New to woodworking super new

[mat price]

Hey yall I'm mat from southern Mississippi New Orleans area. I just started doing wood working and home renovation. Just wanted to say hello and that I have a ton of questions. I have some pics of some of my craftsman trim and a couple of cabinets and boxes I have done but can't figure out how to post them with my phone yet. While I'm really new to woodworking I'm not new to tools and construction I grew up in a plumbing family so I have some experience with tools etc but very little with woodwork tools. I just got into the hobby a few months back

Here is a link to my Facebook that has some of the things I have been working on https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2224387050961364&id=100001702724796

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2225487797517956&id=100001702724796&sfnsn=mo

For pictures sake I think that's allowed to post if not let me know I'll remove it

[Frederick Skelly]

Welcome to the Creek Mat!

[Matt Day]

Switch from “mobile view” to “Full Site” at the bottom of the page. The “go advanced” allows you to upload photos.

There is a ton of information on this site, please do some searching and see what you find. Then post with questions.

Welcome to the forum!

[mat price]

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Thanks Matt Day

[Rick Potter]

Window treatment looks great. Of course I am not prejudiced just because it looks a lot like the ones I did.

Welcome

[Robert Engel]

Hey Matt, 30 yrs ww'ing experience here. This is an important subject for me as I made many mistakes starting out. I'll be as brief as possible.

1. Do not buy cheap tools. I fell into the trap of thinking as a newbie I wasn't somehow worthy of high quality tools. That plus I wasn't dedicated enough to make the investment. Low quality tools hinder your skill development, cause frustration, and create doubt in your abilities.

2. There are 3 basic methods to ww'ing: Handtools, machines and hybrid. Like 90% of the ww'ers out there, I fall into the last category. I don't believe there is high level ww'er living that doesn't rely to some extent on hand tools expertise.

The learning curve is not that steep. When you've acquired a basic set of hand tools, you'll learn how to sharpen, tune and use them.

Before you ever buy a machine, I suggest do a few basic projects like a box, a step stool, etc. with hand tools.

3. Safety. Can't stress enough how bad an idea it is to buy a table saw and plunge right in (maybe literally? :-0 without first focusing on safety. Local ww'ing clubs, classes @ Woodcraft stores, etc can usually help with this. Other sources are also available.

4. As say down here, get "edumacated". As I said, many advantages to developing basic HANDTOOL skills - learning about layout, measuring, marking, chiselling, planing, sawing. Visit some tools sites and get familiar with tools (and prepare youself for the cost potential). Examples: Lee Valley, Lie Nielsen, Toolsforworkingwood, Woodcraft are just a few.

I have learned a ton at the "University of YouTube" but one caveat - you'll see a lot of what NOT to do!!. But skilled people like Guys Woodshop, David Beoff, Doucette and Wolfe are great to watch just to see what can be achieved.

Fine Woodworking - IMO the membership fee is worth just the library of videos and articles.

Paul Sellers is a great source for hand tool info.

[mat price]

Thank you Robert. I am an industrial health safety and environmental compliance professional. Its what I do for living so it makes me very happy to see you guys always promoting safety on here. I have done exactly that I have really done a ton of research on just woodworking safety. Specifically router and table saw safety I don't own a router yet I am actually in the research phase of router table and lifts. I do purchase the best tools I can afford and even more than I should spend in some cases. My limiting factor is space I don't have a shop or a garage so everything is stored in my spare bedroom shop and then brought to the driveway for work. No big I just have to spend a little more for rolling stands etc. I'm not new to power tools or construction but new to woodworking tools. I like the hand tools as well.