8 New Needle File Set. This is a new set of 8 rasp needle files. These are for filing wood. Better performance on hard to file surfaces. Little or no clogging. A simple knock is enough to remove the chips. Highly resistant to corrosion and has a longer life than standard files. Each measures approximately 5 1/2" (140 mm) long. We work hard to update our descriptions and pictures of our merchandise. As part of a process of ongoing innovation by our suppliers, newer versions of the item shown may be shipped before we are able to complete an update. As a result there may be a slight variation in color and design.

Our Price: $ 10.33

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Gator Clamps 410-36 36-Inch Clamp N Cut Multi-Purpose Woodworking Tool
The Bora 540936 is a 36-Inch Clamp Edge. The Bora 540936 Clamp Edge from Affinity Tool Works is a straight-edge tool guide with in...

FastCap Accuscribe Scribing Tool
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Kreg V03-DVD Pocket Hole Joinery DVD, Cabinet Making
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Black & Decker PHS550B 3.4 Amp Powered Handsaw with Storage Bag
BDK PHS550B POWERED HANDSAW WITH BAG 3.4 AMP;4600 SPM MOTOR FOR CONTROLLED CUTS IN WOOD, PLASTIC & METAL;COMPACT & LIGHTWEIGHT; PO...

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8 Needle Rasp Files Woodworking Wood Filing Hand Tool

Anatomical Structure of Woodwork Joints

Depending on the type of woodworking project you may have in mind, the following will help you decide on what appropriate woodwork joint to use. With the advent of new tools and machineries, traditional joints have evolved in various types. These woodwork joints differ in styles but have the ultimate purpose of making a strong and stable woodwork.

1. Square Butt Joint. Simply known as the butt joint, it is the most basic joint in joining two pieces of timber relying solely on glue to stick it together. The advantage of this is its being quick and easy to make. It is very useful in making boxes and picture frames. However, since the end of the timber where glue is applied is porous which absorbs most of the glue, it becomes difficult to hold the timber together. On the other hand, this can be strengthened by using screws or pins as support.

2. Mitre or Miter Joint. This is a joint created by sawing one end of two parts to be joined at an angle of 45° to form a 90o angle corner. This is more often used in making picture frames than butt joints. Although this popular method of joining is cheap, it requires accurate cutting to achieve its best strength and visual appeal.

3. Dado Joint. Also known as the housed joint, this type of joint is most popularly used in making bookcases, shelves, and drawers . Unlike butt joints, this joint does not need the benefit of any glue or screw to hold it in place. To make a dado joint, a cut in one piece of wood receives the end of the other. It is much stronger than the butt joint and has a more professional appeal.

4. Dowel Joint. To make a dowel joint, drill aligning holes in each piece of wood then by using glue attach the dowels in place for a tight joint. To achieve high accuracy, it requires a dowelling jig and bits. Use a jig and a drill press to obtain straight holes with uniform depth.

5. Mortise-and-Tenon Joint. This joint is used to Join two members perpendicularly. A rectangular projection from the end of one piece called the tenon fits snugly into the mortise cut in the second piece. This strong and traditional joint can be made even stronger by adding a peg. This is commonly used in antique furniture building.

6. Tongue-and-Groove Joint. Also known as the finger joint, this joint allows for wood shrinkage, it's great for floors and paneling. Long tapered tongues or fingers that interlock join two pieces of timber lengthwise. A high powered router is used to cut a groove in the edge of one piece and a tongue on the other to fit into the groove.

7. Through-Dovetail Joint. This is one of the most stylish joints available, but also one that requires additional patience and more accuracy to cut. The interlocking cut of the wood makes it really strong plus gives more visual interest. This type of joint is used in the manufacture of superior furniture.

8. Lap Joint. This is made by laying one piece on top of another. This can be used either in an angle or lengthwise joint. Lap joints can be made manually with a saw and chisel, on a table saw or radial arm saw with a dado blade, or with a router and a straight bit. Meanwhile, there is a variation of a lap joint which is the half lap joint. This is when half of the thickness from each piece is removed. To make a half lap joint, several cuts half the depth of the material is made while the excess is removed with a chisel.

Now that you know most of the different types of woodwork joints and you can now determine which is best suited for your next woodwork project, there is no reason why you shouldn’t start working on it.

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Woodwork Joints

Click here for adirondack chair projects !

If you're like most people, you've appreciated beautiful wood crafts, whether from a hundred years ago or yesterday - wouldn't you like to be able to make an item which would deserve a master woodworker's respect? Actually, human beings have made both artistic and utilitarian creations from wood even in very ancient eras; you can carry on this great tradition. Success in your project means finding the essential facts, this is finally an easy thing to do. I am pleased to report that guidelines are now yours for the asking, via a new website - it provides excellent, reliable support to novices as well as seasoned professionals. Highly experienced master craftsmen are happy to share what they've learned and demonstrate all the various steps via reliable, thorough, and clear information.

Carpentry has long been a respected trade - it's probable that you can simply simply do a search for "wood art" and be inspired by the excellent craftsmanship. If you can picture it, you can make it, when you acquire a few necessary skills; this is a time-honored craft you'll be getting into, and you can take all the credit. No doubt you're aware of the challenges of working with wood, so you probably have a "can do" attitude; still, the process will surely go more smoothly with a helping hand.

Once you'll have access to quality adirondack chair projects, there's no end to what you can do - you'll have helpful instruction throughout your project, so don't hold back - go for it. Naturally, these user-friendly outlines have always been (and still are) highly regarded - they've kept lots of hobbyists from having to throw away initial projects, and eliminated many a hassle for woodworkers. What a great opportunity this is to learn or improve your woodworking skills - very quickly you will find whatever you are seeking for this new endeavor. No doubt it will take some time to realize all of your dreams in woodworking, however, with practice and renewed confidence, you can craft projects you can be proud of. As i've now built up your working knowledge of this art form, you should be ready and eager to put your tools to work.

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Adirondack Chair Project – Carpentry Made Easy !

The initial thing I care to do is take into consideration my plan of action. Is it something I am doing for fun or an important home improvement. As soon as I decide what the project is I move onto the next step Write down all the materials you need. I used to just go to the wood yard without writing anything down and forget at least one item and have to go back.

Think about the tools you will need. If you have a woodworking project on the top floor of your house and you keep your tools in the shed. You don't want be running back and forth fetching the one tool that you forgot.

Plan your workspace. Are you building something static like a shelf or piece of furniture that can be moved. I remember building a wardrobe once in the hallway but after building it I couldn't get it into the room it should have been in. It looked like it would fit through the doorway but was one inch too big. Lesson learned!

