The Way to Woodwork

An Introduction to the Critical Path

From Design to Cutting List (Chapter 1)

What is a Cutting List? LESSON 1: Understand what a cutting list is, what information it provides and why it is important to have an accurate and complete cutting list before you start a project.

Understanding Drawings LESSON 2: Gain an understanding of how to "read" a construction drawing. Better understand various views and projections and the meaning of line types and weights along with other technical aspects of basic construction drawings.

Calculating Board Feet LESSON 3: Learn how to determine the amount of lumber required for a project as generated by the parts listed in the material list.

Harvesting the Parts (Chapter 2)

Understanding Wood Distortion LESSON 1: Learn to identify the four principal types of wood distortion and how shrinkage differential is usually the cause.

Identifying Flatsawn, Riftsawn and Quartersawn LESSON 2: Learn to visually identify flatsawn, riftsawn and quartersawn lumber and understand how these three grain patterns are harvested from a log.

Using Blinds to Find Workable Parts LESSON 3: Learn to use "blinds," which are quick shop-made aids that can help you lay out and harvest portions of a board with similar or desirable grain patterns and direction.

Harvesting Cathedral Grain LESSON 4: Learn how to process boards with cathedral figure and remove or avoid distortions that are common with this grain pattern.

Making Butt Joints (Chapter 3)

The Seven-step Process LESSON 1: Understand the logical sequence of tasks that are required to build strong, seamless butt joints

Adding Biscuits and Splines LESSON 2: Understand the purpose, procedure and possible limitations of adding splines or biscuits to your butt joints.

Gluing and Clamping Procedures LESSON 3: Understand the correct gluing and clamping process for assembling a butt joint.

Stock Preparation (Chapter 4)

Face Side, Face Edge and Width LESSON 1: Steps 1 through 3 of a six-step process for preparing stock. Learn how to create a face side, a face edge and bring stock to width.

Establishing Thickness and Length LESSON 2: Steps 4 through 6 of the stock preparation process. Learn the procedure and tool options for bringing a workpiece to final thickness, squaring one end and establishing its final length.

Measuring Tools and How They Work LESSON 3: Understand the four types of woodworking measurements and the tools designed to assess them.

Marking the Joints (Chapter 5)

Using Marking Tools LESSON 1: Identify marking tools for joinery and understand how to use them correctly.

Mortise and Tenon Joints LESSON 2: Understand the correct design applications and geometry of conventional mortise and tenon joints.

Mortise and Tenon Variations LESSON 3: There's more than one way to design a mortise & tenon joint. This lesson will overview eight variations on the usual style.

Dovetail Joints LESSON 4: Understand the basic features and types of dovetail joints and to learn how to design and lay out a dovetail joint.

Screws and Mechanical Fasteners LESSON 5: Learn how mechanical fasteners such as screws work to join project pieces and prepare stock to ensure success.

Cut and Fit the Joints (Chapter 6)

Hand-Cut Joints: Mortise and Tenon LESSON 1, PART 1: Learn the steps involved in accurately and efficiently making a mortise-and-tenon joint by hand.

Hand-Cut Joints: Dovetail LESSON 1, PART 2: Learn the process and techniques involved in hand-cutting two of the most common of the four types of dovetail joints.

Machine-Cut Joints LESSON 2: Gain an understanding of how to use a router and a table saw to make a mortise-and-tenon joint.

Jigs LESSON 3: Gain a better understanding of what a table saw jig is and does and how jigs can be designed for specific jobs.

Shape the Parts (Chapter 7)

Curved or Rectilinear Shaping LESSON 1: Understand what is meant by the term “shaping” and what shaping tools and processes are available.

Tapering and Carving LESSON 2: Learn how to shape legs for tables and chairs by cutting consistent tapers and adding other decorative elements.

Clean Up and Finish Inside Faces (Chapter 8)

Pre-finishing Inside Faces LESSON 1: Understand the importance of preparing and applying finish to inside project parts before assembly.

Glue Up First Subassembly (Chapter 9)

Gluing and Clamping Primer LESSON 1: Learn a methodology of gluing and clamping that will ensure a successful, properly aligned final assembly.

Accurate Subassemblies LESSON 2: Understand the importance of accurate subassemblies to the outcome of the final project.

Alignment and Corrections (Chapter 10)

Make Local Corrections LESSON 1: Understand the importance of making adjustments or corrections at the subassembly stage.

Glue Up the Final Assembly (Chapter 11)

Plan the Assembly Process LESSON 1: Understand the importance of approaching final assembly and glue-up in a logical, deliberate and systematic fashion to ensure the success of the overall project.

Jigs and Assembly Aids LESSON 2: Learn how jigs and other assembly aids can make final glue-up simpler, easier and more exact.

Drawers (Chapter 12)

Making Drawers, Part 1 LESSON 1: Learn steps 1-13 of constructing a handmade solid wood drawer.

Making Drawers, Part 2 LESSON 2: Learn steps 14-28 of constructing a handmade solid wood drawer.

Making Drawers, Part 3 LESSON 3: Learn steps 29-33 of constructing a handmade solid wood drawer.

Doors (Chapter 13)

Frame-and-Panel Basics LESSON 1: Understand the basic features of a frame-and-panel door and the rich possibilities of this essential woodworking form.

Composing a Panel LESSON 2: Understand the options and techniques available for composing a panel in a frame-and-panel.

