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Woodworking is one of those hobbies that has an expensive start up cost, and when I first started the learning curve was like running face first into a 10 foot wall: it’s not impossible to get over but I needed tools to help me do it. After acquiring said tools, next was to figure out what exactly I wanted to build. As you’ve probably figured out, beginner woodworking projects aren’t easy to come up with.

I was going to come up with my own list of beginner ideas with plans attached, however I noticed A LOT of people have done that already and I’d really just be beating a dead horse.

So, instead, I’m going to provide a list of links to all the excellent and helpful resources I’ve come across that already have plenty of beginner woodworking project ideas that link to guide/tutorial/how-to/video/plan or something about what you need and how to make it (NOT just pictures).

No one clamp is perfect for every task, in fact, after the end of this review I will have barely scratched the surface in terms of specialty clamps which are required for much more unique challenges. Instead, I will walk you through the most common tasks and explain the best woodworking clamps for each application.

Best Woodworking Clamps

In order to limit any confusion in the event that you are unaware of the type of clamp you need, I will be arranging the various options by task starting with the most common one.

Edge gluing panels

Bar and pipe clamps are best for edge gluing wooden panels together. These types have a bar or pipe that has enough length to span the width of the glue up. Additionally, the bar or pipe provide support for the panels to make sure you get a nice flush connection.

Bessey IBEAM Bar Clamps

The best bar clamps should provide a wide stable base for your project and this particular option made by Bessey has a clamping width of 36″, 1-3/8″ bar width, and handles up to 7000lbs of clamping force. That may sound like a lot, however all Bessey IBEAM clamps offer the same force limit. What’s most important about this particular brand is it’s going to be a pretty straightforward model; it will get what you need done with little to no hangups.

If you’re unfamiliar about where to start after getting your wood burning tools then try to just focus on starting something to get you familiar with your tools.

Here are some wood burning designs that are great pyrography patterns to begin with (some of these examples are first time attempts at wood burning!).

Animals

 

  

   

   

Animals are very popular to do and are surprisingly simple wood carving ideas once you get the texture of their fur, feather, scales, etc. right.

Start off small, analyze what could be improved, then find out how to do it better.

See how the owl example above doesn’t have any realistic details on its feathers but, aesthetically, looks good? Great idea. [Read more…] about Stupid Simple Wood Burning Designs For Beginners

The adze (also spelt adz) is a wood cutting tool dating back to the Stone Age. With its broad and rectangular head, its appearance is largely axe-like. The head of the adze, however, is attached at a right angle to the handle, like that of a hoe.

What is it used for?

The adze is a versatile tool, with numerous variations of different weights, sizes, and blade shape. Different types of adze are have been specifically designed with certain tasks in mind, but generally speaking, the purpose of the adze is to shave slithers from the wood’s surface, rather than chopping out sections. It can be used for hollowing curves, or for shaping and smoothing flat pieces.

The history of the adze is long and geographically far-reaching; it’s actually one of the earliest-dated tools in archaeological record. Examples of the adze dating back to the Stone Age have been discovered across Europe, and there’s evidence of it having also been used by the Maori tribes of Australia and the native people of the Northwest American coast. Depictions of the adze have even been found in Ancient Egyptian Art, from the Old Kingdom onward. [Read more…] about The Adze Tool: History, Safety, and Technique