October 11, 2016

Experience counts for a lot in the world of woodworking, so gaining some tips from people who perhaps have more experience than you can be extremely valuable. Even those who have plenty of woodworking experience can benefit from some tips from others which can make tasks easier, save time, or be more effective.

Tip 1: Use tape to stop the glue from oozing between joints

If you are trying to glue together two pieces of wood, clamp the two pieces together and run tape along the joint. Cut down the joint on the tape and separate the two pieces of wood a little before adding the glue down the middle, and then clamp the pieces together again. When the glue oozes, it will ooze onto the tape and not the wood, creating a clean joint. From there, all you have to do is peel off the tape before the glue dries.

Tip 2: Use hot glue to hold small stuff

Using clamps can be fiddly and cumbersome if you want to hold small objects whilst you are working on them. Instead, use a blob of hot glue to hold a small piece in place to your pedestal stick, whilst you work on it. Once you have finished, you should be able to pop it off gently with a putty knife.

Tip 3: Mark your level spot

If you have a mobile table and a problematic un-level floor, use duct tape to mark the places on the floor where the wheels are at their best, so that you can keep returning your table to the same spot every time.

Tip 4: Match oil-based stains with artist paints

Once that you have got close to the stain colour that you are looking for, if your stain is oil-based, you can use artist oil or Japan colours to get exactly the right shade. As you will only be using a small amount, it shouldn`t massively affect drying times.

Tip 5: Avoid tear out on veneered sheets

If you are sawing a veneered sheet, you can help to avoid tear out by sawing slowly and setting blade low. While this is effective, tear outs can still happen. You can help to avoid these by emulating a high-end saw and scoring a 1mm groove before sawing.

Tip 6: Use round objects for a curved arc

If you are making a rounded corner, you can use a compass, or it might be easier to use a round object. If the curve is on a right angle corner, your round object can be adjusted to any size, and it is also much easier to visualize how the finished piece will look. You can use anything from cd`s, cans, tins or plastic lids.

Tip 7: Use triangular supports to drying varnish

If you have small pieces which you want to entirely varnish, make two triangular supports to rest it on to minimize the surface area. There will be a small mark, but this should disappear with the second coat.

These are just several tips to help you with your woodworking, and there are many other woodworking resources available. If you have any questions, in particular, contact Trends Kitchen Cabinets and Woodworking. We are an Oakville Woodworking company that specializes in cabinet making and refinishing & refacing. With over 25 years of experience, we are your local cabinet making and installation experts.

Email: trendswf@gmail.com | Head Office: 647.776.5514 | Cell: 416.844.0948 | Fax: 647.436.7628
Address: 2050 Speers Rd, Unit 1, Oakville, ON, L6L 2X8
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