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I always tell my clients that my work is in the upper 2% of all craftsmen. This guy is in the upper .01%. He makes me feel like an amateur and I actually love it. Learning so much from your channel the past few days since I discovered you.

Really outstanding video, Spencer. I'm partial to your style as an instructor. You speak clearly and you demonstrate what it is you're talking about. Your job sites are the real deal, not merely sets, which greatly enhances your credibility. And just as important to me, your demeanor is authoritative but not doctrinaire or harshly critical of others. I'm done with the know-it-all bluster of creators and trolls alike. Keep up the great work. 👍

@InsiderCarpentry

10 ай бұрын

I appreciate that!

@alrightythen1533

9 ай бұрын

Hey Spencer, another great video! I like like to register my biscuit slots off of the table whenever possible. As long as it's not too far off center from the thickness of the stock. Sometimes, I will set stock on shims to center it. That's just my preference. There's nothing wrong with your approach, if that's what's comfortable. If I have a lot of gluing to do. It's also nice to use 4x8 sheet of melamine for an assembly table. Glue cleans up really nicely from it, even after it's dried.

I have a strong feeling that “wrong” buzzer you use will now be going off in my head anytime on the job something appears to be questionable practices 😂😂😂 Your channel has single handedly upped my game more than any other influence in the last 10years. You truly have a gift from God and I am very confident He is smiling as you share it. Nice work 👍

@InsiderCarpentry

10 ай бұрын

I appreciate that! It's a privilege to serve.

Like others have said almost all your content is like a master class. My favorite is Wet setting pocket doors video from a while ago, honorable mention to folding mitered corner video as well. You taught me more than my original teachers did years ago and I wish I stumbled upon your channel and methods before I I knowingly did poor work for many years

Your channel is my "go to" for finish carpentry for sure. After 25 years of being a ho-hum carpenter I decided to up my game. I've learned more from your channel than I have from the old timers I used to work with. Better technology, better tools, more efficient methodology these days really change the game in my opinion. I just used your "wetset" method for installing the split-jam side of a pocket door and absolutely love it. I prefinished all the trim in this job so I used the blue tape/super glue method to adhere the temporary spacer blocks. It's Saturday and the PL 375 isn't fully cured so I'll wait till Monday to finish up casing. Thanks for all your super-detailed instruction!

I have zero carpentry skills or interest in actually doing it (I can make firewood), but I have enjoyed you and your wisdom about many things and watching a master of his craft at work!

@InsiderCarpentry

10 ай бұрын

I appreciate that!

I very much appreciate a pro like this man taking the time to pass on information like this.

Im fortunate to have found you

I put a piece of 1/2 inch Birch plywood on my biscuit jointer fence as an auxiliary fence so it gives me a much larger foot print to make mortising easier. I can also make marks on the new fence to help rapidly center the mortise. Just something I have found useful over the years.

@Lag10

9 ай бұрын

With this idea it seems like you could also add a cutout or use a camp to slide a stop block around for even easier batching

FS TOOL sawblades are amazing - cleanest cuts you can get!

I'm surprised. I would've expected glue and nailing into the miter would've been enough. Obviously your work is high quality! Thanks for the tips.

I used to help my father on projects when I was a kid a long time ago. Watching your videos has helped jog my memory on trim work that I’m currently doing on my house. Great info.

Hi Spencer, I love your videos. Whenever I stuck at the work then I watch your videos. My productivity increases 3 times by following your advices.

Top notch stuff Spencer! I’ve been watching your channel for years now and really appreciate your knowledge and taking the time to share it with all of us. You do a fantastic job of explaining things quick and simple

Great tip in writing measurements on your tape! You can get a much bigger palette to write if you take the label off the Stanley tapes and clean off adhesive. Pencil rubs off with your finger.

I use biscuits for all my miters when using 1x s and large casing.. great sense of security..keep up the good work spencer

I love how this guy says that the cut quality on a Forrest blade is "decent"! In my realm, it's the best you can buy. And here I was thinking I'm a good carpenter. Keep up the great work. One idea that would've helped with your biscuit placement, would have been to reference off the table. Clamp the casing face up to the table, and plunge away. If there was enough height/thickness in the casing, that is.

