Woodworking Instructions - Wood Conditioners

Woodworking instructions on wood conditioners is the one step of finishing your project that is least understood by people who do woodworking at home. When to use it, what is it, and what does it do? These are all frequently asked questions that I'm are going to answer for you.

When to use it? When ever you are staining wood that does not absorb stain evenly. Soft woods like pine, and hard woods like maple, and cherry are the ones that are commonly pretreated with a wood conditioner. If you are applying a clear coat no pretreatment is needed, and even grained hardwoods like ash and oak do not need it either.

What is it? Wood conditioner is simply thinned polyurethane, in the proportions of two parts thinner and one part poly. It's something that you can readily mix yourself and avoid paying a premium price when you probably have what you need lying around your garage or basement. A word of caution, this will only work for oil and lacquer based varnishes. You can not use water-based products for mixing your own, it will not work as you intend for it.

What does it do? It partially fills the pores of the wood to control the rate of absorption. The can of a popular wood conditioner states that "you should wait 2 hours before you stain," but varnish takes about 8 hours to dry depending on temp and humidity. You need to wait the 8 hours if you want to stop the stain from blotching. Something you also need to keep in mind is that when you use a wood conditioner, it will lighten how dark the stain will get because the wood will not absorb as much stain any longer, so choose your color with that in mind. It also helps to do a test board if color is critical.

There is no reason you can't have a great looking finish every time if you just follow a few simple steps and keep in mind what you are trying to accomplish.

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Woodworking and Keeping Your Workshop Organized

All woodworking workshops are not created equally, and I guess that goes without saying. Nevertheless, if you want your woodworking work area to be created more equally than the others, then perhaps, we should talk. You see, whether you are a master finish carpenter or you just like to create and build do-it-yourself projects, there is, and there always will be a right way and a wrong way to go about it. The rule of thumb being of course, "measure twice, cut once" and if you don't understand that or you are new at this, you'll soon find out why.

First, I'd like to discuss keeping your workshop organized, and clean, that's where it all starts. Sure there are folks that don't and still create some great stuff, but they are far from the perfectionist that would embody and perfectly completed project - one you can be proud of and have for generations to come.

One of the best tools, I've ever seen is the Workstation Caddy which is made by "The Perfect Caddy Company" out of Wisconsin. This is a portable work stand which can hold all of your tools, one you can move around your workshop or garage, keeping everything in order and out of the clutter.

The second thing I recommend that you get is a really solid vacuum system. Yes, you can get a Craftsman 6 horsepower shop vacuum, but it's just not the same as an industrial grade unit. Yes, there is a big difference in costs, but if you've graduated from infrequent hobbyist to serious hobbyist or professional, really that's what you are going to need. Remember sawdust is a serious fire hazard, not something to fool around with.

Next, it is both your skill as a woodworker, your planning, and your patience that will make all the difference. There are some stellar articles about woodworking online, by what I'd consider some of the best woodworkers in the country, folks that specialize in Cabinet Making, Wood Carving, and wood decks, bars, gazebos, etc. - I recommend that you read some of these articles and also subscribe to Woodworking Magazine.

If you are looking for some decent Woodworking Projects, I'd also like to recommend you check out Popular Mechanics each month, as there are some awesome project in there with custom plans, list of supplies needed, and modification options as well. If you love woodworking it just might run deep in your blood, as our ancestors made wood their material of choice, and made just about everything out of it. There is quite a bit of history there. So, please consider all this.

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Picking Out What Woodworking And Carpentry Tools You Will Use

While it isn't necessary to have an arsenal of professional woodworking and carpentry tools to achieve very satisfying results in your projects, anyone who decides to pursue the fascinating hobby of woodworking will need to assemble some basic tools. in determining what tools you absolutely need you will be guided by how much you have to spend, what type of woodworking and carpentry projects you're going to tackle, and what kinds of woods you're going to be working with.

As you consider what types of projects to make, you will first have to give serious consideration to the space you have in which to purse your woodworking hobby. Your choices will depend on the size and the dynamics of the space you have available for your work. While these are all important considerations, keep in mind that some very satisfying projects can be created by the simplest hand tools. Many competent woodworkers have begun in a small space with very limited tools and expanded their hobby over time to encompass much larger facilities and many more elaborate and involved equipment.

Any task is easier to perform when we have the tools that fit the to the job. For this reason, as you select the plans for project, an important question to ask is what tools it will take to properly complete this project and if you can accomplish it with the tools you have. With increased skills, you will find you can accomplish many things with your imagination and just a few tools.

There is perhaps no tool more powerful than your imagination and the power it can give you to overcome any difficulty-you might encounter as you search for the correct tool to perform a particular task. You will probably gain a real sense of satisfaction when you look at your finished project and remember how exciting it was to come up with your own solution to a seemingly impossible dilemma.

Many would be woodworkers and carpenters are intimidated when they realized just how many tools are available for this fascinating hobby. They are often relieved to learn how many projects can be completed with a small number of simple tools, which are easily found in most homes. Among this list of simple tools would be a saw, a hammer. While a set of chisels would be nice, one will do to begin. You will also want a good utility knife, a drill and bits, a wood plane and a set of screwdrivers.

