A while back, I got my hands on a FastCap “Best Fence PRO” miter saw stand and was asked to review it. Instead of doing the usual review after using it only a few times, I put it to the test for almost two years. Read the full article…
A while back, I got my hands on a FastCap “Best Fence PRO” miter saw stand and was asked to review it. Instead of doing the usual review after using it only a few times, I put it to the test for almost two years. Read the full article…
One of my customers needed to keep his new tractor and hardwood slabs dry. He had this old horse barn or stable and wanted to remodel it. Calling the dilapidated pole structure a ‘horse barn’ gives it too much credit: Read the full article…
I designed my new shop to look like an old horse barn, so it would blend in with the rural area of Southern Oregon where I now live. Being from Los Angeles, I went all the way with insulation and energy efficiency when I designed and built the shop. I even put in a radiant slab so my timid feet would stay warm in the cold, cold winters (it gets down in the low 20s here; sometimes even below 20 degrees!). So when it came to the 12-ft. wide x 9-ft. tall roll-up door, in order to get a good R-rating, I knew I had to use an insulated steel door. I found one rated at R-17, but it looked like something you’d see on a commercial building. Read the full article…
Patrick Molzahn, the program director of the Cabinet Making and Millwork Program at Madison Area Technical College (MATC) in Wisconsin, is no stranger to hard work. Hired in 1998, and taking on the lead teaching position by 2000, Molzahn recognized one of those magical moments in life few people are prepared for and fewer are offered—a moment where Patrick could effect a tremendous creative change in an education program, in the students who attend the program, and in his own life, too. Due to his passion and determination, and his interest in “lean” practices, Molzahn turned a bare-bones, one-year program into a much sought-after educational opportunity for students interested in fine woodworking, as a career and a craft. Read the full article…
When I started designing my new shop I thought of all the shops I’ve hated working in and what I wanted to avoid: poor electrical outlets, terrible lighting, inefficient heating (always having cold feet), inefficient cooling (bugs everywhere in the summer because all the doors had to be open)… Read the full article…
“As I live my life, I will view every challenge as an opportunity to: Set goals, Build character, Gain knowledge, Maintain balance, Demonstrate perseverance, Broaden my perspective, and Invest in my community. Through this process, I am being transformed into a Self sufficient, contributing member of society! When I say “Youth”, you say “Build”, YOUTH BUILD! YOUTH BUILD! YOUTH BUILD!”
-YouthBuild Pledge
Now that we’ve explored ledger attachments, let’s look at lateral load requirements, and not on handrail but on the ledger and joist diaphragm.
According to the 2009 code, decks that were supported by attachment to an exterior wall were required Read the full article…
DEAR GLENN: I’ve read many of your articles in JLC and I’ve watched videos on your website, too. You seem to be the go-to guy when it comes to deck construction. Maybe you can help me with my headache! I apologize if my rant is long (see below), but I’m hoping it’ll straighten out the issues for other builders, too. — Scott Wells – Scott Wells Construction Co., Medford, OR Read the full article…
There was a time when tradesmen were some of the most respected citizens in a community. Wheel-wrights, masons, joiners, carpenters—people who worked with their hands—were respected like doctors, lawyers, and accountants are today. Read the full article…
I wanted to build my shop so that it’d be really comfortable to work in. What’s more, I wanted to be sure to build it responsibly. I mean, who knows who will work in my shop when I’m gone? Read the full article…
I got my start in roof framing because I was personally interested in it, and it seemed that there was a lack of local knowledge on the subject. I live in Norway, and almost everything here is trussed. I tried to find some kind of course to take but, as far as I know, there is no course on the subject in Northern Norway, and there are no Norwegian books or DVDs. I had a little experience from my work in the states—on occasion I have helped a friend with roof framing projects, but I was basically just the cut man and far from an expert. Read the full article…
Once I find something that works, I pretty much stay with it. And the system I’ve used for making simple cabinets is still largely the same. I use multiple shaper setups for making cope-and-stick stile-and-rail doors, raising panels, and other high-end cabinetry projects. But in this article I want to focus on basic cabinet construction using a minimal number of tools—tools that most carpenters already own. Read the full article…
For almost fifteen years I’ve been meeting a friend of mine, Ken, on Friday mornings. He’s retired, but he still does a few small jobs. Sometimes he gets one that is a little over the top and asks me to help. Recently, he pulled out a picture of a door and said, “Do you think we could make one of these?” Another builder friend of his had a client who had to have the door, until they found out the price! Read the full article…
Over the years, I’ve done my share of beam work, but I didn’t get a taste of real timber framing until a few years ago, during the recession, when a friend and I salvaged an old barn—there wasn’t much work around and the opportunity presented itself. Even though the barn had outlived its useful days and the roof had failed, most of the timber framing was still stable. And here’s why—joinery. Read the full article…