How To Become a Better Woodworker, First Part

“Look, listen and do, but never ask why.”

Ted Chase, ‘Japanese Beams and Trestles”, The Workbench Book

The best way to become a good woodworker is to simply do the work that want to do, so make mistakes and learn from them and move on to the next project with that newly acquired knowledge.

 

Learn how to use traditional hand tools first, once you understand how a panel saw, chisel, plane, etc., work then you will fully understand how power tools work.

A good thing to do to develop your skills is to stop watching online woodworking videos and get yourself into your shop and make something, even if it is a practice dovetail. Just think about that hour, or however many hours you spent watching those videos, you could have been in your shop working! 

Please don’t waste your time in woodworking forums asking questions about what technique or finish works best. You will save time by actually trying out various techniques and finishes on your own. I learned a very long time ago that just because some famous/popular woodworker wrote about some special trick technique they use work wood doesn’t mean that that “trick” will work will for you!

Do read every book that you can get your hands on that talks about what it is that you want to make. After you read about how to make a Federal Highboy, or whatever it is that you want to make, take a pencil or pen and physically write down notes on what you took away from your readings, and then read those notes out loud. Then visualize yourself making the project over and over and again. You will be amazed at successful your are in your work by doing the visualizations.

At night, before I fall asleep, I visualize every aspect of what I need to do make my current guitar, I usually fall asleep before I complete the guitar. I build every guitar I make in my head at least twenty times before I physically stand in front of my workbench and start work on a new guitar. If I am splitting wood for our wood stove, or cleaning out the irrigation ditch, I will think about guitar making. Visualization is a powerful tool, use it.

End of the first part.