“Cutting Parts to Size Vocabulary” Terms You Need to Know

Rough cuts are “not” exact. Rough Vs. Finish Cut Rough cuts are “not” exact. They are cuts that are made with the idea of machining further to an exact and precise measurement somewhere during the process. Finish cuts are “exact” cuts to a specific measurement. Finish cuts sometimes include some added small measurement (usually a 16th of an inch)to account for finish sanding

“Dimensioned vs. Surfaced” For a board to be “surfaced”, it does not necessarily have to be dimensioned When a board is dimensioned, it is cut to a particular size and surfaced during the process. The surfacing process, therefore, is meant to “mill” the lumber to a smooth state. Lumber can be purchased this way or “rough”; it is a matter of cost.

“Cup, Bow, and Twist” These are common defects that occur as a piece of wood dries out and must be addressed during the milling or dimensioning process Cupping is when a board forms a “U” shape or cup across the width or face. Bowing is when a board curves in a long “U” shape along its edge Twisting is when it “twists” along its length dimension almost like “licorice” appears but in a slight manner

“Crosscutting, Ripping and Planning” These are the three main processes used when dimensioning lumber “Crosscutting is using the radial arm saw, the table saw, or the miter saw to cut a board to length “Ripping” is using the “table saw” to cut a board to width Planning is using the jointer or the planer to cut a board to a desired thickness

Miscellaneous Terms Truing===Defined as creating a 90 degree surfaced 90 degree angle on a board Snipe====Sometimes occurs at the tail end of planning when the board cuts deeper than the rest of the cut Fence====Important “fence-like” accessory device that is usually parallel or perpendicular to the blade and serves as a controlled safety and dimension point during the cut Margin of Safety====The area around that blade of a particular machine that is “restricted” from placing their hands and fingers.

Sequence Terms to the “Process” These are the terms of the processes used in the “big” process of dimensioning a board. We will look carefully at each of them in another presentation. 1. Joint 2. Plane 3. Joint 4. Rip 5. Joint 6. Crosscut Cut Wood!!