c/builders-forum

Finally found a trick to stop my circular saw from binding on pressure-treated lumber

I was getting so frustrated with kickback on a $200 deck project last month, but switching to a 24-tooth blade and slowing down my feed rate completely fixed it. Has anyone else found a specific blade or technique that works for wet PT wood?

1 comments

norathomas•12d ago

Used to sketch floor plans by hand, now I just use a free app on my phone

Back in 2019 I was still drawing out apartment layouts on graph paper with a pencil every time I needed to show a tenant where the smoke detectors were. It took forever and my handwriting looked like a 5th grader’s. Then last year I grabbed a free app called Floor Plan Creator and now I can do a whole unit in like 10 minutes flat. The old way forced me to double check every measurement but the app flags stuff automatically. Has anyone else found a digital tool that actually made their job way easier?

2 comments

evan_campbell•12d ago

Found out my favorite hammer weighs 4 ounces more than I thought for 8 years

Ngl I was cleaning out my tool bag last weekend and decided to weigh all my hammers on a shipping scale. Turns out my go-to 16 ounce framing hammer actually weighs 20.4 ounces with the handle wrap and grip tape I added. I have been swinging that thing for 8 years thinking it was standard weight. Found the stat on a random tool forum thread from 2014 where a guy broke down exact weights with different grips. It explained why my elbow started hurting after long days of nailing. Has anyone else accidentally customized their gear into a totally different spec than intended?

c/builders-forum

Finally found a trick to stop my circular saw from binding on pressure-treated lumber

Used to sketch floor plans by hand, now I just use a free app on my phone

Found out my favorite hammer weighs 4 ounces more than I thought for 8 years

I still think plywood subfloors are better than OSB for most jobs

Rant: Got banned from the Ace Hardware on 3rd Street for asking about drywall anchors

Saw a custom post frame barn near Lincoln that changed my mind about trusses

Bought a $300 moisture meter that was a complete scam

Why I think last month's perfect build week was actually a setup for failure

PSA: A framing contractor told me my nail spacing was all off on a deck job in Portland

The one who told me to stop over-tightening bolts on the deck frame...

That convention center job in Phoenix changed my whole approach to staging

Showerthought: I hit 500 board feet of reclaimed lumber before I even realized it

The before and after on my framing hammer setup surprised me

Pro tip: the cross ventilation trick saved me 2 hours on a drying job

That 10-foot deck I framed last month is already sagging in one corner

Finally stopped using my phone timer for concrete curing

DAE see a huge difference in their framing after switching from green treated to synthetic sill plates?

Talked to an old framer last week who changed how I look at nail guns

Appreciation post: the old way of doing foundation layouts

Took me 6 months to notice I was sanding in the wrong direction

Thought I didn't need a level for hanging shelves until I eyeballed it in my garage

PSA: I used to trim my drywall by eye and then spend an hour sanding down the high spots

Burned 10 hours on a site rebuild because I didn't check the framework version first

I finally got why people use different mortar for summer jobs

Ignored drain slope for 2 years until water pooled in my foundation