Years ago I hired a guy that said he was a Finish Carpenter when we were doing a remodeling project on our house. When I came home from work and saw what he had done I realized that he must have meant he was from Finland.
My Grandfather was a Finnish Finish Carpenter- I would say if the standards expected were not met by your "finish" carpenter, that he was neither a Finish carpenter, nor a Finn- because the best Finish carpenters are often both.
Why do I love this guy so much? The way he does everything, the way he talks.His mannerism. His knowledge. You, Sir, have helped me a ton. Thank you for all the content you create. I love it and appreciate you a lot.
That house wrap , wrapped around jack studs is something inviting water in , even with foam . That's the way we used to do it in old days , now I integrate house wrap with window flange
Nice Scott I love watching this stuff, I was a trim carpenter for 35yrs before I lost my eyesight, I’m now legally blind I can still see enough to work on my own house & build furniture & guitars. That was Awesome that you mentioned Richard Finish Carpentry t.v. He is a great trim man. God Bless & Thank you again💪💪🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸👨🏻🦯
I spent the better part of 20 years working as a finish carpenter and to see someone that wants it right every time is a feast for these worn-out eyes. I thank you for your videos and like myself your willingness to learn a better way is always a pleasure to see. I was fortunate to learn from craftsmen like you when I first started. One of the fellows was so good I worked Saturdays for free for 2 years just to absorb everything he would teach me. When MDF first came out two of his builders ordered it and he picked up his tools and left the first guy......the second guy went and bought the materials used here. I asked Leo why and he replied, " that's my name on this work and it will never be used in the same sentence as MDF." That was many years ago and I am proud to say my name has never been used that way either.
I’m 59 but my methods and materials are older - and newer- as I watched things as a young carpenter in the 80’s with eyes that had been extra-curricularly studying colonial and newer architecture snd furniture since I was 12. This was easy in New England. I have used MDF for trim elements as well as poplar, pine, oak, spruce, cherry, maple, walnut, Philippine mahogany, WRC, white cedar, cypress, cambara, and who knows what others I forgot. Even pvc (foamed pvc) and hollow vinyl extrusions. While I will never do vinyl extrusions again (nor PVC foam lumber) for interior work again unless perhaps it’s commercial and soec’d, I will concede that MDF definitely has its place in a carpenters quiver, just as MDO does. I wouldn’t write off MDF with the mindset that kept Henry Ford from going to hydraulic brakes on the Model T. These days the moulded hollow- and solid-core interior doors are all skinned with what is essentially MDF. And the jambs are finger-jointed pine. Why balk at MDF but accept PFJ door frames? Sometimes you have just roll with change. Nevertheless, solid lumber is my go-to and first choice.
I’m 59 but my methods and materials are older - and newer- as I watched things as a young carpenter in the 80’s with eyes that had been extra-curricularly studying colonial and newer architecture snd furniture since I was 12. This was easy in New England. I have used MDF for trim elements as well as poplar, pine, oak, spruce, cherry, maple, walnut, Philippine mahogany, WRC, white cedar, cypress, cambara, and who knows what others I forgot. Even pvc (foamed pvc) and hollow vinyl extrusions. While I will never do vinyl extrusions again (nor PVC foam lumber) for interior work again unless perhaps it’s commercial and soec’d, I will concede that MDF definitely has its place in a carpenters quiver, just as MDO does. I wouldn’t write off MDF with the mindset that kept Henry Ford from going to hydraulic brakes on the Model T. These days the moulded hollow- and solid-core interior doors are all skinned with what is essentially MDF. And the jambs are finger-jointed pine. Why balk at MDF but accept PFJ door frames? Sometimes you have just roll with change. Nevertheless, solid lumber is my go-to and first choice.
My dad was a finish carpenter by trade. He never used a pneumatic nailer as they were "too heavy" for his shoulders. A deft finish hammer and a nail set were his tools. If he ever left a "smile" on a casing he grabbed a pencil and initialed it, to let the painter who came behind him who caused the extra work. A lesson I'll never forget. Thanks for another great video.
I can understand how your Dad preferred older tools Eric. When I started in carpentry over well 50 years ago, there were no air tools of any sort. It was all hammers and screwdrivers, and I often used my great grandfather's tools. Those were still in use at the time. But the winds of time were changing, Eric, and will blow forever on now. Best of luck to you.
7:00 “If it looks perfect it is perfect.” Such an important lesson for anyone building anything. You could make it exactly the same and have it look wrong. Step back five feet, ten feet, look from either side, and from the side of your eye. That’s time well spent. (And also an excellent moment to see if you missed something else!)
I love this channel and the people who comment here. I would add one thing : we always spray foam the space between the liners and the framing, it makes a huge difference up in Canada to the comfort and quality of temperature control in the room. We use pieces of plywood of various thicknesses cut short of the width of the liners, and shim with those, not tapered shims. You can use thin sheets of plastic ripped for 1/16" adjustments. We carry a bucket of these materials around when doing windows. The spacers cut short allow some foam to go between the back of the shim and the plastic of the window frame. Great video !
