Band Saw Types and Features

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In most cases there is no better tool than a band saw to cut precise curves in wood, although a quality saw does more than just cut curves. It also cuts tenons and smaller rabbets; can be used for resawing thin strips of wood from larger pieces, and for ripping small pieces of stock.

But with the variety of types, sizes and options available, how do you know which one’s the right one for you? That’s what we’re here to tell you.

Band Saw Types
There are two principal band saw types : floor standing cabinet models, and shorter models for mounting (either on bench tops or on a dedicated stand). The cabinet models traditionally tend to be used mainly by professionals, while the latter are used by amateur woodworkers, although this isn’t a hard and fast rule. The floor standing cabinet models tend to have both bigger motors, and more features including a strong frame (leading to consistent cutting).

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The 10 Safety Rules Every Woodworker Should Know

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Woodworking is among one of the safest and enjoyable hobbies you can do, provided you adhere to a set of rudimentary and easy to follow safety rules. These woodworking safety rules are designed to be easy to remember and are mostly common sense. That being said, failure to comply with the safety rules can cause serious injury. The work shop is not the place to careless. It is the place to learn and adopt good safety working habits which will in turn make woodworking more fun and enjoyable.

1. Always Wear Safety Equipment
This might seem like a common sense kind of rule, but it’s an important one to remember. During usage of loud power tools like routers and surface planers, wearing ear protection is a noted advantage. Similarly, wear latex gloves while applying finishes. NEVER BE WITHOUT YOUR SAFETY GLASSES. These should be the first thing you reach for when entering the shop.

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Sitting Bench Woodworking Plan Video

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" One of the most popular woodworking projects, for hundreds of years is the simple “Sitting Bench”. The bench is easy to make, can be used inside and outside for person or commercial uses and when finished makes an attractive and useful piece of furniture. In homes, in recent years, the sitting bench is seeing revival because it is such a useful item and lends itself to the kitchen, the living room, the bedroom, the entry and almost any other part of the house you can imagine.

The sitting bench we have constructed here is made from something called Cedar of Lebanon or “Cedrus Libani”. This species is native to the Mediterranean but is also introduced in some more temperate areas of North America where it is grown as an ornamental tree because of it's faster growing characteristics.

 

The main feature of our sitting bench is to have been able to “book-match” the top or seat of the bench just at the point where the sapwood and the heartwood meet, creating a beautiful contrast in wood tones. We were also fortunate to obtain some 2” thick wood from the same tree that allowed us to make the legs for the bench without having to laminate thinner woods together.

Our sitting bench design is attractive and useful and will provide years and years of accommodation for relaxing ones wearing bones. The version we have put together here is made without any mechanical fastening devices (no nails, screws, staples or pins). The unit was entirely put together with glue, which will hold it securely, under all normal use for many, many decades to come.

We also wanted to incorporate a bit of “character” into the bench which is why we selected some pieces with knot holes. We also rounded over all the corners on both the top, sides and legs so that even with constant use, there is little chance of anyone bumping themselves on a sharp corner.

Copyright Colin Knecht
woodworkweb

Wood Carving Basics for Beginners

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Learn the way to Carve and Sculpt Wood Into Art

Wood carving is a kind of art that transforms and brings wood to life. Learn how it's possible to get started in wood sculpting and wood engraving. What used to be called whittling, something done by pops and granddads to use up their spare time, has developed into a full-scale hobby. Walk into any book store and it isn't difficult to find a complete section dedicated to wood working and wood carving. Carvers can scan many monthly magazines dedicated to the hobby or make a journey to the hardware store to find many tools designed specifically with wood carving in mind. Wood carving is popular!

Wood Carving Tools and Wood Selection

Forget about any thoughts of using a pen knife to tediously craft a toy or sculpture.  Today's wood carving tools are composed of specialised chisels, spare time interest knives, and power tools like scroll saws, dremels, and table saws. Additionally, wood carving patterns can be acquired and used as a template to make complicated and monumental works of humanities.

It is not important to have all of these tools to start wood carving.  Commence with a straightforward pattern and practice with a basic set of wood sculpting knives on a soft wood like basswood or balsa wood. After gaining an understanding of the tools how they handle on the different species of woods available, move on to the subsequent tool or saw and practice as much as you feel you need to.

Wood types are abundant and many wood carvers regularly blend one or two differing types of wood to create a novel project. This practice is particularly common with wood inlay where different colours and textures of wood are in employed. Beginners to wood carving would do best to start practice with basswood or balsa wood, and then move on to harder woods after learning the best tools and systems for wood carving.
 
The best tip for amateurs, except for choosing woods that are simple to work with, is to avoid employing a heavy hand when chiselling or carving. Don't force the tool into the wood as it may cause it to split. Instead, make tiny frequent cuts, permitting the image to be exhibit itself. Practice the best way to carve with the grain and not against it.

Another tip for beginning wood carvers is to understand when to stop carving. Many a gorgeous piece has been messed up by that last cut that was intended to perfect it. Remember the saying “ less is more”, and when you have removed a chunk of wood from the project, it cannot be replaced. Patience and a steady hand is vital in wood carving.

For more wood carving or wood burning tips remember to check your local library for books and past copies of magazine subscriptions or check out www.woodcarvers.org