article. Read this and remember it and you will save yourself a lot
of hassle in the long run.
Don’t Be Cheap
I know we all have limited budgets and we don’t want to over pay for
equipment and materials. Usually however it is worth it to get high
quality hand tools and woodworking equipment. Buying low end products
usually will end up in disappointment and may cost you more in the
long run when you have to continually repurchase those cheap tools
over and over.
Take Your Time
Working quickly and rushing usually ends up taking you more time in
the long run. We have limited time and sometimes want to rush but
take your time. You will only create more mistakes, bad cuts and more
trips back and forth to the hardware store. Even worse rushing could
lead to serious injuries.
Keep It Sharp
Dull tools don’t work well. Learning how to sharpen your equipment it
a great skill as sharper tools mean better results
Practice Makes Perfect
Woodworking is a skill, or rather a collection of several skills, that
are learned and improved upon over time. I know you’ve heard it a
million times but in wood working it really it true that you should
practice, practice, practice. When trying something for the first
time grab some scrap pieces and try it out on those before trying it
with the perfect piece of wood you have set aside for your woodworking
project.
“Finishing” What You Started
If you are like me you get your joy from building the project and are
not all that fond of finishing. However the best constructed piece of
woodworking will look like junk without a proper finish. This
includes taking time to do the sanding and clean up required before
staining and finishing your project.
Don’t Glue It Until You Checked It
Don’t rush and start applying glue to your woodworking projects until
you do a “dry-fit”. This will help you decide what parts to put
together first, where you should put clamps and which clamps to use
all with out trying to rush through before the glue starts drying up.
Glue Can’t Correct a Bad Fit
If you have a sloppy made joint don’t think you can use some glue to
make it look better by filling in the gaps. Don’t let being lazy
cause you more problems in the long run.
There is No Swiss Army Knife
The fact is woodworking requires many different tools, some of which
do similar types of jobs. Using the right tool for the right job will
save you time and effort. You may have several different types of
saws but don’t one that is not designed for the jbo you are doing.
Use Your Hands and Your Tools
No woodworking job can be completed using only your bare hands and no
project can be completed using only tools. To be an effective
woodworker you need to know how to use not just your hand tools, but
also your hands.
Keep It Clean
If you can get into the habit of cleaning up as you go your workshop
will not get messy. This avoids you having to stop and do a general
cleaning because every work area in your shop is covered with
something. Getting a new tool out? Is there one you can put achoice at
the same time?
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