Anatomical Structure of Woodwork Joints
Who said that joints are strictly medical? Surprisingly, they also exist in a carpenter's glossary too. In fact, woodwork joints have outnumbered the three types of joints found in humans namely the diarthroses, amphiarthroses and synarthroses. But don’t worry because we won’t be dealing with these medical terms. Let us direct our attention on how we can build stable, stylish, and sturdy woodwork by familiarizing ourselves with the different types of woodwork joints.
Depending on the type of woodworking project you may have in mind, the following will help you decide on what appropriate woodwork joint to use. With the advent of new tools and machineries, traditional joints have evolved in various types. These woodwork joints differ in styles but have the ultimate purpose of making a strong and stable woodwork.
1. Square Butt Joint.
Simply known as the butt joint, it is the most basic joint in joining two pieces of timber relying solely on glue to stick it together. The advantage of this is its being quick and easy to make. It is very useful in making boxes and picture frames. However, since the end of the timber where glue is applied is porous which absorbs most of the glue, it becomes difficult to hold the timber together. On the other hand, this can be strengthened by using screws or pins as support.
2. Mitre or Miter Joint.
This is a joint created by sawing one end of two parts to be joined at an angle of 45° to form a 90o angle corner. This is more often used in making picture frames than butt joints. Although this popular method of joining is cheap, it requires accurate cutting to achieve its best strength and visual appeal.
3. Dado Joint.
Also known as the housed joint, this type of joint is most popularly used in making bookcases, shelves, and drawers . Unlike butt joints, this joint does not need the benefit of any glue or screw to hold it in place. To make a dado joint, a cut in one piece of wood receives the end of the other. It is much stronger than the butt joint and has a more professional appeal.
4. Dowel Joint.
To make a dowel joint, drill aligning holes in each piece of wood then by using glue attach the dowels in place for a tight joint. To achieve high accuracy, it requires a dowelling jig and bits. Use a jig and a drill press to obtain straight holes with uniform depth.
5. Mortise-and-Tenon Joint.
This joint is used to join two members perpendicularly. A rectangular projection from the end of one piece called the tenon fits snugly into the mortise cut in the second piece. This strong and traditional joint can be made even stronger by adding a peg. This is commonly used in antique furniture building.
6. Tongue-and-Groove Joint.
Also known as the finger joint, this joint allows for wood shrinkage, it's great for floors and paneling. Long tapered tongues or fingers that interlock join two pieces of timber lengthwise. A high powered router is used to cut a groove in the edge of one piece and a tongue on the other to fit into the groove.
7. Through-Dovetail Joint.
This is one of the most stylish joints available, but also one that requires additional patience and more accuracy to cut. The interlocking cut of the wood makes it really strong plus gives more visual interest. This type of joint is used in the manufacture of superior furniture.
8. Lap Joint.
This is made by laying one piece on top of another. This can be used either in an angle or lengthwise joint. Lap joints can be made manually with a saw and chisel, on a table saw or radial arm saw with a dado blade, or with a router and a straight bit. Meanwhile, there is a variation of a lap joint which is the half lap joint. This is when half of the thickness from each piece is removed. To make a half lap joint, several cuts half the depth of the material is made while the excess is removed with a chisel.
Now that you know most of the different types of woodwork joints and you can now determine which is best suited for your next woodwork project, there is no reason why you shouldn’t start working on it.
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Woodwork Joints
Woodwork Forums
A Woodworker’s Forum 101
At one point, a writer will reach his most dreaded end. Don’t get the impression that someone’s going to die. It’s not someone but something-the source of his creative ideas. Like any writer, a woodworker may experience the same fate; but like any writer, he must device a way to resuscitate his arresting ingenuity to make his creative juices flowing again.
There are various ways to keep your well of ideas from drying. You can read home furniture books and the like. You can subscribe to woodworking magazines. You can also attend architectural woodwork exhibits and other related events. But one interesting way of getting great ideas is by joining a woodwork forum.
But first, you should know what exactly a forum is. What can you get from joining one? Basically, a forum is a public meeting place for open discussion of various topics. It is designed to bring people from across the industry who knows the most about a specific technology or topic and who can revolutionize an idea or give direction and solution to a particular issue. In your case, you should look for one that is specifically intended to your general interest and that is woodworking. Online, a forum is also known as a bulletin board or discussion area.
