Surprise - I'm not a woodworker

Hi everyone

I have barely held a hammer in my 56 years and over the past few months have become bloody minded enough to take up woodwork.

I love timber furniture and I really like the look and feel of timber in almost every setting, but I've just never been good and doing things with my hands.

I bought a couple of old sideboard/buffets with the idea that restoring them might teach me some skills and I'm working on that for now. I'm also poking around for some scrap timber to play with. I have been able to confirm that I am very bad at this sort of thing but I am also enjoying myself tremendously.

If you see some gormless questions from me in the forums (so, the thin end of the hammer is the *handle*???) please give me a pass.

cheers

Max

Max, you have come to the right place. Welcome to the forum.

Regards
Keith

Welcome to the forum Max.

Welcome aboard.
Restoration is a good way of starting out.
You can take the opportunity to look closely at construction and design and also learn a lot about finishes.

If you are getting into restoration where you need to take the furniture apart I recommend getting yourself a soft faced hammer, leather faced hammers are good for this and if you can't find one of these then a soft plastic faced hammer can workout.

See, this is why I am here :) I have never heard of a soft faced hammer but a quick visit to the Bunnings website tells me that it makes absolute sense. Thanks so much for the tip.

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Originally Posted by MaxC

See, this is why I am here :) I have never heard of a soft faced hammer but a quick visit to the Bunnings website tells me that it makes absolute sense. Thanks so much for the tip.

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Welcome Max,

Making a soft Face Hammer could be a great little project,it does not have to be turned on a lathe.
You could make a great little hammer with some basic hand tools.
An learn a heap doing it.

Cheers Matt.

G'Day & Welcome to a top forum "Max".
There are a stack members in and around Sydney, across NSW plus the rest of Australia and the world.....
You'll find a heap of helpful & knowledgeable blokes & ladies on the forum and for most very willing to assist.
Make sure you show off your handiwork as everyone loves a photo, especially WIP [Work In Progress] photos with build notes.
Enjoy the forum......
Enjoy your woodwork......
Cheers crowie

This is my hand made "taking furniture apart" hammer.
The whole thing was shaped by hand using just a a spokeshave, although I did use a drill press and a Forstner bit to drill out the cork holes and to make the recess for the leather insert.

I don't drink alcohol but SWMBO was prepared to suffer for the cause and contribute the corks.
Originally I was going to use an old belt but I found I had enough rawhide leather to make the leather face.

Attachment 508739 Attachment 508740 Attachment 508741

I though I was so clever making this but a few months alter I found an example of a leather faced mallet in a book on medieval armour.

Dang that's cool. Thank you for sharing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MaxC

See, this is why I am here :) I have never heard of a soft faced hammer but a quick visit to the Bunnings website tells me that it makes absolute sense. Thanks so much for the tip.

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WRONG bunnings and common sense are totally different

also search youtube for furniture restoration, but take everything with a grain of salt and suspicion
some people really good
some are total yobs
some should have never been born

Max,

Suggest you have a look at Thomas Johnson Antiques Restoration on YouTube. He’s a pro, been around a long time. Nothing flashy but some good stuff here.

Best regards,

Brian

Welcome to the forum Max.

Welcome to the forum Max