Hardware Options for Doors LESSON 3: Understand the different types of door hinges and how to decide which is most suitable for a given situation.

Final Clean-Up and Finish (Chapter 14)

Last Details LESSON 1: Learn the final steps involved in bringing a project to successful completion.

Planecraft (Chapter 1)

How a Plane Works LESSON 1 - Understand the basic anatomy of a hand plane and the functions of this versatile tool.

Fettling a Plane LESSON 2 - Understand the basics of preparing a bench plane for use.

Using a Bench Plane LESSON 3: Understand the basics of using a bench plane.

Selecting a Bench Plane LESSON 4: Evaluate which bench planes a woodworker will need to be effective in the workshop.

Table Saw Use (Chapter 2)

Table Saw Safety LESSON 1: Learn how to set up a table saw to make accurate cuts and how to use the table saw safely.

Ripping Wood LESSON 2: Learn the proper setup and procedure for ripping wood on the table saw.

Crosscutting Wood LESSON 3: Learn the proper setup and procedure for crosscutting wood on the table saw.

Jigs for the Table Saw LESSON 4: Understand how jigs can expand the versatility of the table saw and to learn how to uild several useful jigs.

Router Use (Chapter 3)

Router Safety LESSON 1: Learn the basics of how to set up and operate a router safely.

Guiding Your Router, Part 1 LESSON 2: Understand the systems available for guiding a handheld router over a stationary workpiece.

Guiding Your Router, Part 2 LESSON 3: Understand the systems available for guiding a workpiece past the bit of a router mounted in a router table.

Using Screws (Chapter 4)

Proper Boring and Screw Technique LESSON 1: Understand how screws work as wood fasteners and to learn drilling practices that will maximize a screw’s holding power.

Using Mock-Ups for Design (Chapter 5)

Full-Size Mock-Ups, Part 1 LESSON 1: Understand how a full-size mock-up of a planned project can aid in the development and fine-tuning of a design.

Full-Size Mock-Ups, Part 2 LESSON 2: Understand how a full-size mock-up of a planned project can aid in the development and fine-tuning of a design.

Drawings for Woodworking (Chapter 6)

Introduction to Drawings LESSON 1: Understand the importance of accurate, detailed drawings to the process of building a project.

System of Drawing LESSON 2: Gain a basic understanding of Orthographic Projection, a system for making a formal drawing of a designed piece.

Sections and Scale LESSON 3: Further understand the elements of a good formal drawing, including the section view and scale.

Using Manufactured Sheet Material (Chapter 7)

What is MSM? LESSON 1: Understand what manufactured sheet material (MSM) is and how it differs from solid wood.

Veneering LESSON 2: Learn how to cut and join sections of wood veneer and how to glue the assembled veneers to a stable substrate by using a shop-made press.

Critical Path for MSM LESSON 3: Understand the essential steps in making a project from manufactured sheet material in a small shop.

Understanding Wood (Chapter 8)

Parts of a Tree LESSON 1: Gain a better understanding of the structure and properties of wood.

How Wood is Harvested and Cut LESSON 2: Learn how a log is cut into boards and how the way it is cut affects how the wood behaves later.

Moisture Content and Distortion LESSON 3: Understand the effect of moisture content on wood, how boards sawn in different ways change differently in response to variations in humidity and how wood can distort as it dries.

Torsion Box Construction (Chapter 9)

What is a Torsion Box? LESSON 1: Understand what a torsion box is and why it opens up new possibilities for your woodworking.

Initial Construction Stages LESSON 2: Understand what materials can be used to make a torsion box and to learn the initial stages of torsion box construction.

Final Construction Stages LESSON 3: Learn the final steps in constructing a torsion box.

Projects

Arts & Crafts Workbench PROJECT 1: A workbench is an essential tool in hand woodworking. This one is designed to conform with the British Art & Crafts tradition. It is rightfully made, from appropriate material and constructed to perfectly suit it purpose.

Frame-and-Panel Doors FEATURE 1: Develop the technique of making frame and panel doors to help you get the most out of your wood.

Frame-and-Panel Variations FEATURE 2: This feature takes you step-by-step through the process of creating several variations of frame and panel design.

Your First Veneering Experience FEATURE 3: Veneers are delicate but attractive accents that can spruce up your furniture. The technique for veneering is presented here in an easy-to-follow step-by-step illustrated format.

Gluing and Clamping FEATURE 4: Gluing a project together is an often under-planned, but critically important, step in the woodworking process. This feature takes you through the procedure step-by-step for perfect glue-ups.

Perfect Dovetails FEATURE 5: The dovetail joint looks deceptively easy to create. This feature takes you through the difficult process of making perfect, elegant dovetails.

Making a Single-Lap Dovetail FEATURE 6: Single-lap dovetails - also known as half blind dovetails - are important additions to any woodworker’s skillset. In this article, master woodworker Ian Kirby takes you step-by-step through the creation of this joint by building a simple drawer.

More Dovetail Lore FEATURE 7: The most popular joint in woodworking is the dovetail. In this feature, you will learn about important design considerations to help you make dovetail joinery that will be both strong and beautiful.

Arts and Crafts Movement FEATURE 8: To truly appreciate the craft of woodworking one has to appreciate its history as well. This feature will explain the three tenets of the Arts and Crafts movement, delve into its history, and apply it to the projects in your workshop today.

More articles on their way!