Woodworking for Beginners – Easy Woodturning Projects
Woodworking, albeit potentially fairly messy, can be a very rewarding hobby. In terms of woodworking for beginners, the attractive part of working with woodturning projects is about creating things – not surprisingly, wood was actually one of the first materials worked by early humans (besides e.g. stone or clay).
However, going further, you will soon realize that it can nowadays also be a decent source of income.
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Woodworking for Beginners – a daunting Task !??
Starting in woodworking can be a daunting task. Even old-time hobbyists can get overwhelmed with a number of things to consider and learn in woodworking. Mastering the basics can give you an upper hand; you can learn from other people’s experience or follow these few steps to get you started.
You can also check out this post here on additional beginning-in-woodworking info.
Click here for a complete guide on Woodworking for Beginners
Take care of these Woodworking Basics first when starting out your Woodturning Projects
- One of the very first ‘Woodworking for Beginners’ tasks is to actually set-up your own space. You may think that any space will do in woodworking, and you may be partly right.
You can use a rented apartment, a basement, a barn or a garage—just bear in mind that woodworking is noisy and messy, so to keep it beside your living space may not be the best idea.
- Prepare the space. Based on the tools you’re going to buy or the things you wanted to create; you must prepare the space before converting it into a woodturning project place. If you intend to use some power tools, you might need to check the availability and suitability of electrical connections.
If you plan on keeping lumber inside and maybe some bigger tools such as table saw, you have to consider getting a more spacious room.
Getting your first Woodturning Projects off the Ground – the safe and affordable Way!
- Relative to woodworking for beginners, safety comes definitely first! It is often overlooked by old-timers and beginners alike, but following safety precautions and keeping safety equipment in your area can make the difference. You will thank yourself later on for this. Always have latex gloves, safety planers and safety goggles around.
Dress appropriately and do not wear dangling jewelries while working. If you are under the influence of intoxicating substances such as alcohol and drugs, stay away from your work-area.
- Choose only the tools that you really need. For starters, a good set of basic tools is necessary, but avoid spending too much on expensive tools unless a certain project requires it. Buy old tools for less.A quality table saw, for example, is still as good as new. If you wish to buy new tools, choose the reasonably priced, not the cheap ones. You can choose expensive tools, as long as you can take care of them.
- Collect lumber. In contrast with purchasing tools, buy lumber when you see it, not when you need it. Keep an ample space for storage, and always take the opportunity to get lumber from auctions, ads and estate sales.
- If you came to this page searching for “woodworking for beginners”, this one if for you: choose starter projects! To know more about the type of lumber you need to accumulate, you must have a concrete idea on what type of projects to work on.
For more information on some of the easier woodworking projects, check out this post here.
Woodworking for Beginners Alert - Use additional Resources!
For now, look for project suggestions from books, magazines and web pages. From here, you can have a basic idea on what tools to buy and what type of wood to collect. Whether you want to make small carvings or large furniture, you will need different types of wood for these.
Click here for a review of one of the most comprehensive woodturning projects- package that will help you getting started with wood-working the right way!
As you go along, you will have a better judgment on the type of tools you would often need, and you can start investing on a number of them. You can also learn different finishing techniques for your woodwork to stand out.
Lastly, often overlooked and often not taken seriously: have a workshop disaster plan for unforeseeable events; this can safe you a lot of money and, if woodworking turns into your profession, also your job.
Filed under: Beginners