The Art and Craft of Wood: A Practical Guide to Harvesting, Choosing, Reclaiming, Preparing, Crafting, and Building with Raw Wood

163 Pages·2017·28.34 MB·English

by  Silas J. Kyler, David Hildreth

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Edited by Foxit PDF Editor
Copyright (c) by Foxit Software Company, 2004
For Evaluation Only.
Woodworking can be a dangerous
activity. Failure to follow safety
procedures may result in serious
injury or death. This book provides
useful instruction, but we cannot
anticipate all of your working
conditions or the characteristics of
your materials and tools. For your
safety, you should use caution,
care, and good judgment when
following the procedures described
in this book. Consider your own
skill level and the instructions and
safety precautions associated with
the various tools and materials
shown. The publisher cannot
assume responsibility for any
damage to property or injury to
persons as a result of misuse of
the information provided.
© 2017 Quarto Publishing Group USA, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book Quarry Books titles are also available
Text © 2017 Tiny Chair Pictures, LLC may be reproduced in any form without at discount for retail, wholesale,
Photography © 2017 Tiny Chair Pictures, written permission of the copyright promotional, and bulk purchase. For
LLC owners. All images in this book have details, contact the Special Sales
been reproduced with the knowledge and Manager by email at
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CONTENTS
PART ONE PART TWO
Introduction 6 CHOOSING MILLING AND
The Tools 12 WOOD SEASONING
FOR YOUR
Safety Considerations 18 PROJECT Workshop Milling 38
Identifying and Backyard Milling 46
Sourcing Wood 26 Using a Sawyer 52
Gathering Wood 30 Seasoning Lumber 56
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PART THREE PART FOUR PART FIVE
Acknowledgments 152
CRAFTING FIREWOOD THE
AND LEFTOVERS
About the Authors 153
BUILDING Chopping Firewood 138
PROJECTS Animal Bedding 145 Index 154
Stacking Firewood 140
The Bottle Opener 64 Mulch 146
The Poster Frame 70 Garden Pathway
Cover 148
The Minimalist Shelf 76
Fire Starters 150
The Serving Tray 84
The Edison Lamp 92
The Cofee Table 100
The Dining Table 116
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INTRODUCTION
Makers of all kinds know the incredible come crashing down. We found a sawmill
rewards of creating something with their in the heart of our busy city. We did our
own hands. Regardless the medium— best to dry the wood without it warping.
wood, fabric, metal, clay, concrete, We fattened the wonky boards with a
glass—designing, creating, and building homemade router jig and then fattened
something yourself feels good. What if them again when they continued to
this feeling didn’t only come from the warp. We called in favors to help plane
end product, but came from the creation and sand the wood. We designed two
and processing of the building material tables and fnally got to work putting
itself? A common trait of makers is the them together.
ongoing and ever deepening appreciation Before we came along, the log was
for the raw materials they are using. being cut up into chunks to be thrown
As flmmakers and authors, we seek to piece by piece into a landfll. With this
create pieces with intrinsic value from book, you will see pieces of art others
the materials right through to the don’t see. What another person may
fnished product. view as a worthless dead tree, you will
We have also come to discover this see an opportunity to make something
joy of production working with raw great. It is a huge undertaking and,
wood. One hot summer in Arizona, we honestly, we didn’t exactly know what
came across a storm-downed tree in we were getting ourselves into. But
someone’s front yard. This tree, in this when the sawdust settled, we had two
moment, was begging to be something incredible works of art that tell a story of
more. We managed to save the tree redemption and display the value of hard
from the landfll and began a journey to work. That’s what The Art and Craft of
fully transform it. In fact, we became Wood is all about.
so inspired by this idea that we made a The hardest part of the process is
documentary flm about it. deciding to go for it. Large tree trunks
We had the two-ton (1,814 kg) log and even small limbs can be intimidating,
hauled of the driveway where it had and (not to discourage you . . . ) they
6 THE ART AND CRAFT OF WOOD
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Being a maker is about doing
“things with intention. By
focusing on possibilities, you
can turn nature’s discards
into beautiful works of art.
”
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Typically, urban lumber
c“omes from near where
people live. We aren’t talking
about chopping down trees.
ta”ke an enormous amount of work to Being a maker is about doing things lumber that is produced by individuals
process. But why should it be easy? with intention. With hard work, you can from trees that wouldn’t normally be
Being a maker is about doing things with turn trash into beautiful works of art. used as commercial lumber. Urban
intention. Through some hard work and Even though the process can be lumber comes from near where people
resourcefulness, you can turn a log into difcult and frustrating at times, it isn’t live. We aren’t talking about chopping
a beautiful piece of furniture. It’s not the rocket science. Like anything else, there down trees just to use for lumber. These
easy way to make furniture, but you’ll are manageable steps to getting started. are trees that have come down in a storm
gain a sense of satisfaction from the You don’t have to choose the biggest or must be removed because they are
labor of your hands, the skills you log. You don’t have to dive in with a dead, dying, or unwanted.
learn, and the connections you make major project, but you do have to dive in Typically, when local trees are
in the process. somewhere. This book addresses urban removed, they are chopped up by a
lumber, which is a term encompassing tree removal company and never seen
8 THE ART AND CRAFT OF WOOD
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