When the hot days of summer turn into the cooler days of fall and winter, it is time to turn your attention back to projects you can tackle indoors. Wood work is a fabulous winter hobby where you can produce all sorts of creative furniture and wall designs. However, before you get too excited about diving into your first project, you have to consider what safety items you are going to need.
Eye protection is one of the must haves on the list of safety items you will need. When working with power tools around wood, small chips of the wood can fly off and scratch your cornea. While you may be confident that a normal pair of sunglasses is a cheaper option for protecting your eyes, they does not give the full side protection that safety glasses do. You can purchase these at any hardware or tool store, so make sure they are on the top of your list.
Next, you need to consider a pair of thick work gloves. While you may have concerns that they are going to interfere with you being able to get on with some of the tricky bits when you are doing your wood work project, you must at least wear them when you have the power tools going. One small slip with a drill or saw is going to leave you with a nasty cut. By wearing safety gloves, you can minimize the impact of the power tool in the split seconds it takes your brain to realize an accident is happening. When you are doing intricate tasks like sanding, you don't have to wear the gloves.
You should also consider a thick workman's apron to wear while you are working on your project. Just like the gloves, the apron will protect your skin from punctures and grazes if power tools accidentally get too close to your body. You can purchase safety aprons made from thick leather at the local hardware store. Look for one that covers you from the neck down to your knees for ultimate protection.
Lastly, make sure you protect your hearing by investing in a set of quality ear muffs that you can wear while working with the loud power tools like cutting saws. Constant exposure to loud power tools can permanently damage your hearing. When you are looking at the different types of ear muffs, make sure you test them first so you know you are getting a pair that is comfortable. You don't want to end up with hearing damage because you purchased something you stopped using because they were uncomfortable to wear.
Once you have gathered up all the necessary safety gear that you need, then you can start tackling all sorts of wood work projects. Don't be tempted to jump in without having these safety items though, as one slip of your hand could leave you nursing a nasty injury and that is not going to inspire you to want to continue with this fun hobby.
