I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any guidelines
for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start out
with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
thanks for any recommendations.
Ken
Thanks for the suggestion Mike. I have a couple of questions though. I
have tried to follow the threads about jointers and planers but I don't
really know what those tools are and how they work. How would I flatten the
boards with the standard tools I listed? I can cut the sides pretty
straight and parallel with the RAS or TS but how would I flatten / remove
warp from the 6 or 8" side? I have a set of blades for the RAS that are
supposed to be able to plane or joint ( I don't remember right off hand) but
they scare me a bit (mighty big chunk of wood to grab at one time for the
RAS).
Also when you say to glue together are you saying I should just butt them
together with glue in between? Or should I try biscuits <sp> or dowels or
some other type of joint?
Is it really necessary to have perfectly flat boards to make something?
thanks again,
Ken
"Mike G" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> First project should be to take two pieces of stock say, about 4' long, 6"
> or 8" wide and make them both absolutely true. Exactly the same thickness,
> width, and length and all the faces are at 90 degrees to their adjoining
> faces.
>
> Next you glue the two pieces together and make a perfectly flat panel that
> meets same criteria as above.
>
> Once you have made the panel, cut it into four pieces, rabbet them for
1/4"
> ply then join them to make an open SQUARE box, no butt joints no nails or
> screws with the 1/4" ply for the bottom ( you can tack that in with a few
> brads if you are so inclined).
>
> When you have accomplished that feat, don't be afraid to scrap a hopeless
> attempts and start over again, you can start thinking about building
> something practical.
>
> Until you can accomplish those feats, which require becoming familiar with
> some very basic joinery, there is little point in chewing up good project
> wood and frustrating yourself. It will also show up and alignment problems
> with your tools and whether your measuring tools are up to the task of
> accurate measurements.
>
> Good luck
>
> --
> Mike G.
> [email protected]
> Heirloom Woods
> www.heirloom-woods.net
> "Ken Vonk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
> guidelines
> > for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start
> out
> > with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
> > types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
> > saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
> >
> > thanks for any recommendations.
> >
> > Ken
> >
> >
>
>
>Although, I would incorporate the use of hand tools
> and more importantly, learn how to set, adjust, sharpen all of your tools.
I agree one hundred percent as well as with the advice to study the subject.
I kind of left my suggestion open ended, as to with what and how. to prompt
towards reading and thinking instead of copying Norm (which, by the way,
won't work if you don't know the basics).
However, I was undoubtedly remiss in not adding the reading and hand tools
suggestion on to my own post.
Thanks for the pickup Dave, Ed.
--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
Ken Vonk asks:
>I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any guidelines
>for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start out
>with? Workbench, router table, bird house?
Bird houses will work. I can even recommend a couple books for you. Seriously,
though, check out a local adult ed class in woodworking, or cabinetmaking, or
whatever they're offering. It gets you involved faster and at lower cost than
any other way. Not all areas offer such classes, but if yours doesn't, lobby
for it a bit with the BOE.
Pick projects that you or someone you know need: my favorite seems to be
bookcases, which can vary from dead simple to amazingly complex. I'll also have
to build a enw computer desk when I move, as I'm leaving this one behind for
the trash guys. Three moves and a decade have pretty much done it in.
Charlie Self
"To create man was a quaint and original idea, but to add the sheep was
tautology." Mark Twain's Notebook
http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
Thu, Jan 29, 2004, 12:32pm (EST-1) [email protected]
(Ken=A0Vonk) puts out:
I'm am getting a shop <snip>
OK.
What kinds of projects should I start out with? <snip>
What kind do you want to start with?
I don't really know what types of wood working I'll end up making in
future. <snip>
I don't either.
I don't usually do suggestions like this, but I'd suggest a table
saw sled. Doesn't really matter how great the first one turns out,
it'll be a great learning experience.
Don't ask other people to find plans for you. There's heaps of
free plans on the web. Only ask when you've exhausted all possiblities
for yourself, and by that I don't mean make a simple search, look at 6
things and give up. When, and if, you do need help finding a plan, let
people know you've looked, and where. If you've looked at a plan and
didn't like it, let people know, irritates people to post a plan and
have you tell them you already looked at it and didn't like it.
If you want information, provide details. Lots of details. And,
if you need hinges, check in your local area. That's one of the reasons
phone books are printed. It comes across as kinda dumb if someone asks
on an international newsgroup where to find hinges, when what is wanted
is sold in the hardware store down the street.
Almost any question you will want to ask, or any plan you may want,
has already been coverd - often many times - and can be found in the
archives. Archives? Yeah, archives.
http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search?as_ugroup=3Drec.woodworking=
&lr=3D&num=3D30
If you need to search for a plan, etc., try google. Usually the
best place to start looking, because it is fast, easy, and works.
http://www.google.com/ If google doesn't do it, then you can move up to
different searches, like Dogpile, etc.
