Holland Town Board gives initial OK to Woodworking biz
The Holland Town Board worked through a light agenda containing several housekeeping items at its regular meeting last week.

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Carpentry hand tools are a necessity if you are thinking about getting into woodworking. Whether cabinetry, furniture making, or just hobby projects, there are a few basic carpentry hand tools you will need. Stanley hand tools are favored because they offer such a wide variety of woodworking tools, for many different jobs. A circular saw is a common carpentry hand tool that demands respect for safety:

General Tips on Circular Saw Safety and Use:

- Always wear safety glasses or a face shield.
- Wear a respirator or dust mask.
- Wear hearing protection to avoid excess noise.
- Check the retracting lower blade guard.
- Ensure that the blade is sharp.
- Check the saw for proper blade rotation and depth while the saw is unplugged, (the lowest tooth should not extend more than about 0.3 cm or 1/8" beneath the wood).
- Keep all cords clear of cutting area.
- Circular saws are designed for right-hand operation, be careful when using left-handed, and always use both hands when operating the saw. One hand should be on the trigger switch and the other on the front knob.
- Always be sure the power is unplugged when not in use, especially if changing blades. Stanley hand tools also include other power tools such as drills, electric screwdrivers, grinders, sanders, jigsaws, miter saws, and other carpentry hand tools for special projects. These safety tips apply to any carpentry hand tools, whether Stanley hand tools, or any of the other popular brands:

Power Tool Safety Tips:

- Perform maintenance regularly as needed.
- Use the right tool for the job and inspect before using them.
- Operate according to manufacturers' instructions
- Use personal protective equipment like steel mesh gloves for cutting and safety glasses, or respirator masks.
- Use guards that come with the power tool and use them as intended.
- Disconnect power tools when not in use. Never mess with a power tool that is plugged in to change blades, or anything else.
- Don't hold the switch button while plugged-in, to carry.
- Keep tools sharp and clean, a sharp blade cuts better and is safer.
- Remove damaged cords and discard them.
- Do not carry, hoist or lower power tools by their cords.
- Don't pull the cord to disconnect it from an outlet, simply unplug it.
- Keep cords away from heat, oil and sharp edges, and especially make sure it is not in the path of what you are cutting.

Woodworking As a Hobby Can Seem to Be Overwhelming:

When you first start woodworking, it can seem overwhelming to assemble all that you are going to need. When it comes to carpentry hand tools, it is better to save for a good quality power tool, like Stanley hand tools, than to buy a cheap, off-name brand. Your carpentry hand tools are an investment that will last you for many years, and Stanley hand tools come with a warranty.

Buying Great Hand tools:

Buying great hand tools is easy, if you choose a reputable manufacturer, and Stanley discount tools are a leading brand for carpentry hand tools. The main thing is to accumulate your carpentry hand tools as you need them for individual projects.

Morris 'An Artist in Woodwork'
Craftsmen who have the skills to create intricate woodworking projects are becoming almost as rare as the cowboy serials that were shown at The Poncan Theatre in its heyday.

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Finish carpentry came to be as an artistic craft where exactitude is crucial.  It is mainly interior trim that may come in various works including decorative moldings, casings, fine woodworking, cabinetry, joinery, furniture making but may still be used to amplify beauty in exterior jobs such as decking, siding and roofing.  Because its results is what is most noticeable than any other phase in construction, it is often considered to be the most important part of a remodeling project.  

But other than just a side-job for your home remodeling project, finish carpentry can also be a project on its own.  As it maximizes appeal, your New York home would surely benefit from the boost in overall value.  It is a project worth looking into to bring the most bang to your every home improvement buck whether you are in Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, or Long Island.

There are a lot of possible projects that you could undertake involving finish carpentry and here are several of the most common:

Interior Trim

Trims are closely associated with moldings and can be applied to a good number of interior features like baseboard, pilasters, columns, mantels, pediments, corbels, fireplace surrounds and spandrels.  The simplest trims come as flat boards made to accent a certain area.  Depending on the style that you want to achieve out of your finish carpentry project, different materials can be used such as plywood and battens, panels, frames, bead board, or tongue-and-groove boards.   

Moldings

Moldings, more popularly known as decorative moldings, can add a touch of classic elegance, modern sophistication or simply put—drama into just any room.  As decorative molding comes in a very wide variety of styles and sizes ranging from stock patterns to custom cuts, shop for a one designed to complement with the overall décor of the room.  In a finish carpentry project, even the simplest of molding design can add volumes to the room’s beauty.  

Door and Window Casings

These types of casings are what fill in the gaps between doors, windows and the surrounding walls.  The success of a finish carpentry job where doorways or window frames are to be cased lies in the accuracy in cutting, perfect squaring of corners and right positioning while nailing the rest of the casing.  Though the tasks may seem easy, they are actually a far-cry from what many homeowners perceive them to be.

And now comes the big question- Why hire a finish carpenter?  First off, finish carpentry requires a good eye for proportion and detail, woodworking skills and craftsmanship that only a set of good fruitful years of experience can afford.  Whether working with traditional wood other construction materials manufactured through technological advancements, proper installation is vital.  

If you decide to go for DIY finish carpentry project with savings in mind, then you are on the wrong track.  Why?  Simply because, by doing the job without the needed expertise, you are risking the results probably wasting not only the materials, time, effort and money; but you are also exposing your homes to damages which may be caused by your attempts.  Thus, finish carpentry is best handled by professionals.

Shop class probably made you fall in love working with tools. It gave you the chance to make a table,  chair or even a bird house. But there are other things you need to learn if you want to pursue carpentry career so after graduating from high school, make it a point to go to carpentry school.

There are many carpentry schools all across the country so you don’t have to move out of town or state. You should first check if this is being offered in the nearby community, technical or vocational college.

If there is one, find out what does their curriculum cover. It should have subjects such as math, estimation of costs of jobs, times and materials, use of equipment and tools as well as various techniques in carpentry.

Another thing you have to consider when you select a carpentry school is which career in carpentry you are striving for. Is it to pursue  a residential or commercial career in carpentry? The difference between the two is that you can start a residential carpentry career in less than half the time it will take to be a commercial carpenter because the latter requires more skills and even certification.

For those who are not sure yet why they want to do, pick a school that offers both residential and commercial carpentry training. This will give you time to study how to install doors, frames, roofing systems, scaffolding and a host of other things making you a well rounded professional.

You should also consider how much the tuition is. Can you afford to study in this school? If you can’t, don’t give up just yet because they may have a scholarship program that you can avail of.

Apart from schools in the neighborhood, you can also enroll in such a course online. You get to learn the same things as though you are in the classroom and at the end, you also get certification upon successful completion.

If the program or money is not an issue, the only thing you have to worry about now is the success rate of people who graduated from the program in finding a job. Some of these schools may not have a job placement program which means you have to look for one yourself. Others are more helpful because they have tie ups with carpenter contractors or with the various carpentry associations.

Once you have all the information, try to narrow down your options to at least 3 to 5 schools. You then review what each one can offer to students and which of these is favorable to you. From there, all you have to do now is enroll in be willing to accept the training they are giving you. 

You don’t get a bachelor’s degree in carpentry when you finish a program given by the community, technical or vocational college. What you have in your hand is a simply a certificate of completion which makes you someone qualified to work in that profession.

What you do after you obtain your certificate is up to you. If you want to work right away, find employment as an apprentice. To further enhance your skills, it will be a good idea to pursue higher education so you can work in a specialized field in carpentry. If you want to be your own, then start your own carpentry contractor business.

You have a lot of options and going to school is the first step when you decide to pursue a carpentry career.