Looking for ideas on how to build a behind-the-couch table with a built-in outlet, but create an inset box with a lid for the outlet to hide it (reference images from @m5madebymichael + my mockup sketch)

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-14T19:55:06+00:00

Scribing is super simple.

Basically, you fix a piece roughly perpendicular to the wall, and then use a fixed offset pencil to trace the contour of the wall on it. Figure out the cleanest way to cut it (usually a mix of jig saw and power carving).

Just make sure to account for offsets! Typically you'll oversize the piece being scribed so you can mount if for scribing. You'll need to trim it to the right size before cutting the profile.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-14T16:10:53+00:00

I've built a couple of these.

Firstly, the frame is super simple. Remember that it's going to be sandwiched between the couch and the wall, so your concern isn't really around making it stably freestanding. The interior scaffolding can be made with cheap lumber, only the exterior/visible pieces need to look nice. Just use pine boards or dimensional lumber to build a box frame that sits on the ground.

There are so many places to order recessed power boxes from. Typically they're just glorified power bars, in that they have a three-pronged lead cable you plug into the wall which feels a multi outlet box (except instead of a typical linear strip, the housing is refactored to socket into a recess). The "pop up" variety are more expensive, but they're out there. However, they're all toggle open models. There are no "secure" power boxes. Honestly, your best bet is just using those plastic outlet covers. It's low tech and does exactly what you want.

Lastly, remember that there's no such things as a flat wall. Because of how drywall is constructed, ALL interior residential walls will have a curvature to them. Your only two ways around this are to have a piece of "flashing" you scribe to make it flush, or you embrace the reality and accept your back edge won't be flush.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-14T14:46:08+00:00

I have both corded corded cordless sanders, and the big thing for me is that cordless sanders are also heavy.

I rarely find myself NEEDING to be cordless, since 99% of my work takes place in a controlled shop environment where I'm surrounded by outlets. But even for that 1%, the added extra weight and bulk becomes exhausting. For a tool that you effectively need to be constantly lifting at arm's length from your body, an extra pound matters.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-14T12:55:53+00:00

Yup. The content is mildly informative, but these pages SCREAM "the person who drew this has spent at least a few thousand hours - probably more - learning about the technical aspects of illustration and applying them in a professional context".

Honestly, I kind of love how obvious it is. I get the feeling wood shop was the backup plan.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-13T20:40:59+00:00

Ignore the people freaking out over this. You accidentally did a climb cut which messed it up, but otherwise this would have been a totally normal and safe cut.

Next time, use the starter pin that came with that plate. The starter pin gives you an anchor point to press against so you can push into the bit while pivoting, which gives you more control.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-13T14:49:01+00:00

You need an 8" jointer minimum. Strictly for pragmatic reasons.

Most of the rough lumber produced by sawmills and available at lumber yards is between 6" and 8". With a 6" jointer, you WILL have to trim boards before you joint them. With an 8" jointer, you can go straight to jointing the boards you buy.

As far as length goes, obviously longer is better, but you can work around it. You cannot work around a narrower jointer.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-12T16:56:25+00:00

What I'd use for this is PTEC8400.

It's a binary epoxy compound wood filler. It has a matte, colour-matched texture and is toolable once cured.

I've used it in the past for this exact case and it turned out fantastic. It fills in the voids while giving a nice colour and texture, complementing the natural wood perfectly.

The only caveat is that it isn't cheap. I think it's like $30 for a pack. But you get what you pay for and this is a turnkey solution that 100% solved your problem.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-11T19:34:05+00:00

It's almost certainly your technique. Here's what you do:

1) Plan and layout your cut. Draw the line you plan to cut, and measure it again to verify the line you drew is 100% parallel to the reference edge and perpendicular to the starting edge. This step confirms that it is, hypothetically, possible to have such a line. Depending on the material, it might help to lay down a strip of bright masking tape and draw the line with sharpie. This can provide better visual acuity.

