You may be thinking of trying out a new hobby and you are not sure exactly which activity you should pursue. There are a lot of hobbies to choose from and you need to make the right decision and stick with it. You should definitely give woodworking a chance since it includes so many benefits such as increasing productivity, improving your creativity, and is considered great for fitness. You could always earn extra money from your woodwork projects and it is a great way to bond with other family members.
Starting the journey of woodworking can seem strenuous but on the contrary, it is quite easy. In this article, I will enlighten you on how to start woodworking to pursue a completely different hobby. Since it is a completely new hobby to you we need to start from the very beginning.
Beginners’ woodworking Guide
Now, woodworking includes several tools that beginners will find difficult to use properly. Other tools, especially the power tools, are considered as quite dangerous and they will need extra caution. The best part about woodworking is that you can easily learn while building simple projects such as stools and shoe racks.
As a beginner, you should also be aware of how time-consuming tasks can get and therefore you will have to manage your time effectively. You can easily be carried away by a project and end up forget certain important tasks in your life that need attention. If you looking for expert woodworking guide, then you should visit Drillez.com. They have all type of woodworking project guide and recommendation.
However, below is a six-step guide to ensure your woodworking journey is easy and that you can quickly start working on your projects.
Step 1: Establish a Simple Workspace
Before you can get any work done, you need to have a workspace. Generally, the basement or garage is considered as a good place to set up a simple permanent workspace. Having a permeant workspace is beneficial because you don’t need to move your tools and wood around every other time.
However, not everyone has access to a free garage or basement space. What do you do when you are living in an apartment? In this case, you will need to set up a table in your backyard patio. It may not be permanent and you should be ready to move tools and wood around often.
Step 2: Learn to Properly Use the Tape Measure
Simply put, woodworking is all about measurement. You will need to cut wood pieces according to certain dimensions and your tape measure should help you. Learn to correctly read the measurements on your tape measure.
The tape measure has whole numbers with fractions in between them. The whole numbers indicate inches while the fractions indicate a fraction of that particular whole number. The practice is key to ensuring you are able to properly use the tape measure and read the measurements. I found out the hard way when building a stool and it ended up being unbalanced, which was quite disappointing.
Step 3: Understand the Types of Woods and Dimensions
Wood dimensions are usually written in the following way; 3 X 10 or 5 x2. These figures have different meanings and you should ensure that you understand them before working on a project.
Now, wood is either classified as hard or soft. Some projects require hardwoods while others require softwoods. While working on complicating projects, you may require both the softwoods and hardwoods. It is therefore critical that you are able to identify the two types of woods.
Step 4: Always choose Straight Wood
Working with straight wood is simple when compared to warped or bowed woods. Choosing the straight wood will save you a lot of time and make your projects quite easy to complete. Finding straight wood can be rather difficult, but, ensure that you try to choose the wood that is somewhat straight and not curved. When you go to the store and find piles of timber, remember that there is no hurrying in selection. Take your time and choose wisely.
Step 5: Familiarize Yourself with Essential Woodworking Tools
Some tools in woodworking are considered as must-have in almost every project and they include drill, hammer, clamps, miter saw, sharpeners, and nails. Purchase the tools one at a time and familiarize yourself with each one until you are comfortable using all of them.
Some of the mentioned tools are rather expensive and you should consider them as an investment in yourself. There are amazing deals offered by several stores and you should always take advantage of them when buying the tools, you need.
Step 6: Learn to Make Your Wood Surfaces Smooth
Every woodworking project requires some finishing or painting. For this to be possible, all your wood surfaces should be smooth. You have to learn how to sand your wood properly and the task is rather tedious.
Using your hand to sand the wood surfaces is considered more effective than using machines because it gives you better control. You can easily determine the exact smoothness you are going for there are no hard-to-reach areas unlike when using the machines.
Conclusion
Most people consider woodworking as a time consuming, expensive and noisy hobby. This is actually not the case especially when you follow the six steps disused in this article. Many people have rushed to woodworking while skipping the basics and therefore find this hobby to be quite tedious.
Once you start woodworking as a hobby you will find it to be relaxing and productive all at the same time. Contrary to common belief, woodworking is not an expensive hobby especially when you buy the tools and wood slowly over time.
It is also important to start out with simple projects to help you learn. Slowly you can later graduate to more challenging projects.
I really hope you enjoyed this piece on woodworking and that you consider it as a new hobby. Feel free to comment below and share the article with friends and family.