red book

Solid Wood Machining

Understanding & working with wood defects

No tree is perfect. It’s subject to defects from the time it emerges as a seedling to the last stages of seasoning. A defect is simply an abnormality or irregularity found in wood.A look at some of the common wood defects and how to manufacture around them.

Solid Wood Machining

How to choose a table saw fence

Table saws function as the shop workhorses, but in theory they are only built for one purpose: to spin a saw blade. However, one thing that a table saw is not able to do by itself is position material for straightness, squareness and dimensional accuracy. This is where a fence or guide comes in handy.It’s important to consider how much you are producing when choosing a fence. Are you making 10 parts a day or are you making 100 parts a day?

Sanding and Finishing

3 Methods for sanding five-piece doors

The sanding operation is one of the key components to producing a quality finish. Although hand sanding is one option, automating the process can prove to be more cost effective – not only in time savings, but in the consistency the machines provide, from part to part. Here's a look at three sanding approaches: calibration, brush and orbital.

Cabinets

Top 10 kitchen cabinetry & design trends

At KBIS, some of the nation's top kitchen and bath designers shared their insight on the latest color and style trends, as revealed in the 2016 Design Trends Survey by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. Based on survey results of more than 450 designers, here are the Top 10 kitchen and cabinet style trends to watch for in 2016.