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What an absolute MASTER CLASS in carpentry!!! Such a seemingly simple project was taken to the Next Level on every facet of the build. Every time I think your bag of tricks might have all been exposed, you turn around and demonstrate technique after technique of virtuoso wood working. There is no one else on KZfaq working at this altitude. You are playing above the rim Matt!!! And thank you for sharing this with those of us who are mere mortals.

10 minutes in and I've learned at least 6 things! The shim marking for total thickness is one of those things that only seems obvious once you've seen it done. Thank you Matt.

I had no idea such a simple thing would be so complicated. Mad respect for the patience of woodworkers.

2 and half hours...hell yes Matt. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge. Love the long form tutorial.

All I can say is WOW... very few times I have seen detail carpentry like this, growing up there was a Master Carpenter who lived across the street from my Family home. Even in his 70's he was still in demand by the very wealthy wanting his tradecraft skills. I watched every bit of this and wasn't the slightest bored... it reminded me of my 7th Grade shop class, we had a very sharp shop teacher who taught us the fundamentals of not only woodworking, but the care of tools. I'm getting back into woodworking mainly to make a sewing cabinet for my wife. I do almost any repair around the house, I've done Mission and through those trips I've picked up a lot of skills... but, that is mainly rough work. Framing, Plumbing, electrical, roofing, cement work, tiling and even the care and repair of our groups Tools. I've picked up on and carefully watched all your jigs, compass work and ways of scribing. This is a project that has great teaching skills... I really appreciated it so much so... I got up at 3am to watch the whole episode!!! Each morning I watch a woodworking video with my coffee... this was a whole pot of coffee episode. Again, this was great I watched a Master at work!!! Thank You!

that UV light trick to find residual glue makes watching the whole project worth watching!!

Dear Matt, Boy was that an epic movie - a Mega movie by anyone’s standards. It turned out to be a textbook of unfamiliar ideas and solutions that I have never seen before put in such an elegant way. Brilliant techniques like how to flatten warped boards on a thicknesser, how to cut strange angles on the table saw, constructing a jig using thin sheet and CA glue, making tiny and ultra thin components on a table saw {without cutting your fingers off} and finally providing a superb transparent finish to a piece of wooden furniture. Never apologise if your videos run on a bit, they are worth every second of play time. Cheers.

I enjoyed this master class. The use of jigs to provide precision in tendon cutting was inspirational. I would like to offer a tip that I use to prevent accidental dig in of the saw into the finished surface. I use a hotel key card which is 1/32 inch thick as a shim around the tenon. The plastic does not damage the Irwin saw teeth and the 1/32 inch stub is easily sanded smooth with an orbital sander. I have found that gas cards and some club membership cards offer the same thickness. Using them protects your identity and gives them a second life.

Wow! I watched the entire video in 2 sittings and intend to watch it again. I’m 74 years old and have been working wood since I was in Jr. high shop class. I learned so much from watching you and appreciate all your tips. Since I found you I will look for your past videos. Thank you so much for your time. Best Regards Fred Thomas

Matt, your jig making game is top notch. Gaining tons of tips for my own bag of tricks. Thank you so much! True master craftmen!

Ha! "Hold your tongue right." My dad used to say that. He gave me my first instruction in wood working sixty years ago. I miss him very much. Thanks Matt.

I watched it to the end! So many useful tips packed into this! Thank you for providing this! The best things I got out of it were the detailed info on our planer sled and your fixture making tips. I've seen lots of people making planer sleds but none of them as detailed as yours and with such practical guidance. Your videos are just a trove of valuable training. Thank you!

You’re explanations along the way before you get to far away from the particular step in the projects are really appreciated ! It really helps the mind (especially a bit older minds) absorb the many details, so I appreciate the time you spend in your videos, no need to apologize for US for hanging in there We are grateful to you for hanging in there for us !!

True carpentry master at work, it’s fantastic you are documenting your work, your kids and their kids will appreciate seeing you in action!

