Hardwoods & softwoods
Most woodworkers are familiar with the terms 'hardwood' and 'softwood'. But are you sure that you understand what these terms mean?
Clive Smith
Articles by Clive Smith
Custom woodworking
The leap from being a hobbyist or beginner to a self-employed woodworker is a large one, but not an impossible one.
Wood cuts and shrinkage
The location of a specific cut in a log determines its grain pattern or figure. Let's look at wood shrinkage, and the effect that drying has on the various cuts.
Affective woodworking
Most woodworking projects are three dimensional and therefore present a multi-dimensional experience when we view them.
Self-knowledge
Self-knowledge or knowledge about oneself is probably the most empowering information you could ever receive. How can I make such a blanket statement? Let's look at the acquisition of self-knowledge, as it applies to woodworking, and how we become empowered.
Grain Pattern
As woodworkers, how much do we know about wood? Seems like a strange question, as we are working with it everyday.
Why we woodwork
The everyday ordinary tasks of doing woodworking is, in a sense, a representation of who we are. Perhaps this legacy, of our woodworking endeavours, is one of the reasons why woodworking means so much to us.
Joining – part 1
If you had a chance to practice hand planing a rough piece of wood into a finished four-sided component, as described in my last article, you are now ready to take on the challenge of joining two pieces of wood together.
Design review – telephone table
Sometimes when you are leafing through a magazine such as this one, a picture of a piece of furniture catches your attention. You realize that it is attractive but may not take the time to understand what caught your eye. A design review analyzes the piece to reveal the devices that make it attractive.
Building confidence with hand tools
Have you ever associated using hand tools with gaining confidence? If you haven't, I would like to suggest to anyone thinking of taking up woodworking seriously, that they consider the confidence issue.
Hand tools
Hand tools are a necessary part of woodworking, even when power tools are available.
Mystique of hand tools
Probably everyone involved with woodworking has noticed the expanded interest in hand tools.
The soul of woodworking
When was the last time you thought about how much you truly enjoy woodworking?
