Sawing utility poles Is it safe and practical? Advice from those who've done it. August 25, 2003
What Does "Old Growth" Mean The sawing and drying forum discusses what "old growth" means when used to describe lumber, and what qualities "old growth" wood may or may not have. May 14, 2006
The "Sustainable" Chain of Custody How can a small shop get certification that its wood is sustainably produced, all the way back to the source? June 30, 2009
Quality of Cherry Lumber Cabinetmakers discuss cherry quality, grading standards, and the market. August 17, 2006
Why Does Plywood Warp? An extended technical and practical discussion of dimensional instability in plywood panels. January 20, 2010
Wood Choice for Reproduction Windows Spanish Cedar, White Oak, and Cypress are options that come to mind for a durable exterior application. and January 23, 2014
Types of Mahogany Here's a little in-depth info about the various wood species that are labeled "Mahogany." March 13, 2014
Straightening Thin Dowels A woodworker struggles with a crooked dowel problem in a mass production setting. October 1, 2010
Wood Identification Puzzle Once again, the wood detectives try to identify some boards from pictures. Elm, Hickory, and Ash are the likely suspects. February 15, 2009
"Water Oak" Versus "Pin Oak" Locally common names for Oak varieties can cause confusion. Here's a discussion of some Oak tree varieties and some information on their characteristics. February 9, 2008
Sawing "Select" Graded Lumber from Tie Logs A discussion of grading standards for "select" hardwood lumber, and whether it's a good buy as byproduct from sawing railroad ties. February 4, 2011
Storing Wood in a Subtropical Climate Thoughts on how to keep air-dried lumber sawn on site from decaying while stored for a season or two — in Nicaragua June 22, 2012
Yield Loss in Ripped-One-Edge Lumber A woodworker who has ordered a delivery of random length and width wood ripped on one edge and surfaced on two sides wants to know how much wood he can really expect to get. April 27, 2007
Straight line rip lumber Is the added time and waste worth what customers will pay? September 23, 2003
Worm Holes and Lumber Grading Bug holes aren't a lumber defect in everybody's eyes — it all depends on your market. Here's some info about how grading standards account for insect damage. December 9, 2010
Sapwood and heartwood Questions on sapwood and heartwood of pecan and hickory, and how-to instructions for quartersawing. April 4, 2001
White Pine for Stick Framing A few facts about the standards relating to the use of White Pine as house framing lumber. November 3, 2010
Wood I.D. Puzzle Another guessing game about wood species — this time, a hurricane-downed log from south Texas. April 18, 2009
What the Heck is "Honduran Black Walnut"? Woodweb pros discuss the opportunities, risks, and unknowns inherent in buying lumber from foreign sources at arm's length. September 7, 2013
"Shop-Dried" Versus "Air-Dried" Lumber A discussion of the quality and value of hardwoods that have been stacked and dried in a dry indoor area, but not in a kiln. March 26, 2013
Ways to Estimate or Calculate Board Feet Rule of thumb gets you pretty close, and even methods involving careful measurement are susceptible to basic arithmetic errors. January 11, 2007
Working with Ash Beautiful and easy to work, ash also ages well. Fans discuss ash and its virtues in this thread from the Architectural Woodworking forum. November 9, 2005
Will Stacked Lumber Gain or Lose Moisture? Lumber in storage may gain or lose moisture, but very slowly. Wrapping the pile in plastic will slow or stop the moisture change. March 29, 2006
Uses for Yellow Poplar Yellow Poplar makes excellent paint-grade cabinetry and trim, and can even be stained to resemble Cherry. April 27, 2007
Sunlight and a Cherry Entry Door Cherry is a problematic wood for any exterior use, because it is known to first darken, then bleach, from exposure to sunlight. April 24, 2006
Working with Ebony Ebony is a difficult material to source, and quality varies. January 20, 2011
Sourcing Knotty Cherry Lumber A discussion of knots, character, grading standards, and how to find Cherry that looks interesting. August 31, 2010
Working with hickory How to get around the difficult machining characteristics of hickory. July 24, 2001
Worm Holes in Mahogany Worm holes aren't always considered as a defect in Mahogany, but they do leave you wondering whether the critters will come back. July 30, 2007
