Timber Woodworking

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26 September 2024

Jointer vs Planer

Do you know the differences between a jointer and a planer? If not, don’t fret! You are not alone. A lot of do-it-yourselfers are uncertain of the differences between these two woodworking devices.

Each tool has its own unique pros and cons, so it can be challenging to decide which one is right for you. In this easy-to-understand post, it will explain the differences between these two devices and help you determine which one is best for your project.

What is a Jointer?

A jointer is a woodworking device that operates similar to a hand plane to smooth the surface of wooden boards. There are various primary distinctions between a jointer and a hand plane. A hand plane is a manual tool operated excluding electricity, whereas a jointer is an electrical tool.

Jointers have outfeed and infeed tables with a spinning blade fixed between them. Wooden boards are passed over the rotating blade for removing small amounts of wood, while a plane is passed over a wooden board.

Using a hand plane to smooth a board necessitates skill and takes time, whereas using a jointer is fast, easy, and practically effortless.

Jointers can also be utilized for undertakings other than squaring edges, chamfering rabbeting, and beveling.

Jointer Pros and Cons

Jointers, just like with anything else, comes with their pros and cons.

Pros

Fast and easily flattens material and squares edges
Needs less time and effort than using a manual hand plane
Rights common wood defects like warped, bowed, cupped, or twisted wooden boards
Its fence can be adjusted for creating square edges, chamfers, or bevels

Cons

Lacks the capability to control the finished thickness of a wooden board
Lacking the ability to guarantee that the 2nd face or edge is parallel to the 1st
Demands additional tools such as a planer and table saw for adjusting the thickness of a board and square the 2nd edge

What is a Planer?

A thickness planer, also referred to as a surfacer or simply a planer, is a woodworking device utilized to smooth and decrease boards to a uniform thickness across their length. Basically, the planer makes thicker boards thinner.

A wood planer operates like a manual plane for smoothing the surface of wooden boards, however, there are a few primary variations between them. Planes are manual devices operated without electricity, whereas a planer is an electrical device.

Planers have a flatbed with cutter head attached above. Rollers feed the work piece over the bed and underneath the cutter head, which extracts a layer of wood as it moves through the device.

Planers come with settings that can be used to guarantee a uniform thickness along the length of a wooden board. Whereas getting a uniform thickness with a manual plane is not impossible, it necessitates a considerable amount of time, labor, and skill.

Planer Pros and Cons

Planers, just like jointers, comes with their pros and cons.

Pros

Smooths and takes away defects from the surface of wooden boards
Makes a wooden board’s 2nd face parallel to the opposing face
Decreases wooden boards to uniform thickness

Cons

Unable to correct defects such as warped, bowed, cupped, or twisted wooden boards
Unable square the edges of wood

Final Thoughts

A jointer is good for flattening out wooden boards and squaring their adjoining edges, whereas a planer is perfect for thickening of boards. If you are just starting to be a woodworker, it is suggested to begin with a planer since it’s more adaptable than a jointer.

Woodworking Supplies Mesa by Timber Woodworking

Timber Woodworking offers hardwoods in Mesa, Arizona. We specialize in woodworking tools, equipment, and supplies for commercial woodworking cabinet shops or furniture manufacturers as well as the home shop hobbyist. Contact us today, or call if you should have any questions.

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9 August 2024

What is a Router?

Routers are electric powered devices utilized to cut an assortment of various shapes in materials like wood, MDF (medium density fiberboard), plastics, and some metals. They are used in association with router cutters, and occasionally other removable accessories, for cutting and shaping through materials in a wide variety of ways, for various tasks.

A router is little enough to be easily moved across a work piece or carried around on-site, making them particularly adaptable. Or, for a more permanent add on, you can attach a router upside down using a router table. This is handy when working with small pieces of material, or for repeated applications like creating embossed panels.

What can routers be used for?

Routers are commonly used for things like:

Notches and reduction

Maybe you want to right your own cupboards or drawers, or possibly install new hinges or door locks. Straight and reduction router blades can be utilized to produce a variety of various notches and reductions on the surfaces and on the edge of different materials.

