To finish the Tools of the Timber Trade series, I would like to visit one of the unsung heroes of timber fabrication, the Wire Wheel and Angled Grinder.
Every tool that we have visited in the past couple of weeks is used to make the traditional joints that we cut frequently. The Wire Wheel, unlike the others, is used to clean up dirty timbers and “knock down” natural burrs in the wood.
Over head view of a wire wheel used for cleaning timbers.
The timbers that arrive at our shop aren’t always sparkling clean. Sometimes they require the loving touch of the Wire Wheel.
Wire Wheel attached to a Makita Angled Grinder.
Wire Wheeling timbers gives the wood a clean look while maintaining the rough sawn/rustic look that so many fans of timber framing aim to accomplish.
Liam in finish world using a Makita Angled Grinder with a Wire Wheel attachment
I hope that this series has given you a little more insight into some of the tools that we use everyday, and some of the steps involved in creating a beautiful, long lasting frame. I also hope you have found this moderately entertaining and informational.
As always, thank you for stopping by our timber framers blog! If you like this post, or have any timber work questions, we invite you to get in contact, ask an expert, or share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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will this process work on smooth 3/4″ tongue & groove to give it a more rough rustic look
It might – you could give it a try. You could also use a random orbit sander with 40 grit paper. Cheers, Doug