I really enjoy that you stress "exact" and "virtually the same" as appropriate terms in building! Things need to "look right ,to be right"! As I used to work on older homes re-dos, I had cards the had my name printed and under that it said "Carpenter / Illusionist" LOL
I consider myself an expert on “look right” after successfully hanging a nominally 6’x4’ painting (but not actually square) on a wall with the floor and ceiling sloping in different directions. You gotta go with the flow and trust your eye not the tape.
The main application is the finish work though, right? If the framer had it right, the rule would not be needed as often later on. Of course, he would probably say the same of the foundation guy.
Awesome recommendation for Richard over at finish carpentry tv. I have watched and followed both of you for several years now. Between the two of you I have gained more knowledge than I ever imagined. Keep up the great work Sir.
I'm glad it's easy to see how this could be done for a concrete wall with interior framing. Really just a matter of making a deep jamb and that you don't have to worry about nailing into concrete at any point since it's the casing that holds it in place.
It cannot be overstated how excellent this series is, and how appreciated it is that you are making your wealth of knowledge available to anyone with an internet connection. You've heard the same refrain countless times over the duration of this massive effort, but it can't be said too many times: you guys have made something special here. Not the house, though that of course is special as well. It's the tireless attention to detail in your presentation, the passion for your work, and the obvious joy in sharing that work with the rest of us. Thanks for taking us along for the ride.
Another lovely video Scott, after a health scare three years ago I started watching utube. You'll never know how much your channel as helped me through a dark time in my life. Its your manner, pep talks ect. Richard at finish carpentry and Lewis at inside carpentry both are lovely level headed lads. Even though I live thousands of miles away in Yorkshire England, I feel like we're all kindred spirits. I grew up in the sixties and seventies, my Summers were spent building tree camps, using my dad's saw and hammer. Using bits of wood and nails I could scrounge from local building sites. My imagination could run riot.
Thank you for taking the time to visit with me today, Scott. I appreciated the chance to reminisce about our favorite teacher and the community in which we grew up. Looking forward to the Spec House open house!
I always use a 18 guage brad nailer to nail the casing to the extension jambs. That's because we use a lot of DC98 casing in the DC area and the smaller guage is less likely to blow out the bead on the inside edge of the casing.
Scott, I really like this series. I’ve been a cabinetmaker for over 40 years. One good piece of advice that would help you and others with respect to pneumatic finish nailers- I’ve used Senco and Bostitch, among others. My point is if you look closely at the tips of your nails that are glued together in a row. You’ll see these tips wedge to a point. Now, if the wedge shape runs with direction of the gun itself and the nail enters the wood, strikes an object and is deflected, it will have tendency to deflect to the left or right with respect the orientation of your nail gun. Bostitch nails tend to have their wedges arranged this way. Likewise Senco nails are staggered and their wedge tips go perpendicular to orientation of the nail gun. If an object within the wood is struck, the nail have tendency to deflect forward or back. This is important to bear in mind when nailing close to two finished surfaces. Keep up the good work! Al
Thanks for another great informative video. Recognizing Finish Carpentry as a great channel shows how much humility Essential Craftsman has towards other TH-camrs. Inside Carpenter is another great production finish carpentry channel.
Love watching your work, I was an engineer, built my own house in uk by necessity only way could afford to do it. My attitude do it properly and right changed my life. I have so many requests to do work, went into construction. Thank you for giving me so much pleasure.
Used GRK Trim Finishing screws on last job I did... Zero blowouts or shiners since they drill the wood as they drive. Pneumatic has it's place, but will largely never go back to it for window and door trim.
Great work! Looks awesome. I have the same gun and I have been meaning to put a hook on mine as well! One of these days, haha! One tip for when you are nailing the casings into your jamb pieces is to turn your gun sideways (I refer to it as gangster style). The chisel point of the nail tends to plow out to the left and right side of the gun, but rarely goes up and down. Just a friendly tip to help you not tick off your painters when a nail blows out the side!
...And if the painters are really, really good those casings will shine like the fender of a brand new “Chevy” pickup‼ 😉 Your channel puts a shine on the trades, that benefits us all!
We all honor, fully enjoy, and appreciate all you evidence of YOU Scott. and....Nate, and Phil and Daniel and Dustin and Cy ..and Ken......and the whole spec house-forge- beekeeper-upcoming crew. Hey Dave! Darrell
Another phenomenal video. Cant thank you enough Scott and Nate for all your hard work putting this together! Easily the best series I've found on youtube.
Hook solution- Weld a hook to a metal loop that can used as a belt loop. That way you can just put this on your toolbelt and it will always be on you to hang guns, cords, etc. No need to hook every tool, just have the hook on you! Great videos!
Take note of the chisel tip of the nails. The direction of the chisel dictates which direction the goes when it hits a knot. Turning the gun 90* when nailing can help prevent blowout.
i have this nail gun. added a belt hook by buying a cheap 90deg bit of cabinet hardware and some washers and drilled them out to fit over the leftover air fitting thread. works a treat.
I really enjoy watching your videos sir. Your a very good teacher and you explain every bit of the process. Reminds me of when my grandpa was teaching me at 10-11 years old. He did it all just like you. Thank you.
