What kind of wood should I buy to learn woodworking??

[olletsocmit]

Hey guys I've been really really wanting to get into & learn wood working ...like tables, cabinets, that kind of stuff. I have the majority of the tools, Craig jigs, nice work benches, clamps, table saw, etc. I'm just not sure what is the best kind/type of wood I should be buying to learn to make things like a coffee table or end table.

I am really into the reconditioned wood look but I figured normal wood would be better to learn with... I also really want to learn how to build a tabletop with multiple strands. I see guys pocket hole & glue or wood dowel etc. just trying to get advice to get started

Here is some I saw I liked and want to learn eventually:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JMG]

A couple of relatively inexpensive woods to start out with are poplar and soft maple. Either one of them can be stained or finished in solid color. They both can be worked easily and are forgiving of mistakes to a certain degree. A step up from that would be cherry. It is an excellent furniture material and looks great in a clear finish that will darken nicely with age. Oak is a more temperamental material prone to movement and care needs to be taken to allow for more clearance than some of the other hardwoods. This can be limited by using quarter sawn material and looking for old growth timber to use in your projects.

 

A good source of information for technique and also ideas for projects is the Taunton Press and their magazine Fine Woodworking.

[ChrisK]

That's really a hard one to answer. I'd start by going to a real lumber yard and checking out the different materials there and figure out what you want to build. I have several different species in my home now but you can get rough cut poplar pretty cheap if you have the means to mill it to size. I'd stay away from HD and Lowes. Period. You are going to spend way more money there. Figure out your cut list, learn how to figure board feet and costs and got the lumber yard and pick your victims.

 

Also, subscribe to Woodtalk online or the Woodwhisperer.  Lots of great input on this very topic and fun to listen to.

[wildroamer]

I'm with you Tim, just getting into it myself! Might take a class/workshop locally.

[ChrisK]

6 minutes ago, wildroamer said:

I'm with you Tim, just getting into it myself! Might take a class/workshop locally.

Well Todd, you one upped me! I have the 734 planer! Next up bro....you need.....N-E-E-D a Jointer!!!!!!

[wildroamer]

Ugh, don't say that Chris! I was hoping to get by for awhile using my router and a straight bit.

 

Oh, plus a Festool track saw and mf table.

 

Yikes!

[comp56]

I usually buy most of my wood in the 8/4 size rough, I then resaw it to size way cheaper than 2S2 but this option is only good if you have the tools to get it to the size you want.

I tend to buy type of wood per project, however I generally buy way more than I need for extra stock.

I suggest buying the cheapest hardwood you can and make small projects with different joinery. the reason I say hardwood is because softwood can easily be worked but sanding can be a deal breaker, it is hard to have clean sharp edges with softer woods if you are not used to working with them. 

 

[JMG]

Personally, I do not consider a jointer a high priority item in the modern small wood shop. It is a tool left over from outdated processes of shop practice that can be avoided in the small shop by either having your lumber straight line ripped before delivery, or using a track saw to do so yourself. I keep a small light weight jointer for when a hand plane isn't practical, or it is the only tool for the job at hand, but the days of owning a large heavy unit in a small shop environment are long gone for me. Medium size shops will often invest in a chain drive saw to handle the process of straightening edges that jointers once performed, as it is so much quicker and safer than attempting to pass long heavy boards over a set of spinning blades by hand. My shop in Florida had a vertical panel saw with a twelve foot rip capacity, and handled all of my needs for edging my lumber.

 

The last production shop I worked in had a twelve inch jointer in house, but it was generally used for working out warped surfaces instead of being used to straighten edges, but most of the time it sat idle, taking up valuable space. I have used the light weight Porter Cable jointer I own more on job sites than I have ever used it inside the shop, and I sold the eight inch production unit I had been hauling around several years ago and do not miss it one bit.

 

As I begin to set up my shop again after the house repairs, I will be investing in tracks and other tooling that can be easily stored away when not in use over tools that eat floor space and rarely see any other use than a flat surface to lay your hand tools on.

[Jronman]

1 hour ago, ChrisK said:

Well Todd, you one upped me! I have the 734 planer! Next up bro....you need.....N-E-E-D a Jointer!!!!!!

could the 20v brushless planner serve the same function as a jointer? Might be a more cost effective option?

[comp56]

18 minutes ago, Jronman said:

could the 20v brushless planner serve the same function as a jointer? Might be a more cost effective option?

well not properly, you want to have a square point .....you can clean an edge of a board all day won't mean it is square.

I run boards through thickness planer then through jointer then square off last side on true cutting table saw

[ChrisK]

6 hours ago, Jronman said:

could the 20v brushless planner serve the same function as a jointer? Might be a more cost effective option?

