Test Your Woodworking I.Q.

The following was taken from the February and August 1991 issue of WOOD magazine:
Challenge your woodworking know-how, and then check your answers against those at the bottom of the page.
When you are finished, checked on what level of Woodworker you are: (I made a slight change here)
16-18 A LumberJock Shop Wizard
11-15 A cut above the run of the mill LumberJock 7-10 Run of the mill LumberJock
less than 7 Hill of LumberJock sawdust

Test Your Woodworking I.Q.

Test Note: There can be more than one answer.

FROM TREE TO BOARD 1. What size is a board foot? A. 1 X 6 X 18” B. 1 X 12 X 12” C. 2 X 6 X 12” D. 12 X 12 X 12”

2. What’s the greatest difference between Red Oak and White Oak? A. Red Oak is a different color. B. White Oak makes a durable outdoor project. C. White Oak cost less.

3. If you followed the old adage about how long it takes to air-dry green wood, how long would it take to dry a piece 3 1/2” thick? A. 4 1/2 years B. 6 months C. 2 1/2 years D. 3 1/2 Years

4. After seasoning, will a board be narrower or shorter than when it was green? A. Shorter B. Neither C. Both D. Narrower

WORK THAT WOOD 5. Which of the following can be done on a bandsaw? A. Rippiing B. Cutting circles C. Resawing D. Mitering

6. When ripping on the tablesaw, how much blade should extend above the wood? A. 1 1/8” B. The teeth C. 3/8” D. Double the wood thickness

7. What is the shortest board you can safely run through a jointer? A. One half the bed width B. 24” C. 10” D. 12”

8. Hardwood should be drilled at a faster speed than softwood. A. True B. False

PUTTING PROJECTS TOGETHER 9. What is the strongest woodoworkiing joint? A. Butt B. Shouldered butt C. Tongue-and-groove D. Mortise-and-tenon

10. Veneering became popular in the Machine age of the 1800’s. A. True B. False

11. When is a dado a groove? A. When it runs with the grain B. Only across the grain C. At the end of the board D. On the edge of a board

12. When someone mentions alpherit-resin glue, what are they talking about? A. Glue warmed in a pot B. Yellow glue C. Contact cement

13. What can slow-cure epoxy do that 5-minute epoxy can’t? A. Be sanded B. Resist water C. Fall out D. Accept paint

THE FINAL TOUCH 14. What hand tool did the finish sander replace? A. Sanding block B. Plane C. Cabinet scraper

15. Which of the following finishing materials comes from a tree? A. Linseed oil B. Tung oil C. Aniline dye D. Lacquer

16. For outdoor use, a clear finish should contain what? A. Tint color B. Varnish C. Pigment D. UV inhibitors

17. What is “Fish eye”? A. Smelly varnish B. A blemish C. Wood figure D. Router bit

18. When sanding, how do you know when to switch to the next finer grit? A. It no longer removes wood B. You run out B. When it feels smooth C. After five minutes

The Answers: (See at the bottom for comments from the readers of ‘Wood’ magazine) 1. (B,C) Usually 1 X 12 X 12”, but other combinations work. 2. (B) The major difference is that Red oak has open cells while White oak has closed cells, making it useful for casks and able to withstand the rigors of the outdors. 3. (A) Dry green wood for two years for the first 1” of thichness, then one year for each added 1”. 4. (D) Wood shrinks only in width and thickness. (See note below) 5. (A,B,C,D) A versatile tool. 6. (B) To remove sawdust, the teeth need only to clear the wood. 7. (D) For safety’s sake, regard 12” as minimum. 8. (B) Slower speeds avoid burning. 9. (D) Mainly because of the amount of gluing surface. 10. (B) verneering was popular in ancient Egypt to conserve precious wood. 11. (A) A dado goes across the grain, grooves with it. (See note below) 12. (B) The old reliable—creamy yellow woodworkers glue. 13. (B) It holds up better to moisture than any other glue. 14. (C) Cabinet scrapers wrer used to finely smooth wood. 15. (B) Seeds of the Tung tree, from china, yield oil. 16. (D) Ultraviolet light (UV) penetrates the wood and discolors it. 17. (B) Craters occur in lacquer when there are traces of silcone on the wood. 18. (A) No kidding!

On question 4, a reader states: ” The answer is incorrect. Although wood shrinks most appreciably in its width and thickness (7-14%) it also shrinks a few tenths of 1% in length. Thus the correct answer is C. Both.”

On question 11, a reader states: “The grain direction doesn’t make any difference. A dado has parallel sides and a flat bottom, A grove can be V-shaped, round-bottomed, or like a dado. A scratch is a groove.”

-- Ron in Osseo, Minnesota