Photo By: David McLeod

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U.S. Army Arts and Crafts History

After World War I the reductions to the Army left the United States with a small force. The War Department faced monumental challenges in preparing for World War II. One of those challenges was soldier morale. Recreational activities for off duty time would be important. The arts and crafts program informally evolved to augment the needs of the War Department.
On January 9, 1941, the Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson, appointed Frederick H. Osborn, a prominent U.S. businessman and philanthropist, Chairman of the War Department Committee on Education, Recreation and Community Service.
In 1940 and 1941, the United States involvement in World War II was more of sympathy and anticipation than of action. However, many different types of institutions were looking for ways to help the war effort. The Museum of Modern Art in New York was one of these institutions. In April, 1941, the Museum announced a poster competition, “Posters for National Defense.” The directors stated “The Museum feels that in a time of national emergency the artists of a country are as important an asset as men skilled in other fields, and that the nation’s first-rate talent should be utilized by the government for its official design work… Discussions have been held with officials of the Army and the Treasury who have expressed remarkable enthusiasm…”
In May 1941, the Museum exhibited “Britain at War”, a show selected by Sir Kenneth Clark, director of the National Gallery in London. The “Prize-Winning Defense Posters” were exhibited in July through September concurrently with “Britain at War.” The enormous overnight growth of the military force meant mobilization type construction at every camp. Construction was fast; facilities were not fancy; rather drab and depressing.
In 1941, the Fort Custer Army Illustrators, while on strenuous war games maneuvers in Tennessee, documented the exercise The Bulletin of the Museum of Modern Art, Vol. 9, No. 3 (Feb. 1942), described their work. “Results were astonishingly good; they showed serious devotion …to the purpose of depicting the Army scene with unvarnished realism and a remarkable ability to capture this scene from the soldier’s viewpoint. Civilian amateur and professional artists had been transformed into soldier-artists. Reality and straightforward documentation had supplanted (replaced) the old romantic glorification and false dramatization of war and the slick suavity (charm) of commercial drawing.”

