Woodworking
An Introduction to Tools and Materials
Modern Woodworking
Humans have come a long way since their early days, using hand-made tools and the most traditional methods. The hand tools we used for a long time are still relevant for fine woodworking, detail work and where power tools aren't practical. However, now it is the jointer, planar, bandsaw and table saw that make up the four pillars of a power tool wood shop. With these tools lumber can be rendered into all kinds of things using the correct skills.
MakeHaven Badges for the unit: (Students should try to get badges, independently, to prepare for class)
Minimum: Chop saw (aka sliding compound miter saw) & drill press
Squaring wood: jointer, planer, bandsaw, tablesaw (optional: chop saw)
From prepared wood: table saw, circular saw, jig saw, chop saw, router table
Fine woodworking hand tools require: tormek blade sharpening
All turning: Wood lathe
The complete package: (makehaven.org/equipment, filter interest by woodworking)
For the course, we recommend that you get as many of the badges above as is practical. It is really helpful if you have earned them before the needed unit, so their acquisition does not eat in to your time to finish assignments. Coordinate with facilitators to complete badges.
Unit 2.1
Slides for MakeHaven woodworking tools
Introduction to Woodworking
Terms and Tools
LUMBER
Nominal size - a board's size before it has been planed smooth (surfaced) on all four sides, where each side is perpendicular to its neighbor.
Actual size - The actual measurements are the final size of your piece of lumber.
Board Face - largest surfaces on a board
Board Edge - Smaller surfaces on board, but not endgrain
End grain - The small face where wood fibers terminate
SQUARING WOOD
Bandsaw
to remove an very out-of-square parts
resawing board to thinner piece (may happen after joiner is used as well)
Jointer straightens one face and one edge
Planar makes the second face parallel to the one previously straightened by the joiner
Table Saw will cut second edge, with the edge previously straightened by the joiner on the table saw fence
RE-SAWING
Cutting wood while standing on edge, so the board is cut into two thinner pieces, where the faces are closer together. Commonly on Bandsaw, but Table saw can also do this (with more material lost to kerf of the cut.
WOOD LATHE
Turning materials on an axis and using tools such as chisels and sandpaper to shape radially symmetric pieces. This process has its own dangers and best practices.
PASTE WAX
Smoothes most surfaces in a woodshop and keeps glue from sticking (as much)
Important
Plan accordingly - the badging videos are long this week: Chop Saw (compound miter saw), Band Saw, Joiner, Planar, Table Saw, Biscuiting Tool, and Power Sanders
Modern lumber production described and Cross-cut vs Ripcut
Badges
Finish your MakeHaven badges, since there are quite a few in this area.
Bring Wood
Bring a piece of scrap wood, take pictures and schedule time with a facilitator early in the week.
Squaring Wood + More
This Pask Makes video shows taking rough wood through the process of squaring in the first 2 minutes.
Bandsaw > Joiner> Planar > Table Saw
There are also other (more advanced) processes used to make the final project. The other videos show tips and introductions specific to the bandsaw and lathe.
Cut holes with stability & torque.
An endmill spins to cut wood.
Templates make life easier.
Twitter account dedicated to showing animated GIFs of traditional Japanese Joinery techniques.
Definitely worth some time exploring these images.
Lecture
This is a nice example of how to make a Floating wine bottle holder. You may need to change out some processes (like his use of a hand planar at 1:30 for a joiner on the edge)
Unit 2.2
Slides for woodworking processes
Introduction to Woodworking - part 2
Drill Press - get straighter holes drilled and more control than with a hand drill
Hand Router - a turning bit can cut wood in many ways
Router Table - a router mounter in a table opens many possibilities
Templates: design projects in easier materials & use them to guide your tooling
Wood glue vs screws vs nails vs bolts
Dowels/ biscuits/ dominos
Traditional joinery
Jigs + sleds
wood's seasonal movement (for solid wood)
Plywood as an engineered material - layers, veneers, voids, sheathing and special treatments
non-plywood sheet woods: MDF, OBS, Melamine, hardboard, etc.
Survey of local advanced woodworkers (or on Youtube)
Complete woodworking component of project.