I suppose that many of you , may wonder if woodworking is easy or not to learn , or you may think what skills a person should have if he/she wants to be a carpenter .

I suppose that many of you , may have in mind that carpentry is something very “extreme” and that the woodworkers are people with very elite skills and nobody can reach their level .

I suppose that many of you , may think that if you want to be a carpenter , you should have “tons” of muscles , be very strong and also have supernatural mental and artistic talents .

In here i don’t want to “forget” that people with serious physical problems exist in the world and these people may think that they cannot be carpenters . Of course this isn’t true .

Of course this isn’t true also . Everybody can be a carpenter .

For sure as everything in life , the carpentry hobby – activity needs some skills you should have , in order to act with this astonishing way of life .

These skills the carpenter should have in some kind of grade , aren’t something extreme for sure and you should not be afraid .

The basic skills a carpenter should have are seperated into two categories .

A)The basic Body – physical skills , the carpentry needs .

B) The Mental – artistic skills , the carpentry needs .

If you manage to combine and evolute the above 2 categories , you’ll become a very good carpenter , creating marvelous woodworking projects , for your personal joy only or maybe to sell some and gain money .

A) The basic Body – Physical skills .

In this physical category , you may imagine that the carpentry needs some kind of big physical strength , in order to act with wood and manage to shape it .

Before all you should always take care of yourself and be aware of some dangers , the woodworking hobby has and never jeopardize your physical health .

So after that , you should know that you don’t need to be a supernatural athlete or something like that , to act the carpentry hobby . The basic body strength is enough for both men and women .

If you have a body kinetic problem or anything , you can also be a very nice carpenter , but i suppose you’ll need sometimes the help of a friend for some wood “jobs” .

But you can be a carpenter for sure .

So after your body health basic check up we all do , you can go outside to the nature and forests to search for your wood . You don’t need to be a marathon guy/girl . If you can walk some miles and have a nice walking outdoor shoe , the “job” is done .

1) If you can carry your wood piece to your warehouse , in order to begin your woodworking plan , you won’t have any issue .

2) If you can carry a hand saw and make some cuts in your wood , “no worries” , you’re doing just fine .

3) If you can carry a hand or a power drill and make some holes to your wooden surfaces , you’re “halfway there” .

4) If you can hold a hammer , make some hits and screw some screws with a screwdriver , your body skills are enough .

5) If you can carry your wood piece , put it above your woodworking bench and make some moves to it , to stabilize it so you can work more easily , your carpentry body skills are also very fine .

6) If you can carry and hold your chisels , drawknives , et.c making some adjustments to your wood project , put a wood piece in your vice for stability , use your clamps and your other auxiliary tools , have no worries about your body strength requirements .

7) If you can use a sandpaper , or use you planers , to smoothen your wood , you are ok again .

Basic – physical body skills for carpentry : Summary .

If you can :

1)Walk in the forest , searching for your wood .

2) Carry this wood , to your house .

3) Put your wood above to you woodworking bench and make some “maneuvers” to it .

4) Cut with a hand saw .

5) Drill some holes .

6) Hit with a hammer and screw with screwdrivers .

7) Use your chisels for shaping and correcting the wood’s “flesh” .

8) Put your wood inside your vice . ( never let the vice’s metal into direct touch with the wood . Use an intermediate – “helper” material , usually another wood piece . )

9) Rub your wooden surface with sandpapers or a plane and then protect it with some finishing oil , you can act the Carpentry hobby just fine .

All the above need only the basic body strength , all people have , except the ones who have unfortunately serious health problems .

But even these heroic people with some help , they can be woodworkers and give their souls the “tons” of happiness , wood gives .

So the body needs the Carpentry requires are the basic ” common” powers , all people have women or men . The carpentry doesn’t need something “extreme” concerning the powers your body should have , more than the powers you use in your daily life and activities .

B) The Mental – Artistic skills .

In here , “things” are a little more complex , than the body – physical skills , but for GOD‘s shake , you don’t need to be afraid and stop your tries to enter to the carpentry activity .

In all the human activities which includes the fantasy – creativity – artistic – soul expression , et.c elements , you cannot set limits to the human’s skills and talents .

You cannot teach someone to paint like Picasso , make music like Beethoven , dance like Nureyef , or make astonishing woodcrafts by carving wood and sculpturing it .

The carpentry activity for sure includes “inside” it , the artistic element and of course there are wood sculptors outhere , who are creating artworks noone can “reach” or duplicate .

I know that you watch youtube videos of people who are making astonishing wood sculptures with their chainsaws and chisels and you said to yourself : ” I’ll never be so good or do the same ” .

Leave this mentality “behind you” and focus in the basic skills you should have , inprove and become “comfortable” with . These mental skills are :

1) Learn Wood and its reactions to your actions .

You should gain knowldege of the general behavior of the wood and the different types of it , while you’re using it . You should get experience of how the “sogt” and the “hard” types of wood , behaves on your actions on it .

All the wood types , haven’t the same behavior in cutting , drilling , sanding , finishing , et.c and this is a basic knowldege you should get .

In THIS post you’ll see all the wood types and their properties , you’ll need .

