A primer on buying dimension wood products and how they can save you money.

I am often surprised at what tools woodworkers don’t use or own, especially when they are some of the few that I find essential. Sometimes it’s just the difference between hand tool and power tool guys, but sometimes it’s just from lack of experience or the fact that they haven’t given it too much thought.

OSHA defines combustible dust as “fine particles that present an explosion hazard when suspended in the air, in certain conditions.” For a combustible dust explosion to occur, five factors must be present: fuel (combustible dust), ignition (heat or spark), oxygen (air), dispersion (dust suspension) and confinement. Removal of any one element will eliminate the possibility of occurrence. The following is a list of some of the agencies and organizations involved in monitoring dust hazards in the woodshop.

Woodworkers are loyal to the products they use. Whether it’s a type of blade, tool, nail or screw, they often stick to what they know works. This even holds true for glue. Woodworkers want a glue that sticks and they cannot take chances on a product that will not hold, a problem that could lead to a shoddy end-product, damage to their reputation and ultimately a dip in sales.

Here are some tips for maintenance and care of some of your most expensive machine components. Moulder Spindles: Broken shafts, seized bearings, “welded” tooling, all can be prevented.  Prevention = money in your pocket or more precisely, money you get to keep in your pocket. 

Choosing the best software for your shop may feel overwhelming at times, but with a few good tips about questions to ask and pitfalls to avoid you’ll be well on your way. Here are 10 essential questions to ask: 1. Can I evaluate the software prior to purchasing? Nothing beats getting your hands on the actual software, prior to purchasing. Is it intuitive? Easy to use? Is it a tool you will use often? Make sure you “try it” before you “buy it.” Sample and compare.

The kitchen and bath market is projected to reach $178 billion in 2018, according to a recent study of products and materials by NKBA. So, what are homeowners buying? According to NKBA’s 2018 Design Trends Survey, here’s what’s hot, and what’s not.

The following are a few frequently asked questions on fastening tools and equipment. Brad or finish nails? Brad nails are formed from a fine 18-gauge wire, while finish nails are made from heavier 16- or 15-gauge wire. Finish nails are the correct choice for fastening larger crown and baseboard trim, brad nails are used to install smaller trim to help prevent splitting and to promote a cleaner looking job with less touch-up work after the nailing is done.

My work has given me access to manufacturers and designers from all over Europe. Couple that with meeting with closet companies across the United States and I can guess at what’s going to be hot in 2018. I’m going bold with these predictions. Sure, I can tell you soft close everything, but that’s too easy. I guarantee more and more companies will make this the new standard. You are selling a luxury product. How could stock kitchen cabinets offer soft close and you don’t?

There is nothing more frustrating than having more work than you’re able to produce. If your current throughput can no longer match your monthly sales, then you have a dilemma: Increase capacity, or ultimately lose the ground you just made by getting extra sales. The fact that we must invest to gain capacity usually brings with it a variety of emotions: Fear that we will not keep the work to support the investment, excitement that we will be able to handle more work and grow, and deep thought about the logic of our upcoming decisions.