Bamboo has long been used as a building material in the Far East and seen as a curiosity here in the West. Thatâs rapidly changing though, as people are finding more and more creative ways to use bamboo in the place of either wood or paper. Today it is possible to find bamboo âpaperâ towels, … Read more
Meranti plywood, long known as Philippines Mahogany, is a product of the Red Mahogany tree, which grows in Indonesia and the Philippines. However, the name âPhilippines mahoganyâ doesnât just apply to the wood of one tree, but rather to several trees which produce similar looking wood with similar characteristics. This makes actual identification of the … Read more
Douglas fir is the hardest of all softwoods, even though it is a conifer with the distinctive needles of all conifer trees. The trees are fast-growing and can attain 150 feet in height. When the Douglas Fir tree grows in dense forests it is self-pruning, allowing the lower branches to die off. This creates wood … Read more
Wood turning is a specialized area within woodworking. By and large, most woodworkers donât turn, unless it is a chair maker who turns spindles for their chairs. But that isnât the same as being a woodturner, who is a woodworker who specializes in the use of a lathe to make turned wood products. Woodturning offers … Read more
Birch plywood is one of the more popular hardwood plywood varieties, being commonly used in cabinetmaking, furniture making and even in making jigs in the workshop. As hardwood plywood goes, it is one of the lower cost varieties, while providing clean, smooth and attractive grain. By and large, birch plywood has few voids and is … Read more