Woodworking Basics: Prepping Lumber for Projects

Learn techniques and strategies to help you custom mill wood to the precise dimensions you need.

About this Class

In fine woodworking, everything starts with the wood. Before you can focus on joinery or fancy details, you need to make a board foursquare, with surfaces that are flat, straight, parallel, and square. And then you need to cut the lengths, widths, and thicknesses you need, in a way that positions the pieces where the grain direction makes the most sense.

In this class, you learn how to custom mill wood to the precise dimensions you need, including:

• Why wood cups, twists, and bows, and what to pay attention to when you are selecting the wood
• How to use the jointer, planer, and table saw to get a board to the point where it can be used in furniture making
• How to read a board when you are laying out parts, so that you use the wood efficiently and wind up with grain directions that are pleasing to the eye, functional, and structurally sound.

Details

Wear safety glasses and closed-toe shoes, tie back long hair, and avoid loose-fitting clothing and jewelry. We recommend bringing your own safety glasses.

Prerequisites

This class is open to students who have taken Orientation to the Woodshop and Woodshop Tool Safety Checkout 1. Multiple sessions are listed on the Woodworking Calendar.

Class Policies

• Ages 14 and up are welcome. 

• View BARN’s current COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

• BARN is committed to accessibility. Tuition assistance is available. Fill out the application before registering.

• For those who might need physical assistance, learn more about our Companion Program.

Instructor

Mike Gearheard leads BARN's Woodworking Studio.