Forums are varied in nature. However, its primary objective is to make an available area where users or members can interact with their questions, answers and discussions on a certain topic. They are also intended as idea-generators that will help the users get a new energy focused on moving forward.
There are thousands and thousands of topical forums that abound online. Each usually addresses a topic and tries to keep the discussions on topic. However, this can often vary from one forum to another.
Here are other things that will enlighten you before joining a forum :
• There is a limit in attendance usually 75-85 people to allow opportunities for discussion.
• Some forums are by invitation only. You may have to apply and submit information about yourself and your experience related to your chosen forum. Your application will then be reviewed by the forum committee which will select the attendees based on who will contribute the most to the discussion.
• To encourage open discussion, confidentiality is kept. Usually, you are assigned or allowed to choose your on username or member ID before letting you post on the forum. Nothing is published from the forum except probably a brief summary with the consensus of all users.
• Since you will be dealing with a number of people, you should expect a lot of discussion and interaction. Making formal presentations is not necessarily and sometimes an informal statement of the issue is much appreciated. The discussion is normally started by group leaders and then breakout groups are often used to discuss the topics in a smaller group.
By now, you are already aware of what a forum is and what it requires. You have probably gone searching for the right woodwork forums that suit your interests. Perhaps, you have finally been accepted by one after the rigorous series of applications you have had. This only means that you are also ready to post with your questions, ideas, and the desire to opine, but on second thought not just yet.
To be sure that you are ready for postings, here are a few questions that you need to know before taking on that task in the forum.
• Slow down. Don’t start a thread in an impulse just yet. Ask yourself first if you have something worthwhile to contribute? If you have opinions, you better back it up with reason. If you have questions, it is helpful for other members who are willing to help you that you support your questions with enough details. And if you have opinions that you want to say, always remember to be tactful and respectful.
• Check whether your concerns have already been posted. The search button is very helpful on this. So, find the search button, type in some keywords and then click it. This will allow you to few the past threads posted a few days ago. Remember that it is better to post in an existing forum that to post a new one.
• Finally, ask yourself whether you are in the right forum? Read the general description of each forum before entering and posting your thoughts. You wouldn’t want to be an alien among a bunch of tailors when you are really interesting to be part of a woodwork forum right?
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Woodwork Events
Eight Exciting Reasons to Attend a Woodwork Event
Every once in a while, you need to get out of your rut and bask under the sun. Get your dose of Vitamin D and energize yourself with new sights and sounds. Get a time to relax and to revitalize your passion. Remember the old saying 'all work and no play makes a dull man?' Eventually, if you just continue drilling, cutting, routing, and sanding you will lose your vitality. You certainly don't want to make your life monotonous right?
Although for some of you who share in the principle of Benjamin Franklin that time is money and it will be a waste to be "a man of leisure" at one time or another, it is still possible that you take an off from woodworking while at the same time enjoy an equally productive endeavor. A good way to hit these two birds in one stone paradigm is by attending woodwork events.
Though it may not be common to hear news about woodwork events, they abound. Go and visit community colleges or schools that offer courses in architecture, interior design and carpentry. These institutions usually organize events to showcase their students' works. Try also to look for ads in magazines and other periodicals, woodworkers associations and other related organizations may be advertising invitations for their upcoming events or conferences.
Now, why is it important that you leave your power tools for the meantime and head somewhere else to sharpen your senses?
Here are eight good reasons to attend a woodwork event :
• Get to Travel.
It doesn't matter whether you'll be driving only for 30 minutes to an hour or taking a long flight to the other side of the globe. What is important is you get to inhale fresh air and get to feed your eyes with new delights. The journey alone gives you an opportunity to gather new inspiration for your next projects. What more when you have finally reached your destination?
• Meet People who Share your Passion.
It stirs the soul to meet someone who shares the same interests as you do. You suddenly feel the rush of endorphins due to the excitement of being surrounded by people who are one with you. There is this soothing and calming effect on knowing that you are with a company who understands your needs and sentiments.
• Discover the wonder.
Once you are in the event regardless whether it is an exhibit of a great woodwork collection or a mere gathering of colleagues, You will discover a certain wonder as if you were a child again being mesmerized by every new and even not so new objects that appeal to your senses. You will be thrilled with the agility of others and be amazed with the possibilities that you can also do.
• Expand your Horizon.
Ultimately, the experience of attending an event will broaden your understanding and commitment to excel in your work. Since it gives you an opportunity to evaluate yourself and your works, it allows you to know better the strategies that you need to do to better your craft.
