Lee Michaels wrote:

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Thank you Charlie, for helping to make this such a fun, productive and
EDUCATIONAL newsgroup.

snip

Just trying to fill in some gaps and maybe save someone
some grief. There's an almost infinite amount of things
to learn in this woodworking thing. The problem is that
much of the really basic, fundamental. foundation information
is assumed to be common knowledge or obvious.

The problem is that what seems obvious often isn't.

Assumptions are often wrong

" I bought these kiln dried, surface on all four sides boards
at the Borg/Lumber Yard so
- they must be flat
- the corners must be square
- the edges must be straight
- the ends were cut square
right?"

Maybe you're right. But you might want to check them
before you start cutting and trying to stick them together.
And you don't need a machinist square or 4 foot machinisist
straight edge to check if they're good - a flat bench top
or floor will tell you much of what you need to know

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/StockPrep1.html

Anyway, as I learn another piece of the basic/fundamentals
that are assumed to be common knowledge but weren't
obvious - to me - I write it down - with ilustrations -
I'm a visual learner. When I understand the Whys and
Hows then I pass it on - like other's in the group have
done or are doing. And it doesn't hurt to have others
check your work - another set of eyes may find errors
of significant gaps that need filling.

Sure wish The Wreck allowed for pictures and diagrams.

charlie b