From details to safety, from do's and don'ts is already here... everything is in full details. No wonder it took full 2hrs and a half is because of all the explanations needed. Thumbs up.

Witnessing the worthwhile work of those wee wanky wedges was wonderful. I will welcomely wind up watching your videos whenever I want a wealth of woodworking wisdom.

Amazing job Matt! This looks great and we're so glad you enjoyed using the Halcyon 🤩🙌🏻

Have to say the planer sled and explanation of how you set it up to give the most amount of material is world changing. It will save me so much material. Thanks a million

Halo My name is Abdullah from the State of Kuwait By chance, I watched the video and was very impressed by the wonderful and accurate work and valuable notes in terms of safety and work, and it is worth watching I am a carpentry enthusiast and would love to learn carpentry by watching videos Thank you for this wonderful explanatory video, and I wish you a nice day, a good life, good health, and sure safety, and more progress and success my regards

I cannot believe how many tips/tricks/eye opening tidbits of knowledge came out of that video. Absolutely impressive

I can barely sit through a 2 1/2 movie, but watching every minute of this tutorial was a piece of cake! I learned and enjoyed that so much, thank you Matt! The only flaw with your work is that now those step stools are almost too beautiful to use.

Chapeau! Those have to be the most expensive footstools I've seen. And while I would never spend this amount of time on footstools, all the tricks in this video will come in handy in other projects. What a awesome time to be alive and have this knowledge available.

4:12am. Not sick! Love your vocabulary and comments. Lost my wife in Aug. Appreciate your details. Ken W. 😊 Thanks

Thank you for these extermely informative videos. As a hobbyist mostly learning from own experience and other youtube videos, you videos truely make me realise how much room there is to grow, be more efficient and detail oriented.

Fantastic video Matt. You have once again set yourself apart from all others in your explanation and execution of this project. It's a pleasure to watch you work and once again my head is full of new tricks. Thx again Darrell

It’s nice to see a like-minded craftsman like myself, showing others the correct way to do things as well, as being totally honest in the construction process things happen

The tape tip alone made this video extremely valuable

Thank you Matt for sharing your “next level” techniques. After searching for plans for a shop footstool, I ran across your site and your design was pleasing to the eye and would allow for mortise and tenon experience. Deciding to follow your lead, four footstools to be gifted to son, son-in-law and nephew, along with a keeper seemed like the right number to make. After completing the first one, and fabricating most components for the others, words alone cannot express the sincere appreciation for the lessons in patience, accuracy and perseverance the video projects. Your video plan is thorough, professional and easy to navigate. For me, the 2 1/2 hour overview was just the beginning, as I spent countless reviews of the detailed individual steps throughout this project. Your work to index these steps is amazing….thank you again! In my retirement now, it is extremely rewarding to learn new and useful craftsmanship techniques. You are sincerely appreciated!

I’ve always been interested in carpentry. I probably wouldn’t do it for a living, but nevertheless it’s always fascinating watching your videos. I’ve learned a lot, thanks!

This just happened to me today. I drew from the 'luck bag' and it missed me, but I will NEVER forget this wise advice! Thanks again, Matt: Jeff in Mid West Michigan.

Honestly, I watch all the carpentry shows, and you are my favorite. Not only are you the most thorough, but its also very clear to me that you spend alot of time in preparation (including the narration). Most of all, you are a very humble, very genuine dude. Keep up the good work! Also, After 6 years of learning carpentry hands-on watching You-Tube, I just opened my own shop 2 weeks ago. Thanks to guys like you!

Matt...thank your for this video. It's been a long time coming. Glad you finally got to it. And as always, it exceeds any expectations I had.

Thank you so much for this masterclass of a video Matt. I was one of the 3 nerds who excitedly watched this whole video all the way through. I learned so many new things I can’t wait to put into practice. Your thought process of how you use jigs was really eye opening for me in terms of how to create jigs for various projects. I’m an aspiring woodworker still building up my tools in my tiny garage workshop, and it’s content like this that is giving me the confidence to trek on forward.

