Mike Marlow wrote:
You know what Billy? If it weren't for the wonders of the internet and
newsgroups like this, you'd have just gone ahead and grabbed your hand plane
and given that oak a shot, wouldn't you? Sure you would have - you'd have
said to yourself, "self..., let's see what this plane will do", and you'd
have kept on talking to yourself until you had that board planed down. Then
you'd have said to yourself, "self, I bet I can do the whole thing this way"
and you'd have given it a whirl. You'd have probable bungled a couple of
things up, but you'd have figured out what you did wrong, fix it and move
on. That's the beauty of giving it a try, and just going for it. One of
the things the internet (and certainly not the worst thing...) has done is
to give too much opportunity to worry about it too much. Too many opinions
available, too much advise. The heck with what experienced woodworkers
would try. Heck - most of them only try what someone else recommended or
what they became comfortable with over time. Try what makes sense to you.
It is after all, supposed to be a pleasurable thing. Grab that plane and
get into that wood.
--

I agreed with this approach for the most part, until it came to the
table saw. With a handplane, you may screw up some wood while
you learn. With a table saw, especially with unprepared stock, you
can screw up some wood AND yourself. Tear out in wood isn't
good. Tear out (or amputation) of body parts is more undesirable.
With some types of trial and error, the error may involve a trip
to the emergency room.

Hand tools operate at human speed. Power tools operate much
faster. You can feel when a handtool being used is starting
to have a problem - and stop. With power tools, things go bad
before you can react.

When a woodworker gives you advice on shop safety,
count his or her fingers AND eyes before deciding if
youll use the advice.

But back to Mike's advice - there are a lot of things
in woodworking that seem too hard and complicated.
Often they're not as hard to do as they first appear,
coopered doors for example. And sometimes what
seems easy and straight foreward isn't - knife
hinges for example.
(all one line so watch the line wrap)
http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/...redDoors0.html

PRACTICE ON SCRAPS FIRST!

charlie b