“In August of last year, Fort Custer Army Illustrators held an exhibition, the first of its kind in the new Army, at the Camp Service Club. Soldiers who saw the exhibition, many of whom had never been inside an art gallery, enjoyed it thoroughly. Civilian visitors, too, came and admired. The work of the group showed them a new aspect of the Army; there were many phases of Army life they had never seen or heard of before. Newspapers made much of it and, most important, the Army approved. Army officials saw that it was not only authentic material, but that here was a source of enlivenment (vitalization) to the Army and a vivid medium for conveying the Army’s purposes and processes to civilians and soldiers.”
Brigadier General Frederick H. Osborn and War Department leaders were concerned because few soldiers were using the off duty recreation areas that were available. Army commanders recognized that efficiency is directly correlated with morale, and that morale is largely determined from the manner in which an individual spends his own free time. Army morale enhancement through positive off duty recreation programs is critical in combat staging areas.
To encourage soldier use of programs, the facilities drab and uninviting environment had to be improved. A program utilizing talented artists and craftsmen to decorate day rooms, mess halls, recreation halls and other places of general assembly was established by the Facilities Section of Special Services. The purpose was to provide an environment that would reflect the military tradition, accomplishments and the high standard of army life. The fact that this work was to be done by the men themselves had the added benefit of contributing to the esprit de corps (teamwork, or group spirit) of the unit.
The plan was first tested in October of 1941, at Camp Davis, North Carolina. A studio workshop was set up and a group of soldier artists were placed on special duty to design and decorate the facilities. Additionally, evening recreation art classes were scheduled three times a week. A second test was established at Fort Belvoir, Virginia a month later. The success of these programs lead to more installations requesting the program.
After Pearl Harbor was bombed, the Museum of Modern Art appointed Mr. James Soby, to the position of Director of the Armed Service Program on January 15, 1942. The subsequent program became a combination of occupational therapy, exhibitions and morale-sustaining activities.
Through the efforts of Mr. Soby, the museum program included; a display of Fort Custer Army Illustrators work from February through April 5, 1942. The museum also included the work of soldier-photographers in this exhibit. On May 6, 1942, Mr. Soby opened an art sale of works donated by museum members. The sale was to raise funds for the Soldier Art Program of Special Services Division. The bulk of these proceeds were to be used to provide facilities and materials for soldier artists in Army camps throughout the country.
Members of the Museum had responded with paintings, sculptures, watercolors, gouaches, drawings, etchings and lithographs. Hundreds of works were received, including oils by Winslow Homer, Orozco, John Kane, Speicher, Eilshemius, de Chirico; watercolors by Burchfield and Dufy; drawings by Augustus John, Forain and Berman, and prints by Cezanne, Lautrec, Matisse and Bellows. The War Department plan using soldier-artists to decorate and improve buildings and grounds worked. Many artists who had been drafted into the Army volunteered to paint murals in waiting rooms and clubs, to decorate dayrooms, and to landscape grounds. For each artist at work there were a thousand troops who watched. These bystanders clamored to participate, and classes in drawing, painting, sculpture and photography were offered. Larger working space and more instructors were required to meet the growing demand. Civilian art instructors and local communities helped to meet this cultural need, by providing volunteer instruction and facilities.
Some proceeds from the Modern Museum of Art sale were used to print 25,000 booklets called “Interior Design and Soldier Art.” The booklet showed examples of soldier-artist murals that decorated places of general assembly. It was a guide to organizing, planning and executing the soldier-artist program. The balance of the art sale proceeds were used to purchase the initial arts and crafts furnishings for 350 Army installations in the USA.
In November, 1942, General Somervell directed that a group of artists be selected and dispatched to active theaters to paint war scenes with the stipulation that soldier artists would not paint in lieu of military duties.
Aileen Osborn Webb, sister of Brigadier General Frederick H. Osborn, launched the American Crafts Council in 1943. She was an early champion of the Army program.
While soldiers were participating in fixed facilities in the USA, many troops were being shipped overseas to Europe and the Pacific (1942-1945). They had long periods of idleness and waiting in staging areas. At that time the wounded were lying in hospitals, both on land and in ships at sea. The War Department and Red Cross responded by purchasing kits of arts and crafts tools and supplies to distribute to “these restless personnel.” A variety of small “Handicraft Kits” were distributed free of charge. Leathercraft, celluloid etching, knotting and braiding, metal tooling, drawing and clay modeling are examples of the types of kits sent.
In January, 1944, the Interior Design Soldier Artist program was more appropriately named the “Arts and Crafts Section” of Special Services. The mission was “to fulfill the natural human desire to create, provide opportunities for self-expression, serve old skills and develop new ones, and assist the entire recreation program through construction work, publicity, and decoration.”
The National Army Art Contest was planned for the late fall of 1944. In June of 1945, the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., for the first time in its history opened its facilities for the exhibition of the soldier art and photography submitted to this contest. The “Infantry Journal, Inc.” printed a small paperback booklet containing 215 photographs of pictures exhibited in the National Gallery of Art.
In August of 1944, the Museum of Modern Art, Armed Forces Program, organized an art center for veterans. Abby Rockefeller, in particular, had a strong interest in this project. Soldiers were invited to sketch, paint, or model under the guidance of skilled artists and craftsmen. Victor d’Amico, who was in charge of the Museum’s Education Department, was quoted in Russell Lynes book, Good Old Modern: An Intimate Portrait of the Museum of Modern Art. “I asked one fellow why he had taken up art and he said, Well, I just came back from destroying everything. I made up my mind that if I ever got out of the Army and out of the war I was never going to destroy another thing in my life, and I decided that art was the thing that I would do.” Another man said to d’Amico, “Art is like a good night’s sleep. You come away refreshed and at peace.”
In late October, 1944, an Arts and Crafts Branch of Special Services Division, Headquarters, European Theater of Operations was established. A versatile program of handcrafts flourished among the Army occupation troops.
The increased interest in crafts, rather than fine arts, at this time lead to a new name for the program: The “Handicrafts Branch.”
In 1945, the War Department published a new manual, “Soldier Handicrafts”, to help implement this new emphasis. The manual contained instructions for setting up crafts facilities, selecting as well as improvising tools and equipment, and basic information on a variety of arts and crafts.
As the Army moved from a combat to a peacetime role, the majority of crafts shops in the United States were equipped with woodworking power machinery for construction of furnishings and objects for personal living. Based on this new trend, in 1946 the program was again renamed, this time as “Manual Arts.”
At the same time, overseas programs were now employing local artists and craftsmen to operate the crafts facilities and instruct in a variety of arts and crafts. These highly skilled, indigenous instructors helped to stimulate the soldiers’ interest in the respective native cultures and artifacts. Thousands of troops overseas were encouraged to record their experiences on film. These photographs provided an invaluable means of communication between troops and their families back home.
