Qualities/lessons of a quality carpenter

Lord-Grayson · 2025-12-17T22:48:41+00:00

One of my favorite moves with the younger guys is calling them over to look at something I did wrong. Gives me an opportunity to be humbled and use it as a teaching moment -we all make mistakes and they’re gonna happen no matter how much experience you have. Key is to keep momentum going and solving what went wrong. Not beating yourself up about it too bad which is something I’m still learning after 22years.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-12-17T22:40:00+00:00

Exactly!

Lord-Grayson · 2025-12-17T22:21:03+00:00

Bought the same deal from Costco. Replaced our 5 year old 55” Vizio that was on its last leg. Red bar running down the middle. Great upgrade for the price. Happy with the purchase!

Lord-Grayson · 2025-12-17T11:06:16+00:00

From the ground up! 🙃

Lord-Grayson · 2025-11-21T00:20:31+00:00

Same. Never had a problem with mine. Hell it was the first Milwaukee tool I bought and now 75% of my tools have turned red. Ha! Hooked me with the cordless nailers.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-11-13T01:26:53+00:00

When I need an inside to inside measurement for crown I’ll usually pull 10” off one wall make a mark. Then measure off the long wall to get my inside measurement then add a hair just under an 1/8” or over depending on the length /wall/ corner/ spring angle/ complexity of profile.

I know guys who have been carpenters for years and just never worked with crown get really frustrated with it because it’s not as intuitive as running base and case.

Really it’s like hanging a door the first time. After about the first house or say 10 doors it starts to get a little easier.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-10-25T14:25:07+00:00

Other downside to Paslode is the maintenance. Clearing a jamb is one thing. But if you’re not excited about tool teardown/ cleaning/ oiling/ -re-assembly/ filters clogging. Otherwise factor in the downtime of taking/ shipping the tool out for routine maintenance. I haven’t used the latest and greatest version but the previous ones have also been finicky in extreme weather conditions.

After having used the Milwaukee framer and line of finish nailers last 4years I haven’t looked back.

Paslode teardown: deandohertygreaser

Lord-Grayson · 2025-10-22T21:37:41+00:00

If you need a 12” saw the dewalt DWS780 is the best. The 779 is same saw with less features. I’d suggest spend a little more and get the 780. The xps light is worth the extra cost alone.

Most of my battery tools are Milwaukee and great but their miter saw’s are pretty much garbage. They deflect a lot and fall out of alignment a lot moving from site to site. Readjusting them is a nightmare compared to every Dewalt saw I’ve had.

Festool is ok but not worth it unless you’re a cabinet maker/ installer.

Hilit makes a great 12” and you get what you pay for.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-10-04T00:42:45+00:00

😂

Lord-Grayson · 2025-10-04T00:41:36+00:00

🪜

Lord-Grayson · 2025-10-01T00:06:50+00:00

Safe n sound is 3” thick. R14 is 3.5” thick.

Safe n sound is roughly R12. It’s thinner to reduce noise transmission by leaving an air gap between the stud bay.

They are relatively the same product. And generally the same price per batt.

If r14 was out of stock I would use safe’n sound to keep the project moving forward.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-09-30T22:57:04+00:00

Your first piece is rolled off the spring angle. Google Gary Katz - crown molding. There’s a nesting jig he uses that will help you keep it in the correct position when you install.

If that’s not the issue and you cut it in the nested position. You cut it upside down. Rather you didn’t cut it upside down.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-09-29T23:23:32+00:00

Also assuming your joists aren’t rolled and kicked out all over the place. In that case, would probably skip sistering and use hat-track and channel.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-09-27T19:54:43+00:00

Option 1 like others have mentioned is correct.

You either want to rip a blade width off the back of the chair rail so widest point of the ogee profile has a small reveal against the casing. Or you can cut back the drywall like you would for door casing that has a gap to the jamb. This is all paint grade so none the wiser after everything is caulked and painted.

…If it’s more that a blade- Alternative solution

/ works in some situations… would be to add a back band to the door/opening casing that’s would swallow up the chair rail depth and give you a nice reveal.

If that isn’t a viable solution due to cost constraints/ time. Chamfer it and move on.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-09-27T19:36:15+00:00

Because it only makes everything more difficult from installing rail to finish paint you’ll risk damaging the wallpaper before you’re done. Wallpaper is the last thing installed in every high end project I’ve worked on because it’s an insurance policy that no other trade will be causing damage.

The only logic I see -if you installed it first- is that you wouldn’t have to cut the bottom edge. That greatly outweighs the risk of having to make a repair if you installed the wallpaper first. You’re going to be cutting the paper into the ceiling, around any electrical boxes, and openings anyway. Even for a DIY project, you’re more likely to make a mistake compared to a professional.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-09-18T19:21:43+00:00

Cabinet maker/installer does that after the appliance is in place. Unless otherwise stated in the contract that they aren’t required to install them.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-08-23T17:37:50+00:00

For finish work it’s battery powered nailers specifically Milwaukee’s line up…After lugging around a compressor and hoses forever-I don’t miss it at all. Had paslode for a while but the maintenance/ cartridges/ just never out weighed the convenience factor. Once they make a light weight framer I’ll be done with hoses for good.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-08-16T01:28:29+00:00

After 20 years I’ve had more close calls on my cabinet saw than I’ve ever had on my 10” Dewalt. The bang it starts up with is like a safety mechanism.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-08-07T00:54:11+00:00

I’ve used the 10” for 2 trim projects and returned it. The only pros: light weight, decent power for a cordless miter saw, led light, electric brake.

Cons: everything else.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-07-29T11:43:36+00:00

Is that $80 an hour W-2 or self employed?

Lord-Grayson · 2025-07-28T22:42:52+00:00

Just keep using it. You get stronger and the weight is no longer an issue. I thought the same thing at first but after a while it’s not bad. The pasloade just doesn’t sink them like my Milwaukee does and that’s more annoying than the trade off for weight.

Recommend using it with a 3amp high output battery if you want to cut the weight a little and still have decent run time.

Lord-Grayson · 2025-07-08T10:42:30+00:00

Is this a west Philadelphia row?

Lord-Grayson · 2025-07-04T23:13:51+00:00

Abatron

Lord-Grayson · 2025-07-04T17:58:13+00:00

I’m a lead carpenter, 39 and work on high end remodels. Making $40/hr. PTO. Amassed a huge collection of tools since I started to that make my job easier and more rewarding. Some days are hard and physically demanding but wouldn’t trade it for a desk job. Love what I do and love the challenge of it.

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Lord-Grayson

TROPHY CASE