I have seen quite a few posts from folks tearing themselves down because their project didn’t turn out how they wanted.  And most of the comments that followed were positive and encouraging. Some of the comments were advice on how not to make the mistakes next time. 

My mistakes generally come from three areas: 1) ignorance. I simply didn’t know. 2) Rushed work, skipping things I knew I should have done, but didn’t. 3) New tool dystopia. Assuming a new tool, out of the box, it is ready to go (a version of #1, but a more emotional response when things go sideways.)  😉

So, I thought it would be fun and educational to start a thread of “things I learned (often the hard way).”  

 I’ll add a few comments to start it off…

Oldie but goodie: measure twice(or thrice), cut once. Yes, it’s cliche. But, related to #2, even the simplest cuts need to be done carefully. 

Little things lead to big things: If you are off by 1/16 of an inch, that may not seem huge. But multiply that by 4 or more cuts (box side, chair legs, panel glue-ups, etc), and it gets big fast. Take the time to get the measurement right (to that end, a marking knife is better than a pencil.)

90 degrees could be 87 degrees or 92 degrees… it depends on the manufacturer, when the tool came off the line, or the mood of the final assembly checker…  The point is that the angle measurements on new, out-of-the-box power tools must be checked and adjusted. And recheck before each project (each cut if you’re really wound up tight.) I trusted the scales on the new miter and table saws and thought the problem was me (well, it was because I didn’t check.) But now I know.

Practice, practice, practice. I have spent hours in the garage (my shop space), and my wife asks, “what did you make?”. “Nothing,” I reply. I was just practicing box joints or half-laps on scrap would. Using scrap to practice without the pressure of a project on the line is the best way to get better.

Test cuts. Not always needed, but always worth considering. 

Don’t forget the blade! I didn’t think about the kerf of the blade and how much wood it will remove. A blade is generally ⅛ inch, could be more. Lining up the side of your blade on the correct side of your marking line can make the difference between a good fit and a (minimum) ⅛ inch gap or overage. Do this wrong in different ways on the table legs, and you have a built-in wobble (yes, you probably should use a stop block or jig, but just go with it.)

Jigs are your friend. It’s frustrating to look up “jigs” because you usually find a lot or pre-manufactured jigs or videos on some complicated jig meant for more advanced woodworking But, in the simplest form, a jig is simply a set pattern of blocks in which you place a piece of wood, and it allows you to make consistent cuts, holes, alignments over many pieces. Look up jigs, filter through the more complex stuff, and see how they can help with the more basic types of work. 

More to be added as I learn more…