Encyclopedia:

- A -

Air Cleaner (Air Polisher): A machine designed to filter fine dust from the air in a workshop. A blower moves air past a series of filters to capture the airborne dust.

Air-dried lumber: Lumber that was dried, usually outside, to an equilibrium moisture content with the air it was exposed to.

Alternate top bevel with raker (ATB/R): A design for a circular saw blade where four alternately beveled teeth are followed by a raker tooth to remove debris from the cut.

Annual growth rings: The layer of growth that a tree puts on in one year. The annual growth rings can be seen in the end grain of lumber.

Arbor: A shaft, driven by the tool's motor that turns blades or other cutting tools.

- B -

Back saw: A short rectangular saw with fine teeth and a rigid "spine" along the top of the blade. A backsaw is used for fine joinery work such as cutting dovetail joints. Also see Dozuki.

Bark: The outermost, protective layer, of a tree composed of dead cork and other elements.

Bead: A small rounded, raised profile, routed along the edge of a board.

Bench Dog: A metal or wooden peg that fits into a hole in a workbench and is used to hold a workpiece in place. The peg can be round or square and sometimes fitted with special springs to hold them in place.

Bevel cut: An angled cut through a board.

Birds-eye figure: A figure on wood, usually maple and a few other species. The figure is composed of many small BB size rounded areas resembling a birds eye. The figuring is most common on plain and rotary sawn lumber.

Biscuit Joint: A butt joint that is reinforced with a football shaped "biscuit". The biscuits are usually made from compressed pieces of wood, usually birch. When a biscuit comes into contact with glue in the joint it swells creating a tighter joint. Also called a Plate Joint.

Blast Gate: A special fitting designed to control the flow of air in a whole shop dust collection system. By opening the blast gate on a machine suction is allow to occur. Blast gates are available from WoodZone in aluminum and plastic.

Board Foot - Related tip and Formula: A form of wood measurement, where one board foot equals the volume of a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long.

Bookmatch: A term in veneering, where successive pieces of veneer from a flitch are arranged side by side. A properly done bookmatch will resemble a mirror image of the opposite side.

Bore: The hole for the arbor in a circular saw blade.

Bow - Related Article: A defective piece of lumber that has warped along its length.

Box joint: A corner joint made up of interlocking "fingers".

Brad: A small finishing nail up to 1" long.

Burl: Bulges and irregular growths that form on the trunks and roots of trees. Burls are highly sought after for the incredible veneer they yield.

Burr - Related Article: A raised ridge of metal used on a scraper to remove wood.

Butt Joint: A woodworking joint where the edges of two boards are placed against each other.

- C -

Cabriole Leg - Related Article

A leg used on Queen Anne furniture. The cabriole leg is characterized by graceful curves and a shape that resembles an animal leg.

Cambium

The live, actively growing, layer of a tree. The cambium is one cell thick and resides between the sapwood and the phloem. It repeatedly divides itself to form new wood and causes the tree to grow and expand.

Chamfer

A beveled cut along the edge of a piece of furniture. (Usually 45 degrees)

Carcase

The body of a piece of furniture with a box like shape. (i.e. a kitchen cabinet)

Case Hardening

A defect in the lumber caused by improper drying. Case Hardening is caused when a board is dried too fast. The outer layers in a case hardened board are compressed while the inner layers are in tension.

Cell

The smallest, microscopic, structure in wood.

Check - Related Article

A lumber defect caused by uneven shrinking of the wood during drying. A checked board has splits which develop lengthwise across the growth rings.

Clear

A board which is free of defects.

Closed Coat - Related article

A piece of sandpaper with a surface completely covered with abrasive particles. This type of paper tends to clog easily with sawdust and is generally not used for woodworking. See also - open coat

Collet

In a router, the sleeve that grips the shank of a bit.

Common Grade Lumber

Lumber with obvious defects.

Compound Cut

An angled cut to both the edge and face of a board.

Compression Wood - Related Article

Reaction wood that forms on the lower side of a leaning softwood tree.

Concave

An inward-curving shape. (i.e. a spoon)

Convex

An outward-curving shape. (i.e. my belly :-)

Cope-and-stick joint

A method of construction raised panel doors where the tongues of the rails (horizontal) connect to the grooves of the stiles (vertical).

Cord

A unit of measure often used for firewood stacked 4’ long x 4’ high x 8’ long.

Countersink

A tool that allows you to drill a hole so that the head of a screw will sit flush with the face of a board.

Crook - Related Article

A lumber defect where there is an edgewise warp effecting the straightness of the board.

Crosscut (crosscutting)

A cut made perpendicular to the grain of a board. See - Ripcut (Ripping)

Crotch

In lumber, a piece of wood taken from the fork of a tree. Crotch Veneer is highly valued for its figuring.

Cup - Related Article

A defect in the lumber where the face of the board warps up like the letter U.