| ing a woodworking or any new hobby does not have | | | | miter saw. If you upgrade your table saw you can get |
| to be an exasperating experience. With the availability | | | | away with not buying the miter saw. This may sound |
| of the Internet, you can learn much quicker and much | | | | like a lot but you will have a ton of possibilities with this |
| faster than ever before. This article is going to give | | | | basic set. If you are not sure you want to sink the |
| you some great tips on how to accelerate your | | | | money into the purchase, you could by the tools used |
| learning quicker than you ever thought possible. The | | | | and if you do not want to stay in the hobby you can |
| reason being is a great list of resources will be included | | | | resell them. My favorite two places are Ebay and |
| to help you along. You should find these tips invaluable. | | | | Craigslist. Craigslist is like an online classified ad site for |
| 1. Learning by watching and learning by reading are the | | | | your area specific. People buy and sell stuff everyday |
| easiest ways to learn something new. If you can read | | | | and its free. I find the deals a little better on Craigslist |
| and watch video you can pick up something quickly | | | | and I don’t have to bid over an item or |
| without much help and there is tons of material | | | | remember to bid. You can find out what used items |
| available today. There are a ton of books and some | | | | are going for using both services. This should help you |
| really good TV shows that can inspire you and show | | | | save a ton of money. Used tools in good working |
| you how to make a special project for your home. I | | | | order are always a good purchase. I continue to this |
| remember watching The New Yankee workshop and | | | | day to buy items used that I want to save a little |
| got inspired to build my first project. After that I was | | | | money. |
| hooked because I was encouraged. Several great | | | | 7. Know where to shop |
| shows on TV include the New Yankee Workshop | | | | If you want to buy new tools, knowing where to shop |
| (PBS) The Router Workshop, Woodworks, and DIY to | | | | is a key factor to not getting frustrated and to getting |
| name a few. | | | | a great deal. You can always look up your item |
| 2. Obviously if you have a friend that is into | | | | specifically online but there are sights out there that |
| woodworking you can learn a ton from them. Basic | | | | cater to specific items as well. Believe it or not |
| shop set up and having someone help you through | | | | Amazon has a huge variety of tools available online. |
| some of the basics is very valuable. If you | | | | One of the reasons they show so many tools is that |
| don’t have a friend that shares this hobby you | | | | vendors are allowed to upload their inventory into |
| can always find some by going to your local | | | | Amazons database and those items show up when |
| woodworking store. A good one that has an active | | | | you search their site. So if a site has a custom tool line, |
| community is woodcraft. Some stores actually have a | | | | they can sell those tools through Amazon. Of course |
| small shop in which you can take lessons and come in | | | | Amazon gets a piece of the pie. If you look up some |
| and build your own projects. Looking up woodworking | | | | tools specifically you will find sites like Router Table |
| clubs on the Internet for your town specific is also very | | | | Depot that carry items specific to router tables. You |
| helpful. Make sure you use the quotations effectively. | | | | can also buy some tools refurbished. Most of the time |
| For example you would put into Google: woodworking | | | | refurbished tools carry a limited warranty from the |
| clubs “Florida” (substitute your town) | | | | manufacturer and are a great bargain. |
| 3. One of the newest methods to get some great | | | | 8. Start Easy |
| ideas is to try you tube. They have tons of topics | | | | Pick some projects that are not too difficult. Picking |
| besides the ones that most people go there for. They | | | | easy joinery is another good tip to making a project |
| also have woodworking videos and they are all for | | | | simple. If you pick an Armoire with curved doors and |
| free. You can get a great feel for working in the shop | | | | dovetail joinery, you may be in for a surprised. These |
| and be inspired at the same time. Its free research and | | | | details require the experience of detailed and upscale |
| its free. | | | | joinery and woodworking techniques. On the other |
| 4. There are several websites in which you can get | | | | hand don’t pick the traditional lame projects you |
| help once you start a project. There is nothing worse | | | | were forced to build in high school wood shop either. |
| than feeling alone when you hit a roadblock. A lot of | | | | Picking something you can use in your house is always |
| the forums are set up so that you can ask a question | | | | good and practical. Look at the plans, read through |
| and get an answer. Some of the subject matters are | | | | what you need to own and what type of joinery is |
| very specific such as: | | | | needed. Simple shelves, cabinets or stands, boxes and |
| • I am new to woodworking | | | | small tables are good choices for first time projects. |
| • I need help | | | | These are a lot more fun and practical than spice |
| • Power tools | | | | racks, sconces and paper towel holders. |
| • Woodturning | | | | 9. Buying wood |
| • Hand tools | | | | Buying wood for projects is the other half of the |
| • Home Improvement | | | | equation of purchasing. First you have to buy the tools |
| • Project specifics | | | | and then you have to buy the wood. Certain areas of |
| • Jigs, tricks and good ideas | | | | the country lend themselves to better supplies than |
| • Furniture | | | | others. Of course there is always Lowes and Home |
| • Hardware | | | | Depot’s available in most towns. They are |
| • Fastening and joinery | | | | somewhat limited, usually offering pine, oak, cedar and |
| • Dust Collection | | | | poplar. They also carry mdf and plywood in various |
| • Etc | | | | grades. If you want to save money, or find different |
| Good forums are easy to find, all you need to do is | | | | grades of woods you can always look online. Other |
| type in Woodworking forums into your favorite search | | | | great ways to find good wood are to find local saw |
| engine and you will find as many as you have time for. | | | | mills in your area. They carry wood in the rough, which |
| 5. Plans | | | | means it’s not planed or jointed. But it is much |
| Using plans is a great way to get started. You do not | | | | cheaper than buying it finished in the box stores. You |
| have to any engineering to be successful. All you have | | | | can also find species such as cherry and walnut. |
| to do is to follow the directions and cut the wood to a | | | | Another good way to find some good and inexpensive |
| cut diagram that is included. They usually tell you all the | | | | wood is to go to Craigslist and Ebay as well as your |
| materials you need, what kind of tools you need to | | | | local classified section of the newspaper. |
| have and where to get the additional hardware if | | | | 10. Advanced Learning |
| needed. Plans can be found all over the Internet. Prices | | | | If you really want to kick start your learning and money |
| can be as low as $5.00 to around $20 for detailed | | | | is not much of an issue you can always enroll in a |
| advanced plans. Again search for woodworking plans | | | | woodworking school. There are several ones that you |
| using your favorite search engine. | | | | can find online. These schools can be very basic |
| 6. Buying the basic tools. There are few tools you will | | | | teaching you everything you should know as well as |
| need if you don’t want to stop dead in your | | | | very advanced. A lot of them require you to only bring |
| tracks in the middle of a project when you find out you | | | | yourself since they are a fully stocked shop. Some |
| need something you do not have. I would suggest an | | | | include the price of a finished project that you actually |
| entry level table saw, (bench top model) a cordless drill, | | | | build while you are at the school or class. This is a sure |
| (drill press if you can afford it) a router table and a | | | | fire way to get a quality education with plenty of help. |