When the war ended, the Navy had a firm of architects and draftsmen on contract to design ships. Since there was no longer a need for more ships, they were given a new assignment: To develop a series of instructional guides for arts and crafts. These were called “Hobby Manuals.” The Army was impressed with the quality of the Navy manuals and had them reprinted and adopted for use by Army troops. By 1948, the arts and crafts practiced throughout the Army were so varied and diverse that the program was renamed “Hobby Shops.” The first “Interservice Photography Contest” was held in 1948. Each service is eligible to send two years of their winning entries forward for the bi-annual interservice contest. In 1949, the first All Army Crafts Contest was also held. Once again, it was clear that the program title, “Hobby Shops” was misleading and overlapped into other forms of recreation.
In January, 1951, the program was designated as “The Army Crafts Program.” The program was recognized as an essential Army recreation activity along with sports, libraries, service clubs, soldier shows and soldier music. In the official statement of mission, professional leadership was emphasized to insure a balanced, progressive schedule of arts and crafts would be conducted in well-equipped, attractive facilities on all Army installations.
The program was now defined in terms of a “Basic Seven Program” which included: drawing and painting; ceramics and sculpture; metal work; leathercrafts; model building; photography and woodworking. These programs were to be conducted regularly in facilities known as the “multiple-type crafts shop.” For functional reasons, these facilities were divided into three separate technical areas for woodworking, photography and the arts and crafts.
During the Korean Conflict, the Army Crafts program utilized the personnel and shops in Japan to train soldiers to instruct crafts in Korea.
The mid-1950s saw more soldiers with cars and the need to repair their vehicles was recognized at Fort Carson, Colorado, by the craft director. Soldiers familiar with crafts shops knew that they had tools and so automotive crafts were established. By 1958, the Engineers published an Official Design Guide on Crafts Shops and Auto Crafts Shops. In 1959, the first All Army Art Contest was held. Once more, the Army Crafts Program responded to the needs of soldiers.
In the 1960’s, the war in Vietnam was a new challenge for the Army Crafts Program. The program had three levels of support; fixed facilities, mobile trailers designed as portable photo labs, and once again a “Kit Program.” The kit program originated at Headquarters, Department of Army, and it proved to be very popular with soldiers.
Tom Turner, today a well-known studio potter, was a soldier at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina in the 1960s. In the December 1990 / January 1991 “American Crafts” magazine, Turner, who had been a graduate student in art school when he was drafted, said the program was “a godsend.”
The Army Artist Program was re-initiated in cooperation with the Office of Military History to document the war in Vietnam. Soldier-artists were identified and teams were formed to draw and paint the events of this combat. Exhibitions of these soldier-artist works were produced and toured throughout the USA.
In 1970, the original name of the program, “Arts and Crafts”, was restored. In 1971, the “Arts and Crafts/Skills Development Program” was established for budget presentations and construction projects.
After the Vietnam demobilization, a new emphasis was placed on service to families and children of soldiers. To meet this new challenge in an environment of funding constraints the arts and crafts program began charging fees for classes. More part-time personnel were used to teach formal classes. Additionally, a need for more technical-vocational skills training for military personnel was met by close coordination with Army Education Programs. Army arts and crafts directors worked with soldiers during “Project Transition” to develop soldier skills for new careers in the public sector.
The main challenge in the 1980s and 90s was, and is, to become “self-sustaining.” Directors have been forced to find more ways to generate increased revenue to help defray the loss of appropriated funds and to cover the non-appropriated funds expenses of the program. Programs have added and increased emphasis on services such as, picture framing, gallery sales, engraving and trophy sales, etc… New programs such as multi-media computer graphics appeal to customers of the 1990’s.
The Gulf War presented the Army with some familiar challenges such as personnel off duty time in staging areas. Department of Army volunteer civilian recreation specialists were sent to Saudi Arabia in January, 1991, to organize recreation programs. Arts and crafts supplies were sent to the theater. An Army Humor Cartoon Contest was conducted for the soldiers in the Gulf, and arts and crafts programs were set up to meet soldier interests.
The increased operations tempo of the ‘90’s Army has once again placed emphasis on meeting the “recreation needs of deployed soldiers.” Arts and crafts activities and a variety of programs are assets commanders must have to meet the deployment challenges of these very different scenarios.
The Army arts and crafts program, no matter what it has been titled, has made some unique contributions for the military and our society in general. Army arts and crafts does not fit the narrow definition of drawing and painting or making ceramics, but the much larger sense of arts and crafts. It is painting and drawing. It also encompasses:
* all forms of design. (fabric, clothes, household appliances, dishes, vases, houses, automobiles, landscapes, computers, copy machines, desks, industrial machines, weapon systems, air crafts, roads, etc…)
* applied technology (photography, graphics, woodworking, sculpture, metal smithing, weaving and textiles, sewing, advertising, enameling, stained glass, pottery, charts, graphs, visual aides and even formats for correspondence…)
* a way of making learning fun, practical and meaningful (through the process of designing and making an object the creator must decide which materials and techniques to use, thereby engaging in creative problem solving and discovery) skills taught have military applications.
* a way to acquire quality items and save money by doing-it-yourself (making furniture, gifts, repairing things …).
* a way to pursue college credit, through on post classes.
* a universal and non-verbal language (a picture is worth a thousand words).
* food for the human psyche, an element of morale that allows for individual expression (freedom).
* the celebration of human spirit and excellence (our highest form of public recognition is through a dedicated monument).
* physical and mental therapy (motor skill development, stress reduction, etc…).
* an activity that promotes self-reliance and self-esteem.
* the record of mankind, and in this case, of the Army.
What would the world be like today if this generally unknown program had not existed? To quantitatively state the overall impact of this program on the world is impossible. Millions of soldier citizens have been directly and indirectly exposed to arts and crafts because this program existed. One activity, photography can provide a clue to its impact. Soldiers encouraged to take pictures, beginning with WW II, have shared those images with family and friends. Classes in “How to Use a Camera” to “How to Develop Film and Print Pictures” were instrumental in soldiers seeing the results of using quality equipment. A good camera and lens could make a big difference in the quality of the print. They bought the top of the line equipment. When they were discharged from the Army or home on leave this new equipment was showed to the family and friends. Without this encouragement and exposure to photography many would not have recorded their personal experiences or known the difference quality equipment could make. Families and friends would not have had the opportunity to “see” the environment their soldier was living in without these photos. Germany, Italy, Korea, Japan, Panama, etc… were far away places that most had not visited.
As the twenty first century approaches, the predictions for an arts renaissance by Megatrends 2000 seem realistic based on the Army Arts and Crafts Program practical experience. In the April ‘95 issue of “American Demographics” magazine, an article titled “Generation X” fully supports that this is indeed the case today. Television and computers have greatly contributed to “Generation X” being more interested in the visual arts and crafts.
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Smart Spending: New Hobbies and Sports
New hobbies and exercise regimes may broaden your horizons or shrink your waistline, but they also can break the bank if you’re not careful.
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M&M Tool Announces Plans for Annual Power Tool and Machinery Show

