TLI – Too little information
There’s a ton of woodworking information on the Internet, a lot of it really helpful. But some of it, well, not so much. I’ve mentioned before that I edit online…
There’s a ton of woodworking information on the Internet, a lot of it really helpful. But some of it, well, not so much.
I’ve mentioned before that I edit online articles for a number of woodworking and home improvement websites, with my task being to make the articles more readable and to fix any incorrect information. For a lot of the regular writers I edit, their work is fine when it comes to woodworking facts. But some make me shudder to think that people find their articles in a Google search, and actually try to work with some of the nonsensical info. In the last couple months I’ve jotted down some of these “facts” and present them here for your amusement.
• From an article on wood movement, I learned that wood floors expand up to 6” and more due to humidity. OK, maybe if you live on a basketball court.
• One writer proudly noted that his birdhouse project was designed specifically for goldfinches. Sorry, goldfinches never use birdhouses.
• Always try to drive screws from the underside, because that makes them hold better.
• To cut faster, spray WD-40 on the sides of the saw before every cut.
• In a train whistle project, the writer instructed the reader to make it out of a 3/4” dowel, and drill four 1/2” holes into one end.
And my favorite:
• Use a circular saw to cut round holes.
Well, at least that one makes sense – it is a “circular” saw after all.
A.J.
A.J. Hamler is the former editor of Woodshop News and Woodcraft Magazine. He's currently a freelance woodworking writer/editor, which is another way of stating self-employed. When he's not writing or in the shop, he enjoys science fiction, gourmet cooking and Civil War reenacting, but not at the same time.