A selection of equipment, drilling jigs, clamps and tools for the home craftsman (Aliexpress)

Pros and cons of self-assembly

First, let's look at the advantages.

1. Saving money. You are free to choose the material, fasteners and accessories yourself. Also no factory production costs.
2. Design design. Independent choice of style, color, shape, material - all these factors will allow you to create a real work of art without leaving your own walls.
3. The quality of the product is in your hands. How long a chair or armchair will last depends on meticulousness, attentiveness and passion. Since the work is done for oneself, the approach will be appropriate.
4. Possibility of production for individual conditions. You, like no one else, know what you want, where to put it and what this element of interior decoration should look like.
5. An opportunity to discover new talents. What if things go further and you decide to start assembling furniture professionally. Extra income never hurt anyone.

It is necessary to prepare the necessary equipment in advance.
Now let's talk about the cons. There is none of them. If you have firmly decided to make your own furniture, have made the appropriate preparations, and purchased high-quality tools, the job will definitely go well.

Benefits of use

Essentially, such a jig acts as a template for making holes so that they are made as accurately as possible. They can be used for those holes whose axis is perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece, as well as for working at an angle.

This tool is an excellent alternative to sketches and manual measurements. You can place the drill strictly at the desired angle in relation to the workpiece and will not allow any deviation. The result will be especially noticeable when it comes to making deep holes.

If you use such a high-quality device for working with chipboard, then it should have the following characteristics:

• facilitate quick assembly of furniture without the need to use complex tools;
• make it possible to make several holes simultaneously without manual marking;
• significantly improve the quality of work with the drill.

Conductors are made from different materials; there are models based on plastic or organic glass. However, the best option is considered to be made of steel , which has such advantages as:

• minimal likelihood of deformation;
• the drill is directed as clearly as possible;
• no heating during operation.

Very often, overhead models based on lightweight materials that are easy to manipulate are used as furniture jigs. Many people use factory or homemade tools.

And the most qualified and experienced craftsmen no longer use a jig, since they can easily make a hole in structures on their own as accurately as possible. But not everyone can do this.

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The key advantage of such a device is that the work can be performed as accurately and efficiently as possible, even by a person who does not have the proper experience. You don't have to do markings and complex preliminary calculations. You will save a lot of time and produce furniture much faster.

Is it possible to assemble furniture yourself?

Definitely yes. The main thing in this matter is to organize and carry out the work correctly. Start by drawing up a sketch. This is done in the form of sketches on a piece of paper. The first step is planning. Development of several options for a future wall for clothes, open shelves for books or a wardrobe.

If you don’t have your own tools, you can borrow them from friends or rent them.

The second important issue is the tool for making furniture. It’s good if you still have hand-held power tools after carrying out repairs or other work. But what if there weren't any? Do you need to buy a whole set of professional construction and woodworking equipment? After all, their price borders on the purchase of a new kitchen set and a soft corner?

The set for a beginner may be minimal, but chosen correctly.

There is an answer to this question. You can borrow power tools from a neighbor, friend, brother, matchmaker, etc. Or you can contact a specialized company that rents tools by paying a symbolic amount and leaving a deposit. In any case, this option will cost you less than buying a drill, screwdriver, jigsaw and other devices.

Among the wide variety of useful devices, you should definitely take devices for screwing, drilling and trimming.

Types of dowels

There are many types of fasteners, but they are conventionally divided into groups according to material and shape. Let's consider this issue in more detail.

Material of manufacture

Two types are actively used:

1. Wood. Most experts strongly recommend using a wooden tenon when constructing wooden structures. The main advantages when choosing such fasteners are given:
2. Even drying. The beam and dowel should be approximately the same humidity. This will allow the shrinkage process to go through with virtually no visible changes;
3. Not affected by temperature changes . The tree practically does not change its linear dimensions at different temperatures, so the fastening element will always be in place;
4. No rust . Metal rusts over time, which leads to rotting of wooden surfaces in contact with it;
5. There is no condensation. With a sharp change in temperature, moisture forms on steel, which is completely useless inside a load-bearing wall.
6. The dowel fuses with the wall. After a certain time, the house will become monolithic, the wooden surfaces will be soldered together.
7. Metal. This option also applies to a budget fastening method; waste materials (pipes, fittings) are often used. Although experts prefer the previous method, the metal dowel has its advantages:
8. The top layers of wood are protected from torsion;
9. Durability of the structure.