Just to reiterate Comp, those portable planers are really not good at jointing boards. They are great at smoothing out doors but if you wanted to you could go straight to a 6 or 8" Jointer or even a Jointer plane (Stanley, Lie Nielsen, Veritas etc.). The key is a really long base (or table in the case of a Jointer) to register the wood against. I have seen some guys fix their small power planer upside down and actually make table extensions for them and I've seen more commonly guys get the small PC 6" Jointer at Lowes or HD and make extension tables for both infeed and outfeed making that tiny little planer much more accurate. Ultimately, if you decide to mill your rough cut lumber the key is a Jointer, a planer and a table saw or circular saw with a fence or rail. Those three things will get that lumber down to a manageable size that you chose for the project you are making.

 

Also, if cash is tight and you really want to mill your own lumber don't forget the hand plane. 

 

https://www.lie-nielsen.com/product/no.-7-jointer-plane

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Stanley-Bailey-Sweetheart-No-7-Jointer-Plane-Type-13-1925-28-/152304807755?hash=item237612ef4b:g:r4sAAOSwcLxYG5QeYou can get a number 7 or 8 Stanley or similar plane for about $80 ++++ used or the Lie Nielsen is $425!!!! All of my handplanes are specialty planes minus a beat up #4 I am about to restore. At $425 you can save a little more and get a Jet 6" or a Ridgid 6" or go on Craigslist and look for a used one. 

 

I have a Powermatic 6" helical head Jointer. I get a little chubby every time I use it. I wish at the time I had the room for an 8" but that will happen. Also check out Grizzly. They have some really good deals on their jointers. Ultimately, if cash is an issue, woodworkers have been using hand planes a LOT longer than power jointers for jointing.

 

[ChrisK]

Here's an awesome video....

 

 

[Jronman]

The issue I have with jointers is say you got a 6' x 10" x 1-1/2" piece of oak, the last few and could even say the first few inches are EXTREMELY difficult to get a decent cut on a powered jointer. It's just hard to get enough pressure to keep the bottom edge on the table because of the weight of the piece. Also @ChrisK how does a manual plane create a square cut? I'd be interested in finding a way to accurately joint large lumber. I've never used one so I'm not sure. If I remember them correctly they are similar to the 20v planer in that they don't have a fence?

[comp56]

9 minutes ago, Jronman said:

The issue I have with jointers is say you got a 6' x 10" x 1-1/2" piece of oak, the last few and could even say the first few inches are EXTREMELY difficult to get a decent cut.Its just hard to get enough pressure to keep the bottom edge on the table because of the weight of the piece. 

that is where a longer flat bed is important before and after the cutting head....the longer these are the more stable the piece will be passing the cutter....

[comp56]

10 hours ago, JMG said:

Personally, I do not consider a jointer a high priority item in the modern small wood shop. It is a tool left over from outdated processes of shop practice that can be avoided in the small shop by either having your lumber straight line ripped before delivery, or using a track saw to do so yourself. I keep a small light weight jointer for when a hand plane isn't practical, or it is the only tool for the job at hand, but the days of owning a large heavy unit in a small shop environment are long gone for me. Medium size shops will often invest in a chain drive saw to handle the process of straightening edges that jointers once performed, as it is so much quicker and safer than attempting to pass long heavy boards over a set of spinning blades by hand. My shop in Florida had a vertical panel saw with a twelve foot rip capacity, and handled all of my needs for edging my lumber.

 

The last production shop I worked in had a twelve inch jointer in house, but it was generally used for working out warped surfaces instead of being used to straighten edges, but most of the time it sat idle, taking up valuable space. I have used the light weight Porter Cable jointer I own more on job sites than I have ever used it inside the shop, and I sold the eight inch production unit I had been hauling around several years ago and do not miss it one bit.

 

As I begin to set up my shop again after the house repairs, I will be investing in tracks and other tooling that can be easily stored away when not in use over tools that eat floor space and rarely see any other use than a flat surface to lay your hand tools on.

I guess it all depends on what you are making and how, I for example use my jointer constantly and often use wood that is very expensive in the rough state, I seriously could not rely on someone else giving it to me telling me it is straight and square, being anal about it I would make sure anyway.

my Basement shop is basically small compared to some wood working or production shops and in saying that it is 95% stationary, no need to bring tools to jobs or projects all projects are done in house if you will. I have a table saw set up to crosscut or rip, A track saw is a nice tool but the way I see it I don't need one besides I couldn't see myself trying to joint a smaller piece with a track saw. 

[ChrisK]

1 hour ago, Jronman said:

The issue I have with jointers is say you got a 6' x 10" x 1-1/2" piece of oak, the last few and could even say the first few inches are EXTREMELY difficult to get a decent cut on a powered jointer. It's just hard to get enough pressure to keep the bottom edge on the table because of the weight of the piece. Also @ChrisK how does a manual plane create a square cut? I'd be interested in finding a way to accurately joint large lumber. I've never used one so I'm not sure. If I remember them correctly they are similar to the 20v planer in that they don't have a fence?