Thank you for sharing these techniques

Love the way you explain

So great Spencer !!! As per usual THANK YOU FOR DOING THESE

Just a side note be careful when you use the biscuit jointer on the backside of production trim it's not always the same thickness, and if there's a lot of detail..... fun fun

Air conditioning while trimming a house? That'd be awesome!

Stepped up your game! Intro music! 👍 Another great video Spencer. 👍👍 “Work flow”. Key to success. Unfortunately “work flow” in Georgia, for the most part, is simply “blow and go”. I have several people contacting me to fix their homes including general contractors thanks to some SERIOUSLY PATHETIC trim work. The last one I went to 4 days ago I simply told him he would have to replace every single door (split jam pre trimmed). Obviously he didn’t appreciate my decision. I told him he really had no one to blame but himself. $2100 to trim the home and you wonder why it’s “sub par”? And yes I know you can pay three times that and still get a poor job. But I do know if you aim for the bottom you’ll hit it every time. 🤷‍♂️ 2200 sf one story with bonus. Doors, windows, mantle, stairs including guards/handrails etc. I can stay home and go broke why work and go broke?

Got that joiner as a gift a while back. I've been busy with sheetrock and paint, but I'll finally get to use it on a built up crown. Definitely appreciate the tutorial. Great channel.

I do it the same exact way that you do! Every little step! LoL Love your explanations and willingness to help the guys that do it differently..

Great video. Thanks.

5:56 HOLY STACK OF WOOD!

Super video. Work flow is so important in doing great work!!!

Another great teaching session

must say great video one if not best ever very thorough !!! thanks

Spencer, another great video full of tips and tricks, using the t track on the stand to anchor your tape to measure the miter cut is MONEY ! Thank You for sharing

@OutdoorMutt

10 ай бұрын

Right! Been inching myself for years, this blew my mind!

I have used dominos on casings.use the bench/table for the reference surface and wood glue on the mortise and tenon but use the high temp pur glue (75 second) for the joining surfaces of the mortise.

True professional my man!

I also pocket screw them from the back along with the biscuit, and put a two inch screws in areas where they wont be seen to pull the joints tight. I don"t believe its an AC issue. It"s garbage lumber.. Homes built 75 years ago experienced the same weather conditions and some of them still look rock solid today . No back priming or fancy glues. Just well seasoned lumber.

Love your style! I call an un flush miter a clicker... If your finger nail clicks it, it's not right. When it comes to glue, glue doesn't matter if the surface isn't touching each other. I see people front cut to get the miters tight which leaves a gap in the back. End result, glue is not working... I am currently trimming with 1x4 poplar casing. We are Kreg Jigging (pocket hole) all the casing together. Either system is a great way to achieve a great result. GREAT CHANNEL AND GREAT CARPENTRY

You can attach a piece to the fence of the biscuit joiner to extend its purchase and span relief cuts. You can even use a piece built up on one side in order to be able to register on the face of the trim. Great video 👍🏼

Once again Spencer, you have knocked it out of the park.

Thank you ,excellent explanation superb quality control

I like using a router table to make my biscuit groove consistent every time and I like to use a method called sizing up my glue joints for a perfect clamp. Nice content ! Cheers from the northwest.

You do amazing work, in every one of your videos I feel like you are explaining what I try to explain to my newer/younger guys all the time, but you do it better!

You are so correct on acclimating the material, and that goes for mdf material too. Unfortunately, all of our production builders don't care. Once material shows up, start installing. They'll address any issues during warranty. Sad.

Best trim/millwork guy on youtube hands down. Cheers

Another great video, Spencer! You may want to get yourself some wet rags to wipe out the glue squeeze out - save your tool belt! :)

Great video thanks

Another informative and entertaining video! Unfortunately, I’ve been sitting home for months with a broken leg. I must say I’ve watched a lot of carpentry videos. Yours are hands-down the best and seem to be getting better each time. I like the little carpentry insider tips. I’ve been doing kitchens and trimwork for decades and I always love to learn new things and new techniques. I’d like to see you do a video on wide or multi piece crown molding. Keep up the good work. God bless you and yours.✌🏻

Great video as usual, but I think this is one of your best in the way you take the time to explain every detail and give tips along the way.

