Amusing newbie anectdote for you wise ones...

[Vince Lok]

Hi guys, I'm new here! I wouldn't count myself as a "woodworker" just a "Handy Dad" with an uncontrollable urge to buy tools. I think my "shop" is probably better equiped than most DIYers but it's a far stretch from being a real shop.

So here is the extent of my newbish-ness, I'm sure some of you can appreciate this!

I've been building a little step stool for my kids to reach the sink. Pretty simple design. But here's the funny part. After assembling it, I notice that it rocks a little bit, so I figured out which leg (foot, rather) was a touch long and planed it down. I used the workbench to figure out the wobbliness. Well after a lot of planing and sanding, I got the step to sit nice and flush with the top of the bench. So I move put it on the floor to see how it looks and ... it's not flat anymore!

In fact I tried it on a few surfaces (a coffee table, the floor, a kitchen table) and it wobbles! The brutal thing is that ... the leg that I sanded down is the leg that is too short! My WORKBENCH TOP is not flat!!

Argh!!! Ah well...newbie mistake number one ... and counting ...

The workbench was one I built from the back of a Black and Decker home repair book. After using it for a couple of projects I've decided that (aside from not being flat!) that it doesn't have enough overhang for clamping and I have no way to mount my nice vice to it.

I'm thinking of building "Tom Caspar's torsion box workbench" next.

Vince

[Chris Tsutsui]

I grew up with a wobbly step stool to the bathroom sink. It actually made brushing your teeth more fun.

Having to level feet is not a newbie mistake though, sometimes if the wobble isn't bad in it's final location, I just put on some felt pads or rubber feet padding to even itself out. The bathroom tile or floor might not even be level anyways...

It would only be a newbie mistake if you had a wobble and your stool had 3 feet.

[Michael Heffernan]

Vince,

Welcome to Sawmill Creek. You'll find a lot of great advice, stories and other pearls of wisdom here.
I'm with you on the uneven work bench. If I could just remember the advice, "measure twice, cut once", I might get through a project error-free. Doesn't seem to stick tho'.
Anyway, welcome.

Michael

[Myk Rian]

When I want to check something for flatness, I use the table saw. It's the flattest surface in the shop.