If you’ve ever looked at beautiful woodworking and wondered if you could do the same, you’ve come to the right place. You can benefit from the useful information provided to you in this article. To become a better woodworker, use these tips.

If you plan on staining your project, try using pre-stain conditioner on your wooden surfaces. The conditioner will make it more difficult to notice irregularities in the wood. Such conditioning agents smooth the wood surface and let stains sink in evenly.

TIP! Never stain an entire piece of wood without testing a little part of it first. This ensures that the stain will look as you expect it to once done.

When you’re using finishes or stains you should always stir them instead of shaking them. The ingredients in them can settle. However, shaking can cause bubbling and prevent a thorough mixing of the product. Be sure to continue stirring until everything that has settled is blended in evenly.

Pick out the wood that’s right for your project you’re doing. Some woods will not do well as they cannot handle the stress that others will. If you aren’t positive of what type of wood to use, you should first gain an understanding of them.

Don’t use your fingers to guide your cutting. Using a piece of wood as a guide is much safer. This will ensure that you keep all ten of your fingers, which are all necessary for you to continue working with wood.

TIP! Did you realize that how high your workbench sits will have an effect on your work? To find the best height, measure the distance from the floor to your waistline. This is how tall your bench should be.

All woodworking shops should have stair gauges. They are typically used for laying out stair jacks, but can also prove useful for clamping a carpenters square. That means your square becomes a circular saw guide. This is a good way to cut your wood in a straight line.

It is a good idea to keep a small ruler in your pocket, but you may find it falls out when you bend over because of the length. To reduce this problem, you could get a metal ruler and put the ruler in the same place as where you store your magnet. This magnet helps you keep the objects together and in your pocket.

Whenever you work with a saw, make sure that the blade is in tip top shape before you start. A dull blade makes good cutting impossible. It will also make you make more mistakes that could end up costing you money depending on the wood you’re working with.

TIP! A dry fitting is important to do before adding glue to your wood. If you attempt to readjust the pieces once glued together, you risk damage to your project.

You want to be sure that you have the right size nails for your project. If a nail is too thick it can split the wood, and this will stop it from holding properly. However, too small of a nail will not penetrate deep enough to keep the wood held together. Always try to pick the right size nail for your job.

You have just read through some great tips about handling wood in your workshop so that you can create your own pieces to be proud of. By staying dedicated and trying out new things, you can soon use wood to create beautiful pieces. The advice above will help you become a great woodworker.