Q and A

I have received some great questions on my web-site lately. So let's address some of them.

Q: How do you get glue joints so tight?
A: Sharp saw blades are a must. I also check the fit of each joint before gluing them up. If something seems off, use a sander (any standing sander) to work out any gaps.

Q: What kind of glue do you use?
A: I use Titebond II. Plenty of working time before drying. It can take several minutes to get each piece glued up. And you don't want a glue that dries too fast.

Q: How do you cut the pieces so that the grain lines up so nicely?
A: I don't. It just looks like the grain is lined up. Sometimes it actually does.
It would take too long to do such a process. And often it seems like pieces are lined up only to find that they are not after being turned.

Q: My purpleheart turns brown. What do you use to keep it looking so purple?
A: Purpleheart is tricky. I have vessels that are brown after only a year and I have one that has stayed purple since 1998. Always look for lumber that is very bright and purple even after it has been oxidized and on display at the lumber yard for a long time.

Q: Where do you buy your wood?
A: In the San Fran bay area I go to Mount Storm in Windsor and Macbeath in Berkeley.

Tip Of The Week: Be sure to rest your joints, especially your hands,on the weekends or days off.

Shout Out of the Week: Another great job by the teams at Modern Postcard in Carlsbad, California. No better way to spend your advertising dollars.