Steps in the Woodworking Process

Woodworking is a painstaking and

rewarding work. Following a plan helps
ensure that your woodworking project comes
out the way you envisioned. The following
list sets out the steps to follow to build a
piece of furniture (or any project for that
matter):
1. Read the plans.
Familiarize yourself with the plans and
procedures before you buy or cut any wood. Make
sure the project is something you can handle.

2. Check and double-check the materials list.

Organize the list so that you can efficiently get
the supplies you need before you cut a board.
1. Read the plans.
Familiarize yourself with the plans and procedures
before you buy or cut any wood. Make sure the project
is something you can handle.

2. Check and double-check the materials list.

Organize the list so that you can efficiently get the
supplies you need before you cut a board.
3. Plan your cut list.
Go through all your wood and lay out where each
cut is going to go. Choose the most appropriate
part of the board for each part of the project. For
instance, choose matching tabletop pieces for grain
patterns and color consistency. Also, plan your cuts
so that you do the minimum of saw adjustments (do
all the crosscuts first and then all the rip cuts, for
example).
4. Pre-mill all the boards to get straight
and flat pieces.
This goes hand in hand with the cut list planning
procedure in Step 3.

5. Mill the boards to their final dimensions.

This involves planing and jointing the boards.

6. Cut the joints.

7. Dry fit the assemblies to make sure
everything fits properly.
Make sure that your assemblies and
subassemblies fit together properly before you
add any glue. You also want to use this step to
practice the assembly procedure. Repeat the
procedure until you can do it smoothly and
efficiently.
8. Glue the assembly and clamp it.

Work quickly and pull each joint fully together

before moving on. This minimizes the possibility of
joint freeze-up. When clamping, be careful not to use
too much pressure. Use just enough force to pull the
joints together. You don’t want to squeeze all the glue
out.
9. Square the parts.
Tabletops should be perfectly flat and other
assemblies should be perfectly square.

10. Clean up.

Put the assembly aside where it won’t get
bumped and clean up all the glue seepage
before it dries.