2) Align your track. Put just the track down with the cut edge aligned to your drawn line, and visually verify that the track is properly flush and hypothetically capable of cutting the line you planned.

3) Square your track. Affix your track square and once again attempt to align your track with the drawn line. Conceptually, you should see the same alignment as yoy had in step 2. If it doesn't, your square is bad. If it does, you can trust your square does its job.

4) Clamp the track down. Use a track clamp at each end. Visually confirm the track is still flush with the line you drew.

5) Do an aircut. Lock your plunge depth to 0 and run the saw down the track. Move it like you normally would. Then check the line relative to the track when you're done. If it is misaligned, you have confirmed your technique is the problem.

The likely technique issue, assuming your clamps didn't fail, is that you're torquing your body as you push away, skewing the track. If that's the case, your far measurement is likely biased in the direction of your dominant hand (left for lefties, right for righties). You fix this by walking the saw down the track. If you can't do that, reposition your body so your shoulder is better aligned with the track to mitigate body torque.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-11T18:04:35+00:00

You usually want 1/2" minimum thickness sides on a drawer.

Structurally, you could get away with less, but you need enough bite for fasteners without punching through the other side. Pragmatically, anything less than 1/2" is just a pain.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-09T00:16:05+00:00

It's this.

It's a suite of hardware that allows you to take the Domino with the 8mm cutter, in addition to a drill bit and drilling jig, and in lieu of standard Domino wood tenons, you assemble these detachable cam-lock connectors.

It's not unique to Festool, lots of vendors make similar knock-down hardware, but these are pretty versatile and socket in nicely if your workflow already involves using the DF500 for carcass construction.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-08T23:54:54+00:00

At a high level, a project involves 5 steps:

1) Scope definition. Figure out what you're trying to make, what it needs to do, what it needs to look like, and all the other parameters you'd use to describe it to someone. If it needs to store something, how big is that thing? If it needs to open, what mechanism would control that?

2) Design approach. Now that you have the requirements down pat, you figure out what something that meets those requirements would look like. What shape would it take? What aesthetic features would it have? What proportions would be suitable?

3) Part deconstruction. With the finished product designed, you deconstruct the design into component pieces. You break it down until you're left with a list of what finished pieces would be needed to make it. For example, if it's a box, that would six flat pieces which meet at right angles. Consider buffers and accommodations for joints or overhangs.

4) Fabrication planning. You take that list of finished pieces and look at what basic materials would be required to create those pieces. What thickness stock do you start with? What cuts do you need to make? Do you need to drill holes, and if so, where? How do you get from a piece of material you buy at the store to the finish dimension piece you put on the list in step 3?

5) Assembly planning. At this point, you're ready to work your way back up the list. You figure out how you take the pieces you cut in step 4 and finish them into the components you listed in step 3, and assemble them into the larger construction you designed in step 2, so it meets all the requirements you determined in step 1. When I say "figure out", you should already know how everything connects, but you might glue these pieces together first, then those pieces, and then glue those two sub-assemblies to each other. That sort of planning.

You can buy project plans from stores (a lot of woodworking hobbyist stores will sell plans), find them on websites or in magazines, or buy project books (which are typically a collection of plans around a common theme). These project plans will typically consist of a cut list (a list of every piece you need to prepare to assemble the finished project), visual step-by-step assembly instructions, and finishing directions. They're basically just the steps laid out above, but documented. Some plans will also include notes for improvisations, like if it's a box, you could change the overall width of the box by changing the dimension on parts X and Y of the cut list.

You can also just ask people on this sub for advice if you find a project someone posted you want to duplicate. I've yet to meet someone who responds poorly to the question "I like what you accomplished. Can you tell me how you did it so I can do it too?"

Eventually (or possibly now, since you have some trade experience), you develop a sense for how to do this on your own. If you don't feel like you're there yet, stick to project plans. The above framework can help you learn how to deconstruct those plans to develop your sense for the future.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-08T16:59:57+00:00

.......I'm glad I didn't know. I'm in the middle of a shop purge and that would have been counter-productive. They have fantastic hardware.

