what tools are required to make your own wooden furniture?
I dont have any wood shop experience, but I am very interested in makeing my own furniture. Only problem is I know absolutely nothing about it! If anyone could please give me some help and get me pointed in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. Any and all information will help so please dont hesitate to post an answer. thanks!!
I’d suggest starting off slow.
On one hand,,,"anybody" can do it.
I admire You for being interested and Asking about it.
THAT in itself is the Start.
On a less philosphical,,more realistic level……
It takes quite a bit of skill and expense.
Tools and materials are Expensive.
And the Knowledge must be learned.
Then,,the Skills must be developed
And it’s Great when you can end up with something Useful & Nice.
You can spend a fortune on BOOKS.
Or,,go to a Library.
Get books on Basics of Tools and Projects you’re interested in.
You’ll find books about WOODS,,Fastening & hardware,,Finishes,,
Using Hand Tools & Powertools.
INVEST the Time and Effort to get a basic education.
Community Colleges often have short courses.
Some Hardware Stores and Tool Supply companies have seminars and classses.
Find a Local Cabinet Shop/Woodworks and ask for a Tour.
Tell them what Your interests are,,and ask them for advice.
They’re BUSINESSES,,,but they’re People Too—and Many Folks is such trades are Happy to help where they can.
You COULD even offer YOUR services/skills in return for a "short Course" at a local woodshop.
Contact HiSchool Woodshop Teachers for ideas.
Cruise around on "trash Day" and get small furniture Items to PRACTICE on.
Look at how they’re made,,,take them apart & Re-Assemble.
Even if ya wreck the "project",,You WILL learn something at No Cash Expense.
Go to Local Hardware Stores during "Off Hours"(meaning NOT weekends),,and ask about various tools.
Most Local Owned places will be Happy to help.
Im sure others who answer can give you specific suggestions on Books or Info Sources.
But realize when starting from "scratch" there is no real "Best Book",,,Any info is worthwhile.
You Probably have Friends or Family,,know people,,,who have various skills & knowledge ,,and be happy to help.
A Couple Hours of "hand’s On" can get You well-started learning about Tools & how to use them.
Another couple hours "hand’s on" can aquaint you with quite a bit about Techniques,Materials,Etc
Bottomline of my opinion,,,Start at the Local Library & asking LOCALLY for "live help"
Another thought….
You might consider getting started with "KITS" that You assemble.
Simply ASSEMBLING something doesn’t seem as interesting as Cutting/Shaping wood and such.
But it’s a CRITICAL aspect,,and crucial to overall success.
It’s a Very,Very important "Chapter" in what You’re aspiring to do.
Places like
http://www.sauder.com/
come to mind,,,ready-to-assemble "kits" for some NICE furniture at prices little more than raw material costs.
Just for example.
S-A-F-E-T-Y,,,CANNOT be OVERSTRESSED.
We take it for granted,,but working with tools and wood,and stuff DEMANDS fully diligent Safety.
Eyeballs and Fingers/hands simply take Tooo Long to grow back.
You ALREADY ARE pointed in Right Direction,,simply for Seeking Info.
Keep Going:)
Good Luck!
**Just for sake of saying–Power Tools are a Tremendous Help,and very nice.
But Most all of the world’s Most fabulous,elegant,Durable,
Desirable Furniture
was made Not ONLY 100% with Hand Tools,
but with Many TOOLS which themselves
were made by hand.
Which at least Indicates that it doesn’t require a Full,Automated Workshop to get satisfactory results.
Any Tools you DO get,,needs to be good quality though.
As You learn about Tools,,You’ll begin to realize how to shop for tools,,,and find them at discounts via Garage Sales,Ebay,PawnShops,etc.
It’ll save you a bunch of $$$
Box saw. Press drill. Hand plane, electric plane. Circular saw. Hand saw. Wood turn. Wood chisels. Rubber mallet. Wood mallet. Band saw. Vices and presses. Glue nails varnish, paint, brushes, stain.
References :
I’d suggest starting off slow.
On one hand,,,"anybody" can do it.
I admire You for being interested and Asking about it.
THAT in itself is the Start.
On a less philosphical,,more realistic level……
It takes quite a bit of skill and expense.
Tools and materials are Expensive.
And the Knowledge must be learned.
Then,,the Skills must be developed
And it’s Great when you can end up with something Useful & Nice.
You can spend a fortune on BOOKS.
Or,,go to a Library.
Get books on Basics of Tools and Projects you’re interested in.
You’ll find books about WOODS,,Fastening & hardware,,Finishes,,
Using Hand Tools & Powertools.
INVEST the Time and Effort to get a basic education.
Community Colleges often have short courses.
