By The Numbers

Some fun with projects in your shop

Audience: new or experienced woodworker

How often do you start a project with no design, or a simple design? What do you do first? How deep is your pile of wood? Are you trying to use cutoffs? Does the design require a trip to your local supplier?

This conundrum afflicts many of us. Even when we start from a professional article or a lengthy YouTube presentation on building a new project, it's not uncommon to need to improvise. The guidelines below are suggestions only. The important topic here is summed up in one of my favorite shop phrases, "Order of Operations."

Let's begin with a notion of a custom project instead of a comprehensive design from a professional source. To keep it simple and give us something concrete, let's make a picnic table.

Rough draft of decisions:

• Will I buy some S4S or do I use rough stock that I'll dimension myself

• Do I have a design, a picture, or some requirements from the customer/friend/family member, etc.

• Is this an outdoor object? How many seasons will it need to weather? With protection, without protection...

• What requirements are there for the finish? Stain color, opaque paint, UV resistant clear finish...

• Main and auxiliary techniques of joinery, Screws, nails, glued joints...

• Are there any issues to address outside your own resources? Cutting down large stock, panels, etc.

• Important Question: have you made something like this before?

These guidelines lead you to a starting point and help you break free of inertia. You want to be patient with this process. Decisions you make early will have large impacts going forward. Take your time. Write out your plan.

Are you ready? In the last several days have you considered things and talked them over with your audience? Have you shared a design and maybe put dimensions to your proposed design? Are there any murky areas, or trouble spots, that you have no idea how to approach? Did you decide to buy a new tool for the shop? (tempting, always tempting)

🔢By the Numbers

This is the time to plan your project. I begin with a numbered list. But I know it's flexible. Just a starting point.

1. Run to the lumber yard and buy the PT, or KDAT, boards I'll be using to build the table.

   1. Do you have a cut-list? Articles often include this. CAD software usually provides this too.

   2. If I'm clear on dimensions, I'll buy to reduce waste or even ask for some of the cuts to be made there

   3. I'm allowing for waste because S4S from commercial suppliers is not always flat, straight, without damage...

2. Get my lumber back to my site and store it appropriately (keep PT wood out of strong sun, etc)

3. Review tools I'll be using and make sure these are well maintained. Prepare my shop for the size of the project.

4. Do I plan to make any jigs, assembly accessories, etc.

5. Did I purchase all the fasteners I need to securely attach pieces of the build

6. Are there sub-assemblies involved? Which ones will I build first?

7. Is there a way to make things more efficient like ganging pieces together for some cuts?

8. Would a story stick be a good idea since I have so many sized parts that need precise repetition?