REPOST: Five Must-Know Woodworking Tips for Beginners

Yahoo Contributor Eric Brennan shares these five guidelines for those who want to start a woodworking project.

Getting the most out of your woodworking projects starts with the right tools, materials and know-how to get the project done right. But there are a few tips that even professional woodworkers overlook when they create their own projects. Use these five must-know woodworking tips and you can be sure your first woodworking project will run smoothly and efficiently.

Image Source: yahoo.com

 Budget

Many times, when you're looking over plans for a woodworking project, it's easy to overlook the material budget. This might be because the piece looks too rewarding, fun or challenging to build. Budget problems during the middle of a project have killed more woodworking plans than you can imagine. Be sure before starting any woodworking project, you create a cost breakdown list of tools and materials to ensure you budget remains intact from the beginning through the end of your woodworking project.

Get Familiar with Tools

There is nothing more dangerous than a beginning woodworker who buys a large power tool for the first time and doesn't know how to use it. If you're looking to use power tools for the first time, take a class, read a book or watch someone use the tool first to help prevent dangerous accidents from misuse. Tool rental services can provide you with a tool to use and demonstrate its use for you, helping to make you familiar with new power tools.

Start Small

Don't let your eyes fool you. It's just like when you go shopping when you're hungry-you buy a bunch of stuff you don't need. The same goes for beginning woodworkers who think they can do advanced projects without getting their feet wet with something smaller first. Start small with projects that will teach you the basics before you tackle more complicated woodworking projects.

Buy Scrap

Many woodworkers who are just starting out plan to build something extravagant or difficult when choosing their first project. While it's best to start small when you're a beginner, it's also best to start cheap. Buy cheaper materials and damaged scrap where you can. Any beginner is bound to make mistakes, and scrap wood can help keep down the cost while allowing you the practice you need to get good and hone your woodworking skills.

Practice Makes Perfect

Repetition of projects using a variety of tools and practicing new skills and techniques all help the beginning woodworker improve skills and work towards becoming a novice and professional woodworker. Be sure that you practice the basics first and know how to use each of the tools in your woodworking arsenal before moving to more challenging projects.

A good way to get practice without having to spend a fortune on tools is by taking a shop class at your local vocational school. Some stores like Home Depot and Lowe's offer woodworking classes that teach how to use specific woodworking tools and techniques.



Laguna Tools provides woodworking equipment for both beginner and professional woodworkers. Follow this Twitter page to get more tips on woodworking.

Woodworking and the young generation

Image Source: popularwoodworking.com 


Ask today’s kids what they want to be in the future. Would a kid want to become a woodworker someday? Most of them would probably answer what popular notion has made them to believe is dream-worthy: to be a pop star, a CEO, a doctor, a computer programmer.


Most children nowadays spend more time playing video games and surfing the Web than reading books and playing outdoors. You can’t blame them. Who would want to become a woodworker when children don’t even know anything about the art of woodworking? The subject is taught in schools, but most students dismiss it as just another class and fail to appreciate the artistry behind it. If woodworkers want to create a longstanding bridge between them and the young generation, or if they want to preserve the craft, they should find ways to make woodworking a part of a child’s everyday life.



 
Image Source: woodartbypete.com 


Take inspiration from the works of Marc Spagnuolo, woodworking enthusiast, and Glen Huey, furniture maker and author of woodworking books. They encourage children to have a glimpse of the beauty of woodworking. They share the latest tools used for woodworking, teach about the different products that can be made out of wood, and even create video and audio podcasts about woodworking.


Such actions from woodworkers are what keep the art thriving, and maybe inspire youngsters to study this art form and apply it in later life.



 
 Image Source: mywoodworkingidea.com  


Laguna Tools supports woodworking programs in schools. Its official website provides more information about its school programs.

Woodcrafting and generic tools

The act of using brand names to establish a trade or clientele has been a common trader’s practice even before the Commercial Era and the Railroad Development years—as travelling vaudeville acts and troubadours at tha t time baptized themselves with “commercial” names to attract paying spectators—but its importance as an essential aspect in the entire idea of commerce has never been recorded.

Image source: foggieloan.co.uk

But it is no longer a secret how a simple brand name can change a rivalry in a niche or industry, or how it can ruin a flourishing trade. Brand names have become an important element in any commercial undertaking, and lives have been dominated by multitudes and uncountable numbers of them—for how many years, this, too, is uncertain. On a lighter note, brand names help people to identify. They are the badge that makes consumers distinguish what brand, products, and services they would trust or choose.

In woodcrafting: branded and generic tools

In the olden days when people did not have the option yet of choosing or buying tools for woodworking, they made their own—hence, everything was homemade, handmade, self-made, generic.

Image source: blog.powertools.us

But today, as the world is dominated by advertising and branding, it is hard to find tools that are as sturdy and expedient as the tools created in the ancient days. It’s difficult to find a store that sells reasonably priced woodworking tools that are still excellent and superb in quality. Commercialism paved the way for mass production, which, alternatively, lowered the quality of some branded products.

