Woodworking Guide: A Step by Step Approach to Woodworking by Joe Moss - HTML preview

Woodworking Guide
A step by step approach to woodworking
By
Joe Moss
www.stepbystepwoodworkingprojects.com/articles

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Table of Contents

Introduction… 4 o About Wood Working… 5 o Safety & Health Concerns… 6

Where to Learn Wood Working… 9
• Online… 9
• Schools… 11
• Individual Classes… 13

What You Need For Wood Working… 14
• Books… 14
• Free Wood Working Plans Online… 16

•

 

Tools & Supplies… 18

o Saws, Measuring Tools, Hand Tools, Sharpening Tools… 19 o Materials… 26
Hardwoods vs Softwoods… 26
Adhesives… 30
Finishers and Fillers… 32

Deciding What to Build… 35 Introduction To Woodworking

Woodworking encompasses a great number of diverse activities, including turning, woodcarving, marquetry, cabinetmaking and joinery, however, every specialist craftsman or craftswoman has at some time mastered the fundamentals of measuring and marking, dimensioning, assembling and finishing – considered the basics of woodworking skills that are the core of any woodworking calling.

The ability to think in three dimensions is needed to mark out the wood for a project and to imagine how one component fits with another and in what order is required of a woodworker. You will also need to know which tools will give the best results, depending on the level of accuracy required and the properties of the wood you are using.

Dimensioning is the process of reducing raw materials accurately to size. This almost invariably entails planning components square and true – a procedure that is simple in principle but takes a lot of practice to become perfect.

Cutting and assembling a variety of joints are part of all but the simplest of woodworking projects. Long been regarded as a measure of a woodworker’s skills, joinery needs a steady hand-eye coordination, but experience will tell you the best way to fasten one piece of wood to another attractively and discreetly without sacrificing strength.

One necessary addition to these pivotal skills is an appreciation of how wood behaves. It is a unique, living material that continues to swell and contract with changes in humidity, a factor that a woodworker must deal with in the design and construction of every project. Some woods are easier to work with than others, and each piece, regardless of the species, is exclusive in the way the grain turns and twists.

There is no one right way to do anything in woodworking. The right way is the way that works best for you and what works best is a balance between the time something takes, the tools available, the pleasure you take in the process and the quality of results you are looking for.

There are arguments for both the use of hand tools and the use of machines for woodworking. Some say that using hand tools allow you to develop the ‘knack’ of cutting and shaping wood without tearing the grain. While other woodworking experts proclaim that you can often complete a project in less time with hand tools because of the set up required for the mechanical tools. Others believe just the opposite. We will discuss both options, hand tools and machine tools in this book.

With a little patience, the right tool and techniques and a good set of plans, you don’t have to be Bob Villa to build something you’ll treasure for years to come.

 

About Wood Working

Wood working is a method of building, carving or making something using wood. Wooden products are seen everywhere these days. If you want to enhance the appearance of a room in your home, then there is no doubt you can find something made of wood.

It requires a great amount of skill to make quality handmade wooden products.

Basically wood is of 3 types. They are hardwoods that is obtained from deciduous trees, man made materials that include plywood and softwoods that are obtained from evergreen trees. There are many wood workers who have made a mark in woodworking by building some of the finest architecture, furniture. Some of the popular wood workers of all times are Alvar Aalto, Norm Abram, and John Boson.

Today wood working tools are used most commonly to make furniture in the house. You will also see a variety of wood working tools at construction sites. Most wood working tools are power driven. Some of the common wood working tools that are commonly used on construction sites are chain saws, nail guns, rotary tools, routers, biscuit jointer and sanders.

For inserting a nail into the wood you should use a nail gun. A wood working tool is used for cutting polishing, carving, sanding and for many other applications. Without these wood working tools you simply cannot make a wood product. All these tools are easily available in market.

Before operating these tools you should have good knowledge about how to use these tools. If you don’t have proper knowledge, could cause you injury and the end result will look funny. Generally skilled workers such as carpenters, train for years to a high standard to handle tools efficiently enough to produce quality products.

These tools are commonly used to make products such as cabinets, chairs, dining tables. And the better quality of wood used and top craftsmanship, you can expect the price to match!

