Charles A. King

“ It is a fallacy to think that the finer the sandpaper used, the finer the job will be, since upon some kinds of woods fine sandpaper will make a glassy surface in spots which will not take the finish like the rest of the work. Sandpapering is as apt to detract from the work as it is to improve it, for unless used very skillfully, the character of angles and small surfaces will be changed, though it may seem that the damage is so slight as to be imperceptible. In using sandpaper, the workman should guard against rounding off square corners or destroying the form of surfaces ”

“ Generally speaking, if the kiln is properly constructed and operated, from two to four days for each inch in thickness of soft wood, and from two to three times as long, at a lower temperature, for hard wood, is usually enough to extract the moisture. It is, however, best to allow the lumber to stay in the kiln, at a moderate temperature, from three days to two weeks after the moisture is extracted, in order to harden and cook the solids of the sap, as by so doing the lumber is not so liable to be influenced by moisture in the future; this is the effect that long weather-drying accomplishes. ”

“ The immersion of logs in water also improves the quality of the lumber, as the action of the water upon the sap prevents to some degree the tendency to decay, and also facilitates the seasoning of the manufactured product. If the log is left in the water until it becomes water-logged, it will sink, and while it is not injured for many purposes, the wood loses some of the strength which it is supposed to have. In many localities, the salvage of sunken logs has become an industry. ”

“ The blades of all high grade saws are thinner upon the back than upon the cutting edge, but if the saw is to be used upon the finest work, this difference in the thickness of the two edges of the blade is supposed to make the setting of the saw unnecessary. For general work, it will be found that the saw will be much more efficient if it is given a set adapted to the size of the teeth, or to the nature of the work it is expected to do. ”

“ This part of the work calls for good judgment, for unless sandpapered enough, there will be places which will show when the finish is spread on the work, though they may have been invisible before. No one can tell as well as the workman himself when sufficient sandpapering has been done, though it may be evident to any one who knows the signs whether or not the work has been done judiciously. Upon a coarse job it is usually allowable, and sometimes desirable, to sandpaper across the grain, especially if the work is to be painted. ”

“ A hard saw is best for fine work, but for general work most workmen prefer a saw of medium hardness, as the teeth of a hard saw are apt to break in setting, and its edge, if it comes in contact with metal, requires filing just [Pg 71] about as quickly as that of a soft saw, and is much more difficult to sharpen. If always filed by an expert filer, a hard saw is superior in every way to any other. ”

“ Every kind of lumber has its peculiar odor, by which, as well as by the grain, the student should learn to distinguish the woods in common use. This may be more easily done before the wood has been thoroughly seasoned. Wood in general has a sweet and pleasing odor; if a sour or musty smell is perceptible, it indicates that decay is present. ”

“ Oak is not a suitable wood for exposure to trying climatic conditions, though if buried deeply, or in water, where there is no alteration in moisture or dryness, it gives satisfaction. White oak is used to great extent for railroad ties, but what these are to be made of in the future is causing much speculation, as the end of the present supply of white oak is already in sight. ”

“ The term exogenous is applied to outside growers, around which a layer of wood grows each year, and from which is cut the lumber of commerce. As the wood-worker is interested mainly in trees which grow by this method, we will do no more than mention the endogenous, or inside-growing, trees or plants of the nature of palm trees, cornstalks, etc., in which the woody fiber is formed upon the inside of the stem. ”

“ It has the reputation of being one of the best woods for use in trying conditions, or where it will be exposed to alternations of dryness and moisture.
It has a very coarse grain and takes a finish well, but it is not apt to become very popular for inside finish, as it is easily marred, and, although very soft, will, when thoroughly dry, destroy the edge of tools quicker than many harder woods. It turns to a dull, unattractive brown as it ages, if it is finished in its natural color. ”

“ A piece of sandpaper should never be used on a piece of work until all the cutting by edge tools has been done, as the particles of sand will enter the grain of the wood, and any edge tools used upon it afterward will be quickly dulled. Do not use a piece of sandpaper so large that any part of it will not be under perfect control, as loose ends will scratch the wood, and it has an awkward and unworkmanlike appearance. Always work parallel with the grain, and be sure that all plane marks and rough places are thoroughly rubbed down. ”

“ Timber grown in a damp, marshy locality is generally of a poorer quality than that grown upon higher ground, as more water is taken up by the roots than can be well assimilated, which prevents the formation of healthy compact wood. Some woods are adapted to such soil, the poplar or whitewood, willow, basswood, buckeye, and cypress being denizens of moist or swampy places.
Trees growing where they are exposed to winds from one direction are apt to assume a spiral growth, which renders the timber almost worthless, as it is weak, and twists badly in drying. ”

“ The care of the brushes is an important part of the work of those who use them, as neglect or carelessness may destroy a valuable brush overnight. Unless a brush is going to be used again the next day, it is always best to clean it thoroughly. If a stain, filling, paint, or varnish brush, use gasolene or turpentine, but if a shellac brush, use wood alcohol, cleaning off all the small particles. ”