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Form

There are also several main forms:

1. Round section. Taking into account the fact that the holes for fastening in the log are made with a drill, the round dowel will provide the maximum contact area, guaranteeing the reliability and durability of the structure;
2. Square. It is easier to make such an element; it also costs less. But that's where the positives end. When entering the hole, the edges of the tenon are deformed, and the total contact area remains minimal. Building a house this way is dangerous;
3. Narrow rectangle . The easiest option to manufacture. A board of a certain thickness is taken and cut into rectangles. The only advantage is the very small thickness. Suitable for narrow timber, but installation is extremely difficult.

What tools are needed?

To make it yourself, you need to have the following list of furniture tools:

• set of screwdrivers and keys;
• set of drills;
• construction pencil;
• measuring instruments (tape tape, level, square, carpenter's ruler);
• surface treatment products (sandpaper, vibrating sander, eccentric sander);
• drill;
• screwdriver;
• electric jigsaw;
• hand circular saw;
• conductor.

You can use both electric and hand tools.
In the first case, it can operate from the network or from an autonomous power source - a battery. Each element listed above has specific requirements. This is due to the specifics of working with furniture, the material being processed and the required quality of cutting products.

Let's consider each element necessary to complete the assembly work separately.

Screwdrivers and bits

To put the structure together, you need to have a set of specialized screwdrivers. You will need:

• screwdrivers of different sizes with a flat slot;
• and also with a cross slot.

Be sure to have screwdrivers with a long shaft. This is necessary for tightening bolts, self-tapping screws and screws called “confirmation” in hard-to-reach or recessed places. Sizes from 0 to 3 numbers must be available. For a more accurate selection, contact the seller at a hardware store and ask them to provide you with a table of screwdriver sizes.

It is recommended to choose reversible screwdrivers with removable bits.

It is more convenient to buy a set of bits for a screwdriver. To tighten fasteners in hard-to-reach places, purchase a long extension rod. This will save you the cost of buying multiple screwdrivers, since a set of bits costs less.

Pay attention to the quality of the material from which the slot of the screwdriver or bit is made. Don't buy cheap Chinese products. The low price hides unsatisfactory quality. At the first serious tightening, the slot will “lick off” and bend the head. This is due to the “raw” metal that is used in the manufacturing process.

It is better not to save on this tool, but to immediately buy a high-quality model.

Good bits and screwdrivers, with a high-quality and reliable slot, are made with the addition of cobalt, chromium and vanadium. These metals are hard and at the same time elastic, which allows fasteners to be tightened securely. Such products are marked “CrV”.

Drill

The selection of drills is carried out based on what material is used in the manufacture of furniture. It could be:

• natural wood;
• aluminum or other metal;
• boards obtained from waste from the wood processing industry;
• plastic;
• glass.

Based on this, select drills for metal, wood and glass. A wood drill is suitable for plastic, but you need to drill at low speeds.

Drills for furniture production must have the following diameter: 4.5 mm. 7.5 mm. 10 mm.

If you plan to drill in steel, invest in drill bits with cobalt added to the alloy. Such consumables are more expensive than conventional products, but are of high quality and last a long time. Marking "Co".

For wood, high-speed metal is used. But for glass, specialized cutters are used that have a working surface made of carbide metal.

The wood drill is used in accordance with the specifications, device and type of work being carried out.

Using the wrong drill bits for each material will inevitably affect the quality of the hole. And glass, due to its solid structure, simply cannot be drilled with other cutters.