If't fine to want free plans too, myriads of them on the web, and
you can usually find a suitable one in a few seconds, or minutes at the
most. Usually a lot quicker to find something like that on your own
then to ask on rec.woodworking too. You want a birdhouse plans, you can
find hundreds, maybe thousands, with a google search, same with bird
feeders, chests, etc., and all free. You want some fun, go to google,
and type in something like, "free plans", or "free woodworking plans".
I think I need some coffee.
JOAT
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.
- Pete Maccarrone
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 29 Jan 2004.
Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
Mike is correct IMHO. Although, I would incorporate the use of hand tools
and more importantly, learn how to set, adjust, sharpen all of your tools.
My first project, many years ago was a finger (box) jointed chisel box. My
father was a stickler for sharpen before use. He would drill into me, "If it
ain't sharp, its dangerous!"
50 years latter, I still have the chisel box and the very sharp, hand made
chisels therein.
Dave
"Mike G" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> First project should be to take two pieces of stock say, about 4' long, 6"
> or 8" wide and make them both absolutely true. Exactly the same thickness,
> width, and length and all the faces are at 90 degrees to their adjoining
> faces.
>
> Next you glue the two pieces together and make a perfectly flat panel that
> meets same criteria as above.
>
> Once you have made the panel, cut it into four pieces, rabbet them for
1/4"
> ply then join them to make an open SQUARE box, no butt joints no nails or
> screws with the 1/4" ply for the bottom ( you can tack that in with a few
> brads if you are so inclined).
>
> When you have accomplished that feat, don't be afraid to scrap a hopeless
> attempts and start over again, you can start thinking about building
> something practical.
>
> Until you can accomplish those feats, which require becoming familiar with
> some very basic joinery, there is little point in chewing up good project
> wood and frustrating yourself. It will also show up and alignment problems
> with your tools and whether your measuring tools are up to the task of
> accurate measurements.
>
> Good luck
>
> --
> Mike G.
> [email protected]
> Heirloom Woods
> www.heirloom-woods.net
> "Ken Vonk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
> guidelines
> > for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start
> out
> > with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
> > types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
> > saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
> >
> > thanks for any recommendations.
> >
> > Ken
> >
> >
>
>
Dave, thanks for the post. I really almost fell out of my chair
laughing! I hope more find it that funny. I think what makes it so
funny is the scent of truth it emits. I was also in woodworking class
in the 50s.
On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 17:40:38 -0500, "Lee K" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>"Creamy Goodness" <creamy at agbf1942 dot com> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Ken Vonk wrote:
>> > I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
>> > guidelines for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects
>> > should I start out with? Workbench, router table, bird house????
>
>How To Make A Board
>
>by Dave Barry
>
>Most of what I know about carpentry, which is almost nothing, I learned in
>shop. I took shop during the Eisenhower administration, when boys took shop
>and girls took home economics -- a code name for "cooking". Schools are not
>allowed to separate boys and girls like that any more.
>
>They're also not allowed to put students' heads in vises and tighten them,
>which is what our shop teacher, Mr. Schmidt, did to Ronnie Miller in the
>fifth grade when Ronnie used a chisel when he should have used a
>screwdriver. (Mr. Schmidt had strong feelings about how to use tools
>properly.) I guess he shouldn't have put Ronnie's head in the vise, but it
>(Ronnie's head) was no great prize to begin with, and you can bet Ronnie
>never confused chisels and screwdrivers in later life. Assuming he made it
>to later life.
>
>Under Mr. Schmidt's guidance, we hammered out hundreds of the ugliest and
>most useless objects the human mind can conceive of. Our first major project
>was a little bookshelf that you could also use as a stool. The idea was that
>someday you'd be looking for a book, when all of a sudden you'd urgently
>need a stool, so you'd just dump the books on the floor and there you'd be.
>At least I assume that was the thinking behind the bookshelf-stool. Mr.
>Schmidt designed it, and we students sure know better than to ask any
>questions.
>
>I regret today that I didn't take more shop in high school, because while I
>have never once used anything I know about the cosine and the tangent, I
>have used my shop skills to make many useful objects for my home. For
>example, I recently made a board.
>
>I use my board in many ways. I stand on it when I have to get socks out of
>the dryer and water has been sitting in our basement around the dryer for a
>few days, and has developed a pretty healthy layer of scum on top (plus
>heaven-only-knows-what new and predatory forms of life underneath).
>
>I also use my board to squash spiders. (All spiders are deadly killers.
>Don't believe any of the stuff you read in "National Geographic".)
>Generally, after I squash a spider, I leave the board in the water for a few
>days, spider-side down, to wash it off, assuming the scum isn't too bad.
>
>If you'd like to make a board, you'll need:
>
>Materials: A board, paint.
>
>Tools: A chisel, a handgun.
