Tools for Beginners
Now in my Intro page, I believe I mentioned that I'm a beginner when it comes to anything handy -- and this is the biggest truth ever told. But I decided I was ready to learn and some of the first items I decided to build were tables- one for my t-shirt press and another table to work on my crafts that I was make with my Cricut. Now I had done all the research -- scoured Pinterest for the easiest free table plans and read the blog instructions on getting started. But let me tell you -- as a non-handy person -- I feel like some of the details were left out on what I needed to get! You see, I have a professional background as a Business Analyst, specifically around requirements gathering for large application development projects so I am used to getting ALL the specific details! I felt like I was thrown into woodworking with only half the details! Which saws work best for cutting wood? Why isn't the wood screwing in tightly? Now I'm supposed to sand the wood project? What type of sander do I need? All these and more were unanswered - is this stuff common knowledge? It really isn't' anymore.
I’m here to share all the little mistakes, some even embarrassing, to hopefully help you out if you’re also learning to “become handy” from scratch!
Your project is 100x easier if you have the right tools! What does this mean in details??
1. The Saw
For me, circular saws weren’t a great option because mine was heavy and awkward to use on my own. Maybe if I had clamped the wood to a table I would have had better luck with it, but I'll hit on clamps later! Because I decided I wanted to precisely cut angles, I purchased a 12 inch double beveled sliding miter saw from my local discount hardware store. Now does it make a difference what brand of saw to buy? This really depends on how often or long you want your saw to last. As I wasn’t sure that woodworking was a hobby I was going to stick with, I chose a cheaper brand on sale with a nice blade. This saw has worked well for me for 2 years, but I’ve about worn it out and looking to upgrade soon.
2. Kreg Jig
When building furniture, almost every blog and beginner instructional plans use the Kreg Jig. The Kreg Jig helps you create pocket holes to angle your Kreg screws in to make the most secure connections. Secure and stable tables are the goal so this was a definite first purchase! Kreg Screws have a self-tapping tip that “drills” its own hole, so the screw drives in quickly and easily without splitting the wood, like ordinary screws often do. It also comes with a long square bit to easily secure the screw. This will still leave the pockets visible, but you can purchase pocket hole plugs and wood filler to hide the holes in your project.
3. The Drill (s)
Sanding a project started out as the bane of my existence. I had no idea which to pick when I was first starting and initially bought a square palm sander. What I soon found out was that this sander is not for heavy duty sanding of sometimes very rough 2x4s and often left a swirl pattern in the wood. For starting out on a budget, buy a Random Orbital Sander. It eliminates that ugly swirl and smooths out your wood very nicely!
As mentioned in most free design instructions, buy and use wood glue and clamps to hold your wood pieces together before you use screws permanently. Sometimes the glue spills over once you've clamped and screwed your wood pieces together. Make sure you wipe off the excess glue before it dries as it will not stain or paint properly. If it does dry on your project, try to chip it off first. Sometimes acetone can also help soften it for removal. If all else fails - sand until it's gone!
6. Clamps
Two words - GAME CHANGER!! This was a tool that I had no idea so was important. If you're trying to screw your wood together and it keeps separating and leaving gaps, you most likely aren't using clamps. They help keep your wood pieces straight and together for that perfect look. I have added my favorites in pictures below. But what if I still have a gap? No worries, there's something for that too...
7. Wood Filler
As you've assembled your table/project, sometime your wood has holes in it or you have gaps between your joints. Wood filler can fix all your problems to have a clean finished project! Many of them are paintable and stainable for the best finished look for your project!
8. Nail Gun
For smaller wood projects or for details on a larger project, a Brad Nailer is extremely useful. A Brad Nail Gun is smaller than a finishing nail gun and often does not require wood putty to cover the hole.
As a beginner, I've used the Ryobi Brad Nail Nailer that uses Airstrike technology with a battery instead of a compressor. It was very easy to put together and start using.
9. Stain
Staining can take your project from oww to wow very quickly! There are a couple different types of stain - if you use the gel stain - it is one layer that you paint on and leave to dry. If you chose this route, make sure you're only putting small amounts of stain on your brush at one time as you don't want to see drips on your project! I personally choose the more traditional stain that you brush on, let sit, and wipe off with a rag. I have taken advantage of the partnerless socks to use as the rags and wear disposable latex gloves to keeps my hands clean. If you do happen to get stain on your hands, soak your hands in peanut or canola oil for a few minutes and scrub to get it off.
Other items that need no explanation: Tape Measure, safety glasses.
While there are many other amazing tools and helpful tools out there, this completes my personal top list of what you need as a novice wood worker.
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