woodworking-9

Woodworking
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Finding Hand Tools For Wood Working
Author: Jack Blacksmith -
When you mention woodworking, the first thing that often comes to mind is power tools. However, you will also need a variety of hand tools for your workshop. For the beginner, it can be confusing and difficult to decide what to buy. Building a collection can be expensive and often small tools are overlooked. There are some ways to build your collection inexpensively.

Hand Tools for Shaping Wood

o Clamps: you will need a variety of types and sizes. Fortunately, these are generally inexpensive. Pick them up whenever you find them on sale for a good price. Clamps are sturdy and long lasting, so it's safe to pick these up used.

o Bench chisels: you will need about a half a dozen of these in a variety of sizes from ¼ to one inch.

o Stiff, wire brushes

o Saws: you will need a back saw, tenon and dovetail saws. These get used often in woodworking. If you buy these used, check out the teeth for damage. If in good condition, pick them up used. They will need to be sharpened.

o Planes are used for smoothing. Get a few different planes, at least a block plane and jointer to start with.

o Scrapers are needed for a variety of projects. Look for a paint scraper and a hand scraper to get started.

o Files: Get good size, sturdy files in a ten inch size. Look for smooth and bastard mill files to start with and add others later.

Other Hand Tools You'll Need

o Hammer: get a good quality hammer. A 16 ounce hammer is a good, versatile hammer.
o Mallet for driving chisels
o Allen wrenches in a variety of sizes
o Screwdrivers in Phillips and flat heads. Get a good set in several sizes of each
o T bevel
o Tape measure
o Steel rulers
o Level
o Squares
o Awls: marking and scratch
o Pliers: channel lock and needle nose
o Putty knife
o Utility knife
o Protractor

Finding Hand Tools at a Good Price

Setting up your own woodworking shop can be expensive. It is tempting to go out and buy the cheapest handtools you can find in an effort to save money. Don't do this. Cheaply made tools won't last long and you'll end up having to buy them again. Get good quality tools such as Armstrong tools, Stanley tools or snap on tools. Quality is important in the long run.

Used tools are a good choice, if they are in good condition. Antique hand tools and German hand tools are high quality and fairly easy to find. Hand tools tend to last longer, as there isn't as much that can go wrong as with power tools. The quality and craftsmanship in older tools are often much better than in cheaper new tools. When you purchase used tools, inspect them carefully to be sure they are in good shape.

Handtools are often sold at yard sales. You will have to visit many to find everything you need for your workshop. Check out a few each weekend while you are building your collection. Check your local paper on Friday and Saturday. Many people advertise their yard sales and often include information on the type of merchandise for sale. This can save you a lot of leg work.

Flea markets are an excellent resource for finding tools. You will find more in one place than you will by travelling from yard sale to yard sale. You can often negotiate at a flea market to get a lower price. Don't be afraid to negotiate. Many dealers set their prices a bit higher in anticipation of people haggling with them. If you pay full price in this case, you may be paying a slightly inflated price.

One way to get a better deal is to shop toward the end of the day. Often, people are willing to cut the price just to get rid of the tools. Another option is to buy several tools from the same person. You may be able to get an additional discount for buying several items.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Jack Blacksmith is a contributing author for www.inside-woodworking.com a website with resources. The writer is publishing about hand tools and other areas in this field.

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woodworking-8

Woodworking
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Woodworking – Creative, Relaxing and Timeless
Author: Kent Walters

The title reflects Woodworking as a hobby, not as a vocation. Vocational woodworking is pretty much the opposite of the adjectives in the title because of the intense pressure to produce quickly in order to make it pay the bills. So we'll stick with the hobby orientation for purposes of this article.

Many people start a project with very little thought. This is okay if you are working from plans, material lists and cutting lists in a woodworking magazine, but when you strike out on your own, this lack of planning often results in a project that becomes very difficult to manage somewhere in the middle, when more wood needs to be added, or, more often, the final piece has to shrink just a little to make do. The project gets less fun as measurement adjustments keep being made to the original plan to keep the modified parts fitting with each other. It's kind of like playing chess with a saw, anticipating three moves ahead what the measurements are going to have to be because of the one deviation you made three steps ago.

