Questions and Answers Expert Woodworking
Questions and Answers Expert Woodworking
Questions and Answers Expert Woodworking
Questions: Are there particular instances when I should and should not predrill to assemble projects with nails and screws?
Answers: You can almost never go wrong predrilling for assembly when using either nails or screws. As long as the hole that you drill is slightly smaller than the diameter of your fastener, you'll find that the fastener will go in more easily and accurately. In some instances, however, it's imperative that you predrill. If you don't predrill when you're driving a fastener into the end of a board, for instance, the fastener most likely will cause the end to split. Likewise, if you're screwing or nailing into the edge of a board, predrilling prevents the fastener from splitting the workpiece along its edge. Finally, some engineered materials, particularly particleboard and medium-density fiberboard (MDF), require predrilling; if you skip this important step, the edges certainly will split.
Questions: When I use my router, I often get dark marks on the edge of the piece that I'm routing. Is there a technique that I can use to prevent this from happening?
Answers: The dark marks that you're experiencing are most likely burn marks caused by excessive friction. When there's too much friction, it creates overheating, which can burn or scorch wood fibers. Friction can occur when using too slow a feed rate, a dull bit, or the wrong type of pilot (for piloted bits). A feed rate that's too slow allows a sharp bit to rub against the wood fibers enough to cause burning. A dull bit has a tendency to tear wood fibers; because it doesn't cut cleanly, you generally have to slow the feed rate, which contributes to the problem. Use a sharp bit and a moderate feed rate, and the burn marks should go away.
Although most burn marks are caused by the bit's cutting edge, the pilot (if you're using a piloted bit, such as a rabbeting bit) also can be the culprit. The pilot may have either a ball bearing or a rub collar. For the most part, a ball-bearing guided bit leaves no burn marks because the bearing rolls along the wood surface, allowing the bit to spin independently. Rub collars by their very nature cause burning during a slow feed rate. To eliminate this problem, replace rub collars with ball bearings. Finally, it's important to note that some wood types have a reputation for burning, even with a sharp bit and moderate feed rate. For the best results, make a series of light cuts rather than one full-depth cut.
Questions: Sometimes I need multiple pieces cut to the same size for a project. Can I do this efficiently, and accurately, without cutting one piece at a time?
Answers: Production shops use a simple technique known as gang cutting to cut multiple identical workpieces quickly and accurately. Whether you're using a miter, table, band, or scroll saw, stack two or more workpieces on top of one another for the cut. On a table saw, push the stacked parts past the blade using the miter gauge. With a miter saw, press the stack right up against the fence, and lower the blade. In either case, be sure to use some form of a stop to keep individual pieces from shifting during the cut; just make sure that the stop is as tall as your stacked pieces.
For cuts on a band saw or scroll saw, your best bet is to attach the pieces of the stack temporarily with double-sided tape to keep them from shifting. One advantage of stacked cuts on the band or scroll saw is that you will need to affix only one pattern to the top piece to make the cut, rather than duplicating the pattern for each workpiece.
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