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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
pictures
A while back I trimmed some offices. This trim job involves the use of some different styles of trim and the use of target blocks which I have not yet covered at www.finishcarpentryhelp.com. The Target blocks get installed at the top corners of the doors so no miters or 45 degree cuts need to be made and the casing gets installed up to these blocks with just straight cuts. Same for the windows, the blocks get installed at all the corners no mitering needed.The baseboard is of the large variety like you would see in the older homes. This bigger baseboard has to be cut in a little different manner then the more popular smaller baseboard which is covered at the web site. In the future I will be adding pages of instructions to the web site explaining how to cut and install some of these different styles of trim work, so stay tuned.
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Monday, October 20, 2008
articles
Me bad for neglecting my blog. I have been doing a lot of different things and the handrail eBook is almost finally ready to put up. Still working on the other eBooks and the store yet. Things just don't go as quick as I would like.
Here is an article I wrote and published at some of the article sites. It will work for people who are just starting to learn finish carpentry or for the experienced carpenters or for just about any field of work. Keep an eye on the site at http://www.finishcarpentryhelp.com/ for new things coming soon. Here is the article.
Getting the Mind Set for Finish Carpentry
Lots of people want and try to do their own finish carpentry. They begin with high hopes and good intentions. They buy books, watch videos, talk to professionals, and use the web for information only to end up with total aggravation.
Failure is often inevitable and they reluctantly end up giving up because their trim work doesn’t turn out as good as they expected. They then have to spend precious dollars to hire a professional finish carpenter to come in and finish and sometimes repair the job they have started.
Here are some good tips and general information to help get that professional looking trim work for your project and hopefully keep the aggravation at bay. You always pass failure on your way to success.
First, when doing finish carpentry work, your attitude and mood directly affects your performance and quality of the trim work. Some of the best finish carpenters have a difficult time doing quality work if they are upset or mad or depressed about something in their life. To prevent this, in the morning before you begin working, take a shower, eat breakfast, put on some new shoes, have a clear mind, be in a fantastic mood and you will be surprised at what you can accomplish. Focus is the key.
Having the right tools for the project is also a huge factor for quality. Poor tools can some times produce poor quality. Poor tools can fuel aggravation. So be sure to buy or borrow the best tools you can. Make sure the saws have sharp blades, keep your pencil sharp, your knife sharp and your mind sharp and your work will be sharp. Remember - success doesn’t come to you, you go to it.
Knowing how to use these tools safely and effectively is also a big factor. Practice a while with them before working with them if you are not familiar with them. Practice making some angle cuts that are involved with trim work. All the different joints and miters can be a bit of a challenge at first - so practice making miters or coping or doing outside corners before cutting and installing the actual pieces. Practice with the different trim pieces like the casing or baseboard or shoe or chair rail whatever the job entails. Practice makes perfect.
Another factor that can distract you is the environment you are working in. Interruptions like too many people around or in the way, interrupting phone calls, working where it is cold or hot or what ever the case, all of these should be addressed before you begin. Do your best to make it as comfortable as possible. When you get to your working area clean it up and do what you can to keep it clean and clutter free. Walking over wood scraps and cords and hoses is not only annoying but also dangerous.
I once tripped over a hose with my hands full and fell to the floor. I caught my self with one hand hitting the floor and fractured my wrist. The best part is that I am indestructible and that sort of thing never happens to me….Yea Right!
Your goal is to make it as comfortable and as safe as you can any way you can, given the situation. Even after taking all of these suggestions into consideration this work can still try your patience. There may be times when no matter how hard you try you can’t make something work. When this happens, take a break, clean up, or go start something different, chances are when you come back it will work.
Remember this, wisdom and experience doesn’t come without a little suffering and rarely do we experience success without practice. If you take the time to prepare both mentally and with your technique, you will end up with a finished project you can be proud of.
Pat Fisher is a professional carpenter and woodworking craftsman. For more information on finish carpentry and household carpentry projects, visit www.finishcarpentryhelp.com and pick up your free eBook.
Here is an article I wrote and published at some of the article sites. It will work for people who are just starting to learn finish carpentry or for the experienced carpenters or for just about any field of work. Keep an eye on the site at http://www.finishcarpentryhelp.com/ for new things coming soon. Here is the article.
Getting the Mind Set for Finish Carpentry
Lots of people want and try to do their own finish carpentry. They begin with high hopes and good intentions. They buy books, watch videos, talk to professionals, and use the web for information only to end up with total aggravation.
Failure is often inevitable and they reluctantly end up giving up because their trim work doesn’t turn out as good as they expected. They then have to spend precious dollars to hire a professional finish carpenter to come in and finish and sometimes repair the job they have started.
Here are some good tips and general information to help get that professional looking trim work for your project and hopefully keep the aggravation at bay. You always pass failure on your way to success.
First, when doing finish carpentry work, your attitude and mood directly affects your performance and quality of the trim work. Some of the best finish carpenters have a difficult time doing quality work if they are upset or mad or depressed about something in their life. To prevent this, in the morning before you begin working, take a shower, eat breakfast, put on some new shoes, have a clear mind, be in a fantastic mood and you will be surprised at what you can accomplish. Focus is the key.
Having the right tools for the project is also a huge factor for quality. Poor tools can some times produce poor quality. Poor tools can fuel aggravation. So be sure to buy or borrow the best tools you can. Make sure the saws have sharp blades, keep your pencil sharp, your knife sharp and your mind sharp and your work will be sharp. Remember - success doesn’t come to you, you go to it.
Knowing how to use these tools safely and effectively is also a big factor. Practice a while with them before working with them if you are not familiar with them. Practice making some angle cuts that are involved with trim work. All the different joints and miters can be a bit of a challenge at first - so practice making miters or coping or doing outside corners before cutting and installing the actual pieces. Practice with the different trim pieces like the casing or baseboard or shoe or chair rail whatever the job entails. Practice makes perfect.
Another factor that can distract you is the environment you are working in. Interruptions like too many people around or in the way, interrupting phone calls, working where it is cold or hot or what ever the case, all of these should be addressed before you begin. Do your best to make it as comfortable as possible. When you get to your working area clean it up and do what you can to keep it clean and clutter free. Walking over wood scraps and cords and hoses is not only annoying but also dangerous.
I once tripped over a hose with my hands full and fell to the floor. I caught my self with one hand hitting the floor and fractured my wrist. The best part is that I am indestructible and that sort of thing never happens to me….Yea Right!
Your goal is to make it as comfortable and as safe as you can any way you can, given the situation. Even after taking all of these suggestions into consideration this work can still try your patience. There may be times when no matter how hard you try you can’t make something work. When this happens, take a break, clean up, or go start something different, chances are when you come back it will work.
Remember this, wisdom and experience doesn’t come without a little suffering and rarely do we experience success without practice. If you take the time to prepare both mentally and with your technique, you will end up with a finished project you can be proud of.
Pat Fisher is a professional carpenter and woodworking craftsman. For more information on finish carpentry and household carpentry projects, visit www.finishcarpentryhelp.com and pick up your free eBook.
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