Woodworking alphabet starting with….
M……..Marquetry
In Europe wood veneers were being used to decorate church furniture
Andre-Charles Boulle
and panels in Italy from the 11th Century, with particularly fine examples being created in Sienna and Sorrento.
In France marquetry became extremely popular during the reign of Louis XIV.
Andre-Charles Boulle, a master craftsman, who worked in the royal workshops, used a variety of materials…..brass, silver, tortoise shell, pewter, ebony….to create exquisite marquetry.
Companion post Marquetry – A Medieval Woodworking Craft
N……….Natural Wood
One of the most attractive characteristics of wood is the huge range of natural finishes that wood offers.
Different colours and grains have been used by furniture makers and craftsmen to create beautiful marquetry and intarsia artwork.
There are three different types of grains…….curly, flat, and straight..
Each year a new growth ring is added to the trunk of a tree.
Victorian Whatnot sellingantiques.co,uk
These annual rings are sawn through when lengths of timber are being prepared, which reveals the grain of the wood.
The nature of the grain depends on the way in which the tree is sawn.
One of the most sought after figured woods is burr walnut, which has been used for the shelves on this Victorian Corner Whatnot.
Companion post Marquetry – A Medieval Woodworking Craft
O………Oil
Wood oils are used to finish and protect wooden furniture, whilst enhancing the grain.
The oil is micro-porous, which enables it to penetrate the pores of the wood. The oil dries in the surface grain to provide a durable, weather resistant surface.
Teak oil is ideal for use on hard woods and garden furniture, and will refresh wood that has become dry from exposure to sunlight.
Companion post Drill Bits, Glue and Sandpaper
P…….Pyrography
The word pyrography derives from the Greek meaning ‘writing with fire’.
You can create beautifully intricate designs on your woodworking projects using this method.
A professional grade pyrography kit costs around £110 and there are many free stencils available online.
Take a look at this stunning, time lapse, video of a Mandala design created by Brenda Wilkie with thanks to Woodworking Edge
If you want to learn more about pyrography take a look at Wood Burning For Beginners or read this article
Companion post 6 Ways To Increase Sales Of Your Woodworking Products
R……….Routers
Routers can be divided into two categories: fixed base and plunge 
base. On a fixed base router, once the bit is in and the base is locked, the bit is in a ‘fixed’ position, meaning its depth is set and will stay set.
On a plunge base router, the bit can be locked in the router, then plunged in and out of the material.
A router is used to give a piece of wood a particular shape, so it can be joined to another piece of wood. For example you can make tongue and groove or mortise and tenon joints using a router.
Companion post The Characteristics Of 7 Woodworking Joints
S……..Scroll Sawing
There are two things you will need before you can start scroll 
sawing…..a scroll saw and patterns.
Your scroll saw should have an inbuilt light, dust collector and have a variable speed control as standard. Make sure you can use flat end blades.
You can source your patterns in three ways…..buy a pattern book, search for free patterns on Pinterest or design them yourself.
Launch your career by viewing ’10 Fun Scroll Saw Woodworking Projects’ by Steve Carmichael.
T……..Treen
Victorian Fruitwood Salt Box
The literal definition of Treen is “of a tree” and refers to small handmade functional household objects which are made of wood.
Tonbridge ware was especially popular in the 19th century for needle cases and similar accessories and was imitated extensively.
Other examples of collectable treen are 19th Century wooden boxes, turned bowls, salt and pepper pots, needle cases, egg cups and tea caddies.
Companion post Woodturning – An Introduction
U……….Undercoat
Many projects need protecting either with varnish or paint. Two or 
three layers of paint are normally required before applying the top coat……a primer, a sealer and an undercoat.
a primer, which is applied to bare wood, provides adhesion for subsequent coats.
a sealer makes the surface non-porous
an undercoat fills any minor imperfections, thus providing a smooth, even surface for the top coat.
Companion post Drill Bits, Glues and Sandpaper
V………Veneers
Wood Veneers are used for two historic wood crafts, marquetry and 
intarsia, which I have discussed in previous posts.
There are many reasons why figuring is found in different woods. The most common ‘blemishes’ are shakes, spalts, burrs and curls.
Shakes – cracks that develop in living trees, particularly chestnut
Spalts – caused by partial decay in beech and American maple
Burrs – occurs where the tree sends out numerous dormant buds
Curls – point where the main stem divides evenly into two branches
To learn more about figuring in different woods visit this site
Companion post Intarsia – An Introduction
W………Whittling
All you need to take up this absorbing hobby is a knife and a piece of 
wood.
Wood…. to begin with choose a straight grained wood, such as basswood or balsa. Just make sure it has no knots.
Knife….. traditionally whittlers used pocket knives, but nowadays you can purchase speciality whittling knives. Whatever you choose make sure it’s sharp.
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