Glossary

To help improve knowledge and understanding about KLINGSPOR, we have compiled a searchable glossary. KLINGSPOR's list of definitions includes both common and uncommon industry standard terms.

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List of Abrasive Terms

0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

2K: When two components are mixed to use a material. For example, 2K primer is the primer and a catalyst.

A-stage: A very early stage in the reaction of certain thermosetting resins where the molecular weight is low and the resin is still soluble in some liquids and still fusible.
ABS: Abbreviation for “Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene” - A synthetic decorative coating or edgebanding.
ADA: “American With Disabilities Act” was signed into law by President Bush on July 26, 1990. The ADA is designed to give civil rights protection to people with disabilities, similar to those granted by the Civil Rights Act.
AISI Steels: Steels of the American Iron and Steel Institute. Common and alloy steels have been numbered in a system essentially the same as the SAE. The AISI system is more elaborate than the SAE in that all numbers are preceded by letters: A represents basic open-hearth alloy steel; B acid Bessemer carbon steel; C basic open-hearth carbon steel; CB either acid Bessemer are basic open-hearth carbon steel; E electric furnace alloy steel.
ASME: Abbreviation for American Society of Automotive Engineers. This organization has specified common and alloy steels and copper base alloys in accordance with a numerical index system allowing approximation of the composition of the metal. The last two digits always indicate the carbon content, usually within 0.05%. See AISI- SAE specifications. An accelerated corrosion test in which the metal specimens are exposed to a fine mist of salt- water solution either continuously or intermittently.
ASTM: American Society For Testing Material. An organization for issuing standard specifications on materials, including metals and alloys.
ASTM: The abbreviation for American Society for Testing and Materials.
Abalone: The “pearly” interior shell-lining of the same-named mollusk, frequently used for inlay and other decorative purposes; especially prized is the small “green heart” abalone.
Abrasion: The process of rubbing, grinding, or wearing away by friction.
Abrasion Resistance: The resistance to friction wear.
Abrasion Resistance: The ability of a material to withstand mechanical actions such as rubbing, scraping or erosion that tends progressively to remove material from its surface.
Abrasion-Resistant Steels: A family of steel products developed for those applications involved in sliding and/or impact abrasion.
Abrasive: A substance used for abrading, grinding, polishing, lapping, such as the natural materials Emery, Garnet, Flint, and Crocus, and the manufactured or electric furnace materials: Aluminum Oxide, Silicon Carbide, and Alumina Zirconia. One of the three essential components of a coated abrasive product (backing, adhesive, abrasive grain).
Abrasive: A substance capable of grinding away another material.
Abrasive Planing: Rough sanding of glued-up wood panels or lumber prior to intermediate sanding or the application of overlays.
Accelerator: A compound added to speed up the action of a catalyst in a resin mix.
Accents: A contrast, outline, or highlight added for detail and emphasis. See “inlays”.
Acceptable Runner/Cavity Ratio: Runner system designed for high pressure drops to minimize material usage and increase frictional heating in the runner.
Accordion Reed Steel: Hardened, tempered, polished, and blued or yellow flat steel with dressed edges. Carbon content about 1.00. Material has to possess good flatness, uniform hardness and high elasticity.
Acid Dipped: Dry rolled finish. Produced by dry cold rolling bichromate dipped alloy with polished rolls resulting in a burnished appearance and retaining the color obtained by dipping (True Metal Color).
Acid Steel: Steel melted in a furnace with an acid bottom and lining and under a slag containing an excess of an acid substance such as silica. Steel produced in a furnace with an acid lining, i.e. consisting of a siliceous refractory and under a siliceous slag. With an acid slag, carbon, silicon and manganese only are removed so that the pig iron must not contain sulfur and phosphorus in percentages exceeding those permissible for the specification being made. Most steel manufactured today is in furnaces with basic linings.
Acid-Brittleness: Brittleness resulting from pickling steel in acid; hydrogen, formed by the interaction between iron and acid, is partially absorbed by the metal. This causes acid brittleness.
Acid-Process: A process of making steel, either Bessemer, open-hearth or electric, in which the furnace is lined with a siliceous refractory and for which low phosphorus pig iron is required as this element is not removed.
Acrylic: A plastic-like material used in the manufacturing of paint to increase gloss and durability.
Acrylic Coating Cured with Radiation Process: A coating over particle board.
Acrylic Urethane: A coating based on urethane chemistry which also includes acrylic chemistry as part of the cross-linked polymer backbone.
Action: The distance of the strings from the playing surface of the fingerboard; thus, “high” action means the strings are raised farther away from the fingerboard, and “low” actions means they’re closer to the fingerboard; qualitatively, “good action” is a matter of personal preference, but, lower action is generally easier to play.
Activation: The changing of the passive surface of a metal to a chemically active state. Contrast with passivation.
Active Pickups: Pickups and electronics that use electricity to enhance the direct sound coming out of the pickups.
Additive: A substance compounded into a resin to enhance or improve certain characteristics.
Additive: A component that may be included in the formulation of the composite mixture to modify its properties and in general, enhance its processing or end-product performance. Additives may include catalysts, colorants, hardeners, accelerators, inhibitors, flame retardants and other ingredients.
Additives: Chemicals added to a paint to improve or create certain specific characteristics, i.e. flex agents.
Adhesion: The degree of attachment between a finish step and the underlying material.
Adhesive: A substance capable of bonding materials together by surface attachment. It is a general term and includes all cements and glues.
Adhesive Assembly: The process of joining two or more plastic parts by means of an abrasive.
Adhesive, Cold and Hot Press: “Cold press” means no heat is applied to the press and will include the use of pinch rollers. “Hot press” means heat is applied at the time the press is in operation.
Adhesive, Type I Fully Waterproof: Forms a bond that will retain practically all of its strength when occasionally subjected to a thorough wetting and drying; bond shall be of such quality that specimens will withstand shear and the two-cycle cold soak test specified in ANSI/HPVA HP.
Adhesive, Type II Water-Resistant: Forms a bond that will retain practically all of its strength when occasionally subjected to a thorough wetting and drying; bond shall be of such quality that specimens will withstand the three-cycle cold soak test specified in ANSI/HPVA HP.
Adjustable Shelves: Generally accomplished through the use of multiple holes with either plastic or metal pins to hold the shelves. Some metal or plastic shelf standards are still in use. The adjustment method is the manufacturer’s option unless otherwise specified.
Age Hardening: Hardening by aging, usually after rapid cooling or cold working. The term as applied to soft, or low carbon steels, relates to a wide variety of commercially important, slow, gradual changes that take place in properties of steels after the final treatment. These changes, which bring about a condition of increased hardness, elastic limit, and tensile strength with a consequent loss in ductility, occur during the period in which the steel is at normal temperatures.
Aging: The process of or the results of exposure of plastics to natural or artificial environmental conditions for a prolonged period of time.
Aging: A change in properties that occurs at ambient or moderately elevated temperatures after hot working or a heat-treating operation (quench aging in ferrous alloys), or after a cold working operation (strain aging). The change in properties is often, but not always, due to a phase change (precipitation). It does not involve a change in chemical composition, however. In a metal or alloy, a change in properties that generally occurs slowly at room temperature and more rapidly at higher temperatures.
Agrofiber: Refers to core products made from the residual material from a grain crop similar in composition to particle board.
Air Burn: A patch or streak of brown or black material on the component caused by air or gases that have not been properly vented from the mold and have caused the material to overheat and burn.
Air Cooling: Cooling of the heated metal, intermediate in rapidity between slow furnace cooling and quenching, in which the metal is permitted to stand in the open air.
Air Dried: Seasoned by controlled exposure to the atmosphere, in the open or under cover, without artificial heat.
Air Dried Lumber: Lumber that was dried, usually outside, to equilibrium moisture content with the air it was exposed to.
Air-Drying: The process of drying fully during exposure to air at normal temperatures.
Air-Hardening Steel: A steel containing sufficient carbon and other alloying elements to harden fully during cooling in air or other gaseous mediums from a temperature above its transformation range. Such steels attain their martensitic structure without going through the quenching process. Additions of chromium, nickel, molybdenum and manganese are effective toward this end. The term should be restricted to steels that are capable of being hardened by cooling in air in fairly large sections, about 2 in. or more in diameter.
Alarm Bell: An electric bell located either in or outside the hoistway that should be auto building operating personnel; it is connected to a pushbutton in the car operating panel, and is available to elevator passengers for summoning aid in emergencies. A second, battery operated bell is recommended located on the car itself as a back up or for use during a possible power failure.
Alclad: Composite sheet produced by bonding either corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy or aluminum of high purity to base metal of structurally stronger aluminum alloy. The coatings are anodic to the core so they protect exposed areas of the core electrolytically during exposure to corrosive environment.
Alkaline Cleaner: Uses an alkaline solution, usually sodium hydroxide, to clean residual oils and iron fines left on the strip from the cold reduction process.
All-Heart: Made of heartwood throughout. Free of sapwood.
Alligatoring: When paint cracks into large segments resembling alligator skin.
Allotriomorph: A particle of a phase that has no regular external shape.
Allotropy: The property whereby certain elements may exist in more than one crystal structure. The property possessed by certain elements to exist in two or more distinct forms that are chemically identical but have different physical properties. In the case of iron the crystal structure has one form at room temperature and another at high temperature. When heated above 910°C the atomic structure changes from body centered cubic to face centered cubic but reverts again when cooled. The allotropy of iron modifies the solubility of carbon, and it is because of this that steel can be hardened.
Alloy: A mixture, solid solution, or combination of two or more metals (i.e. brass is an alloy of copper and zinc) ; a substance obtained by the mixture or combinations of a metal and a nonmetal; a baser metal combined with a finer one.
Alloy: A substance having metallic properties and composed of two or more chemical elements of which at least one is a metal.
Alloy: A term used in the plastics industry to denote blends of polymers or copolymers with other polymers or elastomers. (i.e. ABS/Polycarbonate).
Alloy: A mixture or solution of metals. Low alloy steel usually has less than 10% alloying elements while high alloy steel contains more than 10% alloying elements.
Alloy Steel: Steel containing substantial quantities of elements other than carbon and the commonly accepted limited amounts of manganese, sulfur, silicon, and phosphorus. Addition of such alloying elements is usually for the purpose of increased hardness, strength or chemical resistance. The metals most commonly used for forming alloy steels are: nickel, chromium, silicon, manganese tungsten, molybdenum and vanadium. Low alloy steels are usually considered to be those containing a total of less than 5% of such added constituents.
Alloying Element: An element added to a metal, and remaining in the metal, that effects changes in structure and properties.
Alpha Brass: A copper-zinc alloy containing up to 38% of zinc. Used mainly for cold working.
Alpha Bronze: A copper-tin alloy consisting of the alpha solid solution of tin in copper. Commercial forms contain 4 or 5% of tin. This alloy is used in coinage, springs, turbine, blades, etc.
Alpha Iron: The polymorphic form of iron, stable below 1670°F. has a body centered cubic lattice, and is magnetic up to 1410°F.
Alternative Energy: A popular term for non-conventional energy like renewables
Alumen: An alloy made of 88% aluminum, 10% zinc, and 2% copper, which can be forged and machined. It is heavier than aluminum and very strong.
Alumina: Alternate name for Aluminum Oxide.
Alumina Zirconia: A high-performance alloyed abrasive formed by zirconia deposited in an alumina matrix. Works well for grinding of stainless steel, spring steel, titanium, and other hard steels, and for dimensioning wood. An alloy of aluminum oxide and zirconium oxide. Designed for heavy duty stock removal for metal and wood, with self-sharpening characteristic. Belts are normally blue in color.
Aluminizing: Forming an aluminum or aluminum alloy coating on a metal by hot dipping, hot spraying, or diffusion.
Aluminum: A silvery white metal of valence 3. Ductile and malleable; stable against normal atmospheric corrosion, but attacked by both acids and alkalis. Aluminum is used extensively in articles requiring lightness, corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, etc. Its principal functions as an alloy in steel making: Deoxidizes efficiently; Restricts grain growth (by forming dispersed oxides or nitrides); Alloying element in nitriding steel. Aluminum is also used to deoxidize steel and control grain size. Grain size control is affected by forming a fine dispersion with nitrogen and oxygen, which restricts austenite grain growth. Aluminum is also an extremely effective nitride former in nitriding steels.
Aluminum Killed Steel: A steel where aluminum has been used as a deoxidizing agent.
Aluminum Oxide: An abrasive made by fusing the mineral bauxite. A very strong, tough abrasive that is the most commonly used abrasive for sanding and grinding of wood and metal. Normally brown or reddish-brown in color.
Ambient Temperature: The temperature of a medium surrounding an object. The term is often used to denote prevailing room temperature.
Amorphous: Devoid of crystallinity or stratification. Most plastics are amorphous at processing temperatures. Material assumes more random molecular structure when cooling.
Amorphous: Noncrystalline.
Amplifier: An electronic device for amplifying voltage, current, or power; a guitar amplifier boosts the signal from a pickup or microphone.
Analog: Full-body electromagnetic induction testing; a type of non-destructive test. (pipe)
Anchor Strips: Used to mount woodwork; other names include nailers, mounting cleats, hanging strips and wall cleats.
Angle Iron: A rolled-steel member, L-shaped in section.
Angstrom Unit: (A) A unit of linear measure equal to 10(-10)m, or 0.1 nm; not an accepted Si unit, but still sometimes used for small distances, such as interatomic distances and some wavelengths.
Aniline Dye: A synthetic dye often used to impart enhanced clarity of color to wood.
Anionic Electro Deposition: One of the electro coating (E-coat) methods in which the body is charged positively and the paint negatively. Frequently used in OEM primer application.
Anisotropy: The tendency of a material to react differently to stresses applied in different directions.
Anisotropy: The characteristics of exhibiting different values of a property in different directions with respect to a fixed reference system in the material.
Anneal: To heat a metal piece to its critical temperature and then allow it to cool slowly, thus reducing brittleness and increasing ductility.
Annealing: Heating to and holding at a suitable temperature and then cooling at a suitable rate, for such purposes as reducing hardness, improving machinability, facilitating cold working, producing a desired microstructure, or obtaining desired mechanical, physical, or other properties. When applicable, the following more specific terms should be used: black annealing, blue annealing, box annealing, bright annealing, flame annealing, graphitizing, intermediate annealing, isothermal annealing, malleableizing, process annealing, quench annealing, recrystallization annealing, and spheroids. When applied to ferrous alloys, the term annealing, without qualification, implies full annealing. When applied to nonferrous alloys, the term annealing implies a heat treatment designed to soften an age-hardened alloy by causing a nearly complete precipitation of the second phase in relatively coarse form. Any process of annealing will usually reduce stresses, but if the treatment is applied for the sole purpose of such relief, it should be designated stress relieving. The process of heating and cooling a cold reduced sheet to induce softness and formability. Two types: box annealing (Cold Sheet Mill) and continuous annealing (Galvanize Mill). Computerized systems used to control and maintain strip thickness; activated through x-ray measurement with feedback loops to control mill screw down pressures and/or speed.
Annealing: The process of relieving internal stresses of molded plastic articles by heating to a predetermined temperature, maintaining this temperature for a predetermined length of time and slowly cooling the articles.
Annealing Twin: A twin formed in a metal during an annealing heat treatment.
Anodizing: An electronic surface treatment for aluminum which builds up an aluminum oxide coating to provide better adhesion.
Anodizing: A finishing treatment on aluminum metal, similar to plating, which makes the surface of the metal tougher and also used for decorative coloring; an electrical process in a chromic-acid solution which deposits a hard surface film of aluminum oxide on aluminum parts. It serves as an excellent base for paint.
Anodizing (Aluminum Acid Oxide Coating): A process of coating aluminum by anodic treatment resulting in a thin film of aluminum oxide of extreme hardness. A wide variety of dyes colored coatings are possible by impregnation in process.
Antioxidant: An additive used to reduce degradation from oxygen attach at normal or elevated temperatures. Sources such as heat, age, chemicals, and/or stress may accelerate oxygen attack.
Antiozonants: Additives used to prevent the negative effects of ozone on the resin materials.
Antistatic: Special coated abrasives for woodworking which reduce static electricity buildup and allows sanding dust to be better collected by the dust control system.
Antistatic Agent: An additive used to improve the electrical conductivity of the plastic part so that any charge can readily go to ground and not remain in the part. This makes the part less susceptible to the accumulation of electrostatic charges which attract and hold fine dirt or dust on the surface of the plastic article.
Application: What the molded plastic article4 will be in its final form.
Apron Front Sink: A sink with a large apron in front that sits on a short cabinet. This may also be referred to as a “farmhouse sink”.
Arbor: The spindle of the grinding or sanding machine on which the contact wheel, idler puley, or flapwheel is mounted; a shaft, mandrel, spindle or axle; on a milling machine the cutter is often mounted on an arbor – on a lathe the work is sometimes mounted on an arbor.
Arbor Hole: The hole in the contact wheel or idler pulley sized to fit the machine arbor.
Arc Furnace: A steel melting furnace in which heat is generated by an arc between graphite electrodes and the metal. Both carbon and alloy steels are produced in electric arc furnaces and scrap rather than molten metal is used as the base material. Furnaces with capacities up to 200 tons are now in use.
Arc Welding: A group of welding processes wherein the metal or metals being joined are coalesced by heating with an arc, with or without the application of pressure and with or without the use of filler metal.
Arc Welding: Welding done using heat produced by an electrical arc between the work, and an electrode/filler metal. Intense heat-approximately 5500°F.
Arc of Contact: On a contact wheel, that portion of the circumference of the coated abrasive belt touching the work being ground.
Architectural woodwork: Fine custom woodworking, so varied in design and complexity that it becomes difficult to define; specified for special applications and functions by design professionals and created by manufacturers. It includes all exterior and interior woodwork exposed to view in a finished building (except specialty items of flooring, shingles, exposed roof decking, ceiling, siding, structural wood trusses and rafters, and overhead type doors), including all exposed wood, plywood, high and low pressure decorative laminates and wood doors. Items made of other materials are included only if called for in the specifications. Finishing may be included if specified as may site installation.
Area of Contact: The total area of the grinding surface of a coated abrasive product in contact with the work being ground.
Arris: In architecture, a sharp edge formed by the meeting of two flat or curved surfaces.
Articulated Joint: In architectural paneling, joint details that allow for field variations.
Artifact: In microscopy, a false structure introduced during preparation of a specimen.
Artificial Aging: An aging treatment above room temperature.
Artificially Balanced Runner System: Involves balancing a runner system by adjusting the pressure drop of a long, large diameter runner against a short, small diameter runner. Since pressure drop over the small diameter runner will be much more affected by heat loss than the large diameter runner, an artificially balanced runner system will work with a set range of molding conditions. The width of this range of molding conditions determines the stability of the molding.
Ash Content: The solid residue remaining after a substance has been incinerated or heated to a temperature sufficient to drive off all combustible or volatile substances.
Aspect Ratio: The ratio of total flow length to average wall thickness.
Assemblies: A term used to describe a section of abrasive used in the loading of a Vonnegut head brush-backed sander. Available with the abrasive strips scored in a "straight" or "staggered" configuration, or could be unscored strips. These cloth specialties are used for fine sanding of contoured wood parts when finishing is required without destroying workpiece detail.
Assembly 1: A wall-mounted method of HPDL back and end splash construction.
Assembly 2: A deck-mounted method of HPDL back and end splash construction.
Asynchronous Generator: A type of electric generator that produces alternating current (AC) electricity to match an existing power source.
Atomic-Hydrogen Weld: Arc welding with heat from an arc between two tungsten or other suitable electrodes in a hydrogen atmosphere. The use of pressure and filler metal is optional.
Atomization: When paint or other liquid is broken into small droplets allowing for even distribution through a spraying process.
Attack: When a single musical note is played on an instrument, and it forms a tonal “envelope” with a beginning and an end; the attack is the first portion of a note’s envelope, the point at which it starts at relative silence and reaches its maximum volume.
Attenuation: The fractional decrease of the intensity of an energy flux, including the reduction of intensity resulting from geometrical spreading, absorption, and scattering.
Aught: See Grit Symbol Scale*
Austempering: Quenching a ferrous alloy from a temperature above the transformation range, in a medium having a rate of heat abstraction high enough to prevent the formation of high-temperature transformation products. Then, holding the alloy until transformation is complete at a temperature below that of pearlite formation and above that of martensite formation.
Austenite: A solid solution of one or more elements in face-centered cubic iron. Phase in certain steels, characterized as a solid solution, usually of carbon or iron carbide. Such steels are known as austenitic. Austenite is stable only above 1333°F. in a plain carbon steel, but the presence of certain alloying elements, such as nickel and manganese, stabilizes the austenitic form, even at normal temperatures.
Austenitic Grain Size: The size of the grains in steel heated into the austenitic region.
Austenitic Steel: Steel, which, because of the presence of alloying elements, such as manganese, nickel, chromium, etc., shows stability of Austenite at normal temperatures.
Austenitizing: Forming austenite by heating a ferrous alloy into the transformation range (partial austenitizing) or above the transformation range (complete austenitizing).
Autofrettage: Pre-stressing a hollow metal cylinder by the use of momentary internal pressure exceeding the yield strength.
Automatic Tracking: A system that ensures the coated abrasive belt runs true on a contact roll or idler. These automatic tracking systems are usually controlled by either electric eyes or air systems, and constantly adjust belts during operation to achieve ideal and consistent tracking.
Autoradiograph: A radiograph recorded photographically by radiation spontaneously emitted by radioisotopes that are produced in, or added to, the material. This technique identifies the locations of the radioisotopes.

B-stage: Term describes an intermediate stage of a thermoset resin reaction where the material will soften when heated and swells in the presence of certain liquids, but may not completely fuse or dissolve. The resin is usually supplied in this uncured state.
Back: The side reverse to the face of a panel, or the poorer side of a panel in any grade of plywood calling for a face and a back.
Back Pressure: The resistance of the molten plastic material to forward flow. In molding, back pressure increases the temperature of the melt and contributes to better mixing of colors and homogeneity of the material. However, as back pressure increases do does cycle time.
Back Priming: A finish coating typically applied to concealed surfaces of architectural woodwork to minimize moisture penetration.
Back Putty: After the glass has been face-puttied, it is turned over and putty is run into any holes that may exist between the glass and the wood parts.
Back Sanding: A technique of sanding a surface to taper the paint film away from the metal repaired area. This may also be known as “feathering”.
Back Veneer: The veneer placed on the semi-exposed or concealed face of a veneered panel construction to balance the construction. Also, the side reverse to the face of a panel, or the poorer side of panel in any grade calling for a face and a back.
Back-Up Pad: Usually a rubber or composition type material to which an abrasive disc is attached. The back-up pad supports the disc during the grinding operation and is normally the same diameter or slightly smaller than the disc.
Backed Out: Wide, shallow area machined on the back surface of wide solid moldings and some frames which allows the item to span irregular surfaces.
Backflow: When molten resin flows back out of the mold returning to the runners.
Backing: A flexible or semi-rigid material to which abrasive grain is bonded by an adhesive. Paper, cloth, and vulcanized fibre are the major backings used for coated abrasives.
Backing Plate: A plate used as a support for the mold cavity block, guide pines, bushings etc.
Backing Sheet: Backing sheet placed on the underside of high-pressure laminate plastic tops to give dimensional stability and to minimize the absorption of moisture into the substrate.
Backsplash: The wall protection at the back edge of the countertop; designed to seal the counter and protect the wall from spills and damage; can be integral to the counter or applied directly to the wall.
Backstand: One of the most popular industrial abrasive belt machines for offhand grinding and finishing. Preferably floor-mounted, it usually provides tracking and tensioning controls. Work is applied to the contact wheel below the center line.
Bainite: A eutectoid transformation product of ferrite and a fine dispersion of carbide, generally formed at temperatures below 840 to 930 F (450 to 500 C): upper bainite is an aggregate containing parallel lath-shape units of ferrite, produces the so-called feathery appearance in optical microscopy, and is formed at temperatures above about 660 F (350 C). lower bainite consists of individual plate-shape units and is formed at temperatures below about 660 F (350 C). Also, a slender, needle-like (acicular) microstructure appearing in spring steel strip characterized by toughness and greater ductility than tempered Martensite. Bainite is a decomposition product of Austenite best developed at interrupted holding temperatures below those forming fine pearlite and above those giving Martensite.
Balanced Construction: To achieve balanced construction, panels should be absolutely symmetrical from the center line; i.e. use materials on either side that contract or expand, or are moisture-permeable, at the same rate. Balanced finishing coats on the back of veneered panels are also highly recommended. Balancing sheet requirements for HPDL fabrication vary with the products. Doors and free-hanging or freestanding panels should have the same laminate on the back as on the face and be applied in the same machine direction. Tops or cabinet members, on the other hand, merely require some form of balancing material.
Balanced Match: A common term in book-matching that uses two or more leaves of uniform width on the face of a panel, wherein the two outermost leaves in a panel or face are of the same width.
Balanced Runner: A runner system designed to place all cavities at the same distance from the sprue.
Balanced Steel: Steels in which the deoxidization is controlled to produce an intermediate structure between a rimmed and killed steel. Sometimes referred to as semi-killed steels, they possess uniform properties throughout the ingot and amongst their applications are boiler-plate and structural sections.
Balancing Species: A species of similar density to achieve balance by equalizing the rate of moisture absorption or emission.
Baluster: One of the repetitive vertical members below a handrail or guardrail to provide support and a functional barrier.
Balustrade: The assembly of newels, balusters and the rails that make up the safety barrier along balconies and open side of stairways and ramps.
Bamboo Grain Structure: A structure in wire or sheet in which the boundaries of the grains tend to be aligned normal to the long axis and to extend completely through the thickness.
Band Saw Steel (Wood): A hardened tempered bright polished high carbon cold rolled spring steel strip produced especially for use in the manufacture of band saws for sawing wood, non ferrous metals, and plastics. Usually carries some nickel and with a Rockwell value of approximately C40/45.
Banded: Usually refers to the application of a similar material to the edge of a built-up member to cover or hide the otherwise exposed core, such as on plywood.
Banded: The 1" or 1-1/4" strapping that is pulled tight around the body of the coil to keep the wraps tight is still on the coil; not broken.
Banded Structure: Appearance of a metal showing parallel bands in the direction of rolling or working.
Banding: Inhomogeneous distribution of alloying elements or phases aligned in filaments or plates parallel to the direction of working.
Bands (Abrasive): Spirally wound and bonded to an inner liner, these cylindrically-shaped cloth specialties are used on expanding rubber drums for sanding and polishing hard-to-reach corners, grooves, and contoured surfaces. Also called "sprial bands" or "no-lap bands."
Bar: A metric measurement of pressure. One bar is approximately equal to 14.5 p.s.i. Used as a pressure measurement on air gauges on European machinery.
Barber Pole: An effect in book-matching of veneers resulting from tight and loose sides of veneers causing different light reflections when finished.
Bark: Surface of metal, under the oxide-scale layer, resulting from heating in an oxidizing environment. In the case of steel, such bark always suffers from decarburization.
Bark Pocket: A comparatively small area of bark around which normal wood has grown. May also be a patch of bark partially or wholly enclosed in the wood. They are classified by size, as with pitch pockets.
Barrel: The section of a molding machine that contains the feed screw. This section is also where resin heating and mixing occurs.
Base Block: A square block terminating a molded baseboard at a doorway; a plinth block.
Base Box: See Tin Plate Base Box.
Base Metal: A metal that oxidizes when heated in air, e.g. lead, copper, tin, zinc, as opposed to noble metals such as gold and platinum.
Base Moldings or Baseboard: Moldings used to trim the intersection of a wall or cabinet and the floor.
Base Shoe: A small molding combined with a base molding to complete the trimming of the wall and floor intersection.
Basecoat (BC)/Clear: A paint system in which the color effect is given by a highly pigmented basecoat. Gloss and durability are given by a subsequent clearcoat.
Basic Open Hearth: See Open Hearth Process.
Basic Oxygen Process: A steel making process wherein oxygen of the highest purity is blown onto the surface of a bath of molten iron contained in a basic lined and ladle shaped vessel. The melting cycle duration is extremely short with quality comparable to Open Hearth Steel.
Basic Parts: Pressure vessels are normally constructed out of two ends, the head and the cylindrical shell.
Basic Process: A steel making process either Bessemer, open hearth or electric, in which the furnace is lined with a basic refractory. A slag, rich in lime, being formed and phosphorus removed.
Basic Steel: Steel melted in a furnace with a basic bottom and lining and under a slag containing an excess of a basic substance such as magnesia or lime. See also Basic Steel.
Batch System: In rough lumber sanding, several boards of equal or unequal widths of the same relative thickness, are accumulated side by side into a unit roughly equal to the width of the abrasive belt in use. This "batch" is then fed into the sander and all the boards are sanded simultaneously.
Bath Annealing: Is immersion is a liquid bath (such as molten lead or fused salts) held at an assigned temperature-when a lead bath is used, the process is known as lead annealing.
Battery: An energy storage device made up of one or more electrolyte cells. An electrolyte is a non-metallic conductor that carries current.
Bauxite: The only commercial ore of aluminum, corresponding essentially to the formula Al2O3xH2O.
Bead: A small rounded, raised profile, routed along the edge of a board.
Beading: Raising a ridge on sheet metal.
Bear Claws: Most visible on light-colored tops, these are small “swirly” irregularities in the grain pattern, usually a few inches in length and one to two inches in diameter; unless cosmetic uniformity is a critical concern, bear claws are often visually striking and lend the instrument some personality. This anomaly got its name from loggers, who would peel back bark to look for marks reminiscent of those made by a bear sharpening its claws on the tree trunk (this would be the edge-on view of what we see in the guitar top).
Bearing Load: A compressive load supported by a member, usually a tube or collar, along a line where contact is made with a pin, rivet, axle, or shaft.
Bearing Strength: The maximum bearing load at failure divided by the effective bearing area. In a pinned or riveted joint, the affective area is calculated as the product of the diameter of the hole and the thickness of the bearing member.
Beaufort Scale: Created by Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort (1774-1857) of the British navy to describe different wind effects on a sailing vessel. Later the scale was expanded to include descriptions of the wind’s effects on land as well.
Bedding in Putty: Glazing whereby a thin layer of putty or bedding compound is placed in the glass rabbet, and the glass is inserted and pressed onto this bed.
Belly Band: The band (strapping) that goes around the outside diameter of a coil.
Belt Joint (Splice): The area of an abrasive belt where the two ends are spliced together with an adhesive. See Butt Joint and Lap Joint.
Belt Joint Marks: A pattern left on the workpiece at regular intervals. Normally caused by a belt joint specification that is not suitable for the application.
Belt Tension: The force or strain put on a coated abrasive belt during use, normally expressed in pounds per square inch (psi) of belt width, or gauge pressure at air tension cylinder.
Belt and Base Courses: Horizontal flat members, either decorative or protective, on the exterior of a building. Typically a belt course is approximately mid-range in height and a base course is at the bottom of the siding.
Bench: A heavy metal platform used to restore a vehicle’s structural geometry to factory specifications. This is done by securing a portion of the vehicle to the platform, then pulling appropriate areas of the vehicle into place using special clamps, chains and hydraulic wrenches.
Bench Grinder: An offhand grinding machine attached to a bench, usually has either one or two wheels mounted on a horizontal spindle. Common sizes are 1" x 42", 2" x 48", and 6" x 48".
Bend Radius: The inside radius of a bent section.
Bend Test: Various tests which is used to ascertain the toughness and ductility of a metal product, in which the material is bent around its axis and/ or around an outside radius. A complete test might specify such a bend to be both with and against the direction of grain. For testing, samples should be edge filed to remove burrs and any edgewise cracks resulting from slitting or shearing. If a vice is to be employed, then you must line the jaws with some soft metal, to permit a flow of the metal in the piece being tested.
Beryllium Copper: An alloy of copper and 2-3% beryllium with optionally fractional percentages of nickel or cobalt. Alloys of this series show remarkable age-hardening properties and an ultimate hardness of about 400 Brinell (Rockwell C43). Because of such hardness and good electrical conductivity, beryllium-copper is used in electrical switches, springs, etc.
Bessember Steel: A mild (soft) steel produced by the Bessemer process and used for girders, rails, boilers etc.
Bessemer Process: A process for making steel by blowing air through molten pig iron contained in a refractory lined vessel so that the impurities are thus removed by oxidation. A method of producing steel, first introduced in the last century, where air is blown under pressure through molten iron to remove the impurities by oxidation. The development of the process has led to the present day Basic Oxygen Steel-making plants that account for bulk production of commercial quality steels in the UK.
Bevel: A machine angle other than a right angle; e.g., a 3◦bevel, which is equivalent to a 1/8” (3.2mm) drop in a 2” (50.8mm) span. Also, in flooring or wall paneling, a V-shaped groove between strips, planks or panels.
Bevel Cut: An angled cut through a board.
Beveled Edge: An edge of the door that forms an angle of less than 90◦ with the wide face of the door, such as a 3◦ beveled edge.
Beveling: Refers to pipe; the end preparation for field welding of the joint.
Billet: A solid semi-finished round or square product that has been hot worked by forging, rolling, or extrusion. An iron or steel billet has a minimum width or thickness of 1 1/2 in. and the cross-sectional area varies from 2 1/4 to 36 sq. in. For nonferrous metals, it may also be a casting suitable for finished or semi-finished rolling or for extrusion.
Binary Alloy: An alloy containing two elements, apart from minor impurities, as brass containing the two elements copper and zinc.
Binder: A resin or other material used to hold particles together. The binder is the continuous phase in a reinforced plastic which provides mechanical strength or ensures uniform consistency, solidification or adhesion to a surface coating. Typical binder materials include resin, glue, gum and casein.
Binder: An agent that helps keep pigment suspended in solution.
Binding: The frequently decorative strips of plastic, wood, fiber, or other flexible materials used to strengthen the edges of the guitar, where the top and back meet the sides. Also known as “purfling” or “edging”.
Bird's Eye: A decorative figure due to small conical depressions in the outer annual rings, which appear to follow the same contour in subsequent growth rings, probably for many years. Rotary slicing cuts the depressions crosswise, exposing a series of circlets called bird’s eyes.
Bird’s Eye Figure: Is a figure on wood, usually maple and a few other species. The figure is composed of many small BB size rounded areas resembling a bird’s eye. The figuring is most common on plain and rotary sawn lumber.
Biscuit Joint: A butt joint that is reinforced with a football shaped "biscuit". The biscuits are usually made from compressed pieces of wood, usually birch. When a biscuit comes into contact with glue in the joint it swells creating a tighter joint. It may also be called a Plate Joint.
Biscuit Spline: A concealed oblong-shaped spline used to joint adjacent members.
Black Annealing: A process of box annealing or pot annealing ferrous alloy sheet, strip or wire after hot working and pickling.
Black Oil Tempered Spring Steel Strip (Scale Less Blue): A flat cold rolled usually .70/.80 medium high carbon steel strip, blue-black in color, which has been quenched in oil and drawn to desired hardness. While it looks and acts much like blue tempered spring steel and carries a Rockwell hardness of C44/47, it has not been polished and is lower in carbon content. Used for less exacting requirements than clock spring steel, such as snaps, lock springs, hold down springs, trap springs, etc. It will take a more severe bend before fracture than will clock spring, but it does not have the same degree of spring-back.
Black Plate: A lightweight or a thin uncoated steel sheet or strip so called because of its dark oxide coloring prior to pickling. Two different processes manufacture it: Form sheet bar on single stand sheet mills or sheet mills in tandem. This method is now almost obsolete. On modern, high speed continuous tandem cold reduction mills from coiled hot rolled pickled wide strip into ribbon wound coils to finished gage. Sizes range from 12 to 32 in width, and in thicknesses from 55 lbs. to 275 lbs. base box weight. It is used either as is for stampings, or may be enameled or painted or tin or terne coated.
Black Specks: A specific kind of inclusion/contamination often associated with heat-degraded materials.
Blackwork: The work of a blacksmith in contrast to the whitework of the silversmith.
Blank: A flat diameter that is formed into a tank head.
Blast Finishing: The process of removing flash from molded objects and/or dulling their surfaces by impinging upon them with sufficient force to remove the flash.
Blast Furnace: A vertical shaft type smelting furnace in which an air blast is used, usually hot, for producing pig iron. The furnace is continuous in operation using iron ore, coke, and limestone as raw materials, which are charged at the top while the molten iron and slag are collected at the bottom and are tapped out at intervals.
Bleaching: A chemical process used to remove color. It is also used to whiten solid wood or wood-veneered panels. This process may be used to lighten an extremely dark wood or to whiten a lighter-colored wood. Most woods do not turn completely white when bleached.
Bleeding: When the color of one coating material migrates up through the finishing layer to the succeeding coat, imparting some of its characteristics.
Bleeding: When a substrate tends to allow it’s color to matriculate through the top coat. This condition is prevalent in some fillers that will allow their colored hardener to “bleed” through the primers and colors that are applied over the filler.
Blending: A spraying technique that tapers the finish or color so that slight differences cannot be distinguished, merging one color into another. Tapering the color allows the old finish to show through the new color.
Blending: A color change that is detectable at a distance of 6’ to 8’ (1829 mm to 2438 mm) but that does not detract from the overall appearance of the panel.
Blind Corner: Space created by abutting cabinets at an approximate 90◦ angle.
Blister: An imperfection on the surface of a plastic article caused by a pocket of air or gas beneath the surface.
Blister: A defect in metal, on or near the surface, resulting from the expansion of gas in a subsurface zone. Very small blisters are called pinheads or pepper blisters.
Blister Steel: High-carbon steel produced by carburizing wrought iron. The bar, originally smooth, is covered with small blisters when removed from the cementation (carburizing) furnace.
Blistering: An effect of pressure from air, solvent or moisture under a coating causing a swelling or blister in the finish.
Blistering: The formation of bubbles on the surface of a coating, caused by trapping air or vapors beneath the surface. An area where veneer does not adhere. A figure resembling an uneven collection of rounded or blister-like bulges caused by the uneven contour of annual growth rings.
Block-Free: In finishing, when material has dried sufficiently so that finished items do not stick together when stacked.
Blockboard: Is core plywood, of which the core is made of strips of solid wood more than 7mm wide but not wider than 30 mm.
Blocking: Commonly understood as the wooden support material placed within or upon gypsum board and plaster walls to support casework.
Blocking & Anti-Caking Agents: These additives are used to prevent the adhesion and agglomeration of ingredients within a resin compound.
Bloom: An undesirable cloudy effect or whitish powdery deposit on the surface of a plastic article or to the surrounding environment caused by the exudation of an ingredient such as a lubricant, stabilizer pigment, plasticizer or other non-bonded component. This may also be known as “migration”.
Bloom: Ancient Definition: iron produced in a solid condition directly by the reduction of ore in a primitive furnace. The carbon content is variable but usually low. Also known as bloomery iron. The earliest iron making process, but still used in underdeveloped countries. Modern Definition: a semi-finished hot rolled steel product, rectangular in section, usually produced on a blooming mill but sometimes made by forging. Also: A semi-finished hot rolled product, rectangular in cross section, produced on a blooming mill. For iron and steel, the width is not more than twice the thickness, and the cross-sectional area is usually not less than 36 sq. in. Forging sometimes makes iron and steel blooms.
Bloomery: A primitive furnace used for direct reduction of ore to iron.
Blooming-Mill: A mill used to reduce ingots to blooms, billets slabs, sheet-bar etc.
Blow Molding: A method of fabrication in which a warm plastic hollow tube is placed between the two halves of a mold cavity and forced to assume the shape of that mold cavity by use of internal pressure. This process forms hollow articles such as bottles, tanks, etc.
Blowhole: A cavity which was produced during the solidification of metal by evolved gas, which in failing to escape is held in pockets.
Blowing and Foaming Agents: These are additives for plastics or rubbers that generate inert gases within the resin matrix when heated. The resulting part construction will contain a cellular structure.
Blue Annealing: Heating hot rolled ferrous sheet in an open furnace to a temperature within the transformation range and then cooling in air, in order to soften the metal. The formation of a bluish oxide on the surface is incidental. A process of softening ferrous alloys in the form of hot rolled sheet, by heating in the open furnace to a temperature within the transformation range and then cooling in air. The formation of bluish oxide on the surface is incidental.
Blue Brittleness: Reduced ductility occurring as a result of strain aging, when certain ferrous alloys are worked between 300 and 700 (degrees) F. This phenomenon may be observed at the working temperature or subsequently at lower temperatures. Brittleness exhibited by some steels after being heated to some temperature within the range of 300 (degrees) to 650 (degrees) F, and more especially if the steel is worked at the elevated temperature. Killed steels are virtually free of this kind of brittleness.
Blueprint-Matched Panels and Components: Each panel for walls and components (e.g. desk, doors) is custom-manufactured to the specific size required. All panels are balanced-matched and sequenced-matched to the adjoining panels.
Bluing: Subjecting the scale-free surface of a ferrous alloy to the action of air, steam, or other agents at a suitable temperature, thus forming a thin blue film of oxide and improving the appearance and resistance to corrosion. NOTE: This term is ordinarily applied to sheet, strip, or finished parts, It is used also to denote the heating of springs after fabrication in order to improve their properties.
Blushing: The whitish, cloud-like haze that occurs in fast-drying finishes, especially lacquer, when they are sprayed in very humid conditions. Blushing is most often due to moisture (water vapor) trapped in the film or to resin precipitating out of solution.
Blushing: A cloudy appearance in the finished paint surface caused by excessive moisture in the air when spraying was carried out.
Blushing: Refers to the tendency of a plastic article to turn white or chalky in areas that are highly stressed.
Board: A piece of lumber before gluing for width or thickness.
Board Feet: A unit of measure one foot long, one foot wide and one inch thick (or its equivalent); in surfaced lumber, the board foot is taken from the lumber before surfacing.
Board Foot: A form of wood measurement, where one board foot equals the volume of a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long. Lumber is specified by its rough size. This is why a 1"x 4" board is actually 3/4" thick and a 2"x 4" board is actually 1-1/2" thick. Formula for figuring board feet = (Thickness x Width x Length) / 144 = Board Feet.
Board Foot: A unit of measurement for lumber equal to the volume of a board 12" x 12" x 1", i.e. 144 cubic inches.
Board Foot: A unit of measurement of lumber represented by a board 12” (305mm) long, 12” (305mm) wide and 1” (25.4mm) thick. It may be abbreviated as BF, Bf or bf. When stock is less than 1” (25.4mm) thick, it is usually calculated as if it were a full 1” (25.4mm) thick.
Board Joint: A form of wood measurement, where one board foot equals the volume of a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long.
Body Filler: An activated polyester type material used on bare substrate or over primer to fill in dents in damaged auto body parts.
Body-Centered: Having the equivalent lattice points at the corners of the unit cell, and at its center; sometimes called centered, or space-centered.
Bolt-on Neck: Refers to the use of bolts or screws to secure the joint formed where the neck meets the body, instead of the more traditional dovetail joint and glue; popularized by Fender for electric guitars, and by Taylor for acoustic guitars.
Bond: The layers of adhesive in the making process of coated abrasives.
Bonderizing: The coating of steel with a film composed largely of zinc phosphate in order to develop a better bonding surface for paint or lacquer.
Book Size: The height and width of a door prior to prefitting.
Book-Match: Matching between adjacent veneer leaves on one panel face. Every other piece of veneer is turned over so that the adjacent leaves are “opened” as two pages in a book. The fibers of the wood, slanting in opposite directions in the adjacent leaves, create a characteristic light and dark effect when the surface is seen from an angle.
Bookmatch: A term in veneering, where successive pieces of veneer from a flitch are arranged side by side. A properly done bookmatch will resemble a mirror image of the opposite side.
Bookmatching: Refers to the matching of two pieces of wood used for the top or back of a guitar; the two pieces are cut from the same billet of wood, then “opened” (as one would a book) to create a mirror image on either side.
Boron: It is gray in color, ignites at about 1112 (degrees) F. and burns with a brilliant green flame, but its melting point in a non-oxidizing atmosphere is about 4000 (degrees) F. Boron is used in steel in minute quantities for one purpose only- to increase the hardenability as in case hardening and to increase strength and hardness penetration. It is usually added between .0005-.003% to significantly increase the hardenability, especially for low carbon alloys. It does not affect the strength of ferrite, therefore not sacrificing ductility, formability or machinability in the annealed state.
Boss: A raised feature of a molded part designed to add strength, facilitate alignment during assembly or for attachment to another part.
Bottle Top Mold: Ingot mold, with the top constricted; used in the manufacture of capped steel, the metal in the constriction being covered with a cap fitting into the bottle-neck, which stops rimming action by trapping escaping gases.
Bottleneck: Both a style and a technique; mostly associated with blues guitar, it involves sliding a smooth metal, glass, plastic bar or plastic tube along the strings to create a “slurred” or “glissando” effect. The term originates from the days when blues musicians would use the broken neck of a bottle for the same purpose.
Bout: The curved portions above (upper bout) and below (lower bout) a guitar’s “waist”. From a frontal prospective, the upper bout would be the guitar’s “shoulders” and the lower bout would be its “hips”.
Bow: A deviation, flat-wise, from a straight line drawn from end to end of a piece. It is measured at the point of greatest distance from the straight line.
Bow: A defective piece of lumber that has warped along its length.
Bowed Edge: A condition affecting one or both edges of a coated abrasive belt or roll. The belt or roll will arc or skew in one direction when laid out on the floor, instead of following a straight line. Normally one edge of the product is longer than the other.
Box Annealing: Annealing a metal or alloy in a sealed container under conditions that minimize oxidation. In box annealing a ferrous alloy, the charge is usually heated slowly to a temperature below the transformation range, but sometimes above or within it, and is then cooled slowly; this process is also called close annealing or pot annealing.
Box Stringer: See closed stringer.
Boxjoint: A corner joint made up of interlocking "fingers".
Bracing: The splayed pattern of supportive wooden struts that strengthen the top and back of a guitar and affect tone. “Scalloped” braces are those that have been shaved or carved to lighten the guitar and/or allow for tone-producing flexibility, especially on the top of the guitar; also “strutting”.
Brake: An integral part of an elevator or dumbwaiter driving machine which operates to stop the unit and/or to hold the weight of the load at a fixed position.
Brake: A piece of equipment used for bending sheet; also called a bar folder. If operated manually, it is called a hand brake; if power driven, it is called a press brake.
Brake Shoe: Moving member(s) of a brake, lined with friction material which, when in contact with the brake drum, hold the elevator at floor level. On some types of control, it will stop the elevator when power is removed from the hoist motor.
Brale: A diamond penetrator, conical in shape, used with a Rockwell hardness tester for hard metals.
Brashness: A condition of wood characterized by a low resistance to shock and by abrupt failure across the grain without splintering.
Brass: This is one of the most widely used of the copper-zinc alloys; it is malleable and ductile; has excellent cold-working; poor hot working and poor machining properties; develops high tensile strength with cold-working. Temper is imparted by cold rolling and classified in hardness by the number of B&S Gages of rolling (reduction in thickness) from the previous annealing gage. Rated excellent for soft soldering; good for silver alloy brazing or oxyacetylene welding and fair for resistance or carbon arc welding. Used for drawn cartridges, tubes, eyelet machine items, snap fasteners, etc. Brass (Yellow) - Strip. 65% copper and 35% zinc. Known as 'High Brass' or 'Two to One Brass'. A copper-zinc alloy yellow in color. Formerly widely used but now largely supplanted by Cartridge Brass.
Brasses: Copper base alloys in which zinc is the principal alloying element. Brass is harder and mechanically stronger than either of its alloying elements copper or zinc. It is formable and ductile; develops high tensile strength with cold-working and is not heat treatable.
Brattishing: An ornamental crest along a top of a cornice or screen, often carved with leaves or flowers.
Braze Welding: A family of welding procedures where metals are joined by filler metal that has a melting temperature below the solidus of the parent metal, but above 840 (450 C).
Brazing: Joining metals by fusion of nonferrous alloys that have melting points above 800 F (425C), but lower than those of the metals being joined. May be accomplished by a torch. Filler metal is ordinarily in rod form in torch brazing; whereas in furnace and dip brazing the work material is first assembled and the filler metal may then be applied as wire, washers, clips, bands, or may be bonded, as in brazing sheet.
Break Test (for tempered steel): A method of testing hardened and tempered high carbon spring steel strip wherein the specimen is held and bent across the grain in a vice-like calibrated testing machine. Pressure is applied until the metal fractures at which point a reading is taken and compared with a standard chart of brake limitations for various thickness ranges.
Breaking Back: A term used to describe the action that takes place when the layers being described are not feathering smoothly onto the surrounding material. When a new paint is blended into old then buffed the new/soft material can “break back” if compounded causing a visible flaw.
Bridge: A plate of wood or other material attached to the soundboard of a guitar, below the soundhole; the bridge serves to anchor the strings and, in conjunction with the saddle, conducts the vibrations or energy from the strings into the soundboard.
Bridge Pins: The little spike-like pegs that fit into holes on the bridge of a flat-top acoustic guitar to secure the strings. It is commonly made of plastic but other materials such as ebony may be used.
Bridging: An occurrence where a primer will not fill a sand scratch or imperfection. This may not show in the prime coat, but will show in the topcoat; A term used to describe paint applied to a surface that extends to an adjacent panel when the film thickness becomes thick enough for the paint to “bridge” the gap.
Bridling: The cold working of dead soft annealed strip metal immediately prior to a forming, bending, or drawing operation. A process designed to prevent the formulation of Luder's lines. Caution-Bridled metal should be used promptly and not permitted to (of itself) return to its pre-bridled condition.
Bright Annealed Wire: Steel wire bright drawn and annealed in controlled non-oxidizing atmosphere so that surface oxidation is reduced to a minimum and the surface remains relatively bright.
Bright Annealing: The process of annealing in a protective atmosphere so as to prevent discoloration of the bright surface desired.
Bright Basic Wire: Bright steel wire, slightly softer than Bright Bessemer Wire. Used for round head wood screws, bolts and rivets, electric welded chain, etc.
Bright Bessemer Wire: Stiff bright wire of hard temper. Normally wire is drawn down to size without annealing.
Bright Dip: An acid solution into which pieces are dipped in order to obtain a clean, bright surface.
Bright Drawing: The process of drawing hot rolled steel through a die to impart close dimensional tolerances, a bright, scale free surface, and improved mechanical properties. The product is termed bright steel.
Brighteners: Materials that are used to add smoother or brighter coatings or finishings.
Brinell Hardness Test: A common standard method of measuring the hardness of materials. The smooth surface of the metal is subjected to indentation by a hardened steel ball under pressure. A microscope then measures the diameter of the indentation in the material surface, and the hardness value is read from a chart or determined by a prescribed formula.
Brittle Fracture: Fracture preceded by little or negligible plastic deformation.
Brittle Temperature: A measure for judging the relative merits of materials for low temperature flexing or impact, i.e. the temperature at which materials rupture by impact under specified conditions.
Brittleness: The tendency of a metal or material to fracture without undergoing appreciable plastic deformation.
Broaching: Multiple shaving, accomplished by pushing a tool with stepped cutting edges along the piece, particularly through holes.
Broken Mold Marks: Defects in a part’s surface caused by mold damage.
Bronze: Primarily an alloy of copper and tin, but additionally, the name is used when referring to other alloys not containing tin, for example, aluminum bronze, manganese bronze, and beryllium bronze.
Brown & Sharp Gages (B&S): A standard series of sizes referred to by numbers, in which the diameter of wire or thickness of sheet metal is generally produced and which is used in the manufacture of brass, bronze, copper, copper-base alloys and aluminum. These gage numbers have a definite relationship to each other. In this system, the decimal thickness is reduced by 50% every six gage numbers- while temper is expressed by the number of B&S gage numbers as cold reduced in thickness from previous annealing. For each B&S gage number in thickness reduction, where is assigned a hardness value of 1/4 hard.
Bruise: A raised area in the steel caused by an object going between the work rolls and bruising them.
Brush: A device, usually of carbon or graphite composition, used to connect a circuit with the rotating or moving portion of a DC motor, generator, or other electrical device. It carries current to and from the non-moving parts of connections.
Bubbles: Air or gas pockets that have formed in the material of the component. Bubbles may vary in size.
Buckle: Bulges and/ or hollows occurring along the length of the metal with the edges remaining otherwise flat. Alternate bulges or hollows recurring along the length of the product with the edges remaining relatively flat. Heating a metal beyond the temperature limits allowable for the desired heat treatment, or beyond the point where serious oxidation or other detrimental action begins.
Bucks: Blocking used for the installation of door/window jambs and other woodwork in conjunction with metal framing and/or block walls.
Buffer: A device located in the pit designed to stop a descending car or counterweight beyond its normal limit of travel. This is done by absorbing and dissipating the kinetic energy of the descending car or counterweight. Oil buffer - A buffer using oil as a medium which absorbs and dissipates the kinetic energy of the descending car or counterweight. Spring buffer - A buffer utilizing a spring to dissipate the kinetic energy of the descending car or counterweight.
Buffer: A substance added to aqueous solutions to maintain a constant hydrogen-ion concentration, even in the presence of acids or alkalis.
Bugle-Head Screw: Similar to countersunk; however, there is a smooth progression from the shaft to the angle of the head, like the bell of a bugle. This term is generally used in referencing drywall screws.
Build-up: Strips of material that are sometimes attached to the under-side of countertops to raise it flush with the cabinet tops.
Bulk Factor: The ratio of the volume of any given mass of loose plastic material to the volume of the same mass of the material after molding.
Bulk-Molding Compounds (BMC): Bulk-molding compounds are used as a premix in composite manufacturing. A BMC consists of a mixture of resin, reinforcements, inert fillers and other additives which form a puuylike preformed shape, rope or steel.
Bull-nose: A finished edge on an otherwise unfinished natural or mad-made tile.
Bullnose: See Noseblock. Also refers to a profiled edge on a table; "radiused edge."
Bullnose: A convex, rounded shape such as the front edge of a stair step.
Bump & Spun: Process of forming a head by bumping the dish radius in a pressing machine and forming the knuckle and straight flange in a flanging machine.
Burl: Large, dense, heavy, frequently gnarly outgrowths on trees (e.g. walnut) whose fancy, compressed grain figures, when sliced, make them ideal for exotic wood veneers; commonly used as decorative material on the consoles and dashboards of expensive automobiles. Burls frequently are harvested during the process of cutting down dead trees for guitar tonewood.
Burl: A figure created by abnormal growth or response to injury that forms an interwoven, contorted or gnarly mass of dense woody tissue on the trunk or branch of the tree. Burls are usually small and characterized by eye-like markings surrounded by swirls and clusters of distorted tissues. The measurement of the burl is the average of the maximum and minimum dimensions of the burl.
Burl: Bulges and irregular growths that form on the trunks and roots of trees. Burls are highly sought after for the incredible veneer they yield.
Burl, Blending: A swirl, twist or distortion in the grain of the wood that usually occurs near a knot or crotch but does not contain a knot and does not contain abrupt color variation.
Burl, conspicuous: A swirl, twist or distortion in the grain of the wood that usually occurs near a knot or crotch. A conspicuous burl can often be associated with abrupt color variation and/or a cluster of small dark piths caused by a cluster of adventitious buds. Burl is also used to describe a figure in wood.
Burned: Showing evidence of excessive heating during processing or use of a plastic, as evidence by blistering, discoloration, distortion or destruction of the surface.
Burning: Permanently damaging a metal or alloy by heating to cause either incipient melting or intergranular oxidation. In grinding getting the work hot enough to cause discoloration or to change the microstructure by tempering or hardening. Heating a metal beyond the temperature limits allowable for the desired heat treatment, or beyond the point where serious oxidation or other detrimental action begins.
Burning (of Workpiece): A change in the characteristics of the workpiece being ground. Normally detected by a surface discoloration or distinct burning odor.
Burnishing: Using coated abrasives to create a special effect on a workpiece (refining the surface). Usually done to develop a smooth, lustrous surface finish on metal, leather, etc. Also refers to a wood surface which in the fibers have become too dense by improper sanding so that stain does not properly penetrate. Not necessarily a problem on some operations, but usually not desired.
Burnishing: Smoothing surfaces through friction between the material and material such as hardened metal media.
Burnt: A definition applying to material which has been permanently damaged by over-heating.
Burr: Roughness left by a cutting operation such as slitting, shearing, blanking , etc.
Burr: A raised ridge of metal used on a scraper to remove wood.
Bushing: A metal or plastic insert used to alter the size of a center hole (such as flapwheels) to accommodate a smaller mandrel or arbor.
Butcher Block: Wood countertops or butcher block countertops come in a variety of hardwoods such as maple or oak. Seldom used for all the countertops in a kitchen, instead they are often used on islands or inserts.
Butcher Block: This generally refers to face-laminate hardwoods (usually Maple) forming a work surface in which the edge grain is exposed to wear.
Butcher Saw Steel: A hardened, tempered, and polished high carbon spring steel strip material (carbon content is generally higher than that of a material used for wood band saw applications) with a Rockwell value of roughly C47/49.
Butt Joint: In woodworking, this is a joint where the edges of two boards are placed against each other.
Butt Joint: A joint formed by square-edged surfaces (ends, edges, faces) coming together; end butt joint, edge butt joint.
Butt Joint (Belt): Two pieces of coated abrasive "butted" together (with no overlap) to form an endless belt. A very strong, thin, reinforced tape is used on the back of the butt joint to hold it together (KLINGSPOR joints #3 and #4 are both butt joints).
Butt Welding: Joining two edges or ends by placing one against the other and welding them. The type of welding that fuses the head end of one coil to the tail end of another, using heat, without overlapping the strip.

