The Basics of Woodworking
When it gets down to formulating the very basic idea of woodworking there are simply three steps or activities involved. The rest are nuances of the trade, if you will, like finishing, design considerations, aesthetics, etc. Woodworking basically involves: measuring, cutting, and then finally assembling, or the joining or putting together the parts of your project. A couple of terminology definitions: a workpiece, or "piece" refers to an individual item being cut, drilled, or planed, while a part could be two or several pieces joined together where the parts are then assembled together to complete a project. So, pieces, parts and project have their specific meanings.
1. Measure twice, cut once is an old woodworking cliche but it is the very basic principle to go by if you don't want to waste time and material. Tip: Measure and scribe your line; measure again and if it matches the line you just scribed you have measured correctly.
2. If measuring is where you start the engine, cutting is where the "rubber meets the road". At this point you commit to the project because now there is no turning back. The good news is that this is where you start to build your confidence. Cutting precisely at the desired measurement is the level from which a woodworker first senses a satisfying experience. Tip: Put an "X" mark on the waste side of your work piece so you know where to line up your cutting tool (saw blade, hand saw, etc.) You'd be surprised at cutting mistakes made simply because you cut into the measured side.
3. Assembling is the beginning of the end of the journey. Sanding and putting finish, if you so choose, completes your project. I've included the pocket hole joinery kit in my recommended tools to buy first because this allows for quick, strong and precise assembly without having to go through complex processes in joinery. As you improve your skills there are many nuances to assembling where aesthetics are the desired preference but the joinery may not necessarily be any stronger. Pocket hole joinery, to me, is an essential tool because it allows for the beginning woodworker to assemble his/her project in no time (not even waiting for glue to dry) and dis-assembly is easy if one needs to redo the work. Tip: Lay out your work pieces well, and away from the clutter, to have a good visual before final assembly.
So those are the basics. When you think about it there is not a whole lot of mystique in woodworking. People are intimidated by the seeming difficulty that woodworking entails and that comes from seeing the finished product, the elaborate design and spectacular finish and the endless variations. But, as I mention, those are nuances that one develops over time, through improved skills, and the experience of using more elaborate and modern tools. All components that went into the finished project, no matter how complex, go through the three basic steps and worth mentioning here again - measure, cut and assemble.
Note: I anticipate that some woodworkers will ask: what about planing to certain thickness, routing, mortising, etc., where do these belong? It is still under cutting if the process is required before assembly. If for decorative purposes, like a router making a round over of the edges, then that is under finishing.
For beginners or those just starting to learn, please read first the following short topics in the following order: "Basics of Woodworking"; "Basic Rules of Woodworking"; "Tools of the Trade under $500"; "Why Pocket Hole Joinery".
Then when you're ready, I recommend that you first read up on these topics: "The Orchid Planter" and "The Plant Stand". These two little projects will get you going, develop your confidence, allow you to practice on easy to cut, cheaper material, yet produce quality results.