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Scott Wunder

From felling the trees through installation of the final piece Scott Wunder, owner of WunderWoods in St. Charles, MO, shares his woodworking knowledge with anyone that will talk to him about wood. Whether you want to learn about milling lumber or need help on a project, get your fill of woodworking infotainment at WunderWoods.com. Scott writes about all aspects of woodworking and specializes in finishing (mostly because no one else likes to sand).

Scott Wunder

Project Gallery

Siberian elm used for live edge table top

I have been cutting a lot of slabs lately and building a lot of tops. This is the first one that I have finished out of a big double-crotch Siberian elm that I milled in the spring. The top is 36″ at the narrowest and 58″ at the widest. The slab was milled 3″ thick and was flattened and finished with a hand-planed surface at 2″ thick.
By Scott Wunder, February 2, 2016 | 10:23 am CST
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Project Gallery

How to make wood dominos

I always liked playing with dominos, but was always disappointed when I ran out. Since I have a never-ending supply of domino stock in my shop, I set out to make them from walnut, cherry, hickory and maple.
By Scott Wunder, January 22, 2016 | 9:52 am CST
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Pricing & Supply

The beauty of white pine

Stop finding reasons to not use pine, and you will start to fall in love with it before you know it. All you need to do is spend some quality time with the white pine and keep an open mind.
By Scott Wunder, October 12, 2015 | 11:19 am CDT
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Sanding and Finishing

What's the Best Finish for Outdoor Projects?

I often get asked, “What can I put on wood that will protect it outside?” My follow-up question is, “Do you want a finish that builds up to a film or just something that soaks in, like an oil?” If the answer is a film finish, I recommend Cetol Door & Window, from the Sikkens Proluxe line. Here's why.
By Scott Wunder, September 18, 2015 | 2:26 pm CDT
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Pricing & Supply

American Elm Slab Really Takes a Shine

A few years ago I cut a huge American Elm log into slabs and quickly sold all of them except one piece that ended up being short after hitting a few nails. The nails dulled the sawmill too much to finish the cut, until a new order came in.
By Scott Wunder, August 31, 2015 | 3:40 pm CDT
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Pricing & Supply

Is it red oak or white oak?

Since I started milling lumber, determining the difference between red oak and white oak has been a challenge. I’ve got a good handle on it now, but there are plenty of times (at least once a week) when a customer has a piece of wood that they want to identify. It is usually some old barn lumber and usually some sort of oak.
By Scott Wunder, June 5, 2015 | 4:46 pm CDT