Substitutes for Mahogany Veneer Maple and birch have different grain structure from mahogany, but some sustainably harvested tropical species may come closer. May 28, 2006
Telling Hard and Soft Maple Apart The two types of maple have different densities and different end grain appearance. There's also a chemical test. December 6, 2006
Treated Cypress Options A discussion of surface coatings, preservative treatments, and natural decay resistance of Cypress used for outdoor shutters. July 12, 2008
Wood Identification Tips Chemical tests don't work for most species, and identifying by eye takes practice. October 8, 2005
Uses for Basswood Basswood is a little soft for use as trim, but excellent for carving. March 18, 2006
Slippery kiln-dried wood What could make dried wood so slippery that it is difficult to machine? August 12, 2001
Will Ocean Shipping Damage Teak? A sawmiller worries that a load of teak he has ordered from a South American supplier may suffer mold damage en route. The feedback indicates he should relax. December 1, 2005
Straightening Old Bowed Floor Joists Overloaded wood deforms over time (it's called "creep"). There's no quick way to reverse the process. December 1, 2005
What is "fuming"? Explanations of the process of fuming wood for color. April 11, 2001
Qualities and Uses for Sweet Gum A small sawmiller sees his first load of Gum wood, and gets advice about its value and how to handle it. June 22, 2005
Hardwood Supply and Quality The U.S. has large and growing stocks of high-quality hardwood timber, and a limitless supply of ungraded rhetoric. August 8, 2006
Ordering by the Board Foot Clearing up the confusion about lumber quantities and unit conversions. April 14, 2005
Is Kiln Drying to 7% Worth It? Why kiln dry wood to 7% moisture content when it will gain moisture in storage? Here's an informative thread about proper drying targets and storage based on the intended end use of the lumber. December 31, 2013
Mahogany Versus Sapele for an Outdoor Structure A long discussion about different flavors of Mahogany, their sources and qualities, and how they compare with Sapele for durability and quality. March 26, 2010
Log scale and overrun Different types of scales, formulas and methods of figuring overrun. January 28, 2002
Mixing African and Honduras Mahogany A long discussion of the woodworking characteristics of various Mahogany types and substitutes, and the practicality of combining different woods in a single door. June 29, 2008
Hiring a timber consultant When selling your woodlot, who should you enlist for help with all the choices you'll need to make? August 12, 2001
Problems with Chinese Plywood Cabinetmakers report widespread quality and performance problems with hardwood plywood imported from China. May 22, 2007
Locust for Window Sashes? Locust is durable and rot-resistant, but it's not stable or easy to machine — so probably not the best choice for window parts. January 23, 2014
Maximizing Lumber from a Log Can quartersawing produce as much usable lumber as one company claims? January 29, 2004
Plywood Quality Issues An in-depth discussion of quality concerns regarding hardwood plywood, with details on the way various plywood flavors are put together. December 30, 2005
Pecan vs. Hickory A wealth of information on these two very closely related wood species. July 5, 2006
Relating Lumber Grade Selection to End Use Which grade you should buy depends on what you're making. If you're willing to trim, cut, and select, a lower grade may serve your needs well. February 19, 2013
Poplar Siding Advice on using locally sawn Poplar as siding for a house addition. February 14, 2010
Green barn siding Making board and batten siding from freshly sawn lumber. June 19, 2003
Picket Fence Lumber Selection A discussion comparing the pros and cons of treated wood, second growth Cedar, and other wood species for use in a fence. December 1, 2010
Hard vs. soft maple Can these maples be mixed, and what are the differences? January 21, 2002
How to move logs Creative and practical ways of loading, unloading and transporting logs. Illustrated. (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003
Guess the Wood Another wood identification mystery leaves the Woodweb forum guessing. What species is this highly figured, iridescent, almost glowing orange/yellow burl in a unique table. April 20, 2011
Recognizing a Big-Leaf Maple Burl This big burl, received as a gift, is identified as the western species Big-Leaf Maple by woodworkers familiar with that wood. December 23, 2014