Thursday the ninth and Friday the tenth of September 2010, M&M Tool and Machinery invites all crafters, contractors, do-it-yourself-ers, and other power tool and woodworking enthusiasts to join them at their annual power tool and machinery show. Attracting craftsmen with up-close and in-depth equipment demonstrations, personal time with representatives from favorite power tool and machinery manufacturers, “seriously good discounts,” and free hotdogs and soda-pop, crafters and Cordless Drill users from near and far strap on their boots, skip breakfast, and head straight for M&M Tool.

For over seventy years M&M Tool and Machinery has taken extraordinary measures to support the woodworking community, and for over seventy years they have hosted an annual power tool and a woodworking machinery show and sale. At their showroom in the heart of Salt Lake City, Utah, with the lure of big bargains, intense power tools, and the always beautiful Miss Makita, hundreds of crafters flock to M&M each year to enjoy the power tooling community and to both thriftily and thoroughly restock their tool boxes. With the help of factory representatives from every industrial manufacturer like Dewalt, Porter-Cable, Delta, Makita, Bosch, Festool, Hitachi, Powermatic and many more, M&M’s tool show is, as M&M Tool’s Mallory would say, “the best kind of carnival for every kind of craftsmen.” Whether a woodworker or contractor by trade or a weekend warrior by choice, M&M’s tool show offers something to everyone. With demonstrations of the latest woodworking equipment and the most innovative power tools, the show offers valuable and new information, and a good-old-fashioned lunch, to every degree of crafter. Products slated for demonstration this year include Kreg Pocket-Hole Machines, the Festool 1400 EQ Router, the Festool KS 120 Kapex Miter Saw, Makita LS1216L Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw, and Delta’s 50-786 Dust Collector, 18-900L Laser Drill Press, 22-590 Planer, 40-690 Scroll Saw, among many others.

