Tune in for the latest episode of our online video series for novice woodworkers, Getting Started in Woodworking. (Click on this link to watch.)

The ninth video in our series, “How to Mill Rough Lumber,” shows how to turn a piece of roughsawn lumber into square and stable stock for your woodworking projects. 

Designed to introduce beginning woodworkers to the various stages of woodworking–from choosing tools to setting up a workspace to building projects–Getting Started in Woodworking is hosted by Fine Woodworking editor Asa Christiana, and Matt Berger, of FineWoodworking.com, features detailed, step-by-step instruction as well as free downloadable project plans.

For “How to Mill Rough Lumber,” we headed out to the Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking, where instructor Bob Van Dyke demonstrated the classic sequence used to prepare rough lumber with power tools. This process, known as four-squaring a board, is an essential skill in woodworking.

“Woodworking offers a lifelong journey of learning and creativity, but it often seems daunting to beginners. Getting Started in Woodworking demystifies the hobby by showing beginners how to get started with just a few tools, and letting them get their hands dirty right away with some beautiful, but accessible projects,” says Christiana.  “Thanks to today’s high speed Internet connections, we are able to present this information in an interactive, easy-to-follow video format that will appeal to new woodworkers of every age.”

Woodworking for the YouTube Generation Help spread the word about woodworking with our video series, Getting Started in Woodworking. In an effort to introduce more people to the joys of woodworking, Fine Woodworking has made several of the episodes in this video series available for posting on your Web site or blog. Simply visit our channels on YouTube, Brightcove, and Howcast copy the embed code for the video you’d like to feature on your Web site, and post the code right into your page. It’s that easy.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

AnchorSeal Log and Lumber End-Grain Sealer

Good for both sealing the end grain of freshly cut logs and boards, this wax prevents end-grain checking and saves material

Buy at Amazon

Festool DF 500 Q-Set Domino Joiner

This joinery machine revolutionized woodworking for so many. There is no easier way to get mortise and tenon joints—but it comes at a cost.

Buy at Amazon