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Read More Articles by Gene Wengert

Gene Wengert (1942-2025) was popularly known as “The Wood Doctor.” He trained thousands of people in efficient use of wood for more than 50 years and authored foundational resources on wood technology. He worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Virginia Tech. His popular "Wood Doctor's Rx" column has appeared regularly in FDM and FDMC magazine since 1978. Because so much of his advice was timeless, he asked that we continue to run his columns in memoriam.

Wood Explorer

Osage orange: Extremely strong wood named for Osage tribe

It is most commonly known as Osage orange, but other names include hedge, hedge-apple, yellow-wood, bowwood, Osage apple, and bodark (from the French bois d’arc, meaning bow wood).

By Gene Wengert, February 28, 2025 | 2:32 pm CST

Cutting & Grinding (Cutting Tools & Grinders)

Hooking into the right blade

The Wood Doctor discusses how to choose the correct blade for radial arm and other saws.

By Gene Wengert, February 24, 2025 | 4:59 pm CST

Wood Dr

Wood Doctor: Understanding how heating air drops humidity

Gene Wengert, the Wood Doctor, also answers questions and gives tips for bending wood and measuring core and shell moisture content.

By Gene Wengert, January 13, 2025 | 9:59 am CST

Wood Explorer

Soft maple: Despite name, good for flooring, furniture

Despite its name, soft maple is a more than adequate species for furniture, flooring, cabinets and other products.

By Gene Wengert, January 13, 2025 | 9:27 am CST

Wood Dr

Wood Doctor: Avoiding warp in specialized wood products

Gene Wengert, the "Wood Doctor," also answers questions about the value of flooded lumber and dealing with brittle pine.

By Gene Wengert, December 13, 2024 | 10:33 am CST

Wood Explorer

American cherry: Popular for furniture, cabinets and other uses

In addition to being a popular species for furniture, American cherry is a good domestic cabinet wood due to its warm red tone and dramatic grain cathedrals.

By Gene Wengert, December 13, 2024 | 10:15 am CST

Wood Explorer

Aspen: Lightweight, splinterless wood for many uses

Aspen, also known as aspen poplar, poplar (especially outside North America), popple, trembling aspen, bigtooth aspen, quaky and a dozen other local names, is a wonderful wood for many use.

By Gene Wengert, November 22, 2024 | 4:18 pm CST

Wood Dr

Wood Doctor: Solving the case of mysterious rows of dots

"Wood Doctor" Gene Wengert also answers questions about light marks in lumber and cracks in interior veneers in plywood.

By Gene Wengert, November 22, 2024 | 3:41 pm CST

Wood Dr

What causes wood to turn gray outdoors?

Also questions about wood turning red, light colored spots, and drying wood to be white.

By Gene Wengert, September 26, 2024 | 9:25 am CDT

Wood Explorer

Basswood: Fast growing wood with lots of clear lumber

Basswood (Tilia americana), also called linden, is a beautiful, fast growing tree reaching heights of 130 feet. It has a straight trunk, with most of the bole limb-free, thereby producing large volumes of clear lumber. The wood is creamy white, low in weight and strength, and without much obvious grain.

By Gene Wengert, August 29, 2024 | 9:06 am CDT