where to learn woodworking

[haydar]

I'm always intimidating to build few of DRs and Titans everytime logging in this forum. Though I realize that all my fingers are thumbs now, I'm more than willing to learn woodworking since my budget is too tight to hire a builder.
where to go from here? any web address for distant learning in woodwoorking?
please shed some lights and thanks in advance

haydar

[LelandCrooks]

The library. Just search under woodworking. You need a book in the shop.

A local Junior College. I know ours offers a class.

The best way to start is with hand tools, good ones. Learning to make a box is the first step. Sounds simple, it's not. Making a truly square box is the foundation for everything. It will teach you accuracy, layout, how to compensate for kerfs, all the basic skills required. My 85 yr old Dad tells how his first shop instructor gave them a block of wood, a plane, and a square. Told them to make it square. Pure evil.

[Sydney]

My 85 yr old Dad tells how his first shop instructor gave them a block of wood, a plane, and a square. Told them to make it square.

At Lane Tech ( the HS I went to in Chicago ) - that is precisely what our 1st project was.
We wondered what the purpose of that was at the time - we were anxious to use power tools.
Upon completion, we had a sanding block and an understanding of the basics and an appreciation of what you can do with hand tools.

[fender3x]

I think you should build a box too...but if your going to do that, why not build an O10 or an OT? By the time you have build one or two of those, you'll be ready to build a Titan. Once you have knocked off a Titan you'll be ready for a DR...and maybe you won't need it.

I had never even picked up a circular saw and did not know what a "kerf" was when I got my first BFD plans. I started with an O10. It is functional, although it's not going to win any awards for beauty. Then I did a T39, which is much prettier. I am now building a DR250, and am almost done with it. I don't think I could have started with the DR...but after you have done the others its a lot less intimidating.

Also, check in here regularly. Not too many problems these guys don't know how to solve.

[bgavin]

If you have time and the patience, learn to make precision cuts for your pieces. You will learn a whole lot by being painstakingly accurate. It is slow as hell, and not for the young/impatient. It took me 50 years to get over being hot-headed and impatient, and I'm just now enjoying the benefits.

Part of making a precision fit is taking the time to be ABSOLUTELY square and plumb for each component you build. Errors are cumulative, and an out-of-plumb horn plate will be horribly off at the end of the horn path.

It is perfectly OK to drill holes in your plates for temp bracing to hold things square. PL or Bondo are both great at filling screw holes. PL for non-visible, and Bondo where the fills have to be finish sanded.

One cannot have too many clamps. I have a minimum of 6 Jorgensen, and another 6+ C-clamps available. Learn to clamp a block to the side plate, then clamp your framing square to the block. Do this on the first panel, and it will be plumb.

Large panels such as T39, T48, and larger Tubas are prone to warpage. Learn to clamp a sturdy straight edge (48" level) or similar to maintain flatness on the panel. You can have to horn plates perfectly square, but appear to be off, because the side panel is warped.

It all boils down to patience. Bill's designs are great with simple tools.

[haydar]

I think you should build a box too...but if your going to do that, why not build an O10 or an OT? By the time you have build one or two of those, you'll be ready to build a Titan. Once you have knocked off a Titan you'll be ready for a DR...and maybe you won't need it.

brilliant idea! maybe OT12 for 1st time project. if someday I have DRs, Titans, and WH10, OT12 goes to drum fill or side fill.
my dream is to own a sound company with BFD speakers only.

Also, check in here regularly. Not too many problems these guys don't know how to solve.

Will do Sir!

and thanks everyone. I will order the plans soon for sure.

[Frankenspeakers]

Try growing up on a peach ranch (farm) with an old Forney* welder and a Shopsmith* in the basement. "Don't touch that, you'll take yer finger orf just like uncle Marion!" A '40's era shopsmith can teach you lots about things like 'kickback' and 'flyback' and chips in the face... (belt guards? blade guards? pushers? whazzat? just twist the wires together, we don' need no stinkin electrical tape!) Things got interesting when the old man was out in the field with the tractor and my hyperactive self ran out Sci-Fi and Mom's murder mysteries... and it was still half a week to go to the library. (This was somewhat before I discovered that the Guy down the road at the barn had horses!)

No, I really don't reccommend the school of hard knocks- some of them really can raise a knot or two! My gradeschool woodworking teacher gave me a knife and a block of wood-"go carve somthing!... never you mind that piece of Army Surplus tube amp looking thing in the corner..."

Miraculously, I still have all my fingers and toes still attached. I did pick up a thing or three in 4H, and at the parsonage... (preacher was a carpenter/ handyman)

Old man tries to give an object lesson abut the dangers of getting too close to the pulleys on the irrigation pumps out in the orchards... "See what that pulley did to that twig? Took it clean off! think what that would do to yer finger!" ...time passes (just enough for the old man to go off to do somthing else) Frankie has a new game to play... peach twigs, straw, bamboo sticks, weeds... Old man returns: Dammitt boy, whatthehell you doin'? Git outta there, go back to the house! (playtime over)

(still not sure how I survived...)