Planning your time is an important. You don't want to be outside in the dark and cold cutting wood. Try do do this before it gets dark and carry on with internal later in the evening. Remember to plan your woodworking project and get as much information as you can off the internet.

Click here for a huge number of woodwork plans and end your woodworking carpentry frustration by checking out www.topwoodworkingplans.info

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Quickly End Your Woodworking Carpentry Frustration – 5 Helpful Tips

It’s the usual 8 to 5 job most of the times. Benefits are included. Laborers are often hard to find, how much more laborers with woodworking skills.

The demand for woodwork furniture also increases the demand for woodworkers. Therefore warehouses hire a lot of woodworkers. They give them a reasonable salary considering the arduous task of building, carving and producing furniture from wood.

Not only that, woodworkers in warehouse are also expected to help out as much as they can – by transferring furniture from one warehouse to another. Some warehouses pay their laborers on an hour basis.

Laborers working in woodwork warehouses are also responsible for the shipping and receiving of the products that they themselves made.

But if you think that workers in woodwork warehouses are limited to labor work, think again. Some woodwork warehouses encourage that their laborers are also knowledgeable of inventory, and not just shipping and stocking. With this know-how, the laborers are updated where their produced furniture are delivered. They should also have first-hand knowledge of what the people demands.

At the end of each day, laborers must also put away the stock like molding, other woodwork and hardware. By putting these into stock, the furniture that the public demanded can be quickly brought out and delivered to the public.

So if you are a woodworker and looking for work, when you see an ad that states “Production/Warehouse positions available,” seize it when you can. By working in a warehouse or in the production industry, you will not only gain the experience of woodworking, you will also learn the nitty gritty of the woodworking business.

In doing so, you will be a hands-on problem solver with the track record of having the ability to not only create woodwork furniture, but also to track where the produce is distributed, as well as the planning and organizing of the stocks. Your know-how on woodworking is not limited to making, shipping and receiving alone.

This is the very reason why more and more woodwork warehouses are not only training their laborers how to build the best woodwork furniture but to train them on the 411 of woodworking as a business.

Thus there are a lot of warehouse positions for applicants choosing to try out in the woodworking industry. They can gain more skill as a woodworker and create the furniture the public demands.

It is interesting to note that despite the flourish of technology, woodwork furniture is still as rampant and as popular as ever.

Egyptian and Chinese civilizations were the very first people to create using wood. Through out the course of time and over the years, creation of furniture has improved but woodworking remained.

This only comes to show how people still prefer the traditional designs of woodwork as opposed to the modern creations like metal chairs, metal tables and the like. At least with woodwork, there is still the classy synthetic in their homes and in their offices.

Thus this demand seeps through the demand of the woodwork warehouses for laborers in order to get all the help they need. At the same time, these woodworkers are not only earning, they are also gaining the skill as laborers and the know-how as a part of the woodworking industry.

If you are an avid woodworker, check out the openings in the various woodwork warehouses near you. Thus you will gain the experience that you need. Who knows? You can even start your own woodworking business. At the rate of how things are going, that is an option you can consider.

Even if it is a simple hobby, at least having the woodwork background, you can turn your hobby into a passion. If you’re really good enough, some people might even insist buying your own creation because it is so good.

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Woodwork Warehouse

Woodworking is a very popular activity because it serves so many purposes for people. The end result often is a beautiful and functional piece that can be enjoyed right away and will last for years. For woodworkers, the process of designing a piece on paper or on your computer, then choosing the right materials, then building the piece satisfies a creative and mechanical interest that many of us have. Woodworking can be done as a hobby or as a profession. Many amateur woodworkers start with relatively small projects (bird houses, bowls, storage units, etc...) and sell them at local craft fairs or shows. As their skill improves, they can move to larger and more expensive pieces and make even more money.

Woodworking can be satisfying monetarily and creatively and there is no shortage of projects that can be created out of wood. Wood itself is a renewable and recyclable resource, so the hobby is easy on the environment and many people prefer pieces made of wood over metal or plastic. No matter how you approach woodworking, it can be a rewarding activity for a wide range of people.

So now that your interest in woodworking is peaked, just how do you go about getting started? The great news about woodworking is that it can be a safe and enjoyable activity for anyone to begin, and getting the knowledge required to start safely is readily available. Let's explore some options for getting you the information you need to get started with woodworking.

Free Resources

For those willing to do a little research on their own, there are an overwhelming number of free resources available to teach woodworking. These resources are highly skilled, trustworthy and easy to find with a little digging. There is no need to worry that choosing a free option will in any way take away from your knowledge level.

Let's look at some free resoures that are available to just about anyone:

Your Local Library - No, the local library is not dead! This is a great place to start your educational journey in woodworking. Today's libraries have books, articles and videos that are at your disposal for free. A quick search of my local library for the term "woodworking" resulted in over 100 results. Books, plans, buying guides, tool care and more are there for me to explore.
The Internet - Don't underestimate the power of the internet to find information you need. A quick search in my favorite search engine resulted in these results: "woodworking videos" - 1.2 million results, "woodworking training" - 3.5 million results, "getting started woodworking" - 19,000 results, "learn woodworking" - 540,000 results. As you can see, the Internet is filled with information about woodworking. Many of the resources come from respected sources such as woodworking tool manufacturers, professional woodworking companies and popular woodworking magazines. The internet is full of video as well. Drill down into the "woodworking video" search and you'll see people walking you step by step through the process of choosing tools, setting up your shop, choosing wood and actually building projects.
Woodworking Clubs - Most areas of the country have woodworking clubs. These are groups of people that love woodworking and who like to get togther to share information. Clubs are a great way to meet experts, ask questions and learn how to do things. Nothing teaches like watching someone do what you are trying to learn how to do. A quick internet search of "woodworking club atlanta georgia" returned over 700,000 results.

Paid Resources

If you would prefer to pay for woodworking training, there are many options as well. Paying for training is a more traditional approach that can help you build your skills more quickly. Here are some paid woodworking resources that are available.

Books - Your local bookstore or online bookseller can provide you books on any aspect of woodworking. Books are available to help you select tools, to help you set up shop, to help you take care of your tools, to help you choose wood, for project ideas and the list goes on and on. No matter what you need to know about woodworking, there is likely a book available to help you.
Training Classes - Classroom-style training classes are readily available and easy to find in most metropolitan areas. Training is provided by your local community college and/or vocational school, by woodworking retailers, by woodworking clubs and by professional organizations. Before spending your money on a training class, take some time to talk to the instructor or class organizer to make sure that the class fits your skill level and interests.
Videos - As technology improves, there are many video training options available for the new woodworker. Searching the internet for "online woodworking training" returned over 1.5 million results. Some of this training is free and some paid, but, no matter which you choose, do your research and make sure the training will get you where you want to go.