“ Flooring should wear well, hold its shape, and be of good appearance. In providing lumber for inside finish, care should be used that it has good grain and color, is not too soft, and that it will hold its shape well. Almost any wood may be used as far as strength is concerned, but lumber which shrinks and warps badly is unfit for finishing. ”

“ These are used to give to a tool the keen edge necessary to cut wood smoothly. The natural stone in most common use is the “Washita stone,” which is quarried in the Ozark Mountains, and is thought by many to be the best natural stone for the general use of the wood-worker; it is fast cutting, and when of the best quality is of even texture.
(B.) Many workmen prefer an “Arkansas stone,” as it is finer and harder than the Washita. It is also more expensive, however, and is better adapted to the use of woodcarvers and engravers than to the use of wood-workers in general. ”

“ Though the bevel may be maintained better by imparting a short circular motion to the plane iron, or to any edge tool which is being sharpened, it seems an awkward and fussy method of work, and rarely is used by an expert workman. By long practice the mechanic finds that a stroke made nearly the entire length of the stone will impart an edge quicker, and after the knack has been acquired, the bevel will be preserved just as well. ”

“ When we consider the abundance of high grade lumber a few years ago, and the fabulous prices which the same grades now bring, it is evident that this movement should have begun during the days of our grandfathers, instead of waiting until nearly all the best lumber in the great forests east of the Mississippi had been cut, and inestimable damage wrought by forest fires. ”

“ It is for the one who knows, that all work should be done—not for the casual observer—and these apparently [Pg 124] insignificant details, rather than the part of the work which may seem of more importance, form the basis by which one workman judges the work of another. In nothing do small things count more than in making or destroying a workman’s reputation.
Fig. 97.—Use of Sandpaper upon a Broad Surface.
(B.) Keep the sandpaper dry, and stored in a dry place, as moisture softens the glue so that the sand may be easily rubbed off. ”

“ Fig. 17.—Lumber Scale.
13. Qualities of wood.— (A.) Certain kinds of wood are adapted for some purposes better than are others; the wood-worker, therefore, should be familiar with the qualities which conditions demand, and the kinds of woods which have these qualities.
Lumber for framing should be strong and durable; it should be cut from trees which grow to a size that will allow large dimensions to be cut from them.
For outside finish, the material should be wood which [Pg 28] will stand the weather, can be easily worked, and will hold its shape well. ”

“ To turn the edge of a scraper properly, a burnisher is necessary. This tool should be made of the hardest steel, and is often made by the workman himself of an old file, ground perfectly smooth and polished. Perhaps the most satisfactory burnisher within easy reach of the wood-worker may be made from a nail set, which may be fitted to a handle and ground to an awl point. The back of a narrow chisel or gouge may be used, though these are rather clumsy. ”

“ Quarter-sawed lumber (Fig. 16) is preferred not only on account of its handsomer grain, but because it holds its shape better than lumber sawed in any other way, as the annual layers are approximately square with the surface of the board. As the board shrinks in the direction parallel with the annual layers, and very little from the center to the outside of the tree, it is obvious that there is much less shrinking and warping in quarter-sawed lumber than in that which is sawed plain. ”

“ The strength of lumber cut from trees grown as described is impaired, however, as the wood is more cross-grained than that from trees which grow in the heart of a forest, with practically the same conditions on all sides. ”

“ The best place, however, to true up a whetstone is upon the horizontal stone of a marble worker; this is a large grindstone, several feet in diameter, mounted on a vertical shaft, upon which are placed pieces of marble to be ground to a flat surface.
(D.) Artificial oilstones, made of emery, corundum, carborundum, and other artificial abrasives, are coming rapidly into use, and, as in the case of grindstones, eventually will supplant all others in many occupations, as they cut faster than any natural stone, may be made of any degree of fineness, and are of absolutely even texture. ”

“ It is the custom of some carpenters to reset the handles of their heavy saws by drilling holes through the blade so that the handle may be fastened as close to the cutting edge as possible, as in Fig. 44. This brings the force of the stroke nearer the direct line of the cut, which obviously allows a more economical application of force. Never leave a saw in a cut, for if the piece of wood falls off the trestles, the saw is apt to be broken. (Saw-filing will be discussed later.) ”

“ If there is much variation in the color of timber, or black and blue spots, the stick is probably diseased.
(D.) Decay is a disease, which may be prevented by dryness or ventilation, and frequently may be cured by soaking the wood in water for several days, or by steaming. The disease of decay is cured also by chemical preservatives being forced into lumber by pressure; this at the same time prevents insects from boring into the tree.
Alternate wetting and drying will produce rot, but most lumber, if permanently submerged or if kept perfectly dry, will last almost indefinitely. ”

“ Clefts, or splits, in a tree may be caused by extreme cold, heat, or drouth. They may extend into the tree several inches, and while the blemish will always remain, showing a discoloration or other defect, nature often repairs it so that the strength of the timber is but slightly affected. If these clefts are not healed, rain may find lodgment there, and the sap be so affected that the adjacent wood will be destroyed, and this in time will destroy the tree. ”