C-stage: A term describing the final stage of the reaction where a thermoset material is relatively insoluble and infusible.
C.A.M.I: "Coated Abrasives Manufacturers’ Institute." A trade association composed of US coated abrasive manufacturers.
CAD/CAM: CAD is an acronym for the “computer-aided design” software used in art, architecture, engineering and manufacturing to assist in precision drawing. CAM stands for computer-assisted manufacturing. Both can be used in guitar manufacturing. CAD, specifically 3D geometry graphic software can be used to design guitars. All computer-numerically-controlled (CNC) Fadal fixtures, shaper jigs, side benders, body molds, inlay patterns and every part of the guitar (especially the neck and neck pocket) can be drawn in a computer using some type of 3D graphics program. After the geometry is drawn, CAM toolpath programs are written to actually carve, cut and shape the parts, using CNC machinery that include the Fadals, lasers and NC routers.
CNC: Computer Numerically Controlled milling machines, also known by the brand name Fadal, which have a margin of error as low as one ten-thousandth of an inch; they enable manufacturers to cut and shape guitar parts and thus build guitars with much greater precision than is possible working by hand alone.
Cabinet Liner: In architectural woodwork, this describes 0.020” (.05mm) high-pressure decorative laminate (HPDL).
Cabinet Room (Furniture): The assembly area in a furniture plant where case goods are sanded prior to staining. Involves only bare wood sanding.
Cabriole Leg: A leg used on Queen Anne furniture. The cabriole leg is characterized by graceful curves and a shape that resembles an animal leg.
Caesarstone: A nab-made stone that is many times harder than natural stone, making it scratch and stain resistant.
Cake: A copper ingot rectangular in cross section intended for rolling.
Calcium: Is used in certain steels to control the shape, size and distribution of oxide and/or sulfide inclusions. Benefits may include improved ductility, impact strength and machinability.
Callback: In contract service, this is a customer request which required a check of an elevator other than the regularly scheduled maintenance.
Callulose: The main constituent of all plant tissues and fibers, used in the manufacture of many fibrous products, including paper, textiles and explosives; derivatives of cellulose can be used in finishing products.
Camber or Bow: Deviation from edge straightness usually referring to the greatest deviation of side edge from a straight line. Sometimes used to denote crown in rolls where the center diameter has been increased to compensate for deflection cause by the rolling pressure. Edgewise curvature. A lateral departure of a side edge of sheet or strip metal from a straight line.
Cambium: The live, actively growing, layer of a tree. The cambium is one cell thick and resides between the sapwood and the phloem. It repeatedly divides itself to form new wood and causes the tree to grow and expand.
Cambria: A manufacturer of natural quartz countertop material also sold under the name “Cambria”.
Camera Shutter Steel: Hardened, tempered and bright polished extra flat and extra precision rolled. Carbon content 1.25 - Chromium .15.
Canning: A dished distortion in a flat or nearly flat surface, sometimes referred to as oil canning.
Cant Strip: A triangular-shaped or beveled strip of material used to ease the transition from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane.
Cantilever: A beam projecting beyond its supports. For instance, the area where a countertop overhangs a cabinet by a few inches.
Cantilever: A projecting structure that is attached or supported at only one end, such as an extended countertop.
Capo: A device temporarily clamped to the fretboard to “barre” the strings across any of the lower fret positions, thus creating “open” strings on higher fret positions and enabling the performer to play in different keys. Capos come in all types and configurations (some are adjustable to barre only certain strings). Using one also lowers the action and sometimes affects intonation.
Capped Steel: Semikilled steel cast in a bottle-top mold and covered with a cap fitting into the neck of the mold. The cap causes to top metal to solidify. Pressure is built up in the sealed-in molten metal and results in a surface condition much like that of rimmed steel.
Car (Elevator): The load-carrying unit, including its platform, framer, enclosure and car door or gate.
Car Counterweight: A set of weights roped directly to the elevator car of a winding-drum type installation. In practice, this weight is equal to approximately 70% of the car weight.
Car Door or Gate Electric Contact: An electrical device. The function is to prevent operation of the driving machine by the normal operating device, unless the car door or gate is in the closed position.
Car Enclosure: The top and the walls of the car resting on, and attached, to the car platform.
Car Frame (Sling): The supporting frame to which the car platform, upper and lower set of guide shoes, car safety and the hoist ropes or hoist rope sheaves, or the plunger of a direct plunger elevator are attached.
Car Operating Station: A panel mounted in the car containing the car operating controls, such as call register buttons, door open and close, alarm emergency stop and whatever other buttons or key switches are required for operation.
Car Platform: Is the assembly of buttons, lights, switches, etc. placed in the elevator car for use of passengers and/or attendant, for entering passenger destinations and for operation of safety features.
Car Top Inspection Station: A control panel on top of an elevator car. When activated, it removes the car from normal service and allows the car to run at inspection speed from the car top station only.
Car, Retiring: A motor-operated or electromagnetic-operated device on the car. It is used to unlock the hoistway door locking system or interlock.
Carbide: A compound of carbon with one or more metallic elements.
Carbon: Carbon has three allotropic modifications, all non-metallic. Carbon is present in practically all ferrous alloys, and has tremendous effect on the properties of the resultant metal. Carbon is also an essential component of the cemented carbides. Its metallurgical use, in the form of coke, for reduction of oxides, is very extensive. Is the most important alloying element which is essential for the formation of cementite, pearlite, spheriodite, bainite, and iron- carbon martensite. Compared to steels with similar microstructures, strength, hardness, hardenability, and ductile- to-brittle transition temperature are increased with increasing carbon content up to approximately .60%. Toughness and ductility of pearlitic steels are decreased with increasing carbon content.
Carbon Dioxide: A colorless, odorless but poisonous combustible gas. Carbon monoxide is produced in the incomplete combustion of carbon and carbon compounds. For example, fossil fuels like coal and petroleum.
Carbon Equivalent: Referring to the rating of weld-ability, this is a value that takes into account the equivalent additive effects of carbon and other alloying elements on a particular characteristic of a steel. For rating of weld- ability, a formula commonly used is: CE = C + (Mn/6) + [(Cr + Mo + V)/5] + [(Ni + Cu)/15].
Carbon Free: Metals and alloys which are practically free from carbon.
Carbon Potential: A measure of the capacity of an environment containing active carbon to alter or maintain, under prescribed conditions, the carbon concentration in a steel.
Carbon Range: In steel specifications, the carbon range is the difference between the minimum and maximum amount of carbon acceptable.
Carbon Restoration: Replacing the carbon lost in the surface layer during previous processing by carburizing this layer to substantially the original carbon level.
Carbon Steel: Common or ordinary steel as contrasted with special or alloy steels, which contain other alloying metals in addition to the usual constituents of steel in their common percentages. Steel containing carbon up to about 2% and only residual quantities of other elements except those added for deoxidization, with silicon usually limited to 0.60% and manganese to about 1.65%. Also termed plain carbon steel, ordinary steel, and straight carbon steel.
Carbonitriding: Introducing carbon and nitrogen into a solid ferrous alloy by holding above Ac1 in an atmosphere that contains suitable gases such as hydrocarbons, carbon monocide, and ammonia. The carbonitrided alloy is usually quench hardened- A case hardening process in which a suitable ferrous material is heated above the lower transformation temperature in a gaseous atmosphere having a composition that results in simultaneous absorption of carbon and nitrogen by the surface and, by diffusion, creates a concentration gradient. The process is completed by cooling at a rate that produces the desired properties in the work piece.
Carbonization: The preparation of low-carbon steel for heat treatment by heating for several hours at about 2000 degrees F while it is packed in some carbonizing material, then allowing it to cool slowly.
Carborundum: A trade name for certain abrasive products, often misused as a generic name for silicon carbide.
Carburizing (Cementation): A process in which an austenitized ferrous material is brought into contact with a carbonaceous atmosphere having sufficient carbon potential to cause absorption of carbon at the surface and, by diffusion, create a concentration gradient. Introducing carbon into a solid ferrous alloy by holding above Ac1 in contact with a suitable carbonaceous material, which may be a solid, liquid, or gas. The carburized alloy is usually quench hardened. Adding carbon to the surface of iron-base alloys by absorption through heating the metal at a temperature below its melting point in contact with carbonaceous solids, liquids or gases. The oldest method of case hardening.
Carcase: The body of a piece of furniture with a box like shape. (i.e. a kitchen cabinet)
Cartridge Brass: 70% copper 30% zinc. This is one of the most widely used of the copper-zinc alloys; it is formable and ductile and possesses excellent cold-working, poor hot working and poor machining properties. Rated excellent for soft-soldering; good for silver alloy brazing or oxyacetylene welding and fair for resistance of carbon arc welding. The alloy develops high tensile strength with cold-working. Temper is obtained by cold rolling.
Case: In a ferrous alloy, the outer portion that has been made harder than the inner portion, or core.
Case Hardening: Is a defect in the lumber caused by improper drying. Case Hardening is caused when a board is dried too fast. The outer layers in a case hardened board are compressed while the inner layers are in tension.
Case Hardening: Carburizing and subsequently hardening by suitable heat-treatment, all or part of the surface portions of a piece of iron-base alloy. Hardening a ferrous alloy so that the outer portion, or case, is made substantially harder than the inner portion, or core. Typical processes used for case hardening are carburizing, cyaniding, carbonitriding, nitriding, induction hardening, and flame hardening. A generic term covering several processes applicable to steel that change the chemical composition of the surface layer by absorption of carbon or nitrogen, or a mixture of the two, and, by diffusion, create a concentration gradient.
Casework: This refers to base and wall cabinets, display fixtures and storage shelves. The generic term for both “boxes” and special desks, reception counters, nurses stations and the like. It generally includes the tops and work surfaces.
Casing: Generally, casing is a molding placed around a door frame or window frame.
Cast: A term indicating in the annealed state as Cast Spring Steel Wire. In reference to Bright or Polished Strip Steel or Wire, the word cast implies discoloration as a shadow. A term implying a lack of straightness as in a coil set.
Cast Iron: Iron containing more carbon than the solubility limit in austenite (about 2%).
Cast Steel: Steel in the form of castings, usually containing less than 2% carbon. Any object made by pouring molten steel into molds.
Cast Steel: Steel which has been made into a desired shape by the casting method.
Casting: The process of forming solid or hollow articles from fluid plastic mixtures or resins by pouring or injecting the fluid into a mold or against a substrate with little or no pressure, followed by solidification and removal of the formed part.
Casting: An object at or near finished shape obtained by solidification of a substance in a mold. Pouring molten metal into a mold to produce an object of desired shape.
Catalyst: A substance that changes the rate of a chemical reaction when it is mixed with another substance, and that does not change or react itself. A catalyst differs from a curing agent in that the catalyst is not itself chemically consumed in the reaction, while a curing agent is.
Catalyst: In fiber reinforced plastics (FRP), the catalyst of the substance added to the gel coat or resin to initiate the curing process. The catalyst usually oxidizes an accelerator, creating free radicals. This will cause the resin or gel coat to polymerize or cross-link.
Catalyst: A substance that modifies and increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process; catalysts play a part in the making of our finish material.
Catalyzed: In finishing, it is an ingredient added to a basic product to provide additional performance characteristics.
Cathedral Grain: A grain appearance characterized by a series of stacked and inverted “V” or cathedral type of springwood (early wood)/summerwood (late wood) patterns common in plain-sliced (flat-cut) veneer.
Caulk: Either the action of making a watertight or airtight seal between two adjacent surfaces by filling the area between the surfaces with a sealant or the sealant itself.
Cavitation: The formation and instantaneous collapse of innumerable tiny voids or cavities within a liquid subjected to rapid and intense pressure changes. Cavitation produced by ultrasonic radiation is sometimes used to give violent localized agitation. That caused by severe turbulent flow often leads to cavitation damage.
Cavitation Damage: Wearing away of metal through the formation and collapse of cavities in a liquid.
Cavity: A depression or a set of matching depressions in a plastics-forming mold which forms the outer surfaces of the molded articles.
Cementation: Introduction of one or more elements into the outer layer of a metal object by means of diffusion at high temperature. An obsolete process used to convert wrought iron to blister steel by carburizing. Wrought iron bars were packed in sealed chests with charcoal and heated at about 2000 F (1100 C) for 6 to 8 days. Cementation was the predominant method of manufacturing steels particularly high-carbon tool steels, prior to the introduction of the Bessemer and open-hearth methods.
Cementite: A compound of iron and carbon known as Iron carbide, which has the approximate chemical formula Fe3C containing 6.69% of carbon. Hard and brittle, it is the hard constituent of cast iron, and the normal form in which carbon is present in steel. It is magnetizable, but not as readily as ferrite. It is characterized by an orthorhombic crystal structure. When it occurs as a phase in steel, the chemical composition will be altered by the presence of manganese and other carbide-forming elements. It has limited substitution solubility for the carbide- forming elements, notably manganese.
Center Hole: A hole that is drilled in the center of the head prior to flanging to ensure that the true circle dimension is held during forming.
Center Strip: The vertical seam on the back of the guitar, formed where the two book-matched pieces of wood are glued together; frequently dressed with a decorative material to match or complement the binding.
Center-matched: A form of book-matching that uses two or more even-numbered leaves of equal width, matched with a joint occurring in the center of the panel. A small amount of the figure is lost.
Central Power Plant: A large power plant that generates power for distribution to multiple customers.
Centrifugal Casting: A casting made by pouring metal into a mold that is rotated or revolved.
Ceramic Aluminum Oxide: An exceptionally hard, strong, and sharp abrasive made with bauxite and other ingredients that are chemically bonded.
Ceramic Tools: Cutting tools made from fused, sintered, or cemented metallic oxides.
Cerium: Cerium is the most abundant of the rare earth elements and makes up about 0.0046% of the earth's crust. Today, cerium is primarily obtained through an ion exchange process from monazite sand (Ce, La, Th, Nd, Y)PO4), a material rich in rare earth elements. Pure cerium will ignite if it is scratched with a sharp object, but can be safely used if combined with other materials. Cerium is one of the rare earth elements used to make carbon arc lights which are used in the motion picture industry for studio lighting and projector lights. Cerium is also a component of Misch metal, a material that is used to make flints for lighters. Cerium is also used as a catalyst to refine petroleum and as an alloying agent to make special metals.
Cermet: A powder metallurgy product consisting of ceramic particles bonded with a metal.
Chafery: A charcoal-fired furnace used in early iron making processes to reheat a bloom of wrought iron for forging to consolidate the iron and expel entrapped slag.
Chair Rail: A decorative molding placed at a height on the wall comparable to the place where the back of a chair would impact the wall surface.
Chalk: White or other color chalk marks used by the mills for some form of identification to the mill or for marking defects for repair.
Chalking: The result of weathering of a paint film, creating a white powdery appearance.
Chamfer: A beveled surface to eliminate an otherwise sharp corner; A relieved angular cutting edge at a tooth corner.
Chamfer: To cut away the edge where two surfaces meet in an exterior angle, leaving a bevel at the junction.
Chamfer: A beveled cut along the edge of a piece of furniture. (Usually 45 degrees)
Character Mark: As an element of nature, a distinctive feature in a hardwood surface produced by minerals and other elements that are absorbed as a tree grows.
Characteristics: The natural irregularities found in wood, whether solid or veneered. Their acceptance is a function of each particular grade.
Charcoal Tin Plate: Tin Plate with a relatively heavy coating of tin (higher than the Coke Tin Plate grades).
Charge: The amount of material used to load a mold at one time or during one cycle or the measurement or weight of said material.
Charpy Impact Test: A destructive test of impact resistance, consisting of placing a test sample in a horizontal position between two supports then applying a blow of known magnitude. If the specimen does not break, a new specimen is put in position and the magnitude is increased until the specimen breaks.
Charpy Test: A pendulum-type single-blow impact test in which the specimen usually notched, is supported at both ends as a simple beam and broken by a falling pendulum. The energy absorbed, as determined by the subsequent rise of the pendulum, is a measure of impact strength or notch toughness.
Chatter: Lines that appear across the panel or board at right angles to the grain, giving the appearance of one or more corrugations resulting from bad setting of sanding equipment or planing knives.
Chatter Marks: Parallel indentations or marks appearing at right angles to edge of strip forming a pattern at close and regular intervals, caused by roll vibrations.
Chatter or Chatter Marks: An undesirable, repetitive pattern created on the surface of a workpiece, usually at regularly-spaced intervals, due to an out-of-round or out-of-balance condition in the abrasive machine, or improper belt splice.
Check: A lumber defect caused by uneven shrinking of the wood during drying. A checked board has splits which develop lengthwise across the growth rings.
Checking: Cracks that appear in a finishing film due to lack of cohesion, often caused by too heavy of a coat being applied or a poor grade of finish being used. This may also be called cold-checking.
Checking / Crowfoot: Tiny cracks or splitting in the surface of a pint film usually seen in a lacquer, caused by improper film formation or excessive film build.
Checks: Small slits running parallel to the grain of wood, caused chiefly by strains produced in seasoning and drying.
Chemical Energy: The energy liberated in a chemical reaction as in the combustion of fuels.
Chemical Milling: Removing metal stock by controlled selective chemical etching.
Chemical Polishing: Improving the specular reflectivity of a metal surface by chemical treatment.
Chemical Treatment: A substance (chromic acid) that is applied to hot dip galvanize sheet to prevent the formation of white rust during shipping and storage.
Chemistry (of slab): The chemical composition of the steel that in part determines the physical and mechanical properties of the product.
Chicken Tracks: Small, interrupted indentations or raised areas, appearing as a pattern, on a flat wood workpiece after sanding. Normally associated with wide belt or oscillating drum sander applications.
Chicken Tracks: Expression denoting scars that give the particular effect of a chicken’s footprint, caused by air roots or vines. Small sections of chicken tracks appear to be part of the wood when highly dense. Chicken tracks that generally follow the grain and are of an individual line, rather than a series of lines merging on each other, are not considered to be a defect.
Chip Core: See Particle Board Core.
Chip Marks: Shallow depressions or indentations on or in the surface of dressed lumber caused by shavings or chips getting embedded in the surface during dressing.
Chipped Grain: A barely perceptible irregularity in the surface of a piece caused when particles of wood are chipped or broken below the line of cut.
Chipping: A method for removing seams and other surface defects with chisel or gouge so that such defects will not be worked into the finished product. Chipping is often employed also to remove metal that is excessive but not defective. Removal of defects by gas cutting is known as deseaming or scarfing.
Chopped Strand: A type of fiber reinforcement consisting of strands of individual glass fibers which have been chopped into short pieces.
Chromadizing (Chromodizing, Chromatizing): Forming an acid surface to improve paint adhesion on aluminum or aluminum alloys, mainly aircraft skins, by treatment with a solution of chromic acid.
Chromium: It is of bright silvery color, relatively hard. It is strongly resistant to atmospheric and other oxidation. It is of great value in the manufacture of Stainless Steel as an iron-base alloy. Chromium plating has also become a large outlet for the metal. Its principal functions as an alloy in steel making: Increases resistance to corrosion and oxidation; Increases harden-ability; Adds some strength at high temperatures; Resists abrasion and wear (with high carbon). Straight chromium steels are susceptible to temper embrittlement and can be brittle.
Chromium-Nickel Steel: Steel usually made by the electric furnace process in which chromium and nickel participate as alloying elements. The stainless steel of 18% chromium and 8% nickel are the better known of the chromium-nickel types.
Chromizing: A surface treatment at elevated temperature, generally carried out in pack, vapor, or salt bath, in which an alloy is formed by the inward diffusion of chromium into the base metal.
Chuck: A device for holding a workpiece being ground. Also a device to hold a cutting tool, drill bit, or spindle-mounted flapwheel.
Cigarette Knife Steel: Hardened, tempered and bright polished, 1.25 Carbon content- Chromium .15. Accurate flatness necessary and a high hardness with Rockwell C 51 to 53. Usual sizes are 4 3/4 wide and 6 wide x .004 to .010.
Circuit: A device or system of devices that allows electrical current to flow through and voltage to occur across positive and negative terminals.
Circuit Breaker: A device used to interrupt of break an electrical circuit when an overload condition exists. Circuit breakers are used to protect electrical equipment from potential damage.
Cites: Stands for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (of wild fauna and flora); this organization, which boasts a membership of 145 countries, bans commercial international trade in an agreed-upon list of endangered species, and regulates and monitors trade in others that might become endangered. The 1992 CITES treaty prohibited the harvesting and exportation of coveted Brazilian rosewood. Although this coveted tonewood is not indigenous to the Amazon rainforest, the rapid depletion of the species and the lack of a re-forestation program eventually led to a treaty by which Brazil is prohibited from harvesting and exporting its rosewood. The Brazilian rosewood encountered in the guitar industry should be wood harvested before the treaty that has been curing in log form for many years.
Clad Metal: A composite metal containing two or three layers that have been bonded together. The bonding may have been accomplished by co-rolling, welding, heavy chemical deposition or heavy electroplating.
Cladding: A process for covering one metal with another. Usually the surfaces of fairly thick slabs of two metals are brought carefully into contact and are then subjected to co-rolling so that a clad composition results. In some instances a thick electroplate may be deposited before rolling.
Clamp: The part of an injection molding machine incorporating the platens that provide the force necessary to hold the mold closed during injection of the molten resin and open the mold to eject the molded part.
Clamping Area: The largest rated molding area an injection press can hold closed under full molding pressure.
Clamping Force: The force applied to the mold to keep it closed, in opposition to the fluid pressure of the compressed molding material within the mold cavity and the runner system.
Clamping Plate: A plate fitted to a mold and used to fasten the mold to a platen.
Clarifiers: Additives used in resins to improve transparency or translucency.
Clear: A board which is free of defects.
Clearance, Bottom Car: The clear vertical distance from the pit floor to the lowest structural or mechanical part, equipment, or device installed beneath the car platform (except guide shoes or roller guides, safety jaw assemblies and platform aprons or guards) when the car rests on its fully compressed buffers.
Clearance, Top Car: The shortest vertical distance between the top of the car crosshead, or between the top of the car where not crosshead is provided, and the nearest part of the overhead structure or any other obstruction when the car floor is level with the top terminal landing.
Clearcoat: Clearcoat imparts gloss and protection to a basecoat clearcoat system. It is essentially pigment-free paint which enhances the color and depth of the color coat.
Cleats: In closet and utility shelving, these are the wood members furnished to support the shelf.
Cleavage: Fracture of a crystal by crack propagation across a crystallographic plane of low index.
Cleavage Fracture: Fracture of a grain, or most of the grains, in a polycrystalline metal by cleavage, resulting in bright reflecting facets.
Cleavage Plane: A characteristic crystallographic plane or set of planes in a crystal on which cleavage fracture occurs easily.
Climate: The prevailing or average weather conditions of a geographic region.
Climb Grinding: The workpiece is presented to the abrasive belt in the same direction the belt is running. (Versus "conventional" grinding).
Close Grain and Open Grain: The size and distribution of the cellular structure of the wood influences the appearance and uniformity. Open-grain hardwoods, such as elm, oak, ash and chestnut are “ring-porous” species. These species have distinct figure and grain patterns. Close-grain hardwoods such as cherry, maple, birch and yellow poplar are “diffuse porous” species. Most North American diffuse-porous woods have small dense pores resulting in less distinct figure and grain. Some tropical diffuse-porous species (e.g. mahogany) have rather large pores.
Close-Grained Wood: Wood with narrow, or inconspicuous annual rings, but also can refer to wood with small pores (in this sense, the term "fine-textured" is also used) and/or narrow grain pattern. Examples are maple, cherry, birch and pine.
Closed Molding: A molding process using two matched molds. This method of molding reinforced plastic provides a good inside and outside surface. This type of mold tooling is much more expensive than open mold tooling, but generates fewer emissions.
Closed Stringer: In stair work, this refers to a stringer that boxes in the treads and risers.
Closed-loop Control: A system for monitoring and automatically adjusting injection molding process conditions such as temperature, pressure and time. The automatic changes keep part production within preset tolerances.
Cluster Mill: A rolling mill where each of the two working rolls of small diameter is supported by two or more back-up rolls.
Clustered: When a defect described in the grading rule is sufficient in number and sufficiently close together to appear to be concentrated in one area.
Cobalt: A gray magnetic metal, of medium hardness; it resists corrosion like nickel, which it resembles closely; melting point 2696 (degrees) F.; specific gravity 8.9. It is used as the matrix metal in most cemented carbides and is occasionally electroplated instead of nickel, the sulfate being used as electrolyte. Its principal function as an alloy in tool steel; it contributes to red hardness by hardening ferrite.
Code: Code is a system of regulations pertaining to the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators and moving walks. The most widely recognized and used is ANSI A-17-1, sponsored by the National Bureau of Standards, the American Institute of Architects, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and published by ASME. It has been adopted by many states. Some state and cities have written their own codes, most of which are based on the ANSI A-17-1.
Coefficient of Expansion: The ratio of change in length, area, or volume per degree to the corresponding value at a standard temperature.
Coffer: A sunken, decorative panel in a ceiling.
Cogging: An intermediate rolling process when a hot ingot is reduced to a bloom or slab in a cogging mill.
Coil Breaks: Creases or ridges across a metal sheet transverse to the direction of coiling, occasionally occurring when the metal has been coiled hot and uncoiled cold.
Coil Set or Longitudinal Curl: A lengthwise curve or set found in coiled strip metals following its coil pattern. A departure from longitudinal flatness. Can be removed by roller or stretcher leveling from metals in the softer temper ranges.
Coil Weld: A joint between two lengths of metal within a coil - not always visible in the cold reduced product.
Coils: Coiled flat sheet or strip metal- usually in one continuous piece or length.
Coining: A process of impressing images or characters of the die and punch onto a plane metal surface.
Coke Plate (Hot Dipped Tin Plate): Standard tin plate, with the lightest commercial tin coat, used for food containers, oil canning, etc. A higher grade is the best cokes, with special cokes representing the best of the coke tin variety. For high qualities and heavier coatings.
Cold Checking: The web-like or checkerboard pattern of fine cracks in a guitar’s finish, frequently caused by expansion and contraction due to extreme cold or heat.
Cold Drawing: The process of reducing the cross sectional area of wire, bar or tube by drawing the material through a die without any pre-heating. Cold drawing is used for the production of bright steel bar in round square, hexagonal and flat section. The process changes the mechanical properties of the steel and the finished product is accurate to size, free from scale with a bright surface finish.
Cold Flow Lines: Imperfections with the part wall due to thickening or solidification of resin prior to full cavity fill.
Cold Molding: The process of compression molding involving shaping an unheated compound in a mold under pressure then heating the article to cure it.
Cold Reduced Strip: Metal strip, produced from hot-rolled strip, by rolling on a cold reduction mill.
Cold Reduction: Reduction of metal size, usually by rolling or drawing particularly thickness, while the metal is maintained at room temperature or below the recrystallization temperature of the metal; Reduction of strip thickness through the use of force rather than heat.
Cold Rolled Finish: Finish obtained by cold rolling plain pickled sheet or strip with a lubricant resulting in a relatively smooth appearance.
Cold Rolling: Rolling metal at a temperature below the softening point of the metal to create strain hardening (work-hardening). Same as cold reduction, except that the working method is limited to rolling. Cold rolling changes the mechanical properties of strip and produces certain useful combinations of hardness, strength, stiffness, ductility and other characteristics known as tempers, which see.
Cold Shut: A discontinuity that appears on the surface of cast metal as a result of two streams of liquid meeting and failing to unite. A portion of the surface of a forging that is separated, in part, from the main body of metal by oxide. A condition of brittleness existing in some metals at temperatures below the recrystallization temperature.
Cold Treatment: Exposing steel to suitable subzero temperatures (-85 °C, or -120 °F) for the purpose of obtaining desired conditions or properties such as dimensional or microstructural stability. When the treatment involves the transformation of retained austenite, it is usually followed by tempering.
Cold Work: Permanent strain produced by an external force in a metal below its recrystallization temperature.
Cold Working: Plastic deformation, such as rolling, hammering, drawing, etc., at a temperature sufficiently low to create strain-hardening (work-hardening). Commonly, the term refers to such deformation at normal temperatures.
Cold-Rolled Steel: Steel sheets or coils that have been dimensioned with heavy rollers. Identified by a shiny finish, as opposed to hot-rolled steel, which has a black colored mill scale. Not as tough or ductile as hot-rolled steel.
Color Concentrate (AKA Colorant, Pigment): A plastic compound which contains a high percentage of pigment to be blended in appropriate amounts with the base resin so that the correct final color is achieved.
Columbium: See Niobium Nb
Columnar Structure: A coarse structure of parallel columns of grains, having the long axis perpendicular to the casting surface.
Comb Grain: Comb grain is selected from rift for its exceptionally straight grain and closely spaced growth increments. Allowable medullary ray flake is limited.
Combination Core: Typically, these cores are constructed of three or five plies of veneer sandwiched between thin laminations of a composite product such as MDF, particle board, hardboard, etc. Another variation utilizes a wafer board (randomly oriented wafer, typically aspen) center. Usually, these cores result in a lightweight, strong, dimensionally stable panel with increased screw-holding ability compared to particle board and superior surface flatness compared to typical veneer core panels.
Combination Sanding Head: A wide belt grinding head that offers the option of using the contact roll or platen either individually or in tandem.
Commercial Bronze: A copper-zinc alloy (brass) containing 90% copper and 10% zinc; used for screws, wire, hardware, etc. Although termed commercial-bronze it contains no tin. It is somewhat stronger than copper and has equal or better ductility.
Commercial Quality Steel Sheet: Normally to a ladle analysis of carbon limit at 0.15 max. A Standard Quality Carbon Steel Sheet.
Common Grade Lumber: Lumber with obvious defects.
Compatible Edgeband (CE): When relating the door edge to face appearance, the edge is not the same species as the face; however, it must be similar in overall color, grain, character and contrast to the face. See self-edge (SE).
Compatible Species: For purposes of these standards, it means different species which are able to exist in a harmonious combination of color and grain.
Compatible for Color and Grain: For purposes of these standards, it means members shall be selected so that: Lighter-than-average color members will not be adjacent to darker-than-average color members, and there will be no sharp contrast in color between the adjacent members. The grain of adjacent members shall not vary widely or be dissimilar in grain, character and figure.
Compensated Saddle: A saddle set at a specific angle (and with the B-string slot pre-adjusted) for optimal intonation, as opposed to a “straight” saddle.
Compensator: An equipment option on wide belt sanders that reduces the feed speed of the work transport system when excessively oversized work enters the machine. This feature improves coated abrasive belt life and reduces machine wear.
Component (of Face): An individual piece of veneer that is jointed to other pieces to achieve a full length and width face. The terms “piece” and “leaf” are used interchangeably with “component” in the context of face.
Composite: A structural non-homogenous material consisting of a combination of materials. Typically, one of the materials is a strengthening agent, the other being a thermoset or thermoplastic resin.
Composite: A combination of one or more materials differing in form or composition. The individual constituents retain their identities; i.e. they do not meld although they act in concert. Normally, the components can be physically identified and exhibit an interface between one another.
Composite Panel: Man-made wood panels made up of a core material similar to particleboard, with a thin veneer of softwood on each face.
Composite Plywood: Is plywood, of which the core or certain layers are made out of materials other than solid wood or veneers.
Composition: Is the description of the constituent elements of plywood.
Composition Face Panels: A door face panel composed of a wood derivative.
Compound: A mixture of resin(s) and additives usually formed in a separate machine downstream from the primary reactor.
Compound Cut: An angled cut to both the edge and face of a board.
Compound Dovetail: When describing a certain kind of neck-joint favored by traditional guitar makers. “Compound” refers to it being dovetailed in two directions simultaneously. Tthe mortise-and-tenon is dovetail shaped, so it will slide in, and it’s wedge-shaped, so that when it slides in it eventually hits bottom. Without question, this makes a very strong wood joint. Unfortunately, the glue-joint is buried up inside that connection, so removing the neck can be problematic.
Compounding: A process required to mix polymer(s) with all of the additives that are necessary to provide the end user with a finished grade with suitable properties.
Compounding: The action of using an abrasive polishing material either by hand or by machine.
Compression Molding: A method of molding in which the molding material, generally pre-heated, is placed in an open heated mold cavity. The mold is then closed by pressing down from the top of the mold, which forces the material into contact with all the mold areas.
Compression Wood: Reaction wood that forms on the lower side of a leaning softwood tree.
Compressive Strength: The maximum compressive stress that a material is capable of developing, based on original area of cross section. In the case of a material which fails in compression by a shattering fracture, the compressive strength has a very definite value. In the case of materials which do not fail in compression by a shattering fracture, the value obtained for compressive strength is an arbitrary value depending upon the degree of distortion that is regarded as indicating complete failure of the material.
Compressive Strength: The ability of a material to sustain a force in a direction opposite of tension.
Concealed Surface: A surface not normally visible after installation.
Conditioning: A process of subjecting a material to standard environmental and/or a non-standard stress state prior to testing or use.
Conductor: The material through which electricity is transmitted, such as an electrical wire.
Conduit: A tubular material used to encase and protect electrical conductors.
Cones: Small belt-like specialty items that are cone-shaped and fit over a solid rubber, tapered drum. Used for finishing curved surfaces and recessed areas.
Connections: Vessels have two common connections: couplings and nozzles. Couplings project through the shell or head and are welded into place. They consist of threaded female pipe. Nozzles are made up of a pipe stub that has been welded onto the vessel and end in a bolting flange.
Conspicuous: Detectable; readily visible with the naked eye when observed in normal light at a distance stated within these standards.
Constant Pressure Gradient: The pressure drop per unit of length. The constant pressure gradient principle says that the most efficient filling pattern is when the pressure gradient is constant along the flow path.
Constant-Speed Wind Turbines: Wind turbines that operate at a constant RPM. They are designed for optimal energy capture at a specific rotor diameter and at a particular wind speed.
Constitute: A phase, or combination of phases, that occurs in a characteristic configuration in a microstructure.
Constitutional Diagram: A graphical representation of the temperature and composition limits of phase fields in an alloy system as they actually exist under specific conditions of heating and cooling (synonymous with phase diagram). A constitutional diagram may be, or may approximate, and equilibrium diagram, or may represent metastable conditions or phases. Compare equilibrium diagram.
Construction Type A: A frameless construction where the front edge of the cabinet body components are simply edgebanded.
Construction Type B: A face-frame construction where the front edge of the cabinet body components is overlaid with a frame.
Contact Adhesive: Normally used for bonding high-pressure decorative laminates to a substrate.
Contact Corrosion: When two dissimilar metals are in contact without a protective barrier between them and they are in the presence of liquid, an electrolytic cell is created. The degree of corrosion is dependent on the area in contact and the electro-potential voltage of the metals concerned. The less noble of the metals is liable to be attacked, i.e. zinc will act as a protector of steel in sea water whereas copper or brass will attack the steel in the same environment.
Contact Wheel or Contact Roll: The wheel (or roll), usually rubber, metal, or felt, over which a coated abrasive belt runs and against which work is applied. Aggressiveness varies with density, angle and depth of serration (if any) and ration of groove-width to land-width.
Continuous Casting: A method of producing blooms, billets and slabs in long lengths using water cooled moulds. The castings are continuously withdrawn through the bottom of the caster whilst the teeming of the metal is proceeding. The need for primary and intermediate mills and the storage and use of large numbers of ingot moulds is eliminated. The continuous casting process is also used in the production of cast iron, aluminum and copper alloys. A casting technique in which the ingot, billet, tube, or other shape is continuously solidified while it is being poured, and the length is not determined by mold dimensions.
Continuous Furnace: Furnace, in which the material being heated moves steadily through the furnace.
Continuous Phase: In an alloy or portion of an alloy containing more than one phase, the phase that forms the background or matrix in which the other phase or phases are present as isolated volumes.
Continuous Pickling: Passing sheet or strip metal continuously through a series of pickling and washing tanks.
Continuous Service Temperature: The highest temperature at which a material can perform reliably in long term application as determined by the manufacturer.
Continuous Strip Mill: A series of synchronized rolling mill stands in which coiled flat rolled metal entering the first pass (or stand) moves in a straight line and is continuously reduced in thickness (not width) at each subsequent pass. The finished strip is recoiled upon leaving the final or finishing pass.
Contour Sanding: The sanding of irregular-shaped parts or compound moldings.
Contractor: A general contractor, normally holding the legal agreement for construction of an owner’s building project.
Control, Elevator: The electrical system that directs the mover. It starts and accelerates the elevator, maintains contract speed, initiates and controls the slow down, leveling and stopping. Usual control systems are generator field control utilizing a motor generator to convert the line ac to dc (dc being the main power for larger hoisting machines), and various types of direct drives wherein the line ac is converted to dc by means of solid state devices such as SCR’s. Variable frequency ac utilizing and ac hoisting machine is another form of direct drive.
Control, Generator-Field: A system of speed control which is accomplished by the use of an individual motor driven generator for each elevator or dumbwaiter. The voltage, applied to the hoisting-machine motor, is adjusted and speed varied by varying the strength and direction of the generator field.
Controlled Atmosphere Furnaces: A furnace used for bright annealing into which specially prepared gases are introduced for the purpose of maintaining a neutral atmosphere so that no oxidizing reaction between metal and atmosphere takes place.
Controlled Rolling: A hot rolling process in which the temperature of the steel is closely controlled, particularly during the final rolling passes, to produce a fine-grain microstructure.
Controller: A device or group of devices which serves to control, in a predetermined manner, the apparatus to which it is connected.
Conventional Fuel: The fossil fuels: coal, oil and natural gas.
Conventional Grinding: The workpiece is presented to the abrasive belt opposite the direction the belt is running. (Versus "climb" grinding).
Conversion Varnish: In finishing, this is a class of coatings that are tough and exhibit excellent resistance to household chemicals.
Converter: A device for transforming electricity to a desired quality and quantity.
Converter: A furnace in which air is blown through the molten bath of crude metal or matte for the purpose of oxidizing impurities.
Conveyor Belt: Usually an endless belt configuration that positions, holds, moves, and finally clears workpieces through the abrasive heads on a sanding machine.
Conveyor Machine: A coated abrasive grinding machine on which the workpiece is moved by a belt under the abrading head of the machine.
Cook-top: An assembly of stove burners that fits into a countertop.
Cooling Channels: Channels located within the body of a mold through which a cooling medium is circulated to control the mold surface temperature.
Cooling Stresses: Stresses developed by uneven contraction or external constraint of metal during cooling; also those stresses resulting from localized plastic deformation during cooling, and retained.
Cooling Time: The elapsed time required for the melt to reach it Vicat softening temperature.
Cope and Stick Joint: A method of construction raised panel doors where the tongues of the rails (horizontal) connect to the grooves of the stiles (vertical).
Cope/Coped: To cut the end of one member to match the profile of another molded member.
Copper: A characteristically reddish metal of bright luster, highly malleable and ductile and having high electrical and heat conductivity; Universally and extensively used in the arts in brasses, bronzes. Universally used in the pure state as sheet, tube, rod, and wire and also as alloyed by other elements and an alloy with other metals. It is used in certain steels to improve resistance to atmospheric corrosion.
Copy Shape Sander: A sander which shapes and then sands contoured parts such as chair legs, arms, gun stocks etc.
Cord: A unit of measure often used for firewood stacked 4’ long x 4’ high x 8’ long.
Core: The material (typically veneer, lumber, particle board, medium-density fiberboard or a combination of these) on which an exposed surface material (typically veneer or HPDL) is applied.
Core: In the case of steel this refers to a component that has been case-hardened where the centre is softer than the hard surface layer or case. It can also be applied to the central part of a rolled rimming steel.
Core: A protrusion or a set of protrusions in a plastics forming mold which forms the inner surfaces of the molded articles.
Core, Hollow: A core assembly of strips or other units of wood, wood derivative or insulation board with intervening hollow cells or spaces that support the outer faces.
Core, Mineral: A fire-resistant core material generally used in wood doors requiring fire ratings of ¾ hours or more.
Core, Solid: The innermost layer or section in flush door construction. Typical constructions are as follows: Particle board – a solid core of wood or other lignocellulosic particles bonded together with a suitable binder, cured under heat and pressed into a rigid panel in a flat-platen press. Stave – is a solid core of wood blocks or strips. Wood block, lined – is a solid core of two parts; a central wood block core bonded to two core liners of wood or other lignocellulosic materials.
Corian®: A brand of solid surface material made by DuPont which offers a non-porous, repairable, renewable surface with the ability to integrate sinks.
Coring: A variation of composition between the center and surface of a unit of structure (such as a dendrite, a grain, or a carbide particle) resulting from non-equilibrium growth over a range of temperature.
Cornice: A finishing detail along the top edge of a piece of furniture or building.
Corona Treatment: The impingement of AC power on a component to bombard it with free radicals thus improving the ability to bond to a surface.
Corrosion: Gradual chemical or electrochemical attack on a metal by atmosphere, moisture or other agents. Deterioration of a metal by chemical or electrochemical reaction with its environment.
Corrosion Embrittlement: The embrittlement caused in certain alloys by exposure to a corrosive environment. Such material is usually susceptible to the intergranular type of corrosion attack. The severe loss of ductility of a metal resulting from corrosive attack, usually intergranular and often not visually apparent.
Corrosion Fatigue: Effect of the application of repeated or fluctuating stresses in a corrosive environment characterized by shorter life than would be encountered as a result of either their repeated or fluctuating stresses alone or the corrosive environment alone.
Corrosion Resistance: A broad term applying to the ability of plastics to resist degradation in many environments.
Corrugated: As a defect. Alternate ridges and furrows. A series of deep short waves.
Countersink: To set the head of a screw at or below the surface of a material.
Counterweight: A structural steel frame containing weights either cast iron or steel plates, which runs vertically in the hoistway within its own guide rails, and counterbalances the weight of the car and percentage of the capacity load.
Coupling Agents: Materials that are used to form a chemical bridge between the resin and an additive such as glass fiber or mineral fiber. By acting as an interface, bonding is enhanced.
Coupon: A sample of material cut from either the blank or head for obtaining test results.
Coupon: A piece of metal from which a test specimen is to be prepared - often an extra piece (as on a casting or forging) or a separate piece made for test purposes (such as a test weldment).
Cove Moldings: Moldings similar to crown moldings, though often smaller and less decorative.
Covered Electrode: A filler-metal electrode, used in arc welding, consisting of a metal core wire with a relatively thick covering which provides protection for the molten metal form the atmosphere, improves the properties of the weld metal and stabilizes the arc. The covering is usually mineral or metal powders mixed with cellulose or other binder.
Crack/Splits/Chips: A physical separation or tearing of a part.
Cratering: The formation of small depressions in a finish, sometimes called fish eye. It’s often caused by the contamination of the finish material or the substrate with silicone, oil or other substances.
Cratering: The forming of holes in a film due to contamination.
Crawling: The tendency of a wet film to creep or crawl away from certain areas of a substrate. Very sharp corners or contamination is often the cause.
Crazing: Are fine cracks on the surface of the paint. This can be caused by old age or re-coating a synthetic paint before the finish coat has dried properly. Also, can be caused by an excessive delay in applying a second coat of synthetic where the first coat has started to cure.
Creasing (of a Belt): Folding of the coated abrasive belt on the contact roll or wheel because it has become stretched in service, or is too flexible for the operation. The term is also used to describe a light scoring of the back of the belt so that it will "hinge" and fit into the complex shape of a hand block.
Creep: The increase in shelf deflection over time, which fluctuates with temperature, humidity and load stress.
Creep: The flow or plastic deformation of metals held for long periods of time at stresses lower than the normal yield strength. The effect is particularly important if the temperature of stressing is above the recrystallization temperature of the metal. Time-dependent strain occurring under stress. The creep strain occurring at a diminishing rate is called primary creep; that occurring at a minimum and almost constant rate, secondary creep; that occurring at an accelerating rate, tertiary creep.
Creep: A term referring to the trait of plastic which is: a plastic subjected to a load for a period of time tends to deform more than it would from the same load released immediately after application and the degree of this deformation is dependent of the load duration.
Creep Limit: The maximum stress that will cause less than a specified quantity of creep in a given time. The maximum nominal stress under which the creep strain rate decreases continuously with time under constant load and at constant temperature. Sometimes used synonymously with creep strength.
Creep Strength: The constant nominal stress that will cause a specified quantity of creep in a given time at constant temperature. The constant nominal stress that will cause a specified creep react at constant temperature.
Crevice Erosion: A type of concentration-cell corrosion; corrosion of a metal that is caused by the concentration of dissolved salts, metal ions, oxygen, or other gases, and such, in crevices or pockets remote from the principal fluid stream, with a resultant building up of differential cells that ultimately cause deep pitting.
Critical Cooling Rate: The minimum rate of continuous cooling just sufficient to prevent undesired transformations. For steel, the slowest rate at which it can be cooled form above the upper critical temperature to prevent the decomposition of austenite at any temperature above the Ms. The limiting rate at which austenite must be cooled to ensure that a particular type of transformation product is formed.
Critical Point(s): The temperature or pressure at which a change in crystal structure, phase, or physical properties occurs. Same as transformation temperature; In an equilibrium diagram, that specific value of composition, temperature and pressure, or combinations thereof, at which the phases of a heterogeneous systems are in equilibrium; Temperatures at which internal changes or transformations take place within a metal either on a rising or falling temperature.
Critical Range: A temperature range in which an internal change takes place within a metal. Also termed transformation range.
Critical Strain: That strain which results in the formation of very large grains during recrystallization.
Critical Temperature: The temperature at which certain chemical changes take place in metal during heat treatment. This temperature varies with different metals.
Critical Temperature: Synonymous with critical point if pressure is constant.
Crocus: A natural abrasive of iron oxide particles. Used mostly for cleaning and polishing soft metals.
Crook: A lumber defect where there is an edgewise warp effecting the straightness of the board.
Crook: A deviation, edgewise, from a straight line drawn from end to end of a piece. It is measured at the point of greatest distance from the straight line.
Crop: The defective ends of a rolled or forged product which are cut off and discarded. Cutting off ends of billets ingots or slabs containing pipe or other defects.
Cropped Head/Tail: Squaring of the strip by use of mechanical shear.
Cross Bar: An irregularity of grain resembling a dip in the grain running at right angles, or nearly so, to the length of the veneer, caused chiefly by strains produced in seasoning.
Cross Break: A separation (break) of the wood cells across the grain. Such breaks may be due to internal strains resulting from unequal longitudinal shrinkage or to external forces.
Cross Coat: Is applying paint in a crisscross pattern. Single coat applied in one direction with a second single coat applied at 90° to the first.
Cross Direction (in rolled or drawn metal): The direction parallel to the axes of the rolls during rolling. The direction at right angles to the direction of rolling or drawing.
Cross Figure: A series of naturally occurring figure effects characterized by mild or dominant patterns across the grain in some faces. For example, a washboard effect occurs in fiddle-back cross figure; and cross wrinkles occur in the mottle figure.
Cross Grain: A term applied to wood in which the grain is not running lengthwise of the material in one direction. The irregularity is due to interlocked fiber, uneven annual rings or to the intersection of branch and stem.
Cross Grain: Having the grain or fibers running diagonally, transversely or irregularly. Also known as “silk”, this is a characteristic visible on some spruce tops that gets a lot of misplaced attention; it is not a flaw.
Cross Rolling: The rolling of sheet so that the direction of rolling is changed about 90 (degrees) from the direction of the previous rolling; A (hot) rolling process in which rolling reduction is carried out in a direction perpendicular to, as well as a direction parallel to, the length of the original slab. Rolling at an angle to the long dimension of the metal; usually done to increase width.
Cross-Grain Scratch: Refers to a scratch created by sanding across, or 90 degrees to the direction of the wood grain.
Crossband: To place the grain of layers of wood at right angles in order to minimize the shrinking and swelling. Also, plywood of three or more plys, or a layer of veneer whose grain is at right angles to that of the face plies.
Crossbanding: A ply placed between the core and face veneer in 5-ply construction, or a ply placed between the back the face of a 3-ply skin in 7-ply construction. When the crossbanding has directional grain, it is placed at right angles to the grain of the face veneer. When used with laminate face doors, crossbanding may consist of more than one ply.
Crossbow: Deviation from flat across the strip width.
Crosscut (Crosscutting): A cut made perpendicular to the grain of a board.
Crossfire: A figure extending across the grain such as fiddleback, raindrop and mottle.
Crosshead: The horizontal upper member of a car frame, consisting of structural steel channels, the selector, or floor controller member. It travels up and down in direct relationship to the car and is equipped with electrical devices involved in operating the elevator. Used in some elevator manufacturers' systems.
Crosslinking: The linking together of long resin molecules by a monomer. This is also called “polymerization”.
Crotch: Wood that comes from the portion of a tree just below the point where it forks into two limbs. The grain is crushed and twisted, creating a variety of plume and flame figures, often resembling a well-formed feather. The outside of the block produces a swirl figure that changes to full crotch figure as the cutting approaches the center of the block.
Crotch: In lumber, this is a piece of wood taken from the fork of a tree. Crotch Veneer is highly valued for its figuring.
Crown: The center of a contact wheel, contact roll, or idler wheel face where the thickness or diameter increases from edge to center. The crowned area is what allows an abrasive belt to track properly.
Crown Moldings: Pieces used to accent ceiling intersections and traditional pediments and casework tops.
Crown or Heavy Center: A contour on a sheet or roll where the thickness or diameter increases from edge to center. The difference in strip thickness from center to edge. Increased thickness in the center of metal sheet or strip as compared with thickness at the edge.
Crucible: A ceramic pot or receptacle made of graphite and clay, or clay or other refractory material, and used in the melting of metal. The term is sometimes applied to pots made of cast iron, cast steel or wrought steel.
Crucible Steel: High-carbon steel produced by melting blister steel in a covered crucible. Crucible steel was developed by Benjamin Huntsman in about 1750 and remained in use until the late 1940's.
Cryogenic Applications: Sub-zero temperature applications.
Cryogenic Processes: The reduction of parts to very low temperatures usually associated with liquid nitrogen. This is commonly used to create assemblies or to de-flash or de-gate a part.
Crystal: A physically homogeneous solid in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a three-dimensional repetitive pattern; A coherent piece of matter, all parts of which have the same anisotropic arrangement of atom; in metals, usually synonymous with grain and crystallite.
Crystal: A homogenous solid having an orderly and repetitive three dimensional arrangement of its atoms.
Crystalline: Composed of crystals.
Crystalline Fracture: A fracture of a polycrystalline metal characterized by a grainy appearance. Compare fibrous fracture.
Crystallinity: A state of molecular structure in some resins attributed to the existence of solid crystals with a definite geometric form. Such structures are characterized by uniformity and compactness.
Crystallization: The formation of crystals by the atoms assuming definite positions in a crystal lattice. This is what happens when a liquid metal solidifies. (Fatigue, the failure of metals under repeated stresses, is sometimes falsely attributed to crystallization.)
Cube-Centered: Metallography- (concerning space lattices) - Body-centered cubic. Refers to crystal structure.
Cup: A deviation in the face of a piece from a straight line drawn from edge to edge of that piece. It is measured at the point of greatest distance from the straight line.
Cup: A defect in the lumber where the face of the board warps up like the letter U.
Cup Fracture (Cup-and-Cone Fracture): Fracture, frequently seen in tensile test pieces of a ductile material, in which the surface of failure on one portion shows a central flat area of failure in tension, with an exterior extended rim of failure in shear. A type of fracture in a tensile test specimen which looks like a cup having the exterior portion extended with the interior slightly depressed.
Cupping: The fracture of severely worked rods or wire where one end has the appearance of a cup and the other that of a cone.
Curb Stringer: See closed stringer.
Curdling: The gelling or partial cure of paint due to incompatible materials. This usually occurs in the mixing process.
Cure: The process of changing properties of polymer into a more stable and usable condition. This is accomplished by the use of heat, radiation, or reaction with chemical additives.
Cure Cycle: The time period at defined conditions to which a reacting thermosetting material is processed to reach a desired property level.
Curing: A polymerization process transforming the liquid resin to a solid, creating the maximum physical properties attainable from the materials.
Curing: The complete drying of a finish to the ultimate development of its properties.
Curly: A figure that occurs when the fibers are distorted, producing a wavy or curly effect in the lumber or veneer. It’s primarily found in maple or birch.
Curtains: Are large sagging or runs of paint due to improper application.
Custom Grade: The middle or normal grade in both material and workmanship and is intended for high-quality, conventional work.
Custom Molder: A firm specializing in the molding of items or components to the specifications of another firm which handles the sale or distribution of the item or incorporates the custom molded components in one of its own products.
Custom Sequence-Matched Panels: When all panels are custom manufactured to a uniform width and/or height according to each elevation. All the panels are balanced-matched and sequence-matched to the adjoining panels.
Cutaway: A curved indentation in the upper, treble-side bout near the neck which allows access to the upper frets; “Venetian” cutaway is rounder and smoother; “Florentine” cutaway comes to a sharper point (requiring a miter joint) and is more complex and labor-intensive.
Cutting Rate: The amount of material removed by a coated abrasive from the workpiece, per unit of time.
Cutting Speed: The linear or peripheral speed of relative motion between the tool and work piece in the principal direction of cutting.
Cyanide Hardening: A process of introducing carbon and nitrogen into the surface of steel by heating it to a suitable temperature in a molten bath of sodium cyanide, or a mixture of sodium and potassium cyanide, diluted with sodium carbonate and quenching in oil or water. This process is used where a thin case and high hardness are required.
Cyaniding: Surface hardening of an iron-base alloy article or portion of it by heating at a suitable temperature in contact with a cyanide salt, followed by quenching. Introducing carbon and nitrogen into a solid ferrous alloy by holding above Ac1 in contact with molten cyanide of suitable composition. The cyanided alloy is usually quench hardened.
Cycle: A complete, repeating sequence of operation for injection molding a part.
Cycle: In alternating current electricity, the current flows in one direction from zero to a maximum voltage, then goes back down to zero, then to a maximum voltage in the opposite direction. This comprises one cycle. The number of complete cycles per second determines the current frequency. In the US the standard for alternating current is 60 cycles.
Cycle Time: The time required by an injection molding system to mold a part and return to its original position/state.
Cyclone: Air spinning inward toward centers of low air pressure. Cyclones spin counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
Cylinder: The outermost lining of a hydraulic jack.
Cylindrical Vessel: The most common type of vessel configurations used, although other designs exist. The name refers to the shape of the vessel.

