Learn About Exotic Woods
How to Fill Burl Voids and Cracks with Epoxy: A Step-by-Step Guide
Filling burl voids with epoxy is basically about getting all the loose dust out, sealing the underside maybe with tape or hot glue, then adding the epoxy in thin layers,...
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What are the different types of ebony wood? A species-by-species buying guide
Types of ebony wood include Gaboon Ebony, Macassar Ebony, Indian or Ceylon Ebony, and Pale Moon Ebony (also referred to as Black & White Ebony). Different species of ebony wood...
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Guitar Machine Heads Explained: How Tuning Pegs Affect Tone and Playability
The guitar machine heads are the gears used to tune a guitar and to either tighten or loosen string tension. The ratio of gears, materials used to make the strings'...
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Beginner's Guide to Wood Inlay and Marquetry: Species, Tools, and First Projects
Inlay and Marquetry are decorative methods of inserting different woods within another or on top of it to form patterns and borders. Inlay wood beginners have a high chance of...
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Padauk Wood Color Change: Why It Fades and How to Keep It Red
Padauk wood color change occurs due to the photo-oxidation of the wood's colour pigments caused by UV radiation and oxygen exposure, which transforms the orange-red of newly cut padauk heartwood...
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Whittling with Basswood: A Beginner's Complete Starter Guide
Basswood is the wood most suitable for beginners to start whittling because of its even texture and lack of knots that allow a knife blade to glide effortlessly on any...
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How Long Does Burl Wood Need to Dry Before Turning?
Burl wood generally requires from three months to a full year for drying prior to turning, depending upon the preparation of the burl wood. A bowl blank that has been...
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Stabilized Wood vs Natural Wood: What Knifemakers and Turners Need to Know
Stabilized wood is a type of wood where natural wood is infused with resin in a vacuum to ensure the cell structure of the wood becomes stiff and moisture-resistant. Natural...
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Why Does Purpleheart Wood Turn Brown? How to Restore Its Color
Purpleheart wood typically loses its color because of the "photo oxidation" process which breaks down the pigments in the heartwood of this tree. The purple pigments are not lost, but...
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What Does Janka Hardness Mean, and Why Does It Matter for Woodworkers?
The Janka hardness test can be conducted to find out how much force needs to be exerted to push a ball of steel into the wood. Some hardness figures are...
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