I generally consider myself an optimist. But I can also be a curmudgeonly cynic especially when it comes to conflicts between small business and government regulation. And then when talk turns to the current economic situation, I guess I’m a little of both the optimist and the cynic.

The office and contract furniture segment of the industry may be the most closely measured. And one close observer of that segment is optimistic about 2011.“After a disastrous 2009, the industry began a modest recovery in late spring of 2010 but the improvements are led by gains in the health care and higher education markets,” Mike Dunlap of Michael A. Dunlap & Associates, LLC told CabinetMakerFDM recently.

Q. One of our customers has been purchasing hard maple KD S2S 1-5/8 inches thick and 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches wide. Here are their problems: 1. Movement of the rips within a minute or less after ripping and prior to gluing. 2. The glue stave moving prior to gluing. 3. The glued-up piece moving prior to finishing. 4. A few glue lines “opening up” after staining, where they can’t see it until the first coat of sealer is applied. A quick moisture test indicated 8.8 percent MC average.

Too many owners of woodworking businesses have really just bought themselves a job by running a shop. They haven’t built a real business.

Q.Casehardening occurs when the outside tries to shrink, but can't because of the wet core.

What did we learn from doing the research on this year’s FDM 300?