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Missed previous Wood Connections issues? 

The team at San Diego, CA-based Happy Owl studio, who self-describe as "Apple devotees," launched their "cash register of the future" last year. The Cashbox, as it is called, is an all-in-one iPad point of sale system featuring a bamboo box handcrafted from Cali Bamboo plywood available in Flat Grain Amber, Flat Grain Natural and Marble Woven.

According to the company, each box is available with custom laser engraving. "A lot of people are getting lost in the surface-level beauty of the Cashbox," said Devon Read, Happy Owl Studio CEO in a statement, "but the real beauty is under the hood. Payment processing with iPad is a game-changer."

How long has it been? The answer: 57 months or nearly five years. June 2008 was the last time U.S. monthly housing starts, seasonally adjusted and at an annual rate (SAAR), were higher than one million units.

March 2013 new home starts in the U.S. were 1.036 million units SAAR, according to a joint press release from the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In June 2008, they were 1.046 million units. Between then and now, they dropped as low as 478,000 units (less than half a million) in April 2009. They last "peaked" at 2.273 million units in January 2006... 

The single-family segment of homebuilding accounted for 60% of all residential groundbreakings in the latest month, leaving the remaining 40% to multi-unit construction. The share more typically taken by single-family starts is 70% to 80%, with 20% to 30% being of the multi-unit variety.

Regionally, the strength to-date in 2013 has been mainly in the West, where average monthly starts are +63.6% versus the first quarter of last year, an increase of nearly two-thirds. The comparable figure for the South is +31.8% (almost one-third higher) while in the Northeast it is +26.9% and in the Midwest, +18.7%.

The monthly pattern in the South and West through the first three months of this year has been a steady progression of steps upward. In the Northeast and West, monthly starts have been more level.  

Returning to the national scene, how significant is a "starts" figure of one million units?

It's a huge psychological breakthrough. Far below that level, homebuilders are drowning. Slightly under a million, they're still floundering. Above the one-million-unit threshold, residential contractors are breathing fresh air again.

The announcement last month of the awarding of the contract to build a contemporary, 90-foot wood building in Prince George officially launches British Columbia into the race to build the world's first wood skyscraper.

The six-storey Wood Innovation and Design Centre (WIDC) at the corners of George and 5th Avenue will be the tallest contemporary wood building in North America, and will rival the tallest examples anywhere in the world.

New seven, eight, nine and 10-storey buildings have arisen during the last five years in Sweden, Austria, Italy, London and Australia respectively.

These buildings, based on massive-timber-panels, have attracted the attention of innovative designers, progressive builders and environmentally responsible buyers.

Even at only six-storeys, the mezzanine and vaulted ceilings of the WIDC will make equivalent to about a nine-storey building according to architect Michael Green of Michael Green Architecture (MGA), who championed the winning design.

Click here to read the entire article  

Do not ignore the wood dust. Clean it up, but do not blow it off with an air gun as that simply releases and stratifies the dust - use a vacuum to collect it. Then investigate to determine the source of the dust. For example, if the ductwork is not airtight, seal joints to prevent the release of dust. When inspecting the workplace for dust accumulations, consider all flat surfaces including rectangular-shaped ductwork, overhead beams, lighting fixtures and areas such as hung or suspended ceilings.

Are you joining the growing ranks of exhibitors who are being asked to take your trade show displays international?  Ja?  Si?  Oui?  

Let's face it; exhibiting internationally is a daunting task.  Trade shows are not easy to master, and with the added complexity of arranging your trade show booth in a different continent, language, time zone, and culture - well, it's even harder.

But the opportunities are there, and your management is asking for you to make it happen.  So here are 11 tips, provided by Senior Account Executive Leslie Hopkins and Project Manager Julie Comfort of Skyline Houston, and Director of Development Philip Foust of Skyline Exhibits and Events, who have traveled around the world with their clients:

1. When exhibiting abroad, you need more of everything: more time, more money, and more planning.
2. It may sound obvious, but take the time to research before you go - about the country, the city, the people, and the show regulations.
3. Learn about cultural differences, which transfer to how local attendees do trade shows differently.  What is considered polite and "politically correct" changes from country to country.
4. Different cultures need different common phrases, even when you are communicating in English.  When emailing outside of the United States, it's better to write "can you please?" instead of "will you please..."
5. You have to remain flexible, even more so than domestically.

Design duo Michael Thomas Host and Tanja Hinder are the creative force behind mth woodworks, a local woodworking company based in Vancouver, BC. They combine salvaged Western Red Cedar tree stumps and birch branches with organic resin, creating one-of-a-kind furniture pieces that connect people with beautiful West Coast forests.  

This success story started many years ago, when designer and builder Michael Host left his hometown of Vancouver, BC to pursue his passion - the design and construction of timeless furniture. His path led to places like Australia and New York where Michael became an accomplished furniture maker. His journey also brought him to Europe where he was inspired by the architecture and furniture designs. Michael spent many years studying and acquiring renowned and unique woodworking techniques.

Tanja Hinder, on the other hand, grew up in Switzerland. Fascinated by architecture and furniture design, Tanja soon found herself involved in many design-consulting projects. In 2001, she travelled to Vancouver where the paths of Michael and Tanja crossed for the first time. The rest as they say "is history!" Tanja eventually immigrated to Canada and become an aspiring furniture and interior designer.

Over the past year, they have been able to refine their construction techniques to enhance the longevity and durability of their designs. They also further developed their original concept in a new series of products that complement the organic shapes of their salvaged woods in a surprising way.

Today, mth woodworks' mission is to connect people with BC's beautiful surroundings by fusing together raw natural elements with organic resin.

"The inspiration for our designs comes from, well, EVERYWHERE. However, nature and travel definitely fuel our creative minds. To us, these are the most important ingredients for all our creations. Guided by clean lines and functionality, we are proud to offer "the bloom collection" and "the host collection" to a diverse clientele."

For more information on mth woodworks, please visit: http://www.mthwoodworks.com/

Click below to watch a great video on how they salvage their wood: