The Woodworker & Woodturner – August 2019

http://www.getwoodworking.com August 2019 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking 69

NEXT MONTH

In the next issue, Peter

looks at more terms

from carpentry joints

to chase mortise

Canopy

In the cycle of growth all plants strive to reach

the sky and sunlight. Those that make it over

their competitors will benefit from the natural

elements that help it become strong and survive.

The tree tops are called canopies and, collectively,

they can block out light, thus stunting the growth

of anything below.

Capillarity

Water, among other liquids, has the amazing

capacity to creep upwards above its own natural

level. We become aware of this when designing

joinery that faces the elements such as windows

and doors. In most cases you’ll see this in action

on the lower, outer face of a window cill evidenced

by a small groove. Although the sloping, upper

surface will shed water, it could creep back in

underneath; the groove prevents this if it is

designed correctly.

Capping rail

A simple rail that most commonly runs along

the top of a fence structure. It will most probably

have two sloping, upper surfaces to help shed

water and protect the panels below.

Carborundum

We’ll use a carborundum stone or slip in the

workshop to put the final edge on a cutting tool

such as a chisel. It’s a

man-made product,

carbide of silicon,

made by heating

coke with sand in a

Forest canopy in Coromandel, New Zealand

Cambium: where all secondary growth occurs
in a tree

Walnut and steel

drinks cabinet carcass

ready for finishing

Photograph courtesy

of Heliconia Furniture

Vernier callipers Assorted slip and carborundum stones

Long hanging unit

furniture carcass

Carborundum stone for sharpening

Cambium layer
This is the cellular layer directly underneath the
inner layer of bark, the bast or phloem, of a tree
trunk and between that and the outer woody
layers of sapwood – the xylem. It’s fascinating
stuff and well worth a look to see how trees
grow, their structure and how that might affect
the design of a project.

furnace. Different grades are produced that will

finish our tools in stages. Used as an oilstone, with

the added application of light oil or something

similar, we can hone our edges on a block of

carborundum, which will have a coarse face on

one side and a fine, finishing face on the other.

Carcass

This term is used to describe the sub structure of,

for example, a piece of furniture. The inner frames,

back, bottoms, etc. can be called the carcass and

could use up some of the lower quality materials.

The best wood should be saved for the surfaces

that are seen the most.