OUTLINE

Wood
  Grain
   Wood swells most across grain.
   Flaws
      (bow, crook, cup, check, wane, wind, holes, knots)
  Types  
     Pine:  cheap, light, mediocre.
     Poplar: cheap, easy to work, weak, low rot-resistance
     Maple: More expensive, easy to work, durable, prettier.
     Oak:  Expensive, heavy, strong, durable.    
     
  Nominal Dimensions:
    nominal thickness  1"   5/4  6/6  2"  2.5"  4"
    actual  thickness  3/4  1"   5/4  1.5 2"    3.5"

    nominal width      2   3   4   5   6   7   ! 8    9    10   12
    actual width       1.5 2.4 3.5 4.5 5.5 6.5 ! 7.25 8.25 9.25 11.25

  Framing lumber
     Eased edges.  Usually not especially good wood.
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Tools
Hand Saws
    Cross cut vs Rip
    More teeth per inch, smoother cut
    Less teeth, faster/more aggressive cut.
    Kerfs
    Western style saws cut on push stroke
      --Stay lined up with cut, else binding
    Japanese saw cuts on pull stroke.
      --Finer kerf, more teeth

Measuring Tape:
   Loose hook, so it measures right on inside and
     outside measures.  
   Integer distance from front to back of box, 
      (again, for inside measurements)
   When measuring lengths, stay parallel to best edge.


Coping Saws: cut on pull stroke, or the 
       harp bends, and the blade gets 
       loose/warps/falls out.


Hammers:
   Hammers come in different weights, 
   choose one that's comfortable.
   Face should be smooth for finish work.
   Face can be textured for rough work.

Mallet:
   Soft, non-metalic material, so it doesn't
   mar wood when pounding things into place, 
   and so it doesn't screw up the backs of chisels.
   Fairly light is ok.


Power Drill:
   Because drilling by hand isn't worth it.
   Unplug before changing bits.
   Don't twist the bit in the hole.
   
   Twist drills come in sized up to 1/4".
   Spade bits are 1/4" to 1.5"
   Hole saws are for bigger holes.

   Spade bits tend to make hole that are slightly oversized.

Chisels.  
  Be aware of which side the bevel is on.
  On deep cuts, the chisel tends to move 
  away from the bevel.
  Make stop cuts, and easing cuts with saw first.

Utility knives are dangerous.

Good Try-square:  Sliding base, 45 degrees, Spirit Level.

Bevel gauge for non-90/45 degree angles.

There is no such thing as too many clamps.
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Measuring:
  Saw cuts have non-zero widths.
  Pencil marks have non zero widths.
  Try to set marks so that you cut along 
  the EDGE of the pencil mark, and so that 
  the saw-kerf is in the waste-peice.



Joints:
  Butt joints
    Need to be reinforced almost always.
    (dowels, metal plates, corner blocks.)

  When cutting joints, generally do the rip-cut
  (cheek cut) first. 

  Tenons usu. 1/3rd thickness of stick.
  


Using nails and screws
   Nails up out if loaded in that direction.
   Nails may split wood if not pre-drilled.
   (Pre-drill through top peice, and 1/2 depth
    into bottom peice, at 1/2 the diameter of the
    nail.)
    (cross-nailing, toe nailing)
    Penetration 3/4" or more, when possible.

Always pre-drill screw holes.  Use bit next lower
    size from the shaft of the screw. (not the threads)
    Counter-sink.