Hello all. I’m a new member and just wanted to introduce myself and ask a couple questions. I JUST started getting into woodworking. I’ve been collecting what tools I can afford and have recently gotten enough where I can tackle some basic projects. I’ve been working on converting my garage from a place to put my truck to a place to work. I built a very basic workbench (nothing as nice as some of the pictures I’ve seen but it’s functional) and just finished a lumber storage cart. I’m still working on practicing acurate cutting and other basic skills so I’m still focussed on small shop type projects that don’t require too much precision. As for my questions…I live in Upstate NY (about 30 miles northwest of Albany). Are there any members that know of any good stores in the area that have the best selection of tools/supplies specific to woodworking? I’ve been to home depot and curtis lumber. Curtic lumber is pretty good but I’m not sure if there are better places. Also, any suggestions on good starter books or other resources (online or in the Southern Adirondacks/Capital District) would be greatly appreciated.
I’m having a great time with it as a hobby and have been enjoying reading other posts. Some of the project pictures I’ve seen are pretty incredible. Looking foward to seeking help in the future.
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Hi and welcome to the board. Go to http://www.woodworker.org. It is the website of the Morth-East Woodworkers association. They are based in the Saratoga area, right near you. They have a great woodworking show comming up on April 2 & 3. GO THERE!!! Contact these people. They will gladly help you get started. As to books, there are lots of books published by Taunton press. Pick up a copy of Fine woodworking. It will list more books than you can afford, all of them well written. Your first book should be on how to sharpen your planes and chisels. There are many different techniques. Some will seem easier than others. Try several. Remember, no cutting tool is super sharp right out of the box. BUT... do not become a slave to sharpening. Get your tools reasonably sharp and start the splinters flying. As you inprove your techniques, you will also inprove your sharpening techniques. The basics of ALL woodworking is accurate layout lines. Invest in a good 1,2, and 3 foot ruler, one with etched in measurements, not one with printed on markings. Invest in a 6 or 8 inch try square. These are your basic layout tools. Start small and tackle larger projects as your skills increase. One important difference between a great woodworker and a poor woodworker is that the great woodworker knows how to hide his mistakes. Another sigh of a good woodworker is that he does not repeat the same mistakes. We're (mostly) a friendly group and we're more than willing to help you. If you have a problem, ask.
Yes, some of us have very fancy workbenches and some of us have very basic benches. At times I've worked on a piece of plywood nailed to a few 2x4's nailed to a set of saw-horses. It is not the bench or the name on the tool that makes a good woodworker. It is the effort and skill that will show through. SawdustSteve
Let me also welcome you to Knots.
Please (please) don't feel in any way intimidated by the level of expertise you see around here -- nor photos of the outstanding work. We all have to start somewhere, and I think you will find a great many people around here with the interest and patience to help any newcomer with whateve questions they might have.
Heck, my first shop was a fire escape platform on the 11th floor of a loft building in NYC. Having a shop space in a shared garage would have been the lap of luxury .........
I can't help with sources for lumber in the Albany area. But there are two national chains of woodworking stores, and I would suggest you look to see if there are any in your area -- Rockler's and Woodcraft.
For reading matter, it is difficult to suggest specific book titles without knowing more about your particular needs at this juncture. But Taunton Press is a good suggestion -- and you can find a listing of all their books elsewhere on this website. Sterling is another major publisher of ww stuff.
There are about 6-7 ww magazines on the scene these days, but I would urge you to especially look at Woodsmith and Shop Notes. They are published by the same company, and have a nice mix of projects -- from the easy to the complex -- always accompanied by very good how-to instructions.
Online, there are a number of other woodworking forums, and if you want to explore some of them, post here again, and I will give you a list.
Good luck, and I hope you will be a frequent contributor to Knots as you move along this new path.
Welcome to woodworking. Its a fantastic hobby that some of us have had the opportunity of turning into a real craft. You'll make lot of mistakes but don't worry about it, we all have. That's why most of us have fireplaces with plenty of scrap to keep them going. One way to practice your skills and improve them is in making shop projects such as cabinets and other items where mistakes and oops don't matter. As for books and other materials, check out your local used book dealer, they always have a lot of woodworking books at a fraction of the cost of new ones and they are usually in pretty good shape. Have fun and enjoy one of the oldest crafts in the world.
Welcome,
In addition to the other places people have suggested, don't forget Lee Valley. They have a good assortment of tools and such. The tools may seem expensive, but they are good quality and the company is really good to work with.
As far as projects, the suggestion to practice on shop aids is a real good one. It allows you to build places to store stuff and keep the shop neat (unlike mine!). I remember that I started with shelves and quilt racks and such and that helped me learn layout and accurate cutting. Don't get caught up in the "you need what I have" or the "you have to do it my way" mentality that some people have. There are lots of different ways to do things and if it works for you, that's what matters most.
The hobby is fun and can allow you to do lots of neat things. I haven't sold a piece in 10 years (except at charity auctions), but never run out of projects (the list is about 390 projects long right now and growing!). A good general purpose magazine is the way to go first. Browse a couple off the rack at the magazine store first and buy the ones you feel will suit your needs right now. You will quickly get a feel for which ones are for you and you can subscribe to them.
Best of luck,
Doug
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