LUNT CARPENTRY

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"Level twice, build once." Constantly checking—and rechecking—is a key to good building.

Measure twice, cut once: Even professional carpenters try to follow that axiom to avoid sawing boards the wrong length. That makes repeating a measurement before you cut mandatory for us beginners (I've measured three times when I was nervous). Take care to read the tape accurately, noting the right number of inches and fractions thereof. When you read a tape upside down, don't mistake 26" for 29"—and don't accidentally think you're reading 7' 10" when you're really reading 6' 10". (These are really very easy mistakes to make, because we normally read left to right, but you have to read an upside-down tape right to left .)

How do you measure higher than you can reach? Let a lot of tape out so you can run it past the end point you're measuring. It'll curve back toward your hand, but as long as the tape's straight to the end point, your measurement will be straight, as well (Fig. 2). Use the same tape-bending trick when you're measuring against an inside wall and can't run the measure past your end point. (Or if the tape measure case is an exact width, like 2" or 3", you can just run it into the wall and add its width—don't forget to do this—to the tape length you see.)

Marking

OK, you've measured (twice). You're sure you need to cut a board 68¾ long. Now grab that board, hook your tape over one end, run it down 683/4", and mark the cutting point with a big V whose two legs diverge from the exact point. That V, or "crow's-foot," is a more accurate way to mark an exact spot than a penciled line. You might get thrown off by the width of a line or the fact that it may not be perpendicular to the board, but a V points to precisely the right spot. It also makes a big mark that is easy to spot (that's important).

Now you need to mark a right angle from that crow's-foot so the whole board will be 68¾ long. You can use a combination square or a big framing square for that, but for my money the best tool for the job is a speed square (a right triangle with protruding rims on one of its sides). You can lay its rimmed side against your board, line up the right-angled side with your V mark and—zip—run your pencil down that edge for a perfectly straight, square-to-the-board line (Fig. 3).

You know what? I just left something out. You should first use your right-angled tool to check the end of the board that you won't be cutting. I know, you bought your wood from the lumberyard, so it's supposed to have square ends. Check it anyway—sometimes it won't. Once you've made sure that end's square (cut it square if you have to), measure those 68¾ " and mark your cut.

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