Woodworking is a fulfilling hobby. A woodworker has the skills to create unique and intricate furniture that you will not be able to find in IKEA. However, even the finest woodworker was once a novice. If you want to become a master woodworker, here are the things you need to do first.
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Woodworking is not as easy as nailing two pieces of plywood together. There are a lot of techniques that go into the craft that will not only guide you as you create your own masterpiece, but will also keep you safe. You will also have to familiarize yourself with plywood joinery, miter cuts, and other terms and jargons that are unique to woodworking.
Before you begin your first project, it is best to arm yourself with all the necessary information. Start by watching a couple of free video tutorials on YouTube or borrow books on carpentry from your local library. Do not worry; there are many available resources both online and offline that will help you become a master in no time.
Go Easy
As a beginner, do not expect to come up with furniture with complex parts and details. You will eventually gain the knowledge and skills that will enable you to add fancy designs to your piece. However, in the meantime, you should tackle a simple project. A bookshelf or a coffee table are easy projects that a beginner can accomplish.
During your first project, you will learn how to make accurate measurements, cut wood into different pieces, and then join them all together. You will also likely make a lot of mistakes building your first project. It would be a lot less frustrating, not to mention cheap, to start over with simple furniture than one with delicate parts and details.
Do Not Shop for All the Tools Yet
One thing you could do as soon as you decide to make your own furniture is to go online and fill your cart with the newest and best power tools. This is a common mistake. Most tools will need a certain level of expertise, so do not go overboard and get only what you need. The power tools you will probably use on your first project are an electric drill, jigsaw, and sanding machine.
If you know someone who is an experienced carpenter, it is best to borrow their tools for your first project and ask them to give you a tutorial on how to use their machinery.
Get a Partner
As they say, two heads are better than one. If you are starting out, it is better to have a partner to help you or, at least, monitor that you are handling tools safely. Invite a friend who is also interested in woodworking or someone who has more experience building furniture to help you out. Offer to help them out in their own project in return.
A partner will not only provide an extra pair of hands to hold the other end of the measuring tape in place, but they will also make the experience more enjoyable.
Your first project will not be perfect. That is okay. As long as your creation is durable and serves the purpose, then you have done well. While you, or another woodworker, may be able to point out where you made a mistake, be assured that a casual observer will not notice any flaw. Finish your first project and move on to the next one. As time goes by, as long as you keep practicing, you will make fewer mistakes and truly become a woodworker.