Trimming and edging

A router combined with a proper trimming cutter tool is typically utilized when fitting work tops to trim the leftover laminate or wooden lipping, so it lays flush. A manual metal hand file could be used for doing this, however, it’s a lot easier and faster to use a router.

Joint making

In the past, each woodworking joint would have been produced with a chisel and a small hand saw – but a single misstep of your blade and your fragile dovetail was ruined permanently. Introducing the router. There are specialized cutters and jigs which can produce perfect joints, of different kinds, two times faster.

Molding and beading

Different molding and beading router cutters are accessible to produce appealing shapes on the edge on pieces of furniture or pieces of wood for the use of crown molding or wall skirting.

Creating holes

Using a plunge router and a plunge router bit you have the down-ward cutting possibility of a drill press and can produce an assortment of different sized holes in materials, subject to the cutter used.

Cabinetry

Routers are increasingly popular among cabinet makers, maybe since the router can complete just about all the woodworking tasks performed in the trade.

Other DIY tasks

Aside from using a power or a hand saw to crudely cut your material to size, a router and an assortment of cutters might be the only tool required for a lot of DIY projects. They can be arranged to follow various templates, create an abundance of different joints, in addition to creating simple or complex shapes in different positions on a particular work piece. And the router could even finish the entire thing off with elaborate engraving.

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22 April 2024

Best Hardwoods for Cutting Boards

If you love spending time in your kitchen, one of the greatest tools you can utilize is a hardwood cutting board.

Amazingly enough, wood can have more sanitary advantages than plastic when prepping food. Below is the best species of hardwood for a cutting board (also known as a chopping board), considering their qualities, food safety characteristics and maintenance.

What’s the Best Type of Wood for Cutting Boards?

There are a lot of good wood types to decide from for a top-quality cutting board. One reliable indicator of finding out which hardwood constitutes a good cutting board is to see what its hardness rating is.

The Janka scale, or hardness rating, is how unyielding wood is to depressions, wear and tear.

Maple may be deemed the best wood for cutting boards. Maple cutting boards are not going to dull knife blades, however, are resistant scratches. This type of wood is usually more cost effective since it is native to North America, growing in (occasionally) harsher settings such as the Midwest, leading to a larger supply of it. Cutting boards made from Walnut can also handle a great amount of knife usage.

Things to Think About When Choosing a Cutting Board

A vital element when choosing a kind of wood for a cutting board is food sanitation. Three significant traits establish whether or not a hardwood species is thought of as food safe.

Porosity

Porosity is in reference to the sameness of a wood to “soaking” in liquids. Larger pores allow bacteria and mold to grow. Butternut wood, Oaks, and Mahogany are very porous and are not recommended for preparing meals, particularly when preparing meat that is raw.

Grain

Closed-grain woods are additionally associated with pores. Smaller pores mean these types of woods are the preferred decision for food use.

Toxicity

Some woods such as rosewoods, birch, and pine are not for food prep. They discharge oils and sap that are unhealthy for humans to consume with food.

Maintaining Your Hardwood Cutting Board

Using any top-quality hardwood, there is some maintenance required for your cutting board. After every use, use a mild dish soap and wash each side of the board. This hinders warping. Do not put a wood cutting board in the dishwasher – It is going to crack and warp from the different temperature changes and extreme moisture! (Regrettably, if deep cracks or splits begin to form, it’s time to make or buy a new one.)

It’s also suggested to treat the cutting board with food-quality mineral oil routinely. Doing so keeps the wood hydrated, extending the life of the board. Such practices also show the natural luster and aspects of the hardwood. Stay away from specific oils, such as coconut and vegetable oils (the natural odors of food oils are going to seep into the wood), and alternatively, stay with mineral oils or beeswax/mineral oil blends.

When using mineral oil, begin with a couple drops in the center of the board. Rub the oil in a circular outward motion, making sure the oil gets into each crevice throughout the boards surface. The wood is going to soak up the oil, so it’s perfectly fine to add more as you rub it in.

