What’s In a Woodworking Plan

Commercially sold or free woodworking plans found online take all the guess work out of a project. A good plan, not only list the lumber you will need – type and quantity, but it can give you estimates on how long the whole project will take and evaluate it by skill level. For example, a beginner may not be ready for a curved wood curio cabinet top, but could really do nicely making a lighthouse style birdhouse.

Wood working patterns also contain a hardware and accessories list. You will know ahead of time just how many hinges, knobs and drawer rails your project requires. It will give a description of the best materials to use and even where to get them.

A tool list helps you make sure you have everything you need to work with your supply list. Many plans don’t assume you already own any of the tools so the list is comprehensive and complete. If you need a particular saw blade, the plans will let you know right there in black and white.

Another helpful part about using a woodworking pattern is that all your measurements are there. If you are making the captain’s bed with underneath storage drawers, you will not need to calculate or guess the width each drawer needs to be in order to fit three across. The figuring has been done for you. Even better than just planning, the plan author has most likely made the project several times, so they know from experience.

How Hard Is It To Read Woodworking Plans?

Many plans are created to overcome the language barrier. Pictures illustrate each step and are often all that is necessary without added written descriptions. For those steps that may need the additional explanation, written directions are usually in several of the most common world languages.

You don’t need to have a degree in hammering and gluing to understand how these directions work. If you have every put one of those “some assembly required” toys together, then you will be pleasantly surprised that reading woodworking plans is actually easier!

The Finishing Touches

Many wood working patterns come with illustrations or photographs of the finished project. Line drawings are always included, but it is also nice to see the finished piece in a photograph. This will give you ideas for staining or painting the finished wood project. Also you can get an idea of how it might look in a room in your home. Don’t be afraid to take on a wood working project just because you can’t see how it’s all put together from the outside. Chances are somebody has wanted to make one of their own and has drawn up just the pattern you need.

Peter J. Wilson regularly makes detailed articles on issues similar to scroll saw patterns. You can come across his comments on scroll saw patterns and woodworking plans over at http://www.insidewoodworking.com/projectsplanspatterns/index.html and different sources for free woodworking patterns knowledge.

Jigs do not need to be fancy or expensive. Often you can create your own jig for smaller jobs. However, if you are a steady hobbyist or use woodworking in your profession, it is well worth investing in a good assortment of jigs. The time savings alone is worth it, but you will also save countless dollars in ruined wood.

The Short List of Jigs Long on Performance

If you only have a few basic items to add to your workshop this year, consider the following short list of must-have jigs.

A dowel jig, for example, allows you to cut dowel holes to precision diameters and widths. This is ideal in furniture making where dowels can hold together drawer fronts to the frame or for inserting tight-fitting legs into tables and chairs.

Another furniture making jig you must have is the dovetail jig. Dovetail jigs give drawers the professional touch. If you have ever looked at a bureau that is at least 50 or more years old, you will see that the old way of doing things was to dovetail drawers. These fine pieces of furniture are around today for a reason! Dovetailing drawers makes them durable and keeps them functioning for decades, even centuries. Couple your dovetail jig with a dovetail job, and you can create furniture like the masters of long ago.

Router jigs can support wood as it passes through the saw creating the fine, even ornate detailing of truly professional woodworking projects. The bevelled edges of table tops and drawer faces are created accurately for each side of the wood using a router jig.

Kreg – The Leader in Jig Creations

The Kreg jig is a fine example of form meeting function. The Kreg set usually come with face clamps to support these precision drill jigs. With the Kreg jig you can drill to specific depths and hole sizes for perfectly fitting matches.

One trick to use if you don’t have a jig on hand in the middle of a drilling job is functional, if not fancy. Try taping a thick band of masking tape around the drill bit at the desired depth. Then as you are drilling you will be able to see where to stop putting on the pressure. It works, even though it isn’t quite as precise! That kind of quick solution is fine if you are just doing the occasional woodworking job, but for less frustration (it can be hard to get the gooey tape off the drill bit) and more precision, professional grade jigs are the only way to go.

