Woodworker's Guide to Wood (Back to Basics): Straight Talk for Today's Woodworker

The practical information in this shop-tested manual gives woodworkers everything they need to know about their favorite material: wood. Woodworkers will learn how wood behaves in response to atmospheric humidity, how to measure its moisture content, how to shop for wood, how to manage various lumber grades and defects, how to work with manufactured boards and veneers, and how to harvest and season their own wood. Several woodworking projects are also detailed in this guide, including how to build a solar kiln to season wood and how to build storage racks. An extensive listing of wood species with working properties and full-color photos helps woodworkers save money on their next project by choosing the appropriate species and grade of wood. Understanding wood is as important as knowing how to work with it. Here is how to become fully informed. Anyone that has spent time working with wood knows how important it is to understand the basic characteristics that all wood has in common. For those who want to master their woodworking, understanding the characteristics of specific types of wood is vital. Here, woodworkers will learn how wood behaves in response to atmospheric humidity, how to measure its moisture content, how to shop for wood, how to manage various lumber grades and defects, how to work with manufactured boards and veneers, and how to harvest and season their own wood. Several woodworking projects are also detailed, including how to build a solar kiln to season wood and how to build storage racks. An extensive listing of wood species with working properties and full-color photos helps woodworkers save money on their next project by choosing the appropriate species and grade of wood. Both novice and experienced woodworkers will appreciate easy-to-follow instructions that will allow them to educate themselves and create projects using just the right material. If you are an avid woodworker, artisan, or woodcrafter, this book can open the doors to understanding your materials and using that knowledge to complete woodworking projects more quickly, less expensively, and with less waste. Understanding wood From log to lumber Selecting lumber Veneers & man-made boards Drying and storing wood Working green wood Wood directory Glossary.