#woodworking

You’ve always loved how professional wooden props look, but you have no idea where to start. Watching and reading tutorials is a great way to figure out how you’re going to make something. Take a peek at these projects and see what you can make of them:

Beginner’s Sword (all you need is a marker, a plank, a knife, and sandpaper):

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Wooden-Sword

Beginner’s Rubber Band Gun (it’s given by a little kid who uses mixing sticks and hot glue. It’s a great way to get you thinking about layering and open up your mind to different resources):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELw8XBSfg1Y

Keyblade from Kingdom Hearts (helps you get a handle on construction):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzd6BcYxiw4

Sword of Altair from Assassin’s Creed (good for working on carving skills):

http://www.instructables.com/id/Sword-of-Altair-Assassins-Creed/?ALLSTEPS

Functioning Wooden Crossbow (will help beginners transition into medium-skill carpenters):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoNqkiQQHzc

Sword Template for Workshops (meant for seasoned workers, this provides an awesome guide for medieval-style swords):

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-nice-wooden-sword/?ALLSTEPS

What you’ll see again and again in here is the importance of planning your cuts, taking your time when you’re cutting and sanding, using primer, and patience. All the time you put into making wooden props will come back to you three-fold: they’ll be able to stand more abuse and will last much longer than most other props.

“Don’t run with scissors” was one of those rules we all heard when we were kids, and probably the one we ignored the most…only to get some kind of cut later on. When you’re working in carpentry, though, those scissors are a heck of a lot bigger and you’ll end up with way worse than a trip to the nurse if you cut yourself with them.

It’s important to keep safe when you’re working on a new project. If you don’t take common precautions before you begin, you could cause serious and permanent damage to yourself. You will also use up way more time and effort than you would normally need to when you’re working with an injury.

Follow these tips to avoid wasting all that blood, sweat, and tears:

1)Wear protective gear. You know how much it hurts when you get an itty-bitty splinter in your finger? Now imagine that in your eye. When you’re working with high-powered machinery, always wear safety goggles. If you’re using unfinished wood or paints, wear gloves. When you’re sanding, put on a ventilator. You don’t realize just how important these are until you’re sitting in a waiting room wondering how you’re going to pay for the extra medical bills.

2)Use the appropriate guards and guides with your tools. They were made to protect from common accidents that happen again and again. If you decide you’re good enough to not use them, you will pay the price for it.

2)Dress appropriately. Don’t ever wear loose-fitting clothing when you’re working. You can’t manage it all the time, and it will eventually get caught in something. At the least you’ve ruined a shirt and a tool. At the worst you’re the one that gets torn up.

3)Stay focused and aware. There’s a reason workshops are large and closed-off areas. When you’re working with such powerful tools, you need to tune everything else out–phones, friends, pets. Distractions=looking away from your tools=injuries and messed up projects.

You also shouldn’t be under the influence when you’re working. You need to be completely in the moment, both mentally and physically; it’s the only way you can put your all into what you’re doing. When you’re drinking or smoking you aren’t all there, plain and simple.

4)Turn off and unplug machines when you aren’t using them. If that means that you only use a single outlet to force yourself to switch between power cords, do it. You’re using stuff that’s meant to cut through limber like it was butter. Imagine what it would do to your foot if you left it on by mistake and put it down on the floor.

5)Put tools away when you aren’t using them. This doesn’t only help you keep track of everything, it makes sure you don’t end up being surrounded by heavy, pointy, metal things.

6)Don’t use dull or dirty tools. This isn’t just about precision. When you use dull blades, there’s a better chance that your tools will bind and kick-back (get pinched between the pieces of wood you’re cutting and fly off in unpredictable directions). That make things go real bad, real fast.

Having them get gunked up by pitch (resin that comes from the wood) will have the same effect. Use a pitch cleaner to take care of your tools and keep them factory-fresh.

7)Don’t let exposed blades or tips point towards you. That might seem like common sense, but it’s also really easy to do without realizing it. Reaching over a table to get a drink of soda is fine, but when that table is full of spinning blades, nail guns, screws, and sanders, it’s a bit more dangerous. You also don’t want to put your hand down for balance only to put it on the sharp edge of something.

The long and short of it is, don’t be stupid. You’re a vulnerable blob of flesh that’s real easy to cut through and you don’t have mind powers that can control your tools or supplies. Take proper precautions and you’ll have a great time in the workshop. Skip them, though, and you’ll have an ambulance taking you out of it. If you don’t believe me, just search for carpentry accidents on YouTube (they’re really graphic, though, so don’t look it up if you can’t handle blood and gore).

When you’re making a drawing, you need to know what kind of paper you’re using. When you’re sewing a shirt, you have to decide on the best kind of fabric. Woodworking is no different.

