The Technique of FURNITURE MAKING

Basic techniques and joint construction 13 Wood preparation

Preliminaries to any sound construction are (1) a full cutting list of all the pieces required; (2) good timber free from natural defects, accurately sawn and planed up flat, square and out of twist; (3) careful planning of the work ahead, including the choosing of appropriate jointing methods, the order in which they are to be cut and the order and method in which the various pieces and parts are to be assembled in the completed carcass. This last is important and must be accurately visualized if there are to be no last-minute hitches, with carefully cut joints glued ready for assembly unable to be driven home because the direction of entry conflicts with other parts already in position.

SETTING/LAYING OUT

The wood must first be cut to approximate length, and it is always better to square off from either a sawn edge or a pencil-line along the length if the planks are waney. If an incorrect line is drawn—and all measurements should always be checked and double checked—then it should be cancelled out and a broad arrow- drawn against the corrected measurement (128A). The ends of the plank should be care-

fully examined for hidden splits and the first few inches of any plank which has been stored for any length of time may have to be sacrificed. Due allowance for working must be made, with 1/4 in (6 mm) on width and 1/2 in (12 mm) on the length for the first rough sawing to dimension unless the cuts are machine-made and accurate. Customary allowance for planing (surfacing) sawn thicknesses is usually 3/32 in (2.5 mm) for each wrot (finished) face.

The following is an outline of procedure using predominantly hand tools. Although many of these operations would normally be undertaken with the aid of machinery in professional shops, at some time or other, particularly on one-off, prototype or site work, every one of these hand processes might be used. Also, there is no better way of understanding the materials we work with than through a basic training in hand skills and techniques.