Making your Woodwork Project Look Good: Sanding and Finishing

You’ve put in the hard yards making sure you get every detail correct in creating your woodwork piece of art. You think you are on the home straight and a quick sand and finish will do the job. But think again. If you don’t put plenty of effort into the final stage of your piece, you will undo all your hard work. People will judge your final piece on its finish. Even if you have chosen a beautiful piece of wood and have spent hours on making sure the joins are meticulous, you can undo it all with a rough finish.

Final Check of your Woodworking Project

Before you sand, look over your project. Fill in any gaps or cracks with wood fillers and sealers. Filler shrinks as it cures, so leave a little extra filler on each hole rather than scraping it down to be level

If you have any dents in the wood, grab a wet rag and a hot iron. Place the rag over the dent and apply the hot iron. The pressure of the steam and the water soaking into the wood will pop out the crushed fibres if they haven’t been severed.

Sanding your Woodwork Piece

It’s not only how your piece looks but also how it feels. If your piece has any sharp edges or rough parts, it’s less appealing. Use a piece of sandpaper to take off any roughness or sharpness. It’s natural for people to be tactile with wood pieces. Wood is one of those materials that is irresistible to run your hand over it.

Remember, sanding is a gradual process. Start with a coarse sandpaper to level out any obvious inconsistencies then work through finer papers to refine. If you have a large piece, using a random orbital sander is fine, just be careful around any edges as it doesn’t take much to accidentally round out an edge. Once you have done one, all the other edges will need to match. Be careful not to tilt the sander either or it will dig in to the surface. You then have to match the rest of the surface or live with it. If it’s a detailed area, sand by hand.

Wipe over the piece with a clean rag and run your hand over again to ensure all parts feel smooth and inviting to the touch. Use the sandpaper again if there is still a rough spot. Applying any kind of finishing product, even a coat of oil, will magnify the imperfections not hide them so you want to make sure you get them all.

Applying Finish to your Woodwork Piece

Being a porous material, wood needs a finish to protect it from stains, dirt and the elements. There are plenty of wood finishes to choose from - paint, stain, clear coat, varnish, lacquer, shellac, polyurethane or polyacrylic.

The first step is to decide on the finish you want for your piece. Paint will completely cover the grain of the wood or if applied very thin, will be semi-transparent. A stain allows the wood grain to show through and add warmth to the wood. A clear coat such as linseed, tung or mineral oil is quick to apply but may feel slightly sticky. Wax can be use on fine wood grains and buffed to a sheen. Varnish will give your project a much shinier look and protect against moisture. Lacquer is a durable, fast drying finish prone to cracking and chipping with time. Shellac is an older style finish with a high luster if you apply several coats and sand between each one. but doesn’t have the same moisture repellent properties as varnish. Polyurethane and polyacrylic are tough durable finishes.

Brush, wipe on with a rag or spray the finish, depending on the look you are after. Use a good quality finish product so your project looks good for years.

With all finishes, practice makes perfect. Find one you like and try to use it as often as possible to achieve the best result each time.

If you are looking for good quality finishing products and accessories contact us online today.

Types of Woodworking Routers and Bits for Beginners

Routers are versatile tools in any woodwork shop. Their uses are endless. You can cut rounded edges, decorative edges, cut holes, do creative carving, joinery and even plane wood.

A router is a motor that spins a bit at a high speed to cut the wood. It’s not considered a specialty tool because it’s used all the time. With a quick change of the router bit, you can achieve a different look and function for your project. A flat piece of wood can have a rounded edge or a beaded detail added in minutes. The edge is suitable for a panel or under a shelf and if you rip off a thin strip of wood, it becomes moulding.

For joinery make a dado and rabbet then put them together for a strong joint. It’s a much stronger join than butting two straight edges together.

Use a router as a drill press to make holes that pegs fit in for shelves. Make you own wood flooring with tongue-and-groove cuts made with a router.

Types of Routers

Three main types of routers include:

A trim router is the smallest kind of router and is ideal for using inside a cabinet to make a hole for an outlet or detail. You can’t use big bits in these routers otherwise you will burn out the motor. However, small bits you buy for a trim router are suitable for larger routers.

A fixed base router is ideal for bigger jobs. If your router has a variable speed motor, use a slower speed with large diameter bits.