Safety First

Any discussion of woodworking machinery should begin with shop safety; hand tools require safety precautions as well. Woodworking machines are made to cut, chop, abrade, slice, drill and shave materials that are considerably harder then human skin. When used carelessly, machines are dangerous and when used properly, machines can be a wonderful help.

Wherever woodworkers gather, stories of accidents and near-misses come up sooner or later. Perhaps the term ‘accident’ is misleading here because ‘accident’ implies the injured person is a ‘victim’ of circumstances beyond their control; in most cases, it may be more appropriate to say that the ‘perpetrator’ suffers the consequences of his or her own carelessness.

Consciousness of safety is the first requirement of good craftsmanship. Here are several things you can do to protect yourself while working with wood, either with machines or hand tools.

• Wear hearing and eye protection when using saws, routers, sanders and other equipment. To keep splinters and dust out of your eyes, use large plastic safety goggles, a face shield or safety glasses.

1. Goggles – the rigid lenses of safety goggles are surrounded by a soft plastic frame that fits and seals against the contours of your face. The sides are ventilated to prevent condensation and they can be worn over prescription eye glasses.

2. Hearing protectors – earplugs and padded ear muffs protect your hearing from overexposure to noise. Always wear protectors when using noisy power tools that could cause long-term damage to your hearing.

• Keep your workshop area clean and neat so you won’t trip over a scrap of wood or an extension cord at an inconvenient moment.
• Tie up long hair; don’t wear loose-fitting clothing or any jewelry. All of these items can get caught in the machines and drag you towards the blades or other sharp parts.
• Don’t use machinery when you are tired or have consumed alcohol – any amount of alcohol, even a little bit is too much for operating machinery. This type of machinery is dangerous enough when you are fully alert, so why increase the odds of an accident?
• Focus on what you are doing at all times and take a break if you mind starts to wonder. You are most likely to have an accident when performing the same operation over and over again. Walk away for a few minutes between cuts.
• If you are not comfortable making a cut or aren’t sure if a particular cut is safe, get advice or help before you try it. Find a friendly woodworker to ask, perhaps at the local high school or college.

• Keep saw blades sharp. The harder you have to push, the less control you have over the wood. This can cause slips and loss of fingers or worse

 

• Be prepared for accidents. Consider these questions:

1. Where is your telephone?
2. Where is your first aide kit? – You should always have an extensive first aide kit available at all times.
3. Where is the nearest person who can help you? – You should never be alone while woodworking.
4. Can you give clear directions to your shop over the telephone?
5. Are you familiar with basic tourniquet and first-aid techniques?

• If a serious accident does occur, call 911, not your friend. Your friend will not be able to help you if you suddenly go into shock on the way to the hospital.

• If you should be unfortunate as to sever any fingers, take them with you to the hospital in case they can be reattached. Severed fingers should be wrapped in gauze and soaked in a cup of salty water that is kept cold in ice; the fingers should never touch the ice.

Health concerns –

Breathing sawdust is not healthy; it can be allergenic, toxic and carcinogenic. The sawdust from some imported woods, including teak, is particularly harmful and is know to cause skin rashes and repertory problems several studies have shown that woodworkers have a high rate of nasal cancers.

Because even a little sawdust can clog sinuses and aggravate allergies, try to wear a mask whenever you make dust, whether it’s from machinery or sandpaper or sweeping the floor. Masks range from thin paper with an elastic strap to the thick rubber with a replaceable toxic-fume-proof filter. They heavy-duty masks are generally unpleasant to wear so some compromise will need to be made between efficiency and comfort.

Some of the solvents and finishes used in furniture finishing are also allergenic, toxic and carcinogenic. Petroleum distillates in commercial oil finishes, naphtha and benzene are all suspicious of contamination. Because many of these solvents are toxic to the human body by breathing or through skin contact, it’s a good idea to wear rubber gloves and a toxic-vapor mask when working with them.

Wood shop accidents happen in an instant, especially with power tools. The results can be irreversible and even life-threatening. Your first line of defense against mishaps is really simple; Think Before Acting. Respect the capabilities and dangers of your tools and know how to use them safely.

Plan your work so you can get help lifting or moving heavy objects. Set high standards for tool maintenance and operations. Never use dull blades or bits. Remove guards and other safety devices only when absolutely necessary. And keep your work area clear of debris and clutter.