Just like Comp said, the reason those larger planes are so long is so that you have more flat surface to register on. Being mindful that you would presumably have your stock firmly set in place AND you keep the plane flat on that workpiece! This is when you want to have a really solid bench to plane on. The bench would have clamps and dogs to keep that workpiece rock solid and then it's up to your body mechanics to keep that plane in check. I guess the best way to answer your question is practice practice practice!

 

Naturally to me having a Jointer in my shop is an essential piece of equipment. That Jointer along with my little lunch box Dewalt planer, my table saw and bandsaw allow me to have a smooth running shop. I personally don't use a Jointer hand plane but rather a power planer but it was a needed tool for me and allows me to make rough stock square and even save some cash in the process!

[Jronman]

1 hour ago, comp56 said:

that is where a longer flat bed is important before and after the cutting head....the longer these are the more stable the piece will be passing the cutter....

Whats the longest they come in?

[ChrisK]

Are you talking power or hand?

[ChrisK]

You can make a jointing plane but I've seen some over 30" long made of iron

[JMG]

I probably should have expanded my post a bit and covered other process' that I use in shop, but the longer a post is, the faster one loses an audience. When I take a batch of lumber into the shop, I process it in a manner to minimize any work down stream. The process specifically attempts to avoid the use of a jointer when dealing with full length material. The material is surfaced to a rough thickness, and then it is straight lined and ripped to maximum width to create an s4s condition. At this point, it is considered prepped for shop use and racked.

 

This process has limited my use of a jointer and largely lowered the priority for that particular tool in shop use. It has not eliminated the jointer from the shop, but along with other techniques/jigs has turned it in to a minimal use tool. I have substituted table saw jigs in many instances for squaring up smaller pieces, and I keep a selection of lever clamps in my kit to use for one off jigs and such. I should probably note that very early in my woodworking career, I experienced a serious accident while using an old jointer and I am lucky to still have all of my digits and use of hand after what happened back then. This never stopped me from using the tool, but it did make me question if there are better processes for handling both small and large parts.

 

Table saw slide jigs, in my opinion, are much safer for repetitive operations and can achieve good square edges with less overall effort when producing multiples. If you are fine tuning a single item, then the jointer maintains it's place in line for speed, but generally, for me, the part would be less than thirty inches in length in those cases. As for rabbets and what not, the router has replaced any jointer use that was once considered during my early years.

 

I have worked professionally in my own small wood shop, as well as medium size shops, and also in a production facility that peaked at ten million a year in production capacity, during my woodworking career. My statement in all of this is that the jointer does not have to be a high priority tool for those just starting out in the field. At some point in time, you will own one, but when you are limited in space and budget, there are other methods that can minimize the need for one.

 

 

[Surfer (aka Nalu)]

What is a good wood to use for a beginner wood worker?

[Birch Plywood]

I would say that 1/2" Birch Plywood would be a great choice. It's flat, stable and easy to work with. It would also get you working right out of the box, meaning you don't have to mill your own lumber (which is a trade in itself). If you can manage, try to find a plywood supply warehouse near you, they often have cut-offs for a very great price. So for Ease-Of-Use, something important for beginners, my vote is for: 1/2" Birch Plywood.

 

[Pallet Wood]

A great second choice is Pallet Wood. It's often FREE and you can make some very nice things with it. It can be a little challenging working around all the defects and the warping but it gives your projects some character. Watch out for nails and small rocks embedded in the wood.

 

The Jointer

[Superfluous for a Beginner]

Just thought I'd give my two cents as well. I agree with JMG, a jointer is not really necessary for the beginner. A beginner woodworker will most likely purchase S4S or S2S lumber, plywood or 2x4 lumber. As the woodworking bug grabs hold of your balls, you will eventually discover that you can make your own lumber. Tree's in the community will take on a different appearance, starting to look more like stacks of lumber in your garage rather than decorative trees out in the public. When this happens, you will definitely want a Jointer and a Planer as they go hand in hand.

 

[Logan]

Pine is a great wood to start out with it's inexpensive and vary easy to work with 

[Jronman]

I have built around 10 projects and I used oak on all except one in which I used popular as the wood. I found popular easy to work with and better than framing wood. I don't remember pricing but I think it was less expensive than oak. If you aren't into the green tinge it provides you may want to go with a different wood or use a dark stain on it. I made the mistake of using fruitwood stain on popular and it didn't match my oak stuff cause it was a bit green. I'm not as experienced as others but I would recommend starting with a cheap hardwood then upgrading to oak. Oak is a nice wood to work with. It is not terribly expensive like exotics yet not as cheap as say framing lumber. It also has a fairly neutral color that is either tanish or reddish. It also takes stain very well. The lighter colors even show up well. I would say sanding is harder than popular and the sanded surface is a bit less smooth because of the grain. Finishing can be tricky because of the wavy texture you can get. I think it's called grain raising? I still have yet to figure out how to resolve the wavy feel I get after I stain and finish.  Eventually if you feel up to it you can dive into exotics.