Some beginner questions on woodworking.

[Vulgar Soul]

After reading the Spystyle tutorial, I plan to finally begin building my own cab...except I've never done real woodwork in my life. Now don't get me wrong, I know my way around a tool shed, I can handle a saw and some wood, but this will be my first shot at a real, personal construction project. Luckily, just looking at Spystyle's tutorial laid out most things very clearly to me, and I have some ole' carpenters in the family that I will contact for help as well. However, I have a few minor noobie questions in concerns to how I am to interpret the actual work I'm going to do before I get started...Please bear with me.

1) How exactly do you read a plan? I got a plan of those old simple 4 player Konami cabs (TMNT, Sunset Riders, Simpsons etc.) from Jakobud. I understand the measurements and all, but between all the lines and numbers, it gets a little confusing. Is there a certain standard to reading a plan that a beginner like me should know of?

2) How do you make sure every side is perfectly straight? Is there a tool or method for this? I'd hate to take out a ruler, draw out my measurements, think I'm getting everything straight and end up with a discombobulated mess instead.

3) How do you accurately measure, and draw out angled sides before cutting (such as the top rear area that usually that usually slants upwards, meeting the marquee)?

4) How do you cut out rounded edges? The side panels of my planned cab has a few edges that are slightly roundish. How would I go about cutting out these round edges accurately? The plans point to these edges with with tiny notes beginning with an 'R' followed by some type of measurement, like R0.625". What does it mean? Or is there a specific tool or method to getting these edges accurately?

5) How would you correctly angle and measure out the cabinet's monitor shelf? These details aren't directly noted on my plans, and the monitor area for this cab is very slanted.

Any other suggestions or help would be very appreciated. As you can see most of my concerns are with knowing how to get certain measurements and angles correct so I don't unknowingly end up cutting out a mess like a novice. I'm no craftsman, but I have a great record of teaching myself new things. I know most of these are dumb questions, but it's very important to me that I fully understand every aspect of this so I don't end up screwing up, doing this over and over again, and wasting money. So please take the time to help a poor noobie out!

[Vulgar Soul]

I've been googling all day, but every guide out there seems to focus more on the tools available and how to do specific things with the assumption that most people (like me) are otherwise confused about.

Again, I've never taken on a real woodworking project before. I only want to learn the methods to understanding a plan, and drawing/cutting out what's laid out on the plan accurately.
Frankly I'm ignorant to these tiny basics of woodworking and I'd hate to think I'm doing it right and end up with a mess.

Anyone care to help, or know a good site where I can learn these basics?

[Franco B]

1) How exactly do you read a plan? I got a plan of those old simple 4 player Konami cabs (TMNT, Sunset Riders, Simpsons etc.) from Jakobud. I understand the measurements and all, but between all the lines and numbers, it gets a little confusing. Is there a certain standard to reading a plan that a beginner like me should know of?

Can you attach or link to the drawing/plan you are looking at? It would be easier to explain if I/we know the drawing in question.

2) How do you make sure every side is perfectly straight? Is there a tool or method for this? I'd hate to take out a ruler, draw out my measurements, think I'm getting everything straight and end up with a discombobulated mess instead.

It helps if you have some material with square corners (meaning 90°).

Say for example you need to draw a 400mm long line 500mm in from the side of the material. I would mark 500mm at the top and bottom of the materail (measuring from the same edge) and then draw a line to connect the two marks. You should then have a line that's parallel to the edge of the material. You can then mark/draw your 400mm length.

3) How do you accurately measure, and draw out angled sides before cutting (such as the top rear area that usually that usually slants upwards, meeting the marquee)?

Rather than try to draw the line 'as an angle', I would mark the coordinates of the two end points of the line and then join them up

4) How do you cut out rounded edges? The side panels of my planned cab has a few edges that are slightly roundish. How would I go about cutting out these round edges accurately? The plans point to these edges with with tiny notes beginning with an 'R' followed by some type of measurement, like R0.625". What does it mean? Or is there a specific tool or method to getting these edges accurately?

The R stands for radius. If you drew a full circle, the radius would be half of the diameter.

For example:



In this case the diameter of the circle of the circle is 10cm and the radius is 5cm.