Where to Learn About Wood Working
Online

Wood working training online is a type of training in which person can learn different techniques in wood working through the internet. There are a number of institutes who provide such training. These institutes, which provide wood working training online, have their own website through which the training is conducted. A person willing to join such training program can sign up with them through the same website.

During such sign up, he will have to make an account for himself. He has to choose an identity name and a password. These are required to log on to the wood working training online course.

During this process they will get all the information about the basic ideas of wood working. A person will get to learn different techniques, which are used for wood working. Moreover, a person will also learn some standard patterns, designs, and styles of wood work pieces. The training about the use of the different tools and machines, which are used for wood working, also is an important part of wood working training online.

Moreover, some specialization course for the wood working training is available. Some examples of such types of courses are the course for making decorative articles, courses for non commercial wood workers, and courses for commercial wood workers.

There are many options for wood working training online. Therefore, you can choose according to your convenience. These courses provide different offerings to the users. Therefore you should first see what the website i.e. institute would offer to you up on joining their wood working training online program.

Moreover, the second most important thing that type should consider is the charges they would place on you. There are some websites, which provide free online training. However, most of the times in such cases the contents of the course are poor. The paid online training courses provide a lot of knowledge and training for wood working. Even though, they will charge for whatever they provide be assured as they will be even more useful.

Wood working training online will not provide you any certificate upon the completion of the course. Moreover, it does not even provide practical training. However, the theoretical knowledge that is obtained is very useful. Such knowledge and tips will make wood working a much simpler job.

Such training can be useful for both commercial as well as non commercial wood workers. Moreover, all this you can obtain even from the comfort of your own home.

 

Schools

A program from wood working schools will generally include the subjects as mathematics, materials used for wood working, tools and equipments used for wood working, common standard patterns and plans for making the structures as furniture, doors, windows, floors, etc. also the practices as polishing, finishing, coloring are the jobs of the wood workers. These are among the basic skills required for wood working.

However, wood is being used in some complex structures as well. For example making houses, roofs, and for some other engineering applications as well. For these types of wood working, specialization courses are provided by some wood working schools. During these courses the skills, reading and understanding the structural plans, blue prints, etc and the basics of structural engineering.

Apart from the skills and the specializations taught during the course, the employers themselves may give additional training to the person whom their hire. This is important even on the completion of the course because, the requirements and the specifications will vary from employer to employer.

Ideally, the duration of the course will be around 2 to 4 years. This is the ideal time required for learning and developing the skills required for wood working. These courses are similar to the other graduation courses. The students after successful completion of these courses will get the degree of graduation in wood working.

While choosing from the wood working schools, any should consider whether the school is recognized. The certificates of only such schools are considered valid by the employers. Moreover learning wood working is not that simple. It may take some time. Therefore, the quality of education that they will provide is important too.

As mentioned earlier the students who has done a course at a wood working school will have an upper hand over others in finding jobs. In some of the top wood working schools, employers themselves may hold campus recruitment programs. Moreover, the skills and techniques that these schools will teach will be beneficial in seeking a career in wood working.

 

Individual Classes

These classes teach you from making a small thing like a candle box to big things like dining sets. Learning wood working products at home without taking the help of wood working classes is a difficult task.

Information about various wood working classes is available on the internet. There are wood working classes for kids as well as for adults. Wood working classes are equipped with various power tools and a number of wood working books. A very important feature of wood working classes is that they are affordable. Fees are reasonable. You don’t have to spend a fortune to learn wood working.

Students who join these classes are given projects that help them to acquire the fundamental skills of wood working. These projects will give you confidence in operating some hand tools in a correct way. After successfully completing these projects you are qualified to attend more advanced classes.

Here you work on projects such as making furniture. You also learn how to effectively use wood working tools such as routers and scroll saw and other power tools. You will enjoy wood working in these classes.

What You Need For Wood Working
Wood Working Books

These wood working books tell you how to decorate the house using wood working. If you have any queries regarding wood working then you can refer back to the book. Even for the pros, books have become a standard reference.

