You may not know it yet, but you need good skills in woodworking eventually in your life. Even if you’re not trying to do woodworking as a hobby or a job, you may find that woodworking will come in handy if you have a few projects that need doing. This article provides some excellent knowledge on this topic.

Use a pre-stain wood conditioner before applying a stain. A pre-stain conditioner helps keep away any irregularities or blotches in the wood. These conditioners will smooth out the uneven nature of the wood and allow your stain to penetrate evenly.

TIP! It is important that you have a realistic idea of your budget and what you can make with it. Sometimes your eyes are larger than your wallet when you have a particular project in mind.

A great tool for setting crosscut guides is a stair gauge. Match them to the rise and run of your stair jack, then attach them to the carpenter’s square. Then mark the notches. If you place them on the tongue you’re using for your carpenter square, that combo is a good crosscut guide for your circular saw.

If you rent a tool that is unfamiliar, ask the rental company to give you a quick tutorial. There are often specialists available to help you learn how to use the tool quickly. Also ask for any documentation to help you out.

Never use your own fingers as guidance when cutting narrow chunks of wood. 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.

Tin Snips

If you use laminate to finish a project, use some tin snips so you trim the laminate. Tin snips are going to let you cut your laminate quickly and without much effort so that you can use it. Buying tin snips meant to be used just for this purpose can keep them at the desired sharpness.

Get a handle on how a wood takes to staining prior to choosing a wood for a project. For example, a wood that has a stain grade is good for staining. A wood that has a paint grade is lower quality. Differentiate between veneer and particle board as veneer tends to resist stain, while particleboard can take on too much stain. Having the right wood will help ensure that your project goes as planned.

TIP! Always make sure you purchase the appropriate size nail for the job. Using a nail that has too big of a diameter could split your wood and it won’t hold properly.

You likely already know that you want to have a ruler on hands at all times, but it can be hard to keep it from falling out of your pocket. Make it a metal ruler and store it alongside your telescoping magnet. The magnet will keep the ruler safely in your pocket.

Size Nail

Always use the recommended size nail for your job. A nail that is too large in diameter will often split the wood, causing it not to hold properly. But if you use a nail too small, it may not have the strength or size to hold the pieces together. So, it is important to determine the correct size nail for the job.

TIP! Do you have screws that are out of reach that need tightened, but you can’t fit a screwdriver or your hand in the area? Your toolbox may hold the answer! Grab a long handle screwdriver and a 12 point socket. Put the socket onto the end of your screwdriver, then attach this to your ratchet.

Put extra spring in your grip. There are times when you may need to use a spring clamp, but you might only have the use of one hand. It is sometimes hard to get these things open when you’re only using a single hand. You can make it easier. Before you start the glue process, with your free hands place the clamps on a piece of random scrap wood. That way, they are almost at full capacity and can be maneuvered with just one hand.

This article has given you some great advice for getting started with woodworking. Since you never know when you will have to pull out your tools, that knowledge will be valuable at some point. Imagine the possibilities that you can create with a little woodworking knowledge under your belt.