Turning and Drying Burls
Burls for bowl turning are best turned while green, and then dried. Here's a little detailed info. January 14, 2008

Scribing cabinets and Z clips
Issues of overhang and attachment are discussed. February 19, 2002

Tapering Bow Laminations
Thoughts on how to make tapered laminations for glued-up archery bows, using either simple or advanced equipment. December 28, 2006

Specialty Sawing Vocabulary
A newcomer asks for definitions of terms like "resawing," "ripsaw," and "chopsaw." December 30, 2005

Tiny Bubbles
Are tools or techniqes to blame for the bubbles appearing in this ICA poly? October 20, 2004

Touching Up the Burnt Ends of a Routed Flute
Here's advice on cleaning up the rounded end of a flute if the router leaves burn marks — and on scraper sharpening, and on how to avoid those burn marks to begin with. February 11, 2010

Sharpening Hand Tools with Sandpaper
Chisels and planes take a keen edge using increasing grits of sandpaper glued to glass. Here, pros discuss the fine points of achieving that wicked edge. December 15, 2005

20-foot span for saw shed
What approach should be used for strength and reliability? April 2, 2002


Steam Box Construction Ideas
Here's a handful of ideas for building a simple steam box for steaming and bending wood. December 9, 2010

Submerged Wood for Instrument Making
"Sinker logs" from the Great Lakes turn out to be ideal for making musical instruments. December 15, 2005

Quality Control for Picture Frames
The fine art of woodworking: a discussion of wood choices, moisture control, and other key issues involved in creating picture frames that will be stable in service.June 12, 2014

Tape-Measure Accuracy
Like everything else in life, tape measures are imperfect. But here are a couple of suggestions for improving accuracy. October 11, 2007

Waterborne lacquer and polyurethane
What is the difference? March 23, 2002

Steam-Bending Kiln-Dried Purpleheart
Purpleheart is one of the most difficult woods to bend, especially after it's kiln-dried. But here are some useful tips on how to best do it. September 10, 2007

Why use water-based finish?
With all the problems, why bother? April 17, 2002

Wood Choice for Horse Stalls
Is there any kind of wood that horses won't chew on? July 18, 2008

Steam Bending Leopardwood and Lacewood
An informative thread on steam bending versus lamination of curved pieces, and on the different properties of Leopardwood and Lacewood. April 4, 2011

Steam Bending Alder
Pondering whether to steam-bend alder for a curved shutter frame, a woodworker hears that other woods, or other methods, may meet his needs better. April 21, 2011

Treating Soft Wood to Reduce Tear-Out when Turning
Soaking the piece in a sizing or finish solution can stiffen the material for cleaner turning results. November 27, 2007

Tumble Sanding for Toy Parts
Advice on how to cobble together a tumbling drum arrangement to sand small wooden items. March 12, 2015

Steam Bending Larger Boards
Advice on steam-bending 2x4 stock for a curved roof structure. October 19, 2013

Tree Burls — Causes and Value
Burls from a tree trunk can yield valuable material for custom craft work. Here's some info on what they are and why they appear. June 14, 2014

What's the Best Pencil for Woodworkers
A few jocular comments notwithstanding, this is a serious question for the professional woodworker. December 28, 2014

Treating Burls With Pentacryl
Is pentracryl a proper treatment for burl wood, or are other sealers more suitable? January 6, 2005

Steam Bending Tight Turns
For very short radius bends, you'll have to laminate strips. For more gentle curves, here are a few technical tips. August 30, 2005

Steam Source for a Wood-Bending Setup
Woodworkers discuss the steam supply for a shop-built wood-bending rig. March 28, 2015

Tricks for sanding things smooth
Tried and true techniques for sanding and oil finishing. January 24, 2001

Sharpening Files
You can send files out to be re-sharpened. Lore also says you can sharpen them up yourself by soaking them in battery acid or vinegar. October 28, 2005

Steam-Bending a Pre-Turned Part
Bending wood that has already been turned is difficult, if not impossible. August 6, 2010

Steam Bending Bloodwood
Bloodwood is a tough wood to bend. Bent laminations might be a more practical method. January 20, 2011

Tips for Steam Bending
Advice on a steam-bending setup, and leads for more information. December 8, 2006

Steam-Bending Base Moulding
Is it practical to bend base moulding around a curved island? February 15, 2009

Steam Bending Tips
Expert info on grain, sawing, moisture content, and finishing concerns for steam bending wood. October 2, 2005

Sawing for Wood-Turners
Wood-turners, carvers, and other artists provide a market for figured wood in short lengths or chunks. December 6, 2011

Steam Bending Tips and Tricks
More advice on steam bending wood. October 2, 2005

Veneering Rounded Corners
Methods for smooth application. February 28, 2004

Steam Bending after Gluing?
Gluing boards before bending is not practical, for various reasons. October 13, 2010

Which Grinder for Sharpening Lathe Tools
Sharpening suggestions from satisfied sharpeners. March 28, 2012

Quartersawing for Bows
Whether for archery, a chuck wagon, or a fiddle, bow-making starts with quarter-sawing. October 14, 2006

Sharpening Equipment
A basic description of tool sharpening equipment and its use. November 13, 2008

The Look of Hand-Hewn with Power Tools
A curved power-planer or planer knife can approximate the look, but for the real thing you need the hand tool (an adze). December 15, 2005

Techniques for making tapered rips
Various machine and jig options for producing large quantities of tapered parts are offered . January 9, 2001

Steam-Bending Plywood ...
... does not work. May 15, 2011

Steam-Bending and Laminating
Steam-bending before laminating is a way to reduce or eliminate springback when using thicker strips of wood. November 28, 2006

Working Green Versus Dry Hickory
Yes, it's true: green Hickory or Oak is much easier to work by hand than dried wood. March 13, 2014

Wood Medallion Accuracy Tip
Here's a slick trick for making all the angle cuts work out on a multi-piece medallion. November 28, 2006

The Ten-Cent Router Switch Repair
A woodworker fixes the variable-speed control dial on his DeWalt plunge router by sliding a dime under it. Go figure.January 3, 2012

Outdoor wood furnaces
Experiences with outdoor "water stove" heating systems. March 20, 2001

Honing Your Way to the Perfect Edge
An extensive discussion on chisel and plane iron sharpening walks through the basic and advanced aspects of creating a shaving-sharp edge on your hand tools. May 13, 2013

Math for Helical Stair Parts
Pros find and discuss a formula for figuring helixes (it's a real head-scratcher). April 11, 2005

Electric Moisture Meters
A guide for using portable electric moisture meters on lumber. May 3, 2001

Problem with veneer over MDF
Veneer applied over MDF is splitting and cracking - what could be the cause? March 21, 2002

Oil finish with airless equipment
Technique and tools to achieve excellent results. May 22, 2002

Restoring Historic Windows
How to keep what's good, and make them work. April 11, 2005

Rough lumber dimensions
Understanding basic lumber dimensions and how to calculate board footage. April 20, 2001

Maintaining Sharpening and Honing Stones
Solid advice on selecting and using water stones and oil stones, and about how to keep them clean and flat. November 16, 2010

Faux marbling
Creating a decorative finish to match a marble mantel. November 22, 2003

Oversize End-Grain Butcher Block
Woodworkers kick around the issues raised by a client's proposed DIY project: a 4-foot by 7-foot butcher-block top. October 2, 2007

Housed Versus Butted Stair Stringers
Pros give tips on staircase construction. April 11, 2005

Gluing cherry without glue line
Is glue type, color or amount responsible for prominent glue lines? September 24, 2002

Hand-Sharpening Plane Irons
Woodworkers discuss how to sharpen and "round" a smoothing plane iron. October 28, 2005

Proper nail hole touchup
Using a material to fill holes that will be compatible with the finish. July 9, 2002

Reviving an Old Sharpening Stone
Here's the story of an old, legacy grinding wheel and the difficulties a woodworker encountered while trying to make it work again. January 2, 2012

Joining boards end to end
What's the best way to do it when creating a 20' oak top? April 2, 2002

Re-Fortifying Ancient Wood
Wood can survive for millenia if it's buried under certain conditions. Here's a description of a method for saturating ancient wood with penetrating epoxy under vacuum pressure, to make it strong enough to be workable. October 13, 2005

Pencil Preferences
Craftsmen discuss the pencils they like and where they carry them. November 11, 2005

Hand-Peeling and Hand-Hewing Logs
Hand tools and techniques for de-barking logs and squaring timbers. May 9, 2007

Options for Carving on Cabinet Doors
A cabinetmaker looks for practical ways to make bas-relief carvings on wood cabinet door faces. September 23, 2006

Plywood and Lumber for Boat-Building
Thoughts on suitable wooden boat construction materials, and where to get them. May 23, 2007

In Praise of Old-School Bench Vises
Some simple but clever old iron that still works after many decades. Gotta love it.December 2, 2011

Portable Plunge Cut Saw System
Does this system make sense for use both in the shop and on the job? May 10, 2005

Heavy Butcherblock Countertop
Advice and tips for fabricating an oversize maple butcherblock top for a kitchen island. August 24, 2005

Resawing for Book-Matching on a Bandsaw
Woodworkers discuss blades and setups for resawing lumber for laminations and veneers. November 20, 2005

Problems Cutting Full Bullnose
Cutting a profile in pine stock on a router table. March 14, 2004

Joinery for Decorative Posts and Beams
Advice on tools and methods for mortising big timbers in non-structural situations. February 11, 2010

Radius Corners on HPL Counters
Applying laminate strip without pull-away problems. May 19, 2004

Laminated Gunstocks: Grain Direction Considerations
Strength is gained when the wood grain direction of plies is alternated. Here's a discussion. August 15, 2012

Mother-of-Pearl Inlay
A few tips on laying mother-of-pearl into wood. November 12, 2006

How to Smooth and Flatten a Tablesaw Table
A palm sander will do a decent job of removing scratches, but you can also have the thing professionally ground flat. April 27, 2007

Making Box Beams Look Hand-Hewed
It's hard to duplicate the look of an authentic hand-hewn beam, but here are some suggestions. August 24, 2005

Hogging Out Large Bowls
Ways to speed up the pesky process of removing large quantities of wood from the inside of a bowl before final turning. April 30, 2006

Guitar-Making Information Resources
Where to get started learning about building guitars. December 28, 2006

Finger Joint Telegraphing
Given time, finger joints in lumber will show up through almost any finish. November 12, 2006

Finishing MDF Doors
Urethane-based paint versus pigmented lacquer for paint-grade doors. August 9, 2004

Routing a Curved Edge on Thick Butcher Block
To profile 2.5-inch-thick butcher block, you need to use a template and cut from both sides. September 27, 2008

Finishing aromatic cedar -- don't do it!
Is it possible to finish a cedar ceiling, yet preserve the color and aroma? March 20, 2001

Pin and pinless moisture meters
The pros and cons of pinless and pin-type moisture meters. March 20, 2001

Identifying "Diamond Willow"
Woodweb members recognize the unique shape of "diamond willow." Here's a photo. February 1, 2015

Problems with Franklin polyurethane glue
Ideas for coping with shorter glue drying times caused by humidity. January 24, 2001

End-grain to end-grain gluing
Choosing an appropriate adhesive for end-grain to end-grain glueups. January 25, 2001

Cleaning glue out of edgebander
The tedious process, illustrated. October 30, 2003

Bending Stair Rail in Three Dimensions
Experienced stair rail professionals weigh in on a deep and complex subject — multi-dimensional wood bending — in this long, detailed thread. February 25, 2009

CNC tooling: What's the best?
Solving the problems of worn-out router bits and torn-out melamine. January 3, 2001

Building and Using Your Own Steam-Bending Rig
Turkey fryers and pressure cookers, PVC pipes and plywood boxes — woodworkers show their inventive side in this thread about steam-bending apparati. January 27, 2008

Crown moulding with angled ceiling
Is it possible to take an out-of-kilter ceiling into account? November 22, 2003

