# Getting into basic woodworking **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 27, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363 "2017-12-27T00:43:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2018, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/41 "2018-01-03T13:21:06Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > You’re right, there are a TON of videos out there and some of them are pure crap. Some are pretty good too. > > Step One, get a YouTube account if you don’t already have one. > > Don’t think of YouTube as individual videos. Think of YouTube as a series of the CHANNELS they offer, and subscribe to those channels of the content providers where you realize you can respect their advice. When you have a YouTube account, as you watch videos, other videos will show up in your feed that might be of interest to you. Eventually you’ll be able to go down a rabbit hole of topics that are of interest to you; and this will allow you to subscribe to other providers that offer good content. > > I’m obviously a big fan of the Woodworking channels on YouTube. I’m of the opinion that immersing yourself in all of the woodworking topics that interest you on YouTube (even if you don’t have the tools required for that subject) will have a tangentially related benefit. > > Here are some of the channels I have subscribed to on YouTube: > [William Ng](https://www.youtube.com/user/wnwoodworks/videos) - He’s the owner of a pretty well known School of Fine Woodworking ([https://wnwoodworkingschool.com/](https://wnwoodworkingschool.com/)). > > [WoodWorkWeb with Colin Knecht.](https://www.youtube.com/user/knecht105/videos) - I like this guy, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a project he’s built; however if you can make a jig for that project; he’s your guy! 🙂 I like him mostly because he gives a lot of simple advice for beginner woodworkers; and generally shows how to make things easier. > > [Woodworking for Mere Mortals](https://www.youtube.com/user/stevinmarin/videos) - Stevin Marin was mentioned above. He’s kind of goofy; but I like his videos because he shows how you can make things with the basic set of tools and not have to worry about having the best tools out there. > > [The Wood Whisperer](https://www.youtube.com/user/TheWoodWhisperer/videos) - Marc Spagnolo is the guy you could be if you had the best of the best. He also regularly broadcasts on youtube live. He’s good at explaining and demonstrating technique of more advanced topics. Related to that; There’s also a pretty active channel on Facebook called [The Woodworking Community | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/groups/TWWCommunity/) that’s kind of fun to follow. > [Popular Woodworking](https://www.youtube.com/user/popularwoodworking/videos) - The youtube accompaniment to the Popular Woodworking magazine. A variety of topics and skill levels. i.e. vaccuum bag veneering to marshmallow catapults. > > [Jackman Works](https://www.youtube.com/user/JackmanCarpentry/videos) - More of a creative woodworkers/carpentry site. To quote from his youtube channel: "Home for woodworking, construction, upcycling, reclaiming, welding, epoxy, etc. My goals are to inspire you to make cool things, get people excited about making, and teaching while keeping it super fun and interesting. " > > [Jon Peters](https://www.youtube.com/user/jonpeters1000/videos) - “Jon Peters Art & Home teaches and inspires you to make art, woodworking, and home improvement projects at home. Whether you’re a beginning artist, a practical do-it-yourselfer, or a professional craftsman, my videos will provide a how-to guide to great projects. I will show you the tools, plans, and tricks of the trade to bring art and design to your home.” > > [Matthias Wandel](https://www.youtube.com/user/Matthiaswandel/videos) - Not sure if I should include this one; but his videos are interesting. He gives his take on woodworking through an engineers eye. Personally, I wonder if he’s on the spectrum a little bit. > > [Woodsmith Shop](https://www.youtube.com/user/WoodsmithShop/videos) - The accompanying channel to a TV show here in the USA on educational TV. > > [Paul Sellers Woodwork](https://www.youtube.com/user/PaulSellersWoodwork/videos) - This guys is the king of all woodworking as far as I’m concerned. No powertools and everything just comes out incredible! Good suggestions - I particularly like Matthias Wandel’s creativity and inventive drive. I haven’t heard of all the others in your list, so I’m going to check them out. I would like to add: [Diresta](http://www.jimmydiresta.com/) - just because he’s fun to watch and has some good ideas [John Heisz](https://www.youtube.com/user/jpheisz) - one of Matthias Wandel’s buddies and has some good woodworking stuff. [Wintergatan](https://www.youtube.com/user/wintergatan2000) - primarily a channel about a Swedish ‘folktronica’ music band, but contains a lot of woodworking [Home Made Modern](https://www.youtube.com/user/HomeMadeModern) - some great woodworking with unashamedly modern designs and materials. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/42 "2018-01-03T16:14:25Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > I would love to know what magic spray keeps rust at bay. > > All of my machine tools and associated gear rust in the humid months, and there’s nothing I can do except slather more oil on them. There has to be a better way. I’ll have to go out to the garage to take a look. It’s far from magic, but it’s less messy than oil. As mentioned, I mainly use it as a lubricant on surfaces that contact the wood. Birds gonna sing, metal gonna rust. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/43 "2018-01-06T14:31:03Z")
[Possibly he meant Boeshield](https://boeshield.com/why-boeshield/) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/44 "2018-01-06T15:55:19Z")
> [@Fir\_na\_tine](#): > > [Possibly he meant Boeshield](https://boeshield.com/why-boeshield/) Something similar to it. Sorry, I haven’t followed up on the name yet. Today! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/45 "2018-01-06T18:08:31Z")
[Here](https://www.amazon.com/Glidecote-V207501-Woodworking-Aerosol-Lubricant/dp/B00ODZM7SG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515261961&sr=8-1&keywords=bostick+glidecote) it is. Bostick Glidecote. Non petroleum, so it won’t stain your wood. ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/46 "2018-01-07T00:22:29Z")