“It’s a really special day for us over here at M&M, the show is something we plan for and anticipate all year long,” says Steve, The Man, at M&M Tool. With said tool and machinery demonstrations, substantial discounts, free prizes, free lunch, and autographs from the lovely Miss Makita, the tool show has a tendency to take on a life of its own, and, as M&M Tool veteran Mike claims, “the September tool show is looked forward to by all our local and loyal crafters; not only is our showroom full of power tools and factory reps, it’s also full of other woodworking and power tool aficionados who come to M&M to share and define their expertise.” Some patrons say they come for Miss Makita, others for the free t-shirts and etc, but the overwhelming majority of attendees at M&M’s September tool show come for the unique and friendly atmosphere. The show is, as many claim, just “like a neighborhood barbeque.”

M&M Tool’s Josh reports that for the show”everything in the store is deeply discounted and most of the merchandise comes with free add-ons,” for example, “with the purchase of any cordless power tool combo kit, like Makita’s LCT200W Lithium Ion Drill-Driver and Impact Driver Combo Kit or DCX5200 Cordless Hammer-Drill and Circular Saw Combo Kit, you’ll receive a free battery.” Additionally, Josh adds, “with the purchase of one of our larger woodworking machines like a Powermatic 1791315 Planer or aDelta 36-981 Table Saw, we’ll also include a free mobile base.” “Whatever you need for your shop or garage, we’ve got it here,” Mike adds reminding that there is very little a good power tool can’t do and almost no power tool that can’t be found at M&M.

Ultimately, the M&M Tool and Machinery power tool and machinery show is expected to be a success, is expected to go off without a hitch, and anticipates to please many a craftsman. As it has for decades, M&M’s tool show intends to bring together an unique community in the spirit of really great power tools and innovative responses to an ever-growing, ever-changing power tool and woodworking industry.

