Anyone who knows anything about woodworking knows that it isn't all great; that there is bad woodworking, and there is quality woodworking. While the difference between the two is pretty obvious to some people, there are plenty of people who just aren't able to tell the difference between the two. This is a real problem when they go out to get furniture and end up paying a lot of money for something that just isn't worth it. Here are some things to keep in mind the next time that you evaluate a piece of quality woodworking.
First and foremost, and perhaps most obviously, you need to make sure that the woodwork is sturdy. This holds true for both pieces of furniture, and other items like boxes. If it's a chair, make sure you sit down on it and shift your weight around. There are a few points where you want to make sure that it holds and doesn't wobble around. You want to make sure that the legs are planted firmly on the ground and that they seem to be properly attached to the seat and backing. You want to take hold of the arms and attempt to move them to make sure that they aren't going to shift as you move, and you want to make sure that the back is firmly attached and doesn't bow out where it isn't supposed to.
Now, a lot of these things that you're checking hold true for any other piece of quality woodworking that you are evaluating. Obvious a large chest isn't going to have legs to test, but the idea remains true. You want to make sure that all seams are closed and don't pry apart with pressure or shifting, and you want to make sure the whole thing is fastened properly together and doesn't have any obvious areas where the different pieces of wood are separating.
The ways that the pieces of wood are joined together are also an indication of how high quality the piece is. There are a few things that you always want to look out for when evaluating woodwork joining.
? Screws are almost always far superior to staples, as staples have a tendency to work loose pretty easily and quickly.
? In general furniture with rabbetted and butted joints are often indications that the furniture is cheaply constructed. A rabbeted joint is one in which a small groove is cut in the end of the top piece of wood to sit on the lower wood, and is usually glued or stapled together. A butted joint doesn't even cut a groove out and simply places two boards placed at right angles and glued or stapled together.
? High quality furniture tends to have screws that are sunk into the wood and that have little wooden plugs covering them to hide the screw. This is usually the case when screws are visible, but even high quality woodwork sometimes lets screws show on the underside.
? Bolts are also strong and durable, though the have to have a self-locking mechanism, and on high quality furniture they will be hidden.
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