Love the planer board and showing all the batch cutting techniques, definitely saves time and its more accurate! Spraying since the 70s heck I thought you were only 35! Lol

I never would have thought that I would spend two and a half hours watching someone build a stool, let alone recommending it to someone else, but here we are. :grin: (Seriously; the tips and tricks you pass on along the way make watching it well worth the time spent. Thank you for your service.)

Amazing project! Lots of things to learn from, thanks!

incredibly precise and detailed work. Also a huge effort making this video. Tons of good nuggets in here for all levels. Thank you!

Your outfit is inspirational and no festool required for this footstool 👍

Great build, Matt! It was edifying for me to be able to follow along and not be in the dark about your techniques and processes. A few years ago I would have given up watching in frustration. You’ve shown me how much I’ve learned over the years, much of it by watching you work. Your meticulous attention to masterful process is inspirational and makes me a better craftsman. Thank you!

Great Jon Matt and yes I’m one of the 3 nerds that watched the entire thing till the end of the end, picked up lots of super tricks along the way, thanks !!!

Don't let "Matt the Nail-Bender" fool you... This is not just some footstool, but an advanced class in wood joinery and mind-boggling methodology. That stress-relief hole and chip-reliefs at each upright might seem like insignificant details; but it is these types of considerations which shows Matt's maturity in understanding the structural properties of his material. There are jigs for everything, in order to guarantee consistency. We all know that techniques can be taught, but this level insight is purely a gift from God.

Matt, I finally made it to the end of the end of the end. I have three comments. 1. In woodworking classes, we were taught to raise the grain with water on a damp sponge or cloth, then re-sand with 220 grit sandpaper. 2. Have you considered getting a tent-like spray booth to catch the overspray? 3. I love the paper bag trick for final “sanding”. One of your best tips, for sure. On occasion, I have put a final coat of paste wax over the polyurethane finish to give a soft finish to a “peace “!😂 Best, Steve

😊Great layout and jig making skills ! I for one was extremely happy to see you use old school Joinery with the wedged tenons, just a super well made stool anyone would be thrilled to have or make.

Your skills are amazing sir! Where can I attend one of your classes? Thank you for breaking down each step. WOW...OUTSTANDING 👍👍👍

I learned a few tips, but , you made a three thousand dollar work shop stool. A stool made out of scraps and eyeballed dimensions might be a better time /money investment.

Finally made it to the end in two separate 1.15 minutes and 31 sec.. and im proud i watch all, tnks matt for a you info and knowledge

'If you're expecting to see someone who's more concerned about how their outfit's put together than the project they're working on..." You, sir, have my attention. I don't know how I ended up here in my sleep, but I actually *do* need a carpenter's / woodworker's footstool. Let'sgggoooooooo!

Blah blah blah

Absolutely amazing, this is like going to college for woodworkers. I admit that I have not seen the whole video, I know I will in days ahead. This takes so much work, doing so many things, video production and editing, attention to detail, mastering geometry for woodworkers, and so many tips! We exchanged emails long ago, I thank you so much for your dedication. The funny thing is that I am against some maple that is twisted and was wondering about putting together a sled for my planer (do not have a jointer), and I came across your video, will follow your guidelines. Your 'matter-of-fact' approach energizes others and instills confidence. Thanks!!!

I love your content here! So many insights and great tips. at 2.5 hours , it took me two days to watch in segments, but well worth it. IMHO a play list of 4 or 5 shorter videos would have been easier for me to keep track of, but getting the message is really the important thing. 15 years ago I made a series of six "Frame Stools" - short red oak stools used in telephone company central offices with 10 degree splayed legs. Gave them to family for Christmas... Eight pieces with compound cuts on each one. Quite a chore on the old DeWalt RAS. Wish I had your tips then - would have greatly simplified construction. Oh - love the reference to Bourbon Moth at the end - another great woodworker :)

I built something like this with all 1 X 12 and 1 X 4 skirts beneath the step in addition to what you have. Mine with all 90 degree angles was clearly an apprentice piece. The bad news, it was stolen with my truck in 1999, I still wait to find someone standing on MY stool!!! Bless you for showing the addition of the angles, and tenoning, which make your project very worthy.