When you sand miters quickly before glue has set the sawdust will serve as filler for any small gaps/tear-outs as an added benifit. Ray Stormont

This was satisfying to watch. Really appreciate the attention to detail and the "Lean" approach to saving steps / avoiding wasted motion. Strong work!

I bought a hide carpenters apron after seeing the Germans use them and I really can’t say enough good things about them! Great place to slather all that excess glue and not ruin clothes. Also, hope you got that gasoline stored out side of your primary structures in accessory dwelling! Not letting up on that.

@InsiderCarpentry

9 ай бұрын

Yep, we got rid of those tanks right away.

@chrisvallianos8164

9 ай бұрын

@@InsiderCarpentry blessings brother!

Nice! Sometimes I do biscuits and sometimes we do pocket screws and a screw through the long point of miter if there is a backband.

glad this video came up and i know im building our door casings correctly. they are simple 1x4 but joined with two dowels for alignment and glue surface and a pocket screw for clamping pressure. can’t do much about acclimatizing because assembly needs to happen in the garage. great vid, thanks!

very good instructional videos. you have a very clear and concise way of presenting the information. great job

very good video. I remember when those mouse style sanders came out ages ago, they weren't that popular with only a couple companies that made them. now in the past couple yrs they sure gain popularity and everyone makes one. I also still need to bite the bullet and get 4 of those clamps, only seen most likely chinese versions in canada for $100 plus a piece

Thanks

Throw some 2x6s or 8s in your saw horse slots. Flatter table and saves the back.

@InsiderCarpentry

10 ай бұрын

That's what I hate about those horses...way to low and no adjustable legs.

Not much to add, very nice, I would keep my biscuits in an air tight container for storage, I find they can swell up and fit a little tight,

Nice video - the only thing I do different is I mount my jointer to the job site bench and use stop blocks to align the casing. Also Lemello makes a glue bottle tip the injects glue onto both sides of the slot giving you even coverage and not over filling the slot. In my shop I have a dedicated plate joint installed in my chop saw fence with a pneumatic cylinder with a foot control. Make life a lot easier.

@cleasonhorst5746

10 ай бұрын

I'd LOVE to see a picture of that, sounds awesome!

Good tip on the Lamello biscuits - they are much better. The cheap ones can have raised edges and so on and makes them a pain to insert into the slots and pull joints tight. Great video and lots of good tips!

The job i am starting in 3 weeks has casings similar (and 8" tall base.) Already bought the box of Lamello #20's. Presently have completed half the framing walk through and already I see I should have braced the jambs on the windows before the insulation foam was applied. They showed up four days early and as expected, those sides are bowed in 1/4". Going to be a challenge to keep the reveals consistent around those windows using pre-assemblies. Dug out as much foam as i could. Cleared the protruding foam around the permiter so drywall planes to my jambs. Fun times for sure! Many thanks to you, Spencer, for sharing your knowledge here and teaching me what to look out for. Can't ever thank you enough, Sir.

Good practice. I don't like glue dried on my fingers & clothes, so I use moist rag/sponge.

I use a band clamp around the frame and put two trim screws in to each miter on top and bottom of the frame so they are not seen after installation. Had good success so far.

I usually like to clamp my casing to my work table this way I have no movement when cutting my biscuits u are the best on the internet

@64maxpower

10 ай бұрын

Spencer is the best

Great instructional video. One thing, I keep a damp rag to wipe my gluey fingers on. No way would I put all that glue on my leather pouches. You do fantastic work.

Good advice. I noticed the two holes in the fence on jointer I would see if a jig could be made to fit mitered end. 🤔

So youve got about $1000 worth of Clams? I love mine but i only have 2 but Im about to order 2 more. The people at Clam are terrific to work with. I put heavy 3 piece casings on everything at our home in S. Indiana on a lake with tremendous humidity changes. Nearly everything I didnt either bisquit or pocket screw has moved apart. The most difficult has been the dormer windows which were cut into the long span roof trusses, which have even more movement. I have some of the casings I installed 30 years ago that were unsupported that I am taking down and re-doing- not much fun. Always love your work.

