Any woodworkers out there?

That definitely comes in handy.

 

It's amazing what some of you folks can do. We were at a party at the home of one of my wife's coworkers and I was looking at the dining room hutch and the guy says he made it. Now he is a bit of a gerbil, doesn't look or sound like an artist, but it was really a beautiful piece of furniture. Then he showed me some of the first stuff he made and you could see he's gotten A LOT better with practice. I doubt I'll ever try it, but he said to start with easy projects and wood that isn't too expensive.

 

The question is, do you have the tools? To make anything that doesn't look like shit because it doesn't fit together right, you'll need, at minimum: compound miter saw, table saw, jigsaw. And a drill press would be good, too. If you really want to get good, get a planer and an edger. And if you don't want screws to be visable, get a biscuit cutter and do away with the screws altogether. And expect to lay out $1,500, minimum, on these tools.

And take your time. Fingers are a bitch to grow back.

 

I love doing this kind of stuff. A couple years back I decided that I needed a bookcase for my desk, so I figured out what I needed to fit on there and where I needed it, and then measured everything out.

So I went to Lowe's, got some wood and nails, spent the afternoon putting it all together by the plans I made up - and it looked like I ended up building some kind of rat trap.

But hey, it worked. And I can't wait for the chance to do it again. I'll just need to take more care next time.

 

Joe speaks the truth, though if you start with some simple stuff you can get away with just a few basics for a while. I started with a pine table to fit an odd shaped area of my hallway.

You definitely need a compound mitre saw, but you can get that for $100-120. Get yourself some clamps, because you'll be needing to glue things together and that won't happen without clamps. And, of course, you'll need a drill, but you probably already have one. Skip that cordless crap - spend some real money and get an electric 18V model. You will also need a sander and at least three grits of sandpaper (coarse, medium, fine).

Get yourself a decent workbench and a couple of sawhorses, too. I built my workbench (and you can, too, if you have a circular saw) out of 2x6's from plans I found on the internet. Cost me 30 bucks, took me 45 minutes to build.

Just bolt the mitre saw to the top of your workbench and go to town. Start by building things with nothing but straight lines and right angles. That will make life easier. Bench, stools, tables, etc. You'll need some of the other things Joe mentioned before you attempt boxes and cabinets.

And don't get me started on chairs. That's my current project. Much harder than I ever imagined.

 

Oh yeah, one more piece of advice: You can find relatively good deals on tools at a store called <a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/retail_stores.taf">Harbor Freight Tools</a>. You probably have one near you, located in a part of town you rarely visit. They carry a lot of smaller brands, and their prices tend to be very low.

 

"Before we use any power tools, let's take a moment to talk about shop safety. Be sure to read, understand, and follow all the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this: there is no more important safety rule than to wear these — safety glasses."

 

I'm all for creative projects, having wasted a lot of money gotten into various hobbies myself over the years. I think it's cool to make stuff.

In addition to the tools, you've got to make sure that you have ample room to complete your projects. The last thing your wife wants it to trip over your half-finished projects while she's running after a toddler. Do you have a private garage or basement? Is it well ventilated? Can your tools be locked up or stored out of a kid's reach? Will you need running water or larger dumpster space? Do you have a good work bench?

 

Way to introduce responsibility to the equation, Cadet.

 

Some of the few memories I have of my father were of him letting/making me help him in his shop. I had no idea how useful some of that knowledge would come in later in life.

I will say this though, if you ever get good at it, but it doesn't thrill you like you thought it would to build stuff --- your life will be hell. If it's anything like my situation, I hate doing that stuff now, but my wife knows I can do it, so she's constantly wanting me to build crap.

 

I'm a chick, that's my job.

Though I will say that I totally geeked out when I bought a soldering iron at half price the day after Christmas. My BF promptly bought me a fire extinguisher the next day.