Woodworking is popular the world over and, as a result, it's very easy to get the knowledge and information you need to get started. Check out your local library or woodworking shop to see just how many options are available to you.

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Resources for Woodworking Education

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A Guide To Buying Elegant Layout Carpentry Furniture

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Little World’s Fair a big treat

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11,000-year-old home discovered

If so let this article be a great warning to you and your financial life, because many of these shows are driving people to go after home improvement renovations that they can't afford, making them feel as if they need to keep up with the Jones's.

In recent studies and surveys it was shown that twenty seven percent of those people who renovated their homes spent a lot more than they had counted on because they hadn't planned and budgeted their product before they began. Luckily, there were sixty percent who were wise enough to plan and not end up in over their heads.

It's the truth, keeping a home improvement budget can be difficult, even more so when the home improvement shows that seem to constantly be on the television stir up and persuade you to go in deeper than you had planned on doing. They get you excited for the latest home appliance gadgets and the most expensive décor that you simply do not need, and likely can't afford. You may begin with good intentions to stick to your budget, but if you're not careful, with the influence of these shows you could likely end up stretching that budget well beyond your means, which will no doubt cause much financial stress later on.

This is simply something that nobody needs, don't you agree?

A good financial plan will give you the ability to expect extra expenses, which therefore will reduce the stress of home, your renovations. Experts advise that you should secure financing before the renovation, such as a personal or homeowners' line of credit, which give you the financial cushion that you need to keep stress levels low. However, just because you have a line of credit available doesn't mean that you should use it; it just provides extra security in case you hit unforeseen expenses, for instance re-wiring your home.

The survey showed that 68 per cent of respondents used cash from investments or savings to pay for their home improvements, however not planning could likely mean financial difficulty down the road. This survey also revealed that thirty four percent of homeowners are borrowing to finance their renovations.

Could a Home Improvement Show Devastate Your Marriage?

It looks like this may be the case according to a study done by a UK website called British Gas. They reveal that those who are attempting to emulate TV 'dream homes' could be turning DIY into fuel for divorce. More than half of our do it yourself craze is forged by the influence of TV shows. The bad news is that eighty percent of families admit to having had arguments over botched makeovers. That doesn't include all of the added arguments due to financial stress on these marriages, which is the greatest cause of divorce.

Bottomline, save yourself a ton of headache by creating a budget before starting any home improvement project, be strict with your budget, and don't let the shows that tout easy and simple renovation influence you, simply let it inspire you. Be savvy and keep your savings and your marriage.

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Warning: Woodworking Shows Could Be Hazardous

Read more on The Powell River Peak

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Quick Peaks: August 4, 2010

Many individuals considering a home improvement project do not appropriately anticipate extra costs involved with projects. Good financial planning and the inclusion of extra costs can reduce the stress of renovations. It is often suggested to secure financing prior to beginning the project, such as a home line of credit for instance. The benefit of a line of credit is that you do not have to use it, but it does provide some security in knowing the funding is available when you are faced with unexpected expenses.

Attempts by homeowners to renovate their home into their "fantasy home" as seen on television could be turning DIY remodeling projects into divorce, D.I.V.O.R.C.E., according to a study from British Gas' website http://house.co.uk. Eighty percent of families admitted that they have had arguments over unsuccessful renovations. For example, two in three families state that they have had disagreements over color schemes, which has also been cited as the most likely reason for a break-up. Other top reasons for DIY home improvement disputes include an unfinished job, lack of time for the project, the related mess or disruption, the cost, stress, lack of knowledge of home improvement projects and gender differences of opinion.

One way to help avoid DYI disputes is to call a professional contractor or skilled tradesman. Homeowners spend millions in an attempt to fix their DIY remodeling disasters, when the problems could have been avoided in the first place. Many think that performing the work themselves may save money. Though this may be true in some cases, DIY projects can also result in spending extra money in the end as well as many headaches, hassle and a lengthier project. This is something to consider when contemplating renovations on your home. This particular survey on British Gas' website was conducted to evaluate consumers' attitudes toward do-it-yourself home projects. http://House.co.uk provides a national directory of reliable tradesman by HomePro, Ltd., a leading online provider of trade professionals.

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Contribution Of The Woodworking Show On Consumers

Hand tools serve a variety of functions. It comes in a multiple of sizes and shapes. Virtually, every kind of tool can be a hand tool. This is although many people have assumed them as power tools. Several hand tools cannot be safely or easily converted into power tools. This is specifically for the chisel while others have the saw and hammer.

A multi-tool is a hand tool that incorporates some tools into a single portable device. Artisans in manual operation handle the following:
? Sawing
? Chopping
? Forging
? Chiseling
? Filing

Hand tools are easy and safe to use. This is why many workers are still using them. In some cases, hand tools are faster than machines. Many hand tools are automatic and are generally powered by electricity. Always remember to clean your hand tools before and after using it. This is to avoid making it rusty and dull. In order to remove the tar and similar substances, clean them with turpentine or other material spirit. After cleaning, dry the tool and apply some light machine oil.

Different types of hand tools
? Drills - Drills are a somewhat boring type of hand tool, which is used for creating holes in walls as well as in wood. There are some types of drills such as a hammer drill, air drill, press drill, percussion drill and power drill.

? Screwdriver - This type of hand tool is used by loosening or tightening a screw. This is done by the aid of the tip of the screwdriver. It comes in different types and sizes and some of which are flared and slotted.

? Sander - This is used for smoothing out wooden products. There four types of sanders such as the air sander, sheet sander, orbital sander and the bench sander.

? Spanner - The spanner is a hand tool used to loosen and tighten the bolts and nuts. It has different varieties such as open-ended C spanner, offset ring spanner, ring spanner, adjustable spanner, tap spanner, box spanner, and split ring spanner.

? Wrench - This hand tool is used for gripping the fasteners that are loosened or tightened through the jaws of the wrench. The types of wrenches include the pipe wrench, torque wrench, footprint wrench and the strap wrench, along with the mole wrench and the stilton wrench.

? Clamps - These tools are used for holding instruments throughout processes like woodworking, carpentry and so on. Like any other hand tool, it has different types such as the G clamps, power clamps, pipe clamps, web clamps, action clamps, mitre clamps and much more.

? Hammer - It is used for the striking force in order to break or to deform an object. The types of hammer include the claw hammer, power hammer, sledge hammer as well as the bell pein, cross pein pin hammer and much more.