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An Eight-Minute Seminar about Why Hock Blades are Better, How to Adjust Your Plane for Best Performance and the “Zero Radius” Goal of Sharpening.
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Woodworking Projects Can Save You Money

If you want very nice things in your home or want to put a personal touch on special furniture pieces for your family and friends, woodworking projects are the only way to do it.

Rather than paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a nice handmade hope chest from high quality, solid wood at a store, you can now make your own chest and create all of the finest details and personal touches for your daughter!

The ability to do those things right in your own home is exciting, but there are some things to keep in mind if you want to keep the cost down as much as possible. The following tips will help you save money with woodworking projects while still getting beautiful pieces for your home.

Machinery and Tools

You can’t start woodworking until you have at least a basic collection of machinery and woodworking tools. In fact, most woodworkers start out small but find themselves easily filling a large garage or workshop with machinery and equipment needed to complete bigger and more elaborate woodworking projects. Don’t be surprised if the woodworking bug strikes your home as well!

The problem with all of the machinery and woodworking tools currently available is that there are lots of ways to waste money. You don’t want to start purchasing the most expensive brands out there with the assumption that they have to be better in some manner. There are some reasonably priced brands, which will do the job just as well, and there may be some cheap versions of some products, which work just fine for your purposes.

That said, you want to do some research before purchasing expensive machinery and woodworking tools because quality does matter. It’s better to spend a little more money on these items at first and have them last for a long time through many different projects than purchase something dirt cheap and find yourself constantly fixing or replacing it.
So, you want to do some research and find reasonably priced yet durable, high quality woodworking machinery and tools. That will save you money in the long run.

The Value of Plans

You should also have woodworking plans on hand before you start any project. These may be plans that you draw out yourself if you have the knowledge and experience to do so. Otherwise, they will be plans which you have purchased from someone else. Purchased woodworking plans are the way most beginners get started, though eventually you should have the knowledge and experience to draw up your own plans.

Plans are important because they eliminate a lot of rookie mistakes that cost a lot of money and time. When you mess up or some aspect of the project just doesn’t work as you thought it would, you have to repurchase material and redo it. Depending on the cost of the wood and how much of it is ruined, the expenses due to mistakes can add up quickly.

When you are working with a reliable plan and have the right tools on hand, you will save tons of money on your woodworking projects! You will also find the woodworking process more enjoyable and easier to handle.

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Question by christle t: What are the tools needed for woodworking?

Best answer:

Answer by ne0teric
Depends on what your making, more tools the better… more intricate things can be built with more tools

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Question by pmssy: has anyone heard of Reliant woodworking tools? Looking for an owners manual thanx?

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Answer by Jim B
As you probably know, Reliant was the brand name of tools made for Trend-Lines, Inc. that became Woodworkers Warehouse who went out of business in 2003. Woodworkers Supply took over the Woodworkers Warehouse internet domain, http://www.woodworkerswarehouse.com/ , but did not take over the Reliant or Trend-Lines tools. Woodworkers Supply states that they will try to provide assistance with questions about Reliant tools so you may want to contact Eric Fairfield, Parts Manager, ericparts@woodworker.com, 800-545-9663

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WOODWORKING 8 PC. PLUG CUTTER DRILL BIT TOOLS pc-8

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Getting Started with Woodworking – Part 2 – Setting Up Shop

Introduction
Now that you’ve got a good handle on the basic tools you’ll need to get started with woodworking, let’s discuss setting up your work area or wood shop. If you are just getting started, you’ll likely want to use an existing space in your home such as a garage or basement for your shop.

There are several features that any shop will need to be successful.  The first is an efficient use of the available space.  Making your shop usable is the most important step. If you are constantly running into machinery or having to move something every time you want to use it, your woodworking experience will not be nearly as enjoyable as if everything flows smoothly in your shop.

If you are like most of us, you are very busy and you’ll only have limited blocks of time to pursue woodworking. Having an efficiently laid out shop is the key to making the most of your productive time.

