Carpentry is an enormously practical and rewarding occupation. If you can pick up the basics, you’ll find a wide range of opportunities is thrown open to you. You might be able to deal with basic household repairs, and even to branch out into other forms of woodworking.
Learning about Carpentry
Picking up carpentry is easier today than it ever has been. The aspiring carpenter has access to thousands of hours of free instruction on sites like YouTube, as well as answers to specific questions. That’s on top of all of the magazines, podcasts and other materials released regularly.
The best way to learn, however, is to embark on a series of projects. This way, you’ll naturally encounter learning opportunities, and gain the confidence that comes with overcoming those obstacles.
Supplement your projects by learning about the fundamentals of how wood behaves and why it works the way that it does. In other words, a mixture of practice and theory will serve you better than practice or theory alone.
Start with Simples
Simple woodworking projects involve constructing boxes, or parts of boxes. A rack or a shelving unit tends to be a great place to start. Bear in mind that you’re sure to make mistakes during your first few projects. By keeping it simple, you’ll limit the effects of those mistakes.
Perhaps the best approach is to construct furniture for your workshop. This way, you’ll gain the experience that comes with building things, and you’ll also get functional items that will help you in your woodworking career.
Get the Right Tools for the Job
The woodworking tools you buy will depend on your approach to the craft. If you’re going to be using hand tools, then your money will go further. For most modern woodworkers, however, power tools tend to be preferred.
The most popular variety of saw is probably the table saw. With a good table saw, you’ll be able to make just about every cut that it’s possible to make. The only thing that isn’t possible, practically, is a cross-cut on a longer length of timber, of the kind used for construction. This is where a mitre saw, or a circular saw, comes in very handy.
Other tools, like drills, routers and planes will all come in handy for various reasons, too. It’s worth investing in these as your woodworking ambitions grow, and your projects demand their use.
What really matters is not the specific tools you buy, but the quality that those tools represent. If you aren’t willing to spend, then it might be that you end up having to replace your cheap tools prematurely. In the long term, therefore, you’ll end up spending more money.
