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Kano81
2nd August 2016, 08:14 PM
Hi Guys

I'll give you a quick run down on myself so you can get a feel for how to answer my questions. I'm new to the forums and new to woodworking in general. I'm currently working in a job that does not satisfy me mentally and have been looking for something that i could sink my spare time into and become passionate about and maybe in the future start leaning towards as a steady income and have job satisfaction.

When you answer could you tell me a bit about yourself, time doing it, is it a hobby or full time endeavour, what you get out of it, anything really that can help me paint a picture in my mind of who you are :)

As far as starting out goes i have some basic power tools already, Milwaukee drills and a circular saw.

I have limited space and was looking at getting a multi purpose work bench triton/Festool or another if anyone could recommend?

Must haves

Router?

Hand tools?

Planner?

Sander?

and anything else that you could suggest may help me start out.

Thanks

Kano

Paul39
3rd August 2016, 12:37 AM
Kano,

I think you need to post / look over here: http://www.woodworkforums.com/f11

Jeff Leslie
3rd August 2016, 11:25 PM
Kano,

you posted this entry on the woodturning forum - is that your interest? If so, I can assure you that the number of woodturners making a living out of woodturning you can count on one or two hands. Possibly world wide. Production woodturners excepted and they are a dying breed. PM a few of the pros on the forum and ask how they are going. Start with Brendan Stemp.

You ask for credentials. What about yours? What is your budget? What do you intend to make? What's YOUR skill level?

You talk about a new career in woodturning/working. Where is your business plan?

You are dreaming if you think a power drill and a circ saw will get you started. Again, what do you want to make (and sell?) Any woodworking workshop book will tell you that you need a bandsaw plus plus plus etc unless you go the CNC route.

Routers? I have 8 and need another 2. Saws? 2 panel saws (one coming), 2 table saws, a dozen plus drills, corded and not. Workshop size? 25m x 9m and this is my hobby/passion, not my income.

Wood? That's the medium. Where are you going to obtain it from and intend to store it? Clamps? (You can never have too many. Over 300 here and counting.)

OK. Some are making ends meet with the "recycled" credentials. Not my cup of tea. What is yours?

Where's your marketing strategy? Can YOU make and sell? Forgetting CNC, a decent workshop will cost you many thousands. Sure, some make do for les but not for long.

Do the math. Imported chairs from China or elsewhere, 8 for under a grand. Cost in Oz hardwood, just the timber, same price. And no chairs built yet.

Are you thinking of making square boxes? Check Col Hosies' website out.

Or go down to the markets and see the kind of product that skilled retirees are making for next to nothing.

I suggest you subscribe to Fine Woodworking, take things slowly and see what happens. But don't kid yourself. The markets are clogged with cheap product of varying quality that you cannot compete with. But you should already know this....

DonIncognito
4th August 2016, 05:58 PM
and anything else that you could suggest may help me start out.

Thanks

Kano

If you are just starting out, think about making toys. You will need a scroll saw, and a drill as a minimum. Preferably a drill press, but you could get by with a jewelers drill as well. And you will need to sand and finish your work, so a ROS and maybe a detail sander, or maybe one of those multitools with a bunch of sanding attachments. A dremel is useful as a mini router.

You get to make stuff with a minimum of equipment and space needed. There is always a market for kids toys, especially if you focus on the "hand made in <local area> with local wood" aspect. There are stupidly large amounts of plans out there that you can just copy (though be wary of copyright issues if you are going to sell products), and once you know what you are doing you can make your own creations. You wont need a huge amount of wood so you can afford to get stock that is already planed and surfaced, cutting down on the equipment you need.

Kano81
4th August 2016, 09:11 PM
Kano,

you posted this entry on the woodturning forum - is that your interest? If so, I can assure you that the number of woodturners making a living out of woodturning you can count on one or two hands. Possibly world wide. Production woodturners excepted and they are a dying breed. PM a few of the pros on the forum and ask how they are going. Start with Brendan Stem

I am interested in turning and woodwork in general, thanks for the name.

You ask for credentials. What about yours? What is your budget? What do you intend to make? What's YOUR skill level?

​I have limited experience with working with wood, Budget is flexible 1k to start, Skill level i would say I'm fairly handy and use tools often enough in everyday life to feel comfortable learning something new. i'm open for ideas on what to make... i do have a nice bedside table i wouldn't mind replicating and maybe turning some nice bowls...

You talk about a new career in woodturning/working. Where is your business plan?

At this stage it would be more of a hobby over the next few years as something to do on my days off. If i find the knack for it i will look at that later.

You are dreaming if you think a power drill and a circ saw will get you started. Again, what do you want to make (and sell?) Any woodworking workshop book will tell you that you need a bandsaw plus plus plus etc unless you go the CNC router

I have a screwdriver as well!!!, will that increase my chances of becoming a world class turner? Just listing the only things i have in regards to wood working... which as you can see is limited. I realise i need more and would like to focus on the essentials.

Routers? I have 8 and need another 2. Saws? 2 panel saws (one coming), 2 table saws, a dozen plus drills, corded and not. Workshop size? 25m x 9m and this is my hobby/passion, not my income.

