Wood

In the last 50 years woodworking has changed dramatically what brought about this change was carbide cutting tools. Before carbide became available to the average woodworker soft woods were used as much as possible on cabinets and furniture. At the start of this time, some carpenters were using plywood for cupboard doors. They would buy a saw attachment that would take different cutters usually making a round front edge and cut a rabbit on the back. This would give an overhang to the Edge of the cupboard door. Hardwoods such as oak maple beach cherry walnut and elm were readily available, but it took very sharp tools to work this material these woods were widespread in the north Midwest. Also native in this area were soft woods, such as pine cedar Tulip Poplar Sycamore and Basswood’. The pine was cut off by big sawmill owner’s across much of the area. This wood was then planed to dimension lumber moldings ect.and had to be purchased at lumber yards. Species like tulip poplar were so desired, because of the workability they were also hard to find. Factories will proper equipment, used hardwoods, which were sold on the stump for a little as $20 a thousand in the 50s. Oak was used very little by small shops. People who owned wood lots had very little use for Oak and maple. The main use for it was for fuel and building repairs, while it was still green and could be nailed .One problem with small shops was getting the wood planed from ruff to finish. Thickness planers were very expensive, and there were not many around. Now there are many small planers available at reasonable prices. This was brought about by imports. One of the first blades with carbide inserts was sold by Sears basically, a 1/8″ steel blank with about eight carbide teeth welded in place. This solved the problem of staying sharp, and with enough clearance to prevent burning and pinching. Today blades are available from retailers, which will cut as smooth and sometimes smoother than joiners or planers . The tools available to woodworkers today would have been hard to imagine in the 50s.