A workbench is one of the basic components of any woodworking and carpentry shop, so it is not surprising that many people choose this as their first project. There are as many plans as there are people to build them, many free or very inexpensive. In making your choice for a workbench, such factors as your skill as a carpenter and woodworker, or budget for the project, and how much space you have available for this will all factor in your decision. As you build your workbench you might decide that an electric saw will make things easier than I handsaw. You might also find that such tools as an electric drill and an electric sander make the project easier to complete.

As your skill level and needs increase, and you consider the purchase of additional more complicated tools, consult the various articles and reviews that you'll find in magazines and online to see what others in the woodworking hobby find useful in completing their projects. Online woodworking forums are an excellent place for beginners to learn from more experienced woodworker's which tools they find the most useful and which simply take up space on their workbench.

While it is important to choose the right tools in woodworking and carpentry, the goal is simply to start creating and enjoy this hobby. In all likelihood you will also enjoy the recognition, admiration, and even respect you'll receive from all who see your work. You will also receive tremendous admiration from the people who received one of your woodworking and carpentry projects. Can you picture the excited face on a child as you hand them that special toy that you made just for them? How about the pleasure on your spouse's face when you bring out that piece of furniture of that book case that you may just for them? It is very likely that the things you make will be treasured by those who receive them and passed down to future generations.

Be prepared to receive a great deal of satisfaction both from the hobby of carpentry in woodworking and from the pleasure your projects will bring to others.

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The most popular woodworking projects, tips and wooden floors

Someone who deals with any type of woodworking as a hobby really needs to be sure that they know not only the basics of woodworking projects itself on safety factors.

In addition to this there are several other things that one must keep in mind when becoming involved in woodworking.

Getting Organized

To start with any project that you are going to undertake in joinery is going to need more likely some sort of plan. It is often of plans which can be bought in almost any of the centres or supply on the line. The whole reason for having a plan is to provide guidelines to give you step-by-step instructions throughout the entire project. Once you become really advanced the woodwork that there is no reason why it is not possible to design their own plans.

Meanwhile, however, to avoid a lot of costly mistakes and failed projects you really need to start with a fairly simple if woodworking is new to you.

There are many things with you helps a woodworking plan. Not only it gives you instructions on how to build the project that will give you a list of materials that are going to have to be able to do so.

You will find that if you attempt to proceed without a plan that would soon become frustrated with your efforts and run the risk of putting your hobby site of woodworking. This could be more disappointing and costly to you if you have invested in some woodworking equipment and tools that are needed for this hobby.

Knowing what you're working with

Apart from that your plans will include materials that you are going to need. You're about to discover that there are several pieces of equipment. What kind of equipment and how much will depend on the specific project that you are about to begin. Most likely you will find that in your planning package that will also give you a list of the tools that you will need to complete the project.

If you have all the equipment already then you're off to a good start. However it is extremely important to know exactly how to use every piece of equipment and all safety factors that accompany it. If you do not have some of the tools and materials that are needed, but really want to continue with this project you may consider renting some.

Just knowing how to do something and have the tools to do so is not going to be enough. You need to know all the different types of wood that were going to work with. The reason for this is many. First you must identify the type of wood that is requesting the project, and secondly, you must know what the limitations of this particular type of wood.

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Project Guide-Get your child started in woodworking and businesses

We all live on the proceeds of business success. Sure, you want your child to learn woodworking skills, but by combining business skills with woodworking will guarantee greater success for you child if he or she never sell anything or not.

-Study on wood and work with wood.

We work with because we love its beauty, its texture, its workability. Yes, it is directing your child in the construction of something, but beyond that, knowing many Woods that are available and their characteristics is a good starting point. There are sites that list all kinds of wood, and you can also buy a range of wood samples to learn the look and feel of each type of wood available for work.

-Construction of wooden products fun and useful.

Of course, this is the main part of a project work for your child. You will find a number of great woodworking for children's books on Amazon. Get them started on something simple, something will enjoy themselves, using for example a box to keep things.

-Operating tools safely.

You know well that woodwork is dangerous. One of my best friends sawed his fingers. My brother has pushed his fingers in a blade of Carpenter. Not good. Safe use of tools is not difficult, but the discipline must be taught carefully and must be learned. But, there are so many great things that can be done with tools. Direct child in what they can perform the various instruments.

-Learning about business.

But there is the side of the entire company of woodworking as well. Our first thought is, "Hey, I'll just teach my kid how to build a wooden box for his toys." But not shortchange him. If you combine the Act to bring profit to the world from benefiting from someone else with woodworking, you will have given him or her a key to the future. There are some really great business books for children that have been written. Get your child one and teach him or her the principles of the business.

-Sell to a customer.

That would not be warm for a young person asking if they can build something and then negotiate a price? If you think about it, you will realize that meet the needs of people at their requirement is how we all live.

-Production of a quality wood product for a customer.

Now your child has a specific goal. He or she will need to draw plans, calculate costs, obtain materials. After having built exactly what the customer asked, he will need to perform a quality check to be sure that the customer will be satisfied. Then comes the moment of great, receive the income to meet the needs of someone for their satisfaction. It is an experience that too few children ever have.

-Maintain the accounts.

