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Tips of the Week
July 19, 2009
When nailing a piece of material, don’t nail it at the very end of the board as this will usually split the material. Stay back an inch or two from the end, especially if you are not using a nail gun. After you ruin several boards you will get a feel for this tip. Also you can go the extra mile and stick the nail in your ear and get ear wax on it to prevent splitting the material. uuhh... just stay off the end s a bit. Seriously though if you take the nail and blunt the end of it slightly by hitting it with a hammer as much as it sounds crazy, it can help avoid splitting the material. Go figure. In a nutshell, I guess the safest policy would be to blunt the nail, stick some earwax on it and nail an inch or two from the end.
If you’re short on earwax, just find an old guy, they got plenty, and their rates are usually reasonable.July 4, 2009 - When cutting outside corners on base, etc., cut them on a 45.5 or 46 degree angle. It will make your corners look better, and frankly, it's the humane thing to do.
June 28, 2009 - When installing crown molding, work from left to right. When installing base, work right to left. This will make coping the material much easier.
When installing shoe molding, who cares; I hate shoe molding. I'd rather sit naked on an ant
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Miseries, Successes & Revelations
July 25, 2009 - Success
Finding my wife in a sea of people was one of my greatest successes without a doubt. When I do something stupid, she tells me in no uncertain terms, “Dave, that's just stupid.”
This can be quite liberating in a weird sort of way. If you are being a moron and someone you love tells you you are being a moron, then chances are quite good you're being a moron.July 8, 2009 - Revelation
Please don't waste your time and hard-earned money on inferior tools. It's like trying to suck a spaghetti noodle through a coffee stirrer. Just say "No!"
July 4, 2009 - Revelation
People say that every thing you do has been done, everything you think of has been thought of, and everywhere you go someone's been there before. This may be true, but no one has ever been anywhere, and done things and thought things quite the same way as you have. Whether this gets you ahead in life or not, who freakin' knows, but just the fact you got a shot is what its all about. Peace out and Happy 4th. Hug a veteran. They are the ones giving you a shot at being an individual.
June 28, 2009 - Misery and Revelation:
Once I was using a nail gun to install window trim. A carpenter friend of mine, who fancies himself a comedian, was standing beside me. The nail gun slipped, and I shot a nail through my hand into the wall, securely fastening me there. The other carpenter looked at me and said "What are you doin', dude? We only got half a clip of nails left!"
He would have paid dearly for this comment had I not been nailed to the window.
July 16, 2009 - Revelation:
If I've said it once, I've said it a million times: It's a beautiful thing to watch someone do what they do well. You might think this applies only to things like artists and such, but it applies perfectly to people who can use their hands to create something such as finish carpentry or cabinets or whatever. It doesn't matter what the endeavor, it's just beautiful to watch someone do it well.
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