Woodworking Tools Mesa by Timber Woodworking

Timber Wood Working offers softwoods in Mesa, Arizona. We specialize in woodworking tools, equipment, and supplies for commercial woodworking cabinet shops or furniture manufacturers as well as the home shop hobbyist. Contact us today, or call if you should have any questions.

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8 March 2024

Types of Softwoods

Softwoods are wood classifications that come from gymnosperm trees. These trees are classified by their thin, needle-shaped leaves and production of cones. A lot of types of softwood are used across the building and wood crafting sectors due to their high availability and affordability.

Among the many softwood kinds there exists a range of distinctive characteristics and specific applications for which they are better suited for. From weather-resistant cedar to lightweight and resilient pine, the types of softwood provide an abundance of options for making furniture, construction projects, and others.

Types of Softwoods

Softwood is valuable in many types of construction and woodworking projects. They are usually lighter in weight than their counterparts and typically have better dimensional consistently due to their even and straight grain. There are various kinds of softwood with unique qualities that are adaptable to certain uses and applications.

Pine

Pine is a kind of softwood that comes from the Pinus genus. Pines are evergreens and can be found around the world. This is a plentiful softwood variety and is used by craftspeople in several applications such as framing, joinery, flooring, cladding, furniture, and fencing. Typical types of pine are Ponderosa pine, Eastern white pine, and Scots pine.

Examples of Uses: Pine can be used to construct boxes, serving trays, and children’s toys.

Spruce

Spruce is a variety of the Picea genus. These are kinds of coniferous softwoods that grows in the Northern Hemisphere, mostly in North America and European countries. They have outstanding sound properties. Meaning that it helps encourage resonance in musical instruments.

Examples of Uses: Spruce can be used for construction lumber, crates, musical instruments and millwork.

Fir

Fir is a variety of softwood that comes from the Abies genus. Douglas fir is the most general type of fir on the market, however, there are a lot of other kinds, comprising of balsam fir and noble fir. Douglas fir is usually used as Christmas Trees.

Examples of Uses: Fir can be used to create chairs, trim work, cabinets, and baseboards.

Larch

Larch is a softwood coming from the Larix genus. This is a kind of deciduous conifer, meaning that whereas they have needle-shaped leaves, they lose those leaves in com autumn. Larch wood has natural oils making it more rot and wood pest infestation resistant.

Examples of Uses: Larch can be used to make tables, chairs, interior flooring, and paneling.

Redwood

Redwood is a softwood that comes from numerous species of the Sequoia genus. The capability of redwood to endure outdoor weather conditions due to its natural oils making it some of the most favorable wood for outdoor applications. Redwood also has first-rate natural thermal insulation aspects.

Examples of Uses: Posts, boxes, baseball bats, indoor furniture, and see saws.

Cypress

Cypress wood comes from multiple species in the Cupressaceae genus. People value cypress wood for its adaptability but also for its exceptional resin and oil content, which gives it water resistance qualities.

Examples of Uses: Railroad ties, doors, decking, barrels, and porch swings.

Softwoods Mesa by Timber Woodworking

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17 January 2024

What is a Lathe?

A lathe is a machine used for shaping wooden or metallic pieces. It implements a wooden or metal piece by spinning it through an axis while a motionless cutting device keeps taking away undesired material from the workpiece to form the wanted shape.

These machines are used for different product fabricating operations like drilling, sanding, deformation, cutting, and turning. They are utilized in metal working, thermal spraying, glass processing, and wood turning of different artistic pieces.

As one of the most ancient machinery devices able to carry out a wide range of fabrication duties, it is also referred to as the “Mother of All Machine Tools.”

How Does a Lathe Work?

Before learning how a lathe works, it is vital to know about its parts. Most comprise of the following:

Bed
Headstock
Tailstock
Spindle
Motor
Chuck
Cutting tools

The Working Process of a Lathe Machine

Step 1: The piece to be worked on is placed between the head-stock and tail-stock. It is fastened with the chuck that aids in putting the workpiece into a firm position by clutching it from the outside.

Step 2: The raw material is spun with the aid of a spindle that is connected to the motor. It makes the piece spin at its axis.

Step 3: A cutting tool is then placed in the holder that holds the tool at a proper distance from the spinning workpiece in order for its blades to cut the workpiece as wanted. Various kinds of cutting tools are used for various wanted shapes and materials.

