The Woodworker & Woodturner – September 2019

TECHNICAL A-Z of timber terms & jargon

44 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking September 2019 http://www.getwoodworking.com

to make a range of products including lacquers,

clothing and explosives, for example.

Centre matched

Very similar to ‘book’ matching veneers. In this

case, the veneers are laid in sequence so that

the adjoining edges are matched.

Chain mortiser

NEXT MONTH

In part 8 of this series, Peter will move on

to looking at terms including chattering,

chisels and closeboarded

Caul
The caul is used in veneering. It’s the appliance
that holds the veneer in place and exerts pressure,
and sometimes heat, while gluing that veneer
onto its base substructure. A caul is usually fixed
under pressure and then left holding the veneer
in place until the adhesive has set.

Caulking or to caulk
Caulking is basically filling gaps. Most of us will
have a caulking gun into which, for example, we
might fit a tube of caulk. This we can then apply to
cracks in plaster to fill them. Traditionally caulking
a wooden deck or the sides of a boat would
involve tar-soaked string or rope being forced
into the gaps between boards to make them
watertight. A special steel caulking tool was used
to force the cord into the gaps. Modern methods
have superseded this in many ways. Using a gun
and a tube of black mastic, the job is done much
quicker, but is it any better one wonders?

Cellulose
Within the structure of wood, and other plants,
cellulose is the main chemical that makes up
its cells. It’s an organic polymer and very strong.
This strength is used to maintain the integrity
of the cells helping them to remain sound when
they take on water. Cellulose extracts are used

Stacked maple plywood worktop with

chamfered edge

Making a chalk line

Gunmetal

chariot plane

Mafell LS 103Ec

chain mortiser –

a portable alternative Stanley No.72

chamfer plane

Using a veneering caul

Centauro CVS60 door

lock and hinge mortiser

from Scott+Sargeant UK

Caulking a wooden deck

A set of three caulking irons

These are the heavy-duty work horses of the

timber manufacturing industry. They come in

a range of sizes but have one thing in common:

they can remove waste in bulk and quickly

cut mortise holes. Because they are good

wood gobblers, care must be taken when using

them; if not, you’ll quickly make a mess of your

work. Originally found as fixed-base machines in

production workshops, there are mobile versions

available now. These tend to be used in oak frame

construction, in and out of the factory, where it

is much easier to take the portable machine to

the wood than lug the great lumps to a machine.

All chain mortisers are based on chainsaws, or

vice versa, but with a bit more sophistication!

Chair rail

To prevent plastered walls from being damaged

by the backs of chairs, if they were pushed

or tilted against them, the Victorians fitted

protecting rails. These are the chair, or dado

rails, that are now sometimes employed

as a decorative feature in a room.

Chamfer

When you remove more than the arris, the sharp

edge of a corner, this will be a chamfer. Usually

set at 45°, the face of the chamfer can vary in

size and length. They are often ‘stopped’ each

side of a joint. A chamfer makes a plain edge

more interesting and, if stopped or straight

through, becomes a decorative feature.

Chamfer plane

There are a number of specialist hand chamfer

planes available that are designed specifically

to produce this feature. They come in a range of

sizes and are ideal for creating a quick, through

chamfer on an edge.

Chariot plane

Another specialist, small plane similar to a block

plane, but with its mouth close to the front like

a bull-nosed plane.

Chase

You might ‘chase’ something out. This is another

word for groove, so while cutting you’ll be chasing

out the shape and chopping away the waste.

Chase mortise

This is a stopped mortise hole that has a chase

cut into one side so that the tenon can slide in

and the excess glue can escape. With a really

tight fitting mortise & tenon joint, you’ll often

find that the tenon can’t seat properly if the

glue is trapped in the bottom of the mortise.

A little chase/groove will enable it to come out,

releasing any pressure, thus making the joint.

Chalk line

If you haven’t got a long straightedge or laser,

this is an alternative marking solution. Using

a chalk line will also avoid marking a surface

with pencil or scribe, etc. A chalk-coated line is

stretched between two points. It must be tight.

Taking a firm grip on the centre of the string it is

lifted, as close to vertical as possible, and allowed

to snap back down onto the surface to be marked.

The result should be a chalked, straight line,

between the two fixed points.