Woodworking Secrets - Tips and Tricks of the Trade Every Beginning Woodworker Should Know

In the beginning just keep it simple. Basic equipment is all you need to get started in woodworking. Tools and equipment to start out should include:

*Table saw
*Router and router table
*Work bench and table
*Dust collector
*Cordless drill
*Jigsaw
*Orbital sander
*Miscellaneous hand tools

The most important and versatile tool is the table saw. A table saw can perform all woodworking tasks you need to accomplish. It may be necessary to purchase additional accessories for the table saw to perform some tasks. Before buying a lot of accessories take a look at other tools that will be more beneficial and accomplish many more tasks than the table saw accessory will do.

I am sure you have heard it said that experience is the best teacher and trial and error will teach lessons that never get forgotten.

Well that is not completely true although experience is a good teacher but not necessarily the best. Turn you attention to study guides, woodworking classes and friends who have experience in woodworking. Taking shortcuts is not wrong, it is smart. Why not use every resource available to gain knowledge. In regard to trial and error I will not argue that lessons learned through trial and error are soon not forgotten but why not pick up some tricks of the trade from fellow woodworkers. You will be surprised how willing other woodworkers will pass on the tips and tricks they have picked up over the years. Once you start woodworking you will go through plenty of trial and error situations that you will not forget and that experience will be lessons well taught.

The most common types of lumber used in woodworking is pine, poplar, oak and maple. The key here is to make sure the lumber is furniture grade. If you go to the home centers and buy commercial grade lumber you will not produce a project with the quality for which you will be satisfied. Walnut and exotic woods produce beautiful projects and are easy to finish. All that is needed is a generous coating of danish oil. After the piece has dried sufficiently wax it with a good woodworkers wax. Walnut will produce a rich dark beautiful finish while the exotic woods such as purple-heart, canary-wood, red-heart or zebra-wood will produce vibrant colors and strong grains flowing throughout your project

Your workshop should be laid out logically according to the work tasks you are performing. One thought is to put the dust collector in the center and locate all the stationary equipment around the dust collector so that it will be easy to gather all the sawdust created when working. Be prepared to re-arrange your workshop from time to time as you find better work patterns to follow. A big help would be to install mobile bases on your tools and equipment so that moving the large pieces around will be easy.