Woodworking Crafts: The Beginner’s Guide to Woodworking

carpentry it’s a hobby that can also be a rewarding profession if you love working with your hands and building beautiful wooden furniture. When you learn the woodworking trades and become a good woodworking craftsman, you will be able to build all kinds of furniture (tables, beds, and chairs) with ease. You can then sell your finished woodworking projects and make a nice profit.

It takes time to become an expert in the carpentry trade. The nice thing about working up to that level of skilled craftsman is that you’ll 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 placing it in your living room. It will be a topic of conversation every time you have friends come to visit you. They will ask you: How did you do it? Where did you get the woodworking plans? How long did it take to complete the project? What type of wood did you use? What kind of tools did you use? How the hell did you make such a beautiful piece of furniture? As you talk about 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 think you’re too old or too young to work with wood, think again! You’re never too old or too young for such a fun hobby and it’s perfect for beginners!

Where to start in woodworking?

Start with an idea in mind of what you want to build and then come up with a really good woodworking project plan that is geared towards beginners. There are several small beginner woodworking projects available for purchase at online woodworking retail stores. Some woodworking plan suggestions to get you thinking are: a jewelry box, a music box, a clock, a birdhouse, a checkerboard or checkerboard, a rocking horse for a child, just to name a few. Of course, you can start with as big a woodworking plan as you like. Chances are though, if you start with a small woodworking project at first, you’ll have a better chance of completing the project.

Your woodworking project plan needs to include some checklists! Lists of: woodworking hardware, the amount and type of wood required, and the hand and power tools required to complete the project. Note: A word of caution about buying woodworking tools. Buy only what you need to complete your immediate or future 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 by buying a lot of tools that you may not use as often. When you buy tools, buy quality. Do some research and compare products. Buy the best you can afford at the time.

Here is my beginners list of woodworking hand tools:

A claw hammer, a set of wood chisels, a handsaw, a miter box with a saw (for cutting angles), a jigsaw, finishing punches, flat and straight blade screwdrivers, a rubber mallet ( to join pieces without damaging the wood), woodworking clamps, a wood vise, a bench planer, a rasp, a tape measure, a 12″ steel ruler, a 6″ steel square, And don’t forget wood glue and a brush to spread the wood glue! You will of course need a dry place to work and you may need a couple of sawhorses to work with.

Here is my beginner list of woodworking power tools:

Circular saw, jig saw, table saw, belt sander (for removing large amounts of material and leveling larger surfaces), orbital finish sander, 3/8″ power drill, 12v or 18v ​​cordless drill.

Here is my beginners list of woodworking safety equipment:

Safety glasses, clear safety glasses, dust mask, face shield, hearing protectors, disposable nitrile gloves

We could go on 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:

Now you have a great new hobby in woodworking, you have bought your woodworking project plan and you are very excited to start using your new woodworking tools, but how? Your woodworking project plan should provide you with step-by-step instructions and techniques to complete your project. But if you’re not sure what to do, help is available! There are several places where beginning woodworkers can learn the woodworking trade. First, subscribe to one of the many woodworking magazines available. Every month, woodworking magazine writers write a story about improving your woodworking craft. Whether it shows you how to apply a finish to a finished project or how to make a mortise and tenon, there is something new to learn every month. Next is to purchase instructional DVDs such as those created by Fine Woodworking magazine. Instructional woodworking DVDs cover topics like: mastering your table saw, how to use a router, turning wood projects, turning wood bowls, and wood finishing basics. As you can see, there are many educational resources available for the beginning woodworker to learn the woodworking trade.