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Basic Carpentry Tips Everyone Should Know
Posted on March 19, 2019
Ah, carpentry.
One of the only craftsmanship that one can take to produce something “pretty” while still looking and feeling like a badass in the process.
Not entirely sure of what we’re spouting? Imagine the rough texture of wood on your bare skin. And visualize the slight tingle of satisfaction after you’ve applied your final finish on your work. Sounds pleasant, doesn’t it?
At the end of the day, there’s nothing quite like admiring the results of your creative endeavour. And there’s also something to be said about enjoying the fruits of your labour.
Whether you’re in it as a hobby or aiming to be the Picasso of carpentry, there are a few basics you should know about when it comes to handling your wood (no double entendre intended).
Things like the type of wood and how it behaves, as well as the type of finish and the tools you’ll need. This information is paramount in creating the most ideal work situation for you no matter your level of mastery of the craft.
That being said, here are some tips every carpentry plebian should know.
Understand Your Wood & How It Behaves
Before you even think of touching your wood, you will need to have a better understanding of it. After all, a myriad of different factors will influence the overall product in the end.
For instance, the orientation and direction to plane the board. Similar to us flesh-bags, each tree is unique in its own right. As they grow, ring layers continue to build on one another which produces the beautiful grains that we see on our boards.
This grain can make planning for your next project trickier if you ignore the ideal direction to work. Working in the wrong direction (against the grain for example) will only make your final product underwhelming and of low quality.
Another important thing to note is how your wood would handle environmental factors such as humidity. Humidity fluctuates throughout the year and this will affect how wood expands and contracts. You’ll definitely need to have a firm grasp of this natural phenomenon if you were dead set on doing woodworking.
And don’t get us started on the type of wood to use. There are a ton of factors that play into the ideal type of wood to use in your next project. Your budget, type of project, etc. will play a role in deciding which wood to use.
Take Care of Your Tools & Your Tools Will Take Care of You
There is a perpetuated myth that woodworking by hand is really, really hard work.
We’re here to say that this could not be further from the truth. The myth of hard woodworking comes from people who use dull tools. And this scenario happens because most people do not give their tools the proper care it requires. Thus, you get improper tools to work with.
Professional woodworkers often say that in order for things to go smoothly, you should “let the tool do the work”. So if your saw requires some force to cut or if you need to put in extra effort to make shavings with your hand plane, you aren’t doing yourself any favours.
In this case, sharpening is a basic and foundational skill that any carpenter should have. It’s also something that needs to happen regularly, and you would be remiss to avoid practising this skill on a daily basis. Aside from inefficiency, it’s also dangerous to work with dull tools.
Hypothetically, let’s say that you need to use your body weight to push your chisel down. When it does pop free, you may lose control and your tool could accidentally stab anyone in its path. We doubt putting “stabbed someone with a chisel” in your resume will do you any favours in the future.
Imaginative scenario aside, we urge carpentry enthusiasts to learn how to sharpen tools. You will find woodworking to be much more enjoyable, safe, and efficient this way.
The Tools Don’t Make The Woodworker, Your Skills Do
In a similar vein, your tools may help with your craft but without the necessary skills to back it up, you won’t go far in the biz.
Think of it this way, any average Joe can go into a carpentry store to buy the most pricey pieces of equipment on the market. That doesn’t mean that he/she will be an expert woodworker immediately. You need the skills we’ve mentioned above to be a great woodworker. And you’ll also need tool mastery to be an excellent woodworker.
How does one acquire said skills you might add? Practice and patience. These are the required skills any good craftsman needs.
Besides, the craftsmen of the olden days didn’t have the sophisticated and advanced electric gizmos we have today. And they did just as well by relying only on their skills.
On the other hand, your working space does not define you and your work. You could be working in a garage or a small shed, but the important thing is your final product. You don’t need a humongous shop to make amazing things.
Finishing Your Furniture
After investing all that time and effort into building your furniture, you’ll need an appropriate finishing to apply to it.
Finishes put the final touches on your piece. And it also protects the work that you’ve poured your blood and sweat on. So, don’t take the obvious shortcut of rubbing it with “oil”.
There are various finishes that will work depending on the wood and the type of your project. Shellac is a great start if you’re new to finishes. It’s really quick to apply, easily repairable, and you never have to clean a brush because it re-softens in alcohol.
Also, we definitely recommend putting a little effort into learning how to properly finish your work. You will find that your enjoyment of the finished piece will dramatically be increased. And these final touches will also serve to inspire you to take on your next project.
Intrigued? Do you now have a burning desire to learn about woodworking and to take up carpentry?
The process of envisioning your ideas and making them come true is one of the most rewarding activities an individual can be involved in. While most of us aren’t interested in getting our hands “dirty”, there are those that enjoy the feeling of pouring everything they have into their work.
To those that are willing to partake in the art of wood, we wholeheartedly welcome you to the world of woodworking. And to those that are on the fringes, we’re open to convincing you otherwise!