Hand tools versus power tools is still an ongoing debate in the arena of woodworking. The purists will tell you that using hand tools is the only way true craftsman do woodwork where as the practical woodworkers of current day and age will tell you that it just doesn’t make any practical sense not to use power tools. The modern day scenario There are certain hand tools that will always be a necessity. For example most of your measuring and marking tools are hand tools. There is no replacement for a good combination square. Similarly your marking tools like the […]
Can A Small Woodworking Business Profit In Current Economic Climate?
Is it possible to run a moneymaking small-scale woodworking business in today’s day? We are talking about the kind of woodworking business where you are practically the only primary employee, who does the woodwork and, most likely, operates from a home-based wood-shop. Can a woodworker make a full-time income from such a setup? The biggest hurdles are the mass manufactured wood crafts made in huge factories with commercial grade power tools capable of churning out thousands of items every month. How is a single woodworker with limited production capability supposed to compete with that? The production numbers are just the […]
Best Ways To Cut Plywood Clean And Straight Every Time
I know that it’s a pretty basic and straightforward topic. But still there are some tips that are worth sharing when working with plywood. Being a little more informed about the different variety available as well as techniques for handling plywood helps in making better building decisions. How to cut a large plywood sheet First thing to keep in mind, and you know this but it still worth repeating, plywood is heavy. A full board is both heavy and cumbersome to carry. So take care when moving the sheets. There are some simple appliances you can use to assist you […]
3 Best Hand Planes You Should Buy First And How To Use Them
One of the first things you might be questioning is why do you even need hand planes in your woodworking shop and for what all can you use them… Woodworkers who use hand planes know how useful they can be. Inspite of being hand tools they are the preferred way to go for many kinds of jobs. Once, you get friendly with these tools and realise what they can do for a wood worker, you will find yourself reaching out for them instead of your table saw, belt sander and a planer, on many occasions. Advantages of having hand planes […]
How To Setup, Tune And Maintain A Perfect Table Saw For Years
These steps apply whether you are about to use a brand new table saw for the first time or want to do some maintenance work on the one that you have been using for a few years. It’s usually a good idea to check a brand-new table saw for accuracy and a few other issues. Similarly it’s advisable to carry out similar checks and clean out the table saw that you have been using for sometime. Doing this can even prevent certain issues from coming up in the future. It’s a good idea to schedule a check up and clean […]
How To Create ‘Niche’ Best Selling Wood Projects
There is a wonderful way to create popular woodworking projects that you will find easy to sell. You can do this by following a very successful business principle known as “working in a niche”. What is a niche? If you look up the meaning of niche it means “speciality”. The next time you go and build a wood project that you intend to sell, you should think about what’s going to be your speciality. Think of a project that is different from others in some interesting and wonderful way. Sometimes you don’t have to reinvent the wheel as they say […]
How To Sell Your Wood Craft Projects – A Definitive Guide
The question of how to sell your wood crafts and projects begs asking a few more questions… What level of woodworking are you engaged in? Do you make small projects or larger pieces of furniture? Do you want to sell only the wood crafts you make yourself or are you also looking for custom woodworking jobs? How comfortable are you selling online? Are you able to learn online methods of marketing using Facebook, Instagram et cetera? What methods of selling are you comfortable with, that is, are you willing to approach stores, sell in craft fairs, flea markets, exhibitions et […]
Pre-finishing Wood Projects – Why You Should Try It
Why Pre-finish the wood? Finishing a wood project can be the least attractive part of woodworking. I know many workers who dread and dislike this part of wood working the most. And yet, no one can really dispute the importance of this step. Whether you like it or not, the first thing that most of us notice in a wood project is its finish. A finish has the power to lay waste to 200 hours spent on an otherwise a great wood project, as well as to make the mediocre project look great. But the work can be slow, tedious […]
How To Dust Free A Workshop With Dust Collection And Air Filtration
Keeping a workshop dust free and breathing clean air is a top priority. If it’s not, then it should be. You want to practice effective dust control as well as clean the air of harmful fumes. This is done by two methods, using a dust collection system and an air filtration system that can either be for the entire workshop or personal apparatus like masks and respirators. Cleaning dust and fumes in the workshop There is two kinds of dust in a wood shop. There is sawdust that you can see while doing jobs like using a table saw. But […]
11 Must Have Finishing Supplies You Need In Your Wood Shop
We all know how essential finishing is to almost all woodworking projects, regardless of whether you are going to apply a coat of polish or not. Even so, many beginners in woodworking take this process lightly, at least the first time, and just as many professionals dislike this stage of a project more than any other. Finishing has the power to destroy the hard work of days, weeks and months right at the moment when you thought it was over and you were home free. In this post we will talk about the essential finishing supplies you should have in […]