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Guides · Section 08

Troubleshooting

Most faults in a finished piece trace back to a specific step. These guides start from what you can see — tear-out, burning, gaps, cupping, blotch — work back to the likely cause, and set out how to check and fix it.

Subjects
4
Guides
4
Level
Beginner · Intermediate

In this section

Cutting faults

Tear-out, burning, chipping and cuts that wander.

  1. Common Woodworking Mistakes: Diagnose What Went WrongCommon woodworking mistakes by symptom: what to check first, one possible cause and the BenchRoot guide that owns the fix, from layout and wood to finish.Beginner · 10 min read
  2. Table Saw Blade Problems: Wobble, Burning and Damaged TeethFaults that start with the blade — damage, pitch, dullness, warp, the wrong blade for the saw — told apart from the saw's own faults, with a check for each.Beginner · 5 min read
  3. Table Saw Problems: Kickback, Binding, Burning and WobbleA symptom-to-cause guide to binding, burn marks, rough cuts, wobble and inaccurate cuts by blade, alignment, setup and stock, and when to stop and inspect.Intermediate · 5 min read

Board faults

Cupping, bowing, twist and checks.

  1. Wood Glue Problems: Failed Joints, Starved Glue Lines and RepairsWhy glue joints fail — skinned, starved, gappy, wet, cold, oily or machined too soon — how to read a broken joint, and how to take apart and reglue furniture.Intermediate · 5 min read

Reading order

  1. 1.Beginner

  2. 2.Intermediate

What this section covers

  1. 8.1

    Cutting faults

    Tear-out, burning, chipping and cuts that wander.

    3 guides

  2. 8.2

    Joint faults

    Gaps, loose fits and joints that will not close.

  3. 8.3

    Board faults

    Cupping, bowing, twist and checks.

    1 guide

  4. 8.4

    Finish faults

    Blotch, raised grain, runs and a finish that will not cure.

Work it out

Related reference.