>
>Get your board at a lumberyard, but be prepared. Lumberyards reek of lunacy.
>They use a system of measurement that dates back to Colonial times, when
>people had brains the size of M&Ms. When they tell you a board is a
>"two-by-four", they mean it is NOT two inches by four inches. Likewise, a
>"one-by-six" is NOT one inch by six inches. So if you know what size board
>you want, tell the lumberperson you want some other size. If you don't know
>what size you want, tell him it's for squashing spiders. He'll know what you
>need.
>
>You should paint your board so people will know it's a home carpentry
>project, as opposed to a mere board. I suggest you use a darkish color,
>something along the lines of spider guts. Use your chisel to open the paint
>can. Have your gun ready in case Mr. Schmidt is lurking around.
>
>Once you've finished your board, you can move on to a more advanced project,
>such as a harpsichord. But if you're really going to get into home
>carpentry, you should have a home workshop. You will find that your workshop
>is very useful as a place to store lawn sprinklers and objects you intend to
>fix sometime before you die. My wife and I have worked out a simple
>eight-step procedure for deciding which objects to store in my home
>workshop:
>
>My wife tells me an object is broken. For instance, she may say, "The lamp
>on my bedside table doesn't work."
>
>I wait several months, in case my wife is mistaken.
>
>My wife notifies me she is not mistaken. "The lamp on my bedside table still
>doesn't work," she says.
>
>I conduct a preliminary investigation. In the case of the lamp, I flick
>
>the switch and note that the lamp doesn't go on. "You're right," I tell my
>wife. "That lamp doesn't work."
>
>I wait 6 to 19 months, hoping that God will fix the lamp, or the Russians
>will attack us and the entire world will be a glowing heap of radioactive
>slag and nobody will care about the lamp anymore.
>
>My wife then alerts me that the lamp still doesn't work. "The lamp still
>doesn't work," she says, sometimes late at night.
>
>I try to repair the lamp on the spot. Usually, I look for a likely trouble
>spot and whack it with a blunt instrument. This often works on lamps. It
>rarely works on microwave ovens.
>
>If the on-the-spot repair doesn't work, I say: "I'll have to take this
>
>lamp down to the home workshop." This is my way of telling my wife she
>should get another lamp if she has any short-term plans -- say, to do any
>reading in bed.
>
>If you follow this procedure, after a few years you will have a great many
>broken objects in your home workshop. In the interim, however, it will look
>barren. This is why you need tools. To give your shop an attractive,
>non-barren appearance, you should get several thousand dollars' worth of
>tools and hang them from pegboards in a graceful display.
>
>Basically, there are four different kinds of tools:
>
>Tools You Can Hit Yourself With (hammers, axes).
>
>Tools You Can Cut Yourself With (saws, knives, hoes, axes).
>
>Tools You Can Stab Yourself With (screwdrivers, chisels).
>
>Tools That, If Dropped Just Right, Can Penetrate Your Foot (awls).
>
>I have a radial arm saw, which is like any other saw except that it has a
>blade that spins at several billion revolutions per second and therefore can
>sever your average arm in a trice. When I operate my radial arm saw, I use a
>safety procedure that was developed by X-ray machine technicians: I leave
>the room.
>
>I turn off all the power in the house, leave a piece of wood near the saw,
>scurry to a safe distance, and turn the power back on. That is how I made my
>board.
>
>Once you get the hang of using your tools, you'll make all kinds of
>projects. Here are some other ones I've made:
>
>A length of rope.
>
>Wood with nails in it.
>
>Sawdust.
>
>If you'd like plans for any of these projects, just drop some money in an
>
>envelope and send it to me and I'll keep it.
>
>Dave Barry
>
First project should be to take two pieces of stock say, about 4' long, 6"
or 8" wide and make them both absolutely true. Exactly the same thickness,
width, and length and all the faces are at 90 degrees to their adjoining
faces.
Next you glue the two pieces together and make a perfectly flat panel that
meets same criteria as above.
Once you have made the panel, cut it into four pieces, rabbet them for 1/4"
ply then join them to make an open SQUARE box, no butt joints no nails or
screws with the 1/4" ply for the bottom ( you can tack that in with a few
brads if you are so inclined).
When you have accomplished that feat, don't be afraid to scrap a hopeless
attempts and start over again, you can start thinking about building
something practical.
Until you can accomplish those feats, which require becoming familiar with
some very basic joinery, there is little point in chewing up good project
wood and frustrating yourself. It will also show up and alignment problems
with your tools and whether your measuring tools are up to the task of
accurate measurements.
Good luck
--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Ken Vonk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
guidelines
> for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start
out
> with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
> types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
> saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
>
> thanks for any recommendations.
>
> Ken
>
>
"Ken Vonk" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any guidelines
> for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start out
> with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
> types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
> saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
>
> thanks for any recommendations.
