5 Steps for Planning Your Woodworking Project

1. Step 1: Always start with function.
2. Step 2: What type of materials will you need?
3. Step 3: Plan the tools and cutters that you will need.
4. Step 4: Develop and redevelop your thumbnails.
5. Step 5: Establish the glues, fillers, and finishes you will need.

8 Woodworking Tips to Boost Your Efficiency

• 1 – Sanding made easier.
• 2 – Avoid drywall screws for woodworking.
• 3 – Know your wood’s moisture content.
• 4 – Prevent excess glue stains.
• 5 – Measure with a drafting square.
• 6 – Keep a clean, orderly workspace.
• 7 – Keep a well-lit shop.
• 8 – Keep your blades sharp.

Steps in the Woodworking Process

1. Read the plans.
2. Check and double-check the materials list.
3. Plan your cut list.
4. Pre-mill all the boards to get straight and flat pieces.
5. Mill the boards to their final dimensions.
6. Cut the joints.
7. Dry fit the assemblies to make sure everything fits properly.
8. Glue the assembly and clamp it.

The Woodworking Process

• Live edge or natural edge is a style of furniture where the carpenter incorporates the natural edge of the wood into the design of the piece.
• Material Selection.
• Measure twice, Cut once is the holy grail of furniture making.
• Strengthening & Repairing Natural Flaws.
• Joints and Finish.

Woodworking Tools

• Chisel. You will need to use a chisel to clean out joints and mortises, refine edges, and even carve the wood.
• Measure Tape and Layout Square.
• Sliding Bevel.
• Punches and Hammer (Claw and Ball Peen Hammer)
• Block Plane.
• Utility Knife.
• Screwdrivers.
• Hand Saw.

By squaring around from only the face side and face edge marks we can be sure to prevent inaccurate shoulders and setting out. The real world situation is that not always do we find ourselves with perfect timber, by picking an accurate face side and face edge we can prevent the imperfections causing problems.

A planer is also very handy when it comes to squaring up and straightening the edge of a plank of wood. This can be done with the utmost ease by balancing a piece on edge. To achieve this, use double-sided tape to fasten some narrow boards to the lumber.

Planing with a Mechanical Surface Planer Note that surface planers generally require pieces of wood with one flat surface. Set the planer to your desired thickness. Optionally, set the depth stop. Turn the planer on and pass your wood through. Pull up on the wood as it passes the rollers to avoid snipe.

If you have tear-out or chatter during jointing, swing the board around and send the other end through first. If the tear-out is still there after the side is flat, let it go and send that side through the planer after the other side has been flattened.The planer gives a smoother cut than the jointer.

Use a brass-bristle brush if needed. Then lubricate the posts and threads with dry paraffin wax for smoother movement. Clean dust and pitch from the knives using mineral spirits and a clean rag or brass-bristle brush.