Kinds of Lathe Machines

Currently, you can find several kinds of lathe machines out of which are some of the most used:

Engine Lathe

Engine lathes have been a favorable invention since the Industrial Revolution. They used steam engines as a power source for continual rotation. These machines are now used primarily for industrial purposes, for boring or drilling metal workpieces.

Speed Lathes

Speed lathes are utilized for cutting action on wooden pieces. As the speed of the revolution of the spindle in this kind of lathe is high, they are also referred to as speed lathes. These are one of the easy machines to understand because they only consist of a head-stock, tail-stock, and a tool turret.

Turret Lathes

Turret lathes are perfect for producing matching workpieces. It has a turret that enables the machine to hold several cutting tools that can be used at the same time.

Tool Room Lathes

Tool Room lathes are the best choice if you want accuracy with cuts. Regarding function and operating process, these lathes are identical to Engine lathes. You can easily manage the velocity of these lathes in accordance with the wanted cut.

Glass Lathes

As glass is extremely fragile and could shatter when lathed with a blade, these types of lathes utilize heat from a torch to make it pliant. After the glass gets pliable, it is then shaped by hand. This kind of lathe is primarily used to produce glassware like bracelets or designed mirrors.

Woodworking Supplies Mesa by Timber Woodworking

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19 December 2023

Hardwood vs. Softwood

Different projects require different kinds of wood, and a lot of us are going to have come across the words ‘hardwood’ and ‘softwood’.

But what are the differences between these two kinds of wood? How can you differentiate them? What are the primary uses of each? Keep reading…

What Is the Difference Between Hardwoods And Softwoods?

Hardwoods and softwoods are defined by the trees they are harvested from. Hardwoods come from angiosperm species; mostly deciduous, they have broad leaves that fall every fall season. Softwood comes from gymnosperm trees, such as conifers. These have needles that stay evergreen all year long. Since hardwood trees grow slower than softwood trees, their wood is typically stronger and denser.

What Are Hardwoods?

Hardwoods are from trees classed as angiosperms that reproduce with a flowering plant, such as oak, maple and walnut. Located in tropical and temperate forests throughout the world, hardwood trees are mostly short lived, with wide leaves that switch color and fall down in the colder months. All these leaves have a system of fine veins.

The configuration of a hardwood is usually more complex than that of a softwood. Naturally, they grow slower than softwood trees — they can take up to one hundred and fifty years prior to being ready to harvest — which leads to the wood harvested from them being denser, heavy, and long lasting.

The term angiosperm transcribes as ‘enclosed seed’ — the tree’s seeds are encased in an ovule, like a nut or fruit. The seeds do not spread as easy, resulting in hardwood trees usually being more bunched together.

What Are Softwoods?

Softwood comes from gymnosperm trees, such as conifers (evergreen). These trees — such as spruces, pines, and cedars— have needle-like greenery that typically stays green all year, as opposed to broad leaves that fall in the autumn. Softwood trees grow quicker than hardwoods, typically taking around forty years prior to being ready to harvest. This quick-growing nature has an inclination of making them less dense than their equivalents.

The word gymnosperm transcribes from Greek basically to mean ‘revealed seed’; this is due to the seeds from these trees — like pinecones — are not encased in an ovule. They have no type of casing. Meaning they’re able to spread a lot more easily and quickly than hardwoods, oftentimes even because of wind.

Hardwood Vs. Softwood: Strength

As the name suggests, generally, hardwoods are stronger and more durable than softwoods. This is because of their slower growing time and more convoluted, compressed structure, resulting in greater density of the harvested wood. Generally, higher density comes to higher strength and toughness.

Hardwood Vs. Softwood: Durability

Due to their more complex, compressed structure, hardwoods typically perform better when exposed to the elements, in addition to having superior resistance to fire. Softwoods that are intended to stand up to the elements — like garden furniture — are typically treated, or ‘tanalised’, to enhance their exterior performance. Each of the hardwoods and softwoods are going to weather to a silverish-grey when left untreated.

