Hello.
It is here that we will discuss carpentry, painting, staining, assembling, finishing, caulking, mitering, routering, hanging, tiling, and planning, all from the perspective of a novice.
This is not a cheap hobby. Do not let HGTV fool you. The cost benefit of "DIY" really only exists when you intend to go exclusively DIY. In other words, materials are cheap, but you're going to shell out some substantial cash for the necessary tools. Ensure you use those tools not just for one project, but with the long term in mind. This is how you maximize value. Identify in advance the things you'd like to do in the next year, and then pursue the ones with the most overlap.
Best example: a power drill. Of all the tools I own...no, of all the possessions I own...my drill is my favorite. It's a Dewalt 18V. Always available at Lowes. It is the finest model available for the under-$200 price point. And even above that, I can't imagine why you'd bother. The Dewalt is:
* Reliable - I have personally seen one fall into 40 feet of water, be pulled out, and immediately still fire.
* Versatile - Fits any bit with up to a 1/2" shank.
* Powerful - If you should fail to use the proper grip and stance, it can break your wrist.
You will use your power drill for boring holes and setting/unsetting screws. Almost any project you ever attempt will require these tasks. Therefore, it is worthwhile not just to purchase a power drill, but to invest in a good one. And that brings us to a mantra you are likely to see many times throughout this blog:
Buy it right, buy it once.
Suck it up and shell out that ~40% more for a superior product. It will last longer, or perform better, or both.
There are times when shortcuts are appropriate. For example - suppose you want to install white crown molding in a room. You can find the standard crown molding pattern at Lowes in pre-finished pine as well as fiberboard/MDF. Pine, being genuine wood, will cost more. However, you are going to install this material 8 feet up where no one will ever touch it, and then paint it white. White paint on pine looks identical to white paint on MDF, so skip the pine and be frugal. However, the paint itself must perform, because it needs to stand the test of several decades, and it must always keep its luster. Therefore, always aim for that ~$40 can of paint over the ~$20 brand X. You are investing an additional $20 over twenty years for performance that is not just superior, but vastly superior.
As we walk through projects together, I'll clearly identify when and when not to splurge. My advice is basically nothing more than personal testimony; I'm recommending it because I have experienced it firsthand.
Our goal here is restore in the people of this country some of the basic craftsmanship and will to work that got this country started hundreds of years ago. I truly believe we've lost that. We have become a nation of impatient consumers, rather than a nation of creators and producers.
Are you religious? Jesus was a carpenter. I'm not particularly religious, but when I'm working in the shop (aka my garage) I feel an incredible sense of calm. Perhaps it's some kind of subconscious means to identifying with him. I never feel more at peace than when I'm making something. I guess some would call that spirituality. I call it repressed Catholicism - actually that's a redundant term, isn't it? I call it Catholicism.
Anyway, next time, we'll talk about fathers, and delve a little deeper into why we're doing this. Then, we'll discuss some essentials for any well-prepared shop before diving into our first project. For now, know that I am certainly no expert. Truthfully I'd rank myself just above novice - I think they call it journeyman? But I've learned from mistakes, and in later projects, I've successfully avoided making the same mistake and had near professional-looking results. Cabinets, moldings, woodworking, painting, tiling - all skills to be cultivated, and the only way to do it...is to start doing it. I want to help you skip some of the frustration that awaits you in your first efforts.