I have had good results with that DeWalt biscuit jointer.

I had termite damage to my house a few years ago. I had to make new wide trim for my patio door. Strangely, or not ( I am not in the business) , I basically used all your tips and added one , based on my observation about termite likes and dislikes. I wound up priming all my trim front and back before installing it ( including Sheetrock and borate on structural lumber). The termites seemed to have avoided painted wood, equal to treated. I suspect the priming also reduces the amount of swelling in higher humidity conditions? I realize it may not be practical on a production basis though. Enjoy your videos and will consult before taking any future “ plunges” into the abyss.

Nice!! Hey Mr Tool guy, I’m pretty sure Lamello makes a glue bottle specifically for their biscuits. At least I saw it on Norms show once. It supposedly gives a Goldilocks squirt of glue!

I've found the Forrest blades to be incredibly durable. It takes a LOT before they need resharpening.

You should give WD Quinn Saw company and their blades a shot. They are located here in St. Louis & their blades are top of the line, not to mention their sharpening is world class. Couldn't tell you the last time I bought a new blade. I take them 10-12 blades at a time to get sharpened. They come back better than new.

@InsiderCarpentry

3 ай бұрын

That's where I have been sending my blades for years.

I always put my trim piece back side down on a firm table and set my biscuit tool on the table and do the cut. no upper guide and wobbling of the jointer.

Cut some plastic straws into sections with the tip at a 45 degree angle. Use it to scoop the glue out of a tight spot.

Be careful sanding those corners with the biscuits right away. Initially the biscuit swells and expands the wood on thin material. If you sand it in this expanded state it will knock down an area the shape of a biscuit that will be visible later when the biscuit shrinks. Something I learned from watching Norm Abram on the New Yankee Workshop many years ago. I can attest to it because I have a jewelry box top I made, about 3/8” thick, that has biscuit divots permanently in the top. Those type of defects are usually only visible after the coat of sheen is put on. A hard fix at that point in the game. Perhaps the Lamello biscuit is a superior product that isn’t suspect to this. 🤷‍♂️ Another solid video. What else would we expect at this point. Alongside the lines of writing on the back of a tape measure I like to put painters tape on the face side of the tape measure and just make a mark on it with the pencil for a easy way to remember the dimension. It easily rolls up in the tape and you can make notes on the location and such.

Also, I make my trim with whole 3/4" lumber, not commercially produced, specifically so that the back is flat all the way across which makes it easier to register the bisquit jointer or to set the mitred casing into my pocket screw fixture.

Biscuits are great for this application. But, instead of using the fence, I'd use a (flat) table to support the molding and the tool. If the height of the slot isn't exactly what you want, you can use tempered masonite or that super thin birch plywood as a shim.

The tool belt 😱

Excellent advice. I just finished a job with 4-9/16” casing with back band. I followed NS Builders KZread video advice using two dominos and two pocket screws and clam clamps for each miter. It creates a rock solid joint. Your approach using one #20 biscuit is simpler and I’ll try that in the future. You are so right that alignment can be tricky if you don’t hold the Domino or Biscuit Joiner just right.

@bimotahb1

10 ай бұрын

NS got a lot of backlash for that video as it is just too much for one joint. Think of all the weakness you create with all those cavities. 1 biscuit or 1 Domino is all that is needed.

@tc9148

10 ай бұрын

@@bimotahb1 Interesting, had not heard that. I used ¾” x 4-9/16” poplar with and applied back band. The two #5 dominos and two pocket screws were not too much for that long and thick a joint, worked perfectly for me.

@henrypeisch5289

9 ай бұрын

@@tc9148curious if the 3/4” had a profile or not.

POINT ON!

Adding a plexiglass auxiliary fence with some additional length, to the biscuit joiner will give you 100% contact with the back of the molding. Just make sure that you take the thickness of the plexiglass into account when setting up your cut.

