Editorial Policy

Grain & Glue recommends tools to beginners who are trusting us with their money. We take that seriously. This page lays out the standards behind every guide, roundup and review on the site.

Accuracy

• Tool specifications are read from the manufacturer’s own listing or manual. Where a spec isn’t published, we say “not listed” rather than guessing.
• We do not invent numbers — not prices, not ratings, not review counts, not measurements. If we can’t source a figure, we don’t state it.
• Prices come only from a live retail feed and are stamped with the date they were pulled. Stale prices are hidden automatically.

No fabrication, ever

There are no fake reviews, invented testimonials, made-up star ratings, or staged “in our shop” photos anywhere on Grain & Glue. We have not hands-on-tested the tools we recommend, and we never imply that we have. Our method — compiling published specs, reading the manuals, and doing the cost math — is described in full on the how we choose page.

Sourcing and citations

When a page states a factual claim — about safety, about how wood behaves, about a standard — we cite a checkable source, and we link to it. We prefer primary and authoritative sources (safety agencies, wood-science references, the manufacturer’s own documentation) over other blogs. Each page’s sources are listed at the bottom of that page.

Independence

Recommendations are never sold. Affiliate commission, described on our affiliate disclosure, does not influence which tool wins a roundup. No brand pays for placement, a rating, or a kind word, and we accept no free products in exchange for coverage.

Authorship

Our writer is framed honestly as an enthusiast, never as a credentialed expert or professional we are not. You can read exactly who writes this and why one honest byline holds across the whole site on our about page. Nothing on Grain & Glue is professional or safety certification; always follow your tools’ own manuals and local regulations.

Updates and corrections

Tools change, prices move, and better options appear. We refresh our money pages on a regular cadence — re-checking that the default pick is still available and still the best beginner value — and update the “last updated” date only when a page is genuinely revised, not on every deploy.

If we get something wrong, we fix it promptly, and where the error was material we note that we did. To report a mistake — a misread spec, a broken link, a pick that no longer makes sense — email us at info@grainandglue.com or use our contact form. If you’re right, we’ll correct it and thank you for it.