Being especially interested in dovetail jigs and dovetail jig, Johnathan Bakers is editing quite a few long articles on the matter. With his detailed writings such as http://www.insidewoodworking.com/jigs/index.html ,he improved his expertise on areas associated with woodworking jigs and dovetail jigs.

Whether you’re choosing boards at a lumberyard or from your own inventory, look through the supply and imagine how different grain and figure patterns would look if placed in various parts of your project. Be conscious of knots, splits, checks and other defects and determine how you would either use them to advantage or work around them. If you’re using veneered plywood or plan to veneer the wood yourself, think of how the figure in the veneer can be used to best advantage. Above all, pay attention to color variations, unless you intend to paint the piece you are making.

For a table or chest top, lay the boards out in different groupings, flipping and turning them, until you find the best arrangement. Then mark the boards so you won’t mix them up as you prepare them. If you’re making the top from veneered plywood, decide what part of the 4×8 sheet you can use most advantageously. On a chest of drawers, give the same attention to picking the drawer fronts. When people look at what you’ve built, they won’t see the wonderful joints you’ve spent so much time and effort making. They’ll see the design, which includes your choice of boards and their positioning and they’ll see the finish. You won’t regret the time you spent selecting and arranging your wood.

Before you begin working your lumber, make sure your tools are sharp and your machines are adjusted properly. Dull planer, jointer, or shaper knives and worn-out router bits will leave pronounced washboard-like mill marks in your wood that will require extra effort to remove. Chipped knives will leave unsightly ridges. And if the cutters on your machine tools are dull enough to burn or glaze the wood, they could ruin your project altogether. Poorly adjusted machine can snipe the ends boards and also cause glazing or burning. Always work toward the smoothest surface possible.

If you’re joining a number of boards together to make a tabletop, you may want to use splines, dowels or biscuits to line up the boards so the surface is as flat and even as possible. If, after glue-up, uneven alignment is more than you want to try flattening by hand and you don’t have power equipment large enough to handle the job, look for a local millwork shop that will run the top through its wide-belt sander for you. The price and the trip are often worth it. If the top is too wide for any of the sanders in your area, plan to make the top in several sections; flatten each section separately, then join them together with splines, dowels or biscuits to line them up.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Hobbies

Not everybody has a shop full of woodworking tools and carpentry skills, so what are you supposed to do?

A company in Vermont has created a line of quickbuilding dollhouses just for someone like you who wants to make something special for his little girl, but doesn’t have the time.

The name of this little woodworking wonder is the quickbuild dollhouse.

The quickbuild dollhouse by Real Good Toys is convenient and affordable to build. Every part of the dollhouse is made from sturdy cabinet grade materials so it will hold up to abuse and still look great in your daughter’s room.

The quality wood used in the construction of these quickbuild dollhouses virtually guarantees that your little girl will give it to her little girl and so on. You won’t have to find 8 hours per day for several weekends to assemble it either. In fact, a person with average skills and a little patience can assemble these dollhouses in as little as an hour with only a screwdriver and some wood glue.

Don’t worry that you can’t read blueprints. These dollhouses come with simple to understand step by step instructions.

What’s even better is that you don’t even have to paint them, the factory has done all the finishing for you including hanging the little wallpaper, installing the windows and doors complete with decorative moulding. You are going to be a hero to your little girl!

There are 6 different styles to choose from and every one of them is made in the USA by a company based in Vermont.

A good site to check out pricing and availability is http://www.littlekidstuff.com/quickbuild_dollhouses.html

You can make your little girl’s eyes sparkle and you don’t have to sacrifice every weekend for months to do it.

About The Author
Ruiters Haiser is the webmaster of A to Z Dollhouses which is one of the most detailed websites on the internet for information about buying dollhouses. If you want more information please go to: http://www.adollhousesz.com.

The Top Five Tool List

There are thousands of tools on the shelves of the hardware store and the work benches of seasoned do-it-yourself gurus, but it you were to break them down into categories, they all do some of the same things. So with five basic pieces of hardware as your foundation, you can build anything and then work from there to build your own workshop.

