Woodworking Weak Points

[Dan Stuewe]

With the great threads going around on expanding what you think can be done in woodworking and with the new year coming soon, I've got to thinking on what area(s) in this hobby I need to improve. I'm sure there are underlying personal problems that this is just a symptom of, but the one area for me is making and using jigs. In my head I know that a good accurate jig will make my projects better and the making of them safer, but my cheap, lazy, hurried self just doesn't spend the time to do the proper set up (this includes dialing in my tablesaw).

What say you? What areas of your woodworking do you want to improve?

Skill/Knowledge?
Shop?
Tool?

[Ted Shrader]

Dan -

If you have a "tool" resolution does that provide enough justification for the continued acquisition of more tools? If so, I'll stick with that one. :) :) :)

Seriously - I think fixtures - specifically hold downs andfeather boards - could use some real improvement in my shop . . . errr . . . garage. The improvement would be two-fold. Safety and improvement in work.

Great topic! Thinking is always good.

Ted

[Greg Narozniak]

For me it would be without a doubt would be Patience. I have to learn to take my time. I know what I need to do I just have to remember to do it :D

[Scott Coffelt]

Two necessary evils.... sanding and finishing.

I hate it and often the thing I pick myself apart on are a result of one of these two. But I is gettin' better. Then again, a small shop may lend to this. I have no space for really spraying yet and no dust free areas.

[Donnie Raines]

For me it is thinking outside the box(...I know..I know...design is the issue). I seem to use the same application all the time....stub tenon's, rabbets and through dovetails. Everything seems to be built this way.....its gets a little boreing.

[Greg Mann]

This one is easy. Planning prior to cutting. I have started to keep a small notebook where I jot down each step or task and then assign sequence numbers and/or priority. I am wrapping up a kitchen cabinet installation. Thought I was almost done. When I wrote the remaining tasks on paper, it seems I have a couple pages of 'details' to take care of.:( Some must be done before others, of course, so getting them down on paper helps me from painting myself into a corner.

My next project will start with an effort to identify every task, sequence properly, and then evaluate as I go, all on paper. Most importantly, this will give me an opportunity to record mistakes and solutions so that I improve. That's the theory anyway.;)

Greg

[Tyler Howell]

No tough decisions here! Everything needs work! I want to " use all my strengths". That includes learning, using and discovering new uses for all these new toyls. Quit rushing a process, Quit cutting corners and celebrate each little victory:cool:

[Joe Scarfo]

Interesting question Dan.

For me it's cash for tools as well as space for tools and space to play.

I do tend to over critize my work which others describe as outstanding... but then again, I know where the flaws are.

My favorite is to build cabinet doors from the 1 x 4's the orange borg calls "super strips". The color in that wood is fantastic. There always seems to be different shades of purple within the pine and when left to patina on their own, they look awsome. People are surprised at just how inexpensive a pine door can be made. I enjoy the surprise at how much they're willing to pay!

Thanks everyone for listening....

Joe in Tampa

[Frank Pellow]

I need to improve all aspects of the detailed work that I do. My design and my rough work is quite good (if I do say so myself), but my fine woodworking skills are not what they should be. For next year, in particular, I hope to purchase a good router (I just gave away my old old Craftsman router) and to become skilled at many routing applications.

[Michael Stafford]

By far the two most important things for me to improve upon are design and skill of execution. Sometimes I have the design I wish to execute but I don't have the skills to carry it out. At other times I cannot come up with a design that suits the wood I wish to use or the purpose I am trying to satisfy. I'll keep bludgeoning along...

[Jim Becker]

I'm with Greg N on "patience" (actually, the lack, thereof)...all too often it's the root of any evil I experience in the shop...and life. It means boluxed measurments even when taken multiple times, finishing mistakes, slipping tools especially in hand work, etc.

From a skill-building standpoint, I want to learn more about carving, become more comfortable with hand tools as part of my "normal" woodworking routine and learn how to spray finishes better than I do now. And, of course, soak up all I can from the gazzilions of folks who have a lot more experience than I do.

Lastly, I want to "train" myself to get into the shop more...there are so many evenings that I could get an hour or two "out there" that get squandered on other things. If I don't start doing that soon, it will become even harder at some point.

Good thread, Dan!

[Mark J Bachler]

Jeeze can't think of a thing.

It's hard to be me.

Ok Ok I just got my Jeff Jewitt book on finishing. Thats #1 everything else will just have to wait.

