Basic Woodworking Skills for Starters

                                                                    

In these days of DIY, there is no better time to start learning woodworking. After you have mastered the art, you can make thousands of beautiful DIY projects which can fetch you a good income if you decide to turn it into a business. Besides, woodworking is an expression of creativity and your projects can give you great joy and satisfaction.

 Woodworking may seem daunting if you are just starting out. It could be challenging to choose the right type of wood for a project or the necessary tools you will need to complete the project. Taking woodworking classes can help but if you are starting out on a tight budget, there are certain skills you can learn on your own and put to use as an amateur.

 Choosing the right tools 

There are two types of woodworking tools. These are hand tools and power tools. Most of the projects you will be working on as a beginner can be done using hand tools. Power tools are more advanced and require more skills although they make the tasks easier. After you have acquired some basic skills, it will be expedient to get some basic hand tools as well as a few power tools. These will make life easier. Here are 5 tools you should consider acquiring:

 

1. Power drill

 

2. Brad nailer

 

3. Power sander

 

4. Miter saw

 

5. Kreg Jig

 You can complete a lot of woodworking tasks with relatively inexpensive tools by acquiring the following skills:

Cutting materials

Learn how to use a jig saw and a hand saw to cut materials. They are quite affordable and they will work for majority of the projects you will be working on. A jig saw has a reciprocating blade which is easy to change while you are cutting different materials. They are great for making odd cuts and curves. Hand saws are non-powered and you can use them to make straight cuts which do not require precision. After acquiring some skills, you can get a circular saw which you can use to make long, straight and precise cuts. Hand saws are good for beginners although you’ll need to get different saws for different types of materials.

 Selecting the right wood

There are various types of wood, each having its own moisture content and the way they react to atmospheric conditions. These will impact on the type of paint, glue or stain you are going to apply. You should also learn how to place the wood board in the appropriate direction given the wood grain.

 Learn how to drill holes

You can practise drilling holes with a cordless drill if you have one. You’ll need to pay particular attention to marking off the depth for drilling and how to be more precise when you are drilling. Practise makes perfect, this is also true of learning to drill holes.

 Choosing screws

Screws come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and choosing screws for a particular project can be confusing. It is good to know about the common ones and when to use them. For example, wood screws have flat heads and unthreaded shanks. You’ll need a pilot hole which you can make with a drill bit before you can screw them into wood.

 Drywall screws are like wood screws but they are generally longer and they have rough threads. Sheet metal screws have a finer pitch and are threaded to the head. They are shorter than wood screws and they also require a pilot hole to screw them in. Machine screws are stronger and you will require a bolt or a nut to secure them.

Sanding

Very often, you’ll have to sand your woodworking projects to give them a perfect finish. Selecting the right type of sand paper for a job can sometimes be confusing. For beginners, hand sanders are easy to use but they will obviously take more time to give you a perfect finish than more powerful sanders like the orbital or belt sanders. The important thing to take note of about sanding is that you should be sanding with the timber’s grain and not against it so as not to leave any scratches behind.

 Sharpening your tools

It goes without saying that you should develop a habit of sharpening your tools. Using dull tools is not only inefficient but it can be dangerous.

 Final thoughts

Like most other vocations, acquiring the right skills and applying them correctly is the way to master the art of woodworking. As you acquire more skills, making your projects will become easier and more rewarding. Get the basic tools you need and get to work.