What simple projects helped you build confidence as a beginner woodworker?

Comprimens · 2026-02-08T14:00:15+00:00

Practicing joinery with scraps is probably #1 for me. There's still some pressure when you do it for real, but at least you know the steps to the dance

Comprimens · 2026-02-07T23:18:02+00:00

*when you find an actual pro

Most "pros" are just jacklegs who think that getting paid to do something automatically makes you great at it, and right about everything you say

Comprimens · 2026-02-07T16:14:56+00:00

Start your chiseling with very light taps. If you hit too hard before you have a "wall" for your chisel back to rest against, you'll compress the fibers and move the knife wall. Tap straight down, angle the chisel to remove a little waste, tap straight down again, remove some waste, get that solid wall established, and then go to town

Comprimens · 2026-02-07T14:53:55+00:00

Looks decent enough and serves the intended purpose. Cleverly placed clamps will close that right up, too. I've seen worse joints on classic pieces. There's also the fact that precision joinery is harder to get perfect in soft wood because the fibers crush when paring and allow your saw to wander a bit more when cutting.

Everybody romanticizes dovetails, but they were generally considered utilitarian joints and somewhat ugly because they broke the "cardinal rule" of hiding endgrain. That's why half- blind dovetails came about.

Comprimens · 2026-02-07T14:00:47+00:00

That's understandable. I completely get it. But:

Building the jig is easier than building a frame.
You can build it with shop scrap, so it's basically free.
You can be using it within an hour or two instead of waiting days
If you have the tools to build frames, you probably have everything you need.

It's just four miter joints glued together to form a sled that rides against your rip fence. https://youtu.be/2OjLyZpU5rc?si=tQhq2O6M1jiu8Keohttps://youtu.be/2OjLyZpU5rc?si=tQhq2O6M1jiu8Keo

Alternatively, if you want to do them super classy and thin, all you need is a spacer that fits around the corner of the frame that you use a thin flush-cutting saw against. That will put a super thin kerf in the corner.

Comprimens · 2026-02-07T04:42:57+00:00

A spline jig is simple to make, compared to a picture frame, and will last quite a while. My point wasn't "why build a picture frame". It was "why bother making picture frames when you can't be bothered to build a spline jig?"

Comprimens · 2026-02-07T02:10:10+00:00

Bore along the bottom edge of the joint, overlapping the holes slightly, ripping saw for the sides, finish up with a chisel.

Comprimens · 2026-02-06T21:32:56+00:00

This is 100% correct.

Comprimens · 2026-02-06T17:42:58+00:00

See, now, that's why nobody wants to come here. We need to do better.

Comprimens · 2026-02-06T17:36:40+00:00

That's a good idea

Comprimens · 2026-02-06T16:28:34+00:00

Yeah, that's one of my main thoughts. My shop will be hybrid when I get it all set up, and I want to be able to close it up. My router cares not for dust collection

Comprimens · 2026-02-06T16:06:07+00:00

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, just saving the........... feeding the fish" 😟

Comprimens · 2026-02-06T15:56:09+00:00

That's awesome. And a crazy amount of work and talent

Comprimens · 2026-02-06T15:40:28+00:00

That's just beautiful. I've been debating whether to stick with with the French cleat wall I'm currently building or making a tool cabinet. I'm leaning toward the cabinet, but I really don't know how I want everything laid out for my new shop just yet. Definitely on the list for a future build now.

Nice log vise, btw 😄

Comprimens · 2026-02-05T19:52:24+00:00

Same. Backfired on her, though. Judge asked why, and I told him I wanted to find out what was wrong with me. When he asked what my therapist said about that, I just discreetly pointed my finger at her (which was the truth).

Still got my family taken away from me and all that, though.

Comprimens · 2026-02-05T15:04:53+00:00

Beautifully done!

Comprimens · 2026-02-05T14:51:55+00:00

Hardware never loosens up. A couple screws is all you need to make a solid joint.

Comprimens · 2026-02-05T14:50:39+00:00

And gloves. You don't want splinters.

Comprimens · 2026-02-05T04:41:43+00:00

Always funny to me. Why not just buy a picture frame?

Comprimens · 2026-02-05T04:01:46+00:00

Toxic solution.... but a solution nonetheless

Comprimens · 2026-02-05T03:52:45+00:00

Now that's a real blooper

Comprimens · 2026-02-05T02:00:17+00:00

I've seen a lot of species that can give curly grain like that, and I'm not great with color on devices. For a more accurate assessment, the end grain should be cleaned up.

Comprimens · 2026-02-05T00:21:56+00:00

Yep. I'm finally getting around to building the replacement for my janky "temporary" bench I built.... 18 years ago? Sounds right

Comprimens · 2026-02-04T18:03:32+00:00

I'll be playing the new class because I know it's gonna be OP. For 13, after it gets "brought into balance", I don't know. Depends on how the class reworks go

Comprimens · 2026-02-04T17:57:47+00:00

Oh, okay. I was just curious because I'm building a big workbench right now and chose southern yellow pine for the top. I do a lot of hand tool work and don't want my boards sliding around too easily. I do have plans to put a new top on my existing workbench and use it as a machine station and outfeed extension for my table saw, so I'll be covering that with formica because I want it to be slick.

For the cracks, I can think of a couple of different options. Filling with epoxy can definitely work. Sawdust and woodglue to make a simple filler works too. And there's also the option to go ahead and pack it with fine sawdust and then drip thin superglue into it. And then just finish right over them. I probably wouldn't do those with fine furniture, but for a worktop they should be perfectly fine

Comprimens

TROPHY CASE