Woodworking Terms: The Essentials

Before anyone can get started in woodworking there are a few things to learn, one being the different woodworking terms used in this craft. While there are nearly one hundred different common woodworking terms used, even by learning just the basics at least you’ll find it easier to follow woodworking patterns. There is a long list of woodworking terms that could be learned, but a few in particular that are used most often. There are over one hundred terms that are recognized in woodworking, but a few in particular that are commonly used and most important to learn.

Miter gauge is another woodworking term, one that you’ll hear quite often in projects ranging from simple to complex. The term miter gauge is used to describe a specific tool that is used in a variety of power tools. It can be used in everything from a table saw to a router table, and slides in to adjust to different angles. You just slide it in, adjust it to whatever angle you want and you’ll get the resulting angle of a cut on your board.

Biscuits are made of compressed pieces of wood in most cases and create a tighter joint. A check is used to refer to a split in the ends of a board. A collet is the bit holding device that is used on routers as well as CNC milling machines. Joiners are also talked about often in woodworking, and are handheld planes which are used to straighten up the edges of a board.

In woodworking when you’re milling your cutting lumber from logs. Kickbacks can be extremely dangerous in woodworking, especially if the wood you’re using is thick and heavy and comes flying back at you at full force. A kickback occurs when a board being cut on a machine gets thrown back off the machine, towards the operator. Regardless of the cause of the kickback, if you’re not wearing appropriate safety gear or get hit in the wrong spot, you could get seriously injured.

Woodworking is certainly an enjoyable hobby, one that many people around the world spend time on. A lot of woodworkers even like to keep a reference book of the different woodworking terms that they can check whenever they need a reminder of the different terms. Once you’ve mastered some of the terms you can get started with your woodworking projects and really start to enjoy yourself. From Halloween lawn figurines to jewelry boxes, the options of what you can create are endless.