I’ve avoided rust issues on my cast iron tables by using a sheet of 1/8" plywood, cut to match the profile of the table, as a cover when that tool is not in use. I keep a large cross-cut sled that is the same size as the surface on my table saw as a cover. I know this works because one weekend I accidentally left the cross-cut sled pushed out enough to expose some of the cast iron. I came back a few days later and there was a definite difference in tone between the exposed and unexposed cast iron. It didn’t take long! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/47 "2018-01-07T01:08:02Z")
> [@nate](#): > > I’ve avoided rust issues on my cast iron tables by using a sheet of 1/8" plywood, cut to match the profile of the table, as a cover when that tool is not in use. I keep a large cross-cut sled that is the same size as the surface on my table saw as a cover. I know this works because one weekend I accidentally left the cross-cut sled pushed out enough to expose some of the cast iron. I came back a few days later and there was a definite difference in tone between the exposed and unexposed cast iron. It didn’t take long! Some of that is just keeping dust off the tables. The dust increases corrosion, I don’t know if it’s the dust itself or that it retains moisture. I use paste wax on my tables. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/48 "2018-01-07T02:02:35Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Some of that is just keeping dust off the tables. The dust increases corrosion, I don’t know if it’s the dust itself or that it retains moisture. > > I use paste wax on my tables. Glidecote claims to last three times longer than paste wax. When I went out to find the can today, I checked my planes and saw no rust. Unheated garage. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Woody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Mr.Woody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Woody)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/49 "2018-01-08T06:38:09Z")
A lot depends on what you’re planning on doing. Rough shelves? Fine furniture? Toys? Buy the tools you need for the project you’re doing. Eventually you’ll know what you really want. Then you’ll buy better tools. If you’re not sure what you want to do, there a plenty of books of projects with detailed plans and directions. I’ve made a dozen outdoor chairs based on plans I got from a book in the library. WOOD magazine’s website has project plans to buy and download. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/50 "2018-01-08T18:28:58Z")
See if [the Chinese Woodworking Center](http://chinesewoodworking.blogspot.com/) is still around; their blog hasn’t been updated in two years. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/52 "2019-04-25T19:00:24Z")
I can only tell you what I did. I had a power (hand) drill and a saber saw. First I saw some plans for a work bench and built that. Then I built something out of oak. I had a good lumber yard that would cut pieces to my spec. Then I built a couple of end tables that still look pretty good, although rather simple. I got a router, a mitre box and a back saw. Made a sofa, a plant stand and, eventually a coffee table, more precisely a frame to hold a 40" x 40" marble slab. That was my peak. I just did it. I made a few other things, but eventually my hobby became computing. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/53 "2019-08-22T08:15:49Z")
Bumping this because I have more questions. Anyone still around to answer questions? ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/54 "2019-08-22T22:32:54Z")
Shoot! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/55 "2019-08-22T22:39:53Z")
What tools have you acquired? What projects are you working on? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/56 "2019-08-22T22:48:13Z")
Don’t be afraid to do the project several times. First time use crude butt joints. Cut the ends off the boards, use a carpenter square for an accurate line, and make tighter butt joints. Repeat again using a \*\*miter box and cut 45 degree miters. Try it again but plane the edges for tighter miters. You’re learning joinery at very little cost. \*\*A cheap miter box costs under $20. Good enough for a beginner. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/57 "2019-08-23T21:28:47Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Don’t be afraid to do the project several times. First time use crude butt joints. Cut the ends off the boards, use a carpenter square for an accurate line, and make tighter butt joints. Repeat again using a \*\*miter box and cut 45 degree miters. Try it again but plane the edges for tighter miters. > > You’re learning joinery at very little cost. > > \*\*A cheap miter box costs under $20. Good enough for a beginner. You can learn to make perfect dovetail joints in pretty short order, especially if you start with large ones and work to the smaller, more delicate ones, using nothing more than a backsaw, a [T-bevel](https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-828-Digital-Protractor/dp/B00563TLSI/ref=asc_df_B00563TLSI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216548266073&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7402396979864429600&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061081&hvtargid=pla-385534164908&psc=1), and very sharp chisels. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363/58 "2019-08-23T23:57:26Z")
I have done basic wood working all my life. I never got into advanced joinery, never the less my projects have held up under commercial use for decades. 32 years ago I rebuilt a coffee bar for a coffee shop with about 15 feet of cabinets and drawers. I planned out the entire job and built it all in one night after they closed, I had one helper. It was still in good shape 25 years later when they decided to up grade. A cabinet maker came in and had the bar closed for a week. 5 years later it is all falling apart and needs to be redone. I used oak plywood and hardwoods while he used pressboard and veneers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-into-basic-woodworking/805363.md?page=2)