|
|
|
Enjoy the View - Use a Binocular
A binocular, or set of binoculars, is a tool used to view
distant objects and make them appear closer to the viewer. Using
both eyes, a person watching a football game seated far from the
field can get a clearer view of the action as it happens...
Five Key Factors That Affect Your Pot Plants In Winter
Winter has an effect not only pot plants outdoors, but also indoors. Find out what are the key factors that affect your plants in winter and what you can do to help them stay healthy at this time of the year.
1. LIGHT is the very first element...
Getting Ready For Your Backcountry Adventure
Much of your hiking gear is only used when hiking or backpacking. And for many people, once you get home, it gets tossed into the closet until the next trip.
Prepare For Your Trip
If this is you, you have to be certain that all of your gear is...
Make it Tonight! Glowing Glass Jar Party Lights
Let these festive glass jar party lights set a magical mood at your next outdoor gathering! They cost very little, last for years, and are so quick and easy to do, you'll want to make several, all in different colors. Here's what you'll...
Night Vision Devices -- The Ultimate in BackCountry Toys
Many nights in the backcountry are far from dark. A bright moon and a sky full of stars can throw off enough light to allow for reading a book, but add cloud cover, mountains or trees and it gets dark awfully fast. When you need to see in the...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Choosing Project Wood
General
Lumber is available in 2 main categories, hardwood and softwood. Quite simply, hardwood is harvested from any deciduous (leaf bearing) tree. While softwood is from coniferous or needle producing trees. However a wood worker also needs to decide if an engineered wood product like plywood is better suited for the job.
We will demystify the these 3 classifications by taking a close look at the 3 main choices a wood worker has to face when buying project wood.
Hardwood
Looking at hardwoods first, it is important to remember that these classifications really have no bearing on the true hardness of the wood, not all hardwoods are "hard". Species like poplar are much softer then pine even though poplar is classified as a hardwood.
Some of the more common domestic hardwoods include, oak, maple, birch and poplar although your choices certainly aren't limited to these four. For exotic species there are too many to list but teak, mahogany, rose wood and purple heart are just a few.
Softwood
Softwoods on the other hand include species like spruce, fir, pine and cedar and are often cheaper to buy then hardwoods. This is mainly because softwood trees grow taller and straighter than hardwood trees. This yields more lumber per log. Along with the fact that most softwood is harvested domestically it is the project wood of choice for most outdoor projects and for many indoor ones as well.
How do you choose project wood?
There are a number of factors that need to be considered when deciding which wood to use for what project. There are no set rules stating what wood to use for an indoor
or outdoor project. Basically the characteristics of the species will determine whether or not it will stand up to the punishing conditions of the outdoors or if it better used indoors.
Both hardwood and softwood can be used for both indoor and outdoor applications but some are more resistant to UV and moisture then others. These are the ones that should be chosen when being used outside.
These particular species have natural oils and resins that fill the cells of the wood and provide, in some cases, very good protection against rot and insects. Species like cedar for example last for decades in direct contact with the ground while spruce would be rotten in under 5 years.
Of course cedar is a softwood and is used a lot throughout the furniture and house construction industry. However, some hardwoods also have very good resistance to rot and insects. Species like teak and mahogany are used a lot in the tropics for boat construction, but since the cost of these exotic hardwood species is so much in North America we tend to use softwood in the outdoor applications.
Another important factor is whether or not you want you intend to use a clear finish or paint to protect your project. Cedar needs to be sealed to prevent oils from leaching through the paint. Some species of hardwood like poplar and birch are great for accepting paint but have a tendency to blotch when stain is applied.