2) How many tools exist and the correct and safe use of the woodworking tools , is necessary .

You should get experience , concerning the woodworking tools , power or hand tools . You should learn about them and the most important the correct use of them and be very comfortable , with the use of them.

Of course the safety laws and your health’s protection , concerning the wood tools should be in your mind , always .

You should be able to use a hand plane , a chisel , a power drill and an orbital sander with the same easiness and “comfort” .

See in HERE all the complete woodworking tools , list .

3) Sharpen your Tools , correctly .

You should learn how to sharpen your hand tools , as the chisels , your planers , your hand saws . This is very important , because an unefficient tool will make your carpenter’s life hard and your project at stake .

If you’re wondering what is tools sharpening , don’t be . Go in HERE and see all the sharpening details .

4) Storage & maintain your carpentry tools .

You should learn the correct storage and maintenance of your tools , in order to have them for many years . It’s very importand to learn the entire “circle” of the woodworking tools from how many they are and their correct use , to the storage and maintenance of them .

5) Measure correctly .

The correct measuring is for sure a basic skill for a carpenter . If you measure awry , you’ll cut awry and your carpentry plan won’t be nice and beautifull . have a carpenter’s pencil , some meters/rules , a level tool and learn how to use them .

I’ve chosen some very nice rulers and more to supply , get them in HERE .

6) Cut wood with Focus & Accuracy .

You should be 100% focused when you cut your wood and leave noone to distract you from this “job” . This isn’t so easy as you may think , because if you have to do many wood accurate cuts , you’ll see that your focus will decrease from fatigue .

Of course you should learn to cut in straight lines , accurate and precise .

7) Nail & Screw correctly .

The nailing and screwing of your nails and screws are the basic wood connection ways and even if they seem easy , they aren’t . There are “secrets” and tips in order to hammer a nail and screw a bolt and of courde to remove them , without “hurting” the wood .

If you like to read some , go in HERE .

You must never let your brain decrease its seriousness and focus , no matter if you are tired or not . The accidents in the carpentry activity are always “waiting” for your brain’s “shields” to lower down .

7) Drill holes .

The skill to make 100% accurate holes in your wood using power or not woodworking tools , is a basic skill too . In here the same as the cutting sections applies . If you want to make correct holes in your wood without damaging it , your focus and seriousness are needed .

If you are using power drills and wood machinery , your body and mind should be in perfect combination in order to make your holes , as they should be done .

Remember the mind gives the “orders” to your body and these 2 , must be in perfect harmony .

8) Use some Bacic Math .

You should also know some “basic” maths in order to calculate the distances in your wooden surfaces . These basic math will help you to proceed to your marking and cuttings with 100% success .

Of course the basic mathematical operations will help you with your wood supplies and the money you’ll spend for them .

The maths will help you again when you’ll need to calculate the contractions and the expansions of the wood , when you’ll try to make a wood project and try to fit it , into a specific area in your home .

I know that many people when they hear about maths , the have “allergies” , but in the carpentry activity , the basic maths are enough . At least for not a fully professional carpenter .

If you want to be a professional carpenter , you should know more of course , because your projects will be more complex and they’ll need more math knowledge .

9) Dovetail – Mortise & a Tenon joinery is needed .

You should begin to make some wood joinery . The dovetail joints , the cutting of a mortise and a tenon joint is for sure the next steps for your connections .

The nails , screws and the wood gluse is very nice for your first primary joinery , but there are more joints you should be familiar with , right after the basic nails – pins and wood glue wood joining .

You’ll need to scribe reference lines for your joinery , so i’ve picked some top gauges to buy in HERE .

10) Protection and finishing of wood .

You should learn the correct protection of your carpentry project after you finish creating and sanding it and finally shape to its final form – design .

There are many ways and materials to use , depending to what you want and what is the best appropriate concerning the use of this wood project and the place it’ll be placed .

If you’lll place your wood plan outdoors or indoors , this affects the protection and finishing methods .

For your outdoors , the dyes , the paint , lacquers , et.c are more suitable , maybe .

I’ve picked some top dyes – varnishes , et.c for you to get in HERE .

There are oils and waxes , varnishes , oil based colors , lackers , shellac , et.c and you should be able to choose the right one , for your needs .

I have some of my favorite natural finishing products for you to buy , in HERE .

11) A Carpenter should visualize “things” in the 3 – D dimension space .

Maybe the most difficult maybe and serious mental skill a carpenter should have , is the ability to visualize his woodworking project in the 3 – D dimensions .

A carpenter should have the ability to visualize his future wood plan , inside the space this plan will be after its creation .

A carpenter should have the ability to calculate distances , lengths , space for the 3 dimensions , calculating also future chances caused by weather and other conditions .

This is the criterion which separates a nice carpenter , from a very good carpenter , a “teacher”- master carpenter .

As you work with wood and with your chisels and the other carving tools , the artistic skills will evolute without even know it . If you don’t have the talents other people have , i suppose you won’t win carving championships , but for sure you’ll be able to shape your wood very nice and do what you want to do .

As you see the basic carpentry skills aren’t something “extreme” concerning your body physical and your mental – artistic powers .

Keep Woodworking .