Popular Woodworking Man has worked with wood since the age of cavemen and modern day man is no different. Centuries ago man had to know how to work with wood to shelter his family - these days it's not so life-and-death. These days there are a lot of power tools involved in the woodworking process and it can be a dangerous hobby for a newcomer. It is therefore an idea to get some sort of information on woodworking hardware and general woodworking tools. Woodworking for beginners will involve a lot of different new subjects to learn including tools, joinery, types of woods, woodworking safety and many more. In this section of Betterhomes And Gardens we will be reviewing a woodwork product called Ted's Woodworking - a woodworking product for any skill level of carpenter. |  |
Start Woodworking
So what do you need to start woodworking? You should really start with a handful of hand tools. Below is a short list of tools you may want to purchase ( or pinch off one of your mates!!! ).
- Hack saw
- Basic hammer
- A set of screwdrivers
- Different sized nails
- A set of chisels
- A square
- Clamps
- A workbench
Don't just buy these hand tools - use them! Try each one and learn a few techniques with them. You will be surprised at how quickly your skills will evolve if you just try things. Once you are happy with your level you should move on to a couple of power tools. There are two main power tools I would recommend to a beginner: a drill & a jigsaw. Now, your not going to be able to build elaborate woodworking furniture with these two power tools but you'll be able to build a few reasonably impressive projects.
When it comes to the money side of power tools there is a large enough chasm between the cheapest and the most expensive. So called professionals who work in D.I.Y. stores will always advise you to go for the more expensive power tool but I disagree. Buy a cheaper model and use it like crazy - it will probably last at least a year of hard working, if and when it breaks then you should probably look at going up-market a bit and buy a more professional model.
Once you've got your head around the jigsaw and a drill then you should really start looking at purchasing a circular saw. This saw tends to cut a faster than a basic jigsaw and it is much easier to make a straight cut with. It's also very handy when you are looking to cut large boards of wood like plywood for instance.
Get a Toolbox - Stanley 197514 24-inch Tote With Organiser
Your basic tools are going to need to be stored in a safe, organised place. The Stanley 197514 Tote is a great beginners toolbox with a lot of space for a reasonable price. It's a 24 inch plastic tool box which offers safety and dry storage for all your tools.
The tool box is made with tapered safety corners and stability feet. It is constructed out of strong waterproof plastic for extra strength. The tool box has a clear storage compartments on the top lid with compartment trays with movable dividers that can be moved around to suit the users storage requirements.
The top tray is portable and is designed tools and small parts. Once removed it allows large tool storage inside the tool box. The toolbox weight is 3.2kg, 3.5kg when it is product-boxed. If you are interested in finding out more information along with user reviews of this product simply click the link below:
Woodworking Questions And Answers
In this section we will cover as many of the common woodworking questions as possible and supply solutions to each one. The questions are in bold type and the answers are in common text.
1. Why would I use sugar soap on painted wood?
Over time items of woodwork that have painted finishes tend to get a film over them - especially if you have a smoker in the house. Sugar soap gently removes stains and film coverings to paintwork on wood and is especially good for preparing wood for a new coat of paint.
2. How to get rid of larvae inside woodwork?
Woodwork larvae are generally termed as 'woodworm'. If you spot holes appearing in the wood then it's already to late - these are exit holes for the woodworm. Get a commercial woodworm killer and spray into the holes, this will kill anything inside and also poison the wood so new insects will avoid it.
 | 3. How do you repair scratches and cuts to woodwork? Normal child's crayons can be used to great effect on scratches. This is not the case however with french polishing - you will need to get an expert in to repair the scratch. 4. How do you set up a woodwork router? It depends on what you are doing with it. Generally you set up a datum edge, an edge you know is square and you can take your measurements from. Then set the height of the cutter and the distance from the datum. 5. Workbench or Workmate? No matter what good things you hear about Workmates they are not advised for beginners. A newbie is much better off getting some 'saw horse' hinges and building a work bench at the correct height for themselves. |
6. Whats the difference between carpentry and joinery?
Carpentry tends to take place on a building site - things like windows, doors and roofs. Joinery is a little more elaborate, things like building cabinets. Put simply, joiners join wood, while carpenters fix it.
7. What are the first hand tools I should buy?
The first recommended tools a beginner should buy are crosscut saw and a bench plane. The crosscut saw is relatively easy to set up and cuts through most types of wood/boards. You should try and go for a number 4 or 5 bench plane.
Ted's Woodworking - Popular Woodworking
Ted's Woodworking is a product aimed at the newcomer to woodwork and at the same time the more experienced carpenter. The simply put guide is able to provide the most experienced woodworker with new and exciting challenges. So who is Ted and why is he pushing us to start woodworking? Ted Mcgrath is a carpenter and woodworker for many years now and is considered an expert in this field. The guide he is offering is in a step-by-step format and offers a staggering 16,000 projects of varying levels. Examples of some of the easy-to-follow instructions are displayed in the picture below:
The projects are well laid out in with good detail and highlight the list of materials needed, measurement diagrams and most importantly diagrams of the finished article. At the start of every Ted's Woodworking project there is a detailed list of all the materials and tools you are going to need to complete the task. How many of us out there have started out a woodworking project only to see it rot away, half finished in the outside shed. This usually occurs when the project starts out easy enough but lacks proper explanation half way through. This type of frustration is not down to the person but instead it is down to the poor set out instructions. Ted's Woodworking is set out in video format as well as written information. I found this helpful as sometimes reading instructions can become a little confusing - being shown, first hand through a video can be a much clearer way to learn. |  |
 | Once purchased you are also given free access into the members area. This is a type of forum full of fellow woodworkers where there is help for every type of question related to the product and all other woodworking factors. The manual itself comes in a downloadable format. As a warning though it did take a little longer than normal to download everything offered but this is mainly because of the amount of content given with the product ( 16,000 design plans and extras ). For anyone that is looking to gain solid knowledge in woodworking this 'woodworking know how' ticks all the boxes. The fact that you receive 16,000 design plans means that this package will keep carpenters and woodworkers busy as long as they want. For access to the official Ted's Woodworking website please feel free to simply click the link provided below. |
Rolson Tools 36820 60 Piece Screwdriver Set in Blow Moulded Case
If you are looking for a complete solution when purchasing your scewdrivers and a toolbox then this professional set could be for you. It is a sturdy 60 piece tool kit which includes standard and precision screwdrivers.
This set comprises of 8 standard screwdrivers ( cross point and plain slotted ) along with a 1/4 inch hex bit holding screwdriver. There are also a generous range of sockets included. All tools are supplied in a blow moulded storage case and has a box weight of 1.9kg. All the handles have black and yellow safety grips. If you are interested in finding out more information and user reviews on this product simply click the link below: |  |