D-A Sander: "Dual Action," or random orbital sander. Scratch pattern is random and very fine. Can be air or electrically powered, and usually hand held.
D.S.A.: A German standards organization, The German Grinding Wheel Committee. Regulates and issues special permits in Germany for manufacturing grinding wheels and discs, including flapwheels and SMT discs.
DC (Direct Chill) Casting: A continuous method of making ingots or billets for sheet or extrusion by pouring the metal into a short mold. The base of the mold is a platform that is gradually lowered while the metal solidifies, the frozen shell of metal acting as a retainer for the liquid metal below the wall of the mold. The ingot is usually cooled by the impingement of water directly on the mold or on the walls of the solid metal as it is lowered. The length of the ingot is limited by the depth to which the platform can be lowered; therefore, it is often called semi continuous casting.
DI (Ideal Diameter): The diameter of a round steel bar that will harden at the center to a given percent of martensite when subjected to an ideal quench (i.e., Grossman quench severity H=infinity).
Dado: A rectangular channel cut partway into a board.
Dado Joint: A rectangular groove across the grain of a wood member into which the end of the joining member is inserted; also a housed joint. Variations include “mortise and tenon” and “stopped or blind dado” joints.
Dado, Blind or Stopped Joint: A dado that is not visible when the joint is completed.
Dampit: A tube or hose-like soundhole humidifier that is suspended inside the guitar’s sound chamber, where it can release moisture in discreet amounts to prevent or counteract the effects of drying caused by low relative humidity.
Dart: A conventionalized arrowhead shape, often alternating with egg or other forms in moldings.
DeLappe Discs: Coated abrasive discs which have radially-cut slits emanating from the center gold or around the disc periphery (can be flutter discs or spool sanding discs). Used primarily in the woodworking industry on felt spools for sanding contoured surfaces and as a flutter sander for machine sanding grooves and routed areas. Also known as flutter discs or wing discs (4 wing, 8 wing, 16 wing, etc.)
Dead Flat: Perfectly flat. As pertaining to sheet, strip, or plate. Refer to Stretcher Leveling.
Dead Knots (Open Knots): Openings where a portion of the wood substance of the knot has dropped out or where cross checks have occurred to present an opening.
Dead Soft Annealing: Heating metal to above the critical range and appropriately cooling to develop the greatest possible commercial softness or ductility.
Dead Soft Steel: Steel, normally made in the basic open-hearth furnace or by the basic oxygen process with carbon less than 0.10% and manganese in the 0.20-0.50% range, completely annealed.
Dead Soft Temper: Condition of maximum softness commercially attainable in wire, strip, or sheet metal in the annealed state.
Deadhead: See Noseblock.
Deburring: A method whereby the raw slit edge of metal is removed by rolling or filing.
Decarburization: Removal of carbon from the outer surface of iron or steel, usually by heating in an oxidizing or reducing atmosphere. Water vapor, oxygen and carbon dioxide are strong decarburizers. Reheating with adhering scale is also strongly decarburizing in action. Loss of carbon from the surface of a ferrous alloy as a result of heating in a medium that reacts with carbon.
Decay: The disintegration of wood due to the action of wood-destroying fungi; “doze”, “rot” and “unsound wood” mean the same as decay.
Decay: The decline in the level of volume or reverberation of the “envelope” of a musical note in which the envelope goes from maximum to some mid-range level; also, the rate of that decline (see attack).
Deciduous: Trees that shed their foliage annually, commonly referred to as hardwoods.
Decoration (of dislocations): Segregation of solute atoms to the line of a dislocation in a crystal. In ferrite, the dislocations may be decorated with carbon or nitrogen atoms.
Decorative Composite Panels: For the purposes of these standards, a thermally fused panel, flat-pressed from a thermoset polyester or melamine resin-impregnated paper (minimum 30%); see low pressure decorative laminates.
Decorative Plywood: Is used where the appearance is most important; paneling and furniture. Exterior plywood refers to the bonding quality; the adhesive used in exterior plywood is weather proof and the plywood can be used in exterior or humid conditions.
Deep Drawing: The process of cold working or drawing sheet or strip metal blanks by means of dies on a press into shapes which are usually more or less cup-like in character involving considerable plastic deformation of the metal. Deep-drawing quality sheet or strip steel, ordered or sold on the basis of suitability for deep-drawing.
Defect: An abnormality in a piece of lumber that lowers its strength and commercial value such as a check or knot.
Defect: A fault that detracts from the quality, appearance or utility of the piece. Handling marks and/or grain-raising due to moisture shall not be considered a defect.
Defect, Open: These are open joints, knotholes, cracks, loose knots, wormholes, gaps, voids or other openings interrupting the smooth continuity of the wood surface.
Deflection: The amount of sag in a shelf, floor, joist, or counter caused by the weight it's supporting.
Deflection: The measured distance from a straight line that a shelf will deflect under load.
Deformative Bands: Generally, bands in which deformation has been concentrated unhomogeneously.
Degassing: The momentary opening and closing of a mold during the early stages of the cycle to permit the escape of air or gas from the heated compound.
Degassing Process (In steel making): Removing gases from the molten metal by means of a vacuum process in combination with mechanical action.
Degenerate Structure: Usually refers to pearlite that does not have an ideally lamellar structure. The degree of degeneracy may vary from slight perturbations in the lamellar arrangement to structures that are not recognizably lamellar.
Degradation: A deleterious change in the chemical structure, physical properties or appearance of a plastic caused by exposure to heat, light, oxygen, weathering or other external influence.
Degreasing: Removal of grease, oil or other lubricant-type materials by immersion in an effective solvent. Usually are used primarily alkaline cleaners, although an organic solvents are useful.
Delamination: The separation of plies or layers of wood or other material through failure of the adhesive joint.
Delamination: When the surface of a finished part separates. Strata or fish-scale type appearance may be visible where the layers may be separated.
Delta Iron: Allotropic modification of iron, stable above 2552 (degrees) F. to melting point. It is of body-centered cubic crystal structure.
Dendrite: A crystal that has grown in treelike branching mode. A crystal that has a tree-like branching pattern, being most evident in cast metals slowly cooled through the solidification range.
Dendritic Segregation: Inhomogeneous distribution of alloying elements through the arms of dendrites.
Deoxidation: Removal of oxygen from molten metals by use of suitable chemical agents; Sometimes refers to removal of undesirable elements other than oxygen by the introduction of elements or compounds that readily react with them. In steel sheet, strip, and wire technology, the term refers to heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere, to lessen the amount of scale.
Depth of Cut: Refers to the amount of stock removed during each pass of a sanding or grinding operation. Usually expressed in the thousandths of an inch, e.g. depth of cut .125", etc.
Deregulation: The process of changing policies and laws of regulation in order to increase competition among suppliers of commodities and services. The Energy Policy Act initiated deregulation of the electric power industry in 1992.
Descaling: It is necessary to remove the scale from hot rolled bars or coil before bright drawing. This is normally carried out by shot blasting or pickling in acid. Other methods of descaling steel products include sand blasting, flame descaling and tumbling.
Deseaming: A process of burning out defective areas on the surface of ingots, blooms or billets. The condition of the surface is such that it can then be rolled or forged into a satisfactory product.
Diagram, Wiring: A drawing showing the electrical operating, speed control and signal circuits of an elevator, dumbwaiter, etc. A “straight” diagram shows all the circuitry and components for the equipment to operate, whereas a “field” diagram indicated to the wireman on the job how to connect the wiring of various components provided during installation.
Diamond Pyramid Hardness Test: This test, more commonly known as the Vickers test, finds greater use in the laboratory than the workshop. It employs a pyramid shaped diamond with an included angle of 136o which is impressed into the specimen using loads of 5 to 120 kg making a small square impression. This test is used for finished or polished components because the impression can be very small. The diamond pyramid hardness number is obtained from a calculation based on measuring the diagonals of the impressions in the steel.
Diaphragm Gate: Used in symmetrical cavity filling to reduce weld-line formations and improve filling rates.
Die: The term die is most commonly used in tooling, i.e. press tools "punch and die" but there are many other types of die, e.g. thread cutting dies, forming dies, forging dies, die-casting dies, etc. The term when applied to steel often refers to drawing dies through which hot rolled wire and bar are drawn to produce the finish and dimensional accuracy that is required for bright steel.
Die Casting: A method of producing castings to finished size by forcing molten metal into a suitable mold. An object or part formed by die-casting.
Die Cavity: The hollow space inside a die where the metal solidifies to form a casting.
Die Sinking: Forming or machining a depressed pattern in a die.
Die Stamping: A piece formed or cut out by a die.
Die-Lines: Lines of markings daused on drawn or extruded products by minor imperfections in the surface of the die.
Die-back: Is the gradual loss of gloss due to continued evaporation of solvent after the paint work is finished.
Differential Cooling: Occurs when one area of the part cools at a different rate or when the mold surfaces are at different temperatures. Warping can result from differential cooling.
Diffusion: Spreading of a constituent in a gas, liquid or solid, tending to make the composition of all parts uniform; The spontaneous movement of atoms or molecules to new sites within a material.
Dilatometer: An instrument for measuring the expansion or contraction of a solid metal resulting from heating, cooling, polymorphic changes, etc.
Dimension Lumber: Material that is precut in width and thickness to a standard size.
Dimensional Stability: The retention of the precise shape of the part.
Dimple Jacket: A type of heat transfer surface utilizing sheet that has a dimpled pattern.
Dinging Hammer: A hand hammer used to straighten or remove dents from sheet metal.
Direct Current: A type of electricity transmission and distribution by which electricity flows in one direction through the conductor. Usually the electricity is a relatively low voltage and high current. Direct current is abbreviated as DC.
Direct Current (DC): An electric current flowing in one direction only and substantially constant in value.
Direct Gate: A sprue that feeds directly into the mold cavity.
Direct Gloss (DG): A topcoat paint which contains pigment and resin and gives the required gloss level without the need of the application of a clearcoat. A DG Paint film has good weathering and durability characteristics.
Direction Indicator, Car: A signal fixture located in the elevator car that indicates the direction in which the car is traveling. The fixture may signal for car arrival as the doors are opening.
Directional Arrow: Printed on the back of coated abrasive belts, directional arrows point the direction the belt should be run on the machine. Refers to the lap joints only. Belts manufactured with butt-type joints may be run in either direction but the arrow will only point in one direction. Flapwheels also carry directional arrows signifying proper direction of rotation.
Disc: A round, flat-coated abrasive product with or without a center clamping hole. It is affixed to a rotating, oscillating plate, or back-up pad for portable or stationary grinding. The work will be done on the FACE and not the edge of the disc.
Disc Back-Up Pad: A support pad designed to back up a coated abrasive disc during grinding. Back-up pads can be made from rubber, foam, or metal.
Disc Grinder or Sander: A machine on which abrasive discs are used for grinding or sanding. Usually refers to circular-motion disc machines.
Disc Nut: Used to secure disc to backup pad.
Discoloration: A change in the visual appearance of the material caused by formation of oxides when exposed to contaminating atmosphere, always at elevated temperatures.
Discolorations: Stains in wood substances. Common veneer stains are sap stains, blue stains, stains produced by chemical action (caused by the iron in the cutting knife coming in contact with the tannic acid of the wood), those resulting from exposure of natural wood extractives to oxygen and light. Another common stain is from chemical action of vat treatments or the adhesive components and/or to the surface finish.
Dish: A concave surface departing from a straight line edge to edge. Indicates transverse or across the width.
Dish Radius: Also know as crown radius. It is the major radius of the formed head, usually measured from the inside.
Dishing Press: A machine that forms the dish radius in the heads.
Dislocation: A linear defect in the structure of a crystal.
Dispersion Aids: Flow alteration components placed at the entry point of an additive to aid in mixing or dispersing actions of a compounding process.
Distressing: In finishing, this is either a mechanical or chemical special effect which tends to make the material appear aged.
Distribution: The process of distributing electricity. Distribution usually refers to the portion of power lines between a utility’s power pole and transformer and a customer’s point of connection.
Doctor Blade Steel Strip: A hardened and tempered spring steel strip, usually blued, produced from approximately .85 carbon cold rolled spring steel strip specially selected for straightness and good edges. Sometimes hand straightened or straightened by grinding and cur to desired lengths. This product is used in the printing trade as a blade to uniformly remove excess ink (dope) from the rolls; hence its name.
Dog Ear: A protrusion, usually on one edge of a coated abrasive belt, at the joint, caused by uneven belt cutting or improper joint alignment at belt pressing.
Doldrums: A narrow, virtually windless zone near the Equator created as heated air rises upward leaving the ocean’s surface calm and glassy.
Dolomite: A natural carbonate of calcium and magnesium generally used as a flux in blast furnaces.
Dominant Flow Path: The path at the juncture of two confronting flows where the dominant flow will reverse the direction of the other.
Door Lock: Any type of mechanical lock designed to prevent the opening of a hoistway door from the landing side.
Door Operator: A motor-driven device mounted on the car which opens and closes the car doors.
Door or Gate Closer: A mechanical device which closes a hoistway door or a car door or gate by means of a spring or gravity.
Door or Gate Hanger (and Track): Devices mounted on car and hoistway door panels, supporting the doors and guiding their movement. Each hanger consists of a steel track affixed to the car of hoistway entrance and of suitable rollers fastened to the door.
Door or Gate, Car or Hoistway: The movable portion of the car hoistway entrance which closes the opening providing access to the car or to the landing.
Door, Bi-Parting: A vertically sliding or horizontally sliding (center opening) consisting of two or more sections. The sections or groups of sections are arranged to open away from each other, and are so interconnected that all sections operate simultaneously.
Doors – Two Speed: A two-panel door wherein both panels slide either right or left to open. The inner panel moves at one-half the speed as the outer panel. Variations include a three-speed door utilizing three panels. Two sets of two panels each in combination can make a two-speed center-opening door. These types of doors are used where the hoistway width is limited and only when a wider opening than that possible with a center-opening door is desired.
Doors, Center-Opening: Also known as center-parting, these doors utilize two panels and half the width of the opening, with one side sliding to the right and the other half to the left, to open.
Doors, Single Slide: A one-panel door which slides to either the right or left to open.
Double Header/Double Coat: The process where two coats are sprayed without waiting for the first to “flash-off” and which is used to build up a thick layer of paint.
Dovetail: The combination of a flaring tenon and the mortise into which it tightly fits to make an interlocking joint between two pieces (as in wood); dovetail neck joints are favored by traditional makers.
Dovetail Joint: A method of joining wood at corners by the use of interlocking pins and tails.
Dovetail, Blind Joint: A joint formed by inserting a projecting wedge-shaped member (dovetail tenon) into a correspondingly shaped cut-out member (dovetail mortise); variations include the “dovetail dado” and the “blind dovetail dado”.
Dowel: A cylindrical peg or metal screw used to strengthen a wood joint.
Dowel: A cylindrical wooden pin that is used to reinforce a wood joint.
Dowel Center: A cylindrical metal pin with a raised point that is inserted into a dowel hole and used to locate the exact center on a mating piece of wood.
Dowel Screw: A smooth shouldered screw used in lieu of wood dowels for casework joinery.
Doweled Joint: A joint using “dowels” (doweled construction); also “doweled edge joint”.
Down Grade: The diminishing of the value of lumber by creating defects during processing. This commonly occurs during rotary knife planing when tearouts, knot loss, and splitting occur.
Downburst: A severe localized downdraft from a thunderstorm. Also called a microburst.
Downwind Wind Turbine: A horizontal axis wind turbine in which the rotor is downwind of the tower.
Doze: A form of incipient decay characterized by a dull and lifeless appearance of the wood, accompanied by a loss of strength and softening of the wood substance.
Draft: A slight taper in a mold wall designed to facilitate removal of the molded object from the mold.
Draft Marks: A form of deep scratch or scratches on the surface of the component usually cased by the ejection of the part.
Drain Board: Depressions in a countertop which allow water to run into the sink.
Draw: To stretch or shape metal by hammering. To temper steel by gradual or intermittent quenching of the material.
Draw Quality: More flexible grade of steel.
Drawer Sander: A special platen-type sander for sanding the dovetails, front and rear, of wooden drawers after assembly.
Drawer Stop: A device installed in a cabinet to limit the drawer’s travel.
Drawing: Forming recessed parts by forcing the plastic flow of metal in dies; Reducing the cross section of wire or tubing by pulling it through a die; A misnomer for tempering.
Drawing Back: Reheating after hardening to a temperature below the critical for the purpose of changing the hardness of the steel.
Dreadnought: A large body, thick-waisted acoustic guitar pioneered by Frank H. Martin and Harry Hunt in the early 1900’s. Today, the term is used generically to describe that body style.
Dressing: Shaping the cutting edge of a chisel to correct the bevel.
Dressing: Sanding or cutting the face of a wheel, such as a flapwheel, to restore balance to the wheel or to cut a shape into the wheel.
Dressing of Coil: Eliminating any damage or defects from the outer or inner diameter of the coil in preparation for shipping.
Drill Rod: A term given to an annealed and polished high carbon tool steel rod usually round and center less ground. The sizes range in round stock from .013 to 1 1/2 diameter. Commercial qualities embrace water and oil hardening grades. A less popular but nevertheless standard grade is a non-deforming quality. Drill Rods are used principally by machinists and tool and die makers for punches, drills, taps, dowel pins, screw machine parts, small tools, etc.
Drive Machine: The power unit which applies the energy necessary to raise and lower an elevator, material lift, or dumbwaiter car. The drive machine can alternatively be used to drive an escalator, inclined lift or moving walkway.
Drive Sheave: The grooved wheel of a traction-type hoisting machine over the hoist ropes pass. Motion is imparted to the car and counterweight by the hoist ropes.
Drooling: The extrudation or leakage of molten resin from nozzle or nozzle sprue bushing area while filling or shooting the mold.
Drop Forging: A forging made with a drop hammer. An operation in which a metal shape is formed by forcing hot metal into impressions formed in solid blocks of hardened alloy steel, the forging dies. The dies are made in halves, one attached to the rising and falling block of the drop forge and the other to the stationary anvil. Drop forgings are widely used in the automotive industry for crankshafts, stub-axles, gears, etc.
Drop Forging: A shaped object formed between dies by the use of a drop hammer. The process for forging with a drop hammer.
Drop Hammer: A forging hammer that depends on gravity for its force.
Drop-in Sink: A sink which contains a rim that fits over the countertop.
Drum Cover: Refers to the coated abrasive wrapped on the drums of a multiple-drum sanding machine.
Dry Film Thickness (DFT): The thickness of paint after it has dried and/or cured. This is measured in mils.
Dry Rolled Finish: Finish obtained by cold rolling on polished rolls without the use of any coolant or metal lubricant, of material previously plain pickled, giving a burnished appearance.
Dry Spray: A condition caused by holding the spray gun too far away from the work. The compressed air tends to dry the paint too quickly giving rise to a poor finish. This may also be caused by air pressure that is too high.
Drying: The removal of moisture from the resin pellets by exposure to certain time and temperature. All hydroscopic material must be dried prior to molding.
Drying: The process of change of a coating from the liquid to the solid state caused by either evaporation of solvent, chemical reaction of the binding medium, or a combination of these processes. When drying take place during exposure to air at normal temperature, it is called “air drying”; if it can be accelerated by the application of a moderate degree of heat it is called “force drying” or “low bake”.
Dubbing: The tapering of any of the edges of flat stock which has been processed through a wide belt or drum sander. Most commonly occurs on the leading or trailing edge of the work.
Ductile: Capable of being readily pressed, drawn, or otherwise formed into various shapes without fracturing.
Ductile Crack Propagation: Slow crack propagation that is accompanied by noticeable plastic deformation and requires energy to be supplied from outside the body.
Ductility: The capability of being hammered into thin layers or of being drawn out into wire, as of certain metals. Also called "pliant".
Ductility: The ability of a material to deform plastically without fracturing, being measured by elongation or reduction of area in a tensile test, by height of cupping in an Erichsen test or by other means. The property of metals that enables them to be mechanically deformed when cold, without fracture. In steel, ductility is usually measured by elongation and reduction of area as determined in a tensile test.
Dulling: The wearing away of the cutting edges of abrasive grains through use. To a certain degree, it occurs during any abrasive operation, and will finally result in the inefficient cutting or abrading. The coated abrasive should be discarded or shifted to lighter work, regardless of its appearance.
Dumbwaiter: A hoisting and lowering mechanism equipped with a car which moves vertically in guides, the floor of which does not exceed nine square feet, whose total inside height, whether or not provided with shelves, does not exceed four feet. The capacity must not exceed five hundred pounds, nor should be used exclusively for carrying materials.
Duplex: A category of stainless steel with high amounts of chromium and moderate nickel content. The duplex class is so named because it is a mixture of austenitic (chromium-nickel stainless class) and ferritic (plain chromium stainless category) structures. This combination was originated to offer more strength than either of those stainless steels. Duplex stainless steels provide high resistance to stress corrosion cracking (formation of cracks caused by a combination of corrosion and stress) and are suitable for heat exchangers, desalination plants, and marine applications.
Durability: The ability to accept permanent deformation.
Duralumin (Obsolete): The trade name applied to the first aluminum-copper-magnesium type of age- hardenable alloy (17S), which contains nominally 4% Cu, 1/2% Mg. The term is sometimes used to include the class of wrought aluminum-copper-magnesium alloys that harden during aging at room temperature.
Durometer: An instrument used for measuring the hardness of a material.
Durometer: An instrument used to measure hardness of rubber and other materials. Consists of a small drill or blunt indenter point. Relates to the performance characteristics of rubber contact wheels and rolls.
Durometer Hardness: The hardness of a material, usually rubber, as measured by a durometer.
Duty: The load carrying capacity, operating speed, and other technical data defining the operational capability of an elevator, dumbwaiter, etc.
Dwell: A pause in the applied pressure to a mold during the injection cycle just before the mold is completely closed. This dwell allows any gases formed or present to escape from the molding material.
Dye Penetrant Inspection: A method for detecting surface porosity or cracks in metal. The part to be inspected is cleaned and coated with a dye which penetrates any flaws that may be present. The surface is wiped clean and coated with a white powder. The powder absorbs the dye held in the defects indicating their location.

ERW: Electric Resistance Welding (used in formation of pipe).
Earing: Wavy projections formed at the open end of a cup or shell in the course of deep drawing because of difference in directional properties. Also termed scallop. The formation of scallops (ears) around the top edge of a drawn part caused by differences in the directional properties of the sheet metal used.
Early Wood: The portion of the annual growth ring that is formed during the early part of the growing season. It is usually less dense and weaker mechanically than latewood.
Earlywood (Springwood): The first part of the tree's rings to form after winter hibernation. Earlywood is often characterized by larger cells and a lower density.
Eased Edges: For the vast majority of work, a sharp arris or edge is not permitted. Such edges are traditionally “eased” by lightly striking the edge with a fine abrasive. Less often, or as a design element, such edges are machined to a small radius.
Easements: Short curved segments of handrail that provide for changes in pitch, elevation or direction.
Economy Grade: The lowest grade in both material and workmanship and is intended for work where price outweighs quality considerations.
Eddy-Current Testing: Nondestructive testing method in which eddy-current flow is induced in the test object. Changes in the flow caused by variations in the object are reflected into a nearby coil or coils for subsequent analysis by suitable instrumentation and techniques.
Edge Cut: Grooving or rounding of the edges of work caused by excessive stock removal at the coated abrasive belt edge. Also called the edge snipe.
Edge Filing: A method whereby the raw or slit edges of strip metal are passed or drawn one or more times against a series of files, mounted at various angles. This method may be used for deburring only or filing to a specific contour including a completely rounded edge.
Edge Foiler: A machine which applies a decorative foil edge to wood parts. Usually includes one or more mold sanding heads prior to foil applications. See "Foil."
Edge Gate: The entrance to the part from the runner located on the parting line.
Edge Grain (EG) or Vertical Grain (VG): A piece or pieces sawn at approximately right angles to the annual growth rings so that the rings form an angle of 45◦ or more with the surface of the piece.
Edge Joining: Is smoothing and squaring the edge of a board so that it can be glued up squarely to another piece.
Edge Joint: When the edges of boards are glued together to increase the width.
Edge Profile: The profile that defines the shape of the front edge of a countertop
Edge Return: A thick countertop edge that gives the appearance of a thicker slab.
Edge Sander: A machine used for edge sanding in a furniture plant. Also called a "side stroke."
Edge Sanding: The sanding of any furniture components requiring flatness and squareness of integrity, such as frame legs, end boards, etc.
Edge Shed: A term used to describe a condition in which the abrasive grain "shells" off the edges of a coated abrasive product (usually a belt) during use. Usually caused by too severe an application of the coated abrasive product.
Edge Strain or Edge Breaks: Creases extending in from the edge of the temper rolled sheet.
Edge to Edge Repair: A term denoting a complete panel repair as opposed to a touch-up or spot repair.
Edgeband, Concealed: When not more than 1/16” (1.6 mm) of the band shall show on the face or edge of the plywood or particle board.
Edger: Disc sanding machine used in floor sanding to sand edges next to walls. Sometimes called Edget sanders.
Edges: Many types of edges can be produced in the manufacture of flat rolled metal products. Over the years the following types of edges have become recognized as standard in their respective fields: Copper Base Alloys- Slit, Slit and Edge Rolled, Sheared, Sawed, Machined or Drawn. Sheet Steels or Aluminum Sheet- Mill Edge, Slit Edge or Sheared Edge. Strip Steels and Stainless Strip . No. 1 Edge A- Smooth, uniform, round or square edge, either slit or filed or slit and edge rolled as specified, width tolerance +/- .005. No. 2 Edge- A natural sound mill edge carried through from the hot rolled band. Has not been slit, filed, or edge rolled. Tolerances not closer than hot- rolled strip limits. No. 3 Edge - Square, produced by slitting only. Not filed. Width tolerances close. No. 4 Edge - A round edge produced by edge rolling either from a natural mill edge or from slit edge strip. Not as perfect as No. 1 edge. Width tolerances liberal. No. 5 Edge - An approximately square edge produced by slitting and filing or slitting and rolling to remove burr. No. 6 Edge - A square edge produced by square edge rolling, generally from square edge hot-rolled occasionally from slit strip. Width tolerances and finish not as exacting as No. 1 edge.
Edging: The dressing of metal strip edges by rolling, filing or drawing.
Effect: The final result achieved in a finished wood surface after the application of a clearly specified series of finishing procedures or steps have been completed. Successfully achieving a specified “effect” requires the active participation of the design professional and the woodwork finisher.
Egg-Shaped Coils: Coil that is sagging at the center.
Ejection Pin: A rod, pin or sleeve that pushes a molded part off of a core or out of a mold cavity.
Ejection Pin Marks: Residual marks on the part caused by the profile of the ejection pin.
Ejector Return Pins: Projections that push the ejector assembly back as the mold closes. They are also called surface pins or return pins.
Ejector Rod: A bar that actuates the ejector assembly when the mold opens.
Elastic Limit: The maximum stress to which a material may be subjected without any permanent strain remaining upon complete release of stress. Maximum stress that a material will stand before permanent deformation occurs
Elastic Memory: The characteristic of certain plastics evidenced by their tendency to revert to a previously existing shape or dimension.
Elastic Strain: Dimensional changes accompanying stress where the original dimensions are restored upon release of the stress.
Elasticity: The property which enables a material to return to its original shape and dimension.
Elasticity: The ability of a material to quickly recover its original dimensions after removal of a load that has caused deformation.
Elastomer: A rubber-like material which at room temperature can be stretched repeatedly to at least twice its original length and, upon immediate release of the stress, will return with force to its approximate original length.
Electocleaning: (Electrolytic Brightening) An anodic treatment. A cleaning, polishing, or oxidizing treatment in which the specimen or work is made the anode in a suitable electrolyte; an inert metal is used as cathode and a potential is applied.
Electocleaning (Electrolytic Brightening): An anodic treatment. A cleaning, polishing, or oxidizing treatment in which the specimen or work is made the anode in a suitable electrolyte; an inert metal is used as cathode and a potential is applied.
Electric Arc Furnace (EAF): Steelmaking furnace where scrap is generally 100% of the charge. Heat is supplied from electricity that arcs from the graphite electrodes to the metal bath. Furnaces may be either an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). DC units consume less energy and fewer electrodes, but they are more expensive.
Electric Furnace Steel: Steel made in any furnace where heat is generated electrically, almost always by arc. Because of relatively high cost, only tool steels and other high-value steels are made by the electric furnace process.
Electrical Steels: Steels which are characterized by their magnetic properties and are intended for the manufacture of electrical circuits. They are supplied in the form of cold rolled sheet or strip, generally less than 2mm thick and up to 1500mm wide. Grain orientated steels have preferential magnetic properties in the direction of rolling and non- grain orientated steels have similar magnetic properties both transversely and in the direction of rolling.
Electricity: The energy of moving electrons, the current of which is used as a source of power.
Electricity Generation: The process of producing electricity by transforming other forms or sources of energy into electrical energy. Electricity is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh).
Electro-Galvanizing: Galvanizing by Electro deposition of zinc on steel.
Electrogalvanized: Zinc plating process whereby the molecules on the positively charged zinc anode attach to the negatively charged sheet steel. The thickness of the zinc coating is readily controlled. By increasing the electric charge or slowing the speed of the steel through the plating area, the coating will thicken.
Electrolytic Tin Plate: Black Plate that has been Tin plated on both sides with commercially pure tin by electrode position.
Electron Beam Microprobe Analyzer: An instrument for selective chemical analysis of a small volume of material. An electron beam bombards the area of interest and x-radiation thereby emitted is analyzed in a spectrometer.
Electroplating: The production of a thin coating of one metal on another by elect deposition. It is very extensively used in industry and is continuing to enlarge its useful functions. Various plated metal and combinations thereof are being used for different purposes, to illustrate: Decorative and protection against corrosion; copper, nickel and chromium; Protection against corrosion; cadmium or zinc; Protection against wear; chromium; Build-up of a part or parts undersize; chromium or nickel; Pate for rubber adhesion or brass; Protection against carburization and for brazing operations; copper and nickel. The production of a thin coating of one metal on another by electro- deposition. It is very extensively used in industry and is continuing to enlarge its useful functions. Various plated metals and combinations thereof are being used for different purposes.
Electropolishing: Improving the specular reflectivity of a metal surface by electrochemical dissolution. Method for imparting brilliance to stainless steel by removing a thin layer of the surface akin to a reverse electroplating process without any working of the underlying metal. Also known as bright finishing. The process highlights surface irregularities (i.e. roll grit pattern, pickle matte, scratches, pits and digs). At best, very special processing is required to enhance surface to be electro polished.
Electroslag Refining: A specialized steel making process in which a rolled or a cast ingot in the form of an electrode is re-melted in a water cooled copper mould. The melting is activated by resistive heat generated in a conductive slag. The resulting product has a similar basic chemical composition to the original ingot, but is characterized by high purity and low inclusion content. Typical applications include high integrity components for the aerospace industry.
Elevated Temperature Drawing: A process of drawing steel bars at elevated temperatures (normally 250-300°C) which under optimum conditions produce steels that have higher tensile and yield strengths than those cold drawn with the same degree of reduction.
Elongation: Increase in length which occurs before a metal is fractured, when subjected to stress. This is usually expressed as a percentage of the original length and is a measure of the ductility of the metal. In tensile testing, the increase in the gauge length, measured after fracture of the specimen within the gauge length, usually expressed as a percentage of the original gauge length.
Elongation After Fracture: In tensile testing, the increase in the gauge length measured after fracture of the specimen within the gauge length and usually expressed as a percentage of the original gauge length.
Embossing: Raising or indenting a design in relief on a sheet or strip of metal by passing between rolls of desired pattern.
Emergency Lighting: A unit that provides emergency power for elevator lighting, usually from a battery pack on the car, in the event that normal power is lost. Emergency power is immediately connected whereas standby power depends upon the starting of a standby generator.
Emergency Stop Switch: A device located in the car which, when manually operated, causes the elevator to stop by removing power from the driving-machine motor and applying the brake of an electric elevator; or by acting on the electrically operated valves and/or pump motor of a hydraulic elevator.
Emery: An abrasive that is a natural composite of Corundum and Iron Oxide. The grains are blocky, cut slowly, and tend to polish the material being abraded.
Emission: A substance or pollutant emitted as a result of a process.
Enamel: A gloss finish which dries slowly by evaporation of the solvent.
End Block: A piece of hardwood affixed to the inside, tail-end of a guitar, intended to provide structural support and reinforcement where the sides come together, as well as an anchor for the end pin; also called “tail block”.
End Butt Joint: When one end is glued to an edge or face of another board to form an angle (e.g. stiles and rails of a face frame). When the end of one board is fastened to the end of another to increase its length (e.g. running trim).
End Grain: The end or portion of a cut or sawn piece of wood that has been cut across the grain. It is denser than the "straight" grain. It is also more prone to sanding problems due to heat. End grain absorbs stain more readily than straight grain, and must often be sanded to a finer grit to reduce absorption.
End Grain: The grain seen in a cut made at a right angle to the direction of the fibers in a board.
End Match: When there’s matching between adjacent veneer leaves on one panel face. Veneer leaves are book-matched end to end as well as side to side. Generally, this is used for very tall panels or for projects in which only short length veneers are available.
End Pin: A raised button, usually metal, seated in a hole in the middle of the “butt” or outside tail-end of the guitar, to which a guitar strap can be fastened; if the guitar is outfitted with a pickup, the end pin also can serve as a “jack” (entry hole) for the plug on an electrical cord.
End-Quench Hardenability Test (Jominy Test): A laboratory procedure for determining the hardenability of a steel or other ferrous alloy. Hardenability is determined by heating a standard specimen above the upper critical temperature, placing the hot specimen in a fixture so that a stream of cold water impinges on one end. And, after cooling to room temperature is completed, measuring the hardness near the surface of the specimen at regularly spaced intervals along its length. The data are normally plotted as hardness versus distance from the quenched end.
Endurance Limit: Same as fatigue limit. Maximum alternating stress which a given material will withstand for an indefinite number of times without causing fatigue failure.
Energy: The capacity for work. Energy can be converted into different forms but the total amount of energy remains the same.
Energy Storage: The process of storing or converting energy from one form to another for later use. An example of a storage device is a battery.
Engineered Stone: A man-made substance usually composed of crushed quartz and polymer binders used to emulate natural stone. It is sold under many labels such as Silestone, Cambria, CaesarStone, Zodiac etc.
Engineered Veneer: These are veneers that are first peeled, normally from obeche or poplar logs. The peeled veneer leaves are dyed to a specified color then glued together in a mold to produce a large laminated block. The shape of the mold determines the final grain configuration. The block is then sliced into leaves of veneer with a designed appearance that is highly repeatable.
Engineering Plastics: A broad term covering plastics, with or without fillers or reinforcements, which have improved mechanical, chemical, and thermal properties over commodity grades of resins.
Environment: All the natural and living things around us. The earth, air, weather, plants, and animals all make up our environment.
Epitaxy: Induced orientation of the lattice of a crystal of a surface deposit by the lattice of the substrate crystal.
Equiaxed Crystals: Crystals, each of which has axes approximately equal in length. These are normally present in the center of a steel ingot.
Equiaxed Structure: A structure in which the grains have approximately the same dimensions in all directions.
Equilibrium Diagram: A diagram constructed from thermal and other data showing the limits of composition and temperature within which the various constituents or phases of alloys are stable. A graphical representation of the temperature, pressure and composition limits of phase fields in an alloy system as they exist under conditions of thermo dynamical equilibrium. In condensed systems, pressure is usually considered constant.
Equilibrium Moisture Content: The moisture content at which wood neither gains nor loses moisture when surrounded by air at a given relative humidity and temperature.
Equilibrium Moisture Content: When the level of moisture in a board is equal to the moisture in the surrounding air.
Erichsen Test: A cupping test in which a piece of sheet metal, restrained except at the center, is deformed by a cone-shaped spherical-end plunger until fracture occurs. The height of the cup in millimeters at fracture is a measure of the ductility. Similar to the Olsen Test. Readings are in millimeters.
Escutcheon: A protective fitting around a keyhole; also a shield-like ornament.
Etchant: A chemical solution used to etch a metal to reveal structural details.
Etching: In metallography, the process of revealing structural details by the preferential attack of reagents on a metal surface; Subjecting the surface of a metal to preferential chemical or electrolytic attack to reveal structural details.
Eutectic: A mixture of two or more constituents which solidify simultaneously out of the liquid at a minimum freezing point.
Eutectoid: An isothermal reversible transformation in which a solid solution is converted into two or more intimately mixed solids, the number of solids formed being the same as the number of components in the system; An alloy having the composition indicated by the eutectoid point on an equilibrium diagram; An alloy structure of intermixed solid constituents formed by a eutectoid transformation.
Eutectoid Steel: Steel representing the eutectoid composition of the iron-carbon system, with about 0.80% to 0.83% carbon, the eutectoid temperature being about 1333 (degrees) F. Such steel in the annealed condition consists exclusively of pearlite. Steels with less than this quota of carbon are known as hypo-eutectoid and contain free ferrite in addition to the pearlite. When more carbon is present, the steel is known as hyper-eutectoid and contains free cementite. The presence of certain elements, such as nickel or chromium, lowers the eutectoid carbon content.
Evolute: A design of recurrent waves used for borders or other linear elements.
Exfoliation: A type of corrosion that progresses approximately parallel to the outer surface of the metal, causing layers of the metal to be elevated by the formation of corrosion product.
Expander Steel: Hardened and tempered, blue polished. Carbon content about 1.00, Chromium .17. Used for the expanders in oil piston rings. Hardness 30 N 70 to 73. Range of sizes run for grooves 3/32 to 1/4 wide with the steel approximately .003 less than the grooves and thickness from .012 to .020.
Expander Wheel: A rubber-covered wheel used with abrasive bands (essentially belts) to grind and polish. Centrifugal force expands the rubber and holds the band securely.
Exposed Exterior Surfaces: In casework, this means all exterior surfaces are exposed to view.
Exposed Fasteners: Are any mechanical fastening devices, filled or unfilled, that can be seen on exposed or semi-exposed surfaces of woodwork.
Exposed Interior Surfaces: In casework, means all interior surfaces exposed to view in open casework or behind transparent doors.
Exposed Surfaces: Surfaces normally visible after installation.
Extender: A filler material added to a plastic compound used to reduce the amount of resin required per unit value.
Extensometer: An apparatus for indicating the deformation of metal while it is subjected to stress.
Extensometer Test: The measurement of deformation during stressing in the elastic range, permitting determination of elastic properties such as properties such as proportional limit, proof stress, yield strength by the offset method and so forth. Requires the use of special testing equipment and testing procedures such as the use of an extensometer or the plotting of a stress-strain diagram.
Extra Hard Temper: In brass mill terminology, Extra Hard is six B&S numbers hard or 50.15% reduction from the previous annealing or soft stage.
Extra Spring Temper: In brass mill terminology. Extra Spring is ten numbers hard or 68.55% reduction in thickness from the previous annealing or soft stage.
Extrudate: The product or material delivered from an extruder. For example, film pipe profiles.
Extrusion: The process of forming continuous shapes by forcing a molten plastic material through a die.
Extrusion: Shaping metal into a chosen continuous form by forcing it through a die of appropriate shape. The production of a section by forcing a billet to flow through a die. Often used for producing complex sections, the process is used with both hot and cold metal. Seamless tubes are produced by forcing a hot billet to flow through a die over a mandrel positioned centrally in the die.
Extrusion: A method of forming metal by forcing it through a die.
Eye of Coil: The center of the coil as wound.

