How would you like to bypass the high retail prices at the furniture stores by using wood furniture plans and make some yourself? It is possible and a lot of folks are already doing it. As opposed of what many people think, it is not necessary to be a pro to make wood furniture.
Wood furniture are without a doubt the most popular ones on the market, and also the most expensive. But what are your options if you want to have some for yourself? Of course you can go out and pay big money for wood furniture. An other option that is a lot less expensive and a lot more fun is to get some good wood furniture plans and make them yourself.
You don't have to be a specialist to make a wooden table or some kids furniture. A good set of plans is self explanatory and tells you everything you need to know to make a well done project from beginning to start. Plans are including a list of necessary tools and material. Then all you have to do is to follow the step by step instructions.
The trick is to start with simple designs and as you do a few pieces you will get much better at it. You will be amazed how easy it could be with a good blueprint and a well organised work place. By the way, the workplace could be as simple as your garage or a room in your basement. When making furniture, only a small work area is required.
When making furniture yourself, using plans is of course a must. But following the plans all the way by the book is not mandatory. You can add your own creative finishing touch in the process and make something very unique. The benefits are numerous: you make substantial savings, you can look at your furniture with pride for years to come and once your first piece is done, you feel like making more!
So don't be afraid to make wooden furniture yourself. The beauty of your home made coffee table will make you happy everyday. Using plans will also help you to find a lot more ideas than what you have seen in stores. Even if you can afford to buy wood furniture in retail stores, you will discover that there is nothing like looking everyday at a piece of wooden furniture you have made yourself.
So go ahead and get some wood furniture plans to create your first piece. Go to my page at http://www.woodworkingplansonline.blogspot.com to find your plans and many more useful resources about woodworking. Enjoy making your first wooden furniture!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_A._Davis
Thursday, 18 March 2010
It's Never Too Late to Learn How to Make Furniture
Do you have the urge to create a unique piece of furniture that's all your own? Whether you have no experience in building furniture, or very little experience, it's never too late to learn how to make furniture, or build on your skills.
Creating a finished piece of furniture from rough lumber fills a person with an uncontrollable sense of achievement. It's a great way to showcase your skills and creativity, and it's a handy ability to have as a hobby or for day to day needs around the house!
No matter what level of involvement you want to participate in woodworking - from hobbyist to full time career - it's important to have the proper training. When you have the right safety training and knowledge of equipment, your experience in making furniture will be exponentially better. Many colleges offer courses on building furniture, and offer a comprehensive curriculum that covers everything from safety, to project planning and budgeting.
Choosing your first piece of furniture that you will make is an important decision. It's key that you choose a project that is in line with you level of experience. Don't choose a project that's far above your ability level, or you may get frustrated and feel as though you want to quit. It's great to have aspirations to build difficult and complex pieces of furniture, but you will need to build your skills up to that level.
An important skill that you will need to develop when you are learning to make furniture is the ability to plan out a project step by step. Some projects require you to complete each step in a specific order, so it's essential that you understand the importance of this process and how to properly create the action steps to complete your project.
When you start to gain more experience and become more comfortable using the machinery, you may want to start challenging yourself with increasingly difficult projects. Perhaps you spotted a piece of furniture in a store that you would like to try to replicate? Or maybe you have ideas for how you could improve or add to it? It's great to give yourself a challenge! Draw out your plans for how you will make your furniture, and create your step by step process, then put your skills to the test.
Learning to make furniture is a fun and enlightening experience. It can be challenging at times, but it is also quite fulfilling, especially when you are able to overcome those challenges that you face. Find the proper training before you get started, and learn as much as you can in order to make this a great experience.
In the end, it's up to you how much you want to learn about making your own furniture. You can learn just enough to make a few simple pieces on the weekend, or you can continue to develop your skills to make more challenging and intricate projects. But, overall, you will have learned a great skill, and you'll have a collection of beautiful pieces of furniture to show off - all handmade by yourself, of course!
Jeff Harris is the owner of the woodworking guide, providing information on woodworking. Jeff has written specifically about building your own piece of furniture.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jefferson_Harris
Creating a finished piece of furniture from rough lumber fills a person with an uncontrollable sense of achievement. It's a great way to showcase your skills and creativity, and it's a handy ability to have as a hobby or for day to day needs around the house!
