You may not know it yet, but you need good skills in woodworking eventually in your life. Even if this is not your career path, you may need it to build a deck or to do some crafts projects with the kids. Read on to learn about some great tips within this field.
One good product to use if you are staining your project is a conditioner, to be used before staining. Using a pre-conditioner will help you avoid blotches when staining. The conditioner will let the stain apply evenly and smooth out the wood.
Understand your budget’s limitations. When it comes to woodworking, it is easy to get lost in the project without a grasp on reality. You begin a project only to realize that you are starting to run out of money. Create a budget before you start so that this never happens.
Determine the best wood for your project. Some woods are not as strong as others. If you haven’t been working with wood for long, take the time to educate yourself on the wood.
When using stains, a great product choice is gel. Stains that are liquid will run when you apply them, but gels tend to stick to lumber. Also, gel stains are thick and their pigment stays consistent.
When you want to cut narrower sections of wood, never use your own fingers to guide them. Use a thin and long strip of wood instead. This will help you keep your fingers, which you need to be a great woodworker.
You should do a dry fitting before you apply glue and try to piece woodworking pieces together. Trying to move things around once the glue is on is likely to result in harm to the final project. A dry-fit will give you a good idea of what components go where.
Know all about the wood you are getting prior to purchasing it, especially if you plan to stain it. Some woods are only paint grade, while stain grade woods are much better for staining. Along the same lines, veneer is very different from particleboard because the former will not necessarily absorb stain properly; however, the latter typically absorbs too much stain. The proper type of wood will ensure that your project will turn out as planned.
Do you need to tighten a screw, but can’t reach it? Your toolbox may hold the answer! Grab a long handle screwdriver and a 12 point socket. Attach the socket first to your screwdriver and then to the appropriate ratchet.
Certain hand tools are a must for the shop. The first tool you need is a hammer. A claw hammer is best. Try out a few and pick the one that you’re most comfortable with. This will help you to maintain a solid grip while working, but never use a hammer that is extremely heavy.
Do not apply too much pressure when sanding wood. Sanding while using pressure will make a surface less even because you’ll be gouging the surface. It’s important to learn which sandpaper grit should be used because this will allow you to sand easily without needing to be forceful. Sand with the grain of wood and lightly.
Prior to sanding, wet down the surface you’re going to work on. The moisture will cause the grain to come up. Then you can more evenly sand the finer scratches inherent in the wood. As a result, your finished product will look more professional. It can lessen your future workload as well.
Drafting Square
Make accurate measurements for small cuts by using a drafting square. It can be hard to accurately measure the wood you need. For instance, drywall squares have a tendency to be inaccurate. Also carpenter squares have to be fastened on an edge, so they are extremely hard to work with. Instead, check your art supplies or make a trip to an art store and pick up a drafting square. These are simpler to use and provide the necessary accuracy.
As the saying goes — measure twice, cut once. Indeed, it often pays to check them three times if your materials are especially costly. Measuring is where a lot of people make mistakes. If you make an angular cut or cut a piece too short, you can mess up a project entirely.
Practice before embarking full on with a new technique or tool. Find some wood that you do not need for the project, and work on it. If you find that it isn’t working, try using more pieces over and over until you’re sure of how things work.
Dull Blades
Make sure to use sharp blades on all saws. A lot of accidents in woodworking are the result of dull blades. That’s because dull blades cause more wood kickbacks. This kickback is known to cause many accidents in the workshop. For best results, the drill bits should be razor sharp.
Avoid excessive double-checking of measurements by jotting the measurements down. When using a circular saw, you can record the measurement from shoe edge to blade directly on the shoe. Write it for either side of the blade, or write it on an address label and stick it on so it is easy to read.
Think about renting tools instead of buying them. You can find out if it is necessary to have this particular tool. This can also be seen as a great opportunity to view demonstrations on how to use these tools properly and safely.
When first starting out in woodworking, you should not have to purchase all your tools at once. Instead, look into groups such as Freecycle, and ask family and friends if they have tools around that they no longer use. You may find that you are able to adequately stock your shop at no cost to yourself.
After reading this article you know more about working with wood than you knew before. It comes in handy eventually, as woodworking is a common necessity. With what you know, now the world is your oyster!