Crafting wood has become a popular past time and has proven to be a very valuable craft. It can be accomplished by just about anyone with a desire to learn and understand wood, and of course have the right tools. Whether you are a beginner or an experience veteran at working with wood, having the right tools needed for crafting wood can make all the difference in the world.
First and foremost, when it comes to working with wood you want to make sure that you are in a safe working environment as well as taking the proper safety precautions to ensure you and anyone else in the area is not injured. Here are some safety precautions to consider before we delve into getting the right tools:
• Following directions is probably the first thing you need to consider carefully. Instructions aren’t put into building projects just because they think you “might” want to take a look at them. Instructions are put into building projects so that you can follow them and build your project safely. So even if you think you are the best wood worker in the world you should still follow instructions.
• Make sure that the working area is free from any harmful substance. This would include things like harmful chemicals, smoke, alcohol, and even food can be a distraction and dangerous when you’re trying to build a project. It’s always a good idea to get into the habit early of keeping your work space free of anything that could potentially harm you or anyone else, or spill on the project and ruin it entirely.
• The clothing you wear is another safety precaution to consider. Make sure that you are not wearing clothes that are loose fitting as they are easy to catch on power tools and other machinery. If you have long sleeves on then roll them up so that they’re not in your way. This goes for any type of jewelry, hair, and other articles of clothing that can be a danger around tools.
• Always wear goggles when cutting or shaving pieces of wood. Although you may think the chances are low that something will pop into your eye, it occurs more than you know. With goggles on you are protecting your eyes from any potential piece of wood that goes flying across the room. You might also want to consider wearing a dust mask as well.
Basic Wood Crafting Tools
Now that we’ve covered some of the basic safety measure let’s talk about some of the basic tools you will need to get started in wood crafting.
• A work bench. Wood crafting requires a number of different tools so it’s in your best interest to have something to store and keep them in. If you have small children around you will want to get something that has a lock on it so you can prevent unnecessary accidents. The size of your bench will need to be proportionate to the amount of space you are working in. It should also have a couple of small drawers with possible a shelf underneath to hold some extra wood.
• Basic hand tools. Some of the most basic hand tools you will need are a, crosscut saw, backsaw, hammer, coping saw, wooden mallet, standard screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, bar clamp, miter box, protractor, scratch awl, knife, folding wooden ruler, auger bit and brace, nail set, curved claw hammer, and a dovetail saw. Keep in mind these are just the basic tools needed and if you’re going to be doing any specialty wood craft work then you will need other special tools.
Now that you know how to be safe and the tools needed for crafting wood you can get started on a project. Good luck and be safe.