No matter what level of involvement you want to participate in woodworking - from hobbyist to full time career - it's important to have the proper training. When you have the right safety training and knowledge of equipment, your experience in making furniture will be exponentially better. Many colleges offer courses on building furniture, and offer a comprehensive curriculum that covers everything from safety, to project planning and budgeting.
Choosing your first piece of furniture that you will make is an important decision. It's key that you choose a project that is in line with you level of experience. Don't choose a project that's far above your ability level, or you may get frustrated and feel as though you want to quit. It's great to have aspirations to build difficult and complex pieces of furniture, but you will need to build your skills up to that level.
An important skill that you will need to develop when you are learning to make furniture is the ability to plan out a project step by step. Some projects require you to complete each step in a specific order, so it's essential that you understand the importance of this process and how to properly create the action steps to complete your project.
When you start to gain more experience and become more comfortable using the machinery, you may want to start challenging yourself with increasingly difficult projects. Perhaps you spotted a piece of furniture in a store that you would like to try to replicate? Or maybe you have ideas for how you could improve or add to it? It's great to give yourself a challenge! Draw out your plans for how you will make your furniture, and create your step by step process, then put your skills to the test.
Learning to make furniture is a fun and enlightening experience. It can be challenging at times, but it is also quite fulfilling, especially when you are able to overcome those challenges that you face. Find the proper training before you get started, and learn as much as you can in order to make this a great experience.
In the end, it's up to you how much you want to learn about making your own furniture. You can learn just enough to make a few simple pieces on the weekend, or you can continue to develop your skills to make more challenging and intricate projects. But, overall, you will have learned a great skill, and you'll have a collection of beautiful pieces of furniture to show off - all handmade by yourself, of course!
Jeff Harris is the owner of the woodworking guide, providing information on woodworking. Jeff has written specifically about building your own piece of furniture.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jefferson_Harris
Monday, 15 March 2010
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Saturday, 6 March 2010
How to Build a Rocking Chair - Tips to Get Started
Rocking chairs would make a good furniture piece on the porch or by the fireplace. It definitely is worth the effort to learn how to build a rocking chair. It is one of the most comfortable chair to have around the house.
And I should know, several times, I found myself dozing off just after a few minutes sitting in my chair.
First Things First
Before building a rocking chair, you need to decide first if you wish to build the whole set or you may just want to add a rocker to an existing chair.
Yes, you do have the option to do this and yes, adding a rocker to an existing chair is a whole lot easier than building the whole thing but for a woodworking enthusiast like me, it's definitely less the fun.
Plus, not all chairs can be made for this purpose. You'll need to have a sturdy chair made of hard wood.
To build a rocker, you'll be needing a plywood onto which you will draw and cut the template for the rocker. This template is then used as an easy guide for drawing and sawing the rocker from the wood.
WOOD
In building a this kind of chair, you need to decide which type of you are going to use.
As mentioned earlier, the sturdier the wood the better. Pine is the least expensive choice for this purpose but if the chair is intended for outdoor use, I'd suggest something sturdier like oak.
TOOLS
Back when I was learning how to build a rocking chair, I haven't used some fancy tools. Basic woodworking tools like a band saw, t-square, screwdriver and a drill I've borrowed from a relative was able to do the job.
Now, I'd welcome the help of some power tools anytime to get the job done faster.
SOME TIPS TO FIX ROCKING CHAIR CREAKS
Even if you are still in the process of learning how to build a rocking chair, you may want to know some tips to fix rocking chair creaks.
* Tighten the nuts and bolts of the chair.
* Use WD-40 to lubricate the metal joints. Or if the noise is due to wooden pieces rubbing into each other, you may use talcum powder instead.
* If squeaking persist, you may want to transfer the chair to another area as the noise might be due to the flooring. Pretty obvious, I know, but hey, it happened to me so might as well mention this.
DESIGN AND PLAN
The one thing I can credit my successful initial attempts at building this kind of chair is due to a very good, step-by-step, DIY rocking chair plan.
Sure,you can always draw your own diagram with your own design and your own dimension. But I want to do away with the headache that's associated with numbers and dimensions. I just wanted a very easy to follow chair plan that I'm sure would work so I can spend my time doing what I love the most, getting my hands working in building things.
