Category: Tips

Your woodworking shop is all set up and you are anxious to try out your skills. You want to start with something that will be fairly simple but practical. Why not consider a bookcase? A bookcase can do double duty, both holding books and knick knacks along with serving...

While Schutte Lumber doesn’t offer the type of wood suitable for wood stoves or fireplaces we are concerned that with cold weather approaching you and your family stay safe. Using improper wood can be both dangerous and inefficient. It’s important to select the proper species as well as avoid...

Maybe it’s a simple deck project or something more intricate like a piece of custom furniture. No matter what the project you always want the best pieces of wood. Listed below are several things to look for when selecting lumber. Defects in wood aren’t always bad. Just make sure...

  Looking for a fun and quick holiday project to dress up your mantel, dining table or front porch? Listed below are several wooden Thanksgiving decorations that you can easily do in a couple of evenings or over a weekend. Make your own wooden name tags. Use small unfinished...

Maybe it’s a simple deck project or something more intricate like a piece of custom furniture. No matter what the project, always begin with the best pieces of wood. Here’s what to consider:  Defects in wood aren’t always bad. Just make sure they are from nature and not caused...

The best furniture and architectural details often have matching wood grain or pattern. The process takes more time and skill, but the result is well worth it. Here are some examples of excellent work with matching wood patterns:   Book matching is seen in this chest, where veneer leafs mirror each...

The ultimate goal in moulding operations is to achieve the most accurate results at the lowest cost possible. From Woodworking Network, here are 4 ways to optimize moulding production in the wood shop. Use a high cutterhead RPM of 10,000; this will allow you to achieve both a high...

Think of drilling like threading a needle; it’s sometimes a lot harder than you would think. Based off of a Start Woodworking article by Ernie Conover, here are the 7 best practices for safe and effective drilling. Identify and mark the center of the drill hole. Place a sacrificial scrap...

Two of our favorite sources — Woodworker’s Journal and woodworking.com — had a tip on how to draw a variety of arcs on wood using just a thin scrap of wood and a simple drawstring. Step 1: Pull the drawstring out of the bottom of an old coat. Step 2: Cut...

A renewed interest in locally-grown and organic produce has led to a raised bed garden craze. If you or your clients are looking to build a vegetable garden, a wooden raised bed is a terrific option. Here’s why: Seating. This Portland garden by Rob Kyne has raised garden beds made of...