Woodworking/Breaking down and dressing

Timber for woodworking can be bought either 'dressed' (when it has already been sawn or 'broken down' to the desired width and thickness, and planed smooth) or 'rough' (when it is in the same state as when it left the sawmill, and either green or seasoned). It is quicker to begin woodworking projects with the former, but the latter is cheaper.

This chapter deals with the processes of taking rough, seasoned timber and sawing it to the required dimensions (width and thickness only), and then planing it smooth enough to begin the main woodworking tasks (cutting joints etc.).

Breaking down

Purchasing timber in its rough-sawn state can be more confusing for a beginner, because the nature of the grain and quality of the wood can be somewhat concealed.

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Dressing

The next stage is to dress the ripped pieces. This is done with a scrub plane.

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