So to everyone who also felt the need of a very good rocking chair building plan, check out this nifty resource I've used not just in building a rocking chair but in my other woodworking projects as well.
http://www.WoodworkHaven.info
Similarly, you may want to check out this other resource on how to build a rocking chair.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Summer
And I should know, several times, I found myself dozing off just after a few minutes sitting in my chair.
First Things First
Before building a rocking chair, you need to decide first if you wish to build the whole set or you may just want to add a rocker to an existing chair.
Yes, you do have the option to do this and yes, adding a rocker to an existing chair is a whole lot easier than building the whole thing but for a woodworking enthusiast like me, it's definitely less the fun.
Plus, not all chairs can be made for this purpose. You'll need to have a sturdy chair made of hard wood.
To build a rocker, you'll be needing a plywood onto which you will draw and cut the template for the rocker. This template is then used as an easy guide for drawing and sawing the rocker from the wood.
WOOD
In building a this kind of chair, you need to decide which type of you are going to use.
As mentioned earlier, the sturdier the wood the better. Pine is the least expensive choice for this purpose but if the chair is intended for outdoor use, I'd suggest something sturdier like oak.
TOOLS
Back when I was learning how to build a rocking chair, I haven't used some fancy tools. Basic woodworking tools like a band saw, t-square, screwdriver and a drill I've borrowed from a relative was able to do the job.
Now, I'd welcome the help of some power tools anytime to get the job done faster.
SOME TIPS TO FIX ROCKING CHAIR CREAKS
Even if you are still in the process of learning how to build a rocking chair, you may want to know some tips to fix rocking chair creaks.
* Tighten the nuts and bolts of the chair.
* Use WD-40 to lubricate the metal joints. Or if the noise is due to wooden pieces rubbing into each other, you may use talcum powder instead.
* If squeaking persist, you may want to transfer the chair to another area as the noise might be due to the flooring. Pretty obvious, I know, but hey, it happened to me so might as well mention this.
DESIGN AND PLAN
The one thing I can credit my successful initial attempts at building this kind of chair is due to a very good, step-by-step, DIY rocking chair plan.
Sure,you can always draw your own diagram with your own design and your own dimension. But I want to do away with the headache that's associated with numbers and dimensions. I just wanted a very easy to follow chair plan that I'm sure would work so I can spend my time doing what I love the most, getting my hands working in building things.
So to everyone who also felt the need of a very good rocking chair building plan, check out this nifty resource I've used not just in building a rocking chair but in my other woodworking projects as well.
http://www.WoodworkHaven.info
Similarly, you may want to check out this other resource on how to build a rocking chair.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Summer
How to Build a Simple Bookcase
I have built several bookcases over the years. They weren't made using technical plans or expensive tools, but they are sturdy, look nice and hold all my books. They are certainly much higher quality than the low budget bookcases I've seen for sale in discount stores. They are usually made of a cheap pressed board which has little strength. Mine are made from solid wood.
The only tools I used when building my first bookcase were a jigsaw, drill and hammer. If you find that you need more space to store your books, you can easily build one yourself. There are a few things you should take into consideration before you start.
First you need to decide how long and how tall you want your bookcase to be. You can build it tall and narrow, low and wide, or you can build a very large storage unit. Just be sure to measure the space where you will be putting it when finished. You can build it to sit on the floor or hang on a wall. A size of 3' tall and 5' wide makes a nice sized unit for a beginner. It's large enough to hold around 150 paperbacks, if it has 3 shelves. If you line books on top and use bookends to keep them upright, it will hold even more than that.
If you plan to hang it on the wall, you will need to buy sturdy brackets. I recommend a minimum of 6 brackets if your bookcase will be very large. Place 2 on the top, 2 on a center shelf, and 2 underneath the bottom. The easiest way to go about this it to mount the brackets on the wall, then lift the bookcase into place. After that, attach it to the brackets with wood screws. It's best to have someone help you hold it in place while you do this. Be sure that the brackets on the wall are screwed into wall studs. Walls studs are normally placed 16" apart, but not always. You can find them by using a stud finder, or by the old fashioned method of knocking on the walls. When knocking no longer produces a hollow sound, you have found a stud.
