Wood for starter projects?

[tolken4]

Where would one find wood for starter projects? I am wanting to try my hand at wood working, but can't afford (choose not to) spend too much on wood while just messing around trying to learn.

Anyone have good sources I might not be thinking of for hardwoods?

 

[Alabama Mike]

What do you plan to build? How many woodworking tools do you have? I started with pine shelving from Lowes. Because it comes with joined edges and it's planed smooth and at the time I didn't own a planer and joiner. It's also pretty cheap. As my skill level increased I collected more tools and moved to using mostly oak and maple. If there is a community college in your area that offers a woodworking course I would recommend taking it. You'll learn a lot.

 

[Falcon67]

Try using Poplar - it's a few more $ than pine but it has a nice grain and is typically straight and a nice density. Also mucho cheaper than oak. Not sure how it stains.

http://woodworking.about.com/od/typesofwood/p/Poplar.htm

 

[tolken4]

I have some of the bigger stuff from odd projects around the house. Big project stuff like remodels and the like. I just bought them as needed. Rationalized that the money I was saving on doing the work was reason enough to buy the tool.

Have virtually no tools I would consider wood working like planes, shapers, mortising, bandsaw, etc.

Here is my list to date. I know it seems DeWalt crazy, but it was more an issue of them being on sale at various points at the local box store.

Drill Press – Delta DP220
Plunge Router - DeWalt DW618
12” Compound Miter Saw – DW718
Table Saw - Dewalt Dw744x 10-inch Job-site
Circular Saw – DeWalt DW364K
Random Orbit Sander – DeWalt D26453K
Jig Saw Variable-Speed - Hitachi CJ110MV
Cordless Drill


Two quick clamps
one old tail vice
one metal vice

 

[tolken4]

What do you plan to build? If there is a community college in your area that offers a woodworking course I would recommend taking it. You'll learn a lot.

I would be looking to do projects more for the learning than the projects at first. I would pick useful projects that would teach me the skill sets if that makes sense.

Great idea on the community college.

 

[djjsr]

For some projects, pieces of hardwood flooring will work and it's a bit cheaper.

 

[Weps]

old furniture from second hand stores, craigslist, or the trash pile??

if you are just starting out, you could probably learn some things just taking it apart. you can study the joints, the workmanship (or lack of), assembly order, etc.

 

[tolken4]

Thanks for the ideas on the flooring and old Furniture.

Anyone ever use cut down trees? No jokes, you know what I mean here How long before this is usable? Just found a guy cutting down a 14" diameter black walnut tree. Would that be something I could use?

 

[mbatarga]

Rough sawn lumber takes about 1 year to air dry 1" thick stock. Of course, if you have access to a kiln, it would be much faster.

 

[Bear]

For smaller projects you could find a "pallet" making shop/factory. I understand they sell scrape/unusable pieces for pretty cheap.

 

[Falcon67]

Some mesquite wood around here goes for bucks. Drires out quick, looks nice finished. I hear it's kinda funky to work with.

 

[dittle fart around]

Used pallet are a good choice for free wood. Another place to look is truss manufacturers. Good luck. My son made a bow out of a 1/2" x 4" x 6' chunk of oak. He used a grinder, rasp and scraper for all the work. Check it out

 

[VWingman]

Anyone ever use cut down trees? No jokes, you know what I mean here How long before this is usable? Just found a guy cutting down a 14" diameter black walnut tree. Would that be something I could use?

I was going to say if you're in STL, just come up to North County, there are still trees that need to be taken care of from the tornado.

 

[MoonRise]

First step: Figure out what 'woodworking' you want to do.

Building things like a house or a shed or a deck?

Making wooden vases and such?

Carving wooden sculptures of various sizes, from a hand-held object to a full-scale totem pole?

Making a bookcase?

Making a shelf or mantle?

etc, etc, etc

They all use wood, and there are or may be overlap in the tools and techniques used.

Tools? Your tool list already includes a whole bunch of general-purpose woodworking tools (router, circular saw, table saw, drill press, jig saw, compound miter saw).

Pick something you want to make and go make it!

You already list hundreds of $$$ worth of power tools, all capable of helping you make wooden things. Pick what you want to make, pick a design and wood that you want, and go make it. Stuck on ideas? Browse the web, use a search engine like Google, etc, etc, etc

Free plans are all over the place on the web. www.finewoodworking.com is just one of many places.

More ideas and info? Go to your local library and check for info/reference/design/project books or magazines about woodworking.

Keep safety in mind, because the tools don't care. They will just as easily cut you as a piece of wood.

 

[gabedad]

wood magazine is a good place to start or family handyman - both have good projects

Look on craigslist for lumber - usually in the materials section

 

[hdshinn]

Fresh cut wood is great for turning (lathe work) but as noted above, it takes a year per inch to air dry green lumber. The end grain needs to be sealed with either old latex paint or special end grain sealer sold for that purpose to keep the ends from checking and cracking.

Be careful of walnut - a few people in my woodturning club have become highly sensitized to it. Shavings and sawdust are not recommended for the compost pile.

I'm not familiar with the more common lumber species in your area but I'd look start out with perhaps maple. It's a lot harder than poplar but machines well. Sycamore is another that has pleasing grain and is pretty easily worked. Regardless of what species you work with, sharp tools and blades will always provide more pleasure when working with it. But in the end it would be easier to give suggestions if you had a specific type of project in mind.

Happy woodworking and by all means, work safe! If your setup doesn't feel safe, it probably isn't.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Just go to your local lumberyard, Lowes, Menard's or Home Depot and buy some pine. it's cheap and easy to work with. There's no reason to spend a bunch of money while you're learning. . . . . measure twice, cut once.

