The amount of moisture in wood is one of those hidden aspects of woodworking, where it is usually assumed that everything is ok until something goes wrong. That is why it is important to measure the moisture content of the wood you are working with in order to make sure that it is at an acceptable level. But the relative humidity of the workshop and the final location of the piece also need to be taken into consideration. One of the most important aspects as working with wood is to let the wood acclimatize to its surrroundings. Wood is usually best with a moisture content of between six to eight percent. However, the moisture content of the wood will only change when the relative humidity of the surrounding air changes. When wood is brought from one area to another, for example a lumber [ ... ]

Cutting tool and blade maintenance is an important aspect of woodworking. Your carbide tipped cutting blades such as router bits, saw blades, and planer knives sharp require constant inspection and cleaning in order for them to last as long as possible. Keeping them clean may be more important than checking to see if they are sharp. Regular cleaning of your blades is the best way to maximize the life of your tools. What most woodworkers don't rea;ize is that the main reason behind the premature dulling of a blade's cutting edge is not the mechanical wear of the actual cutting action, it is the slow buildup of wood resin deposits on the back of those carbide bits and blades.

Carbide cutters are usually made from alloys of various hard metals such as tungsten, titanium, vanadium. Most com [ ... ]