Roasted wood?
Q: What is meant by “roasted” wood, and why would I want to use this material in a woodworking project?
A: Technically known as “torrefaction,” this treatment has long been used in Scandinavian countries to improve the durability and stability of lumber. “Roasting” is a suitable description because the wood is exposed to high temperatures that cause moisture, sugars, and resins to be cooked off. Light-toned woods darken after roasting, with higher temperatures causing greater darkening (see photo above).
Roasted wood definitely performs differently. It is lighter but stronger, and much more dimensionally stable when exposed to changes in temperature and humidity. Some turners favor these characteristics; they’re also useful if you’re making a wooden hand plane like the one featured in this issue (see Handmade Block Plane).
Woodworkers who make musical instruments (especially luthiers) are among the largest consumers of roasted wood. The sound-transmission qualities of super-dry “tonewoods” are noticeably superior to those of normally processed wood.
—Jerry Pibbles, sales & marketing director, American Specialty Hardwoods
Safety in skewing a tablesaw fence?
Q: In the process of tuning my tablesaw, I came across advice in the owner’s manual that suggests skewing the rear end of the fence 1/16" farther away from the blade than at the front of my saw. The manual says that this step reduces the danger of kickback, but does it work?
A: Skewing the far end of the rip fence a bit away from the blade is an old trick and does provide some small measure of safety in preventing kickback on saws without a splitter. The theory is that it helps prevent the workpiece from contacting the rising rear teeth, which can pick up the board and throw it back at you.
I suppose there’s nothing wrong with skewing the fence a bit, but you shouldn’t kid yourself that this will prevent kickback. As we all know, a workpiece can slip away from the fence or crook inward toward those mean rear teeth in the process of cutting. Using a properly aligned splitter is the only sure way to prevent kickback because the splitter denies the workpiece access to the rear teeth. When aligning a splitter, make sure that the side of the splitter that faces the fence is in perfect alignment with the sides of the teeth closest to the fence.
—Paul Anthony, senior editor
Self-leveling furniture paint?
Q: I’ve painted the base of the Entry Bench (Issue 67), using a flat, water-base enamel advertised as “self-leveling.” But the coat came out uneven, and the paint seemed to dry before it had a chance to level out. What did I do wrong?
A: Several factors can compromise paint’s ability to level out and dry to a smooth, uniform surface. First, consider the substrate. Harder, non-porous surfaces allow better flow-out and levelling because the paint sits on the surface and stays wet longer—increased wet time typically means better leveling. Because they absorb more, porous substrates reduce the drying time and the paint’s ability to level out. Here, pre-treating the project with a primer/sealer can help.
Humidity can also be a factor. If you’re painting during hot, dry weather, it’s smart to mix an extender, like Floetrol® or General Finishes Extender into your paint to prevent premature drying and give your finish more time to level out.
—Kent Harpool, paint & finishes product manager, Woodcraft