Re-Drying Wood from Outdoor Storage Advice on how to best restore wood to useability after it has been left partially exposed to weather in a shed. January 18, 2011
Powderpost Beetles in Furniture Pinholes and powder are a dead giveaway of a beetle infestation. Here are some facts about the bugs and how to handle them. February 19, 2006
Long-Term Storage of Air-Dried Lumber Air-dried lumber left in drying stacks for long periods without kiln-drying is at high risk for insect damage and spoilage. June 18, 2010
Keeping Plywood Flat Pros discuss causes, cures, and prevention of warping in plywood. July 9, 2005
Moisture Content of Western Red Cedar A stable wood that is typically serves exterior uses, Western Red Cedar is usually delivered at about 12% moisture content. But you can find it drier than that. July 28, 2006
Parenchyma Cell Rings and Wood Grain Info about parynchyma cell rings, a structure similar to growth rings that can affect the appearance of sawn lumber. October 1, 2009
Is Tropical Wood Quality Slipping? Writing a detailed spec for the desired quality can help you get the lumber quality you need. October 14, 2009
Mahogany Supply and Varieties More info on what "Mahogany" really means, and information on the availability of various types. April 6, 2007
Powder Post Beetles in Plywood Amazingly, the bugs are not killed by plywood manufacturing methods, and can lurk inside plywood for years. October 27, 2011
Pecan Versus Hickory Wood What's the difference? The tree species are from related groups, and the wood is often considered interchangeable. April 24, 2006
Osage Orange Uses Osage Orange is prized for traditional bow-making and other valued uses. April 18, 2009
Evaluating a Shed Full of Boards Advice on a sensible cash offer for a load of Oak that has been in dry storage for 16 years. April 24, 2014
Protecting Fresh Wood from Bugs Chemical means have drawbacks and are not very effective. So good drying and careful hygeine in the the yard are your best methods for keeping wood bug-free. April 20, 2011
Identifying a Burl Several votes for Bigleaf Maple, and one for Buckeye, in this show-and-tell of an interesting burl destined to become a tabletop. October 19, 2013
It's Not Cherry — What Is It? Experts try to identify a log that was purchased as Cherry, but is really something else. October 29, 2008
Moisture content for exterior doors Determining the appropriate MC for lumber that will be exposed to vastly different humidity levels. November 14, 2001
"False Acacia" (a.k.a. Black Locust) Black Locust is known in Europe as "False Acacia." Here's some info about the species and the lumber. October 15, 2010
"Mahogany" — One Name, Many Species Here's a rundown on the official species names of the many different trees whose wood is sold as "mahogany".March 29, 2006
Harmful saw dust Steering clear of cedar dust, and what could happen if you don't. January 16, 2001
Identifying Old Pine Planks The Woodweb crew checks out some photos of what is probably Southern Yellow Pine, and possibly Longleaf Pine. September 6, 2010
Identifying Pignut Hickory Forum members identify Pignut Hickory by looking at photos of the leaves, stems, and bark. November 28, 2014
Facts about Tulip Wood Most "Tulip" is a variety of Poplar, and it can have interesting traits. October 2, 2005
A Butt Log Identification Puzzle Are these logs American Beechnut, Red Elm, Butternut, or what? In this long and detailed thread, sawmillers discuss the characteristics that could be clues. November 16, 2011
Black locust uses The best uses of black locust, then and now. January 4, 2001
Analyzing Wood Species, Grain, and Sawing Methods Here's a long and complex (but very informative) thread that starts off with a wood identification problem, moves into a discussion of wood pore structure, and then takes off on an interesting tangent about quartersawing, flatsawing, and other methods for piecing out a log. March 22, 2013
American Chestnut Log Identification The Woodweb detective team tries to determine if one of the group has found a large American Chestnut log in a firewood pile. March 9, 2010
Dealing with Bowed or Warped Plywood Warped, bowed, cupped, twisted — these days, plywood seem to lie every which way but flat. Here's a long and somewhat technical discussion of what makes plywood deform, and what can be done about it. December 28, 2005
Crack Prevention and Repair for a Large Wood Turning Here's a long, thoughtful technical discussion of humidity conditions, wood cracking, prevention, and fixes, focused around the case of a very large wood turning that has developed hairline cracks. January 20, 2011
