Projects for a beginner

[billme]

Hello Gang,

I have been lurking for quite a while, and have found the group quite helpful and friendly.

I was hoping to get some ideas from you fine folks.

I am a bookeeper by trade. I have done some home repairs, soldering pipes, framing walls for the treehouse, run electrical wire, and install outlets etc. I want to get into some "fun" woodwork, rather than "patching up the house" woodwork.
I have a sears/bt, I have drawn the red line I have never used a table saw before I have used my 10" mitre saw frequently, and the circular saw. I have no idea what to do with my router, saw a good deal, bought it, now await a project to use it. I also own a jig saw, drill press, biscuit joiner, and numeous drills. (all mid grade stuff)
I would appreciate some "easy to do" ideas to start. We do need an entertainment unit, to hold the tv and dvd player etc.

thank you,

[LCHIEN]

I find small projects rewarding and easy to do and light on the wood requirements if you want to try more expensive woods and or take risks.

For example, for your home ent. system, do you need a box to hold the remotes? You can go simple to complex and go crazy on inlays and router work.

A lot of items you can mke or buy. Make things you can't buy as you want with features and details all your own, or make things that are unusual or don't otherwise even exist.

[Cubsfan]

My first two real projects were a cutting board and keepsake box, both from The Wood Whisperer podcast. While they were both pretty simple in the grand scheme of things, I thought they were great projects to get started. The cutting board needed a router and tablesaw, and the keepsake box needed a drill press, router, and table saw.

[WoodTherapist]

When I fist started in woodworking I learned quite a bit and had a lot of fun just making boxes of all types. I started by making simple boxes with butt joints, then progressed to making birdhouses (boxes with angled sides for roofs), then moved on to making more decorative boxes with mitered sides, and so on and so on. Boxes are great for learning how to make good cuts and learning assembly techniques with basic tools. They are fairly quick to make, so gratification from finishing a project comes quickly. Small boxes don’t require much material so you don’t have to worry about making mistakes - if you goof up you haven’t lost much. And it’s not hard to find uses for various types of boxes, including giving them as gifts which adds to the satisfaction.

[natausch]

End Table, everyone expects them to be malformed and unattractive.

[dbhost]

Pick projects that will help you build / rebuild your skills... For example you could build...

Projects for around the house...
Pencil Box
Toy Box
End Table
Shelves
Book Case
Small Boxes
Long Grain Cutting Board
End Grain Cutting Board
Wall Clocks
Step Stool
Hamper / Laundry Sorter
Kitchen Trash Can cover.
Spice Rack
Coat Rack with or without mirror / shelf etc...
Headboard
Rustic Planters
Rustic Patio Coolers
Benches

Projects for the shop.
Air Cleaner
Tool Storage cabinets
Parts / supply storage cabinets / lockers.
Mallets
Push Blocks
Push Sticks
Hold Downs
Router Tables
Drill Press Tables
Clamp Racks
Basic Workbench
Shelving

Wait, this is starting to look like my projects list... Never mind...

[charliex]

End Table, everyone expects them to be malformed and unattractive.

I just completed one for my DIL and yes it fits both those criteria. The top is about 14" sq with slices of polished stone embedded in epoxy on 1/4" ply.

I would have included pic's but my IT person (LOML) has not loaded the camera software on my laptop since she installed W7.

[billwmeyer]

Hi Bill,
I would also recommend you start on a smaller project then you can tackle your entertainment center. Find something you have an interest in, or a gift for someone and go for it. My first project was a baby cradle for my second grandson, although I have done way to many home improvement projects before that.

Good Luck.

Bill

[pelligrini]

Shop projects are a good place to start. They'll help you develop your skills and they can make it easier to do bigger projects. I did a lot of boxes at first too, exploring different jointery techniques, rabbits, miters, dovetails etc.

Id really reccomend a subscription to a decent woodworking magazine, like Wood or Woodsmith or Shopnotes. You can pick up a lot of good tips and project ideas from them.

[Mr__Bill]

Every thing you make should have a use, otherwise there is no compelling reason to do as good a job as you can. To start with it should not be something that was requested, you're not that good yet.

Some ideas,
Cutting boards, be sure to use wood appropriate for use with food.
Bed tray, when done you can serve the LOYL breakfast in bed on it.
Toy Box, even if you don't have small children. Someone does who will be happy with anything.
Step stool, no one is ever tall enough all the time. If you have little ones size it for a step up to the sink.