? Saw- This is a hand tool that is more commonly used by carpenters in order to finish their work efficiently. Saws also have different varieties which are for different purposes such as plywood saws, Ryoba saw, utility saw, azebiki saw and much more

Tips for buying different hand tools
? Buy the best hand tool that you can afford.
? Buy some versions or sizes of the same tools to ensure you have the right hand tools for your right job.
? Use a hand tool for the work it was manufactured for its performance.
? Make sure that the handles are fixed firmly onto the tool-working end.
? Plan your job before you start buying hand tools.
? Verify all the types of hand tools and compare its features.

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Hand Tools For Easy Carpentry at Home

If you need to make a dovetail then you should consider purchasing a dovetail jig. You can buy these fairly cheaply or you can make your own dovetail jig pretty easily. You can go online to find templates for creating a jig or you can go to a store that sells wood supplies. A lot of the templates will let you create up to twelve different jigs.

You should choosing a dovetail bit that will work for your dovetail saw and your router. These can be very helpful if you want to make a jig yourself. You can use a template that will let you different spaced dovetails that you can use for a wide selection of improvement projects. You can use them for cabinets, drawers, or small boxes. You can also get a system that comes with bits and templates all together to make things easier. This will help you save money or you can purchase the pieces separately.

You can do other fine joint projects using dovetail saws, not just cut dovetails. Dovetail saw blades are thicker than other types of saws. This can help make your saw more accurate and it is very important to get a good saw if you want to create tight joints and make things look professional. You should get a saw that is about fourteen to seventeen points per inch. This shows that the saw is of a high quality.

You can make consistent dowels with a dowel jig. If you use timber then get a self centering jig to be more accurate. You can get an array of sizes from a quarter to one half inch. You can also buy whole kits that will have the dowel jig and also will have a few hundred different size dowels. You may also find glue in these kits.

If you are interested in cabinet making then a kreg jig might be what you should choose. You can get slides that are perfectly positioned and will help your drawers to be smoother. If you use a kreg jig you'll save a lot of time cause you won't need to measure and mark the spaces for the drawer slides. You can also find it easier to mount metal drawer slides. Use these for different drawers such as center, bottom, or extension drawers. This is something that is not expensive, yet very useful.

If you want to make your own jig you can save a lot of money. Just use scraps of plywood to do this. Since you just use one jig for each project you don't want to spend a lot of money on your jig. If you want to use it over and over then you should get a hardwood to create your jig.

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Woodworking Can Be A Great Hobby

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Life after cancer full of change

A basic mechanical ability, good eye hand coordination is required for woodworking. So, you have to be very careful and develop these ability over a period of time. Once you understand your interest then you can give the best to the job while learning it and also while managing a project on your own.

There are several types of tools for woodworking and you must know them, their types, their use and maintenance of those tools and devices. If you are using electrical equipments then you must ensure that the electrical supply to the equipment is available and your device is a good condition to make use of electricity.

At one point of time woodworking might start as a hobby, but if you have learnt the basics and you can use your brain and imagination to be creative then this could become a lucrative career option for you. Many beginners who start woodworking find it tiresome in the beginning as it takes lots of your energy to learn the basic use of equipment and needs lots of patience to convert your perception into reality using the equipment, your handwork and the raw material.

Once your hands become expert, then it is easier and you can work faster and efficiently to produce any effective design and frame you want.

Woodworking is a very good hobby and interest and gives the avenue of a purposeful activity where you get tangible outcome in terms of finished goods and also you are awarded financially. Hence if you are considering woodworking, just tighten your belt and gather your resources and start learning woodworking.

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Beginner Woodworking – Carpentry and Woodworking As a Hobby

There is virtually no limit to the number of tools that are available for the home handyman to invest in. Just check out any hardware store or look in the garages of your neighbors. But many times it is overkill since so many of the tools do the same thing. With a basic arsenal of five tools, you can tackle just about any reasonable job. From there, you can start to develop a complete workshop as you get more proficient.

A basic important tool any handyman wants is a circular saw. Cut large curves or straight lines with this saw; all you have to do is set a board on the top of sawhorses, and you have a work surface to hold the wood to be cut.

If you are planning on any large wood working projects, you will need a radial arm saw or a table saw. Pick a saw that can rotate to different angles if you want to make picture frames or mouldings. These angles will permit you to make 45 degree miter cuts that you need for corners.

A small electric sander will be invaluable in your woodworking jobs. You can do hand sanding, but a belt sander that is electric powered is faster and gives the finished product a smooth, professional look. Strips of wood for moulding or furniture are smooth and can just be painted or stained.

Next you will need a router. A tool such as this lets you make patterns in wood or grooves that are needed to form furniture. You can start with a plain Shaker style, and graduate to more complex designs such as French provincial furniture.

To maintain your tools in tip top shape, you will want to invest in a knife sharpening tool or a grinding wheel. With these, you can keep all of the blades in perfect condition. This is the hallmark of a quality wood worker: if the tools are sharp, you can cut finely and work in detailed patterns that look very professional.

If you want to do quality work, you should invest in quality brand tools. Some of the top names in the field that you should choose between are: Sears Craftsman, Makita, Rockler, Rockwell, Ridgid, Rockwell and Snap-On. If you buy any of these, you know you will have a top notch tool. There is some variation in price, but each of these should last decades and be a good investment for your workshop.

Now that you have the basics, you can add the extra items that will make the jobs easier and fun. You will want to have clamps and gluers, of course, but add to them over time jet tools, dovetail jigs, electric nailers and more.

If you have anl organized workshop and all of the basic tools, wood working will be a pleasure. How about a workbench as your first major woodworking project?

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Picking The Right Tool For Woodworking

First and the most basic tip for nailing is that you should loosen your grip on the hammer. Do not clutch it in death grip.

Hold the nail between a thumb and a forefinger and turn your fingers in such a manner that your fingernails touch the board. Now start hammering. In case you miss the nail, it is probable that you hit the fleshy side of your fingers.

In case, you are using a very small nail, use a fine-toothed comb to hold the nail, otherwise you may hit your fingers very badly. When the nail comes near the board, remove the comb and nail will be completely driven into the wood.

Apply light hammer strokes on the nail until it is inside the board, one-third of its length. If you hit it hard before that, nail can fly right into your face. When it gets inside, you can hit it harder.

While doing this job, you should wear a canvas nail apron. It will help you hold your supplies. You can hold pouches of nails in its pockets and it is very convenient.

One thing you must know is that the knotty parts of the wood are quite tough to break in. So avoid putting nails there. You will find it hard to drive it in. Choose the regular surface of the board to put the nail.

