How to Start Woodworking?
By: Craftsman Woodworking
Tags: Skills, Passion, Woodworking Plans, Woodwork, Woodworking

How to start woodworking? This is the first question that shows up in the mind of any woodworking beginner or just who loves woodworking projects, Nobody denies that making something from scratch can be one of the most satisfying things for anyone.

What makes woodworking an amazing hobby that is filled full of creativity, skills, flexibility, and, most importantly, patience. But starting to start diving in the wrong way in this hobby can be one of the things that may you try to avoid.

So in the guide article, I will help you to make your first step in building your first woodworking project, by showing you How you can set up your workshop? even if you have a small place and also the significant skills that you have to learn to begin in your first project.

You can any time grab your FREE FULL GUIDE which is contain everything you need by step by step instructions, not just that but also Plus 50 FREE Plans woodworking project you can start with.

Woodshop Setup

The first thing that you have to keep in mind when you want to start woodworking is to set up the place, when you will build your future woodwork s, for that, I have five key principles that will help you to layout a productive and efficient small shop, or you’re trying to set up or new shop reorganizes your current shop or just make things a bit more efficient. These Five keys may guide you:

1. Design Around Your Material Flow:

What this means is that you need to think about what sorts of things you build in your shop, are you building large tables and bookcases or are you doing more small projects turnings on the lathe, you need to think about all those different things you do and if you do a variety of projects.

Then try to think about the variety of different materials you would use. Will you buy stuff in eight-foot lengths or just simple materials for small works? Everybody shop is different depending on what sorts of things they’re building.

Then you have to imagine your material going through the shop what would be the flow try to imagine yourself coming into your shop with a new load of lumber from the store where would you store it what would be the first cutting operation you would do what would be the next one after that where are you going to do your finishing how much space do you need for finishing.

Where the place if your hand tools would be, try to set up all the materials and material support you need in each process close to the area of that process.

2. Keep Things Mobile:

Now there are some things that won’t be mobile, but as much as possible and especially the things in the middle of your shop those should all have wheels on them. they should all be mobile depending on if you need to squeeze a car in your garage or if you have a big place.

In case if you have a small place may need to put everything on wheels and other things that can be put along the wall are stationary.

But everything in the center is better to be on wheels to can be moved to one side or the other or can be moved out of the way, this makes it really useful when you have to work on big projects.

3. Plan For Future Growth:

Every shop is a constantly evolving workspace you’ll be getting new tools you’ll be getting rid of old tools you’ll be building storage.

You’ll be building all kinds of things, and so, you need to be able to have it be versatile and flexible thinking about anything in the future you may want to add are you planning on adding some dust collection are you going to add air hose lines are you going to want a power drop-in In the middle of your shop are you going to connect all of your lights to one switch or one circuit are you planning on adding a tool that needs may be a new voltage.

Saw are there odd shaped projects that you’re going to need spacing to work on in the future. Think about all this stuff to don’t struggle in the future from the space tightness of your workshop.

4. Utilize Dead Space:

Once you have a rough layout of your shop figure it outlook around and tries to figure out where is there dead space this may be along the walls it may be in corners it may be between tools.

All of these areas could be used for something you could store jigs somewhere you could put clamps in a certain spot, you can build things to fit in these areas, so that, you can maximize your storage.

This will make a huge difference in how you use your shop and how efficient it is.

5. Store Hand Tools Where They Will Be Used:

In each zone or area in your shop, you’re going to be doing. Specific things you want to put the hand tools that are associated with that activity in that location so if you are at the miter station you going to use a tape measure and use a pencil and the safety glasses. All those things should be close within arm’s reach of the miter, may also have probably a dust mask in that area.

Make sure the drill bits and the drills are stored as closely together as possible you’re never going to use a drill without putting something in it, if you keep your tools close to where you’re working on it’s so much more efficient you won’t be walking all over your shop trying to find things and it’ll make it more likely for you to use the right tool for a job instead of something else that might not be the best for it because it’s closer or it’s more convenient.

Woodshop Skills & Steps

One of the keys that make the difference between a newbie woodworker and a professional woodworker is the skills that they have, and how they are good at doing these skills. So, knowing and learning these 7 skills can make a huge improvement in building your future woodworking projects.

