In professional woodworking, mistakes rarely happen as a result of a lack of skills. More commonly, mistakes result from oversights in timing, preparation works, or assumptions about materials and designs.
Wood is not static, it moves and has behaviour, and this needs to be understood and considered dependent on differing environments and handling procedures. This guide will focus on working with timber and give practical advice for avoiding those costly mistakes people commonly make.
Do: upgrade for a cleaner cut
The tooling you use has a major impact upon the quality of finish, accuracy, and efficiency of your projects. When your tooling begins to wear, the effects may start gradually but can quickly create problems for jobs and workflows.
Our tips:
- Replace or sharpen your blades regularly, before the quality visibly drops
- Use the correct cutters, blades, and speeds for the specific material and cut type
- Understand that rough cuts and burn marks are signs of machining resistance and are not just normal defects
Do: get your materials right first
The preparation of your materials is one of the most important yet overlooked stages. If not completed well, it can have a catastrophic effect on a project. Unstable timber will move regardless of how well it is machined or finished.
Our tips:
- Acclimatise timber in the same conditions as it is intended for use
- Store materials correctly, and avoid poor or unsuitable moisture exposure; for more information see our article on correct wood storage
- For manufactured board, don’t allow large periods of resting time post machining
Do: measure with intent
Accuracy is extremely important in both taking measurements and applying them to designs. If this is completed poorly, a quick and incorrect site measure could cost your business thousands.
Our tips:
- Don’t do a rough measure, complete all measures precisely
- Use technology for accurate measurements that will integrate with your design software (for more information, see our article on Leica’s P2P measuring technology
- Always use software tools for designing and manufacturing set outs
Do: cut with control not force
The technique you use for both manual and CNC cutting will significantly impact your accuracy and manufacturing quality. Forcing your cutting tools through a cut will introduce defects that will require correction later.
Our tips:
- Always maintain a steady feed rate that is suited to the material and tool that you are using
- Adjust your cutting approach depending on the density and grain direction of the timber
- Always allow the tool to do your cutting, not excess pressure
Don’t: rush materials into production
Moving through production too quickly is a common cause of problems and failure. Timber that has not completely stabilised will continue to move, even post installation.
Our tips:
- Allow for climatization time in your project planning
- Do not mix materials that have been stored in differing conditions and locations
- Once manufacturing commences, specifically machining, keep the process flowing as stoppages increase a timber’s exposure
Don’t: ignore what your material is telling you
Timber and machines both give early warning signs when things are not entirely right. When machining, increased noises and vibrations can indicate that material is not cutting as it should. Additionally, tear-out, burning, or unusual resistance can also indicate signs of something being incorrectly set up.
Our tips:
- Stop when you see material burning or tear-out
- Check tooling parameters when problems are occurring
- Do not force production, solve all problems at the cause and don’t ever just treat the symptoms
Don’t: overcomplicate the manufacturing process
Complex workflows and processes open the possibility for increased problems and errors. Keeping a tight and consistent manufacturing workflow limits potential issues to well known areas, and allows a factory to specialise their production process.
Our tips:
- Keep production processes simple and repetitive where possible
- Remove any unnecessary handling or steps in the production process
- Aim for consistency and not speed, speed will come with well known practices
Don’t: waste time with outdated design tools
Designing and processing is a business area that can waste many hours of time. Drawing plans by hand, or using 2D CAD softwares are time consuming and very error prone.
Using quality software processes improves efficiency, decreases costs, and minimises mistakes.
Our tips:
- Use 3D modelling software for cabinetry or stairs
- Use optimization modules to avoid manually drawing and planning cutting patterns
- Use software solutions that automate the file integration to CNC machinery
Wood Designer offers a range of software that improves design to manufacturing efficiency with excellent integration with your machinery.
- OptiNest: high end optimization for nesting CNC machinery
- OptiCut: cutting pattern optimization solution for panel saws and beam saws
- VCarve Pro/Aspire: pro CAM software adding further machining capabilities and options for your CNC machinery
- PolyBoard and StairDesigner: true 3D design to manufacturing software for cabinets and stairs
Get it right first time
Consistency and quality come from maintaining control, rather than just correcting manufacturing issues. Even though many defects can be rectified, it is much faster to prevent them from occurring in the first place.
By concentrating on your material stability, accurate setups, and a disciplined process, professional woodworkers can reduce the variability of output and maintain quality across every stage of your production.
When issues do occur, effective repair techniques still play a pivotal role in getting a project back on track. For more information on repairing common mistakes, see our article on wood defects.