Have a supply of drills with a diameter of 2 to 10 mm.

Measuring

The accuracy of markings on workpieces for cutting to size is one of the main factors, observing which, you will get an ideal home product without flaws.

Measuring tools are the main tool for assembling cabinet furniture. The dimensions of sliding wardrobes, built-in structures, or free-standing ones require precise sizing. Therefore, pay special attention to the accuracy of measurements. For this purpose, there are classes of accuracy and degree of error of a particular measuring device.

The list of measuring and marking tools is quite wide.

High-quality products have certificates of conformity for their products. You will need:

• construction and carpentry ruler;
• level;
• 90 degree square;
• roulette.

Some manufacturers produce measuring instruments with special clamps and engaging tips. This greatly simplifies the process of marking the material to be cut, as well as on the walls of an apartment or private country house.

Furniture installation is not complete without a measuring tool.

Grinding

High-quality processing of a wooden panel glued from bars and spliced ​​from boards is the main task when making furniture with your own hands. This process has a direct impact on the visual qualities of the finished craft.

An indispensable part of furniture making equipment is a grinding machine.

Selecting sanding accessories is an important step in DIY manufacturing. External qualities depend on its implementation.

Sandpaper should be available in several grit variations. If you are going to give a true aristocratic shine to the cabinet fronts, frames and panels, you need to have an abrasive available:

• brand P300;
• P600;
• P1200;
• P1500;
• P2000;
• R2500.

The latest brand ensures leveling to a glossy finish. To speed up work and improve its quality, use eccentric sanders. Thanks to the pendulum-rotational movements, not a scratch will remain on the surface of the furniture board.

It is used to clean and level surfaces or cut lines.

For rough surface treatment, you can use an ordinary vibration sander, as well as a belt sander.

For each sanding machine, stores sell sandpaper of a certain shape. It happens:

• in the form of a rectangle with Velcro;
• continuous tape;
• triangular in shape with rounded sides.

There is also a screwdriver attachment designed for attaching an abrasive wheel. The use of such a bond when sanding furniture at home is not allowed, due to rough processing and the appearance of obvious defects. And working with a screwdriver with a grinding wheel is not convenient.

The device removes varnish, old paint residues or other substances before applying paints and varnishes.

Drill and screwdriver

If you ask any furniture maker what tools are needed to assemble furniture, he will answer – a drill and a screwdriver. The average person who does not deal with furniture making on a daily basis does not understand why two identical power tools are needed at once.

The fact is that they have different output speeds, as well as different power. And if you have only one device, you will have to constantly change bits to drills and vice versa, which will lead to a lot of time. Therefore, it is important to have both of these tools.

The key tools for a furniture assembler are a drill and a screwdriver.

Choose drills with variable speed control. If for wood high speeds are good with a small feed into the workpiece (ensures a clean cut), then for metal and glass it’s the opposite - the lower, the faster and cleaner the hole is obtained. Yes, and ruining a drill for metal or glass at 2000 rpm is not difficult.

Drilling of metal and glass is carried out with mandatory liquid cooling of the drill and the workpiece.

Regular cold water will do.

In addition, experts advise having an electric screwdriver available. It is convenient for tightening easily accessible screws. If you have these 3 devices, the work will be smooth.

Jigsaw

A universal tool that can be used to cut various materials. The jigsaw allows you to cut:

• natural wood;
• chipboards, fiberboard, MDF and plywood;
• metal;
• glass and ceramics.

To be able to implement your plan, you need to purchase a set of cutting files for a jigsaw. For each type of material, and also depending on the required cutting frequency, manufacturers produce various cutting blades. They differ in:

• type of cutting element;
• the direction of the teeth;
• tooth frequency;
• tooth set angle.

The main purpose of a jigsaw is to make curved cuts in sheet materials.
For wood and metal, high-speed steel blades with sharp teeth should be used. Moreover, for steel, files with small and frequent teeth are used. For wood, depending on the required cutting frequency, both fine and large rare teeth are used.

