Woodwork – Self Directed Projects
Self-Directed Projects – Intro
Once a level of competency has been developed in the use of tools and procedures in the woodshop, students may desire to develop their own projects. A degree of planning is necessary to ensure both safety and success.
Safety – students must have met the following criteria prior to using any stationary power machinery in the shop:
- Have had a demonstration on machine use and safety
- Have successfully completed a safety test
- Have been supervised on first use of the equipment
The following process must be completed and approved prior to undertaking any personally designed/directed projects:
- Project Selection – considerations
- Plans
- Cost
- Procedure
Project Selection:
When choosing a self-directed project students should consider their experience and proven skill level. This is a time to lean on the learning you have previously done. SOME new techniques and/or procedures may be able to be supported, but these should be limited. Students should have reasonable confidence that they know and have experience in how to perform most of the steps necessary in the build procedure and that they will be able to complete the project in the time available.
Plans
No project is to be undertaken without a ‘set plans’ being supplied. These may be sourced, ie from the internet, or drawn by the student themselves. Any plans submitted for approval must be such that they could be given to another woodworker and this woodworker be able to build the project without any need for discussion with the project planner. In other words, ALL necessary information to build the project needs to be found on the plans.
Cost
Look before you leap! The cost of projects can be surprising. Students must complete a ‘Cost of Materials’ as part of the planning/approval process. All materials MUST be paid for in advance, prior to the project being undertaken.
Cost of Materials Calculation Worksheet
Procedure
Thinking through the steps in involved in the build process BEFORE diving in is very important, both to avoid mistakes and ensure that the skills, tools, methods and processes are within the student’s current ability. Skills and knowledge take time to develop and from this it extends that you can’t do everything at this time. For example, in your prior woodworking experience you would have use various ‘jigs’ for specific procedures. Jigs are made for a number of reasons as they make process, possible, repeatable and safer. Will the project you are undertaking require any jigs? Are these available in the shop already, or will these need to be built? If they need to be built, will you be able to do this and what will be the cost of the jig? Thinking carefully through the steps/sequences in the build process will go a long way toward identifying issues before they present as problems/barriers to construction.