Columns/Blogs

I’m always taken aback when someone online offers a safety suggestion that is anything but safe.

I’m laughing out loud at the current proposal to send immigrants to sanctuary cities. I happen to live in one and the biggest problem local businesses have is finding good help.

I’d like to blame the Big Box store, and part of me still does, but it’s really my own fault I went home bleeding after buying lumber.

To turn “quick-and-dirty” into “presentable” you should redo it to better standards. Or, you could just hide the dirty part.

I have been asked about my work many times. Not any nuts and bolts stuff that I’m pretty comfortable talking about but things like how I feel about what I do or how I must love my work.

These days, a prospective employee is more likely to be asked about his knowledge of computers than about how well he can produce a smooth surface with a hand plane.

I bumped into a woodworker last week. How did I know? Well, he was making something out of wood, and for me that’s the only proof I needed.

What do you constantly make in the shop that piles up over the years, but you won’t get rid of it? Did you say scrap? Nope.

This month, we take stock of recent news, writing opportunities at your favorite magazine, and set the record straight.

The first step in mastering a craft is to learn the terminology

Hot keys and keyboards.

I’m one of those people who just goes nuts when we have to go through daylight savings time changes. I have a hard time adjusting to the one-hour shift, especially when the time jumps forward.

No matter how old the dog, despite what conventional wisdom says, he can still learn a new trick.

Some people see the big picture, others see the little things. Those who can see both are rare.

What do you do after wrapping up a major project, commission or assignment? I have a ritual that serves me well.

They say that if you are a small business owner you must wear many hats. Sometimes I feel like we need to add a dentist’s hat to the list because getting paid can be like pulling teeth.

It occurred to me this morning that I haven’t used my lathe in nearly two years. So, for no reason other than the sheer pleasure of it, I did.

I once heard a supervisor tell an apprentice, “I’ve forgotten more than you’ve learned.” That’s a pretty arrogant and offensive comment to make to a learner. But there is a bit of value in it.

Is the tide turning in the battle against the Emerald Ash Borer? Probably not yet, but there is a promising sign.

Applying lean concepts to employees and others.

Seeing is believing.

Many times, I have heard people say how much they love woodworking. Some were thinking of starting a woodworking business so that they could make a living doing what they love.