While putting the nail near the end of a board, board may crack or split. To avoid this, you should make the nail blunt a little bit. For this, tap its pointed end a few times over the hammer.

If it is getting tough to drive in a nail, there is a trick. Rub the nail over a bar of soap. This act will reduce friction in the nail.

Other way is to make a pilot hole in the board using a drill. Diameter of the drill should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the nail.

What happens sometimes is when hammer miss the nail and hits the wood. It leaves “half Moon” shape mark of the board which looks ugly. To avoid this, you can place a piece of thin plywood before you start hammering. In case of a miss, you will hit the junk wood.

http://www.balhambuilder.co.uk

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Carpentry Tips – How to do nailing

There are a lot of different clamps that will be able to assist you in your woodworking projects and you will want to build up a healthy supply of all of them. Some of the most popular clamps for your shop are C-Clamps. Most people will tell you to buy these big. These clamps will hold together a wide variety of projects in glue up phase, and it is important that you buy a quality clamp, because you do not want it breaking on you in a critical point. 

Another great clamp to have in your arsenal is a band clamp, which is also sometimes known as a web clamp. These clamps are made with nylon mesh straps and they utilize a mechanical ratchet to cinch them up tight. These are indispensable clamps when you are trying to clamp up odd shapes or sizes and they are great for corners as well. 

Corner clamps are also a great addition. These clamps mount to your work bench and they are used to hold two pieces of material in a perfect 90 degree angle for glue up or other purpose. They are perfect for making picture frames of course but also for door frames, drawers and a wide variety of other projects. 

Pipe clamps are also great for any wood shop. They are what their name implies, they utilize a bar or a pipe in order to clamp up the project. You can choose pipes of different lengths depending on the project you are working on.

 Clamps are an absolutely essential hand tool for any wood shop, and most wood workers will say that you can never have too many clamps. However, clamps can get expensive so it is probably a good idea to build up your supply slowly. You will never regret having too many clamps, however if you do not have enough and you are in the middle of a project, you will regret not having enough clamps without a doubt!

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Your Woodworking Shop – Can You Ever Have Too Many Clamps?

Once you have come to terms with what you want to make, the next most important step is space consideration. The amount of space you will need is directly proportional to the size of the items that you will be making. For example, if you want to make small craft projects, and you only require a scroll saw and perhaps a few assorted hand tools, space will be minimal. However if you intend to get into cabinetry, the space requirements increase significantly, in order to accommodate a table saw, and numerous other large bench tools. Most people interested in a large workshop will setup in the basement or the garage.

Next, you will want to make sure any workspace you choose is dry, or can be kept dry through the use of a dehumidifier. Most bench tools have uncoated steel tables which will rust with time. Additionally, if there is any chance of flooding or sewer backup (in the case of a basement), you will want to make sure your tools are elevated off the floor. It's not only bad for the equipment, but a serious safety hazard as well.

Once you have determined you have a dry area to work with, you will need to examine the power requirements of the equipment you will be using.  Higher horsepower equipment will need to be run on 220v - even though some will run less smooth on 110v. Most homes have 220v capability but usually require rewiring to accomplish it. Be sure to consult a qualified electrician before making any decisions on wiring. Obviously if you'll be making small projects, most smaller bench tools and hand tools run on 110v.

Next, you have to tackle the dust collection and ventilation issue, which is also an issue of space and power. Hardwood dust is dangerous from a health perspective, and all wood dusts present a potential fire hazard. Dust collection equipment comes in all shapes and sizes from HEPA filtered shop vacs to sophisticated systems that collect dust at the source and route to a large fabric bag - all with different collection efficiencies. In addition, there are room filtration systems to remove the very fine (and much more dangerous) dust particles from the air.

Now that you have an idea of what you want to build and you're certain you have the space and power, you can start planning which tools you need and design a room layout. There are many online resources that can help you plan your shop layout!

As stated earlier, it's much better to get a head start and determine what you want to build before investing money in a lot of equipment, as you will end up with a lot of stuff you don't need. Here, you can get over 14,000 woodworking plans, for every type of project imaginable. Not only will you get a head start, but also have at your disposal a lifetime supply of plans and inspirations!

Post from: Woodworking Training

Interested in Carpentry Woodworking? The Secret to Success is in the Plans

In the current issue of CabinetMaker Magazine, leading manufacturing solution provider Trakware is profiled as the MES solution for project-based manufacturers. The article may be read at its entirety at http://www.cabinetmaker-digital.com/cabinetmaker/200708/?pg=34.

According to Linda Ohm, author of the cover story, FC Woodworks, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, increased the bottom-line with Trakware because the software tracks costs and provides profitability feedback. Ohm details the work stages of the woodworker and how Trakware has assisted. Jobs are broken down into work order stages; Work orders include purchasing, shop drawings, cutting, edging, machining, assembly, wrap and load, delivery and installation. Errors and rework, claims and changes by the customer are also factored into the report.

Interestingly the Trakware solution starts with the product that shop is going to build, taking it from a concept to a deliverable product. What goes into a product usually includes raw materials of various kinds, engineered parts and finished goods. Additionally there is labor and overhead, all of which affects the profitability of each project.

Founded in 1995, Trakware’s partners include Microsoft, Oracle, ADP, Sage, and SolidWorks, Dell and TouchSystems. TRAKware software allows any manufacturer with unique requirements of a custom engineered-to-order business, in any industry, to have total control of each and every order through the plant. Trakware is the leader in delivering innovative Manufacturing, Planning, and Control (MPC) solutions for project-based manufacturers.

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Cabinetmaker Magazine Shows Trakware Benefits Project-based Woodworking

In these hard economic times business is very hard. If you are a company director looking for a bit of advice because your carpentry business is struggling, you have come to the right place. I have created many articles which try to help a director take the right steps in either closing his business or pre-packing a sale and starting again.

Firstly if your carpentry company is insolvent you have a duty as a director to close the company and not incur any further debt, unless you can be pretty sure that you can put in place a rescue plan to turn that business around. If you can’t them you need to liquidate the company yourself or take professional advice on how best to close the business in an orderly fashion.

By far the most popular choice is to engage an insolvency practitioner to call a meeting of creditors on your behalf, prepare the statement of affairs, hold the meeting and then deal with all the procedural aspects necessary to make sure all creditors now what is going on and how they can participate in any dividend.

There is a fee for all this and generally it will be about £5000 whoever you use around the country. There are some advertisements for liquidations at less than this but by the time all costs are accounted for, it will still come in at about the same sum.

These costs can come out of the assets of the carpentry company and indeed many businesses do have just enough assets or cash to take this final step. For many businesses, the central core of what the business does is still profitable and so often directors will want to continue to trade. This is easily possible and a sale of assets can be arranged to a new company and a lease re-assigned by a landlord, which often leaves the new company trading on in the same line of work from the same premises.