About the Author
Dave Markel is the author of "The All Wood Working
Journal". He has helped hundreds of individuals improve
their wood working skills. Visit his site at
http://all-wood-working-plans.com
|
|
|
|
|
| Appalachian Mountain Club – Outdoor Recreation, Education ... |
| Members from Maine to Virginia participate in hiking, paddling, skiing, and other outdoor activities. Includes links to lodging destinations, local chapters ... |
| www.outdoors.org |
|
| Outdoors in the Yahoo! Directory |
| Explore sites dedicated to the great outdoors. Find information on boating, fishing, camping, hiking, climbing, and other outdoor activities. |
| dir.yahoo.com |
|
| Adventure Travel and Outdoor Recreation - GORP.com |
| Resource for outdoor sports, adventure, and travel. Includes destination, activity, and gear directories plus news, articles, and forums. |
| gorp.away.com |
|
| Outdoors - UK Camping Equipment Supplier |
| Shops operated by the Scout Association. Site includes catalogue, locations of stores and online shopping. |
| www.outdoors.ltd.uk |
|
| ESPN Outdoors - Outdoors Home |
| The latest in Outdoors news and information, all at ESPN.com. |
| espn.go.com |
|
| Outdoors Network - Fishing, Fly Fishing, Hunting, Lefty Kreh, BASS |
| Fishing , Fly Fishing, Hunting , Lefty Kreh, BASS and more, from Outdoors Network - Bringing the Outdoors Indoors. |
| www.outdoors.net |
|
| Great Outdoors |
| Experience the outdoors online -- hiking, skiing, camping, and mountain biking with gear reviews and adventure profiles. |
| www.greatoutdoors.com |
|
| Open Directory - Recreation: Outdoors |
| Recreation: Travel: Specialty Travel: Adventure and Sports (237); Science: Environment (6754); Shopping: Recreation: Outdoors (2491); Society: Gay, Lesbian, ... |
| dmoz.org |
|
| MaineToday.com | Outdoors |
| OUTDOOR NEWS. Trail backers back to work raising money The 55-mile Eastern Trail pedestrian and bicycle ... Seen Outdoors Were you seen in Maine, today? ... |
| outdoors.mainetoday.com |
|
| Outdoors |
| Los Angeles Times Travel Guide - Tips, discounts and world destinations from the Los Angeles Times travel section. |
| www.latimes.com |
|
| SFGate: Sports: Outdoors |
| Once mighty wool makes comeback in outdoor gear (11/23). MAIN EVENTS: Discover fabulous fungus, learn to hunt and hear stories of the great outdoors (11/30) ... |
| www.sfgate.com |
|
| Detroit News Online | Outdoors |
| Outdoors. Deer numbers are up. 17-point buck and numerous 200-pounders mark ... Outdoors. Deer hunt unites families. Old and young, as well as male and ... |
| www.detnews.com |
|
| Google Directory - Recreation > Outdoors |
| Science > Environment (7762) Shopping > Recreation > Outdoors (2778) Society > Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual > Recreation > Outdoors (50) ... |
| www.google.com |
|
| St. Petersburg Times Online: Outdoors |
| The weather is forecast to become more favorable for fishing and being outdoors in general. Go to article · Root for cleaner water to find kings ... |
| www.sptimes.com |
|
| Sports : Outdoors -- Philadelphia Inquirer |
| OUTDOORS LINKS. Outdoors Calendar Listing of clubs and activities in the area Resources How to get listed; whom to contact. RECENT STORIES ... |
| www.philly.com |
|
| Welcome to Cotswold Outdoor Ltd - outdoor & travel clothing ... |
| Find travel and active wear, camping and climbing equipment, rucksacks, accessories, and sleeping bags. |
| www.cotswoldoutdoor.com |
|
| Outdoors: South Florida Sun-Sentinel |
| South Florida's breaking news site, with news, sports and information updated constantly throughout the day. |
| www.sun-sentinel.com |
|
| Outdoor Clothing - Rock Climbing Equipment - Camping Gear - Hiking ... |
| UK based outdoor clothing retailer. Stock includes rock climbing equipment, camping gear, stoves, tents hiking boots, waterproofs, fleeces, ht and gloves. |
| www.ultimateoutdoors.co.uk |
|
| Outdoors T-Shirts and Gifts : CafePress.com : Shop Over 35 Million ... |
| CafePress has over 9660 unique , outdoors designs on more than 98600 T-Shirts and Gifts. Narrow your search with topics like funny outdoors, or nature, ... |
| www.cafepress.com |
|
| Great outdoors: Hunting, fishing, biking and running news ... |
| Top Outdoors Stories. Strong mast crop affects hunters now, next year ... Bill Cochran's Outdoors. You are never more alive than when a predator ... |
| www.roanoke.com |
|
|