Eric is a woodworker who has been commissioned to create a mahogany bench for a client. In order to create this piece, he needs to joint the mahogany boards so that they fit together seamlessly. Jointing is an important step in the woodworking process as it ensures that the final product is both aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound.
Eric begins by selecting the right boards for his bench. He looks for boards that are straight and free of defects such as knots or cracks. He then lays the boards out on his workbench and marks the areas that need to be jointed. These are the areas where the boards need to be cut so that they fit together perfectly.
To joint the boards, Eric uses a jointer. A jointer is a woodworking tool with a flat surface and a blade that is used to smooth and straighten edges of boards. Eric starts by aligning one board with the jointer’s fence. The fence is a straight guide that helps keep the board in place as it passes over the blade. He then turns on the motor and feeds the board through the jointer, applying pressure to keep the board flat against the fence.
As the board passes over the blade, the blade removes a small amount of wood from the board. This process is repeated until the entire edge of the board is smooth and straight. Eric then repeats this process on the other board, making sure that both boards have a perfectly straight edge.
Once both boards have been jointed, Eric moves on to the next step of the process: gluing the boards together. To do this, he applies a thin layer of glue to one of the jointed edges and presses the two boards together. To keep the boards in place while the glue dries, Eric uses clamps to press the boards together tightly.
After the glue has dried, Eric removes the clamps and inspects the jointed edge. He looks for any gaps or inconsistencies in the joint and, if necessary, uses a hand plane to smooth out any imperfections. He also uses a sanding block to smooth out the surface of the jointed edge. Once he is satisfied with the joint, he moves on to the next step of the process: planing.
Planing is the process of smoothing out the surface of the board. Eric uses a hand plane to shave off any rough spots or high spots on the board. He repeats this process until the board is completely smooth and flat. This step is important as it ensures that the final product is both aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to sit on.
Once the board has been planed, Eric moves on to the final steps of the process: sanding and finishing. Sanding is the process of smoothing out the surface of the board using sandpaper. Eric starts with a coarse grit sandpaper and gradually works his way up to a finer grit. This process removes any remaining rough spots or imperfections and prepares the surface of the board for the finish.
The final step is applying the finish. Eric chooses a clear urethane finish for his mahogany bench. He applies the finish with a brush, making sure to cover the entire surface of the board. This process is repeated several times, with each coat of finish being allowed to dry before the next is applied. Once the final coat of finish has dried, Eric inspects the bench and makes any final touch-ups as necessary.
In conclusion, jointing is an important step in the woodworking process that ensures that the final product is both beautiful and structurally sound. By using a jointer to smooth and straighten the edges of the boards, Eric was able to create a perfectly jointed surface for his mahogany bench. The subsequent steps of planing, sanding, and finishing ensured that the bench was not only beautiful to look at but also comfortable to sit on.
Posted by jerad.foster on 2009-01-26 21:44:25