How To Buy Lumber - a Beginners Guide from Wood and Shop
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Joshua Farnsworth teaches fundamentals of selecting wood, and "how not to sound like an idiot at the lumberyard." His Wood and Shop channel brings traditional and well-known woodworker guests, to teach traditional hand tool woodworking tutorials. Joshua also shares tours of  handcraft woodworking shops, including the period recreation shop at Colonial Wiliamsburg.
 
Says Farnsworth: "When I first got started in woodworking one of the things that confused me the most was choosing lumber. I didn't know how to choose stable wood. I didn't know hardwood, or softwood. I didn't know what "board feet" meant. It was so confusing. After all these years of woodworking I learned all those things, but I want to save you all that time and teach you the basics so that you can actually get out to your lumber yard or to your local mall and choose lumber without looking like a dummy."
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About the author
Bill Esler | ConfSenior Editor

Bill wrote for WoodworkingNetwork.com, FDMC and Closets & Organized Storage magazines. 

Bill's background includes more than 10 years in print manufacturing management, followed by more than 30 years in business reporting on industrial manufacturing in the forest products industries, including printing and packaging at American Printer (Features Editor) and Graphic Arts Monthly (Editor in Chief) magazines; and in secondary wood manufacturing for WoodworkingNetwork.com.

Bill was deeply involved with the launches of the Woodworking Network Leadership Forum, and the 40 Under 40 Awards programs. He currently reports on technology and business trends and develops conference programs.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Bill supports efforts to expand and improve educational opportunities in the manufacturing sectors, including 10 years on the Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation; six years with the U.S. WoodLinks; and currently on the Woodwork Career Alliance Education Committee. He is also supports the Greater West Town Training Partnership Woodworking Program, which has trained more than 950 adults for industrial wood manufacturing careers. 

Bill volunteers for Foinse Research Station, a biological field station staddling the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, one of more than 200 members of the Organization of Biological Field Stations.