Newbie Needs Help

Where are you located?

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

Always happy to hear about people taking up woodworking. So many people now would rather have Ikea crap over making something themselves. Sorry it had to happen under such circumstances though. There are a number of good woodworking shows that are helpful. The New Yankee Workshop is my favorite. There are a couple episodes of that one devoted to specific tools such as router and lathe. Check the blogs and videos on this site too, some cool techniques there as well.

-- You know.... I think that old wood needs to be furniture.

Yeah I just started myself and I dont know very much about the website either. I just heard about it through one of my friends who knows about it lol.

You came to the right place for help and advice.

It would help if we knew what area you were located if you were trying to hook up with someone personally.

I would recommend giving the general location and if someone is near that is willing to help, then you could give an address and phone number privately.

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

There are a couple of other sources that you might want to look into in your area. One is Woodcraft. If there is a franchise near you they will offer woodworking courses, usually on weekends and at night. Another option is to check the adult eduction programs in your area. Some of these offer woodworking courses that use a high school woodshop in the area.

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

I frist got started 4 years ago, asking advise from my two brother-in-law[now my parteners], getting on with lumber jocks,wood magazine, and other wood web sites [ quite a few] and jumped right in learning as i go. if you have a question anyone of us will help.
once again where do you live? town? state/ maybe one of us is next door.
timaka cobra5
www.borderfrenchwoodworking.com

-- tool time tim aka "cobra5"

you came to the right place ,
some of the best woodworkers in the world here ,
and all are willing to help .
you might want to think in sectional terms ,
there is so much diversity here ,
i’d hate to see you get lost trying to learn it all
instantly .
first off , pick 1 tool and ask about safety ,
learn that tool , get to know all it does .
don’t try to make some thing until you feel comfortable .
then go on to another tool , and learn safety ,
then the tool and it’s uses .

1. 1- SAFETY
2. 2- SAFETY
3. 3- SAFETY

1. 4- wax off !

get it right the first time ,
and it will last a lifetime .

-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle

Hi everyone, I can tell by the responses that I joined the right site. I am located in Dewitt MI. I am north of Lansing by 10 miles. I apologize about forgetting the location. I hope that someone is near. Thanks again everyone. Flyboy

-- 160th S.O.A.R

Hey Flyboy
I would suggest you look for a begining woodworking class through a local community collage or a woodworking club, or as already suggested woodcraft store. If none of those are available you might consider getting subscriptions to magazines like Finewoodworking or Wood. An all of use here are always glad to help.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

Hello Flyboy the one thing I want say is that you lean how to use the tools and how each tool is to be used and know it limitations. The one thing i found from beginners is that they don’t understand how the tool works and it is this that cause some to give up my advice to you is build something simple like flower boxes our mailboxes i say this because this will help in building your convinced in using the tools and when you finish the project you will want to build some more things and in time you find your self going to harder and harder project and start reading woodworking magazine and books if you can restore motorcycle it sound like to me that going to schools would help but just take the time to read books and magazines would help a lot more i believe that self teaching can be so much better good luck and keep us posted and post your projects

Our community college only offers one class and it is during my work hours. It’s sad to say but all of our high schools here have dropped all shop classes. I guess they figure that we don’t need men and women who know how to work with their hands. The closest place would be Grand Rapids which is about 60 miles from me. I used to love wood shop back in high school so I have used aome of the equipment its just been years. I thought I would list some of the stuff my Uncle left me so everyone could see. Delta 10” cabinet saw, Delta 6” jointer, Delta 17” drill press, Delta miter saw, Delta 14” band saw, Makita planer, 3- routers and table, Jet mortiser, Ridgid spindle sander, assorted hand sanders, router bits, clamps. Pretty much anything I think that I will ever need to get started. Flyboy

-- 160th S.O.A.R

Hi Woodman, I agree about safety and understanding. As an ex helicopter pilot safety was always at the front of my brain. I have been reading all of the manuals for the equipment over and over plus the magazines that he left me. Flyboy

-- 160th S.O.A.R

Check to see if there is a Woodworkers Club in your area. In our club there are beginners all of the way to experts. That is where I gained a lot of help from fellow woodworkers.

-- Dean,Tulsa,Oklahoma

Another way is on line or DVDs Charles Neil has a lot of good advise On youtube and also sells DVDs,

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

I sure sounds like you could hit the ground with that impressive collection of tools. Your Uncle knew how to pick quality. By the way….WELCOME TO LUMBERJOCKS! You won’t find a more helpful, better bunch of guys and gals anywhere…...I mean anywhere.

-- Don, Pittsburgh