I a newbie, so new in fact that I am in terror of starting a project. I have all the tools at my disposal, as my husband has been remodeling homes for years. He of course could take Ana's plans and show me how to build something, but for many reasons, mainly because I want the satisfaction of doing it all by myself, I don't want to ask his help.
I have decided to start with something that looks fairly easy to me and is labeled beginner. I have chosen the General Store Cubbies, but I have much bigger plans in the future. I have aspirations of building a bunk bed.
I understand the shopping list and think I can manage getting the right materials, but I don't know what to do next. Do you cut on the cut line or just next to it?
Should I predrill holes for the screws. Should I use a finish nailer?
What is a pocket hole screw and what are the basic instructions to utilize it?
How do you square a project?
I so would appreciate any other helpful beginner tips and some you can do its! I need some confidence.
Thanks!
jeannet
Thu, 02/10/2011 - 05:34
Hey, I hear you about being terrified - it took me 6 months from finding Ana's site to actually starting to build. Now I'm ALMOST done with my first project, a variation on Ana's day bed/twin bed headboard plans. I'm learning to take my times and learn from all my mistakes.
I think lots of your basic questions are answered on Ana's "Get Started" page - go and take a look at that and you'll find the answers about how to mark, where to cut, what to use to predrill your screws and what a pocket hole is. It helped me a lot!
Testing for square is basically measuring from corner to corner diagonally across a box or a panel while it's laying or standing in front of you. Measure from top left to bottom right and from top right to bottom left. If the measurements are the same, your box or panel is square.
Have fun!
hardknocks
Mon, 02/14/2011 - 13:55
Thank you for the insight!
jlpkansas
Mon, 02/14/2011 - 18:18
I sent you a PM ..
Have a good day!
June