Thursday, November 20, 2008

Essentials For The Woodcrafter

By Ned Dagostino

Woodcrafting means turning out articles from wood. These articles must be properly cut and finished to acquire any degree of utility. To do this the woodcrafter needs to have the proper complement of tools and supplies. Wood just can't be cut and shaped with bare hands! There are many stores that carry woodcrafting equipment and ancillary supplies. A woodcrafter will have his preferences about which store he wants to give his custom to.

If you have a penchant for working with wood, then you should take up woodcrafting as a hobby and then as a profession. Ideally, you should find a supply store in your locality. Internet shopping is a viable alternative for most supplies except maybe lumber. To get you started in this wonderful craft, I'll describe some important topics very briefly.

The first order of business is to order a good, reliable table saw. This power tool is used to cut wood. The table saw will see duty every working day, and that too for relatively long periods. Therefore it should be a heavy-duty, industrial grade machine. This machine will singly do the majority of the work in your shop. So invest in it wisely.

The table saw is the workhorse that will do all the drudge work in your shop. It will save you hours of work everyday. Imagine using a handsaw to get through that pile of planks! Because of its utility and the nature of work it must be capable of handling; you should buy the one that is best suited to your anticipated projects and to your budget. If your budget doesn't allow for a brand new table saw, you can get yourself a second-hand machine in good repair. Maybe you know another woodcrafter who's upgrading his table saw.

The next important power tool on our shopping list is the band saw. This piece of equipment is the most under-rated tool ever! There are those who consider it superfluous. Let me assure you that the band saw can cut you out of a tight spot when you have a demanding project and little time to complete it in. The band saw will take a fraction of the time to do things which are well nigh impossible without it.

Almost everyone knows the power drill, our next tool. It is basically used to drill holes in and through wood. Drill bits come in various diameters and lengths to enable you to drill holes of specific sizes. A boring bit cuts out rather large holes in wood. The drill can be fitted with a number of alternate tool bits to do multifarious tasks. For example, you can fit a sanding disc on the drill, and sand down the surface of wood. A buffing attachment will let you buff the article after polishing. The drill can screw and unscrew screws and bolts, and run nuts.

A set of general tools and an assortment of measuring tools is the next item on our list. You really must get your dimensions right to turn out a professional project. There's nothing more irritating than a chair which has one leg just 2mm shorter than the others! And have you seen those window frames with some corners which are not exactly square? It really puts you off, apart from the problem of fitting the window into the frame!

The router is another power tool. It is used to cut fancy shapes in wood. The router comes with an assortment of router blades and bits, which you use to produce flutes, grooves and rounded edges. A router will give your project a professional finesse.

All the tools described in this article are like your faithful servants. They ask not for bread or water, but they do require maintenance to perform well. Preventive maintenance will save you the irritation of unexpected downtime and projected time over-run! Tools should never be exposed to moisture. Moisture will encourage rust to form on the tools. This is a sure way to waste your investment! The maintenance required is nothing more complex than simple cleaning and lubrication. The tools should be thoroughly cleaned and then rubbed with a cloth with a small, short dab of oil on it. The oil will prevent rust from setting in, thus increasing the tool's service life.

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