F & D Heads: There are two types of F&D heads: Standard – the inside dish radius of this type of head is equal to its diameter. The inside knuckle radius is three times the thickness o the heads metal. Standard D&D heads are rarely used on pressure vessels. ASME F&D Head – Also known as the Code F&D head, this head should have a dish radius no greater than its diameter. The knuckle radius should be no less than 6% of the diameter or three times the metal thickness, whichever is greater.
F.E.P.A.: "Federation of European Producers of Abrasives." Normally used to describe a European grading system for abrasive grain to differentiate it from the US A.N.S.I. system. Products graded to the F.E.P.A. system have the letter "P" prior to the grit designation.
F.P.M.: Feet per minute.
FEE (Fish Eye Eliminator): An additive used in paint to prevent the occurrence of fish eyes in a freshly painted surface.
Fabricating: The manufacture of plastic products by appropriate operations. This includes plastics formed into molded parts, rods, tubes, sheeting, extrusion and other forms by methods including punching, cutting, drilling, tapping, fastening or by using other mechanical devices.
Fabrication: Work done in the shop or factory, as cutting, punching, sub-assembling, riveting or welding rolled sections together, before delivery to the building site. To make by combining parts; assembling.
Face: The better side of any panel in which the outer plies are of different veneer grades. It is also either side of a panel in which there is no difference in veneer grade of the outer plies.
Face Centered (Concerning Cubic Space Lattices): Having equivalent points at the corners of the unit cell and at the centers of its six faces. A face-centered cubic space lattice is characteristic of one of the close-packed arrangements of equal hard spheres.
Face Frame: In cabinetmaking a face frame is a flat frame attached to the front of a carcase. The face frame is used to conceal the exposed edges of the plywood panels used to build the carcase.
Face Joint: When the faces of boards are glued together to increase thickness.
Face To: To make a flat surface on a metal piece by using a machine tool.
Face Veneer: The outermost exposed wood veneer surface of a veneered wood door, panel or other component exposed to view when the project is complete.
Face Veneer: High quality veneer that is used for the exposed surfaces on plywood.
Face, Back: The better quality surface of plywood is called the face and the surface opposite to the face is the back.
Face-Frame Construction: See construction style B.
Faceplate: The front cover of a signal or operating fixture such as a push-button, position indicator, etc. usually having an architectural finish (bronze, stainless steel, etc.).
Fading: A gradual change in color or gloss in a finish.
Family Mold: A mold that produces non-identical part simultaneously from multiple cavities.
Fan Gate: A gate used to help reduce stress concentrations in the gate area by spreading the opening over a wider area. Less warping of parts can usually be expected by the use of this type of gate.
Fancy Face Veneer: Elaborate veneer work, which uses many separate pieces of veneer, and often of different wood species. Often seen in table tops, etc.
Fastener, Mechanical: The generic term for securing devices that are used in the fabrication and/or installation of architectural woodwork such as dowel, dowel screws, splines, nails, screws, bolts, shot pins, etc.
Fatigue: The phenomenon leading to fracture under repeated or fluctuating stresses having a maximum value less than the tensile strength of the material. Fatigue fractures are progressive, beginning as minute cracks that grow under the action of the fluctuating stress.
Fatigue Life: The number of cycles of stress that can be sustained prior to failure for a stated test condition.
Fatigue Limit: The maximum stress below which a materiel can presumable endure an infinite number of stress cycles. If the stress is not completely reversed, the value of the mean stress, the minimum stress or the stress ratio should be stated.
Fatigue Strength: The maximum cyclic stress a material can withstand for a given number of cycles before failure occurs.
Fatigue Strength: The maximum stress that can be sustained for a specified number of cycles without failure, the stress being completely reversed within each cycle unless otherwise stated.
Featherboard: A piece of wood with thin "fingers" that hold a board against a fence or down against the table of a power tool, usually a table saw or router.
Feathered Sheets: The top outer sheets of some flitches, generally containing sapwood, that do not run full length.
Featheredge Splitting: Fracture or cracks along the featheredge which occur during drying or shortly after the topcoat has been applied over primer surface. This problem occurs due to poor preparation, use of too fast solvents in primer, improper flash times and/or too aggressive solvents in topcoat.
Featheredging: The sanding process where a painted surface is worked until there is not step or lip where the paint and metal meet.
Feed (Cross): On surface type sanding operations (i.e. stroke sanding), the rate of horizontal feed of the coated abrasive across the work.
Feed (Down): On conveyor operations or surface sanding, the distance at which the belt and contact wheel are fed into the work.
Feed On: For machine tools in which the work revolves, feed is the rate of travel of the tool in a cutting operation. It is expressed in thousandths of an inch per revolution of the spindle. For machines on which the cutting tool revolves, it is the rate of travel of the work table.
Feed Rate: The distance that the stock being processed moves during a given interval of time or operational cycle.
Feedback: The usually annoying sound produced when a string or microphone picks up and amplifies its own signal from a loudspeaker; because of their nature, some tonewoods used to make acoustic guitars are more prone to this problem than others.
Felt: Used in strips or sheets as a soft backing on a platen, underneath the graphite canvas. Reduces the scratches of a sanding belt and allows for more conformability.
Felt Padding: Refers to the surface material on drum sanders, vibrating sanders, platen shoes on stroke sanders, etc. Felt offers a resilient surface to reduce unwanted scratching.
Ferrite: Generally, a solid solution of one or more alloying elements in the bcc polymorph of iron ( -Fe). Specifically, in carbon steels, the interstitial solid solution of carbon in -Fe. A solid solution of one or more elements in body-centered cubic iron. Unless otherwise designated (for instance, as chromium ferrite), the solute is generally assumed to be carbon. On some equilibrium diagrams there are two ferrite regions separated by an austenite area. The lower area is alpha ferrite; the upper, delta ferrite. If there is no designation, alpha ferrite is assumed.
Ferrite Banding: Parallel bands of free ferrite aligned in the direction of working. Sometimes referred to a ferrite streaks.
Ferrite-pearlite Banding: Inhomogeneous distribution of ferrite and pearlite aligned in filaments or plates parallel to the direction of working.
Ferritic Grain Size: The grain size of the ferric matrix of a steel.
Ferro-Manganese: An alloy of iron and manganese (80% manganese) used in making additions of manganese to steel or cast-iron.
Ferroalloy: An alloy of iron with a sufficient amount of some element or elements such as manganese, chromium, or vanadium for use as a means in adding these elements into molten steel.
Ferrous: Related to iron (derived from the Latin ferrum). Ferrous alloys are, therefore, iron base alloys.
Ferrous Metals: Metals whose major ingredient is iron.
Fiber: One of the long, thick-walled cells that give strength and support to hardwoods.
Fiber (Backing): A very hard, strong, coated abrasive backing material consisting of multiple plies of chemically-impregnated paper. Used primarily for disc products.
Fiber Stress: Local stress through a small area (a point or line) on a section where the stress is not uniform, as in a beam under a bending load; Unit stress which exists at any given point in a structural element subjected to load; given as load per unit area.
Fiber or Fibre: The characteristic of wrought metal that indicates directional properties. It is revealed by etching a longitudinal section or manifested by the fibrous appearance of a fracture. It is caused chiefly by extension of the constituents of the metal, both metallic and nonmetallic, in the direction of working; The pattern of preferred orientation of metal crystal after a given deformation process. Direction in which metals have been caused to flow, as by rolling, with microscopic evidence in the form of fibrous appearance in the direction of flow.
Fiberboard: Is a type of engineered wood product that is made out of wood fibers. Types of fiberboard, in order of decreasing density include particle board, medium-density fiberboard, high-density fiberboard and hardboard. Fiberboard is sometimes used as a synonym for particleboard, but particleboard usually refers to low-density fiberboard. Plywood is not a type of fiberboard, as it is made of thin sheets of wood, not wood fibers or particles. Fiberboard, particularly medium-density fiberboard, is heavily used in the furniture industry.
Fiberboard: See MDF.
Fiberboard Core: Material manufactured from wood reduced to fine fibers mixed with binders and formed by the use of heat and pressure into panels.
Fibrous Fracture: A fracture whose surface is characterized by a dull gray or silky appearance.
Fiddleback: A fine, strong, even ripple figure as frequently seen on the backs of violins. The figure is found principally in mahogany and maple, but occurs sometimes in other species.
Fiddleback: A decorative wood figure caused by wavy grain. Fiddleback veneer is prized for its character and often used for musical instruments.
Figure: The natural pattern produced in the wood surface by annual growth rings, rays, knots and natural deviations from the normal grain, such as interlocked and wavy grain and irregular coloration.
Figure: The distinctive pattern produced by a wood’s grain, annual rings, rays, coloration or knots.
Figure (Wood): The pattern produced in a wood surface by annual growth rings, rays, knots, deviations from regular grain such as interlocked and wavy grain, and irregular coloration.
Filament Winding: The process of winding resin-impregnated fiber or tape on a mandrel surface in a precise geometric pattern. This is accomplished by rotating the mandrel while a delivery head precisely positions fibers on the mandrel surface.
Filed Edges: Finished edges, the final contours of which are produced by drawing the strip over a series of small steel files. This is the usual and accepted method of dressing the edges of annealed spring steel strip after slitting in cases where edgewise slitting cracks are objectionable or slitting burr is to be removed.
Fill: The packing of the cavity or cavities of the mold as required to give a complete part or parts that are free of flash and porosity.
Fill (Putty Repairs): A repair to an open defect, usually made with fast-drying plastic putty. It should be well-made with non-shrinking putty of a color matching the surrounding area of the wood, and should be flat and level with the face and panel. It will need to be sanded after application and drying.
Fill Pattern: The contours of the advance of the material as the cavity fills. See flow pattern.
Fill Pressure: The pressure required to fill the cavity.
Fill Time: The time required to fill the cavity. May also be known as injection.
Filler: In woodworking, any substance used to fill the holes and irregularities in planed or sanded surfaces to decrease the porosity of the surface before applying the finish coatings.
Filler: In finishing, ground inert solids specifically designed to fill pores or small cavities in wood as one step in the overall finishing process. In casework, paneling, ornamental work, stair work, frames and some other architectural woodwork applications, an additional piece of trim material between woodwork members or between woodwork and some other material used to create fill or transition between the members.
Filler: A relatively inert substance added to a plastic compound to reduce its cost and/or to improve physical properties, particularly hardness, stiffness and impact strength.
Filler: An inorganic addition to the composite matrix that may impart a variety of performance improvements. This includes shrinkage control, surface smoothness, water resistance and cost reduction and lower cost or density.
Filler Metal: A third material that is melted concurrently with the parent metal during fusion or braze welding. It is usually, but not necessarily, of different composition from the parent metals.
Fin: A thin projecting edge on a casting or other metal surface.
Finery: A charcoal-fueled hearth furnace used in early processes for converting cast iron to wrought iron by melting and oxidizing it in an air blast, then repeatedly oxidizing the product in the presence of a slag. The carbon oxidizes more rapidly than the iron so that a wrought iron of low carbon content is produced.
Finger Joint: When the ends of two pieces of lumber are cut to an identically matching set. It’s used most commonly to increase the length of the board. A series of interlocking fingers are precision-cut on the ends of two pieces of wood that mesh together and are held rigidly in place with adhesive.
Fingerboard: The thin piece of wood that forms the smooth playing surface of the neck and which features saw-cut slots that hold the frets; ebony, rosewood and other dark hardwoods are commonly used; also known as “fretboard”.
Fingerjoint: A joint similar to the “scarf” joints that have been used on classical guitars for years. Fingerjoints are so named because they look like interlocking “fingers”; such a joint used to connect a peghead to a neck actually increases the strength of that area. Tests have shown it is just as strong as, if not stronger than, solid wood. Fingerjoints allow better utilization of neck woods by making it unnecessary to cut a neck and peghead from a single piece of wood and because there is no heel in the way from the start, like there is with a one-piece neck, frets can be “pressed in” rather than pounded in, thus producing a far more accurate fret job and opening up possibilities for using other types of fret wire.
Finish: The surface quality of appearance, such as that produced by sanding or polishing.
Finish: A material used in the final treatment or coating of a surface such as that on a guitar.
Finish: The surface texture and appearance of a finished article.
Finish Planing: To remove extruded glue from the surface of glued-up wood panels, and to attain a uniform thickness.
Finish Sanding or Finish Grinding: The final operation which produces the desired finish on the workpiece.
Finished Plywood: Is plywood further processed by sanding or overlaying.
Finished Steel: Steel that is ready for the market without further work or treatment. Blooms, billets, slabs, sheet bars, and wire rods are termed semi-finished produced by the in-the-line thermal treatment following electrode position.
Finishing Paper: Products manufactured on "A" weight (40 lb paper) or "B" weight (60 lb paper) backings. They are normally in fine grits. Usually used to hand-sand for final finish on wood, metal, etc.
Finishing Room: Refers to the area in a furniture plant where the primary sanding operations for finishing furniture are performed, including wash coat, sanding, and sealer sanding.
Finishing Temperature: The temperature at which hot working is completed.
Fire Properties: As a wood product, plywood is classified as a combustible material. The ignition temperature is 270° C if exposed directly to a flame. If not, ignition does occur at a temperature of 400°C. However, the performance of plywood in the event of a fire is very high, as the surface of plywood is carbonized, which protects the panel and slows down the burning process.
Fire Rated: Fire-retardant particle board is available with an Underwriters’ Laboratory (UL) stamp for class 1 fire rating (Flame Spread 20, Smoke Developed 25). Fire-rated doors are available with particle board and mineral cores for ratings up to 1 ½ hours. It is the responsibility of the specifier to indicate which fire-retardant classification is required for a particular product. In the absence of such a specified rating, the manufacturer may supply an unrated product.
Fire-Rated Door: A door that has been constructed in such a manner that when installed in an assembly and tested, will pass ASTM E-152 “Fire Test of Door Assemblies”. Also, it can be rated as resisting fire for 20 minutes (1/3 hour), 30 minutes (1/2 hour), 45 minutes (3/4 hour) (C), 1 hour (B), or 1 ½ hours (B). The door must be tested and carry an identifying label from a qualified testing and inspection agency.
Fire-Retardant Treatment: There are only a few species that are treated with chemicals to reduce flammability and retard the spread of flame over the surface. This usually involves impregnation of the wood, under pressure, with salts and other chemicals. White oak is untreatable.
Firecrack: Raised area on the strip caused by a thermal crack on the work roll surface.
Firefighter’s Service: A device or group of devices which provide: A signal for immediate recall to a designated landing in order to remove cars from normal use; to permit operation for firefighters or other authorized emergency personnel.
First-Class Workmanship: For architectural woodwork, the finest or highest class of workmanship for the grade specified which shall be free of manufacturing and natural defects covered under grading rules in these standards.
Fish Eyes: Areas on a fractured steel surface having a characteristic white crystalline appearance.
Fish Eyes: Small craters which will appear in the paint if silicone or wax has not been removed from the panel being sprayed.
Fish Eyes: Small bubbles in a wood finish, which are usually caused by contamination by silicon from lubricants or furniture polishes.
Fixture: A device which holds the work while cutting tools are in operation. It differs from a jig in that it has no guides or special arrangements for guiding the tools.
Flake: More properly called “fleck” and sometimes referred to as “silver grain.” It is created when the veneer knife of a saw passes through the medullary rays, wood rays, or pit rays to reveal the naturally wavy, pencil-like stripes in the wood.
Flakeboard: See Particle Board.
Flakes: Short discontinuous internal fissures in ferrous metals attributed to stresses produced by lacalized transformation and decreased solubility of hydrogen during cooling after hot working. In a fractured surface, flakes appear as bright silvery areas; on an etched surface they appear as short discontinuous cracks. Also called shatter cracks and snowflakes.
Flame Annealing: A process of softening a metal by the application of heat from a high-temperature flame.
Flame Hardening: A process of hardening a ferrous alloy by heating it above the transformation range by means of a high-temperature flame, and then cooling as required.
Flame Retardant: To have the ability to resist combustion. A flame retardant plastic is considered to be one that will not continue to burn or glow after the source of ignition has been removed.
Flame Spread Classification: The generally accepted measurement for fire rating of materials. It compares the rate of flame spread on a particular species with the rate of flame spread on untreated red oak.
Flanges: Circular metal plates used to support and drive contact wheels, or flapwheels.
Flanging Machine: A machine that forms the knuckle radius and straight flange.
Flapper Valve Steel: An extremely flat, very smooth, very accurate to gage, polished, hardened and tempered spring steel produced from approximately 1.15 carbon. The name is derived from its common and principle usage.
Flapwheel: Flat pieces of coated abrasive sheets (flaps) arranged and fastened together on a core like spokes of a wheel. The rotational slapping action of the flaps does the abrading and polishing.
Flare Test: A test applied to tubing, involving a tapered expansion over a cone. Similar to pin expansion test.
Flash: Any excess material that is formed with and attached to the component along a seam or mold parting line.
Flash: A thin projection of excess metal, plastic, or rubber that forms at the seams between dies in casting and forging.
Flash: In forging, the excess metal forced between the upper and lower dies; In die casting, the fin of metal which results form leakage between the mating die surfaces; In resistance butt welding, a fin formed perpendicular to the direction of applied pressure.
Flash Gate: A wide gate extending from a runner which runs parallel to an edge of a molded part along the parting line of a mold.
Flash Welding: A resistance butt welding process in which the weld is produced over the entire abutting surface by pressure and heat, the heat being produced by electric arcs between the members being welded.
Flat Bar: Material that is not wide enough to be called plate.
Flat Grain (FG) or Slash Grain (SG): A piece or pieces sawn approximately parallel to the annual growth rings so that all or some of the rings form an angle of less than 45◦ with the surface of the piece.
Flat Latch Needle Steel: Supplied cold rolled and annealed. Carbon content .85. Supplied both in coil and flat length. Used to make flat latch needles which are used in the manufacture of knitted goods.
Flat Sawn Lumber: In softwoods, this is a method of sawing lumber where the log is cut tangential to the growth rings. It is also called plain-sawn.
Flat Slicing: See plain slicing.
Flat Top: A steel string guitar with a flat soundboard.
Flat Wire: A flat Cold Rolled, prepared edge section up to 1 1/4 wide, rectangular in shape. Generally produced from hot rolled rods or specially prepared round wire by one or more cold rolling operations, primarily for the purpose of obtaining the size and section desired. May also be produced by slitting cold rolled flat metal to desired with followed by edge dressing.
Flat-Sawn: Refers to wood that has been cut perpendicular to the rays; the log is first sawed in half, then each half is mounted so that it moves up and down against a knife, slicing is parallel to the center line and at a tangent to the growth rings in the tree. (see quarter-sawn)
Flatpick: A small, flat object, usually plastic, held between the thumb and forefinger or index finger and used to strike the strings of an instrument; also know as a pick or plectrum.
Fleck, Ray: The portion of a ray as it appears on the quartered or rift-cut surface. Fleck is often a dominant appearance feature in oak.
Flex: A controlled breaking of the adhesive bond that holds the abrasive grain to the backing of a coated abrasive product. More flexibility is needed for detailed or contoured workpieces.
Flexural Modulus: The ratio, within the elastic limit, of the applied stress on a test specimen in flexure to the corresponding strain in the outermost elements of the specimen.
Flexural Strength: The maximum stress in the outer fiber at the moment of cracking or breaking. In the case of plastics, this value is usually higher than the tensile strength.
Flexural Strength Yield: The measure of resistance of the material to fracture during bending.
Flint: A natural abrasive not commonly used today. A form of quartz, it is too soft for most types of sanding. Only used for hand sanding.
Flitch: A hewn or sawn log made ready for veneer production or the actual veneer slices of one half of a log, kept in order and used for the production of fine plywood panels.
Florentine: See “cutaway”.
Flow Balancing: Modifying flow paths, particularly runner sections, so that all flow paths within a mold fill in equal time and with equal pressure.
Flow Leader: A local increase in thickness to encourage flow in a particular direction.
Flow Lines: Texture showing the direction of metal flow during hot or cold working. Flow lines often can be revealed by etching the surface or a section of a metal part; In mechanical metallurgy, paths followed by volume elements of metal during deformation. Always visible to a greater or less degree when a longitudinal section has been subjected to Macro etching, indicating the direction of working or rolling.
Flow Marks: These are wavy surface appearance on a molded part caused by improper flow of the melt into the mold.
Flow Pattern: The contour that the melt takes sequentially as it fills the cavity.
Flow Rate: The volume of material passing a fixed point per unit of time.
Flow Stress: The uni-axial true stress required to cause plastic deformation at a specified value of strain. The shear stress required to cause plastic deformation of solid metals.
Flush Construction: Cabinet construction in which the door and drawer faces are set within and flush with the body members of face frames of the cabinet with spaces between face surfaces sufficient for operating clearance.
Flush Overlay: A cabinet construction in which door and drawer faces cover the body members of the cabinet with spaces between face surfaces sufficient for operating clearance.
Flute: One of a series of parallel, lengthwise channels or grooves in a column, cornice molding, band or furniture leg.
Fluting: Kinking or breakage due to curving of metal strip on a radius so small, with relation to thickness, as to stretch the outer surface above its elastic limit. Not to be confused with the specific product, Fluted Tubes.
Flutter Sanding: Sanding irregular, intricate shapes or carvings which may be found on furniture frames, legs, chair backs, etc. Normally done with eight-winged DeLappe discs folded into a pinwheel configuration. Also can be done with specially die-cut sheets (called "flutter sheets").
Flux: In refining, a material used to remove undesirable substances as a molten mixture. It may also be used as a protective covering for molten metal; In welding, a material used to prevent the formation of, or to dissolve and facilitate the removal of, oxides and other undesirable substances.
Foil: A vinyl film that is bonded to MDF tops or edges. The foil is normally solid colors or has a wood grain appearance. Poor sanding of the board will often be visible through the thin foil layer.
Foil: Metal in sheet form less than 0.006 in. in thickness.
Folds: Defects caused in metal by continued fabrication of overlapping surfaces.
Forge: To shape hot metal by hammering or pressing.
Forge Welding: Welding hot metal by applying pressure or blows.
Forging: Plastically deforming metal, usually hot, into desired shapes with compressive force, with or without dies.
Forgings: Hammering a metal into a desired shape after heating it to an extremely high temperature. Nozzle flanges are normally forged.
Form 3 Center Hole: KLINGSPOR code for a fiber disc with a special arbor hole with 4 slots around the hole. Makes the holding nut easier to secure than on a standard arbor hole.
Formed Plate: Plate that has been pressed into shape to form its shape. Most vessels use this type of plate.
Fossil Fuels: Fuels formed in the ground from the decayed remains of dead plants and animals. It takes millions of years to form fossil fuels. Oil, natural gas and coal are fossil fuels.
Foundry: An establishment in which articles are cast from metal.
Fractography: Descriptive treatment of fracture, especially in metals, with specific reference to photographs of the fracture surface. Macrofractography involves photographs at low magnification; microfractography, at high magnification.
Fracture: Surface appearance of metals when broken.
Fracture Test: Breaking a specimen and examining the fractured surface with the unaided eye or with a low- power microscope to determine such things as composition, grain size, case depth, soundness, and presence of defects. Nicking and breaking a bar by means of sudden impact, to enable macroscopic study of the fractured surface.
Fragmentation: The subdivision of a grain into small discrete crystallites outlined by a heavily deformed network of intersecting slip bands as a result of cold working. These small crystals or fragments differ from one another in orientation and tend to rotate to a stable orientation determined by the slip systems.
Frameless Construction: Construction style A.
Free Machining: Pertains to the machining characteristics of an alloy to which an ingredient has been introduced to give small broken chips, lower power consumption, better surface finish, and longer tool life; among such additions are sulfur or lead to steel, lead to brass, lead and bismuth to aluminum, and sulfur or selenium to stainless steel.
Free Water (Free Moisture): Moisture found in the cell cavities of wood.
Freehand Gripping: Grinding by holding the work against the coated abrasive by hand; usually called offhand grinding.
Frequency: The number of cycles through which an alternating current passes per second, measured in hertz.
Fret Markers: Inlays commonly set at the third, fifth, seventh, nine, and 12th frets (and higher on some guitars) intended to provide the player with a quick visual reference for positioning along a fingerboard. These can range from simple, utilitarian squares or dots made of wood, metal or pearloid, to ornate designs or symbols made from more exotic materials.
Frets: The rounded metal strips hammered into sloths on the fingerboard and spaced at precise intervals to produce specific pitches when the strings are depressed against them.
Fretting (Fretting Corrosion): Action that results in surface damage, especially in a corrosive environment, when there is relative motion between solid surfaces in contact under pressure.
Fretwork: A repeated, symmetrical, interlaced design of small bars.
Friable: Referring to the property of a substance capable of being easily rubbed, crumbled, or pulverized into a powder. Regarding abrasive grain, friability is the resharpening and toughness characteristics of a particular grain type.
Friction Gouges or Scratches: A series of relatively short surface scratches variable in form and severity. Refer to Galling.
Fuel: Any material that can be consumed to make energy.
Full Annealing (ferrous materials): Annealing a ferrous alloy by austenitizing and then cooling slowly through the transformation range. The austenitizing temperature to hypo-eutectoid steel is usually above Ac3; and for hypereutectoid steel, usually between Ac1 and Ac (cm). Used principally on iron and steel, means heating the metal to about 100°F above the critical temperature range, followed by soaking at this point and slow cooling below the critical temperature; An annealing treatment in which a steel is ausenitized by heating to a temperature above the upper critical temperature (A3 or Acm) and then cooled slowly to room temperature. A typical cooling rate would be 210F/h 100 C/h. Compare normalizing. Use of the term annealing without qualification implies full annealing.
Full Finish Plate: Steel sheet or strip, reduced either hot or cold, cleaned, annealed, and then cold-rolled to a bright finish.
Full Hard Temper: (No. 1 Temper) In low carbon sheet or strip steel, stiff and springy, not suitable for bending in any direction. It is the hardest temper obtainable by hard cold rolling; In Stainless Steel Strip, tempers are based on minimum tensile or yield strength. For Chromium-Nickel grades Full Hard temper is 185,000 TS, 140,000 YS Min. Term also used in connection with copper base alloys and considered synonymous with Hard Temper.
Furring: Material added to a wall surface to create a true plane.
Fusion Welding: Any welding process in which fusion is employed to complete the weld.

GFM: Gyratory Forging Machine - A machine designed to hot forge a cylindrical bar shape while it is turning at speed.
Gable: Aside from the traditional usage referring to the end of a building, in casework, it’s the end or side of a cabinet.
Gages: Mfrs. standard numbering systems indicating decimal thicknesses or diameters.
Galling: The damaging of one or both metallic surfaces by removal of particles from localized areas due to seizure during sliding friction; Developing a condition on the rubbing surface of one or both mating parts where excessive friction between high spots results in localized welding with substantial spalling and a further roughening of the surface.
Galvanic Corrosion: Corrosion associated with the current of a galvanic cell consisting of two dissimilar conductors in an electrolyte or two similar conductors in dissimilar electrolytes. Where the two dissimilar metals are in contact, the resulting action is referred to as couple action.
Galvanize: To coat a metal surface with zinc as protection against corrosion.
Galvanized Steel: Steel which has been dipped into a bath of zinc metal. Done to prevent rusting of the steel.
Galvanizing: Coating steel with zinc and tin (principally zinc) for rust proofing purposes. Formerly for the purpose of galvanizing, cut length steel sheets were passed singly through a bath of the molten metal. Today's galvanizing processing method consists of uncoiling and passing the continuous length of successive coils either through a molten bath of the metal. Termed Hot Dipped Galvanizing or by continuously zinc coating the uncoiled sheet electrolytically- termed Electro-Galvanizing.
Galvanneal Furnace: A furnace which is placed over the strip as it exits the zinc bath for the purpose of producing a fully alloyed iron-zinc coating. The furnace can be gas fired or induction.
Gamma Iron: The form of iron stable between 1670°F, and 2550°F, and characterized by a face-centered cubic crystal structure.
Gap: An unfilled opening in a continuous surface or between adjoining surfaces.
Gapped Joint: Refers to a belt joint condition in which the two joint ends do not butt tightly together. There is a space or "gap" at the point of contact of the belt ends. Condition may lead to premature product failure.
Garland: A sculptural ornament, usually in relief, in the form of a swag or festoon of flower or fruit.
Garnet: A very sharp grain that cuts quickly when new. Fractures quickly, keeping it sharp. Perfect for sanding wood end grains or for final-finish sanding of wood. Very economical. A naturally occurring abrasive grain, red in color, made by crushing semi-precious garnet material. Still used occasionally in the woodworking industry.
Gas Welding: Welding with a gas flame.
Gate: The channel through which the molten resin flows from the runner into the cavity.
Gate: A type of hoistway or car closure of a number of wood, metal, or mesh strips, articulated or fixed, usually used on freight elevators.
Gate: The opening where molten metal enters the mold cavity.
Gate Blush: A blemish or disturbance in the gate area of an injection molded article.
Gate Trim: A remnant of plastic left over from cutting the component from the runner or sprue, usually to be cut flush with the edge of the component.
Gauge: A term used to describe the thickness of sheet metal.
Gauge: A term for thickness.
Gearbox: A protective casing for a system of gears.
Geared Traction Machine: A traction machine in which the power from the motor is transmitted to the drive sheave through reduction gears.
Gearless Traction Machine: A type of elevator hoisting machine on which the hoist ropes pass over a traction drive sheave which is an integral part of the armature. It is called gearless because no geared reduction unit is utilized.
Gel Coat: A plastic finish sprayed onto fiberglass which gives it the characteristic smooth, glossy look.
Gel Coat: A resin used as a surface coat for molded fiberglass products. It provides an aesthetic enhancement to the surface and overall protection for the fiberglass laminate.
Generator: An electromagnetical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy (usually direct current).
Generator: A device for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy.
Gig Bag: A soft, padded, relatively “lightweight” travel bag, usually but not exclusively used for casual transportation of guitars or other instruments.
Gigawatt (GW): A unit of power equal to 1 million kilowatts.
Gilding Metal: A copper-zinc alloy containing 95% copper and 5% zinc. While similar to deoxidized copper in physical properties, it is somewhat stronger and very ductile. It has thermal and electrical conductivity slightly better than half that of electrolytic copper and corrosion resistance comparable to copper.
Glass Fibers: Family of reinforcing material for reinforced plastics based on single filaments of glass.
Glass Transition: A change in an amorphous polymer from viscous to hard and relatively brittle.
Glaze: To become glassy, take on a glaze; The spaces between the grit of the grinding wheel becomes filled with metal or other particles, and reduces the abrasive quality of the wheel.
Glazing: In finishing, it is an added step for achieving color or to heighten grain appearance.
Glazing: Belt damage caused by excessive working pressure or speed. The abrasive is prematurely dulled and generates excessive heat.
Global Warming: A term used to describe the increase in average global temperatures due to the greenhouse effect.
Gloss: The degree to which a painted surface possesses the property of reflecting light in a mirror-like manner.
Gloss: A way to describe a finish which has a deep shine and smooth texture.
Gloss: See sheen.
Glue: A coated abrasive adhesive produced by the hydrolysis of animal hides. It is gelantinized by water and dries to form a strong adhesive layer, which may be used with or without filler.
Glue Block: A wood block, usually triangular in cross-section, securely glued to an angular joint between two members for a great glue bond area.
Glue Bond: Coated abrasive products that use animal hide glue in both the maker and sizer adhesive coats. The glue may be used alone or with an inert filler or extender.
Glue Joint: A special interlocking grooved pattern that is used to join two pieces, edge to edge, securely.
Glue Size: A method of applying a mixture of glue and water to a wood panel, allowing to dry, and then sanding. This will reduce wood fuzz and allow a smoother finish.
Glue Spots: The discolorations or barriers to finish penetration, caused by the bleed-through or un-removed glue, on an exposed or semi-exposed wood surface.
Glued, Securely: The bonding of two members with an adhesive forming a tight joint with no visible delamination along the lines of application.
Governor Rope: A wire rope attached to an elevator car frame that drives the governor and, when stopped by the governor, initiates setting of the car safety.
Governor, Elevator: An over-speed safety device, located in the machine room or upper part of the hoistway and driven by a sheave. It passes a rope, which in turn is fastened to and propelled by the car or counterweight. Can also be located in the pit; Should an abnormal condition cause the car or counterweight to descend at a predetermined over-speed, the interaction between the governor and the governor rope causes the safety to engage the guide rails. This will bring the car or counterweight to a controlled stop.
Grade: Unless otherwise noted, this term means grade rules for economy, custom and/or premium grade.
Grading: The process used to separate abrasive grains into specific size groupings.
Grading Rules: Most hardwoods are graded utilizing the rules established by the National Hardwood Lumber Association. Softwoods, on the other hand, are graded by several grading associations. The three primary softwood grading associations are Western Wood Products Association, Southern Pine Inspection Bureau and Redwood Inspection Service. Although lumber must be purchased by the manufacturer according to these grading rules, these rules should not be used to specify lumber for architectural woodwork. Specify the “Grade” of work for the fabricated products under these standards. Softwood plywood is graded by the American Plywood Association (APA, The Engineered Wood Association). Grade markings are stamped on the back or edge of each sheet. Hardwood plywood is made under the standards of the Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association (HPVA). These grades are rarely marked on the panels.
Grain: The size, alignment, and color of wood fibers in a piece of lumber.
Grain: The fibers in wood and their direction, size, arrangement, appearance or quality. When severed, the annual growth rings become quite pronounced and the effect is referred to as “grain”. Flat grain (FG) or slash grain (SG) – a piece or pieces sawn approximately parallel to the annual growth rings so that all or some of the rings form an angle of less than 45◦ with the surface of the piece. Mixed grain (MG) – is any combination of vertical or flat grain in the same member. Vertical grain lumber or veneer is a piece sawn or sliced at approximately right angles to the annual growth rings so that the rings form an angle of 45◦ or more with the surface of the piece. Quartered grain – is a method of sawing or slicing to bring out certain figures produced by the medullary or pith rays, which are especially conspicuous in oak. The log is flitched in several different ways to allow the cutting of the veneer in a radial direction. Rift or comb grain is lumber or veneer that is obtained by cutting at an angle of about 15◦ off of the quartered version. Twenty-five percent of the exposed surface area of each piece of veneer may contain medullary ray flake.
Grain: A solid polyhedral (or many sided crystal) consisting of groups of atoms bound together in a regular geometric pattern. In mill practice grains are usually studied only as they appear in one plane. (Direction of) Refers to grain fiber following the direction of rolling and parallel to edges of strip or sheets. To bend across the grain is to bend at right angles to the direction of rolling. To bend with the grain is to bend parallel to the direction of rolling. In steel, the ductility in the direction of rolling is almost twice that at right angles to the direction of rolling; Grain is an individual crystal in a polycrystalline metal or alloy, including twinned regions or sub-grains if present.
Grain: A term that refers to the direction or orientation of wood cells, particularly the fibrous element.
Grain (Wood): The direction, size, arrangement, appearance, or quality of the fibers in wood or lumber.
Grain Boundary: Bounding surface between crystals. When alloys yield new phases (as in cooling), grain boundaries are the preferred location for the appearance of the new phase. Certain deterioration, such as season cracking and caustic embrittlement, occur almost exclusively at grain boundaries.
Grain Character: A varying pattern produced by cutting through growth rings, exposing various layers. It is most pronounced in veneer cut tangentially or rotary.
Grain Coarsening: A heat treatment that produces excessively large austenitic grains.
Grain Figure: The pattern produced in a wood surface by annual growth rings, ray, knots or deviations from natural grain such as interlocked & wavy grain, and irregular coloration.
Grain Filler: Also known as “paste filler”, this is a thick substance used for filling open-grain woods and for staining necks. Traditionally a brown, oil-based paste, filler is applied to al guitars (except maple and spruce) to fill the wood pores in preparation for finish spraying. This paste not only fills the pores, it also homogenizes the color variations in such woods as rosewood, walnut and koa.
Grain Flow: Fiber like lines appearing on polished and etched sections of forgings, caused by orientation of the constituents of the metal in the direction of working during forging.
Grain Growth: An increase in metallic crystal size as annealing temperature is raised; growth occurs by invasion of crystal areas by other crystals. An increase in the average size of the grains in polycrystalline metal or alloy, usually a result of heating at elevated temperature.
Grain Size: For metals, a measure of the areas or volumes of grains in a polycrystalline material, usually expressed as an average when the individual sizes are fairly uniform. Grain sizes are reported in terms of grains per unit area or volume, average diameter, or as a grain-size number derived form area measurements. Average diameter of grains in the metal under consideration, or alternatively, the number of grains per unit area. Since increase in grain size is paralleled by lower ductility and impact resistance, the question of general grain size is of great significance. The addition of certain metals affects grain size, for example vanadium and aluminum tend to give steel a fine grain. The ASTM has set up a grain size standard for steels, and the McQuaid-Ehn Test has been developed as a method of measurement; Average diameter of grains in the metal under consideration, or alternatively, the number of grains per unit area. Since increase in grain size is paralleled by lower ductility and impact resistance, the question of general grain size is of great significance. The addition of certain metals affects grain size, for example vanadium and aluminum ten to give steel a fine grain.
Grain Slope: The expression of the angle of the grain to the long edges of the veneer component.
Grain Sweep: The expression of the angle of the grain to the long edges of the veneer component over the area extending one eighth of the length of the piece from the ends.
Grain-Boundary Liquidation: An advanced stage of overheating in which material in the region of austenitic grain boundaries melts. Also known as burning.
Grain-Boundary Sulfide Precipitation: An intermediate stage of overheating in which sulfide inclusions are redistributed to the austenitic grain boundaries by partial solution at the overheating temperature and reprecipitation during subsequent cooling.
Grains: Individual crystals in metals.
Granite: An igneous rock, formed by volcanic action and composed chiefly of feldspars and quartz usually with one or more other minerals. It is relatively hard and dense and will polish to a high gloss. It is an excellent choice for kitchen countertops, floors and other heavily used surfaces. Granite, quarried from the mountain of Italy, the US, India and dozens of other countries around the world, is one of the most popular natural stones on the market. Available in a striking array of colors, granite’s durability and longevity make it ideal for kitchen countertops and other heavily used surfaces, including table tops and floors.
Granular Fracture: A type of irregular surface produced when metal fractures, characterized by a rough, grain like appearance as differentiated from a smooth silky, or fibrous, type. It can be sub classified into trans-granular and inter-granular forms. This type of fracture is frequently called crystalline fracture, but the implication that the metal has crystallized is completely misleading.
Granulated: A coarse grain or pebbly surface condition which becomes evident during drawing.
Granulation: The formation of grains immediately upon solidification.
Graphite: The polymorph of carbon with a hexagonal crystal structure.
Graphite: Friction-reducing material which is available in a wax stick for applying directly to the belt backing; a chemically inert variety of carbon with a metallic luster and an oily feel, used as a lubricant, and in the manufacture of electrodes, crucibles, lead pencils, etc. Also known as black lead.
Graphite Coated Canvas: Canvas with a layer of graphite adhered to it. Designed to reduce friction on a platen type grinding machine, it is used between the platen and the back of the belt.
Graphitization: Formation of graphite in iron or steel. Primary graphitization refers to formation of graphite during solidification. Secondary graphitization refers to later formation during heat treatment.
Graphitizing: A heating and cooling process by which the combined carbon in cast iron or steel is transformed, wholly or partly, to graphitic or free carbon. Annealing a ferrous alloy in such a way that some or all of the carbon is precipitated as graphite.
Gray Cast Iron: A cast iron that gives a gray fracture due to the presence of flake graphite. Often called gray iron.
Green Credit: Green credits are a new way to purchase renewable electric generation that divides the generation into two separate products; the commodity energy and the renewable attributes. The green credit represents the renewable attributes of a single megawatt of renewable energy. Also know as green tags, renewable energy credits or renewable energy certificates.
Green Lumber: Freshly cut lumber that has not had time to dry.
Green Power: A popular term for energy produced from renewable energy resources
Greenfield: A site on which a power plant has not previously existed.
Greenhouse Effect: The heating effect resulting from long wave radiation from the sun being trapped by greenhouse gases that have been produced from natural and human sources.
Grid (power/utility): A common term referring to an electricity transmission and distribution system.
Grinding: Removing material (other than wood) with a coated abrasive product; usually referring to the use of coarser grit sizes.
Grinding: Removing material from a work piece with a grinding wheel or abrasive belt.
Grinding Cracks: Shallow cracks formed in the surface of relatively hard materials because of excessive grinding heat or the high sensitivity of the material.
Grit: Designation of abrasive grain size, reflecting the number of the smallest openings per linear inch in the screen through which the grain will pass. Can be either US "C.A.M.I." grade or European "P" grade.
Grit Symbol Scale: Older abrasive grit size scale still used occasionally in the furniture and floor sanding industries. The grit sizes are read as "aught" sizes.
Groove: Refers to the slots in a serrated contact wheel or roll adjacent to the lands. Land-to-groove ratio has significant bearing on the aggressiveness of a contact wheel.
Groove: Rectangular slot of three surfaces cut parallel with the grain of the wood.
Ground: A narrow strip of wood that serves as a guide for plaster as well as a base to which trim members are secured. Grounds are applied to rough interior openings, such as doors and windows, along interior walls at the finish floor line, and wherever wainscot may be installed. The thickness of a ground is that of the combined lath and plaster, while the width varies from 1” (25.4 mm) to 3” (76.2 mm), which is often called plaster grounds (around interior or exterior openings) and base grounds (when used around the base of rooms).
Ground Flat Stock: Annealed and pre-ground (to close tolerances) tool steel flats in standard sizes ready for tool room use. These are three common grades; water hardening, oil hardening, and air hardening quality.
Grout: The material used to fill and seal the joints between ceramic tiles.
Growth Rings: The layer of wood added by a tree in a single growing season, the markings of which contribute to the figure in finished woods.
Guide: Device for holding the metal in the proper position, during rolling, or slitting.
Guide Rails: Steel T-section with machined guiding surfaces installed vertically in a hoistway to guide and direct the course of travel of an elevator car and elevator counterweights.
Guide Scratch: Scratches or marks appearing parallel to edges of cold rolled strip caused by scale or other particles which have become imbedded in or have adhered to the rolling mill guide. Also applies to similar scratches appearing as a result of slitting.
Guides, Car or Counterweight: Devices attached to the car frame and counterweight frame at top and bottom, which keep them properly located with relation the guide rails. Sliding guides simply slide along the faces of the rails; the sliding insert or gib may be metal, requiring the guide rails to be lubricated, or may be plastic material which is self-lubricating; Roller guides consist of rubber or plastic tired spring-mounted rollers which run on the front and both sides of the guide rail faces. Roller guides do not require rail lubrication.
Guitarron: A large, deep-bodied bass instrument held like a guitar, boasting as many as six strings and used primarily in mariachi and other forms of Latin folk music.
Gum Pockets: Well-defined openings between rings of annual growth, containing gum or evidence or prior gum accumulations.
Gum Spots and Streaks: Gum or resinous material or color spots and streaks caused by prior resin accumulations sometimes found on panel surfaces.
Gun Drill: A drill, usually with one or more flutes and with coolant passages through the drill body, used for deep hole drilling.
Gust: A sudden brief increase in the speed of the wind.

HNX Gas: A mixture of hydrogen and Nitrogen gas used to prevent oxidation and to "clean" the strip during the annealing process.
HP: Shorthand for horsepower.
HPDL: See high pressure decorative laminate.
HPDL Compact: See Solid Phenolic.
Hairline: A thin, perceptible line showing at the joint of two pieces of wood.
Half Hard Temper: In low carbon cold-rolled strip steel, produced by cold rolling to a hardness next to but somewhat softer than full hard temper; In brass mill terminology, half hard is two B&S numbers hard or 20.70% thickness reduction; In Stainless Steel Strip, Tempers are based on minimum tensile or yield strength. For Chromium-Nickel grades Half-Hard Temper 150,000 T.S., 110,000 Y.S.Min.
Half Lap Joint: A joint formed by extending (lapping) the joining part of one member over the joining part of another.
Half Round: A method of cutting veneers on an off-center lathe that results in a modification characteristic of both rotary and plain-sliced veneers; often used in red and white oak.
Half-Pipe: A type of heat transfer design.
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)
Hall Lantern: A corridor mounted signal light indication that an elevator car is approaching that landing and the direction in which the car is to travel.
Hammer Forging: Forging in which the work is deformed by repeated blows. Compare with press forging.
Hand Block Sanding: Using a flat block when sanding with belts or sheets, usually to finish wood workpieces. Flat hand blocks are used to polish flat stock, while formed blocks are used to sand shaped moldings.
Hand Lay-Up: Placing reinforcement material and resin onto a mold by hand. The resin application is frequently accomplished with a spray gun.
Hand-Rubbed Finish: In finishing, this is a manual step performed to smooth, flatten or dull the topcoat.
Handling Marks: Scratches, dents, blemishes, mars or scuffs left or created by physical handling or packaging.
Handrail: A railing serving as a support.
Handrail: In stair work, this is the member that follows the pitch of the stair for grasping with the hand.
Handrail Guard: A guard, usually made of rubber that fits over the outside of the handrail at a point where the handrail enters or leaves the balustrade; it is to keep a person’s fingers out of the handrail opening.
Hard Chromium: Chromium deposited for engineering purposes, such as increasing the wear resistance of sliding metal surfaces, rather than as a decorative coating. It is usually applied directly to basis metal and is customarily thicker than a decorative deposit.
Hard Drawing: Drawing metal wire through a die to reduce cross section and increase tensile strength.
Hard Drawn: Wire or tubing drawn to high tensile strength by a high degree of cold work.
Hard Drawn Spring Steel Wire: A medium high carbon cold drawn spring steel wire. Used principally for cold wound springs.
Hard Temper: For steel, see Full Hard Temper; In brass mill terminology, Hard Temper is four B&S numbers hard or 37.1% reduction.
Hardboard: A generic term for a panel manufactured primarily from inter-felted lignocellulosic fibers, consolidated under heat and pressure in a hot press and conforming to the requirements of ANSI/AHAA 135.4.
Hardboard: Manufactured into pegboard, wall paneling, drawer bottoms, and backs of dressers.
Hardboard: A type of manufactured board similar to particle board but with a much smoother surface. A common brand of hardboard is Masonite.
Hardboard: Is also called high-density fiberboard and is a type of fiberboard which is an engineered wood product. It is similar to particleboard and medium-density fiberboard but is denser and much harder because it is made out of exploded wood fibers that have been highly compressed. It is referred to as “Masonite” in the USA because that was the first brand to be marketed here in the 1920’s, 25 years after it was invented in England.
Hardboard, Tempered: Hardboard that has been coated or impregnated with oil and then baked to give it more impact resistance, hardness, rigidity, tensile strength and more resistance to scratches or moisture. Tempered hardboard is typically smooth on both sides and may have a dark smooth finish.
Hardenability: In a ferrous alloy, the property that determines the depth and distribution of hardness induced by quenching.
Hardened and Tempered Spring Steel Strip: A medium or high carbon quality steel strip which has been subjected to the sequence of heating, quenching and tempering.
Hardener: A substance or mixture of substances added to a material to increase or control the curing reaction by taking part in it.
Hardener: An additive that aids in the curing process.
Hardeners: The chemicals added to paint that make the paint harden as opposed to drying.
Hardening: Increasing hardness by suitable treatment, usually involving heating and cooling. When applicable, the following more specific terms should be used: Age hardening, Case hardening, Flame hardening, Induction hardening, Precipitation hardening, and Quench hardening; Any process which increases the hardness of a metal. Usually heating and quenching certain iron base alloys from a temperature either within or above the critical temperature range.
Hardness: The resistance of a material to compress, indentation and scratching.
Hardness: Degree to which a metal will resist cutting, abrasion, penetration, bending and stretching. The indicated hardness of metals will differ somewhat with the specific apparatus and technique of measuring. Tensile Strength also is an indication of hardness; For details concerning the various types of apparatus used in measuring hardness, See Brinell Hardness, Rockwell Hardness, Vickers Hardness, Scleroscope Hardness.
Hardness: The property of a coating that causes it to resist denting or penetration by a hard object.
Hardness (Indentation): Resistance of a metal to plastic deformation by indentation. Various hardness tests such as Brinell, Rockwell and Vickers may be used. In the Vickers test, a diamond pyramid with an included face angle of 136 is used as the indenter.
Hardwood: A general term used to designate lumber or veneer produced from temperate zone deciduous or tropical broadleaved trees in contrast to softwood, which is produced from trees that are usually needle-bearing or coniferous. The term does not imply hardness in its physical sense.
Hardwood Plywood: Refers to plywood made out of hard wood tree species used, as beech, birch, Okoume etc. They can be mixed as well.
Hardwoods: The woods derived from angiospermous trees, as distinguished from coniferous trees; angiospermae are broad-leaf trees that produce fruits and flowers and are deciduous, meaning that in temperate zones they shed their leaves every autumn. With the exception of coniferous spruce and cedar, the wood is used normally to make guitars.
Hardwoods: The wood of any broad-leaved tree bearing its seeds in a closed cavity. This term does not relate to the density of the wood.
Harmonics: The bell-like upper tonal components of a note, relative to the fundamental, most easily heard at certain points on the fingerboard by lightly attacking a string directly over a fret, but without fretting it.
Haze: The cloudy appearance of a material caused by light scattered from within the specimen or from its surfaces.
Headstock Overlay: A usually thin decorative or contrasting design, article or material (such as rosewood or ebony), positioned to cover a guitar’s headstock or peghead.
Heartwood: Wood extending from the pit or the center of the tree to the sapwood, usually darker in color than sapwood.
Heartwood: The central supporting column of the tree trunk, consisting of matured wood in which little further change will occur.
Heartwood: The older, harder, non-living central wood of a tree that has ceased to conduct sap and serves the sole function of support; heartwood is created as the sapwood moves farther away from the active growth region of the tree and dies; it is usually darker, denser, less permeable and more durable than the surrounding sapwood.
Heartwood: The dead inner core of a tree. It is usually much harder and darker than the newer wood. Also see sapwood.
Heat Number: The identification that describes the origin of the slab (heat).
Heat Resistance Test: A sample of the laminated plastic approximately 12” x 12” (305 mm x 305 mm), glued to the substrate for a minimum of 21 days shall be used for this test. A hot-air gun rayed at 14 amperes, 120 volts, with a nozzle temperature of 500◦F or 274◦C shall be directed at the test panel. A thermometer set at the panel surface shall register 356◦F or 180◦C for an exposure time of 5 minutes. The formation of a blister or void between the overlay and the substrate shall constitute a failure of the adhesive. A metal straightedge shall be used to determine if a blister has occurred. This determination shall be made within 30 seconds of heat removal.
Heat Stabilizers: These additives increase the ability of the material to withstand the negative effects of heat exposure. They are used to increase the overall service temperature of the material.
Heat Tinting: Coloration of a metal surface through oxidation by heating to reveal details of structure.
Heat Treatment: Altering the properties of a metal by subjecting it to a sequence of temperature changes, time of retention at specific temperature and rate of cooling all being as important as the temperature itself. Heat treatment usually markedly affects strength, hardness, ductility, malleability, and similar properties of both metals and their alloys. Heating and cooling a solid metal or alloy in such a way that desired structures, conditions or properties are attained. Heating for the sole purpose of hot working is excluded from the meaning of this term.
Heat of Steel: The product of a single melting operation in a furnace, starting with the charging of raw materials and ending with the tapping of molten metal and consequently identical in its characteristics.
Heat-Affected Zone: That portion of the base metal which was not melted during brazing, cutting, or welding, but whose microstructure and physical properties were altered by the heat.
Heel: The part of the neck that widens to joint the body; usually with a concave curvature to accommodate the hand so that the guitarist can reach the upper frets.
Heel Block: A piece of hardwood affixed to the inside of the guitar where the neck joins the upper body, for the purpose of providing structural support and reinforcement; also “head block” or “neck block”.
Heel Breaster: A type of abrasive product used in shoe manufacturing and repair for sanding the curved section of a shoe heel. It is a U-shaped cloth disc (looks like half of a fiber disc), which forms a cone when placed into a special holder.
Heel Cap: On some guitars, this is the decorative veneer used to cap the small, triangular tip of the heel.
Hematite: The oxide of iron of highest valency which has a composition close to the stoichiometric composition Fe2O3.
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.
Hertz (Hz): A measure of the number of cycles or wavelengths of electrical energy per second. The US electricity supply has a standard frequency of 60 hertz.
Hesitation Effect: This occurs in parts of varied thicknesses. The flow moves preferentially into a thicker area causing an adjacent thin area to freeze off while the thicker area fills. Gates should be positioned as far as possible from where the flow divides into thick and thin flow paths.
High Brass: 65% A copper-zinc alloy containing 35% zinc. Possesses high tensile strength. Used for springs, screws, rivets, etc.
High-Density Overlay: The standard grades of high-density overlay shall be listed as PS 1, latest edition. The surface of the finished product shall be hard, smooth or uniformly textured, although some evidence of underlying grain may appear. The surface shall be of such a character that further finishing by paint or protective coating is not necessary.
High-Pressure Cabinet Liner: A liner that conforms to NEMA LD-3 (latest edition), has a color or pattern sheet to enhance its appearance and is intended for use in cabinet interiors.
High-Pressure Decorative Laminate (HPDL): Laminated thermosetting decorative sheets intended for decorative purposes. The sheets consist essentially of layers of a fibrous sheet material, such as paper, impregnated with a thermosetting condensation resin and consolidation under heat and pressure. The top layers have a decorative color or a printed design. The resulting product has an attractive exposed surface that is durable and resistant to damage from abrasion and mild alkalis, acids and solvents, meeting the requirements of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) LD-3.
Hoistway: A shaftway for the travel of one or more elevators, dumbwaiters or material lifts. It includes the pit and terminates at the underside of the overhead machinery space floor or grating, or at the underside of the roof where the hoistway does not penetrate the roof.
Hoistway Door Interlock: A locking mechanism applied to elevator landing doors and designed so that the door is locked prior to an electrical contact made. It is used to: Electrically prevent the normal operation of the hoisting machine unless the hoistway door is locked in the closed position; Prevent the opening of the hoistway door from the landing side unless the car is within the landing zone and is either stopped or being stopped.
Hoistway Enclosure: This is the fixed structure, consisting of vertical wall or partitions, which isolates the hoistway from all other parts of the building or from an adjacent hoistway and in which the door assemblies and the elevator are installed.
Holes, Worm: Holes resulting from infestation by worms greater than 1/16” (1.6 mm) in diameter.
Homogenizing: Holding at high temperature to eliminate or decrease chemical segregation by diffusion; An annealing treatment carried out at a high temperature, approaching the solidus temperature, for a sufficiently long time that inhomogeneous distributions of alloying elements are reduced by diffusional processes.
Homopolymer: A plastic that results from the polymerization of a single monomer.
Hone: To sharpen or dress with a hone. A stone or fine grit, used for sharpening cutting instruments or for obtaining a very smooth finish on a metal part.
Honed Finish: A satin rather than a high-gloss finish that is achieved by remove the highly polished surface.
Honing: Removing stock generally on the internal cylindrical surface of a workpiece with an abrasive stick mounted in a holder.
Hooke's Law: Stress is proportional to strain in the elastic range. The value of the stress at which a material ceases to obey Hooke's law is known as the elastic limit.
Hopper Loaders: Auxiliary equipment for automatically loading resin pellets into machine hopper.
Hopper dryers: Auxiliary equipment that removes moisture from resin pellets.
Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines: Turbines on which the axis of the rotor’s rotation is parallel to the wind stream and the ground.
Horsepower: The standard unit of power rating. In mechanics, one horsepower is equivalent to 33,000 pounds lifted one foot in one minute. Also known as HP.
Hospital Emergency Service: In Car – See “Independent Service”; Landing – A switch, either key, card-key or other restricted operation, which calls an elevator to that landing. It is usually on a priority basis and holds it there to allow operation of the in-car emergency service switch.
Hot Dip: In steel mill practice, a process whereby ferrous alloy base metals are dipped into molten metal, usually zinc, tin, or terne, for the purpose of fizing a rust resistant coating.
Hot Rolled Finish: A dark relatively rough oxidized finish resulting from rolling the metal while hot. May subsequently be pickled or bright dipped but the rough surface remains.
Hot Short (Shortness): Brittleness in hot metal in the hot forming range.
Hot Top: A reservoir, thermally insulated or heated, to hold molten metal on top of a mold to feed the ingot or casting as it contracts on solidifying to avoid having pipe or voids.
Hot Working: Plastic deformation of metal at a temperature sufficiently high not to create strain hardening. The lower limit of temperature for this process is the re-crystallization temperature.
Hot-Rolled: A term applied to commercial steel which has been rolled while hot.
Hot-runner Mold: A mold in which the runners are insulated from the chilled cavities and are kept hot. Hot-runner molds make parts that have no scrap. This may also be known as insulated runner or runnerless molding.
Humidity: Common term for relative humidity; the amount of moisture in an atmosphere in relation to temperature.
Humidity: See “Relative Humidity”.
Hydraulic Elevator: A power elevator where the energy is applied by means of a liquid under pressure in a cylinder equipped with a plunger or piston.
Hydrogen Embrittlement: Brittleness of metal, resulting from the occlusion of hydrogen (usually as a by- product of pickling or by co-deposition in electroplating); A condition of low ductility resulting from hydrogen absorption and internal pressure developed subsequently. Electrolytic copper exhibits similar results when exposed to reducing atmosphere at elevated temperatures.
Hygrometer: An instrument used to measure relative humidity levels in guitar cases and other instrument storage areas.
Hygroscopic: Ability to readily absorb moisture.
Hygroscopic: The tendency of wood to absorb and expel moisture as humidity levels change.
Hypereutectoid Alloy: In a eutectoid system, any alloy containing more than the eutectoid concentration of solute.
Hypereutectoid Steel: A steel having more than the eutectoid percentage of carbon.

I-beam: A beam with an I or H-shaped cross section. The horizontal elements are flanges, while the vertical element is the web. The Euler-Bernoulli beam equation shows this is a very efficient form for carrying both bending and shears in the plane of the web. The cross-section has a reduced capacity in the transverse direction and is also inefficient in carrying torsion for which hollow structural sections are often preferred.
ISO: International Standards Organization. The organization that establishes standards for a wide range of processes in manufacturing.
Idiomorphz: A particle of a phase the has a regular external shape.
Idler: A machine part in a belt system (may be adjustable) which provides belt tracking and, in some installations, belt tensioning adjustments.
Immersed Scanning: In ultrasonics, a planned, systematic movement of the beam relative to the object being inspected, the search unit being coupled to this object through a column of liquid. In most cases the object and the search unit are submerged in water.
Impact Energy (Impact Value): The amount of energy required to fracture a material, usually measured by means of an Izod or Charpy test. The type of specimen and testing conditions affect the values and therefore should be specified.
Impact Modifiers: Additives used to enhance the material’s ability to withstand the force of impact.
Impact Resistance: The resistance of plastic articles to fracture under stresses applied at high speeds.
Impact Strength: The ability of a material with withstand shock loading.
Impact Test: Test designed to determine the resistance of metal to breakage by impact, usually by concentrating the applied stress to a notched specimen. A test to determine the behavior of materials when subjected to high rates of loading, usually in bending, tension, or torsion. The quantity measured is the energy absorbed in breaking the specimen by a single blow, as in the Charpy or Izod.
Impregnating: The technical term for “sealing”.
Impregnators: Designed to penetrate below the surface of the stone. The application of impregnators restricts water, oil and dirt from entering the stone.
Impurities: Elements or compounds whose presence in a material is undesired.
In-Line System: A type of rough lumber sanding system employing belts 14" to 30" wide and running with feed speeds up to 700 FPM. Boards are run generally end-to-end through an abrasive planer.
Inclusions: Impurities in metal workpieces.
Inclusions: Particles of impurities (usually oxides, sulfides, silicates, etc.) that are held mechanically or are formed during the solidification or by subsequent reaction within the solid metal. A nonmetallic material in a solid metallic matrix.
Inconspicuous: To not be readily visible without careful inspection (as a measurement of natural or machining characteristics).
Indentation Hardness: The resistance of a material to indentation. This is the usual type osf hardness test, in which a pointed or rounded indenter is pressed into a surface under a substantially static load.
Indentations: Areas in the face that have been compressed as the result of residue on the platens of the hot press or handling damage through the factory.
Independent Service: A special operation wherein a car is removed from automatic operation and no longer automatically answers car or landing calls. It responds only to the calls registered on the car operating panel. Usually activated by a switch (key or enclosed) in the car panel.
Indexing: A programmed progression of grinding or sanding across a surface. To move the "feed" in steps.
Induction Hardening: A process of hardening a ferrous alloy by heating it above the transformation range by means of electrical induction, and then cooling as required. Quench hardening in which the heat is generated by electrical induction.
Induction Heating: A process of heating by electrical induction.
Inert-Gas Shielded-Arc Welding: Arc welding in an inert gas such as argon or helium.
Ingot: A casting suitable for hot working or remelting.
Ingot Iron: Commercially pure open-hearth iron.
Inhibitor: An additive that prevents premature polymerization of the resin bond.
Inhibitor: A substance which retards some specific chemical reaction. Pickling inhibitors retard the sissolution of metal without hindering the removal of scale from steel.
Injection: The time required to fill a cavity or mold. May also be known as “fill time”.
Injection Blow Molding: A molding process during which the plastic parison to be blown is formed by injection molding.
Injection Molding: The method of forming objects from granular or powdered plastics, most often of the thermoplastic type, in which the materials are fed from a hopper to a heated chamber in which it is softened, after which a ram or screw forces the material into a mold. Pressure is maintained until the mass has hardened sufficiently for removal from the mold.
Injection Molding Pressure: The pressure applied to the cross-sectional area of the molding cylinder.
Injection Pressure: The pressure on the face of the injection screw or ram when injecting material into the mold, usually expressed in PSI.
Inlay: The use of a contrasting color placed in or between elements of the main color for decoration. This can be simple trim or complex company logos or diagrams.
Inlay: A surface decoration composed of small pieces of contrasting woods or other materials set flush with a wood surface.
Inlay: Decorative designs on the fingerboard, the peghead, and/or the body of a guitar. Usually, the patterns are cut into the wood and filled with such materials as abalone, oyster, mother-of-pearl, plastic light metals, etc.
Inner Plies: Plies other than face or back plies in a panel construction. Crossbands and centers are classed as inner plies (see core).
Insert: A removable part of the mold imparting increased resistance to wear, heat transferability, or changeable part shape to that area of the mold.
Insert molding: The process of molding plastic around pre-formed metal inserts. This process is compatible with both thermoplastic and thermoset materials.
Inside Depth of Dish: Measurement from the inside center of the head to the tangent line.
Insulated Runner: A mold in which the runners are insulated from the chilled cavities and are kept hot. Hot-runner mold make parts that have no scrap.
Intarsia: A surface decoration of wood consisting of wood inlays in contrasting colors.
Integral Sink: A sink made out of the same material as the countertop to form a continuous surface.
Intercrystalline: Between crystals, or between grains. Same as inter-granular.
Interior Plywood: Is plywood that is intended for use inside.
Interleaving: The placing of a sheet of paper between two adjacent layers of metal to facilitate handling and shearing of rectangular sheets, or to prevent sticking or scratching.
Intermediate Annealing: An annealing treatment given to wrought metals following cold work hardening for the purpose of softening prior to further cold working.
Intermediate Grinding: Grinding operations not considered either heavy stock removal or polishing. Some stock removal present, but primary concern is to remove scratch marks from previous coarse grits. Usually refers to operations using grit 60 through 120.
Intermediate Sanding: Dimensioning and/or upgrading the finish of flat furniture stock on bare wood (prior to staining) with wide belts.
Internal Oxidation: Formation of oxides beneath the surface of a metal.
Interrupted Aging: The aging of an alloy at two or more temperatures by steps, and cooling to room temperature after each step. Compare with progressive aging.
Interrupted Quenching: Quenching in which the metal object being quenched is removed from the quenching medium while the object is at a temperature substantially higher than that of the quenching medium.
Interstitial Solid Solution: A solid solution in which the solute atoms occupy (interstitial) positions between the atoms in the structure of the solvent.
Intonation: As a general music term, this refers to the ability to play or sing on pitch; For the purposes of guitar manufacturing, intonation refers to how a given instrument plays in tune with itself. A guitar string should produce the same note played as a harmonic at the 12th fret as it does when you fret that string at the same place; when a repairperson setting up a guitar puts in on a scope (strobe tuner) that compares the 12th fret harmonic with a fretted 12th fret note, he’s checking the “intonation”.
Intracrystalline: Within or across crystals or grains. Same as transcrystalline and transgranular.
Intumescent Coatings: Coatings that can be applied to the surface of flammable products to reduce their flammability.
Investment Casting: Casting metal into a mold produced by surrounding (investing) an expendable pattern with a refractory slurry that sets at room temperature after which the wax, plastic, or frozed mercury pattern is removed through the use of heat. Also called precision casting, or lost-wax process; A casting made by the process.
Iron: A magnetic silver white metal of high tensile strength, ductile and malleable. Chemically iron is chiefly base forming. The principal forms of commercial iron are steel, cast iron and wrought iron. An element that has an average atomic number of 55.85 and that always, in engineering practice, contains small but significant amounts of carbon. Thus iron-carbon alloys containing less than about 0.1% C may be referred to as irons. Alloys with higher carbon contents are always termed steels.
Ironing: Thinning the walls of deep drawn articles by reducing the clearance between punch and die.
Island: An independent segment of cabinetry that doesn’t touch any walls and is typically centrally located within the kitchen floor plan.
Isolate Sealer: A preliminary coat used before the application of a past filler on some models; most of the tonewoods will accept a filler without undue prepping, one exception being rosewood. Rosewood’s natural oils make it resistant to finish.
Isothermal Annealing: A process in which a ferrous alloy is heated to produce a structure partly or wholly austenitic, and is then cooled to and held at a temperature that causes transformation of the austenite to a relatively soft ferrite-carbide aggregate.
Isothermal Transformation: A change in phase at any constant temperature.
Isothermal Transformation (IT) Diagram: A diagram that shows the isothermal time required for transformation of austenite to commence and to finish as a function of temperature. Same as time-temperature- transformation (TTT) diagram or S-curve.
Izod Impact Strength: A measure of impact strength determined by the difference in energy of a swinging pendulum before and after it breaks a notched specimen held vertically as a cantilever beam.
Izod Impact Test: A test to determine impact strength of a sample by holding a sample bar at one end and breaking it by striking. Sample specimens can be notched or un-notched.
Izod Test: A pendulum type of single-blow impact test in which the specimen, usually notched, is fixed at one end and broken by a falling pendulum. The energy absorbed, as measured by the subsequent rise of the pendulum, is a measure of impact strength or notch toughness.

