Woodwork is a craft that has been around since prehistoric times. One of the first men to use tools to make something was the ancient Aztec. They built houses, canoes, tools, and other artifacts from thewood that they harvested. Woodwork is the artistic skill of creating objects out of wood, usually consists of cabinet making, furniture making, woodturning, joinery, and carpentry. Woodwork has many forms and involves many types of wood, but is most commonly done out of oak, maple, cherry, birch, boxwood, pine, cedar, spruce and sometimes also bamboo or rattan. There are also artisans who specialize in particular types of woodwork. For example, there are carpenters who make chairs, tables and other woodworking products; while cabinet makers create boxes, drawers and shelves. Before woodcraft, people made their tools by hand using hardwoods like oak, cherry, ash, maple, walnut, etc. Hardwoods are heavier than softwoods and because of this, must be used in large quantities. In addition, hardwoods are more expensive than softwoods so they were generally only used for large projects. Throughout history, woodworking has developed into a profession as there have been numerous tools invented to make woodworking easier such as screw drivers, saws, angle grinders, hand held power tools, drills, grinders, wrenches, pliers, cable cutters, soldering gun, sanders, hand straps, mechanical adhesives, rivets, fasteners, locks, hinges and adhesives. Woodworking skills can be developed through enrolling in a woodworking school or workshop. There are workshops located all over North America and some are available for short term instruction. These schools provide you with the necessary information, tools and machinery that you will need to master woodworking and architectural woodwork. After enrolling, you will have the benefit of expert guidance from instructors and experienced peers who will work with you one-on-one to ensure that you are ready to start your project. Some people prefer to take courses on the Internet before enrolling in a woodwork class. There are many websites that are dedicated to teach individuals how to become professional carpenters and woodworkers. These websites offer books, journals and articles on carpentry and architectural woodworking. You will also find online classes that focus on architectural woodworking. These courses are more convenient and often more affordable than traditional brick and mortar courses. Woodwork, also known as carpentry is the joining of materials such as wood, metal, plastic and other materials in a way to form and create something. Woodworking can be learned by reading and studying blueprints and schematics. Woodworkers can create their own masterpiece by putting their knowledge into practice. One of the most basic woodworking tools used is the hammer. The hammer is used to join pieces of wood together, including the joining of two pieces of mahogany or rose wood together for a lamp shade. Another woodworking tool commonly used is the chop saw, a wood cutting and shaping tool that creates angled and curved cuts. Woodworkers use these tools to shape wooden toys, chairs, tables and shelves. Woodworking tools can be found in every woodworking shop. Woodwork projects require the use of a variety of woodworking tools to accomplish a job. The main tool used for most jobs is a woodworking table saw, a band saw, a router, a table saw and a hand drill. Other tools used include: angle grinders, hand tools, sanders, power drills, stilts and tape measures. Woodworkers are able to make chairs, tables, shelves, picture frames, light fixtures, doors and cabinet knobs from hardwoods. Woodworking is not an easy task. Woodworkers need to have the proper hand tools and power tools to help them speed up their work and complete the project quickly. Woodworking machines can be expensive to buy, but many people prefer to build their own power tools or a simple woodworking machine. Woodworking machines are made from different types of wood and used in carpentry projects of all kinds. Some common types of wood used to make power tools include oak, maple, pine and cherry. If you have an excess of hardwoods, you can sell it at a reasonable price at a local home center. Some good hardwood lumber that is in demand are: pine, cedar, fir, hemlock, oak, maple, cherry and basswood. If you have some hemlock, try looking for hemlock boards. There are a variety of other types of wood available at home centers as well. Woodwork projects that require the use of power tools should be researched carefully to make sure that the contractor selling the tools uses the best type of power equipment for your project. Woodwork projects that are built outdoors should be made with softwoods. The softwoods most commonly used to make outdoor projects are: pine, cedar, redwood and spruce. Pine and cedar are usually sold in large slabs, while redwood and spruce are sold in small pieces. These softwoods are used in closets, shelves, furniture, decking, stairs and more. If you are buying wood for outdoor projects, be sure that you know what type of tree is going to be used in the piece. You can ask your contractor or look online for information on which trees are the best to use for a particular type of outdoor project.