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Woodn't it be therapeutic?

Woodworking fun

There's nothing quite as relaxing and rewarding as taking a few pieces of wood and creating something useful, such as a bench, desk or table. These pieces have a natural simplicity and beauty far superior to a hunk of pressed sawdust.

Over the years I have built boats, birdhouses, benches, desks, a small entertainment center and a computer hutch. I've learned a few things in the process:

The smell of wood has a therapeutic effect at the end of a stressful day at the office.
It's good to try new ways of doing things.
Watching a project take shape and completion provides a great sense of accomplishment. (plus your piece is of better quality than the hunk of pressed sawdust you bought at the discount store!)

It's okay to make mistakes. I can't recall a project I undertook that didn't involve a splinter, scratch or cut in the process. I had to reject a piece or start over outright a few times because of mis-measuring and cutting the wood wrong, or because a piece split in two unexpectedly. But that's how you learn.

You don't need thousands of dollars worth of power tools in a custom-built, climate-controlled workshop. Although I use more power tools than in the past, I still rely on the old standbys. A good quality, sharp handsaw, chisel, hammer, rubber mallet, carpenter's square and clamps are popular choices repeatedly used.

It is good to use plans. If you prefer to do a project without "store-bought" plans, at the very least make a rough pencil sketch and write down some dimensions.

Learn more about this author, Ed Welch.
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