If the woodworking is hard to learn is a timeless question , mostly from the amateur woodworkers and mostly when they are making their first steps and they’re ready to make their first and most “common” Woodworking Projects .
Don’t let Fear , stop you from the woodworking activity .
It’s very natural and it happened to all of us when were ready to enter to the marvelous woodworking “planet” and hobby , to have fears .
It’s very normal when you want to act a hobby , which includes hand tools and power woodworking tools , to have some fears for their use .
Especially when these tools seem to be a little complex and their use , difficult . It’s very natural to have fears entering the woodworking activity , especially when you have noone to show you some techniques and share knowledge with you .
If you know nothing it’s OK . Enter and you’ll learn .
When i started to make my first woodworking plans , i didn’t have anyone to help me . I didn’t know how to make my first wooden board connections , not saying that i didn’t even knew how to peg a nail straight and correctly .
In my first time in the wood activity , i was learning only by mistakes , except in some cases that some randomly friends and relatives have given me some advises . But mostly , i was learning by my countless mistakes .
I’ve written an article focused in the physical & mental needs , you can read it in HERE .
No for sure it’s not hard to learn woodworking . It’s easy to learn , it’s easy to start learning . If you have an “open” mind , the willingness to “erase” your past wrong beliefs and willingness to make mistakes and learn from them , it’s easy and interesting to learn .
No , it’s not hard to learn and If you never “underestimate” any opinion and learn from it , evolute and have the willingness to take initiatives in daily basis , it’s very easy to learn .
No it’s not hard to learn woodworking and create your first wood projects , but if you want to be a very good professional , a master carpenter , you’ll need specific mindset – skills characteristics , for it .
Woodworking Mindset – Skills – Characteristics .
The learning mindset and process , is a process that needs some personality characteristics and mindset , in order to begin your learning process .
1) Even if you’re a born woodworking talent , have an “open mind” .
You should “tame” your ego(we all have) , have an “open mind” and don’t have the illusion that “you know everything” , even if you’re a natural born great talented woodworker .
There will always be things to learn and even if nature has given you the carpenter talent , you should have an “open mind” mindset . In this way you’ll start learning the carpentry activity , correctly .
Being born talented is a great situation and most of the great wood carvers-sculptors are born talented ones , but when you’re about to learn , your horizons should be “open” .
The ” i know everything ” , approach in life causes problems and it doesn’t let you , learn – evolute – become better . Yes in my opinion this applies in any area , not only the woodworking field . So , have an “open mind ” , you won’t lose .
2) Erase some Past and mostly , wrong beliefs from your “hard-disc” .
You should be able to “erase” some past’s strong and wrong(mostly) beliefs and ready to be teached , by the more experienced than you .
Another serious factor , which doesn’t let you learn , is the beliefs you have in your “hard – disc” . Usually these beliefs are so strong and “sculptured” and you feel that they correct 100% , for sure .
Many times , there aren’t !!!!
Be flexible and at least listen to the one , who says to you why they aren’t correct . Listen and then decide . If you follow this , you’ll see “magic” and you’ll see how smarter you’ll be .
3) Learning woodworking from the total Zero , is tough but don’t get Bored .
You should “train” yourself not to get bored , while you are learning knowledge , from the total zero . Yes i know that sometimes , learning from the total zero , is maybe a “painful” process . “Painful” , but necessary .
The best way to learn knowledge , is from the total start , from the beginning and if it’s possible , from a very good “teacher” . Be strong for this , don’t let your brain to get bored and ask as many questions you can .
The continuous questions will make you , more “inside to the core” of the learning process and keep you away from the factor of boring .
Even if you’re learning something that you may already know , try to find some new detail on it and keep your vigilance , strong .
4) Percistence , patience and your big Passion , will make you to continue Learning .
For sure you’ll need many “doses” of patience and percistence during your beginning and your subsequently learning carpentry , process .
Use your big passion and love for wood and woodworking , as a “fuel” to keep going . Continue making small steps and the most important :
Erase from your mindset the quit word !!!!! This isn’t an option .
5) Learn to “Love” your failures . It’s very crucial when you’re Learning .
You should be able , not to “brake” , be disappointment and stop your tries and use the mistakes you’ll make , to be a better woodworker . And you’ll make many mistakes , be certain for this .
I was making and i make , countless .
No way , don’t let your mistakes and errors you’ll make , “brake” your wood spirit . You should be aware that you’ll make “tons” of mistakes and many of them , will be very “simple” ones .
As you’ve seen in my ” why are carpenters pencils , flat” article , i had questions , which for many may seemed silly(!) , or whatever . But i didn’t care and for sure i haven’t kept any hostility to the ones who “judged” me .
Be involved , make mistakes , make big mistakes , make small mistakes , learn from them , have fun from these mistakes , gain “golden” memories , gain happiness .
5) Even the smallest advice , can add something to your woodworking learning process .
You should never “block” your eyes and ears and “underestimate” any wood approach , you’ll get from more or less experienced woodworkers . Everyone , has something to say and complement to the colossal woodworking knowledge encyclopedia .
The woodworking hobby is a huge “puzzle” , is a huge and marvelous “wall” and everyone can put a “brick” on it .
Don’t “underestimate” no one , even if his information seems to be very “naive” . You can find “diamonds” everywhere and from everyone .
6) Read woodworking books .
Rent from libraries – friends , buy from physical stores and read online , woodworking books . It’s an inmistakable way way to learn woodworking and have some of the best authors-carpenters , sharing their knowledge with you .