Then there is the other important part of business. The child must learn to keep an accounting of their entire project, including the steps involved, time spent, costs. He or she must understand the gain or loss of the project and making changes in thinking to meet the needs of the population in the future.

Certainly there is much more to a project like this one that I post here, but you can see that enlarge your approach to teaching wood your child has a better chance of success in his future.

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New to Woodworking? Beginners Wood Projects to Get You Started - Everything You Need to Know

Beginners wood projects should have step by step instructions, along with illustrations and measurements. When getting involved with wood projects and you're a beginner, you should get the best plans available to make your project as easy as possible.

If you're a beginner looking for plans for your projects the best place to turn to is the world wide web. Not only will you be able to find plans for your project, but you'll also get tips and some useful advice as well.

For your beginners wood projects you should look for projects that will help build up your DIY skills. Starting out with basic outdoor garden plans is a great way to accomplish this. After starting out with fundamental wood projects, you'll learn how to read plans more effectively and it will make your more complicated projects in the future easier to complete.

As a beginner, when looking for plans for your projects, you must make sure they have step by step illustrations. Moreover, the plans you use should have a materials list as well. A materials list will not only let you know what things you need to get your project done, but it will also allow you to make an estimation as to how much the cost of the project is going to be.

Safety is one of the most important things beginners wood projects should focus on. You should read the instruction manual and follow all the safety precautions if its your first time using any of the tools you'll need to use.

Remember, when you're starting out you should begin with some things easy to build up your skills. With that being said, beginners wood projects should focus on outdoor furniture like bird houses, since they are the easiest to complete.

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Woodworking and carpentry tips to download large woodworking projects from good websites

For a woodworking project quality, it is important to have good wood plans to help guide you through the process of intricate and elaborate to create fantastic works of wood. A lot of woodworking enthusiasts looking for ways on how to download the plans of big wood wood for any works they have in mind. Is a boon to actually have thousands of woodworking plans available and accurate blueprints at your disposal whenever you need it. With the introduction of the internet, there are now lots of options when it comes to woodworking plans and drawings for any type of project you have in mind.

The first thing you need to know is that plans and carpentry kit are now widely available on the internet through websites and designs hosting kit downloadable carpentry. From these various do-it-yourself Web sites, you will be able to find the perfect plan that you need for your carpentry needs. Their full database contains the most up-to-date compilation of excellent programs in woodworking, which you can download from your computer and print for your own use. This particular type of service allows online woodworking enthusiasts and professional woodworkers have easier-to-use designs and plans without having to browse brochures and old magazines to carpentry just have a design to help guide them through their projects.

And, since the internet has a lot of websites, it's just important that you should be able to find the best website with more wood worktops. Honestly, it is not easy to find great resources on downloading first-rate plans that were prepared by a highly qualified expert, woodworking.

Wood panel sites usually offer an easy to navigate the database designer, they have organized by category. Whenever you need a particular design, you can easily explore their collections and download what you like as easy as the click of your mouse. They provide an easy method you can also download and print the plans that you like right from your computer. If you like, you can request a copy of the DVD, which will be mailed to your address, depending on your agreement with the owner of the website.

Have a site to help you on your design needs of wood is a convenient way to start and finish of a woodworking project without too much effort, and without spending too much money on unnecessary designs and plans that are not functional, as are their creators.

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Custom woodworking and DIY Woodworking projects

Woodworking has always been a popular pastime for many people. For many generations, was a necessity, as it was the only way he could have built the furniture or any other pieces of wood that were available at the moment. Some would sit for hours, shaving on a piece of wood, turning it into something totally different and enjoying every minute. This hobby was a relaxed, then after a busy day, felt good doing something looking like it should be burned, something that will be appreciated for years to come.

Carpenters are always looking for other tools that they could use in their craft. The tools have a specific job, and there are many, to do all the different types of work. Of course you might not ever get without a screwdriver or a hammer. These are fundamental to the craft, then a saw is another that must be for their use. Scroll saw is a unique work, making it very intricate cuts, making the job very decorative in appearance.

In order to have a smooth finish beautifully on the piece, you must have a belt sander to keep all surfaces without any splinters, ready for the final touches. Then a hand drill would be very helpful, even for practicing your skills to use it, but even if the need was imminent, with the hydro going some time. A jig would be useful, so that you could cut wood in a specific place.

A router is a useful tool, chamfering the edges of a piece of wood, so that will have a finished look and a more professional appearance. When a carpenter is doing some drawers to go on a desk or Dresser, the router will joint the edges much easier to do.

Many carpenters are always trying to improve their skills and techniques and go to different shows, where they tell and explain everything about new products that can improve their performance. Several workshops are held around the country, new teaching methods to make the carpenters work easier and able to complete a project faster too. Is always a good thing to communicate with others who are interested in the craft itself and to be able to confront each other. There is never a difference of age, when the carpenters came together and it is something that members of the family could do together too.

Only the carpenters can understand the satisfaction that will having a piece of wood in their hands and do something completely different than the original and having this piece of wood into something that is so beautiful. This is an artistic talent that not all people have. Sometimes it must be something that is in a person to begin with. Everyone can do something, but it takes an artist so unusual and beautiful to behold.