Man! I am a window and door contractor. Have been since I was 17 and I just started my own company. I do this a little different, but we have the same terminology. When I start training my own guys, I will use this video.
Wow - did I just hear right?! "5 16th's is about 8 millimeters". - I'm very impressed with this 'old dog' and his new tricks 👍 - Nice little fan service for the european crowd as well. Great video, thank you! Kind regards
I did a similar header on my cottage, but added a 1x2 rounded over for the top and bottom of the header. Classic farmhouse header. I might have done a return on the endgrain of the header and apron so the painter doesn't have to deal with endgrain. Thanks for another great video. Love Richard , has all the tools and tricks.
Dear [vicarious] friend Scott - thank you for making the point "Always remember the craft that follows you." As a Master electrician, Journeyman plumber, and passable carpenter, I have made great friends in my 75 years by following that principle. Sure enjoy watching you {and Nate} on your journeys!
Around here the stool is the inside bottom and the sill is the bottom on the outside of the house. Nice of you to mention Richard. Great channel and great guy.
at 3:50, some of the best advice you could ever give someone. take a step back to think about the entire project. make sure you have all you need. from blueprints to driver bits, it pays to pay attention.
You have the ability to teach very well. You explain things clearly and to the point. Its always great to be able to relate to someone that is in the same line of work!
Scott I’ve just framed and put the shear ply on a simple 20’x12’ shed. When it came time to select the trim and casing materials I followed your lead (without knowing) and ordered primed pine. I’m glad I chose wisely even for my little shed. Keeping up the good work!
That look when he stood up the left side of the casing of "now that I've lined this up perfectly, how the hell do I get my hammer" - I know that feeling soooo well.
I have been watching you and Nate almost since the very beginning. I have learned a good deal and have been confirmed of things I am doing right. As a bivocational pastor who enjoys carpentry I find your stories, lessons and craftsmanship to be top level. Thank you for the many hours of inspiration. I agree with what others have shared, you are a true treasure!
I am so grateful for you content ! With the help of your videos I’ve just installed my first windows and I am about to tackle the window casings ! You are a powerful man with the wisdom you have to TEACH!
Excellent video. I've viewed many of your helpful videos over the years prior to taking on a project. Your instruction with detail is appreciated and it has helped insure my projects turn out well. Thank you!
With your wisdom and commitment when it comes to your work and the work of others and the fact that you never stop learning and getting better and teaching others to learn and to get better, you Sir are acting like a true model for my generation and the ones yet to come!
I work for the Hitachi dealership in my area, and I concur that the 15g should have a hook. Both our 16 and 18 gauge nailers have small belt hooks that I've found incredibly useful when doing small bits of work around my house.
This video popped up randomly for me last year. I learned so much I began watching from the beginning of the series. Well, I am back around to this episode and am now planning my new home build for next summer!
awesome work, it's just how we do it. I'd add that finding the width of the jamb legs for your window box is key to getting casing that sits nicely against the box/wall, and a box that sits nicely against the window (or the "sash" as I've now learned) in cooperation with the casing.
Love the work mate I’m a young carpenter in Australia and I have the same gun, it’s awesome for all applications exterior cladding trims interior trims finish nailing floors, my only pet hate is the no belt hook , would love to see a video of the making of the belt hook so I can do the same things Cheers Benton
A way to shim jams perfectly at a reasonable speed was floating it with a line laser and flat head screws, with roughly 3 or 4 screws depending on the jam depth
Thank you for fantastic content videos like this. I wish it had been available 6 months ago when I was replacing existing single glazed windows with new double glazed windows. I wait for an watch everyone of your videos. All have taught me something I didn't know.
Scott, you and Richard McMurray encompass my favorite subscriptions on this format. I've been a practising carpenter for the last 40 years. Yes sir, I'm the same age as you!😉
As a painter, I always appreciate carpenters who don't get all giddy about the sound their nail guns make and fill the carpentry full of nails. I also greatly appreciate when carpenters don't dry finger caulk and leave a goopy mess for the painter to then scrape off and redo properly.
I’m not even a carpenter, but this guy makes me want to be better at my trade lol Glad he got this on video, for future generations going into the trades. These videos are years of valuable experience and knowledge being passed on. A lot of the older, seasoned journeyman aren’t as open about their tricks and secrets to their trade out of fear of losing their job to the younger hands. It’s a shame, because most of them will die never passing on their knowledge.
I always hold my nailers at right angle to the face of the board ( like how you were holding it for nailing the heads), otherwise the cut on the pointed end of the nail will make it more likely to curl out as it follows the grain
Hey, nice video. I just wanted to tell you that you can prevent nail blowouts by turning the nailer and holding it like a gangster on its side. If you hold the nailer as you do then the nail point will travel left and right which can cause blowouts in bad grain/knots but by holding it on it's side, the nail point will travel up and down instead.
Another great video as always. I always refer to the bottom moldings as sill on the outside and stool on the inside. Names vary with locations no doubt about it/
Most of those nail heads have a slight taper on the two longer sides of the nail. The deflection usually happens along these tapers when shooting them. So you can often control then deflection angle and at least prevent it from going into the finish area of jamb by rotating gun 90. The deflection will then usually go “up” or down” info the part of the framing where it doesn’t matter.