>
> Ken
Being a newbie 1.5 years ago, I think I can offer some decent advise:
Ken, I think no matter what kind of wood working you're going to do,
you WILL need a workbench. And depending on what kind of tools you
have, you could make something very simple, or very complex.
I made one out of 2x4 construction lumber, with the top made with
2x6's glued together. Not the best top in the world, as it's not very
flat, but I beat the hell out of it, paint spills, glue spill, drill
holes, etc. I attached a wood vise to it, and it has worked out
great. Cheap to build too since it's made of construction lumber.
I recommend buying plans from www.plansnow.com. Most are a great
deal, and are VERY detailed which is excellent for a beginner. You
can really learn some good basic skills. I've bought plans for a
router table, cherry cabinet, bathroom cabinet and patio table.
"Ken Vonk" wrote in message
> I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
guidelines
> for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start
out
> with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
> types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
> saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
>
> thanks for any recommendations.
Shop stuff is generally tackled first, but immediately thereafter consider
tackling a table of some sort. Tables can be elegantly simple, or very
complex, will improve your woodworking chops with each one you do, can be as
cheap as your budget allows or built from scraps, SWMBO's love them,
therefore they can be an excellent justification for more tools, and you can
always find a spot for another one somewhere in the house.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 1/23/04
"Ken Vonk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
guidelines
> for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start
out
Been there. Done that.
Start off with: stuff for the shop and stuff for Outdoors.
Workbench, Garden Bench. Other things for which you can find explicit
instructions/plans for.
Then graduate to furniture you willing to bring indoors, albeit in an
inconspicuous location.
That's where I am; the basement is accumulating my wares.
On 2004/1/30 1:35 AM, "Robert L. Witte" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> How To Make A Board
>>>
>>> by Dave Barry
>
> Geez, I can't remember when I laughed this hard. I had actual tears
> in my eyes. Great stuff!!
>
Same here. I showed it to my SWMBO and she was laughing uncontroolably.
Normally, she doesn't appreciate "guy" humor but this worked.
How many of you had a shop teacher like that one? I know that I did (and I
still have some ugly junk that I made in shop.)
Ken Vonk wrote:
> I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
> guidelines for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects
> should I start out with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I
> don't really know what types of wood working I'll end up making in
> future. I will have a table saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and
> assorted hand tools.
>
> thanks for any recommendations.
I made a bunch of small boxes from 1/4" hardboard. Cheap material, good
practice.
-- Mark
Hi Ken
I'll tack on a reply I have already made relating to the jointer/planer
question at the end
Now bear with me. I'm not trying to be sarcastic nor put you down but your
question emphasize why I made the suggestion I did and those made by others
about studying the subject and hand tools.
I'll try to hit some high points but there are probably hundreds of books
that contain the answers questions your asking and hundreds more that you
will be asking. Not only would it be impractical for me to try to recreate
the information in those books in an e-mail but there is almost always at
least three ways to accomplish a woodworking task and it is a good idea to
get at least familiar with all your options so you are able to meet changing
situations.
I like Norm but due to the limitations of a half hour show a lot of the true
nature of woodworking gets left in the dust. It isn't mysterious nor rocket
science but it does require a firm grasp of basics and a readiness to
obtain, study, and consult reference material.
Last question first. Is it necessary to have a perfectly flat boards? My
answer is yes, not only perfectly flat but with exact angles and
relationships between all the surfaces of the stock. Think about it. Say you
want to join two boards together to make two sides of your box and your
stock is cupped, the wide faces are concave, and when you cut it to make a
miter joint you cut it at a 42.5 degrees rather then an exact 45 degrees.
You may be able to join the two boards but how square will the finial
results be and how much more work and wood filler will have to be applied to
make the box look half way decent.
So, the practical answer is you can build that box without starting with
trued stock but to me it makes little sense to even try if it the results
are going to be a Mickey mouse job that will probably be an exercise in
frustration and disappointment in the finished product. The closer to
perfect you can get your stock the less frustrating it will be to put the
pieces together and the more satisfaction you will get when everything fits
together nicely on assembly just like Norm's stuff does.
Panel gluing. Butt, biscuit, other joint? Not to belabor the point but one
of the first things any reference material on woodworking will tell you is
that long grain to long grain glue joints are the strongest type of joint
and when properly made the wood will break before the joint will. So the
answer here is that while something other then plain old butt joints will
help you in alignment of the stock any added strength it provides isn't
really a factor in deciding what method to choose to make the joint.
How to flatten the face. First I have to congratulate you on your instincts
relating to the RAS planer method. It is something that can be very
dangerous. From the list of power tools you provided I would say that there
isn't one that will aid you in making that first critical flat face without
a great deal of dicking around. Hopefully, somewhere in that vague "assorted
hand tools", there is a hand plane and the ways and means to keep it sharp.
