Question: I placed an order, but I didn’t receive the email that contains my download links yet.
Answer: Check your “spam”/”junk” folder (sometimes also called “social”, “promotions”, “ads”, “offers”, or something similar). The emails are automated, and because of that, your email program might think they belong in one of the folders mentioned above.
Question: How long should it take before I get the email with the links?
Answer: Assuming you entered your email address correctly, you should have received at least 2 emails pretty much immediately. One that contains the links, and a welcome email that tells you how to get support (spoiler: it’s by email, and I respond usually within 24 hours).
Question: I checked my spam folder, junk folder, and all my other folders, but I still don’t see it. What’s the deal?
Answer: It could be that you entered your email address incorrectly, or some sort of error has occurred. Don’t fret, just send me an email through the contact form (click here to be taken to the contact form), and I’ll make sure you get your order ASAP.
FYI – I check this email multiple times a day, and persons who have not received their order are the very first emails I attend to. I figured you liked One Minute Workbench enough to spend your hard-earned money, so you deserve to get the plans in your hands right away. As mentioned above, a worse case scenario would be 24 hours, but it’s usually sooner.
Question: I bought plans, waited a few weeks and then tried to download them, but it said the link has expired. Can I still get the plans?
Answer: Of course! Download links are uniquely generated for each customer, and come with download limits & expiration dates. This just helps prevent piracy. Again, just email me (by responding to any of the automated emails you received) and let me know that you need more time. I’ll apply the changes, and let you know that the links have been reactivated.
I’ll get back to you ASAP, and usually no longer than 24 hours. Also, once you download the plans, those downloaded versions never expire, and are yours to keep forever.
Question: I bought plans on my phone (or tablet) and viewed them several times, but now it says that I’ve reached my limit. What’s going on?
Answer: Just like the previous question, the links have built in limits and expiration dates. Every time you click on the link to “view” the plans, you are actually downloading it to your phone or tablet (or whatever device you are using), so it’s using up one of your tries. That said, the files are somewhere on your device, but they may be tough to find. If so, just email me to let me know. I’ll revive the links, and you can download them again to a computer.
Question: I noticed in a lot of your videos, you say you applied 6 coats of polyurethane. Do you really apply 6 coats? Can you give me some advice on applying polyurethane?
Answer: Yes, I usually apply 6 coats when I use poly, sometimes less, sometimes more. Basically, I just keep applying it until it looks “finished”. I often use Baltic Birch plywood, which soaks up the poly like a sponge. If I’m applying it to a harder wood, I might only apply 3-4 coats. Sometimes I’ll apply 7-8 coats, if that’s what it takes, when doing softer woods. I can give you some advice on my techniques for applying polyurethane. Keep in mind that these are just my techniques…there’s a lot of good information out there, so read a variety, practice a lot, and you’ll be on your way. Anyway, here it goes: With polyurethane (and probably most clear-coat types of finishes), making each coat very thin is the key to good result. Your very first coat should be so thin that you don’t even get complete coverage. It should look “streaky”. Don’t worry about blotchy or dry looking areas that seem like they didn’t get any finish; at this point, you’re really just giving future coats something to stick to. Each time you add a coat, it should still be very thin. After 3-4 coats, you’ll start to notice that the coverage of the piece is getting more and more complete and you’ll see less and less dry or blotchy looking areas. You’ll also notice that the poly will be going on easier and easier. This is because with each successive coat, the surface is becoming more and more slick, and the polyurethane glides over the slick surface easier than the rough and porous texture of the wood grain. You can use a poly that doesn’t require sanding in between coats, but I usually recommend you sand in between coats anyway. It will result in a smoother final result. Be sure to remove the dust after each sanding. You don’t have to go crazy with the sanding. Just use some 220, or at least 150 grit, nothing less. After you apply a coat and it dries according to the manufacturer’s instructions (usually between 1-4 hours, depending on type used), run your hand across the surface. You’ll probably feel that the wood grain has raised, and in general, it will feel sort of rough. Then lightly run some 220 sandpaper across that same surface – just a few light strokes, then feel it again. You’ll feel a huge improvement. Keep doing this for your whole piece, and you’ll eventually get an idea that it really takes very little sanding to go from being rough to being smooth. Then remove the dust and apply your next coat. I often use Varathane, satin water-based interior polyurethane for a lot of my projects. Adding several layers of the satin version will result in a bit of white-washed appearance, where the grain color becomes more muted. If you like to see more wood grain, use clear water-based poly. Or if you don’t want too high of a gloss, make your 4th or 5th coat satin, but use clear for all previous coats, and for the final 1 or 2 coats. You can use exterior poly, if the projects are going to be outside. You can use oil based poly, if the poly is going over an oil based stain. I don’t recommend oil-based polys though because they tend to turn yellow. If you have to use an oil-based stain, and you have the extra time, you can let the stain cure for a couple of months. After that time, you’ll probably be safe to apply water based poly over it. Just check to make sure the piece feels VERY dry, with no sticky residue from the stain. I often use Varathane in a spray can, because the water based formula in a can only requires 1 hour of dry time between coats. For larger areas, I use the brush on version because it’s much cheaper than the stuff in the spray can. The water based brush on version only requires 2 hours of dry time between coats, which is really not bad at all. Lots of finishes require 4+ hours between coats. This about covers how I do my polyurethane. I’ll consider doing a write-up for other types of finishes as well. In the meantime, feel free to email me questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them!