In your example R0.625" would be a radius of 0.625"  (5/8")

You have a few choices in how to draw/cut the radius. You could just use a compass to draw the line/circle:



The distance between the two point of the compass is the radius. You could then just jigsaw etc the bulk of the material and then sand to the line.

I personally use a router for all of my finishing cuts. I would mark the radius, cut the excess of with a jigsaw and then use a piece of material with the same radius as the arc I want to cut as a template in conjunction with a flush or pattern trim bit. To create the circle template I would use a hole saw (adjustable or fixed) or router circle cutting jig depending on the size of the circle/radius. I often make metal cylindrical templates on a lathe to cut very accurate circles/radii.

5) How would you correctly angle and measure out the cabinet's monitor shelf? These details aren't directly noted on my plans, and the monitor area for this cab is very slanted.

It will depend on your monitor and cabinet/plans. I/we could help you out once we have some more information.

Any other suggestions or help would be very appreciated. As you can see most of my concerns are with knowing how to get certain measurements and angles correct so I don't unknowingly end up cutting out a mess like a novice. I'm no craftsman, but I have a great record of teaching myself new things. I know most of these are dumb questions, but it's very important to me that I fully understand every aspect of this so I don't end up screwing up, doing this over and over again, and wasting money. So please take the time to help a poor noobie out!

Don't worry, things that you don't know a lot about can seem daunting at first but there are many people who can help you out. You obviously have the willingness to learn and want to do the job properly which is half of the battle.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is think thrice, measure twice and cut once which basically means think about what you are doing/are going to do, measure your dimensions and the check them. If you have done that you should be able to cut your material and end up with the right size pieces. Also planning is key, try and work out exactly what you need to do before you get to do it. If your anything like me I'm always thinking about how I'm going to do something and ideas develop as I think. Its a good idea to plan things and make drawings/notes/lists etc. This forces you to think about what you are doing and can often highlight problems you may not otherwise think about.

If you want any more help don't hesitate to ask. If you don't understand something or it isn't clear I don't mind making some drawings etc if it helps to explain things better.

Most of all, have fun

[Vulgar Soul]

I can't thank you enough Franco B. I feel like a dumbass, but I'm glad I understand this more clearly! I may run into something later, like that monitor shelf, but at least I can measure and draw out this cab more accurately! Thank you again, I won't hesitate the next time I need help!

[Vulgar Soul]

Okay back again with another question. Still in the planning stages of my cab, but I at least got some nice power tools (DeWalt Dw331K jig saw to be exact) and am practicing how to do my cuts on some scrap wood to prepare for the real deal.

Anyway I want to clarify on what anyone thinks is the best way to get precise results from cutting? I'm a beginner and still getting the feel of things, but with some of the curves and corners I gotta do, I need a good technique to ensure my panels are cut and trimmed down to perfect shape.

As Franco B said earlier, do you cut outside the line, leave some bulk, and than safely trim down to the line with a sander? And if so, how do you avoid ruining the edge of the wood?

Do you cut outside the line and trim it down with a router?

Or (at least for easy, straight cuts with a guide) do you simply cut directly on the line?

[justinjstark]

Okay back again with another question. Still in the planning stages of my cab, but I at least got some nice power tools (DeWalt Dw331K jig saw to be exact) and am practicing how to do my cuts on some scrap wood to prepare for the real deal.

Anyway I want to clarify on what anyone thinks is the best way to get precise results from cutting? I'm a beginner and still getting the feel of things, but with some of the curves and corners I gotta do, I need a good technique to ensure my panels are cut and trimmed down to perfect shape.

As Franco B said earlier, do you cut outside the line, leave some bulk, and than safely trim down to the line with a sander? And if so, how do you avoid ruining the edge of the wood?

Do you cut outside the line and trim it down with a router?

Or (at least for easy, straight cuts with a guide) do you simply cut directly on the line?

Curves can be tricky.  Cut the outside of the line with the jigsaw and chip away at it.  If you just cut one big curve with a jigsaw you will find that the blade bends and your cut is no longer 90 degrees off the face of the wood.  Don't worry too much about making it smooth.  Once you have your rough cut done with the jigsaw (cutting just outisde of the line) then put some fairly coarse sandpaper on your palm sander (or sanding block) and sand down to the line.  Then put on some fine sand paper and clean it up.

If you need to cut multiple pieces the same, trace the piece you just cut on another piece of wood and rough cut the second piece the same way as you did the first.  Then clamp it to the first piece (which is cut nicely) and use a flush trim bit with your router to make an exact copy.

