1.Wood Selection.
If you’re going to make a project in wood than it pays to first of all make sure you choose the right wood for the job. If you’re making a piece of fine furniture that could one day be a family heirloom, than you will want to select some fine hard wood. Naturally it should be suited to the type of furniture, for instance mahogany always makes a fine chest of draws whereas a yew makes a handsome table. Remember to make sure your wood comes from a sustainable source.
If the piece you’re making is for the workshop or is going to have a paint finish then a particle board may be perfectly acceptable for construction. If you want something stronger and more durable then choose good quality plywood.
2. Tools
If you’re going to be using hand tools then you need to make sure they’re in good order and sharp. Of course the same principle applies to power tools but where you might still do a good job with a power tool that is not in tip top condition; the same can’t normally be said for hand tools.
Not only do sharp tools mean it takes less effort to saw or plane timber but they’re safer too. A chisel which is sharp enough to go through wood as though it was butter is much less likely to slip and cause damage. Get some time saving tools like a pocket hole jig and two cordless drills are better than one, one for screwing one for drilling.
3. A Tidy Workspace.
Even if you don’t have a dedicated workshop and have to use a corner of the garage or maybe work in the yard when the weather is okay, it’s important to keep things tidy. Knowing where every tool is saves time and energy, its frustrating when you can’t put your hand on the tool you need and getting cross can lead to making mistakes. Being tidy is safer too, power cords hidden under piles of wood shavings can trip you up and even if you not hurt tools like planers and routers don’t take kindly to being thrown onto the ground. If you are working in makeshift conditions and using an assortment of power tools always place the ones you’re not using on the ground, don’t leave them balanced on the corner of a small bench.
4. Good Plans.
Whatever your making it’s usually much easier if you’re using a good set of plans. We’ve probably all made small projects based on a rough sketch we made on a piece of scrap paper, and that’s fine if it’s a small project for the workshop and you’re using wood from the scrap box. Or maybe the item you’re making is only going to be used once, and quality doesn’t really matter. But if you are making furniture which needs a fine finish or the sizes are critical because it needs to fit in a particular space, then take the time do draw your own accurate plans or buy some good ones. You don’t want to waste expensive wood by making mistakes.
5. Be prepared.
Whether you’re making fine furniture or more simple garden furniture it pays to be prepared. It makes even more sense if you doing a project with limited time, if you making a nice oak blanket chest and there’s no rush to get it finished then it won’t be a big deal if you run out of glue or screws, it may be annoying but it wont hurt. On the other hand if you’re going to spend the weekend making picnic furniture for next weekends barbecue party then you don’t want to have to stop work and drive to the store for bolts, screws, glue or whatever it was you forgot. As well as you’re plans make sure you’ve got a check list for all the supplies you’ll need to get the job finished without stress, it’s more fun that way.
By Kevin Cooper