The next step is to made a decision on how deep your shelves will be. The wider lumber is, the more you will have to pay for it at the home improvement store. Shelves 6" wide will do quite well for storing paperback books and smaller sized hardbacks. If you have a lot of larger sized hardback books, you may want to opt for 8" or 10" lumber. Whatever you decide, you will need to purchase the lumber for the sides, top and bottom in the same width as the shelves.
Measure the tallest book that you own. This is a bit of advice that I can't stress enough. Knowing the height of your largest book will help you decide on how far apart to place your shelves. Take the height and add at least an extra inch of space between shelves. If you have room, add an extra 2 inches of space. Make sure at least one of your shelves has clearance to hold your larger books.
I have found that as time passes by, I seem to accumulate taller books. I've had to build more bookcases special for holding them. If you leave enough clearance to start with, you can avoid this problem. The other shelves can be placed closer together, if you have mostly shorter sized books.
If your bookcase will be 3' wide or wider, you should plan on building at least one support somewhere between each set of shelves. This is easiest to do if you stagger their placement, and don't try to place one directly on top of the other. If you don't use supports between long shelves, they will eventually begin to sag from the weight of the books. Just cut a support board the length of the space where you will be placing it. For example, if you have a 7" clearance between shelves, cut the support board 7" high.
You can use any type of lumber for your bookcase. Pine is the cheapest and will do a great job. Poplar and oak are more expensive but will make a more professional looking piece of furniture. You should be able to find all three types of shelving boards at any home improvement store.
A circular saw will be easier to use when making straight cuts, but with care, they can be done with a common jigsaw. Do be sure to drill pilot holes in your lumber before nailing it together. This will help keep the wood from splitting. Make sure to use a drill bit that is a size smaller than the nails you are using. Use finishing nails when assembling your project. I used 6 penny finishing nails on all of my bookcases.
Once you finish assembling the sides, top, bottom, shelves and supports, you may want to sand and stain or paint your completed project. It isn't necessary, but it will help make a finished bookcase you can be proud of.
K. Hupp enjoys cooking, gardening and unique collectibles. Visit Copper Mountain Hotels and Copper Mountain Condos to find great deals on ski vacation rentals.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=K_Hupp
The only tools I used when building my first bookcase were a jigsaw, drill and hammer. If you find that you need more space to store your books, you can easily build one yourself. There are a few things you should take into consideration before you start.
First you need to decide how long and how tall you want your bookcase to be. You can build it tall and narrow, low and wide, or you can build a very large storage unit. Just be sure to measure the space where you will be putting it when finished. You can build it to sit on the floor or hang on a wall. A size of 3' tall and 5' wide makes a nice sized unit for a beginner. It's large enough to hold around 150 paperbacks, if it has 3 shelves. If you line books on top and use bookends to keep them upright, it will hold even more than that.
If you plan to hang it on the wall, you will need to buy sturdy brackets. I recommend a minimum of 6 brackets if your bookcase will be very large. Place 2 on the top, 2 on a center shelf, and 2 underneath the bottom. The easiest way to go about this it to mount the brackets on the wall, then lift the bookcase into place. After that, attach it to the brackets with wood screws. It's best to have someone help you hold it in place while you do this. Be sure that the brackets on the wall are screwed into wall studs. Walls studs are normally placed 16" apart, but not always. You can find them by using a stud finder, or by the old fashioned method of knocking on the walls. When knocking no longer produces a hollow sound, you have found a stud.
The next step is to made a decision on how deep your shelves will be. The wider lumber is, the more you will have to pay for it at the home improvement store. Shelves 6" wide will do quite well for storing paperback books and smaller sized hardbacks. If you have a lot of larger sized hardback books, you may want to opt for 8" or 10" lumber. Whatever you decide, you will need to purchase the lumber for the sides, top and bottom in the same width as the shelves.
Measure the tallest book that you own. This is a bit of advice that I can't stress enough. Knowing the height of your largest book will help you decide on how far apart to place your shelves. Take the height and add at least an extra inch of space between shelves. If you have room, add an extra 2 inches of space. Make sure at least one of your shelves has clearance to hold your larger books.