Accurate Miters
Tips on achieving good miter joints when working to fine tolerances. October 25, 2006

Accurate Miter Cuts on Very Large Beams
A wide-ranging set of suggestions for making fine miter cuts in 6-inch deep members. July 12, 2012

Bubbles in veneer
Why are bubbles appearing in veneer applied with PVA glue in a bag press? March 21, 2002

Drilling a Hole the Length of a Log
People have actually succeeded at drilling holes in logs the long way. Here, they explain how to do it. December 27, 2006

Curved Staircase and Rail Discussion
The Furniture-Making Forum takes on an architectural question: bending and laminating wood for curved stair projects. July 25, 2005

Attaching Drawer Fronts Efficiently
Quick and simple methods for quality production. April 2, 2004

Drawer construction
High-quality, cost-effective methods of drawer construction, and tips on joinery. March 28, 2001

Bending Mahogany Trim
A furniture-maker gets tips on making tight curves with Magohany. October 2, 2005

Dado processing
Methods and equipment for producing dados. October 30, 2003

Analyzing aniline dye problems
Understanding the complexities of aniline dyes and their application. October 9, 2002

Bending Large Pieces
Experienced hands offer tips on bending a thick piece of cherry for a curved rail. June 12, 2005

Board and Batten Nailing Techniques
Board and batten siding details for good performance. May 16, 2008

Cost Cutting and Productivity Boost for Small Box Production
Outsourcing some lumber profiling for a small custom item could carry a big comparative advantage. April 15, 2012

Chisel Sharpening Setups
Woodworkers discuss jigs and equipment for sharpening chisels. May 13, 2009

Bent Lamination Springback
Advice on limiting springback in a laminated piece with a fairly gentle bend. July 13, 2010

Drawers, from scratch to systems
Materials and methods forum participants are employing in their quest for the perfect drawer. February 14, 2001

Cabinets over outlets and cables
Options for installing over electrical outlets and computer cables. July 9, 2002

Bending Wood: Steam or Heat?
In steam bending, is it the moisture or the heat that makes the wood bendable? The doctor explains, it's both. October 17, 2012

Dehumidification drying of thin stock
Simple drying methods for small, thin stock. (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003

Considering Bifocals
As we age, some of us need bifocals for good close-up and distance vision. In this thread, cabinetmakers who've switched to bifocals discuss the fine points of different types. September 21, 2005

Bullnose Stair Tread Returns
Several ways to get a perfect return. April 14, 2005

Constructing a Round Table Apron
Advice on bending wood in a circle for a round table apron. September 27, 2008

Choosing Wood for a Shop-Made Hand Plane
In the olden days woodworkers made their own planes. You can still do it. Here are some thoughts on the appropriate wood.June 28, 2013

Creating a Hand-Hewn Look on Cabinet Doors
Depending on exactly what you want, there are several ways to get a scooped-out, scalloped, rippled look on a wood surface. October 11, 2007

Dishing Out Chair Seats
Here's a whole slew of ideas for crafting solid wood chair seats. October 17, 2012

Cross-Cut Setups for the Shop
Woodworkers discuss radial-arm saw and sliding miter-saw choices for cross-cutting stock in the shop. May 16, 2008

Bandsaw Blades and Cut Quality
Blade characteristics go a long way toward explaining the smoothness of bandsaw cuts. December 1, 2005

Bending Hickory for a Walking Cane
Thoughts on bending thick wood dowels into cane shapes. October 2, 2010

Choosing Footwear for Shop Use
Army boots? Flip-flops? It's a matter of personal preference, but here are some thoughts and observations. December 6, 2012

Cleaning and Lubricating Router Bits
people sometimes reach for the wrong stuff when trying to loosen up a bearing. August 14, 2007

Chisels for Hand-Cut Dovetails
Woodworkers talk about chisel quality, sharpening, and dovetail joinery. October 28, 2005

Building a Curved Form - for Inside the Bag
Illustrated advice on constructing lamination forms for use in vacuum pressing. June 24, 2002

Creating a Heavy Laminated Furniture Frame
A furniture maker gets tips on wood bending and lamination for a four-by-four curved hammock-chair frame. May 23, 2007

Comparing Low Angle and High Angle Planes
Woodworkers discuss the differences between low angle and high angle planes, and the appropriate uses for each. February 14, 2010

Bending Dowels Permanently
Creating a lasting bend in a wood member requires steam heat. March 26, 2013

Drying Rough-Turned Bowls
Experienced wood-turners discuss how to dry and finish turned bowls without cracking them. August 23, 2005

Cracking veneer
Why are cracks appearing in a veneered mantelpiece a year after construction? March 21, 2002

Antique Lumber: Steam Bend or Laminate?
Upon consideration, a furnituremaker decides to laminate a curved table apron rather than try to steam and bend historic old wood. October 17, 2012

Bending and Laminating Cherry
Quartersawn wood will behave a little better than flatsawn for making a laminated bent piece, but it's not a critical issue. April 21, 2008

Calibrating a Hollow Chisel Mortiser
Careful adjustments to the spacing between the chisels and the bit can prevent overheating, smoking, and chisel breakage. January 3, 2012

Bubbles in topcoat
Causes of air bubbles in the first coat. May 22, 2002

A Lap Joint for Curved Members
Ideas for tools and jigs to dado out for half-lap joinery where two curved pieces meet. December 7, 2007

Crafting a Tongue for a Horse-Drawn Mower
Advice on wood choice and fabrication methods for making old-fashioned wooden farm equipment components. December 31, 2012

Cutting crown moulding laying flat
Calculating angles properly. April 2, 2002

Dust collection system cost
Calculating the cost of a dust collection system for your size shop. March 19, 2001

Drying Bowl Blanks
One woodturner reports success with an alcohol pre-soak method. January 13, 2006

Circle Jigs for Routers
Ideas and photos for router setups for cutting circles of various sizes. August 31, 2010

Drilling Four-Inch Holes
Ways to bore large-diameter holes, and sources for oversize bits. October 26, 2005

Avoiding Iron Stain when Steam-Bending Red Oak
Oak and other high-tannin woods react with water and iron to create black staining. Here's how to prevent it. December 8, 2006

All about glue size
A basic explanation of this product and how to use it. February 13, 2001

Cutting State Outlines from Wood
Ideas for machining complex outlines from solid wood slabs. April 20, 2011

- Wood species
Information on tree species and their uses. March 20, 2001

Vacuum application FAQ
All aspects of vacuum and how it is used by the woodworker. March 18, 2002

Words to Live By
This long thread about quotable sayings generated a long list of pithy quotes you could post up on the wood shop wall. March 21, 2012

Working With Leg Levelers
Revising an installation process to include leg levelers. October 20, 2004

Setting Up Excalibur Slider
Tips and photos for accurate alignment. March 14, 2004

Three-phase motors 101
Three-phase power and converters; explained in layman's terms. June 19, 2003

Woodshop Waste Percentage
How much wood do you waste in the construction of your product? June 21, 2004

Stupid Woodworker Tricks
With a nod toward David Letterman, pros discuss their least-best moments. January 24, 2005

Speeding Up CNC Router Production
Tips on operation, loading and unloading for efficiency. December 26, 2004

Wood Drying Conditions and Musical Instrument Sound Quality
Instrument makers, musicians, and sawing and drying pros discuss whether kiln-dried or air-dried wood affect the way a musical instrument sounds. February 14, 2010

Shop lighting
Best bulbs for brightness and efficiency. February 12, 2003

Test your gluing knowledge
Answer these true-or-false questions to see what you know about adhesives and gluing. 1997

Veneering with contact cement
Is this kosher? October 30, 2002

Wood bleach - what is it really?
How bleach works, plus developing a process to subdue alder grain and flecks. July 22, 2003

When to use waterbornes
Applications where waterborne coatings will and won't work. May 22, 2002

Troubleshooting Glue Joint Performance with Steamed and Bent Wood Glue-Ups
Lots of advice on the fine points of achieving solid glue joints when laminating steamed and bent wood. October 30, 2010

Sink cutouts in post form tops
Woodworkers share their favorite methods. April 3, 2002

Staining and Blending Difficult Woods -- Alder, Birch, Maple, Poplar, and...
A three step coloring technique to achieve rich, dark, even coloring on a variety of wood species - March 16, 2005

Too-tight biscuits
Biscuit joining tricks and techniques. March 23, 2002

Spray Shop Layout
Setting up an efficient spray-finishing area in an expanded shop. December 26, 2004

The Most Important Skills to Learn
An apprentice woodworker asks what he should concentrate on for a career in the trade, and gets a full helping of good advice. October 2, 2005

Wrapping a cone with laminate
How to determine the size, shape, and positioning of cone "skins." April 9, 2003

Scribing in Difficult Situations
Techniques and tactics for problematic scribing. September 9, 2004

To dado or not to dado?
The pros and cons of dadoing melamine cabinet boxes. November 22, 2003

Shop ceiling heights and heating types
Suggestions on minimum ceiling height and more for a new cabinet shop. August 13, 2002

- What makes a cabinet "custom"?
Is there a specific standard that qualifies a cabinet as custom? June 24, 2002

Servo vs. stepper motors
What's the difference, and how does each work? April 17, 2002

Why Build Face Frame?
Reasons the face-frame tradition survives. September 9, 2004

Walnut Butcher Block Countertops
Techniques for creating a beautiful butcher block countertop are shared. May 10, 2005

Thickness of Rough Lumber
Identifying and sawing for specific dimensions. May 19, 2004

Straightening Thin Dowels
A woodworker struggles with a crooked dowel problem in a mass production setting. October 1, 2010

Using Wood in Raised Garden Beds
What kind of wood (if any) is suitable for garden beds? November 28, 2006

Tablesaw blade safety device
Does a new sawblade-stop product really protect your fingers? July 29, 2003

Vacuum Clamping -- Save Time, Save Money!
March 19, 2002

Steambending
How much time to allow based on thickness and proposed radius of wood. September 23, 2003

Steam bending and lamination
Switching from glulam to steam bending of curved furniture parts. July 22, 2003

Slabbing and Drying Big Logs
Preventing cracks in Monterey cypress. April 18, 2004

Straightening Cupped Slabs of Pine
Detailed information and advice on removing cup from wide boards. April 30, 2009

To cleat or not to cleat
Does cleating cabinets save installation time and money? April 3, 2002

Veneered solid-core doors
Ideas for building exterior, teak-faced, slab doors. September 20, 2003

Sanding Hard Maple
A cabinetmaker complains of little swirl marks, and gets advice on sanding (and card scraping) technique. July 21, 2005

Teak Finish on Kitchen Cabinets
Teak may be naturally water resistant, but in a kitchen environment, even this tough lumber needs some help. February 26, 2005

Small parts on P2P
Using a spoilboard to solve problems of no suction with small parts. March 20, 2001

Shop arrangement and setup
Shop owners describe the best and worst aspects of their workspaces. March 21, 2002

Wide-Board Table Top with no Warping
Can it be done? Maybe. February 26, 2005

Where Doors and Panels Meet
How various cabinetmakers deal with the relationsihp between overlay doors and the adjacent edges of finished end panels. January 24, 2005

Structural Concerns for Boat Cabinetry
A proposal for a free-standing entertainment center on a boat sets off a discussion about appropriate technology in nautical cabinetry. July 30, 2007

Stabilizing Wood with Polyethylene Glycol
Advice and explanations about using PEG to prevent shrinkage and cracking in heavy wood disks being dried for a specialty application. July 15, 2014

Template Routing -- with a Vacuum Clamp
March 19, 2002

Switching to metric
A discussion of the 32mm system and its attendant need to convert to metric measure. February 13, 2001

Supporting Overhanging Granite
Building a structurally sound kitchen island. November 22, 2004

Sliding Table Saw Tips
Sliders are a little different for those used to working on a standard table saw. January 24, 2005

Shop-Built Cabinet Lift Photos
Detailed images of a jack designed to help with cabinet installation. December 21, 2008

Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
Shop owners discuss running a single-phase motor using two legs of a three-phase power source. May 28, 2006

Variables in Parametric Programming
Forum participants guide a user through programming customization techniques for an Andi CNC with a Fanuc 18I controller. January 24, 2005

Splitting stiles with pocket screws
Suggestions are offered on how to overcome the problem. July 24, 2002

Straight Lining Rough Lumber
Efficient methods for creating an edge. December 9, 2004

Vertical Siding
Types of siding for "old barn" look. August 9, 2004

Safety and climb cutting
Safety issues involved in climb cutting with a shaper. January 21, 2003

Steam-Bending Hardwood Veneer Strips
A description of the hot-pipe method for bending 1/16-inch veneer strips. February 3, 2011

Vomit-Like Odor of Bacterially Infected Wood
When cabinets or wood smell like vomit, a likely culprit is bacterial infections in the trees the wood was made from. Unfortunately, there is no known fix. April 20, 2008

Sanding face frames properly
The proper tools and techniques to avoid rounding edges. October 30, 2002

Truing-up rough wood
Planers will not remove the bow from rough stock; jointing is required before boards can be properly thicknessed. February 13, 2001

Sloppy-Fitting Biscuits
A primer on what's too loose, too tight, and just right. February 25, 2005

Tapered Stop Flutes
The search for a simple, efficient method. December 26, 2004

Storing Maple in Partially Dried Condition
A woodworker gets advice on the feasibility of maintaining wood at 25% moisture content for use in drying operations. January 8, 2010

Square-trimming face frame stock
Woodworkers share their secrets for getting dead-square cuts on the ends of face frame members.

