Class Summary- In Wood 1 I learned how to use different machines safely, how to tell the difference between wood and a lot of life lessons. Some projects we made was the tricky triangle, cutting board, rolling pin and a shaker shelf.
Machine Safety- Before even touching a piece of wood, you need to learn the safety aspect of working in a shop environment first. This class does a great job at explaining how all of the machines work, what the machines can do if not used properly, and what equipment you can use/wear to stay safe. Just remember to take news.
Tricky Triangle- For this project we cut the triangle out of wood, sanded the edges, routed the piece, drilled holes with counter sinks, then sanded once more. This was a good first project that allowed use of three machines, hand sanding, and applying a finish. It turned out well, and I think it looks nice, especially with the natural stripe down the middle.
Cutting Board- For this project we grabbed pieces of scrap wood, glued them together, used the table saw and band saw to trim, planed the piece, sanded, routed and applied a mineral oil finish to make it food safe. I then drilled a hole, which allows it to be hung up, then sanded once more. This was a good first "real" project that allowed use of a few machines, glue, hand sanding, power sanding and applying a finish other than clear coat. It turned out well, and I think it looks nice, and its held up to some use.
Shelf- For this project we squared our wood, then we took our shelf pieces and planned them to get them to the right size. After planing we took everything to the table saw and chop saw, this allowed us to get it all to the right length and width. Lastly sanded the edges, added our clear coat, then sanded once more. This was a good project that allowed the use of multiple machines, hand sanding, power sanding, and applying a finish. I feel I could have done better on this project, but what came out is still a working product.
Rolling Pin- For this project we got pre-made blanks, however we had the option to make our own, put them on the lathe, and used the various tools to carve the wood into shape. Originally I was going to make a baseball bat, but after a slight mistake I had to learn to pivot and make this instead. I finished the project up by sanding it and applying paste wax. This was a good project for me personally because you're able to tune everything else out, shave away at the wood, and for me learn from your mistakes and adjust. In the end this came out nicely, and has held up.
My takeaways- This class taught me not only woodworking, but important life lessons as well such as, meeting deadlines, good work ethic, and adjusting when something doesn't go as planned. I recommend this class to anyone who is thinking about taking a shop class.