I have found that as time passes by, I seem to accumulate taller books. I've had to build more bookcases special for holding them. If you leave enough clearance to start with, you can avoid this problem. The other shelves can be placed closer together, if you have mostly shorter sized books.
If your bookcase will be 3' wide or wider, you should plan on building at least one support somewhere between each set of shelves. This is easiest to do if you stagger their placement, and don't try to place one directly on top of the other. If you don't use supports between long shelves, they will eventually begin to sag from the weight of the books. Just cut a support board the length of the space where you will be placing it. For example, if you have a 7" clearance between shelves, cut the support board 7" high.
You can use any type of lumber for your bookcase. Pine is the cheapest and will do a great job. Poplar and oak are more expensive but will make a more professional looking piece of furniture. You should be able to find all three types of shelving boards at any home improvement store.
A circular saw will be easier to use when making straight cuts, but with care, they can be done with a common jigsaw. Do be sure to drill pilot holes in your lumber before nailing it together. This will help keep the wood from splitting. Make sure to use a drill bit that is a size smaller than the nails you are using. Use finishing nails when assembling your project. I used 6 penny finishing nails on all of my bookcases.
Once you finish assembling the sides, top, bottom, shelves and supports, you may want to sand and stain or paint your completed project. It isn't necessary, but it will help make a finished bookcase you can be proud of.
K. Hupp enjoys cooking, gardening and unique collectibles. Visit Copper Mountain Hotels and Copper Mountain Condos to find great deals on ski vacation rentals.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=K_Hupp
Top 5 Power Tools Everyone Should Own
There are a certain few things that no household should be without - warm beds, a full refrigerator and power tools, to name only a few. Having just a few basic power tools around the house (garage or shop) can simplify nearly every household task. More specifically, there are five life-changing power tools that no homeowner, handyman, or hobbyist should be without.
1. Power Drill
Every household on the block should have either a corded or (preferably) cordless power drill on hand. Having a good drill will simplify common household tasks like tightening the screws in your cabinets, hardware, light sockets, etc; and any repair, renovation, hobby, or do-it-yourself project becomes that much more professional with a good power drill at your disposal. Corded drills are generally a bit more powerful, but present the problem of being anchored to a wall with a power cord. This limitation doesn't present too great an obstacle unless, of course, you need to move from one location to another. The mobility of cordless drills, on the other hand, makes them much more practical for household repairs. Because of their battery, however, cordless drills do tend to carry a bit more weight, but with battery technology advancing nearly every day, cordless drills are becoming as lightweight and powerful as their electrical counterparts. There are many types of drills on the market today from hammer drills with percussive action, to right angle drills for tight-space accessibility. Each of these tools have special designs and capacities to better perform different applications, but a standard power drill is perfectly qualified (if not absolutely necessary) for most household tasks.
2. Reciprocating Saw
Reciprocating saws are generally designed for demolition and construction jobs, but at your house, the recipro saw is the master of outdoor landscaping projects and disposal jobs. For all-purpose outdoor pruning, shaping, and cutting (e.g. tree branches) a reciprocating saw completes the outdoor tasks of homeowners with surprising ease and efficiency. Household disposal or demolition applications are also made more simple with a reciprocating saw; its powerful oscillating blade is ideal for dismantling old furniture and outdoor equipment (swing sets or fences), or consolidating yard debris. The very best thing about reciprocating saws is that they will truly cut anything. The saw and blades are designed to slide through nearly any material so no (reasonable) household and backyard chore is too much for a reciprocating saw. It is worth noting, however, that many recipro saws are relatively large and heavy. Of course there are many smaller, more portable varieties that are perfect for yard and household maintenance. Both corded and cordless models are available to best suit specific needs.
3. Circular Saw
A hand-held circular saw is a must-have tool for any homeowner. The circular saw is extremely versatile, probably the most versatile of the power saws, offering up a huge range of applications from rip and cross cutting to cutting slats for fences and decks. Most circular saws are specifically designed to cut wood but most can also be used with specialty blades to cut metal, plastic, and other such materials. Because saws can certainly be intimidating, especially for first time users, the saw does have a blade guard which covers the blade almost entirely to protect users from the notoriously thin and sharp teeth of a circular saw blade. On possibly the most positive note, however, circular saws are incredibly lightweight, versatile, portable, and comfortable to use. Although even the electrical models are surprisingly portable, owning a cordless model eliminates any dependence on outlets or power cords. Ultimately, these saws can go anywhere, and in one package, can do more than most saws on the market. There are certainly specialty saws that may do it a little better than a standard circular saw, but none that do it all so conveniently. Its portability, versatility, and compact size make the circular saw a wonder tool for do-it-yourself-ers.
