DIY Woodworking is one of the most exciting skills you can teach yourself. A lot of the things that you might create from woodworking (like desks and tables) can be really expensive to buy finished, and it can be a lot cheaper to just make them yourself. While it can seem intimidating at first, woodworking is actually pretty easy to pick up. There are a just a couple of different simple skills you're going to have to learn and become comfortable with. Here are a few of the big DIY woodworking projects to start with.
Measuring is one of the most important things you need to get used to doing competently when you begin woodworking for yourself. In many ways, measuring is the most fundamental skill that you're going to have to teach yourself. There are a lot of common problems that pop up in woodworking (like poorly fitting joints) that usually get traced back to some sort of problem in the measuring stage.
Often, a lot of your measuring problems are going to be the result of using the wrong equipment. Think about it- there are going to be a number differently angled and shaped pieces of wood involved in making whatever you want to make, and a tape measurer isn't going to be precise enough for all of them. Familiarize yourself with all the different measuring tools ( including precision t-rules and bending rulers, miter squares, sliding bevels, angle guides and finders, and calipers) will take you a long way towards being able to measure exactly at every stage of the project.
You're also going to need to be able to read plans to properly construct your project. It isn't necessary that you know how to draw up your own woodworking plans, but it is necessary that you can read others. The plan is the basic blueprint that tells you how to make the desk or furniture you're attempting. Good plans will be highly detailed and will have plenty of step-by-step instructions and illustrations, as well as a materials list.
Sanding and finishing is probably going to be last skill that you need to master with DIY woodworking. This stage comes when the whole project is complete and you're ready to give it that polished and professional appearance that we all crave in our wooden furniture. There are a number of devices that you can use to sand down your finished product to a smooth, shiny, glass-like texture. The most basic is either using your hand or a rubber hand-held sandpaper grip (which are good for detail work and curved pieces), while more complicated tools like orbital sanders are going to be more appropriate for larger, flatter surfaces you need to sand down.
Finishing is the process of staining and sealing the wood to give it a distinct color and to make it waterproof. Staining wood is a lot like painting wood, except stains are designed to look like it's just the natural coloring of the wood. Like painting, you're going to need to put down a couple of layers of stain to make sure that it goes on as evenly and thoroughly as possible. Once you are satisfied with the stain job, you can then use a sealant to protect the wood and the stain from water and other elements.
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