If there is that is the tool I would suggest using to flatten a face. If
there isn't I'd suggest getting one and learning the care and feeding of it.
Turning out good looking projects like Norm does is not an innate ability
that god gives nor is it some magic imparted to you by the electricity in
the power tools. It takes a firm grasp of the basics, a fair amount of
study, and lots of practice.
I'd suggest a visit to your nearest books store or a stop at
http://www.woodworkersbookclub.com and an investment in knowledge rather
then more tools.
Now that thing on jointers planers. It is meant as a basic on the purposes
of the two tools. As to whether it is better to have one over the other,
well I figure the knowledge of what they do is more important then my saying
this one or that one is the more important one too own
Joint (make flat and straight) one face (reference face) so you have
something to true (reference) the remaining three sides to. Not to be done
on a planer because the feed rollers will push out any warp and it will
reappear as the stock exits the planer. For the same reason use very little
down force when jointing.
Joint one edge with the reference face against the jointers fence. This will
give you a straight edge that is at 90 degrees to the reference face. Also
an edge to reference the next edge.,
Rip a second edge on the table saw with the reference face against the table
and the reference edge against the fence. Try to do it on the jointer and it
will give you a straight edge but not one necessarily parallel to the first
edge.
Now you can plane the piece to a proper thickness with the reference face
flat down on the planers feed table. Since the reference face is flat the
planer has no warp to press out so the face being planed will be not only be
flat but parallel to the reference face.
The jointer performs the two most critical steps in the process (the
reference face and edge) but, with sufficient dicking around, there are work
arounds. but, without the dicking around, the planer will not perform the
functions of a jointer and the jointer will not perform the functions of a
planer.
Good luck
Mike
--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Ken Vonk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Thanks for the suggestion Mike. I have a couple of questions though. I
> have tried to follow the threads about jointers and planers but I don't
> really know what those tools are and how they work. How would I flatten
the
> boards with the standard tools I listed? I can cut the sides pretty
> straight and parallel with the RAS or TS but how would I flatten / remove
> warp from the 6 or 8" side? I have a set of blades for the RAS that are
> supposed to be able to plane or joint ( I don't remember right off hand)
but
> they scare me a bit (mighty big chunk of wood to grab at one time for the
> RAS).
>
> Also when you say to glue together are you saying I should just butt them
> together with glue in between? Or should I try biscuits <sp> or dowels or
> some other type of joint?
>
> Is it really necessary to have perfectly flat boards to make something?
>
> thanks again,
>
> Ken
>
Swingman is on the right track, in my opinion. When in need for a project,
build something for SWMBO. When you get a new tool, build something for her
to show what nice work you can do with the aid of that new tool. WOOD and
Woodsmith have both done some great articles in the past on jewelry boxes,
lingerie cabinets etc. Build her something like that w/o her knowing. BOY
will she be surprised! Then when she comes to you one day and says she
really needs you to make her a this or a that...well, that's when you say,
"Yes honey, of course I could make one...if only I had a (insert next major
tool on your dream list here)".
Try it, you can always build a nice dog house if it does not work. Anything
nice you make in the shop for her Mother will earn you big points also.
DexAZ
"Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Ken Vonk" wrote in message
> > I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
> guidelines
> > for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start
> out
> > with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
> > types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
> > saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
> >
> > thanks for any recommendations.
>
> Shop stuff is generally tackled first, but immediately thereafter consider
> tackling a table of some sort. Tables can be elegantly simple, or very
> complex, will improve your woodworking chops with each one you do, can be
as
> cheap as your budget allows or built from scraps, SWMBO's love them,
> therefore they can be an excellent justification for more tools, and you
can
> always find a spot for another one somewhere in the house.
>
> --
> www.e-woodshop.net
> Last update: 1/23/04
>
>
I learned a lot when I first started working wood by doing shop projects. It
outfitted my shop with the things I'd need to further myself and any
mistakes were confined to the shop.
Made a very simple router table, then graduated to a traditional workbench.
I greatly appreciated a magazine like Woodsmith for their detailed plans and
instructions that are really helpful to someone just starting.
gary
"Ken Vonk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
guidelines
> for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start
out
> with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
> types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
> saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
>
> thanks for any recommendations.
>
> Ken
>
>
Ken Vonk wrote:
> I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
> guidelines for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects
> should I start out with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I
> don't really know what types of wood working I'll end up making in
> future. I will have a table saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and
> assorted hand tools.
>
> thanks for any recommendations.
>
> Ken
What do you need, or better yet, what does SWMBO need? It's always good to
get projects from her as we all know, every project requires a new tool.
Seriously, you might take a class at a local community college or the local
Rockler to help find your niche. I started by making a coffee table for the
living room. 10 years later it still looks good, holds up to 5 kids and
takes tons of abuse. Don't get involved with a really big project right off
the bat, stick with something small that will help you build skills. Make a
table that requires mortise and tenon joints so you learn that. Next make
something that requires a finger joint, or detail work on your scroll saw.