You are proving time and time again, "Fixturing is an art form" (so very cool)

SNIPE STRIPS.......GENIOUS! simple elegant solution for a maddening problem!

taping that piece to the saw to maintain stability was the moment i needed to let you know that this is an AMAZING video and thank you for sharing it with KZfaq! I am so excited that i still have over 1.5 hours of video left to watch

Matt your explanation and visual demonstration is what a visual student/learner needs such as myself. You have shortened my learning curve by several years. The creation of your gigs have opened up my mind on how to better set up a project let alone a repetition of cuts. Please continue your videos. I have learned so much. Thank You.

When I saw how long this video was, I wondered what or who would watch one this long.. But once I saw the wenge wedges fit into the wenge wedges slots, I wondered no more. Watching this while wanting to see more I wondered who was also watching and who would want to watch even more. Once finished, the whole world should watch this winning video. I wondered if I was willing to wade thru other videos to learn about wedges, but watching this, that thought went out of my mind. No wonder I was willing to watch the whole thing... well done my fellow wood worker....

I built a splayed leg stool with my grandfather 55 years ago. It's still supporting my ever increasing weight ;-) Love the "wee wenge wood wedges without wobble" !!

I watched every minute. I won't be able to help you down. I see you made it anyway. I really liked watching. Thanks.

CAPVIDEO1 The way you teach how to think and do, is invaluable on its own. But the lessons and amount of information you provide when something doesn’t go right, is just gold! That’s the stuff that separates a master carpenter from just a hood carpenter. Thank you for including ALL the details of your work process. I can’t get over how quickly you can think through and create jigs. I can’t wait until they become second nature to me too! Thank you!! 👍

Thanks for making this video, My wife and I watched it together all the way through and thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed all the jig making and will be using lots of these tricks in my workshop over the next few years. Great Job.

Fabulous video. My husband was dabbling in woodworking. He would have loved this.

I could watch and listen to you all day sir ... in fact I often do - just don't tell my employer! 🙂 The perfect mix of top level expertise with explanations that even a novice like me can clearly understand. I doff my cap to you sir.

Believe it or not! I spent 2 hours, 31 minutes watching this video. I even do not spend that much in a move. Congratulations. It is another level indeed of carpentry. I Also have just found someone more detailed than me. With that I can start thinking that being detail-oriented is not a disease, as everyone treats me. But I don't talk as much as you do. Whereas my world is rather silent. I suppose it's for recording, but I never saw you drinking a drop of water. Besides your talent, you have a great throat. Your work is truly brilliant. Thank you so very much.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Oh! another 4 minutes writing.

QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP‼️ DETAILS DETAILS‼️ LEARNED ALOT, Thank You, Vinny 🇺🇸

Man, your work is so efficient, precise and effective. I still have a lot to learn. Wish I can be this precise with only a circular saw and hand tools. Might need to invest into a table saw now.

First 5 seconds of the video and I already know that I like you, sir. Thank you.

I appreciate how frequently you clearly say the manufacturer and identity of tools and products you use. Thank you.

Great video! Watched it all. Love that he asked for the number to "that Bourbon Moth dude"!

You can now add one more to the list of viewers who made it to the end, and a new subscriber as well, after running across another of your videos today. The level of detail is outstanding and very much appreciated. I think I learned more in this single video than I have in watching videos over the course of a week from many of the content providers I’ve seen. Thank you!