About now you will realize that you need a place to work and something to work on. Build a workbench. Use treated lumber for the legs because when you figure out what kind of workbench you actually need this one will go outside and be a potting table.
Shop furniture is a great way to learn how to build things. If you screw up it doesn't really matter that much and you will need places to put the tools and someplace to put the stuff that should not get dirty when your using the table saw.
A tea cupboard. It's just a box with cubbyholes that hold drawers sized to tea bags.
Now start looking at plans for entertainment centers and build a few things that use the techniques needed to build what you want.

I would use different wood for everything, it gives you a chance to try different finishes on different wood and gives you a feel for how different wood works and looks.

Most of the woodworking magazines have web sites with galleries. Woodworkers will upload pictures of what they made, often from plans or articles in the magazine. It's a great source of ideas.

From the very first, take notes. Note the kind of wood, the finish used, color of stain and how well it was received. Later you will want to go back and try something again and will need to know just which stain you used or topcoat or something. Either to do again or to avoid. There is nothing like two years later being told that what is wanted is the exact color and look of something you have no idea of what you used.

A few notes"
Make sure that all your tape measures measure the same. Hook the end over something and pull it out, at 5 feet are they even? Get rid of the ones that are not the same. Test them against your square too. It's a good idea to always use the same measure for the whole project, I always forget and just use the tape at the tool so make sure they are the same.

Make sure the table saw and miter saw are aligned.
Use hearing protectors and safety glasses or a face shield.

Take pictures, we all want to see what your up to.

Bill

[cabinetman]

I have never used a table saw before

I would recommend reading up on your table saw for operating procedures and safety issues. Practice some with the saw so you feel comfortable. It will possibly be one of your major tools used in what you will make.
.

[pelligrini]

I would recommend reading up on your table saw for operating procedures and safety issues. Practice some with the saw so you feel comfortable. It will possibly be one of your major tools used in what you will make.
.

There's also some videos on the use of the BT around. I believe they're on UTube too.

[chopnhack]

+1 on what C-man said and after that the first project should be a push stick and featherboard set.

[Larryl]

Every thing you make should have a use, otherwise there is no compelling reason to do as good a job as you can. To start with it should not be something that was requested, you're not that good yet.

Some ideas,
Cutting boards, be sure to use wood appropriate for use with food.
Bed tray, when done you can serve the LOYL breakfast in bed on it.
Toy Box, even if you don't have small children. Someone does who will be happy with anything.
Step stool, no one is ever tall enough all the time. If you have little ones size it for a step up to the sink.

About now you will realize that you need a place to work and something to work on. Build a workbench. Use treated lumber for the legs because when you figure out what kind of workbench you actually need this one will go outside and be a potting table.
Shop furniture is a great way to learn how to build things. If you screw up it doesn't really matter that much and you will need places to put the tools and someplace to put the stuff that should not get dirty when your using the table saw.
A tea cupboard. It's just a box with cubbyholes that hold drawers sized to tea bags.
Now start looking at plans for entertainment centers and build a few things that use the techniques needed to build what you want.

I would use different wood for everything, it gives you a chance to try different finishes on different wood and gives you a feel for how different wood works and looks.

Most of the woodworking magazines have web sites with galleries. Woodworkers will upload pictures of what they made, often from plans or articles in the magazine. It's a great source of ideas.

From the very first, take notes. Note the kind of wood, the finish used, color of stain and how well it was received. Later you will want to go back and try something again and will need to know just which stain you used or topcoat or something. Either to do again or to avoid. There is nothing like two years later being told that what is wanted is the exact color and look of something you have no idea of what you used.

A few notes"
Make sure that all your tape measures measure the same. Hook the end over something and pull it out, at 5 feet are they even? Get rid of the ones that are not the same. Test them against your square too. It's a good idea to always use the same measure for the whole project, I always forget and just use the tape at the tool so make sure they are the same.

Make sure the table saw and miter saw are aligned.
Use hearing protectors and safety glasses or a face shield.

Take pictures, we all want to see what your up to.

Bill

Bill, that is probably the best advice I have ever seen given a new woodworker on all the different forums I visit. Wish I had received it when I first started.

[herb fellows]

Once you get safety taken care of (not something to be taken lightly!), I vote for a box...any box. It will teach you a lot of basics (measuring, planning, joinery etc.) and you can embelish the heck out of it while you learn the router. When you're done playing, time to learn some finishing techniques!