HackSpace_-_April_2020

FEATURE

Woodworking

Left

Joinery pieces

show colours and

tones of different

wood species

30 percent EMC, moisture in wood cells evaporates,

and cell walls shrink. The wood then shrinks.

Kiln drying relieves stresses in wood

and lowers EMC. Dry wood is strong, light,

stable, and ideal for furniture. Kiln-dried

wood is available at wood suppliers.

PROCESSING WOOD

To dimension lumber, a mitre saw, table saw,

band-saw, planer, and jointer are necessary (that’s why

most people get this job done at the lumber yard). In

my workshop, I dimension rough planks of wood into

manageable lengths and sizes using machines. The

dimensions are defined in furniture plans.

When processing boards from large planks,

acclimate the wood for several days between steps.

After reaching the EMC of your work area, the wood

will be stable and will warp less. If lumber is not

Hardwoods used in cabinetry and furniture are sold using a board foot
measurement (UK, US). In the example below, T is the thickness (inches), W is
the width (inches), and L is the length (feet). To calculate board feet of lumber:

T × W × L / 12

If board is 3 in. thick (T), 8 in. wide (W), and 5 feet long (L) this is:

3 × 8 × 5 / 12 = 10 board feet (UK, US)

The formula calculates board feet of rough lumber. Lumber is initially in a

rough state.

1 bd. ft. (imperial) = 1 in. × 12 in. × 12 in.

1 bd. ft. (metric) equivalent = 25 mm × 300 mm × 300 mm

How lumber is measuredHow lumber is measured