CLEVELAND — We've been sharing so many woodworking projects with 3News viewers as part of our ongoing JAY DIY series, and perhaps that's inspired you to think about trying out the hobby for yourself - so we went to the pros to find out more about finding project materials and inspiration.
Orange Community Education and Recreation Department Woodworking Instructor Kurt Klimko says it’s all about choosing the right wood, and we’re lucky to have some great options here in Northeast Ohio.
"[We have] some good resources go to, I go out to Geauga County, I deal with some of the Amish lumber yards out there. They will [give you suggestions] and give [you ideas and]...they'll give you some samples of woods or they'll show you some varieties of wood, which may be appropriate for that project."
And if you’re looking to find the perfect project to tackle, there are no shortage of places to find some inspiration.
"Look on Etsy. You know, you got all these other makers and DIYers and stuff and they're doing projects," Kurt suggested. "I also go to like wood magazines...they've got some great beginner projects. Plus they also give you a shopping list of the materials that you would need for that project...and it, it makes things going easy, especially for the beginner."
And, don't forget - we have plenty of great ideas from past JAY DIY projects as well!
But if you want to really start with the basics, taking a class with a professional like Kurt is always the best place to begin.
"I try to get the people introduced to the woodworking machinery, the equipment. A lot of them see a lot of these programs on tv and they wish they could do this stuff, but either they don't have the knowledge or the equipment and [we] have both up here at Orange where I do my classes."
If you're interested in taking a class with Kurt at the Orange Community Education and Recreation Department, you can access the Recreation Guide here, or call (216) 831-8601.