Some skills are so basic, people take them for granted. Hammering a nail into a piece of wood, for instance. What could be simpler than that?

Actually, it’s not so simple. There are more than 20 kinds of hammer. Can you recognize the difference between a claw hammer and a cross-peen hammer? And does it matter?

The head of a typical hammer weighs 16 ounces, but you can buy an 8-ounce hammer if you prefer (see Figure I-1). Or how about a 24-ounce hammer? Which type is easier to use? And would a fiberglass handle be better than a wooden handle? How about a steel handle? And when you hold the handle, should you grip it near the head of the hammer or near the end of the handle?

Now consider your choice of a nail. There are common nails, finishing nails, galvanized nails, ring-shank nails, coated nails, decorative nails, and many more. In the United States, common nails are often sold by weight, and their size may be described in pennies. If you buy a pound of sixpenny nails, would you like to know how big they are and how many will be in the box?

What’s the largest nail you can buy? (It may be larger than you think. See Figure I-2.)

Suppose you want to cut some wood. This raises many more questions. If you use a handsaw, how do you start the cut without the saw jumping around or sliding sideways? Is a Japanese-style pull-saw easier to use than a Western-style saw that cuts when you push it? Will you be more likely to hurt yourself with a pull-saw?

How can you prevent the underside of a piece of wood from splintering when the saw emerges through it? How do you make a precisely vertical cut? Power saws are easier to use in many ways than hand saws, but in that case, why do handsaws still exist? If you use a power saw, should it be battery-powered or plug-in?

What are the relative advantages of a reciprocating saw, a circular saw, a band saw, a scroll saw, a jigsaw, and a table saw? How many teeth per inch should the blade have? Do you need a different type of blade to cut plastic?

Really, there are so many questions about tools, you need a whole book to answer them.

This is that book.

Are Tools Still Useful?

In a world where 3D printing can create anything from a gearbox to a house, you may wonder if anyone needs hand tools in a workshop anymore. It’s true that 3D printers are wonderful, but they have limitations. For a start, none of them can work with wood, and very few can use metal. They are ideal for prototyping, but a component fabricated with a 3D printer will almost always have to be mated with some other part, or may need to be installed in an enclosure or adapted in some way. For these purposes, workshop skills are still useful.

Moreover, if you want to make something that is beautiful instead of merely functional, you will need to work with your hands.

Who Can Use This Book

Anyone who is willing to follow simple instructions can use this book, so long as you have basic manual ability and reasonably good eyesight. Age and gender are not relevant.

You can be a complete beginner, but if you do already have some basic skills, I think you’ll still find a lot of value here. I will be bringing together numerous facts, tips, and tricks that have taken me a lifetime to learn. You may not know all of them.

This book will also serve as a reference source. If you want to remind yourself of the difference between a tenon saw and a panel saw, or if you are trying to remember if poplar is a harder wood than birch, you can look up the answers here.

Learning by Discovery

Several years ago I wrote a book titled Make: Electronics, which encouraged the reader to build little devices as a way of learning about electronic components. I began with the simple task of switching on an LED, and worked up to ambitious projects such as a burglar-alarm system. Because the reader discovered basic principles by using this hands-on approach, I called it “learning by discovery.” I think it is by far the best way to learn.

This book uses the same plan. You will begin with very simple projects, such as a sliding-block puzzle. You may end up making a jewelry box, a whistle, or a geodesic lamp shade. (Maybe you don’t think you need a geodesic lamp shade—but when you find out what it is, you may like it.) Along the way you will learn about different types of tools, how to use them, and how you can make mistakes that mess things up.

Mistakes are an important part of the learning process. Cutting wood to the wrong length, splitting it by banging a nail into it (as in Figure I-6), or mashing the head of a screw—everyone does these things, and no one should be embarrassed about them. In fact, you need to make mistakes, so that you can learn how to avoid them.

You also need to see what happens if you don’t follow instructions. For instance, most books will tell you that after you apply wood glue, you should clamp the parts for 24 hours. But what if you don’t clamp them? Or what if you only clamp them for one hour? The best way to find out is by trying it.

What This Book Doesn’t Do

If you want to build large, complicated, elegant pieces of furniture in a basement workshop equipped with $10,000 worth of power tools—this book is not for you. Many books and magazines on woodworking deal with that kind of advanced scenario.

If you want to lay ceramic floor tiles, install drywall, or do some plumbing work, I will not be dealing with those tasks. You need a DIY home improvement book for that. Many of them are available.

What You Will Need

Because the projects in this book are small in scale, you don’t need a workshop to build them. You don’t even need a workbench, if you have a sturdy table. That’s how I used to build things myself, when I lived in a tiny apartment in New York City. My work area (around the table) was about 72" x 72". I managed, and you can, too. Of course, if you do have a workbench, that will be more convenient.

With the exception of an electric drill and electric screwdriver, the projects use hand tools because they’re cheaper and less dangerous than power tools. If you want more capabilities, Chapter 20 includes a list of additional tools that you may want to own.