Image source: blaircontractingco.com

Thankfully, there are lots of trades that remain lovers of the craft and do not think of forgoing quality over sales or brand name. Laguna Tools is one of them and, hopefully, more trades like it would spring in the years that are yet to come.

Learn more about the woodworking industry by visiting this website.

REPOST: Woodworking Show returns for fourth year

This feature talks about the annual exhibit “Wood: A Furniture Show” which is spearheaded by Brian Murphy, co-founder of the San Diego Fine Woodworking Association and proprietor of Murphy’s Fine Woodworking in Escondido. The entire article can be read at U-T San Diego's official website.

ESCONDIDO — When Brian Murphy went looking for fellow craftsmen to exhibit in his fourth annual “Wood: A Furniture Show IV” — which opens Friday at the Escondido Municipal Gallery — he ran into an unexpected problem.

Many of the furniture-makers who regularly exhibit in the hugely popular show didn’t have anything available to show this winter. Ever since the recession began, few furniture artisans can afford the financial risk of building an inventory. Instead, they build on commissions and rarely have finished pieces available in their studios to exhibit.

But Murphy still managed to cobble together a show of 14 handmade pieces by six San Diego County artisans, including himself. The show will feature chairs, a rocker, tables, a jewelry cabinet and more.

The “Wood” show is one of the best-attended exhibits all year at the gallery, which is managed by the Escondido Arts Partnership. On opening night last year, more than 600 people crammed the Grand Avenue gallery for “Wood III,” and Murphy said that during the one-month show, visitors came by the busload from all over North County.

“Word of mouth is really great for the show each year,” he said. “We get so many people in here who are art collectors who really appreciate the work of fine artisans. It’s exciting.”

Murphy, co-founder of the San Diego Fine Woodworking Association and proprietor of Murphy’s Fine Woodworking in Escondido, will show two chairs he created in the style of Gustav Stickley. He will sell one and donate the other to the Escondido Arts Partnership, which will auction the chair to raise money for future exhibits.

Also exhibiting are brothers Amal and Shem McNew, whose Escondido-based furniture business McFinn Designs was recently featured in San Diego Home & Garden magazine. The McNews specialize in contemporary-style furniture, and they are creating a table for the exhibit, Murphy said.

Longtime Palomar College woodworking instructor Jerry Beaudry of La Mesa will show four pieces in the exhibit, including a rocking chair in the style of Sam Maloof and a jewelry box.

San Diego resident Dick Ugoretz, who is vice president of the woodworking association, will show some traditional-style wood furniture.

And show newcomer David Marr of San Diego will show some tables and cabinets that highlight his expertise with wood veneer, marquetry and inlay.

Murphy said the recession has been hard on fine furniture-makers, but qual- ity craftsmanship will always have loyal customers. He said he has a three-month backlog of orders right now, and the McNew brothers have a six-month pipeline for projects.

The show opens Friday and runs through Feb. 2 at 262 E. Grand Ave. An opening reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday will be hosted by Stone Brewing Co. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

Laguna Tools provides woodworkers with top-notch tools and equipment to help them produce high-quality products. This website gives more details about the woodworking industry and how it impacts modern-day arts, lifestyle, and economy.

Let it snow: Storing tools and equipment for the winter

Image credit: vnews.com

Winter time is a tricky season. Temperatures drop overnight and the weather becomes more unpredictable than usual. People busy themselves with ensuring that they have all the appropriate winter wear, enough wood for the fireplace, and their snow tires installed. Proper care for instruments like household tools and equipment becomes an afterthought, often overlooked until the tools are found in damaged condition.

Protecting tools from winter damage starts with preparing for the season. Woodwork equipment makers, like Laguna Tools , routinely remind their customers about basic tips that extend the equipment’s lifespan by shielding the tools from unexpected damage. Some of the most important tips are:

Image credit: crownhandtools.ltd.uk

• Cleaning – Water may freeze up during winter, but come spring, moisture can cause rust and fungi. Cleaning tools before storing them protects them from rusting and becoming breeding grounds for insects that lay eggs in small crevices. Before storing, tools should be rinsed off with a steel wool scrub or a hard-bristled brush and then dried thoroughly. This removes any dust, soil, or dirt debris that may be hidden in between the tool’s steel parts.

• Sterilizing – Contrary to what most wood craftsmen assume, cleaning tools is not always enough. Sterilizing them before storage is important to prevent the spread of fungi and rotten foliage, thus preventing disease from developing in the storage room. Sterilizing tools is not pricey; using isopropyl or rubbing alcohol, or hand sanitizing gel suffices to rid tools of germs.

• Protecting – Keeping tools dry may prevent rust, but the winter cold may still cause erosion. Woodwork equipment makers, like Laguna Tools, recommend lubricating tool blades and handles with general purpose oil or cooking oil.