By far the best, most informative, enjoyable time I've spent on KZfaq on weeks! Thanks

I;m a wannabe in this, haven't even setup a proper workshop and just watch videos from time to time to learn techniques that I could try/apply as I am creating smtn myself. This video started from autoplay and was selected by the almighty algoritm after a video of Project Farm. I barely watched, but listened through the video through the very end. DUDE, u are so good and detailed in this, but that was too much for me and I kinda got bored by all the small touches you are doing. I dig the putty knife approach, creating a jig for everything that can be 'jigged', templates, etc. However, the best part of the video was ur way of advertising the channel and and encouraging ppl to support it. And its nice that ur not demonizing the algoritm that demonetizes ur vids, but explaining the situation as it is. Love ur honesty and the way you bring tthis to the audience.... ppl on other channels are "algoritm is hell, plz pateron money cuz if i rely on youtube I aint gonna be able to afford a new $150 shirt for the next vid" and thats.... welll I dislike as they do selfadvertising. And urs was so good that If I had the patience to go back through the video to find where it was, I would rewatch that part. HEHE. U got a new sub, but I wont give u cash on patreon, sorry - I got no Patreon and no excess of money to donate to AMAZING content creators like u. KEEP UP THE GOOD WOODWORK AND PLZ DONT OVERDO IT SO MUCH IT WILL NEVER BE PERFECT...think u missed a glue leftover on one of those stools btw. :D

Very nice. Amazing what one can find when they start down a rabbit hole. I started out watching a couple of videos by a wheel wright and saw this one. What made me watch it was that about five or six years ago, I made a similar stool for my disabled wife to use in the shower. The only difference being no bottom tray and and although my legs are tapered , I put them in perpendicular to the top instead of the slight slant you used. I made it out of some Cypress I had laying around and used black walnut for the wedges. Also my stretcher is right up under the top. I had also cut out a mortice for a stretcher near the bottom, but either run out of material or got lazy, take your pick, lol. I really like the segments showing how to make and use simple fixtures. I've always just cut everything free hand before. I've now subscribed to your channel and am looking forward to more videos. I'm a retired carpenter with 40+ years in the business.

My father was a carpenter and cabinet maker for most of his life. He made several similar step stool tool boxes over the years. None had a silly little shelf. All had either a deep box base or a drawer to hold drill bits and small hand tools without falling out. I inherited most of his tools and use them to this day despite many being over 100 years old now. They may not look pretty but they work well and get the job done.

What an incredible master lesson! I watched the whole thing with pleasure. I love your precision, your process, your humility, and your humor..

“Snipe strips”, new word for sure. Love your videos

Love the stool. Very sturdy looking without being clunky. I was tickled by your many doubleyous pertaining to the Wenge wedges, the Dihydrogen Oxide (H2O), and your mention of Bourbon Moth (another favorite of mine). And yes, I watched to the video all through to the end and thoroughly enjoyed it as I always do. 😊 Please keep doing what you do. Your videos are very informative and enlightening.

Such precision in every aspect of the build! Very impressive! I’ve learned a lot. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

What a LEGACY of woodworking knowledge you are sharing on KZfaq forever. It is good to read your insightful responses to those 'viewers' out there. Yes, you could have edited this down into 10-12 fifteen minute NLC videos; however that's not your way (this time)! The opening lesson on a 'Thicknesses Sled' is AMAZ & it's just the beginning! The self-reflection on placing 'anti-snipe' blocks in front, behind, & inbetween the planks of Mahagony shows you are learning as you work; even at Master Level Carpentry! (Thanks for not editing all of that out & showing your human-side.) I have learned & used so many of your lessons (jig building, avoid sanding with sharp planer knives & scrapers, however: build a set of sanding blocks for when sanding is needed. Keep up the excellent content, encouragement, and verbal shenanigans!

Such a seemingly simple project, but hiding such a wealth of beautiful and complicated joinery. All of this explained in such a way as to make it understandable to us mere mortals. Loved the use of the jigs to easily make the joints etc. A master class taken to the "Next Level" thanks Matt.

