DIY Tips and Tricks for Beginners
Over the years I have discovered more than a few DIY tips and tricks, and continue to find more as new products and tools come onto the market.
20/09/2019
When hosting the DIY-Divas Workshops, whether it's in Joburg, Pretoria, Cape Town or Durban, some people attending seem to think it's more about making a project, which it's not. The DIY-Divas Workshops are about learning and discovering plenty of tips, tricks and techniques that you can take home and put to use for your own DIY projects.
Power tools you need
At the DIY-Divas Workshops we discuss the power tools you need to invest in to start out with small DIY projects, from making your own decor accessories, craft DIY projects, or full-on furniture projects. Because at the end of the day, you want to make sure you buy the right tools for the tasks you want to do.
Accessories, attachments and supplies
Tied in with the power tools we discuss, we also look at the different accessories and attachments, so that when you go home you know how to use your power tools to their full potential and understand what they can and cannot do.
After discussing the basic power tools you need, we move onto investment tools - or tools you might want to add to your collection as your DIY knowledge and confidence increases. This include using a biscuit joiner, a pocket hole jig, compound mitre saw and router, as well as a few more.
The next topic we look at are accessories, materials and supplies you will be working with when undertaking your projects. This includes the different types of screws and why there are so many different screws, drilling into wood, steel or concrete (masonry and brick), and also using the right screws. This is important if you want your projects to be made properly and not fall apart at the first use.
We look at the different types of timber and board and what would be best for specific projects, bearing in mind availability and cost, as well as eco-friendly materials.
Projects to enforce your skills
At almost every workshop we host, and particularly at my venue in Randpark Ridge, we do a couple of projects where you will use the power tools, accessories and a few of the supplies that we discuss on the day. Having a tactile personality myself, I believe that doing hands-on projects lets you experience for yourself what is discussed, and actually put what we talk about into practice.
Another reason for completing the small projects, is so that you can take something home to your hubby or partner to show what you have made - by yourself. A little bit of a bragging project because you can't wait to show off what you made!