The first power tool to have is a circular saw. With this you can cut straight lines and large curves. Setting a board along the top of two saw horses, can create a work area to hold wood being cut.

Next, for larger wood working projects a table saw or radial arm saw is in line. Choosing one that rotates to different angles is important if you plan to cut picture framing or crown mouldings for your home. The angles allow you to create the 45 degree mitre cuts for a perfect fit.

Third, the well- equipped workshop has an electric sander. All of this work could be done by hand, but the electric belt sander gives each piece of wood a professionally finished look. It prepares long strips of moulding or the edges of table tops and other furniture for staining or painting.

Fourth, every wood working work shop should have a router. This handy tool allows you to make woodworking patterns and grooves that take a piece of furniture or moulding from that plain look of the Shaker style to the ornate French provincial elegance.

Finally, maintaining your saws and other tools is easier with a grinding wheel or knife sharpener. These will allow you to maintain blades and keep them cutting the fine details and patterns that take your handicraft up a notch from amateur to professional.

Solid Brands for Solid Quality

There are some brands of tools that the name alone creates an image of quality. Makita, Ryobi, Rockler, Rockwell, Sears Craftman, Snap-On, Hitachi, and Rigid are all names you can rely on. The prices in these brands vary a little, but with any of them you can count on a quality tool that will last decades. It is worth the investment.

Adding On

Once you have stocked your workshop shelves with the basics, you can add some of the luxuries that make the jobs easier and smoother. Of course there are the smaller devices such as gluers and clamps that keep projects together while you work. But to that you can add electric nailers, dovetail jigs, jet tools and more to make life easier.

A well organized workshop with all of the basics is the ideal way to work. Perhaps your first big project can be building the workbench that will serve as your foundation for many more projects to come.

About The Author

Robert Carlton
Concentrating on latest news in antique hand tools, the writer works primarily for http://www.insidewoodworking.com. Sharing his passion in publications like http://www.insidewoodworking.com/tools/HandTools.html, the author proofed his knowledge on areas related to hand tools.

Choosing a garage workbench

Workbenches are available in a wide variety of sizes and styles. Benches are great for woodworking, crafts and other household projects. You can purchase a bench at most home improvement stores. Another option is to build your own bench. You can find plans in books and on the internet with instructions to create the perfect bench to suit your needs.

A table style workbench is made of heavy duty materials to stand up to regular use. Most models have a hardwood top with metal legs. Table tops can also be made of steel. These resemble a typical table shape with nothing underneath.

Cabinet style benches have drawers or cabinets in the space under the table top. This is great for utilizing otherwise wasted space. This method allows for additional storage space. Some have a pegboard backing that is perfect for hanging hand tools. You won’t need to dig through drawers or a tool box to find what you need.

A power strip bench is a good choice if you use power tools often. These come with up to nine outlets in a strip with a heavy duty power cord. They also have current protection to prevent overload. These can be either six or eight foot benches. Some have a tool caddy to hold smaller tools.

Build Your Own Workbench

Consider building your own bench to get exactly what you want. Kits are available with everything you need to create your bench. Instructions and materials are included with the kit. With this method, you will be limited to the kit’s design. The benefit is that all pieces are pre cut. You won’t need to worry about uneven cuts.

You can build your own bench and purchase all the materials. This method is a bit more complicated, but you have more control about the final outcome. Free workbench plans are available on the internet with detailed instructions for you to follow. Cut the plywood according to the directions and be sure to make your cuts straight.

For best results, choose good quality wood, oak or a hardwood plywood is an excellent choice. Use several coats of polyurethane to protect the top of the bench. Be sure to sand between each coat. A good urethane coating makes messes easier to clean up when working on projects later.

Organizing and Making Room in your Garage

You will need to organize your garage and create storage space to make room for workbenches. Determine what you need to store. Start with a good clean out and get rid of things you don’t need. Throw away old paint and other junk. Give away or donate old items, tools or other things that are too good to throw away, but that you don’t need any more.