What I would like to accomplish here is to lay out a sequence of events that need to take place as you migrate from the canned projects in the woodworking books and magazines to your own project planning.

Recreational woodworking starts with an idea of something functional (a shelf, a table, a bench, a box, a desk) or something meaningful (a toy, a piece of art, a frame), or a combination of the two. This idea can be born of inspiration from looking through woodworking magazines, seeing something in a model home, or a need that exists in your own home.

Most often the concept is sketched out. Traditionally, this is done on the back of an envelope or a partially used napkin, so be sure to have some of those lying around. Once you have the sketch, you have to decide how big you want this thing to be. Often, this is determined by available space or intended function. Staying true to our adage, "measure twice, cut once", a rough dimensioned drawing is created. If this is to be a functional piece (desk, cabinet, etc.), be sure to stay reasonably close to standard measurements for desk heights, knee-hole allowances, kick spaces, cabinet heights, rail and stile widths, file drawer dimensions, etc. You'll be glad you did.

By now, the concept has evolved enough that the desired finish (paint, stain, varnish, oil) has been narrowed down, and a type of wood has been selected that is appropriate for the project, budget and finish. With so many choices of wood and finish conveniently available today, this can be quite an exercise.

Now that the type of wood and finish have been determined, it is time to decide what kinds of joints you are going to make (assuming you are not making a boomerang or hollowed-out canoe or some other one-piece thing). Considerations are strength, the look you are trying to achieve, your equipment and capabilities, and the amount of time you can invest. This can be one of the more strenuous mental exercises because of the range of choices. The look of a bung or button, the clean lines of hidden biscuit or dowel joints, the strength and intricacy of the dovetail, the simplicity of nails and glue. All have their place, and you have to decide.

Along with the joints, hardware has to be planned. Based on the hardware, you have to adjust your dimensioned drawing to accommodate clearances for drawer rails, those extra half inches for lap and dado joints, hidden hinge overlaps, insert depths for frame-and-panel door panels, etc. You also have to consider depth of relieves and radii of router profiles to make sure your stock is thick enough to allow your concept to mature as planned.

A final dimensioned drawing is created, allowing for all joint and hardware considerations, and a cutting list is prepared from this drawing. Note: This drawing does not have to be to scale, or look professional in any way. It helps the visualization process if it is proportional, but the real important aspect of this drawing is documenting the measurements. Don't be concerned about the appearance of the drawing - that is not what you will be displaying.

Now, finally, we can go to our lumber supplier and select the actual wood we will be working with. This is not where you want to save time. For the parts of the project that will show, especially for projects where the natural wood is intended to be a design feature, extra care should be taken to select the grains and natural attributes that will best fit your concept. If you are saving money intending to plane "three-sides-good" lumber, make sure the width runs far enough on the pieces selected with enough margin to get the length needed for each piece AFTER PLANING. Measure the finished surface to the beginning of the raw edge. For framework, cleats and carcasses look for straight, unknotted pieces. Warps and twists can be overcome, but they make the whole project less fun.

With this level of preparation and with sharp tools, the project will proceed nicely and the finished piece will bring you satisfaction, many years of service, and can sometimes even become a treasured family heirloom. Note: The heirloom status is often true of a desk, a well-made toy or a rocking chair. Don't set your expectations too high for laundry shelves.

Kent Walters is currently an amateur woodworker in Houston, Texas. His entrance to the craft was similar to many - woodshop in school. He continued the craft some time later as a toymaker on a drill press, sander and spray booth. He was a furniture maker at one time, building mostly desks, book cases, wall units, display cases and cabinets.

As time moves on, he is "downsizing" to intarsia and toys – panels are getting too heavy to lift, and heirlooms are becoming more important than they once were. For more articles, resources and a woodworker's website directory, see http://www.woodworkingcenter.com " http://www.woodworkingcenter.com.

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woodworking-7

Woodwork
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Painting woodwork in and around your home
Author: Roger King
There is no rule which says you must paint woodwork white, or strip it, or color it to merge with the walls. In a room whose walls, window frames and doors are in the same neutral color, you could paint the skirting board a clear contrasting color. This will define the line between the floor and walls. Trim colors that contrast with walls and ceilings might suit your style in one room, while a more subtle color change might be right somewhere else in the house.

