If you could only give ONE tip, what would it be?

[scorrpio]

Every minute scrimped on getting the plan right will cost hours of wasted shop time.

Every penny saved by buying cheap bad tools will cost many dollars of scrapped lumber.

Every minute saved on cleaning up will cost hours looking for things you need.

Every second saved on safety will cost years of recovery.

[Ken Massingale]

Never doubt your ability to do anything.
ken

[meika123]

Best tip I can think of is to teach your loved ones, or anyone else likley to come around your shop, is that tools are dangerous. If you are working with a tool, be it a table saw, hand saw, chisel, or a hand plane, you are NOT to be interupted. They should wait until you acknowledge their presence rather than chance distracting you from what you are doing. Best case, you screw up a good piece of wood. Worse case, you bleed on your tools and project!

Been there, done that. "****ed thumb". member, member.
Very good advise, Pappy.

Dave in NC

[meika123]

Best advise I can think of-off hand is not to go to the shop when you're angry at your significant other or someone else. It's just not safe. These tools we adore so much "BITE" and sometimes badly.
I once heard Bob Loveless (the noted California Custom Knifemaker say) "Sometimes it's better to go sit down and have a nap in the shade" than to go into your shop with the wrong attitude. That is most likely when you'll get hurt. I say this from experience.

Dave in NC

[cwsmith]

"THINK"

Plan everything and on everything. I don't do a project without planning and that means having a plan, understanding it thoroughly, understanding how its going to be cut, finished, assembled... everything!

It also means, planning for changes and for "what ifs". The latter is especially important with using the tools. What if the knife or the chisell slips, the saw binds, the motor stalls, the lights go out, etc., etc. etc.? Planning for the "What If's" keeps everyone safe.

The second point I try to make is that you don't work when you're tired or distracted; because then you don't think, and when you don't think, someone gets hurt! "Think it through, before you do!" has been a rule that I try to apply to everything.

CWS

[cabinetman]

My single tip involves doing your paperwork. When doing your own projects learn to make your own sketches, shop drawings or plans, maybe even to scale. I can say this has saved me lotsa grief.

What I used to do for a complete kitchen was to do a set of elevation drawings and plan view (floor plan), and detail drawings of each cabinet. Then I would make several copies of these to be used in different phases of the project. One set of elevations I would mark "doors", another set I would mark "cabinets", and one set I would mark "drawers", and one set before doors were added to the drawing, shown with shelves, marked "shelves".

I would prepare a sheet with several rectangles representing 4x8 sheets, and from the drawings make a list of all the sizes of panels I needed, like 1 through 50. then I would draw on the rectangles those sizes to determine waste and what and how to cut each sheet, as the panels were cut, they were numbered on the panel and on the list. This system of numbering or lettering or a combination of both, both the drawing and the part and having the sequential list on a separate sheet limits misuse of the part, locates any parts instantly, and keeps you updated on whats cut and which stack it's in.

So, to recap for brevity, you wind up with lists of parts with numbers or letters for panels, doors, dividers, shelves and drawers, with a corresponding drawing of where they go with the same number and letter. You'll be able to pick up any part, look at the number or letter, go to the list and know if its right or wrong. Sounds intense, but it really isn't.

But the best part is that when you get used to doing this, visualizing the project from start to finish and drawing plans start to be second nature. You'll make less mistakes and as far as my own methods, I save each set, so if I have developed a neat procedure or method, I don't have to reinvent the wheel.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[Jeffrey Schronce]

My single tip involves doing your paperwork. When doing your own projects learn to make your own sketches, shop drawings or plans, maybe even to scale. I can say this has saved me lotsa grief.

What I used to do for a complete kitchen was to do a set of elevation drawings and plan view (floor plan), and detail drawings of each cabinet. Then I would make several copies of these to be used in different phases of the project. One set of elevations I would mark "doors", another set I would mark "cabinets", and one set I would mark "drawers", and one set before doors were added to the drawing, shown with shelves, marked "shelves".

I would prepare a sheet with several rectangles representing 4x8 sheets, and from the drawings make a list of all the sizes of panels I needed, like 1 through 50. then I would draw on the rectangles those sizes to determine waste and what and how to cut each sheet, as the panels were cut, they were numbered on the panel and on the list. This system of numbering or lettering or a combination of both, both the drawing and the part and having the sequential list on a separate sheet limits misuse of the part, locates any parts instantly, and keeps you updated on whats cut and which stack it's in.

So, to recap for brevity, you wind up with lists of parts with numbers or letters for panels, doors, dividers, shelves and drawers, with a corresponding drawing of where they go with the same number and letter. You'll be able to pick up any part, look at the number or letter, go to the list and know if its right or wrong. Sounds intense, but it really isn't.

But the best part is that when you get used to doing this, visualizing the project from start to finish and drawing plans start to be second nature. You'll make less mistakes and as far as my own methods, I save each set, so if I have developed a neat procedure or method, I don't have to reinvent the wheel.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

Longest post ever for one tip! LOL!

How about "Smoke 'em if you got 'em"? I don't know. First thing that came to mind.

[Stormbringer]

Every minute scrimped on getting the plan right will cost hours of wasted shop time.

Every minute saved on cleaning up will cost hours looking for things you need.

Every second saved on safety will cost years of recovery.

Shouldn't these be:

Every minute spent on getting the plan right will save hours of wasted shop time.

Every minute spent on cleaning up will save hours when looking for things you need.

Every second spent on safety will save you years of recovery.


Maybe I just need things in simpleton terms

[gsmittle]

Count your fingers before & after each cut.

Remember NO ONE can draw or cut a straight line or square something up without a guide.

This last one I share with my students before every performance: We do this because it's FUN!

g.