Thread: Which hand tools?

What will you be doing to shape the large pieces? Table saw? Hand saw?

I was gifted a new Stanley Bailey #5 Jack plane. Several stretches of intense use then boxed for months. It's really a dream to see long curly shavings come off.
I'd add 2 spokeshaves to your list, the designs which have set-screw adjustments. One to make coarse cuts then the other set to make fine finishing cuts.
Although I make my own, the sets aren't expensive so buy some cabinet scrapers for a cut surface, not shredded with sandpapers.

I've got some bar clamps, some spring clamps and a few C-clamps of different sizes. If I made many copies of one thing, I'd bite the bullet and buy a dozen more, at least, of one style.
I have a luthier friend who is qualified to repair fine violins. I'v seen her use as many as 40 clamps at a time on a single instrument.

Sharpening is a learned process, some techniques are harder to learn that others.
Diamond plates for all their high price, are not magic. They just stay flat and last longer than waterstones or sandpapers.

You could sell the insert in the marketplace forum here.

I have a really cheap and nasty hand plane. It's useful to teach me the value of a good quality plane! Haha.

You could make your own chisel sharpening guide. Peraps your cheap chisels kept razor sharp will suit your needs? Or is there something about a new set you are looking for? Tired of sharpening constantly?

I am constantly on the look out for clamps at a good price. I was in ALDI the other day and they still had stacks of small quick clamps very cheap. Don't expect too much from them but they work OK.
I already bought an array of these when they came out. I also now have a few high quality clamps but having a large set of these cheap ALDI clamps for smaller projects is great.

IMHO measure and marking tools is where you want high quality.
But what would I know?

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Originally Posted by Robson Valley

What will you be doing to shape the large pieces? Table saw? Hand saw?

I was gifted a new Stanley Bailey #5 Jack plane. Several stretches of intense use then boxed for months. It's really a dream to see long curly shavings come off.
I'd add 2 spokeshaves to your list, the designs which have set-screw adjustments. One to make coarse cuts then the other set to make fine finishing cuts.
Although I make my own, the sets aren't expensive so buy some cabinet scrapers for a cut surface, not shredded with sandpapers.

I've got some bar clamps, some spring clamps and a few C-clamps of different sizes. If I made many copies of one thing, I'd bite the bullet and buy a dozen more, at least, of one style.
I have a luthier friend who is qualified to repair fine violins. I'v seen her use as many as 40 clamps at a time on a single instrument.

Sharpening is a learned process, some techniques are harder to learn that others.
Diamond plates for all their high price, are not magic. They just stay flat and last longer than waterstones or sandpapers.

Saw stop jobsite and i also have a kregg router table but lacking bits.

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I would divide your list into the things you should buy new, and the things you can buy used.

I would prioritise the measuring and marking tools, those are essential to buy quality or you'll never have accuracy. A quality 300mm combination square set from Starrett or PEC is a good starting point. Japanese marking knives are inexpensive. You can do a lot with just those items. A quality try square is something you'll want as well but that can wait, depending on how the budget goes.

Cheap chisels properly sharpened work better than expensive ones that aren't. And until you learn how to sharpen properly, you don't want expensive chisels. A Veritas honing guide and some good quality stones is a worthwhile investment and should figure into your budget. If you do buy chisels, Narex are a good balance between quality and price. As for planes, buy the basics second hand. My wife came home with a Stanley no4 from a charity shop, cost $15 and a little bit of time to fettle it. Again it's a case of learning the skills before dropping good money on new tools.

Clamps can easily eat up your budget. Pipe clamps are useful, because you can swap lengths of pipe rather than have a whole bunch of clamps in different sizes. Ratchet straps from your local auto parts are quite handy too. I bought one of those cheap packs of Spring clamps from Bunnings, they are quite useful for clamping edging if you cut up some bicycle inner tube.

for planes and chisels I'd look to second hand
as richmond88 said pickup a decent old plane and learn to fettle it yourself - I can do it so anyone can. The only thing I would change about an old plane would be getting a newer thicker blade
as for chisels look around for some old Titans or Bergs - good steel and easy to refurbish. If the handles are stuffed, a sixpack to a local turner should get you some new turned handles

As for measuring tools - buy good quality - cheap ones will only annoy the hell out of you. Get two or three measuring tapes the same (if you get different ones the scale may slightly differ) check them against any steel rules you get. I regularly use a 150mm, 300mm and 600mm steel rules and the 1000mm comes in handy for heaps of jobs. I picked up a 300mm rule with 0 in the centre and the scale going out to the ends 150mm each, very very handy

pipe clamps are handy (and you can join pipe to make them longer)
In my early days, I made clamps using allthread and dressed pine - still use them but have since bought clamps everytime I see them on special
and you can always make some hand clamps - google it or look at some of IanW's work on the forum. I've decided that I need to make some, which I'll get around to soon!

One of the best tools you need is a strong workbench

Good point about the tape measure. The one I recommend is a Lufkin Multiread, because it reads both left and right handed and has a centre scale for inside measure plus they're individually checked for accuracy. Australian made too.