To play with wood, you don’t have to rely on large, daunting power tools, shrouded in the roar of machines and clouds of sawdust. Even with only half a table space, even with a very limited input, you can feel the fun of wood.
From the original intention of making wood, I recommend that you use the most primitive hand tools. We are meticulous, just like the artisans of yesteryear, completing each step with grace. Our process is accompanied by the sound of planing edges and the sound of sandpaper rubbing against the wood. The whole process is more like a spiritual communication with the wood. This is probably the charm of hand tools.
The conditions are so simple that the space of half a table can also be a small display. Of course, having a house as a studio is even more useful. If there is not even half a table, it is really difficult to do, because the most basic point is that you need to secure the table pliers.
Although there is no machine roar and dust clouds, a certain amount of noise and dust will still be there. There will be noise in the process of sawing, filing, and grinding, especially in the process of sawing and coarse filing. There will be dust in the process of sandpaper. Therefore, the tabletop and floor must be carefully cleaned after each completion. So it’s not suitable for woodworking in the dormitory.
Carpentry should more accurately belong to the category of handicraft, but unlike others such as origami, embroidery, clay sculpture, etc., there is a certain danger. So the first task is to protect yourself, protect your hands, eyes, mouth, and nose. The main thing is the hands and the nose! A novice in the use of tools is not skilled or improper use, carving knife, the file is easy to suffer a small injury. But don’t worry too much! As long as the safety measures are right, you won’t get hurt that easily. When we sand with sandpaper, if we don’t wear a mask, the dust irritates our noses in a bad way, and the dust is definitely not good for our bodies.
Craft is a very time-consuming hobby, so having lots of free time and patience is a guarantee of success! Even a 3cm whale tail pendant can take three hours or more to make from sawing, filing, and grinding to completion. This process can take a considerable amount of time even for very skilled veterans. Grinding, in particular, reflects the direct relationship between time investment and quality. The difference between the effect of a piece polished to 2000 mesh and 5000 or even 8000 mesh is obvious.
Now, I will introduce the novice to commonly used carving tools.
Table of Contents
Tools: Table vices
Application: The table vice is a kind of plier and the plier’s body is convenient to install, suitable for clamping small workpieces. The clamp body is made of cast iron, safe to use, and not easy to break. It can be fixed on the desktop to clamp the material for easy processing. Buy the right size of vice for what you want to make.
The reason why I put the pliers in the first place is because I wasted a lot of time and energy when I did not use the pliers to play woodworking at the beginning. At that time, I was very depressed and had the most minor injuries.
Generally do pendants, rings, spoons, and other small objects, we buy 50, or 60 models (can hold the width of the object 50mm, 60mm).
Tools: Files
Application: There are many fine teeth and strips on the surface of the file, which are used as a hand tool for filing and polishing the workpiece. Used for metal, wood, leather, and other surface micro-processing.
It comes in 5 sizes: 4-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch. I make rings, pendants, spoons, and other small objects with an 8 – or 10-inch file. If you’re working on something larger, a larger file will take less effort.
Tools: Curve saws and steel saws
Application: Wire saw is also called wire saw. The saw blade is a steel wire with teeth, which can easily change direction when sawing the material. It is used for sawing curved objects, such as rings, spoons, and so on.
For small objects, wire saws are a little more useful. The curved saw blade must be tight, otherwise it will break easily. When installing the saw blade, be sure to fix the saw blade firmly and tightly and tighten it with the help of hand pliers if necessary. When using, do not use brute force, the more tortuous the saw blade, the easier it is to break. So the saw blade is a waster, I recommend buying more.
Tools: Gravers
Application: Obviously, it is used for carving. They can be used to carve simple patterns, fonts, or family symbols. If you need to dig or chisel the material and other engraving operations, I recommend the new use of a pneumatic engraver.
Forget about the bulky, noisy, and expensive compressors that take up valuable space and require constant maintenance. Introducing a revolutionary new technology that saves you space, and time, and increases your work efficiency! First and foremost, it’s incredibly compact, allowing you to store it easily in tight spaces without sacrificing performance. Gone are the days of dealing with bulky, heavy compressors that take up precious room in your workshop or garage.
Tools: Sandpapers
Application: I often use it for polishing finished products. Beginners can generally shape with a file and then start sanding from 50 mesh sandpaper. Sandpaper with less than 400 mesh can be used to polish file marks and trim shapes, while sandpaper with more than 400 mesh can be gradually polished to no marks. Finally, it can be polished directly.
Sandpaper is a low-value consumable, if not only ready to do a thing, you can buy dozens of hundreds of spare.
Tools: Wax Oils
Application: The oil in wood wax oil can penetrate into the wood, giving it deep moisturizing and caring. The wax binds tightly to the wood fibers and strengthens the surface hardness. It repels water and dirt and is resistant to abrasion and scuffing. Thus it provides the best care and decoration for the wood.
It is very easy to use, just apply and rub once or twice, perfect for DIY works. For small DIY items, the amount of wood wax oil used is very small.
Tools: Protective gears
Purpose: This is easily overlooked, but important! Beginners should be concerned with protecting their hands when using a carving knife as well as protecting their noses while sanding. It’s hard to inhale the dust from sanding, so protect yourself. Wearing gloves is not easy to operate, and it is not easy to perceive the shape, thickness, and feel of the wood. Beginners can sometimes use a fingertip instead.