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Expert Guidelines For DIY Woodworking And A Few Ideas

DIY woodworking can be a great deal of fun, for the kids and for the entire family as a whole. What a lot of people do not realize is that most of the wooden devices and storage containers they buy are actually easy to make and are not worth their price. People always say, we pay for our ignorance, because all the products we buy are so expensive because manufacturers realize we cannot make them.  So how can you get into woodworking, even though no one in you family has ever done anything like this.   You never know, one of your children might eventually develop a passion for woodwork and earn a future living from that. However, there are a few guidelines you must follow before embarking on any project whatsoever.

The Types Of Wood Commonly Used

Selecting the right kind of wood for your projects is very vital as it determines sturdiness and the ease with which you can work with it. Hardwoods like maple, cherry, oak and mahogany are excellent essentials for people looking to construct lifelong furniture. Softwoods, on the other hand, are a preferred choice amongst people endeavoring to construct simple articles of furniture, like treasure cabinets or simple CD holders. Softwood is normally harvested from evergreen trees with thin leaves, the opposite being true for hardwood. Wood can be purchased from the supermarket, saw mills and even from the forest if you are eager for some adventure.

Having A Woodworking Kit

DIY woodworking kits for beginners are a treasure grove of simple joinery techniques and construction plans. It is important that you have some guidance if you have never done this sort of thing before. Kits normally include user-friendly ideas for construction and they will give you the much needed faith to tread on the shaky waters of new learning. As for the joinery, you will be better served if you use adhesives and 'clip and lock' methods since nails are dangerously sharp objects that can hurt you and your children.

Safety Precautions

Protective gear is also very important. You need to have the right masks, gloves and work benches if you want to avoid work related injuries. Wood splinters can leap into your eyes and cause blindness and gloves assist in curbing the occurrence of cuts and bruises. And a work bench gives you the stability you need when working away furiously at something.

Ideas

There are a number of wooden crafts your kids can make: a baby crib for newborns, a doll house, rocking horses and even cricket or baseball bats. Adults can delve deeper and simply make hourglass timers, CD holders, jewelry cases and paper towel holders. DIY woodworking is a fine way to explore your creative side, plus it helps you to save money on modest essentials.   It is a lot of to get involved in DIY Woodworking.

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Woodworking With the Lathe

Woodworkers sometimes view the lathe as an exotic or unneeded tool. This view is short sighted in the extreme and removes a lot of enjoyment from a woodworker's time in the shop. Perhaps the view is caused by the nature of the wood turning lathe itself.

Most woodworking tools, and power tools in particular, are used to remove bits and pieces from boards prior to reassembling those bits into a finished article. For instance, table saws saw boards with cross cuts and rip cuts into smaller boards while drill presses remove wood from circular areas to allow bolts or screws entrance or to make a decorative area. Jigs are often used to make cuts more precise and to keep hands away from the cutting areas. The rapidly moving saw blades and cutting surfaces discourage a close approach to the work.

Hand tools meanwhile are regarded by many woodworkers as needing an extraordinary amount of time and talent to learn to use them well. In many cases this is true. However, if we look at the work of craftsmen prior to the industrial age we realize that a lot of beautiful work was done by a lot of people, not all of them classically trained nor apprenticed workmen, but rather homeowners making something for the family, much as do the hobby woodworkers of today.

The wood lathe enters somewhere in between power and hand tools. In the days gone by the lathe was often turned by hand or foot power. As time progressed, water wheels may have been used in the factories while treadle lathes were used in smaller businesses and homes. Perhaps with the emphasis on home gym equipment today, the treadle lathe could make a comeback. For most woodworkers though, a modern lathe with an electric motor is the way to go. Hence it is viewed as a power tool because it uses an electric motor to make it work.

The difference between the lathe and most power tools comes in the handling of wood and cutting tools. A table saw, the mainstay of many woodworking shops, has a rapidly rotating blade fixed in position and a piece of wood is carefully manipulated through the cut. Wood lathes are made to hold the wood and to rotate it, the direct opposite function. Meanwhile various cutting tools are held in the hands of the woodturner, one by one, and manipulated to remove pieces of the wood in various ways and patterns so as to complete the piece of work. In some sense, the nature of a wood lathe being a power tool or a hand tool becomes quickly blurred.

This moves a woodworker to new realms of thought and enjoyment. While most saws are used for straight cuts or perhaps a curve, the lathe opens up circles and rounds to the woodworking vocabulary. Table legs for instance, move from being straight lines with at most a taper, to being rounded with curves, grooves, beads and tapers. New design possibilities are opened up and new ways of looking at things develop. Plus, for most hobbyists who work with wood, there is the delight in having and learning a new tool. Woodworkers can expand into a whole new realm of pleasure and satisfaction.

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Woodworking And The Wood Lathe: Woodworkers Use The Tools They Have

When moving from flat style woodworking like cabinet work and jewelry boxes to round work like bowls and pens, it appears that all that is needed will be a wood lathe and a few cutting tools. While there are many wood turning tools that could be gotten over the years, there are many other tools that are needed in order to explore the world of wood turning. Thankfully, many of these tools are already owned by the typical woodworker as are the skills to use them.

