After presenting his general plans, he cuts and labels the boards. When he finishes, the chest and dresser fronts will (hopefully) match up. Read More →
Episode 147 - Bedroom Set: Drawer Facings
October 23, 2008
Tommy reviews the work so far on the dresser, including the dividers and the drawers. He then shows how he worked the drawer facing. Read More →
Episode 146 - Bedroom Set: Prepping Stock
October 17, 2008
After spending six hours selecting the wood for the project, Tommy reviews how he will mill the pieces. The work includes cutting, joining, acclimating, hand-planing, using a spring jointer and cutting dove tails. Read More →
Episode 145 - Glue and Let Dry: Part One
October 8, 2008
Tommy and Al brave rainy weather conditions to make their way to Fine Woodworking magazine headquarters in Newtown, CT. Read More →
Episode 144 - Pallet Maker of the Month September 2008
September 30, 2008
Tommy and Al present September's Pallet Maker of the Month Award and review the winner's work. Read More →
Episode 143 - Project #4 - Bedroom Set: Picking Stock
September 23, 2008
With the Bombe completed, Tommy is ready to dive into another project - a full bedroom set. This will not be a step-by-step project but more of an overview. In this installment, Tommy talks about the wood he has selected and how the completed set will look. Read More →
Episode 142 - Bombe Secretary - Massachusetts Historical Society
September 9, 2008
The Bombe Secretary has been on display for a week at the Massachusetts Historical Society, and Tommy talks to the institute's librarian about some documents from the era placed on the piece. Read More →
Episode 141 - Tommy’s Favorite Cause
September 5, 2008
Tommy is joined by Rachel to bring a worthy cause to viewers' attention: the Rodman Ride for Kids, founded by Rachel's grandfather. Read More →
Episode 140 - Ask the Masters - Oneida Air System Installation
September 2, 2008
Robert from Oneida Air Systems walks Tommy and Al through the installation process before they get to work. When completed, the system will remove the wood dust from the air in Tommy's shop. Read More →
Episode 130 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Front Panel Planing
August 25, 2008
Tommy shows how to take the mill marks off the panels. Once that is done, he dry-fits the back panels together. Read More →
Episode 132 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Front Panel Carving/Dimpling
August 25, 2008
Tommy is up bright and early to carve the finer lines of the front panel. After a review of what is involved, he shows how to work the mallet and chisels to carve and dimple the piece. Read More →
Episode 133 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Carving/Dimpling Part #2
August 25, 2008
With all the lines carved, Tommy breaks out the sandpaper to clean off the pen marks. When that is out of the way, he shows how he dimples the panel with tools he made. Read More →
Episode 136 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Peg Detail
August 25, 2008
Tommy grabs the camera and reviews the glue job on the blanket chest before breaking out the card scraper to clean out the corners. After that is done, he shows how he added the pegs. Read More →
Episode 137 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Peg Finish
August 25, 2008
It's time to shape the pegs. After cutting them with the blue blade, Tommy shows the proper technique for finishing them with a chisel. He then rounds the edge of the top of the case. Read More →
Episode 138 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Lids and Battens
August 25, 2008
The dowel is in and the edge is rounded over so now it's time to attach the batten and the lid. Once that is set, the project is almost complete! Read More →
Episode 139 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Applying Finish
August 25, 2008
Time to put on the finishing touches. Tommy goes to work on the finish with a heat gun. After that's done, he takes the completed chest down to Downes & Reader Hardwood Co. for a critique. Read More →
Episode 124 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Downes & Reader
August 22, 2008
Tommy and Al take a trip to Downes & Reader Hardwood Co. in Stoughton, Mass., to pick out wood for the blanket chest. There, they talk to Paul, the yard boss, about the process of selecting wood. Read More →
Episode 125 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Prepping the Stock
August 22, 2008
Tommy shows the completed blanket chest he built four years ago. He then gets to work cutting the wood, starting with the posts. Read More →
Episode 126 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Milling the Stock
August 22, 2008
Tommy gets to work milling the wood with a jointer and table saw. He then shows how he will cut the wood for the rails and panels. Read More →
Episode 127 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Rails & Stiles
August 22, 2008
Tommy is up early on a Sunday morning to get to work, marking the pieces where the dados will go. Later, Al and his wife of 40 years stop by. Read More →
Episode 128 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Surface Reference Marking
August 22, 2008
Tommy dry-fits the piece to mark where the bead will be cut. He then shows how to cut the angle on the leg with the table saw. Read More →
Episode 129 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Panel Layout
August 22, 2008
Tommy shows how to plane the panels before heading over to the table saw to add a bevel. He then shows how the panels fit into the box. Read More →
Episode 131 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Front Panel Material Removal
August 22, 2008
After marking the pattern on the front panel in pen, Tommy carves it out with a Bosch Colt Palm Router. Then, it's off to the gym. Read More →
Episode 134 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Front Panel Carving Cleanup
August 22, 2008
With all the carving and dimpling done, it's time to break out the V-tool to clean things up. After that is done, Tommy dry-fits the panels to see how they look. Read More →
Episode 135 - Forum Project #3 - Blanket Chest: Glue Up
August 22, 2008
After a lot of dry fittings, it's finally time to glue the pieces together. Tommy shares some of the pointers and knowledge he's gained after making six of these blanket chests. Read More →
Episode 123 - Ask the Masters - Oneida Air System
August 18, 2008
Tommy introduces Robert Witter, president and owner of Oneida Air Systems, who has been gracious enough to hook him up with a complete dust collection system. Robert gives Tommy some background on how the system was developed and how it works. Read More →
Episode 122 - Prep for Oneida Air System
August 14, 2008
Sick of cleaning dust, Tommy is excited about the installation of a new Oneida Pro Series 1500 dust collection system in his workshop. In preparation for the installation and a visit from Robert Witter?president and owner of Oneida Air Systems?Tommy turns to the Dust Deputy, an attachment that turns a "shop vac into a cyclone." Read More →
Episode 121 - Palletmaker of the Month July 2008
August 13, 2008
Tommy and Al announce the winner of the Palletmaker of the Month Award. Then, answering a question posed in the forum, they explain how they started working together. Read More →
Episode 120 - Eli’s Butcher Block Table
August 12, 2008
Tommy takes a trip to the North Bennet Street School to talk to Eli about his amazing reproduction of a 19th century French butcher block table. The overall design, construction, challenges and pricing ("Too low!" says Tommy) are discussed. Read More →
Episode 117 - Bombe Secretary - Drawer Side Shaping
August 8, 2008
Tommy shows how he will remove material so the bottom drawer will fit. He then breaks out the planer, chisels and sand paper and starts jammin', mon. Read More →