4. Miter Saw
Ideal for the quickest and most accurate cross cuts, every household should have a miter saw for the inevitable (both indoor and outdoor) remodeling and renovation projects. From household improvements like crown molding to hobby projects like picture frames, miter saws offer a huge variety of benefits to a homeowner. They are simple to use and provide greater precision than most saws on the market. Miter saws have what's called a miter index which allows users to cut at any angle by changing the cut angle in one degree increments. The saw also features built-in capacities at common cut angles for the most precise angled cuts. Because they are large and built with a fence and saw table for accuracy, miter saws are a bit more difficult to move around than a standard circular saw; their mobility, however, rarely presents too great a hindrance to be significant, and the ease and accuracy of their performance makes their relative bulk worth any potential limitations. Ideal for any renovation project or carpentry application from bookshelves, tables, door frames, and fence and deck slats, the miter saw is a dream tool for every homeowner, hobbyist, and do-it-yourself-er. The saw cuts angles with superior exactness and brings a profession appeal to all household projects.
5. Finishing Sander
For home or hobby projects like refinishing, painting, and spackeling, a finishing sander is an indispensable tool. Most finishing sanders are lightweight, and comfortable and easy to use so refinishing an old table top or sanding a rough patch in hardwood flooring, fences, or decks is something most homeowners can easily manage. These sanders are incredibly handy for restoration work, removing paint, or preparing a surface for paint, or stain. Designed to quickly produce the smoothest surfaces, finishing sanders are ideal for every carpentry application from finishing furniture, birdhouses, hardwood floors, and other woodworking projects. Finishing sanders are the most delicate in the sanding family and don't remove all that much material with each pass. This means that, though still in some danger, users are in much less danger of removing too much material from a workpiece. Finishing sanders yield the smoothest results, and with superior comfort and ease of use every homeowner should have a good finishing sander on hand.
As with all power tools and industrial equipment, it is insurmountably important to always be cautious. Even the most seasoned craftsmen can lose a finger if he is not entirely focused and devoted to the task at hand. These five power tools will enhance your home (garage and shop) and your ability to care for it efficiently. In short, love your power tools, use them cautiously, and let them fill your home with the warm glow of professional craftsmanship.
A student at the Univ. of UT, Mallory Kramer is earning an English degree. She joined M&M Tool 3 yrs ago adding to their over 150 years combined experience; she specializes in tool parts & web communications. For over 60 years M&M Tool has provided the best service to the tool industry with parts, sales, & service to expert woodworking products, tools, & machinery. Visit M&M Tool's woodworking forum for professional articles, advice, & info.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mallory_Kramer
1. Power Drill
Every household on the block should have either a corded or (preferably) cordless power drill on hand. Having a good drill will simplify common household tasks like tightening the screws in your cabinets, hardware, light sockets, etc; and any repair, renovation, hobby, or do-it-yourself project becomes that much more professional with a good power drill at your disposal. Corded drills are generally a bit more powerful, but present the problem of being anchored to a wall with a power cord. This limitation doesn't present too great an obstacle unless, of course, you need to move from one location to another. The mobility of cordless drills, on the other hand, makes them much more practical for household repairs. Because of their battery, however, cordless drills do tend to carry a bit more weight, but with battery technology advancing nearly every day, cordless drills are becoming as lightweight and powerful as their electrical counterparts. There are many types of drills on the market today from hammer drills with percussive action, to right angle drills for tight-space accessibility. Each of these tools have special designs and capacities to better perform different applications, but a standard power drill is perfectly qualified (if not absolutely necessary) for most household tasks.
