Learnings from last project.

[Pappy]

One more note on HF clamps. Stay clear of thier qiuck grip clamps. They are total junk. This is one time it is better to spend the $$ for Irwin, Jet, Bessey....

[NewDIYer]

Very inspiring and educational..

To those who have posted to edumacate me - THANKS.

Knowledge about wood is most important to work with wood. Thus far I have bought wood and used it - end of story (but that should not be the case).

Knowledge about the tools is also very important. Brad nails should have gone this way but went that way!!!

I have built a feather board for the miter table - (FYI - when I first joined BT3central I could not post and found out about Loring's Bt3K FAQ so was in touch with him and he was very inspirational at that time as has been since). I have built a feather board for the rip fence, the outfeed table, saw horse stands, etc. I will continue to motivate myself with your feedback and thank you again for taking time to post responses.

[cabinetman]

There's been some very good suggestions. I might suggest a starting place for your project...whatever it is, to set out a plan for yourself. Whether is a thumbnail sketch or a 1:1 (full size) drawing, that permits you to see what you will be working with. It will provide the sizes of the pieces, develop a cutlist, and allow you to decide on which joinery methods to use.

You can make different views, and fit your pieces to the drawing.

.

[Shep]

Two tips that I have learned over the years.

#1 Instead of using a measuring tape for some measurements, I will hold up the piece I will be cutting to fit and mark the piece. This is a lot faster and more acurate than a tape measure.

#2 Don't rush finishing. I still have to remember this. It's easy to rush when the kids are screaming and the wife is asking "how much longer, Honey?"

[cabinetman]

A habit you should get into is using the precautions you can take to protect yourself while woodworking, such as protective eyewear, hearing protection, and an appropriate respirator for doing finishing.

.

[NewDIYer]

Protective equipment

Cabinetman,

It is good advice that I need to understand fully well as respirators are not something I would think of as a PPE. My daughter has completed Industrial Design so she has used tools and has a respirator which I can use. I will move that front and center and next to my other PPE. Have to make a habit of that even if I use the saw to just cut once.

Shep,

Using a cut piece as a measure to cut another is a good advice which makes life very easy.

Regarding the wood dust, is it enough to have a vacuum bag or a vacuum bag with a vacuum port over the saw blade be advisable?

Thanks.

[pelligrini]

The OEM ryobi bags work fairly well at chip collection, but they really won't collect the fines that are more of a health hazard. A dust port on the guard will help, it should be hooked up to a source than can flow enough CFMs to collect the fine dust. A shop vac is better then nothing, but it isn't as good as a dust collector.

[cabinetman]

Another suggestion since you will likely use air tools, like staplers and nailers. We use air tools that shoot things, like nails and staples. These can be lethal weapons, or to be more graphic like a shot in the eye, or maybe in a more private place.

There is an impulse to lock up the safety nose on the tip of the gun. I'll admit I've done it, and learned my lesson the hard way. For those that don't know about this mechanism, it moves upward to allow the tool to fire when the tip is pressed down (where you want the fastener to go). If you lock it up, the gun will fire by just pulling the trigger.

I've got several different types (and brands) of guns, and some are harder than others to depress to fire. Since I could be using a gun for long periods on a daily basis, that extra effort can be tiring. Holding parts to be fastened can be much easier without having to push the tip into the work. BUT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT CHANGING IT.

I stopped that practice after shooting myself several times (yep...that's right). Of course, none of the times were fatal, and I have both eyes. So, I attribute that to dumb luck. Believe me, it's very easy to accidentally fire off a round or three, just by picking up the gun and touching the trigger, or in just handling. Always wear safety glasses when using air tools.

.

[greenacres2]

The insurance agency i work for covers a roofing contractor who specializes in commercial membrane roofs. Over 20 years in business and only 3 workers comp claims. Despite the heights, hot tar, weight of material, weather, wet, snow, etc...all 3 injuries were the result of pneumatic nailer accidents!!

earl