Confusing Lumber Term: "Sap and Better?" Experts and wood buyers and sellers discuss the meaning of some obscure lumber grading terms — such as "Sap/BTR" for white-wood Maple. April 20, 2011
De-Nailing Salvaged Antique Floor Joists There's no magic bullet for pulling hard old cut nails from antique hardwood floor joists — but there are lots of techniques. February 14, 2010
Cutting crotch wood Details on the right equipment and techniques to get the job done. March 4, 2002
"Cherry-Picking" Lumber Is it right to select the pieces you like from a stack of boards and leave the rest for the next person? July 24, 2006
Aging yellow cedar Attaining the look of naturally aged yellow cedar. September 2, 2002
Air-Drying Big Timbers Over Long Time If you plan to air-dry posts and beams for a period of years, here's advice on stickering, sawing over-size, end-sealing, et cetera. October 26, 2011
Another Wood Identification Mystery The Woodweb detective team works on another wood identification case (probably Maple, this time). March 28, 2010
Budget Alternatives to Teak A search for "poor man's Teak" evolves into a discussion of customers, their tastes and motivations. December 30, 2005
A Wood Identification Puzzle No solid answers for this mixed selection of antique boards, but an interesting lesson from the Wood Doctor on the step-by-step method of identifying wood based on end grain. January 12, 2015
Ash, Pine, Bugs, and Borates More info on the insects that may infest hardwoods and softwoods, and on the use of borate-based controls. December 6, 2009
Alternatives to Honduran Mahogany A discussion of the qualities of some of the woods used as substitutes for Mahogany, plus an attempt to clear up some of the confusion around the much-misused "Mahogany" label. February 5, 2007
Cherry Color After Aging When cherry shelves are constructed years apart, how dramatic will the color difference be? May 8, 2004
"China Cedar" -- What Is It? "China Cedar" is a separate species grown in the Far East. However, Cedar logs from America do get sent to China and come back to North America as lumber, complicating the picture. December 30, 2007
Board-Foot Lumber Measurement Confusion A woodworker tries to figure out how to make sure he's ordering and getting the amount of wood he actually needs. January 20, 2010
Bacterial Action in Wood Temperature and the availability of oxygen help determine which sort of bacteria can thrive in wood, and therefore how the infected wood might smell. January 27, 2007
Dehumidifiers and Lumber Storage A dehumidifier in the storage room will keep lumber at the proper moisture content, and will do no harm. December 6, 2012
Alternatives to Cumaru for Cabinet Work A client want cabinets made with Cumaru, a Brazilian hardwood. But the cabinetmaker is looking for a more practical species to substitute. Here are a few ideas. December 31, 2012
Defining Quarter-Sawn and Rift-Sawn There are both formal and informal definitions for "quarter-sawn" lumber. Here, cabinetmakers and the Wood Doctor discuss the fine points. July 5, 2006
A "Green" Finish for a Cuban Mahogany Bench Thoughts on the meaning of environmental correctness for clear wood finishes, and some interesting history about Cuban Mahogany, a nearly-extinct wood that is making a comeback. March 4, 2009
Dollar Value of Spalted Wood Pricing varies widely for spalted lumber, based on subjective factors. January 18, 2011
American Chestnut Versus Chinese Chestnut A discussion of the American Chestnut and the Chinese Chestnut, with regard to wood appearance and blight resistance. May 16, 2008
Common Names for Tropical Woods Woodworkers help compile an extensive list of common names for Central American wood species. February 15, 2009
Deodar Cedar -- What's It Good For? A little information but few answers about an ornamental Cedar variety that sometimes finds its way to a sawmill. December 30, 2007
Burmese Versus Plantation Teak A quick discussion of Asian and South American varieties of wood marketed as "Teak" July 13, 2010
Air-dried lumber Is it air-dried cherry acceptable for furnituremaking? March 20, 2001
Birch Varieties Explained The Wood Doctor lists the various species of Birch tree in North America and relates them to lumber for sale on the market. July 12, 2013
Checking of Dry Lumber Checking occurs when the wood is very wet. Checking that appears in lumber purchased as kiln-dried is a defect. December 8, 2012
