Measure Never, Cut Less
My Grandpa, the carpenter, instilled in me the love of building things and working with wood. He taught me many things, but ironically found it impractical to practice one of his most useful bits of wisdom. You see, in construction work, the lumber is generally cut to size outside, then brought in to be fit to the area being worked. That's where the old saying "measure twice, cut once" really comes in to play.
But what about all of us hobbyists, generally building things like birdhouses, tool cabinets, or even rocking chairs? Our materials are normally right there in the shop. After rough cutting, the parts are probably stacked right on or next to the workbench, ready at hand. So why should we struggle to see those 1/64th" marks on a ruler? Don't we confuse 3/8" with 3/16" now and then? Why deal with that frustration?
Grandpa says, don't!
Leave the tape rule in your tool belt for the next time you have to frame out a doorway, or some other job where you can miss by a half-inch and get away with it!
The absolute best way to measure your parts for joinery is by simply placing them against each other, and using the pieces themselves to gauge your layout. Here are some basic examples:
By: Ross McCormick
Photos by:
Cody McCormick