I like the one I seen the guy put screws into the two by fours on the side exactly even with the window frame so when you put the side wood on it is lined up perfect. Then do your shims. Everything is in place.🎉
One of the best channels on youtube! Keep up the great work! It’s amazing how well you make the channel look like an easy production. Thanks for taking the time to share your passion!
Having put up MDF trim, I completely agree about the "volcano" you talk about. I usually will cut it off with a putty knife, then fill the remaining hole. MDF is nice though for it's dimensional stability and consistency. It's getting harder and harder to find decent wood boards that aren't full of knots or twisted.
I love watching vids like this,, especially when the host knows what he's talking about. I've been in carpentry for over 50 years, and I've always loved using wood to create beautiful places for folks to live in and enjoy. At 75 years old, I'm too shaky to be climbing around on ladders and scaffolding, which is a necessary part of most projects. Construction is hard on a body. So I have to be content to watch others, and wish I was there. Above all else, be safe, my friends.
Pro tip for "shiner" nails. TOP of the gun towards the direction you DONT want the nail to curve towards. Nail gun nails are only beveled on 2 sides and will almost never curve up or down only left to right. We implement this while doing window stops and havent had a nail hit the glass since.
What a great series. Timeless knowledge. doled out one gem at a time. Thank you. And great work on the house. Love how it's coming together. I'm sure it's finished and sold by now, but looking forward to seeing the finished product. Cheers.
Nice video. In UK the "casing" would be called an archatrave, and the "reveal" 3 16th from the archatrave to the jamb would be called a "quirk". Tip would be to router over the horn projections before cutting off the excess, gives the router more material to rest on. But again ace video 👌🏻
In Australian terms (generally) jam=reveal, case=architrave. Never actually heard anyone refer to the side or top of a window frame, so, I suppose head, leg, etc, still applies. Then again, most windows in Australia these days are delivered attached to the jam/reveal, and attached through the reveal to the house frame.
Don't forget the MDF trim and condensation, turning it into a wet sponge with a few years. Same goes with compressed paper baseboards. House is looking good, thanks for everything!
You are definitely right about MDF! I just installed nine windows and used MDF to do the exact process you just did ,it's hard to nail the corners together and get your box held in place like regular wood...
As somebody who works in the window covering industry, I can say that keeping your casement square will make the lives of everyone who ever has to cover those windows better. I know that "Square, plumb, and true" is your basic watchword, but I mention this because you only have to measure a few windows (top, center, and bottom always) to start to realize that "Kinda square, mostly plumb, and true-ish" is pretty common in housebuilding.
A tip to ensure your nails don’t pop out of the jamb, turn your nail gun 90 degrees so you’re shooting nails in with the gun perpendicular to the edge of the jamb. Your 18g nails can move horizontally but will seldom move vertically in relation to the gun
In Norway, our windows come pre-installed with dados (3/8 Inch), in which we can place our jam that comes with a groove that fits into that. All we have to do is cut the jam and legs to the correct dimensions of the dado, screw/nail it all together and fit it in. Reveals is all set.
Years ago I hired a guy that said he was a Finish Carpenter when we were doing a remodeling project on our house. When I came home from work and saw what he had done I realized that he must have meant he was from Finland.
My Grandfather was a Finnish Finish Carpenter- I would say if the standards expected were not met by your "finish" carpenter, that he was neither a Finish carpenter, nor a Finn- because the best Finish carpenters are often both.
Why do I love this guy so much? The way he does everything, the way he talks.His mannerism. His knowledge. You, Sir, have helped me a ton. Thank you for all the content you create. I love it and appreciate you a lot.
That house wrap , wrapped around jack studs is something inviting water in , even with foam . That's the way we used to do it in old days , now I integrate house wrap with window flange
Finally a shout out to Finish Carpentry TV
One of my favorite carpenters to watch and learn from.
Same here. They've met in person before.
Nice Scott I love watching this stuff, I was a trim carpenter for 35yrs before I lost my eyesight, I’m now legally blind I can still see enough to work on my own house & build furniture & guitars. That was Awesome that you mentioned Richard Finish Carpentry t.v. He is a great trim man. God Bless & Thank you again💪💪🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸👨🏻🦯
I spent the better part of 20 years working as a finish carpenter and to see someone that wants it right every time is a feast for these worn-out eyes. I thank you for your videos and like myself your willingness to learn a better way is always a pleasure to see. I was fortunate to learn from craftsmen like you when I first started. One of the fellows was so good I worked Saturdays for free for 2 years just to absorb everything he would teach me. When MDF first came out two of his builders ordered it and he picked up his tools and left the first guy......the second guy went and bought the materials used here. I asked Leo why and he replied, " that's my name on this work and it will never be used in the same sentence as MDF."
That was many years ago and I am proud to say my name has never been used that way either.
I’m 59 but my methods and materials are older - and newer- as I watched things as a young carpenter in the 80’s with eyes that had been extra-curricularly studying colonial and newer architecture snd furniture since I was 12. This was easy in New England.