[NoBullMAME]

I don't want to hijack your thread, but is the Spystyle tutorial still up to date? I remember if from years ago, but I can't find the link?
Can someone post or PM me the current link?

[Vulgar Soul]

I don't want to hijack your thread, but is the Spystyle tutorial still up to date? I remember if from years ago, but I can't find the link?
Can someone post or PM me the current link?

http://spystyle.arcadecontrols.com/2000/index1.htm

Really helpful tutorial. One of the first ones I referred to. But like a lot of these cabinet build guides, it assumes you already have good basic woodworking skill, which I still am trying to grasp on my own.


Justinjstark, right now I'm still assembling all the "wood shaping" tools I need to make sure I get this right. I already own a Dewalt random orbital sander, a Dewalt plunge/fixed router (and a set of router bits comin soon), a Bosch power planer, and would like to get a sanding block. Would you also recommend a belt sander, and a set of files/rasps for proper wood shaping, or is this just over doin it?

The files/rasps are cheap, I might get them anyway. But I was thinkin for certain situations (like small inside curves), a round shaped file can get in and shape it up much better than a large power sander or stiff sanding block. But than, I've never really used these instruments before, so I'm open to what an experienced person like you would do.

Also, I notice sanding blocks come in either plastic or rubber. I'm assuming the choice is a matter of preference between power and versatility. What would be better for me?

Now the belt sander on the other hand is something I'm really hesitant about, as I've spent so much money on new power tools already. I only want to spend big money on what is necessary at this point, but the belt sander looked like a fast and efficient tool for shaping wood, but considering what I have already, I'm not sure whether it would be a big waste.

What would you recommend? And any final notes on cutting and shaping my cabinet panels would be very appreciated. 

[jennifer]

           A tablesaw, even a "cheap" one, [a new blade] a router, and the old woodwooking threads on this site, thats all you really need.
Pay mind to the safety advice.

[justinjstark]

Justinjstark, right now I'm still assembling all the "wood shaping" tools I need to make sure I get this right. I already own a Dewalt random orbital sander, a Dewalt plunge/fixed router (and a set of router bits comin soon), a Bosch power planer, and would like to get a sanding block. Would you also recommend a belt sander, and a set of files/rasps for proper wood shaping, or is this just over doin it?

A belt sander or drum sander (which I would love to have) would work awesome but are really unnecessary.  A palm sander or file or rounded wood sanding block works fine.

Also, I notice sanding blocks come in either plastic or rubber. I'm assuming the choice is a matter of preference between power and versatility. What would be better for me?

Either one.  I would prefer wood.  Or just use a scrap piece of wood and wrap a piece of sand paper around it.

Now the belt sander on the other hand is something I'm really hesitant about, as I've spent so much money on new power tools already. I only want to spend big money on what is necessary at this point, but the belt sander looked like a fast and efficient tool for shaping wood, but considering what I have already, I'm not sure whether it would be a big waste.

Unless you have the money, don't worry about the belt sander.  Most of the sanding will be straight pieces and the few curves you have you can just use your sanding block.

What would you recommend? And any final notes on cutting and shaping my cabinet panels would be very appreciated. 

Just go at it.  You will figure out what works best for you.

[trendyscotsman12]

Okay back again with another question. Still in the planning stages of my cab, but I at least got some nice power tools (DeWalt Dw331K jig saw to be exact) and am practicing how to do my cuts on some scrap wood to prepare for the real deal.

Anyway I want to clarify on what anyone thinks is the best way to get precise results from cutting? I'm a beginner and still getting the feel of things, but with some of the curves and corners I gotta do, I need a good technique to ensure my panels are cut and trimmed down to perfect shape.

As Franco B said earlier, do you cut outside the line, leave some bulk, and than safely trim down to the line with a sander? And if so, how do you avoid ruining the edge of the wood?

Do you cut outside the line and trim it down with a router?

Or (at least for easy, straight cuts with a guide) do you simply cut directly on the line?

Getting a straight edge/jig  will help keep your cuts straight (if you setup your straight edge striaght lol).

doing my cab i cut the lines a little away from my marked size so that i could bring it down to size using a planer.

