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Safety with woodwork

Using a potato peeler

Great for peeling bark off green (freshly cut) wood, making wands, drumsticks and lots more.

  1. Wear a glove on the hand you are holding the stick with so if you slip with the peeler you will not cut your hand.

  2. Place your piece of wood across your leg to the side.

  3. Always peel away from you.

Using a bow saw

Use for cutting wood that is too big for loppers

  1. Wear a glove on the hand you are not holding the saw with to protect it.

  2. Place your piece of wood on a saw horse or on the ground but lifted up at one end.

  3. Get into a rhythm when you saw - singing a song can help. Bow saws cut as you pull them towards you. So pull hard but relax when you push it forwards again.

  4. It is great to saw in pairs - one either side of the saw.

  5. Always put the safety guard back on the saw and store the saw in a safe place.

Using a gimlet or palm drill

These are simple tools for making holes in wood or taking the pith out of elder.

  1. For safety you might like to wear a glove on the hand you are holding the wood.

  2. Place your piece of wood on a hard surface - flat stone, wooden stump.

  3. Turn the gimlet clockwise to drill into the wood pushing down on your hard surface.

  4. If pushing out the pith of elder you will need to raise it off the hard surface. Ensure that you are pushing the gimlet towards an open space - not into your hand.

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