Do you want to take your expertise as a woodworker to the next level?
You should learn more about welding. But the thing I have noticed those who took the woodworking course in the college is the lack of willingness to learn to weld. Neither do too many colleges put some basics welding into their curriculum.
But they don’t realize that they are missing out on one of the most crucial skills they should have. So if you want to up your skill by doing some project which includes welding, here are our six woodworking projects which will help you to learn more about welding.
What is welding?
There are various types and disciplines of welding you may find out there. But they all can be broadly categorized into two different categories, arc welding, and torch welding. Arc welding is currently the most popular welding technique right now in industrial welding.
In arc welding, you will be using an electrode to produce heat and fabricate or join the metals into the desired shape. On the other hand, the torch welders use oxyacetylene to cut through the metals. But they are not much into industrial use right now for producing sub-par results.
Your goal as a woodworker is to learn and understand how to use them to join and shape metals as per the requirement of your project.
Welding safety tips
No matter you are using a plasma cutter or a MIG welder to join some metals for your project, you will need some specific things to keep you and your vital organs safe. Here are some crucial safety tips for woodworkers who are getting started with welding.
- Make sure you wear gloves as your hand will be the closest to the sparks.
- Wearing a rubber or leather shoe can potentially save your life.
- Never wear short-sleeved shirts.
- Consider getting a best welding hood to keep your eyes safe.
Six woodworking projects to help you know more about welding
How can you learn to weld fast as a woodworker? Well, the simplest way is to implement what you have learned into some projects. These six projects here can be beneficial for you to take your welding to the next level.
Industrial bar stool
Let’s begin with something straightforward, shall we? Industrial style bar stools can be an excellent addition to your study.
You will learn some important concepts like how to do a miter joint and how to join them as well. So what do you need to complete this project? Well, first you need to get the design in place. You should be doing a very simple Industrial style bar stool, nothing too advanced. So, for now, aim to make a stool that is 20-25” in height and 10-15” to the sides.
As for the materials, you will need 4 square tubes for the legs and four more for the cross beams. You will also need a square of birch plywood for the top and four flat bar sheets of steel for supporting the head.
Industrial C Table
A side sofa table is convenient to put your drinks or teacup and to have a C shape side table can add a classy touch to your room as well. If you have finished making the bar stool, it might come across very easy for you.
You will be able to learn how to make a bevel joint on the steel and weld them as well. To build the metal base, you will need 4 steel tubes for the horizontal side pieces and two more for vertical side pieces which will join the back pieces. As for the back piece, you will need two horizontal steel tubes.
Coffee table
Why don’t you try making a beautiful steel-framed coffee table for your home? It doesn’t take much effort, and the principles are the same here as the previous two projects. You will be using the same steel tube bars to make the coffee table base.
As for the difference of the measurement and the size, you need four vertical pieces, and these will be the longest ones. You will also need four horizontal pieces to support them, and they will roughly half of the size of the vertical ones. As for connecting the horizontal and vertical pieces, you will need two more tubes.
Steel Shelf Bracket
Who doesn’t like having a wall-mounted shelf in their kitchen or the living room? They can be used for placing kitchen jars to even books and other stuff. And you will be surprised how easy to make. You need to make two or three the supporting brackets out of flat bars and some screws, and you are good to go!
Wood and Metal Keychain Holder
This one is even simpler, and it won’t take that much of hassle to make an excellent looking Wood And Metal Keychain Holder for your home. This small but handy piece of the item can make sure you never lose your keys again, and it looks very classy as well!
Just cut and weld four-piece of tube steel together, then fit the wood piece into the middle. Now add as many metal dowels you want to be and bend them to be the perfect keychain holder!
Wood and Metal Door Bell
Wood and Metal Door Bell might seem like an effortless task to do after you have finished making way more complicated items. But it can still teach you a thing or two about modifying the metals and also you will be able to put waste like a metal canister into good use.
Other than the canister and for the ringer, you will need two straight rods and some metal brackets to attach it as well. Cut the canister into half and weld it to the longer rod. Now attach this to the wood piece with brackets. Use the smaller rod as the ringer, and you are good to go!
Conclusion
Woodworkers, who just launched their careers, knowing how to weld, gives them an extra advantage. It will unlock a whole new world of advanced woodworking projects. These 6 simple but effective projects we presented are well suited for beginners to wrap their heads around about how do wood and metalwork combine.