Comparing Sapele to Mahogany Woodworkers discuss the visual appearance and working characteristics of Sapele wood. April 9, 2008
Curly White Oak Sawyers show off examples of figured white oak. December 1, 2005
Defining the Term "Board" Boards, flitches, and cants - here's how to keep 'em straight. February 26, 2005
A rubberwood primer Rubberwood's machinability and comparability to teak. January 31, 2001
Durability of Locust Varieties Black locust is the same as yellow locust, and it's more durable than honey locust. December 1, 2005
Defining "Cedro Arana" Wood More information about an unfamiliar tropical wood species, Cedro Arana. September 19, 2009
Using Lyptus Here's a detailed thread on woodworker experiences using Lyptus wood. April 20, 2008
Why is Walnut Purple Sometimes? The purple color of some Walnut boards is natural. Here's more background with comments and observations from woodworkers. February 16, 2014
Static charge on wood Troubleshooting and resolving static problems on freshly planed boards. October 9, 2002
Vertical Siding Types of siding for "old barn" look. August 9, 2004
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
Using Beech to Build Cabinets It's a beautiful wood, but is American Beech too unstable for cabinets? Not necessarily, say those who've tried it. August 21, 2006
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
Yellow Cedar Characteristics Not a true Cedar, Yellow Cedar grows mainly on the northern Pacific coast of North America. Here is some info about its useful properties. April 2, 2013
Selling Hardwood on the Side A furniture and cabinet maker is considering a small-scale side business selling lumber, and gets advice on where the market is. November 10, 2005
Working with Red Birch Red Birch is the heartwood of Yellow Birch. Here are tips on how it behaves. August 15, 2006
Working with Balau Wood A dense, durable tropical hardwood that is rough on blades, Balau is good for outdoor features such as decks. April 4, 2011
Working with Zebrawood Tips on working with this interesting (but stinky) wood species. October 25, 2006
Sweet Gum to Frame a Workshop? Construction may not be the best use for Sweet Gum: its beauty exceeds its durability. October 3, 2009
Uses for Juniper Complex knot patterns make Juniper wood beautiful, but challenging to work. September 14, 2006
Lumber Tally: Rough Versus Milled When you buy dressed lumber, the quantity is tallied based on the rough board footage, before milling. The "rip-off" percentage can sometimes confuse the buyer. September 27, 2012
Recycled barn wood Processing and marketing reclaimed lumber. September 23, 2003
Framing Lumber for Planting Boxes A discussion of treated wood, naturally rot-resistant lumber, outdoor exposures, and pests. April 14, 2010
Markups on Building Materials Lumberyards charge low markups on basics like wood and drywall, but high markups on accessories, tools, paint, et cetera. June 11, 2012
Mahogany Honeycombing Defect Honeycombing that appears after planing is typically a drying defect — similar to end checking, but different. April 17, 2009
Gene's value-added hints A bit of wisdom on adding value to your wood products, from Professor Gene Wengert. April 2, 2002
Poplar Is a Hardwood, but Is It Hard? As a deciduous tree, Poplar is classified as a hardwood. Here's some hard info about just how hard it is (or isn't).November 15, 2011
Five value-added approaches Professor Gene Wengert presents ideas on adding value to your wood products. April 2, 2002
Gang rip yields Determining the factors which influence optimal yields. June 13, 2001
Experiences shipping lumber Determining the costs and problems of shipping lumber through UPS or other service. January 16, 2002
Getting a charge from melamine How to mitigate the creation and transmission of static electricity during the handling thermofused melamine. April 2, 2002
Chip-free dovetailing in plywood Building dovetailed plywood drawers without chipping; European and American approaches. April 24, 2002
Cutting and drying beveled siding Producing beveled siding from green lumber, with special attention to the drying process. June 24, 2001
Chinese Plywood Cabinetmakers complain about the quality of hardwood plywood imported from China. April 13, 2012
Delamination of Bending Plywood Construction methods don't appear to be the problem in this example. More likely is a manufacturing quality issue. February 13, 2013
CNC feed rates for melamine Concerns on purchasing a CNC router and software for cutting melamine. August 12, 2001