I have used MDF for trim elements as well as poplar, pine, oak, spruce, cherry, maple, walnut, Philippine mahogany, WRC, white cedar, cypress, cambara, and who knows what others I forgot. Even pvc (foamed pvc) and hollow vinyl extrusions.
While I will never do vinyl extrusions again (nor PVC foam lumber) for interior work again unless perhaps it’s commercial and soec’d, I will concede that MDF definitely has its place in a carpenters quiver, just as MDO does.
I wouldn’t write off MDF with the mindset that kept Henry Ford from going to hydraulic brakes on the Model T.
These days the moulded hollow- and solid-core interior doors are all skinned with what is essentially MDF. And the jambs are finger-jointed pine. Why balk at MDF but accept PFJ door frames?
Sometimes you have just roll with change. Nevertheless, solid lumber is my go-to and first choice.
I’m 59 but my methods and materials are older - and newer- as I watched things as a young carpenter in the 80’s with eyes that had been extra-curricularly studying colonial and newer architecture snd furniture since I was 12. This was easy in New England.
I have used MDF for trim elements as well as poplar, pine, oak, spruce, cherry, maple, walnut, Philippine mahogany, WRC, white cedar, cypress, cambara, and who knows what others I forgot. Even pvc (foamed pvc) and hollow vinyl extrusions.
While I will never do vinyl extrusions again (nor PVC foam lumber) for interior work again unless perhaps it’s commercial and soec’d, I will concede that MDF definitely has its place in a carpenters quiver, just as MDO does.
I wouldn’t write off MDF with the mindset that kept Henry Ford from going to hydraulic brakes on the Model T.
These days the moulded hollow- and solid-core interior doors are all skinned with what is essentially MDF. And the jambs are finger-jointed pine. Why balk at MDF but accept PFJ door frames?
Sometimes you have just roll with change. Nevertheless, solid lumber is my go-to and first choice.
My dad was a finish carpenter by trade. He never used a pneumatic nailer as they were "too heavy" for his shoulders. A deft finish hammer and a nail set were his tools. If he ever left a "smile" on a casing he grabbed a pencil and initialed it, to let the painter who came behind him who caused the extra work. A lesson I'll never forget. Thanks for another great video.
That’s so awesome about your dad! Made my day.
I can understand how your Dad preferred older tools Eric. When I started in carpentry over well 50 years ago, there were no air tools of any sort. It was all hammers and screwdrivers, and I often used my great grandfather's tools. Those were still in use at the time. But the winds of time were changing, Eric, and will blow forever on now. Best of luck to you.
I remember helping my dad trim also he used a Stanley hand saw miter box and hand nailed everything
I'm guessing that he didn't also leave goopy caulk messes for the painter to fix 😉
a spray bottle and a heat gun will make those smiles go away. A little trick from a finish carpenter, free of charge
How can anyone not like this video or any video on this channel? Speaking for myself, I find this channel both educational & relaxing.
Agree.
What get my goat is they leave the thumbs down without an explanation as to why.
I’m glad you gave a shout out to finish carpentry tv. In my head I had hoped that you two would join forces for the finish carpentry of the house.
I was coming to the comments to say the same thing!
I also love his channel as well.
7:00 “If it looks perfect it is perfect.” Such an important lesson for anyone building anything. You could make it exactly the same and have it look wrong. Step back five feet, ten feet, look from either side, and from the side of your eye. That’s time well spent. (And also an excellent moment to see if you missed something else!)
Spoken like a true seasoned professional. Thanks for helping me brush up before I tackle a big project
I love this channel and the people who comment here.
I would add one thing : we always spray foam the space between the liners and the framing, it makes a huge difference up in Canada to the comfort and quality of temperature control in the room.
We use pieces of plywood of various thicknesses cut short of the width of the liners, and shim with those, not tapered shims. You can use thin sheets of plastic ripped for 1/16" adjustments. We carry a bucket of these materials around when doing windows.
The spacers cut short allow some foam to go between the back of the shim and the plastic of the window frame.
Great video !
I really enjoy that you stress "exact" and "virtually the same" as appropriate terms in building! Things need to "look right ,to be right"! As I used to work on older homes re-dos, I had cards the had my name printed and under that it said "Carpenter / Illusionist" LOL
I consider myself an expert on “look right” after successfully hanging a nominally 6’x4’ painting (but not actually square) on a wall with the floor and ceiling sloping in different directions. You gotta go with the flow and trust your eye not the tape.
The main application is the finish work though, right? If the framer had it right, the rule would not be needed as often later on. Of course, he would probably say the same of the foundation guy.
Awesome recommendation for Richard over at finish carpentry tv. I have watched and followed both of you for several years now. Between the two of you I have gained more knowledge than I ever imagined. Keep up the great work Sir.
This series just blows me away.
I'm glad it's easy to see how this could be done for a concrete wall with interior framing. Really just a matter of making a deep jamb and that you don't have to worry about nailing into concrete at any point since it's the casing that holds it in place.
It cannot be overstated how excellent this series is, and how appreciated it is that you are making your wealth of knowledge available to anyone with an internet connection. You've heard the same refrain countless times over the duration of this massive effort, but it can't be said too many times: you guys have made something special here. Not the house, though that of course is special as well. It's the tireless attention to detail in your presentation, the passion for your work, and the obvious joy in sharing that work with the rest of us. Thanks for taking us along for the ride.
