TheImportanceofSequencing
Almosteverythingthatyouwilldointhisshop willneedtobedoneinaspecific sequence. Assuch,theinstructionsforeachoftheprojectslisteachstepthatyoumust accomplishintheorderthatyoumustdothem.
Thereare4primaryreasons whyyoumustbuildyourprojects inaspecificorder:
1.Youneedtodothingswhichareactuallypossible! Somethingssimplycannot bedoneuntilyouhavedonesomethingelsefirst.
Anexampleofthiswouldbenailingtogetheryourbirdhouse. Obviously,you can’tnailthepiecesofyoubirdhousetogetherifyouhaven’tyetcutthem. This is averyobvious example,butserves toillustratethepoint.
2.Safety. Certaincutsaresafertodobeforeothercutsaremade. Eventhough youmaybeabletoreversetwosteps,Iprobablyputthestepsinaspecificorder sothatthecuts wouldbemadeinthesafestpossiblemanner.
Anexampleofthisiswhenyoucutthepiecesofwoodforthesidesofyour hingedbox. Althoughyoucouldcutthepiecestotheirfinal,shorterlength beforecuttingthemtowidthonthetablesaw,itisfarsafertocutalongerboard onthetablesawthanitistocutashort board. Thisiswhywewillcutitto widthonthetablesawbeforecuttingthepiecestotheir finallengthwiththe mitersaw.
3.Toproducethehighestqualitywork. Youcanoftengetfarbetterresultsby makingcutsinaspecificsequence. Ifyoudon’tfollowthestepsIhavegiven youintheirexactorder,you mayfindthatyourpieceofwoodwillbreak,or endupbeingtheincorrectshape.
Anexampleofthisisdrillingthelargeholeinthefrontofyourbirdhouse. The instructionstellyoutodothisbeforeassemblingthefoursides. Ifyoutryto drillthisholeafteryouassemblethefoursides,youarealmostcertaintobreak thepieceofwoodyouaredrillinginto.
4.Itisoftenmuchmoreefficienttodothingsisacertainorder. Althoughyou maybeableto accomplishsomethingbydoingitacertainway,youmaybe abletoaccomplishthesamethingmorequicklybydoingitinadifferentorder.
Anexampleofthiswouldbecaulkingyourbirdhouse. Youcouldpaintit,and thencaulkit,butyouwouldendupneedingtorepaintalltheareasyoucaulked. Ifyoucaulkfirst, thenpaint,youwillsaveagreatdealoftime.
Soremember: Always followeverystepinyour projectinstructions inexactlythe order theyarewritten.