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How to wind up a carpentry company

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Fountain County 4-H Fair results

Have you ever thought about the process from start to finish of a woodworking project. There is alog ore involved in the process than you think. Most of us skip through each process not really thinking about how each step affect the overal project.

1. Fill a Need

I believe that in all things we do, we want to fill a need. Otherwise, why do them. The need may be basic or secondary. We also my not understand which need is which. The need may be materialistic or it may be emotional. You are someone you know needs a table, so you build one. But, is that really the basic need? I doubt it. I believe the basic need is more primal than that. Just as we need food, clothing, and shelter, we need an avenue for self expression and a sense of accomplishment. Otherwise, we would have bought the table. It certainly would have been cheaper.

2. Getting an idea

Where do you get the idea for your next project? Clues are all around us. Sometimes, ideas come from the most unlikely places. One word in a discussion can trigger an idea. For some, it may be a specific problem they are trying to solve. Others may be lucky and have the eye of an artist and have the ability to visualize an object. I will admit, I am not an original thinker. My ideas usually bome from a request from a customer or the desire to change something I have seen to make it my own.

3. From mind to paper

The next challenge is to move the great idea from your mind to paper. My first step is usually a sketch. then, there is a discussion wi the customer. All projects have a customer. It may be you, a lovedon, a neighbor, or if you are really lucky, a bonefide cash carrying customer whi is willing to pay you for your hard work. When there is an agreement on the sketch, my next step is a full size drawing. If at all possible, do not skip this step. There was a time when i felt that 1/4 or 1/2 scale would suffice. But, after completing some full scale drawings, I found it much more comforting to know that I had the exact measurement to work with.

4.Selection and preparation of materials.

This is an area where I believe much time and thought needs to be utilized to get it right. The last thing you want, is to complete a project and then realize that the wrong materials were selected. Aesthetics, project location/use, material strength, the mix of materials, and grain direction are just a few of the things that need to be considered. This is also another area where the customer must be consulted. For traditional furniture, there are many publications that can assist in you decision making. For an original project, the world is your palette.

For the first part of material preparation I use computer software. I use a product called 'Cutlist Plus'. There is a version of this software that cost less than $100.00 and you will recoup this cost in short order. Entering your inventory of materials, along with part sizes and how many of each part required, the software will create a cutlist that will make maximum use of materials.

The next step is to bring your material into the shop and allow it to acclimate to the shop for a couple weeks. When you start cutting material, cut each part at least 1/4 inch larger all around and a few inches longer.There are many stresses in wood and when cut, these stresses are relieved. You may or may not be able to see this right away. Let the material sit overnight. You will be surprised at how much movment there will be.I would also suggest that you cut some extra material to the same dimensions as your parts. There is always the possibility of an error somewhere in the project. Having dimensioned lumber available will reduce the stress level. DO NOT get rid of extra material until the project is complete.

5. Preparation of equipment

This is one of the most important, but often neglected parts of a project. If your equipment is not maintained and calibrated properly, you will encounter many moments of great frustration. Are your cutting tools sharp? Dull cutting tools cause many of the blood letting accidents in the shop. Inattention to the task at hand has caused many accidents. Before starting a new project, take the time to ensure that your saws are sharp and calibrated properly, so you can get that 90degree or 45degree cut exact. Make sure the cross cut sleds are exact. On mine, the thickness of a piece of painter's tape makes the difference between failure and success.

6. Execution

This is the fun part. It is also the part where the most mistakes can be made, in material and in you. Never ever work when you are tired, or are unable to give full attention to the task at hand. Missing body parts are not worth it.

As the old saying goes, measure twice and cut once. It is extremely easy to turn a 5 /14" cut into a 4 3/4" cut. Believe me, I have done it. Take time with your tools, Do not push them beyond their capability. Wixey corporation, makes an angle gauge that will great enhance you accuracy when setting up a saw for a particular angle. Try to use the same ruler throughout the project. Minute differences, between rulers can cause problems when trying to assemble a project.

Do not get in a hurry to start gluing things together. Always to a dry fit to make sure things line up properly. Make sure your joints are not too tight. glue will make a tenon expand so is is almost impossible to insert it into a mortise. Making mortise and tenon joints properly, takes time and patience. I usually cut my tenons thick and use a rabbet plane to get them to the proper thickness.

Make sure you have plenty clamps, but use them judiciously. Improper use of clamps can rack a project out of square. When it is time for the glue-up, take some time to mask areas that may get unwanted glue on them. Try to use only the amount of glue required. Make every atempt to limit squeeze-out of excess glue. Finding dried glue that will not take a stain does not make for a happy day in the shop. Remove the excess glue and the tape when the glue reaches a stiff but not yet hard consistency.

7. Preparation for staining and finishing

This is an area that most woodworkers hate to do. But, it is just as important as the construction phase of the project. This is what everyone will see. Using whatever methods you like, all tool and swirl marks need to be removed. On some items, I will use a scraper. On others, I will use sandpaper. If using sandpaper, 220grit is as fine as I normally go during this process.

8. Staining and finishing

There are many different forms of stand and finishes. All have their pros and cons. Before applying a stain to your project, take time to test different products and processed on scrap wood of the same type as the project. Perform the complete finish process on each piece of scrap so you will know what the project will look like when complete. After determining which product and process looks the best, do not skip or change any part of the process when finishing the project. Small differences in the finishing process can make a drastic change in how the completed project will look.

9. Post finish

Now it is time to really make your project shine. Do not get in a hurry to start this process. Wait until the finish is completely cured. Some products will cure overnight. Others may take weeks. You, most likely will need to buff or polish the finish to get that silky smooth look and feel everyone seems to want. Most people will rub a finish to get an impression of how well the finish was completed. There are many oils, polishes, and powders that will create the finish you desire. Please read as many of the finishing books as possible to get an understanding of the finishing process.

Now go and show off you hard work to anyone who will look. But, please do not point out every little blemish. Most people will not notice.Enjoy the moment.

Post from: Woodworking Training

Anatomy of a Woodworking Project

A carpenter is a skilled crafts person who works with wood to construct buildings, furniture and many more objects. A person can gain the skill of Oxfordshire Carpentry through experience and study. There are many courses available for carpentry skills. These courses are designed to give you necessary theoretical and practical skills which are usually required to make a career in carpentry or wood occupation. The best part of these courses is that you don't need any previous experience. Here they will teach you how to use basic joints, inspect hatch and frame, erection and use of equipments and unloading and storage of sheet and timber materials. So a person who does these courses becomes a master in Carpentry.

