Looking for new ideas

how about a 2 story house with an attached 2 car garage?

no?

what do you usually like making? small boxes? cabinets? something else? what tools are at your disposal? what type of lumber do you have access to?

based on your profile – if you want to take woodworking more seriously – I’d recommend starting by building your very own workbench – sure you might outgrow it as some point, and make something else/better but at least you’ll have something to start with, and work ON :)

you can start with very basic tools (saw, chisels, screws, glue, and hammer) and some fairly cheap lumber (pine, FIR)

-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Sorry but im very new to this website to. A 2 story house and garage is bout a couple thousand bucks to expensive for me =P Im in a Shop class in school and i have all i need offered at school by my teacher and if he dosnt have it he can get it. At home we have many tools because my dad does projects that my mom ask him to do. Small stuff.

What i want right now is designs for some type of tray where i can set my comp on. I looked but what i saw didnt look like it would be to confortable or even like i could custimize it to fit my standards. But yes i am lookin for boxes, cabinets. small stuff. maby benches or stools. oh, and thank u for the advice. like i said im new to this site

-- Drew, MO

Since your request is vague and lacking in criteria, I’d probably suggest traditional Mongolian yurt furniture. :)

• What is it you make or would like to make?
• What materials do you use or would like to use?
• What woodworking skills do you have or would like to develop?
• What tools do you use or would like to use?
• What kinds of finishes do you like?
• What time periods, types or styles do you like?
• What ethic, cultural or regional influences effect your decisions?
• What are your budget constraints?
• What projects at LumberJocks excite your interest?

-- 温故知新

Drew,

What type of computer do you have? Does the tray need to be portable or stationary? will you use the tray at a table or sitting in a chair/couch?

Lew

-- Lew- Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

The best book for a begginer is A FOUNDATION COURSE BY KEITH ROWLEY YOU WILL LOVE IT

-- www .mark - Lacol .Com

Simple bookcases and tables are great. They give you something useful and easy to find a space for when complete. These projects develop many of the basic skills required for building other projects.

Here is a simple table that I built and I am including a stripped down drawing of the specs.

Workbenches for the shop are good because you use the same basic skills and you don’t have to be to picky about details for the end product. This type of project will give you something to build all of your other projects on.

I hope that this gives you some ideas!

Share the Love~Share the Knowledge

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://americancraftsmanworkshop.com

Longhurst – you should activate your title to a link so we can see that book. I have never heard of it and am curious myself.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://americancraftsmanworkshop.com

A Foundation Course is the link to Keith Rowley’s book that Longhurst mentioned.

-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine

The book is for turning, but Longhurst seemed to infer that it was basic woodworking.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://americancraftsmanworkshop.com

keith rowleys book is about turning as said if you want to get into turning your better with a new dvd’s on this subject followed by books there are some great dvd’s arouind as well as books on woodworking furniture making I like james krenov for books he’s great and his designs are great too keep looking at furniture look on the internet type into google even wit arts and crafts furniture making etc etc etc then try to think how you could alter designs and marry up different ideas taking bits from one and introducing them into another scheem you will soon get the experience you need.To tell the truth there is anot a woodworker /turner here who doesn’t need or could benefit from more experience.Alistair p.s. best of luck

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

Randy,
I will Make what ever i can afford which at the moment isnt much. the priciest project i can afford can cost no more than $150. The matarials i have used are mohogony, walnust and oak. The oak was for a coffee table which was my first project. Turned out a little less than good. but thats to be expected. and the walnut and mahogony was for a jewlery box that turned out much better than i thought it would. the materials i would like to use are cherry wood and im not sure of the name but its a type of white wood you can find in Africa.
the projects that i seem to like have slopeing sides and rich textures.

-- Drew, MO

The simple entry table I made in ash cost about $90 total in materials.

My Shaker benches cost me about $250.

I hate to say it, but woodworking isn’t cheap.

I particularly like your comment about being impressed with rich textures. If you are aware of design elements like texture already then you will go far with your design.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://americancraftsmanworkshop.com

Right now I have been having fun making canes. They don’t take much wood. You have the opportunity to use a variety of tools and and wood and learn a little shaping. Stack laminate the shaft with any wood or design and turn on the lath or shape with knives or power tools. What ever works for you. Select a nice handle, drill some dowel holes, shape with what ever tool will get the job done, and a lot of sanding, there you go. You have to use many skills to make a nice cane. Just another idea to add to your list. Or check out my bread cooling rack, those are a small challenge to make.

-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.

I like the idea of a cane. simple cheap and u can do alot with it in design wise. and todd im in a photography class so rich textures are something i like to look for. also i plan on takein photos of some of my more succesful projects. thank you every1 for the help. it is all useful

-- Drew, MO