Wood needs to be prepared for the wood lathe. This begins for many projects with a log. One of the things that the typical woodworker needs to do when changing to work with the wood lathe is alter the way he or she thinks of getting wood. Instead of beginning with a nice, flat board from the local lumber dealer, a wood turner often starts with a felled log from the local tree surgeon or firewood supplier. The principle tool for beginning this procedure is a chain saw. Many woodworkers will have one of these for rough work and if not, an electric one will suffice for most needs.

Following the roughing of wood with the chain saw, there is the need to get it into reasonable shape for the lathe. This often means cutting it round or into long squares. One of the best tools for this is the band saw, owned by many woodworkers. It is also regarded as one of the safest saws in the shop and some would consider it one of the safest tools generally. It excels at long, circular cuts and with a bit of practice will do an admirable job at straight cuts as well. The fourteen inch band saw which will generally cut to a depth of six inches through hardwood, is a common feature in many woodworking shops. It is seldom that a wood turner will need a greater depth of cut but risers can be obtained for most fourteen inch saws on the market and they can be retrofitted to cut to depth of up to twelve inches.

Lathe tools need to be frequently sharpened. Some of the wood that turners like to work with will have lots of knots, included bark or grit from the felling of the tree. These conditions combined with the high speeds of the moving wood tend to quickly dull a tool. Most woodworking shops have a grinder used to remove nicks from plane blades and chisels and to reshape an edge before using whet stones to fine tune the cutting edge. Replacing one of the wheels with a fine grit aluminum oxide wheel and adding a sharpening jig quickly and simply turns the the grinder into a lathe tool sharpener and also allows its original use at the other wheel. The sharpening jig is not necessary but very nice and can be easily made in the home woodworking shop.

So the need for wood lathe tools for the home woodworker quickly becomes reduced to the lathe itself and the various cutting tools that may be needed. Many if not all of the other tools will be found already in the home woodworking shop. Of course, this is all followed by the enjoyment of learning new woodworking skills at the wood lathe and the continued pleasure of making new works in wood.

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Woodworking And The Wood Lathe: Moving With Wood Turning Projects Into The Craft

Seasoned woodworkers who have gotten a wood lathe are often confused at what to do with it after they get it. After all, most woodworking confines itself to flat work with the occasional decorative curve. The wood lathe operates somewhat like a potter's wheel on it side, demanding thought in circles and spheres. The transition can be a freeing moment and a dramatic turn in the enjoyment of working with wood.

For many flat woodworkers the first move is to attempt turning a piece that compliments their regular woodworking, such as a table leg. This is an excellent transition project as it is an example of spindle turning where the wood is held on the wood lathe with centres, two points that jam into each end of the wood. The wood itself is also generally a square which flat woodworkers deal with on a regular basis, making sure it is a true square with flat ends. Most legs leave a square section and transition to various beads and coves, the mainstays of a woodturner's decorative efforts on a spindle. Thus this is excellent practise for moving on to other projects with more elaborate decoration.

Speaking of the word practise, it quickly becomes evident to the new wood turner that almost any wood can be mounted to the wood lathe and turned to elaborate shapes. One of the best exercises for most projects is to go first to the wood pile and get some free wood to make a sample project or two. If the whole project is not practised, the various coves and beads can be cut a time or two before more expensive wood is used.

Once some table legs have been made and perhaps a decorative finial or two, many woodworkers will wish to proceed to projects that focus on the turned wood itself. It is an easy step to move from the table leg to a candlestick for instance. Some new techniques will be necessary to learn, such as cutting a cup for the candle to rest, and this in turn adds interest to the process. Very quickly, it will become evident to the new wood turner that an endless possibility of decoration exists in the development of various cuts, beads and coves that can be made. Old habits of looking at line and space will readily adapt to looking at curved lines and round spaces so as to prevent the opportunities to decorate from becoming the perils of gaudy overdecorating.

Of course, one of the best sources for woodturning projects lies in the preceding work of other wood turners. These projects can be found in abundance in books, magazines and web sites as well as other venues. There is no lack of possibility or direction for the wood turner either just beginning a transition to the wood lathe or having years of experience and just looking for new ideas.

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Woodworking And The Wood Lathe: The Challenge In Finding Wood For The Woodturner

As woodworkers move from flat woodworking such as jewelry boxes, desks and wall cabinets to woodturning round objects such as candlesticks and bowls, there arises a new challenge in finding the wood with which one works. The old familiar places may not fit the new requirements and the results may be pleasantly less expensive.

People doing woodworking that results in flat objects generally start a project at the local lumber merchant, looking for boards that are dry, flat, straight and clear of knots or other defects. There are a few stalwarts who will fell their own logs and mill them to lumber that will then air or kiln dry but these are few and far between. Woodturners are closer to these folk than to the former as they will often be looking for logs to start the work. Their wood is likely to be a log that is solid, green, and has knots, bark inclusions, and forks. To a woodturner these are character.

Most of the wood carried by the lumber yards is unsuitable for woodturning especially when the turner is contemplating faceplate work which usually requires wood thicker than two inches. This is either difficult to find dry or will be split in the drying process or be prohibitively expensive.