The walls of your garage offer great opportunities for storage space. Cabinets are great for organizing clutter. High cabinets are good for storing chemicals and paints. Sharp items can be put up high to keep them away from children. Consider locks if you have young children. Locker cabinets are perfect for larger items. Drawers are good for organizing tools, fishing equipment and other small items.

About The Author
Jack Blacksmith writes articles for http://www.inside-woodworking.com. He is trying to help people on his informative website on topics around http://www.inside-woodworking.com/workbenches-clamps/garage-workbench.html and workshop organisation.

In years gone by, choosing a boat design to build was limited to what you could get your hands on through local boat yards or designers. With the Internet, the whole world plus a huge archive of older designs is now at your finger tips.

No longer do you have to spend $20 to see small plans so you could decide if it was what you truly wanted to build. These days, a few hours on the Net, and you have probably more information than you need. As a matter of fact, you could end up with information overload.

My best advice is first, decide on the basic concept. Do you want a small day sailer, ocean going mono hull, live aboard catamaran or car topper. Is your family truly interested in going boating with you, or are you just assuming? Ask yourself a lot of questions first.

My first boat was a 6ft dinghy I built while still at school. This was built out of cedar so it was really light, and I could pull it behind my bicycle on its own trailer. This was used for a number of years on the river near my home.

My last boat was a 31 ft ocean going yacht. I had this moored over 100 miles from my home. In retrospect, I got far more use and more fun from my 6 ft dinghy. This backs up my thoughts at the start. Do some serious thinking before making your choice of what to build.

Remember, all you need is some basic woodworking tools, some experience and some patience. The building of your own boat is a challenge, but if you meet it, the reward is the deep satisfaction of a self-made life afloat.

About The Author
Peter Frank – Staff writer at http://build-20-boats.info Boat building site strictly for enthusiasts, with informative articles updated regularly

Personalized Woodwork Projects

Perhaps the most satisfying thing about woodworking is being able to give a unique and personalized gift to someone you love. Whether for a birthday, anniversary or birth, a handmade gift is memorable. Personalized woodwork is also a great present idea for children who seem to have everything. Creating a piece for a child does not have to be a difficult task and there are many toys and accessories that will appeal to a child’s tastes. For instance, building a rocking horse or rocking cow is a surprisingly simple project that all children would surely enjoy. There are really only three parts to the construction, the rockers, the handles and the footrests. To ensure that your rocking horse is safe and comfortable, the handles should be high-mounted and the footrests equipped with a cross-brace.

A popular woodwork project that appeals to girls is the Victorian dollhouse. Almost every little girl dreams of having her own beautiful dollhouse that she can play with for countless hours. This is a simple woodwork project that allows you to be as creative as you like. You may find yourself getting carried away with all the little details and intricacies of this project. It is up to you to decide whether you want to create a lovely and simple dollhouse, or one that is detailed and elaborate; either way, this project is great fun to tackle.

A hope chest is a gift given to a child, and over time, it becomes an heirloom to be passed on. Hope chests are wonderful, meaningful gifts that are also very attractive decorative pieces. This woodwork project is easily handled because it can be modified to your individual skill level.

Backyard Projects

Perhaps you would like to try a woodwork project that your family can enjoy. Woodwork projects for the garden can be easy and will make your backyard area more attractive and comfortable. If you consider yourself a beginner, building a trellis is easy and simple. However, trellises can also be made to look more elaborate with the inclusion of detailed lattice work. And, you can complement your trellis with an easy-to-build planter. Constructing a privacy screen is also a nice addition. This project only requires that you build a standard wooden frame, then, it is up to you to incorporate the personalized details. Building a picnic table is not really any more difficult, but it does require more time. So, if you are looking to undertake a simple project and you have no time restrictions, a picnic table is a wonderful backyard furniture item.

Woodwork projects are not only fun, but they can also become an interesting hobby that allows you to build personalized pieces. Whether your goal is to pass on your woodwork as gifts to others, or whether you choose to personally enjoy the fruits of your labour, there is certainly a woodwork project to fulfill your wishes.

