A Glossary of Basic Woodworking Techniques

By Brian Simkins

There are a plethora of "how to" guides and instruction manuals for basic woodworking. One of the biggest challenges to do it yourselfers and those who are just beginning to get into woodworking as a hobby is breaking through a lot of the technical jargon that can be found within these instructions. By having a basic working knowledge of terms and definitions, it can make it much easier to visualize the task at hand, allowing you to focus on the design and quality of your work.

The following is a simple reference list that will help you become more comfortable with some of the terms and techniques you will encounter as you read through various articles on woodworking. It will allow you to become more efficient in your reading so that you are able to visualize tasks as you read about and plan your projects.

Miter: A mitered joint is one where two pieces of wood are cut at opposing angles so that they fit together with no gap. For example: Two pieces of window molding meet at the outside corner of a window. Most often, this is a 90 degree angle. If the two pieces are cut to opposing 45 degree angles, they form a perfect 90 degree angle that will wrap around the corner. These angled cuts are called miters. Most carpenters use a power miter saw, also called a chop saw, to make these cuts. They can also be done with a hand saw using a miter box. This is simply a jig that the wood is placed into that has pre-measured guides for the saw that are pre-set at various angles.

Cope: Coping is the process of cutting a piece of wood along its own profile. It is most commonly used on inside corner joints. A miter can also be used in this application, but a coped joint maintains a better appearance as the molding swells and shrinks with seasonal changes in humidity and temperature. By cutting the profile of the molding out of one piece, you allow it to fit snugly over the face of the opposing length, creating a tight joint. These cuts are created with a coping saw, a thin bladed handheld tool that allows the user great control for rounded cuts and working in thin pieces of stock.

Rip: A rip cut simply refers to any cut that is made in the same direction as the grain of the wood. There are special blades for your circular or table saw if you are going to be making a large number of these types of cuts.

Crosscut: A crosscut refers to any cut that is made across the grain of the wood. Most combination or large toothed blades are ideal for this type of work.

Mortise: To mortise a piece of stock means that you are removing an area of wood so that something else can occupy the space. The most common application of this is in doors. A carpenter will often create a mortise on the edge of the door slab that is the exact size and thickness of the hinge leaf. When the hinge leaf is then screwed onto the door slab, it will sit inside the mortised area and will be flush with the door's edge. This allows for a premium fit and no gapping around the outside of the door. A mortise can be created with a utility knife and a beveled wood chisel, or with a mortise jig and a router.

Plane: To plane wood is to reduce the thickness of a flat surface. There are several basic applications of this term and several different types of planes, or planers, used to do it. A hand plane is most commonly used on the edges of larger pieces. For instance: Over time the frame of your bedroom door has shifted and now the door doesn't close without a lot of effort. You can see where the friction of the door rubbing against the jamb has started to rub off the paint. The easiest solution to this problem would simply be to use a small hand plane to shave off the extra thickness of the door, allowing it to close properly. While this does not address the problem of your shifting house, it does allow you to close your bedroom door without knocking the pictures off of the wall.

A second application for a plane would be on a larger scale and requires the use of a power tool called, quite aptly, a planer. These are available in many different sizes that range from very portable to not portable at all. They are used to reduce or to level the face thickness of stock wood. A good example would be a table top. Let's say that you've gotten really ambitious in your wood working ventures and have decided to build a dining room table. You have carefully selected the best pieces of oak out of your grandmother's barn so that your creation will have great value to your family for years to come. But, as you begin to lay the piece out for gluing, you realize that some are a little thicker than others. No problem. Slide them through the planer and you are on your way to a table top that is as smooth as glass.

While a little book knowledge can't replace the real life learning that comes from getting your hands dirty and trying some of these cuts and techniques yourself, hopefully you can now read the basic instruction books with a little more confidence. Remember, even the best carpenters carry notebooks full of information about the jobs that they do everyday. It's okay to take a book with you into the workshop and to write things down.

Brian Simkins is a freelance writer living in Chicago. He enjoys using his 14 years of home improvement experience to educate and equip new home owners.

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