[Jack Hogoboom]

For me it's several things:

--challenge myself to get better

--practice every once in a while

--PATIENCE (as others have said)

--set up and maintenance of my tools

--build more stuff

--get my kids more involved

Jack

[Chris Padilla]

Well, ahem, uh, I'd just like to get my garage done...even my ww'ing "buddies" are harping on me about it!! LOL....

Just remember, Everyone, ww'ing is supposed to be a relaxing and fun hobby (for most of us). :)

[Teresa Jones]

I "borrowed" this from over at Woodcentral. I think it fits in well with this subject and he seems to touch on the things folks are mentioning.

I have to say they all apply to my current woodworking skill level!!


.....I thought this was pretty good, so I am passing it on to all of you.

I got it via email from here

http://www.americanfurnituredsgn.com/Top10UnavTruthsofWoodwrkin.htm

ENJOY !!!

Standard Disclaimer Applies > NO Affilitaion < Yada Yada

This article by Michael Dunbar was published in 2002, in the October issue of Fine Woodworking.

Woodworkers are only human, and we tend to seek the path of least resistance, finding the quick or easy way out. This tendency almost always leads to trouble.

#1. Don’t Rush

Do not confuse working quickly with rushing. After years of practice, the best craftsmen appear to work very fast, but they do not rush. You rush when you focus on getting the job done in less time. It’s an impulse we all fight. Pros have deadlines and hourly rates to meet. And hobbyists, because of work and family, have limited shop time. Rushing causes more injuries than any other bad habit. It also results in more mistakes. When you are focused on the completion time, you are less attentive to the work and the process.

#2. Learn to sharpen

Sharpening is a skill that too few woodworkers ever master. Most tools will not work well if dull, and some won’t work at all. This forces woodworkers to resort to methods that are frequently clumsier and more awkward. Knowing how to sharpen is a gateway skill: It opens the door to faster; easier techniques that will yield better results. Sharpening and honing are part of the measured rhythm of fine work and so are connected to Rule #1.

#3. You get what you pay for

Most of us have limits on our woodworking budgets that cause us to think twice about paying the long dollar for equipment or materials. However, quality in new or used machines and hand tools always has been and always will be expensive. When you try to cut corners by buying the low-end brand or lower-quality materials, you set yourself up for disappointment.

#4. Finishing is half the battle

When you’re finished with the woodwork, you’re only halfway done. While we all love to work wood, most of us dread finishing. We enjoy being precise and finicky when making a project, but most of us hate the sanding and the cleanup required for a perfect finish. However, when we skimp we get poor results. Glue spills show up suddenly when finish is applied. Or we find flaws in surfaces that are supposed to be perfectly flat. The undeniable truth is that the finishing is as important as the woodworking, and it frequently takes almost as long.

#5. Practice makes perfect

When we decide to undertake a new project, we can’t wait to jump right in and get to work. However, woodworking is a bundle of skills that are polished by practice. That’s why your parents and teachers told you, ad nauseam, “Practice makes perfect.” The truth is that the quality of your projects is better if you are not learning the skills on the job. Try unfamiliar skills first on some scrap first.

#6. Dry-fit before glue-up

This is one of the first things to go when we are rushing. It also can be the result of over confidence. Other times we simply forget. Whatever the excuse, dry fitting saves a lot of grief. Joints that are too tight can lock up when glue hits them, and freeze before coming together completely. You don’t get caught racing against a glue’s set time, trying to hammer a piece apart. It usually results in damage or broken parts. A dry fit lets you figure out which components of an assembly to put together first, which clamps to use and where to put them. Basically, you don’t want to be scrambling around or discovering any nasty surprises after the glue has been spread and the clock is ticking fast.

#7. Glue won’t rescue poor joinery

When it comes to securing two or more pieces of wood to each other and having the joint look good and hold up over the long haul, nothing replaces proper fitting. There is no glue so strong or so gap filling that it makes up for sloppy joinery. Because we are human, things will go wrong. While there are tricks for correcting mistakes, these never should be thought of as a way to get around good workmanship. When a joint isn’t right sometimes there is no sound and seamless way to fix it short of doing it over again. Don’t let laziness come back to haunt you.

#8. Your router won’t do everything

It’s an unavoidable truth that our craft involves a wide range of skills, techniques and tools. While we all wish it were different, there is no universal wonder tool that will do everything perfectly and effortlessly. In an effort to do it all with one machine, woodworkers often end up working in ways that are cumbersome and time-consuming. They end up wasting precious shop time building elaborate router jigs instead of making a one-time investment in a new tool or technique. Some woodworkers will spend hours working on a router set up to cut curved, tapered table legs, for example, when a bandsaw and a well tuned spokeshave would do the job in much less time.