Some Hardware Stores and Tool Supply companies have seminars and classses.
Find a Local Cabinet Shop/Woodworks and ask for a Tour.
Tell them what Your interests are,,and ask them for advice.
They’re BUSINESSES,,,but they’re People Too—and Many Folks is such trades are Happy to help where they can.
You COULD even offer YOUR services/skills in return for a "short Course" at a local woodshop.
Contact HiSchool Woodshop Teachers for ideas.
Cruise around on "trash Day" and get small furniture Items to PRACTICE on.
Look at how they’re made,,,take them apart & Re-Assemble.
Even if ya wreck the "project",,You WILL learn something at No Cash Expense.
Go to Local Hardware Stores during "Off Hours"(meaning NOT weekends),,and ask about various tools.
Most Local Owned places will be Happy to help.
Im sure others who answer can give you specific suggestions on Books or Info Sources.
But realize when starting from "scratch" there is no real "Best Book",,,Any info is worthwhile.
You Probably have Friends or Family,,know people,,,who have various skills & knowledge ,,and be happy to help.
A Couple Hours of "hand’s On" can get You well-started learning about Tools & how to use them.
Another couple hours "hand’s on" can aquaint you with quite a bit about Techniques,Materials,Etc
Bottomline of my opinion,,,Start at the Local Library & asking LOCALLY for "live help"
Another thought….
You might consider getting started with "KITS" that You assemble.
Simply ASSEMBLING something doesn’t seem as interesting as Cutting/Shaping wood and such.
But it’s a CRITICAL aspect,,and crucial to overall success.
It’s a Very,Very important "Chapter" in what You’re aspiring to do.
Places like
http://www.sauder.com/
come to mind,,,ready-to-assemble "kits" for some NICE furniture at prices little more than raw material costs.
Just for example.
S-A-F-E-T-Y,,,CANNOT be OVERSTRESSED.
We take it for granted,,but working with tools and wood,and stuff DEMANDS fully diligent Safety.
Eyeballs and Fingers/hands simply take Tooo Long to grow back.
You ALREADY ARE pointed in Right Direction,,simply for Seeking Info.
Keep Going:)
Good Luck!
**Just for sake of saying–Power Tools are a Tremendous Help,and very nice.
But Most all of the world’s Most fabulous,elegant,Durable,
Desirable Furniture
was made Not ONLY 100% with Hand Tools,
but with Many TOOLS which themselves
were made by hand.
Which at least Indicates that it doesn’t require a Full,Automated Workshop to get satisfactory results.
Any Tools you DO get,,needs to be good quality though.
As You learn about Tools,,You’ll begin to realize how to shop for tools,,,and find them at discounts via Garage Sales,Ebay,PawnShops,etc.
It’ll save you a bunch of $$$
References :
I have been building and repairing furniture since I was 12, and I am more than 5X that today. My advice is not to do as a friend of mine did and go out and spend a fortune getting tools until I have read up on the subject and knew what it was going to involve. For instance, you will need a table saw and you will find table saws at Lowes for less than 100 bucks – but those are not accurate enough for furniture. A saw that will do that kind of work can cost up to $2000, depending on what accessories you are convinced to own.
Circular saws have only a limited use in a furniture shop.
The best way, after you have read some books on furniture making and cabinet making, is to see just how furniture is put together. Here, I suggest that you go to an antique store and find a complete, but absolutely ricketty, chest of drawers or dresser (waste some money here, perhaps) that is about 75-100 years old and is in bad need of help. Take it home, take it apart – all the way (you don’t have to screw with disassembling the drawers if you don’t want to), clean up the pieces, strip it all down, and then put it back together remembering that nails in good furniture is a NO NO. If you can’t put it together, or you put it together and it does not look good, you have wasted about $200 and that is cheaper than a table saw.
My next question is why make furniture when there is good old furniture about that just needs a little tender loving care and some work.
I have furnished my daughter’s large apartment, my son’s apartment, and my house rebuilding junk. I have one cafe table which is about 200 years old which I bought all apart and wrapped with string for $12 and I have been offered $500 for it.
The reason I suggest older furniture is that it is better made than the trash today. The things you buy at ROOMS TO GO are made to stay together just long enough for any warranty to wear out, they are made cheaply, with the wrong woods.
When you think of furniture making, remember that making the thing is about 40% of the job, finishing it is about 60% of the job.
So read the books, test your self out on something, and see if you want to get involved that much. Then take a shop course, even if you have to go to a Continuing Education session two evenings a week for a semester or two.
References :
there are to many to list,you are probably better to look in some furniture books,i have built a lot of furniture over the years but with the cost of tools and materials you dont allways save money,you also need loads of space!!regards mark.
References :