Hello
- This topic has 13 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by Mark68.
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Hello
I am 47 years of age and I come from South Wales. I’ve decided to take up carpentry to help me out as a sort of therapy due to mental health issues I have (PTSD among other things).
Now and again over the years it’s struck me that carpentry might be an interesting and worthwhile hobby/trade, but I never actually made a decision (much to my regret) to actually participate in wood working. Better late than never I guess.
I hope to learn from those more experienced than myself, and make friends along the way.
Thank you
Mark,
Welcome, You’ve certainly come to the right place to get started.
In addition to the unsurpassed instruction videos, there is a great support community on the forums that are in various stages of the same journey. Some have a significant level of experience and others are just getting started.
Everyone tries to be helpful-We’re all adults, feel free to ask for help.
There is no “starting late”—Just start.
In addition to this site, Paul has written an excellent book, Working Wood 1&2 available here (among other places):
https://www.classichandtools.com/cgi-bin/sh000003.pl?REFPAGE=https%3a%2f%2fwww%2eclassichandtools%2ecom%2findex%2ehtml&WD=books&SHOP=%20&PN=Working-Wood-1-2%2ehtml%23a1_21PS_2dSET#a1_21PS_2dSET
Best,
Craig
PS I’d just buy the book. Most all the rest on the DVD’s is covered here or on Youtube.- This reply was modified 8 years ago by Craig.
5 April 2016 at 11:05 pm #136202Hi mark I’ve sent you a PM, but just wanted to say I’ve been a member here for years and I can’t tell you enough how helpful the members are, whether its project advice or where to get products, IMHO you won’t go wrong with Pauls new book Essential Woodworking Hand Tools, Eddy
Thanks Eddy
I want to start with Working Wood 1&2 but along with the DVDs it starts getting expensive. The book is £29.90 on Amazon, which isn’t a problem, but the DVDs are £129. I appreciate it all adds up to a course of woodworking by a master craftsman, but I can’t really afford that, not when I have to buy tools and get wood as well. Craig assured me most of the DVDs are on Youtube (I’ve watched a few and I enjoyed them), but I’d need them all for the sake of completion and so I don’t have any gaps in my knowledge.
That said, I’ve got two books coming, both by Charles H. Haywood (Complete Book of Woodwork and Carpentry for Beginners). Perhaps I’ll read through those first and then buy the ‘Essential Woodworking Hand Tools’ book by Paul.
@mark68, Are you signed up for the videos here on masterclasses? If so, I don’t think you need to buy the videos for WW 1&2. The only one I’d consider in that case is the sharpening video, but even most of that is covered here, now.
I don’t remember if Masterclasses let’s you buy just one project. If so, the toolchest with drawers ( https://woodworkingmasterclasses.com/2013/07/tool-chest-project-info/ ) teaches a huge amount. You would learn dovetails, mortise and tenon, panels, carcass, drawers, and even a simple through tenon. If you watched Paul cut dovetails for the carcass, you could go off and make some practice dovetails with what he shows, maybe even a little box, if you did not want to go right into the project. Same again for the mortises.
6 April 2016 at 3:08 pm #136221Welcome, Mark!
I will echo Ed and Eddy’s comments. Much of what you need to learn to get started is available from Paul for free with a free membership on Masterclasses, or Paul has on his Youtube channel. Watch the Youtube videos on the three basic joints: dado, dovetail and mortise and tenon. Watch Paul’s chisel and plane blade sharpening videos. And watch his Youtube videos on box making and the clock. That is a fantastic start for anybody. Most of those videos are here on Masterclasses as well.
Paul’s blog is a great resource for advise on buying tools, too. Jump in, start basic, and practice, practice, practice.
Enjoy!
Hi Derek
Yes I’ve watched a few of Paul’s videos. The dovetail, workbench, how to set a saw (if that’s the right terminology), chisel sharpening too.
I think I’m going to have to buy his new book because it deals with exactly what I need right now. Which tools to get and how to maintain them.
IIRC the wallclock project is freely available on youtube as a project series. It should be a good place to start. Also all tool videos should be accessible for all free members (https://woodworkingmasterclasses.com/tool-technique-videos/).
Regarding the books, I think the Woodworking 1+2 book is more project centered, whereas the Essential Woodworking Hand Tools book seems to concentrate on the tools.
I would just start with a project and watch the videos and both together should help you along getting started nicely. The workbench is a good beginners project too, since it’s larger, not excessively complicated and doesn’t require as fine a skill. And it will make the following projects much easier.
All the best.
David
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