c/carpenters

Finally figured out why my miter joints were always a hair off

My buddy in Boise asked to see my saw setup and pointed out my fence wasn't square to the blade, which I'd never checked. Anyone else have a 'duh' moment with a basic tool setup?

I just realized I've cut over 10,000 linear feet of trim in the past year

That's a lot of miter joints. Anyone else ever stop and add up a number that made you pause?

Showerthought: My dad told me to never use pocket screws for a table frame, but I tried it anyway.

Honestly, my dad's been a carpenter for 40 years and always said pocket screws were just for face frames and cabinets, never for something that needs real strength like a dining table. I was building a farmhouse table for a client last month and thought, 'it's 2024, the jigs are better, the screws are stronger, why not?' I used them on the whole apron-to-leg joinery. Tbh, it felt solid when it left my shop. Got a call two weeks later, the client said the whole thing wobbled like crazy when her kid leaned on it. Had to go out there, take it apart in her garage, and redo every joint with proper mortise and tenons. Cost me a full day's pay and a lot of shame. Has anyone else had a pocket screw joint fail on them in a big piece of furniture?

My miter saw fence gave out halfway through a big crown molding job

This happened Tuesday morning on a house in the West End. I was cutting a long piece of 5-inch crown, and when I brought the saw down, the whole fence shifted about an eighth of an inch. It turned out the plastic locking knob had cracked inside, so it felt tight but wasn't holding at all. I had to stop everything, drive to the nearest hardware store, and buy a whole new assembly for about $35. The worst part was I had already cut two pieces that were now useless because the angle was off. I keep a spare blade and drive belt, but I never thought about the fence hardware failing. Has anyone else had a small part on a trusted tool fail like that? What do you keep in your truck as a backup?

Rant: I cut a bunch of 22.5 degree angles for a weird bay window and nothing lined up

I was framing a custom bay window in a house in Tacoma, and the plans called for a 22.5 degree cut on all the jack studs. I cut a whole set, maybe 12 pieces, on my miter saw and nothing fit right, gaps everywhere. Turns out the wall itself was out of plumb by almost a full inch, so the angle was wrong from the start. How do you guys handle framing when the existing structure is that far off?

PSA: I had a 14-foot LVL beam slip off the sawhorses in a tight attic in Boise.

I wedged a 2x4 scrap under one end and used my belt as a makeshift strap to winch it back up with a pry bar, which got me thinking, what's your go-to recovery move for a heavy piece in a bad spot?

I finally had to deal with a huge mis-cut on a custom vanity job in Boulder last month.

Serious question, has anyone else had a miter saw kickback on a tricky crown cut?

I was installing crown molding in a Denver remodel last week, trying to cut a long piece for a high ceiling. I set the saw for the compound angle, but the wood shifted just as the blade bit in. It kicked back hard, slamming the piece into the wall and leaving a deep gouge. I shut the saw off, checked the fence and clamp, and realized I hadn't secured the far end of the board well enough. For those tight, long cuts, do you use an extra roller stand or just have a helper hold it?

Pro tip: I switched from a miter saw to a track saw for a big trim job last month

I was doing a full house trim package in a 1920s bungalow, and the old door casings were all out of square. I had to decide between setting up my miter saw for each weird angle or using my track saw freehand. I went with the track saw, making a quick jig to hold the trim at the right angle. It took about 30 minutes to get the hang of it, but the cuts were way cleaner than trying to force the miter saw. Anyone have a better method for tricky, non-90-degree trim cuts?

Question about using a framing nailer for finish trim

I used to think a framing nailer was fine for door casings and baseboards because it saved me time on a big remodel in Spokane. After seeing the split wood and filler needed on the last job, I switched to a finish nailer even though it takes longer. Does anyone else think the extra time is worth it for cleaner work?

I thought those new composite shims were just a gimmick until a job in Bend

I was working on a big deck rebuild in Bend, Oregon last fall and the lead guy insisted we use these plastic composite shims instead of cedar. I rolled my eyes, thinking they'd crush or slip. We had to level a 16-foot beam that was over an inch out, and after driving in maybe 30 of them with my nail gun, I was shocked. They didn't split, they held the weight without compressing, and the pack said they were weatherproof, which mattered with the rain we get. It totally changed my mind on using old materials just because they're familiar. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed a difference on exterior work?

I thought pocket screws were just for quick fixes until a job in Portland last month.