2. Reciprocating Saw
Reciprocating saws are generally designed for demolition and construction jobs, but at your house, the recipro saw is the master of outdoor landscaping projects and disposal jobs. For all-purpose outdoor pruning, shaping, and cutting (e.g. tree branches) a reciprocating saw completes the outdoor tasks of homeowners with surprising ease and efficiency. Household disposal or demolition applications are also made more simple with a reciprocating saw; its powerful oscillating blade is ideal for dismantling old furniture and outdoor equipment (swing sets or fences), or consolidating yard debris. The very best thing about reciprocating saws is that they will truly cut anything. The saw and blades are designed to slide through nearly any material so no (reasonable) household and backyard chore is too much for a reciprocating saw. It is worth noting, however, that many recipro saws are relatively large and heavy. Of course there are many smaller, more portable varieties that are perfect for yard and household maintenance. Both corded and cordless models are available to best suit specific needs.
3. Circular Saw
A hand-held circular saw is a must-have tool for any homeowner. The circular saw is extremely versatile, probably the most versatile of the power saws, offering up a huge range of applications from rip and cross cutting to cutting slats for fences and decks. Most circular saws are specifically designed to cut wood but most can also be used with specialty blades to cut metal, plastic, and other such materials. Because saws can certainly be intimidating, especially for first time users, the saw does have a blade guard which covers the blade almost entirely to protect users from the notoriously thin and sharp teeth of a circular saw blade. On possibly the most positive note, however, circular saws are incredibly lightweight, versatile, portable, and comfortable to use. Although even the electrical models are surprisingly portable, owning a cordless model eliminates any dependence on outlets or power cords. Ultimately, these saws can go anywhere, and in one package, can do more than most saws on the market. There are certainly specialty saws that may do it a little better than a standard circular saw, but none that do it all so conveniently. Its portability, versatility, and compact size make the circular saw a wonder tool for do-it-yourself-ers.
4. Miter Saw
Ideal for the quickest and most accurate cross cuts, every household should have a miter saw for the inevitable (both indoor and outdoor) remodeling and renovation projects. From household improvements like crown molding to hobby projects like picture frames, miter saws offer a huge variety of benefits to a homeowner. They are simple to use and provide greater precision than most saws on the market. Miter saws have what's called a miter index which allows users to cut at any angle by changing the cut angle in one degree increments. The saw also features built-in capacities at common cut angles for the most precise angled cuts. Because they are large and built with a fence and saw table for accuracy, miter saws are a bit more difficult to move around than a standard circular saw; their mobility, however, rarely presents too great a hindrance to be significant, and the ease and accuracy of their performance makes their relative bulk worth any potential limitations. Ideal for any renovation project or carpentry application from bookshelves, tables, door frames, and fence and deck slats, the miter saw is a dream tool for every homeowner, hobbyist, and do-it-yourself-er. The saw cuts angles with superior exactness and brings a profession appeal to all household projects.
5. Finishing Sander
For home or hobby projects like refinishing, painting, and spackeling, a finishing sander is an indispensable tool. Most finishing sanders are lightweight, and comfortable and easy to use so refinishing an old table top or sanding a rough patch in hardwood flooring, fences, or decks is something most homeowners can easily manage. These sanders are incredibly handy for restoration work, removing paint, or preparing a surface for paint, or stain. Designed to quickly produce the smoothest surfaces, finishing sanders are ideal for every carpentry application from finishing furniture, birdhouses, hardwood floors, and other woodworking projects. Finishing sanders are the most delicate in the sanding family and don't remove all that much material with each pass. This means that, though still in some danger, users are in much less danger of removing too much material from a workpiece. Finishing sanders yield the smoothest results, and with superior comfort and ease of use every homeowner should have a good finishing sander on hand.
As with all power tools and industrial equipment, it is insurmountably important to always be cautious. Even the most seasoned craftsmen can lose a finger if he is not entirely focused and devoted to the task at hand. These five power tools will enhance your home (garage and shop) and your ability to care for it efficiently. In short, love your power tools, use them cautiously, and let them fill your home with the warm glow of professional craftsmanship.
A student at the Univ. of UT, Mallory Kramer is earning an English degree. She joined M&M Tool 3 yrs ago adding to their over 150 years combined experience; she specializes in tool parts & web communications. For over 60 years M&M Tool has provided the best service to the tool industry with parts, sales, & service to expert woodworking products, tools, & machinery. Visit M&M Tool's woodworking forum for professional articles, advice, & info.
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