Columns/Blogs

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.

Handheld planers are very useful if you have the need. Apparently, I’ve never had the need. Till now, that is.

There’s a saying that the customer is always right. We know this is not really the case. The customer is often wrong.

I have more than three times the amount of room in my new shop as my old one. Generally, that’s wonderful, but not for everything.

Sally found a Valentine decoration online – made of wood! – and there was no way I could let her buy it.

Can’t trust that day, the song says. We have all heard about how tough Monday can be. But I can tell you this, Monday morning is absolutely the best time for making or closing sales.

I needed a hammer, so I bought one. Yes, another one.

What do woodworkers make more of than any other thing – Cabinets? Furniture? Built-ins? Lots of dust?

As makers and humans, we are all prone to making occasional mistakes. Some are not really a big deal like a piece that is cut too short. You just cut another and move on. Others are more of an issue and require calling in “the cleaner”.

Petroleum distillates.

Investing in tools.

I love when wood is combined with high-tech gadgetry. I love it even more when the wood makes the technology better.

Over the past couple of years, we have been on an economic roller coaster. The stock markets have been bouncing around like a lopsided super ball, record gains one day, record losses the next.

It’s a new year, but no new resolutions. Instead, I’m just digging out last year’s and dusting it off, and when I do I’m gonna …

It’s an old saw for sure but it seems like it’s always relevant. But these days it feels like it should be “chicken one minute, feathers the next. The economic yo yo we are playing with is enough to drive anyone around the bend.

Those who understand the subject can always answer the question, “What’s wrong with this picture?”, if a photo is set up by someone who doesn’t. That’s especially true with woodworking.

I recently talked about making a cutting board for the first time after decades of woodworking. Turns out I was wrong.

The Birthday Paradox.

There’s an interesting report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies that states that more than half of U.S. households are now headed by someone 50 and over.

Woodworking is high on the list of industries that are experiencing a shortage of skilled employees. With unemployment rates at the lowest level in decades and wages at their highest, the lack of skilled people is becoming more and more obvious.

Glue is a staple of what we do in the woodshop, but you might be surprised at how many kinds you have. I know I was.