A lot of great advice here already, but I'll reinforce a few.
Buy the right tools! QUALITY TOOLS!!
Buying a cheap tool is the same as buying a cheap skimmer; you'll wish you spent the money correctly the first time.
Buy the right materials; QUALITY MATERIALS!!
Your projects can only be as good as your materials. The old saying of "Polishing a turd" applies here.
And with any project, there's a saying we use a lot called the "Seven P's".
"Prior Proper Planning Prevents tick Poor Performance"
Spend time designing your project from start to finish. Taking accurate measurements, making drawings and cut lists prior to making your first cut will ensure that you minimize mistakes; "minimize" mistakes. Take your time at the start of the project to think through all of the steps and any obstacles you may encounter down the road. It's good to work things out on paper, instead of just in your head, as you may see something that you hadn't thought of.
When it comes to finishing your project, don't rush it!
A very well designed and constructed project can be ruined by a bad sanding/stain/finish job. A thorough sanding through various grits will erase the tooling marks and allow the grain of the wood to show through. Finishing is when you can really make a project comes to life with various stains and finishes. Don't think of this as just the final step and rush through it.
So... patience goes a long ways with this hobby also.
Good luck!
I used to build custom cabinets for a living, furniture, and historic restoration. The companies I worked for specialized in traditional woodworking techniques. My biggest tips... Sharp tools, and the right tools for the job. You can't skimp on good equipment, just like your tank. Draw everything out on scrap wood to scale, cross sections are you friend. They will help you understand your project and how all the parts are going to fit. Plus if you do this your measuring stuff a million times before you actually touch the wood. Find the best most straight wood you can the less tooling you need to do the better, unless you have a home shop with a planner and jointer. I will go through like 20 2x4s at home depot before I find even 1 that is good. Also make jigs. A good 90 degree jig and some clamps will make sure your joints are straight whether your screwing things together or using joinery. A quality T square Sterrate is the trade standard is a must. Patience and more patience don't rush your project or you will mess it up. My biggest tip, safety if you start with 10 fingers make sure you finish with 10. One of my bosses used to say, and it's a mantra of mine to this day. You don't plan to fail, you fail to plan-wood working 101! That is all, any questions feel free to ask. BTW I'm now a registered nurse
