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Galoot Glossary

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Hack Saw
Sturdy frame saw fitted with metal cutting blades.
Half Overlay
In frameless cabinet construction the box is typically made from 3/4 inch thick stock. A half overlay is commonly used in the middle of a run of cabinets where the doors share a common single partition wall. This hinge will allow the door to cover up half of the partition wall (or approximately 3/8"). Not to be confused with 1/2 inch overlay which will allow a door to cover up the cabinet or face frame by 1/2 inch.
Half-Blind Dovetail
A dovetail joint where the cut does not go all of the way through the board. The ends of a half-blind dovetail are concealed. (see through dovetail joint)
Hammer
A striking tool consisting at its most basic of a weight on a stick.
Hammer Drill
See Hand Drill.
Hand Drill
A small drill for use with one or two hands. Can be reversible, have variable speed, and a variable clutch which limits the torque applied for driving screws. Can be corded or cordless. Hand drills that vibrate back and forth for driving drill bits into rock or concrete are called hammer drills.
Hand Plane
See Plane
Hand Saw
See Saw.
Hand Scraper
A very simple scraper that consists of a steel blade that is held in your hands. The arris on the long side has a small burr turned up by a burnisher. It is this hook that shears the wood fibers when the tool is used.
Hanger bar
The adjustable rod which holds the guard, the thrust bearing and the lateral guides of a bandsaw.
Hardboard
A type of manufactured board similar to particle board but with a much smoother surface. A common brand of hardboard is Masonite.
Hardpoint saws
Hand saws with hardened teeth that only an oilstone (or diamond hone) will touch. The teeth cannot be re-set without breaking. Commonly associated with modern, inexpensive consumer-grade saws.
Hardwood
Any angiosperm that has its seed contained in an ovary such as a fruit or nut. This term has nothing to do with the hardness of the wood. Usually broad leaf deciduous trees. See Softwood.
Haunch
The part of the whole timber beyond the shoulder which is let into another timber
Headsaw
In a sawmill, the large band saw or circular saw used to size the log into lumber.
Heartwood
The inner core of a tree trunk or stem that no longer conducts sap. Heartwood is not alive, but it does serve as a skeletal support for the living tree. Sometimes heartwood is decay and/or insect resistant.
Heel
1. Of a bevel, the part furthest from the edge. 2. Of a plane, the part opposite to the front (or toe). 3. Of a saw, the end nearest the handle.
Herringbone Pattern
In veneering, a hearing bone pattern is formed when successive layers of veneers are glued up so they form a mirror image. Usually this pattern slants upwards and outwards, like a herringbone.
Hewing Horse
Low, heavy beam with short horns for holding wood while hewing planks for boat building.
High Spots
Areas of the board that are thicker or wider than the rest of the board.
High-back Windsor
The English equivalent of an American Comb-back Windsor
Hogging Off
Making deep, rough cuts in wood with a plane, removing large quanitities of material quickly.
Holdfast
L-shaped piece of metal designed to sit in a bench-dog hole and hold down a workpiece on top of a workbench. Tap the top to tighten, tap the back to loosen.
Hollow auger
Tool used to form cylindrical tenons, such as on the ends of rungs.
Hollow grind
A slight concavity across the width of a bevel caused by the grinding on the rim of a turning grindstone.
Hollows and Rounds
The simplest types of molding planes. The hollow plane has a concave profile. The round plane has a convex profile.
Hone, honing
The second step in sharpening, between shaping (grinding) and polishing. Grits with 800 - 1,200 mesh are employed. Honing which is done by hand removes the fine "wire edge" or burr that is formed during filing, grinding or shaping of the cutting edge on a coarse stone.
Honeycombing
Checks in the interior of a piece of wood, usually caused by casehardening during rapid drying.
Honing bevel
The narrower sloping surface formed by honing.
Hook Angle
The angle of the blade's cutting edge as it relates to the centerline of the blade
Horned Dado
This is caused by the outside blades of a stacked dado head cutting deeper than the chipper blades.
Horsehair
A natural filament used in brushes. It is usually blended with other filaments. When the percentage of horsehair in a brush becomes too large the quality of the brush is degraded.
Hot Finish
A finish that contains solvents that will attack other finishes. Lacquer is a hot finish. Hot finishes should not be applied over cold finishes. (See cold finish.)
Housing
The shallow mortise or cavity for receiving the major part of a timber end, usually coupled with a smaller deep mortise to receive a tenon tying the joint together
Hue
Technical name for what is commonly simply referred to as "color."
Hygroscopic
The tendency of wood to absorb and excel moisture as humidity levels change.

RD Glossary by Run Digital