Jacket Heads: Heads that are on the outer shell of a double wall vessel.
Jacketed Head: Heads that are covered with some type of jackets material such as half-pipe or dimple jacket.
Jet Stream: A meandering and relatively narrow belt of strong winds embedded in the normal wind flow, generally found at high altitudes.
Jetting: A turbulent flow in the melt caused by an undersized gate or where a thin section rapidly becomes thicker.
Jig: A tool for holding parts of an assembly during the manufacturing process.
Jig: A device used to make special cuts, guide a tool, or aid in woodworking operations.
Jig: (Not the dance) Devices that hold a workpiece in position while it is being machined or assembled.
Jig Saw Steel: Hardened, tempered and bright polished with round edges. Carbon content .85. Ranges of sizes .039 to 393 in width and .016 to .039 in thickness.
Jitterbug: A reciprocating or oscillating sander that uses a coated abrasive sheet affixed to a felt or rubber back-up for flat sanding of wood. The most common sheet size is 3-2/3" x 9".
Joint: The line of juncture between the edges or ends of two adjacent pieces of lumber or sheets of veneer, such as butt, dado (blind, stopped), dovetail, blind dovetail, finger, half lap, lock, miter (shoulder, lock, spline), mortise and tenon (blind-slotted, stub or through), rabbet, scarf, spline and tongue-and-groove joints.
Joint: See Belt Joint.
Joint Angle: The angle of the belt joint in relation to the edge of the belt. Expressed in degrees. Usually 45 to 75 degrees from the belt edge.
Joint Hinging: A condition describing a belt joint that has taken an inward fix (gulled effect) at the point of joining. On lighter weight products, the hinge will pull out under tension. On heavier products, the "hinge" may resist pulling out and could weaken the belt joint and mark the workpiece.
Joint, Open: A joint in which two adjacent pieces of lumber or veneer do not fit tightly together.
Joints Tight, Factory: Any joints or a combination of joints and/or mechanical fasteners that are used to join two members in the field. Distance between members shall not exceed those set forth in these standards.
Joule (J): A metric unit of energy or work. One joule per second equals 1 watt.
Jumbo Roll: A large roll of coated abrasive product as it is wound after the manufacturing process. Jumbos are then fabricated into finished shapes (sheets, discs, belts, etc.) for industrial and consumer use.

K-factor: A term sometimes used for thermal insulation value or coefficient of thermal conductivity.
KCPI: Stands for “knife cuts per inch”; generally used when describing the result of molded profiles or S4S materials.
Kasha, Dr. Michael: A practicing physicist whose theories about tone production in acoustic guitars have influenced a number of contemporary luthiers, including Steve Klein and the late Richard Schneider (who taught Kasha Design Master Classes in Carlsborg, WA). In simple terms, Kasha believed that the sound chamber of an acoustic guitar is more friendly to some frequencies than to others, and his structural designs attempt to bring all available frequencies into better balance to product richer tonalities.
Kerf: The groove or notch made as a saw passes through wood; also the wood removed by the saw in parting the material.
Kerf: The groove left in a board when cut by a saw blade.
Kerfing: Tapered or wedge-shaped strips of wood glued around the inside seams of a guitar to add strength and stability where the sides meet the top and back. “Kerfed” means articulated with closely spaced slits that render the wood strip flexible; also “lining”
Kerfing Clamp: A metal clamp designed by Bob Taylor (Taylor Guitars) and Matt Guzzetta to more evenly and firmly hold the kerfing in place during the gluing process. Traditionally, luthiers have used and many continue to use, ordinary clothespins.
Killed Steel: The term killed indicates that the steel has been sufficiently deoxidized to quiet the molten metal when poured into the ingot mold. The general practice is to use aluminum ferrosilicon or manganese as deoxidizing agents. A properly killed steel is more uniform as to analysis and is comparatively free from aging. However, for the same carbon and manganese content Killed Steel is harder than Rimmed Steel. In general all steels above 0.25% carbon are killed, also all forging grades, structural steels from 0.15% to 0.25% carbon and some special steels in the low carbon range. Most steels below 0.15% carbon are rimmed steel. Steel deoxidized with a strong deoxidizing agent, such as silicon or aluminum, to reduce the oxygen content to such a level that no reaction occurs between carbon and oxygen during solidification.
Kiln: A heated drying chamber in which lumber is dried to a specific moisture content, usually 6 to 10%.
Kiln: In lumber drying, a kiln is a room or building where temperature, moisture, and the amount of air circulating are controlled to dry wood.
Kiln Dried: Lumber that has been dried in a Kiln.
Kiln Drying: The process of achieving and stabilizing a wood’s desired moisture content by placing it in temperature-controlled “ovens” where excess moisture is removed by heat.
Kiln-Dried: Lumber whose moisture content has been reduced to a specific percentage by placing it in a heated chamber for a particular length of time. Temperature and humidity are closely controlled during the process.
Kiln-dried: Refers to lumber dried in a closed chamber in which the removal of moisture is controlled by artificial heat and usually by controlled relative humidity.
Kilowatt (kW): A standard unit of electrical power to 1000 watts.
Kilowatt-Hour (kWh): A unit of measure of electricity supply or consumption of 1000 watts over the period of one hour.
Kind Band (deformation): In polycrystalline materials, a volume of crystal that has rotated physically to accommodate differential deformation between adjoining parts of a grain while the band itself has deformed homogeneously. This occurs by regular bending of the slip lamellae along the boundaries of the band.
Kinetic Energy: Energy available as a result of motion. Kinetic energy is equal to one half the mass of the body in motion multiplied by the square of its sped.
Kip: A load of 1000 lbs.
Knife Marks: The imprints or markings of the machine knives on the surface of dressed lumber.
Knit Lines: The lines where melted material flows together to form a line or lines that may cause weakening or breaking of the component.
Knockdown: A design feature that allows a piece of furniture to be easily disassembled by the use of special hardware or joinery.
Knocked Down (KD): Unassembled, in contrast to assembled.
Knockout Pin: A pin that ejects a molded article from the mold.
Knot: A portion of a branch/limb whose growth rings are partially or completely inter-grown on the board’s face, with the growth shaped so that it will retain its place in the piece. The average dimension of the exposed knot surface shall be used to determine the size.
Knot: A part of the tree where a branch has been overgrown by the tree and incorporated into its trunk.
Knot: One nautical mile per hour (1.15 MPH).
Knot Holes: Openings produced when knots drop from the wood where they were embedded.
Knot, Conspicuous Pin: ound Knots ¼” (6.4 mm) or less in diameter containing dark centers.
Knot, Open: An opening produced when a portion of the wood substance of a knot has dropped out, or where cross-checks have occurred to produce an opening.
Knots, Sound Tight: Knots that are solid across their face and fixed by growth to retain the place.
Knots, Spike: Knots cut from 0◦ to 45◦ to the long axis of limbs.
Knuckle Radius: Also known as corner radius. It is the formed radius of the head which transitions the dish portion to the straight flange. This process is done on a flanging machine.

LPDL: See also low-pressure decorative laminate. This is a general term referring to a variety of melamine or polyester-enhanced surface papers and foils laminated to a core, typically referred as melamine or polyester overlays.
Lac: A resinous secretion of the lac insect (found in southern Asia); used in making shellac.
Lacquer: A synthetic coating made by dissolving nitrocellulose or other cellulose derivatives together with plasticizers in a mixture of volatile solvents. There is no such thing as a “natural lacquer” as all lacquers are combinations of the above.
Lacquer: A coating composed of synthetic film forming materials such as nitrocellulose, ethyl cellulose, natural and synthetic resins, which are dissolved in organic solvents and are dried by solvent evaporation.
Lacquer: A tough, fast drying finish that is very common with commercial furniture finishing. Contains very strong solvents. Water-based finishes are becoming more common and are environmentally friendly.
Ladle Analysis: A term applied to the chemical analysis representative of a heat of steel as reported by the producer. It is determined by analyzing a test ingot sample obtained during the pouring of the steel from a ladle.
Lamellar Tear: A system of cracks or discontinuities aligned generally parallel to the worked surface of a plate. Usually associated with a fusion weld in thick plate.
Laminate: A thin plastic materiel used to cover a board. The most common use of laminate is for counter and table tops. It is often referred to by the brand name Formica®.
Laminate: A thick material adhered to particle board substrates. They may often be referred to as brand names such as “Formica” or “Wilsonart”.
Laminated: When used to describe an acoustic guitar, this refers to the use of think plies of wood glued together to form a top, back and/or sides (as opposed to “solid wood”); frequently used on less expensive guitars.
Laminations: Metal defects with separation or weakness generally aligned parallel to the worked surface of the metal. May be the result of pipe, blisters, seams, inclusions, or segregation elongated and made directional by working. Lamination defects may also occur in metal-powder compacts. An abnormal structure resulting in a separation or weakness aligned generally parallel to the worked surface of the metal.
Laminboard: Is core plywood, the core of which is made of strips of veneer, not thicker than 7mm, placed on edge.
Land: The surface between successive grooves on a contact wheel or roll. The area of the contact wheel that is in actual contact with the workpiece.
Land Area: The area of surfaces of a mold which contact each other when the mold is closed.
Land Gate Area: A gate dimension parallel to the direction of melt flow.
Land/Groove Ratio: The ratio of widths of the land to the grooves on a serrated rubber contact wheel or roll.
Landman: An in-house or independent land management consultant who negotiates terms of land leases with land owners.
Lantern, Hall or Landing: A signal device mounted at elevator landings over or adjacent to the elevator entrance. An illuminated indication and an audible signal will alert the waiting passenger that the elevator is arriving, as well as its direction of travel as it leaves the floor.
Lap: A surface defect, appearing as a seam, caused by fording over hot metal, fins, or sharp corners and then rolling or forging them into the surface, but not welding them.
Lap Joint: Coated abrasive belt joints formed by overlapping the two ends of the abrasive material about 3/8" and bonding with adhesive. The abrasive grain must always be removed (skived) from the bottom lap prior to joining (KLINGSPOR joints #1, #2, #5, #6)
Lap-Weld: A term applied to a weld formed by lapping two pieces of metal and then pressing or hammering, and applied particularly to the longitudinal joint produced by a welding process for tubes or pipe, in which the edges of the skelp are beveled or scarfed so that when they are overlapped they can be welded together.
Lapped: In machining, to “lap” means to polish an object to perfect flatness; other words used to describe this process include “flattened” and “mated”.
Latewood: The portion of the annual growth ring that is formed after the earlywood formation has ceased. It is usually denser and stronger mechanically than earlywood.
Latewood (Summer Wood): The portion of a tree’s rings that forms after the earlywood and is often characterized by smaller cells and a higher density.
Lath Martensite: Martensite formed, partly in steel containing less than about 1.0% C and solely in steels containing less than about 0.5% C, as parallel arrays or packets of lath-shape units about 0.1 to 0.3 m thick, and having a habit plane that is close to {111}.
Lattice: Space lattice. Lattice lines and lattice planes are lines and planes chosen so as to pass through collinear lattice points, and non-collinear lattice points, respectively.
Lay-up: Is the arrangement of layers in plywood.
Layout: A scaled mechanical drawing showing dimensioned plan views, elevations of an elevator hoistway & machine room to indicate space conditions, pertinent dimensions, sizes, and location of components of the installation.
Lead: Improves machinability. It does not dissolve in steel but stays as globules. Environmental concerns are resulting in a decreased usage of lead in the steel industry.
Leading Edge: The surface part of a wind turbine blade that first comes into contact with the wind.
Leaf: The individual pieces of wood veneer that make up a flitch.
Length of a Panel: The panel dimension is in the direction of the grain of the face and back.
Leveling: A mechanical process in which the strip is stretched beyond its yield point by bending over small diameter rolls. The purpose is to improve the flatness of characteristics of the strip.
Leveling: The movement of an elevator toward the landing sill when it is within the leveling zone. When the word leveling is used, the inference is that the process of attaining a level or stop position (the platform level with the landing sill) is performed completely automatically.
Lift: The force that pulls a wind turbine blade.
Lifting: In finishing, the softening of a dried film by the solvents of a succeeding coat, which causes raising and wrinkling of the first coat.
Light Metal: One of the low-density metals such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium, beryllium, or their alloys.
Light, UV Stabilizers & Absorbers: These are additives that increase the ability of the material to withstand the negative effects of light and UV exposure, thus increasing the service life of the material.
Lights (Lites): In door construction, they are beaded openings used to receive glazing.
Limestone: Any stone consisting wholly or mostly of calcium carbonate.
Line Contact: Point at which the workpiece meets the coated abrasive belt on a contact wheel type operation, as opposed to area contact of the workpiece on a platen type application.
Linear Foot: Actual length of lumber and wood products regardless or thickness or width.
Linear Foot: A measurement of the length of a board.
Linear Mold Shrinkage: The difference between the size of the part and the size of the mold cavity.
Linear Thermal Expansion: The fractional change in length of a material for a unit chance in temperature.
Linenfold: In decorative woodwork, this is a carved surface that imitates drapery.
Linnish: A term used to describe a sanding or grinding process when preparing a surface prior to painting.
Lip-mount: Refers to a lip-mount sink which is designed with a lip around the top edge and to drop into a cut-out in your countertops, resting on the “lip”.
Liquation: Partial melting of an alloy.
Liquid Injection Molding (LIM): The process that involves an integrated system for proportioning, mixing and dispensing two component liquid resin formulations and directly injecting the resultant mix into a mold which is clamped under pressure.
Liquidus: In a constitutional diagram, the locus of points representing the temperatures at which various components commence freezing on cooling or finish melting on heating.
Lithographic Sheet Aluminum: Sheet having a superior surface on one side with respect to freedom from surface imperfections and supplied with a maximum degree of flatness, for use as a plate in offset printing.
Load Meter: Another name for an ampmeter. Often found on wide belt sanders to assist in fine tuning the sanding pressure by evaluating the load on the motor.
Loading: Filling of the spaces between abrasive grains on a coated abrasive product with grinding swarf, resulting in a decrease in stock removal and rate of cut. Loading can be reduced in many woodworking operations by using an open coat or stearated product.
Lock Block: A concealed block with the same thickness as the door stile or core that is adjacent to the stile at a location corresponding to the lock locations, and into which a lock is fitted.
Lock Joint: An interlocking machine joint between two members.
Locking Joint: A joint that is produced when the adjoining pieces are machined into a locking form. There are many variations of this type of joint.
Long Scratch: Scratch pattern (long scratches) exhibited on a workpiece after stroke sanding, as opposed to a short "scratch" from a contact wheel or roll operation.
Long Terne: A term applying to steel sheets that have been terne coated (Lead and Tin) by immersion in a bath of Terne Metal.
Longitudinal Direction: The principal direction of flow in a worked metal.
Longwood: Wood produced from the bole or stem, from stump to first branch or fork, where the majority of wood is taken from the tree.
Loose Side: The side where a knife cuts veneer and contains cutting checks (lathe checks) because of the bent wood at the knife's edge.
Louvers: In door construction, louvers are openings fitted with metal or wood louver panels.
Low Brass: 80% cu. A copper-Zinc alloy containing 20% zinc. Is a light golden color, very ductile, suitable for cupping, drawing, forming, etc. Because of its good strength and corrosion resistance it is used for flexible metal hose, metal bellows, etc.
Low Carbon Steels: Contain from 0.10 to 0.30% carbon and less than 0.60% manganese. (The product of Basic Oxygen, Bessemer, Open Hearth or Electric Processes.)
Low Temperature Flexibility: The ability of a plastic to be bent without fracture at reduced temperatures.
Low-Hydrogen Electrode: A covered arc-welding electrode that provides an atmosphere around the arc and molten weld metal which is low in hydrogen.
Low-Pressure Decorative Laminate: This is a general term referring to a variety of melamine or polyester-enhanced surface papers and foils laminated to a core, typically referred as melamine or polyester overlays.
Lubricants: Internal lubricants promote resin flow without affecting the fusion properties of the compounds. External lubricants promote release from metals which aids in the smooth flow of melt over die surfaces.
Lubricated Aluminum Oxide: See Multibond Lubricant.
Luders Lines (Steel): (Characteristic of No. 5 Yemper-Not a defect in No. 5 dead soft temper.) Long vein-like marks appearing on the surface of certain metals, in the direction of the maximum shear stress, when the metal is subjected to deformation beyond the field point.
Lumber: Logs which have been sawn, planed, and cut to length.
Lumber: Pieces of wood no further manufactured than by sawing, planing, crosscutting to length and perhaps edge machining.
Lumber or Timber: Is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for use, from the time trees are felled to its end product as a material suitable for industrial use as a structural material for construction or wood pulp for paper production. In the US and Australia, “timber” is a term also used for sawn wood products (boards) whereas generally in the US and Canada, the product of timber cut into boards is referred to as lumber. In the US and Canada sawn wood products of 5” diameter or greater are sometimes called “timbers”.
Lumber-core Plywood: A type of plywood where thin sheets of veneer are glued to a core of narrow boards. Lumber-core plywood differs from regular plywood in that regular plywood is made up of successive layers of alternating grain veneer.
Luster: See Sheen.
Lutherie: The craft of guitar making; the world of guitars and guitar making.
Luthier: A maker of lutes, violins and other stringed instruments, especially acoustic guitars.

M B Grade: A term applied to Open-Hearth steel wire in the .45/.75 carbon range either hard drawn or oil tempered. Oil tempered wire of M B and W M B types are the most widely used of all spring wires. Oil tempered wire is more suitable to precision forming and casting operations than hard drawn wire, because of close control of tensile strength and superior straightness; NOTE: M B, H B and extra H B designate Basic Open Hearth steels, while W M B, W H B and extra W H B designate Acid Open Hearth Steels. The chemical composition and the mechanical properties are the same for both basic and acid steel.
M.S.D.S.: See Material Safety Data Sheet.
MDF: "Medium Density Fiberboard" – a high grade manufactured wood panel product, which is somewhat similar to particleboard, but can be effectively shaped or routed. Very common in furniture and wood products industries.
MRO: Maintenance and Repair Operations
Machinability: This is a generic term for describing the ability of a material to be machined. To be meaningful, machinability must be qualified in terms of tool wear, tool life, chip control, and/or surface finish and integrity. Overall machining performance is affected by a myriad of variables relating to the machining operation and the workpiece. An overall review is provided in the ASM Metals Handbook: Machinability, Ninth Edition, Volume 16, 1989.
Machinability Index: A relative measure of the machinability of an engineering material under specified standard conditions.
Machine Bite: A depressed cut of the machine knives at the end of a piece.
Machine Burn: Darkening of wood due to overheating by machine knives or rolls when pieces are stopped in the machine.
Machine Room: The portion of the building dedicated exclusively to housing the driving and control parts of an elevator or dumbwaiter. Parts include the machine, controller, selector, motor generator, etc.
Machine Room (Furniture): The location at a furniture plant where the rough cut lumber is dimensioned, glued into panels, and machined. The dimensioning portion of this operation is frequently carried out on wide belt abrasive planers.
Machine Shot Capacity: Refers to the maximum volume of thermoplastic resin which can be displaced or injected by the injection ram in a single stroke.
Macro-Etch: Etching of a metal surface for accentuation of gross structural details and defects for observation by the unaided eye or at magnifications not exceeding ten diameters.
Macroetch Test: Consists of immersing a carefully prepared section of the steel in hot acid and of examining the etched surface to evaluate the soundness and homogeneity of the product being tested.
Macrograph: A photographic reproduction of any object that has not been magnified more than ten times. A graphic reproduction of a prepared surface of a specimen at a magnification not exceeding ten diameters. When photographed, the reproduction is known as a photomacrograph (not a macrophotograph).
Macroscopic: Visible either with the naked eye or under low magnification (as great as about ten diameters.
Macrostructure: The structure of metals as revealed by examination of the etched surface of a polished specimen at a magnification not exceeding ten diameters.
Magnetic-Particle Inspection: A nondestructive method of inspection for determining the existence and extent of possible defects in ferromagnetic materials. Finely divided magnetic particles, applied to the magnetized part, are attracted to and outline the pattern of any magnetic-leakage fields created by discontinuities.
Mahogany: The term “mahogany” should not be specified without further definition. It must be understood that there are different species of mahogany that should be specified. African, Central and South American, or Tropical American, including Honduras Mahogany, are genuine and true mahoganies. True or genuine mahogany varies in color from light pink to light red; reddish brown to golden brown or yellowish tan. Some mahogany turns darker and some lighter in color after machining. The figure or grain in genuine mahogany runs from plain-sliced, plain stripe to broken stripe, mottled, fiddleback, swirl, and crotches. As uniform color is not a natural characteristic of this species, if a uniform color is desired it is recommended that the finishing specification include a statement that toner or tint must be applied so that color variation shall be kept to a minimum. Lauan White and Red, Tanguile and other species are native to the Philippine Islands and are sometimes referred to as Philippine Mahogany. Those species are not true mahogany. When only the word “mahogany” is specified, it usually (but not always) means a true mahogany as selected by the manufacturer unless a specific species is called for in the specifications. When Philippine Mahogany is specified, it nearly always means Lauan, Tanguile and other natural Philippine species of wood.
Main (Car) Guide Rails: Steel T-sections with machined guarding surfaces installed vertically in a hoistway to guide and direct the course of travel of an elevator car.
Maker (Machine): A machine that manufactures coated abrasive products by combining the backing, adhesive, and abrasive grain.
Making: The process of producing coated abrasive products.
Making Coat: The first adhesive coat which adheres the abrasive grain to the backing of a coated abrasive product, thereby ensuring proper anchoring and orientation of the abrasive grain.
Malleability: The property that determines the ease of deforming a metal when the metal is subjected to rolling or hammering. The more malleable metals can be hammered or rolled into thin sheet more easily than others.
Malleabilizing: A process of annealing white cast iron in such a way that the combined carbon is wholly or partly transformed to graphitic or free carbon or, in some instances, part of the carbon is removed completely.
Malleable: A property of metals which allows them to be "workable" or shaped, without damage.
Mandrel: A metal rod or support used to mount QDCs, disc sets, or loose pieces of coated abrasive product, thereby ensuring proper anchoring and orientation of the abrasive grain.
Manganese: Lustrous, reddish-white metal of hard brittle and, therefore, non-malleable character. The metal is used in large quantities in the form of Spiegel and Ferromanganese for steel manufacture as well as in manganese and many copper-base alloys. Its principal function is as an alloy in steel making: It is ferrite-strengthening and carbide forming element. It increases hardenability inexpensively, with a tendency toward embrittlement when too high carbon and too high manganese accompany each other. It counteracts brittleness from sulfur. It is important because it deoxidizes the melt and facilitates hot working of the steel by reducing the susceptibility to hot shortness. It combines with sulfur to form MnS stringers which increases machinability. Manganese contributes to the effectiveness of normalizing for strengthening, to the formation of fine pearlite, and lowers the Ms temperature, therefore increasing the probability of retained austenite.
Manual Welding: Welding where in the entire welding operation is performed and controlled by hand.
Manways: Usually made up of a flanged nozzle that has an inside diameter of 16 to 20” and a cover plate, a manway allows a person access to the inside of a vessel.
Mapping/Ringing: The shriveling of an edge of a repaired area so that an outline of the repair shows through the top coat of paint. In most cases this is caused by the solvents attacking and reacting with the feathered edge of the repair.
Mar Resistance: The resistance of glossy plastic surfaces to abrasive action.
Marble: A metamorphic rock composed of limestone in a crystalline state. It is capable of being polished to a gloss. Marble is a popular choice for countertops, floors, foyers, fireplace facings and hearth, walls and windowsills. It is less commonly used for kitchen countertops because it is more susceptible to scratching and staining than granite and other alternatives.
Marbling: The natural color variations (usually light brown streaks) frequently found in ebony; some manufacturers stain or paint ebony black to mask these striations.
Marquetry: A mosaic of multicolored woods. It is sometimes interspersed with other materials, such as mother of pearl.
Martempering: A hardening procedure in which an austenitized ferrous material is quenched into an appropriate medium at a temperature just above the Ms temperature of the material, held in the medium until the temperature is uniform through-out, but not long enough for bainite to form - and then cooled in air. The treatment is frequently followed by tempering. When the process is applied to carburized material, the controlling Ms temperature is that of the case. This variation of the process is frequently called marquenching. Quenching an austenitized ferrous alloy in a medium at a temperature in the upper part of the martensite range, or slightly above that range, and holding it in the medium until the temperature throughout the alloy is substantially uniform. The alloy is then allowed to cool in air through the martensite range.
Martensite: In an alloy, a metastable transitional structure intermediate between two allotropic modifications whose abilities to dissolve a given solute differ considerably, the high-temperature phase transformed to martensite depends to a large extent upon the temperature attained in cooling, there being a rather distinct beginning temperature; A metastable phase of steel, formed by a transformation of austenite below the Ms (or Ar) temperature. It is an interstitial supersaturated solid solution of carbon in iron having a body-centered tetragonal lattice. Its microstructure is characterized by an acicular, or needle-like, pattern. A distinctive needle like structure existing in steel as a transition stage in the transformation of austenite. It is the hardest constituent of steel of eutectoid composition. It is produced by rapid cooling from quenching temperature and is the chief constituent of hardened carbon tool steels. Martensite is magnetic.
Martensite Range: The interval between the Ms and Mf temperatures.
Masking: The temporary covering of areas not to be painted.
Matalloid: Element intermediate in luster and conductivity between the true metals and non-metals. Arsenic, antimony, boron, tellurium, and selenium, etc., are generally considered metalloids; frequently one allotropic modification of an element will be non-metallic, another metalloid in character. Obviously, no hard and fast line can be drawn; In steel metallurgy, metalloid has a specialized, even if erroneous, meaning; it covers elements commonly present in simple steel; carbon, manganese, phosphorus, silicon and sulfur.
Matching Edgeband: See Self-Edge.
Matching within Panel Face: In this type of matching, individual leaves of veneer in a slice flitch increase or decrease in width as the slicing progresses. Thus, if a number of panels are manufactured from a particular flitch, the number of veneer leaves per panel face will change as the flitch is utilized.
Material Safety Data Sheet: An outdated term for Safety Data Sheets (SDS). Health and safety information provided to end users of all types of consumable products which is required by OSHA and EPA. Listed on our web site under the Reference section as Safety Data Sheets.
Matrix: The principal phase or aggregate in which another constituent is embedded.
Matt or Matte Finish: (Steel) Not as smooth as normal mill finish. Produce by etched or mechanically roughened finishing rolls.
Matte: A smooth finish with very little shine.
Matte Finish: A finish with no gloss.
Matte Finish: A dull finish or surface appearance. Same as "satin finish" usually.
Maximum Operating Speed: Highest permissible operating speed (RPM) allowed or marked on a coated abrasive disc backup pad or flapwheel.
Mean Power Output (of a Wind Turbine): The average power output of a wind energy conversion system at any given mean wind speed.
Mean Wind Speed: The average wind speed over a specified time period and height above the ground.
Mechanical Energy: The energy possessed by an object due to its motion (kinetic energy) or its potential energy.
Mechanical Fastener: The generic term used for securing devices that are used in the fabrication and/or installation of architectural woodwork such as dowels, dowel screws, spline, nails, screws, bolts, pinks, shot pins, etc.
Mechanical Polishing: A method of producing a specularly reflecting surface by use of abrasives.
Mechanical Properties: The properties of a material that reveal its elastic and inelastic behavior where force is applied, thereby indicating its suitability for mechanical application; for example, modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, elongation, hardness, and fatigue limit. These properties have often been designated as physical properties, but the term mechanical properties is much to be preferred. The mechanical properties of steel are dependent on its microstructure.
Mechanical Property: Properties of plastics which are classified as mechanical include abrasion resistance, creep, ductility, friction resistance, elasticity hardness, impact resistance, stiffness and strength.
Mechanical Spring: Any spring produced by cold forming from any material with or without subsequent heat treatment.
Mechanical Working: Plastic deformation or other physical change to which metal is subjected, by rolling, hammering, drawing., etc. to change its shape, properties or structure.
Median Wind Speed: The wind speed with 50% probability of occurring.
Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF): A special type of tempered hardboard characterized by a very fine, smooth finish. MDF is used in cabinet making.
Medium-Carbon Steel: Contains from 0.30% to 0.60% carbon and less than 1.00% manganese. May be made by any of the standard processes.
Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF): An engineered wood product formed by breaking down softwood into wood fibers, often in a defibrator, combining it with was and resin and forming panels by applying high temperature and pressure. It is a building material similar in application to plywood but made up of separated fibers not wood veneers. It is denser than normal particleboard.
Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF): See Particle Board for a basic description. Whether as MDF alone or as core material, the MDF shall meet the requirements of ANSI A-208.2.
Medium-Density Overlay (MDO): A panel product particularly well-suited for opaque (paint) finishes; most versions are highly weather-resistant.
Medullary Ray: A ray that extends radially from the center of a log toward the outer circumference. These rays serve primarily to store food and transport it horizontally. These rays vary in height from a few cells in some species to an excess of 4” (102 mm) in oaks. In oak, it produces the flake effect common to quarter-sawn lumber.
Megawatt (MW): The standard measure of electric power plant generating capacity. One megawatt is equal to one thousand kilowatts or 1 million watts.
Megawatt-hour (MWh): 1000 kilowatt-hours or 1 million watt hours.
Melamine: Particle board coated with a plastic material which is used in concrete countertops because of its smoothness.
Melamine: Resin-impregnated paper used in decorative composite panel products (see thermally fused decorative laminate panel).
Melt Flow: The rate of extrusion of molten resin through a die of specified length and diameter. The conditions of the test, i.e. temperature and load, should be given. Frequently, however the manufacturer’s data lists only the value, not the condition.
Melt Flow Rate: Measure of the molten viscosity of a polymer determined by the weight of polymer extruded through an orifice under specified conditions of pressure and temperature. Particular conditions are dependent upon the type of polymer being tested.
Melt Index: The amount of a thermoplastic resin, measured in grams, which can be forced through a specified orifice within ten minutes when subjected to a specified force.
Melt Strength: The strength of the plastic while in the molten state. This is a pertinent factor in extrusion, blow molding, and drawing of molten resin from a die.
Melting Point: The temperature at which a pure metal, compound or eutectic changes form solid to liquid; the temperature at which the liquid and the solid are in equilibrium.
Melting Range: The range of temperature in which an alloy melt; that is the range between solidus and liquidus temperatures.
Member: An individual piece of solid stock or plywood that forms an item of woodwork.
Memory: The tendency of a plastic article to revert in dimension to a size previously existing at some stage in its manufacture.
Metal: An opaque, lustrous, elemental substance that is a good conductor of heat and electricity and, when polished, a good reflector or light. Most metals are malleable and ductile and are, in general, denser than other substances.
Metal Spraying: A process for applying a coating of metal to an object. The metal, usually in the form of wire, is melted by an oxyhydrogen or oxyacetylene blast or by an electric arc and is applied at high speed by gas pressure against the object being coated.
Metalizing: A term covering all processes by which plastics are coated with metal.
Metallic: A term used for finishes incorporating fine metallic particles, usually aluminum, in paint.
Metallography: The science concerning the constituents and structure of metals and alloys as revealed by the microscope.
Metalloid: Element intermediate in luster and conductivity between the true metals and nonmetals. Arsenic, antimony, boron, tellurium, and selenium, etc. are generally considered metalloids; frequently one allotropic modification of an element will be non-metallic, another metalloid in character. Obviously, no hard and fast line can be drawn; In steel metallurgy, metalloid has a specialized, even if erroneous, meaning; it covers elements commonly present in simple steel; carbon manganese, phosphorus, silicon and sulfur.
Metalograph: An optical instrument designed for both visual observation and photomicrography of prepared surfaces of opaque materials at magnifications ranging from about 25 to about 1500 diameters.
Metamerism: An apparent change in color when exposed to differing wavelengths of light; the human perception of color.
Metastable: Possessing a state of pseudo-equilibrium that has a free energy higher than that of the true equilibrium state but from which a system does not change spontaneously.
Meters Per Seconds (m/s): The metric measurement standard for surface speed. M/s x 200 = sfpm. Also see Surface Feet Per Minute.
Mf Temperature: The temperature at which martensitic transformation is essentially complete during cooling after austenitization.
Mica: A naturally occurring mineral based on silica, which after treatment is used as an effect pigment in coatings. Their special property is that light falling on a mica particle, depending on the angle of illumination, reflects the light with a change in color. Because of this they are sometimes referred to as “pearls”.
Microbands (deformation): Thin sheet like volumes of constant thickness in which cooperative slip occurs on a fone scale. They are an instability which carry exclusively the deformation at medium strains when normal homogeneous slip is precluded. The sheets are aligned at +/- 55(degrees) to the compression direction and are confined to individual grains, which usually contain two sets of bands. Compare shear bands.
Microcrack: A crack of microscopic size.
Micrograph: A graphic reproduction of the prepared surface of a specimen at a magnification greater than ten diameters. When photographed, the reproduction is known as a photomicrograph (not a microphotograph).
Micron Size: A unit of measure used to compare abrasive grain, e.g. 1 micron = 0.000039"; grit 320 = approximately 36 microns.
Microstructure: The structure of a prepared surface of a metal as revealed by a microscope at a magnification greater than ten diameters.
Migration: An undesirable cloudy effect or whitish powdery deposit on the surface of a plastic article caused by the exudation of a compounding ingredient such as a lubricant, stabilizer pigment, plasticizer, etc.
Mil: A measure of paint film thickness, equal to one one-thousandth of an inch (0.001 inch).
Mil: A unit of measurement equal to .001" (one thousandth of an inch).
Mild Steel: Carbon steel containing a maximum of about 0.25% C.
Mill Edge: The edge of strip, sheet or plate in the as rolled state. Unsheared.
Mill Finish: A surface finish produced on sheet and plate. Characteristic of the ground finish used on the rolls in fabrication.
Mill Run: Molding runs to pattern only, not assembled, machined for assembly or cut to length. The terms “material only” and “loose and long” mean the same as “mill run.”
Mill Scale: A layer of oxide, black in color, which forms on the surface of hot rolled steel.
Millwork: Planed and patterned lumber for finish work in buildings, including items such as sash, doors, cornices, panelwork, and other items of interior or exterior trim. Does not include flooring, ceiling, or siding.
Mineral Reinforcements: Inorganic substances used as filler for plastics. Some common examples are: clay, mica and talc.
Mineral Streak: A discoloration, usually an olive to greenish-black or brown, of undetermined cause in hardwoods.
Mirror Finish: A shiny, highly-reflective finish on a workpiece. Distortion-free, without flaw. On metal, it is produced by buffing with very fine abrasive compounds.
Mirror Polish Finish: A process in finishing involving several steps of wet sanding, mechanical buffing and polishing.
Mismatch: An uneven fit in worked lumber when adjoining pieces do not meet tightly at all points of contact or when the surfaces of adjoining pieces are not in the same plane.
Miter Joint: A joint formed by pieces matched and united upon a line bisecting the angle of junction, as by the beveled ends of two pieces of molding, especially when the pieces form a right angle.
Miter Joint: The joining of two members at an angle that bisects the angle of junction.
Miter and Spline Joint: A joint with two mitered surfaces connected by a spline. (See spline)
Miter, Lock Joint: A miter joint employing a tongue and groove to further strengthen it.
Miter, Shoulder Joint: Any type of miter joint that presents a shoulder, such as a lock miter or a splined miter.
Miterfold: A fold made from a single panel in one machining process; includes placement of tape, machining, application of adhesive, folding, glue, clamp and clean.
Mitre: A seam in a countertop, usually in a corner, where the counter changes direction.
Modulus: Derived from the Latin word meaning “small measure”, modulus is the ration of stress to strain in the linear region of the s-e curve.
Modulus in Compression: The ratio of compressive stress to strain within the elastic limits of the material.
Modulus in Elasticity: The ratio of stress to corresponding strain below the proportional limit of a material in tensile testing.
Modulus of Elasticity: A measure of the rigidity of metal. Ratio of stress, within proportional limit, to corresponding strain. Specifically, the modulus obtained in tension or compression is Young's modulus, stretch modulus or modulus of extensibility. The modulus obtained in torsion or shear is modulus of rigidity, shear modulus or modulus of torsion. The modulus covering the ratio of the mean normal stress to the change in volume per unit volume is the bulk modulus. The tangent modulus and secant modulus are not restricted within the proportional limit; the former is the slope of the stress-strain curve at a specified point; the latter is the slope of a line from the origin to a specified point on the stress-strain curve. Also called elastic modulus and coefficient of elasticity.
Modulus of Elasticity: Deformations produced by low stress are completely recoverable after loads are removed. Plastic deformation or failure occurs when loaded to higher stress levels.
Modulus of Elasticity (Tension): Force which would be required to stretch a substance to double its normal length, on the assumption that it would remain perfectly elastic, i.e., obey Hooke's Law throughout the twist. The ratio of stress to strain within the perfectly elastic range.
Modulus of Flexure: The ratio of the flexure stress to strain, within the elastic limits of the material.
Modulus of Resilience: The energy that can be absorbed per unit volume without creating a permanent distortion.
Mohs Scale: An empirical scale consisting of 10 minerals, with reference to which the hardness of all other minerals is measured. It includes softest mineral (designated 1) to hardest (10): talc, gypsum, calcite, flourite, opatite, orthoclase, quartz, topaz, corundum, and diamond.
Moisture Absorption: The pick-up of moisture from the environment by a material.
Moisture Content: A measure of the amount of water in a piece of lumber.
Moisture Content: The amount of water contained in wood, is usually expressed as a percentage of the weight of the kiln-dried wood. Six to eight percent is ideal.
Moisture Content: The weight of water in the wood expressed in percentage of the weight of the oven-dry wood.
Moisture Properties: Plywood has in general a moisture content of 7 to 8% when it comes out of the factory. This might of course change due to the ambient atmosphere. However, the cross bonding of its different plies significantly reduces the dimensional changes of plywood.
Moisture in Shear: The ratio of shear stress to strain within the elastic limits of the material.
Mold: (Noun) A hollow form or matrix into which a plastic material is placed and which imparts to the material its final shape as a finished article; Verb) To impart shape to a plastic mass by means of a confining cavity or matrix.
Mold: A form of cavity into which molten metal is poured to produce a desired shape.
Mold Block: A pre-shaped backup block that is positioned in back of an abrasive belt that will conform to the molding being processed or finished. Blocks can either be held by hand or guided over the straight line molding, or held in a stationary fixture and the operator or sander pushes the molded stock against it. In all cases, the coated abrasive belt is held between the sanding block and the work.
Mold Changer: An automated device for removing one mold from a machine and replacing it with another mold.
Mold Frame: A series of steel plates which contain mold components, including cavities, cores, runner system, cooling system, ejection system etc.
Mold Release: In injection molding, mold release is a lubricant used to coat the surface of the mold to enhance ejection of the molded article or prevent it from sticking to the tool.
Mold Release Agent: Waxes or stearates applied to the mold to aid in separation of the mold from the finished product.
Mold Release Problems: Occur when excess use of mold release may leave parts too oily and weaken the material.
Mold Sanding: Sanding and finishing of wood moldings using a mold block and very flexible coated abrasive belts.
Mold Temperature: The temperature at which the mold is maintained. Often the most important benefit of raising mold temperature is that it allows a slower injection rate without the plastic getting too cold.
Mold Temperature Control Unit: This is auxiliary equipment used to control mold temperature. Some units can both heat and cool the mold. Others, called chillers, only cool the mold.
Moldability: The characteristic of being easy to mold without rupturing or developing flaws due to movement of the polymer during gelation.
Molded Edge: The edge of a piece machined to any profile other than a square or eased edge.
Molding: A decorative strip, usually having a curved or projecting surface.
Molding Cycle: The period of time occupied by the complete sequence of operations on a molding press required for the production of one set of molded articles.
Molding Pressures: The pressures applied to the ram of an injection machine or press to force the softened plastic to completely fill the mold cavities.
Molding Sensitivity: The variability of the pressure to fill the cavity and temperature of the melt at the part as influenced by changes in injection time and barrel melt temperature.
Molding Window: The range of molding conditions under which a part can be successfully molded.
Molecular Weight: The sum of the atomic weights of all the atoms in a molecule. In plastics, especially, an average molecular weight is reported.
Molybdenum: Hard, tough metal of grayish-white color, becoming very ductile and malleable when properly treated at high temperatures. Pure molybdenum can best be obtained as a black powder, by reduction of molybdenum trioxide or ammonium molybdate with hydrogen. From this powder, ductile sheet and wire are made by powder metallurgy techniques; these are used in radio and related work. Its principal functions as an alloy in steel making: Raises grain-coarsening temperature of austenite; Deepens hardening; Counteracts tendency toward temper brittleness; Raises hot and creep strength, red hardness; Enhances corrosion resistance in stainless steel; Forms abrasion-resisting particles. It increases hardenability of steels and helps maintain a specified hardenability. It increases high temperature tensile and creep strengths. Molybdenum hardened steels require higher tempering temperatures for softening purposes.
Monomer: A relatively simple molecular structure, usually containing carbon and of low molecular weight, which can react to form a polymer by combination with itself or with other molecules and energy.
Monomer: A molecule that can be chemically bound as a unit of a polymer. Also, a chemical compound that can undergo polymerization, which is a chemical reaction in which two or more molecules combine to form larger molecules that contain repeating structural units.
Mortise: A rectangular hole cut into a piece of wood to accept a tenon. (See tenon)
Mortise and Tenon Joint: A joinery technique where the tenon from one board fits into the mortise of another.
Mortise and Tenon, Blind Joint: A mortise and tenon joint in which the tenon does not extend through the mortise and does not remain visible once the joint is complete; also “blind tenoned.”
Mortise and Tenon, Slotted Joint: A mortise and tenon right-angle joint in which the tenon is visible on two edges once the joint is completed.
Mortise and Tenon, Stub Joint: A short tenon inserted in a plow or groove.
Mortise and Tenon, Through Joint: A mortise and tenon joint in which the inserted tenon extends completely through the mortise and the end of the tenon remains visible once the joint is completed.
Mortise-and-Tenon: A type of joint or juncture used to connect two pieces of material; a mortise (or mortice) usually is a rectangular cavity in a piece of wood, stone, or other material shaped to receive a tenon. Conversely, a tenon is a projection on the piece to be attached, shaped to fit the mortise.
Mosaic: A pattern formed by inlaying small pieces of stone, tile or other material into a cement, plaster, or mortar matrix.
Mother-of-Pearl: The lustrous interior lining of certain mollusks, frequently used for inlays, fret markers, and other decorative work; may also be referred to as “pearl”.
Motor Manufacturer’s Primer: An undercoat system applied by the manufacturer to the metal surface of a commercial vehicle or to new automobile panel parts to give protection during transit, storage etc. and which, depending on its type, age and condition, may be able to support the finishing system. It may consist of more than just a simple primer coat.
Mottle: Broken wavy patches across the face of the wood, giving the impression of an uneven, although smooth, surface. It is caused by a twisted interwoven grain with an irregular cross figure, which is the mottle. The effect is due to reflected light on the uneven arrangement of the fibers. Other terms used to describe variations include bee’s wing, fiddle, peacock, plum, ram, block or stop mottle.
Mottling: These are blotches in the paint caused by uneven metallic or mica particles in the finish.
Mouldings: Long strips of wood which have been shaped to contours for ornamentation.
Moving Platen: The platen of an injection molding machine that is moved by a hydraulic ram or mechanical toggle.
Ms Temperature: The temperature at which a martensitic transformation starts during cooling after austenitization.
Multi-cavity Mold: A mold having two or more impressions for forming finished items in one machine cycle.
Multi-directional Flow: When flow direction changes during filling resulting in orientation in different directions which can cause flow marks, stresses and warping.
Multi-shot Molding: The injection of two or three materials in sequence into a single mold during a single molding cycle. The injection molding machine is equipped with tow or three plasticators. Also see “co-injection”.
Multibond Lubricant: A top-coat additive that reduces heat and grinds at cooler temperatures- extending the life of the abrasive on heat sensitive materials.
Multiple Cavity Molds: A mold that produces more than one identical part with each cycle.
Muntz Metal (A refractory Alloy): Alpha-beta brass, 60% copper and 40% zinc. Stronger than alpha-brass and used for castings and hot-worked (rolled, stamped, or extruded) products. High strength brasses are developed from this by adding other elements.
Music Wire: A polished high tensile strength cold drawn wire with higher tensile strength and higher torsional strength than any other material available. These high mechanical properties are obtained by a combination of the high carbon content, the patenting treatment and by many continuous passes through drawing dies. The high toughness characteristic of this material is obtained by the patenting. Such wire is purchased according to tensile strength, not hardness.
Mustache Bridge: Refers to a bridge whose shape suggests a handlebar moustache.

NDT: Non-destructive testing. (Used mainly in the Pipe Mill.)
NGR Stains: A term that refers to non-grain-raising stains.
Nacelle: The cover for the gearbox, drive train and generator of a wind turbine.
Narrow Belts: Coated abrasive products made in belt form up to 12" in width, although usually refers to belts 6" or narrower.
Natural: A term used when referring to color and matching, veneers containing any amount of sapwood and/or heartwood.
Natural Abrasives: Used to differentiate abrasives that occur in nature as opposed to electric furnace type abrasives. Natural abrasives used for coated abrasives are Garnet, Flint, Crocus, and Emery.
Natural Aging: Spontaneous aging of a supersaturated solid solution at room temperature.
Natural Gas: A hydrocarbon gas obtained from underground sources, often in association with petroleum and coal deposits. It generally contains a high percentage of methane, varying amounts of ethane and inert gases. Natural gas is used as a heating fuel and for electricity generation.
Naturally Balanced Runner System: When each succession of runner is identical to the runners in the same succession in all other flows in the mold.
Naumkeag Pad: A special coated abrasive item used in shoe manufacturing and repair for sanding the soles of shoes, specifically the arch area. It is a pleated disc in the shape of a mushroom.
Neck Angle: The angle of the neck in relation to the body. On acoustic instruments, the degree of neck pitch often determines the longevity of the guitar in regard to strength.
Neck Joint: The place on the guitar where the neck attaches to the body.
Neck Profile: The width and shape of a guitar neck.
Neck Reset: An operation undertaken specifically to return a guitar to factory specs, and more generally to maintain the structural integrity of a guitar over its long life; usually necessary only after many years of use.
Necking: Local reduction of the cross-sectional area of metal by stretching.
Needle Cutter Steel: Usually supplied quarter hard rolled, extra precision rolled with sheared edges. Carbon content 1.25 - Chromium 0.15. It is also usually supplied in a 2 width from 0.002 to 0.035. Used for cutting the eyes of needle and milling the latch in a latch needle.
Nest Plate: A retainer plate in the mold with a depressed area for cavity blocks.
Network Structure: A structure in which the crystals of one constituent are surrounded by envelopes of another constituent which gives a network appearance to an etched test specimen.
Neumann Band: A mechanical (deformation) twin in ferrite.
New Technology Neck (NT NECK): In a new-tech or NT neck, the fingerboard extension does not lie on the guitar top, but is set into a precision cut slot on the guitar tope, where it is secured to the interior blocking system; this leaves the fretboard independent from and unaffected by changes in the body caused by humidity, etc. Underneath the fingerboard is a half-inch of the neck wood, supported by special blocks inside the body cavity; special “spacers” are available that enable a repairperson to adjust the action to the player’s playing style or preference in a matter of minutes and to accommodate changes in humidity while on the road; the new three-piece neck features a stacked heel and a Fingerjoint at the peghead. The NT neck design renders the neck-joint stronger and more adaptable, more easily accessible and helps to conserve wood.
Newel Post: In stair work, an upright post that supports or receives the handrail at critical points of the stair, such as starting, landing or top; the central vertical support of a spiral staircase.
Nib: A small high spot in a paint job that usually results from a dust particle or some other foreign object that adheres to the wet paint and is then painted over causing the “nib”.
Nickel: A silvery-white metal of the iron-cobalt group. Hard, ductile, and malleable. Used to alloy with other metals, and also as a plating metal.
Nickel: Silvery white, slightly magnetic metal, of medium hardness and high degree of ductility and malleability and resistance to chemical and atmospheric corrosion. Used for electroplating. Used as an alloying agent, it is of great importance in iron-base alloys in stainless steels and in copper-base alloys such as Cupro-Nickel, as well as in nickel-base alloys such as Monel Metal. Its principal functions as an alloy in steel making: Strengthens unquenched or annealed steels; Toughens pearlitic-ferritic steels (especially at low temperature); Renders high-chromium iron alloys austenitic. It is used in low alloy steels to reduce the sensitivity of the steel to variations in heat treatment and distortion and cracking on quenching. It also improves low temperature toughness and hardenability.
Nickel Silver: Copper base alloys that contain 10-45% Zn. and 5-30% Ni.
Nickel Steel: Steel containing nickel as an alloying element. Varying amounts are added to increase the strength in the normalized condition to enable hardening to be performed in oil or air instead of water.
Niobium: It is steel gray in color and brilliant luster. It is used mainly in the production of stabilized austenitic chromium-nickel steels, also to reduce the air-hardening characteristics in plain chromium steels of the corrosion resistant type. It lowers transition temperature and raises the strength of low carbon steel. Niobium increases strength at elevated temperatures, results in finer grain size and forms stable carbides, lowering the hardenability of the steel.
Nitriding: Process of surface hardening certain types of steel by heating in ammonia gas at about 935-1000 (degrees) F., the increase in hardness being the result of surface nitride formation. Certain alloying constituents, principal among them being aluminum, greatly facilitate the hardening reaction. In general, the depth of the case is less than with carburizing. Introducing nitrogen into a solid ferrous alloy by holding at a suitable temperature (below Ac1 for ferritic steels) in contact with a nitrogenous material, usually ammonia of molten cyanide of appropriate composition. Quenching is not required to produce a hard case.
Nitriding Steel: Steel which is particularly suited for the nitriding process, that is, it will form a very hard and adherent surface upon proper nitriding (heating in a partially dissociated atmosphere of ammonia gas). Composition usually .20-.40 carbon, .90-1.50 chromium, .15-1.00 molybdenum, and .85-1.20% aluminum.
Nitrocellulose: A pulpy or cotton-like polymer derived from cellulose treated with sulfuric and nitric acids and used in the manufacture of explosives, plastics and solid monopropellants. Nitrocellulose lacquer is the common, traditional finish used on guitars.
Nitrogen: Increases the strength, hardness and machinability of steel, but it decreases the ductility and toughness. In aluminum killed steels, nitrogen combines with the aluminum to provide grain size control, thereby improving both toughness and strength. Nitrogen can reduce the effect of boron on the hardenability of steels.
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx): The products of all combustion processes formed by the combustion of nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide are the two primary causes of acid rain.
Nodular Pearlite: Pearlite that has grown as a colony with an approximately spherical morphology.
Nominal: The average sizes (width and thickness) of lumber just out of a saw mill before being processed into usable board stock. The sizes are always larger than “finished” dimensions. A term that designates a stated dimension as being approximate and subject to allowance for variation.
Nominal Size: Is the rough-sawn size of a piece of lumber. When purchasing planed lumber it is sold by its nominal, rough-sawn, size. For example a 2"x4" is the nominal size for a board whose actual dimension is 1.4" x 3.25".
Non-Ferrous Metals: Metals or alloys that are free of iron or comparatively so.
Non-Metallic Inclusions: Impurities (commonly oxides), sulphides, silicates or similar substances held in metals mechanically during solidification or formed by reactions in the solid state.
Non-Refractory Alloy: A term opposed to refractory alloy. A non-refractory alloy has malleability, that is, ease of flattening when subjected to rolling or hammering.
Non-Renewable Fuels: Fuels that cannot be easily renewed or reproduced such as oil, natural gas and coal.
Non-Scalloping Quality Strip Steel: Strip steel ordered or sold on the basis of absence of unevenness, or ears, on the edges of the steel, when subjected to deep drawing.
Non-Selective Collective Automatic Operation: Automatic operation by means of one button in the car for each landing served and one button at each landing. All calls are registered by the momentary actuation of landing or car buttons. Also, the corresponding stops are made irrespective of the number of buttons actuated or of the sequence in which the buttons are actuated. With this type of operation, the car stops at all landings for which buttons have been actuated, making the stops in the order in which the landings are reached after the buttons have been actuated, but irrespective of its direction of travel. This operation is seldom provided.
Non-fill: A failure to completely fill the mold or cavities of the mold. Edges may appear melted. This is also known as “short shot”.
Non-porous: A material that won’t stain. It isn’t affected by chemicals, acids and temperatures; therefore it is easy to clean and resistant to bacterial buildup.
Non-return Valve: A screw tip that allows for material to flow in one direction and closes to prevent back flow and inject material into the mold. This may also be known as “check valve”.
Normalizing: A heat treatment applied to steel, Involves heating above the critical range followed by cooling in still air. Is performed to refine the crystal structure and eliminate internal stress; Heating a ferrous alloy to a suitable temperature above A3 or Acm and then cooling in still air to a temperature substantially below A1. The cooling rate usually is in the range 900 to1800 F/h (500 to 1000C/h).
Noseblock: Refers to the non-turning, fixed surface contact point on abrasive machinery normally found in woodworking plants. Usually installed in place of the idler pulley on edge sanders. Also called a "bullnose" or "deadhead."
Nosing: A rounded convex edge, as on a stair step.
Notation: A written system of notes, figures, and symbols used to represent musical tones and dynamic values in composition.
Notch Brittleness: A measure of the susceptibility of a material to brittle fracture at locations of stress concentration. For example, in a notch tensile test a material is said to be notch brittle if its notch strength is less than its tensile strength; otherwise, it is said to be notch ductile.
Notch Filler: A fixed-level, variable-frequency filter found on some preamps that isolates a specific frequency (usually in the low-mids area of the tonal spectrum) to eliminate feedback or unwanted resonance from the body of the guitar.
Notch Sensitivity: The extent to which the sensitivity of a material to fracture is increased by the presence of a surface notch or sudden change in section.
Notch Sensitivity: A measure of the reduction in strength of a metal caused by the presence of stress concentration. Values can be obtained from static, impact or fatigue tests.
Nozzle: A hollow metal hose screwed into the extrusion end of the heating cylinder of an injection machine which is designed to form a seal under pressure between the cylinder and the mold.
Nucleating Agent: An additive used in a polymer to increase crystallization rate by providing additional sites for crystal growth (i.e. talc). This results in faster cycle time.
Nucleation: Initiation of a phase transformation at discrete sites, the new phase growing from nuclei.
Nucleus: The first structurally stable particle capable of initiating recrystallization of a phase or the growth of a new phase, and separated form the matrix by an interface; The heavy central core of an atom, in which most of the mass and the total positive electrical charge are concentrated.
Number as Pertaining to Hardness: In copper base alloys industry; temper is referred to as so many numbers hard, i.e. Yellow Brass Half Hard is termed 2 numbers hard. This term is derived from terminology used on the mill floor where by temper or hardness is imparted by cold working and classified as to hardness by the number of Brown & Sharpe gages away from the soft or as-annealed state.
Nut: The strip of bone, metal, or synthetic material that acts as a spacing guide for the strings where the neck joins the headstock. Like the saddle, the nut also affects tone by conducting the strings’ vibrations into the neck (see “Tusq”).
Nut Slots: The notches on a guitar’s nut that hold the strings in place.

