Terms Every Woodworker Should Know

Learn the lingo with these woodworking terms that every craftsman should know.

• Allen Head – A type of screw head commonly used on machinery with a hexagon-shaped key.
• Chamfer – To create an edge on a board by cutting the top corner at a 45° angle.
• Janka Test – Usually used to test the hardness of wood for flooring, this test rates the material by pounds of pressure it takes to press a steel ball half way into the wood.
• Pith – This is the epicenter of a log that is softer than the other parts.
• Shellac – These are resin flakes used to produce a wood finish by dissolving it in alcohol.
• Zero Clearance Insert – A particular table saw blade insert that allows the blade to be raised up through the table establishing a kerf for safety and dust collection.

Learn more woodworking terms at sawdustmaking.com.

Need supplies or advice for a woodworking project? Come by the Schutte Lumber showroom and lumberyard at 3001 Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri.

Photo by Benjamen Johnson.