Each project is the opportnity to learn a new technique.
And to buy a new tool! :)
Mike Rinken
On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 12:32:25 -0600, "Ken Vonk"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any guidelines
>for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start out
>with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
>types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
>saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
>
>thanks for any recommendations.
>
>Ken
>
Workbench. Make it large and heavy.
"Creamy Goodness" <creamy at agbf1942 dot com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Ken Vonk wrote:
> > I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
> > guidelines for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects
> > should I start out with? Workbench, router table, bird house????
How To Make A Board
by Dave Barry
Most of what I know about carpentry, which is almost nothing, I learned in
shop. I took shop during the Eisenhower administration, when boys took shop
and girls took home economics -- a code name for "cooking". Schools are not
allowed to separate boys and girls like that any more.
They're also not allowed to put students' heads in vises and tighten them,
which is what our shop teacher, Mr. Schmidt, did to Ronnie Miller in the
fifth grade when Ronnie used a chisel when he should have used a
screwdriver. (Mr. Schmidt had strong feelings about how to use tools
properly.) I guess he shouldn't have put Ronnie's head in the vise, but it
(Ronnie's head) was no great prize to begin with, and you can bet Ronnie
never confused chisels and screwdrivers in later life. Assuming he made it
to later life.
Under Mr. Schmidt's guidance, we hammered out hundreds of the ugliest and
most useless objects the human mind can conceive of. Our first major project
was a little bookshelf that you could also use as a stool. The idea was that
someday you'd be looking for a book, when all of a sudden you'd urgently
need a stool, so you'd just dump the books on the floor and there you'd be.
At least I assume that was the thinking behind the bookshelf-stool. Mr.
Schmidt designed it, and we students sure know better than to ask any
questions.
I regret today that I didn't take more shop in high school, because while I
have never once used anything I know about the cosine and the tangent, I
have used my shop skills to make many useful objects for my home. For
example, I recently made a board.
I use my board in many ways. I stand on it when I have to get socks out of
the dryer and water has been sitting in our basement around the dryer for a
few days, and has developed a pretty healthy layer of scum on top (plus
heaven-only-knows-what new and predatory forms of life underneath).
I also use my board to squash spiders. (All spiders are deadly killers.
Don't believe any of the stuff you read in "National Geographic".)
Generally, after I squash a spider, I leave the board in the water for a few
days, spider-side down, to wash it off, assuming the scum isn't too bad.
If you'd like to make a board, you'll need:
Materials: A board, paint.
Tools: A chisel, a handgun.
Get your board at a lumberyard, but be prepared. Lumberyards reek of lunacy.
They use a system of measurement that dates back to Colonial times, when
people had brains the size of M&Ms. When they tell you a board is a
"two-by-four", they mean it is NOT two inches by four inches. Likewise, a
"one-by-six" is NOT one inch by six inches. So if you know what size board
you want, tell the lumberperson you want some other size. If you don't know
what size you want, tell him it's for squashing spiders. He'll know what you
need.
You should paint your board so people will know it's a home carpentry
project, as opposed to a mere board. I suggest you use a darkish color,
something along the lines of spider guts. Use your chisel to open the paint
can. Have your gun ready in case Mr. Schmidt is lurking around.
Once you've finished your board, you can move on to a more advanced project,
such as a harpsichord. But if you're really going to get into home
carpentry, you should have a home workshop. You will find that your workshop
is very useful as a place to store lawn sprinklers and objects you intend to
fix sometime before you die. My wife and I have worked out a simple
eight-step procedure for deciding which objects to store in my home
workshop:
My wife tells me an object is broken. For instance, she may say, "The lamp
on my bedside table doesn't work."
I wait several months, in case my wife is mistaken.
My wife notifies me she is not mistaken. "The lamp on my bedside table still
doesn't work," she says.
I conduct a preliminary investigation. In the case of the lamp, I flick
the switch and note that the lamp doesn't go on. "You're right," I tell my
wife. "That lamp doesn't work."
I wait 6 to 19 months, hoping that God will fix the lamp, or the Russians
will attack us and the entire world will be a glowing heap of radioactive
slag and nobody will care about the lamp anymore.
My wife then alerts me that the lamp still doesn't work. "The lamp still
doesn't work," she says, sometimes late at night.
I try to repair the lamp on the spot. Usually, I look for a likely trouble
spot and whack it with a blunt instrument. This often works on lamps. It
rarely works on microwave ovens.
If the on-the-spot repair doesn't work, I say: "I'll have to take this
lamp down to the home workshop." This is my way of telling my wife she
should get another lamp if she has any short-term plans -- say, to do any
reading in bed.
