Best Free Beginner Woodworking Resources
As we all know, woodworking can encompass a wide array of projects including furniture, wood carving, joinery, woodturning, and carpentry. In addition to clay and stone, wood was one of the first materials that an early human worked with. From ancient Egypt to China, significant evidence of advanced woodworking has been found.
Little Background of Wood Craft
Historically, woodworkers mostly relied upon native woods until transportation and trade innovations made more exotic woods available to the craftsmen. Also, till people discovered Iron, generally metals like copper and bronze were used as woodworking tools. In modern days, with the advancement of technology and the industry’s demand, the approach of woodwork as a field has changed. For example, the use of Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) had made it possible to mass-produce products faster, and that too with more complex designs than ever before. Again, the use of different power tools requires much less body strength than in the past.
However, the demand for skilled fine woodworking or demand for hand-crafted work is still high.
Beginner’s info before starting a project
The first step to find the best resource for a roadmap before starting the work is to decide what kind of woodwork you are most interested in. Now when it comes to online resources, the amount of information available on the internet is staggering. But from an amateur perspective, always going for a reliable resource is advised so that clear and comprehensive breakdown can be found. Here are few tips that you should keep in mind while selecting the best resource to begin your craft journey:
Schematics Presentation: Look for an online resource where each step is described along with a schematic diagram and real picture. Written instructions coupled with guiding images make you understand any instruction fast and clearly.
Go for Simple Instructions: Whether you are surfing the internet or looking into monthly woodcraft magazines, always go for “hold-you-by-the-hand” instructions. These will always help you to complete any task faster. Also, this kind of detailed framework will make the most challenging steps a walk in the park!
Go for Complete Set of Instruction: Lack of clarity in guidelines can be a big hindrance to get a head start in your project. Problems like no diagram or no 3D drawing, listing incomplete or incorrect tools, etc., can really lead you to make blunders and confusions. Hence the search for resources is essential to get those projects done right the first time.
Instructions Should Be Suitable for You: Online, you will find thousands of project ideas. But each of them may not be best for you. Some may require master skills or may require expensive machinery to execute then plan. So, look for projects that require simple hand tools and that suit your proficiency level (check out our picks for the best shop vacs).
Best Free Beginner Woodworking Resources to Get You Started
Online Resources: Standing in 2021, Google has made us able to get an answer to anything. And that is why the surge of the internet has changed the way people learn and do things. Resources for wood-crafting are not exceptional. From websites to YouTube, there are literally n numbers of resources to look out for.
Tutorial Websites: Numerous websites are enriched with 1000+ project ideas according to each skill level. And fortunately, you can access most of them for free. What’s important is always to go for ideas that are comprehensive and user-friendly. And most of them have video tutorial options. Again, like the rest of the world, the woodworking industry is constantly evolving and expanding in response to new practices and products. So, to keep up with this pace, it is vital to find reliable educational sources on the field. Hence always visit websites that get updated with regular content, so apart from learning, you will stay well informed on shifts and innovations as well. A better online platform can teach you everything you need to start a project right from the:
- Tools and equipment
- Material
- Safety instructions
- Perfect project plans
YouTube: Looking for a free video tutorial of wood-crafting? Well, YouTube may be the best place, compared to any other online resources. There are thousands of channels that cater tutorial videos on woodworking. Videos help you to intake a lot more information in a very short period. And this is possible as the human brain responses quickly to visuals as compared to reading or following picture guidance. Some of the most popular YouTube channels with more than one million subscribers are Jimmy DiResta, John Heisz, I Build It, Steve Ramsey, and many more.
Offline Books: Although website resources are fine, you can get some solid reference materials in the form of books. All these books contain trusted sources that cover the basics and give you step-by-step instructions for initiating your work. Besides books, monthly/ quarterly magazines on wood-crafting are also a great resource to get innovative ideas regularly.
Following are some of the best woodworking books that will surely make you a pro in woodworking:
1. The Complete Book of Woodworking (to get an overall idea)
2. Woodworking for Dummies (a beginners’ guide)
3. The Complete Step-by-Step Guide (to get innovate crafting ideas)
4. Making Authentic Craftsman Furniture (for making furniture)
Final Thoughts
Whether you are browsing through websites or going through the pages of a woodworking book, your target should be building a wide range of items and utilizing this craft as a rewarding creative outlet. Last but not least, always follow the proper safety protocols and have fun while doing it!
References
1. https://www.mikeswoodworkingprojects.com/4-popular-woodworking-resources-online/
2. https://www.mikeswoodworkingprojects.com/7-woodworking-projects-to-try-from-the-american-woodworker/
3. https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-best-books-or-resources-to-learn-woodworking-Is-there-any-course-I-could-start-with-to-learn-the-basic-and-advanced-stuff
4. https://woodworking.cusza.com/
5. https://generaltools.com/blog/diy-woodworking/