Shop Considerations
In the last article we covered the essential tools that you’ll need to get started with woodworking. There are a few more tools that you’ll also want to invest in to make your woodworking experience as enjoyable as possible as well as some storage considerations.

Workbench
A workbench is a must. There are tons of different styles of workbench and they are available to buy or build. My recommendation would be to build a workbench as your first project. This is a great way to begin developing your skills and the end-result will be something that you can use every time you work in your shop.

An important feature to include on your workbench is a vise. A vise is a tool that helps hold wood steady. If the vice is built into your workbench, it will always be handy and won’t take up any extra space in your workshop. Other features to consider on a workbench is a place to store your tools and possibly a tray to hold small fasteners so they don’t fall to the floor when you are working.

One plan for a workbench that I particularly like is a simple one to build. Fine Woodworking magazine has a great plan for a plywood workbench that has a built-in vice. Search for “Rock-Solid Plywood Bench” in your favorite search engine to find the free downloadable plans. What a great sense of accomplishment to build this workbench and you’ll have the added benefit of using and appreciating it for years to come!

Safety Gear and Storage
Other considerations for your beginning workshop are safety gear and storage. Let’s cover safety gear first. To be safe when working with wood, you’ll need:

Safety Glasses – Choose any safety glasses that fit you comfortably. Remember to get ones that cover the sides of your eyes as well. Flying wood chips can come at you from many directions!
Ear Protection – When using power tools, they can be extremely loud. Good ear protection will keep you from damaging your hearing. You can choose ear plugs or over the ear protection. Pick the one most comfortable for you.
Dust Mask – When sanding wood, the dust particles are small and can fill the air and can be very harmful to your lungs. Be sure to protect your lungs with a dust mask any time you are sanding. Dust masks are inexpensive and can be picked up at your local hardware store or home center.

Storage
Now that you have your tools and safety gear covered, the last consideration is storage. As you progress with your woodworking hobby you’ll be storing your hand tools, your power tools, your safety gear, fasteners and wood. Since you’ll likely be starting in a relatively small space such as your garage or a corner of your basement, you’ll probably have to get creative with wall storage.

Remember that walls can be a great place to store things. If you have access to any old cabinetry, these can be used in your shop to store just about anything.  It doesn’t matter what the cabinets look like or even what shape they are in.  Check with friends that may have recently remodeled to see if they have old cabinets they are getting rid of.  If you don’t have old cabinets, you can use pegboard and hooks. Another way to take advantage of wall space is to hang basic shelves. These can be used to store wood and other long objects.

The workbench plans mentioned earlier include 3 shelves underneath. These shelves can store lots of frequently used tools and fasteners.

Shop considerations

Now that you have some ideas for setting up your shop, there are a few other things to consider as well.

Lighting – You’ll want bright overhead lighting in your work area. You’ll need to be able to mark lines, read tape measures and make accurate cuts. All of these things are difficult to do in dark areas. Fluorescent lights are inexpensive and easy to install and they provide lots of good light regardless of the size of your area.
Electrical Outlets – Remember that power tools require electricity. As you get more tools, you’ll need to be able to plug them in. Having extension cords all around can be a real mess, so be sure that you choose a space with plenty of electrical outlets. If you need more added, an electrician can install more for you at very reasonable prices. If you are having an electrician install outlets, err on the side of caution and install more than you think you’ll need. You never know when you’ll need a new plug.
Rolling Tools – If your workshop is doubling as something else, like a place to park your car at night, you’ll need to be able to move tools and equipment around when you are finished working. Your local home center has all kinds of neat casters and rolling devices that you can install on the bottom of your tools and benches to make them movable when you need to. The wheels can be locked so they won’t move during your sessions. While wheels are optional, they are a much better choice than trying to manually lift and move heavy tools and benches.

Methods for planning usage of space

Now that you are comfortable with your work area, it’s time to plan it all out. If you are like most of us, you’ll have a lot of tools and storage that you are trying to fit in a small space. Planning the space out ahead of time allows you to set up your space in the most efficient way. There are two ways to lay out your space. Both work very well, so choose whichever fits your style best.