Durability of Eastern Red Cedar Short answer: it's the heartwood that is rot-resistant. But you'll learn more than that from this discussion. April 11, 2008
Clear Alder Versus European Beech A cabinetmaker who finds that clear Alder looks good, but scratches too easily, discovers a satisfying alternative: European Beech. April 9, 2008
Black Locust as a Utility Pole Thoughts on whether to dry a Black Locust pole before burying the end, and related issues. March 28, 2010
Blue Stain in Pine How big a concern is blue surface stain on softwood? June 12, 2006
Aspen Wood for Cabinets It's soft, it's fuzzy, and it takes finish unevenly. Hmm... August 29, 2006
Building Cabinets with Lyptus Cabinetmakers discuss the machining qualities and other characteristics of Lyptus (Eucalyptus) wood, and its suitability for cabinet construction. April 6, 2007
Stupid Woodworker Tricks With a nod toward David Letterman, pros discuss their least-best moments. January 24, 2005
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
What is heart pine? History and how heart pine is defined today. October 30, 2003
Spalting Tips and Tricks A question about how to get rid of a bad batch of spalted Maple leads to a nice discussion of different ways to spalt wood, with photos. April 15, 2012
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
Working Safely with Ipe Dust and oils from Ipe wood are allergenic and toxic. You need serious personal protective gear if you work with Ipe. Here's more info. May 16, 2008
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
True Dimensions of 4/4 Green Lumber The terms "4/4" and "RWRL" take some explaining. Here's the voice of expertise and experience. October 8, 2005
Walnut End Checking in the Steamer Troubleshooting a checking problem with Walnut related to conditions in a large steaming chamber. October 3, 2009
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
Wood Choice for Paint Grade Historic Millwork Woodworkers discuss the pros and cons of Spanish Cedar, Mahogany, Sapele, Black Locust, and recovered Heart Pine for a restoration and historic reproduction project. April 27, 2011
Wood-Gas Generator Motors Here's a little basic info about wood gasification for generating electricity. October 1, 2010
Tooling up for Euro-style cabinets When considering a switch to the 32mm system, there are two choices: Get your feet wet, or dive right in. 1998.
Timber Framing with Red Oak The material needs to be kept dry. Here's info on that, and some other useful tips. November 3, 2010
Stripes in Fir Plywood A cabinetmaker's finisher notices a strange defect in some Fir plywood, probably caused by grain compression that happened at the plywood mill. October 13, 2012
Treating Burls With Pentacryl Is pentracryl a proper treatment for burl wood, or are other sealers more suitable? January 6, 2005
What Can Spread a Lyctid Infestation? Be cautious — Lyctid powder-post beetles are hard to get rid of, and can spread even on small chips or shavings. March 13, 2007
Surface Mold on Framing Lumber If the wood will be dry in service, mold on the surface is strictly a cosmetic concern. Here's more info on washing and drying for the sake of appearances. April 20, 2011
Uses for Sassafras Sassafras has been called "poor man's oak" for its durability, strength and beauty. The markets for it are small ans specialized. April 20, 2011
Specific Gravity of Dawn Redwood We're talking about a particular tree species here, but the comments on determining specific gravity apply to any wood sample. April 27, 2007
Wormy Cherry Lumber A furnituremaker gets help figuring out what kind of critter made holes in his nice Cherry boards (and hears that some people consider them an improvement). April 21, 2008
Walnut Steaming Difficulties Steam that is too hot and "dry" will not have the desired effect. Here is some technical advice on operating the steamer successfully. December 12, 2008
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
Storing kiln-dried lumber Controlling the humidity in the atmosphere around stored lumber. January 16, 2002
Woods for outdoor furniture A manufacturer of outdoor furniture consults the Wood Doctor for help with choosing a species to replace beech. 1998.
Wood Storage: Vertical or horizontal? Truly dry wood stored under the proper conditions will not warp, no matter how you position it. September 26, 2000
Smelly lauan The Wood Doctor is quizzed about bad-smelling lauan in a commercial bar. Diagnosis: anaerobic bacteria. Prognosis: terminal. Prescription: replacement. 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.
