Wood carving and wood work! Create your own patterns

Man's association with wood has been since the primitive ages. Woodworking has been seen in ancient civilizations of china and Egypt. Different varieties of tools and vessels were made of wood during those times. In modern times, Woodworking has developed a lot of techniques due to which it has to be discussed under various topics. Woodworking as a hobby has become easy due to the free woodworking plans available online.

Types of woodworking

Woodworking has so many aspects to it that it has to be discussed under the following topics:

• Carpentry- This covers the basic general woodworking
• Cabinetry- This form of woodworking involves the making of cabinets and shelves
• Joinery- This form of woodworking involves joining two pieces of wood in wood work projects.
• Parquetry - This form of woodworking involves creating woodwork patterns and designs in the wood for decorative purposes.
• Boat building- This is done by professional ship builders.

Types of woodsSome of the types of woods used for wood working are as follows:

• Alder
• Balsa
• Basswood
• Boxwood
• Chestnut
• Teakwood
• Rosewood
• Ebony
• Kingwood
• Maple
• Oakwood
• Walnut
• Softwood

Woodworking equipment

A variety of tools are used for woodworking. They can be classified into the following tools:

• Power tools
• Hand tools
• Woodworking machinery
• Cutting tools-These tools include types of saws like rip saw, cut saw, keyhole saw, bow saw, coping saw, Power saws include chain saw, circular saw, radial arm saw miter saw and zig zag saw.
• Assembly tools-These tools include screw driver, harmer and mallet, clamps and power drills.
• Shaping tools- These tools include lathe, chisel, Hand planes, rotary tools, drill press, knife and rasp.
• Finishing tools- These tools include brushes, scrapers, sandpaper, file and spray guns
• Tool sharpening instruments- These instruments help increasing the tool efficiency. They are files, saw set, grinder, sharpening jig, oil stone and water stone.

Woodworking machinery

The wood working machinery include the chisel mortiser,universal woodworking machine, chain mortiser,copy router machine, drum sander, dust collector, Four side planer, universal spindle, pneumatic clamp carrier.verticla and horizontal band saw, wood turning lathe. The information regarding the vintage machinery can be found in the old woodworking machines website.

Safety tips for woodworking

It is very important that you follow the following safety precautions when you are working with woodworking machines:

• The instruction manual should be read thoroughly before you start your project
• Dust masks should be used
• Gloves are to be used when you are working with wood or splinters only
• Goggles have to be used for eye protection
• Check the equipment thoroughly before use
• Stock inspection is necessary
• A collar around the start button is advised since you do not want the machine to start without your knowledge.
• Good illumination is needed in the work place.
• Make sure you keep your hands at a safe distance from the cutting blade. To push material into the machine, you can use a stick.
• Ventilation or exhaust fans are needed to drive away the saw dust
• Electric gadgets and power lines should not be near the floor you work
• Floor areas should be clean and non slippery.
• Avoid distractions during work
• Avoid alcohol during work at all costs. It could lead to accidents.
• Don't force the saw to cut through. If there is an obstruction, then stop work to see what is causing it.

There are a lot of free woodworking plans available online like Bird house, Book cases, Storage shelves, Entertainment centre plans, Jewellery box, Decorative shelves etc.

Woodworking as a hobby

Woodworking as a hobby is very interesting. For beginner's you do not need to invest much. A simple beginner's tool kit would contain the following tools:

• Bench knife to create lines and cuts on the wood.
• Chip knife for chipping
• Sharpening stones
• Skew chisel
• Bent chisel
• Straight chisel
• V gouge
• Shallow gouge
• Deep gouge

There are also free online tutorials where you can order the complete CD of woodworking designs that contain theme patterns like holiday themes, botanical themes, nautical themes, wildlife theme designs, Mythological designs,3-D designs, Traditional designs and bird designs. The classic carving patterns site online is offering a whole range of woodworking designs to choose from.

Free online tutorials

The woodworking sites like the classic carving pattern site offer free online tutorials covering a range of topics as follows:

• Introduction to carving
• Basic carving cuts
• Working with layers and levels
• Free form patterns
• Changing and free form patterns
• Introduction to shadows
• Carving with colors
• Introduction and ideas to landscape relief carving
• American heroes' patterns

Woodworking as a hobby can be a very fascinating one. With the wide range of free woodworking designs available online, you can do it with ease. With patience and practice you can develop your skill to great heights.So, start you're carving today!