Woodworking is a hobby with a lot to offer. It’s practical, and economical. You’ll be able to create gifts for your friends and family, as well as common household items, like storage units and furniture. It’s also sustainable, provided that you source your timber from the right place.
If you’d like to get started with woodworking, then there are a few things that you’ll want to first bear in mind. Let’s run through them, starting with the most important.
Safety
If you’re working with power tools, then you’ll have special safety considerations to think about. But this applies to hand-tools, too. You might think that there’s a danger you’re going to injure yourself with a saw blade – and this is a concern that you’ll mostly address by developing the right habits. Keep your hands well away from the blade. Use a riving knife on your table saw. Don’t try and cut freehand on devices that aren’t designed for it.
Other safety concerns can be addressed through the right protective equipment. Eyewear will prevent shards from blinding you. Ear protection will guard against long-term hearing loss. Footwear will ensure that your feet are protected from heavy pieces of wood.
Attend woodworking classes
There’s only so much instruction you can get from the internet. If you really want to progress quickly as a woodworker, and avoid wasting your time on common mistakes, then it’s worth making a point of finding a local instructor. You can meet a like-minded community in the process, and get more from the hobby.
Buy essential hand-tools
When you’re first getting started, you’re likely to need a whole range of different items. It’s usually a good idea to assemble them all in one go. That way, you aren’t going to be wasting your time by making multiple trips to your local DIY superstore. If you have a smaller timber merchant near to you, then it’s worth getting on good terms with them by sourcing your tools through them at the outset.
Create a woodworking setup
Once you’ve gotten your workshop in order, you’ll be able to start churning out projects. To begin with, your workspace can be as simple as a sheet of plywood and a pair of sawhorses – but once you decide to commit more time to the hobby, it’s worth establishing something a bit more permanent. Table saws and mitre saws tend to be the most effective tools to begin with.
Once your projects become more complicated, you’ll have to invest in a better workspace to hold the additional tools and materials you’ve collected. A sturdy flat woodworking workbench will also help you work on your project with ease and convenience.
Work on simple designs
To begin with, you’re going to be making plenty of mistakes. Consequently, it’s worth starting with something simple. Ideally, you’ll want to go for an outdoor project – that way, the rough edges can be easily disguised.