10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Woodworking

I started my woodworking career in 2004. Over that time I’ve had the good fortune of learning from some great woodworkers who were quite generous with their information. In spite of that, there were some things I just had to learn the hard way. With that in mind, here’s a list of 10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Woodworking that will hopefully save you some headaches, time, and money.

1. Don’t cut all your parts at once.
2. Don’t rely so much on exact measurements and use relative dimensioning.
3. Buy material from a hardwood dealer instead of the big box store.
4. Stop practicing, start doing.
5. Take inspiration from other designs.
6. Avoid “bling” tools.
7. Buy tools on an as-needed basis.
8. Satisfy a need before upgrading.
9. Look at the used market for tools.
10. Don’t stress over perfection.