The variety of carpentry books is endless and of course you can read online . Take notes , so you can have in one place the advices and tips from these books .
7) Watch educational videos from the youtube and everywhere else .
You can see countless videos in the youtube form the best woodworkers in the planet and gain “golden” knowledge . It’s one of the benefits the web gives us and you should take advantage of it .
Of course see as many videos you can in all the video platforms , from DVD’s , et.c . In here is more crucial to take notes , because it’s hard to go back and search for the specific video , the specific second , in order to remember something .
It’s very natural to being “lost” in the so many thousands of woodworking videos . With books , it’s kind of easier .
8) Take physical & online woodworking courses .
It would be nice and helpful if you can have some carpentry courses with your physical presence needed and according to your country’s educational system , you should get informed for these .
Every continent and country has its own education system for the universities and colleges , but for sure there will be technical schools in yours , for sure . Visit your country’s Ministry of Education site and search for technical schools , seminars , etc.
Of course if you cannot do that ( or you don’t want ) , you can trust the biggest educational site , the www.udemy.com and attent free woodworking classes . They have paid courses also , go to the woodworking schools field and check by your own what suits you best .
9) Participate in Forums and learn from other more experienced woodworkers .
Learning for more experineced people is alwas a very welcomed situation , because you gain knowledge from people that have acted in the area , they have made mistakes and they are willing to tell you their wisdom .
In the woodworking area oyu can got to these forums , make an account and share knowledge :
10) Start getting Woodworking Tools and be familiar with their use .
Together with your learning process , your first woodworking tools purchases should be a fact . I’ve written a complete article of what tools and the order you should supply them , read it HERE .
Of course along with your first tools purchase you should start to learn , how to sharpen them , how to correctly use them and what is the correct way for their mainenance .
I suggest you to follow the exact official advices from the tool manufacturers .
They have created them , they know better than anyone , what to do for maintenance . If you want some thoughts and tips concerning the correct woodworking machinery maintenance , read THIS post of mine .
Go ahead and make your first learning wood tools attemps by measuring – marking – cutting – drilling – joining and sanding wood .
In here you should be 100% precisionist and accurate as much as possible . The attention to detail is making the difference .
My suggestion : Try not to rent tools and have your own . You’ll be safer and never forget the safety measures protocols .
Gloves , top quality’s face mask , ear protections , eye glasses and a wood dust vacuum cleaner are neseccary .
11) Have a peaceful and quite place to woodwork .
A peaceful and quite place to begin your first learning – practice attempts , will help you the most . You won’t “annoy” anyone , you won’t get “annoyed” by anyone and this always good for your safety , when you act woodworking .
A woodworking bench , even if it’s a basic primary one , would be nice . It’s height should be in the height of your belly button more or less , so you won’t bent a lot and have lower back pain themes .
12) Start supplying more materials and of course Wood .
Except some auxiliary material and tools you’ll need more , you should start supplying wood . You’ll need to make your first woodworking projects amd pass from theory learning to practical learning .
The list with the types of wood you can supply is a column in carpentry and get this information is HERE .
In here you should very careful , concerning the quantities of wood you’ll buy . Try to calculate very accurate , if you want to save money .
If you can get wood free , it’s a very nice and one my favorite way to find free wood is , searching in nature and always with the necessary forestry approvals .
**** In here also , never forget the environmental and other protocols . We never throw to the environment the chemicals we use for varnishing – polishing – finishing wood , never burn inappropriate wood in our fireplaces , et.c .
Do you know that the fabrics/brushes/materials we use to finish our wood project with linseed oil , can catch fire on their own , from spontaneous combustion ?
13) You’ll keep learning woodworking timelessly , so be Humble .
The more you learn and the more you become better , you’ll catch yourself maybe to “inflate” and gain the belief , that you’ve learned everything you should know . And now you can stop learning , maybe .
Don’t do that . The “enemy” of the good is the better . Be humble and keep always learning .
This is a “disease” , all people have sometimes in their lives . It’s very normal and you shouldn’t be very “hard” with yourself . It’s ok , to feel confident and powerful and that you can do everything .
But you should not let yourself to enter to the vanity and arrogance area , because vanity and “stuff” like that , will stop your personal evolution .
How this works ?
You feel so confident , strong , colossal experienced and cool(!) with yourself and that you’ve reached the “top of the pyramid” .
So you stop reacting , experimenting and as a result , you stop learning . And this , isn’t good . Humbleness and Love are ultimate universe powers and not only for the woodworking field .
14) The better you become , the bigger woodworking Fantasy you’ll have . Don’t stop it .
The more you become better , your fantasy and imagination will “work overtime” . Take risks , take initiatives and create what you have in mind , no matter if this won’t work , all the times .
One “thing” is certain . You’ll learn so many “things” , from these random and “spontaneous” mistakes , you’ll make .
This time you explore new horizons , new techniques , new mentality . This time you create “primitive” , primary knowledge for the ones who will follow and enter this astonishing way of life , the woodworking .
Yes , you don’t realize it the time you do it , but when you experiment , you create “raw” knowldege the same time you’re learning you too .
It’s a “magical” process . You create new knowledge , you make conclusions , you learn .
If you let yourself “free and become a child” while you’re learning woodworking , you’ll gain emotions and happiness as you’ve never gained before in any other activity – hobby .
Keep woodworking .