This article can help fine tune your woodworking skills. The tips below are useful for any skill level. If you want to push your personal woodworking horizons, then take the time to finish this article.
It is important that you have a realistic idea of your budget and what you can make with it. You don’t want to start on a project and then realize you don’t have the money to finish. You’re excited to make an item, only to find half way through that the money just isn’t there to complete it the way you want. Avoid surprises by doing your homework before beginning.
Use pre-stain conditioner if you plan on staining your project. You won’t have any blotches or unevenness when you use a conditioner. Also, it will create a smooth texture upon completion.
Before you pull out the glue, make sure the pieces you want to glue fit together properly first. If you’re trying to fix things up after you have glue on your piece, there is a chance that you’re going to damage the project. Dry-fitting will let you plan out where each piece will go.
Make sure you use the right kind of wood appropriate for the task at hand. Some woods are not as strong as others. If you’re not sure how each type will react, invest some time to learn about them first.
It’s great to have a small ruler inside your pocket, but it might fall out if you have to bend. To reduce this problem, you could get a metal ruler and put the ruler in the same place as where you store your magnet. The magnet will keep them both firmly inside your pocket.
You can make using spring grips easier. A spring clamp may be useful sometimes, but only if you can use more than one hand. They are not designed to be opened with one hand. However, you can make things easier on yourself. Before you start to glue, put your clamps on some scrap wood while you have two free hands. This will have them easy to reach and ready to go so you can use them with one hand.
If you are using laminate, a good way to cut the wood is to use tin snips. Tin snips let you cut laminate into usable sections easily. Use the tin snips for laminate only so they stay sharp.
Don’t always rely on your tape measures. You are sure to find how useful story sticks are. You can always also just work into a cut gradually. With scrap wood, you can ensure that your pieces fit together nicely. Variety in planning your cuts also keeps boredom from becoming a factor in your project.
Consider shopping at garage sales for woodworking equipment. There are many wonderful deals that will help save you money on used equipment for your projects. This will save you a lot of money when you are just starting or need to replace something.
A stair gauge is a great tool to keep in your shop. They not only assist with stair jack layouts, but can also be used when your carpenter’s square needs to be clamped. You can then use your square as a guide for a circular saw. Every cut will be straight from now on.
Look for furniture on the side of the road. Many free wooden pieces of furniture can be had free, or dirt cheap. Think about all the possibilities before you dismiss a piece. A dresser may be broken but the drawers might be able to be reused.
Your eyes are a target for wayward bits of wood. You should always wear your safety glasses while working. Make no exceptions and then you’ll always be protected. Choose a pair which fit snugly and allows you to see clearly.
If the hinges on your interior doors are loose, you can use a golf tee to fix them. Remove the hinges and the door. Then, in the hole where the screws were, lightly hammer a common golf tee into the hole. Cut off the excess golf tee and then reinstall the door. The screw has something to bite on with the golf tee.
Stair gauges are great guides for circular saws. They’re normally used to mark stair jacks. By attaching them to a carpenter’s square, you can use them for circular saw cuts instead.
Check your stain on a discreet spot of the wood. The stain might come out blotchy or off color. That’s why it’s a good idea to test the stain in a spot that is not in clear visibility. This makes less work for you in the end.
Look online, at estate, yard, or moving sales and you can often find great deals on woodworking equipment. There are many wonderful deals that will help save you money on used equipment for your projects. You can save lots of money this way when you are a beginning woodworker.
Drafting Square
For small cuts, use a drafting square. When an accurate cut to wood is needed to within a couple feet, you may struggle with measuring. Regular squares can be inaccurate. Carpenter squares need a good, long edge for proper alignment. Try stopping into your friendly neighborhood art supply store to pick up a drafting square. These are made for smaller measurements, making them very accurate and easy to use.
When setting out on a new woodworking endeavor, the best thing you can do is pick out the right wood for the project. Soft woods should be avoided for table top use as it will scratch very easily. Keep in mind that different woods look different when finished.
The above tips can aid any woodworker. Use these tips as you build your next project. Now is is the time to get going!
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