>I have posted a few messages on this site and have been very pleased with about 99% of the feed back.
I'm a 16 year old Sophmore (High School) and I have been into actual wood working for about two and a half years.
I was wondering if any of you would have any tips that would be good for a novice wood worker. don't be too worried about throwing anything out there that may be "too advanced" I learn very quickly and i am looking to better myself as a wood worker.
If any of you would like to see any of my work you could e mail me.
-what would you consider is your primary interest to build? furniture? small boxes? bird houses? etc, etc.
since your posting on this side I'd assume that you're primarily interested in handtools, so I'd say the #1 thing to learn is sharpening. Get yourself a copy of Leonard Lees book on sharpening and learn to sharpen everything in sight such as planes, chisels, scrapers.
since you're still in HS I'd get myself into some type of Design/Arts class. Being able to design a project before actually picking up a tool will save you lots of Time and Money.
give us more info and I'm sure you'll get plenty of feedback.
Glad to see the younger folks involved in the Art of WW. How come you're not out racing up and down the highways in a Honda with music so loud that it vibrates the windows of cars a mile ahead and behind of you?
>It is hard to come up with a set of things because everyone has differing interests, skill levels, tools etc. You will probably be better served to ask specific questions when you need some info on how to do something. For instances would be: What tools do you have, what do you like to build, are you into carving or marquetry or.......
See what I mean? There are too many variables to come up with a general answer.
There are a few things that apply almost no matter what, among them sharpening as was mentioned in another post. Having a good bench is probably another. Beyond that, the answer is "it depends". Please feel free to ask anything you want. It is good to see a new generation interested in the craft;-)
and other odds and ends i'll remember after i post this
as for my primary interests... you name it, i'll try it.
I have made every thing from jewelry boxes to side tables to the schools drafting cabinet to the local polices officers night sticks (which are still in progress)
I enjoy to use hand tools as much as possible instead of power tools. It seems like people don't use hand tools as much as they should. I don't use machines to make my dovetails, which is probably why my dovetails are better than my teachers.
No matter what you do,my advice is to get as much education as you possibly can.The more information you have, the more tools you have to work with. As you get older I think you'll find it harder to find the time for schooling.
It sounds like you've got a real good start as a woodworker. Good luck and stick around. Keep us posted on your progress.---Crackerjack
>I`d also suggest that you look around your area and find out what WWing clubs and guilds are active there,then go pay them a visit.
While you can learn alot by reading,there is no substitute for learning by doing with an experienced hand to guide.
There`s an old Chinese proverb;"I hear and I forget,I see and I remember,I do and I understand".
Here in Maine there were plenty of people who were willing to help me understand.I`m sure you`ll be able to find a mentor where you live too.Doesn`t mean you can`t ask alot more questions here though!
>video's, too. It's helpful to see what's happening and at what speed. Though books can get into more detail, I try to find video's whenever possible.
Second, keep making things, even while you study. The more you do it, the better you'll understand when you read about it or learn about it in a class.
As I think back, that was important to my learning, too. Also important was learning to look. Sounds silly, but learning how to look closely at what I was doing, proportions, other people's work, and so on was very important.
>Take you time and enjoy the ride. dosen't matter if it is woodworking, dating working or any part of you life. If it is special take time and enjoy it.
>There's an old joke that applies here, though it may be past its time (if this requires too much knowledge of the 1950's to understand, I apologize, Zack): A tourist goes to New York, spends the day wandering around, and discovers that he's getting lost. He stops a passing beatnik/hipster and asks, "How can I get to Carnegie Hall?" to which the reply is, "Practice, man, practice."
Part of practice is patience. You're clearly bursting with the desire, and far more knowledgeable than I was at your age (or even a decade later), and you'll keep on learning. You'll never know enough, because there's always another level of better that you can get. Accept that, and do your best for where you are.
Start looking around for an older guy, quite possibly retired, who shares your interests, and see if he's willing to do stuff with you. This is something learned best by doing, though reading, videos, etc., can prepare your mind and (somewhat) your fingers for the learning experience.
And make things. As many things as you have time and money for. If you haven't got the money for wood, look around: there's free stuff. Some people have found sources for pallets and shipping crates - it used to be true, for instance, that motorcycles from Japan came in really cool hardwood crates; I don't know if this is still true - or you may find, as I did, a local shop that throws out its offcuts in sizes too small for them but great for you.
>It was sorta discussed in a short thread recently, but I'll bring it up again. Someone posted that they were disappointed because they had to rebuild some doors. Their original idea didn't work....but the problem wasn't that a mistake in design was made....the problem was in how that woodworker/person viewed the outcome....rather than thinking that it was a great learning experience....they opted to take a more pessimistic view on the outcome. Don't. I think it holds for most people but I'll not generalize. I learn way more from my mistakes than I do from doing things right....if I do it right, I rarely spend much time thinking about why it turned out right. If I do something wrong....I spend lots of time thinking about it and in the process learn a bunch. Yeah, you lost some material and some time....but you gained knowledge. Material is replacable. I'll trade a few hours time for knowledge.
All that was to say....don't be afraid to try new things...new design, new method or such.....if it fails, you learn. If it works, you also learn.
>Zack, Im 22 and just a beginner in this field. As youve already been suggested, learn as much as you can. I always learn when I hang here. There are so much knowledge here thats availiable, use that! And there is a wealth of information on the net, just search and eat.
What I like to do is challenge myself. "Id like to be able to sharpen blades to razor sharpness"... well, I had to get complete guide to sharpening, read it, post here and read here, and try. It sure feels good when you reach a goal or desire you might have.... And you can always try to do things better, faster and more efficiently than before.
So do as already said. Be curious. Ask. Watch. Read. Buy more tools. Get as much wood as you can. And work it....
>Take you time and enjoy the ride. dosen't matter if it is woodworking, dating working or any part of you life. If it is special take time and enjoy it.
Ernie, that was quite profound which leads me to beleive that it is not you. Soooooooooooooooooo who are you and what have you done with our friend Ernie?