Popular Woodworking 2000-04 № 114, страница 5
Out on a Limb Advice for the New A list of the things that a book or magazine can't teach. Maybe it's the time of year or perhaps the planets have aligned, but we've all noted an increase in the number of calls, letters and e-mails from folks new to woodworking. We enjoy the questions and comments, and they cause me to reflect on what I wished I'd known when I first began woodworking. Safety is more than a set of rules. It's a way of working, if not a way of life. Most beginners are rightfully concerned about safety. Serious injuries can and do occur. How close is too close to allow your hands near a spinning blade? The only absolute answer is in the blade. Otherwise, it depends. While you can get too close, the danger lies not so much in proximity to the blade as the way you hold the work. Kickbacks cause most hand injuries, not having your hands too close. So avoid kickbacks. Know what causes them and work accordingly. Apply pressure in the right place to hold the work down and to the fence. Safety procedures in machine manuals are there for two reasons. Some keep you safe; others keep the manufacturers safe from lawsuits. After a while, you'll know the difference between the two. Wear safety glasses. But don't forget you damage your hearing every time you turn on a machine. Injury to your hearing is very serious. The damage from loud noises accumulates over many exposures. There's no blood, no pain, it just happens. Unlike a cut, this damage won't heal. Listen to your instincts. Sometimes you'll get an inkling something isn't right. Pay attention because it probably isn't. Rethink what you are about to do and you'll come up with a much safer solution. Don't ever fear a machine. If you do, don't use it. Always respect a machine. It has more power than you know. Build every project in your head first. Then build it on paper before you attempt to build it in the shop. Your mistakes will be reduced to almost none. Learn why certain joints work and others fail. Know that as the application of a joint changes so does its potential for success or failure. Rely on joints for strength instead of the thickness of the wood. Learn patience. As a new woodworker there's the temptation to rush to complete a project. It's natural to want to see the fruits of your labor. But often this leads to compromises in workmanship. When you have learned the patience woodworking requires you will enjoy spending time in the shop far more than the things you build. Practice until you get it right. Don't waste good wood learning how to cut a joint, to use a router or to install a hinge. Practice on scraps until you do it right several times. Practice teaches patience. Buy good tools and take care of them. In turn, they will take care of you. Buy the highest quality tool you can reasonably afford, even if it means putting off buying other tools. Doing without some tools will help you become clever about other ways to get the job done. Understand that finishing is not woodworking. It is a separate craft that deserves attention and passion. A great finish can make a so-so project great. A so-so finish will make a great project so-so. Always make a sample board before finishing your project. Oil finish is the exception to this. Learn to read the wood. Select boards for beauty and place them appropriately in your projects. It's a shame to hide a pretty face. Read the wood for grain direction so it won't tear out. If you can, make friends with a more experienced woodworker. Ask as many questions as you can without becoming a pest. Read books and magazines about woodworking, but know there are more suspect ones than good ones. Ask your friend which are the good ones. Remember the words of English woodworker John Brown, "(G)lean what you can by reading what the experts say. Just don't let it get in the way of your woodworking." PW CONTACT INFORMATION Steve Shanesy Editor & Publisher Specialties: Projects, techniques, article and project selection (513) 531-2690 ext.238 steves@fwpubs.com David Thiel Senior Editor Specialties: Projects, new products and tools, tricks of the trade (513) 531-2690 ext.255 davidt@fwpubs.com Christopher Schwarz Senior Editor Specialties: Author liaison, website, projects, photography (513) 531-2690 ext.407 Jim Stuard Associate Editor Specialties: Projects, carving,turning, project illustrations (513) 531-2690 ext.348 jims@fwpubs.com Amy Schneider Art Director Specialties: Magazine and cover design, photo direction (513) 531-2690 ext.471 amys@fwpubs.com Got Questions or Problems With Your Subscription? To report problems with your subscription visit our website at popwood.com, call our subscription offices at 515-280-1721, or write to Popular Woodworking,P.O. Box 5369, Harlan, IA 51593. Our Privacy Promise toYou We make portions of our customer list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services we believe you may enjoy. If you do not want to receive those offers and/or information, please let us know by contacting us at: List Manager, F & W Publications, 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati,OH 45207 SAFETY NOTE Safety is your responsibility. Manufacturers place safety devices on their equipment for a reason. In many photos you see in Popular Woodworking, these have been removed to provide clarity. In some cases we'll use an awkward body position so you can better see what's being demonstrated. Don't copy us.Think about each procedure you're going to perform beforehand. Safety First! 12 Popular Woodworking April 2000 |