OD: Outside Diameter (of coil or pipe)
OEM: "Original Equipment Manufacturer." In the abrasives industry, a manufacturer of equipment which uses abrasives.
OSB: "Oriented Strand Board." A man-made board in which flakes or "strands" are derived from large logs, and oriented in three directionally alternating layers.
OSHA: "Occupational Safety and Health Administration." A United States government agency formed to protect the health and safety of work environments.
Occasional: A small number of characteristics that are arranged somewhat diversely within the panel face.
Odorants/Deodorants: These are used to add odor to material, usually for safety reasons.
Offhand Sanding or Grinding: Applying the workpiece manually to the moving coated abrasive, as when holding it freehand against an abrasive belt. Also called freehand grinding.
Ogee: A decorative molding profile with an S shape.
Oil (fuel): A product of crude oil that is used for space heating, diesel engines and electricity generation.
Oil Hardening: A process of hardening a ferrous alloy of suitable composition by heating within or above the transformation range and quenching in oil.
Oil Stain Aluminum: Stain produced by the incomplete burning of the lubricants on the surface of the sheet. Rolling subsequent to staining will change color from darker browns to lighter browns down to white.
Oil-Hardening Steel: Steel adaptable to hardening by heat treatment and quenching in oil.
Old Growth (Virgin Timber): Is old, naturally established trees often characterized by dense straight grain and a lack of knots and defects.
Oligomer: A polymer that consists of two, three, or four monomers.
Olsen (Ductility) Test: A method of measuring the ductility and drawing properties of strip or sheet metal which involves determination of the width and depth of impression. The test simulating a deep drawing operation is made by a standard steel ball under pressure, continuing until the cup formed from the metal sample fractures. Readings are in thousandths of an inch. This test is sometimes used to detect stretcher straining and indicates the surface finish after drawing, similar to the Erichsen ductility test.
Opacity: The ability of a coat of paint to obscure or cover an underlying surface.
Opaque: Means not able to transmit light.
Opaque Finish: Paint or pigmented stained finish that hides the natural characteristics and color of the grain of the wood surface, and is not transparent.
Open Coat: A coated abrasive product in which the abrasive grain covers approximately 50% to 70% of the coated side surface. Helps to retard loading of sticky or gummy materials such as softwoods or paint.
Open Grain and Close Grain: The size and distribution of the cellular structure of the wood influences the appearance and uniformity. Open-grain hardwoods, such as elm, oak, ash and chestnut are “ring-porous” species. These species have distinct figure and grain patterns. Close-grain hardwoods such as cherry, maple, birch and yellow poplar are “diffuse-porous” species. Most North American diffuse-porous woods have small, dense pores resulting in less distinct figure and grain. Some tropical diffuse-porous species (e.g. mahogany) have rather large pores.
Open Grained Wood: Any wood that has a porous or coarse texture. Examples include oak, walnut, hickory, ash, poplar, chestnut, and mahogany.
Open Molding: An open mold provides a finished and dimensionally accurate surface upon which the lay-up can be placed. Gel coat is usually sprayed first on the prepared surface of the mold. The reinforcement materials are applied on top of the gel coat. This form of molding provides one finished side.
Open Surface: Rough surface on black plate, sheet or strip, resulting from imperfection in the original steel bars from which the plate was rolled.
Open Welds: A weld that shows an area that is not fused.
Open-Hearth Furnace: A reverberatory melting furnace with a shallow hearth and a low roof. The flame passes over the charge in the hearth, causing the charge to be heated both by direct flame and radiation from the roof and sidewalls of the furnace. In ferrous industry, the furnace is regenerative.
Open-Hearth Process: The process of making steel by heating the metal in the hearth of a regenerative furnace. In the basic open-hearth steel process, the lining of the hearth is basic, usually magnesite; whereas in the acid open-hearth steel process, an acid material, silica, is used as the furnace lining and pig iron, extremely low in phosphorous (less than 0.04%), is the raw material charged in.
Operating Speed: The speed of a coated abrasive product in use. Usually expressed in either revolutions per minute or surface feet per minute.
Operation, Collective: An elevator operating system wherein landing and car calls are retained. The elevator will respond to UP landing call only in the UP direction, and to DOWN landing call in the DOWN direction, as well as any car calls registered as that floor is reached. Collective is the basis of most automatic elevator operating systems. Collective is also referred to as “on call” system, i.e. cars will not move unless a car or landing call is in registration. Variations of “Collective Operation” are as follows: Elevator Operation, Group Automatic Operation, and Single Automatic Operation.
Operation, Elevator: The logic system that directs the elevator to perform specific functions. The operating system tells the elevator when to start or stop, open or close the doors, go up or down or to park. Inputs to the operating system are the landing calls, the car calls, the loading of the elevator, delays during passenger transfer, malfunctions and interference.
Operation, Group Automatic: The automatic operation of two or more elevators which are associated. The operation of the cars is coordinated by a supervisory control system including automatic dispatching means. selected cars at designated dispatching points automatically close their doors and proceed on their trips in a regulated manner. To operate two or more elevators as a team, a group operating system is employed. The system directs the action of each elevator to attempt to keep them separated and so that no more than one elevator generally responds to a landing call in a given direction. Various strategies are used and can consist of the timed dispatching of elevators to space them away from a main landing, the deployment of elevators to park them at various locations throughout the elevator rise, and to calculate which elevator is in the best position to answer landing calls to optimize or equalize response. Some versions of a group automatic operating system automatically start cars to “cruise” in search of landing calls at times when no calls are in registration whereas other systems will not move elevators until a call registers a “demand”.
Operation, Single Automatic: Automatic operation by means of one button in the car for each landing served and one button at each landing. If any car of landing button has been actuated, the actuation of any other car or landing operating button will have no effect on the operation of the car until the response to the first button has been completed. Usually response to the first button has been completed. Often used with an “In Use” light located in the landing buttons.
Orange Peel: The “porous” appearance of a guitar’s surface that results from the finish soaking into the wood’s pores over time; usually this happens when intermediate steps were not taken to close the wood pores using a “filler” prior to applying the finish coat.
Orange Peel: A pebble-grain surface which develops in forming of metals having coarse grains.
Orange Peel: (Not leftovers from eating an orange) A pebble grain pattern that occurs when a metal is stressed beyond its elastic limit. Also refers to a similar pattern that occurs on painted surfaces. Often caused during rolling or forming operations.
Orange Peel: A common problem which occurs when the wet paint does not flow properly on the panel after spraying. It is similar to the texture on the surface of an orange.
Orange Peel: On a molded part, this is a surface finish defect that is rough and splotchy. Usually this is caused by moisture in the mold cavity or poor heat transfer properties.
Orange Peel: The description of a coating that does not flow out smoothly, exhibiting the texture of an orange.
Orange Peel (Effect): A surface roughening (defect) encountered in forming products from metal stock that has a coarse grain size. It is due to uneven flow or to the appearance of the overly large grains usually the result of annealing at too high a temperature. Also referred to as pebbles and alligator skin.
Ore: A mineral from which metal is (or may be) extracted.
Organic: Having properties associated with living organisms (i.e. oil, wood, fiber).
Orientation: The arrangement of the molecules of the melt. If the molecules are orientated, they are aligned with each other; if non-oriented they are not in alignment. In general, orientated material shrinks more than non-oriented material.
Orientation (Crystal): Arrangement of certain crystal axes or crystal planes in a crystalline aggregate with respect to a given direction or plane. If there is any tendency for one arrangement to predominate, it is known as the preferred orientation; in the absence of any such preference, random orientation exists.
Oriented Strand Board (OSB): An engineered wood product formed by layering strands (flakes) of wood in specific orientations. In appearance it may have a rough and variegated surface with the individual strips lying unevenly across each other.
Oriented Strand Board (OSB): Is an engineered wood product formed by layering strands (flakes) of wood in specific orientations. In appearance it has a rough and variegated surface with the individual strips (1” x 6” each) lying unevenly across each other in the direction of their grain.
Oscillated Wound or Scroll Wound: A method of even winding metal strip or wire on to a reel or mandrel wherein the strands are uniformly over-lapped. Sometimes termed stagger wound or vibrated wound. The opposite of ribbon wound.
Oscillating Sander: A pad type sander with a fastened coated abrasive sheet, which uses a short, high-speed oscillating stroke, producing fast stock removal.
Oscillation Belt: A slight, repetitive lateral movement of a belt on its pulleys. On wide belt machines, it works in conjunction with the automatic tracking mechanisms. In effect, it prolongs belt life and retards premature loading.
Oven-dried Weight: The weight of a piece of lumber that has been dried, under high temperatures, in an oven until it is devoid of all water.
Over Molding: A process in which a mold cavity is first partially filled with one plastic and then a second shot is injected to encapsulate the first shot.
Overaging: Aging under conditions of time and temperature greater than those required to obtain maximum change in a certain property, so that the property is altered in the direction of the initial value.
Overheating: Heating a metal or alloy to such a high temperature that its properties are impaired. When the original properties cannot be restored by further heat treating, by mechanical working, or by combination of working and heat treating, the overheating is known as burning.
Overlaid Plywood: Is plywood surfaced with one or several overlay sheets or one or several films such as impregnated paper, plastic, resin film, metal or decorative veneer.
Overlap: A condition where the veneers comprising plywood are so misplaced that one piece overlaps the other and does not make a smooth joint.
Overlay: To superimpose or laminate a wood veneer of various species or a decorative item such as melamine, polyester or high-pressure decorative laminate to one or both sides of a given substrate, such as plywood, particle board or medium-density fiberboard (MDF).
Overpack: Results because melt will fill the easiest flow path first and will continue to pack this area while material reaches the other areas. This is a cause of warping created by an unbalanced flow.
Overspeed Governor Switch: A part of an escalator machine. It is actuated by centrifugal force and trips a switch when the motor speed has increased 20% over its rated name plate speed.
Overspray: The dry, pebble-like surface caused when the sprayed finish begins to dry in the air before it hits the surface.
Oxidation: A reaction in which there is an increase in valence resulting from a loss of electrons; Chemical combination with oxygen to form an oxide. The addition of oxygen to a compound. Exposure to atmosphere sometimes results in oxidation of the exposed surface, hence a staining or discoloration. This effect is increased with temperature increase.
Oxidation: A corrosion reaction in which corroded metal forms an oxide, usually due to exposure to the oxygen in air. Rust is a form of oxidation.
Oxide: Compound of oxygen with another element.
Oxidized Surface: A surface having a thin, tightly adhering oxidized skin.
Oxygen Index: A flammability test based on the principle that a certain volumetric concentration of oxygen is necessary to maintain combustion of a specimen after it has been ignited.
Oxygen Lance: A length of pipe used to convey oxygen onto a bath of molten metal.
Oxygen-Free Copper: Electrolytic copper free from cuprous oxide, produced without the use of residual metallic or metalloidal deoxidizers.

P Grade: European grading system of F.E.P.A. for coated abrasive grain.
PSA: "Pressure Sensitive Adhesive." An adhesive applied to the backing of coated abrasive products (usually discs) which permits easy product application and removal to and from a backup pad.
PSI: "Pounds per Square Inch." A unit of pressure equal to the pressure resulting from a force of one pound applied uniformly over an area of one square inch.
PVC: The abbreviation for “polyvinyl chloride,” a synthetic decorative coating or edgebanding.
PVC Edging: A polyvinyl chloride edging, usually in seamless rolls, typically applied by edgebanding machines using hot-melt adhesives. Available in a variety of solid colors, patterns and wood-grain designs, in both textured and smooth finish.
Pack Rolling: Hot rolling a pack of two or more sheets of metal; scale prevents the sheets from being welded together. Rolling two or more pieces of thin sheet at the same time, a method usually practiced in rolling sheet into thin foil.
Packing: The filling of the mold cavity or cavities as full as possible without causing undue stress on the molds or causing flash to appear on the finished parts. Over or under packing can result in less than optimum fill.
Pad Sander: A small, handheld machine using coated abrasive sheets fastened to the pad.
Pancake Forging: A rough forged shape which may be obtained quickly with a minimum of tooling. It usually requires considerable machining to attain the finish size.
Pancake Grain Structure: A structure in which the lengths and widths of individual grains are large compared to their thicknesses.
Panel Match: Establishes the leaf layout in each individual panel.
Panelwork: All kinds of flush-panel work made of lumber, panel products and high pressure decorative laminates. It also includes stile-and-rail paneling.
Part Picker: An auxiliary unit usually mounted on a fixed platen which reaches into the open mold to grab parts and remove them prior to the next molding cycle. The term robot may also be used. This unit is used when you do not want to drop parts from mold upon ejection.
Partially-balanced Runner System: A system composed of both naturally and artificially balanced runners.
Particle Board: A generic term for a panel manufactured from lignocellulosic materials (usually wood). It is primarily in the form of discrete pieces of particles as distinguished from fibers, combined with a synthetic resin or other suitable binder. Then, it is bonded together under heat and pressure in a hot-press by a process in which the entire inter-particle bond is created by the added binder. Other materials may have been added during manufacturing to improve certain properties.
Particle Board, Fire-Retardant Treated: Particle board treated to obtain a Class I or Class II fire rating.
Particleboard: A manufactured wood panel product which consists of pressed wood panel particles held together with a resin binder. Not as high quality as "MDF".
Particleboard: A type of manufactured plywood that is made from ground up and glued scrap wood. Particle board is very dense, heavy, and flat.
Particleboard (chipboard): An engineered wood product manufactured from wood particles such as wood chips, sawmill shavings or even saw dust and a synthetic rein or other suitable binder which is pressed and extruded. Particle board is a type of fiberboard, a composite material, but it is made up of larger pieces of wood than medium-density fiberboard and hardboard.
Particleboard Core Plywood: Plywood that is made by gluing a thin layer of veneer to a piece of particleboard.
Parting Line: A mark on the part indicating where the two halves of the mold met in closing.
Pass: A term indicating the process of passing metal through a rolling mill; A single transfer of metal through a stand of rolls; The open space between two grooved rolls through which metal is processed; The weld metal deposited in one run along the axis of a weld.
Passivation: The changing of the chemically active surface of a metal to a much less reactive state. Contrast with activation.
Passive Pickups: Pickups that don’t use electricity to enhance the direct sound coming out of the pickups.
Patch: A repair made by inserting and securely gluing a sound piece of wood of the same species in place of a defect that has been removed. The edges shall be cut clean and sharp and fit tight with no voids. “Boat” patches are oval shaped with sides tapering in each direction to a point or to a small rounded end. “Router” patches have parallel sides and rounded ends. “Sled” patches are rectangular with feathered end.
Patenting: Treatment of steel, usually in wire form, in which the metal is gradually heated to about 1830°F, with subsequent cooling, usually in air, in a bath of molten lead, or in a fused salt mixture held between 800°F and 1050°F; A heat treatment applied to medium and high-carbon steel prior to cold drawing to wire. The treatment involves austenitization followed by isothermal transformation at a temperature that produces a microstructure of very fine pearlite.
Pattern Shop: A shop or department where wooden parts for mold castings are made.
Pattern Welding: A process in which strips or other small sections of iron or steel are twisted together and then forge welded. Homogeneity and toughness are thereby improved. A regular decorative pattern can be developed in the final product. Commonly used for making swords as early as the 3rd century A.D.
Patterned or Embossed Sheet: A sheet product on which a raised or indented pattern has been impressed on either on or both surfaces by the use of rolls.
Peak Wind Speed: The maximum instantaneous wind speed that occurs with a specific time period.
Pearlite: A eutectoid transformation product of ferrite and cementite that ideally has a lamellar structure, but is always degenerate to some extent. Lamellar structure resembling mother of pearl. A compound of iron and carbon occurring in steel as a result of the transformation of austenite into aggregations of ferrite and iron carbide.
Pearloid: Synthetic mother-of-pearl made by mixing plastic and pearl dust.
Peck or Pecky (Wood): Can be a pitted area or channel in wood, often found in cedar or cypress.
Pecky: Characteristic consisting of pockets of disintegrated wood caused by localized decay or wood areas with abrupt color change related to localized injury, such as a bird peck. Peck is sometimes considered a decorative effect, such as bird peck in pecan and hickory, or pecky in cypress.
Pediment: A triangular ornament above a cornice.
Peeling: An open blister.
Peening: Mechanical working of metal by hammer blows or shot impingement.
Peghead: See “headstock”.
Pellets: Tablets or granules of uniform size, consisting of resins or mixtures of resins with compounding additives which have been prepared for molding operations by extrusion and chopping into short segments.
Penetrant Inspection: A method of non-destructive testing for determining the existence and extent of discontinuities that are open to the surface in the part being inspected. The indications ore made visible through the use of a dye or fluorescent chemical in the liquid employed as the inspection medium.
Penetrating Oil: In finishing, this is an oil-based material designed to penetrate wood.
Penetrating Sealer: See “impregnators”.
Peripheral Speed: The speed at which any point on the outside periphery of a rotating tool is traveling when the tool or wheel is revolving. Expressed in surface feet per minute (SFPM) or meters per second (m/s), and determined by multiplying the circumference in feet (or meters) by the wheel or disc revolutions per minute (RPM).
Peritectic: An isothermal reversible reaction in which a liquid phase reacts with a solid phase to produce another solid phase.
Permalloy: Nickel alloys containing about 20 to 60% Fe, used for their high magnetic permeability and electrical resistivity.
Permanent Set: Non-elastic or plastic, deformation of metal under stress, after passing the elastic limit.
Phase: A physically homogeneous and distinct portion of a material system.
Phase Diagram: Synonymous with constitutional diagram.
Phenol Formaldehyde Resin: Typically used for exterior-type construction. Plywood and doors bonded with this adhesive have a high resistance to moisture. The most common types require high temperature during pressing to aid in the curing process.
Phloem: The inner part of a tree's bark that delivers water and other nutrients.
Phosphor Bronze: Copper base alloys, with 3.5 to 10% of tin, to which has been added in the molten state phosphorus in varying amounts of less than 1% for deoxidizing and strengthening purposes. Because of excellent toughness, strength, fine grain, resistance to fatigue and wear, and chemical resistance, these alloys find general use as springs and in making fittings. It has corrosion resisting properties comparable to copper.
Phosphor Bronze Strip: A copper-base alloy containing up to 10% tin, which has been deoxidized with phosphorus in varying amounts of less than 1%. Temper is imparted by cold rolling, resulting in greater tensile strength and hardness than in most copper-base alloys or either of its alloying elements copper or tin. The various tempers from One Number Hard to Ten Numbers Hard are classified in hardness by the number of B&S Gages reduction in dimension from the previous soft or as-annealed state. Phosphor Bronze is not heat treatable for purposes of hardness development. It does not withstand elevated temperatures very well and should not be used in service above 225°F even after stress relieving treatment at 325° to 350°F. It has excellent electrical properties, corrosion resistant comparable to copper; great toughness and resistance to fatigue. Rated good for soft soldering, silver alloy brazing, oxyacetylene, carbon arc and resistance welding.
Phosphorus: Non-metallic element occurring in at least three allotropic forms; melting point 111 (degrees) F.; boiling point 536 (degrees) F.; specific gravity 1.82. In steels it is usually undesirable with limits set in most specifications. However, it is specified as an alloy in steel to prevent the sticking of light-gage sheets; to a degree it strengthens low carbon steel; increases resistance to corrosion, and improves machinability in free-cutting steels. In the manufacture of Phosphor Bronze it is used as a deoxidizing agent.
Photodegradation: The effect on the appearance of exposed wood faces caused by exposure to both sun and artificial light sources. Of course, if an entire face is exposed to a light source, it will photodegrade somewhat uniformly and hardly be noticeable; whereas partially exposed surfaces, or surfaces with shadow line, may show non-uniform photodegradation. Some woods, such as American Cherry and Walnut, are more susceptible than others to photodegradation.
Photodegradation: The degradation of plastics due to the action of light.
Photomicrograph: A photographic reproduction of any object magnified more than ten diameters. The term micrograph may be used.
Physical Properties: Those properties familiarly discussed in physics, exclusive of those described under mechanical properties; for example, density, electrical conductivity, co-efficient of thermal expansion. This term often has been used to describe mechanical properties, but this usage is not recommended. Properties other than mechanical properties, that pertain to the physical nature of a material; e.g., density, electrical conductivity, thermal expansion, reflectivity, magnetic susceptibility, etc.
Pick, Plectrum: A small, thin device, made of ivory, wood or plastic, used to pluck a stringed instrument.
Pickguard: A very thin plate usually made of synthetic material that is glued to the soundboard below the treble side of the soundhole, ostensibly to protect the finish from scratches and gouges; some manufacturers put pickguards on both sides of the soundhole.
Pickling: An operation by which surface oxide (scale) is removed by chemical action. Sulfuric acid is typically used for carbon and low-alloy steels. After the acid bath, the steel is rinsed in water.
Pickling: (Done without cucumbers) Removing surface oxides from steel by chemical means, usually in an acid solution.
Pickling Patch: A defect in tin plate, galvanized or terne plated steel due to faulty pickling, leaving areas from which the oxide has not been completely removed.
Pickup: In guitar manufacturing, this is a coil wound with fine wire that converts the sound produced by guitar strings into electrical signals.
Pig Iron: Iron produced by reduction of iron ore in a blast furnace. Pig iron contains approximately 92% iron and about 3.5% carbon. Balance largely silicone and manganese with small percentages of phosphorus, sulphur, and other impurities.
Pigment: The coloring matter in paint. A pigment is different from a dye in that a pigment is insoluble in the media in which it is used.
Pigment: A plastic compound which contains a high percentage of pigment to be blended in appropriate amounts with the base resin so that the correct final color is achieved. See colorant, color concentrate.
Piling: A process in which several bars are stacked and hot rolled together with the objective of improving the homogeneity of the final product. Used in primitive iron making.
Pillaster: A fluted or carved, flat, decorative column attached to a building or furniture.
Pin Expansion Test: A test for determining the ability of tubes to be expanded or for revealing the presence of cracks or other longitudinal weaknesses, made by forcing a tapered pin into the open end of a tube.
Pin Holes: All circular or nearly circular holes in the exposed surface.
Pinch Rolls: A set or series of opposed rolls (usually rubber) which apply pressure to the workpiece to maintain proper feed rate and workpiece alignment, during the abrasive grinding process.
Pinchers: Long fern like creases usually diagonal to the direction of rolling.
Pinholes: Microscopic imperfection of the coatings, that is, microscopic bare spots, also microscopic holes penetrating through a layer or thickness of light gage metal.
Pinpoint Gate: A restricted gate of 0.030” or less in diameter. This gate is common on hot-runner molds.
Pipe: The central cavity formed by contraction in metal, especially ingots, during solidification; The defect in wrought or cast products resulting from such a cavity; An extrusion defect due to the oxidized surface of the billet flowing toward the center of the rod at the back end; A tubular metal product, cast or wrought.
Pipe (Defect): Contraction cavity, essentially cone-like in shape, which occurs in the approximate center, at the top and reaching down into a casting; caused by the shrinkage of cast metal.
Piston: See “ram”.
Pit: A small crater in the surface of plastic that is considered an imperfection.
Pit (Defect): A sharp depression in the surface of the metal.
Pit, Elevator: The portion of a hoistway extending from the threshold level of the lowest landing to the floor at the bottom of the hoistway.
Pitch: An accumulation of resin that occurs in separations in the wood or in the wood cells themselves.
Pitch (Wood): A resin found in many types of softwoods, especially pine. Loads belts.
Pitch Pocket: A well-defined accumulation of pitch in the wood cells in a more or less regular streak.
Pitch Pocket: A pocket of resinous sap confined within the grain of many conifers.
Pitch Pocket: A well-defined opening between the annual growth rings that contains pitch.
Pith: The soft core in the center of a tree trunk.
Pith: The small, soft core occurring near the center of a tree trunk, branch, or log.
Pith: A small, soft core occurring in the center of the log.
Pits: Small holes in the surface of a metal, usually caused by corrosion or formed during electroplating.
Pitting: Forming small sharp cavities in a metal surface by non-uniform electro-deposition or by corrosion.
Plain Sawn Lumber: A method of sawing lumber where the log is cut tangential to the growth rings. It is also called flat-sawn when referring to softwoods.
Plain Slicing: A cutting method most commonly used for hardwood plywood. The log is cut in half. One half is placed onto a carriage and moved up and down past a fixed knife to produce the veneers. Veneer is sliced parallel to the pith of the log and approximately tangent to the growth rings to achieve flat-cut veneer. Each piece is generally placed in a stack and kept in order. One half of a log sliced this way is called a “flitch”.
Plain-Sawn: A hardwood figure developed by sawing a log lengthwise at a tangent to the annual growth rings. It appears as U-shaped or straight markings on the board’s face.
Planimetric Method: A method of measuring grain size, in which the grains within a definite area are counted.
Planing: See Abrasive Planing, Finish Planing, or Rough Planing.
Planishing: Producing a smooth surface finish on metal by rapid succession of blows delivered by highly polished dies or by a hammer designed for the purpose, or by rolling in a planishing mill.
Plank: A board, usually between 1 ½” to 3 ½” (38.1 mm to 88.9 mm) thick and 6” (152 mm) or more wide, laid with its wide dimension horizontal and used as a bearing surface.
Plastic: A material that contains an essential ingredient of one or more organic polymeric substances of large molecular weight. It is solid in its finished state and at some stage, in its manufacture or processing into finished articles, can be shaped by flow.
Plastic Backing Sheet: A thin sheet, usually phenolic, applied under pressure to the back of a laminated plastic panel to dimension horizontally and used as a bearing surface.
Plastic Deformation: Deformation that remains, or will remain, permanent after release of the stress that caused it.
Plastic Deformation: A change in dimensions of an object under load that is not recovered when the load is removed.
Plastic Laminate Finish: See high-pressure decorative laminate.
Plasticity: The ability of a metal to be deformed extensively without rupture.
Plasticity: The ability of a material to withstand continuous and permanent deformation by stresses exceeding the yield value of the material without rupture.
Plasticize: To render a material softer, more flexible and/or more moldable by the addition of a plasticizer.
Plasticizer: A substance or material incorporated in a material (usually a plastic or an elastomer) to increase its flexibility, workability, or extensibility.
Plasticizers: Any of the various substances added to plastics or other material to keep them soft or pliable (see “lacquer”).
Plate: Material that is flat and 3/16” or thicker. Normally plate is more than 10” wide although some mills may classify anything more than 6” wide as plate.
Plate: A flat-rolled metal product of some minimum thickness and width arbitrarily dependent on the type of metal.
Plate Joint: A butt joint that is reinforced with a football shaped "biscuit". The biscuits are usually made from compressed pieces of wood, usually birch. When a biscuit comes into contact with glue in the joint it swells creating a tighter joint. It is also called a Biscuit Joint.
Plate Martensite: Martensite formed, partly in steels containing more than about 0.5% C and solely in steels containing more than about 1.0% C, as ventricular-shape plates on irrational habit planes that are near (225)A, or {259}A in very-high-carbon steels.
Plate-out: An objectionable coating gradually formed on metal surfaces of molds during processing of plastics due to extraction and deposition of some ingredient such as pigment, lubricant, stabilizer or plasticizer.
Platen: A flat or shaped support which backs up a coated abrasive belt in the area where the workpiece is applied. Usually metal, the platen may be surfaced with resilient material and a lubricant, such as graphite-covered canvas.
Platen Sander: A coated abrasive machine utilizing a platen. The platen provides an area contact to the coated abrasive. Unit pressures are usually low.
Platens: The mounting plates of a press on which the mold halves are attached.
Plating: A thin coating of metal laid on another metal.
Playability: The ease with which an instrument can be played, relative to the player’s comfort and the effort required to product the desired result.
Pleasing-Matched: A face containing components that provide a pleasing overall appearance. The grain of the various components need not be matched at the joints, but will not be widely dissimilar in character and/or figure. Sharp color contrasts at the joints of the components are not permitted. Members are selected so that lighter-than-average color members are not placed adjacent to darker-than-average members.
Plow: A rectangular groove or slot of three surfaces cut parallel to the grain of a wood member, in contrast to a dado, which is cut across the grain.
Plunger: In a hydraulic elevator, the part that pushes the car up or restrains its descent; it moves within the cylinder by means of hydraulic pressure.
Ply: A single sheet of veneer or several strips laid with adjoining edges that may or may not be glued, which forms one veneer laminate in a glued panel (see layer). In some constructions, a ply is used to refer to other wood components such as particle board or MDF.
Plywood: A composite panel or board made up of cross-banded layers of veneer only, or veneer in combination with a core of lumber or of particleboard bonded with an adhesive. Generally, the grain of one or more plies is roughly at right angles to the other plies, and almost always an odd number of plies is used.
Plywood: A panel composed of a crossbanded assembly of layers or plies of veneer, or veneers in combination with a lumber core or particle board core, that are joined with an adhesive. Except for special constructions, the grain of alternate plies is always approximately at right angles, and the thickness and species on either side of the core are identical for balanced effect. An odd number of plies is always used.
Plywood: Is the first type of engineered wood to be invented. It is made from think sheets of wood veneer called “plies”. These are stacked together with the direction of each ply’s grain differing from its neighbors’ by 90° (crossbanding). The plies are bonded under heat and pressure with strong adhesives, usually phenol formaldehyde resin, making plywood a type of composite material. A common reason for using plywood instead of plain wood is its resistance to cracking, shrinkage, twisting/warping and its general high degree of strength.
Plywood Grades: Plywood is graded by the quality of the outer plies.
Plywood Quality Classification: Plywood is classified by visual appearance of face veneers. The face veneers of different grades do not cause differences in the strength and stiffness of the panels. The grade of face veneers in one plywood sheet may be different; ten the grade of better face is given first.
Poisson’s Ratio: The constant relating the changes in dimensions which occur when a material is stretched. It is obtained by dividing the change in width per unit length by the change in length per unit length.
Polished Surface: The finish obtained by buffing with rouge or similar fine abrasive, resulting in a high gloss or polish.
Polishing: Producing a specularly reflecting surface.
Polishing: Act of smoothing off the roughness or putting a high finish on metal by using a fine grit coated abrasive belt. Also refers to the final finishing of bare wood prior to application of finish such as varnish, etc.
Polishing Bar or Head: See Smoothing Bar.
Polycrystalline: Comprising an aggregate of more than one crystal, and usually a large number of crystals.
Polyester: In finishing, this is a very high solids-content plastic coating, leaving a deep wet look.
Polyester: Any of a number of synthetic resins, produced chiefly by a reaction of dibasic acids with dihydric alcohols. In guitar finishing it refers to a basic chemical makeup and has a many variations as the term “human” has in referring to people.
Polyester (Backing): A synthetic cloth material used as a backing for coated abrasive products. Very tear-resistant and split-resistant.
Polymer: A high-molecular weight organic compound, natural or synthetic, whose structure can be represented by a repeated small unit, the mer: e.g. polyethylene, rubber, cellulose. If two or more monomers are involved, a copolymer is obtained.
Polymer: Any of numerous natural or synthetic compounds consisting of up to millions of repeated linked molecular units, each being a relatively light and simple molecule.
Polymer Structure: A general term referring to the relative positions, arrangement in space and freedom of motion of atoms in a polymer molecule.
Polymerization: A chemical reaction in which the molecules of a simple substance (monomer) are linked together to form large molecules whose molecular weight is a multiple of that of the monomer.
Polymorphism: The ability of a material to exist in more than one crystallographic structure. Numerous metals change in crystallographic structure at transformation temperatures during heating or cooling. If the change is reversible, it is allotropy. The allotropy of iron, particularly the changes between the alpha body-centered and the gamma face centered form, is of fundamental importance in the hardening of steel.
Polyurethane: A very hard and wear-resistant finish, which is very difficult to repair. It is most commonly used as a two component system, comprising of multifunctional isocyanate or moisture-cured products usually composed of pre-catalyzed urethane.
Pomele: A trade term for a small blister figure in mahogany and sapele.
Poplar: A hardwood with low to medium density. Closed-pored with open, clear grain. Used on many interior parts of furniture, but can be stained and finished to resemble finer grades of wood such as maple or cherry. Very easily sanded. A good paint grade wood.
Porous (Wood): This term refers to hardwoods only, as all softwoods are non-porous. Most woods are "diffuse porous" because growth is uniform throughout all of the seasons. Oak, however, is "ring porous" since the spring growth is softer and coarser than the summer growth. The pores can be seen without magnification.
Porous Wood: Wood with larger than normal pores and vessels.
Position Indicator: A device that indicates by illuminated numbers in a digital readout, the position of the elevator in the hoistway. It is called a hall position indicator when placed at a landing or a car position indicator when placed in a car. Also, it can be found in a lobby Indicator Panel or may be part of a CCTV display in a central location or machine room.
Postheating: Heating weldments immediately after welding, for tempering, for stress relieving, or for providing a controlled rate of cooling to prevent formation of a hard or brittle structure.
Pot: A vessel for holding molten metal. Also used to refer to the electrolytic reduction cell employed in winning certain metals, such as aluminum, from a fused electrolyte.
Pot Annealing: Is the same as box annealing.
Pot Life: The amount of time after mixing that a glue or paint remains usable. Often used when referring to two-part epoxy and polyester glues.
Pouring: The transfer of molten metal from the ladle into ingot molds or other types of molds; for example, in castings.
Powder Coating: A method of spray painting which used a thick "high solids" paint which is then baked in an oven.
Powder Metallurgy: The art of producing metal powders and of utilizing metal powders for the production of massive materials and shaped objects.
Power: Energy that is capable or available for doing work.
Power Grid: See Grid.
Power Quality: Stability of frequency and voltage and lack of electrical noise on the power grid.
Preamp: Shorthand for preamplifier. An electronic device designed to amplify extremely weak electrical signals before they are fed to additional and usually more powerful amplifier circuits; Any such signal-boosting device.
Precipitation Hardening: Hardening caused by the precipitation of a constituent form a supersaturated solid solution.
Precipitation Heat Treatment: Nonferrous metal. Any of the various aging treatments conducted at elevated temperatures to improve certain of the mechanical properties through precipitation from solid solution.
Preferred Orientation: A condition of a polycrystalline aggregate in which the crystal orientations are not random.
Preform: A plastic pre-shaped part produced by injection molding systems in the first step of a two-stage injection molding and blow molding process used to produce bottles or containers. The preform is subsequently re-heated and stretch blown through a blow molding process into the final container shape.
Preheating: A general term used to describe heating applied as a preliminary to some further thermal or mechanical treatment; A term applied specifically to tool steel to describe a process in which the steel is heated slowly and uniformly to a temperature below the hardening temperature and is then transferred to a furnace in which the temperature is substantially above the preheating temperature; Heating a metal to a relatively high temperature for a relatively long time in order to change the structure before working. Ingots are homogenized by preheating.
Premanufactured Sets: When each panel, usually 4’ x 8’ (1219 mm x 2438 mm) or 4’ x 10’ (1219 mm x 3048 mm), is part of a sequenced set of balanced-matched, premanufactured panels to be installed full-width with the sequencing maintained. The panel’s balanced-match becomes unequal at the start, end, and at any other opening or change in plane when trimmed.
Premium Grade: The highest grade available in both material and workmanship intended for the finest work. This is the most expensive grade.
Prep: The process of washing, degreasing, and lightly abrading a panel prior to applying paint.
Prequalification: Prior review and approval of a bidder’s qualifications to perform specified work.
Prescriptive-based: Contrast to performance based, this refers to the manner in which regulations are expressed that dictates the technical processes by which the required outcomes are to be achieved.
Preservative: A treating solution that prevents decay in wood; (adj.) having the ability to preserve wood by inhibiting the growth of decaying fungi.
Press Forging: Forging metal, usually hot, between dies in a press.
Pressure Pads: Reinforcements of hardened steel distributed around the dead areas in the faces of a mold to help the land absorb the final pressure of closing without collapsing.
Pretreatment (Metal): The chemical treatment of unpainted metal surfaces before painting, for enhanced adhesion and corrosion resistance.
Prevailing Wind Direction: The direction from which the wind predominantly blows as a result of the seasons, high and low pressure zones and tilt of the earth on its axis and the rotation of the earth.
Preventative Maintenance: Inspections, tests, cleaning and similar activities carried out on elevator equipment with the intention of preventing malfunctions from occurring during operation. It is designed to keep equipment in proper operating order and is done on a scheduled basis. It is also referred as scheduled maintenance.
Primary Crystal: The first type of crystal that separates from a melt during solidification.
Primer: The first layer of a coating system applied to an unpainted surface. Its role is to protect the substrate and to prepare it for the application of a surfacer or topcoat. It must therefore have above all, excellent adhesion to the substrate and to the coating which will follow.
Primer Sealer: An undercoat which improves the adhesion of the topcoat and seals the old painted surfaces that have been sanded.
Primer/Surfacer Primer/Filler: A pigmented composition which acts as a primer, and also has filling properties such that it may be sanded to provide a smooth surface for the color coat that is to follow.
Primes: Metal products, principally sheet and plate, of the highest quality and free from visible defects.
Print Line: Refers to a special furniture production line in which fibreboard or other wood products are filled, sanded, and printed with a decorative wood grain or other design.
Process Annealing: In the sheet and wire industries, heating a ferrous alloy to a temperature close to, but below, the lower limit of the transformation range and then cooling, in order to soften the alloy for further cold working. This process is applied in order to soften the alloy for further cold working.
Processing Aids: Additives specifically used to improve the injection process.
Proeutectoid (Phase): Particles of a phase that precipitate during cooling after austenitizing but before the eutectoid transformation takes place.
Profile: Refers to the surface configuration of a workpiece, namely, details of grinding surface, finish, flatness, etc.
Profile: A trim that has a shaped detail along one or more edges. Eased edges are included in profiles. Ends or faces may also have profiles.
Profiling: An edge detail applied to stone. See “edge profile”.
Progressive Aging: An aging process in which the temperature of the alloy is continuously increased during the aging cycle. The temperature may be increased in steps or by any other progressive method. Compare with interrupted aging.
Proof Stress: The stress that will cause a specified small permanent set in a material; A specified stress to be applied to a member or structure to indicate its ability to withstand service loads.
Propertional Limit: The greatest stress that the material is capable of sustaining without a deviation from the law of proportionally of stress to strain (Hooke's Law).
Proportional Limit (Hooke’s Law): The greatest stress which a material is capable of sustaining without deviation from proportionality of stress and strain.
Prototype Tool: A preliminary mold that the final mold will be built from.
Proximity Edge: A protection system for entering or exiting passengers against sliding doors. It is a device, usually mounted on the car door and consisting of light ray devices which will stop and reverse a closing door.
Psychrometer: An instrument for measuring the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.
Puddling Process: A process for making wrought iron in which cast ore is melted in a hearth furnace, and rabbled with slag and oxide until a pasty mass is obtained. This process was developed by Henry Cort about 1784 and remained in use until 1957, although on a very small scale during the present century.
Pulled Gate: An area where the part was connected to the sprue or runner that has been drawn out or stretched from the surface.
Pulp Trees: Small trees and saplings that will be ground to produce paper. Lumber farmers often over-plant their acreage and remove smaller trees for pulp as the crop matures.
Pulse-Echo Method: A nondestructive test in which pulses of energy are directed onto a part, and the time for the echo to return from one or more reflecting surfaces is measured.
Pump Drum: Inflatable drums made of rubber covered with a canvas boot, used for contour sanding chair stock and related parts. The abrasive cloth sleeve is mounted and the drum is inflated to whatever density is required.
Pump Sleeve: Coated abrasive product that is made for mounting on a pneumatic pump drum.
Punch: The movable part that forces the metal into the die in equipment for sheet drawing, blanking, coining, embossing and the like.
Punching: Shearing holes in sheet metal with punch and die.
Purfling: Sometimes referred to as “Marquetry”, purfling frequently comprises two or more type of binding strips whose surfaces, when laminated, create a specific design; se “binding”.
Purging: Extrusion or injection molding, purging is the cleaning of one color or type of material from the machine by forcing it out with the new color or material to be used in subsequent production, or with another compatible purging material.
Puttied: See Fill.
Putty: A plastic material with a high mineral filler content. It is used for filling holes or gaps.
Putty Smear: Where putty has been incorrectly placed in a surrounding area of wood as well as into the open defect that the putty was intended to repair. Putty smears are not allowed where the expression “well-puttied” is used.
Pyrometer: An instrument of any of various types used for measuring temperatures.

Quarry: The location of an operation where a natural deposit of stone if removed from the ground.
Quarter Hard (No. 3 Temper): In low carbon cold-rolled strip steel, a medium soft temper produced by a limited amount of cold rolling after annealing; In brass mill terminology. Quarter hard is one B and S number hard or 10.95% reduction; In stainless steel terminology tempers are based on minimum tensile, or yield strength. For Chromium-Nickel grades Quarter Hard Temper is 125,000 T. S., 75,000 Y.S. min.
Quarter Sawn: A method of cutting lumber where the annual rings are relatively perpendicular to the face of the board. Quarter-sawn lumber tends to be more dimensionally stable than other forms of lumber, such as plain-sawn.
Quarter Sawn (Quartered Lumber): This refers to solid lumber cutting. Available in limited amounts in certain species, this cut yields straight-grain, narrow boards with “flake” or figure in some species (particularly in red and white oak).
Quarter Slicing: This produces a striped grain pattern, which is straight in some woods, while varied in others. Veneer is produced by cutting in a radial direction to the pith to the extent that fleck or ray flake is produced and the amount may be unlimited. In some woods, principally oak, fleck results from cutting through the radial medullary rays.
Quarters: The commercial thicknesses usually associated with the purchase or specification of hardwoods, such as “five quarter” (5/4’s of 1”), meaning 1 ¼” (31.8 mm) in thickness.
Quartersawn Wood: A log cut into quarters lengthwise along its axis, parallel to the rays (the lines the run out from the center of the log). Quartersawn tonewood is the preferred wood for guitar making due to its stability and uniform figure.
Quartz: A rock countertop material which, unlike granite, never has to be sealed or polished.
Quartzite: A compact granular rock composed of quartz crystals, usually so firmly cemented as to make the mass homogeneous. The stone is generally quarried in stratified layers, the surfaces of which are usually smooth. It’s crushing and tensile strengths are extremely high. The color range is wide.
Queen Anne: A style of furniture that was first made popular in England during the rule of Queen Ann. It was used almost exclusively by early colonial cabinetmakers. The Cabriole Leg is one of the primary characteristics of the Queen Ann style.
Quench Aging: Aging that occurs after quenching following solution heat treatment.
Quench Hardening: A process of hardening a ferrous alloy of suitable composition by heating within or above the transformation range and cooling at a rate sufficient to increase the hardness substantially. The process usually involves the formation of martensite. Hardening a ferrous alloy by austenitizing and then cooling rapidly enough so that some or all of the austenite transforms to martensite. The austenitizing temperature for hypoeutectoid steels is usually above Ac3 and for hypereutectoid steels usually between Ac1 and Ac (cm).
Quenching: In the heat treating of metals, the step of cooling metals rapidly in order to obtain desired properties; most commonly accomplished by immersing the metal in oil or water. In the case of most copper base alloys, quenching has no effect other than to hasten cooling; A treatment consisting of heating uniformly to a predetermined temperature and cooling rapidly in air or liquid medium to produce a desired crystalline structure.
Quilted: This refers to a highly figured pattern of folds or waves, somewhat resembling the appearance of rectangular blisters.
Quirk: This means a sharp incision in moldings or trim that can hide the use of a mechanical fastener.

