Mastering the art of woodworking is not easy, but within the reach of the common man. Passion, labor and self-discipline are all necessary traits for a woodworking professional. This article offers useful advice about woodworking. Keep reading and use all of this top advice.

Know how much you can spend in order to create a project. It is easy for your eyes to be larger than your wallet. You get excited, only to have your money run out part way through. Do your due diligence to avoid any problems down the road.

Always apply a pre-stain conditioner to the wood you want to stain. This will reduce any blotches in the piece that you create. Conditioners can smooth the uneven grain of your wood and cause the stain to penetrate the wood more evenly.

Gel Stains

Gel stains are great for furniture. Traditional liquid stains have a tendency to run. Gel stains grab on to the wood better. Also, gels are thicker so they will remain consistent during the entire application process.

A small metal ruler is handy to carry around in your pocket for quick measuring. It has a tendency to fall out of your pockets, though. Make the small ruler a metal one, and put it inside the pocket in which you have a small magnet for picking up those loose screws. Keep the ruler and the magnet in the same pocket. The ruler will stay in place.

Reusable sanding blocks made by yourself will save money. Use your scrap pieces of 3/4″ plywood and cut as many blocks as you need for the sandpaper grits you use the most. Be sure that the measurements are around two-and-a-half inches by four-and-three-quarters inches. Spray adhesive is what you use on both the blocks and cork tile square. Stick a block on the cork and cut it flush with a knife. Spray some adhesive on a sandpaper sheet and stick it on each cork block face down. Finally you can cut the sandpaper so it’s flush with the cork and then you can label each block.

TIP! Try making sanding blocks that are reusable on your own. First cut 6 blocks from scrap plywood, one for each grit of sandpaper you like to use.

If your interior doors have loose hinges, you can simply fix it with a golf tee. Take the door and your hinges off the door’s frame and softly tap your golf tee into every screw hole. Get rid of the excess part of the tee by cutting it and put the door back up. The screw can then “bite” into the golf tee.

You want to be sure that you have the right size nails for your project. A nail that is too large in diameter will often split the wood, causing it not to hold properly. However, very small nails do not penetrate well; therefore, they won’t hold the wood. It is important that you find properly sized nails in order to have a successful project.

As stated earlier, operating a winning woodworking enterprise is no easy task. It is vital that you learn all you can on these strategies so that you can be successful in your woodworking projects. If you use what you learned here, you’ll be well on your way to success.

Gel stains are great for furniture. Liquid-based stain often runs on application, and gel stains stay put much better. Gel stains will create a more consistent finish on pieces, as well.