'Safety First, Always'.

I THINK ALL OF OUR readers can take a lesson from Jim Trent. Jim, in my estimation, is one of the best machine instructors in the business, especially when it comes to training woodworking novices. Watching him work is indeed a pleasure and I must say that his students learn well and go on to become outstanding producers.

Recently I asked Jim what he considers the most important information he can impart on his students. He did not hesitate in responding "safety first, always."

Jim's Course Outline

Because he is such a stickler for safety, the first day of Jim's machining class is a "safety day." Everything is explained in detail beginning with the proper dress -- no loose sleeves, no long hair, wear sturdy shoes, etc. Then he goes into all of the pinch points on the machine the students will be trained on, plus he discusses the proper handling of cutting tools and makes sure everyone understands that blades may look like they have fully stopped when in reality they are still in coast mode.

Every detail of the exhaust system is discussed, at which time Jim points out the importance of cleanliness of the machine and the need for an uncluttered work area and adequate lighting.

When he speaks to a group of foremen, he reminds them to make sure machine operators take their breaks and to nip in the bud any frivolous conversations between workers.

With the notion of safety firmly implanted in the minds of his students, Jim spends the rest of the afternoon showing them how to safely operate the machine. He is very thorough and takes his time to make sure everyone fully understands his every move. He goes over the operating controls two or three times for emphasis.

One of the things that most impresses me about Jim's class is how gracefully he moves his arms and hands operating a shaper, for instance, while still being able to give a most interesting lecture. Of course, all through his demonstrations, Jim continues to preach safety.

Day two begins with a discussion regarding the tools, including how to care for them and what to look for in terms of defects or signs of wear. The rest of day two provides students with a chance to run the machines under Jim's expert supervision. On the day I visited his class, Jim occasionally had to remind a few of his students to slow down and take their time.

Knowing how hard it is for this industry to attract people into it, I was pleased to see the smiling faces of the students who participated in the program. Many of them had never even cut a piece of wood in two with a saw before in their lives. Now, here they were, shaping table legs.

And of course, they were doing it nice and easy just as their mentor told them: "Safety first, always."

Technical Information Please

Q Where can we get informational pamphlets that deal with the technical properties of wood and composite panels? We need information on drying, construction, bending strength, etc. Thanks Mr. T.

A There are a variety of good sources of useful, generic information. Among them are the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, WI, [phone]; the Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Assn. in Reston, VA, [phone]; the National Hardwood Lumber Assn. in [phone]; and the Composite Panel Assn. in Gaithersburg, MD, [phone].

Q While on vacation in the Virgin Islands, I was introduced to a decorative plywood maker. He sent me a batch of thin panels made with various faces and though I doubt that I would order any, I would like your impressions of his work. Some of the faces look a little sloppy to me. Thanks much. Mr. G.

A The substrates look like a cheap grade of MDF because I detect a variation in core densities. Some of the backs are poor grades of the fronts, which is fine, but several use a different species than is found on the front. All in all, I would say that the samples are poor. I think you would be wise to stay clear of doing business with this outfit.

Q I have your letter recommending partnering with a wood component specialist for making some parts for me. I have a couple of follow-up questions. One of them is if I should ask to visit prospective vendor operations to see how certain parts are made and the other concerns how I should go about negotiating a deal based on the promise of repeat business. What are your answers? Thanks. Mr. M.

A Paying a visit to your short field of vendor choices is a great idea. It should really help make you feel more confident about your final decision. Trying to negotiate a volume discount is all well and good, but don't be surprised if to do that, your vendor wants something in writing guaranteeing that you will live up to your end of the bargain. You might be better off letting your relationship develop and take it from there.

Q You have written many times over the years that a wood products company should designate one finishing material source in return for expert technical service. Our company operates several factories. If we give all of our business to one vendor, should we also expect to receive a volume discount? Look forward to your response. Mr. B.

A Don't compromise the level of service you'll receive a by putting too much emphasis on negotiating price concessions in your selection process. Make sure you get the expertise you need first and foremost to troubleshoot problems and develop new finishing systems. Look at any discounts you get beyond that as gravy.

Q I sent along some photos of an exclusive furniture line that we designed and manufacture on a limited production basis. Do you think it would be feasible for us to license this to other manufacturers? We are already operating at production capacity and are unable to accept all of the orders that have been flooding in to us? Thanks for your help. Mr. U.

A I think you would be treading on dangerous ground to sell your successful idea to others. You would have to incorporate all kinds of legal safeguards including patent protection and the possibility of a larger or mote efficient licensee selling your concept at a lower price than you can. I think your best bet is to outsource some--maybe all--of your components to a specialist and beef up your assembly, finishing and marketing departments.

Q I am sending you a sample of wood with the great hope that you can point me in the right direction. What species is it and where can I get it? Thanks for everything. Mr. J.

A The sample you sent is poplar. It is a popular wood and available through most any commercial lumber seller.

