Notice that this article is not about the top 10 tools that a woodworker needs, it's about the top 10 tools that I need and use when I'm working with juniper wood. So, they may be different than what you consider to be the most important. All of the information in this article is for you to read and hopefully enjoy. Whether you actually heed any of it is up to you and solely your decision. Just remember, when … [Read more...]
Beginning Woodworking: A Primer
February 13, 2012 By
You've made the decision to begin the hobby of woodworking, or at least you have given the topic some thought. Hopefully this article will give you some guidance and provide some thoughtful insight into your new hobby. This article should be viewed as a primer, to help steer you in the right direction and help you apply some critical thought to the subject. You can choose to follow or not follow what I've … [Read more...]
Beginning Woodworking: Power Tools
February 10, 2012 By
The first and formost thing to keep in mind about using power and to a lesser extent hand tools is safety. You should read and follow all of the safety precautions that come with every tool that you buy. Also, there are instructions, especially with the power tools on how to use them, it's a good idea too to read these as they will save you a lot of time in learning how to use them. If you buy the tools … [Read more...]
Shipping Information
February 4, 2012 By
Shipping my juniper wood is the only part of the business that I have very little control over. I find the juniper wood, I bring it back to my shop and pressure wash the bark off, I dry it, I make furniture with it, and I sell the unfinished pieces and ship them to all USA and Canadian zip codes. I make local deliveries, sometimes people drive out to my shop with a large truck, but the vast majority of the wood … [Read more...]
Western Juniper Facts and Information
February 4, 2012 By
Western juniper populations have expanded and contracted over the last 7,000 years. Within the last 150 years or so, the population and acreage covered by western juniper has increased three- to ten-fold. This expansion has many ranchers, resource professionals, and even enviromentalists concerned about juniper's impacts on rangeland conditions. Juniper are known to out-compete surrounding vegetation for … [Read more...]
Western Juniper Medicinal and Other Uses
February 4, 2012 By
Western juniper was quite widely used as a medicinal herb by a number of native North American tribes who used it to treat a variety of complaints, especially those related to the kidneys and the skin. It is rarely, if at all, used in modern herbalism. The leaves themselves were used to treat constipation, coughs, and colds. And, the leaves were taken by pregnant women prior to giving birth in order to relax … [Read more...]
Selecting the Juniper Wood You Want
February 4, 2012 By
I ship quite a bit of the unfinished juniper wood. I use a shipping broker to find the best rates to all USA destinations and Canada. When somebody just wants a small quantity of juniper wood (20 branches) the best way to get it to them is to ship it via common carrier. But, the way it starts is, a person will send me an email or give me a call and we will discuss the sizes and quantities of juniper wood they … [Read more...]
Cleaning Bark from Juniper Wood
January 31, 2012 By
After I bring the juniper wood back to my shop it's time to unload and start the cleaning process. A lot of people ask me, how long does it take to clean the wood? Well, most of the branches take about 5 minutes each. It depends on the size of the juniper wood and how much live wood there is, Cleaning the bark off of a piece of juniper wood that was alive takes quite a bit longer than cleaning the other … [Read more...]
The Art of Finding Juniper Wood
January 31, 2012 By
The wood hunting and cleaning of the juniper wood is done on a fairly regular basis. I like to go about once a week, sometimes it's less than that and sometimes it's more. When I first started wood hunting, in the late 1990's, it was kind of frustrating. I would find nice pieces of wood, but sometimes I would bring back what I thought was a nice piece of wood, pressure wash the bark off, only to discover it … [Read more...]