Another lovely video Scott, after a health scare three years ago I started watching utube. You'll never know how much your channel as helped me through a dark time in my life. Its your manner, pep talks ect. Richard at finish carpentry and Lewis at inside carpentry both are lovely level headed lads. Even though I live thousands of miles away in Yorkshire England, I feel like we're all kindred spirits. I grew up in the sixties and seventies, my Summers were spent building tree camps, using my dad's saw and hammer. Using bits of wood and nails I could scrounge from local building sites. My imagination could run riot.
Thank you for taking the time to visit with me today, Scott. I appreciated the chance to reminisce about our favorite teacher and the community in which we grew up. Looking forward to the Spec House open house!
I always use a 18 guage brad nailer to nail the casing to the extension jambs. That's because we use a lot of DC98 casing in the DC area and the smaller guage is less likely to blow out the bead on the inside edge of the casing.
Scott, I really like this series.
I’ve been a cabinetmaker for over 40 years.
One good piece of advice that would help you and others with respect to pneumatic finish nailers- I’ve used Senco and Bostitch, among others. My point is if you look closely at the tips of your nails that are glued together in a row. You’ll see these tips wedge to a point. Now, if the wedge shape runs with direction of the gun itself and the nail enters the wood, strikes an object and is deflected, it will have tendency to deflect to the left or right with respect the orientation of your nail gun. Bostitch nails tend to have their wedges arranged this way. Likewise Senco nails are staggered and their wedge tips go perpendicular to orientation of the nail gun. If an object within the wood is struck, the nail have tendency to deflect forward or back. This is important to bear in mind when nailing close to two finished surfaces.
Keep up the good work!
Al
You made it so simple and easy to understand, yet added all needed details. Best video I've seen so far after watching tons of them
Thanks for another great informative video. Recognizing Finish Carpentry as a great channel shows how much humility Essential Craftsman has towards other TH-camrs. Inside Carpenter is another great production finish carpentry channel.
Nice shout out to Richard at Finish Carpentry TV. Maybe you should get him on EC2, Nate.
Love watching your work, I was an engineer, built my own house in uk by necessity only way could afford to do it. My attitude do it properly and right changed my life. I have so many requests to do work, went into construction.
Thank you for giving me so much pleasure.
Used GRK Trim Finishing screws on last job I did... Zero blowouts or shiners since they drill the wood as they drive. Pneumatic has it's place, but will largely never go back to it for window and door trim.
Great work! Looks awesome. I have the same gun and I have been meaning to put a hook on mine as well! One of these days, haha! One tip for when you are nailing the casings into your jamb pieces is to turn your gun sideways (I refer to it as gangster style). The chisel point of the nail tends to plow out to the left and right side of the gun, but rarely goes up and down. Just a friendly tip to help you not tick off your painters when a nail blows out the side!
“ The in place mass production of one of a kind items” Seems like you could build a carpentry book around that concept
Larry Haun did.
...And if the painters are really, really good those casings will shine like the fender of a brand new “Chevy” pickup‼ 😉
Your channel puts a shine on the trades, that benefits us all!
We all honor, fully enjoy, and appreciate all you evidence of YOU Scott. and....Nate, and Phil and Daniel and Dustin and Cy ..and Ken......and the whole spec house-forge- beekeeper-upcoming crew. Hey Dave! Darrell
Another phenomenal video. Cant thank you enough Scott and Nate for all your hard work putting this together! Easily the best series I've found on youtube.
Thank you for taking the time to make your videos. True craftsmanship.
Hook solution- Weld a hook to a metal loop that can used as a belt loop. That way you can just put this on your toolbelt and it will always be on you to hang guns, cords, etc. No need to hook every tool, just have the hook on you! Great videos!
This was a wonderful lesson. I especially appreciated the little glossary at the beginning - very useful. Thank you!
Take note of the chisel tip of the nails. The direction of the chisel dictates which direction the goes when it hits a knot.
Turning the gun 90* when nailing can help prevent blowout.
This is great advice. Has saved me tons of repair work over the years. I think I heard it first from Ben Degros over on @Vancouver Carpenter
Yes, yes, yes! This can help eliminate some blowouts! I call it "Gangsta style"!
Great point!
@@trevoraboussafy6900 great pun 👍
Tks for another video. You’re absolutely right about trying to hide finishing nails in mdf, very frustrating. Keep up the great work!
i have this nail gun. added a belt hook by buying a cheap 90deg bit of cabinet hardware and some washers and drilled them out to fit over the leftover air fitting thread. works a treat.
Essential Craftsman and Finish Carpentry TV are my 2 favorite Channels! Thank you guys so much for all of your hard work and amazing content
I really enjoy watching your videos sir. Your a very good teacher and you explain every bit of the process. Reminds me of when my grandpa was teaching me at 10-11 years old. He did it all just like you. Thank you.
Man! I am a window and door contractor. Have been since I was 17 and I just started my own company. I do this a little different, but we have the same terminology. When I start training my own guys, I will use this video.
