Roofing has been one of the toughest things I have done as a woodworker. It was especially tough early on when I used to manually hammer nails into shingles. Eventually, I started using a nail gun and learned that different roofing materials are receptive to it to different extents. You can use a nail gun…
I was purchasing cedar for a siding project and overheard a kid complaining to his dad about the smell of the lumber. It triggered memories of the first time I went cedar shopping around 19 years ago. Back then, I spent hours looking for Cedar that doesn’t smell. All cedar wood smells with citrus and…
Two days ago, my friend called me asking how far plywood could span. I gave him an answer thinking he was setting up a shelf. A few hours later, he called, frustrated about how it didn’t seem to balance, and the floor would not be stable. “The floor?” I asked as I realized he was…
Any time one tool in my workshop stops working, I figure out a use for another tool that I previously didn’t know. And the secret behind that is experimentation. My latest experiment came after my router stopped working randomly. I decided to use a router bit in a drill. You cannot use router bits in…
As a cabinetmaker, I absolutely have spent a long time over the last 20 years sanding MDF. We commonly used MDF on kitchen doors when they had to be painted so sanding was a must. I still get asked, can you sand MDF? MDF can be sanded conveniently with a hand sanding block or electric…
During my years as a cabinetmaker, I noticed a lot of new homes were opting for MDF door linings and MDF door frames. MDF certainly helps with cost-cutting but I was always hesitant and wondered are MDF door linings any good. I sort of knew the answer but thought I would put some research into…