Years ago, Frank Klausz advised against use of the biscuit jointer fence whenever possible. Instead, in order to ensure perfectly parallel and consistent alignment, he advocated indexing both the machine base itself and the workpiece against the work table. In this method the joint is indexed from the back side of the workpiece. So long as the trim section has been milled consistently from piece to piece, or the pieces of a given casing all come from the same stick, alignment can be very accurate. This method also works well in cases where the face profile is irregularly shaped and/or does not provide a reliable surface to support the fence. For workpieces thinner than 3/4", the benchtop jointing setup can include a shimmed surface under the workpiece.

@ou8nucks630

10 ай бұрын

I think the only downside to this method is that not all material is created precisely equal. When I first started doing this method years ago, I tried referencing off of the back of the casing, but the tolerances on the millwork weren't as tight as one would assume. A 32nd doesn't sound like much or look like much, in most situations, but it's a very noticeable amount on casing with a large flat spot, or a very intricate detail. I do like the idea of taking the piece to the machine, rather than the machine to the piece though, it does cut down on possible Inaccuracies in the mortising process.

@michael.schuler

10 ай бұрын

@@ou8nucks630 Yes, consistently milled section is key to this method. That said, milling discrepancies are a drag in any case...

Nice work, Spencer! I was curious if the biscuit jointer could be mounted on a table. That way the casing could be indexed flat and pushed into the blade making user tilt and alignment errors less likely. I have 2 piece casings in my house that I built 20+ years ago. Glued but unreinforced yet no cracks. Chalk that up to west coast low humidity swings!

@cleasonhorst5746

10 ай бұрын

I always clamp my biscuit jointer to the work table upside down to run a batch through. It might be a little trickier to keep door legs or other long casings flat on the jointer though.

Why didn't you use Pur? Or even CA glue with activator? Great video.. Thanks!

I understand that the trend in contemporary/modern is often to picture frame without a stool and apron. I have never met a window or pass thru opening that didn’t benefit from stool and apron. Casement, picture, awning, double hung, modern or traditional design, IMO always looked fully dressed with a stool and apron. An exception might be flexi frames or trapezoid units. Unless an assembly can be unified like a window wall on a cathedral gable end - then stool and apron become the great unifier. Picture frame with no stool and apron is like going out on the town and forgetting your shoes. We often bid jobs with the plan calling for picture frame cased openings. This is a great opportunity to write a nice change order and put a lot of extra profit in your pocket. We would case two windows (one with picture frame and one with stool and apron) and let the client succumb to the pressure from designers, friends and family to sell up. You can charge whatever markup you want at that point because they are already married to the stool and apron. Most feel like they have to have it. Sort of a FOMO moment. Profile the stool anyway you like but use the same cutter on the end grain and skip the mitered returns. Even with stain grade. That miter just looks like it didn’t grow there. Ka-ching!

@bimotahb1

10 ай бұрын

And the water intrusion protection. from an open window. Now we have zero casings at all in new homes just sheetrock with windows embedded in joint compound.

More incredible information

I assemble thick casing (5/8"+) with pocket screws and glue and install in one piece. Easy and very strong miters. I've viewed your other videos for mitered beams and suggest using a lock miter router bit. The mitered pieces pop together and after glue, they won't open up. I recently made wide column wraps with clear vertical grain cedar using lock miter routed joints and had no struggle with aligning the mitered joints. They self align like pieces of a puzzle, even if here are slight bows in the wood.

@InsiderCarpentry

10 ай бұрын

I've got some videos from a few years ago on my lock miter setup with my shaper. I stopped using it because I feel I'm better off just miter folding.

@bobbray9666

10 ай бұрын

@@InsiderCarpentry Fair enough. You do this as a profession vs. my carpentry hobbies. I'd like to see you do more stain grade carpentry. We just finished our new home where I did all of the millwork from rough cut lumber - mostly rift white oak, including whole home cabinet builds in rift white oak. I think we saved a small fortune by buying from several small mills in my area (MN/WI). I couldn't stand the thought of trimming it all out in paint grade poplar where grain pattern doesn't matter and gaps get caulked. I get you're just doing the millwork install requested of you but many of us in the DYI world are doing it all. I did get some great tips from you on my stair build. I did ours in maple risers/treads and made our skirtboards in white oak. All finished just poly. I started watching all your pertinent videos 2 years before we started a year ago. Thanks for the reply and keep posting great vids!

