Beginner - Straight Edges

[Maverick81]

.....oh, I missed my block plane!!

 

[sm7]

Great reply. Thank you so much for the insight into someone who was in my position not too long ago. Thankfully I have a similar startup kit to the one you had only without a couple of bits. The things I planned to buy next happen to all be the things you had at start up which I don't, so I now know I've considered the things I need well and my thought patterns were on the right track!

What sort of things do you make in your workshop now you're 18 months in and have built your workbench and cabinets etc?

 

[Bigus]

Brilliant, thanks. A plane is definitely something I need to purchase then

Car boots can be your friend there. You should be able to get a half decent No 4 or 5 plane for around a fiver or less. Someone else mentioned Record & Stanley, which are the most common decent makes, though (as I found out recently, being quite new to all this myself) Stanley did cheaper ranges such as Handyman, which allegedly aren't so good (frog mounting not as sturdy, plastic handles etc) so probably better to avoid those.

One of the things I've found in learning woodworking is that while planes are one of the most essential hand tools they are also potentially one of the most frustrating. I would advise swatting up on how they work, how to set them up and how to sharpen a blade properly, otherwise tasks like squaring up or smoothing timber with anything but the straightest of grain will get very discouraging.

Bigus

 

[sm7]

Ill definitely do that, thank you. I really need to get on top of sharpeningfor my chisels too. This is something I haven't rally considered yet it have been told before so ill make it a priority.

I've been making some finger joints, tried a dovetail or two and they fit snug...but because I'm new and because they're made by hand, they look awful and nothing matches up quite well. I don't know what to do about this? Is it just practice or are there ways of making my rough joints (which fit snug but are not flush/even) look better and tidier?

 

[Maverick81]

Yeah its been a really fun year. I grew to hate my previous profession and decided their must be something more satisfying for me. I have pretty much spent the year watching you tube videos and reading forums. Learning and understanding methods and techniques from simple joints to more advanced practices.
I am mainly furniture minded though I have done a couple of other items (a garden gate and a disabled access ramp for instance).
Bigus (above) is right....you can find good deals at car boot sales.....but I think this can be a bit hit and miss. I went to several and didn't find anything I was happy to invest in. I found much more of exactly what I was after on ebay.....yes you have to pay delivery on items but it saved me hours or car boot trekking on Sunday mornings. Unless you like visiting car boot sales anyway. Also....Aldi and Lidl and great for workshop stuff/bits and bobs.

What is your background and ideas for your joinery future?

 

[Maverick81]

Ill definitely do that, thank you. I really need to get on top of sharpeningfor my chisels too. This is something I haven't rally considered yet it have been told before so ill make it a priority.

One of the most important things you'll need to learn. The difference between using oil stones, water stones and diamond plates and setting your grinding and honing angles correctly. There is loads of sharpening vids on the net.

 

[sm7]

Wow. I'm really glad you found what you were looking for in woodworking. I'd love to get to making some nice furniture.

I'm just doing it for fun at the moment! I'm a recently qualified diagnostic radiographer and love my job...for now...haha. So I'm more of a hobbyist I would say. I've got a bit of time off at the moment so am trying to get as much practice as possible in and will dedicate time when not of shifts (4on3off) to woodworking during the days! So far I'fe simply been cutting 4"x4" blocks and trying to join them, then turning them around and joining the other side! My joints are pretty sloppy at the moment though as I said in my post above. They are not flush on the inside so my chiseling hasn't been smooth enough. Although the fact that the wood I'm using is warped slightly as it is scrap probably doesn't help!