Webbing type adhesives and veneer
Ar canister spary systems appropriate for use with sheet veneer? September 25, 2002

Wood doc's Q&A
Gene Wengert answers questions on inferior adhesives, end lift and estimated shrinkage. May 4, 2001

Vacuum Dried Red Oak
Achieving quality and color. May 19, 2004

Waxing Equipment Surfaces
Using butcher's wax to make wood move easily across machine tables. April 18, 2004

What's the Easiest Wood to Work ?
Woodworkers rate wood species on machinability, looks, and stainability. December 14, 2005

Working with hickory
How to get around the difficult machining characteristics of hickory. July 24, 2001

Shop-Made Frame Assembly Table
Details on construction, including images. March 14, 2004

Veneer pressing time
Necessary waiting period between hot-pressing and further processing of panels. November 18, 2002

Strange Stories From the Sawmill -- Part 2
Interesting artifacts found embedded in sawlogs. September 9, 2004

To glue or not to glue
Is glue necessary in frame assembly for raised panel doors? January 31, 2001

Speaker Materials that Sound Good
Some quick insights into building speaker cabinets with pleasing acoustic performance. April 17, 2009

Tooth setter
Photos and descriptions of home-built tooth setters for band blades. March 5, 2003

Veneer Thickness for Laminating Curves
Advice on determining the fattest thickness of Oak veneer that can manage a 24-inch radius bend. August 18, 2009

2x4 Base Under Base Cabinets
Constructing ladder bases. December 26, 2004

Steaming of Walnut
Properly done, steaming adds an even dark tint to walnut. But the wrong technique gives unsatisfactory results. October 4, 2007

Whether to Kiln-Dry Wood Before Turning
A woodworker is advised to kiln-dry Osage Orange wood (also referred to as "Hedge") before gluing up blanks for turning bowls. October 19, 2014

Veneering a Guitar Body
Advice on gluing up a guitar body made with an exotic wood core and veneers. June 11, 2014

Training draftsmen for woodworking
Can an engineer learn the nuances of drawing millwork in CAD? March 20, 2001

Upper Cabinet Heights
Suggestions for upper cabinet dimensions in a kitchen with high ceilings. May 10, 2005

Why bother with dust collection?
Good reasons to invest in a dust collection system. March 16, 2001

Shrinkage of Wood Cylinders
Advice on drying wood cylinders with the cores drilled out. December 8, 2012

When to Apply Glaze
Finishers share their procedures. February 26, 2005

Trying to cope
and how to do it. May 15, 2002

Steam bending wood
Information resources on how to steam bend wood. January 24, 2001

-- Architectural Woodworking Forum -- Moisture Effects on Wood (Video)
Wood Doctor Gene Wengert explains in detail about the ways moisture affects wood, in a seven-part YouTube video series. December 31, 2012

Using a moisture meter
How and where to use a moisture meter. November 14, 2001

Selling Basswood to Carvers
Woodcarvers pay good money for Basswood in the right size and condition. February 3, 2011

Sanding Carved Profiles
A small sand-blaster can be used for smoothing intricate carved profiles. September 19, 2009

Estimating Start-Up Costs
A brand new business owner seeks input on projecting first-year expenses. January 6, 2005

Estimating board footage
Most accurate and most accepted methods of figuring BF for lumber. December 17, 2002

Financial Success in Woodworking
Philosophies and turning points on the path to $100K a year. January 6, 2005

Pricing Cabinet Installation Work
Pros discuss their differing approaches to charging for kitchen and bath cabinet installation work. January 24, 2005

Installing crown moulding
Calculations and tools for cutting crown angles. May 17, 2003

Pursuing perfect miters
Methods and equipment for achieving the highest quality. September 20, 2003

Making Code from Sloppy Drawings
The frustrations of messy drawings, and a parallel discussion of CNC theory vs. reality in terms of function. December 9, 2004

Flattening boards with a planer
Methods for planing warped wood flat. September 25, 2002

Equipment needed for one-man startup
Advice on budgeting and buying machinery for a new custom cabinet shop. December 12, 2000

How Did You Get Into Woodworking?
Woodworkers describe how they stumbled into this way of life. October 15, 2009

Nesting Bleeder Board Material
CNC users dissect the options. January 24, 2005

Finishing in-house vs on-site
Is quality compromised when cabinets are finished on the job site? November 22, 2003

Getting Mahogany Flat
Very hard woods with alternating grain patterns sometimes develop waviness when sanded with wide-belt equipment. Here's an extensive discussion of the characteristics of Mahogany, and of ways to approach it using both hand tools and power equipment. November 12, 2005

History of Plywood
Here's an interesting ramble through woodworking history, covering the invention of plywood in ancient Egypt (or before), and some anecdotes about lacquer. October 2, 2007

Kitchen Corner Cabinets
Creative solutions for this awkward space. February 10, 2004

Optimal Joint Method for Making Curved Beams
Woodworkers discuss the best way to fabricate a curved beam, and learn about an interesting historic example of curved laminated timber barn construction. October 19, 2013

How To Spalt Wood
Like making a world-class cheese, spalting wood intentionally is more art than science, and you may waste some raw material learning how. Here's an extended and detailed discussion. May 28, 2008

Regular or dewaxed shellac?
is an appropriate primer coat. May 22, 2002

Finish room heating
Safe systems for keeping you, your finishes and your spray equipment cozy. November 22, 2003

Installing Rollout Shelves
Keeping rollouts clear of the hinges. March 14, 2004

Making Your Own Wood Shakes or Shingles
what's the difference, how long they will last, and more. September 17, 2008

Multimedia Installations -- Hardwoods and Tile, Stone, Marble, Metals and Glass
Complementary materials enhance hardwood installations. December 4, 2001

Filling nail holes in prefinsihed moulding
The installer has shot your custom-milled cherry job full of nail holes. What do you do? September 19, 2001

Flat Panel Cabinet Doors
Using solid wood or veneered MDF for panels. April 18, 2004

Holly and Teak for Boat Decking
This thread answers the question of why Holly and Teak are paired in boat decking (below decks only), and continues with a folkloric and historic discussion of Teak for boatbuilding — including on nuclear submarines.October 19, 2013

Home DH for drying lumber
Home dehumidifiers versus bought kilns for drying wood. September 2, 2002

FOB defined
Origins and meanings of the term "freight on board." (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003

Lumber Insurance
Can a sawyer be held liable for the structural integrity of his wood? February 28, 2004

Keeping cutterhead balance
Number of knives and other factors in cutterhead balance. (From WOODWEB's Solid Wood Machining Forum) March 5, 2003

Moisture content oven tests
Microwave ovens versus drying ovens for MC testing. October 30, 2002

Praise for HVLP
Has HVLP outgrown a bad reputation? Here's why some swear by it. (Finishing Forum) May 19, 2003

How to attach a drawer front
Fine-tuning the attachment of applied drawer fronts. September 25, 2002

Hanging Cabinet Doors
The efficiency of hanging doors before or during install. January 28, 2004

Router Table and Lift
Designs and ideas for a smoothly functioning router workstation. December 9, 2004

Medieval Woodworking, Architecture, Social Power, Space Shuttles, and Hand-Carved Wood Waffle Irons
Excellent adventure or bogus journey? You had to be there. March 20, 2012

Ellipse jig
Making your own jig for ellipse-based arcs. (From WOODWEB's Cabinetmaking Forum) March 5, 2003

Home-built band blade sharpener
Plans and pictures. February 18, 2003

Retractable Casters for Woodshop Workbenches
The market doesn't really supply heavy-duty casters that retract, but here are some ideas for shop-rigged solutions. May 16, 2008

Laying Out, Routing, or Templating an Ellipse
Here are several approaches to cutting a large ellipse: elegant jigs, slick pencil layout tricks, and sources for paper or MDF templates. May 16, 2008

Ripping hardwood straight
Why do ripped pieces come out banana-shaped? July 9, 2002

Exterior door finishes
Products to use for protection from rain. May 22, 2002

Face frame clamping options
Woodworkers discuss their clamping systems and share pictures of what works for them. July 24, 2001

Producing Stable Part Stock
With little time and no system in place, can this shop produce parts that won't move over time? October 20, 2004

Flatsawn to Quartersawn
Cutting both types of lumber. December 17, 2003

Green barn siding
Making board and batten siding from freshly sawn lumber. June 19, 2003

Face Frame Assembly Table
Developing a bench for fast and accurate assembly. March 14, 2004

Exterior glues
Recommendations and opinions about various weather-resistant glues. February 13, 2001

How to make a tenon
Accurately sized tenons without a tenoner. September 25, 2002

Pulling Surface Joints Tight
Links to gadgets that can make this sometmes-frustrating issue a breeze. February 8, 2005

Multiple cut crown molding
Handling such installations with accuracy. April 3, 2002

Rosette Cutting Speed
Drill press RPMs tend to be too slow for great success with machining rosettes, especially in difficult wood. May 21, 2009

Radius countertop edge
Making a radiused wood edge without resorting to segments. January 3, 2003

Increasing moulder knife life
Increasing length of runs between sharpenings. March 21, 2002

Humorous Tool Definitions
Do not read this while drinking, or your beverage may go up your nose and on your keyboard. December 28, 2006

Installing cabinets over tile
Tying kicks to a tile floor, and the complications presented by floor-integrated radiant heating. February 19, 2002

Polyurethane (PUR) adhesives
Basic overview of different PUR glues. September 24, 2002

How do you do it? -- CNC Programming
Programmers share their methods. August 17, 2004

Lamination and Springback
A chair back curvature problem leads to a discussion about predicting and minimizing springback in bent wood laminations. December 6, 2009

Frameless Cabinets With Traditional Look
Achieving quality and style with framless construction. April 4, 2004

Flexboard for architectural panels
Stability and strength of flexboard and similar materials. November 24, 2002

Machining crown moulding
What's the best way to run crown moulding? May 2, 2001

Miterfolds for clean corner joints
A sweet technique for classy corners. November 21, 2003

Passage door construction
Techniques and joinery used in the construction of passage doors. January 3, 2001

Making Interlocking Shelves
Constructing sets of shelves with fitted parts. October 20, 2004

Millwork Touch-up and Repair
A visitor seeks advice on how to get training in the fine art of fixing faults. February 26, 2005