RA: "Arithmetic Average". A surface finish measurement of the average peaks and valleys of a surface profile. Measured by a profilometer.
RPM: Revolutions per minute. Machine speed.
RTA: "Ready to Assemble." Furniture that comes in kit form, and can be put together by the customer.
Rabbet: A rectangular cut on the edge of a member; a “rabbet” has two surfaces and a “plow” has three.
Rabbet: A cut partway through the edge of a board that is used as a part of a joint.
Rabbet Joint: A groove cut across the grain of the face of a member at an edge or end to receive the edge or end thickness of another member.
Radial Shrinkage: Shrinkage in a piece of lumber that occurs across the growth rings as it begins to dry.
Radiant Tube Annealing Box: A box which is heated, inside, by means of tubes in which gas is burned; the hot tubes radiate their heat to the covered pile of metal, standing on the base of the box. Usually a protective atmosphere is maintained in the box to protect the metal from oxidation.
Radioactive Waste: Materials left over from making nuclear energy. Radioactive waste can damage or destroy living organisms if it is not stored safely.
Radiography: A nondestructive method of internal examination in which metal objects are exposed to a beam of X-ray or gamma radiation. Differences in thickness, density or absorption, caused by internal defects or inclusions, are apparent in the shadow image either on a fluorescent screen or on photographic film placed behind the object.
Radius: A line segment extending from the center of a circle or sphere to the circumference or bounding surface, or the circular area defined by a stated radius.
Ragged Edges: Edges of Sheet or Strip which are torn, split, cracked, ragged or burred or otherwise disfigured.
Rail: A horizontal board that runs along the underside of a table. The horizontal part of a raised panel door.
Rail: The cross or horizontal pieces of a stile-and-rail assembly or the cross pieces of the core assembly of a wood flush door or panel.
Railing: In stair work, this is the member that follows the pitch of the stair for grasping by hand.
Raised Grain: This is the roughened condition of the surface of dressed lumber on which hard summerwood is raised above the softer springwood, but is not torn loose from it.
Raised Grain: A roughened condition of the surface of a dressed lumber in which the hard summerwood is raised above the softer springwood but not torn loose from it. This condition can occur when using certain types of stain.
Raised Panel: This is a traditional door or wall panel with a bevel edge captured in a stile-and-rail frame.
Raised Panel: A piece of wood that is the center of a frame and panel assembly.
Ram: The forward motion of the screw in the plasticators barrel that forces the melt into the mold cavity.
Random Match: When matching occurs between adjacent veneer leaves on one panel face. Random selection in the arrangement of veneer leaves from one or more flitches producing a deliberate mismatch between the pieces of veneer.
Random Orbit Sander: See DA Sander and Oscillating Sander. (Also called ROS Sander.)
Rated Load: The load which the elevator, dumbwaiter or escalator is designed and installed to lift at the rated speed.
Ray: A ribbon like figure caused by the strands of cells which extend across the grain in quarter sawn lumber.
Ray: One of the radial structures in a tree that stores nourishment and transports it horizontally through the trunk. In quarter-sawn oak, the rays form a figure called fleck.
Rayon Backing: A cloth backing material, rarely used, which can be thought of as a cross between cotton and polyester materials. Flexible, and water-resistant. Rayon is a plant- based, synthetic material.
Reaction Injection Molding (RIM): A process that involves the high pressure impingement mixing of two or more reactive liquid components and injecting them into a closed mold at low pressure.
Reaction wood: Abnormal wood formed in a leaning tree, often characterized by a dense hard brittle grain and propensity to react irregularly to seasonal moisture changes. In hardwood trees, it forms on the upper side of the lean and is called tension wood. In softwood trees it forms on the lower side of the lean and is called compression wood.
Reagent Resistance: The ability of a plastic to withstand exposure to chemicals.
Recarburizing: Increasing the carbon content of molten cast iron or steel by adding carbonaceous material, high-carbon pig iron or a high-carbon alloy; Carburizing a metal part to return surface carbon lost in processing.
Reciprocal Lattice (for a crystal): A group of points arranged about a center in such a way that the line joining each point of the center is perpendicular to a family of planes in the crystal, and the length of this line is inversely proportional to their interplanar distance.
Recovery: The removal of residual stresses by localized plastic flow as the result of low-temperature annealing operations; performed on cold worked metals without altering the grain structure or strength properties substantially.
Recrystallization: The change from one crystal structure to another, as occurs on heating or cooling through a critical temperature; The formation of a new, strain-free grain structure from that existing in cold worked metal, usually accomplished by heating; A process whereby a distorted grain structure of cold worked metals is replaced by a new, stress-free grain structure as a result of annealing above a specific minimum temperature for a specific time.
Recrystallization Temperature: The approximate minimum temperature at which complete recrystallization of a cold worked metal occurs within a specified time.
Recystallization Annealing: Annealing cold worked metal to produce a new grain structure without a phase change.
Red Birch: The heartwood of the yellow birch tree.
Red Brass: 85% Copper -- A copper-zinc alloy containing approximately 15% zinc, used for plumbing pipe, hardware, condenser tubes. Because of its color, is used or vanity cases, coins, plaques, badges, etc. It is somewhat stronger than commercial bronze and is hardened more rapidly by cold working.
Red Shorness: Brittleness in steel when it is red hot.
Red/Brown: This is used when referring to color and matching, veneers containing all heartwood, ranging in color from light to dark.
Reduction of Area: Commonly, the difference, expressed as a percentage of original area, between the original cross-sectional area of a tensile test specimen and the minimum cross-sectional area measured after complete separation; The difference, expressed as a percentage of original area, between original cross- sectional area and that after straining the specimen.
Refining Temperature: A temperature, usually just higher than the transformation range, employed in the heat treatment of steel to refine the structure -- in particular, the grain size.
Reflector Sheet: An alclad product containing on one side a surface layer of high-purity aluminum superimposed on a core or base alloy of commercial-purity aluminum or an aluminum-manganese alloy. The high- purity coating imparts good polishing characteristics and the core gives adequate strength and formability.
Refractory: A heat-resistant material, usually nonmetallic, which is used for furnace linings and such.
Refractory Alloy: A term applied to those alloys which due to hardness or abrasiveness present relative difficulty in maintaining close dimensional tolerances.
Refractory Metal: A metal having an extremely high melting point. In the broad sense, it refers to metals having melting points above the range of iron, cobalt, and nickel.
Reglet: A flat, narrow molding used chiefly to separate the parts or members of compartments or panels from one another.
Reinforcement: Consists of strong materials, including glass fibers, bonded to or combined into a resin to improve mechanical properties of the composite.
Relative Humidity: Ratio of the amount of water vapor present in the air to that which the air would hold at saturation at the same temperature.
Relative Humidity: Humidity is a state of usually invisible moisture in the air; Relative humidity (RH) is the amount of moisture in a given volume of air as compared to the amount that it is capable of holding, and measured as a percentage. If the RH is 30%, that mean the air is holding 30% of the moisture it is capable of holding. As air temperature increases, so does the air’s capacity to hold moisture. If the air temperature rises and its moisture content (humidity) stays the same, then the relative humidity becomes a lower percentage. When the temperature inside a building is raised, as so often is the case in the winter, the RH indoors will drop. The only way to re-establish the proper RH is to add moisture to the air; this can be done with a humidifier.
Relay: An electric device that is designed to interrupt input conditions in a prescribed manner and after specified conditions are met, to respond and cause contact operation or create change in associated electric control circuits.
Relay Panel: A quantity of electro magnetic switches, relays or panels, constituting a panel, mounted in the machine room usually for receiving and registering all calls made by passengers by means of the landing or car buttons. Also may be solid-state devices.
Relief: The difference in elevation between the high and the low parts of an area or where a form is raised (or alternatively lowered) from a flattened background without being disconnected from it.
Renewable Energy: Energy derived from resources that are regenerative or cannot be depleted. Types of renewable energy resources include wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and moving water.
Repairs, Blending: Wood or filler insertions similar in color to adjacent wood so as to blend well.
Rephosphorizing (Steel): A Ladle-chemical treatment consisting of the addition of phosphorus as a work hardening agent when temper rolling black plate or sheet steel resulting in greater hardness and stiffness and with a corresponding loss in ductility. NOTE: Black Plate in tempers T5 and T6 (R/B range 68/84) are temper rolled from Rephosphorized steel.
Residential Elevator: A power passenger electric elevator installed in a private residence, and which has a rated load not in excess of 750 lbs., a rated speed not in excess of 40 feet per minute, a net inside platform area not in excess of 12 square feet, and a rise not in excess of 50 feet per the A17.1
Residential Stairway Lift: A power passenger lift, installed on a stairway in a private residence, for raising and lowering persons from one floor to another.
Residual Elements: Small quantities of elements unintentionally present in an alloy.
Residual Stress: Stress present in a body that is free of external forces or thermal gradients. Macroscopic stresses that are set up within a metal as the result of non-uniform plastic deformation. This deformation may be caused by cold working or by drastic gradients of temperature from quenching or welding.
Residuals: 'Incidental' or 'tramp' elements not named in a specification. These inclusions are usually due to contaminated scrap.
Resilience: The tendency of a material to return to its original shape after the removal of a stress that has produced elastic strain.
Resin: A synthetic adhesive used as bonding coat for coated abrasive products. Much more heat resistant and wear resistant than glue bonds.
Resin: The term used to designate any polymer that is a basic material for plastics (synthetic resins).
Resin: An open mold provides a finished and dimensionally accurate surface upon which the lay-up can be placed. Gel coat is usually sprayed first on the prepared surface of the mold. The reinforcement materials are applied on top of the gel coat. This form of molding provides one finished side. When catalyzed, the resin cures going through a polymerization process transforming the liquefied resin into a solid. The cured resin and reinforcement creates a composite material with mechanical properties that exceed those of the individual components. Two commonly used resins are: Phenolic resins – phenolic composites have many desirable performance qualities including high temperature resistance, creep resistance, excellent thermal insulation and sound damping properties, corrosion resistance, and excellent fire/smoke/smoke toxicity properties. Polyester resins – these resins offer a balance of properties such as versatility in processing and dimensional stability. Polyesters are popular due to lower cost and ease of handling and processing.
Resin: Any of a number of clear or translucent substances, either from plant origin or synthetics, used in producing lacquers, adhesives, plastics, polyesters, epoxies, silicones etc.
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM): A closed-mold pressure injection system which allows for faster gel and cure times compared to contact molded parts. The process uses polyester matrix materials systems association with cold-molding and most reinforcement material types such as continuous strand, cloth, woven roving, long fiber and chopped strand.
Resistance Welding: A type of welding process in which the work pieces are heated by the passage of an electric current through the contact. Such processes include spot welding, seam or line welding and percussion welding. Flash and butt welding are sometimes considered as resistance welding processes.
Resolution: The capacity of an optical or radiation system to separate closely spaced forms or entities; also, the degree to which such forms or entities can be discriminated.
Resorcinol Formaldehyde Resin: Formulated into highly water-resistant glues for woodworking; normally purple in color and difficult to work.
Restricted Gate: A very small orifice between a runner and cavity in an injection mold. When the part is ejected, this gate readily breaks free of the runner system. Generally, the part drops through one chute and the runner system through another leading to a granulator and scrap reclaim system.
Restructuring: The process of changing the structure of the electric power industry from one of a guaranteed monopoly that is regulated to one of open competition between power suppliers.
Resulfurized Steel: Steel to which sulfur has been added in controlled amounts after refining. The sulfur is added to improve machinability.
Retainer Plate: The plate on which demountable pieces, such as mold cavities, ejector pines, guide pins, and bushings are mounted during molding.
Retractable Cores: Used when molding parts in cavities not perpendicular to the direction in which the part is ejected from the mold. The cores are automatically pulled from the mold prior to the mold opening and reinserted when the mold closes again and prior to injection.
Return: A continuation in a different direction of a molding or projection, usually right angles.
Reveal Overlay: A cabinet construction in which the door and drawer faces partially cover the body members or face frames of the cabinet with spaces between face surfaces creating decorative reveals.
Rib: A reinforcing member of a molded part.
Ribbon Wound: A term applied to a common method of winding strip steel layer upon layer around an arbor or mandrel.
Riffles: Waviness at the edge of sheet or strip.
Rift Cut: This term usually refers to veneers, but can be applied to solid lumber (usually as rift-sawn); this method is similar to quarter slicing, but accentuates the vertical grain and minimizes the fleck of the finished material. It is veneer produced by cutting at a slight right angle to the radial to produce a quartered appearance.
Rimmed Steel: Low-carbon steel in which incomplete deoxidation permits the metal to remain liquid at the top of the ingot, resulting in the formation of a bottom and side rim of considerable thickness. The rim is of somewhat purer composition than the original metal poured. If the rimming action is stopped shortly after pouring of the ingot is completed, the metal is known as capped steel. Most steels below 0.15% carbon are rimmed steels. For the same carbon and manganese content rimmed steel is softer than killed steel.
Ring Gate: Used on some cylindrical shapes, this gate encircles the core to permit the melt to first move around the core before filling the cavity.
Ring, Annual Growth: Layers of circular rings, each signifying a year of growth.
Ripcut: A cut made parallel to the grain of a board.
Ripple (defect): A slight transverse wave or shadow mark appearing at intervals along the piece.
Riser: The board at the back of a tread that “rises” to the bottom of the next tread above. In an “open riser” stair, this element is left out and the gap between the treads is open. Open-riser stairs are prohibited by code in many circumstances.
Risers: Air passages in a casting mold that must be removed (cut off or ground off) after the metal has solidified.
Rockwell Hardness (Test): A standard method for measuring the hardness of metals. The hardness is expressed as a number related to the depth of residual penetration of a steel ball or diamond cone (brale) after a minor load of 10 kilograms has been applied to hold the penetrator in position. This residual penetration is automatically registered on a dial when the major load is removed from the penetrator. Various dial readings combined with different major loads, five scales designated by letters varying from A to H; the B and C scales are most commonly in use.
Roll Forming: An operation used in forming sheet. Strips of sheet are passed between rolls of definite settings that bend the sheet progressively into structural members of various contours, sometimes called molded sections.
Rolled Edges: Finished edges, the final contours of which are produced by side or edging rolls. The edge contours most commonly used are square corners, rounded corners and rounded edge.
Rolled In Scale: A surface defect consisting of scale partially rolled into the surface of the sheet.
Roller Guides: Guide shoes which use rollers that rotate on guide rails, rather than sliding on the rails.
Roller Leveling: Passing sheet or strip metal through a series of staggered small rolls so as to flatten the metal. This method is relatively ineffective in removing defects such as buckles, wavy edges, corrugations, twists, etc., or from steel in the higher hardness ranges.
Rolling: A term applied to the operation of shaping and reducing metal in thickness by passing it between rolls which compress, shape and lengthen it following the roll pattern. Reducing the cross-sectional area of metal stock, or otherwise shaping metal products, through the use of rotating rolls.
Rolling Direction (in Rolled Metal): The direction, in the plane of the sheet, perpendicular to the axes of the rolls during rolling.
Rolling Mills: Equipment used for rolling down metal to a smaller size or to a given shape employing sets of rolls the contours of which determine or fashion the product into numerous intermediate and final shapes, e.g., blooms, slabs, rails, bars, rods, sections, plates, sheets and strip.
Rolls: A form of coated abrasives (usually in 50 yard or meter lengths) in various widths.
Room Match: Refers to the matching of panel faces within a room.
Roped-Hydraulic Driving Machine: One in which the energy is applied by a piston or plunger, connected to the car with wire ropes, which operates under hydraulic pressure. It includes the cylinder, the piston or plunger and sheaves, if any, and their guides.
Ropes: Wire rope made of steel or iron strands with non-metallic cores. Types include: Hoist – used to support and move the car & counterweight. Governor – see “Governor-Elevator”. Compensating – suspended from below the care to below the counterweight, and used on high-rise elevators to offset the weight unbalance occurring when a large amount of hoist rope is on the car side or on the counterweight side due to car position. The compensation keeps the overbalance, or empty and full cars, within the traction capability of the machine drive sheave.
Rosette: A decorative inlay around the soundhole, frequently consisting of designs in several concentric circles.
Rotary Cut Veneer: Veneer which was cut from a log in one long sheet. Rotary cut veneer is cut from a log like a roll of paper towels.
Rotary Sanding: Sanding with a rotating disc; as opposed to random orbit sanding.
Rotary Shear (Slitting Machine): A cutting machine with sharpened circular blades or disc-like cutters used for trimming edges and slitting sheet and foil. NOTE: cutter discs are also employed in producing circles from flat sheets but with differently designed machines.
Rotary Slicing: The most common method for preparing veneers for softwood plywood. The log is placed in a lathe and rotated against a stationary knife. This produces a more-or-less continuous sheet of veneer, similar to pulling a long sheet off of a roll of paper towels.
Rough Lumber Sanding or Rough Planing: Refers to the first sanding operation on lumber, after the sawing operation. This operation is to remove rough saw marks, and to bring the stock up to a predetermined thickness. Grits 20, 24, or 36.
Rough Machining: Machining without regard to finish, usually to be followed by a subsequent operation.
Rough Sanding or Rough Grinding: The first grinding operation for reducing stock rapidly without regard for the quality of the finish.
Rubber Marks: Raised or hollowed cross-grain cuts caused by a sliver between the knife and the pressure bar when slicing veneers.
Rubbing: The final phase of furniture finishing where the part surface is "rubbed" by machine or hand to give the required luster or polish.
Rubbing Compound (Polishing Compound): An abrasive paste that smoothes and polishes paint films.
Rule Die Steel: A hardened and tempered medium high carbon spring steel strip sufficiently low in hardness to take moderately sharp bends without fracture, intended for manufacture into rule dies for the purpose of cutting or stamping fabrics, paper, cardboard, plastics, and metal foil into desired shape.
Rule Joint: A joinery method used in drop leaf tables where the tabletop has a convex profile and the leaf has a concave cut. The two pieces are joined by a hinge.
Runner: An injection mold, a runner is the feed channel, usually of circular cross section, which connects the sprue with the cavity gate. The term is also used for the plastic piece formed in this channel.
Runner Balancing: A runner system which delivers the required amount of melt to each cavity with the correct pressure to finish filling all the cavities simultaneously at the correct temperature for the part.
Runner Design: Using the runner as a flow control device (positioning the gate and using the size of the runner to control the filling pattern within the cavity) in addition to getting the melt into the cavity.
Runner System: This term is sometimes used for the entire resin feeding system including sprues, runners, and gates in injection molding.
Runnerless Molding: Molding in which the runners are insulated from the chilled cavities and are kept hot. Hot-runner molds make parts that have no scrap.
Running Match: When each panel face is assembled from as many veneer leaves as necessary. Any portion left over from one panel may be used to start the next.
Running Trim: Generally combined in the term “standing and running trim” and refers to random, longer length trims delivered to the jobsite (i.e. baseboard, chair rail, crown molding).
Runout: The orientation of wood cells being other than parallel to the edge (face) of the board; often difficult or impossible to detect visually, severe runout can be detrimental to strength and sound transmission (also known as “slope”).
Runs: The result of spraying a heavier coat on a vertical or nearly vertical surface, rather than the viscosity of the finish, will allow it to hold without movement; when in close multiples they are also called “sags”.
Ruptured Grain: A break or breaks in the grain or between springwood and summerwood, which is caused or aggravated by excessive pressure on the wood by seasoning, manufacturing or natural processes. Ruptured grain appears as a single or a series of distinct separations in the wood, such as when springwood is crushed, leaving the summerwood to separate in one or more growth increments.

S4S: A term that means “Surfaced Four Sides” and generally refers to the process of reducing nominal-sized rough lumber to finished widths and thicknesses.
SAE: Abbreviation for Society of Automotive Engineers. This organization has specified common and alloy steels and copper base alloys in accordance with a numerical index system allowing approximation of the composition of the metal. The last two digits always indicate the carbon content, usually within 0.05%.
SFPM: Surface feet per minute. The measurement of the speed of a specific point on a wheel or belt.
SP: An abbreviation for Solid Phenolic.
Saddle: A strip of bone, metal, or synthetic material that fits into a slot on the bridge. It acts both as a spacing guide for the strings and together with the bridge as a conductor of the vibrations or energy from the strings into the soundboard (see “Tusq”).
Saddle Pickup / Piezo Transducer: A transducer is a device that is actuated by power from one system and supplies power, usually in another form, to a second system. A piezo transducer is place under a guitar’s saddle, where it pick up vibrations from the strings, after which the signal is boosted and then controlled by one tone and one volume control on the upper side of the instrument.
Saddle Slots: The notches on a guitar’s saddle that hold the strings in place.
Sags: As a finishing term, this refers to partial slipping of finish film, creating a “curtain” effect.
Salt Spray Test: An accelerated corrosion test in which the metal specimens are exposed to a fine mist of salt water solution either continuously or intermittently.
Sand-Trough: A defect on the exposed visible surface, such as depressions, bumps, marks or core usually caused by thin veneers or over-sanding.
Sanded, Cross: This means sanded across rather than parallel to the grain of a wood surface.
Sanded, Machine: This means sanded by a drum or equivalent sander to remove knife or machine marks. Handling marks and/or grain raising due to moisture shall not be considered a defect.
Sanded, Smoothly: This means sanded sufficiently smooth so that all machining, machine-sanding marks, cross-sanding and other sanding imperfections will be concealed by the painter’s applied finish work. The proper sanding grit varies with the species of material; however, it generally runs in the 120 – 150 grit range. Handling marks and/or grain raising due to moisture shall not be considered a defect.
Sanding Room: Designates a department in a furniture plant that is devoted primarily to machine sanding of dimension stock prior to assembly.
Sandstone: A sedimentary rock consisting usually of quartz cemented with silica, iron oxide, or calcium carbonate. Sandstone is durable, has a very high crushing and tensile strength and a wide range of colors and textures.
Sapwood: The outer layers, or living wood, that is between the bark and the heartwood of a tree. Sapwood is generally lighter in color than heartwood.
Sapwood: The lighter-colored wood growing between the heartwood and bark.
Sash: A single assembly of stiles and rails into a frame for holding glass, with or without dividing bars, to fill a given opening. It may be either open or glazed.
Satin Finish: A smooth but not highly reflective surface to ensure against scratching of soft materials. Normally refers to a metal or a finished wood surface only.
Scab (scabby): A blemish caused on a casting by eruption of gas from the mold face, or by uneven mold surfaces; or occurring where the skin from a blowhole has partly burned away and is not welded; A defect consisting of a flat volume of metal joined to a casting through a small area. It is usually set in a depression, a flat side being separated from the metal of the casting proper by a thin layer of sand.
Scale: A layer of oxidation products formed on a metal at high temperature.
Scale Length: Describes the total length of a vibrating open string; a formula is applied to the scale length to determine fret positions, with the 12th fret being the half-way point. Most flat-top, steel-string acoustic guitars have a scale length of between 24 and 26”; string tension increases with scale length.
Scaling: Oxidation of metal due to heat, resulting in relatively heavy surface layers of oxide; Removal of scale from metal.
Scallop: See “Bracing”.
Scalloped Edge Belt: A special slitting of narrow belts so that the edges are scalloped (also called serrated). This is done to reduce the likelihood of cutting or marking of the workpiece from a standard, straight belt edge. J-Flex material is the most common material to be scalloped. The belt normally will be slightly wider than the contact wheel. Also used for slack-of- belt operations.
Scalped Extrusion Ingot: A cast, solid, or hollow extrusion ingot which has been machined on the outside surface.
Scalping: Machining the surface layers from ingots, billets, and slabs before fabrication.
Scarf Joint: A joint where the ends of two boards are cut on an angle and glued together to increase the length of the board.
Scarf Joint: A butt joint in which the plane of the joint is inclined with respect to the main axes of the members.
Scarfing: Cutting surface areas of metal objects, ordinarily by using a gas torch. The operation permits surface defects to be cut from ingots, billets, or the edges of plate that is to be beveled for butt welding.
Scleroscope Hardness (Test): A method for measuring the hardness of metals; a diamond-pointed hammer drops from a fixed distance through a tube onto the smoothed metal surface and the rebound measured. The Scleroscope hardness value is empirically taken from the rebound distance, with a specified high-carbon steel as 100.
Scored Rolls: Coated abrasive roll material with parallel slits evenly spaced in the length direction. Used for making assemblies. Also called "slashed" rolls.
Scrap: Any output of a mold that is not usable as the primary product.
Scrap: Material unsuitable for direct use but usable for reprocessing by re-melting.
Scratch Brushed Finish: Finish obtained by mechanically brushing the surface with wire bristle brushes, by buffing with greaseless compound or by cold rolling with wire bristled rolls on scratch etched finish.
Screw Travel: The distance the screw travels forward when filling the mold cavity.
Scribe: To mark and cut an item of woodwork so that it will fit an uneven wall, floor, or other adjoining surface.
Sealer: An undercoat which improves the adhesion of the topcoat and seals old painted surfaces that have been sanded.
Sealer: A solvent used to protect and enhance the appearance of a countertop surface. See “impregnators”.
Sealer Coat: A coat of finishing material (generally nitrocellulose in nature) designed to close the pores on wood and promote adhesion of subsequent finishing materials. Sealers are clear coatings which seal the filler or stain, and prevents them from bleeding through after the finish coats are applied.
Sealer Sanding: Removing the roughness or surface impurities from the sealer coat surface prior to the finish lacquer coat.
Sealers: Compounds that provide a sandable coating and a smooth surface for final topcoat application, provide system toughness and holdout, provide moisture resistance and contribute to build and clarity.
Sealing: The process of using a clear solvent-based product to protect the stone from stains.
Seam (A defect.): On the surface of metal a crack that has been closed but not welded; usually produced by some defect either in casting or in working, such as blowholes that have become oxidized or folds and laps that have been formed during working. Similar to cold shut and laminations.
Seam Annealing: The process of heating the seam weld at the Pipe Mill to improve strength.
Seam Welding: An electric-resistance type of welding process, in which the lapped sheet is passed between electrodes of the roller type while a series of overlapping spot welds is made by the intermittent application of electric current.
Seasoning (Wood): The removal of water and the removal and/or hardening of less volatile materials such as oils, fats, resins, and gums, as well as the structural changes that take place over time.
Secondary Hardening: Tempering certain alloy steels at certain temperatures so that the resulting hardness is greater than that obtained by tempering the same steel at some lower temperature for the same time.
Seconds: The designation given to sheet or strip that has imperfections in moderate degree or extent, which may be classified in two general groups: Imperfections in the base material and other manufacturing defects. This term is not used in connection with non-ferrous alloys.
Securely Attached: The attachment of one member to another by means of approved joinery, adhesive, mechanical fasteners or by a combination of these means. Members shall not be considered securely attached if they disassemble during standard usage and stress.
Securely Fastened or Bonded: See Securely Attached.
Seemann Composite Resin Infusion Molding Process (SCRIMP): A vacuum infusion molding process that eliminates volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
Segment Steel: Used for laminated piston rings. Carbon content about .60%. Hardened and blue tempered with round edges. Hardness usually Rockwell’s 30 N 68 to 71, widths vary from .058 to .163 and thicknesses are .020, .024 and .030.
Segmented Belt: A wide abrasive belt which is wider than the manufactured width of the jumbo roll material. This belt must have more than one joint.
Segregation: In an alloy, concentration of alloying elements at specific regions, usually as a result of the primary crystallization of one phase with the subsequent concentration of other elements in the remaining liquid.
Segregation Banding: In homogeneous distribution of alloying elements aligned on filaments or plates parallel to the direction of working.
Select: A lumber grading term. Also, in architectural specifications, the term “select” is frequently used to describe, clarify or quality specific characteristics of the hardwood lumber being specified. For example, Select White Maple or Select White Birch. By using “select” as a descriptor, Natural, Brown, and Red Maple/Birch are excluded.
Self Diffusion: The spontaneous movement of an atom to a new site in a crystal of its own species.
Self Edge: The application of an edge that matches the face.
Self-Hardening Steel: A steel containing sufficient carbon or alloying element, or both, to form martensite either through air hardening or, as in welding and induction hardening, through rapid removal of heat from a locally heated portion by conduction into the surrounding cold metal.
Semi-Steel: Cast iron (not steel) of high quality, obtained by using a large percentage of steel scrap with the pig iron.
Semi-exposed Surfaces: Refers to surfaces that are only visible under closer examination.
Semifinished Steel: Steel in the form of billets, blooms, requiring further working before completion into finished steel ready for marketing.
Semikilled Steel: Steel that is incompletely deoxidized and contains sufficient dissolved oxygen to react with the carbon to form carbon monoxide and thus offset solidification shrinkage.
Sendzimir Mill: A mill having two work rolls of 1 to 2 1/2-in diameter each, backed up by two rolls twice that diameter and each of these backed up by bearings on a shaft mounted eccentrically so that rotating it increases the pressure between bearings and backup rolls.
Sequence-Matched: Term used when referring to paneling, the veneer matching of one panel to another.
Serpentine: A wave-like design alternating concave and convex lines.
Serrated Contact Roll or Wheel: Contact roll or wheel with grooves milled into the face to increase the cutting action of the coated abrasive belt and prolong belt life.
Serration: Grooves cut into a contact wheel or contact roll which increase the cutting action of the abrasive belt, and improve belt life and performance.
Service Cabinet: A cabinet located in the elevator car containing special controls necessary for operating automatic elevators during service and testing periods. May also include fan switches, light switches, and an Independent Service switch.
Shading: A term used in finishing that means transparent color used for highlighting and uniform color.
Shake: A separation or rupture along the grain of wood in which the greater part occurs between the rings of annual growth (see ruptured grain).
Sharp Contrast: A certain detail applied to woodwork, such as veneer of lighter-than-average color joined with the veneer of darker-than-average color. Two adjacent pieces of woodwork should not be widely dissimilar in grain, figure and natural character markings.
Shear: A type of cutting operation in which the metal object is cut by means of a moving blade and fixed edge or by a pair of moving blades that may be either flat or curved.
Shear Bands (Deformation): Bands in which deformation has been concentrated unhomogeneously in sheets that extend across regional groups of grains. Usually only one system is present in each regional group of grains, different systems being present in adjoining groups. The bands are non-crystallographic and form on planes of maximum shear stress (55(degrees) to the compression direction). They carry most of the deformation at large strains. Compare microbands.
Shear Crack: A diagonal, transgranular crack caused by shear stresses.
Shear Rate: The rate at which a layer of melt slides over the layer below. Shear rate is velocity-related rather than force-related.
Shear Steel: Steel produced by forge welding together several bars of blister steel, providing a more homogeneous product.
Shear Strength: The maximum load required to shear the specimen in such a manner that the moving portion has completely cleared the stationary portion. Sheets are distinguished from films in the plastics industry only according to their thickness. In general, sheets have thicknesses greater than .040”.
Shear Strength: The stress required to produce fracture in the plane of cross section, the conditions of loading being such that the directions of force and of resistance are parallel and opposite although their paths are offset a specified minimum amount.
Shear Stress: The shearing force divided by the area. It is always a maximum at the outside of the flow channel. As it is force-related, it depends on the viscosity of the material, which in turn depends on the material and molding conditions. The maximum allowable stress level is usually taken as 1% of the tensile strength of the material. High shear stress is unimportant at gates and in sprues and runners.
Sheave: A wheel mounted in bearings. It also has one or more grooves over which a rope or ropes may pass.
Shedding: Term used to denote the loss of abrasive grain from a product during the grinding process by means other than attritive wear. Also called "Shelling" or "Stripping."
Sheen: Refers to finish shine or brightness; luster, patina and radiance. The sheen or gloss level of a cured finish is traditionally measured with a 60◦ gloss meter. The words used to describe various sheens are not standardized between companies.
Sheet: Materials that are flat and less than 3/16” thick.
Sheet: A flat-rolled metal product of some maximum thickness and minimum width arbitrarily dependent on the type of metal. Sheet is thinner than plate.
Shelf Deflection: Shelf deflection is the deviation from true flatness, flay. of a shelf when placed under load.
Shell Molding: Forming a mold from thermosetting resin-bonded sand mixtures brought in contact with preheated (300 to 500 (degrees) F) metal patterns, resulting in a firm shell with a cavity corresponding to the outline of the pattern. Also called Croning process.
Shellac: A coating made from purified lac, a secretion from an insect (laccifera lacca) that is dissolved in alcohol and often bleached white. It was first used in 1590 and was most popular in 1920’s and 1930’s.
Shelling: See Shedding.
Shielded-Arc Welding: Arc welding in which the arc and the weld metal are protected by a gaseous atmosphere, the products of decomposition of the electrode covering, or a blanket of fusible flux.
Shim: A thin, often tapered piece of material used as a leveler or filler between such materials as wood, stone and metal. The removable, interchangeable “spacers” used to achieve specific neck angles in new-tech neck joints are a form of shim.
Shim: A thin flat hard metal strip produced to close tolerances; used primarily for tool, die and machine alignment purposes. In steel there are four general types: Low Carbon Rockwell B 80/100, Hard Rolled High Carbon Rockwell C 28/33, Hardened and Tempered Spring Steel Rockwell C 44/51, and Austenitic Stainless Steel Rockwell C 35/45. Brass shim of commercial quality is also used and most generally specified is 2 Nos. Hard but may be 4 Nos. Hard.
Shim: A thin piece of wood used during installation to insure that countertops are level.
Shim Sheets: One or more sheets of veneer in a flitch where one side varies significantly in thickness from the other.
Shiplap: Wooden sheathing in which the boards are rabbetted so that the edge of each board laps over the edges of adjacent boards to make a flush joint ( a rabbet is a channel, grove, or recess cut out of the edge or face of a surface, usually to enable one edge to receive another, as in paneling.)
Shoe: Technically referred to as a platen or smoothing bar. A flat metal support located behind the coated abrasive belt. Frequently faced with felt or vinyl foam tape to provide resiliency. Also refers to devices in a wide belt sander which hold down small parts as they go through on the conveyor belt (see Pinch Rolls).
Shore Durometer: A method of rating the hardness of rubber, plastic, or other material. See Durometer.
Shore Hardness Test: Same as Scleroscope test.
Short: To be brittle.
Short Scratch: Generated by a contact roll application, as opposed to a stroke sander or platen type operation which produces long scratches.
Short Shot: A failure to completely fill the mold or cavities of the mold. Edges may appear melted. This may also be called “non-fill”.
Short Terne: A term applying to terne coated (Lead and Tin) sheets with reference to Base Box sizes (14 x 20) Refer to terne plate.
Shortness: A form of brittleness in metal. It is designed as cold, hot, and red, to indicate the temperature range in which the brittleness occurs.
Shot: One complete cycle of a molding machine.
Shot Blasting: Cleaning surface of metal by air blast, using metal as a result of solidification shrinkage and the progressive freezing of metal towards the center.
Show-Through: Irregular surfaces visible on the face of a veneered panel (such as depressions, bumps, mechanical marks, core outlines, or frame outlines).
Shrinkage: The contraction upon cooling of all areas of the part. Shrinkage occurs less in disorientated material and more across chains of molecules than along their lengths. Lower pack areas have lower areas of orientation and shrinkage.
Shrinkage Allowance: The dimensional allowance which must be made in molds to compensate for shrinkage of the plastic compound on cooling.
Shrinkage Cavity: A void left in cast metals as a result of solidification shrinkage and the progressive freezing of metal towards the center.
Side Draw Pins: Projections used to core a hole in a direction other than the line of closing of a mold and which must be withdrawn before the part is ejected from the mold. See also “retractable cores”.
Side Stroke: Another name for an edge sander.
Side Trimming: This is when the sides of the strip are continually being sheared off while the strip is being pulled into two vertical overlapping knives.
Signal Chain: The connected sequence of preamps, amps, equalization components, effects boxes, mixers, routers, microphones, speakers, and other equipment that carry and process the sound of a guitar from instrument to audience.
Silica Gel Packs: Silica gel is an effective desiccant or drying agent; sugar-packet sized silica gel packs are used to reduce moisture levels in small, confined areas such as food containers and cases containing sensitive photographic equipment and musical instruments; under conditions of high relative humidity it is advisable to leave several of these packets in one’s guitar case. To ensure that they don’t exceed their moisture-holding capacity and become ineffective, it is wise to replace them every few months during prolongs periods of high humidity.
Silicon: Extremely common element, the major component of all rocks and sands; its chemical reactions, however, are those of a metalloid. Used in metallurgy as a deoxidizing scavenger. Silicon is present, to some extent, in all steels, and is deliberately added to the extent of approximately 4% for electric sheets, extensively used in alternating current magnetic circuits. Silicon cannot be electrodeposited. It is one of the principal deoxidizers with the amount used dependent on the deoxidization practice. It slightly increases the strength of ferrite without a serious loss of ductility. In larger quantities, it aids the resistance to scaling up to 500°F in air and decreases magnetic hysteretic loss.
Silicon Carbide: An abrasive made from coke and silica sand. Very sharp and hard abrasive. Used for sanding softwoods, painted or otherwise finished surfaces, rubber, plastic, non-ferrous metals and other types of materials. Cuts very well under light pressure. Normally black in color.
Silicon Steel: Steel usually made in the basic open-hearth or electric furnace, with about 0.50-5.% silicon, other elements being usually kept as low as possible. Because of high electrical resistance and low hysteretic loss, silicon sheet and strip are standard in electric magnet manufacture.
Siliconizing: Diffusing silicon into solid metal, usually steel, at an elevated temperature.
Silky Fracture: A steel fracture that has a very smooth fine grain or silky appearance.
Silver Solders: Alloys of silver, copper, zinc and other metals, melting between 650 and 875 (degrees) C. used for making strong yet moderately ductile joints that resist corrosion.
Single-Action Press: A forming press that operates with a single function, such as moving a punch into a die with no simultaneous action for holding down the bland or ejecting the formed work.
Sink Mark: An indentation on the surface of the part as a result of significant local change in a wall section. The mark will occur in the thicker area.
Sink Reveal: Used to describe the size of the hole cut for an under-mount sink. A bigger cut-out reveals the top edge of the under-mount sink. A smaller cut-out hides the top of the sink because the stone overhangs the edge of the sink. Applicable to under-mount sinks only.
Sinker Steel: Used for making sinkers in hosiery making machinery. Supplied both hardened and tempered and cold rolled and annealed. Usually extra precision rolled and extra flat. Carbon content about 1.25.
Sinkhead or Hot Top: A reservoir insulated to retain heat and to hold excess molten metal on top of an ingot mold, in order to feed the shrinkage of the ingot. Also called shrink head or feeder head.
Sintered Carbide: Composite, containing carbides of extremely refractory metals, such as tungsten, tantalum, titanium, etc., cemented together by a relatively low-melting metal, such as cobalt acing as a matrix.
Sintering: Converting powder into a continuous mass by heating to a temperature considerably below fusion, usually after preliminary compacting by pressure. Bonding of adjacent surfaces of particles in a mass of metal powders, or in a compact, by heating.
Size Coat: Second adhesive coat applied to a coated abrasive product. The "size" coat unites with the maker coat insures the final anchoring of the grain and proper total adhesive level to the finished product.
Sizing: See Glue Size.
Skelp: A plate of steel or wrought iron from which pipe or tubing is made by rolling the skelp into shape longitudinally and welding or riveting the edges together. A piece or strip of metal produced to a suitable thickness, width, and edge configuration, from which pipe or tubing is made.
Skin: A thin surface layer that is different from the main mass of a metal object, in composition, structure or other characteristics.
Skin: Refers to the hardwood plywood (usually 3-ply), hardboard or composition panel, whether flat or configured, that is used for facings for flush wood doors. It is also used for bending lamination, finished end panels, and similar.
Skin Pass Rolling: A light cold rolling operation that is employed to improve flatness, produce the final surface finish or texture, develop mechanical properties, and/or reduce the tendency of stretcher strain or fluting during forming.
Skirt Board: A trim member similar to a base, run on the rake along the wall adjoining a stairway. The skirt board covers the joint between the treads and risers and the wall. It may also refer to the similar member below the treads at the open side of a stairway. A wall routed to receive the treads and risers may replace a skirt board.
Skive: Refers to the grain removal and taper operation performed on both laps (ends) of coated abrasive belt prior to joining the two laps necessary in order to achieve adequate joint adhesion and desired joint thickness. KLINGSPOR skived joints include #1, #2, #6, and T.
Skull: A layer of solidified metal or dross on the wall of a pouring vessel often when metal has been poured.
Slab: A piece of metal, intermediate between ingot and plate, at least twice as wide as it is thick.
Slab: A lengthwise cut of natural stone approximately 5’ x 8’ in size.
Slack Quenching: The process of hardening steel by quenching from the austenitizing temperature at a rate slower than the critical cooling rate for the particular steel, resulting in incomplete hardening and the formation of one or more transformation products in addition to or instead of martensite.
Slack of Belt Sander: A machine configuration in which the workpiece is presented to the coated abrasive belt in the area between the two pulleys. Work applied to unsupported area of the belt.
Slag: A product resulting from the action of a flux on the nonmetallic constituents of a processed ore, or on the oxidized metallic constituents that are undesirable. Usually slags consist of combinations of acid oxides with basic oxides, and neutral oxides are added to aid fusibility.
Slashed Roll: See Scored Roll.
Slate: A fine-grained rock that tends to split along parallel cleavage planes. Slate is relatively soft and porous.
Sleeper, Base: A support member, usually vertical in placement, between the front and rear members of a non-integral toe base or kick assembly.
Sliced: Veneer produced by thrusting a log or sawed flitch into a slicing machine that shears off the veneer in sheets.
Slide: A projection in the mold used to form the geometry of the part, which is not in the direction of the closing of the mold and must be withdrawn before the part can be ejected.
Slider Units: Electronic devices added to a guitar to enable the player to adjust tone and volume via slide controls; guitars with slider units, such as the Fishman Prefix Pro Blend, are built with a veneer patch installed in the guitar’s side to strengthen the area where the hole is cut.
Slight: A term that means barely perceptible. Not to the extent that it detracts from the overall appearance of the product (as a measurement of natural or machining characteristics.
Slip: Plastic deformation by irreversible shear displacement of one part of a crystal relative to another in a definite crystallographic direction and on a definite crystallographic plane.
Slip Agent: An additive used to provide lubrication during and immediately following the processing of plastics.
Slip Direction: The crystallographic direction in which translation of slip takes place.
Slip Line: Trace of a slip plane on a viewing surface.
Slip Plane: The crystallographic plane on which slip occurs in a crystal.
Slip-Matched: When a sheet from a flitch is slid across the sheet beneath and without turning spliced at the joints.
Slit Edges: The edges of sheet or strip metal resulting from cutting to width by rotary slitters.
Slitter: A processing unit that is used for side trimming or slitting into multiples (mults).
Slitting: Cutting sheet or strip metal to width by rotary slitters.
Sliver (Defect): Loose metal piece rolled down onto the surface of the metal during the rolling operations.
Slotted Discs: Coated abrasive discs containing numerous radial slot cuts from the outside periphery. Also called "DeLappe discs," or wing discs.
Smearing: Black residue on the workpiece caused by a non woven abrasive product melting onto the workpiece due to excessive heat.
Smooth, Tight Cut: Veneer cut to minimize lathe checks.
Smoothing Bar: A platen type device backing up the coated abrasive belt at the point of contact with the workpiece. Usually covered with graphite canvas to reduce frictional heat. Used on wide belt machines in woodworking, particleboard, and plywood sanding to promote better finishes. Also called platen bar, shoe, or polishing bar.
Snakemarks: "S" shaped streaks on parts, usually in wide belt sanding; any streaking on a wood workpiece, with a snake or serpentine appearance due to the normal oscillation of a wide belt sander.
Soaking: Prolonged heating of a metal at selected temperature.
Soapstone: A naturally dark gray, yet smooth countertop surface made of talc-quarried, metaphoric stone. It is non-porous and easily maintained.
Soft Skin Rolled Temper (No. 4 Temper): In low carbon-rolled strip steel, soft and ductile. Produced by subjecting annealed strip to a pinch pass or skin rolling (a very light rolling).
Softwood: A general term used to describe lumber or veneer produced from needle and/or cone-bearing trees (see Hardwood).
Softwood: A generic term used in woodworking and the lumber industry for wood from conifers (needle-bearing trees from the order Pinales). Softwood producing trees include pine, spruce, cedar, fir, larch, Douglass-fir, hemlock, cypress, redwood and yew.
Softwood: The non-porous wood of any cone-bearing, needle-leaved tree, regardless of whether the wood is in fact hard or soft.
Softwood Plywood: Plywood made out of soft wood tree species (maritime pine, spruce etc.) It refers in general to structural plywood.
Softwoods: Coniferous (cone-bearing) trees with evergreen needles or scale-like leaves that grow in cool, temperate northern regions; also known as Gymnospermae.
Solder Embrittlement: Reduction in ductility of a metal or alloy, associated with local penetration by molten solder along grain boundaries.
Soldering: Joining metals by fusion of alloys that have relatively low melting points. Most commonly, lead-base or tin-base alloys, which are the soft solders. Hard solders are alloys that have silver, copper, or nickel bases and use of these alloys with melting points higher than 800 (degrees) F. is generally termed brazing.
Solid Color: A coating which contains colored pigments only i.e. does not contain pigments, such as aluminum and mica.
Solid Phenolic: A composite of solid phenolic resins molded with a homogenous core of organic fiber-reinforced phenolic and at least one integrally cured surface of compatible thermoset nonabsorbent resins.
Solid Solution: A single solid homogeneous crystalline phase containing two or more chemical species; A solid crystalline phase containing two or more chemical species in concentrations that may vary between limits imposed by phase equilibrium.
Solid State - Logic: The utilization of static electrical components, micro-processors, programmable controllers or integrated circuits to control the operating system of an elevator or group of elevators.
Solid State – Motor Drive: The utilization of static electrical components such as SCR’s and programmable controllers in the motion control system of an elevator.
Solid Stock: Solid, sound lumber (as opposed to plywood), that may be more than one piece of the same species, securely glued for width or thickness.
Solid Surface: A manufactured product that emulates stone, created by combining natural minerals with resin and additives. Often referred to as “Corian”, a DuPont product.
Solidus: In a constitutional diagram, the locus of points representing the temperatures at which various components finish freezing on cooling or begin to melt on heating.
Solute: The component of either a liquid or solid solution that is present to the lesser or minor extent; the component that is dissolved in the solvent.
Solution Heat Treatment: Heating an alloy to a suitable temperature, holding at that temperature long enough to allow one or more constituents to enter into solid solution, and then cooling rapidly enough to hold the constituents in solution. The alloy is left in a supersaturated, unstable state, and may subsequently exhibit quench aging.
Solvent: A liquid, usually volatile, which is used to reduce viscosity. This is essential in both manufacturing and application processes. Solvents evaporate during application and drying of paint. So, it does not become a part of the dried film. In conventional coatings, the solvents are organic compounds (Alcohols, Esters and Ketones). While in waterborne systems, there is a mix of organic solvents with water.
Solvent: The component of either a liquid or solid solution that is present to the greater or major extent; the component that dissolves the solute.
Solvent: A material capable of dissolving another substance.
Solvents: Substances with the ability to dissolve other substances.
Solvus: In a phase or equilibrium diagram, the locus of points representing the temperature at which solid phases with various compositions coexist with other solid phases; that is, the limits of solid solubility.
Sorbite (Obsolete): A fine mixture of ferrite and cementite produced either by regulating the rate of cooling of steel or tempering steel after hardening. The first type is very fine pearlite difficult to resolve under the microscope; the second type is tempered martensite. Structure of steel, resulting from the tempering of martensite. In a truly sorbitic structure, the cementite is completely dispersed in the matrix. The trend is to call this structure tempered martensite.
Sorbitic Pearlite: Structure of steel resulting, on cooling under the proper conditions, from the decomposition of austenite; has a fine, lamellar appearance.
Sound: Refers to the absence of decay.
Soundboard: The top of an acoustic guitar; also referred to as “belly”, “plate”, “table” and “deck”.
Soundhole: A large hole in the soundboard, usually directly under the strings designed to increase sound projection.
Soundhole Pickup: Unlike a saddle pickup, this is mounted inside the soundhole of the guitar.
Space Lattice (Crystal): A system of equivalent points formed by the intersections of three sets of planes parallel to pairs of principal axes; the space lattice may be thought of as formed by the corners of the unit cells.
Space-Centered (Concerning Space Lattices): Body-centered.
Spalling: The cracking and flaking of particles out of a surface.
Spandrel: The triangular element in a staircase between the stringer and the baseboard.
Spanner Wrench: A "pin wrench" which has two pins which lock into two corresponding holes on a holding nut on a grinding disc or fire disc.
Spatter: Residue from welding consisting of small drops of hardened metal on the workpiece surface.
Special Emergency Services (Firefighter’s Aid): Phase I: Recall - A key switch in the lobby that, when actuated, return the car(s) to the main floor where they park with their doors open. Phase I is also activated by signal from a smoke detector located in upper floor elevator lobbies. In some jurisdictions, a main lobby smoke detector may send elevators to an alternate floor during Phase I. Phase II: In-Car Fire Service - A key switch in the car that allows the elevator to be operated by emergency personnel from car buttons only during an emergency such as fire.
Specialties: Coated abrasive forms other than sheets, rolls, belts, and discs. Includes assemblies and flapwheels.
Species: A distinct kind of wood.
Specific Gravity: The ratio of the weight of a certain volume of a substance to the weight of an equal volume of water, the temperature of which is 39.2◦ F (4◦ C).
Specific Gravity: A numerical value representing the weight of a given substance as compared with the weight of an equal volume of water, for which the specific gravity is taken as 1.0000.
Specifications: A detailed itemized description of the plans, materials, dimensions and all other requirements proposed for the installation of the equipment.
Spectograph (X-rays): An instrument using an extended surface- such as a photographic plate or film, or a fluorescent screen- for receiving the X-ray diffraction pattern. An optical instrument for determining the presence or concentration of minor metallic constituents in a material by indicating the presence and intensity of specific wave lengths of radiation when the material is thermally or electrically excited.
Spelter (Prime Western Spelter): A low-grade of Virgin Zinc containing approximately 98% Zinc used in Galvanizing processes.
Speroidizing: Heating and cooling to produce a spheroidal or globular form of carbide in steel. Spheroidizing methods frequently used are: Prolonged holding at a temperature just below Ae1, Heating and cooling alternately between temperatures that are just below Ae1, Heating to temperature above Ae1 or Ae3 and then cooling very slowly in the furnace or holding at a temperature just below Ae1, and Cooling at a suitable rate from the minimum temperature at which all carbide is dissolved, to prevent the reformation of a carbide network, and then re-heating in accordance with methods 1 or 2 above. (Applicable to hypereutectoid steel containing a carbide network.)
Speroidizing Annealing: A sub critical annealing treatment intended to produce spheroidization of cementite or other carbide phases.
Spherical Vessel: Due to the inherent strength of a sphere, these vessels are mainly used for high pressures.
Spheroidize Anneal: A special type of annealing that requires an extremely long cycle. This treatment is used to produce globular carbides and maximum softness for best machinability in some analyses, or to improve cold formability.
Spheroidized Structure: A microstructure consisting of a matrix containing spheroidal particles of another constituent.
Spheroidizing: Any process of prolonged heating and slow cooling of steel which will convey the carbide content into rounded or spheroid form. Heating and cooling to produce a spheroidal or globular form of carbide in steel.
Spiegel: High-manganese pig iron, containing 15-30% manganese, approximately 5% carbon, and less than 1% silicon used in the manufacture of steel by the Bessemer, or basic open-hearth process.
Spindle: See Arbor.
Spinning: The procedure of making sheet metal discs into hollow shapes by pressing the metal against a rotating form (spinning chuck) by a tool.
Spiral Flow: A test performed by injection molding a sample into a spiral mold and is used to compare the processability of different resins.
Splay Marks: Skin or surface defects on molded parts caused by abnormal racing of the melt in the mold.
Spline: A thin narrow strip forming a key between two members, usually of plywood, inserted into matching grooves that have been machined in abutting edges of panels or lumber to ensure a flush alignment and a secure joint.
Spline Joint: A joint formed by the use of a “spline”. Splines customarily run the entire length of the joint.
Split: A separation of the wood due to the tearing apart of the wood cells.
Split Heart: A method of achieving an inverted “V” or cathedral type of springwood (earlywood)/summerwood (latewood), plain-sliced (flat-cut) figure by joining two face components of similar color and grain.
Split Ring Mold: A mod in which a split cavity block is assembled in a channel to permit the forming of undercuts in a molded piece. These parts are ejected from the mold and then separated from the piece.
Splits: Separations of wood fiber running parallel to the grain.
Spool Sanding: Sanding convex or concave profiles on curves such as mirror frames, headboards, and other compound shapes. Normally uses 16" wing discs (16 slits) in various diameters. Can be mounted horizontally or vertically.
Spot Welding: An electric-resistance welding process in which the fusion is limited to a small area. The pieces being welded are pressed together between a pair of water-cooled electrodes through which an electrical current is passed during a very short interval so that fusion occurs over a small area at the interface between the pieces.
Spring Steel: Steel, normally of the high-carbon or alloy type, used in the manufacture of springs, lending itself to appropriate heat treatment; usually made in the open hearth or electric furnace.
Spring Steel Strip: Any of a number of strip steels produced for use in the manufacture of steel springs or where high tensile properties are required marketed in the annealed state, hard rolled or as hardened and tempered strip.
Spring Temper: In brass mill terminology, Spring Temper is eight numbers hard or 60.50% reduction.
Spring-Back: An indicator of elastic stresses, frequently measured as the increase in diameter of a curved strip after removing it from the mandrel about which it was held. The measurement is employed as an indicator of the extent of recovery or relief of residual stresses that has been achieved by the transformation of elastic strain to plastic strain during heating or stress relieving.
Sprue: The feed opening provided in injection molding between the nozzle and the cavity or runner system.
Sprue Bushing: A hardened steel insert in the mold that accepts the nozzle and provides an opening for transferring the melt.
Sprue Gate: A passageway through which melt flows from the nozzle to the mold cavity.
Sprue Lock: The portion of resin retained in the cold-slug well by an undercut. This lock is used to pull the sprue out of the bushing as the mold opens. The sprue lock itself is pushed out of the mold by an ejector pin.
Stabilizer: An agent used in compounding some plastics to assist in maintaining the physical and chemical properties of the compounded materials at suitable values throughout the processing and service life of the material and/or the parts made from it.
Stabilizing Anneal: A treatment applied to austenitic stainless steels that contain titanium or columbium. This treatment consists of heating to a temperature below that of a full anneal in order to precipitate the maximum amount of carbon at titanium carbide or columbium carbide. This eliminates precipitation at lower temperatures, which might reduce the resistance of the steel to corrosion.
Stablizing Treatment: Any treatment intended to stabilize the structure of an alloy of the dimensions of a part; Heating austenitic stainless steels that contain titanium, columbium, or tantalum to a suitable temperature below that of a full anneal in order to inactivate the maximum amount of carbon by precipitation as a carbide of titanium, columbium, or tantalum; Transforming retained austenite in parts made from tool steel; Precipitating a constituent from a nonferrous solid solution to improve the workability, to decrease the tendency of certain alloys to age harden at room temperature, or to obtain dimensional stability.
Stack Molds: Two or more molds of a similar type that are positioned one behind the other to allow for additional parts to be manufactured during a cycle.
Stain: A variation (normally blue or brown) from the natural color of the wood. It should not be confused with natural redheart. In finishing, stain produces the desired undertone color with proper distribution, depth and clarity of grain. Selection of the type of stain used is governed by the desired artistic result. In natural wood, a variation in the color tending toward blue or brown, but not to be confused with naturally occurring heartwood.
Staining: An optional operation in wood finishing to achieve the desired undertone color and complement the wood with proper distribution of color, depth of color and clarity of grain.
Stainless Steel: Corrosion resistant steel of a wide variety, but always containing a high percentage of chromium. These are highly resistant to corrosion attack by organic acids, weak mineral acids, atmospheric oxidation, etc.
Stainless Steel Countertops: A countertop made from stainless steel. Usually found in commercial kitchens, but can create a contemporary and industrial look in a home. These countertops are heat resistant, durable and easy to clean but are easily scratched and very expensive.
Stairwork: Wood material to form a stair or to clad stair parts constructed of material other than wood, and that are custom-manufactured to a design for a particular project.
Stamping: A term used to refer to various press forming operations in coining, embossing, blanking, and pressing.
Standard Gold: A legally adopted alloy for coinage of gold. In the United States the alloy contains 10% Cu.
Standard Lacquer: In finishing, this refers to a nitrocellulose-based lacquer without additives.
Standing Trim: This term is generally combined in the term “standing and running trim” and refers to the trims of fixed length delivered to the jobsite (e.g. door jambs and casings, pre-machined window stools).
Stapled: Members secured together with nails, including power-driven nails or staples. On exposed surfaces, staples shall run parallel to the grain.
Stationary Platen: The large front plate of an injection molding press to which the front plate of the mold is secured. This platen does not move during normal operation.
Staved Core: This term typically refers to a core used in flush doors made up of end and edge glued wood blocks.
Stearate: An additive that prevents loading when sanding soft resinous woods, after sealer coats and when working with soft ferrous or non-ferrous metals. Not an abrasive grain. See Zinc Stearate.
Steel: An iron-base alloy, malleable in some temperature range as initially cast, containing manganese, usually carbon, and often other alloying elements. In carbon steel and low-alloy steel, the maximum carbon is about 2.0%; in high-alloy steel, about 2.5%. The dividing line between low-alloy and high-alloy steels is generally regarded as being at about 5% metallic alloying elements. Steel is to be differentiated from two general classes of irons: the cast irons, on the high-carbon side, and the relatively pure irons such as ingot iron, carbonyl iron, and electrolytic iron, on the low-carbon side. In some steels containing extremely low carbon, the manganese content is the principal differentiating factor, steel usually containing at least 0.25%; ingot iron contains considerably less.
Steel Strip: A hardened and tempered spring steel strip, usually blued, produced from approximately .85 carbon coiled rolled spring steel strip specially selected for straightness and good edges. Sometimes hand straightened or straightened by grinding and cut to desired lengths. This product is used in the printing trade as a blade to uniformly remove excess ink ('dope') from the rolls; hence its name.
Sterling Silver: A silver alloy containing at least 95.2% Ag, the remainder being unspecified but usually copper.
Sticker: Steel sheets or strip adhering. Usually by fusion spots caused by overheating during box annealing.
Sticking: A term used to describe shaped or molded solid wood members.
Stile and Rail Construction: A technique often used in the making of doors, wainscoting and other decorative features for cabinets and furniture. The basic concept is to capture a panel within a frame. In its most basic form, it consists of five members: the panel and the four members that make up the frame. The vertical members of the frame are called stiles, while the horizontal members are known as rails.
Stiles/Vertical Edges: The upright or vertical pieces of stile-and-rail assemblies; the vertical members of the core assembly of a wood flush door.
Stops: Generally refers to a molding used to “stop” a door or window in its frame.
Straight Flange: Is the straight portion of the head measured from the tangent line to the edge of the head. The industry standard is 1 ½”.
Straight Line Sanding: Refers to a simple reciprocating type hand sander as opposed to a sander employing orbital motion. Creates best possible finish on wood.
Straight-Chrome: An iron alloy. A term indicating a group of stainless steels the principal alloying element of which is chromium in varying amounts from 4.00 to 27.00%.
Strain: A measure of the change in the size or shape of a body, referred to its original size or shape. Linear strain is the change per unit length of a linear dimension. True strain (or natural strain) is the natural logarithm of the ratio of the length at the moment of observation to the original gauge length. Conventional strain is the linear strain referred to the original gauge length. Shearing strain (or shear strain) is the change in angle (expressed in radians) between two lines originally at right angles. When the term strain is used alone it usually refers to the linear strain in the direction of the applied stress.
Strain Aging: Aging induced by cold working.
Strain Hardening: An increase in hardness and strength caused by plastic deformation at temperatures below the recrystallization range.
Strand Casting (Continuous Casting): Operation in which a cast shape is continuously drawn through the bottom of the mold as it solidifies. The length is not determined by mold dimensions.
Strap Pin: Like its counterpart the end pin, this is a raised button to which a guitar strap can be fastened; usually attached to the hell, the neck area near the heel or les commonly the side of the guitar body nearest the heel; also called a “strap button”.
Streaks, Mineral: Natural colorations of the wood substance.
Stress: The force producing or tending to produce deformation in a body measured by the force applied per unit area.
Stress: Force per unit area, often thought of as force acting through a small area within a plane. It can be divided into components, normal and parallel to the plane, called normal stress and shear stress, receptively. True stress denotes the stress where force and area are measured at the same time. Conventional stress, as applied to tension and compression tests, is force decided by the original gauge length. Shearing strain (or shear strain) is the change in angle (expressed in radians) between two lines originally at right angles. When the term strain is used alone it usually refers to the linear strain in the direction of the applied stress.
Stress Crack: An external or internal crack in a plastic caused by tensile stresses less than that of its short-time mechanical strength. The development of such cracks is frequently accelerated by the environment to which the plastic is exposed.
Stress Cracking: There are three types of stress cracking and all of these types of stress cracking have the same end result; the splitting or fracturing of the molding. Thermal stress cracking is caused by prolonged exposure of the part to elevated temperatures or sunlight. Physical stress cracking occurs between crystalline and amorphous portions of the part when the part is under an internally or externally induced strain. Chemical stress cracking occurs when a liquid or gas permeates the part’s surface.
Stress Relief: Low temperature annealing for removing internal stresses, such as those resulting on a metal from work hardening or quenching.
Stress Relieve Temper: A thermal treatment to restore elastic properties and to minimize distortion on subsequent machining or hardening operations. This treatment is usually applied to material that has been heat treated (quenched and tempered). Normal practice would be to heat to a temperature 100°F lower than the tempering temperatures used to establish mechanical properties and hardness. Ordinarily, no straightening is performed after the stress relieve temper.
Stress Relieving: Heating to a suitable temperature, holding long enough to reduce residual stresses and then cooling slowly enough to minimize the development of new residual stresses.
Stress-Corrosion Cracking: Failure by cracking under combined action or corrosion and stress, either external (applied) or internal (residual). Cracking may be either intergranular or transgranular, depends on metal and corrosive medium.
Stress-Rupture Test: A tension test performed at constant temperature, the load being held at such a level as to cause rupture. Also known as creep-rupture test.
Stretch Forming: A process of forming panels and cowls of large curvature by stretching sheet over a form of the desired shape. This method is more rapid than hammering and beating.
Stretcher: An upper support member of base cabinet fabrication used in lieu of a solid top to space the end panels.
Stretcher Leveling: Leveling where a piece of metal is gripped at each end and subjected to a stress higher than its yield strength to remove warp and distortion. Sometimes called patent leveling.
Stretcher Straightening: A process for straightening rod, tubing, and shapes by the application of tension at the ends of the stock. The products are elongated a definite amount to remove warpage.
Stretcher Strains: Elongated markings that appear on the surface of some materials when deformed just past the yield point. These markings lie approximately parallel to the direction of maximum shear stress and are the result of localized yielding Same as Luders lines.
Striations: Marks evident on the molded-part surfaces that indicate melt flow directions or impingement.
String Sander: See Variety Sander.
Stringer: A diagonal element supporting the treads and risers in a flight of stairs.
Stringer Turnout: In stairwork, the portion of a stringer that curves or angles away from the basic run. It is typically used at the beginning tread.
Strings: Strings of material due to poor gate cut off. See pulled gate.
Strip: A sheet of metal whose length is many times its width.
Strip Steel (cold rolled): A flat cold rolled steel product (Other than Flat Wire) 23 15/16 and narrower; under .250 in thickness, which has been cold reduced to desired decimal thickness and temper on single stand, single stand reversing, or tandem cold mills in coil form from coiled hot rolled pickled strip steel.
Strip Steels and Stainless Strip: No. 1 Edge-A smooth, uniform, round or square edge, either slit or filed or slit and edge rolled as specified, width tolerance ± .005'. No. 2 Edge-A natural round mill edge carried through from the hot rolled band. Has not been slit, filed, or edge rolled. Tolerances no closer than hot-rolled strip limits. No. 3 Edge-Square, produced by slitting only. Not filed. Width tolerance close. No. 4 Edge-A round edge produced by edge rolling either from a natural mill edge or from slit edge strip. Not as perfect as No. 1 edge. Width tolerances liberal. No. 5 Edge-An approximately square edge produced by slitting and filing or slitting and rolling to remove burr. No. 6 Edge-A square edge produced by square edge rolling, generally from square edge hot-rolled occasionally from slit strip. Width tolerances and finish not as exacting as No. 1 edge.
Stripe: A stripe figure is a ribbon grain.
Stripped Grain: See Shedding.
Stripper Plate: A plate that strips a molded piece from core pins or force plugs. The stripper plate is set into operation by the opening of the mold.
Stripping: The process of removing an old or existing finish from a surface.
Stroke Sander: A machine that makes sanding contact by "stroking" the back of a moving coated abrasive belt with a backup block or pad. Essentially, these machines consist of two or more pulleys over which the coated abrasive belt travels, a table which supports the workpiece, and means for applying pressure and movement along the belt.
Structural Composite Lumber (SCL): A man-made composite that utilizes stranded wood fibers from a variety of tree species, providing an alternative to dimension lumber. The material is engineered for strength and stability. While not really “lumber”, it is marketed as a lumber substitute to be used in place of stave lumber core materials.
Structural Foam Molding: The process of molding thermoplastic articles with a cellular core and integral solid skins in a single operation.
Structural Plywood: Structural plywood is used in building construction for sheathing on walls and roofs and floor underlayment. So it is often not visible after the building is done. Most structural plywood is made from softwoods and uses thick, low-grade veneers. For certain uses, like siding and concrete forms, a better grade face veneer may be required.
Structure: The arrangement of parts; in crystals, especially, the shape and dimension of the until cell, and the number, kinds and positions of the atoms within it.
Styrene: An unsaturated hydrocarbon used in plastics. In polyester resin, it serves as a solvent and as a co-reactant in the polymerization process that occurs during curing.
Sub-boundary Structure (Subgrain Structure): A network of low-angle boundaries (usually with mis-orientations or less than one degree) within the main grains of a microstructure.
Sub-front: A front drawer box member over which another front is placed.
Subcritical Annealing: An annealing treatment in which a steel is heated to a temperature below the A1 temperature and then cooled slowly to room temperature.
Subgate: An entrance to the part from the runner located below the parting line. On ejection the part breaks away from the subgate.
Subgrain: A portion of a crystal or grain slightly different in orientation from neighboring portions of the same crystal. Generally, neighboring subgrains are separated by low-angle boundaries.
Substitutional Solid Solution: A solid solution in which the solvent and solute atoms are located randomly at the atom sites in the crystal structure of the solution.
Substrate: An uncoated or unpainted surface.
Substrate: A term generally used to describe a panel product (also see core) upon which a decorative finish material is applied.
Substrate: The layer of metal underlying a coating, regardless of whether the layer is base metal.
Subtop: A separate support member for countertops.
Suck-back: When the pressure on the sprue is not held long enough for the melt to cool before the screw returns. Some of the melt in the cavities or runner system may expand back into the nozzle and cause sink marks on the finished product.
Sueding: Refers to the process of producing a velvet finish on the flesh side of leather or cloth.
Sugar: Colored streaks or spots attributed to discoloration involving sap in Maple veneer.
Sulfide Spheroidization: A stage of overheating in which sulfide inclusions are partly or completely spheroidized.
Sulfur: Non-metal occurring in a number of allotropic modifications, the most common being a pale-yellow brittle solid. In steel most commonly encountered as an undesired contaminant. However, it is frequently deliberately added to cutting stock, to increase machinability.
Sulfur Print: A macrographic method of examining distribution of sulfide inclusions.
Sulfurized Pickle Oil: An oil applied at the Pickle Line (on cold reduced product only) which contains a sulfur based emulsifier which enhances lubricity in cold reduction and burn off of oil in annealing.
Superalloy: An alloy developed for very high temperature service where relatively high stresses (tensile, thermal, vibratory, and shock) are encountered and where oxidation resistance is frequently required.
Supercooling: Cooling to a temperature below that of an equilibrium phase transformation without the transformation taking place.
Superficial Rockwell Hardness Test: Form of Rockwell hardness test using relatively light loads which produce minimum penetration. Used for determining surface hardness or hardness of thin sections or small parts, or where large hardness impression might be harmful.
Superheating: Heating a phase to a temperature above that of a phase transformation without the transformation taking place; Heating molten metal to a temperature to obtain more complete refining or greater fluidity.
Surface Check: The separation of a wood, normally occurring across the rings of annual growth; usually as a result of seasoning and occurring only on one surface of the piece.
Surface Conditioning: Cleaning, deburring, and smoothing sharp grit lines on metal. Normally uses non woven abrasives or wire brushes. Does not remove any metal (or very minute amounts) in this process.
Surface Finish: The quality of a workpiece finish expressed in RMS (for metal finishes only) or other quantifiable or subjective measure.
Surface Hardening: A generic term covering several processes applicable to a suitable ferrous alloy that produce, by quench hardening only, a surface layer that is harder or more wear resistant than the core. There is no significant alteration of the chemical composition of the surface layer. The processes commonly used are induction hardening, flame hardening and shell hardening. Use of the applicable specific process name is preferred.
Sweet Spot: That point in the process of setting up a guitar, positioning the saddle, adjusting the neck angle etc. where the builder feels that the instrument will function at its optimal level.
Swirl: A figure obtained from that part of a tree where the crotch figure fades into the figure of the normal stem.
Swirl Marks: Grinding marks or scratch pattern left by rotational type tools such as disc sanders.
Synthetic: Produced by a synthesis of elements or materials, especially not of natural origins; man-made.