• Widen Your Network.
Upon going to an event, it is inevitable to meet people. This is your chance to step up and show some entrepreneur in you. Even though you are just making projects for a hobby, it is not bad to get some contacts who may be interested in buying your projects. This is also the time to increase your social and professional circle of people who can give you tips or discounts when buying tools and timber.
• Spread Yourself.
This is the time and place to spread yourself by sharing what you know. Many will be eager to listen and learn from you in this venue about your techniques and creative concepts on design. If you are an expert, do not hesitate to teach your best practices.
• Make yourself proud.
It is your time to shine. Some events will allow you to bring with you some of your finest projects. If that's the case, keep your modesty aside and show the world your masterpiece.
• Go Home with a Full Heart.
At the end of the day, even if you didn't have the chance to be a speaker or your circle of friends did not grow as much, with all the other things that you can experience, you'll still be going home with a full heart.
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Antique Woodworks
Types Collectible of Antique Woodworks
Woodworking is one of the oldest crafts known to man. Wood has long been a staple material for man's many arts and crafts, being used to create everything from homes to toys to tools. Carpentry has evolved over the years with the introduction of power tools which allow woodworkers to make things faster and more efficiently, but the appeal of antique items created the old fashioned way, with chisels, saws, and hammers, have their own appeal to collectors.
Such handcrafted wooden items are still being made today by dedicated woodworkers who prefer to use old fashioned manual tools instead of electric powered ones. These collectibles, along with the truly old antiques created decades ago, fetch hefty sums among collectors of woodwork. For those of you who want to try your hand at either collecting or buying and reselling antique woodworks to collectors, here are a few of the more popular categories of woodwork around.
Carvings and Statuary
Wooden carvings and statues are extremely attractive decorative pieces. Some of the larger and more impressive pieces include not only wooden statues, but even carved murals. True antique wooden pieces of this nature are quite expensive, though even modern crafted pieces can fetch a hefty sum if the artist is capable of rendering something with a great deal of elegance and beauty. The most common example of modern wooden carved statues are usually religious in nature, like carvings of ancient gods and angels.
Tribal Paraphernalia
This is a common collectible that is usually best purchased overseas in local bazaars and markets. Native woodworkers create all sorts of pieces from wood, including tribal masks, shields, baskets, accessories, and the like. Wooden antiques of this sort usually appeal to people who have a fascination with ancient cultures. To avoid buying "tourist trap" pieces, it is best to do a little background study on the customs of the area you're visiting to learn how to determine authentic tribal pieces from their gaudier, mass produced cousins.
Shelves and Furniture
On a more modern note, wooden furniture in general is a collectible that must not be overlooked. Heavy hardwood tables, chairs, and shelves can fetch quite a hefty sum among people who are seeking to decorate their homes with a touch of elegance. A pure mahogany dining table, when polished and restored properly, can grant a touch of warmth and beauty to any home. Another good example is a book shelf with matching wooden carved bookends. These are almost a staple with any book lover who owns his own home library.
Handcrafted Toys
Old fashioned children's toys are probably the smallest and easiest of all antique woodworks to collect. Probably the most famous examples would be carved wooden animals, and those old appealing hollow russian dolls which can be opened to hold a smaller doll, which can likewise be opened to hold an even smaller one. Then of course there are the little wooden puppets on strings, and wooden toys on wheels which can be pulled along on a string. While quite simplistic by modern standards, these toys are generally colorful and carry a nostalgic appeal with woodwork collectors of any age and genre.
Musical Instruments
While not an antique woodworking category per se, there are actually collectors who have a fascination with wooden instruments, most notably woodwind instruments and stringed instruments made of wood. Perhaps the most common example of this would be collections of wooden flutes. In case you are musically inclined and have a talent for woodworking, this might be a nice area to start a collection or even to craft pieces of your own.
Weapons
Lastly, weapons are a special category that caters to a small but very dedicated niche group. While most antique weapons are made of metal like swords, knives, maces, and battle axes, wooden weapons compose a smaller minority that nonetheless remains avid about them. Oriental wooden weapons in particular are extremely well made and in high demand, including things like arnis sticks (single or paired truncheons, essentially), nunchacku, tonfas, bo staffs, and bokkens. A collector and martial arts practitioner will usually be willing to pay quite a bit for a pair of personalized wooden weapons made of rare hardwoods.
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