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WHAT NEWBIE WOODWORKING PROBLEMS ARE YOU HAVING.

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4K views 46 replies 35 participants last post by  Letorix 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi friends
Please let us know what ever problems your having because of lack of tools or what ever challenges your trying to solve in woodworking.
More experienced woodworkers can help by recalling the problems you had in the past before you had a more complete shop.

My friend Charles Neil , is planing on making some DVDs just for Newbies problems like how to get your project done with what little tools you have. What we are looking for is what problems you have trying to do woodworking as a new woodworker .

Thanks for you help
 
#6 ·
I think that as a beginner it is challenging to know which wood to use for a specific project and also to make the most of the wood we have.
Another question that every beginner has is : should I buy fewer but better quality tools versus more tools of a lower quality.
My choice is the second one, I am an avid Harbor Freight customer.
 
#7 ·
I've got a router and a router table and have read several router books but not one has clearly explained how to safely and correctly install a router bit in a table-mounted router. As a result I have not yet tried routing anything - it's the one tool in my shop that I've never used before except once in an already-set-up classroom setting.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
Elizabeth
If you lived closer I'd say come take my woodworking class at UCC. I think things like how router bit's are installed are skiped over for many folks that write books that's a good one.

Dan

That's a very good point too .Even as a seasoned woodworker I many times have to think that over for some time before going forward with a project.

Good one Barry
 
#13 ·
Although not a newbie, my current problem is in choosing the right wood for my upcoming project. I am building a model of a locomotive in 1-1/2" scale using mostly wood. There are many moving parts that must maintain clearances to operate smoothly. Think of a clock where the gears and levers must intertwine without binding. The dimensions of the wood I need to use are: 1-1/2" x 3/4", 1" x 3/4". I was thinking about poplar, red oak or even pine. The next requirement other than stability is price. I can rip and surface the material to my required dimensions, but it has to remain straight without warping, twisting, cupping, etc. It will be assembled with glue, nails and screws and painted. If you are familar with steam locomotives, you can see where; connecting rods drives the wheels, any deviation in the length of the rod will cause it to bind. I can maintain such alignment in steel, but it is hard to do in wood. I'm talking a few thousands of an inch tolerance. I've done this before in wood, but always had the problem of binding. I could set it up to run smoothly, but if the humidity changed, the works would bind, rendering the model as a static display, not an operating one.
 
#16 ·
@Cozmo - Adjust it, fix it, or replace it, in that order. Seriously. I know you are not a newbie but that seems to be part of the problem with new folks, they don't know they are using a bad or poorly set up tool.
 
#18 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hey Ron
This is a good category to have Charles cover
have you tried Epi or ligum vitae
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_good_is_epi_wood
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae

Cozmo

That's a problem lots of folks have good one
there a couple routes you can take ethier make a very accurate sled or keep track what side of the blade your miter was cut on and label one L and the other R and always have a matched set when putting boxes of picture frames together. It's also very important to make parallel sides are exactly the same size.
 
#20 ·
Re: b2rtch: says
"should I buy fewer but better quality tools versus more tools of a lower quality."

I would think the noob would be better served with quality tools. Whereas a more experienced wood worker can work around a cheap tools deficiencies, a newbie may walk away in disgust.

I can picture the noob trying to rip a board on a cheap tablesaw with a fence that is almost impossible to set square, wondering why none of his miters are coming out the same, due to the slack between the miter gauge and the slot, not to mention the hazards of kickbacks and other mayhem due to cheap/no guards or splitters etc., trying to route and edge with a router that has an undersized base. Even the circular saw with the shoe out of parallel to the blade, wondering why it keeps binding when trying to use a shooting board.
 
#21 ·
Squareness would be a good topic. From simply cross cutting square with various tools. To carcass or project squareness. How to check for it, and how to get it there and the importantance it has on the overall project. Rumor has it if your project is out of square, doors, drawers, reveal lines and moving parts will deal you fits. Leading to frustration and wasted time. Once again, just a rumor.
 
#22 ·
Depending upon what kind of woodworking the newbie is trying (turning, scrolling, carving, or just overall wood shaping), they need to have an idea of what tools are the most important to start off with. From there they can add tools as they get into experience and move into more specialized woodworking. Also, if they are lacking a specific tool, you could list alternate woodworking tools that will get the project done.
 
#26 ·
Just a couple items for thought. I get alot of questions from friends that are setting up a shop or want to increase their skills. I have always recommended that folks practice what they know and then add a new method now and then. This has worked well for most….It works for me - I still practice my basic WW skills - it is easy to use scrap or cheap pine to do this - whenever things are quiet or slow, I will pick up a piece of scrap and start making dovetails, boxjoints, laps, half-laps….etc. If I have a new method to try, this a great time to do so.

I make some projects in pine as a mock up for a new project - that way I can iron out the bugs and see where the mistakes might be (sure helps when you are going to do work on some expensive or one of a kind wood). You can also make patterns from butcher paper or what have you - then fit them together to see what joints can be used…etc. - I prefer to make my mistakes on cheap wood rather then on the "good stuff."

The question of tools always come up. I am glad that alot of them are asking before buying. You cannot return an item after bringing it home and using it for awhile. without knowledge of how to setup and tune the item - alot of new WW's get frustrated when it doesn't do what they expect or think they should expect - this happens no matter what you pay for the tool - I like to recommend they take a class, join a club, watch a video…read a book…..something that will help them learn how the tool operates - HOW to stay SAFE - and how to tune and maintain the tool.

A lot of times folks will buy cheap to fit their budget - then find out that they bought a lemon or a tool that will not fit the bill. Not all cheap tools are lemons but the old addage that "you get what you pay for" will apply in the majority of these situations. A new WW can find that their enjoyment of the craft will increase dramatically if they get advice, try a tool or have some other way to educate themselves on a tool before purchasing.

I have saved several new WW's from buying throw away tools like black and decker (newer versions) - Sears crapsman (newer versions) - these are typically ok for week end warriors but are usually not suitable for a serious craftsman. I always recommend that they educate themselves and search for good used tools - this is a great way to get a high quality tool at a decent price.
 
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