I have done my best to minimize the expenses for materials and accessories.

Will You Hurt Yourself?

Every crafts hobby entails a little bit of risk. You can even get hurt while sewing, as I know through my own experience. Because I was careless and impatient, I managed to cut off a small piece of the tip of my finger with a pair of scissors.

The key words, here, are “careless and impatient.” When you’re impatient (as I tend to be), it is a risk factor.

Pause frequently. Think ahead. When you find yourself making silly mistakes, take a break. If you can work in this way, you should be able to avoid cuts or bruises.

What Will You Build?

This book contains more than 20 projects that I describe in enough detail to enable you to build them yourself. They are sequenced so that additional skills, tools, and accessories are involved as you move through the book. More projects are included in summary form.

You’ll find some traditional items, such a jewelry box and a child’s toy monster truck, but I also tried to come up with unusual things that you may have never imagined making.

Along the way you’ll find that I return several times to the topic of geometry. This is because the process of making things is all about shapes and sizes, and in a task such as cutting mitered corners of the type used in a picture frame, you can’t get away from the concept of angles. You can skip my geometrical digressions if they don’t interest you, but a little basic geometry will help you to design things of your own.

Why Build It, When You Can Buy It?

Some of the items in this book can be bought from stores for very little money. Why waste time making your own?

I believe you can derive unique satisfaction from making things. Being able to point to an object and say, “I made that,” is a special feeling. The object becomes an extension of yourself that will endure for decades, and it can be a memorable gift, because everyone likes to receive something that is hand made.

Additionally, I believe that you can benefit from feeling capable rather than helpless when dealing with the modern world. If you can put up some book shelves or hang a picture without depending on someone for assistance, that’s a good feeling. You can also apply your skills to repair things when they break, or modify gadgets so that they serve a purpose that the manufacturer never imagined.

Lastly, as everyone knows, if you do a job yourself, you are more likely to get it done the way you want it.

My Own Skill Set

You may be wondering why I feel qualified to write this book. Long ago, I graduated with a score of 99 percent from an advanced woodworking class, but I don’t regard that as a primary qualification. I learned more from my father, who was an automotive engineer. He taught me to use tools at an early age, and I’ve been designing and building things ever since, ranging from small toys to outbuildings.

I taught a college course titled “How Things Work and How to Fix Them.” I have customized vans, fabricated electronic devices, and renovated a kitchen. More recently, I spent five years designing and building prototypes for a California laboratory.

As a writer, my name is on more than 40 books, on topics including computer programming and electronics hardware. I also wrote a book about decorating your own T-shirts. Currently I’m a contributing editor for Make magazine, for which I have written more than 50 features. I served as a guest editor for a web site named Cool Tools, and compiled “Tool Tips” for the same site.

To fill the gaps in my own knowledge, I have a very valuable advisor, Jeremy Frank, who has spent much of his life working as a professional machinist. I rely on Jeremy as my consultant, and for clever little tips that he picked up over the years. Between the two of us, I think we can cover tool usage fairly thoroughly.

The Goal

Much of my knowledge has been gained the hard way: by trial and error. I have also collected bits and pieces of information by reading books, catalogs, and web sites, and by visiting stores, and asking people.

You could learn about tools in the same way that I did, on a piecemeal basis. But wouldn’t it be easier if all the information was gathered for you in one place, and organized so that it will be easy to learn? That is the goal of this book.

Errors and Questions

If you find an error in this book, please report it so that we can fix it in future printings. The system for this is very well established. Just go to this URL:

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/errata.csp?isbn=0636920031154

If you have questions for the author, the situation is a little different. I don’t have time to answer every question about tool usage, but if you feel that something in the book isn’t clearly explained, I encourage you to let me know. The email address for this purpose is [email protected]. I personally read all messages sent to that address. Sometimes I can reply immediately, while other times it may take me 10 days. Please be patient!

If you want news and updates about my other books (past and future), and some links that may be useful, please visit http://www.plattelectronics.com.

Complaints?

You have a lot of power as a reader. One negative review on Amazon can outweigh a dozen positive ones. Therefore, if you have a complaint, please let me know, in case there has been a misunderstanding, or in case I can resolve the issue in some way. Just give me a chance to make it right before you think of taking it public. Thanks.

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How to Contact Us

Please address comments and questions concerning this book to the publisher:

Maker Media, Inc.

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San Francisco, CA 94111
877-306-6253 (in the United States or Canada)
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Maker Media unites, inspires, informs, and entertains a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements, and garages. Maker Media celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any Technology to your will. The Maker Media audience continues to be a growing culture and community that believes in bettering ourselves, our environment, our educational system—our entire world. This is much more than an audience, it’s a worldwide movement that Maker Media is leading. We call it the Maker Movement.

For more information about Maker Media, visit us online:

• ■ Make: and Makezine.com: makezine.com
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• ■ Maker Shed: makershed.com

To comment or ask technical questions about this book, send email to [email protected].