Resources for basic techniques

[wgeils]

Hi all,

I have just joined the Guild and am rather new to wood working.

I am wondering if there is a good clear resource that us newbies can use to learn the most basic of techniques?

As an example I am trying to understand how to do the following

1. The hand plan (what is it for and when should I use it?)
   
2. To plan vs. sand. I have built the “end grain” cutting board and would like to know what technique to use for the best finish.
   
3. How best to laminate a surface? I have built a desk (the Kreg student desk) and would like to better protect the top from the damage a teenager will cause.
   

My hope would be that there is a common resource I can review so I do not overwhelm the forum with embarrassing questions.

Thanks

Wayne

[thewoodwhisperer]

Hey Wayne. Unfortunately, I don't think there really is a common resource for all these things. But this forum is here for asking questions, even if those questions are just requesting resources. So feel free to post away...that's what we're here for.

If you want to get into the world of hand planes, I would highly recommend Schwarz's Course Medium Fine DVD. It reviews a lot of plane theory and use and is great for folks looking to get their heads around the concept of hand planes.

Planing vs sanding is always a question you'll have to ask yourself. At some point, you might find that you are using your smoothing plane more often than not and you won't have to do quite as much sanding as a result. That's a good place to be. But keep in mind the cutting board is all end grain. Even the sharpest plane is going to have trouble with that surface. So that is why I absolutely prefer sanding the boards.

As for lamination, I never really looked for a resource on that. I'll have to see if I can find something for you.

[andreas]

First of all, welcome to the guild Wayne!

When I first joined the guild, the first thing I did was download every video from the previous "guild build" projects. I learned a huge amount by simply watching Marc's techniques and then trying them for myself. Watch the way he clamps his work pieces, where he positions his body and the way he holds the tools. All of these simple things make a really big difference.

As for end grain cutting boards, sanding them can be a pain in the rear end. I like to use card scrapers for the bulk of it and then a light sanding at the very end.

[Southwood]

Hello and welcome. I too am a newbie to the guild. The one thing I would suggest is to put your location in your profile. You might just have a neighbor that could show you some of the ropes.

[wgeils]

Marc,

Any luck on finding a resource for laying down Laminate?

Wayne

[Sac]

Hey Wayne, laying down laminate is a fairly easy and straight forward process. I had never done it prior to doing a few projects and it turned out pretty good for me. Make sure you surfaces are clean, apply the adhesive to both sides, the surface you are laminating and the laminate itself, then lay it down and roll it out. It really is that easy. When you cut the laminate, cut it about 1/4" bigger than the surface you are covering. You can use some some thin pieces of scrap to separate the two to make sure that you get it aligned just right. Then pull the pieces out one at a time to get it seated. Once they are all out, start from the middle with your laminate roller and roll towards the edges. this will push out air bubbles and help get good surface to surface adhesion. I do one thing that I do differently than what the can says. It says to let both pieces dry, then press them together. I don't do this. I put them together when they are both still wet. It seems to me that they stick better that way. Someone else may say differently, but that is my experience. That is about it. It really is an easy process. Another tip, the bigger the surface, the bigger the roller that you should use. And use the non-flammable stuff. It stinks less, and of course, it is non flammable. Good luck