Lumber Woodworking

Woodworking DIY project without a plan?

Before we get started into the nitty gritty of why we would need a construction plan for our project there is one thing I would like to share with everyone. This is a little story written on a small panel of wood given to me by an old carpenter who was my mentor during my apprenticeship. Well I thought he was old! He always said he was as ‘old as dirt’ when asked his age!                                                                                                                                     I had made an unwary comment about my seemingly waste of wood after having failed to recheck my measurements before leaping into the attack with my saw, much to my embarrassment and his annoyance at my waste of wood.

This story he told me, had been given to him by his grandfather to remind him of just what that piece of lumber he was about to fashion into a chair (in his case) was all about.

It read:

Woodworkers Vision

You do not have to be a genius to appreciate the bountiful beauty of wood!

There is something about a tree -

it’s feel - it’s smell – it’s sheer beauty - it’s majesty -

and that’s whilst it is still growing!

It is a sad and yet happy time when we fell that tree!

Sad – because we will no longer see it’s lush beauty in the countryside.

Happy – because that tree will continue to share with us its beauty and benefits in so many ways.

It will – with our help – transform into the boards that  woodworking will in turn into structures for houses, buildings, sheds, tables, chairs and furniture of all descriptions. The waste  from these products i.e. sawdust and shavings will be commercially transformed into further products. When all of these products reach the end of their useful life the basic wood will decompose and will be absorbed into the ground as part of nature’s process. Should the wood be burnt, the resultant ash will form part of nature’s fertilizer to nurture future trees and plants.

A tree is a truly remarkable and wonderful creation by nature!

                                                **********************************                            

It did not have a great impression on me at the time but over the years I have come to realise that it is so very true.

I am not a ‘tree-hugger’ as such, but ….,

Wood is such a wonderful thing …. Maybe we should all hug a tree? A good idea??

A word of warning – hugging a tree is not going to rescue your DIY project from the consequences of not having a set of detailed plans to assist your efforts.

                               Why you need detailed plans for your project.

Wood is one of the best materials that you can work with when planning a do it yourself project at home. To complete projects efficiently you require the guidance from a trusted source of woodworking plans. These plans not only give you an overall idea of the work skill required to complete the project that you have in hand, but also advise you on the correct measurements that you would need to use while preparing the wood for the project. Anyone who thinks that they can build anything without using any plans is probably thinking on a different planet. Not having a good set of plans before starting a project is just an invitation for inevitable disaster. Even the most experienced craftsmen need to follow a set of plans when doing any kind of project. It makes the whole process run a whole lot smoother, and safer, since you won’t have the stress of wondering  what to do next or what tools you should use. This makes woodworking a lot more relaxing.

Woodworking plans are vital in any wood based do it yourself project. To begin with, these plans help you eliminate waste. If you begin a woodworking project without a firm plan, the chances are that you will end up using more wood that you originally intended to. Most of the wood based projects will require extensive assemblies and sub assemblies. All woodworking projects start with a set of plans. Be it small bookends or birdhouses, or big projects like cabinets, tables, or even boats; they all start with an organized set of plans. Even if you’ve already done the project in the past and want to do it again you still need to consult with the plans for it. Whether you are an expert woodworker or a beginner that has absolutely no experience in woodworking whatsoever, you will still need plans. You can easily get plans for whatever project you will do. You can browse through woodworking magazines and books, or even download them from the internet. Just make sure that the plans you do get are well-detailed and are easy to follow. The internet is the easiest source.

When you begin your project, you would be ideally working with individual peices of wood and finishing them individually before assembling them. If you do not have the proper woodwork plans, you could end up with mismatching wood members at the time of assembly. This could cause expensive cost and waste of lumber.  All these problems can be avoided by utilizing a well laid out set of woodworking plans.

The other advantage that you have if you use woodworking plans are that you would be prepared with all the tools and implements that you would require for completing the wood based project. Often we find that we do not have access to a particular tool in the middle of a woodworking project. This situation could lead to a loss of time and sometimes you may even have to abandon the project in case a particular tool is not available. All these issues can be avoided if you have a detailed plan at the onset.

It’s important to start off with an easier project when trying your hand at woodworking. Finding a good set of detailed plans will help get you off to an excellent start. If you are a beginner in the art of woodworking you can easily get the grasp of the art by the aid of beginner projects. These are easy to do and simple woodworking projects that will not take too much of your time and money. While it is true that the craft of woodworking does have a very huge learning curve, you should also bear in mind that you will be using tools and equipment that have a large chance of causing you serious injury. This is why it is recommended that you start with small simple projects at first, and then move to more complicated ones as you become accustomed to the tools.

Woodworking requires many skills, especially hand & eye coordination skills. Projects where simple wood cutting, nailing or screwing, gluing and joining, clamping, sanding, and finishing are the best to start with. Here are some example projects you might start with: a birdhouse, decorative box, a planter, or a toolbox for your new tools.

About the Author

The author is knocking on a bit nowadays – 76 years and counting! Travelled extensively around the world and has graduated from the University of Hard Knocks with honors. Thesis was surviving an unwilling spell of North Korean POW internship in 1953. He has and Is still an active carpenter today after completing his training in1955. He is not a fan of todays fad for political correctness and operates under the knowledge that we can all be hurt by an indiscreet comment and are fortunate to live in societies that permit free speech in spite of the antics of  some with no knowledge of life. We are all equal – some more than others – don’t force your equality in others faces. In the main we are all free to say and go where we like it is not until you lose that freedom do you appreciate just what freedom means.

How To Square Lumber: Steps 1-4 – Woodworking Basics (video 7 of