Archive for: February 2010

With the drive towards using eco friendly material many woodworkers are attracted to natural oils. Besides, woodworkers also seem to be attracted to the natural qualities of wood itself, such as the matt look and smooth feel that results from using vegetable oils. Vegetable oils have been used to preserve wood for centuries and are also economical to use.

The most commonly used natural oils that woodworkers use are tung and linseed oil. Other oils such as walnut, grape, sunflower, olive and peanut oil can also be used, but have not been found to be …

A decent dust extraction system is a necessity for safe working conditions in a woodworking company. While single bag systems may work fine with one or two machines, a larger setup will require a lot more.

Removing dust from machinery and from the air circulating in the woodwork workshop contributes not only to better health of workers but also improves productivity. Besides, if dust gets into machine parts and bearings, the cost of repairs could eat into a woodworker’s budget. Wood chips that are not removed from planing machines properly get carried around with the rotating cutterhead …

Woodworkers, even those with several years of woodworking experience often find themselves ill at ease when faced with the task of marketing their products. Possessing the skills to design and make furniture is just one part of running a woodworking business. Knowing how to sell the products is quite another skill that has to be learnt.

With the advent of the internet, potential clients have a lot more access to furniture makers and other woodworking companies, when previously the options they had were to visit retail outlets or go through a gallery.

Successful woodworkers accept that …

While both crosscut and ripsaw blades are useful tools in a woodworkers arsenal, both serve specific purposes and it is important to know which blade to choose for a woodworking project.

The crosscut saw blade has been primarily designed to sever the fibres of wood. While one tooth severs the fibres on the left of the kerf the tooth that follows severs the fibres on the right. The waste in the middle is drawn away into the dust extraction. Crosscut blades are designed so that they eliminate breakout on the underside of the wood. The small hook …

Before using a router woodworkers should understand that the direction that the router cuts in and developing a light touch in using the machine are two aspects that are vital to successful operation.

Many makes of routers have the direction of the rotation bit marked on them; however a marker pen arrow on the base can be used as a reminder. The router is like a fast chisel and you should remember to push the cutting edge of the bit into the object being worked on.

To begin with you go forward when the work is on the left of …