The Woodwork Bench

To define, woodworking is process of arranging, engineering or carving wood to create something.  There are several techniques and skills comprising ‘woodworking.’  Among them are:

• Carpentry

Carpentry is used loosely to refer to woodworking, but it also means working with wood to create larger projects such as a house or building.  A carpenter is usually considered the least skilled of all the woodworkers.

• Joinery

Joinery is the art of joining wood together without the use of screws, nails, or other metal fasteners.  Joiners usually work hand in hand with cabinet and furniture makers.

• Cabinetry

Cabinet or furniture makers are highly-skilled woodworkers specializing in creating fine furniture.

• Marquetry

Also known as ‘parquetry,’ marquetry is the art of creating patterns using wood inlays or veneers.  Marquetry was used in the olden times to decorate furniture, so it was regarded as the highest form of woodworking, regarded in the same level as painting or sculpture.  The difference between marquetry and parquetry is in the design.  In marquetry, one creates scenes, like a landscape or a portrait, whereas in parquetry, the artisan inlays wood veneers to create abstract geometric patterns.

• Turning

A wood turner uses a tool called the lathe to turn a piece of wood while he carves.

• Wood Species

A wood species artisan is in charge of selecting the type of wood for a project.

• Carving

Carving, while similar to turning is in a category all its own because most carvers work without a lathe.

• Boat-buiding

Also called a shipwright.

• Luthier

A luthier is a woodworker specializing in musical instruments such as a violins or guitars.

• Wheelwright

Makes wheels out wood.

• Cooper

Creates barrels or casks.

• Patternmaker

In charge of building patterns for metal or sandcasting.

A variety of tools is used by woodworkers to create designs, but the most common of all equipment is the woodwork bench. 

A woodwork bench is a table that woodworkers use to carve or cut wood.  It is usually a high table, so the woodworker can create designs while standing up or sitting down on a stool.  The parts of a woodwork bench are:

1) Dog hole – the square or round hole where clamps are attached
2) Bench dog – a peg that attaches to the dog hole
3) Hold fast – used to keep boards in place in combination with the dog hole and bench dog
4) Vise – another clamping device to hold wood in place during cutting
5) Bench hook – the handle used by woodworkers to turn wood

There are several websites and advertisements offering woodworking benches, but most woodworkers prefer to build one according to their own specifications.  That way, everything will be ‘chipper.’