Regardless of your ability and experience level with woodworking, there are a handful of things that can jump up and bite you when you least expect it. This little post points out a few of them.
1) Cut it SQUARE.
Making sure your cuts are square will save you time and effort. Making SURE you cut things square will help your assemblies go together the way you expect rather than having a leaning tower of something because you did not make sure to square. Take the extra bit of time and care and cut it square.
2) Make it SQUARE.
Do NOT trust the boards you buy. NOTHING is square until YOU make it so. This may be as simple as just verifying what you are working with but more than likely it will involve some extra work bringing things into that wonderful condition known as square. Out of square casework can make you crazy. Make it square.
3) Know thy sawblade.
Failing to allow for the width of a sawblade can put the hex on an otherwise wonderful project. The sawblade removes material. It is up to YOU to make sure it removes it where you WANT it removed.
4) Drill pilot holes for nails and screws.
YES, you can get away without drilling pilot holes and sometimes it will work. Playing russian roulette works sometimes too. Develope the habit of drilling pilot holes and you lessen the odds of splitting out your work. That little bit of extra time can be the difference between a spectacular project and a cobble job.
5) Pilot for the right size.
It is very nearly a certainty that the decorative brass screws which just happens to match the brass hinges on your reproduction cabinet will snap off the head if you try to screw them into the wrong size pilot hole. Trust me on this. They will snap off in such a fashion that you will destroy the project trying to get them out and leaving them broke off looks really tacky.
6) Mark lightly.
The lines you need are just that, lines YOU need. Don't mark so heavy that your neighbor across the street can see them, the neighbors don't care what you are working on. YOU will care when you start trying to sand off marks left by King Kong. Mark lightly, just enough to work by.
7) Measure twice, cut once.
OK, so that saying has been worked into the ground and then some. The reason it has been worked so hard is it is TRUE. Verify your measurement BEFORE you cut, after you cut it no longer matters. Failing to develop this habit will cause you more work and cost you extra lumber. Mistakes happen, we just try to minimize them.
8) Failure IS an option.
Oh yes, failure will indeed happen and with the right approach, it is a good thing. When we fail to produce a tight dovetail, we need to learn from that mistake. When our rocking chair propells the occupant out onto the floor, we need to learn from that mistake. Failing means nothing more than we are making headway. We are progressing forward and our progress will be marked by failures. The key is to have more victories than failures. Never, ever, give up.
9) Safety First.
Protect yourself. The tools we use in woodworking can do severe damage to your person. Do NOT take shortcuts leading to unsafe practices. If you are uncomfortable with a process, rethink it. ALWAYS wear your protective gear and respect your tools. Get out there and make some chips!!!
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Last update : 21-11-2007 11:02
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