There are as many kinds of lumber to use as there are species of trees, so it can be hard to choose just one. Since you’re making small portable props, though, you’ll want to work with softwood. These are some of the most popular choices:

PlywoodviaSteven Mattern

A manufactured material made out of several thin layers of wood. It’s cheap, widely available, strong, takes well to paint, and is resistant to warping. However, because the outside veneer protects the wood inside, it cannot be sanded down to give it smooth edges or to remove dents.

PineviaMarlin Bills

A dense and beautiful material that will stand up better than many softwoods. Strong, easy to work with, and relatively cheap, but may warp if exposed to too much water. Good for the bodies of props.

MDF (Medium-density Fibre Board)viaTested

It isn’t actually wood, but a manufactured composite made with fine wood particles. It’s far cheaper than wood and shapes well, but is prone to warping and splitting. It will also dull your tools faster.

BasswoodviaFred Zavadil
A light, high-grain wood that’s excellent for carving. Cheap, easy to work with, and takes well to paint, but isn’t meant to stand up to abuse. Best for intricate details.

Balsa wood
It’s that stuff you built the tiny planes out of when you were younger. A very light and porous wood best used for layering and detailing. It can be fragile, though, so you need to be gentle with it.

Carpentry can seem like magic if you aren’t familiar with it. Once you’ve learned about some of the tools, though, you’ll have a better handle on what you’re doing. When you decide to make any of your accessories out of wood this is some of the basic gear you’ll need:

Markers

You use them to draw your outlines on the wood before you cut it. Get plenty of these–they’ll dry out faster than you’d think.

Level

Combination Square

Really great for adjusting measurements and a heck of a lot less clunky than a framing square.

Tape Measure

Handsaw

Good for cutting out large pieces.

Coping saw

Good for cutting out curved or unusual lines.

Hand plane

This is used to shave wood down to a nicer finish.

Chisels

These are used for shaving down wood and carving out details.

Sandpaper
…lots and lots andlots of sandpaper.

Safety Glasses

Respirator

When you have to stop working every ten minutes because there’s too much dust in the air to breath, you’ll really appreciate this.

Hammer

Screwdriver

The double-ended kinds with both flat-slot (the metal tip is flat) and Phillips (the metal tip is cut into a cross-shape) heads are great ways to save space and make sure you have everything you need with you.

Nails and Screws

Drill

Drill Bits

Pliers 

A pair of slip joint (ones that lock in when you squeeze the handle) and needle-nose pliers will be the most useful to start off with.

Wrench

Wood Glue

Clamp

If you’re looking through this list and thinking that everything seems kind of expensive, don’t worry. Most of these cost less than or about $5. The most expensive item on this list is the drill, and you can find that online for a little under $20. If you’re still nervous, though, plan out your project first and buy only the tools you’ll need. Many carpenters use this technique to save money over time.

This guide was made under the wing of Costume Discounters (www.costumediscounters.com). Please go check out their site!! They sell wigs, shoes, shirts, essentials…all sorts of goodies.

Got Wood?

viaLeon Chiro Cosplay Art…and it’s just as big as it looks. Badump-tss.

Carpentry is one of the oldest professions, and for good reason. You can make beautiful, strong, resilient pieces that will get you compliments for years. A lot of people feel like it’s beyond them, though, and that’s a real shame. Anyone can learn how to do it if they start off simple enough! These tutorials will get you started in your woodworking career and give you inspiration for more projects as you get better.

This guide was made under the wing of Costume Discounters (www.costumediscounters.com). Please go check out their site!! They sell wigs, shoes, shirts, essentials…all sorts of goodies.

I made a few bowls.

Only one I couldn’t salvage.

Japanese Dovetail by Tom Kato Inman

DIY Floating Shelf

1 × 8 top and bottom - 2 @ 24 inches

1 × 2 front - 1 @ 24 inches

1 × 2 sides - 2 @6.5 inches

2 × 2 cleat - 1 @ 22.5 inches

2 × 2 cleat legs - 3 @ 5 inches

Notes: The actual thickness of a 1 x board is .75

inches, and the actual width of a 1x 8 board is 7.25 inches

If you’ve ever wondered how to erase the actual burns… I have a method that may come as a RELIEF (Relief carving lolol)

I know this one’s hard to look at right now, but it’s an experiment piece and still has a ways to go before it’s done. But yeah, the thing I wanted to mess with here is kind of like, idk, reverse relief carving? I’m not carving for a 3D effect, just trying to create highlights and add a little more dimension. It’s subtle, but I like it, and yes it is way more effort than necessary.

I’ve been getting back into wood burning this week! I used to burn all the freaking time but kind of got out of practice for a little while, but I’m vending at a craft show this weekend and thought it would be a good excuse to churn some burnings out again. If these boxes don’t sell I think I’ll put them up on Etsy!