On the other hand firewood or landfill logs are comparatively cheap. They require some thought in obtaining them and some additional tooling to be able to process them, but will give a wealth of turning material. It is not inconceivable to obtain over two hundred bowl blanks of good size along with a lot of smaller pieces and lots of spindle material from a single cord of firewood. A chainsaw and a good homemade saw buck will easily enable the turner to produce plenty of turning blanks.

While there is a great variety of hardwoods suitable for turning found growing as ornamentals in many yards of the world, it can be difficult to obtain them for the woodturner. However, in most communities there are lawn companies and arborists who specialize in tree removal when the trees get too large for the properties, diseased or in the way. These logs are generally deemed unsuitable for lumber or processing because metal is often found in yard wood and it does a lot of damage to commercial processing equipment. Instead of sending them to an expensive landfill facility, many arborists will happily call a woodturner and allow them to have the wood.

So the woodturner can find themselves easily in the position of someone who save trees from firewood and landfill, eliminates excess wood in the landfill when it should be compost anyway, and produced art and craft from the savings. This allows the turner to enter into a win win situation with all concerned.

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Woodworking And The Wood Lathe: Finding Wood Turning Projects That Suit You

While the nature of the wood lathe forces roundness into virtually all woodturning projects, as with most other types of woodworking, it is easy to fall into the rut of making the same thing over and over with little variation. New projects are needed to break the cycle and generate new interest in the craft. Fortunately, these are extremely varied and easy to find.

First one should examine what projects might catch ones interest. This may be as simple as deciding to make a table for a change and then wanting round legs. In turn this leads to determining what the legs will look like and how they will be decorated. It may also lead to considering that the table top might be round and then the whole table could be made into a pedestal table and so on. Of course there is no particular reason that this has to be considered as only one project. Instead it could be decided to make a rectangular table with round legs as well as a round, pedestal table or indeed more than one.

Perhaps it would be good to start with a question of scale. Some wood turners consider themselves to be pen turners and almost everything they turn will be a pen. This is itself leads to small scale turning. Among others, two obvious questions may be raised. First, what about moving to larger scale items? Second, what else might be turned using the same scale? In the first case, one will find that the spindle techniques used in making pens lend themselves quite well to larger items such as tool handles, candlesticks and mallets as well as many others. Some thoughts for the latter might be light pulls, key chains and Christmas ornaments.

One of the best things that wood turners can do for project ideas is to look at what other people are turning now or have turned in the past. Magazines abound with turned items. Not all of these are wood turning magazines or for that matter even woodworking magazines. Instead, architecture, housekeeping and design magazines often have turned objects in many of the pictures. If it is desired to have greater instruction, there are many woodworking magazines with woodturning projects having detailed information. Even more prolific is the web where ideas abound. Looking over a selection of projects can often lead to intrigue as what it would be like to make some of those things.

Woodturning is known for its diversity. It may be necessary for some woodturners to think not only outside the box but also outside the bowl or outside the pen to move on with new skills and even greater enjoyment for this craft of the ages.

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Woodworking With the Wood Lathe - Learning to Relax

For most of us who work with wood, especially in the home shop where anything from a jewelry box to a full desk may be attempted, the table saw has the honoured position of center of the shop, in importance if not actual geography. However, the table saw is known as a dangerous enemy as well as a welcome friend and a certain amount of tension is always associated with its use. Acquiring and learning to use the wood lathe brings a new relaxation to the woodworking shop somewhat similar to the days when a craftsman laid a rough board on his bench and picked up a hand plane to smooth it down to the sound of shavings gently swishing to the floor.

Like the table saw, many of our power tools exist as cutting tools to which we bring boards to carefully cut them to length and width. That same table saw that has brought precise cuts into the ability level of people who do not have the time or chance for long apprenticeships, also brings with it the chance wood to be grabbed and hauled into the blade with terrible cuts or to be bound with blade and through with devastating force. Band saws have been known to rotate improperly secured wood and rotate a hand into the cut. Routers are the seeming exception as they are guided by hand onto a piece of well clamped wood, but many use them in a more versatile fashion by inverting the tool under a surface and making a router table. All of sudden the very rapidly rotating cutting tool is all to available for an unwary finger.

The wood lathe changes all this. Here the tool does not hold the cutter, it holds the wood. There are reasonable precautions that must be followed for safety, but they are not unusual for the woodworker.

One realizes that wood shavings will fly from the lathe and many will fly at the wood turner. A full face shield is worn which is simply safer than mere safety glasses. Sharp tools are a necessity but this is no new to anyone who tries to cut wood and all know that sharp tools are safer than dull ones. Very quickly it will be realized that hands should be kept away from rapidly spinning wood. As in all woodworking, a proper dust mask should be worn when sanding and a proper mask used for some of the more exotic and dangerous finishes. The only new rule to learn for safety is to turn the wood at a reasonable speed for its size and balance.

Woodturning tools are easy to learn to use and can take a lifetime to master as is true for most any craft. However, the first few cuts and indeed the first few mistakes make one realize that the tool is a safe one. In fact, one of the more difficult things to teach a new turner is to relax ones grip on the tool and generally relax all over. It makes the turning easier and a lot of fun as the shavings come off the swish on to the floor.

