4 Steps to Understand Nominal and Actual Sizes
From simple things like specie to milling options like straight-line ripping or sanding, buying lumber can be tricky. One of the biggest catches to lumber is the size. If you are buying lumber, you might notice that the size that the lumber is advertised isn’t the...
The Craftsman’s Notes: Wi-Fi Router Cabinet
https://youtu.be/W2PxCUzR5ko About a month ago, one of our maintenance men approached me with a need for one of our buildings. He told me that it would be nice to have a cabinet to put the Wi-Fi router and all the cords and cables in a cabinet. This way, everything is...
Intro To Lean Manufacturing
As the world is changing, most workplaces are trying to adapt their production to have high efficiencies. Most places call this lean manufacturing, six sigma, 5S projects, or other lean manufacturing principles. In this blog, we touch on what lean manufacturing is and...
In the Workshop: Jack with Salish Sea Woodworks
Hi, I’m Jack. I’m the Founder and Furniture Maker at Salish Sea Woodworks. We’re based in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, just eight miles from the Emerald City of Seattle, WA – but we have wonderful customers all over the US! We are a small production, fine hardwood...
Lumber vs. Plywood
There are many debates about whether to use lumber or plywood or even more general lumber vs. composites. Some people swear by only using solid lumber and others that will use composites whenever possible. In this blog, we dive into the pros and cons of panel...
How Valuable is Your Time?
We’ve all heard the saying, “Time is money.” This phrase is more applicable in some cases than others, but it couldn’t be more true in woodworking. In this blog, we identify why your time is valuable and how to calculate it’s value. Why is Time Valuable? Everyone...
Sharpen Your Chisel: 3-Point Friday 7-3-2020
3-Point Friday is Fine Craftsman Lumber’s weekly blog of items we have found during the week that stayed in our memory. What I Read Even in Wisconsin the mercury is touching 90+ degrees. This fantastic article from @the Woodworkers Journal is loaded with tips on...
Quality vs. Grade
In the woodworking world, quality and grade often get lumped together. Although they are related, they are not the same thing. In this blog, we dive into the differences between the two. Grade The grade determines the appearance of the board. Most hardwood lumber...
Sharpen Your Chisel: 3-Point Friday 6/26/20
3-Point Friday is Fine Craftsman Lumber’s weekly blog of items we have found during the week that stayed in our memory. Weekly Video Though it is not always woodworking, our great friend Mike Montgomery from @Modern Builds just posted his bathroom project on his Tiny...
General Safety Tips
Shop safety is the single most essential thing in a shop. As everyone knows, woodworking can be dangerous, but if you follow some basic guidelines, you will keep yourself safe. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) PPE includes all the equipment you should wear to keep...
Sharpen Your Chisel: 3-Point Friday 6/19/20
3-Point Friday is Fine Craftsman Lumber’s weekly blog of items we have found during the week that stayed in our memory. Weekly Video Here is the weekly video I watched last night. A Fine Craftsman is using scrap wood for an awesome table project. What I Read My first...
Sharpen Your Chisel: 3-Point Friday 6/12/2020
3-Point Friday is Fine Craftsman Lumber’s weekly blog of items we have found during the week that stayed in our memory. 2020 Graduation We’ve highlighted @Northcentral Technical College’s Wood Technology Center of Excellence in the past and here are some pieces of...
Tips for Online Lumber Shopping
Traditionally, woodworkers would go to a lumberyard or a retail outlet to pick through the lumber for the boards they would want to purchase. But times are changing, and so is the lumber buying process. As people have gotten more comfortable with buying products...
Sharpen Your Chisel: 3-Point Friday 6/5/2020
3-Point Friday is Fine Craftsman Lumber’s weekly blog of items we have found during the week that stayed in our memory. Wood and Water Relationships Part III The past two weeks we provided a links to Jessica’s videos describing moisture content. Here is the...
4 Steps to Making Fewer Woodworking Mistakes
Mistakes. Every woodworker has made them, and they’ve had to fix them. Sometimes, it’s an easy fix, and others it requires you to make that part again. Mistakes are unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be limited. So, here is our four-step guide to limiting...
Sharpen Your Chisel: 3-Point Friday 5/29/2020
3-Point Friday is Fine Craftsman Lumber’s weekly blog of items we have found during the week that stayed in our memory. Wood and Water Relationships Part II Last week we provided a link to Jessica’s video describing moisture content. Here is the second part of...
Steamed vs. Unsteamed Walnut: What’s the Difference?
Walnut is a beautiful and unique wood. People love the natural dark chocolate brown color. Walnut’s color is super desirable, and people are willing to pay a premium price for it. If you’ve looked into purchasing walnut, you might have notice places specifying steamed...
Sharpen Your Chisel: 3-Point Friday 5/22/2020
3-Point Friday is Fine Craftsman Lumber’s weekly blog of items we have found during the week that stayed in our memory. This week begins with a moisture content subject, then we have some fun, and finally, finish on a serious note. Moisture Content A common problem...