Carved Rocking Horse an Enticing Woodwork Project

Expert woodworker Frederick Corrigan has written a great article describing a woodwork project in which he chopped down a tree, cut and aged the lumber, designed a carved rocking horse and then built the project from start to finish  Frederick's young granddaughter became the lucky recipient of this item which is bound to become a family heirloom.

That is the beauty of hand crafted woodworking. The end result is something that cannot be purchased . The value lies in the craftsmanship as well as in the sentimental components associated with knowing you did it yourself, or that your doting grandfather made it for you!

The complete article, including four photographs, are at this link:  Woodcarving: from Tree to Rocking Horse.

Woodwork: Modern Machinery or Hand Tools?

Is it better, somehow, for diy woodworkers to use hand tools or modern machinery?

Seemingly there is a controversy around this topic. Some artisans believe that hand made projects are the scope of a true woodworker and that is it somehow "cheating" or less good to accomplish projects using machinery. They point to the woodworkers of yore who created amazing works of art by hand.

On the other hand, other woodworkers point out that the woodworkers of olden days were using the most modern tools available to them at the time, so today's woodworker is justified in doing the same.

There's quite a discussion about this topic here and there on the Net.

In the meantime, the link below goes to a good video. It's the first in a series of three that shows a woodworker making an oak blanket chest. Take note of the discussion underneath the video

http://worldtouristdestination.com/lifestyle/woodworking-howto-oak-blanket-chest-part-1-of-3/94416/

DIY Woodworking Requires Good Woodworking Plans

Some woodworkers know how to draw their own woodworking plans.  Others, especially the less experienced, prefer to start out with a good set of plans that someone else has used successfully.

  If you are new to woodworking and enthusiastic about learning this wonderful craft, then you need to know that it is not as easy as falling off a log.

  Sure, it looks easy when experienced woodworkers do it.  Let's be honest here. Anything looks easy once you know how – and the pros that you see turning out wonderful items have usually acquired years of experience under their belt.

  For the rest of us, there are skills to be learned, and undoubtedly there are mistakes to be made before you become skilled at what you are doing.

  It's fun, though, and well worth the effort.  The learning curve does tend to be a smaller one, though, if you have some help and guidance along the way.

  If you're not lucky enough to have an accomplished woodworker in your family or in your circle of friends, do not despair. You can still find the help you need on the Internet.

Woodworking Resources on the Net
 
The Internet is a wealth of information.  You can find plans, blueprints, how to's, videos and forums where people ask questions and get answers. Nobody is suggesting it's as good as having a professional woodworker standing by your side and mentoring you at every step – but who knows, perhaps that would get tiresome after awhile anyway.

  When you decide to use plans or blueprints that you have found on the Internet, it is important to find a source that is reliable and trustworthy. The Internet has much to offer – but not all of it is valuable. Some plans and information that you find will be useless at best and at worst will lead you to wasting time and money on poorly created plans.

  Another consideration is the complexity of the plans. Some otherwise good plans are created for the experienced woodworkers.  The projects are fine – but the instructions may be unsuitable for beginners.  These plans tend to assume that anyone reading them is experienced enough to figure out the steps that are missing.

  You will learn the woodworking craft at a much faster pace, and have more fun doing it, if you work with tested plans that are complete and suitable for newcomers.

  Woodworking Magazines

Another approach is to use a woodworking magazine. Many are available on the newsstands or you can subscribe to them. For the most part, the DIY info that you find in woodwork magazines is accurate and simple to use. You are likely to be satisfied with your project if you follow the instructions fully.  The down side to using a magazine is that subscribing is likely to be more costly than using plans you find online, and some issues may not contain projects that interest you.

  The other disadvantage to finding plans in woodworking magazines is that you are less likely to find the sort of plan you want. If, for example, you want to make a rocking horse, you may not find such a plan in your magazine – but you are quite likely to find rocking horse plans on the Net.

  Using Hand Tools Safely

If you are a beginner, you must also remember that it is advisable to begin with simple projects that can be done with hand tools.  If you are new, you probably do not want to run out and buy power tools for your first effort.

 
You must also learn how to handle your hand tools and how to use them safely. Once you have mastered the use of hand tools, you can then move on to using heavier tools.  But do be sure to learn and follow all safety practices before you advance to the power toys.

  Search around the Net and look for plans that are reliable. Undoubtedly you will find good resources for newbies to the woodworking craft, as well as sites selling and explaining the use of various hand tools.