Outfeed Table Plan
Construction ideas for an outfeed table with mounted router. March 14, 2004

Making Curly Maple "Pop"
Finishers share ideas for bringing out the best in this stressed wood. February 26, 2005

Joining cabinets - at a 45 degree angle
Cabinetmakers offer illustrated tips on joining a line of cabinetry which incorporates a 45-degree-angled unit. April 3, 2002

History Snapshot: A World War II Wooden Airplane
A video and discussion of an Australian World War II fighter plane built with wood and glue. February 19, 2013

Face Frame Efficiency
Avoiding bottlenecks in face frame construction. September 20, 2004

Promoting blue stain
How to promote this visual effect in a stack of red pine. March 21, 2002

Gnarly Maple Yields Awesome Figured Burls
A sawmiller and wood turner shows off a highly irregular Norway Maple log and the remarkable figure in the wood it produces. May 13, 2013

Log weight
Locating a chart and doing the calculations. September 2, 2002

Joint Tape "Shadows" -- at Veneer Seams
Why does the area from which tape was removed accept stain differently? March 14, 2004

Eliminating Burn Marks when Routing Flutes
Tips on router techniques to prevent burning at the end of flutes, and on tools and methods for removing burn marks when they do happen. December 28, 2005

Flat Panel Door Material
for the job? February 25, 2005

Routing an Irregular Outline
Woodworkers compare a pin router to a CNC as the device for cutting the outline of a map or other irregular object. February 19, 2013

Gluing dovetails and finger joints
Which adhesive is best for these joints? May 15, 2002

Powderpost beetles in hardwood beams
Is there any way to get rid of powderpost beetles riddling oak beams with holes? November 7, 2001

Finishing Custom Staircase
Tips, tricks, and rituals. February 26, 2005

Minimizing melamine chip-out
Why do specialty melamine blades cut chip-free for so short a time? July 3, 2001

Resawing with a Bandsaw
Fewer teeth makes for a cleaner cut. Here's why. July 28, 2006

Installing refrigerator end panels
The search for better methods. April 3, 2002

Glue Line Failure in Cherry Panels
Are these joint failures due to product or process? May 10, 2005

New shop specs and layout
Electric power and other considerations for a new cabinet shop. April 24, 2002

Raised-Panel Ends on Upper Cabs
Fast and classy construction. March 14, 2004

How I cut a 5-sided beam
Fully illustrated details. October 30, 2002

Getting Your Waterstone Back in Shape
If your waterstone isn’t flat, it can’t deliver a proper edge to your tools. Here's how to fix that. December 18, 2013

Hot Cooking Surface Built Into a Wood Tray
Puzzling over an odd problem: How to put a heated stone or iron cooking surface into a wooden tray for use at a restaurant table. Interesting suggestions here for insulating materials, air spaces, et cetera. January 19, 2012

Finished end panels
How to install pre-finished end panels. April 3, 2002

Osage Orange Uses
Osage Orange is prized for traditional bow-making and other valued uses. April 18, 2009

Regulations for finishing operation
Concerns about building, fire and environmental laws for new shop. March 23, 2002

Jigs for shelf pin holes
Speeding up the drilling process. March 23, 2002

Making Sanding Belts
You can make your own sanding belts with sandpaper and glue, but it's not really worth it. August 23, 2006

Pinned Mortise and Tenon
Orienting the grain in pins on shaker-style doors, according to tradition. December 26, 2004

Making Custom Molds for Storing Objects
Thoughts on two ways to make form-fitting pockets: moldable materials, or CAD/CNC imaging. March 28, 2015

Finish Sanding Hand-Planed Boards -- Without Losing the Look
A woodworker wonders how to efficiently smooth a surface enough to take finish, without ruining the hand-planed texture. February 8, 2005

Passage and entry door construction
Step-by-step descriptions and photos of the process. August 9, 2001

Open Face Booth
Pros and cons. February 26, 2005

Food prep finish
The finish and wood to use (and what not to use) on butcherblock tops. August 29, 2001

External Crosslinkers, Explained
Finishing Chemistry 301 is now in session. February 26, 2005

Hand Hewn Look for New Cabinetry
Achieving an old-fashioned look with antique and contemporary tools. May 10, 2005

RPM calculation
Determining RPM of given size pulley. May 17, 2003

Hand Cream for Woodworkers
Woodworkers recommend remedies for winter shop-chapped hands. February 15, 2009

Laminating Teak Strips
Advice on adhesive choice, wood prep, and springback when laying up curved laminated members from Teak strips. November 3, 2010

Humorous Quotes and Sayings
Wise one-liners worth framing and hanging on the wall. November 5, 2013

Facing frameless melamine cabinets
Facing and finishing melamine carcasses to attain a high-end, traditional look without face frames. April 2, 2002

Glue-ups and growth rings
Does ripping and re-gluing drawer faces reduce cup? June 24, 2001

Planer vs. spiral insert heads -- for planers
Which provides the best finish--a planer type or a spiral insert knife head? January 16, 2001

3d Cnc
Programming 3D work on a CNC. August 26, 2004

Hinge Boring Dust Collection
Custom design of a dust collection system for a hinge boring machine. January 25, 2005

Maple Toners and Finishing
Techniques and options. February 26, 2005

Ironing Plywood
A cabinetmaker has success straightening out bowed plywood with a hot iron. December 28, 2005

MDF for Detailed Concrete Formwork
Advice on building forms using MDF. September 3, 2011

Glue Choices for Veneering a Boat
Whether to use epoxy or other adhesive for veneering on a boat transom which will get wet. April 24, 2009

Rating drawer slides
What does a drawer slide weight rating mean, exactly? February 12, 2001

Radius of an arc
Formulas for determining the radius of an arc, or "eyebrow"

Ostrich Skin Technique
Whack wood with a ball peen hammer, then wet it, and the dimples turn into pimples. Who knew? Only the ancient Chinese — until now. December 31, 2012

Five value-added approaches
Professor Gene Wengert presents ideas on adding value to your wood products. April 2, 2002

Machinery for Making Rosettes
Specialized equipment works better than a standard drill press for cutting rosettes. September 27, 2008

3-phase to single phase
Is it possible to convert 3-phase equipment to single-phase power? March 20, 2001

Jig for beaded faceframes
Photographs of a shop-built jig. June 4, 2003

Low-Acid Wood Species?
All wood and sawdust tends to be acidic, but some varieties are milder than others. August 1, 2011

Poor Adhesion After Edging MDF
Why has the edge come off this MDF? Maybe it's the glue, maybe it's the method... May 10, 2005

Laying Out Ellipses
Spreadsheets, formulas, jigs, or approximation - quick links to all methods. April 11, 2005

Fraction Conversion Chart
This measurement conversion chart shows inch system fractions and decimals with their metric system equivalents. January 3, 2007

Inches to Millimeters Conversion Chart
Oops, missed the moon again. Let's get those units right, boys. January 3, 2007

Home-Built Casket
Description and photo of casket built using water oak. September 24, 2003

Blind woodworker's story
A blind cabinetmaker tells the story of his education and career in woodworking. (From WOODWEB's Cabinetmaking Forum) January 21, 2003

Choosing an HVLP System
Selecting the proper size and quality system for your shop. October 21, 2004

Are Cabinet Makers Carpenters?
Mulling over the dividing line between skilled tradesmen who all build things out of wood — but in different ways. July 20, 2011

Chip-free dovetailing in plywood
Building dovetailed plywood drawers without chipping; European and American approaches. April 24, 2002

Dangers of On-Site Finishing
Health and fire risks that accompany improper ventilation. September 20, 2004

Cutting and drying beveled siding
Producing beveled siding from green lumber, with special attention to the drying process. June 24, 2001

Calculating the weight of lumber
Formulas, detailed instructions and species-specific charts from Professor Gene Wengert. May 3, 2001

Crown Molding Detail -- For Sloped Ceilings
Calculating angles and inside corner details for crown applied to sloped ceilings. April 2, 2004

Drafting Doors in CAD
Methods of drafting doors are discussed, in search of the most efficient. December 26, 2004

Are bone-dry biscuits necessary?
Questions about the dryness and size of biscuits. April 24, 2002

Cabinet construction joinery
Different joinery and construction methods. November 24, 2002

Chordal's Letters Considered by Today's Shop Men
A discussion of a century-old book about shop craft, "Chordal's Letters" by James Waring See, available today as an on-line archive. February 6, 2010

Constructing large passage doors
Using the right materials, glues and assembly methods. September 2, 2002

Drawing Units and Precision
Deciding on the level of precision needed for cabinet and millwork design. October 20, 2004

Better moulder finish quality
Eliminating snipe on mouldings. August 13, 2002

Distressing Wood
Learning how to give new furniture that well-worn look. January 6, 2005

Building Separate Kicks
Different methods of building and installing toekicks. August 7, 2004

Cutting crown flat
Calculating the angles to do it right. October 30, 2003

Crating and shipping products
Advice on finding the most cost-effective and reliable shipping solutions. July 29, 2003

Compound Curves: Circle Applied to a Cylinder
Problem: Create a curved molding shaped like a Frisbee wrapped around a drum. May 23, 2011

Bending and Laminating Ipe for Outdoor Use
Woodworkers share experience and advice about bending and gluing Ipe. February 25, 2009

Applying oil-based polyurethane
Brushing and spraying problems and options. August 25, 2003

Curved cabinet doors
What's the most efficient way to build radius frame-and-panel doors in-house? May 15, 2002

Bending Pressure-Treated Wood
Detailed, authoritative information on the ins and outs of bending pressure-treated wood for curved outdoor decks or garden structures. May 23, 2007

Designing for Large Pocket Doors
Choosing quality hardware for TV entertainment center. March 14, 2004

Calculating moisture content
Using a hygrometer and calculator to determine the MC of kiln samples. September 2, 2002

Bending 3/16 Solid Wood
Methods for bending wood to fit an arch. October 5, 2004

Drawer Construction
Choosing an efficient method over farming out the work. June 4, 2004

Concealing Cleats in Cabinets
Constructing cases to hide cleats. November 3, 2004

Arched raised panel doors
Using jigs to make arched raised panel doors. September 25, 2002

AWI CAD Standard?
If there isn't one already, why not? December 26, 2004

Color matching and grain repair
Learning the necessary skills. (From WOODWEB's Finishing Forum) January 21, 2003

Clamping Equipment
A brief description of the various types of high-volume clamping equipment available today. September 20, 2008

Deleting Blocks and Layers
Why won't these stubborn ACAD elements go away? December 9, 2004

Biscuits Or Butt Joints
High-quality, high-speed cabinet joinery techniques. October 20, 2004

Beaded Face Frame Fabrication
There's more than one way to bead a frame, as this discussion proves. January 24, 2005

Applied wainscot
Creating fake raised panels for the lower portion of walls. April 3, 2002

Base cabinet installation
How to cope with wavy floors. April 3, 2002

Bending Douglas Fir Dry
After asking for advice, a woodworker successfully laminates a curved 5-inch by 7-inch beam on a tight radius by laying up and bending 3/4-inch-thick plies. October 17, 2012

AutoCAD Dimension Lines
Cleaning up extension lines. December 26, 2004

Building a Glue Press
Creating a glue press system in-shop. April 2, 2004

Clamp Cart
Shop-made carriers for clamps. December 26, 2004

Attaching Face Frames to Cabs
Preferred methods of joinery. January 28, 2004

Adding value to old pallets
Examples of how woodworkers have recycled pallets and other old wood into new products. June 5, 2002

Conversion varnish vs. lacquer
The pros and cons of each, including comparison of durability and repair. October 30, 2002

Assembly table
A cabinetmaker shares a photo and description of his shop's assembly table. October 30, 2002

Durable Joints For Crown Molding
The fine points of gluing and pinning crown molding copes and miters. February 25, 2005

Both Sides, Now
Ideas for jigs and fixtures that allow finishing and drying on both sides of the same panel. February 8, 2005

Coped Crown Installation
Coping in an octagonal room. April 18, 2004

Applying Kuhn edging
Methods, glues and clamps to use. April 2, 2002

Dadoing techniques
Using a router to make dados. June 24, 2002

Cabinet Backs and Slide Installation
What other shops are using for back material and it works with back-mounted drawer slides. February 8, 2005

Determining pricing
Finding a balance between fair and greedy pricing. June 5, 2002

Dyes and Wash Coats
Conditioning "naturally blotchy" woods to accept stains and dye uniformly. February 26, 2005

Calculating Radians/Chords
Formulas to help do the figuring. February 28, 2004

Building Arched Toekicks
Descriptions and images of tested techniques. September 9, 2004

Cyanoacrylate adhesive
How does this glue work for gap filling? (From WOODWEB's Finishing Forum) March 23, 2003

Cutting 5-sided timber
Hewing a pentagon-shaped ridge beam on a Wood-Mizer. October 9, 2002

Chip-free cutting of composite panels
Consider these factors when striving for chip-free cuts in composite panels. February 13, 2001

Adapting to No-Line Bifocals
It's hard to adjust when you switch to a new type of eyeglasses. August 29, 2006

A Jig for Producing Shelf Pin Holes
The search for equipment to make drilling holes simple and systematic. May 10, 2005

Decorative Finishes
A few sample images. March 14, 2004

Best Router for Dovetails?
A discussion focused on woodworkers' favorite routers for cutting half-blind dovetails.