I was building a set of built-in bookcases for a client in an old craftsman house, and the walls were all over the place. My usual method of just shimming the back wasn't cutting it. Another guy on site showed me how he uses pocket screws to pull the case tight to the wall at specific points before securing it. It took me an afternoon to get the hang of it, but the final fit was perfect. Anyone else use them for tricky installs like that?

Shoutout to the old timer who watched me fight a twisted stud

I was framing a garage in Tacoma last month and hit a wall, literally. This one stud was so twisted my level looked like a banana. Everyone on the crew said to just pull it and cut a new one, which meant taking off the sheathing we just nailed up. I was fed up, so I tried something my grandpa mentioned once. I cut a 3 inch kerf down the middle of the bad face with my circular saw, soaked the cut with water from my bottle, and clamped it straight to a good stud overnight with three bar clamps. The guys laughed, but the next morning it was dead straight and held. Saved us half a day of rework. Has anyone else used a wet kerf to pull out twist, or is that just asking for trouble down the road?

Appreciation post: A framing trick that saved my bacon on a tricky roof

I was working on a shed addition in Portland with a 12/12 pitch that needed a valley rafter. My usual method with a speed square was giving me a headache and wasting wood. I remembered a guy on a jobsite years ago talking about using a simple 2x4 block as a guide for the compound angle. I cut a block at the exact plumb and level angles, clamped it to the rafter, and ran the saw along it. It worked perfectly on the first try. Anyone else have a go-to trick for cutting complex roof angles?

Shoutout to the guy who showed me the right way to check a level

I was helping a friend frame a shed last month and he kept insisting his 4-foot level was fine. He'd just plop it on a board and call it good. I finally had him flip it end for end on the same surface, and the bubble shifted a full line. That's how you really check a level, by flipping it to see if it reads the same both ways. His was off enough to cause problems over a long wall. Anyone else run into a tool that's secretly out of whack?

Shoutout to the old guy at the lumber yard in Spokane

I was picking up some oak for a table top last month and an older carpenter saw me checking the boards. He walked over, pointed at the grain, and said 'You see that runout? That piece will cup on you in a year.' He showed me how to spot it by looking down the edge. I've been picking wood for five years and never knew that trick. How do you guys check for stable lumber before you buy?

TIL my old boss was wrong about using a 4-inch angle grinder for finish cuts

I was cleaning up some old maple trim in a Denver remodel last month and switched from my 4-inch to a 7-inch grinder with a finer wheel. The difference in the cut quality was night and day, with almost no burning or tear-out. What's your go-to tool for tricky finish work on hardwoods?

My crew's framing speed doubled after we switched to cordless nailers in Phoenix

We were still using pneumatic guns and dragging hoses around until about 8 months ago. The boss finally bought a set of battery-powered framing nailers, and now we're finishing walls in half the time because nobody is tripping over air lines or waiting for the compressor. Are cordless tools really worth the upfront cost for a small crew, or do they just die when you need them most?

Just wasted $120 on a 'universal' jig that couldn't handle a simple 3/4 inch dado.

Has anyone found a decent, affordable jig that actually works for cabinet joinery?

PSA: I thought Japanese pull saws were just a gimmick until I used one on a maple trim job

The thin kerf and clean cut saved me a ton of sanding time, but my coworker says they're too fragile for framing. Has anyone else switched over for finish work?

Hot take: I used to swear by a 12-inch miter saw for all my trim work, but after a kitchen remodel in Scottsdale last year, I'm all about the 7 1/4 inch sliding saw. What's your go-to?

My old DeWalt miter saw just gave up on me halfway through a trim job in Albuquerque

I was cutting some crown molding for a client's kitchen remodel last Thursday, and the motor started making this awful grinding noise, then just stopped. It was a DeWalt DWS780 I've had for almost eight years, so I guess it had a good run. I had to run to the local tool rental place to finish the day. Has anyone else had a saw fail right in the middle of a job, and what did you do to get back on track?

I used a cheap cordless nailer for a fence job last month and it was a total waste of time compared to my pneumatic one.

Pro tip: Don't cheap out on a new miter saw blade for a big trim job

I grabbed a $35 blade for a client's crown molding and it burned the wood, costing me half a day to sand and re-cut everything. What's your go-to blade brand for clean cuts on oak?

Hot take: I heard a guy at the lumber yard say 'a sharp pencil is better than a dull mind' about layout work.

One side says it's about meticulous marking, the other argues it's an excuse for overthinking instead of trusting your eye. Which camp are you in?