When you are planning to make some changes in your home or office, you would always prefer a professional who can design and construct exactly what you need and as per your requirements. You will try and find the best Carpenter who is experienced in his field and can help you to design bespoke furniture and other requirements of your home. Other than the carpentry and joinery work, these carpenters will also help you in providing services for roofing, staircase installation, fitting wardrobes, window seats, wooden flooring, fitting cupboards and shelves, and many more things. So, carpentry trade is to be known as a combination of many things.

But it becomes difficult and stressful to find an experienced carpenter whose work you will like to appreciate. So, the main thing which you should do is to exactly describe what work you want to be done. Include the day the work should be started and the exact dimensions of the furniture incase to be made. Images or scans of photographs or plans help a lot in finding a perfect carpenter. This will save your time and money as the carpenter will know exactly what you need and will then contact you. You can then get different quotes from different Carpenters and choose the best tradesman quote from among the rest of the quotes depending on your requirements. Make your decision and pick up the best carpenter by checking out his reviews on previous carpentry or joinery jobs done by him. This will help you to know how neat and efficient he is in his job and whether you like his work or not. It all depends on the neatness of the work done and on the durability and strength of the work.

So, before you begin with any construction or any furniture work by a carpenter please check out these norms and then choose your Carpenter or Joiner. As a house cannot be constructed again and again and neither can you change its furniture often.

Post from: Woodworking Training

Carpentry in Oxfordshire

You will need a number of hand tools to properly shape wood:

Clamps-It is a good idea to have a variety of sizes, but they do not cost much, and they last a long time, so used ones will serve as well as new ones.

Bench chisels-Get about 6 of these, ranging from one quarter of an inch to one inch.

Wire brushes-Good, stiff ones

Saws-At least a back saw, a tenon and a dovetail saw. They get a lot of use, so if you buy them used, make sure the teeth are not damaged, but you can have the sharpened.

Files-Start with a ten inch bastard mill file; you can add others later.

Hammer-A good quality 16 ounce hammer.

Mallet-Needed for driving chisels

Allen wrenches-Various sizes

Screwdrivers-A set of various sizes in both Phillips head and flat head.

Awls-Marking and Scratching

Pliers-Channel lock and Needle nose

Scrapers-A paint scraper and a hand scraper

Miscellaneous-T bevel, tape measure, steel ruler, level, putty knife, utility knife and protractor

The ideal way to set up a woodworking shop is to buy a small quantity of good quality tools rather than a lot of cheap hand tools. You'll only end up paying more in the long run if you buy cheap tools, since they will have to be replaced often. Brand names to look for are Armstrong, Stanley and Snap On.

You can buy used tools if you look for ones in good condition. There are many antique or German made hand tools on sale. Hand tools last longer than power tools, since they are no mechanical parts to cause problems, so older ones are not a problem. Older hand tools are also frequently of better quality than newer ones.

Many hand tools can be found at yard or garage sales, but you may have to search a lot to get everything you need. Check the newspapers for ones that are offering tools (sellers frequently mention the types of merchandise they have)and visit as many yard sales as you can to build your collection.

Another excellent source for used hand tools is flea markets. Since there are so many more tables, you can cover a lot more ground than you can at garage or yard sales. Just remember that flea market merchants are used to haggling over price, so don't pay the first price they quote, you will probably be paying too much.

At both yard sales and flea markets, you can get a better bargain if you wait till the end of the day, since the sellers may then be happy just to get rid of their stuff. Another hint is that if someone is selling a number of tools, they may be willing to give you a quantity discount.

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Woodworking Tools

The primary advantage of using wood as a structural material in carpentry is the ease with which wood structural parts can be joined together with a wide variety of fasteners such as nails, spikes, screws, bolts, pins, staples and connectors of various types. Usually they all are made of metal, and most of all of iron.

For maximum rigidity and strength, each type of fastener calls for joint designs specifically adapted to the strength properties of wood being used and to dimensional changes that could occur with changes in moisture content (that is, unavoidable weather conditions) and wear and tear.

The following are the three most popular forms of fasteners in carpentry.

Nails

Nails are the most commonly used fasteners in construction. They are the carpenterâ??s most useful means of fastening structural parts. As such, a great variety of types and sizes is available to meet the demands of the carpentry industry. Size is crucial in selecting the right nails for the job. Diameter would be the first consideration. Short, thick nails typically loose quickly, whereas long, thin nails are more likely to break at the joints of the lumber. Basic rule is to use as long and as thin nail as will drive easily.

Some tips in determining which nail size is appropriate:

-          For lumber of medium hardness, the penny (head) of the nail should not be greater than the thickness of the board into which the nail is being driven.

-          Nails should be one penny smaller if used in hard woods.

-          When joining two boards together, the nail point should at least penetrate 1/4 inch of the far side of the second board.

-          The kind of wood is an essential factor in determining the size of nail as well. Soft woods may require nails that may be one penny larger, or sometimes, even two pennies larger.

However, all rules and tips are worth pennies compared to experience, as it is still the best guide in determining the appropriate nail size.

Screws

Wood screws are excellent alternatives to nails as carpentry fasteners.

They have worthwhile advantages over nails because they are sturdier. Also, it gives the carpenter more flexibility in adjusting the structure because of the ease in disassembling the joined parts. Just a twist with a screwdriver and itâ??s off! Unlike with nails, it is quite possible to damage the structure if itâ??s already been nailed together and you want to take it off. These advantages, however, also come at a cost since it takes more time and effort to install screws to structural materials than nails. With nails, you just need a hammer and just pound away. Screws are more tedious because of the need for more precision.

In the early days, most wood screws (probably 75 percent or more) used to be the flat-head type. This has changed however, with the emergence of the Phillips head screw in recent years.

Bolts

An alternative to both nails and screws are called bolts. These are used to bind parts tightly together where high strength is needed. A bolt is generally regarded as a rod having a head at one end and a threaded portion on the other to receive a nut. The nut is usually considered as forming a part of the bolt.

These fasteners are as essential to carpentry as the structural materials itself. Without them to hold parts together, functionality of the structure would be greatly compromised.

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Keeping It Together in Carpentry

Use a wood biscuit to join a piece of wood together. This is used instead of glue and usually if the project uses panels with more than twelve inches they will need to be joined with wood biscuits. This stops the final piece from being full of seams. Glue is useful at times, but if you want a really great project then you'll need to use wood biscuits too. These are simple and not hard to use. If you get a good biscuit joiner then you can use it to cut a hope in the opposite edge of the project that you are building. You then cover the wood biscuit with glue and put it in the slot. Simply clamp the two boards together and you are almost down creating a truly great woodworking project.