If you follow this procedure, after a few years you will have a great many
broken objects in your home workshop. In the interim, however, it will look
barren. This is why you need tools. To give your shop an attractive,
non-barren appearance, you should get several thousand dollars' worth of
tools and hang them from pegboards in a graceful display.
Basically, there are four different kinds of tools:
Tools You Can Hit Yourself With (hammers, axes).
Tools You Can Cut Yourself With (saws, knives, hoes, axes).
Tools You Can Stab Yourself With (screwdrivers, chisels).
Tools That, If Dropped Just Right, Can Penetrate Your Foot (awls).
I have a radial arm saw, which is like any other saw except that it has a
blade that spins at several billion revolutions per second and therefore can
sever your average arm in a trice. When I operate my radial arm saw, I use a
safety procedure that was developed by X-ray machine technicians: I leave
the room.
I turn off all the power in the house, leave a piece of wood near the saw,
scurry to a safe distance, and turn the power back on. That is how I made my
board.
Once you get the hang of using your tools, you'll make all kinds of
projects. Here are some other ones I've made:
A length of rope.
Wood with nails in it.
Sawdust.
If you'd like plans for any of these projects, just drop some money in an
envelope and send it to me and I'll keep it.
Dave Barry
"Wolf Lahti" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I occasionally see responses to messages that I've never seen the
> original of, and I almost always let them pass. On this one, however,
> I'm gonna ask for a repost.
>
> Pretty please?
How To Make A Board
by Dave Barry
Most of what I know about carpentry, which is almost nothing, I learned in
shop. I took shop during the Eisenhower administration, when boys took shop
and girls took home economics -- a code name for "cooking". Schools are not
allowed to separate boys and girls like that any more.
They're also not allowed to put students' heads in vises and tighten them,
which is what our shop teacher, Mr. Schmidt, did to Ronnie Miller in the
fifth grade when Ronnie used a chisel when he should have used a
screwdriver. (Mr. Schmidt had strong feelings about how to use tools
properly.) I guess he shouldn't have put Ronnie's head in the vise, but it
(Ronnie's head) was no great prize to begin with, and you can bet Ronnie
never confused chisels and screwdrivers in later life. Assuming he made it
to later life.
Under Mr. Schmidt's guidance, we hammered out hundreds of the ugliest and
most useless objects the human mind can conceive of. Our first major project
was a little bookshelf that you could also use as a stool. The idea was that
someday you'd be looking for a book, when all of a sudden you'd urgently
need a stool, so you'd just dump the books on the floor and there you'd be.
At least I assume that was the thinking behind the bookshelf-stool. Mr.
Schmidt designed it, and we students sure know better than to ask any
questions.
I regret today that I didn't take more shop in high school, because while I
have never once used anything I know about the cosine and the tangent, I
have used my shop skills to make many useful objects for my home. For
example, I recently made a board.
I use my board in many ways. I stand on it when I have to get socks out of
the dryer and water has been sitting in our basement around the dryer for a
few days, and has developed a pretty healthy layer of scum on top (plus
heaven-only-knows-what new and predatory forms of life underneath).
I also use my board to squash spiders. (All spiders are deadly killers.
Don't believe any of the stuff you read in "National Geographic".)
Generally, after I squash a spider, I leave the board in the water for a few
days, spider-side down, to wash it off, assuming the scum isn't too bad.
If you'd like to make a board, you'll need:
Materials: A board, paint.
Tools: A chisel, a handgun.
Get your board at a lumberyard, but be prepared. Lumberyards reek of lunacy.
They use a system of measurement that dates back to Colonial times, when
people had brains the size of M&Ms. When they tell you a board is a
"two-by-four", they mean it is NOT two inches by four inches. Likewise, a
"one-by-six" is NOT one inch by six inches. So if you know what size board
you want, tell the lumberperson you want some other size. If you don't know
what size you want, tell him it's for squashing spiders. He'll know what you
need.
You should paint your board so people will know it's a home carpentry
project, as opposed to a mere board. I suggest you use a darkish color,
something along the lines of spider guts. Use your chisel to open the paint
can. Have your gun ready in case Mr. Schmidt is lurking around.
Once you've finished your board, you can move on to a more advanced project,
such as a harpsichord. But if you're really going to get into home
carpentry, you should have a home workshop. You will find that your workshop
is very useful as a place to store lawn sprinklers and objects you intend to
fix sometime before you die. My wife and I have worked out a simple
eight-step procedure for deciding which objects to store in my home
workshop:
My wife tells me an object is broken. For instance, she may say, "The lamp
on my bedside table doesn't work."
I wait several months, in case my wife is mistaken.
My wife notifies me she is not mistaken. "The lamp on my bedside table still
doesn't work," she says.
I conduct a preliminary investigation. In the case of the lamp, I flick
the switch and note that the lamp doesn't go on. "You're right," I tell my
wife. "That lamp doesn't work."
