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Wooden Miter Saw Stand

Operating a miter saw doesn't have to be tedious and frustrating.

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How to Build a Storage Box

Making your own tool storage solutions.

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Super Wicked Awesome Cabinet Jacks

I've hung cabinets a lot of different ways. It was only recently that I found a system I liked.

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Why Hand Tools (Still) Matter

Sometimes the fastest method is the oldest.

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Carpenters of Steel

Earthquake Defense mechanical connections require a lot of planning.

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Miter Saw Tune-Up

Here's how to get your saw singing on pitch again!

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SawGear -- A First Look

Are electronics the future of carpentry?

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Homemade MiterTite Joinery

A follow-up to the Curtis Mitertite article by Dave Parker.

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Shop Kitchen

David Collins renovates the Collins Tool Company shop kitchen.

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A Home For Haiti

As rebuilding takes shape, many issues need to be addressed.

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Restore Those Old Windows

We're seeing a resurgence of interest in window restoration.

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Understanding Moisture Content and Wood Movement

Expected movement can be accurately predicted.

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Read the Archives
Issue 5
Issue 5

Letter from the Publisher

Moisture Content

Ramps for the Handicapped

Moisture Meters

Pin type Moisture Meters

Issue 4
Issue 4

Book Review: Shop Class as Soulcraft

Sketchup for Finish Carpenters

When Special Orders Go Bad

Carving a Volute

Making Money on Built-ins

Photographing Your Work

Top Dog

Issue 3
Issue 3

Drawing A Volute

Dewalt Table Saw

Raising Gable Walls

Carving a Volute

Carving a Canoe Paddle

Wood Turner

Top Dog

Issue 2
Issue 2

The Misused & Confused Chair Rail

Bosch Angle Finder

Miter Saw Tune up

Building a Chippendale

DeWalt Saw

Multi-Tasking Tools

Top Dog

Issue 1
Issue 1

Terminating Versus Supporting Moldings

New & Cool

Story Poles for Stairs

Carving a Volute

Not so Big

Tools in Use

Tool Box

Understanding Moisture Content and Wood Movement

by Carl Hagstrom on September 3, 2010

(with Gene Wengert, The Wood Doctor.)

Expected movement can be accurately predicted, which means avoiding potential problems down the road.

In this article, we’ll explain the importance of understanding wood movement, how to use a moisture meter to measure the moisture content (MC) of trim, how to decide when a load of trim should be rejected, and how to accurately estimate how much trim will move after it’s installed. Read the full article…

Following the Signs

by David Getts on August 27, 2010

How do you respond when your integrity and patience are challenged?

Are you far enough along in life to have figured out that the best lessons are learned when convictions and integrity are tested?

If right and wrong could just be learned in the safe environment of the classroom, it would be so much simpler. True learning, however, occurs in the real world, often from the unexpected. Things that take us by surprise force our brains to react without a formulated plan or opinion. This kind of situation tests how strong you are. Hence the need to know beforehand what your personal convictions are, so when tested, good reasoning and integrity retain the upper hand. Read the full article…

Review: Katz Roadshow in Bellingham

by Wesley Bevan on August 26, 2010

On the only cold, rainy day of the month so far, I made the trip “across the line” to Bellingham, Washington to attend a Katz Roadshow event at a local builder supply store, Builder’s Alliance. I spent the better part of the day in an outdoor makeshift meeting room, surrounded by lifts of plywood and lumber stacked twenty feet high. It was cold, but we were covered and somewhat protected from the wind—you see, I had my Kilt on, and that meant bare legs, brrrr. Fortunately, the show more than made up for the chilly weather. Read the full article…

Restore Those Old Windows

by Dixon Kerr on August 20, 2010

After having worked exclusively on the restoration and repair of older wooden window sash for a number of years, I am pleased to see a resurgence of interest in window restoration, as well as discussion of the merits of original versus replacement windows. Read the full article…

A Home For Haiti

by Gary Goldblum on August 20, 2010

There is a 99% chance that if you live in Los Angeles, your wood frame home survived the 1994 Northridge earthquake. It was a magnitude 6.7 event, caused $20 billion in damage, and seventy-two deaths. The damage to homes was primarily stucco cracks at door and window openings, and un-reinforced masonry chimney failures. There was a surge in demand for foundation bolting and bracing after the earthquake, but even before building codes accounted for seismic events, our wood frame homes were both strong and flexible; two characteristics that are essential to surviving a temblor. Read the full article…

Shop Kitchen

by David Collins on August 13, 2010

About twenty years ago, I got some rough cherry boards from Grandpa’s garage attic. He had cut down a cherry tree in his yard back in the 1930s, sawed it into boards, and put it up in the attic to dry. It sat in my barn for more than 10 years before I could figure out what to do with it.

A few years ago, I decided that it was time to renovate the Collins Tool Company shop kitchen—make a nice place where we could fix lunches, and also demonstrate our tools. I didn’t have enough of the cherry to build boxes, and I didn’t want to buy a bunch of expensive plywood, so I decided to use it for the kitchen project. Read the full article…

Homemade MiterTite Joinery

by Svend Peulicke on August 6, 2010

This is a follow-up to the Curtis Mitertite article by Dave Parker, and an attempt to answer the question about the feasibility of making this joint in the field. I previously posted some comments to Dave’s article and uploaded some photos of a prototype jig that I made with the resulting joint. This is a more detailed account of what I think a setup should be, taking into account the problems encountered with the prototype, and also addressing the need for different size casings. Read the full article…

Acme Tools Dream Shop Giveaway

by Tristan Katz on August 5, 2010

Sweepstakes sure are common these days. And what a great opportunity for builders and carpenters with tighter budgets! Take advantage. Who knows, maybe you’ll win this one! For more information, read this Acme Tools press release: Read the full article…

SawGear – A First Look

by Gary Katz on July 30, 2010

Are electronics the future of carpentry?

In the early spring, I was up in Oregon straightening out my fly line—sometimes that takes a week or more, if you know what I mean. While I was up there, Brandon Vaughn from SawGear invited me to his office for a peek at their new automatic length measuring tool. Read the full article…

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