05/12/2000

Vocational Arts aren't Lost

Several readers have asked me questions about vocational education for students not on a college track. A friend of mine, who teaches English, has been a woodworker for many years. Now that "shop" has taken a back seat to "computers" in the schools, he says, carpentry and wood sculpting are gradually becoming lost arts. You may have to set up your own "shop" at home to bring it back.

Beginning Woodworking
by Richard W. Searles

In these days of mass-produced disposables made of synthetic materials, it is really satisfying to craft something durable and lasting out of wood. Remember those crude key racks and napkin holders you made in shop when you were a kid? But where and how does the wordworker begin?

Most local school programs no longer teach basic woodworking now that "technology" is in, and the shop equipment is long gone. You may never have had instruction in using basic hand tools or a bench vise, making a working drawing, reading blue prints, or "finishing" a handmade wood product. Unless you had a cabinetmaker grandfather or a carpenter in the family, you may think it's too difficult, too expensive or too late.

Well, it is NOT.

A good place to begin is to identify the kind of wood project you would like to attempt. It could be as simple and useful as a cutting board with an original shape, or a birdhouse, or a candleholder for the mantle, or a child's toy. Your local builder's supply store, such as Home Depot or Lowes, carries a line of paperback books and sells plans for do-it-yourself projects, like making a birdhouse, or building a deck. Most of them offer free seminars on such projects, with tips by experts on tools and techniques to take you step-by-step from start to finish.

If carpentry is your desire, seek out a carpenter you might learn from and work with -- still the best way to learn the trade. Then when you have some skills, like framing or installing dry wall, be bold--you might be able to team up with an experienced carpenter to work on your own remodeling job or addition!

For ideas for small projects, try scouting several sources for ideas. Local craft fairs are a good bet, because you're bound to come away saying, "I can do that", and you end up going home and doing it! Now you can take the credit for a unique toy or object that offers much more pleasure than any commercially made one can.

Another source is woodworking magazines. See Better Homes & Gardens' Wood Magazine, which in its June, 2000 issue offers "Wood Basics" -- a "get started in woodworking" feature on planning your project, shopping for materials, tool tips, finishing, etc. Its regular issues [9 per year @ $22 a year] promise to include over 50 shop-tested projects, skill building tips, pattern pull-outs, tool reviews and instructional videos. They also show you how you can profit from your woodworking.

A second print source is found in the monthly feature, "Home Improvement" section of Popular Mechanics. The April 2000 issue features clearly explained and illustrated projects for "do-it-yourself" readers, such as restoring your deck or installing a new storm door. "Replacing Dated Garage Doors" is a more ambitious project, for more experienced "do-it-yourselfers." Both these magazines, and most other available woodworking magazines have websites that are listed in their publications: www.woodmagazine.com and www.popularmechanics.com. Tool Selection: What tools to use or own depends on the project you choose. For a start, see Readers Digest's New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual. Chapters two and three cover "Hand and Power Tools." So roll up your sleeves and let the wood chips fly. You and your curious offspring can build it yourselves!

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.