Use and Care Manual

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3
Working with Highwood/Everwood Material
www.highwood-usa.com
Drilling
highwood
®
material can be drilled using all types of drills (e.g., brad point, split
point, step drills). For larger diameter holes, Forstner bits work very well. Care
must be taken to frequently remove the waste as the hole is drilled to avoid
heat build-up and melting of the ‘plastic sawdust’. Coated drills (titanium nitride)
reduce friction, and are highly recommended. Drill speeds should be 400 to 900
RPM to minimize heat generation. High feed rate provides the best results. Push/
plunge the bit through the material as fast as is safely possible is recommended .
Planing & Jointing
highwood
®
material can be planed or jointed just like real wood. Planing the
product surface exposes the foam’s cell structure which, while not detrimental
to performance, can be sealed if you prefer. A high-quality sanding sealer works
well. Removal of the exterior ‘skin’ of the product should be done evenly on both
sides of the prole when possible to minimize any induced stresses, bows or
twists which may occur when the product expands or contracts.
Routing
A router can be used to create dados, rabbets, round-overs, and other design
elements. Carbide tipped tools should be used, and spiral up-cut style bits
are best. Straight ute bits create friction and cause melting of the material.
High bit speed and feed rates are recommended. For cutting depths greater
than 3/4" (20mm), an air knife should be used to continually remove the
waste material from the bit. Routing on CNC equipment is ideal and produces
furniture grade cuts.
JOINING & FASTENING
The type of joining method used will depend on the nal application and strength requirement of the joint.
More than one method of joining may be used in a joint (e.g. glue AND screw). Most standard woodworking
joints (e.g., mortise and tenon, lap joint) are effective for joining highwood
®
material.
Screwing
A variety of screw types are suitable for highwood
®
materials. The greatest
holding strength is achieved with parallel thread, coarse pitch screws.
Exterior wood screws with a type 17 point work particularly well. Pre-
drilling is advised in thick boards or when using long screws. Highwood is
quite hard, and screws can shear if holes are not predrilled.
For exterior use, select a proper corrosion-resistant fastener. Stainless
steel is superior for corrosion, but are quite soft so predrilling is particularly
recommended for SS screws. Ceramic-coated screws are strong and
provide good corrosion resistance. GripRite brand deck screws work
extremely well, and typically do not require predrilling.
Joining with pocket screws is an ideal method of making butt joints. Using a
jig, such as supplied by Kreg Tools (www.kregtool.com), to create the pocket
holes and subsequently gluing and screwing creates a strong butt joint.
Working with highwood®/Everwood Material