Woodworking has accomplished many things in history. It allows for the building of many things, from simple toys to grandiose mansions. If you are creative, woodworking may be a great hobby for you, but only if you learn as much as you can before you begin. Take a look at this piece for woodworking tips to assist you in making great pieces.

Before staining your project, test the stain in a hard to see area, or, better yet, on a piece of scrap wood of the same type. This can help you avoid surprises in case your stain color is different after you’ve applied it. Wood may not react as you thought, so avoid mistakes and possible disappointment by performing this simple test.

TIP! Try using stair gauges for your crosscut guides. Clamp them on the carpenter’s square and be sure they match up.

Don’t guide your saw with your fingers when cutting narrow pieces of wood. Rather, make use of a strip of wood that is long and thin to push your current piece entirely through the saw. This will prevent you from loosing a finger or two, which would make working with wood very difficult.

One of the essential tools for any woodworking shop is a stair gauge. They can be used to clamp a carpenter’s square along with laying out stair jacks. This can make a carpenter’s square serve as a guide for a circular saw. This will help you with making straight cuts each and every time.

It’s important to know the wood’s characteristics before you start working with it. For instance, if a wood is paint grade, it’s probably not quality wood. Stain grade means the wood’s grain pattern makes it great for staining. Also realize that veneer and particleboard are different. Particleboard will absorb too much stain, veneer might not absorb enough. It is crucial to get the perfect wood for your creation.

TIP! Before using any stains or finishes on your wood, make sure you stir them and not shake them. Ingredients may have settled onto the bottom as they sat on the shelf.

Many people have a small ruler on them when working in the shop. Sometimes it will fall out of your pocket when you move around. Get a metal ruler instead, as well as a small telescoping magnet for picking up loose screws. Keep them both in the same exact pocket. The magnet will keep the ruler in your pocket at all times.

Be sure your blade sharp prior to trying to cut. If you allow a saw blade to become dull, you will have a tough time sawing with it. Dull blades can also create expensive mistakes.

You should add a bit of extra spring when you are gripping. There are a few times you need a spring clamp, when you can only use one hand. They are not designed to be opened with one hand. There is an easier way. Before you start the glue process, with your free hands place the clamps on a piece of random scrap wood. This makes opening them with one hand unnecessary.

TIP! Understand a woods characteristics before you use stain on it. Some woods are only paint grade, while stain grade woods are much better for staining.

Woodworking is often taken for granted, when looked at from a consumer standpoint. People don’t think about how a wooden chair is made. A woodworker envisions a piece of wood as a chair. When you have information like the information in this article, that will separate you from the pack in woodworking, and you can be a true professional.