Woodworking is one hobby that can also be a rewarding profession if you love to work with your hands and build beautiful pieces of furniture from wood. When you learn the woodworking crafts and become a fine woodworking craftsman, you will be able to build all kinds of furniture, (table, beds, and chairs), with ease. You can then sell your completed woodworking projects and make a handsome profit.
It takes time to become skilled in the craft of woodworking. The nice thing about working up to that expert craftsman level is you will be able to build some really nice furniture for you and your family to enjoy. Imagine building a custom coffee table or grandfather clock and having it sit in your living room. It will be a topic of conversation whenever you have friends come over to visit. They will ask: How did you make it? Where did you get the woodworking plans? How long did it take to complete the project? What kind of wood did you use? What kind of tools did you use? How on earth did you make such a beautiful piece of furniture? As you discuss your work, a sense of pride will come over you and don’t be surprised if your friends ask you to make one for them too!
If you are thinking you are too old or too young for woodworking, think again! You are never too old or too young for such a fun hobby and it’s perfect for beginners!
Where to Begin in Woodworking?
Start with an idea in mind of what you want to build and then get a really good woodworking project plan that is geared toward beginners. There are several small woodworking projects for beginners available for purchase from online woodworking retailers. A few woodworking plan suggestions to get you thinking are: a jewelry box, a music box, a clock, a bird house, a chessboard or checkerboard, a rocking horse for a child just to name a few. Of course you can start out with as grand a woodworking plan as you choose. However, the chances are if you start out with a small woodworking project at first, you will have a better chance of completing the project.
Your woodworking project plan should include some lists! Lists of: woodworking hardware, the amount and type of wood required, and the required hand tools and power tools to complete the project. Note: A word of caution about buying woodworking tools. Only buy what you need to complete your immediate or upcoming project. This is important especially if you are a beginner and just starting out. Tools are not cheap. The beginner needs good woodworking tools, but you can easily break the bank buying lot of tools you may not use all that often. When you do buy tools, buy quality. Do a little research and compare products. Buy the best that you can afford at the time.
Here is my Beginners List of Woodworking Hand Tools:
A claw hammer, wood chisel set, a hand saw, a miter box with a saw (for cutting angles), a coping saw, finish punches, flat and straight tip screwdrivers, a rubber mallet (for tapping pieces together while not damaging the wood), woodworking clamps, a wood vise, a bench plane, a rasp, a tape measure, a 12″ steel rule, a 6″ steel square, and don’t forget the wood glue and a brush to spread the wood glue! Of course you will need a dry place to work and may need a pair of saw horses to work on.
Here is my Beginners List of Woodworking Power Tools:
Circular saw, a jig saw, a table saw, a belt sander (to remove larger amounts of material and level out larger surfaces), an orbital finish sander, a 3/8″ electric drill, a 12v or 18v cordless drill.
Here is my Beginners List of Woodworking Safety Equipment:
Safety glasses, clear safety goggles, dust masks, face shield, hearing protectors, Nitrile disposable gloves
We could go on and on with listing more woodworking hand tools and more woodworking power tools here, but the idea is to buy the essential hand and power tools that beginners will need. You can always add to your toolbox as you gain experience!
Guidance for Beginner Woodworking Craftsmen:
You now have a great new hobby in woodworking, you have purchased your woodworking project plan and you’re really excited to start using your new woodworking tools, but how? Your woodworking project plan should provide you step by step directions and techniques to complete your project. But if you are unsure about what to do there is help available! There are several places that beginning woodworkers can learn about the woodworking craft. First, subscribe to one of the several woodworking magazines available. Every month the writers in woodworking magazines do a story on how to improve your woodworking craft. Whether it is showing you how to apply a finish to a completed project, or how to make a mortise and tenon joint, something new can be learned every month. Next, is buying instructional DVD’s like the ones created by Fine Woodworking Magazine. Instructional Woodworking DVD’s cover topics such as: mastering your table saw, how to use a router, how to turn wood projects, turning wooden bowls, and wood finishing basics. As you can see, there are many educational resources available for the beginning woodworker to learn the woodworking craft.