About The Author
John Mann is an experienced home renovator and webmaster. Visit his website Workbench Ideas http://www.workbench-ideas.com/ for workshop tips.

A search for computer desk plans available at web sites on the Internet will turn up thousands of woodworking sites with plans available. The prices for the plans will vary with the method you choose to obtain them. Some sites will be happy to mail you a set printed on paper. Other sites will only have downloads available, leaving the printing all in your hands.

When making purchases from web sites on the Internet, always be sure that your order is done on a secure page. You can tell when a page is secure by looking at the pages address on your browser. Secure page addresses will always with https:// instead of the normal http://. If the order page is not secure, do not put any information on the page as it will be susceptible to hijacking. You can try contacting the owners of the web site to find a more secure method of ordering. The only time you should have shipping charges involved is when the web site is mailing a paper copy of the plans to you instead of you downloading the computer desk plans. On the sites I visited that had this option available, the shipping charges were reflected in the price of the plans.

Now that you have obtained the computer desk plans, the fun of starting the project begins. Finding a good lumberyard with reasonable prices for your wood will be easy if your choice of wood is pine or bonded plywood. If you want to make the desk out of select hardwoods, a little more effort will be required. You can get the wood in more or less bulk form and do the entire cutting yourself or have the lumberyard pre cut your wood to size. With precut pieces, you will still have to do all the finishing and assembly of the wood into the final state of your computer desk.

You have gotten your wood, cut it to size, sanded it to perfect smoothness and stained and sealed it against use. The final assembly will best be done in the location where you plan to use the desk. That way you will not have to move the desk after it is assembled. The feeling of satisfaction you experience every time you sit down at the computer, knowing that you built this desk with your own hands will make the purchase of your computer desk plans well worth the money you spend on them.

About The Author
Horace Kerner has worked in the office furnishing department of a furniture supplier for more than 8 years. He has experience in helping clients furnishing their work area to suit their needs, starting with their desks. John will give you a checklist of 10 essential items to address when buying a new office desk on his website http://www.furnituredepots.com.

Nine biscuit joiners were tested in a recent product review. All of the plate joiners were more than capable of creating tight, durable joints. However, the most vital features were proven to be comfort, dust collection, slot sizes, blade changes and of course, fences.

The fence is the most significant part of biscuit joiners. To cut a slot in an edge that’s angled or to center the biscuit in any size of board, a fence is a necessity. The basic styles of fence, two of them are those that incorporate the height adjustment and angle into one mechanism, and those with two mechanisms of adjustment. Fences normally have an adjustment of angle on the left side and a height adjustment directly on the right-hand side. The height adjustments range from approximately 11 3/8 inches to 2 3/8 inches.

The best overall choice for biscuit joiners is the Lamello Top 2053 for $800. Lamello’s fence does everything one asks from a biscuit joiner. Lamello’s height stop is versatile as it can reach 2 3/8 inches to center biscuits in 4 ¾-inch boards. The Top 2053 has a unique micro adjustment knob that affords you to slide the blade up or down 2mm for placement of precision. Although the Top 20 53 doesn’t contain any accessories, at $800, it is better constructed for a woodworking shop than any job site. This Appliance has a wooden case.

As for the best value, the Porter-Cable 557 is big, full of features and versatile for $200. This power tool comes with an extra blade for the cutting of mini-biscuit slots. The fence makes it simple to manage large angles as it reaches 135 degrees and easy to adjust to 90 degree angles. The tool is a tad heavier and larger than most biscuit joiners, but the handles are very comfortable for usage.

The internet great offers on the Porter-Cable. You may also shop around for online book stores that has a bit less for $199 and it’s suggested to go with the Bessey KBK2440 Cabinet Door Clamp Kit for a total price at $318.99. The biscuit joiner delivers quality performance with accurate, smooth cuts.

About The Author

Leon Groom writes about http://www.powertoolsmall.com, Electric Reels and Home Depot.