  If you start now, a few short years from now you might well be creating woodwork projects that will be treasured additions to your home.

Picking the Best Wood for your Woodwork Projects

Any woodwork project involves woodworking supplies, which includes of course your tools and the wood you will use.

Choosing the wood you want to use for your project is a key component to ending up with a project that pleases you.  Deciding on the best wood prior to beginning the project is also likely to save you time, money and frustration.

If you have a set of plans, it should include a materials list.  If you are going to wing it by designing your own plans, then you will create your own materials list, which includes the wood you will use.

When deciding on your project, you will need to decide first between hard wood or softwood. Softwood is the wood from conifers. It includes most evergreen trees, other than larch and bald cyprus.  Hardwood is a term used to describe angiosperm trees and includes woods such as oak, cherry, maple, birch, etc.

Despite the names, softwood is not necessarily softer than hardwood and hardwood is not necessarily harder than softwood. There is a huge variation in softness among the various trees in each category.  However, softwood is generally easier to work with than hardwood. Much woodwork done by humans involves softwood.

Your next decision is to consider the finish that you want. In the softwood category, red cedar is a good choice for a natural wood finish. If you plan on painting your project, pine is good. Both red cedar and pine are easy to work with and usually easy to locate and purchase.

Hardwoods are usually finished, not painted, although there are always exceptions.

For best results in your woodwork project, purchase your wood a few weeks in advance. Store it someplace where damp cannot get at it, and put spacers between the boards. Your intent is to dry the wood out as much as possible. Do this and the wood will be easier to work with and you will experience less warping.

Woodworking Demo on Video. Building a Bench

This video from YouTube is so cool. It demonstrates diy woodworking at its best.  Woodworker Mike Jarvis demonstrates how to make a Jarvis Bench.  When you watch this video, you understand just how much time and craftsmanship goes into a good woodworking project.

This should be required viewing for all those people who think a woodworker can just throw a piece together in a few minutes -- or worse yet, balk at paying a decent hourly rate if they're purchasing a project.

What a great woodwork project.

Woodworking for Kids

Teaching young children to use woodworking tools seems like a daunting task to many diy woodworking enthusiasts.  As we all know, woodwork tools are dangerous if proper safety precautions are not observed.  Can we trust kids to pay attention to our safety warnings?

According to this woodworker, the answer is a resounding "yes".   This writer says she has taught children as young as five to work successfully and safely with woodwork tools and projects.  The article is Woodworking with Kids: Safety.

For yet more information about safety, check out: Safety First with DIY Woodworking

Here is an interesting video on YouTube showing a kids' woodworking class in session:

Removing Odors from Wood

Your woodwork projects could include the need to remove unwanted smells from your wood.

Wood, including wood floors and wood furniture is lovely, but it does have a drawback. Wood tends to soak up odors from anything that has been in contact with it.

If you have wood floors and pets, you're likely to find that your floor is reeking with unwanted pet smells.   Similarly, antique furniture that has survived many years is likely to have soaked up odors from mothballs, potpourri, smoke, or from anything else that has been stored in or on it, or spilled in or on it.

You can purchase commercial products to remove odor. This may be particularly helpful if you are dealing with pet odors.

However, if you are looking for a natural diy approach, you might try some of these remedies.

! But first!  The important thing to remember is that when applying moisture in any form, be sure to avoid the joints and edges of the wood.

1 Try wiping the wood with a cloth damped with ammonia. Wipe this off with a second cloth that has been dampened with water.

2. Try making a paste of baking soda and water. Apply the paste to the area with the odors and leave it for a few hours. (Avoid getting the ends and the joints damp).

3. Try sprinkling the area to be treated with kitty litter, or dry coffee grounds. Leave for a few hours or overnight, then vacuum off.

4. Mix  olive oil and white vinegar. Use a ratio of one teaspoon of olive oil to one cup of vinegar. Put this in a spray bottle and spray on the area to be treated. Shake the bottle frequently during the spraying. Do not get the joints and end pieces damp.

5. Use absorbent materials in combination, such as newspaper and charcoal briquettes.  If you are dealing with a drawer, stuff these items in the drawer and leave them for a week or so. Replace them at that time with a new selection of newspaper and briquettes. Leave for a second week. You should be noticing a decrease or elimination of the odor by the end of two weeks.

Here's a video from YouTube that demonstrates a product that removes oil stain and oil smells from wood and other surfaces.

Here's to odor free woodworking projects.