Things I'm learning as a novice

[wwade]

Go easy on pencil marks, go easy on filler, because the biggest pain for me has been the sanding at the end. On. the next project, I might sand the pieces as I go along.

 

[Homerjh]

use the correct pencil!

I was always told to use 2H as it is quite soft so won't mark the wood and also easy to rub out.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

2B?

 

[Tom K]

Or not 2B

 

[custard]

Go easy on pencil marks, go easy on filler, because the biggest pain for me has been the sanding at the end. On. the next project, I might sand the pieces as I go along.

It's impressive that you're critically examining your progress and drawing clear lessons from each experience.

=D>

A single stroke with a finely set plane or a card scraper removes more timber than many minutes of sanding. But when you do start sanding generally start with a coarse paper and then move through the grits. Many newcomers to woodworking start sanding with something inappropriate like 240 grit. Or they have a random orbital sander loaded with 240 grit and think that, because it's a power tool, it'll be okay. Nine times out of ten professionals start with 80 or 120 grit (and a very hard sanding pad). They've learnt that it's a waste of time and energy to start with anything finer, and that soft pads dub over crisp details!

 

[RobinBHM]

Pencil marks, I use 2H for marking out shoulders etc and HB or ideally blue wood marking crayon for writing on face side, component part numbers etc.

Always markout parts. Most errors in joint making, for example using a biscuit jointer are due to a lack of coherent marking out.

Sanding, always pre sand internal parts before assembly. Sand filler and flush joints with 80 or 120 grit with a hard backing pad. Ply offcuts with some abrasive stuck on make ideal sanding pads for detailing. A common mistake is to sand a whole piece with a RO sander that then dubs over edges, as Custard mentions.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

For many years now I've made sanding pads from ply offcuts with carpet tile glued to them, they have just a tiny bit of give almost like a cork block. Glue the tile then saw them into individual pads on the bandsaw. Brilliant for general painting and decorating, but useful on wood.

 

[Wizard9999]

Pencils, yes learning that as well. But what was a real PITA in the last couple of days was when I wanted two identical brackets, I made one and then used double sided table to stick a roughly cut out second one to it so I could use a flush trim bit in the router to create an identical second bracket. The process worked brilliantly until I came to separate the two piece which was extremely tricky, I found it had to believe just how strong the bond created was. Then having separated them the remaining sticky goo left on both pieces was a real effort to remove.

I was using bog standard B&Q Diall branded double sided tape. Were my problems because there are better tapes for this job, due to using too much tape or is this just an inherent problem in this process?

Apologies if I have hijacked the thread, but it seemed to fit well as a beginner's lessons learnt.

Terry.

 

[Wuffles]

Pencils, yes learning that as well. But what was a real PITA in the last couple of days was when I wanted two identical brackets, I made one and then used double sided table to stick a roughly cut out second one to it so I could use a flush trim bit in the router to create an identical second bracket. The process worked brilliantly until I came to separate the two piece which was extremely tricky, I found it had to believe just how strong the bond created was. Then having separated them the remaining sticky goo left on both pieces was a real effort to remove.

I was using bog standard B&Q Diall branded double sided tape. Were my problems because there are better tapes for this job, due to using too much tape or is this just an inherent problem in this process?

Apologies if I have hijacked the thread, but it seemed to fit well as a beginner's lessons learnt.

Terry.

Hot glue and then use a freeze spray to pop them apart. This may help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kyLY1xWrCI

Edit: I should add, don't go mental with the hot glue!

 

[Cordy]

Wizard
Bog standard D/S tape is OK, my last one from Wickes

A novice myself; I found that by applying masking tape [blue decorator's tape is good] and then DST makes it a doddle to remove

 

[Roughcut]

Pencils, yes learning that as well. But what was a real PITA in the last couple of days was when I wanted two identical brackets, I made one and then used double sided table to stick a roughly cut out second one to it so I could use a flush trim bit in the router to create an identical second bracket. The process worked brilliantly until I came to separate the two piece which was extremely tricky, I found it had to believe just how strong the bond created was. Then having separated them the remaining sticky goo left on both pieces was a real effort to remove.

I was using bog standard B&Q Diall branded double sided tape. Were my problems because there are better tapes for this job, due to using too much tape or is this just an inherent problem in this process?

Apologies if I have hijacked the thread, but it seemed to fit well as a beginner's lessons learnt.

Terry.

Ideally you would use "just enough" ds tape to hold the work pieces in place so you are still be able to separate them after.
Obviously that can mean trial and error and to some extent the brand or supplier of the ds tape you are using.
For example with the ds tape I have I recently needed to hold 2 pieces of mdf together temporarily for routing.
The work pieces were approximately 800mm long by 60mm wide.
I used 4 pieces of tape around 2" long evenly spaced out along the work piece length and worked as I had intended.
And there was no tape residue on removal.
This is the stuff I'm using at the moment (bought in 2015), im not saying it's the greatest out there but does do the job:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/General-Econo ... hash=item0

 

[custard]

I use Tesa double sided tape. It costs at least three times what you pay for the cheaper stuff but it's excellent. Grips like crazy, but any residue peels straight off and has no effect on subsequent finishes. I only use Tesa veneer tapes now as well, after completing a big job and discovering the cheaper tape had telegraphed right through the veneer and it all had to be stripped off and relaid. Lesson learned.

As I sometimes use DST for attaching templates for copy routing (I know you shouldn't, but sometimes I do) I reckon Tesa is an expense that's justified. If I couldn't get Tesa I'd use 3M, the Chinese stuff is so variable that I don't trust it.

 

[whiskywill]

The process worked brilliantly until I came to separate the two piece which was extremely tricky, I found it had to believe just how strong the bond created was.

Why not make your own double sided tape? Stick two pieces of ordinary masking tape back to back with superglue. Easy to peel off and no residue.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Did you get that one from Viz?

 

[whiskywill]

Did you get that one from Viz?

No, it's a luthier (and others probably) trick.

 

[skipdiver]

Did you get that one from Viz?

Ha! You just made me remember the Shat. The shed that doubles as a hat. :lol:

 

[Grawschbags]

My downfall as a novice thus far is that restoring plane blades eats in to my already limited woodworking time.... but I can't stop buying planes!

...and slightly hypocritical given my comment above, but buy tools to task. So far I have bought a load of hand tools that haven't seen the light of day since I took delivery, and I'm now having to buy tools I actually need.