Thomas Martinez

Here you are standing in your partially framed wall with a tape measure and staring at the space where there once was a load bearing … Read more

Laying out common rafters is something most framer can do in their sleep. Pull the chalk line. You got your run, you got your rise, … Read more

When ordering crown molding, you tend to order based off the face width. You see “five-inch profile” and think that must mean it’s going to … Read more

When cutting a branch off a straight run pipe you’re faced with a seemingly straightforward geometry: A straight run pipe with a branch coming out … Read more

Crown moldings are cut different than they usually are for standard flat ceilings. Look closely; you’ll see the crown is lying straight on the shelf, … Read more

Steel stairs is frequently viewed as being too industrial and cold. That’s the C-channel stringer keeping them up there. It appears straightforward but is in … Read more

To set a fence post right, you need to think of what’s underneath it: If the soil won’t drain away from bottom of the post, … Read more

You pick up a stack of white oak at the lumber yard; you grab it, lift it and boy, does it feel heavy! The heaviness … Read more

“Freshly milled lumber feels like it weighs as much as lead until you’ve lifted it enough times to have confidence in your calculations. Remembering that … Read more

There’s always a certain point of panic when you first buy a live edge slab. You stare at this huge hunk of oak or walnut, … Read more

In warehouses, mezzanine is a way to go vertical. When rent exceeds the cost of buying new property, it’s time to build out. This transforms … Read more

Measure that log using your diameter tape and record its small end diameter within the bark. The difference between hope and profit occur at this … Read more

On a hydraulic manifold, sometimes the cover bolt fails and metal yields but the ring doesn’t. Why? This happens because the metal give way in … Read more

You start to panic when a ten-inch log won’t fit into the corner. Too wide. Seat is too narrow. You didn’t notice the taper so … Read more