You can liven up plain, flat walls by adding moldings so as to create panels around the room. For best results, make sure you keep your working area within the proper temperature range recommended for the paint. All interior woodwork that has been stripped, from baseboard to dining room tables, needs to be primed with either a standard acrylic wood primer. After that you can paint on it with oil-based flat eggshell, gloss, or acrylic paints.

Most interior woodwork looks best in an eggshell finish, as high-gloss paint can have a rather bleak, deadening effect. If your plan is to paint walls, ceiling, and trim, then it's best to get the trim painted first, along with the room's windows and doors. Paint woodwork in small sections. Keeping a wet edge to avoid lap marks.

A wide range of broken- color effects work well on woodwork, but ideally you should use oil-based paints as latex has little durability on wood. Stains add color to wood while allowing its natural grain pattern to show through. Varnishes are clear finishes that form a tough coating over stain. They are available in a range of finish sheens from satin to high gloss. At the end of a project, combine all of the leftover paint of the same color into as few cans as possible.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

About The Author: Roger King has been involved in home interior painting for several years, and has been helping people find and review the best value for interior painting solutions. Visit his Web site www.decorativeinteriorpainting.com to learn more about this service.

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woodworking-6

Woodworking
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Woodworking Tools - A Detailed Guide
Author: Ciara McNamara -
Woodworking is a popular and relaxing hobby. When you get started, you will need a variety of woodworking tools. You don't need to spend a fortune to get started. By purchasing what you can used and shopping for discount tools you can build your collection without spending a fortune.

Chisels: Look for high quality, durable chisels, as these will get a lot of use. Rockler woodworking chisels are durable and affordable. You will need a variety of chisels in sizes from ¼ to 2 inches wide, depending on the project. Chisels can be used by hand or you can tap them with a wood mallet.

Clamps are needed for gluing projects together. A wide variety of sizes are available. These are generally inexpensive, so pick them up whenever you find them. These can often be found used in good condition. Pick them up whenever you find them cheap to build your collection.

Squares are important for accurate measuring. You will need a framing square or a carpenter square. A try square is often used in furniture making. These come in sizes from three to twelve inches. Look for squares that are marked in inches and metric. A combination square has two pieces: a head on a steel blade. These are a great tool for measuring 45 or 90 degree angles.

Drills come in corded or cordless models. Corded drills work well and are less expensive. Great features to look for include reverse, variable speed controls and attachments for a drill press. If you want a cordless drill, look for high voltage batteries to be sure it will have adequate power. Look for a model with two batteries, so one can be charging while you work with the other. You will need a variety of drill bits for woodworking projects.

Hand planes are made of steel or wood and are used for a variety of purposes. A jack plane is used for rough shaping and comes in twelve to fifteen inch sizes. A block plane is used for trimming. Smoothing planes are good for fine cuts and are eight or nine inches long.

Other tools you will need include:

o 16 ounce claw hammer
o wrenches
o screwdrivers
o tape measure
o safety glasses
o sand paper
o level
o hack saw
o pliers
o hand saw

Finding Woodworking Tools

Don't rush out to buy the cheapest tools you can find to supply your workshop. Wait until you can afford quality items that will last. Buying cheap tools is a decision you could well live to regret. A good set will last for years, unlike cheap tools which will have to be replaced many times over the same time period.

The internet is a good place to search for discount woodworking tools. Look for well known names, such as Rockwell tools, Sears tools, Hitachi tools and Ridgid tools. Rockler woodworking tools are well known for quality. By purchasing major brands that are known for quality, you are more likely to end up with a product that will give you years of dependable use.

One way to find quality tools at an affordable price is to buy them used. These can be found at flea markets, yard sales, antique auctions or your local classifieds. Tools are often in good shape, particularly if they got little use. Hand tools are almost always a good bet when purchased used.

Be careful when purchasing used power tools. They are generally good if they were gently or rarely used. Check them out thoroughly and try them to be sure they are in good condition. Ask about how often they were used and when they were first purchased to get a better idea of the overall condition.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Ciara McNamara publishes many articles for www.inside-woodworking.com a website with resources. The writer is specializing in subjects like woodworking tools .

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