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Rabbet

A cut partway through the edge of a board that is used as a part of a joint.

 

Radial Shrinkage

Shrinkage in a piece of lumber that occurs across the growth rings as it begins to dry.

 

Rail

(1) A horizontal board that runs along the underside of a table.
(2) The horizontal part of a raised panel door.

 

Raised Panel

A piece of wood that is the center of a frame and panel assembly.

 

Ray

A ribbon like figure caused by the strands of cells which extend across the grain in quarter sawn lumber.

 

Reaction Wood - Related Article

Abnormal wood formed in a leaning tree, often characterized by a dense hard brittle grain and propensity to react irregularly to seasonal moisture changes. In hardwood trees, it forms on the upper side of the lean and is called tension wood. In softwood trees it forms on the lower side of the lean and is called compression wood.

 

Ripcut (Ripping)

A cut made parallel to the grain of a board. See - Crosscut (crosscutting)

 

Rotary-cut Veneer

Veneer which was cut from a log in one long sheet. Rotary cut veneer is cut from a log like a roll of paper towels.

Round-Edge Lumber

Boards having attached bark on both edges.

Rub Bearing

A ball bearing rub collar near the top or bottom of a spindle shaper that is used to keep the workpiece a fixed distance away from the cutters.

 

Rule Joint

A joinery method used in drop leaf tables where the tabletop has a convex profile and the leaf has a concave cut. The two pieces are joined by a hinge.

 

Runout

The amount of wobble in a shaper or router.

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Sap - Related Article

The water in a tree which is rich in minerals and nutrients.

 

Sapwood

The new wood in a tree that lies between the bark and the Heartwood. Sapwood is usually lighter in color and becomes heartwood as the tree ages. Also see heartwood.

 

Scarf Joint - Picture

A woodworking joint that is made by cutting or notching two boards at an angle and then strapping, gluing, or bolting them together.

 

Seasoning

The process of removing the moisture from green wood to improve its workability and stability.

 

Selects

In softwood, lumber which has been graded strictly for its appearance. In hardwood, lumber which is one grade below first and second.

 

Slab

A broad flat piece of wood cut directly from the log, often with bark on both edges.

 

Sliding Dovetail Joints

A sliding dovetail joint is similar to a tongue and groove joint except the tongue and grove are matching dovetails.

 

Softwoods

Generally lumber from a conifer such as pine or cedar. The name softwood does not refer to the density of the wood. There are some hardwoods, such as Balsa, which are softer than some softwoods, like Southern Yellow Pine.

 

Sound

A term referring to a board which has no or very few defects which will effect its strength.

 

Specific Gravity

The ratio of the weight of wood to an equal volume of water. The higher the specific gravity, the heavier the wood.

 

Spermatophyte

Plants that reproduce by seeds. This includes almost all plant species.

 

Spindle

The threaded arbor on a shaper that holds the cutters.

 

Spline

A thin piece of wood that fits in the mating grooves cut into two pieces of wood.

Squeeze-out

A bead or drops of glue that are forced out of a joint when pressure is applied.

Springwood

See Earlywood 

 

Stain - Related Article

1) A discoloration in wood caused by a fungus or chemicals. 2) A die or pigment used to color wood.

 

Starved Joint

A poorly bonded joint caused by lack of glue.

 

Sticker

A thin wood strip that is inserted between stacks of green wood to allow air to flow through the stack to ensure proper drying..

 

Stile

The vertical part of a raised panel door.

 

Summer Wood

See Latewood 

 

Surfaced Lumber

A piece of wood that has been planed smooth on one or more surfaces.

 

Surfacing

The way a piece of lumber has been prepared at the lumber mill.

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Tack Time 

The amount of time it takes for an adhesive to set-up before it can form a bond.

 

Taper

A piece of wood that has been cut so that it is wider on one edge than the other.

 

Tearout

The tendency for a blade to splinter the last part of a piece of wood during crosscutting.

 

Tempered Hardboard

Dense fiberboard that has been specially treated to increase its durability, strength, density, and moisture resistance.

 

Template

A pattern. Often a template is made of hardboard and used with a pilot bit to route a shape in a board.

 

Template guide

A jig mounted to the bottom of a router that is used to keep the router on the profile of a template when routing with a non-pilot beating bit.

 

Tenon

A protrusion from a board that fits into a matching mortise to form a joint.

Tension Wood - Related Article

Reaction wood that forms on the upper side of a leaning hardwood tree.

 

Through Dovetail Joint

A method of joining wood where the interlocking pins and tails of the dovetail joint go through the side of its mating piece.

Toe Kick

An indentation designed into the bottom of a cabinet to provide room to allow the user to stand closer to the countertop.

Tongue and Groove

A joinery method where one board is cut with a protruding "groove" and a matching piece is cut with a matching groove along its edge.

Torque

The amount of force that is needed to turn an object such as a screw or bolt.

Twist - Related Article

Warping in lumber where the ends twist in opposite directions. (Like twisting a towel)

 

Tyloses

A waterproof foam like substance that forms in the pores of some species of wood. The tyloses helps to make the wood less permeable to liquids. It is common in White Oak and makes the wood excellent for wine barrels. 

 

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