The Easy Woodworking Blog

Here’s my birdhouse, in the “shop” and on the tree.

I’ve been writing all of these articles and learning a lot about easy woodworking, but until now I had not done a project of my own. However, I recently purchased a large collection of woodworking plans from Woodworking4Home and began work on a birdhouse, a good first project. I then got the necessary materials, set up a makeshift woodshop, built the birdhouse, and got a great deal of satisfaction out of it.

I bought all of the materials I needed at a local hardware store. These included two handsaws, drillbits, a hole saw for the drill, two C clamps, nails, and the wood. I already had a hammer and electric drill. I only bought one handsaw to start with and didn’t buy the C clamps at first, but after beginning the project I found that I needed them. 

Building the birdhouse was the most fun. I followed the plan that I had from Woodworking4Home, which was very detailed and easy to follow. The project is actually intended for someone to create several kits and have a group of kids put the houses together, but I just created one kit for myself and built it. 

At first, I didn’t have any C clamps, so I was just holding the wood plank with one hand while sawing with the other. It didn’t take long for me to see that I would need the clamps or a vise to hold the wood down while I did the vigorous job of sawing. My back soon told me that the typewriter desk is a little low. I’ll have to get a higher table to work on soon. Because I used a handsaw, the edges were a little rough. I sanded them down with sandpaper, but that could only do so much. I’m already wanting a circular saw. 

After cutting the pieces out, I nailed the birdhouse together and painted it. It was great to see it come together and give it some paint to make it look pretty. It is kind of rough hewn, because it’s my first project and I used handsaws, but I’m proud of it and really did enjoy doing it. The act of creating something that will last is very satisfying.

It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s definitely a start. I’m now practicing what I preach on this website, and I can say that I recommend getting started with easy woodworking projects to anyone who has an interest in the craft.

A woodworking hobby can benefit not only yourself but many others around you as well. Take the example of Brian Peppel, husband of freelance writer Sarah Peppel, who used a beginning in easy woodworking as a springboard to more advanced projects which he shares with family and others. Like Brian Peppel, you can use your woodworking skills to create gifts by duplicating existing projects, creating wooden toys for children in need, and making unique gifts for family members that have special meaning.

Peppel has created projects by taking the measurements of what he wants to create and drawing up his own plans. In so doing, he adds his own touch to the project. On one occasion, he made a piano bench for his sister-in-law by measuring professionally made piano benches at a music store and then drawing his own plans. He also created a dollhouse shelf by studying one in a Pottery Barn catalog and drawing up his own measurements.

He has also joined a charitable organization to make wooden toys for children in need. His work with the Delaware Valley Woodworking Club has also provided extra wooden toys for his family. He has used the woodworking ideas that he has gotten through this work to refine and improve some of the toy projects by varying the wood types, finish, and design.

Peppel was also able to create a cutting board for his sister from a red oak tree that fell behind her house, thus giving her a unique gift that had a connection to her home. To do this, he had to first cut a section out of the tree trunk and let it sit and dry for a couple of months. Then, he milled the wood into rough boards and had to let that dry for a few more months to dry to avoid warping or splitting before he was able to craft it into the cutting board. This kind of preparation is something that all woodworkers can strive for.

Any woodworker can take Brian Peppel as an example of how to use your woodworking skills to create gifts by drawing your own plans from existing work, doing charitable work that can spill over to your own family, and being available to create special gifts for family that could never be bought in a store. In this way you can put your talents to work more for others than for yourself and reap the rewards many times over.

“There is a kind of beauty in imperfection.” This quote from cinematographer Conrad Hall can apply to easy woodworking. As with anything else, you will rarely find perfection in wood. Some common wood defects that you should be aware of and know how to work around are mold-damaged wood, bows in the wood, splits or cracks, loose dark knots, and excessive sap residue.

You may find that some wood you have to work with has an unwanted bluish gray tinge. This is commonly found in woods such as pine, sycamore, and holly. This mold damage is caused by storage in an area that is too warm or not well ventillated. You can solve this problem by using the wood on a part of the project where it will not be seen or by staining the wood darkly.

You may often find a bow in a large plank of wood. This is also caused by a storage problem — one in which moisture was allowed to evaporate. In this case, the best solution is to crosscut the wood into smaller pieces. You may also nail or screw the board into place, but make sure the bulging side is facing out.

Splits and cracks are a result of wood that has been dried too fast. These must be taken seriously because they can not only mar the look of your project but also weaken its structure. You must work around these cracks or cut off and discard the cracked or split sections if possible.

Loose dark knots in the wood are another problem that you may encounter. Dark knots themselves enhance the beauty of the wood, but are a problem when they are loose. This looseness is a result of a surface dead branch. The solution here is to glue the knot into place and apply putty to it.

Excessive sap residue is another source of wood damage. It is caused by the tree being injured prior to its cutting. In this case, you should either cut or scrape the residue off and fill the indent in the wood where it was. 

One aspect of easy woodworking is being aware of common wood defects and knowing how to work with them. After all, imperfection is always to be expected.

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.