Crown moulding on a radius
Upside down, backwards, and bent; lots of ideas for making crown flow sexily around an inside curve.

Angle for arched window casing
Methods for making the calculation. October 30, 2003

Assorted Videos for Millwork Installers and Cabinetmakers
January 25, 2007

Doors for a Wide Entertainment Center
Designing doors to hide an extra-wide TV. May 10, 2005

Applying Nosing to Prefinished Plywood
The search for a satisfactory way to treat the seam where nosing meets plywood. May 10, 2005

Crown Molding With Staggered Cabinets
Making a smooth transition from cabinet to cabinet. July 20, 2004

Cutting Mother of Pearl Inlay
Tips on tools and techniques for working with mother-of-pearl. December 29, 2008

Dovetailing for a hand-cut look
Advice on getting a hand-cut look when dovetailing by machine, and reasons not to do it. June 13, 2001

Calculating Remaining Edgebanding
Formula to determine how much is left on the roll, with a nod to Archimedes. March 14, 2004

Constructing a Foam or Plywood Bending Form
Basic info on building a solid form for gluing up curved laminations. February 14, 2010

Bandsaw and Router Templates and Jigs for Cutting Shapes
Advice on setting up to efficiently and cleanly cut and route multiple copies of the same complex curved shape. December 12, 2008

Capabilities of a Pocket Hole Machine
When drilling a screw hole in a stile, how close to the edge can you get? May 10, 2005

Dovetailing plywood
Successfully dovetailing baltic birch plywood. March 20, 2001

Distressing Techniques to Mimic Driftwood
A woodworker seeks advice for creating the shipwreck look. March 17, 2005

Calculating Springback
Simple formula for determining amount of springback in bent solid wood. April 18, 2004

Cutting board finish
Is there any way to add color to a maple cutting board? January 16, 2002

Carving Machines
Here's a quick introduction to some of the high-tech, high-volume carving and duplication machinery that is now available. September 20, 2008

Curing 32mm hole alignment problems
Improving results achieved with a single-hole line borer. January 24, 2001

Antique Finish for Natural Pine
Finishers share ideas for creating this effect. February 26, 2005

Dimension Tick/Arrow Defaults
Ideas for making arrows the norm, rather than tick marks, in dimension callouts. January 24, 2005

Bandsaw blade tilt
What is it and how can it be measured? December 17, 2002

Applying putty for the long haul
How to fill holes in cherry and keep the colors matched over time. February 13, 2001

Do trees freeze?
The short answer is no; Gene Wengert provides full details. February 13, 2001

Built-up Crown Molding Configuration
Achieving unique looks with standard crown profiles. May 8, 2004

Drying small pieces of wood
Unusual methods for drying wood, including boiling. February 28, 2001

Causes for warpage after planing
Why boards may warp after surfacing. January 16, 2001

Denailing Reclaimed Wood
Tools and techniques for fast denailing of old salvaged lumber. March 9, 2010

Air conditioning for woodworking shops
Keeping your shop comfortable in the hot, sticky summer months. January 16, 2001

Blackening Reaction Between Wood and Metal
Wood tannins react with iron to form black-staining iron tannate; oxalic acid can remove it. November 18, 2006

Cabinet manufacturers' associations
Finding associations, local and larger. January 16, 2002

An Ax to Grind - A Practical Ax Manual
History, maintenance tips, and how-to for that ancient woodworking tool, the axe. December 21, 2009

Determining Wood EMC -- (Equilibrium Moisture Content)
How to calculate and establish EMC. From the Forest Products Laboratory. February 16, 2004

Utilizing Municipal Trees -- Ideas from Across the Country
How municipal tree removals are being utilized for traditional wood products. May 26, 2002

Tile Setters vs. Trim carpenters
On a woodworking site, it's not tough to guess the winner of this battle. But the war of words makes for good reading. February 25, 2005

Techniques for Equalizing and Conditioning Lumber
The Wood Doctor explains how to complete the final two steps in the primary processing uh, process. 1998.

Testing Prospective Employees
... and have some fun along the way. February 8, 2005

Scribing three edges
Templates, tic sticking and more for efficient scribing in difficult situations. September 20, 2003

Sawdust as fuel
Building a sawdust-fired boiler to heat kiln and shop. November 18, 2002

Value added defined
Many definitions and interpretations are offered up. July 29, 2003

Strange stories from the sawmill
Sawyers trade tales of unusual objects discovered in wood, during processingd - June 21, 2000

Starting a cabinet business
Pros give pros and cons involved in starting a new cabinet business

Who Are You? Thumbnail Biographies of Forum Members
Ever wonder who you're interacting with on WOODWEB? In this thread, forum posters give a brief history of their lives in the woodworking trade. June 16, 2014

Woodworking 101: The Basics
and shows how it can affect various production operations. 1998.

Wrinkles in Lacquer
Recoat window? Catalyzation? What could be causing this defect? December 9, 2004

Wood, the environment, and Man
A wide-ranging overview of the state of the primary processing industry, and where it may be going from here. August 10, 2000

Sawing utility poles
Is it safe and practical? Advice from those who've done it. August 25, 2003

Who cuts sink holes?
Is this the responsibility of the cabinetmaker or installer? December 17, 2003

What is heart pine?
History and how heart pine is defined today. October 30, 2003

Selecting CNC Machinery
Choosing a machine to best suit your operation. January 28, 2004

Scribing loose end panels
Woodworkers describe the processes they use. April 3, 2002

Spraying a Washcoat
Achieving a smooth, consistent application. August 26, 2004

Value-added pricing: Why? -- Because you're worth it!
We all fear "those guys in their garages, doing work for cheap." But we really have nothing to fear at all.

Upper cabinet install jig
A sampling of shop-built setups used by the pros. October 16, 2003

Scribe Rails -- Why Not?
Why are custom shops not including scribe material on backs? August 26, 2004

Tales of Lightning Strikes on Trees
Woodweb members tell their stories of lightning strikes. February 15, 2015

Using Waterborne Finishes
How do waterborne finishes measure up, in practical use? September 9, 2004

Was a Teenage Woodworker
Pros encourage a 14-year-old who wants to be in business to go for it. October 3, 2006

Tall Cabinet Calculations For Ceiling Clearance
Formulas for figuring how tall a cabinet will be at its longest point. March 14, 2004

Safe sprayroom setup
Advice on everything from finish type to disposal of hazardous materials. December 17, 2003

WOODPRO - Species Selection Made Easy
A free complete working computer program (that can be downloaded at WOODWEB), allowing woodworkers to select the most suitable wood species for any particular application - 1997

What NOT to expect from your computer -- Unreasonable expectations & wishful thinking
expect as a result of computerization. 1998

WOODnetWork Discussions: Glue
The correct amount of clamping pressure is vital to a strong bond - 1998

Types and Properties of Woodworking Adhesives
The Wood Doctor's dissertation on wood glues, from A to Z. 1998.

Tablesaw blade guards
Choosing the best blade guard/dust collector. April 9, 2003

Titleblock in CAD
How-to instructions for setting up a titleblock for your template. July 24, 2002

Three-phase electricity primer
Pros and cons of three-phase electricity and static and rotary phase converters. November 21, 2000

Tools to choose in setting up shop
Selecting the best makes and models of tools when starting out. October 31, 2000

Wood Handbook -- Wood as an Engineering Material
Information on engineering with wood, properties of wood and designing with wood. September 28, 2002

Searching for a sales rep
Increasing sales by adding the right marketing professional to your team. September 20, 2003

Sailboat masts
A discussion of species and techniques for seasoning wood used for sailboat masts. March 2, 2000

Wainscot with toe kick
Notching and other ideas for integrating a toe kick with wainscot. January 3, 2003

Think before you take the CNC plunge
WOODWEB technical advisor Brian Personett offers some food for thought to those thinking about purchasing CNC equipment. November 15, 2000

Setting up new finishing department
Forum participants chime in on their favorite types of finishing systems, and approaches to establishing a finishing department. April 21, 2000

Should engineers do parts drawings?
Product engineers can draw impressive sketches. But should they be expected to write code? November 15, 2000

Staircase Standards
Standard heights and dimensions for stair parts. January 24, 2005

Static charge on wood
Troubleshooting and resolving static problems on freshly planed boards. October 9, 2002

When is three-phase power -- the right choice?
A primer on three-phase power, and when it's appropriate to make the switch from single-phase. June 14, 2000

Surfacing curly woods
The best machinery and tooling to handle the job. October 9, 2002

Safeguarding Woodworking Machines and Worker Safety
A detailed description of machinery safeguarding techniques - 1984

Wood dust hazards and safety gear
A detailed look at personal safety precautions for those exposed to wood dust.

Shop Drawing Submittals in Metric
When converting to 32mm construction, should all drawings be done in metric as well? April 18, 2004

Wood getting stuck in planer
Some possible causes and solutions to the problem of wet wood getting stuck in a planer. June 14, 2000

Treated pine vs. cedar
The Wood Doctor offers his prognosis for outdoor projects using cedar and treated pine. 1998.

TV cabinets
Designs for large, small and flat screens. April 9, 2003

Shavings for Sale
The always resourceful sawyer crowd discusses the packaging and marketing of wood chips. February 9, 2005

Troubleshooting HSK Spindle Release Issues
Dust and dirt can cause problems with HSK spindles. Here's how to fix them. September 30, 2010

Which software?
Ideas on reasonably priced, comprehensive computer applications for cabinetmakers. February 13, 2001

Veneer buckling
Preventing veneer from expanding and buckling through proper gluing and application methods. November 7, 2000

Three phase generator
Running machinery off of a three-phase generator. September 2, 2002

Understanding Web Statistics
Exposures, impressions, click-throughs and refferals, and how to measure them. April 18, 2003

Setting up a powerfeeder
The care and use of powerfeeders. November 7, 2000

- Spreadsheet Calculation Program -- for Curves, Angles, Compound Miters and Springback
Free downloadable program(s) in both Excel and MS Works, including illustrations that support the formulas.. August 6, 2002

Speedier cutting of toe-kick notches
Techniques for quickening this necessary element of cabinet part machining. July 18, 2000

Starting a woodworking business
Ideas for advertising, books to read and special considerations when starting up your own business. June 24, 2001

Tips for creating spalted maple
Creating spalted lumber by creating the correct conditions. January 4, 2001

Specifying features for leased space
Advice on features to include in a leased production facility. June 6, 2001

Staining MDF
Products and techniques for best results. July 28, 2004

Where cabinets meet sloped floor
How to properly disguise the gap that appears during installation. August 25, 2003

Turning logs on a manual mill
Home-made remedies for tough-to-turn timber. January 16, 2001

Warping and cracking in glued-up pine
To find clues for cracked and warped pine panels, a measure of moisture content is needed before the splitting occurs. 1998.