Use 2 dominos. It's a stable system. We throw 2 5x30s on every joint on mft table with quick clamp. Flush and strong. Production onsite.

Super video I love it :) can you make a video of all glue from titebond ? Which will be stronger ? I think that will be great ideas:)

great tip! how would you feel about pocket screws in this application?

@InsiderCarpentry

10 ай бұрын

Better than nothing but I like a tenon of some kind in casing this large.

The biscuit jointer has a center point engrave on the tool i put the two pieces together put a reference mark an line both together an will be just fine

Does your OCD require that the finger joints on adjoining pieces also line up? Love the content. Keep ‘em coming

Spencer, I was wondering if you can share what size and brand of pinch dogs you use for this and other trim work? Didn’t see a link for it. Btw, Totally killing it with the new professional video note popups, Spencer. Makes the video ultra high-end. Thank you so much for showing us step by step how to raise our skills.

@InsiderCarpentry

9 ай бұрын

Any brand in 2". I buy them off amazon and it seems like the brand name is always changing.

@davidestep94

9 ай бұрын

I think Lee Valley sell pinch dogs. I made some by hand many years ago, from 1-1/2 flat metal stock

I have had good luck laying the casing back side down on my work table and biscuit jointer flat down on the table as well. Move the fence out of the way or remove. No need to fumble the piece and tool as the table supports all the weight and keeps things in the same plane. Hold down casing with one hand and push the jointer with other.

@ou8nucks630

10 ай бұрын

If all your material is milled perfectly, then you can accurately reference off the back. But that is typically not the case, even with the most expensive millwork. If you can reference off the visible side, it's always best. That way if there are any discrepancies in the dimensions, it'll be on the backside.

@chrisoaks4767

10 ай бұрын

@@ou8nucks630 fair point. Yes this can be an issue with crap stock, but he is already referencing off of the back and fumbling with the tool/piece. Using the worktop allows you to put your biscuit slot wherever you want and not worry about having to position the tool in a perfect spot to keep it in correct plane.

Goldilocks said that? @ 19:35, I thought it was Little Red Riding Hood. My life is over. 🤣🤣😂

Hey Spencer, I really love the channel and have learned a ton from you, thanks! I also have the Dewalt biscuit joiner and love it except that using the fence just like you’re doing with the miters, or any board for that matter, the slot is just slightly out of level, or I guess you could say not parallel to the fence. Does yours have this same problem?

@InsiderCarpentry

10 ай бұрын

It's possible that your fence is not parallel to the blade. I have had this on other biscuit jointers.

7:04… if you don’t have a fancy stop or just don’t even like measuring short to short…. On 4.25” casing just add 8.5” (plus jam reveal) to your jam measurement

Hey Spencer great video. How much extra would you charge for this application and how would you charge? Would it be on top of your square footage price or do you itemize it as an additional straight fee?

Hi Spencer - How can I be sure that I’ve got the size correct if I assemble it on a table? I only have 8 windows to do in a sewing shed, two of which I’ve already messed up but will probably live with. As a TOTAL ROOKIE, I’m nervous about assembling it then not having it fit. Although it’s not been great trying one piece at a time, either. Thank you. I’m so impressed with your attention to detail, totally love it. Julie

Great video like always. Now when you have Lamello Zeta P2, would you use Clamex conectors for this aplication or you think that would be to expensive.

@InsiderCarpentry

10 ай бұрын

Definitely overkill and I'd want an actual wood tenon.

Interested to know what you think of doweling those miters? Other than a little extra time.

@henrypeisch5289

9 ай бұрын

Maybe it’s a little extra time if you only have a few openings to trim out.

@InsiderCarpentry

9 ай бұрын

I've never done much doweling. Its always been a biscuit or domino for me.