In these books you will get professional advice on a variety of wood working topics. Written by professionals who have years of experience in the wood working industry. So if you are a wood worker but you don’t have sufficient knowledge about finishing a product then you can refer to finishing books. Carpenters working on any wooden furniture generally find difficults at some point. And that's the time you can take help from a joinery book.

Wooden working books will tell you the techniques and tips that are used to create a durable and a beautiful wooden product. Your furniture will be durable if the joints are sturdy. These books will explain you how to create sturdy and long lasting joints. Books can pass along the secrets and skills that are required to make perfect furniture.

They also provide you the latest information on machinery that deal in processing wood. Cutting tools should be used properly. An extra cut may damage and weaken the furniture. These books tell you the techniques of using any specialized tools. Fine wood working books give professional advice about creating consistently identical furniture using templates.

If crafters want to hone their skills in various projects then they must take the help of these wood working books. You project may range from making special bowls and boxes to toys and hat stands. Whatever your project, books can really help for the best results.

Books will teach you to use wood carving tools efficiently and correctly. And tell you how to easily make fundamental wood carving cuts such as stabbing, running, sweeping and sliding using wood working tools.
If you want to develop the skills of molding and shaping a wooden product then you should read a turning books. They can provide exercises that enhance your existing skills.

Wood Working Plans Online

Free wood working plans can give an idea about how to design a particular wood working product. They also give information about the material that has to be used in making a certain product.

A wide range of free wood working plans are available on the internet. Indeed you will get valuable information from free wood working plans that can be used for home renovation purposes. On some websites amateur wood workers share their experience, tips and ideas that make up for great free wood working plans. Some free wood working plans that are commonly used are bookcase plans, bed plans, shed plans, workbench plans and entertainment centre plans

Cherry Bookshelf plans: It consists of 13 pieces that are screwed and dadoed together. The shaping and joinery is done with the help of drill press and a table saw. The bookshelf has slats and pyramid top posts. Cherry wood is used as it is lighter. You can use other types of wood such as quatersawn white oak. For building this bookcase you require screws, screw hole plugs, slates and shelves. The dimensions of these items will differ according to your requirements.

Break Down Chair Plans: This high backed chair and has no wedges or pegs. You can easily make 2 chairs out of 4’x8’ sheet of good quality plywood. It is very easy to make these chairs.

Antiqued Table plan: Clear pine is used to make this antiqued beauty. Tools that are required to make this table are trim saw or handsaw, bits and drill, spray bottles, wet rag and belt or orbital sander. Materials that are required to make this table include legs, apron, fastening strips and table top. You also require screw and washer, shellac and carpenter’s glue and 8 hanger bolts. Depending on the size of table you want, you should select the dimensions.

Circular Kitchen Table Plan: Solid black walnut wood is used to make this kitchen table. The tabletop which has a radius of 2 feet is a perfect circle. The circular top is on a pedestal base which is constructed using laminated bridle joints. Warmth of this wood enhances as tung oil and polyurethane are used for protecting the finish. The contemporary design of this antique table is much more attractive than formal dining style. Jointer, jigsaw, hand router and some other tools are required to make this piece.

Mahogany bed plan: This ideal master piece is ideal for any bedroom décor. The bed is made from solid mahogany. The bed with its contemporary style has convenient rail hangers A series of slats are required for supporting the bed. A box spring is not required once you use these slats. Depending on the thickness and length of the mattresses the dimensions of the bed will vary. The dimensions should be such that it should be able to handle queen size mattresses. The bed is designed in such a way that you can disassemble it easily.
Jewelry Box plans: This elegant case has a simple design. If there are some beautiful small wooden boards in your house then you can make this box on your own. It won’t take you long to build this attractive box. This can indeed be a perfect last minute gift for a friend.

Woodworking Tools and Supplies

The wood working supplies are the things i.e. the tools that are used for the wood working. Most of them are common and are used for any type of wood working project. Some of the common ones are given bellow.

The table saw – cutting is the most general activity in wood working. The table saw is a simple and small tool, which you can use for cutting the small pieces of timber. As it will be required in every project, it is one of the prime tools, which a wood worker should have.
Band saw – it can be used for cutting the large pieces of wood, ripping wood, etc. moreover it can be used for cross cutting, or cutting the wood in the form of circles, etc. it is thus a multipurpose tool.