Smooth-back moulding head set-up
Ideas for setting up an older, smooth-back type moulding head. June 14, 2000

Sawing square timbers
Producing square timbers on the sawmill. November 15, 2000

Tear-out on raised panel corners
Eliminating corner tear-out on raised panel cabinet doors when using CNC equipment. November 7, 2000

Solvent reclaimers and gun washers
Info on automatic spray gun washers and solvent reclaimers. April 20, 2001

Sharpening of band mill blades
A primer on sharpening band-mill blades. March 2, 2000

Softening/flattening burl veneers
Step-by-step instructions. July 22, 2003

Tooling choices for solid surface
Tooling and feed speed info for machining solid surface materials. November 7, 2000

Soundproof Shop
Considering noise reduction when building a shop. February 10, 2004

Strengthening a Wooden Boat Mast
Considerations on using epoxy to reinforce an old mast, and why not to paint it. October 19, 2006

Warpage in bookmatched curly maple?
Warpage should not be anticipated in bookmatched lumber any more than in any other type of glue up. 1998.

Warpage in maple door panels
Despite a careful glue-up, a woodworker gets warpage in door panels. June 14, 2000

Salt pastes and PEG
Polyethylene glycol is high-priced, but the alternatives for stabilizing green wood are few. 1998.

Verifying moisture meters' accuracy
A discussion of ways to verify the accuracy of moisture meters. Includes info on calibration. June 21, 2000

Spots revealed in dry, planed lumber
Dr. Gene attempts to find the causes of discolored spots on dried lumber, revealed only when the stock has been planed. 1998.

Valuing and pricing old lumber
Lumber pricing is like everything else: Whatever the market will bear.

Quartersawn and flatsawn: What's the difference?
Distinguishing between quartersawn and flatsawn lumber. January 16, 2001

Usefulness of Gum Wood
Which variety is this, and what's it good for? February 26, 2005

Whether to Study Advanced Woodworking
Are classes on furnituremaking a good idea for a skilled cabinetmaker? March 28, 2015

Woods for outdoor furniture
A manufacturer of outdoor furniture consults the Wood Doctor for help with choosing a species to replace beech. 1998.

Working with casehardened lumber
Casehardened lumber should be returned to the processor, or planed to the desired thickness; resawing is not an option. 1998.

Sliding table saw basics
General information for first-time users of 'sliders.' 1998.

Water-based lacquer for small shops
Things small shops should consider when switching to water-based lacquers. 1998.

Treating wood worm infestations
How to arrest an infestation of wood worms before they migrate to other furniture. 1998.

Workbench end caps: Bad idea?
Though European workbenches commonly feature caps over the ends of the worktop material, these may hinder natural movement of the wood on this side of the Atlantic.

Wood dust a carcinogen?
The Wood Doctor points to two sources of information on the carcinogenic properties of wood dust. 1998.

Setting the pitch
The why and how of setting the pitch in heart pine. October 15, 2001

The importance of balanced finishes
or in this case, do unto one side of your project what you did to the other. 1998.

Trimming Concrete/Foam Walls
Making trim stick to a nail-unfriendly surface. February 25, 2005

Sawing crotchwood
Obtaining the best figured wood. September 2, 2002

Wood technology Web sites
A short list of Web sites with information about characteristics of given species. 1998.

Why is machined teak blotchy?
If you're not familiar with it, one property of freshly machined teak can take you by surprise. 1998.

Stained oak from supplier
There are solutions for stained, milled, not-yet-dried oak lumber, but first , one must determine the cause of the staining. 1998.

Underwater wood: Worthless?
Generally speaking, submerged lumber is often a total loss. 1998.

Teak Tips
Tips for gluing this oily wood - 1998

Quani?? Konnei??
Description: Konnei, a species from tropical Asia. March 2, 2000

What Is Chip Load?
Average chip thickness vs. knife progression. December 26, 2004

Sawdust buildup in discharge chute
How to remedy pine-tar buildup leading to clogged discharge chutes during sawing. July 26, 2000

Tips for machining pecan
The Wood Doctor offers three things to bear in mind when machining pecan. 1998.

Worms in ash
Are worm holes in just-bought ash a cause for concern? 1998.

Wood-Mizer Custom Cutting Tally Sheet -- and Lumber Contract
September 9, 2004

Tannic acid stains in oak
October 16, 2000

Where to "plug" a moisture meter
How to use moisture meters to assure accurate readings. November 21, 2000

Uses for applewood
Applewood. Huh! (Good God, y'all) What is it gooood for? August 10, 2000

Estimating High-End Cab Installs
An installer seeks tips on estimating his time and pricing his services. February 25, 2005

Estimating BF yields
Some formulas for calculating board foot yields from rough logs. March 1, 2000

Second-growth cypress -- it's just not the same
Second-growth cypress lacks the natural decay resistance of its first-generation counterpart. 1998.

Face frame versus frameless
December 28, 2002

Equipment For New Cabinet Business
Equipment and other advice for a beginning businessman. August 26, 2004

Melamine Carcasses
Can melamine interiors be considered high end? April 18, 2004

Radius Cabinet Job - Project Review
October 27, 2003

Finding Good Finishing Help
Tactics for attracting finishers, perhaps the industry's most difficult "get." December 26, 2004

Methods of 32 mm system layout
Different interpretations on the 32mm system. (Cabinetmaking Forum) March 23, 2003

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 5 -- Excerpts Part 5
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Production Tips, part three
Part three of three from Woodworking International Magazine, offering proven ideas for increasing efficiency in production shops. 1998.

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 6 -- Excerpts Part 6
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Photographing Your Work -- Professional Vs Amateur
Should you hire a professional, or take the photos yourself?

Production Tips, part two
Part two of three from Woodworking International Magazine, offering proven ideas for increasing efficiency in production shops. 1998.

Home-built moulder
Advice on the construction of a moulder, and encouragement to follow an easier path. November 18, 2002

Gluing face frame joints
Is the added glue necessary? August 13, 2002

Partnerships and Other Ways to Share Shop Space
The pros and (mostly) cons of partner-run businesses. October 27, 2009

No-blotch dying
Methods to achieve uniform finishes. March 5, 2003

Increasing production flow
Presenting to a boss the numbers that prove production flow could be improved. (Business Forum) May 17, 2003

Eliminating Wood Problems -- An Industry Review: 10 Ways of Eliminating Wood Problems
Gene Wengert explains why eliminating wood problems begins and ends with monitoring and controlling the moisture content (MC) in wood -March 18, 2000

Installing seamed countertops
Fitting p-lam countertops in the field, due to size and shape. September 23, 2003

Recessed or flush cabinet backs
Which method cabinetmakers find preferable, plus materials and methods used. December 17, 2003

Parametric Drawings
Can parametric design simplify change orders? May 19, 2004

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 1 -- Excerpts Part 1
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Melamine Cabinet Boxes
Can melamine move in as plywood quality degrades? October 5, 2004

Felling trees correctly
Suggested techniques for safe chainsawing. December 17, 2002

Potential of a One-Man Shop
Is it realistic to think a small shop owner can make a decent living? December 9, 2004

New Shop Layout
Efficient shop flow for increased profit. February 28, 2004

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 2 -- Excerpts Part 2
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Lumber: Quantity or Quality?
The debate over speed or grade when sawing for profit. January 29, 2004

Low-tech panel squaring
Methods and machines for squaring that don't involve CNC equipment. April 9, 2003

Moulding on a Curved Wall
Installing trim work along a curved staricase. February 28, 2004

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 4 -- Excerpts Part 4
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Melamine Wall Cabinet Design
Sturdy construction with an unfamiliar material. July 20, 2004

Gluing and clamping pressure
Is clamping necessary, and if so, how much? January 21, 2003

Making Fluted Pilasters
Detailed tips on efficient fluting, including images of a shop-made jig. October 5, 2004

Kick boxes
Building separate kicks for efficient installation. September 20, 2003

Layer Names and Line Defaults
Organizing and simplifying layers in CAD. May 19, 2004

Marketing High-End Cabinets
Cabinetmakers share ideas for attracting big-ticket clients. February 10, 2004

Production Tips, part one
Part one of three from Woodworking International Magazine, offering proven ideas for increasing efficiency in production shops. 1998.

Filling Depressions Exposed by Topcoats
Sprayers share tips for achieving a flat, filled, fine finish. January 25, 2005

Maximizing Lumber from a Log
Can quartersawing produce as much usable lumber as one company claims? January 29, 2004

Radius of Convex Wall
Formulas for calculating this measurement. May 19, 2004

Math Question: Dimensioning Angles
Cabinetmakers chime in on methods for determining the size of an angled plane. February 8, 2005

Radius Shoe Molding
Determining radius of cabinets in order to match molding. July 20, 2004

Rx For Bending Wood
Dr. Gene Wengert offers advice on bending solid lumber in production applications. 1998.

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 3 -- Excerpts Part 3
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Eliminating Scratches in Glaze
Stubborn sanding scratches appear when a piece has been glazed... can this be avoided?January 6, 2005

Floating Bookshelves Without Brackets
Creative ideas for supporting shelves. February 28, 2004

Repairing veneer sand-through
Short of firing the employee, what's the best fix for recurring sand-through in veneer edges? November 15, 2000

Gluing face frames
Is glue alone enough to attach face frames to 3/4-inch plywood cabinets? July 29, 2003

Face-frame joinery techniques
Cabinetmakers discuss various techniques for joining cabinet face frames. October 31, 2000

Glazes and crackles
How to use glazes and crackles to produce dramatic effects. November 21, 2000

Eliminating springback problems
Determining the radius to aim for when creating a curve with vac-laminated plywood. September 23, 2003

Moving to Metric
Tips on making the transition as smooth as possible. September 9, 2004

Hard vs. soft maple
Can these maples be mixed, and what are the differences? January 21, 2002

Log trailers
Bought, homemade and home-improved varieties. October 9, 2002

Glue Joint Failure
Dr. Gene Wengert delves into one of the primary problem areas affecting furniture manufacturers: glue joints. 1998.

Exhaust Fan Size for Spray Booth
How much ventilation is needed? August 17, 2004

New turn on rosettes
Could cutting rosettes on a lathe reduce tearout problems? July 22, 2003

Rubbing Out Conversion Varnish
Can the same method be used as for pre-cat lacquers? January 29, 2004

Mahogany Color Match Conundrum
Cut one stick in two pieces, and the pieces won't match. Whattayagonna do? April 16, 2009

Intentional Spalting
Can you treat logs with fungus and humidity to create spalting on purpose? Some say "yes," but it's more art than science. June 23, 2005

Is Your Meter Running?
The value of the moisture meter when drying of oak lumber. 1998.

How many confirmats?
Determining how many fasteners to use per joint in frameless cabinetry. April 2, 2002

Router Bits for Raised Panels
Horizontal versus vertical bits for cutting raised panels. January 28, 2004

Jarah
and we do mean HARD. 1998.

Explosion-proof spray room lighting
The practical and regulatory aspects of explosion-proof lighting in finishing rooms. July 18, 2000

Installing Separate Toekicks
Methods of attaching separate kicks. January 6, 2005

Rubbing Out Nitro Cell Lacquer
Is there a speedy way to polish a high-gloss finish? December 9, 2004

Raised panel wainscot
Making wainscot onsite. November 24, 2002

Protecting edges of installed cabinets
Protecting newly installed cabinetry from the chaos of continuing construction. November 15, 2000

How did our forebears dry lumber?
How lumber was dried for furniture construction prior to the introduction of kiln drying. November 21, 2000

Hemlock for homebuilding
The virtues and pitfalls of hemlock as a house-framing material. June 20, 2000

Lumber drying for musical instruments
Does the speed of the drying process affect a wood's musical quality?June 21, 2000

Rx For Planer Splits
The five main causes for splits in lumber during roughmill planing. 1998.