A plunge router has a spring-loaded base which allows you to plunge the bit down into the board and then release it to pop up out of the cut. It’s ideal for cutting inlays, grooves and holes.
Router Bits

Bits are available in dozens of sizes and shapes. You can buy them in sets or as individual bits. A set allows you to try a few different bits to find which ones you like but one straight bit is versatile. The cutter size and shank size is different on bits. The shank size needs to match the collet size, usually ¼ inch or ½ inch diameter collets. When you are buying a new bit, always check that the bit-shank diameter matches the router’s collet. However, most routers have interchangeable collets so you can have multiple two collets to fit the range of bits you own.

A straight cutting bit is needed for dados and rabbets.

A Roman Ogee router bit makes mouldings.

A piloted flush cutting bit has a ball bearing that rides along a template to make custom, precise cuts.

Some bits have a ball-bearing which rolls along the edge of the board to control the cut‘s depth.

A flush trim bit has a bearing at the bottom of the bit for trimming a laminated surface flush to the substrate. Some have cutting surfaces on the tip of the bit to plunge through laminate. A template or pattern bit has the bearing at the top so it can cut to the shape of a template.
How to Change the Router Bit

To change a router bit, unplug the router from the wall then push the bit all the way into the collet then pull it out a little so you have expansion space. Now it’s in the right place, tighten the collet using a wrench to secure it. Adjust the depth of the cut you require then plug it back in and you’re ready to cut. Clamp the board so it overhangs the workbench. Put your eye safety glasses on and ear plugs in. Make sure the router isn’t touching the board then push the router into your wood after turning it on. Router in a left-to-right direction, an anti-clockwise direction. This sends the chips out via the front of the router rather than behind the router into you.

If you have any queries about the right routing products and accessories, don’t hesitate to contact us online.

Making a Spoon with a Gouge and Spokeshave - A Video by Paul Sellers

Spoon shaping is an excellent project for beginner woodworkers, including children. If you can peel potatoes Paul says, you can shape spoons. The project also requires you to read the grain of the wood. You finish up with a spoon that is unique in shape, isn’t made from bamboo and hasn’t come out of China. Your beautiful spoon is fashioned from a piece of firewood, even an offcut from the drop saw.

To get the spoon into shape Paul uses his axe which is as sharp as his chisel and can be used very similar to a paring chisel. He then uses a paring chisel to remove the pit from the centre to give it a smoother surface. First, he chocked it so that it was parallel and fit and anchored into the vice. With both hands behind the chopping edge of the axe, this works perfectly to remove the excess.

Wood Carved Spoon Pattern

He can then take his spoon pattern, find the centre and trace around it to get the overall shape for the cut. The reason for the centre line is to make sure the bowl is centred in the spoon. To make the pattern, take a box and draw on the shape you want. The length can be whatever you want, any length of spoon works. Draw a half oval and then a parallel line to basically give you a spoon shape. Cut it out with a knife and your pattern is ready.

Paul then took the spoon blank, marked on to the other corner, folded and came inside with a quarter of an inch rim and cut it out. Paul has made permanent patterns using plastic sign material that’s a sixteenth of an inch thick. Made out of plastic, it will last forever. Using the smaller spoon pattern, he lays it out. Paul decides to leave the handle length longer for now and decide after where it should be cut off.

Next, Paul takes his pencil and eyeballs the middle of the spoon. Take a straight edge and draw the line down the middle. Using the fold of a piece of cardboard, mark the spoon, so you get a centre line. Paul thinks the next part is so wonderful that he developed it into a curriculum for working with his children. Spoon carving was one of the first projects he did with his young sons. He has five boys, and they all worked together with him carving spoons. It’s a good safe project to do with kids.

Shaping the Spoon

A cabinetmaker's mallet or hammer with a hard face and soft face is ideal for different aspects of woodworking. It works well as a general chisel hammer because it’s easy on the tools and has a great centre of percussion. When you strike, it delivers a good cutting edge. Make a mark across the middle of the spoon to give a reference. After making as many spoons as Paul has, you won’t need to do this step but starting out it’s a good idea.

About a third of the way in, start chiselling at an angle then turn around and come from the opposite end. Doing the same from the different side creates the eye of the spoon. Lift out the middle section, and it creates the second eye. Don’t go too far into the middle as it can split the wood underneath. Just roll into the cut to feel the grain. If there is a resistance of the grain, change direction or use a little more strength. Paul refines using upper body work. If the wood were green, it would just peel out. A woodland workout is using knives to do the shaping, but here Paul uses his body to anchor and carve the wood.

Right in the very bottom where the two aspects converge in the middle, go across the grain and pair across the fibres.