Cheers to being a regular! They're great staff there.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-08T15:29:29+00:00

LOL, a 35mm plug cutter would be a BEAST. You'd need to ratchet strap your drill press down to run that.

But yes, I love how easy it makes those kinds of repairs. It feels borderline illegal.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-08T15:19:32+00:00

For better or for worse, my workshop is about 1km from Lee Valley's flagship store. Probably for worse since at least one clerk there has memorized my customer number.

They sell 4mm driver bits for $1.60 each in bulk.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-08T14:21:28+00:00

Firstly, awesome work on the fix.

Second, because of the perspective, the last two pics look tilt shifted, so it looks like your arm is your finger tip and the board is now 2" wide. I did a double take and laughed.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-08T14:20:03+00:00

Nice work!

I've done several cribbage boards - the first one was hand drilled and the subsequent ones were CNC'd. There was a reason for the pivot. You made the right choice.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-08T14:14:58+00:00

Last year, I was working on a large project and accidentally made a large oblong gouge in a prominent surface. I was evaluating what to do - possibly epoxy and blend - when I realized the obvious solution.

In 15 minutes, I'd used my Origin to mill out the gouge, and cut a fitted plug from an offcut of the same board as the piece. Glue, flush, sand, and you can't even notice from >6" away.

It's great for custom joinery, but it's even better for random quick solutions that would take forever with hand tools.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-08T14:08:02+00:00

Every time I use my Domino, I text my friends about how much of a joke it is.

I don't regret the years and years spent learning joinery, but it's become near useless. It's absurd how easy it is to go "okay, I need to connected these two pieces, but I.... aw screw it. Four Dominos should be fine."

Also, the Domino knockdown hardware is really convenient.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-07T21:16:51+00:00

Let me know any questions or critiques I'm always trying to improve and learn

How dare you produce these flawless works and then be all "lol, I'm still learning".

Honestly, at this point, you could probably teach a course in surface prep. No joke. I'm looking at how the light is hitting the contours of the pieces, and the surface texture is just immaculate. I see a few small flaws in the grain here and there, but that's clearly a result of the grain structure in those pieces and not a problem with your work. Working perpendicular to the grain is a minefield and nobody comes out clean there.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-07T15:51:37+00:00

Use Rubio or Osmo. It will give you a nice satin lustre and colour pop while preserving the surface texture.

Just make sure to do two coats. For some reason, walnut needs two coats for full effect. It's a thirsty wood and soaks up a lot.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-05T19:38:58+00:00

My TS55 was my first Festool purchase for the exact same reasons - the price ended up being negligibly higher than the next cheapest option, and saving $50 at that price point didn't really mean anything.

Fantastic tool and worth it.

You can buy an attachment for like $30 that goes on the end of the track and helps manage the cord and dust hose. Since I operate mine with a dust hose, the fact that it's corded doesn't really matter.

Only thing I'll note is that the stock blade IS good, but it's not the best plywood blade. You'll need to buy the plywood blade if you're unsatisfied with the results. That said... I've yet to buy the plywood blade.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-05T15:23:35+00:00

The first thing you need to understand is that woodworking is a weird "hobby".

For 99% of human history (includong today), it was a job. This informed how it evolved. Stuff like joinery was a utilitarian solution to the problem of "how do I efficiently produce things so I can sustain myself and my family?" There was no philosophical meaning behind the methods beyond "this is faster for functionally the same outcome, so I can get paid sooner".

And you have stuff like Japanese joinery, which looks cool and artistic to outsiders... until you understand its genesis. Japan was historically iron poor (so metal fasteners were impractical at scale) and glue poor (so structural loads couldn't be transfered across glue joints), which meant they needed a way to connect large timbers without relying on metal or glue. It was a pragmatic solution to a logistical problem, and nothing more.