TUSQ: A synthetic simulation of “bone” or “ivory.
Tab Gate: A small removable tab about the same thickness as the molded item, but usually perpendicular to the part for easy removal.
Tablature: A method for transcribing music that shows the positions of notes on the frets and strings, usually identified by the letter-name of the chord; also known as “tab”.
Tack Rag: A cotton fabric, such as cheesecloth, lightly impregnated with a resin, used to remove dust from a surface after rubbing down. It is used before further painting. Tack rags should be stored in an airtight container to conserve their tackiness.
Tack Welds: Small scattered welds made to hold parts of a weld in proper alignment while the final welds are being made.
Tail: To unload parts from wide belt sander.
Tail Strip: The thin line of wood that runs down the middle seam on the outside butt-end of a guitar body. A decoration where the two halves of the back are joined; also known as “backstrip” and “end joint”.
Tambour: A rolling top or front in casework enclosing a storage space. It consists of narrow strips of wood fastened to canvas or a similar material.
Tandem Mill: Arrangement of rolling mills, in direct line, allowing the metal to pass from one set of rolls into the next.
Tangent Line: The point on the head where the knuckle radius meets the straight flange. Refers to the point of contact (tangency) between the cylinder and the knuckle portion of the vessel head. The distance from the tangent line on one head to the tangent line on the opposite head is known as the straight side or tangent-to-tangent (T/T).
Tank: The reservoir for the operating fluid on a hydraulic elevator.
Tannin Bleed: The tendency of waterborne coatings to turn maple and red oak pink. Naturally occurring tannic acids are water soluble and the higher pH of waterborne coatings will tend to create this problem. One can get tannin bleed with solvent-based coatings as well, but it is more prevalent with the waterborne products.
Tape: Strips of gummed paper or cloth sometimes placed across the grain of large veneer sheets to facilitate handling and sometimes it’s used to hold the edges of veneer together at the joint prior to gluing.
Tape Marking: The imprint caused by applying masking tape on a newly-applied paint film before it has had time to harden.
Taper Section: A section made at an acute angle to a surface of interest, thereby achieving a geometrical magnification of depth. A sectioning angle 5(degrees) 43 achieves a depth magnification of 10: 1.
Tapping: Transferring molten metal from melting furnace to ladle.
Tarnish: Surface discoloration on a metal, usually from a thin film of oxide or sulfide.
Teeming: Pouring molten metal from a ladle into ingot molds. The term applies particularly to the specific operation of pouring either iron or steel into ingot molds.
Telegraph or Telegraphing: In veneer or laminate work, the variations in surface refraction as a result of the stile, rail, core, core laps, glue, voids, or extraneous matter show through to the face of a panel or a door. The selection of high-gloss laminates and finishes should be avoided because they tend to accentuate natural telegraphing.
Telescoping: Transverse slipping of successive layers of a coil so that the edge of the coil is conical rather than flat.
Tellurium: It is added to steel to modify sulfide type inclusion size, morphology and distribution. The resulting sulfide type inclusions are finer and remain ellipsoidal in shape following hot working, thereby improving transverse properties.
Temper: In heat treatment, re-heating hardened steel or hardened steel or hardened cast iron to some temperature below the eutectoid temperature for the purpose of decreasing the hardness and increasing the toughness. The process also is sometimes applied to normalized steel. In tool steels, temper is sometimes used, but unadvisedly, to denote the carbon content. In nonferrous alloys and in some ferrous alloys (steels that cannot be hardened by heat treatment), the hardness and strength produced by mechanical or thermal treatment, or both, and characterized by a certain structure, mechanical properties, or reduction in area during cold working.
Temper (Met.): The state of or condition of a metal as to its hardness or toughness produced by either thermal treatment or heat treatment and quench or cold working or a combination of same in order to bring the metal to its specified consistency. Each branch of the metal producing industry has developed its own system of temper designations. In flat-rolled products including sheet and strip steel, tin mill products, stainless strip, aluminum sheet and copper base alloy strip they are shown as follows
Temper Brittleness: Brittleness that results when certain steels are held within, or are cooled slowly through, a certain range of temperature below the transformation range. The brittleness is revealed by notched-bar impact tests at or below room temperature. A reversible increase in the ductile-brittle transition temperature in steels heated in, or slowly cooled through, the temperature range from about 700 to 1100 F (375 to 575 C).
Temper Rolling: Subjecting metal sheet or strip to a slight amount of cold rolling following annealing (usually 1/2 to 1 1/2%) to forestall stretcher strains. Also termed Pinch Pass or Skin Rolled. Light cold rolling of sheet steel. The operation is performed to improve flatness, to minimize the formation of stretcher strains, and to obtain a specified hardness or temper.
Tempered Spring Steel Strip: Any medium or high carbon (excluding clock spring) strip steel of spring quality which has been hardened and tempered to meet specifications. Where specification calls for blue or straw color, same is accomplished by passing through heat prepared at proper temperature depending on color required. Blue is developed at approximately 600 (degrees) F.
Tempered and Polished Spring Steel Strip: 90/1.03 carbon range (Also known as clock spring steel.) This product, while similar to general description under heading of Tempered Spring Steel Strip, is manufactured and processed with great and extreme care exercised in each step of its production. Manufactured from carbon range of .90/1.03 with Rockwell range C 48/51. Clock spring quality has been ground and polished with edges dressed. It is usually supplied hard blue in color and has a wide range of uses, such as coiled and flat mechanical springs, ignition vibrator springs, springs for timing devices, springs for the electric and electronic fields, steel tapes, rules, etc.
Tempering: A heat treatment to metal or glass to decrease hardness, but increase toughness.
Tempering (Also termed 'drawing.'): A process of re-heating quench-hardened or normalized steel to a temperature below the transformation range and then cooling at any rate desired. The primary purpose of tempering is to impart a degree of plasticity or toughness to the steel to alleviate the brittleness of its martensite. In heat treatment, re-heating hardened steel to some temperature below the A1 temperature for the purpose of decreasing hardness and/or increasing toughness. The process also is sometimes applied to normalized steel.
Template or Templating: The process of making a full-size mock up or duplication of your surface to be made out of granite/marble.
Tenon: The projecting tongue-like part of a wood member to be inserted into a slot (mortise) of another member to form a mortise-and-tenon joint.
Tenon: A projecting member in a piece of wood or other material for insertion into a mortise to make a joint.
Tensile Strength: The maximum tensile stress sustained by the specimen during a tension test.
Tensile Strength: Also known as Ultimate Strength. Breaking strength of a material when subjected to a tensile (stretching) force. Usually measured by placing a standard test piece in the jaws of a tensile machine, gradually separating the jaws, and measuring the stretching force necessary to break the test piece. Tensile strength is commonly expressed as pounds (or tons) per square inch of original cross section.
Tensile Strength: The maximum stress a material can withstand without breaking when subject to a stretching load. Usually expressed in p.s.i.
Tension: The condition of a coated abrasive belt that is stretched between two points on a sanding machine (under tension); the force exerted by the coated abrasive belt on a support.
Tension Leveling: A mechanical process in which the strip is stretched beyond its yield point by bending over small diameter rolls while under tension. The purpose is to improve the flatness of characteristics of the strip.
Tensioning Cylinder: A method or apparatus for supplying continuous tension to a coated abrasive belt during use. Usually air operated.
Ternary Alloy: An alloy that contains three principal elements.
Terne Plate: Sheet steel, coated with a lead-tin alloy. The percentage of tin is usually kept as low as possible because of its high cost; however, about 15% is normally necessary in order to obtain proper coating of the steel, since pure lead does not alloy with iron and some surface alloying is necessary for proper adhesion.
Texture: A term used to describe relative size and distribution of the wood elements. Coarse texture in veneer is associated with fast growth and harder, more difficult wood to cut. Soft or fine texture in veneer is associated with slower growth and with less summerwood, resulting in wood fibers that are easier to cut.
Texture: In a polycrystalline aggregate, the state of distribution of crystal orientations. In the usual sense, it is synonymous with preferred orientation, in which the distribution is not random.
Thermal Analysis: A method of studying transformations in metal by measuring the temperatures at which thermal arrests occur.
Thermal Conductivity: The ability of a material to conduct heat.
Thermal Degradation: The deterioration of the material by heat, characterized by molecular scission.
Thermal Shut-off: When the material freezes causing blockage.
Thermally Fused Decorative Laminate Panel: A polyester or melamine resin-impregnated paper, thermally fused under pressure to a composite core.
Thermocouple: A device for measuring temperatures by the use of two dissimilar metals in contact; the junction of these metals gives rise to a measurable electrical potential with changes in temperature.
Thermoelasticity: The rubber-like elasticity exhibited by a rigid plastic resulting from an increase in temperature.
Thermoforming: The process of forming a thermoplastic sheet into a three-dimensional shape by clamping the sheet in a frame, heating it to render it soft and flowable. Differential pressure is then applied to make the sheet conform to the shape of a mold or die positioned below the frame.
Thermoplastic: A material that will repeatedly soften when heated and harden when cooled.
Thermoplastic: A resin that is not cross-linked. Thermoplastic resin generally can be re-melted and recycled.
Thermoplastic Elastomers: The family of polymers that resemble elastomers in that they can be repeatedly stretched without distortion of the unstressed part shape, but are true thermoplastics and thus do not require curing.
Thermoset: A resin that is formed by cross linking polymer chains. A thermoset cannot be melted and recycled because the polymer chains form a three dimensional network.
Thermoset: A polymer that doesn’t melt when heated. Thermoset polymers “set” into a given shape when first made and afterwards do not flow or melt, but rather decompose upon heating. They are often highly cross-linked polymers, with properties similar to those of network covalent solids i.e. hard and strong.
Thermosetting Resin: A resin characterized by a state which remains hard even if subjected to additional heating. Most resin abrasive bonds are thermosetting.
Thick Phenolic: See Solid Phenolic.
Thickness Gage or Feeler Stock: A hardened and tempered, edged, ground, and polished thin section, high carbon strip steel. Usually 1/2 in width and in thicknesses from .001 to .050 manufactured to extremely close tolerances. It is used primarily for determining measurement of openings by tool and die makers, machinists, and automobile technicians. It is prepared in handy pocket size knife-like holders containing an assembly of various thicknesses. Also prepared in standard 12 lengths with rounded ends and in 10' and 25' coils. Universally used in the metal industry.
Thinner: A blend of volatile organic solvents added to the paint to reduce it to the correct viscosity for application.
Three Coat Color: A topcoat color which consist of 3 parts; a basecoat, a midcoat and a clear.
Three-Quarter Hard Temper: In stainless steel strip tempers are based on a minimum tensile or yield strength. For Chromium-Nickel grades three-quarter hard temper is 175,000 T.S., 135,000 Y.S. min; In Brass mill terminology, this temper is three B&S numbers hard or 29.4% thickness reduction.
Tie-bar Spacing: The space between the horizontal tie-bars on an injection molding machine. Basically, this measurement limits the size of molds that can be placed between the tie-bars and into the molding machine.
Tight: To set together so that there is no opening between members.
Tight Side: In knife cut veneer, that side of the leaf that was farthest from the knife as the veneer was being cut and contains no cutting checks (lathe checks).
Time Scan: The effects of old and melt temperature and injection time changes on pressure, stress and temperature at the end of flow.
Tin: Soft silvery white metal of high malleability and ductility, but low tensile strength. Boiling point 4384 (degrees) F., yielding the longest molten-state range for any common metal; specific gravity 7.28. Principal use as a coating on steel in tin plate; also as a constituent in alloys.
Tin Plate Base Box: A Tin Plate Base Box is measured in terms of pounds per Base Box (112 sheets 14 x 20) a unit peculiar to the tin industry. This corresponds to its area of sheet totaling to 31.360 square inches of any gage and is applied to tin plate weighing from 55 to 275 pounds per base box. To convert to decimal thickness multiply weight per base box by .00011.
Tin Plating: Electroplating metal objects with tin; the object to be coated is made cathode (negative electrode) in an electrolytic bath containing a decomposable tin salt.
Tinning: Coating with tin, commonly either by immersion into molten tin or by electro-deposition; also by spraying.
Tint and Blend: The process of mixing toners to match the existing paint finish, then blending or overlapping the color into the adjacent panel to avoid color match problems.
Tinter: Any colored pigment or paint mixture used to make small adjustments in color, or to the mix the color in the first place from a mixing scheme.
Titanium: Bright white metal, very malleable and ductile when exceedingly pure. Its principal functions as an alloy in the making of steel: Fixes carbon in inert particles, reduces martensitic hardness and hardenability in medium chromium steels, prevents formation of austenite in high-chromium steels, and prevents localized depletion of chromium in stainless steel during long heating. Now, finding application in its own right because of its high strength and good corrosion resistance. It is added to boron steels because it combines with oxygen and nitrogen, thus increasing the effectiveness of boron. Titanium, as titanium nitride, also provides grain size control at elevated temperatures in micro alloy steels. In excess, titanium is detrimental to machinability and internal cleanness.
Titanium: An exotic metal used extensively in aerospace applications. It is very lightweight, yet as strong as steel. Titanium is also very corrosion and temperature resistant. Dull gray in color.
Toggle: A type of clamping mechanism that exerts pressure by applying force on a knee joint. A toggle is used to close and exert pressure on a mold in a press.
Tolerance Limit: The permissible deviation from the desired value.
Tolerances: The permissible variations in the dimensions of machine parts or the permissible deviation from a specified value in a manufacturing specification or procedure.
Tone Transfer: The transfer of tone from a guitar neck into the body cavity through the neck joint.
Toners: The transparent or semi-transparent colors used in wood finishing to even out the color or tone of the wood.
Tong Hold: The portion of a forging billet, usually on one end, that is gripped by the operator's tongs. It is removed from the part at the end of the forging operation. Common to drop-hammer and press-type forging.
Tongue: A projection on the edge or end of a wood member that is inserted into the groove or plow of a similar size to form a joint.
Tongue and Groove Joint: A joint formed by the insertion of the “tongue” of one wood member into the “groove” of the other.
Tonnage: The measure by which injection molding machines are typically categorized, representing the clamping force of the injection molding machine.
Tool: The term sometimes used to describe the mold in injection molding.
Tool Steel: Any high carbon or alloy steel capable of being suitably tempered for use in the manufacture of tools.
Top Coat: A transparent surface coating for wood, varnish, lacquer, shellac, wax, Danish oil, etc. Varnishes and shellacs are often sanded between coats.
Top Coat: The final layers of a coating system whose role is primarily decorative. However, the topcoat often imparts protection to the ultra violet light present in sunlight.
Top Flat Surface: The flat surface that can be sanded with a drum sander.
Top-of-Car Inspection Station: Controls on the top of the car used by an elevator constructor to operate the car at inspection speed. It provides a means of operating an elevator from on top of the car at slow speed during adjustment, inspection, maintenance and repair.
Topcoat: The final protective film of a finish system. There are various topcoats with different properties.
Torn Edge Belt: A coated abrasive belt fabricated with one belt edge torn lengthwise and joined along a warp thread to ensure straight tearing of subsequent narrower belts when they are ripped. Using the torn edge of the original belt as a starting point, narrower width belts can be ripped in succession across, until the original belt is used up. Normally used for mold sanding applications.
Torn Grain: A roughened area caused by machine work in processing.
Torsion: A twisting action resulting in shear stresses and strains.
Toughness: Property of resisting fracture or distortion. Usually measured by impact test, high impact values indicating high toughness. Capacity of a metal to absorb energy and deform plastically before fracturing. Ability of a metal to absorb energy and deform plastically before fracturing. It is usually measured by the energy absorbed in a notch impact test, but the area under the stress-strain curve in tensile testing is also a measure of toughness.
Trace: Extremely small quantity of an element, usually too small to determine quantitatively.
Tracking: The act of adjusting the idler pulley in a coated abrasive belt system so that the belt is properly aligned on the contact wheel.
Traction Machine: An electric machine in which the friction between the hoist ropes, and the machine sheave is used to move the elevator car.
Transcribe: To make a written copy of songs or music in either notation or tablature form.
Transducer: A device for transferring energy from one form to another, used to describe a form of pickup used for amplifying acoustic instruments.
Transfer Molding: A process of forming articles by fusing a plastic material in a chamber then forcing the whole mass into a hot mold to solidify.
Transformation: A constitutional change in a solid metal, e.g., the change from gamma to alpha iron, or the formation of pearlite from austenite.
Transformation Range: Temperature range over which a chemical or metallurgical change takes place.
Transformation Ranges (Transformation Temperature Ranges): Those ranges of temperature within which austenite forms during heating and transforms during cooling. The two ranges are distinct, sometimes overlapping but never coinciding. The limiting temperatures of the ranges depend on the composition of the alloy and on the rate of change of temperature, particularly during cooling.
Transformation Temperature: An arbitrarily defined temperature within the temperature range in which metal fracture characteristics determined usually by notched tests are changing rapidly such as from primarily fibrous (shear) to primarily crystalline (cleavage) fracture. Commonly used definitions are transition temperature for 50% cleavage fracture, 10-ft-lb transition temperature, and transition temperature for half maximum energy; Sometimes also used to denote the arbitrarily defined temperature in a range in which the ductility changes rapidly with temperature. The temperature at which a change in phase occurs. The term is sometimes used to denote the limiting temperature of a transformation range; M(f) The temperature at which martensite formation finishes during cooling.
Transition Temperature: The temperature at which a polymer changed fro (or to) a viscous or rubbery condition (or from) a hard and relatively brittle one.
Transom: The vertical distance between the bottom terminal landing and the top terminal landing of an elevator, dumbwaiter, or escalator.
Transparent Finish: A stain or a clear finish that allows the natural characteristics and color of the grain of the wood surface to show through the finish.
Transverse: Literally, 'across', usually signifying a direction or plane perpendicular to the direction of working.
Traveling Cable: A sheathed bundle of flexible traveling wires hanging from under the elevator car at on end; anchored to the hoistway and leading to the machine room at the other end; connecting equipment in or on the car (buttons, lights, switches, door operator, etc.) to the control equipment in the machine room. Traveling cables may contain shielded wiring, coaxial cable and possibly fiber optics.
Travertine: A form of limestone. Travertine is a product of chemical precipitation from hot springs. Some that take a polish are sold as marble and may be classified as “travertine marble”.
Tread: The horizontal surface of a staircase step.
Tread Return: A narrow piece of tread stock applied to the open end of a tread so that the end grain is not exposed. The leading corner of the return is mitered to the leading edge of the tread with a shoulder miter.
Treenail: A hardwood pin, peg or spike used to fasten beams and planking, usually made of dry compressed lumber so that it will expand when moistened; sometimes pronounced and spelled “trunnel”.
Trepanning: A type of boring where an annular cut is made into a solid material with the coincidental formation of a plug or solid cylinder.
Triple Point: The intersection of the boundaries of three adjoining grains, as observed in a section.
Troosite (obsolete): A previously irresolvable rapidly etching fine aggregate of carbide and ferrite produced either by tempering martensite at low temperature or by quenching a steel at a rate slower than the critical cooling rate. Preferred terminology for the first product is tempered martensite; for the latter, fine pearlite.
Trowel Steel: Hardened and tempered spring steel. .90 to 1.05 carbon content. Ordinary tolerances, but rolled extra flat -- Rockwell C 50. Used in the manufacture of plastering trowels.
Truing: The procedure used to restore flat surface to a contact wheel or platen.
Truss Rod: A dowel-like rod, sometimes made of hardwood or graphite but more commonly of steel, which is fitted lengthwise into a neck to counteract the pull caused by string tension.
Truss Rod Cover: A small piece of wood or other material used to cover the opening where one gains access to the truss rod for the purpose of making adjustments.
Truss Rod Wrench: A tool used to adjust the truss rod in a guitar neck.
Truss Spring Steel: Supplied cold rolled and bright annealed. Carbon content about .70 -- Manganese .74. Must be formed very severely and must be as free as possible from decarburization.
Tukon Hardness Test: A method for determining micro hardness by using a Knoop diamond indenter or Vickers square-base pyramid indenter.
Tumbled: A surface finish produced by tumbling stone in sand, pebbles, or steel bearings to round off corners and create a rustic, matte finish.
Tumbling: Cleaning articles by rotating them in a cylinder with cleaning materials.
Tumbling: An operation for deburring, breaking sharp edges, finishing, or polishing in which abrasive, water, and the work pieces are "tumbled" in rotating or vibrating barrels.
Tuners: This refers to the pegs, attached to the headstock, that are used to wind, tighten and/or loosen strings; also called “tuning heads”, “tuning pegs”, “friction pegs” and “machine heads”.
Tungsten: Gray metal of high tensile strength, ductile and malleable when specially handled. It is immune to atmospheric influences and most acids, but not to strong alkalis. The metal is used as filament and in thin sheet form in incandescent bulbs and radio tubes. Forms hard abrasion -- resistant particles in tool steels. Promotes hardness and strength at elevated temperatures.
Tungsten Carbide: Compound of tungsten and carbon, of composition varying between WC and W(2)C; imbedded in a matrix of soft metal, such as cobalt, extensively used for Sintered Carbide Tools.
Tunnel Gate: See submarine gate.
Twelve Fret / Fourteen Fret Neck (12 Fret / 14 Fret Neck): This refers not to the number of frets on a fingerboard, but to the fret at which the neck joins the body.
Twin: Two portions of a crystal having a definite orientation relationship; one may be regarded as the parent, the other as the twin. The orientation of the twin is either a mirror image of the orientation of the parent across a twinning plane or an orientation that can be derived by rotating the twin portion about a twinning axis.
Twin, Annealing: A twin produced as the result of heat treatment.
Twin, Crystal: A portion of a crystal in which the lattice is a mirror image of the lattice of the remainder of the crystal.
Twin, Deformation: A twinned region produced by a shear like distortion of the parent crystal structure during deformation. In ferrite, deformation twins form on {211} planes.
Twist: A winding departure from flatness.
Twist: A distortion caused by the turning or winding of the edges of the surface, so that the four corners of any face are no longer in the same plane.
Two-Pack: A paint or lacquer supplied in two parts which must be mixed together in the correct proportion before use. The mixture will then remain usable for a limited period of time.

UV Absorbers: Chemicals added to paint to absorb Ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight.
Ultimate Elongation: The elongation at rupture in a tensile test.
Ultimate Strength: Also known as Tensile Strength. The maximum conventional stress, tensile, compressive, or shear, that a material can withstand.
Ultimate Strength: A term used to describe the maximum unit stress a material will withstand when subjected to an applied load in a compression, tension, flexural or shear test.
Ultrasonic Frequency: A frequency, associated with elastic waves, that is greater than the highest audible frequency, generally regarded as being higher than 15 kc per sec.
Ultrasonic Testing (UT): A type of non-destructive testing used for testing of pipe.
Ultrasonic Waves: Waves of ultrasonic frequency. They include longitudinal, transverse, surface, and standing waves.
Under-mount Sink: A sink that physically mounts beneath natural/engineered stone countertops. An alternative to an under-mount sink would be a lip-mount sink.
Undercoats: The first coats of primer, sealer or surfacer.
Undercut: A protuberance or indentation that impedes withdrawal from a two-piece rigid mold.
Underflow: The dominant flow of two confronting flows over the other. The lesser flow reverses direction giving poor surface appearance and structural strength. Underflow should be avoided by positioning gates so the flow fronts meet at the end of filling.
Underlayment: A layer of plywood or other manufactured board used as a base material under finished flooring. Underlayment is often used as a substrate to increase the strength and/or smoothness of the flooring.
Undressed: Refers to lumber that is not planed smooth.
Unidirectional Flow Pattern: Plastic flowing in one direction with a straight flow front throughout the filling.
Uniform Cooling Time: When the cooling time is the same throughout the part to avoid warping.
Universal Mill: A rolling mill in which rolls with a vertical axis roll the edges of the metal stock between some of the passes through the horizontal rolls.
Upset: The localized increase in cross-sectional area resulting from the application of pressure during mechanical fabrication or welding; That portion of welding cycle during which the cross-sectional area is increased by the application of pressure.
Upsetting: A metal working operation similar to forging; The process of axial flow under axial compression of metal, as in forming heads on rivets by flattening the end of wire.
Urea Formaldehyde Resin: Commonly used for Type I assemblies; relatively water-resistant. Often requires curing by heat, but will cure at room temperature over time.
Utility Sheet Aluminum: Mill finish coiled or flat sheet of unspecified composition and properties produced in specific standard sizes and suitable for general building trade usage.

V-Grooved: The characteristic of narrow and shallow V or U shaped channels machined on a surface to achieve a decorative effect. V-grooving is most commonly encountered in mismatched or random-matched wall panels as the grooves fall on the edge joints of the pieces of veneer, making the face appear as planking.
Vacancy: A type of structural imperfection in which an individual atom site is temporarily unoccupied.
Vacuum Disc: A PSA disc which has holes punched in a pattern which correspond to vacuum inlet holes on special dust-free sanders.
Vacuum Forming: A process whereby a heated plastic sheet is drawn against a mold surface by evacuating the air between it and the mold.
Vacuum Melting: Melting in a vacuum to prevent contamination from air, as well as to remove gases already dissolved in the metal; the solidification may also be carried out in a vacuum or at low pressure.
Valve Gating: A type of gate where a pin is held in the gate or channel by spring tension. As the injection stroke moves forward, this gate compresses the plastic in the runner. When this pressure build-up is sufficient to overcome the spring tension, the pin is then pushed back (pulled) and the fast decompression of the melt fills the cavity at extremely high speed.
Vanadium: Gray-white, hard metal, unaffected by atmospheric influences or alkalis but soluble in most strong acids. It cannot be electrodeposited. Its principal functions as an alloy in the making of tool steels: Elevates coarsening temperature of austenite (promotes fine grain); Increases hardenability (when dissolved); Resists tempering and causes marked secondary hardening; Inhibits grain growth during heat treating while improving strength and toughness of hardened and tempered steels; Additions up to .05% increase hardenability whereas larger amounts tend to reduce hardenability because of carbide formation. Vanadium is also utilized in ferrite/pearlite micro alloy steels to increase hardness through carbonitride precipitation strengthening of the matrix.
Variable-Tolerance Parts: “Tolerance” refers to the amount of permissible deviation from factory-specified structural dimensions; a manufacturer who allows flexibility regarding variation from a standard makes “variable tolerance” parts.
Variety Sander: A belt sander for sanding small parts on either the slack-of-belt, stationary platen, or contact wheel methods. Usually consists of a drive wheel, one or more idler wheels, and a contact wheel or platen. Uses long, narrow abrasive belts. Sometimes called a string sander.
Varnish: An oil-based finish used to coat a surface with a hard, glossy film.
Veining: A type of sub-boundary structure that can be delineated because of the presence of a greater-than- average concentration of precipitate or solute atoms.
Veneer: A thin sheet or layer of wood, usually rotary cut, sliced or sawn from a log or flitch. Thickness may vary from 1/100” (0.3 mm) to ¼” (6.4mm).
Veneer: Thinly sliced sheets of wood used to cover a base wood, particleboard or MDF. Usually used for decorative purposes.
Veneer: A thin sheet of wood cut from a log.
Veneer: One or more very thin sheet of wood that are literally sliced from a log and used to cover other material (commonly plywood) to create the illusion of “solid” wood.
Veneer: A thin sheet of wood not more than 7mm in thickness. Sliced veneer is produced by slicing and rotary cut veneer by peeling.
Veneer Core: Plywood constructed using a core of an odd number of veneer plies, with face and back veneers of overlays, and adhered together.
Veneer Tape: Strips of gummed paper used to hold the edges of veneer together at the joints prior to gluing.
Veneer, Rift Cut: Refers to veneer in which the rift or comb grain effect is obtained by cutting at an angle of about 15◦ off of the quartered position. 25% of the exposed surface area of each piece of veneer may contain medullary ray flake.
Veneer, Rotary Cut: Veneer in which the entire log is centered in a lathe and is turned against a broad cutting knife that is set into the log at a slight angle.
Veneer, Sliced: Veneer in which a log or sawn flitch is held securely in a slicing machine and is thrust downward into a large knife that shears off the veneer in sheets.
Veneer-core Plywood: Plywood made from three or more pieces of veneer glued up in alternating grain patterns.
Veneering: Veneering and laminating thin pieces of wood dates back to the Egyptian pyramid-building era. Since that period, this area of woodworking has become a highly technical business. Veneering is still common today, but production techniques have changed considerably. Modern adhesives, for example, are used instead of hard to handle glues. See rotary slicing, plain slicing, rift cut, quarter slicing and half round.
Venetian: See “Cutaway”.
Vent: A shallow channel or opening cut in the cavity to allow air or gases to escape as the melt fills the cavity.
Vented Barrel: A special barrel unit with a vent port over the compression section of the screw to permit the escape of gases prior to injecting the melt into the mold. Often used when molding moisture-sensitive resins.
Verge Board: An exposed member attached along the rake of a gable-end roof open cornice; also implies the larger rake member of an exterior cornice; sometimes referred to as a “barge board”.
Vertical Flash Ring: The clearance between the force plug and the vertical wall of the cavity in a positive or semi- positive mold. Also includes the ring of excess melt which escapes from the cavity into this clearance space.
Vertical Grain: Produced by cutting perpendicular to a log’s growth rings, where the member’s face is no more than 45◦ to the rings. This produces a pleasing straight grain line. Vertical grain is defined as having no less than an average of five growth rings per inch on its exposed face.
Vessel Heads: Vessel heads can be constructed in one of three shapes: Elliptical Head – an oblate semi-ellipsoidal surface with the inside diameter of the head equal to the long axis of the ellipse while the depth of the head is ½ of the short axis. Pressure vessels using an elliptical head will have an axis ration of 2:1. This gives an inside head depth of ¼ the inside diameter. Torispherical Head – this head is made up of two surface parts. The center of the head is known as the crown or dish and is a spherical segment. The portion between the dish and the cylinder of the vessel is called the knuckle; it is a part of the torus or doughnut. Torispherical heads are typically referred to as F&D (flanged & dished) heads. Hemispherical Head – Put simply, this type of head is ½ of a sphere.
Vessel Measurement: The size of a vessel is normally calculated by its diameter and length. The diameter is expressed in inches and is given as the inside diameter (ID) or outside diameter (OD). The length of the cylinder is measured from tangent-to-tangent or seam-to-seam, in inches or feet and inches. Increasingly, pressure vessel design specifications from customers use metric or SI unites of measure (i.e. meters for dimensions, kilograms per centimeter, bar or pascals for pressure and degrees Celsius for temperature). The National Board requires that the Manufacturers Data Report show measurements in traditional “English” measurements of feet, inches and degrees Fahrenheit. Pressure is normally calculated according to pounds per square inch (psi). Pressure as read on a gauge with zero at atmospheric pressure is psig. Vacuum refers to external atmospheric pressure and can be measured by inches of mercury, inches of water or pounds per square inch below atmospheric pressure. It can also be measured in the same units as absolute pressure. However, this is noted as absolute pressure while vacuum implies a measurement below atmospheric pressure. To eliminate confuse, use of Torr (1 Torr = 1mm HG absolute) is recommended.
Vessel Sink: A sink which sits on top of the countertop.
Vessel or Tank: Often used interchangeably, a vessel generally implies a more sophisticated container. While it is not incorrect to refer to a vessel as a tank, few tanks are referred to as vessels. Vessels can be designed to be operated in a vertical or horizontal position.
Vibrator Reed Steel: Hardened, tempered and white polished extra precision rolled. Carbon content about 1.00. Steel must withstand great fatigue stresses.
Vicat Softening Point: The temperature at which a flat-ended needle will penetrate a specimen under a specific load using a uniform rate of temperature rise.
Vickers Hardness (Test): Standard method for measuring the hardness of metals, particularly those with extremely hard surfaces; the surface is subjected to a standard pressure for a standard length of time by means of a pyramid shaped diamond. The diagonal of the resulting indention is measured under a microscope and the Vickers Hardness value read from a conversion table.
Vine Mark: Bands of irregular grain running across or diagonally to the grain, which are caused by the growth of climbing vines around the tree.
Vinyl: A heavy film, minimum of 4 mils in thickness, opaque or reverse printed.
Vinyl Lacquers: In finishing, this refers to catalyzed lacquers with a plastic rather than a nitrocellulose base.
Virgin Material: Any plastic compound or resin that has not been subjected to use or processing other than that required for its original manufacture.
Virgin Metal: Metal obtained directly from ore and not used before.
Viscoelasticity: This property, possessed by all plastics to some degree, dictates that while plastics have solid-like characteristics such as elasticity, strength and form stability, they also have liquid-like characteristics such as flow depending on time, temperature, rate and amount of loading.
Viscosity: Refers to the properties of a fluid that cause it to resist flowing.
Viscosity: The resistance to flow of a liquid.
Vitrified: A bonded abrasive produced under extremely high temperatures in a kiln. Uses a "clay bond" or ceramic bond, rather than a resinoid bond. Our mounted points are vitrified.
Void: An unfilled space within a solid material.
Volatile: Means evaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures.
Volute: The spiral decorative element terminating the lower end of a stair rail.
Vonnegut Assembly: See Assemblies.
Vonnegut Wheel: A brand name for brush-backed wheels containing a loading of coated abrasive strips. Used to sand contoured workpieces. Also called a "Wolf Head."

WMB, WHB and Extra WHB Grades: Spring steel wires produced from aced open-hearth steels.
Waferboard: A type of man-made board composed of relatively large, thin chips of hardwood which are bonded together with resin. Used for exterior sheathing and decorative covering.
Wainscot: A lower interior wall surface that contrasts with the wall surface above it. Unless otherwise specified, it shall be 48” (1219 mm) in height above the floor.
Waist: The inward-curving middle of a guitar.
Waloon Process: An early two-hearth process for making wrought iron by refining cast iron. The conversion proper was carried out in a hearth furnace known as a finery; re-heating for forging was carried out in a second hearth furnace known as a chafery.
Wane: A defect in lumber defined as bark or lack of wood from any cause on the edge or corner, except eased edges.
Warp: Any deviation from a true or plane surface, including bow, crook, cup, twist or any combination thereof. Warp restrictions are based on the average form of warp as it occurs normally, and any variation from this average form, such as short kinks, shall be appraised according to its equivalent effect. Pieces containing two or more forms of warp shall be appraised according to the combined effect in determining the amount permissible. In passage doors, any distortion in the door itself and not its relationship to the frame or jamb in which it is to be hung, measured by placing a straight edge or a taut string on the concave face.
Warp: A defect in lumber characterized by a bending in one or more directions.
Warpage: Distortion caused by non-uniform internal stresses.
Wash Coat: Typically uses as the first coat of a finish. The wash coat is used to change the appearance or porosity of a surface.
Wash Coat: A very light coat of finishing material primarily adding depth to the color of furniture after staining. The solution is sprayed on and requires light scuffing with coated abrasives.
Wash Coats: Thin solutions applied as a barrier coat to wood. Used prior to wiping stains for color uniformity.
Wasters: Sheets that have prohibitive defects, for example, seams and buckled plates. Generally fit for re-melting purposes only.
Watch Main Spring Steel: Usually supplied cold rolled and annealed in large widths and cut and hardened by the spring manufacturers. Carbon content about 1.15 and Tungsten .17, extra precision rolled.
Water Absorption: The amount of water absorbed by a plastic article when immersed in water for a stipulated period of time. All plastics will absorb moisture to some extent.
Water Hardening: Process of hardening high carbon steels by quenching in water or brine, after heating.
Water Solutions: Coolants of water plus rust and corrosion inhibitors, or wetting agents. Normally used to wet grind on steels.
Water-Repellent: A wood treating solution that deposits waterproof or water-resistant solids on the walls of wood fibers and ray cells, thereby retarding their absorption of water. Having the quality of retarding the absorption of water by wood fibers and ray cells.
Waterboard: See Particle Board.
Wavy: Refers to the characteristic of curly grain with large undulations; sometimes referred to as “finger roll” when the waves are about the width of a finger.
Wavy: Not flat. A slight wave following the direction of rolling and beyond the standard limitation for flatness.
Wax Finish: Wax finishes are designed for cosmetic purposes only and provide no long-term protection. They are commonly used for low-performance, low-abuse parts and in some areas for pine furniture as a specialty appearance. No test data has been established.
Wedge: A hardwood stick used as a forming tool in spinning.
Weld: A union made by welding.
Weld Bead: A deposit of filler metal from a single welding pass.
Weld Line: Where melted material flows together during molding to form a visible line or lines on a finished part that may cause weakening or breaking of the component.
Weldability: Suitability of a metal for welding under specific conditions.
Welding: A process used to join metals by the application of heat. Fusion welding, which includes gas, arc, and resistance welding, requires that the parent metals be melted. This distinguishes fusion welding from brazing. In pressure welding joining is accomplished by the use of heat and pressure without melting. The parts that are being welded are pressed together and heated simultaneously, so that recrystallization occurs across the interface.
Well Hole: In stairwork, this refers to the open space in which the stair is set.
Well-matched for Color and Grain: In architectural woodworking, this means that the members that make up the components of an assembly and components of an adjacent assembly are: Similar and nearly uniform in color; Have similar grain, figure, and character. Adjacent members must be of the same grain type whether flat grain (plain-sliced), vertical grain (quarter-cut), rift grain or mixed grain.
Wet-out: Saturating reinforcing material (glass fiber) with resin. The rate of speed of saturation is a key factor in effective and profitable molding.
Wetting: A phenomenon involving a solid and a liquid in such intimate contact that the adhesive force between the two phases is greater than the cohesive force within the liquid. Thus a solid that is wetted, on being removed from the liquid bath, will have a thin continuous layer of liquid adhering to it. Foreign substances such as grease may prevent wetting. Addition agents, such as detergents, may induce wetting by lowering the surface tension of the liquid.
Wetting Agent: A surface-active agent that produces wetting by decreasing the cohesion within the liquid.
White: When referring to color and matching, white means veneers containing all sapwood ranging in color from pink to yellow.
White Birch: A term used to specify the sapwood of the yellow birch tree.
Whitewood Sanding: Refers to the sanding of bare, unfinished wood. Also called wood-in-the-white.
Wide Belts: Coated abrasive products made in belt form with widths 12" or wider.
Widmanstatten Structure: A structure characterized by a geometrical pattern resulting from the formation of a new phase along certain crystallographic planes of the parent solid solution. The orientation of the lattice in the new phase is related crystallographically to the orientation of the lattice in the parent phase. The structure was originally observed in meteorites but is readily produced in many other alloys with certain heat treatment.
Width of a Panel: The panel dimension at right angle to the length.
Wild Grain or Scratch: A random, deep scratch; usually intermittent. Caused by contamination of the belt or workpiece, or a defective abrasive belt.
Windows: This term refers to all frames and sashes for double-hung, casement, awning sidelights, clerestory and fixed windows. Stock and name-brand units are not included.
Wing Discs: See DeLappe Discs.
Wiping Stains: Refers to the pigmented oils or solvents applied to wood.
Wisps: Similar to stringing but smaller in size. These also may occur as slight flashing when the mold is over-packed or forced open slightly. Mold-parting-line wear or misalignment can also cause wisps.
Wolf Head: See Vonnegut Wheel.
Wood Filler: An aggregate of resin and strands, shreds or flour of wood which is used to fill openings in wood and provide a smooth durable surface.
Wood Flush Door: An assembly consisting of a core, stiles and rails and/or edge bands with two or three plies of overlay on each side of the core assembly. All parts are composed of wood, wood derivatives or high-pressure decorative laminates.
Wood Pellets: Are a type of wood fuel, generally made from compacted sawdust. They are usually produced as a byproduct of sawmilling and other wood transformation activities. The pellets are extremely dense and can be produced with a low humidity content (below 10%) that allows them to be burned with very high combustion efficiency. Further, their regular geometry and small size allow automatic feeding with very fine calibration. They can be fed to a burner by auger feeding or by pneumatic conveying.
Wootz: A carbon steel containing 1 to 1.6% C produced by melting a bloomery iron or an inhomogeneous steel with charcoal in a crucible. The process originated in India as early as the 3rd century A.D.
Work Hardening: Increase in resistance to deformation (i.e. in hardness) produced by cold working. Same as strain hardening.
Workability: The characteristic or group of characteristics that determines the ease of forming a metal into desired shapes.
Working Life: See “Pot life”.
Wormholes: Holes and channels cut in wood by insects.
Wormholes: Refers to holes resulting from infestation of worms, or marks caused by various types of wood attacking insects and beetle larvae. Often appears as sound discolorations running with or across the grain in straight to wavy streaks. They are sometimes referred to as “pith flecks” in certain species of maple, birch and other hardwoods because of the resemblance to the color of pith.
Wrought: Plate that is made by hot rolling (a process that involves flattening the metal between rollers).
Wrought Iron: Iron which has had most of its carbon removed. Very workable, not brittle like most other irons.
Wrought Iron: Iron containing only a very small amount of other elements, but containing 1-3% by weight of slag in the form of particles elongated in one direction, giving the iron a characteristic grain. Is more rust-resistant than steel and welds more easily. An iron produced by direct reduction of ore or by refining molten cast iron under conditions where a pasty mass of solid iron with included slag is produced. The iron has a low carbon content.
Wustite: The oxide of iron of lowest valence which exist over a wide range of compositions the do not quite include the stoichiometric composition FeO.

X-Bracing: Martin originally invents “X” bracing, so named because the main brace form an “X” shape across the inside surface of the guitar; it served as a significant line of demarcation between the traditional, fan-braced classical guitar and the modern steel-strung guitar.
X-Rays: Light rays, excited usually by the impact of cathode rays on matter, which have wave lengths between about 10-6 cm, and 10-9 cm; also written X-rays, same as Roentgen rays.

Yellow Brass: 65% copper and 35% zinc. Also known as High Brass. A copper-zinc alloy, named for its yellow hue. Formerly a very popular alloy, but now largely replaced by Cartridge Brass.
Yield Point: The first stress in a material, usually less than the maximum attainable stress, at which an increase in strain occurs without an increase in stress. Only certain metals exhibit a yield point. If there is a decrease in stress after yielding, a distinction may be made between upper and lower yield points.
Yield Point: Tensile testing, yield point is the first point on the stress-strain curve at which an increase in strain occurs without an increase in stress.
Yield Strength: The stress at which a material exhibits a specified limiting deviation from the proportionality of stress to strain.
Yield Strength: The stress at which a material exhibits a specified limiting deviation from the proportionality of stress to strain. The deviation is expressed in terms of strain. Also known as proof stress.
Young's Modulus: The coefficient of elasticity of stretching. For a stretched wire, Young's Modulus is the ratio of the stretching force per unit cross-sectional area to the elongation per unit length. The values of Young's Modulus for metals are of the order 10(12) dynes per square cm.
Young’s Modulus: The ratio of tensile stress to tensile strain below the proportional limit.

Zinc: Blue-white metal; when pure, malleable and ductile even at ordinary temperatures. Can be electrodeposited; it is extensively used as a coating for steel and sheet zinc finds many outlets, such as dry batteries, etc. Zinc-base alloys are of great importance in die casting. Its most important alloy is brass.
Zinc Stearate: A dry lubricant added to the surface of coated abrasives (usually sheet or disc goods) which prevents loading of soft materials such as paint and other finishes. Normally white-gray in color.
Zip Kicker: An accelerator for cyanoacrylate or “super glue” adhesives which can be applied either before or after the glue.
Zirconium: See also Alumina Zirconia. A high-performance alloyed abrasive formed by zirconia deposited in an alumina matrix. Works well for grinding of stainless steel, spring steel, titanium, and other hard steels, and for dimensioning wood. An alloy of aluminum oxide and zirconium oxide. Designed for heavy duty stock removal for metal and wood, with self-sharpening characteristic. Belts are normally blue in color.
Zirconium: Because of its great affinity for oxygen and combines readily with nitrogen and sulfur it is used as a deoxidizer and scavenger in steel making. It is used as an alloy with nickel for cutting tools and is used in copper alloys.
Zodiac: A product of DuPont®. It is a Natural Quartz surfacing material and contains 93% natural quartz.

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