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Jo-Ann Kaiser

Jo-Ann Kaiser has been covering the woodworking industry for 31+ years. She is a contributing editor for the Woodworking Network and has been writing the Wood of the Month column since its inception in 1986.

Wood Explorer

Karelian Birch Has Fancy Figures

European birch is one of those woods that is very plain — except when it isn’t. Some of the distinctive patterns yielded include flame and curly figures. Another figure of note is Karelian birch, known also as Karelian burl and Masur birch.

Production

Precision Cutting Technology Gave Cal Door Consistency in its Door Production

A wholesale manufacturer and major supplier of high-end cabinet components, Cal Door credits its success to a combination of old-world craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. The company has also shown resiliency in the face of economic adversity.“We weathered a serious slump with the mortgage crisis and after-effects to housing and remodeling but have recovered and now employ 350 in our two facilities,” says Operations Manager Mark Souza.