| The title reflects Woodworking as a hobby, not as a | | | | Now that the type of wood and finish have been |
| vocation. Vocational woodworking is pretty much the | | | | determined, it is time to decide what kinds of joints |
| opposite of the adjectives in the title because of the | | | | you are going to make (assuming you are not making |
| intense pressure to produce quickly in order to make | | | | a boomerang or hollowed-out canoe or some other |
| it pay the bills. So we'll stick with the hobby | | | | one-piece thing). Considerations are strength, the look |
| orientation for purposes of this article. | | | | you are trying to achieve, your equipment and |
| Many people start a project with very little thought. | | | | capabilities, and the amount of time you can invest. |
| This is okay if you are working from plans, material | | | | This can be one of the more strenuous mental |
| lists and cutting lists in a woodworking magazine, but | | | | exercises because of the range of choices. The look |
| when you strike out on your own, this lack of | | | | of a bung or button, the clean lines of hidden biscuit |
| planning often results in a project that becomes very | | | | or dowel joints, the strength and intricacy of the |
| difficult to manage somewhere in the middle, when | | | | dovetail, the simplicity of nails and glue. All have their |
| more wood needs to be added, or, more often, the | | | | place, and you have to decide. |
| final piece has to shrink just a little to make do. The | | | | Along with the joints, hardware has to be planned. |
| project gets less fun as measurement adjustments | | | | Based on the hardware, you have to adjust your |
| keep being made to the original plan to keep the | | | | dimensioned drawing to accommodate clearances for |
| modified parts fitting with each other. It's kind of like | | | | drawer rails, those extra half inches for lap and dado |
| playing chess with a saw, anticipating three moves | | | | joints, hidden hinge overlaps, insert depths for |
| ahead what the measurements are going to have to | | | | frame-and-panel door panels, etc. You also have to |
| be because of the one deviation you made three | | | | consider depth of relieves and radii of router profiles |
| steps ago. | | | | to make sure your stock is thick enough to allow |
| What I would like to accomplish here is to lay out a | | | | your concept to mature as planned. |
| sequence of events that need to take place as you | | | | A final dimensioned drawing is created, allowing for all |
| migrate from the canned projects in the | | | | joint and hardware considerations, and a cutting list is |
| woodworking books and magazines to your own | | | | prepared from this drawing. Note: This drawing does |
| project planning. | | | | not have to be to scale, or look professional in any |
| Recreational woodworking starts with an idea of | | | | way. It helps the visualization process if it is |
| something functional (a shelf, a table, a bench, a box, | | | | proportional, but the real important aspect of this |
| a desk) or something meaningful (a toy, a piece of | | | | drawing is documenting the measurements. Don't be |
| art, a frame), or a combination of the two. This idea | | | | concerned about the appearance of the drawing - |
| can be born of inspiration from looking through | | | | that is not what you will be displaying. |
| woodworking magazines, seeing something in a model | | | | Now, finally, we can go to our lumber supplier and |
| home, or a need that exists in your own home. | | | | select the actual wood we will be working with. This |
| Most often the concept is sketched out. Traditionally, | | | | is not where you want to save time. For the parts |
| this is done on the back of an envelope or a partially | | | | of the project that will show, especially for projects |
| used napkin, so be sure to have some of those lying | | | | where the natural wood is intended to be a design |
| around. Once you have the sketch, you have to | | | | feature, extra care should be taken to select the |
| decide how big you want this thing to be. Often, this | | | | grains and natural attributes that will best fit your |
| is determined by available space or intended function. | | | | concept. If you are saving money intending to plane |
| Staying true to our adage, "measure twice, cut | | | | "three-sides-good" lumber, make sure the width runs |
| once", a rough dimensioned drawing is created. If this | | | | far enough on the pieces selected with enough |
| is to be a functional piece (desk, cabinet, etc.), be | | | | margin to get the length needed for each piece |
| sure to stay reasonably close to standard | | | | AFTER PLANING. Measure the finished surface to the |
| measurements for desk heights, knee-hole | | | | beginning of the raw edge. For framework, cleats |
| allowances, kick spaces, cabinet heights, rail and stile | | | | and carcasses look for straight, unknotted pieces. |
| widths, file drawer dimensions, etc. You'll be glad you | | | | Warps and twists can be overcome, but they make |
| did. | | | | the whole project less fun. |
| By now, the concept has evolved enough that the | | | | With this level of preparation and with sharp tools, |
| desired finish (paint, stain, varnish, oil) has been | | | | the project will proceed nicely and the finished piece |
| narrowed down, and a type of wood has been | | | | will bring you satisfaction, many years of service, and |
| selected that is appropriate for the project, budget | | | | can sometimes even become a treasured family |
| and finish. With so many choices of wood and finish | | | | heirloom. Note: The heirloom status is often true of a |
| conveniently available today, this can be quite an | | | | desk, a well-made toy or a rocking chair. Don't set |
| exercise. | | | | your expectations too high for laundry shelves. |