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Woodworking And The Wood Lathe: Five Reasons That Woodworkers Can Easily Move Into Woodturning

Woodworkers can get into ruts but they also like to look for new challenges and opportunities to explore their personal relationship with wood. Getting a wood lathe and learning to use it open up a new dimension in woodworking. While many of the talents learnt in flat woodworking carry over to the round world of woodturning, new talents in the craft need to be developed, leading to new excitement in an old field.

First, while woodturners need extra tools other than a wood lathe and lathe tools, for many woodworkers this is a minor requirement. The other tools needed to prepare wood for the lathe are usually present in the form of band saws and table saws which are common for the woodworker's shop. Wood lathe tools need to be sharpened for use, but most woodworkers already have a tool grinder for the purpose of removing nicks from chisels and the like. This is easily transformed to lathe tool sharpener by replacing a grinder wheel with an inexpensive, aluminum oxide, fine grit wheel and making a sharpening jig.

Second, once the lathe is set up and ready and the tools sharpened, the question is what to turn. For many woodworkers this at first becomes an extension of flat woodworking. Making table legs allows for more individual expression than buying preturned ones from a catalogue or making them all straight lined from necessity. While there are many variations of cabinet knobs available in various materials, personal ones may be turned from wood, brass or plastics very easily on the wood lathe and many can be easily decorated. Small casework is easily decorated with escutcheons or finials.

Third, after the practise of turning parts for furniture and other casework, many woodworkers will move on to other types of woodturning. There are many ideas for wood turning projects available in magazines, books and the web. Many of these will already be in the possession of most woodworkers. Such projects range from candlesticks, tool handles and tea lights, to pens, bowls, vases and almost anything round. Some of these will need to glued up from several parts and once again the typical woodworker's abilities come into play with knowledge of jointing, clamping and gluing.

Fourth, an aspect that is sometimes overlooked as one contemplates woodworking in general is the acquiring of wood with which we work. For the majority of woodworkers this is a simple albeit expensive trip to the local lumber merchant. While this can also be of advantage to a woodturner, many prefer to start with a log section. This type of wood is generally much cheaper to get than prepared lumber and is often free. A chainsaw may be required but many woodworkers will already own one, either electric or gas powered.

Fifth and along the same lines is the question that many woodworkers have as to what to do with all the pretty offcuts of wood that accumulate in the home workshop? They are often too small to do anything with but too nice to throw out. Woodturners often made small items that will use up many small pieces or they glue them together to make segmented turnings. The woodworker's workshop with its jointer and planer can make this much easier than it is for many wood turners who do not have these tools.

Thus the acquisition of a wood lathe can open a new world of woodworking to the flat woodworker. Many of the already practised skills move easily to the wood lathe and wood preparation while the tools of the workshop prove to be greatly useful in the new part of the woodworking craft. Woodworking is done for fun and adding this new dimension will add greatly to the overall enjoyment.

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Woodworking With the Wood Lathe - A Change of Pace

Typically, a weekend woodworker needs more than a weekend for all but the most simple of projects. Some time is spent cutting large pieces of wood into smaller pieces and then assembling them in elaborate ways. The assembling tends to involve various fasteners and glues which need a fair amount of time to set up and harden before the next stage of assembly with its glues and drying time and so on. A wood lathe changes that for all but the most serious of laminated wood turnings.

First of all, a wood lathe is the opposite in performance from that mainstay of the flat woodworker's tool arsenal, the table saw. To use a table saw, boards are carefully squared and then the mitre gauge or the table fence is itself carefully aligned and the boards are moved through the cutting action of a rotating blade while keeping hands carefully distant. A woodworker at the lathe is more likely to install a rough piece of wood between centres and start it spinning. Using various tools held by hand the piece is brought into round and balance.

Second, wood turners tend to work with only one or two pieces of wood in a finished project. Instead of gluing up a block of wood, the woodturner is more likely to use a chain saw or other saw to quickly produce a blank piece of wood ready to be made into some kind of finished object. Glue times virtually disappear as does the wait for the real start of the project.

It should be noted that there are three exceptions to the rule of no glue time. The first is the segmented woodturner, a special class of turner who likes to make woodturning blanks of various small bits of multi coloured woods for turning into works of art, much as a quilter works with various fabrics. More time is generally spent cutting and gluing than turning. Second is the spindle turner who likes to make blanks of various woods for items such as pepper mills and pens. Most of these spend a weekend or afternoon making blanks and then having them on hand for quick turning. Third is the woodturner who uses the lathe to make parts for other projects such as legs for a table. While the legs are quickly turned, they must in turn be glued to the table top.

Third is simply the scale of most woodturnings. Generally a turning can be created, sanded and finished on the lathe in a matter of a few hours. Many turnings take much less time and of course some large or artistic pieces may take much more. However, for the hobbyist, woodworking on the lathe allows for great satisfaction in a short period of time.

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Finding Discounted Woodworking Tools

Do you like woodworking? Do you like getting discounts on woodworking tools? I thought so. But how do you find a source for discount equipment? As it turns out, there are a number of different stores that are now offering woodworking tools at a discount.

Everybody likes a deal. And when buying discount woodworking tools you get the opportunity to purchase more tools for your money rather then just the one tool you would have bought before. A discount tool store often refers to a company that sells several types of tools at prices that are lower then their competition. However, those types of discount woodworking stores are not the only place you can find great prices on the tools you want. You can often find deals online, in mail order catalogs, at garage sales, and even flea markets.

