3/8
Buy a Trim Gun
Many carpenters likely haven’t hand-nailed a piece of interior trim in 25 years. Why? Because air-powered trim guns make the results so much faster, better and neater. No splits, no pre-drilling, no knocking the piece out of place as you hammer, and only small, barely noticeable holes to fill. If you’re going to buy just one size, the most versatile choice is one that shoots 5/8- to 2-inch 18-gauge brads.
4/8
Write Measurements Down
Stick masking tape to your tape measure or sand down the side for a convenient “notepad” perfect for jotting down shapes and numbers. That way you won’t forget your measurement on the way to the saw.
5/8
Use the Toenail Trick to Position Lumber
Travis Larson, a longtime woodworker, carpenter, and former Family Handyman editor, learned a handy trick on one of his first days in the field.
“On my first job as a framing carpenter, I was beating on a stud to try to coax it into position,” said Larson. “The stud just bounced back. A veteran framing carpenter walked over and drove a big nail at an angle through the edge of the stud. The last two hammer blows moved the stud into position, where it stayed. Now I use the toenail trick whenever I need to adjust stubborn lumber.”
