DIY Woodworking
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From the early stages of human development, we have used wood to build anything and everything from, Chairs, Tables, Utensils, Idols, Coffins, Cabinets, Toys and so much more! Let's take it back to our roots but add a little bit of modern spice.
"Now, what does that modern spice entail exactly? Well, modern problems require modern solutions, and the solutions we’re talking about here specifically are your skills/techniques, and let's not forget the tools you’re going to need if you want some quality handywork to pass on to your grandchildren so that they might appreciate it (Eventually)."
Terminology:
When first starting you’re going to hear some terminology that might make this task seem a lot more daunting than it truly is. Here are some of the phrases you’ll need to know along with some tips from the professionals:
Planing:
The process of removing excess material and/or smoothing the surfaces of the wood.
- For the best results here you should try to cut all pieces to the same rough width before you plane.
Biscuit Joint:
These Biscuits help align the faces during “glue-up”, especially with a longer panel such as a tabletop, they also don’t reveal themselves once the panels are glued together, leaving you with a clean, professional look.
- Biscuit Jointing is not used for structural integrity, it is mainly used for alignment. If strength is what you’re looking for you should try dowels instead.
Glue-Up:
The assembly stage of woodworking that typically makes use of glue and clamps.
- Make sure to use your clamps to keep your wood in place instead of biscuits or dowels. The reason for this is that the whole idea of a glue-up is for your glue to be stronger than the surrounding wood.
Sanding:
The technique that smoothes or polishes the surface of the wood using sandpaper.
- Remember to always sand your wood! Start with 80 Grit to remove manufacturing marks faster and move up from there, and don’t forget to sand with the grain.
Jointing:
This is where you would go through the process of preparing the edges of your wood to get to the glue-up stage, typically used for flat surfaces and angled joints.
- Always mark the edge of the face cut so that you don’t put your biscuits into the wrong end, this sounds simple but when you’re working on wood losing track is much easier than you’d expect.
Routing:
This involves is a similar process to planing where you would trim, cut, and shape your wood, however, this process will produce finished edges and shapes.
- Try to use a straight bit 3/8” IN (9.5 MM) Depth as it’s universal and will apply to almost any application you need it to.
Finishing:
This is the process of refining the protection of the wood’s surface by applying lacquer, wood stain, or varnish.
- Remove dust and shavings before finishing, as well as apply paste wax with a pad of #0000 fine steel wool for a smooth finish on tables and chairs.
Now that you’re all caught up with the Woodworking lingo, let’s get into the tools you’re going to be using on your journey to becoming a master carpenter. One thing you must keep in mind is that there are variations of each tool, and the best one for the job is never going to be the same. However, the ones below are for general use which should allow you to do anything from basic home makeovers to larger projects:
Belt Sander
A belt sander, also commonly known as a strip sander, is used in shaping and finishing wood amongst other materials. It uses an electric motor that will push the belt in a continuous loop making the job much easier and faster! Here are some tips on what you would want in a belt sander:
- When looking for the perfect consistency in your wood, you’re looking for one that allows you to fit different grades of sandpaper grit, and easily at that.
- From a professional perspective, the minimum sanding surface should be around 76 x 520mm. However, if you KNOW what you are going to work on and that is too big then feel free to size down.
Trim/Plunge Router
A Trim Router, also known as a Laminate Trimmer or Plunge Router, is a smaller/lighter-weight version of a wood router. This is recommended for DIY use purely because it should still serve all the purposes you would need at nearly a 3rd of the price! Things to know about a Trim Router:
- They use smaller bits, making them cheaper as well as more user-friendly.
- The most important thing to look for before buying one is that it has a bits with guide bearings to ensure precise cutting when working on bevelled edges.
- They also serve as multi-purpose, allowing you to trim plastic laminate as well
Biscuit Jointer
The Biscuit Jointer was originally invented to join recently introduced chipboard. However, it can be used to join any 2 Pieces of wood together, it uses a small circular saw blade to cut a crescent-shaped hole in the wood which a small wooden biscuit will then be inserted and glued. Joining them permanently as well as aligning them without any visual disruption. Here are a few tips for buying one:
- Always use the machine that will allow you to use the largest biscuits possible.
- It should have an adjustable fence to make your life that little bit easier and risk-free
Table Saw
This tool consists of a circular saw blade, mounted on an arbor that is driven by an electric motor. Now, this is probably the MOST important machine in your arsenal, allowing you to do cross cuts and rip cuts on wood grain with extreme accuracy due to the table providing all the stability you could ask for. The next question is what exactly are you looking for when buying a table saw?
- Firstly, you need to decide between Contractor and Cabinet grade (Contractor being portable but smaller, Cabinet being fixed but slightly larger). This will depend on the space you’ve given yourself to work with.
- Secondly, for your safety, you’re going to look for one that has a sturdy fence. The fence is going to prevent the wood from moving and assist in fulfilling the table saw's acclaimed accuracy.
- Finally, especially in a home environment, you will most likely want a table with Ducting for your dust extraction. Simply keep the workspace neat and make your life that little bit easier!
Wood Lathe
Now, this is not your typical machine that everyone might have. However, it is necessary for turning your wood to make cylindrical profiles. This means it is a must-have if you want round legs for your chair/table or if you wanted to make a wooden bowl. So, for the enthusiasts or the more experienced, here's what you’re looking for:
- Always look for the lathe that will provide you with the largest working space, AKA it has the largest turning diameter.
- Decide on whether you want a multi-Speed (a set selection of speeds that you can choose from) or a Variable Speed (Which allows you to set the exact speed that you want) the only thing to consider here is the price difference and what suits your needs
You are now one step closer to becoming a well-informed, soon-to-be Carpenter! There is quite literally a world of possibility when it comes to woodworking and all it needs are some working hands and a creative mind to make it happen, PS I'm talking about you, yes YOU. I’m sure the last question you need to answer is, “Where am I going to buy these tools?” well don’t you worry we have just the solution: Check out Adendorff Machinery Mart’s wide selection of MAC AFRIC tools and machines. You won’t be disappointed!