Branching Out Wood

Modern Functional Home Decor by David Wertheimer

Feeds & Speeds

CNC, How To & CalculatorsDavid WertheimerComment

Just scratching the surface of the “feeds and speeds” topic that any good machinist knows, I learned quite a bit about how to make my CNC work go faster, and what tooling to use to better match a machine’s capabilities with the material being cut. Read on to get an overview of spindle speed, travel speed, tool size, and horsepower - and why it matters.

Tambour Track Sizing

How To & CalculatorsDavid Wertheimer14 Comments

If you are making a tambour door - think roll-top desk - there are some critical relationships between the size of the slats, the size of the tenon, and the minimum radius that can be supported as the door slides around corners and contours. The rules-of-thumb and anecdotal experiences I found online did not tell the complete story which led to a brief panic in my project. With some pen & paper, I was able to translate an understanding of the geometry to a quick adjustment, and to a concrete equation which provides some guidelines for anyone building their own tambour door.

Scrap Wood to Beautiful Furniture

Sustainability, Products & ShowsDavid Wertheimer2 Comments

Finding homes for beautiful scrap wood is a constant challenge for me; I’m always on the lookout for projects (or collaborators) that can put smaller and odd-shaped pieces to use. This design both caught my eye and was perfect for some pieces sitting in the workshop. Learn about the joints and fabrication of this unique piece, including a detailed dimensioned drawing to aid you in building it yourself!