Well-made furniture doesn’t start with measured cuts, capable joinery or an attractive finish – it starts with wood preparation. From choosing the right boards, to understanding grain, to jointing, sanding and planing, preparing boards to become something beautiful is essential to any woodworking project. We’ve compiled seven articles with useful information for getting your boards to best.
Here’s what you’ll find inside: :
- Wood Preparation:Steve Shanesy provides a primer for getting a smooth surface – with a full embrace of the ubiquitous sander.
- Rules for Sanding Wood:Finishing guru Bob Flexner knows how to make wood look good, and he explains how to sand right for a good finish.
- Course, Medium & Fine:Chris Schwarz shows you how to use hand tools and machines to flatten boards and reveal their true potential.
- Taming Handplane Tear-out:Learn how to prepare wood by hand without causing ugly tear-out (chunky rips in the wood) .
- Understanding Grain Direction:Whether you’re sanding, planing or jointing, understanding grain is key to achieving a clean board surface.
- Why Wood Warps:Learn what makes wood move, how to avoid it and what you can do if your lumber warps.
- Wood Selection and Prep:From choosing the right wood to flattening with machines or by hand, this guide will help you understand wood prep.