Let's look at a few of the different places to purchase woodworking tools at a bargain price.

Online auctions: eBay.com

Most bargain priced tool dealers that have a presence on the Internet will sell through eBay. Many of them specifically set up online stores just to get customers to their business. And because of that they draw your attention by providing a significant discount on their listed items. In addition, theses stores also uses eBay's "Buy Now" option so you can purchase your item immediately instead of waiting for the auction to end. But buyers beware; these tools are often refurbished rather then new items.

Mail Order Catalogs: Northern Tool & Equipment

With 10,000+ products in their print and online catalogs they often have exclusive sale items. Combine this with their other great deals, clearance items, and product previews and you have and excellent discount tool store.

Brick & Mortar: Ace Hardware

Although Ace Hardware has a great online store, they also have 5,000+ retail stores. Their large volume buying power helps them leverage great prices on a variety of the basic woodworking tools that you use regularly.

There are, of course, many more places to find great prices on woodworking tools. Take your time and compare prices. After a while you will notice a few of the places you check regularly have better prices then their competition. Keep it up and you may soon find that special tool that used to be just a little to pricey is now affordable.

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The Beginners Guide To Buying Used Woodworking Tools

Whether you're an experienced woodworking craftsman or a total rookie you can save money by purchasing used woodworking equipment instead of new tools. Used woodworking tools still have plenty of useful life left in them and usually are being sold by someone who is looking to find a good home for them.

Where to buy used tools

When looking for used woodworking tools, several sources come to mind.

The first is garage sales and estate sales. Many people buy tools with great intentions but after a few years of the tools collecting dust in the garage or cellar, the original owner is ready to part with them. That's good news for you because you just know that they have barely been used and the seller needs the cash. The next place I would look is in the local classified ads and the local thrift paper or penny saver newspaper. Weekend flea markets are another good place to find used tools, and lastly I would look on eBay.

When buying woodworking tools, be sure to inspect them closely before parting with your money. Yes, there will be some wear on them, but they should not be worn out. Hammer handles should be tight in the hammer-head. Saws should be still sharp, not bent or missing teeth. Hand planes should have blades without any nicks or gouges. Chisels should not have any deep gouges in the cutting edge (although chisels are fairly easy to get sharpened). Rulers should have legible markings. If you are buying power tools, be sure to ask the owner to plug them in and demonstrate that they actually work. Don't forget your most important tool and that is your Eye Safety Glasses or goggles!

When buying tools, be sure to buy the tools you need to complete your project. Your woodworking project plans should be telling you what tools and materials you need to complete the project. Be sure you have the right tools for the job. If you cannot find the tools you need used, then by all means, go to your local home improvement store and buy new. While you are there, ask the floor person if they have a bargain bin or a section where returned tools are on clearance. In this slow economy it's not unusual for people to by a tool for a home improvement job and then return it when they are done using it. You might pick up a good used power tool like a circular saw just because someone decided to return it to the store. By the way, if you have any doubts about what tools you need for your woodworking project, your local home improvement store is a great place to get advice from the pros who are happy to help you.

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Woodworking Tools to Use in the Workplace

Woodworking, being one of the oldest skills that exist in the world, is the art of making objects from wood. A woodworker makes use of tools for woodworking to create useful as well as attractive things. It's renowned that a woodworker's goodness is determined by his tools; therefore, he must discover the characteristics and purposes of his woodworking tools, and ways of appropriately using and caring for them.

The tools for woodworking are available at hardware and chain stores where they can be purchased. These tools are classified as either hand tools or power tools, and should be in every woodworker's possession.

The most common hand woodworking tools that a craftsman needs to begin his work for just about any project include: the claw hammer, which should have been used by anyone at some point, the layout square, a precious woodworking tool that is not only fast and easily used for denoting a square line, but can also quickly mark and gauge angles up to 450, as well as an excellent retractable tape measure which should have metric and standard marks, as well as a little loose popper at the end and a locking system.

In addition to these, chisels, screwdrivers, levels, nail sets, sliding bevels, block planes and utility knives maintain their usual functions as woodworking tools. The most common power tools employed as woodworking tools include the circular saw, power drill, compound miter saw, table saw, sander, random orbital, jigsaw and the router.

The safe usage of woodworking tools by a craftsman is vital since woodworking can be very dangerous. The hand tools used are mostly very sharp, while the power tools can be the source of serious injuries or even death, when inappropriately handled and used.

The development and application of a number of good practices while using common sense can lead to a safe working environment in the wood workshop.

Failure to adhere to these basic yet simple rules significantly increases the likelihood of injuries happening when handling the tools for woodworking. Abiding by these simple rules would make your handling and working with woodworking tools safer as well as very much pleasant.

When working with these woodworking tools, always put on safety equipment and suitable clothing, avoid taking drugs as well as alcohol, and confirm that power has been disconnected before changing blades. Furthermore, endeavor to utilize a single extension cord, besides making use of sharp bits also use sharp blades, and always work in opposition to the cutter. Last but not least, never extend over a blade or cutter to get rid of cut-offs, and try to steer clear of distractions.

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