#9. Use both hand tools and power tools

Woodworkers tend to come in two extremes. The first are those who will (or can) only use machines. And then there are others who will insist on doing everything by hand. I say you can’t do it all by machine, but working only by hand wastes time. When it comes to performing an operation only once or twice, it is frequently faster and easier to work by hand. The same applies to delicate work like fitting joints. On the other hand some woodworkers regard woodworking as an alternative to the gym. Who wants to spend an afternoon thicknessing 1” planks to ¾” with a jack plane just because they did it that way in the old days? I would rather spend 20 minutes at the thickness planner and save my precious shop time for the fun and important parts. The reality is that an efficient, effective woodworker knows how to use both machines and hand tools.

#10. Keep your shop clean

Think of your shop as a tool. Keep it tuned up and well maintained. We all get so involved in our work that our bench top and every other flat surface quickly become cluttered. A messy shop is dangerous for you, your tools and your projects. It is also very inefficient. Cleaning up as you work is a habit you can develop. I am hardly a paragon of tidiness when I work, but every time I reach for a tool, I look at the bench and see if there is anything I can put away. It is a lot easier than forcing myself to stop and do a general cleaning.

Mike Dunbar

[Mark Singer]

The list from Mike Dunbar is excellent. I want to try to get into the shop more and work on more challenging projects. I have been making picture frames for family and doing stuff that is just work, but not inspired. I enjoy sharing with the members on SMC...I think I am learning a lot myself in the process. I want to begin to not rush projects. I have this unnecessary quest to finish fast...if I slow down my work will improve.

[Greg Narozniak]

I'm with Greg N on "patience" (actually, the lack, thereof)...all too often it's the root of any evil I experience in the shop...and life. It means boluxed measurments even when taken multiple times, finishing mistakes, slipping tools especially in hand work, etc.

From a skill-building standpoint, I want to learn more about carving, become more comfortable with hand tools as part of my "normal" woodworking routine and learn how to spray finishes better than I do now. And, of course, soak up all I can from the gazzilions of folks who have a lot more experience than I do.

Lastly, I want to "train" myself to get into the shop more...there are so many evenings that I could get an hour or two "out there" that get squandered on other things. If I don't start doing that soon, it will become even harder at some point.

Good thread, Dan!

Jim,

That is scarey that we think alike :) the TRAINING is sooo right on. I get home from NYC work @ 6:30ish 1 hour for dinner and Son and Wife time and usually by 8pm I am parked on the couch and then bed @ 10pm. Shop time would be much more productive for the 1 - 2 hours.

[Dale Thompson]

Dan,
There is absolutely NOTHING in the area of woodworking where I am not perfect. My joints are all cut to nine decimal places and fit like "OJs Glove". ;)

My tools are adjusted to 28th Century standards. My batteries all last for many AMP-HOURS beyond their rated capacity. My cutting patterns ALWAYS leave me with only sawdust. I NEVER have any scrap left over because of my genius for planning every project to the maximum level of efficiency. If I DO leave any sawdust, I compress it into logs for the fireplace. :cool:

There is NO tool in the universe that I have not mastered and there is NO project in Einstein's Theory of Warped Space that offers any real challenge to my omniscient talent! :cool: :eek: :)

ONE problem - or maybe two: How do I turn the lights on in my shop and how do I contain that obnoxious dust when I "face-off" my grinding wheels?
:confused: :)

Dale T.

[Jim Becker]

That is scarey that we think alike :) the TRAINING is sooo right on. I get home from NYC work @ 6:30ish 1 hour for dinner and Son and Wife time and usually by 8pm I am parked on the couch and then bed @ 10pm. Shop time would be much more productive for the 1 - 2 hours.
I don't have quite as good an excuse...my commute when I'm not traveling is "front or back stairs". Now, while Dr. SWMBO doesn't get home from work until 7-7:30p, that still means I "could" get out to the shop at some point in the evening...I don't watch TV at night ever and when I cook, I have things cleaned up before the meal is on the table. Even when we eat out a couple nights a week, there is still time when I get home to get out there. Maybe I need to put up some obnoxious signs to "remind" me... :eek:

BTW, I was in NYC Monday night and Tuesday.