Halogen lighting: Passing the temperature test
How high-heat halogen lighting is tested for safety, to ensure it is appropriate for various applications. - 1998

"Light" and "dark" veneer bands
Avoiding the "striped" look in veneered ply. November 18, 2002

Removing Turning Blank Pith
Techniques to prevent cracking from the pith. January 6, 2005

Matching stain to existing work
Techniques for matching the finish of new work to that of the existing cabinets in a cherry kitchen. November 7, 2000

Ripping cabinet-grade plywood -- with a circular saw
Tips and accessories for getting decent cuts with a hand-held power saw. September 26, 2000

Finger Joints: A Few Whys and Wherefores
The Wood Doctor provides his prescription for effective finger joints in solid stock. 1998.

Frameless Cabinet Fastening
Attaching lower cabinet sides to deck. August 7, 2004

Keeping sawblades cool
What to use and how to do it safely. October 24, 2001

Fabric Softener for Steam Bending
Fact or legend? Rumor has it that fabric softener makes steam-bending easier. October 26, 2007

Optimal feed rates for CNC machining
What are the best feed rates for CNC work? October 31, 2000

HVLP + compressor vs. HVLP + turbine
Participants offer their preferences between compressor- and turbine-driven HVLP spray finishing systems. March 13, 2000

Patching damaged veneer
Repairing damaged veneer on the top of a chest of drawers. June 14, 2000

Face frame alignment
Getting good alignment with mortise and tenon joinery in face frames. December 6, 2000

Production ideas for box columns
Joint selection and assembly tips for box-type columns. September 26, 2000

Getting great joints in veneer
A discussion of techniques for getting tight joints in veneered work. June 14, 2000

Routing phenolic paper
A discussion of the best bits and techniques for cutting phenolic paper on a CNC router. November 15, 2000

Planer is tearing-out -- on white oak, but not red
What could be the culprit when a planer is tearing out on one type of oak, but not another? June 14, 2000

Keeping track of blade sharpenings
Comparing notes on noting the service history of sawmill blades. July 4, 2000

Heavy-duty CNC router recommendations
Suggestions choosing for a good-quality CNC router, offering adequate tech support and training. February 28, 2001

Jointing knives of a side-head planer
Choosing and using the proper stone when jointing knives used in a side-head planer. November 7, 2000

Moisture Meter Quality and Price
What makes a good moisture meter? March 3, 2006

Procedures for shop-floor medical emergencies
What to do when a serious accident occurs in the shop. September 26, 2000

Lighting your sawmill
Providing good light for your work on dark days and late nights. February 19, 2002

MC for international shipping
Concerns of moisture content in jobs destined for overseas. November 18, 2002

Pocket-screwed face frames
A time-saving method for frame assembly compared to dowels. 1998.

Health hazards of wood dust
Studies have shown that breathing wood dust can be hazardous to your health. 1998.

Market for persimmon?
Once popular in the manufacture of golf clubs, the demand for persimmon has slowed. March 2, 2000

Keeping lumber flat during drying
Advice from Professor Gene Wengert on drying lumber in order to produce flat, true boards. December 12, 2000

Mortising Large Timbers
Ideas about tools and techniques to efficiently cut lots of big mortises in 5x5 posts. April 9, 2008

Glue failures
Adhesive failure can usually be traced to one of two causes: overly moist wood or defective glue. December 6, 2000

Gang Ripping on a Moulder
Tips for making short work of multiple rips. February 27, 2005

FSV adhesive
How this new glue is used. April 9, 2003

Finishing MDF
How to achieve a smooth finish on MDF, where the sealed face has been removed. November 29, 2000

Regulating generator voltage
Dealing with voltage control and wiring for generators. January 31, 2001

Production laminating -- is hot or cold press faster?
A laminator looks for time-saving pressing techniques. June 14, 2000

Moulding maple versus oak
Why such problematic tearout on one and not the other? September 23, 2003

Faking mahogany
What species are closest to mahogany in grain structure, so, when stained, will look like the real thing? March 20, 2000

Moulding Calculator Spreadsheet Program
A free downloadable Excel spreadsheet that calculates the price per foot to charge for mouldings. December 16, 2000

Machinery setup: Squaring up your saw
How to make sure your saw is cutting square. February 12, 2001

Production sanding of raised-panel profiles
Woodworkers offer tips on sanding a large quantity of raised panel profiles. September 26, 2000

Ridding one's house of powderpost beetles
What to do upon discovering an infestatoin of powderpost beetles. 1998.

Going metric: Pros and cons
Pros and cons of converting to metric measurement in your shop. February 28, 2001

Resawing Reclaimed Heart Pine Timbers
February 27, 2005

Line-boring for adjustable shelves
The full range of options for getting shelf holes in place is reviewed. 1998.

Grinding custom shaper knives
Does it make sense to grind your own shaper knives? June 6, 2001

Production sanding for humidors
There's no 'silver bullet' when it comes to the detail sanding that fine work demands, be it in a one-off or production environment. 1998.

Finished Ends With Separate Kickers
Preferred methods of construction. August 7, 2004

Reversing a Router's Rotation
Woodworkers discuss ways to make a hand-held router spin backwards for special situations. September 17, 2008

Gluing Hard Maple -- Troubleshooting Problems When Gluing Hard Maple
Sharp knives, and adequate wetting are critical when gluing maple - June 18, 1999

Preventing kickback
Diagosing the causes of recurring kickback, and finding cures. 1998.

PUR adhesives
A Q&A on PUR hot melt formulations and their proper use. December 6, 2000

Overcoming sander swirl marks
Why does a random orbit sander leave swirl marks and scratches? January 24, 2001

Gene's value-added hints
A bit of wisdom on adding value to your wood products, from Professor Gene Wengert. April 2, 2002

Mounting cabinets to block walls
Woodworkers share techniques for attaching work to concrete block walls. September 26, 2000

Eucalyptus for furnituremaking
A primer on this native Australian lumber. June 14, 2000

Kiln dried: Better than air dried?
Why kiln-dried lumber is the best option for wood that will eventually 'live' indoors. 1998.

Raised glue lines after curing
A glue line that is raised days after parts are assembled and the glue has cured is a sure sign of wet lumber. 1998.

Making painted desk tops durable
Creating tough surfaces for office furniture. October 31, 2000

Leg levelers vs. notches and plinths
Leg levelers are the way to go, if you're going Euro. 1998.

Embossed mouldings
A discussion of various elements in the manufacture of embossed moulding. June 14, 2000

Moisture content of walnut -- and measuring it
A woodworker seeks information about acceptable moisture contents for walnut used in furniture, and wonders what makes moisture meters tick. 1998.

Gluing veneers
Some tips for gluing down veneer. 1998.

MDF vs. veneer-core plywood
Comparing MDF and particleboard to veneer-core plywood for cabinet manufacturing. 1998.

Raised grain: A pith-side phenomenon
Raised grain tends to appear more on the side of boards which, in the log, faced the pith. Here's why. 1998.

Preserving a cedar deck
Best methods for treating and protecting wood decks from decay. 1998.

Measuring surface roughness
Three methods for measuring surface roughness on dressed lumber. 1998.

Octagonal tapers
Instructions for making octagonal table legs, tapered on all eight sides. June 13, 2001

Repairing a sequenced MDF door
reverse the terminal warp of a sequenced MDF/cherry door. 1998.

Learning the trade
How to approach a woodworking firm about becoming an apprentice. November 7, 2000

Gang rip yields
Determining the factors which influence optimal yields. June 13, 2001

Lumber drying options and efficiencies
The Wood Doctor's favorite references for making decisions among lumber-drying options. 1998.

Hinge-mounting machines
Hinge insertion machines are available for European as well as traditional cabinet hinges. 1998.

Gluing white oak panels
Because of its density, white oak lumber must be machined carefully for panel glue-up, and assembled within an hour of preparation. 1998.

More on blue stain removal
Is there a 100-percent-effective method for removing blue stain from pine? 1998.

Pronouncing Exotic Wood Names
Does "Wenge" rhyme with "Ben-Gay"? Well, that depends on who you ask. November 23, 2012

Jigs for setting planer knives
Accessories for setting planer knives in the cutterhead. June 14, 2000

Machining MDF
Tips for machining MDF. 1998.

Hide glue
Proper mix ratio and storage info. September 24, 2002

Ratios: Relative humidity to moisture content
Common conversions and instruments used in measuring wood moisture content. October 31, 2000

Relative densities of various birches
The Wood Doctor offers resources for information on the relative densities of birch lumbers, and offers an opinion on plastic laminate. 1998.

Ideal relative humidity in woodworking plants
Determining the best relative humidity level for your operation. 1998.

Heat resistant veneer glue
There are glues that will withstand the high temperatures in heat-assisted finishing operations. 1998.

Measuring Moisture: Cross-Grain or Along the Grain?
Different moisture meters are calibrated for different testing orientations. July 29, 2014

Embossing wood blocks
Producing embossed ABC blocks is expensive, unless you're doing a bunch of them. 1998.

Planer Chipping, Flaking, Tearout
Possible causes - and solutions - for a poor surfacing result with ash. February 27, 2005

Fumes escaping from lacquer drums
Options for sealing 55-gallon drums of lacquer to prevent fumes from escaping. 1998.

Recommended finishes for cutting boards
Food-safe finishes for restaurant butcher blocks. December 6, 2000

Moisture meter for veneer
Finding a moisture meter that can accurately "read" veneer. June 14, 2000

"M" particleboard grades
The difference between grades of particleboard is explained. June 14, 2000

Mist-type dust collection
Water-mist dust collection techniques for capturing ultra-fine dust. June 14, 2000

Octagon Columns
Determining the width of staves. January 24, 2005

Lilmited options for blue stain removal
Blue stains in pine can only be removed through planing or heavy bleaching. 1998.

Graduate-Level Information on Woodworking
Ideas on where to find well-researched information about woodworking. 1998.

Rung Remedies
Suggesteed repairs for loose chair rungs - 1998

Cabinetmaker's Responsibilities
Lively conversation about who should handle plumbing, electrical, etc. on kitchen/bath projects. December 9, 2004

AutoCAD Drawings, Step by Step
Efficient development of shop drawings. April 18, 2004

Crown Moulding Expansion/Contraction Problem
Who or what is responsible for gaps appearing at joints after installation? June 4, 2004

Danger in the Woods
Woodworkers should be aware of the reactions some people may have to certain species and take appropriate precautions. August 13, 2005

Appliance Cutouts
Standards, and a lack of, for kitchen appliace cutouts. August 7, 2004

Crowns on Band Wheels
Why do crowns exist, and do they improve band tracking? January 29, 2004

Compressed air delivery system
Appropriate piping for shop air distribution lines. January 15, 2003

Achieving Consistent Copes
Why is it so difficult to cut copes the same every time? October 5, 2004

Advantages of vacuum clamping
Advantages of vacuum clamping over mechanical clamping. June 24, 2002

CAD Drafting Services for the Woodworking Industry
For some comapnies, outsourcing CAD work make sense - 1997

Designing entertainment centers
Important considerations when designing and building multimedia centers. August 25, 2003

Drawers and the Utilization of Space
Why slide-integrated drawer systems are less costly to produce and provide greater space efficiency than traditional drawer construction. 1998.