Economics of Sawmill Operations This thread takes a close look at some hard numbers for logs and various sawn lumber products, and teaches some valuable lessons about how sawmills can make money, or lose money. September 6, 2010
Melamine Carcasses Can melamine interiors be considered high end? April 18, 2004
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
Fine Points of Steaming Walnut Details on equipment and procedures for steaming Walnut to change the color. November 12, 2008
FOB defined Origins and meanings of the term "freight on board." (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003
Measuring Logs and Lumber Lumber measurement - Professor Gene Wengert clears up questions regarding proper measurement techniques. May 28, 2001
Fortune Teller: Making More Money in the Wood Industry Wood Doctor Gene Wengert makes some educated guesses about the near future in the wood products industry, and offers some advice about how wood-based businesses can profit from change. April 15, 2013
Marketing Spalted Pecan Beautifully figured spalted Pecan wood is a valuable material, but the niche market is a little tricky to sell in. May 9, 2007
Paulownia Characteristics and Uses A fast-growing, light and strong semi-tropical wood, Paulownia has enough value to be worth stealing. Here's an example growing on a bathroom windowsill. September 5, 2010
Facts about PEG (Polyethylene Glycol) Polyethylene glycol, or PEG, is an interesting molecule with uses beyond woodworking. Here's some info on the varieties on the market. July 23, 2014
Presurfacing Green Sawn Oak Planing roughsawn Oak before kiln-drying has benefits that may make it worth the cost. October 26, 2011
Hardwood Utilization Book Review "The Management, Manufacture and Marketing of California Black Oak, Pacific Madrone and Tanoak" covers the various aspects encountered by the forester, the logger, the sawmill manager, the marketing people, and the business owner - 1998
Green wood fencing Potential problems and solutions when using green wood for fencing. January 16, 2002
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.
Laminating different species In a triple lamination, it's OK to use two species of lumber, given a few conditions. 1998.
Rotted siding Gene Wengert helps a homeowner with a question about decaying siding. 1998.
Identifying Pecan Pecan is hard to tell apart from Hickory. July 6, 2012
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.
Durable Wood for a Screen Door A craftsman's question about screen door materials kicks off a long discussion about the qualities of various wood species, old growth and second growth. October 4, 2005
Defining "Value Added" When it comes to wood and lumber products and by-products, what is the term "value added" all about? April 18, 2009
Calculating moisture content Using a hygrometer and calculator to determine the MC of kiln samples. September 2, 2002
Comparing sliding and vertical saws Woodworkers voice their views on the virtues and liabilities of both sliding and vertical saws. November 15, 2000
Drying wood in a tent Recommendations on how to use the sun's rays and a plastic tent to dry lumber. November 7, 2001
Applied wainscot Creating fake raised panels for the lower portion of walls. April 3, 2002
Another Wood Identification Puzzle Sycamore? Beech? Mulberry? The forum takes a look at some old wood found in a barn and destined to be made into guitar bodies. January 28, 2013
Drying Rewetted Kiln-Dried Lumber How to render kiln-dried lumber, which has been rewetted due to flooding or excessive humidity, useful once again. 1998.
Ambrosia Beetles in a Chainsaw Bear Characteristic fungal growths turn out to be the telltale sign of Ambrosia beetle infestation of a chainsaw sculpture. June 14, 2014
Black Locust Fence Post Advice Here's what you need to know to prepare Black Locust logs for duty as highly durable fence posts. June 14, 2014
Drying Mesquite with Denatured Alcohol Denatured alcohol (DNA) drying techniques work best on porous wood, not so well on a low-porosity species like Mesquite. October 1, 2010
Appearance Considerations with Sapele Sapele wood darkens over time (as do Cherry and Mahogany), and its compatibility with the look of other woods is a matter of personal preference. April 11, 2008
Bugs in air-dried ash Can a stack of ash be saved from an infestation of powderpost beetles? June 20, 2000
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
Basement drying basics The Wood Doctor prescribes proper drying procedures for a small batch in a basement. June 21, 2000
Catalpa: Uses and Vulnerabilities Catalpa is a beautiful wood, rot-resistant and prized by some wood turners. Standing trees may have heart rot, however. April 24, 2013
Chestnut Horse chestnut, and why it's the only live type of this wood available. September 6, 2000