Hardwood Vs. Softwood: Cost

Because they grow faster, easier to source and resulting in more abundant, softwoods are typically considerably less costly than hardwoods. Nevertheless, the price of any given hardwood or softwood is subject completely on the product and species selected, in addition to, of course, the amount required.

Some kinds of softwood are specifically favorable for certain applications resulting in their appearance and robustness — introducing Western Red Cedar. Therefore, these may go for a higher price than less-in-demand hardwood equivalents!

Hardwood Vs. Softwood: Workability

Generally, hardwoods are more complex and time consuming to work with and machine. They also typically don’t take paints, finishes, or other treatments as easy as softwoods. First-rate devices are needed to work with woods with a higher density.

Hardwood Vs. Softwood: Impact On the Environment & Sustainability

Both these types of wood remove carbon dioxide and are one-hundred percent sustainable, but softwood is typically more friendly to environmentally alternative. This is simply due to these trees growing faster than their hardwood equivalents, meaning they can be replenished quicker. Nevertheless, by sourcing wood from sustainably controlled forests, have no doubt that hardwoods can be very kind to our little planet, as well.

Woodworking Supplies Mesa by Timber Woodworking

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17 November 2023

Types Of Woodworking Tools

Ready to jump into woodworking and carry out some more challenging projects? You might want to level up your tool game, too. But there are 100’s of equipment possibilities.

Some Basic Woodworking Tools

Below is a quick rundown of the 10 best tools for your woodworking endeavors:

The Claw Hammer

Starting with possibly the most essential tool in every home – the claw hammer. The “claw” on the back of the hammer should be best equalized by the finished head, in which should be slightly rounded.

The Tape Measure

The next significant hand tool for the woodworker is a tape measure that is retractable and accurate. Purchase one that is at a minimum of twenty-five feet long. Any longer, you are going to start having issues getting it to roll back up.

The Utility Knife

An excellent utility knife is another tool for the woodworker. There are a lot of different types, but the type that utilizes disposable blades is the most common. The blade goes back into the grip, via slider for safety reasons. The woodworker is going to use the utility knife when scribing wood or cleaning out mortise joints, in addition to a lot of other uses.

The Moisture Meter

A high-quality wood moisture meter is crucial to any woodworking project you piece together. Lumber yards try to dry their stocks of lumber in accordance with the intended end destination. Therefore, if the wood is harvested in the moisture prone Northeast but shipped to the desert-like Southwest, it is going to be dried more than wood stored in the Northeast used by woodworkers.

The Chisel

A variety of chisels is a must for every woodworker’s workbench. Chisels are not just for those that carve wood. Any woodworker is going to need chisels for cleaning out joints and their saw cuts. Try and find chisels made of high-alloyed carbon.

The Level

Every woodworker is going to need at least a couple of levels. You most likely won’t need one of the six-foot levels used for construction, but around 48 inches is plenty of length for many of the woodworking projects you will most likely do.

The Screwdriver

Screwdrivers are another essential tool in the woodworker’s tool belt. Quality construction is crucial to any good set of screwdrivers. However, a lot of them are made out of soft metal, and the first time you put any pressure on them, they could strip out, becoming ineffective.

The Nail Set

Another hand tool every woodworker needs to have is a set of nails. Actually, you should have a multitude of sizes. They have a similar appearance like awls, and they are used to forcing nail heads into wood, so they get flush or just below the surface. This enables you to fill the holes and prep for painting or staining.

The Sliding Bevel

When you are going to be measuring a lot of angles, a T-Bevel, or sliding bevel, is going to be a handy tool. This can be adjusted, and it can be locked at the angle you wish to mark, making it a lot easier to mark several angles.

The Layout Square

A “combination square”, layout square, or comes in six- and twelve-inch sizes. A lot of woodworkers use the six-inch model merely because it’s easiest to utilize. Additionally, most of the wood you are going to use will be no bigger than six-inches wide, so twelve-inches is a bit much.

Hardwoods Mesa by Timber Woodworking

Timber Wood Working offers hardwoods in Mesa, Arizona. We specialize in woodworking tools, equipment, and supplies for commercial woodworking cabinet shops or furniture manufacturers as well as the home shop hobbyist. Contact us today, or call if you should have any questions.