Building a rotary phase converter
How to build a rotary phase converter. November 29, 2000

Capacitor ratings and installation
Technical information on the installation of capacitors. Rule one: Call an electrician. November 29, 2000

Achieving functional kitchen design
When it comes to the kitchens you build, should you design them yourself or hire an expert? December 6, 2000

CNC pod table
Homemade pods and more. (CNC Forum) March 23, 2003

Antiqued Look for Cabinets
Developing a finish schedule for distressed cabinets. December 26, 2004

Determining left and right hand doors
How do you keep them straight? (From WOODWEB's Architectural Woodworking Forum) March 5, 2003

Converting lines to polylines
Step by step CAD instructions. December 17, 2003

Climb cutting and why not
Climb cutting on a shaper with feeder--safety and procedure issues. September 19, 2001

Creosote-treated timbers: Cut with care
Some wise precuations to take if milling lumber previously treated with creosote. September 21, 2000

Attaching Bookcases to Countertops
Efficient methods from professional cabinetmakers. February 10, 2004

Choosing a moulder
Jointed- vs. non-jointed-head moulders; choosing the right machine for a custom moulding business. November 21, 2000

Components--Not Cabinets
A longtime adherent of the system process of cabinet manufacturing makes his case for componentizing. 1998.

Corner cabinets and out-of-plumb walls
How do you deal with the gaps inevitably caused by less-than-perfect walls? August 25, 2003

Aching Glue Joints
Diagnoses and cures for a variety of problems related to the gluing up of panels in solid lumber. 1998.

Contaminants in High-Gloss Finish
Is dust causing the flaws in this otherwise mirror-shine finish? August 26, 2004

Aging yellow cedar
Attaining the look of naturally aged yellow cedar. September 2, 2002

Creating templates for moulder knives
Thoughts on producing templates for cutting moulder knives. June 14, 2000

Deodorant Fisheyes
Finish flaws caused by personal care products. December 9, 2004

Door Panel Tolerances
Sloppy fit : Is the supplier at fault? August 7, 2004

Certified construction lumber
Laws governing the lumber used in building. December 17, 2002

Comparing sliding and vertical saws
Woodworkers voice their views on the virtues and liabilities of both sliding and vertical saws. November 15, 2000

CNC Routing From PDF
Definition of a tap file, and whether or not PDFs provide precision. August 17, 2004

Bonding veneer to melamine
Bubbling veneer and contact cement. (Cabinetmaking Forum) May 1, 2003

Distinguishing White Oak from Red
Methods for discerning different oak types. May 19, 2004

Airless spray equipment for lacquers?
An in-depth discussion of HVLP and airless equipment and techniques. January 16, 2001

Alignment of Face Frames
The decision on making face frames flush versus leaving a reveal. February 10, 2004

Correcting dowel hole runout
Finding and correcting the cause of dowel hole runout in CNC-machined parts. November 7, 2000

Cherry Color After Aging
When cherry shelves are constructed years apart, how dramatic will the color difference be? May 8, 2004

Consistent curves
How to create a long, accurate curve. May 15, 2002

Drum versus belt sander
Pros and cons of two approaches to surface sanding. October 9, 2002

Dealing with spray booth noise
Protecting your hearing from the deafening roar of spray booth exhaust equipment. November 15, 2000

Cleaning and Deodorizing Urine-Contaminated Wood
Advice on how to handle old lumber wood salvaged from storage, which appears to have been "soiled" by raccoons. 16, 2014

Color "Burnthrough"
Ideas for getting a sanded-through look to enhance the sense that a new piece is anything but. January 25, 2005

Changing Splines to Polylines
Easy AutoCAD tips for a quick change. December 26, 2004

Digitizing board recommendations
Digitizing drawings that are larger than the tablet. July 24, 2002

Alternatives to painted interiors
Woodworkers offer alternatives to painted cabinet interiors. September 6, 2000

All about polyurethane glues
Pros, cons and various applications of polyurethane adhesives. November 7, 2000

Alder as a cherry substitute
Appropriate substitutes for cherry, and how to stain them. November 21, 2000

Cutting "Edge-Installed" Crown
This "stand up" crown requires some adaptations to "normal" installation procedures. February 8, 2005

Adding a Salesperson
The owner of a growing shop mulls adding a salesman and reaches an interesting decision. February 25, 2005

A Jig for Drawing or Cutting Ellipses
This clever but simple jig can be used with a pencil to draw an ellipse, or with a router to cut one. April 18, 2006

Curved Stairway Trim Job
Where chair rail meets moulding. February 28, 2004

Amish mills
Some perspectives on Amish sawmill operations. June 27, 2000

Digital hygrometers
Kiln operators discuss options for measuring conditions in their lumber drying and storage facilities. July 26, 2000

Bending wood -- options
Products and methods for bending wood. March 23, 2002

Bandmill blade guide pressure
Proper set-up techniques for blade guides on bandsaw mills. November 29, 2000

A multi-faceted challenge
An architectural woodworker gets ideas for making a too-wide handrail intersect gracefully with an octagon-shaped newel cap. December 17, 2003

Building a steamer
Homemade steamers for bending wood in your shop. January 21, 2002

Avoiding router tear-out
Eliminating tear-out when routing the edges of stiles. February 13, 2001

Clear face in a log
Clear face, cat face and trim, defined. March 4, 2002

Dry Kiln Information Resources
A list of clubs, organizations, books and publications providing information about drying lumber for use in woodworking. 1998.

Biscuits for face frames
A discussion of using biscuits for assembling cabinet face frames. Pros and cons of biscuits on face frames, and equipment used. November 21, 2000

Determining MC by weight
Tools and techniques for measuring moisture content by weighing lumber cuttings. January 4, 2001

Basic glazing technique
Pictures and descriptions of glazing methods. September 23, 2003

Advice for Ripping Large Logs
How the pros make longitudinal cuts in the field, in order to expedite getting their harvest to the mill. January 25, 2005

Conditioning DH-kiln-dried white oak
July 18, 2000

Don't send a home dehumidifier -- to do a commercial kiln's work
Are domestic dehumidifiers adaptable for use in drying small quantities of lumber? March 12, 2000

Alternating growth rings in panels
The debate between alternating growth rings and matching grain. September 25, 2002

Curved Work - with Form Outside the Bag
Creating vacuum-pressed curved parts with the clamping form outside the vacuum bag. March 10, 2002

Chip-out from a year-old moulder
The moulder had worked perfectly for a year when all of a sudden, chip-out reared its ugly face. June 14, 2000

Cleaning the Kremlin Airmix system
Solvent recycling methods and hose products to help decrease the cost of cleaning and maintaining the Kremlin Airmix system. November 21, 2000

Cutting veneered panels and melamines -- without a scoring blade
Avoiding chipping problems when cutting veneered panels and melamines. January 3, 2001

Books About Historic Lumbering and Sawing
Sawmill forum members recommend some interesting reading about the history of logging and sawmill operations in various regions of North America. April 18, 2015

Buying a forklift
Considerations when purchasing a used forklift. March 28, 2001

Customizing putty to match projects
Achieving the right match: Mixing putty from the jar or from scratch. October 31, 2000

Computer Clinic: Ground Your Equipment!
Protecting computer equipment, and users, from power surges. 1998.

Dye concentrate
Dye stain basics. October 16, 2003

Dedicated vs. power-fed tablesaw ripping
Increasing productivity by upgrading to a straight-line, dedicated saw. August 29, 2001

Cold Weather Gluing
Cold or frozen temperatures affect both the glue and materials and can create problems when gluing - 1998

Door stiles bow after assembly
Possible causes and solutions for door stiles that bow after the door is assembled. September 26, 2000

Color uniformity in bird's-eye maple
Bleaching, tinting and staining to give bird's-eye maple boards a uniform color. December 12, 2000

Door/drawer gaps in Euro-style cabinets
Americans need to apply the looser European standards to door and drawer gaps to avoid frustration when ordering these parts from other manufacturers. October 18, 2000

Blending a Champagne Stain
Matching a popular color using the materials at hand

Countertop delamination
After five years, why is an HPL countertop delaminating? October 2, 2001

Cutting creosoted poles
Advice on cutting (or not cutting) utility poles treated with creosote. June 20, 2000

Computers on shop floor
How to protect computers used on the shop floor from damaging dust. September 26, 2000

Best preparation for bent ash
Dr. Gene advises a fishing-net maker on the best ways to prepare ash for bending into frames for his products. 1998.

Do tropical trees lose their leaves?
The Wood Doctor explains that many species of tropical trees are indeed deciduous. 1998.

Applied mouldings on raised-panel doors
Ideas for applying mouldings to raised panel doors without affecting panel movement. September 26, 2000

Blade Choice for a Compound Miter Saw
A thin-kerf blade with a negative rake is the recommendation. October 15, 2009

Cypress board and batten siding
It's better to kiln dry that cypress before siding your house with it than to let air-drying suffice. 1998.

A PEG primer
Some general information on this green-wood treatment. 1998.

Boosting voltage with a transformer
Guidelines for increasing voltage through the use of a transformer. January 31, 2001

Best stain for cherry?
Recommendations from visitors on the best processes and products for staining cherry. March 28, 2000

A finish for outdoor furniture
A brief look at finish options for outdoor furniture. March 22, 2000

Calculating longitudinal shrinkage
There's no firm factor for calculating longitudinal shrinkage in maple, but here's a place to begin. 1998.

Angle for Coping Crown Molding
Looking for the magic number. December 26, 2004

Alternatives to dado cabinet construction
John Elvrum offers a practical approach to identifying viable, mechanical alternatives to traditional dado joinery of cabinet boxes. 1998.

Dowel drilling and use guidelines
A quick guide to dowel clearances and practices, including drilling depth, diameter-to-edge ratios, and dowel selection. 1998.

Creating skateboard blanks -- with compound curves
Ideas for gluing up 'longboard' blanks for skateboards. 1998.

Biscuits for edge-gluing solid stock?
and solution. July 18, 2000

Birch for outdoor tool handles?
White birch's comparative weakness renders it a poor choice for handles on tools that must sustain high impacts. 1998.

Chemically "aging" cherry
Tips and cautions for using chemicals to quickly achieve the richer colors certain woods attain with age. 1998.

Crown moulding: Calculating miters
How to calculate the correct mitering angles in crown moulding installation. November 29, 2000

A facility for storing kilned lumber
What's a good facility for storing kilned lumber without raising its moisture content? May 6, 2000

Drying small pieces in microwave
You can dry lumber in a microwave oven, under certain conditions. 1998.

Cutting crown for cathedral ceilings
Tricks for installing crown moulding in rooms with cathedral ceilings. June 14, 2000

Controlled spalting
Is it possible to control spalting to produce unique turning stock? June 20, 2000

Cutting a spiral groove
Suggestions on how to cut a clean spiral groove. June 13, 2001

Confirmat screw spacing
Spacing guidelines for Confirmat screws in the assembly of particleboard cases. January 16, 2001

Darkening wood with steam
Saturated steam can be an effective way to darken some species of wood, while still green. 1998.

Choosing tooling for MDF moulding
Using carbide tooling on MDF in planer/moulder machines. November 21, 2000

Can You Undo Glue?
The success if undoing glue joints depends onthe type of glue -1998

"Crying" Spanish cedar veneer
Cleaning up and fabricating "crying" Spanish cedar veneer. June 14, 2000

A brief history of wood glues
Is there a difference between white and yellow wood glues? 1998.

Are templates best for this job?
Using a template to repeat patterns on veneering project. June 14, 2000

Drying South American hardwoods
Dr. Gene Wengert provides a resource for information on drying tropical hardwoods. 1998.

Basic lumber grades
An overview of NHLA grades. October 15, 2001

Borer holes in oak timbers
Which creepy-crawlies caused those holes in structural members of an oak timber-frame building? January 16, 2001

Delta 12.5-inch planer
Participants discuss the performance of the DeWalt 12.5-inch planer. April 9, 2000

A source for submerged wood
A supplier for lumber cut from submerged logs is provided.

Discoloration in steamed beech
Tracing the source of discoloration as a result of beech steaming. 1998.

Dark liquid from walnut: Toxic?
The Wood Doctor says: Stay away from this stuff! 1998.

Bending gun stocks
Advice on bending lumber in general and gun stocks in particular.1998.

Clickable Tree Species Map
Locate tree species by hardiness zone, state or province. December 18, 2002

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