Just what is Get Woodworking Week? The idea started as many great ones do… late at night in a bar. At a gathering of woodworkers, we were sitting around a table asking ourselves, “How can woodworking be saved?” After all, with most schools no longer offering a shop class, millions of school age kids might not ever get the opportunity to work with wood. Add to that the trend toward ‘disposable’ furniture, built out of particleboard or MDF and designed to last until the next big design trend change, we were wondering if the appreciation of finely-crafted furniture would continue to be lost.

That’s when the idea hit me – we needed a special event to get folks off the sideline and into woodworking as a hobby. That’s where the idea of Get Woodworking Week comes in.  Woodworking bloggers across the Internet are banding together to gear their sites toward the novice or soon-to-be-novice woodworker. They’ll cover topics as diverse as how they got started in the craft, which tools a beginning woodworker needs (without breaking the bank) and what techniques are essential to start with. There will be discussion about how to find wood on the cheap for projects, what sources of information are reliable and how making mistakes can – and do – make you a better woodworker.

I just loved this video from Scott Morton, done for the 2012 Get Woodworking Week.

Great resources for new woodworkers:

Wood Magazine’s Basic Built Series:This is is Wood Magazine’s initiative to provide simple, yet high-quality woodworking projects that can be completed with a minimum number of tools and skills. This site covers a wide array of topics – from how to find furniture worthy wood to where to find the best deals on tools. The inexpensive projects offered run the gamut from shop fixtures to tables, seating and casework.

Fine Woodworking’s Start Woodworking:  Fine Woodworking magazine  offers a comprehensive site geared toward beginners. Loaded with plans, videos and articles on the basics, this site has much to offer the budding woodworker. And, what a great selection of projects there is – with something for nearly every room of the house.  Check out the Q&A section, offering expert advice for woodworkers of all skill levels.

Popular Woodworking’s I Can Do That: In every issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine, the “I Can Do That” column features projects that can be completed by any woodworker with a modest (but decent) kit of tools in less than two days of shop time, and using raw materials that are available at any home center. Be sure to download their .PDF manual first before you get a start on things.

The Wood Whisperer Guild:  Marc Spagnuolo, the Wood Whisperer, runs a great online woodworking guild that offers step-by-step instructions to some awesome projects. Whether you are a complete beginner or an uber-skilled woodworker, Marc’s instructions can have you building high quality projects before you know it!

NewWoodworker.com: Tom Hintz is no longer a new woodworker, but, believe me, his site will help steer any new woodworker in the right direction. Before you buy a new tool or select a spot for your shop, be sure to pay this site a visit and soak in the knowledge.

The Hand Tool School: If power tools aren’t your bag, why not give hand tools a go?  Shannon Rogers of the Renaissance Woodworker runs the online Hand Tool School where you can learn how to unplug and get woodworking. There is a fee for the site, but you will be part of an online apprenticeship that will teach you the basics… and more advanced skills.

• Jeff Branch:  New woodworkers conquers enormous coffered ceiling project
• Ron Hock:  Basic sharpening kits to help you Get Woodworking 2015
• Mike Mader:  Knick Knack shelf (With video!)
• Wood Magazine: A woodworker’s basic tool kit

• The Unplugged Woodshop: The most important step
• Infinity Cutting Tools: Get Woodworking – find a mentor
• Spunjin’s Blog: Get Woodworking Week 2014!
• MonkWerks: Clamps, Clamps, and more Clamps!
• Giant Cypress: The two things no one tells you about sharpening
• The Renaissance Woodworker: Don’t let experience level stop you
• Hock Tools: Get Woodworking Week 2014
• Highland Woodworker: Woodworking Tips Map
• The Renaissance Woodworker: How to help others get woodworking
• Upside Down Table Saw: It’s get woodworking week … and I’m sick
• Hock Tools: School Days (Get Woodworking)
• The Wood Lab: It’s Get Woodworking Week – two things to keep in mind
• TMBR Toys: A free yo-yo plan for Get Woodworking Week

• Shawn Graham – Worth the Effort Woodworking: Available and affordable lumber for fine woodworking
• Daniel Chasse – Beer ‘n Lathing: Get over it and woodwork
• Matt Vanderlist – Matt’s Basement Workshop: More reasons for buying a thickness planer first
• Guhdo Precision Woodworking Tools: National Get Woodworking Week
• Neal Becker, Beave’s Bench: What are you waiting for?