I wait 6 to 19 months, hoping that God will fix the lamp, or the Russians
will attack us and the entire world will be a glowing heap of radioactive
slag and nobody will care about the lamp anymore.
My wife then alerts me that the lamp still doesn't work. "The lamp still
doesn't work," she says, sometimes late at night.
I try to repair the lamp on the spot. Usually, I look for a likely trouble
spot and whack it with a blunt instrument. This often works on lamps. It
rarely works on microwave ovens.
If the on-the-spot repair doesn't work, I say: "I'll have to take this
lamp down to the home workshop." This is my way of telling my wife she
should get another lamp if she has any short-term plans -- say, to do any
reading in bed.
If you follow this procedure, after a few years you will have a great many
broken objects in your home workshop. In the interim, however, it will look
barren. This is why you need tools. To give your shop an attractive,
non-barren appearance, you should get several thousand dollars' worth of
tools and hang them from pegboards in a graceful display.
Basically, there are four different kinds of tools:
Tools You Can Hit Yourself With (hammers, axes).
Tools You Can Cut Yourself With (saws, knives, hoes, axes).
Tools You Can Stab Yourself With (screwdrivers, chisels).
Tools That, If Dropped Just Right, Can Penetrate Your Foot (awls).
I have a radial arm saw, which is like any other saw except that it has a
blade that spins at several billion revolutions per second and therefore can
sever your average arm in a trice. When I operate my radial arm saw, I use a
safety procedure that was developed by X-ray machine technicians: I leave
the room.
I turn off all the power in the house, leave a piece of wood near the saw,
scurry to a safe distance, and turn the power back on. That is how I made my
board.
Once you get the hang of using your tools, you'll make all kinds of
projects. Here are some other ones I've made:
A length of rope.
Wood with nails in it.
Sawdust.
If you'd like plans for any of these projects, just drop some money in an
envelope and send it to me and I'll keep it.
Dave Barry
"Mike G" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> When you have accomplished that feat, don't be afraid to scrap a hopeless
> attempts and start over again, you can start thinking about building
> something practical.
> Mike G.
This sounds easier than it is. It is a good exercise and you end up with a
box that you will find some use for in the shop and a whole bunch more
knowledge. Then graduate to more simple projects. Bird house, bird feeder,
stools.
Read. Look at the pictures in magazines. See how you can utilize the tools
you have to make a particular joint.
Once you are comfortable using most tools, make a simple table to use on the
patio or next to the grill.
Make things you want or can use in the house. A tray to hold the remotes, a
tray to hold the junk on your dresser, etc. You will soon be adding
complexity to the design just for the challenge of making the joint or
appearance.
Ed
On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 12:32:25 -0600, "Ken Vonk"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any guidelines
>for newbie's to help them learn.
Work wood, make mistakes, think about the mistakes. <G> There is a
ton of help available here, chances are and "dumb" questions you might
ask are wanting to be asked by others, who may be too proud or
embarrassed to ask them. Over the years, many of the regulars here
have saved me a lot of money and time by answering _my_ stupid
questions.
There are lots of good books out there, browse your local library.
Adult Ed or private classes can be valuable.
Remember that woodworking is a hand skill that takes study and
practice, kind of like playing a musical instrument. Both the hands
and the brain need to be taught for your skills to improve.
> What kinds of projects should I start out
>with?
Anything you like! Smaller projects cost less and mistakes can be
easier to correct. Start with things that are useful or attractive to
you and go for it.
Have fun,
Barry
Shop cabinets and tables... If you screw up, off to the burn
pile..... Fine Firewood is the early product of many woodworkers.
Ken Vonk wrote:
> I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any guidelines
> for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start out
> with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
> types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
> saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
It doesn't really matter as long as you make sawdust while doing it. That's
the fun part! You can make anything you want and always remember that your
work always improves in the process. The things you make are no worse or no
better than anyone elses. We all have the ability to do great things!
"Ken Vonk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm am getting a shop together and was wondering if there are any
guidelines
> for newbie's to help them learn. What kinds of projects should I start
out
> with? Workbench, router table, bird house???? I don't really know what
> types of wood working I'll end up making in future. I will have a table
> saw, router, RAS, scroll saw and assorted hand tools.
>
> thanks for any recommendations.
>
> Ken
>
>
I second this motion.
> Seriously, you might take a class at a local community college or the
local
> Rockler to help find your niche. I started by making a coffee table for
the
> living room. 10 years later it still looks good, holds up to 5 kids and
> takes tons of abuse. Don't get involved with a really big project right
off
> the bat, stick with something small that will help you build skills. Make
a
> table that requires mortise and tenon joints so you learn that. Next make
> something that requires a finger joint, or detail work on your scroll saw.
> Each project is the opportnity to learn a new technique.
>
> And to buy a new tool! :)
>
> Mike Rinken
>
>