Ok what would you suggest would be a good one that could act as an all-rounder to get me started till i figured out which way i will go?

Wood? That's the medium. Where are you going to obtain it from and intend to store it? Clamps? (You can never have too many. Over 300 here and counting.)

this is something i will need to look into ... thanks

OK. Some are making ends meet with the "recycled" credentials. Not my cup of tea. What is yours?

Up-cycling is something i have looked at before.

Where's your marketing strategy? Can YOU make and sell? Forgetting CNC, a decent workshop will cost you many thousands. Sure, some make do for les but not for long.

Not there yet just hobby stuff :)

Do the math. Imported chairs from China or elsewhere, 8 for under a grand. Cost in Oz hardwood, just the timber, same price. And no chairs built yet.

Are you thinking of making square boxes? Check Col Hosies' website out.

Will do

Or go down to the markets and see the kind of product that skilled retirees are making for next to nothing.

I suggest you subscribe to Fine Woodworking, take things slowly and see what happens. But don't kid yourself. The markets are clogged with cheap product of varying quality that you cannot compete with. But you should already know this....

Thanks for your feedback so far!

Kano81
4th August 2016, 09:12 PM
If you are just starting out, think about making toys. You will need a scroll saw, and a drill as a minimum. Preferably a drill press, but you could get by with a jewelers drill as well. And you will need to sand and finish your work, so a ROS and maybe a detail sander, or maybe one of those multitools with a bunch of sanding attachments. A dremel is useful as a mini router.

You get to make stuff with a minimum of equipment and space needed. There is always a market for kids toys, especially if you focus on the "hand made in <local area=""> with local wood" aspect. There are stupidly large amounts of plans out there that you can just copy (though be wary of copyright issues if you are going to sell products), and once you know what you are doing you can make your own creations. You wont need a huge amount of wood so you can afford to get stock that is already planed and surfaced, cutting down on the equipment you need.

Thanks for the info Don! have you tried toys ?</local>

Hermosil
5th August 2016, 01:24 AM
Hello my name is Shaun and little about my experince in the area of wood turning. I Bought my first lathe about 2 years ago to see whether I liked it. It was very basic homemade affair but it was good enough to get me hooked.Since then I have given it away to a freind who I introduced to wood turning an bought a better lathe (mc 900 clone) which has had alot of use since. About 12 months ago I also bought a woodfast mc 300 (I think thats the model) and they both get ba lot of use.also I have as part of my kit a sliding compound saw, a belt disc sander, a bench grinder, and a drill press . I would love a band saw but dont have room for it at the moment. If you buy a wood lathe new It can set you back upwards of $500 then there is tools for it and other acessories that you may want for it also. I have over 30 different tools for my lathe some of which I have made myself ( being an ex fittet&turner has helped me numerous times).Things I have made include tool handles, rolling pins, goblets, lidded boxes/urns, mushrooms, christmas trees,foot massagers, mallets and lots of candle sticks. I agree with what others have said about turing professionaly and I would rather turn for a hobby ( make presents for the rellies etc) It can be very addictive hobby and you can spend literally thousands on it. I started slowly with one lathe and a handfull of tools and have added to it gradually evey since.(finances permitting) I hope that this has been of some help and I wish you well with your turning etc.

Cheers
Shaun

DonIncognito
5th August 2016, 06:11 PM
Thanks for the info Don! have you tried toys ?
Yeah. My sister just had a kid and gets me to make things for him, and if he enjoys them, she sells them in her shop. It works well.

Tahlee
5th August 2016, 08:03 PM
Hi Kano

Welcome to the forum

I was also facing much the same questions a little while ago.

The first step is to determine whether you want to be a craftsman or a wookworker.

The main difference being the extent to which you choose to use traditional tools as opposed to machines.

You could spend many thousands on machinery ... or on hand tools.

Your list mentions planers and routers ... such finishes can also be achieved with hand tools (may need several planes and plane combinations) but I think the skill to perfect hand tools is greater than the skill to master machinery.

It would be helpful to take a look at some of the hand tool workshops (Paul Sellers etc) and the machinery based shops before you determine your route in woodwork.. That's not to say that you wont use hand tools in a machinery shop ... just that the range of tools and the skills will be very different.

Regards

Rob

artful bodger
5th August 2016, 08:34 PM
Hi Guys

I'll give you a quick run down on myself so you can get a feel for how to answer my questions. I'm new to the forums and new to woodworking in general. I'm currently working in a job that does not satisfy me mentally and have been looking for something that i could sink my spare time into and become passionate about and maybe in the future start leaning towards as a steady income and have job satisfaction.

When you answer could you tell me a bit about yourself, time doing it, is it a hobby or full time endeavour, what you get out of it, anything really that can help me paint a picture in my mind of who you are :)

As far as starting out goes i have some basic power tools already, Milwaukee drills and a circular saw.

I have limited space and was looking at getting a multi purpose work bench triton/Festool or another if anyone could recommend?

Must haves

Router?

Hand tools?

Planner?

Sander?

and anything else that you could suggest may help me start out.

Thanks

Kano

Hi Kano, are you hoping to find a mentally and passionately satisfying income from woodturning or woodwork? Or both?