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18 October 2023

Woodworkers Vs Carpenters

Being a homeowner means carrying out maintenance and making repairs around your house. Down the road, you may also want to make improvements. If you cannot carry out these tasks on your own, you might have to hire a professional for assistance.

Woodworkers

Whereas a carpenter is typically more involved in construction, a woodworker is more engaged in production, for instance, prepping and shaping the wood so that it can be installed in homes or businesses. A woodworker is an individual you would get a hold of if you wanted a customized wood fixture in your home, like stair railings, custom doors, or cabinets. In this case, you would hire a woodworker that could produce these in accordance with your specifications.

A woodworker that maintains their own workshop might also install the new fixtures as well as crafting them. Nevertheless, a lot of woodworkers presently work in factories creating mass-produced products. Should that be the situation, you might have to buy your own materials then hire a carpenter to install them. Even when you buy custom items, the woodworker might not want to install them, in which case you would then have to a woodworker in addition to a carpenter.

Carpenters

Carpenters are typically associated with wood as the primary material with which they work with. While that holds true, they also work with other building materials, in addition to plastic. Carpenters tend to work on larger projects. For instance, you might get a hold of a carpenter if you were adding an addition to your home, remodeling an existing room, building a firepit or deck, or installing shiplap or baseboards. You might also get in contact with a carpenter if you were building something from nothing on your property. Such as a child’s playhouse, pergola, or shed. Projects this big could be beyond the skill of a handyman.

Carpentry is a wide-ranging field, and different carpenters could specialize in a certain skillset. For instance, a rough carpenter works on a construction site where concrete foundations or footings are formed. Their job is to construct the wood forms in which the wet concrete is going to be poured. There are additionally home improvement carpenters that concentrate on smaller projects. There could be more overlap between a home improvement carpenter and a handyman.

If you still are not sure which kind of professional you need for your project, contact us at Timber Wood in Kelowna. We can assess the job and match you with a professional with the necessary training and experience to handle it effectively.

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18 September 2023

Woodturning Projects for Beginners

Improve your woodworking skills while making masterpieces with the following learning-oriented projects.

Few tools place as much intimidation into the minds of novice and advanced woodworkers alike as the common wood lathe. Nevertheless, this hesitancy is mostly misguided, as lathes are all hat and no cattle. Whereas it’s not an easy skill to master, don’t let the significant size, the harsh sound or the sight of airborne wood chips hinder you.

Woodturning Projects

Since your creativity is the only restriction on what you can make with a lathe, below are only some of the best beginner woodturning projects to help you get your feet wet.

Bowls

Bowls are among the best woodturning projects to build fundamental skills with since you can make them as basic or intricate as you wish. Larger projects on the lathe are usually harder to complete, so you can begin with small bowls and move up from there.

Wooden Bracelets and Bangles

Wooden bracelets and bangles are potentially the best beginner woodturning projects since they’re somewhat large and they finish stunningly. Sanding is just as much a component of woodturning as is common woodworking, and bracelets offer an excellent way to hone your skills on curved wood.

Candle Holder

Candle holders are a perfect project to experiment with once you are ready for medium-sized projects. Even though these holders come in all sizes and shapes, you can utilize the lathe for creating tall stems with swoopy curves that make for gorgeous centerpieces.

Wooden Spoons

Wooden spoons are an excellent way to show off your skills in addition to the natural beauty of the wood since they offer differing perspectives on the grain considering that it’s handle is cylindrical, and the ‘bowl’ portion of the spoon is flattened.

Handles for Anything and Everything

Woodturning is a favorable skill that you can usually use to enhance existing DIY hobbies—or even common activities such as gift-giving by adding a personalized touch with custom-turned handles. As with all the projects on this list, you can begin creating handles with as much basicness or refinement as you can, which makes them perfect for beginning and assessing your progress.

Rings

Rings, comparable to bracelets and bangles, have somewhat simple designs and are suitable for practicing since they don’t require large amounts of material. Nevertheless, rings are a little harder to produce than bracelets since they are smaller and involve more precision, making them amongst the small woodturning projects that are perfect for honing control of your movements.

