Finding a woodworking niche is wonderful. Woodworking is very enjoyable. This article will give you some great advice about it. Continue reading and learning about this activity, and expect many hours of enjoyment as you do.

Pre-stain wood conditioners should be used prior to staining any wood project. By using these products, you are likely to avoid blotching or imperfections in the final product. They smooth the wood, allowing the stain to set correctly.

TIP! Safety is of utmost concern when you are doing any time of woodworking project. Use the right safety gear and operate tools according to their manual.

Use stair gauges to guide your crosscuts. Clamp them to your carpenter’s square, and make sure they match your stair jack’s rise and run. Then you simply mark where the notches are. Putting them on the carpenter’s square tongue makes for a great guide for a circular saw.

Gel Stains

Gel stains are an excellent choice for furniture staining. Stains that are liquid will run when you apply them, but gels tend to stick to lumber. Gel stains also allow for consistent color on pieces since it is thicker.

TIP! Do you realize that your workbench height is key to the success of your projects? Measure where your waist is from the floor. This will help you create a workbench that is the perfect height.

When you want to cut narrower sections of wood, never use your own fingers to guide them. Use a piece of wood to assist you in pushing the cut through. That means you get to keep your fingers, which means you get to keep woodworking.

Understand a woods characteristics before you use stain on it. Wood that is paint grade is not high quality. On the other hand, wood that is stain grade will stain better. Also, particleboard and veneer will be a lot more different. Veneer isn’t going to absorb a lot of stain while your particleboard will absorb way too much. It is crucial to get the perfect wood for your creation.

Be sure you have a good blade before sawing. A dull blade makes good cutting impossible. It can also cause you to make errors in your cutting.

TIP! When staining furniture, turn to gel products. Gel stains work better on the wood because they don’t run like the liquid stains do.

Try to find recycled wood you can use. You can find many discarded scrap wood pieces if you search around. Home improvement stores, floor shops and other such places usually discard any unused wood. Use this to your advantage when looking for wood for projects. You will find in time that you are saving a good deal of money on each project.

When you first start out with your woodworking, try using some kits that are available. You can make specific projects because the wood is pre-cut. This is a perfect way for the beginner to get started. You will benefit in the long term too as you will have a better idea of what you are doing.

Keep a lookout for old furniture that people are going to throw out. Often, you can find pieces of wood furniture that are free of charge or very cheap. Also, think of ways you can use the pieces from older furniture. Even if the dresser isn’t able to be fixed, you may be able to arrange the drawers into a good bookshelf.

TIP! Be aware of the different kinds of characteristics of the wood you are working with, before you choose it for project where staining is involved. Paint grade refers to low quality wood, for instance, while stain grade refers to better gain pattern used for staining.

When working with wood, remember that everything does not need to be perfect. They are personal creations and this gives them character. Your skills grow as you continue, and these tips will help you become a success.