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.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment