Wooden Potential

  Impact drills and regular drills are two tools that look very similar but have different functions and features. Impact drills are designed to drive screws and bolts with a lot of power and torque, using pulses that hammer the bit forward. This makes it easier for the operator to handle and does not require as much force. Impact drills have a locking collar, and they use hex bits instead of standard bits which reduce the amount of stripping on the heads of the screws from slippage. They are more compact, lightweight, and expensive than regular drills, but they also make more noise and are not suitable for delicate work. They can drive long screws and fasteners into wood, metal, and cement with ease. I enjoy using an impact drill when working with project framing or fastening items to each other where you need a secure connection and do not need to be as delicate. Regular drills are more versatile and can drill and drive in fasteners with more control and precision. They have a key

Woodworking is a craft many can do but only a few become excellent at. When amateurs in the field start gluing boards together and selling them for high prices as decorative pieces, it slums up the market for those who are skilled enough in the business and rely on it for their income. For example, wood cutting boards have been around for decades, maybe even centuries. But recently, with the growing population of DIYers on the internet, everyone thinks they can glue these boards together and they are fricken master pieces. The problem is that they are inexperienced and don’t know what they are actually doing. These people are combining soft and hard woods because they are pretty but soft woods are not ideal for cutting boards. I have also seen people combine woods that have not acclimated to their environment properly. These boards then warp and cause the cutting board to be all wonky and not sit right. When this happens you end up with a $50+ piece of wood that is warped. I currently

  As we are approaching the end of the year, I would like to make a couple predictions of what I think is going to be trending in the woodworking community next year.   Sustainable woods are in In the year 2024, I see woodworkers like me, leaning into more sustainable options when it comes to wood. I am talking about FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified lumber as well as reclaimed and salvaged wood. The use of these woods by crafters and hobby builders can help the preservation of our forests and natural habitats while also reducing our overall carbon footprint. Natural woods In 2024 people are trading in white paint for stain. Maybe this is just hopeful thinking after going off about painting wood furniture in my last post, but I do see more and more people adding natural wood elements into their homes. I follow this designer on Instagram who is all about wood tones in kitchens and I am all for it! Warm wood tones Don’t get me wrong, white oak is still very popular, especially a

  One thing that I have seen become extremely popular these days is painting wood furniture. For some reason, this just really irks me. I do understand why some of these projects get painted, like if the piece is veneered and flaking and they want to save it without redoing the whole piece, but I honestly think it has gone too far. I follow this group on Facebook that claims to be a group for furniture flippers but honestly the only flipping I see is when they turn it over to coat the bottom side. I mean it when I say they paint EVERYTHING! Oak, hickory, pine, ash, you name it, they paint it. This style of furniture flipping really breaks my heart. As a person who loves wood and admires all the different groves and textures wood grains bring to the piece, I just hate to see them covered up by a dull gray paint. There is even a new style of painting where you take a piece of wood furniture and paint it a neutral color, and then you take this glaze and apply it over the paint. You th

  One of my favorite DIYers to follow is Shara at Woodshop Diaries. I follow her on Instagram where she posts fun and inspiring project videos that are less than a minute long. I really like these videos because I can see how detailed a project is and whether I have the skill/tools to complete it on my own. She also has accounts on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest so you can follow her no matter what platform you are on. She is a former engineer so her posts are technical, thorough, and detailed to the point where both beginners and advanced woodworking DIYers can easily follow along. Shara also has a website, Woodshopdiaries.com, where she posts links to printable plans of the projects she does. I really enjoy her website because of how well laid out it is. Also, the diversity of projects that she conquers fits well in my wheelhouse. She posts on everything from home décor, furniture, and building and improvement projects. No matter what your skill level is, she has a projec

The person I learned nearly all my carpentry skills from is my father, Rodney. I have been on job sites with him since I was 6 years old. He started doing carpentry work nearly 40 years ago and fell in love with the independence the job brings as well as the variety of projects you get to tackle. He really enjoys working with his hands and creating things. Before he started working in carpentry, he did it as a hobby, which started after taking some classes in high school. Although he started working as a carpenter in the 80’s, he did not start his own company until the early 2000’s. From when he initially started doing woodwork to the point of owning his own business, he wore many hats. A couple of those hats are those of an electrician and a framer. He has been able to combine all of his learned skills into a one-man super team where he is able to frame a house, wire it, sheetrock, install flooring, cabinetry, and tile. You name the project, and he has probably done it! A few question

5 favorite projects to make with Lath. One of my favorite pieces of wood to work with is lath boards. You can find them in the wood section, and they come in a bundle of 50 and they are about ¼ inch thick 1 ½ inch wide and 4ft long boards. The first time I was introduced to lath was on a construction site with my father. I was helping him remove the lath and plaster from an old house to reinsulate and sheetrock. The lath was so beautiful. It had been hidden within the walls of this home for over 50 years and I had just fallen in love with all the character each board had. All the lath was going to be burned so I took a bunch home and had so much fun with it. Here is a list of my favorite projects to date that I have made with lath. 5. Picture Frame By far, the easiest projects to make with lath is a picture frame. You simply take your favorite boards and cut a 45-degree angle on each side, add some glue, and pocket holes to the back to attach them together. 4. Piano Bench My