 

[tolken4]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and information. I have a couple of big projects on the table such as a shed. I have done some framing and such, could use more practice though.

I guess when I talk about projects and skills I am thinking Lathe work, mortices, joinery, gluing and so on. All the general skill sets that would enable one to do a whole slue of projects.

I am waffling a bit on what I want to do because I guess I don't know yet. I could certainly see getting enjoyment out of useful projects such as cabinetry, tables, dressers and the like. I would like to begin working with hardwoods and gain the skill sets that come with it.

Been looking over at the lumberjocks.com site, basically you can throw a dart at anyone of those projects, and that is what I want to do

I could look at those projects all day long.

Perhaps it would be best to start with the proverbial bench and then find a small project to start like a box or something? Which takes me back to my original questions for where to find wood for such things.

Plenty of great ideas, thanks again. As always, this board comes thru!

 

[70redbee]

Go to a construction site and ask if you can get wood out of their dumpster. You will be surprised what you will get. Hope this helps.

 

[APEowner]

If you add a planer to your tool list it'll increase you wood options. All kinds of scrap can be reclaimed when you have an easy way to make it whatever thickness you want.

 

[ddawg16]

Try using Poplar - it's a few more $ than pine but it has a nice grain and is typically straight and a nice density. Also mucho cheaper than oak. Not sure how it stains.

http://woodworking.about.com/od/typesofwood/p/Poplar.htm

Very good advice....I use poplar a lot....if you sift through the stack at HD, you can find pieces that look a lot like birch. Poplar is denser than pine...but not as hard as oak or Maple....with the right stain...you can make it look as good as any hardwood...only experts would know the difference.

One VERY important piece of advice....blades....if you have a table saw...spending $50 or more on a good carbide blade with say 60 teeth will make a big difference in the quality of your work.

One of the easier things to make that can really have a great use is cabinets....and cabinets have face frames....and one of the best tools for that is the Kreg pocket hole cutter....

I could give you a long list of tools you will need...but for now...a good table saw, Kreg, router, drill, and assorted clamps will get you started....

 

[KEH]

Scrap lumber should be selected on the basis of how many nail have to be removed before using. For that reason, i don't agree with using pallets as a source of lumber. Pallets are nailed together with air nailers using screw nails which has the head break off as you try to remove it. I have gone to the extreme of clamping the headless nail in a vise and using a big hammer to drive the wood away from the nail. Not cost effective. I timed myself on breaking down pallets and it takes about an hour per pallet.

A plant that gets machinery in on heavy hardwood skids is a good source of bigger pieces of lumber.

KEH

 

[lilredex]

A plant that gets machinery in on heavy hardwood skids is a good source of bigger pieces of lumber.KEH

My source gets 4 X 4" hard Maple that can easily be knocked apart. If you rip them parallel to the nails, they can be edge joined into wider widths hiding all the nail holes within. Not all of it is "furniture" grade but much is, in shorter lengths.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you add a planer to your tool list it'll increase you wood options. All kinds of scrap can be reclaimed when you have an easy way to make it whatever thickness you want.

Very true ! But a word of caution. If you are going to be using scrap (like old pallets) you should buy a hand held metal detector. Even small nails/staple will ruin a set of planer knives.

Pallets are sometimes made of hardwood (oak, maple, etc) that has a few too many knots. Planed down and glued up (get a Kreg pocket screw jig) you can make some interesting table tops.

 

[RivennHewn]

I used to pilfer the dumpsters behind cabinet shops, construction sites, pallets, free furniture of CL.

I ended up with too much wood. Had to scale back the pile.

 

[Victorymike18]

I have recently been grabbing nice wood pallets from the local monument (gravestone) store... The owner says there are a few people that grab them, and he doesn't mind since it saves him the cost of disposal.

They are made from pretty darn decent pine boards, and it seems they only get used once. Some may find the thought of using a pallet that transported a headstone somewhat "odd" but it doesn't bother me...

They are fastened together with long (like 2.5") staples, but I can pull most of them apart by hand. Staples are usually at the ends, and it's easier to just trim off a few inches of wood than pull the staples.

I have amassed a nice clean stack, and my father-in-lawn and I are going to build wine crates from them...

 

[Frank The Plumber]

For a guy just starting out I suggest cutting your teeth and honing your skills on cedar outdoor furniture. A set of adirondack chairs a swing, a planter box. There's a few books with plans for this type of stuff. After you get the feel for it a bit you can move up to more expensive woods.
The most important lesson is how to do what is called "Box ****" sounds dirty but it's actually very relevant.
Most furniture pieces are boxes, most actually veneered plywood construction. If you get good you can build some really great looking stuff from simple box construction and end cap or detail with real wood.
I would suggest that you learn the art of BF ing first before you buy all of the fancy woodworkers journal stuff. I have a lot of $75 Japanese chisels and fancy Marples chisels in a box that I never use.
Go basic and get good at basic first, a biscuit jointer is a great tool and I use the hell out of a thickness planer. I have a dovetailer that I never use, and my jointer never runs much either. If you buy S4S you'll never use it.
I've used skid lumber and construction pine to create some very cool ****.
Have fun.

 

[5lima30]

Check your local sawmills! They are usually very competitive priced (cheaper than Lowes or HD) and better quality lumber. I go through a lot of rough sawn kiln dried white pine
1"x12" (not a lot of knots) and I pay 75 cents a board ft. ($7.50 for a 10' board). Also check your Habitat ReSale store you will find lots of odds and ends lumber and trim at garage sale prices. +1 on hardwood flooring. We have a wholesaler for hardwood flooring that sell overruns of pre-finished 3/4" oak for $1.49-$1.99 a square ft. YMMV.