Three Easy Woodworking Projects For Beginners

Where, oh where, do I begin? There are other posts on this blog about how to begin woodworking, but some people may need specific project ideas to get started. A good way to begin woodworking is to pick one of three easy project ideas, find or draw your own plans, and get the necessary supplies.

Three good easy woodworking projects to start with are a bookshelf, birdhouse, or magazine holder. None of these projects requires an expert level of skill but each will teach you basic woodworking techniques that you will develop later. All three also have practical uses.

After picking an easy woodworking project, you need to find or create plans for it. I recommend finding prewritten plans from books, magazines, home improvement stores, or online. Some woodworking plans can be found free online and typically include a list of supplies needed as well as step-by-step instructions with text and pictures. But, with a bookshelf, birdhouse, or magazine holder, you could simply draw your own plans. After sketching and deciding how you want the project to look, you can make more exact drawings, specify the different measurements of the piece, and use that as your guide. 

The supplies you choose for your first project are also important. Using only hand tools as a start is a good idea because it allows you to feel closer to the wood than you do with power tools and does not require as much skill as the use of more advanced tools. Many projects can be completed using only a hammer and chisel. You will also want to choose wood that is easy to work with, such as balsa, pine, or plywood. These are all softwoods and are much easier to manage than hardwoods, making them ideal for the beginner.

Choosing either a bookshelf, birdhouse, or magazine holder as a first project, getting or creating plans for it, and acquiring the needed materials is a good way to start with easy woodworking. If you need someone to give you three choices to get started, there they are.

Here is another article you may find helpfull:

• Simple Woodworking Projects – Why Having Woodworking Plans Are … – The first thing that you got to do when you want to start simple woodworking projects is get hold on some good plans. Not only will these ensure that you do not go wrong, but it will also carve a huge chunk out of your learning curve so …