A Few Minutes With...
A Few Minutes With… Jeff Meyer, President
Baillie Lumber Company, Hamburg, NY
Differentiation is the challenge.

Custom Shop
Barry Koch, production manager for Koch & Company in Seneca, Kan., says his company’s decision to implement nested-based manufac- turing a year and a half ago has resulted in a 25-percent increase in production along with increased accuracy and labor savings.

Finish Line
Finish quality must be the guiding concern throughout the entire process of making and shipping products. Finishing expert Bruce Jackson continues to outline the importance of communication in defining the level of finish quality one wants to achieve and what it will take to produce that finish quality at every step.

Hot Gear
Get descriptions and request information about products from our participating companies.

Drying and Roughmill
Some comments on hand-held moisture
meters in hardwood lumber drying. Dr. Fred Lamb examines the different types of moisture meters and their role in hardwood drying.

Material Issues
Diversity, quality, availability, cost-competitiveness, architectural beauty and design impact are strong factors driving the growth of exotic woods. However, the single most important factor is that consumers, manufacturers and architects are all starting to specify, design, seek and demand imported wood products.

Production Line
Three cabinet manufacturers bridge the finishing gap by making the switch from hand-spraying to automated finishing equipment to reduce waste, lower emissions and increase productivity.

Process of the Month
For Ernst Cabinet Works in Hamburg, Pa., the implementation of an advanced software program has simplified the complicated designs associated with high-end custom kitchen cabinetry, along with streamlining its production process. Meanwhile, Top Drawer Component in Apache Junction, AZ, has improved its margins with new optimization software.

Proving Ground
Precision Balancing & Analyzing assists customers in meeting production goals through quality repairs and new spindles. When a Vermont company asked if PBA had a spindle that would reduce or eliminate motor coolant clogging problems and oil mist lubrication problems, PBA responded with the ASV Model HFC-100-2RB. This air-cooled grease-packed spindle delivers 5.5 hp at 18,000 rpm.

Sanding Sense
Many factors affect staining color variations. Sanding expert Howard Grivna cites 10 issues that could be contributing to the problem.

Supply Side
Read these 10 tips for getting the most bang for your buck from your widebelt abrasives.

Think Lean
Think Lean only applies to manufacturing? WIS International, a San Diego-based company servicing the retail industry, has used the Kaizen event process to offer its customers a value- added solution to the annual inventory process.

Trends
Cis Zehr is making it possible for Paoli High School students in Paoli, Ind., to have hands-on experience with coding, digitizing and CNC. Her furniture technology program is becoming a design and prototyping environment for local companies in addition to a training site for future employees.

Trends Extra
The Altendorf America Trivia Zone, a Web-based program with daily industry-based trivia questions, is offered at www.altendorfamerica.com as a celebration of Altendorf America’s 20th anniversary.

Words of Wisdom
In the midst of the overwhelming tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, it has come to our attention here at Modern Woodworking that some of the wood industry’s own have stepped forward to make a difference.