• Chuck McGhee – Wood Chuck’s Shop: Be Smart about dust
•  Nik Brown – The Digital Woodworker: Simple Frames for the home
• Elaine Andersen – Sawtooth Ideas: Get Woodworking Week 2013
• Stephen Duffy – WV Woodshed: Get Woodworking Week 2013
• Wilbur Pan – Giant Cypress: New tools rising
• Highland Woodworking: Tips for Getting Started
• Highland Woodworking: The down to Earth woodworker’s perspective
• Derek Olson – Oldwolf workshop: DIY DaVinci Notebooks
• Pete Harbin – Second Wind Workshop: Lancelot Link – I mean that’s a lot of links!
• Sawdust Newbie: Get Woodworking Week post
•  Mike Lingenfelter – The Inquisitive Woodworker: Get Woodworking Week 2013
• Kari Hultman – The Village Carpenter: We all have a first project
• Steve Ramsey – Woodworking for Mere Mortals: Get Woodworking!
• Rob Rozaieski – Logan Cabinet Shop: Quick Tip #13: Don’t Fear the Hide Glue
• Rob Rozaieski – Logan Cabinet Shop: Quick Tip#14: Choosing Chisels
• 2Sand:  Woodworking NOT for dummies
• Popular Woodworking: My first woodworking project?
• Steve Ramsey – Woodworking for Mere Mortals:  Get Woodworking
• Wilbur Pan – Giant Cypress: What you need to get a kid into woodworking
• Ron Hock – The Sharpening Blog:  How to Make a Board by Dave Barry
• Matt Vanderlist – Matt’s Basement Workshop:  Jointer or Thickness Planer First?
• Fine Woodworking: 7 lessons for aspiring furniture makers
  
• Popular Woodworking: Some beginner hand tool instruction
• Highland Woodworking: Teaching a friend to turn
• Highland Woodworking: Getting started with woodturning
• Chris Landy – The Lighthearted Woodworker: Pay it forward
• Andy Brownell – Brownell Furniture: South African Biltong Maker
• Chris Wong – Flair Woodworks: Don’t listen to them (Listen to me – at least this one time!)
• Allen Lindsey – Crazy Chipmunk Woodworking: The Baby(ies) made me do it!
• Ron Hock – The Sharpening Blog: Time to fish – or get woodworking!
• Pete Harbin – Second Wind Workshop: The Breakfast Club
• Dyami Plotke – The Penultimate Workshop: Wolf: Achievement 5
• Matt Vanderlist – Matt’s Basement Workshop: Get Woodworking Week 2013
• Nick Roulleau – Mansfield Fine Furniture: On Cheating
• Marc Spagnuolo – The Wood Whisperer: What’s your excuse?
• Wilbur Pan – Giant Cypress: Why a dovetail a day is so useful
• Chris Adkins – High Rock Woodworking:  Old Woodworking Books… That still matter
• Pete Harbin – Second Wind Workshop: Get Woodworking Week: Sunday
• Wood Magazine: FREE Plans for a stately Shaker side table
• Ralph Bagnall – Cash From Craft: What I like to build and why
• Popular Woodworking: A trio of common beginner questions (& answers)
• Marilyn Guthrie – She Works Wood: Get woodworking … women! 

• Mike Siemsen, The School of Wood: There’s a hole in the bucket! Getting started woodworking with hand tools. –
• Short Bus Woodworking: Get Woodworking Week – Pocket Holes?
• Tumblewood: Get Woodworking Week is here. Get to it!
• Woodworking in Paris: La semaine Get Woodworking du 5 au 12 fevrier… (en Francais)
• Close Grain: Jim Kingshott’s DVDs and Books
• Ravinheart Renditions: Get Woodworking Week 2012
• Uppercut Woodworks: Video Post #10: Get Woodworking Week with Red Toolbox Kits
• Digital Woodworker: Getting started in woodworking – Tools with a Japanese flair
• Stu’s Shed: Colour my (shed) world
• Woodshop Demos: Analysis paralysis
• The School of Wood: There’s a hole in the bucket! Getting started woodworking with hand tools.
• The Wood Whisperer: How to install a drawer knob
• A Slice of Wood Workshop: What to Build?
• The Village Carpenter: Just do it!
• The Renaissance Woodworker: Get Woodworking… NOW!
• Wood Magazine: Beginner techniques
• The Sharpening Blog: Basic Sharpening Notes
• Hardwood to go: Tips for buying lumber for your next project
• Giant Cypress Blog: The Shellac redemption
• Woodcanuck’s Blog: So you want to be a woodworker?
• Wood Chuck’s Workshop: Shellac, this beginner’s favorite finish
• Brownell Furniture: Getting Found Online
• Bucks County Craftsmaster’s Blog: Football is over. So, now what?
• Might as well dance: Woodworking: where to begin?
• The Wood Lab: Don’t let shop ‘shortcomings’ stop you!
• The Joiner’s Apprentice: Preparing rough stock for a project
• The Penultimate Workshop: Peter Get Woodworking
• Matt’s Basement Workshop: Get Woodworking Week 2012
• The Digital Woodworker: Building a Japanese workbench
• The Wood Ninja: Get Woodworking
• Stu’s Shed: Humble Beginnings
• Giant Cypress: What it takes to get a kid into woodworking
• The Renaissance Woodworker: Get Hand Planes
• Watkins Wood Works: To sharpen or not to sharpen?
• Uppercut Woodworks: Get woodworking Boy Scouts
• Flair Woodworks: Every shop needs a Br’all
• High Rock Woodworking: What happened to shop class?
• The Garage Shop: Get woodworking again
• Woodworks by John: My contribution
•  The Joiner’s Apprentice: Simple Dovetail Box
• Woodworking for Mere Mortals: Shop Cabinet
• Scott Morton: Teaching the kids
• The Garage Woodshop: Blunt Instruments
• Giant Cypress: One last item for Get Woodworking Week
• WV Woodshed:Get Woodworking Week
• The Corner Workshop: Take the plunge