Shaping the Handle

After using a saw to cut off the excess and to get the shape of the handle, Paul moved on to one of his favourite tools, the spokeshave. He has bought them for his children and grandchildren. The spokeshave can replace a knife, so it’s great for kids to use.

He uses the spokeshave to refine the back of the spoon, so he ends up with a beautiful dome graceful shape. The spokeshave continues to take out all the saw marks, chisel marks and any unevenness.

Paul uses a flat bottom spokeshave and finds he rarely needs a round bottom spokeshave except for a very tight radius, maybe a less than six inches in diameter. For most of his work, the flat bottom works best.

About Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers A Lifestyle Woodworker is a popular blog with a YouTube channel that boasts more than 300,000 subscribers. The UK blogger is a woodworker and furniture maker with thousands of projects under his belt. This video has had more than 1.4 million views.

If you have any queries about the right product for your next framing project, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sharpening and Setting your Bench Plane – A Video by Paul Sellers

If your bench plane isn’t sharp, it’s not going to achieve the result you want. In a 13-minute tutorial, expert woodworker Paul Sellers shows viewers how to sharpen their bench plane effectively. Many of his followers commented that this video was now their ‘go to’ for plane sharpening.

When Should you Sharpen your Bench Plane?

A plane can be used on soft and hardwoods and can hit hard knots which very quickly takes the edge of your bevelled-down plane. Depending on the type of wood you are using, and how you are using the plane, it may need sharpening 4-5 times throughout the day.

How to Sharpen your Plane

Take the cutting iron out of the plane. This iron has a camber on it with the corners removed.

Keep your sharpening stones near your workbench, so they are always ready to go. This stone has coarse, fine and superfine options - 250, 600 and 1200.

Spray a little glass cleaner on each stone to provide some moisture on the surface of the cutting stone and spread over the surface.

Feel for the cutting edge. Start at an angle of 30 degrees and hit the cutting edge. The natural progression of the arm opens up the corner to get the heel and cutting edge. Work across the whole stone and overhang the side of the stone a little.

You can also use long oval motions to take the swarf (fine chips, filings) off the surface.

You may need a little more moisture so respray the stone to ensure there isn’t any build up on the surface of the cutting edge to stop build-up and clogging. Drop off the iron with a rag to check you are happy with your sharpened edge.

Now it’s time to work on the corners. The corners should be slightly rounded or bevelled. Paul prefers his iron corners rounded somewhat. Start with only one corner on the stone and with every forward motion drop the other corner slowly. Push then drop slowly with each movement. Repeat on the other corner.

Now move to the fine stone. Paul doesn’t worry about micro bevels. He likes to get back to his woodworking as soon as possible, so he just works on the primary bevel. With the middle stone, he polishes out all the striations that were impressed into the steel on the first level of abrading. Looking more polished and the bur has been removed. Move back and forth a few times then drop down.

Keep the iron at the same angle as your bent arm rather than directly in front of your body. This gives you more strength and stamina.

Move on to the final level of grading on the stones. If you are left with a fine bur, turn it over, place the iron flat on the stone and pull it across the stone. You may see a fine wire bur that can be pulled off.

Polishing the Iron Using a Strop

Move the stones out of the way and place a strop in your vice. A strop is a piece of leather glued to plywood or MDF. Use your three fingers under the iron and your pointer finger on top. Place the heel of your other hand over your finger for extra strength. Get a good firm grip and pull iron over strop about 30 times to polish out the bevel, so you end up with a mirror-like finish on the bevel. Lift up each corner and the residue of any bur will be taken off.

Re-assembling and Checking the Iron

Place the two pieces of the iron back together making sure there is a 2-3 mm overhang from the end. Check that it’s square and load it back into the plane.

Give it a sight test to check the plane iron is not protruding past the iron.

To set your iron, place a plain piece of wood in the vice. When you first start it may not be set right. Cut on both sides to see if you are getting a thinner shaving on one side than the other. Move the lateral adjustment lever to the side that is bringing the thickest shaving but only move it 3-4 mm. Withdraw the iron a little if needed. Keep adjusting until the shavings are the same thickness.

Take out your sample wood and replace with your project wood. Start planing your piece of wood and check there are no step downs, only a silky smooth finish when you run your hand over the planed timber.

Paul repeats the plane sharpening process 3-6 times per day. Even a small knot in the wood can cause a break in the surface so the plane will need to be re-sharpened.

Sharpen to task. Unless you are working on a rough project, keep sharpening your plane. You need the plane to be in perfect, pristine condition if you want it to the job correctly.

About Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers A Lifestyle Woodworker is a popular blog with a YouTube channel that boasts 300,000 subscribers. The UK blogger is a woodworker and furniture maker with thousands of projects under his belt. Some of his popular videos have 1.4 million views.

If you have any queries about the right product for your next framing project, don’t hesitate to contact us.

7 Essential Tools for Picture Framing

Framing your pictures is not only rewarding, but it can save you a small fortune.

Once you have filled the walls in your home with picture frames, you can make them as gifts or start up a framing business as your side hustle. While you will need a few tools to do the job, they aren’t expensive compared to others you may have bought in the past.

Check out our list of tools you will need to get started to make your picture frames.

#1 Cutting the Glass to Size

If you want to make the entire frame yourself rather than outsource the glass preparation to a glazier, you are going to need a glass cutter. No other tool can be safely substituted when you’re cutting glass. The standard thickness of glass for picture framing is 2mm so that it fits into most moulding rebates. The FrameCo glass cutter produces a fine, even cut due to the tungsten-carbide head mounted on to a solid aluminium base. Before you get started, do a little research on tips and techniques for safe glass cutting.

#2 Mastering the Mitre

For professional finishes on your frame, you will need to master the mitre saw. Suitable for a range of different frame materials and thicknesses, your mitre saw will quickly become your best friend. With the popular stops of 15, 22.5, 30, 36 45 and 90 degrees built-in, it makes for a quick and accurate job every time. Otherwise, you can use a carpenters square to make your mitre cuts, just make sure you measure twice and cut once.

#3 Cutting the Mat Board for your Frame

Just as the mitred edges of your frame are important for achieving a professional finish, so is the mat board. For a bevel edge and cutting lines that are crisp and clean, a mat board cutter is essential. If you want to centre your artwork on the mat board, subtract the artwork width from the mat board width then divide in half. This will give you the measurement you need on each side. Draw the cut lines on the back of your board, and then you are ready to start cutting.

#4 Glueing the Mitre Joins

You might already have a couple of bottles of wood glue kicking around your workshop. Before you use it on your frame, just check its thickness. You don’t want a thin glue that is going to run out of the join or drip on the front of your frame. Choose a thick glue that will stay where you apply it.

#5 Clamping it all in Place

Once you have your four frame pieces cut and ready for joining you will need some clamps to hold your frame together tight while the glue dries. A band clamp is suitable for securing anything with three or four corners. The band is held in place with four heavy-duty cast alloy corners that offer impressive clamping pressure.

Plastic corners on a strap clamp ensure it stays in place around the frame. For rounded or narrow backed moulding, wings on the bottom of each corner help keep it in place.

#6 Securing the Joints of your Frame

When it comes to finishing off the mitred joints of your frame, V-Nails are your friend. They work by pulling the joint together tightly as the V shape of the nails open out slightly. V-Nails come in a few sizes; from 7mm to 15mm. The length you need will depend on the height of your frame. Choose a pin that is about 50-60% of the frame height. The PushMaster joining tool will help you insert the V-Nails.

For large or heavy frames, a V-Nail won’t do so use a FrameCo Backing Nail. If you intend to change the artwork in your frame in the future, Flexipoints will make the job of removing the nails easier.

#7 Secure the Frame with a Corner Jack

The pressure of a V-Nail being driven into the moulding base can cause the joint to open if it’s not properly supported. The Corner Jack can be adjusted to work on small even reverse shaped profiles.

If you don’t want to buy these tools individually, there is a Basic Picture Framing Kit that can get you up and running quickly. As you framing list grows, you can gradually upgrade your tools.

If you have any queries about the right product for your next framing project, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Your Guide to 6 Types of Woodworking Joints

Joining two pieces of wood together is an essential skill for woodworkers.

But it can be more complicated than it sounds. First, you need to decide which type of joint you will for each project and second which tools you will use to complete the job.

Butt Joint

It’s the simplest of all joints; two pieces of wood butted against each other and glued or reinforced. You can cut the wood to size by using a tenon saw, or a drop saw. Use clamps to secure the joint while the glue dries or hammer in nails to reinforce the joint. Simply glueing an end grain to a long grain surface is the weakest type of joint. You can strengthen the joint by adding a triangle or square of wood on the inside of the joint.

Lap Joint

Another simple joint but stronger than a butt joint, a lap joint is when one piece of wood sits over another at an angle. A full lap joint uses the original height of both pieces of wood while the more popular half-lap joints use half the thickness of each piece. The final joint is the same height of the thickest piece.