Wooden Beads

Comparable to rings, wooden beads are a praiseworthy choice for beginners since small woodturning projects are generally easier. They’re also a lot less expensive should you make a mistake, which, at the end of the day, is what you’re supposed to do while you’re learning.

Round Boxes

Boxes might not be the first thing that you think of when thinking of wood lathe project ideas since they are usually square, but that’s precisely what makes round-turned boxes so unique. Round boxes are perfect projects for novice and average skilled turners to undertake since the fact that the box and its lid must fit snugly together means making them an exercise in your dimensional symmetry skills.

Drumsticks

Drumsticks, although simplistic, are a good project for those interested in improving their woodturning skills since both singular pieces must be almost identical in shape, weight, feel and size. Additionally, drumsticks typically have a small taper, giving them a reachable and pleasant element of difficulty.

Wooden Plates

Another beneficial woodturning project for novice and average turners is making wooden plates. The method of making a plate is comparable to creating a bowl, but requires a little more precision in most situations, making it a reasonable advancement from turning a bowl.

Wooden Vase

Wooden vases are favorable woodturning projects since they’re functional and attractive. Nevertheless, before you undertake a large-scale vase, aim to make some smaller ones first; large vases are among the more difficult woodturning projects and are time-consuming.

Rolling Pins

Rolling pins are a must for the community that is woodturning, and for good reasons. They are useful, somewhat easy to make and are perfect for exhibiting the natural flow of the wood’s grain.

Cups

Cups are great for a beginner project since they have a plethora of uses and are somewhat simple to make. Maybe you want a cup to drink your afternoon tea out of or a holder for your writing utensils, a wood-turned cup gets the job done and at the same time looks attractive.

Goblets

Maybe the only thing greater than drinking out of a majestic goblet is taking a drink from one that you made on your own. Fortunately, making a goblet using a lathe isn’t too challenging and the process provides a multitude of chances for you to strengthen specific skill sets.

Lamps

Lamps are among the most difficult lathe projects a novice or average can try. Even though lamps can be as small or large as you wish, you’re probably going to want to take the chance to display your skills. Gorgeous lathe-made lamps have distinct, exquisite shapes and a polished feel.

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16 August 2023

Types of Hardwoods

In the method of identifying hardwoods, things can get a little overwhelming when faced with the hundreds of possible species. Yet in the setting of everyday hardwoods that a lot of people in the US or Canada are likely to come across, the list of potential woods is typically much shorter.

Below is a list of the more common types of hardwoods:

Oak Hardwood

This hardwood is everywhere! Likelihood is, there’s something made from this hardwood steps away from where you’re presently sitting. It’s used for desks, flooring, furniture, doors, wainscoting, and almost anything else that can be made of wood! It’s often stained a medium reddish-brown color, so it might look slightly darker than raw oak.

Maple Hardwood

This light-colored hardwood is seen just about as frequently as oak, and is typically not stained a darker color, but is kept a raw whitish-cream or often stained in amber yellow. It’s common in furniture, flooring, wainscoting, and in areas in which a pale, lighter-colored hardwood is needed. Quartersawn pieces with a speckled look are typically found in butcher blocks and countertops.

Walnut Hardwood

The real deal. Walnut is unequal in that it is one of the only hardwoods that is naturally deep, rich chocolatey brown (though it could be somewhat lighter too). It is hardly ever stained, and is very favorable for making furniture. It is also not rare to see walnut utilized in laminated pieces too.

Cherry Hardwood

The astute reddish-brown look of cherry is typically noticed on trim fine and furniture. It’s also not rare to see cherry used in laminated pieces too. Besides Black Walnut it’s one of the prime hardwoods in the US. It is occasionally stained just moderately darkish to give it an older look.

Birch Hardwood

Most seen as plywood. Birch additionally tends to appear in millwork and furniture too.

Poplar Hardwood

This is a budget friendly utility hardwood that’s utilized in numerous applications, like upholstered furniture frames, veneers, and can also be stained to match other more expensive hardwoods.

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