It’s tough to run a woodworking business. It takes hard work, dedication and continual growth. This article offers useful advice about woodworking. Among this wide ranging advice, use the tips that help you the most.
Safety is of utmost concern when you are doing any time of woodworking project. Be certain you always have the right safety equipment, and use your tools properly. Avoid taking off the guards on power tools; they are meant to protect you. These simple things can help protect you from accidents.
Use a pre-stain wood conditioner before applying a stain. The conditioner will make it more difficult to notice irregularities in the wood. It does this by smoothing out the unevenness in the wood, and it lets the stain absorb more readily.
Try making reusable sanding blocks by yourself. To do this, cut six blocks of wood from scrap plywood that is 3/4″ in diameter for each sandpaper grit. They should be about 4.75″ x 2.5″. You can secure the sandpaper better with an adhesive. Put one block on the cork, and then cut it flush with a knife. Spray adhesive on a piece of sandpaper and stick that to both cork blocks face down. Finally, trim the sandpaper and label each block.
Test your stains on scraps of wood or inconspicuous areas of the piece you’re using. Testing first will give you an idea of how the stain will look on a real piece. You’ll get no unwelcome surprises later. Wood is unpredictable at times and you should do this test so that you aren’t disappointed by the results.
Never shake a finish or a stain. Only stir them. Some of the ingredients tend to settle as time goes on. However, shaking can cause bubbling and prevent a thorough mixing of the product. Stir thoroughly until it is even.
Reusable sanding blocks made by yourself will save money. Start by cutting six blocks from scrap 3/4″ plywood for every sandpaper grit you generally use. Make sure they are about 2.5″ x 4.75.” Put adhesive spray on the blocks and your cork tile square. Stick a block on the cork and cut it flush with a knife. This piece should then fit you hand fairly well and be secure enough to not slip. At the end, trim the sandpaper and label each block.
Be sure you have some kind of an idea of what you can budget your money on. When it comes to woodworking, it is easy to get lost in the project without a grasp on reality. Do not get excited about a project before making sure you have enough money to get everything you need. Plan things out in advance, and you won’t have unpleasant surprises.
Pick out the right kind of wood. When woodworking, there are some woods which can’t handle the stress other woods can. If you don’t know what the limitations and strengths are for each wood species, look them up online or at the library. The more you know, the better.
Gel Stains
Gel stains are great for furniture. Gel stains work better on the wood because they don’t run like the liquid stains do. Also, gels are thicker so they will remain consistent during the entire application process.
When using stains, a great product choice is gel. Gel stains will adhere much better to your wood. Also, since these gel stains have a thicker consistency, their pigment stays consistent during the whole application process which shows in the even staining on both horizontal and vertical surfaces.
Increase the strength of your grip. Using a spring clamp can come in very handy, but using them with one hand can be a challenge. It’s hard to open it with a single hand. You can make it easier on yourself. Prior to starting glue-ups, gather your clamps and place them on one piece of wood with both hands. They will be handy to grab with one hand as you need them.
Remember to protect your ears. Machinery can be very loud. Exposing your ears to these things for a long time can cause hearing loss. Buying some inexpensive ear plugs or some noise-cancelling headphones will help. Use them anytime you are using the machinery.
Tin snips are a great way to trim laminate that you use in woodworking. Tin snips allow you to quickly and effortless cut the laminate into a usable size. Use the tin snips for laminate only so they stay sharp.
Keep an eye out for free wood. Businesses will have leftover pallets, and construction areas may have scrap wood they don’t need. Look online for ideas of what you can make with pallets.
Drinking beer and woodworking may sound like a lot of fun. However, it is never wise to mix alcohol with the use of power tools. You should never drink while using woodworking equipment. Illegal and prescription drugs should also be avoided when working with woods.
Use the right type of wood for your project. Avoid using soft woods like pine to make a table top; it is going to easily scratch. Also pay attention to the colors of different species of wood.
All woodworking shops need stair gauges. They not only assist with stair jack layouts, but can also be used when your carpenter’s square needs to be clamped. This will make the carpenter square into a circular saw guide. You won’t have to worry about uneven cuts any more!
Be aware of furniture that people are discarding. You may be able to get wood furniture cheap or even free. Think about the possibilities before you dismiss anything. Even if the dresser isn’t able to be fixed, you may be able to arrange the drawers into a good bookshelf.
Stair Gauges
A stair gauge can be a great guide for a circular saw. Typically, stair gauges are used to calibrate stair jack rises and runs. However, they can aid you when using a circular saw by using stair gauges on tongues of carpenter squares.
Make sure your grip has sufficient spring. There may be times that your project requires a spring clamp when you only have one hand available to open it. These are tough to open up with a single hand. However, you can make things easier on yourself. Before you start the glue process, with your free hands place the clamps on a piece of random scrap wood. They will be handy to grab with one hand as you need them.
As you can see, it takes effort on your part to run a woodworking shop. Learning new techniques is a constant battle. Use what you’ve just learned to take your woodworking shop to the next level.