How to Learn Woodworking
Start woodworking at any age. All you have to do is learn and start by making mistakes and learning from them. Woodworking is a skill you acquire with practice and eventually, you master the skills.
How to Obtain a Few Basic Woodworking Skills
Before you actually make that great dining table or cabinet, even before you go out to look for any timber for sale melbourne, you need to learn a few basic woodworking techniques. The following are a few ways you can gain those techniques and skills.
Find a Mentor
Look for someone who already practices the art and show your work to them. Ask this person to critique your work and give you a few pointers. If you have the time ask them to teach you. Hands-on experience can help you shorten the learning curve.
Take a Class
Another fast way to acquire woodworking skills is to take a few classes. Many local community centers or colleges offer adult education classes. You can usually find a woodworking class here. Other class options can be found at a local craft store or woodworking tool store.
Informal Learning
Look around on the web. You’ll find a number of tutorials here on basic woodworking skills. You might even find a family member or friend who wants to learn with you. Set up a laptop area and go over the tutorial as you practice the newly learned skill.
Barter Other Skills for Instruction
An interesting way of learning this art is to offer your labor skills for instruction and shop time. Ask a local cabinet or furniture maker if you can help with sales, the phone or any of the other administrative tasks in exchange for classes.
Use Alternate Resources
There are a number of books, magazines, TV shows and even YouTube tutorials to help people learn to work with wood. Simply set aside some time during the day and look through a few of these options. Eventually your library of resources will grow and you can turn here for specific challenges.
Online Courses
A growing industry lies in online education. There are web portals like Udemy that offer specialized video courses that are very complete. These courses are in depth and can help you easily learn to work with wood.
Start Easy
When you are not that experienced do not start with a complicated project. Start small. Look for a project on Pinterest or on the web. Start with a very small project. Completing something that is easy will give you confidence and help you continue to learn and try new things. As your skills grow you can slowly take on projects that are larger and more complex.
The Game Changer
The take away point here is that you are never too old to learn a new skill. That is what life is about – learning. If woodworking is something that fascinates you, go out and find the knowledge you need then start practicing. As in many things, it is the practice that makes you a better woodworker.