After years in the business, it’s comforting to hear and see a true craftsman do things the way I do them!
Wow - did I just hear right?! "5 16th's is about 8 millimeters".
- I'm very impressed with this 'old dog' and his new tricks 👍 - Nice little fan service for the european crowd as well.
Great video, thank you!
Kind regards
I did a similar header on my cottage, but added a 1x2 rounded over for the top and bottom of the header. Classic farmhouse header.
I might have done a return on the endgrain of the header and apron so the painter doesn't have to deal with endgrain. Thanks for another great video. Love Richard , has all the tools and tricks.
Dear [vicarious] friend Scott - thank you for making the point "Always remember the craft that follows you." As a Master electrician, Journeyman plumber, and passable carpenter, I have made great friends in my 75 years by following that principle. Sure enjoy watching you {and Nate} on your journeys!
Scott! Don’t get tired of making content. You and Nate are great at it. 👍
Around here the stool is the inside bottom and the sill is the bottom on the outside of the house. Nice of you to mention Richard. Great channel and great guy.
Beautifully cased out windows and doors. That's my favorite style. Nice clean simple profiles that pop and take it to the next level without overkill.
Everything I need to know for my project. You are a master craftsman. Thank you!
at 3:50, some of the best advice you could ever give someone.
take a step back to think about the entire project. make sure you have all you need.
from blueprints to driver bits, it pays to pay attention.
You have the ability to teach very well. You explain things clearly and to the point. Its always great to be able to relate to someone that is in the same line of work!
Scott I’ve just framed and put the shear ply on a simple 20’x12’ shed. When it came time to select the trim and casing materials I followed your lead (without knowing) and ordered primed pine. I’m glad I chose wisely even for my little shed. Keeping up the good work!
That should be 10’x12’ shed.
That look when he stood up the left side of the casing of "now that I've lined this up perfectly, how the hell do I get my hammer" - I know that feeling soooo well.
I have been watching you and Nate almost since the very beginning. I have learned a good deal and have been confirmed of things I am doing right. As a bivocational pastor who enjoys carpentry I find your stories, lessons and craftsmanship to be top level. Thank you for the many hours of inspiration. I agree with what others have shared, you are a true treasure!
I am so grateful for you content ! With the help of your videos I’ve just installed my first windows and I am about to tackle the window casings ! You are a powerful man with the wisdom you have to TEACH!
Insider Carpentry - Spencer Lewis is by far the best trim carpenter on TH-cam.
Spencer Lewis: 18 windows - hold my brad gun.
I'll second this - Spencer does amazing work.
The wonders of new construction, where step one is to make the jamb. In remodeling, steps one through three are: measure, draw a diagram, and swear.
Excellent video. I've viewed many of your helpful videos over the years prior to taking on a project. Your instruction with detail is appreciated and it has helped insure my projects turn out well. Thank you!
With your wisdom and commitment when it comes to your work and the work of others and the fact that you never stop learning and getting better and teaching others to learn and to get better, you Sir are acting like a true model for my generation and the ones yet to come!
Thank you: it is always such a warm & friendly educational experience to watch your videos.
I work for the Hitachi dealership in my area, and I concur that the 15g should have a hook. Both our 16 and 18 gauge nailers have small belt hooks that I've found incredibly useful when doing small bits of work around my house.
I watch this as I wait for my router table to cool, I am making siding for a remodel project, has a beautiful profile. Love this channel.
This video popped up randomly for me last year. I learned so much I began watching from the beginning of the series. Well, I am back around to this episode and am now planning my new home build for next summer!
awesome work, it's just how we do it. I'd add that finding the width of the jamb legs for your window box is key to getting casing that sits nicely against the box/wall, and a box that sits nicely against the window (or the "sash" as I've now learned) in cooperation with the casing.
Love the work mate I’m a young carpenter in Australia and I have the same gun, it’s awesome for all applications exterior cladding trims interior trims finish nailing floors, my only pet hate is the no belt hook , would love to see a video of the making of the belt hook so I can do the same things
Cheers Benton
Is it 15Gauge? What length nails does it take
100% agree about the mdf and the solid wood house is looking good
A way to shim jams perfectly at a reasonable speed was floating it with a line laser and flat head screws, with roughly 3 or 4 screws depending on the jam depth
Would love to see someone demo this process
Thank you for fantastic content videos like this. I wish it had been available 6 months ago when I was replacing existing single glazed windows with new double glazed windows. I wait for an watch everyone of your videos. All have taught me something I didn't know.
Scott, you and Richard McMurray encompass my favorite subscriptions on this format. I've been a practising carpenter for the last 40 years. Yes sir, I'm the same age as you!😉
Finally I get to see your trim. Looks great! Not surprising at all that it's craftsman style. Thumbs up from the other side of the country.
As a painter, I always appreciate carpenters who don't get all giddy about the sound their nail guns make and fill the carpentry full of nails. I also greatly appreciate when carpenters don't dry finger caulk and leave a goopy mess for the painter to then scrape off and redo properly.
I’m not even a carpenter, but this guy makes me want to be better at my trade lol Glad he got this on video, for future generations going into the trades. These videos are years of valuable experience and knowledge being passed on.
