Atomic Woodworking: Mastering the Craft through Extra Practice

I recently read a book called Atomic Habits, and it got me thinking about how some of the book’s principles can be applied to woodworking. Carpentry combines precision and creativity. The seemingly overwhelming journey toward mastery intimidates many novice woodworkers. However, the path to becoming a better carpenter does not begin with grand gestures, but rather with small, incremental steps. Atomic carpentry is where small doses of practice add up to piles of experience.

Atomic woodworking suggests that just as a small financial investment grows exponentially over time, so too does your woodworking success grow through consistent, intentional practice. The idea is simple: commit to regular, bite-sized training sessions and watch your skills skyrocket.

Imagine you’re starting out with a basic woodworking technique: sawing. By devoting just ten minutes a day to improving your sawing technique, you begin to develop an intuitive understanding of wood grain, pressure and movement. It’s as easy as spending ten minutes in the store marking some lines on a piece of scrap and practicing spreading those lines. Over the weeks and months, those seemingly insignificant increments of time add up, and soon you find yourself effortlessly producing perfectly straight, straight cuts.

From sawing, you move on to more complex tasks: cutting and shaping wood or carpentry. Each skill builds on another, and with continued practice, you can gradually unlock new levels of proficiency.

The beauty of atomic woodworking is that it is easily accessible. You no longer need to put in hours at your desk to make progress. Alternatively, you can integrate the practice into your shop time. Take 30 minutes at the beginning of your session to sharpen your chisels or spend some time outlining the board by hand; Every minute contributes to your journey towards mastery. I think the key is to not take your practice into the project you’re working on. There is already pressure on you to make something beautiful, so this is not the time to go about your business.

But atomic carpentry isn’t just about quantity; It’s also about quality. Every training session should be approached with intention and focus. Don’t just accidentally saw into the lines and be done with it. Watch one line, then check what you did. Did you see it on line? Is your cut starting to lean one way or another? If so, how much and in what direction? Then, as you approach the next line, think about what you need to do to correct the problem. If your cut is going to the right, make an effort to tilt the top of the saw slightly to the right to cut straight.

From now on, you can apply these training techniques when you learn a new skill. Do you want to learn how to cut a groove using a router? Grind some practice pieces and try them on scraps of wood that don’t matter. You’ll gain the confidence and practice you need to make the real thing successful.

One of the most rewarding aspects of atomic woodworking is the sense of progress it instills. When you look back on your journey, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come from those humble beginnings. What once seemed daunting and out of reach is now within your reach. So head to the store with the intention of getting better at woodworking, and you’ll likely do just that. As I always say, “to understand, you have to do”!

Skill building exercises using hand tools

Practice, and you’ll get better control of your hand tools.

Five minutes corresponds

Carpentry practice is a warm-up for woodworkers.

Make a faceted octagon using hand tools

Michael Cullen presents one of his favorite hand tool exercises—Making a Perfect Octagon—which tests woodworkers’ skill from selecting materials and careful planning to setting up tools, sharpening blades, and sawing…