The joint can meet at a corner or crossover. It’s an ideal method to use when the wood stock is thick. The notches provide a large surface area for the glue to firmly hold the two pieces together.

Numerous tools can be used to create a lap joint from a table saw dado stop pro kit or, if you prefer hand tools, a saw and chisel will do the job.

Mortise & Tenon Joint

A strong structural joint, the mortise and tenon joint is suitable for joining the end of a board with another using a tab and slot method. This classic joining method is used when the two pieces of wood meet at a 90 degree or slightly less angle. Many woodworkers believe it is one of the best looking joints. To make the tenon, a band saw, or tenoning jig on a table saw can be used. For the mortise, a drill bit inside a four-sided chisel can be used or a hand chisel for the traditionalist.

Biscuit Joint

A biscuit joint is a reinforced butt joint. A common point on two pieces of wood is found then cut a 4mm slot cut halfway in the width of the timber. A biscuit shaped piece of wood is used to secure the two pieces of timber. Engineered wood and plywood are ideal woods for this joint.

A slot cutter router bit makes it quick and easy to cut grooves, shallow rebates and trenches. If you need a deeper cut, you can stack multiple slot cutters on top of each other.

Dowel Joint

One of the simplest joints, a dowel joint is similar to a biscuit joint. Holes are made in both portions of wood stock, and a dowel inserted and glued to hold the two pieces together. A woodworker can choose to make the dowel pins or buy them ready cut to the length and diameter required.

Dovetail Joint

Considered one of the most revered types of joints due to its beauty and strength, dovetail joints are one of the most difficult to make. Specially designed dovetail saws make the job of cutting the tails easy, and a bevel-edged chisel used to remove the waste. If you prefer the machine method, you can use a router with a dovetail jig.

If you have any joinery questions or want to know the best tools to use for the job, don’t hesitate to contact us.

8 Kinds of Hand Saws for Woodworking

Hand saws have been around for hundreds of years. They not only survived the invention of the router but the improved quality and variety of saws have meant today’s woodworker can’t stop at just one.

There is an array of hand saws to choose from and if you delve into a range of different woodworking projects, you will need a few. Here we look at how they differ from each other and what they’re all designed to do.

Tenon Saw

Also known as a back saw, the tenon saw makes fine cuts needed for joinery work. At the top of the blade is a stiff spine which adds weight and keeps it straight. The added weight means you only need to guide the saw through the wood.

Mitre Saw

If you need to cut an angle or fine mouldings, the mitre saw is your go-to saw. The blade is wide and tensioned with hardened teeth to slide within a carriage. Set any angle to cut between 45 and 90 degrees.

Dovetail Saw

A small back saw which is suited to cutting joints including dovetails. With rip tooth sets, the saw is designed for cutting along the grain for delicate, precise cuts such as dovetail pins. Similar to a tenon saw with its stiff spine, the dovetail has a thinner blade and more teeth per inch than the tenon. Most dovetail saws cut on the push stroke but some will cut on both the push and pull stroke.

Gent’s Saw

Another backsaw the gent’s is shorter and smaller than others. With cross-cut or rip set teeth, the gent’s saw is suitable for the small-scale model and fine joinery work. Also known as ‘right-angled tenon saw’ they are similar to dovetail and tenon saws but have a longer blade and straight handle.

Japanese Saw

Precision cuts in both hard and soft wood, Japanese saws are pull stroke saws made of thin steel. The blade cuts faster with less sawdust. There is less effort needed than a Western-style saw, and therefore smoother, more accurate cuts are achieved. Three main types of Japanese saws are Dozuki, Fugaku and Kataba.

Veneer Saw

With teeth pointing towards the handle and a curved, narrow blade, the veneer saw is designed for cutting thin hardwood veneer. The blade has teeth on both sides and cuts on the pull stroke.

Flush Cut Saw

Similar to a veneer saw the flush cut saw is designed to cut the ends of dowel or tenon flush to the surrounding surface. The teeth have no side set so they won’t mar the surrounding surface and the blade can flex and bend to get in for the closest cut possible.

Carcass Saw

Designed to cut across the grain to cut tenon shoulders and to define the edges of a dado, the carcass saw is complementary to the dovetail saw. The handle is designed for the middle, ring and little fingers to wrap around the handle while the forefinger points along the spine for the best control. Rip and crosscut versions are available.

If you are unsure which is the best saw for your woodworking project, check out this range of high-quality hand saws.