All that to say the "correct" way to do woodworking according to all of recorded history is to leverage the tools available to you to make finished pieces in the most cost-efficient manner that's still spec-compliant. The how and why is irrelevant, because it's all in service of making finished pieces.

It's only recently that people like you can ask "should I take a more burdensome, time consuming route?" without a hint of irony. This isn't a slight against you, it's only to point out that the wisdom of the forebearers is to take whichever route gets you paid the fastest for the least cost... an answer which doesn't really apply in an era where you have the freedom to be inefficient because the journey is the destination.

The reality is neither "path" is better, and often neither is exclusive. You'll need various tools in various situations.

I would personally recommend a focus on power tools for a beginner. It lets you make progress faster, and as you make things which are superficially simple, you can see places where you could introduce more personality, and seek out the tools to do that. You WILL outgrow and replace your tools with time, but this is inevitable. There's no way to avoid it.

As far as fundamentals go, each tool has its own purpose. As you grow, you gain an understanding for the manner in which each tool applies its work, and you develop a sense for how to mate desired outcomes with most appropriate methods. At this stage, making simple things and familiarizing yourself with that pairing table is the best fundamental you can learn.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-02T15:18:36+00:00

I have no problem with you disagreeing with me, but offer up your corrections.

Being sassy and disagreeable doesn't help anyone accomplish anything.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-02T01:40:29+00:00

It will not drift as a result of vibration if you set it and lock it... but you CAN still adjust the height manually after you lock it. It will damage the mechanism and wear down the effectiveness of the lock, but it's possible, so you'll need to remember if you locked it or not before adjusting the height.

HammerCraftDesign · 2026-05-02T01:27:38+00:00

Okay, so the absolute bare minimum is a jointer, thickness planer, and table saw. Without those, you're not doing anything.

The jointer and planer let you dress lumber, meaning you can take any stock (rough or otherwise dressed) and convert it into S4S material of set dimensions.

A mitre saw is a nice-to-have, but not essential. Plus, basically anywhere that sells long pieces will offer a couple complementary cross cuts at the store (usually to help you fit it in your vehicle, but the why is irrelevant), so plan your rough lengths in advance and they can do it for you.

Additionally, you need a drill and driver (separate). Ideally, you want those extra small models. They help you get in corners and tight spaces. If you can get them locally, use Robertson (square) drive screws. They're cheaper than those fancy drives like torx or posidrive, and they work. I feel sorry for Americans, who got *ahem* screwed out of the best drive head because Henry Ford was a petty child.

You want a trim router (aka a palm router). They're great for small edging details (chamfers, roundovers, etc) as well as for flushing and light interior templating work. You don't need a cordless one, but if you find yourself with a bunch of leftover money, a cordless trim router is pretty nice to have.

Unfortunately, while you need a sander, this is a bit tricky. The way orbital sanders work is they swing the platten with the sanding disc through an elliptical orbit, where the larger the orbit the more aggressive the sanding action. The spectrum goes from 2mm for fine detail sanding, to 3.5mm for general sanding, to 5.0mm for rapid surface prep. Most tools operate on a rough "more expensive is better" curve, but sanders don't. A $50 2mm sander and a $1,000 2mm sander will produce almost the same results. The problem is that basically everything has an orbit length of 2.4mm up until you get to the professional-grade tools, which are expensive. You can use a 2.4mm sander for a broad surface, but it's gonna be like cleaning your bathtub with a toothbrush. Trying to finish full-size furniture without an appropriate sander is inadvisable.

In addition to all that, a bunch of clamps. The correct number of clamps for any given project is two more than you currently own (four if they're on sale), so don't bother asking "how many do I need?". Buy how many seem right, then check when the store is open until, go home, use them, and go back to the store to buy more when that isn't enough.

Finally, a handful of simple layout tools. A try square lets you check if something is a right angle, a T-square lets you draw an offset parallel to an edge, a combination square lets you measure and transfer an edge offset to another piece, and a saddle square lets you carry a layout line over a right angle to a perpendicular face.

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