Biscuits are useful because of their strength and durability. You can use them to join together wood pieces that are not able to be held together with glue alone. A wood biscuit is made of several different kinds of wood pieces. This usually means shavings from beech or another type of wood. The actual make-up of a wood biscuit will vary from company to company. Once the biscuit is connecting the pieces of wood it will expand within the slot and this will make the joint tighten up. This will make your work very smooth.

Biscuits are quite small and usually they are one fourteenth of an inch thick, but you can buy them in different thicknesses from different companies. The other normal wood biscuit sizes are size zero which is five eights of an inch wide and one and three quarter inches long. A size number ten is three quarters of an inch wide and two and one eighths of an inch long. Size number twenty is one inch wide and two and three eighths of an inch long. Different companies make different size biscuits. If you want a certain size then you should look around at different brands.

Use a biscuit that will help you with your project the best. You should try to use a larger sized biscuit This will make your piece more stable. You can also use a wood biscuit to join any project together. There are a few places where they are normally used in certain joints. If you are creating an edge to edge joint for a project such as a table then you can use a biscuit to add more stability to your project.

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Woodworking With Wood Biscuits

Carpenters are generally considered to be all-around and knowledgeable, if not skilled, in most facets of construction. They know a bit of masonry, tin smithery, and metal works. They are relied upon to erect scaffoldings. It is possible to be a rough carpenter and at the same time a finishing carpenter. They also make the floors, roofs, walls, and partitions and the necessary framing for items that do not require concrete. As a carpenter, one needs to be skilled at all kinds of tools, from manual to the portable and stationary power tools. Squares, hammers, and chisels are examples of manual tools. The power saw and drills are some of the power tools. One should also be able to read architectural plans, symbols, and construction drawings. Further, it is important to interpret them according to work specifications. Also, a good carpenter never underestimates the consequence of safety.

There are two main fields in carpentering, rough and finishing carpentry. Rough carpentry involves the unseen part of a house. This is the field that is actually involved in construction and building. Tradesmen in this field prepare formworks and bracings for reinforced concrete like columns, stairs, floors, walls, beams, girders, and, of course, for the footings and foundation. To form concrete structures, wooden formworks need to be strong and sturdy, but not too rigid in that it should take the weight of fresh concrete. Needless to say, the surface exposed to the concrete has to be clean and spotless. They also handle heavy framing for some structures that require hardy framing.

The work of finishing carpenters usually covers the visible areas and items that define the space. They produce drywall partitions, simple to complexly designed ceilings, moldings, manufacture and installation of doors and windows, flooring, counters, and cabinets. Doors, windows, and cabinetry have become specializations in themselves and have become distinct trades. When orders for the doors, windows, counters, and cabinets have arrived, it is they who finish the installation. Subjects in carpentry training comprise virtually all aspects of the craft, from materials, estimation, costing, to the tools and how to use them to create carpentry works.

Carpentry training is offered as a course by many colleges and institutions. Entering carpentry school at qualified training centers may have the slight advantage because it is more organized and certifications are handed out. Or it may be that a person is apprenticed to a skilled carpenter. Either way, exposure and adeptness in handling the material and the tools are keys to earning vocational qualifications from government certifying agencies. Training may also be done at home for the hobbyist and the weekend carpenter with do-it-yourself CDâ??s, videos, and e-books. Modules are available for simple projects, to repairs, how-toâ??s, and others. Most training programs cover everything from the ground up to the roof and everything in between including what needs to be done and how it is done.

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Carpentry Training – For Budding Carpenters and Hobbyists

Wade Vonasek in the current issue of Industrial Strength Woodworking. The article may be read at its entirety at http://www.iswonline.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=2CB6F521AEC444C58944DA286FA356FC&nm=Article+Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=475DBB6CBDE045609E19F1889AF6819F.

“A lot of woodworking shows we’d attend, you’d hear ‘lean’ - it was a buzz word,” says Vincent Barraza, executive vice president of Architectural Woodworking Co. (AWC). “We started taking some of the classes up in Glendale, CA, to look at lean implementation. We kind of went through and thought how we could fit lean into what we do.”

Thus began the journey into the world of lean manufacturing for AWC, a Monterey Park, CA-based premium millwork contractor that specializes in commercial production, such as law firms and corporate offices. The company began going lean by first working with Professional Development Center (PDC), a state-funded workforce training center at Glendale Community College in Glendale, CA, sending employees to classes on lean principles offered by PDC. Barraza says it’s important to get upper management involved in the beginning, to see the big picture and to aid in moving the process along more quickly.

In order to implement lean principles, AWC rearranged the layout of its 55,000-square-foot shop. The new information system AWC has integrated exports instructions from engineering, through Ardis software, directly to the saw on the shop floor.

The company recently completed an integration of Trakware job cost reporting software, and Ardis cutting optimization software, which is distributed by Eurosoft. The integration allows the company to execute the materials management component of lean more efficiently. Barraza says AWC is currently working on integrating Microvellum Toolbox software into the mix as well.

“We’re taking the output from Ardis, and we’ve worked with Trakware to build an import function so we can take manual stockbills, as well as Microvellum’s output, through Ardis’ optimized output and import that back into Trakware” says Barraza. “We’re actually taking the true cost of what needs to be cut on a project and assigning that to a particular sheet, not just each job but to a particular sheet. So, I can look back at casework by a specific room or item and see if it is either making money or losing money. We have jobs in Trakware now mining the data so we can adjust our pricing and so forth.”

Though the company is excited about the software integration and its possibilities, there are still challenges to its implementation. “I think anytime you try to tie three different software’s together it is a challenge,” Barraza says. “The software companies need to be open and receptive to working with another individual and sharing their information. But if you can make the marriage work, I think it gives them a better sales package.”

Trakware Systems (www.trakware.com) is the worldwide leader in manufacturing execution system (MES) solutions for engineer-to-order (ETO) and project-based manufacturers maximizing both profitability and productivity. Trakware specializes in lean business-critical functions such as estimating, advanced scheduling, job costing, production management and labor as well as material shop floor data collection. TRAKware software fully integrates with existing ERP systems, as well as major software providers for financials, engineering design, optimization, payroll and wireless interaction for mobile workers. Trakware recognizes ETO manufacturing as a process and includes a wide range of industry sectors including Architectural Woodworking, Cabinets, Store Fixtures, Doors and Windows, Furniture, Oil and Gas Fabrication, Solid Surface, Metal Fabrication, Yachts-building, and Custom Electronics.

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Trakware Job Cost Reporting Profiled in Industrial Strength Woodworking