1. Measuring:

Successful workshop projects start with careful, accurate measuring, marking, and layout. The most essential elements in these steps of the process are good planning, accurate measuring, and exploitation of sharp marking tools that make clear lines. the extent of exactitude required varies in keeping with the elaborateness and complexness of your project.

Rough woodworking (for example, swing up stud walls or putting in floor rug pad or roof decking) needs a particular quantity of care, however, usually, you’ll be able to succeed satisfactory results by using tape measures, framing squares, and a lumber pencil as a marking tool. On the other hand, some difficult project needs a higher degree of accuracy. so you’ll want to involve steel rules, levels, and angle gauges in the process.

As result, depending on the type of your projects and what measurement tools you need or you have. Measuring is the first step you have to think about when you start building your woodworking project.

2. Cutting:

Cutting is a primary process that’s significant to the success of just about any project. you’re probably going to undertake in your workshop. It’s essentially a three-part task: laying out the cutting line; setting up for the cut, and executing the cut.

Setting up includes selecting the best tool and blade for the job, then adjusting the tool or position of the workpiece to guarantee an accurate cut.

There are literally only two ways of cutting either you use a tool to cut the workpiece (as with most mobile and hand tools), or you apply the workpiece to the tool (as with table saws and other tools where the cutting instrument remains in one spot throughout the cut).

However, cutting is an essential skill that should beginner woodworking to be careful of it, not just to ensure that the project will be perfect, but also the keep safe.

3. Wood Joinery:

Wood joinery is one of the most basic skills in woodworking that you have to know. If you don’t have the ability to join two wood pieces together in a solid form, it is hard to get a woodworking project you want to build.

However, with the many different types of wood joinery, a woodworker has several different joints in his arsenal from which to select, based on the project, but in general, they are 9 famous types of wood joinery that you can start with.

If you master these wood joinery techniques, you’ll be on the right way on your way to become a very skillful woodworker.

4. Wood Drilling:

Drilling holes in things isn’t difficult, but knowing a few about how to use the drilling tools and machines can improve your projects dramatically. This part usually depending most on the tools that you will use and you have them in your workshop. If you want to know more click and grab your FREE guide that explains everything, step by step with images.

5. Wood Shaping:

Shaping is a fairly broad category when it comes to workshop skills. In one sense or another, just about anything you do to a workpiece with a tool alters its shape. But this step concerns shaping that don’t necessarily change the size of the workpiece, but rather change its appearance or, in some cases, prepare it to be joined with another wood piece. Routing, planning, filing, and shaving or paring are the activities normally done for this purpose.

Shaping is the field of woodworking where hand tools are still used most prevalently. Hand planes, files, drawknives, spokeshaves, and other hand-powered tools offer a level of precision and control that’s hard to find with power tools. The rut for their part, power tools (particularly the router) are much faster.

Whether you’re using hand or power tools, the key to good results when shaping wood is not to try to remove too much material at one time. Make a habit of making several precise, controlled passes with the tool whenever possible. This will lead to cleaner, more accurate results.

6. Clamping, Gluing:

No matter how carefully you cut project pieces and no matter how accurately you form the joints, if clamping, gluing, and fastening methods were not good, your project probably will fail.

Are two fundamental purposes of Clamping in woodworking: first, it draws wood pieces together tightly and ensures that joints that should be square are square. And second, it helps to holds elements together until the glue that will hold them together forever sets.

Having good results in these steps is dependent on choosing the best adhesive for the job, and making sure the mating surfaces are properly prepared, and applying the correct amount of glue.

Gluing is a skill every handyman should possess perfectly not just that, the products that will be used in this process should be of high quality.

7. Sanding and Finishing:

Wood finishing is fun and easy. it's the step that shows the real beauty of your woodworking art.

The role of sanding wood is to remove mill marks, which are caused by wood machines and tools, and also remove other like as dents and gouges that may have been during the process.

They are many techniques and ways and tools that can be used in this part.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading this article I hope it had been helpful for you, and don’t forget to grab your FREE guide that will shortcut the road of learning the woodworking skills, which contain step by step instructions and images.