For corners i would suggest using a router. I find them so much easyer to use

[Woodshop Flunky]

If you have a decent router and jig saw, then you are already in good shape.  You didn't mention if you had a drill, so I'll just say get one if you don't already.  The only other power tool that I would really miss (but you could still get the job done with what you have) is a circular saw.  Some folks would suggest a table saw, but if I had to choose between a good circular saw or a cheap table saw, I wouldn't blink twice; I'd get the circular saw.  Coupled with a straight edge, you can do great things with the circular saw.

Aside from power tools, you need a good framing square.  As soon as you get it home, check the accuracy of the square.  You never know what kid dropped the thing in the hardware store.  You can Google how to check the accuracy of a framing square... it's dirt simple.  You will also need a couple of clamps.  When woodworking, you will NEVER have enough clamps, so take your time and pick the "extra set of hands" that you can imagine actually using.  Also, don't discount the value of a wood rasp and file; these are life savers in my shop.  When it comes to sanding blocks, I've never spent a dime on one.  Just grab a piece of scrap wood and cut it to the shape you need and fit a piece of sandpaper around it.

You mentioned how to make straight edges and angles.  You're biggest issues in accurate layout will be square and parallel edges.  If your layout is out of square and related edges are not parallel, it won't matter if your measurements are spot on when it comes time for assembly.

Here is one thing you can do that will help very much.  Identify two "reference" edges before you do your layout.  For example, if you are going to layout the sides of your cabinet, then designate the left and bottom edges of the piece as a reference edges.  Any horizontal measurements are made from the left reference edge and any vertical measurements are made from the bottom reference edge.  If you have one measurement of 10in from the bottom, and then another measurement 15in from that, don’t measure 15in from the 10in mark.  Instead measure 25in from the bottom reference edge.  This may sound silly, but it really helps a lot.

Someone else posted to locate coordinates for two points on an angle and then connect the dots.  This is a really good method, and it’s really easy to brush up on basic trig with Google.

This is personal preference, but I would do my entire layout on something like hardboard (it’s the stuff pegboards are made of, but it’s smooth on both sides.)  It’s not expensive, and you can shape it very easily.  If you take your time on hardboard, then you will have a nice template that you can use to trace your layout to your actual sides.  Also, if you use your jigsaw to cut the tracing out on your sides, and leave the line you drew, then you can use the hardboard as a router template with a flush trim bit to get VERY nice results.  Finally, multiple pieces using the hardboard will be identical.

[Woodshop Flunky]

I forgot to mention curves.  Small curves can be handled with a compass.  But larger curves are going to trip you up.  Say there is a nice graceful curve you are wanting to layout.  The plan might say it has a 30in radius.  Truth is it probably doesn't matter if you end up with a curve that has a 29in, 30in, or 31in radius.  What your really after is that two end points on your layout are connected by a graceful arc as close to 30in as possible.

One of the techniques I use is to create a bow (just like the bow and arrow set you had as a kid).  Take a strip of wood and a piece of twine and make a bow.  By adjusting the length of the twine you can adjust the arc of the bow.  Now lay the bow on your layout until it meets the two end points and looks like what you want.  Then trace the bow outline onto your layout.

[Vulgar Soul]

Very help info Flunky! Thanks a lot.

I can't believe it's been more than 7 months since I first made this thread. Heh, proud to say I've since worked up my lil workshop. Still have a lot to learn, but I'm at least a lot more confident and skilled with these tools than I was when I first made this thread 7 months ago.

Actually, I haven't even touched my circular saw. I use my router with my top bearing router bit to make all my straight cuts. Yep the ole rough cut and route method. I cut outside the line with the jig saw, lay down a straight edge, and trim it down with router. Get em so straight you'd swear it was a factory cut. I'm sure a circular saw is much faster, but this method feels more accurate to me.


One question. How do you personally cut/shape your curves? Right now I just cut out the bulk with the jig saw and use my rasp/files and sanders to shape down to the line.

[Woodshop Flunky]

For curves up to 18' radius, I have a Jasper Circle Guide http://www.jaspertools.com/productsdetail.cfm?SKU=673046004006&prod=Model-400%20Circle%20Guide&cat=Circle%20Guide for my router.

There are other jigs http://www.rockler.com/findit.cfm?page=5960 for larger arcs, but unless you are making a lot of different sized arcs you can make a one off jig from scrap wood pretty easily.