Drilling machine – drilling holes in the wood too is among the most common activities in wood working. The drilling machine is the tool that helps to do so. Today automatic drilling machines are available which work on electricity. And it does not matter how tough the wood may be, it will drill through it within seconds.

A set of tools – a set of tools will contain the simple tools as hammer, screw drivers etc. these tools are used for the number of small activities in the wood working as fitting nails, screws, pulling removing them, etc. in the market the set is usually available as a whole. Its contents may vary according to the supplier.

The router – is a tool that is useful for directing or routing the wood as we cut it with saw or any other machine. They facilitate the wood worker to have very smooth and regular cuts.

These are only among some of the wood working supplies that all the wood workers will have. Apart from these, some other types of wood working supplies are also used for the special purposes, by the commercial wood workers.

As mentioned earlier wood working supplies are the important for every wood worker. While buying them the wood worker should be careful. He should take care that they are made from the good quality material. The wood working supplies made from poor quality steel, quickly loose their sharpness.

Moreover, the wood working supplies also tend to become rusty. Therefore it is important that they are correctly looked after so to prevent this. Ideally, a proper storage box should be used.

Any wood working supplies should be kept away from children as they are very sharp and hence can easily injure them.

 

Saws

There are many things to consider when choosing a saw blade – making safe, smooth cuts with your radial arm saw, table saw; compound slider miter saw or chop saw depends on having the correct blade for the tool and, for the kind of cut you would like to make. Performance varies from blade to blade and presently, not a lack of them in the stores today, so choose wisely.

There are blades that are intended to do a number of things. Some blades are for crosscutting wood, ripping wood, cutting veneered panels and plywood, cutting melamine, cutting non-ferries metals and cutting plastics and laminates. Combination blades and general purpose, these blades are for using two or additional kinds of cuts. The amount of teeth, the gullet, the hook angles (the tooth angle) and the tooth configuration all determines how good the saw blade is.

Measuring Tools

Many of the frequent troubles in woodworking are out of a four-sided figure frames, casework, joints that fit poorly, etc. can be traced back to the measuring and marking mistakes. The culprit is usually only a matter of using the incorrect measuring and marking too for the job. A tape measure was not calculated for the extremely accurate measurements that most woodworking projects require.

Making for some exacting work, in most woodworking projects, the first thing you do is marking and measuring linear dimensions. Miscalculations as small as 100th of an inch when marking and measuring in such complicated joinery or small, tight parts will later show up as gaps in joints or uneven parts or a host of other less-than-perfect results.

Depending on how correctly you are able to interpret a measurement into an objective mark on a piece of wood is the outcome of measuring from point 1 to point 2. Holding down a tape measure while trying to accurately mark off a measurement is a difficult task, mainly because tape measures are not meant to lay flat. An accurately calibrated and readable marking and measuring tool is needed for all woodworking projects.

Rules and tape measures –

Since even the best measuring tools are relatively inexpensive, most woodworkers acquire a variety of rules and tape measure to meet different need. However, it is advisable to use the same rule or measuring tool throughout the project, just in case there is any variation between one tool and another. Purchase both rules and tape measures with standard and metric graduations – but take care not to confuse one system with the other once you have begun to mark out a work piece. You can measure one piece of wood accurately and then use it as a template for the other pieces if more than one of the same size is needed, this will save you time in the marking and measuring department.

1. Tape measure – retractable steel tapes, measuring from 6 to 16 ft (2 to 5m) long, are usually graduated along both edges. A lock button prevents the tape from retracting automatically. Some tape measures incorporate a liquid-crystal display that tells you how far the tape had been pulled from its case; a built-in memory retains the measurements when the tape is retracted. Self-adhesive steel tapes are sold without cases fro sticking along the front edge of a workbench.

2. Four-fold rule – The folding carpenter’s rule made from boxwood with brass hinges and end capes is still popular among traditional artist. Most folding rules are 3ft (1m) in length fully extended. Because it is relatively thick, you have to stand a wooden rule on edge in order to transfer measurements accurately to the work. Similar rules made from plastic are sometimes made with beveled edges to overcome this problem.

3. Straightedge – every workshop needs at least one sturdy metal straightedge, measuring between 1ft 8in