GLOSSARY OF WOOD-WOKING TERMS:
Work Piece-- A piece of wood on which the cutting operation is being performed.
Anti-KickbackPawls-- Device which, when properly installed and maintained, is designed to stop the work piece from being kicked back toward the operator during the operation.
Arbor-- The shaft on which a cutting tool is mounted.
Bevel Cut-- A cutting operation made with an angled blade.
Compound Miter Cut -- A single cut made with both a miter angle and a bevel angle.
Cross Cut -- A cut or shaping operation made across the work piece.
Dado -- A non-through cut which produces a square sided notch or trough in the work piece.
Feather board -- A device used to help control the work piece by guiding it securely against the table or fence during any rip cut operation.
Freehand -- Performing a cut without using a fence, miter gauge, fixture, hold down clamp, or other proper device to keep the work piece from twisting during the cut – not recommended.
Gum -- A sticky, sap-based residue from wood products.
Heel -- Misalignment of the blade. Heel can cause binding, kickback, excessive force burning the work piece or splintering
Kerf -- The amount of material removed by the blade in a through cut, or the slot produced by the blade in non-through or partial cut.
Kickback -- An uncontrolled grabbing or throwing of the work piece back toward the front of the saw, associated with the work piece closing the kerf and pinching the blade or otherwise placing tension on the blade.
Leading End -- The end of the work piece, which during a rip type operation is pushed into the cutting tool first. Miter Cut -- A cutting operation made with the wood at any angle other than 90 degree to the blade.
Molding -- A cut which produces a special shape in the work piece, used for joining or decoration.
Non-Through Cut -- Any cutting operation where the blade does not extend completely through the thickness of the work piece
Push Block -- A device used to feed the work piece through the saw during narrow rip type operations where a push stick can not be used. It also helps keep the operator's hands well away from the blade.
Push Stick -- A device used to feed the work piece through the saw to help keep the operator's hands well away from the blade.
Rabbet -- A notch in the edge of the work piece.
Resin -- A sticky, sap-based substance that has hardened.
Rip Cut -- A cutting or shaping operation made along the length of the work piece.
Rip Fence -- Adjustable guide used in ripping cuts to keep the work piece parallel to the saw blade. RPM -- Revolutions per Minute. The number of turns completed by a spinning object in one minute
Saw Blade Path -- The area over, under, behind, or in front of the blade. As it applies to the work piece, that area which will be, or has been, cut by the blade.