Choose wood saws with opposing main teeth. This will allow you to make a clean cut without scoring the front of the material.

For glass and ceramic tiles, specialized blades are used that have a sprayed abrasive (diamond chips) as the main cutting element.

A jigsaw is a small universal tool that can be used at home and at work.

When purchasing a jigsaw, pay attention to the maximum and minimum number of revolutions, as well as the presence of a pendulum stroke. The latter is needed for cutting thick sheet materials, such as:

• wooden boards;
• plywood;
• chipboard;
• MDF.

The pendulum feed can have up to 4 positions. When it is turned on, the saw blade begins a progressive pendulum movement, which makes cutting easier and reduces the load on the engine.

During the cutting process, monitor the condition of the saw blade in terms of heating. If it is overheated too much, the sharpening of the teeth will deteriorate, which will lead to loss of efficiency of the cutting process.

An electric jigsaw is a hand-held power tool for cutting various materials.

Choose jigsaws with electronic speed stabilizer under load. This will make it possible to cut the material at a set number of revolutions without defects.

A circular saw

This tool allows you to cut blanks for furniture assembly in a perfectly straight line, eliminating the saw blade being pulled towards the side. This is achieved due to the presence of a disk with carbide surfacing.

For perfect cutting of wooden slabs and panels, it is necessary to install guides with their clamping using clamps.

There are several types of circular saws: hand-held – compact, lightweight, easy to use.

When cutting with a hand-held circular saw, make a supply of material for the thickness of the saw, taking into account the spread of the tips.

The use of a circular saw, unlike a jigsaw, is only possible with the use of exhaust equipment. A construction or regular household vacuum cleaner will do.

Manual frezer

An ideal partner in furniture making. Using a milling cutter you can:

• material cutting;
• selection of grooves for door fittings of cabinets;
• groove at the ends for splicing.

In addition, a milling cutter can be used to drill shallow holes and even apply all sorts of patterns to the surface of facades. If you have special cutters, this tool will allow you to make panels and frames for joining into a special tongue and groove.

A hand-held wood router is a device that any woodworking craftsman should have in his arsenal.

The operation of a manual milling machine results in a large release of fine dust into the surrounding air. Therefore, the use of a respirator and a construction vacuum cleaner is mandatory.

Conductor

A device such as a conductor is an indispensable thing when making furniture at home. It allows you to drill holes at the ends of the workpieces and maintain strict perpendicularity.

A jig is required when using dowels and adhesive (wood glue). You can buy it in a store or make it yourself at home.

To make your own conductor you will need:

• wooden blocks of exact size or calibrated plywood;
• wood glue;
• metal tubes according to the diameter of the drills.

A furniture jig is a device that can significantly simplify and speed up the production process.
The conductor is made individually according to the thickness of each workpiece. If the assembly is made from chipboard or MDF of the same thickness, 1 device is sufficient.

First, cut the top and bottom bars. Next, the intermediate block is cut and glued to the first two. Holes are drilled for the tubes that are inserted there.

Nuances during assembly

Furniture specialists give some advice to novice craftsmen.

1. Take into account allowances for processing parts. When cutting, due to the thickness of the saw blades, the dimensions of the component parts decrease.
2. Cut on a flat surface with the part fully secured using clamps.
3. Use eye and respiratory protection. Some types of wood, if inhaled, cause great damage to the body.
4. Draw up a cutting diagram for the components of future furniture. This will reduce the cost of money, allowing you to cut everything exactly according to the markings.
5. Buy high-quality, certified fasteners. The durability of your product depends on this.
6. Be sure to set the ratchet on the screwdriver. If you do not do this, you will easily damage the surface being treated.
7. From time to time, take control measurements of dimensions and compare them with your drawing.
8. The entire work process must be carried out in strict accordance with the drawing.
9. Make a sequence of assembly. This will make the whole process much easier.

The main feature of the tools is that they are universal, which means that they will definitely come in handy.