A lot of the older, seasoned journeyman aren’t as open about their tricks and secrets to their trade out of fear of losing their job to the younger hands. It’s a shame, because most of them will die never passing on their knowledge.
I always hold my nailers at right angle to the face of the board ( like how you were holding it for nailing the heads), otherwise the cut on the pointed end of the nail will make it more likely to curl out as it follows the grain
Hey, nice video. I just wanted to tell you that you can prevent nail blowouts by turning the nailer and holding it like a gangster on its side.
If you hold the nailer as you do then the nail point will travel left and right which can cause blowouts in bad grain/knots but by holding it on it's side, the nail point will travel up and down instead.
such a great educator..... thanks for your time involved in doing all of this!
Another great video as always. I always refer to the bottom moldings as sill on the outside
and stool on the inside. Names vary with locations no doubt about it/
Most of those nail heads have a slight taper on the two longer sides of the nail. The deflection usually happens along these tapers when shooting them. So you can often control then deflection angle and at least prevent it from going into the finish area of jamb by rotating gun 90.
The deflection will then usually go “up” or down” info the part of the framing where it doesn’t matter.
I like the one I seen the guy put screws into the two by fours on the side exactly even with the window frame so when you put the side wood on it is lined up perfect. Then do your shims. Everything is in place.🎉
Beautiful view out the window at 12:20
I love a good natural wood finish job.
One of the best channels on youtube! Keep up the great work! It’s amazing how well you make the channel look like an easy production. Thanks for taking the time to share your passion!
"In place mass production of one of a kind items". I like it! Good video, as always.
Having put up MDF trim, I completely agree about the "volcano" you talk about. I usually will cut it off with a putty knife, then fill the remaining hole.
MDF is nice though for it's dimensional stability and consistency. It's getting harder and harder to find decent wood boards that aren't full of knots or twisted.
Great work Scott! I wish I could follow you for a day, heck, a whole year and just soak up knowledge. Looking forward to the next video!
Richard shoutouts!! He would be excited to know you’re giving him props!
I love watching vids like this,, especially when the host knows what he's talking about. I've been in carpentry for over 50 years, and I've always loved using wood to create beautiful places for folks to live in and enjoy. At 75 years old, I'm too shaky to be climbing around on ladders and scaffolding, which is a necessary part of most projects. Construction is hard on a body. So I have to be content to watch others, and wish I was there. Above all else, be safe, my friends.
Pro tip for "shiner" nails.
TOP of the gun towards the direction you DONT want the nail to curve towards.
Nail gun nails are only beveled on 2 sides and will almost never curve up or down only left to right. We implement this while doing window stops and havent had a nail hit the glass since.
Nice job and demonstration, I always used a traditional nosying profile on my sills 1.25”
What a great series. Timeless knowledge. doled out one gem at a time. Thank you. And great work on the house. Love how it's coming together. I'm sure it's finished and sold by now, but looking forward to seeing the finished product. Cheers.
Nice video. In UK the "casing" would be called an archatrave, and the "reveal" 3 16th from the archatrave to the jamb would be called a "quirk". Tip would be to router over the horn projections before cutting off the excess, gives the router more material to rest on. But again ace video 👌🏻
In Australian terms (generally) jam=reveal, case=architrave. Never actually heard anyone refer to the side or top of a window frame, so, I suppose head, leg, etc, still applies. Then again, most windows in Australia these days are delivered attached to the jam/reveal, and attached through the reveal to the house frame.
*jamb
That
Don't forget the MDF trim and condensation, turning it into a wet sponge with a few years. Same goes with compressed paper baseboards. House is looking good, thanks for everything!
Amazing man. Watched him from the beginning of the build. I hope the end is not the End.
“And then....(where the hell did the nail gun go)...proceed with caution..”
I love it! 😂 Thanks for the awesome content guys!!😊
You are definitely right about MDF! I just installed nine windows and used MDF to do the exact process you just did ,it's hard to nail the corners together and get your box held in place like regular wood...
Most helpful video on windows, thank you. Really enjoy your videos and learning from a true craftsman.
Nice to see you throw some metric measurements in!
As somebody who works in the window covering industry, I can say that keeping your casement square will make the lives of everyone who ever has to cover those windows better.
I know that "Square, plumb, and true" is your basic watchword, but I mention this because you only have to measure a few windows (top, center, and bottom always) to start to realize that "Kinda square, mostly plumb, and true-ish" is pretty common in housebuilding.
A tip to ensure your nails don’t pop out of the jamb, turn your nail gun 90 degrees so you’re shooting nails in with the gun perpendicular to the edge of the jamb. Your 18g nails can move horizontally but will seldom move vertically in relation to the gun
In Norway, our windows come pre-installed with dados (3/8 Inch), in which we can place our jam that comes with a groove that fits into that. All we have to do is cut the jam and legs to the correct dimensions of the dado, screw/nail it all together and fit it in. Reveals is all set.
👍👍
And mdf and window sill is a bad match, water spill, flower pots etc..
The little pimple is exactly why I hate using MDF if I can't screw it. On my latest DIY project I used trim head screws for the 5/4 window stools.