Q I followed your advice and got a sample of glue-size Next question: What do I do with it? Thank you Mr. F.

A Pad it on the edges of core stock and the surfaces of rough veneer. Experimentation will help you attain a feel for how much is enough. Then lightly sand it to smooth the surface. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Editor's note: The following two questions were recently received by Jerry concerning the use of dowel and tenon construction.

Q We are enclosing one complete set of rails and panels all machined for dowel joints along with this letter for your expert inspection. We use dowels in all of our joints. I know you will probably object but we are set up to do this, both in machinery and assembly. Some of our customers have the idea that this is well above normal construction. Please take a good look at the sample parts. Do you think we are doing the right thing? Thanks. Mr. T.

A It looks and sounds to me like you have this down to a science--and that's a good thing. If you have the right equipment and procedures in place then you can probably make these types of joints as fast or faster than other types of construction. My thinking is that you can probably eliminate dowels in some areas that I identify in my attached sketch. But if you are doing well and experiencing no failures with the results then don't feel that you have to mess with things. Good luck!

Q You have my drawings indicating that we tenon everything, be it drawers and tops to end panels. Every rail is tenoned with each chair rail tenoned to the post and front legs. I think we do a great job of gluing these tenon joints and quite frankly have had very few complaints. As you requested in our recent phone conversation, I am sending you a sample. Please take a close look at the way we handle our miters. Any suggestions for improvement? I thank you for your time. Sincerely. Mr. E.

A While I generally prefer doweling over tenoning, you are indeed doing a great job of machining and gluing them, as well as with the miters. As long as your customers are happy with the results and your making money, then stick with the program.

Q Lately we have had several meetings with our lumber seller concerning the appearance of dark mineral streaks in many of the heavy pores. They claim this is natural and allowed for in No. 1 common grading standards. We think it is definitely a defect that lowers the grade and want no part of it for the price they are charging us. What can we do with the stock we already purchased and accepted before this problem was noted by one of our people? Many thanks. Mr. V.

A To cover these mineral streaks and get the finish you want you will have to use a stain toner. Consult your finishing technician. As for lumber grading rules, contact the National Hardwood Lumber Assn. for the latest standards. Also, be sure to inspect your incoming lumber better to make sure you are getting what you want before it is stacked in your lumberyard.

Q I remember reading that one of the colleges has a video series on wood products manufacturing. With all of the new people we have hired in recent months, I wonder if they might benefit from watching some of these. Any idea who 1 should call? Thanks a bunch. Mr. L.

A North Carolina State University in Raleigh was responsible for producing one of, if not the most, comprehensive collections of industrial woodworking videos in the country. Try calling [phone] to find out the availability and extent of the NCSU's video library.

Q We manufacture pool tables and lately are experiencing a lot of checking and cracking of mahogany legs. Can you look at the samples that we sent and tell us what's going wrong? Thanks. Mr. B.

A The sample legs registered at 9 to 9.5 percent on my moisture meter. During our subsequent conversation you told me that you buy your wood kiln dried at 7 percent and store it in an old garage that is prone to being damp. You have to improve this poor practice. You need to have storage and plant at a constant 35 percent relative humidity and the temperature of your storage area and plant should be 65F to 80F. Install some circulation fans and keep windows and doors shut. This should help cure your problem.

Q We have been experiencing failure on the borders of doors made of crotch mahogany. Our frame setup involves placing the slats face down. I figure that you will object to this procedure, but am anxious to learn your opinion and advice. Thanks. Mr. F.

A I am sending you a sketch for the use of miters and the proper layout for face assembly. Check the flatness of your veneers and the moisture content of all wood pieces used in assembly. They should all be at about 6.5 percent. Take care to remove any glue squeeze-out from the joint before it can harden.

Q What is monkey pod? I'd like to know anything you can tell me about it. Thanks. Mr. L.

A Monkey pod is also known as rain tree. It comes from Hawaii and Latin America. It is coarse, but still a great furniture wood. It is brown and somewhat streaked.

Q What can you tell me about bloodwood? I await your reply. Thank you. Mr. E.

A Bloodwood is also known as cardinal wood. It's a coarse wood that grows in South America. I understand its main uses include bows, flyrods and furniture.

Q What do you know about bocote? Mr friend calls it cordia. Is it one and the same? Thanks. Mr. G.

A Both names apply for this wood that grows in Mexico and South America. It is medium brown to yellow, hard and reportedly great when you want a finished product to be in multiple colors. I have never used it.

Q There is something I have been wanting to tell you for some time. Years ago, you told me to choose one finishing supply source and one sandpaper outfit. You said it would be worth giving them all of my business in return for their technical help. Guess what? It's proven to be the single greatest piece of advice I have ever been given to run my business. I've saved tons of time and money by striking these close relationships. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. K.

A It's always nice to hear a success story. Thank you for thanking me.