Raise your hand if you have ever cut what you thought was a perfect crown cope only to find out it was open on the top or bottom? I’m raising my hand, too!
There is a great deal of misunderstanding about how copes work: for many carpenters, pressured by the need to ‘get the job done,’ cope joints are mysterious puzzles they haven’t the time or the patience to solve. But if we understand what makes a coped joint work then every cope can fit perfectly on the first try. Read the full article…
Being able to perform everyday tasks on my jobsites requires a well-balanced tool apron with all the appropriate tools needed. That’s the reason why my CLC (Custom Leather Crafts) tool apron is the most important tool I own. Read the full article…
I recently worked on a video series for Festool in which I covered examples of how you might use a Festool track saw in a shop or on the jobsite. In the following videos, I demonstrate how a track saw produces exceptional results when trimming down doors, how using a track saw can save time and additional steps when back beveling a door, and how a track saw offers a better solution than a table saw for making complex bevel or miter cuts. Read the full article…
I recently worked on a video series for Festool in which I covered examples of how you might use a Festool track saw in a shop or on the jobsite. In the following video, I demonstrate a quick, easy and safe method of ripping plywood sheets down into panels or strips. This technique is well-suited for producing cabinetry components. Read the full article…
When I started to install the WindsorONE fascia on my shop, I learned that WindsorONE recommends using butt joints. Some of us has probably learned the hard way that manufacturer recommendations typically mean the product won’t be under warranty unless those recommendations are followed! Read the full article…
I first heard of the Tectus line of hinges when bidding a project a year ago. I didn’t get the job, but I learned about a new-to-me hinge that is an ideal replacement for the Soss hinges I occasionally had to deal with. I never liked the Soss hinge—there was no forgiveness and no adjustment; you routed while you kept your fingers crossed. Plus, the setback dimensions on a Soss hinge make them difficult to use in many situations. Read the full article…
I recently worked on a video series for Festool in which I covered examples of how you might use a Festool track saw in a shop or on the jobsite. I typically work out of a small garage-based shop, and yet I’m able to process sheet goods in a one-person operation with limited space—something that wouldn’t be nearly as easy with a table saw. Read the full article…
I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of drawers in my shop that are crammed with tools. It’s difficult to find stuff when I need it, and every time I open a drawer, I’m always worried that my sharp tools are banging around, getting dull or chipped. Especially my new lathe tools. Read the full article…
As carpenters, we’ve been known to invest heavily in tools that make our jobs easier and more efficient. When was the last time you saw a fellow framer or trimmer drive more than a few nails by hand? It’s likely been awhile, as most of us are using pneumatic or gas-powered nailers these days. Read the full article…
As a hardwood flooring installer, I have been using wood moisture meters professionally for over 30 years. To use these meters properly, you need to understand some fundamental properties about wood moisture content and how the various meters actually function. Read the full article…
Van racking is basically just trim carpentry with loads of scribes, using elements of North American face frame construction and European box systems of cabinet making. But it’s also an exercise in extreme organization. Getting it right can save you time and energy on the jobsite—both of which lead to increased productivity and profits. Read the full article…
Most of my work is at the high-end of the New England custom home market. For the jobs I do, in Boston brownstones that even today sell for several million dollars, there are no off-the-shelf parts—everything is completely custom, or an exact reproduction of work done in the 18th or 19th centuries. Read the full article…
As a finish carpenter, I have gone through god-knows how many shims in my career, and I have a feeling I’m going to need a few more in the years ahead. Read the full article…
Ever wish you had a work table that could handle all your jobs?
When I first started out over fifteen years ago, I would use anything I could find as a table. I’d lay plywood on the ground, I’d set plywood on wood blocks, and, finally, I grew up enough to use sawhorses. But most of the time my “table” was never big enough for the project I was working on. And it was never efficient. Read the full article…