The Technique of FURNITURE MAKING

SAWING AND PLANING APPLIANCES

Reversible bench-hooks are used to support small pieces while being sawn or cut, at the same time protecting the bench-top from incidental damage. They can be either bought or simply made out of hardwood about 10 in (254 mm) by 6 in (152 mm) by 1 in (25 mm) with I1/4 in (32 mm) square cleats screwed on both ends as shown (the position can be reversed for left­handed workers). Straight shooting-boards for the accurate squaring of ends can also be purchased or again made by the worker, preferably out of good dry beech. The bed can be in two pieces with grain direction reversed, screwed together to form a rebated bed while the headpiece should be taper housed and screwed but not glued. A shallow groove is usually provided between the two beds

The basic tools of woodwork and the elementary processes of sawing, chiselling and smoothing wood are widely known, and detailed repetition is hardly necessary. What is of concern here is the specialized application of these basic techniques to the fabrication of project components, usually of small dimension, which will eventually become pieces of furniture. Therefore, although the tools employed and the methods of manipulating them are in principle the same as for any wood­working trade, the furniture-maker must always endeavour to work to precision limits. So although he may use the same kind of saw. chisel, plane, etc. as any other woodworker, the saw will tend to have finer teeth, the chisel will be of the lighter, bevelled edged variety, the smoothing-plane will be the standard tool but it will be keener and more finely set. In the main, therefore, his tools will be orthodox but more numerous; they must be the very best of their respective kinds and he must be scrupulous in maintaining them.