A lesson from an old guy at the hardware store in Tacoma

I was buying some maple for a built-in and this retired cabinetmaker named Frank saw me checking the grain. He came over, pointed at a board, and said, 'That one's got a story, but it'll fight you. Pick the quiet one next to it.' He was right. I used his advice on that job and it saved me a huge headache with the door panel. Do you guys ever get little tips like that from strangers that just stick?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivanl762mo ago

Frank's advice is solid but my luck with random hardware store wisdom is terrible. Last week some guy told me to soak my chisels in vinegar overnight and now they look like they survived a shipwreck. Another time a painter said to use dish soap as a flow aid and my whole finish fisheyed. I guess you need to pick your gurus carefully.

grant4652mo ago

See, I've actually had the opposite happen. Grabbed a tip about using paste wax on plane soles from an old guy at the store. Changed everything. Stopped sticking cold. I guess it depends on the person giving it. Some folks just repeat stuff they heard.

patel.daniel17d ago

Yeah, soaking chisels in vinegar is a good way to ruin them. The trick is knowing who's repeating something they read and who's actually used it for years.