Wood Working Dictionary

Common wood working terms defined to help you with your wood working plans and projects.

applied carving: background which is worked separately and then applied, rather than being worked in place
bead: a semicircular piece of moulding
bolster: shoulder
burl: wood with a convoluted, complex grain, usually taken from cancerous growths on trees
cannel, channel: the concavity of a gouge blade
chip carving: incised surface decoration, usually geometric
chops: a type of vise
conversion: reduction of a whole log into pieces suitable for working
crook: longitudinal bending to one side, caused by uneven seasoning or grain
crotch: the section of a tree where a branch divides from the trunk, or the trunk divides in two; typically an area of convoluted grain
crossgrain: working perpendicular to the grain
cup: transverse bending, convex or concave, usually predictable, considering grain orientation
devil stone: a coarse, hard dressing stone used in sharpening tools, grinders, and other stones
dog: a hold-down iron, fitting into a hole in a bench, tightened or loosened by hammer taps, or a peg standing proud of the bench surface
dressing stone: a rough sharpening stone usually used on other stones
dutchman: a diamond-shaped patch of wood used to repair surface blemishes and knotholes
end grain: the grain at the end of a piece of wood which is perpendicular to the surface
fence: a piece of lath or scrap fixed to the bench surface to prevent movement of the work
figure: naturally occurring decorative patterns in wood, usually due to medullary rays
firmer: a chisel bevelled on both sides instead of only one
fishtail chisel or gouge: a chisel or gouge with a splayed end
flat gouge: a gouge with minimal curvature, used for finishing and smoothing
flitch: a board in which the round of the trunk is still visible, a rough-cut board
flute: a deep channel cut in wood; occasionally denotes the cannel of a gouge
foxing: a yellow-brown discoloration of wood due to fungal infection
fretsaw: a saw with a very fine toothed blade used for delicate cuts in thin material
frosting: regular indented patterns created with a special-purpose punch called a froster
grain: the longitudinal fibers in wood
green: unseasoned wood
hardwood: wood from an angiosperm tree, i.e. a tree in the division Magnoliophyta; Despite the name, not necessarily very hard or dense wood (e.g. balsa is a hardwood)
heart shake: a shake radiating out from the heartwood
heel: the corner of a chisel, knife, or gouge bevel which meets the back of the blade and polishes the cut
hollow grinding: a concave bevel on a chisel, gouge, or knife
inchannel: the concave surface of a gouge; a gouge sharpened on the concave surface
interlocked grain: grain which has multiple longitudinal directions in alternating layers, typical of many tropical hardwoods, and very difficult to work and to produce smooth surfaces
outcannel: the convex surface of a gouge; a gouge sharpened on the convex surface
quarter-sawn: describes a plank with growth rings perpendicular to the wider face (see picture)
reed: a series of beads in a row
riffler: a paddle-shaped rasp
ring shake: a shake occurring between annual rings
saw rasp: a rasp with saw teeth
scorp: a drawknife with a curved, sometimes completely circular blade
scraper: a flat blade with a burred edge used for smoothing
scrollsaw: a motorized fretsaw
seasoning: reducing the moisture content of wood before working to prevent cracking, splitting, and other damage due to drying
shake: a crack or split in wood, caused by damage or drying
slab-cut: describes a plank with growth rings roughly parallel to the wider face (see picture)
slip: a shaped stone used for sharpening non-flat blades such as on gouges
snib: a wooden toggle used to hold the work on a table
softwood: wood from a gymnosperm tree, i.e. trees in the divisions Pinophyta and Ginkgophyta; Despite the name, not necessarily very soft or light wood (e.g. douglas-fir is a softwood)
spalting: a fungal discoloration in wood where brown spots are outlined with fine black lines &ldash; often considered a desirable feature
split: to longitudinally separate wood along grain layers
sweep: the curvature of a gouge, ranging from flat (little curvature, but not actually flat else it would be a chisel) to deep or quick
tear out: small flakes and rough patches on interlocked grain in wood, usually left by tools cutting againist the grain
twist: longitudinal twisting of wood due to uneven seasoning or grain
undercutting: cutting away from an edge to increase the sense of relief or thinness
veiner: a small deep gouge
veneer (wood): very thin slices of wood used for inlay or to cover surfaces
wane: an edge of a sawn board where the bark or surface of the trunk remains
wasting: quickly removing wood during carving, usually with an adze, knife, or rasp
waste: wood that will be removed in the finished work, often retained during working as a handle

Also see our Drill Bit Dictionary for helpful information about choosing the best bit for your wood working projects!