Matt, thanks for answering my other question on the Dewalt planer. Just wanted to give you kudos for your channel. I watched this entire video in 2 days. Most impressive. I am a real newbie and I can see the facility of your technique and the masterful thinker behind it. Very inspiring to me. You are providing a wonderful service. Please keep up the good work. And I love your attitude. The inclusion of mistakes, like the kickback of thin stock on the table saw, is a bonus for newbies like me. I used the painters tape trick this morning to save myself from that kind of episode. Zero clearance inserts are on my list.

I'll remember this zero clearance tip in the future. Good Job, Matt Jackson, Master Carpenter. ( I love when my GF rolls her eyes, when referring to you in your 'full title'.) I've taken to referring to other channels in this way, and trust me, they ain't all nearly so 'gracious'.

Matt is like Norm on steroids, been working wood for all my life and every video he puts out I learn 5 or more new tricks or tips. Norm may have retired but Matt easily fills my Saturday / Sunday morning void he left. Thank you sir outstanding work as always, even though you had a little too much fun with the Wenge portion ! Lol

Loved it Matt. Yes I was one of the three who hung in there and watched start to finish. However will watch again to pick up on things I may have missed. At the end I guess you would have been three Levels Up. Just sayin. God Bless and thanks for another fine

Beautiful craftsmanship, I really appreciate your high degree of detailed information and skill. You are a wonderful teacher and example of pride in excellence. Thank You

... finally someone that EXPLAINS the project and not just shows how good he is in executing the cuts and assembly and shows the final project (without even any measurement). Happy Christmas Holidayds!!!

fantastic - it was like sitting down to watch a full length LOTR film... except I didn't fall asleep!

Matt, after that kickback I had to stop and thank you for that great idea, blue tape over the plate. Genius! It will definitely save me one day. Thanks.

I learned a lot watching this (30 years working wood). Particularly, your layout/router jig making strategy is genius!

excellent detail, depth of understanding of material, and thoughtful methods and design. i especially like the way you surfaced the twisted mahogany. it may seem like a long video, but it is not long considering how much detail and methodology is packed into it. two minor design suggestions: 1) consider off-setting the oval top hole toward one edge so that when you carry it the stool's center of gravity stays put, and 2) the relief hole on the legs is ok, but for this level of craftsmanship consider a hyperbolic cosign curve (the shape of a hanging chain) to replace the angled cuts and relief hole. i keep a long lamp pull-chain in my toolbox which i can hang on 1/4" pw, spray paint to create a 'line', then cut for a template. fantastic work. thank you for your many insights and suggestions

You can find the center of the board by ruling corner to corner. I'm really enjoying the detail explanation. Very good video!

I'm still here. Just love the Craftmanship.

Less than 5 minutes in and I have to pause to give this a like. I really appreciate that you explain the "why" part before you do the "how" part.

Your videos are so instructive. I appreciate your thorough explanations and as a new woodworking (couple of years) I enjoy your delivery style and methods. I even just realized your in South Dakota-except I’m in Sioux Falls, so I can’t just come over to meet you-but next time I’m in rapid I’d love to swing by! I am also a fairly new designer and happened to notice you work with sketch up. I’ve been learning on Autocad and Revit, and seeing how you are doing both tied to woodworking is very inspirational. Thank you for all this great content!!!! I🫡 you.

Wow, nice video Matt. Thanks for showing the entire process. Yes it’s a long video but as an amateur the pro tips I saw in the process are very helpful not only in this project but future projects as well.

Great video, cool tips and tricks and a beautiful finished project. Loved the longer video and I hope you do more.

I wasn't able to watch it in one sitting......but watch it to the end I did...AWESOME JOB!👏

I’m a young guy that just discovered my love of woodworking. Your long form video has been immeasurable to teach the trade of your craft. Thank you for your hard work in making these videos and for passing these skills on to the next generation.

Hi Matt. Again you put the Master in Master Class. Long and detailed as your You Tube videos are, I never get bored and are continually amazed at the extrodinary amount of time and effort you put into every one. Thank you so much Matt. kmdc from Oz.

Thanks, Jon Matt, super easy to follow, excellent teaching techniques. Another nerd still watching and learning. Cheers