Manual Layout – In this method you use graph paper and paper cutouts of tools to organize your space. This method is very inexpensive and can be done quickly. To find scale sized tool layouts, search the Internet for “sketchup woodworking workshop”. In this method, you draw your workshop to scale on graph paper and literally place paper models of your tools on the paper. Remember to include space for the wood infeed and outfeed.
Computer Aided Layout – You don’t have to be a computer expert to use the power of computers to help you with your shop design. Google offers a free program called Sketchup that you can use to electronically lay out your shop. This program has so many features that my next article will be dedicated to this amazing tool. This program allows you to electronically draw your shop, then add tools to it, then view it in 2D or 3D. There is a power professional version that you can “trial” for free as well.

Conclusion

Remember that your wood shop is your area for peace and tranquility, so take your time planning it out efficiently and effectively. A well-organized shop will make your time woodworking more fun and enjoyable and safer.

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Learn how to get Free Woodworking Projects Blueprints and plans

When you are planning on making any woodworking project whether it’s a shed or car port you most likely will need plan of some kind. It makes no difference regardless if you are a pro or perhaps a beginner, having guidelines to check out remain the best way to go. There are numerous sources to obtain woodworking projects free plans from. In the event you are new to woodworking and the word woodworking project plans scare you, just calm down. These plans are fairly simple in depth drawings that permit you to see precisely what you are going to need to understand how to construct any woodworking project. You can look at them as a travel map in your car to help guide you in the appropriate direction. They’re simple pieces of papers that show you that you need to go from here to there, and just what you will want to get to your destination.

Let’s answer this first why even utilize free woodworking plans? Count how many times you purchased a thing, and then when you take it home with you, just to wished you had gotten the higher model, or vice versa? It’s mainly the identical scenario with woodworking plans. You go to all of the difficulty of getting one, buy it, then take it home, and for some reasons the plan just isn’t exactly what you had in mind to begin with. Should you have had gotten that plan for free, then you haven’t anything to loose, you are able to just go back and obtain other one. You could go back and forth all day as long as you want untill you find the one which suit you.

This appears like a good idea. You probably are wonderring where will i head to get these free woodworking projects plans? For starter you can check out a diy stores in your area. Several have some of the good free options to choose from. They have a bunch of standard woodworking plans in stock. They will allow you to get a lot of them for totally free, in exchange that you buy all or most of your materials and supplies at their store. Some of them have drawn their particular number of plans, these plans are consisted of virtually all materials that they carry in their store.

You are able to draw the plan yourself by including all the details of what you would like to build. Your woodworking projects plans can be drafted by local building suppliers. Some may even offer to do it for you with a commitment that you will acquire all of your products and materials from them. This can even be a store promotion to have new business.

You can also go to the internet. A wealth of information with lots of site that are prepared to offer free plans for free. One such example is MyShedPlans. Not because they are necessarily generous, but simply because they hope you will end up enticed to buy a few of the other products they may have.

These items are usually suitable to what they may be helping you to have for free. For example if they let you have all the drawings and woodworking project plans you might need, then you will have to know precisely what the plan says. This is when they offer you extras. It may be that the company that let you have the free woodworking project plans has for sale other suggestions that can assist you, or do-it-yourself books. They almost certainly may wish to sell them to you. That isn’t being sneaky. It’s a fantastic business proposal. They help find your needs and offer you support where it’s exceptable. Now with the mixture of your woodworking project plans, as well as the self help training books you’ll need, you’re ready to create just about any woodworking projects of your dream.

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NRL Talking Points: round 25
The merits of possible eight-point tries, finals footy at Leichhardt and a Brisbane Broncos team on the brink headlined this week’s set of six NRL Talking Points. You had your say.
Read more on FOXSPORTS.com.au

US $99.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Sep-03-2010 15:40:00 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

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