Image credit: woodworkersjournal.com

Read more on this website.

REPOST: Women embrace woodworking with flair and originality

This article from the Daily News Los Angeles discusses about women who have entered the world of woodworking.




Brooke Coe knows what it's like to fall hard for a gorgeous piece of furniture only to be put off by its price.

All too often she's said, "I can't afford that!"

But that doesn't happen anymore. Not since the 42-year-old Redondo Beach mother of two learned how to take hardwood board and turn it into one-of-a-kind pieces for her home.

"Really, a lot of people like me get started in woodworking out of necessity," says Coe, who has been known to retreat into her family's garage/workshop and surface with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that boast a traditional built-in look; and funky whimsical tables unlike any you'd find in a store.

She's not so unique.

For several years, women have been gaining on men in the home improvement arena. Big-name retailers have introduced products and programs designed especially for women, such as free Do-It-Herself Workshops at Home Depot. And the DIY blogosphere has more recently exploded with sites aimed at teaching women the necessary skills to tackle new territories like woodworking.

Author and blogger Ana White learned woodworking while building her home.

"Making your own furniture is not a matter of muscles, it's a matter of experience and being shown how to use tools properly," says Ana White, author of "The Handbuilt Home: 34 Simple, Stylish and Budget-Friendly Woodworking Projects for Every Room" (Potter Craft, 2012), a companion to her popular ana-white.com blog.

Like the women who contributed designs to her book, the 32-year-old mother is relatively new to furniture making.

White got her start when she and her husband set out to build their three-bedroom, two-bath starter home in Alaska seven years ago. They couldn't afford contractors so it was just the two of them.

She started out by assisting her husband with simple tasks and eventually took on more active roles.

After the house was completed, the couple set out to furnish their new digs with hand-built pieces, including an $80 farmhouse-style bed whose easy-to-follow plans are featured in the book - the first in what she's hoping will be a series on woodworking at home.

Cindy Vargas, on the other hand, came to woodworking like many women do through art school. Though she says she got her first taste of it as one of "three brave souls" in middle-school wood shop in the early '70s.

Today, the studio furniture maker behind Three Elements Studio in Minnesota crafts a variety of custom furnishings, including lamps whose rich surfaces and interesting mosaic patterns would seamlessly blend into any Arts and Crafts-style interior.

"I can't tell you how many times I've heard that," says Vargas, who used to live in Pasadena and work out of a studio in Glendale. "They definitely have that craftsman flair to them."

Coe also designs pieces for sale through Huh? Designs, her interior design and custom furniture side business.

"There are people who will see something at Crate & Barrel that's not the right size so I make it for them," she says. "Maybe somebody wants a unique, stand-alone piece. I also do a lot of redos.

"I had tall and skinny Ikea cabinets and we had a flood in our house that ruined them," she says. "Instead of trashing my old cabinets I turned one of them on its side and then put lights on the bottom of it. I added doors that I built from some leftover wood. Now I have a whole new cabinet with a new feel."

For more information about the woodworking industry, visit www.lagunatools.com.

Setting up shop in the basement: Laguna Tools and turning the basement into your woodworking space

Laguna Tools image credit: tradeindustry.csi.edu

Woodworking is an activity that demands space, whether you’re just planning a small woodworking project or pursuing the craft more ambitiously. This Laguna Tools blog entry explains the pros and cons of creating a woodworking space in your basement.

One of the most common areas in the house where woodworkers choose to set up shop is the basement.

If you live in the northern region with cold winters, a basement shop offers the luxury of climate control. The furnace will keep the workshop warm all winter. Most basements also have a high ceiling that can keep you from bumping your head on suspended ductwork or plumbing. But despite its pleasant climate and convenient location, a basement can also have its disadvantages.

Based in Irvine, California, Laguna Tools provides quality woodworking equipment.

If you want to do woodwork in your basement, make sure there’s enough room for cutting lumber or wide sheet materials. A basement with a narrow staircase can make it difficult and dangerous for you to carry building materials and equipment. If the laundry room is also in the basement, fine dust and fumes from wood finishes can mix with freshly laundered clothes. Dampness is also another problem. The high humidity in the basement can lead to corrosion on metal tools, and lumber can mold or warp if it gets wet.

Laguna Tools image credit: afronie's flickr photos

Laguna Tools has been in the industry for almost three decades and continues to challenge the market by coming up with new advancements.

While the basement has its drawbacks, there are ways to work on these problems. You can install windows with screens to improve air circulation, hook up a dust collector or shop vac to trap dust and debris, or use an ambient air cleaner with replaceable filters to capture finer dust particles. To combat the dampness, keep work areas dry by running a dehumidifier on humid months.

By finding solutions to these basement problems early on, your own space in the basement will let you work on your projects more safely and efficiently.

Laguna Tools image credit: lagunatools.com

Visit www.lagunatools.com for more information about Laguna Tools and woodworking.