Thread: Small home workshop, how to spend 10k?

I don't think I will admit to the amount that I have spent on tools as that would just get me in trouble.

I had a friend that was not into any type of handyman work or any hobbies that involved working with your hands. I dragged him to Carbatec so that I could pick up a few things. During our discussion I pointed out that even with a $10,000 budget I would not be able to get what I wanted. He did not understand what I was telling him.

I tried to explain to my friend about buying a tool once is better economy then having to purchase a cheaper tool and after a while resulting in having to upgrade or replace the tool.

I hope this does not scare you but I think it needs to be said, having a budget is great when you setup initially but don't expect it to be the end of it.

Personally I would look at the tools that you need the most initially to get yourself making something that you have in mind. After the first few projects you can then decide what direction you would like to go and what tools to buy.

My 2 cents worth.

Without investigating to much into each machine, I would go for the table saw and Hammer A3 31.

As much as I would love a Kapex, I would probably go for a bandsaw instead.

Or I might get some hand tools or a router, depends on what and how you want to work.

Really it is like Christos said, look at what you want to make and get what you need to complete the task. It doesn't seem to matter how many tools I have there always seems to be another one that i need.

Enjoy the journey..

$10k, nice, but unfortunately that will only be the beginning especially if you don't follow the ideas of "near enough is good enough or she'll be right mate or that'll do".

I don't want to rain on your parade but, quality work requires quality tools, sure the cheaper ones will get the job done but the time lost fiddling, tweaking etc will not only be annoying but frustrating.

I buy the best I can afford and try to only buy once, if I can't afford it at this time then wait. Look on it as an investment, the time saved, the quality of what you produce, the satisfaction you get will be well worth it.

Good tools hold their value quite well so i wouldnt be to scared of starting with more good tools and upgrading some/all of them over time to great tools (if needed)

A table saw is a must. I would look at around the $2500 mark for one of these. I think thr Harvey is a great option here.
A DC is the next must and $400 spent here should serve you well.
Then add a thickie, 15'-20'. $2000 - $3000 spend would serve you well here and then you can look at fitting a helix head (~$1000) some time in the future.

That takes you to the half way mark.

I would then look at the following
- DropSaw - $900
- ShopVac - $500
- Jointer -$1500
- Drill Press $450
- Router and table (or get the router option for your table Saw) $800
- Lanisher and Bobin Head Spindle Sander $1000

At this point you should probably have about $1000 left. I would probably pause here and see what type of tools you think you need for what projects


That said you can necer have too many clamps and you could easily spend a couple of thousand here so dont under estimate this cost

Man, I wish I had a $10k budget to spend on my shed

One thing I've discovered with a set out shed, with more tools, I've cut down on the amount of time it takes me to put stuff together.

Before, a larger project would take me several weekends. Last weekend, I managed to knock out a bed base, with lots of draws in a lazy weekend, and half of that was taken up from trips to bunnings to get wood.

Most of my larger tools I've gotten off Gumtree. You need to know what you want, and hunt through the old and broken stuff (unless you can repair it, I got a broken MIG welder off there, and all I needed to do was change a few bits and pieces, works like a treat now).

I'd love one of those solid table saws; but I inherited a triton workcentre, and it's probably a little past it's time, but it's still accurate, cuts well, and does everything I need for the odd weekend when I'm building something.

One thing I don't know how I lived without previously:
http://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-one...-only_p6210575

I was using hammer and nail before.

But something I'd probably spend more on would be this (but I wouldn't call it cheap in the first place):
http://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-150...esser_p6210479

It does what I want it to, but it's very, very loud, and can only take off a very tiny amount at once without getting stuck or jamming.

And get a sliding miter saw ($250 from gumtree). Those things are awesome, I'm changing the skirting boards at home at the moment, measure it up, change the angle, cut and it's a perfect fit.

But I'm a tinkerer, in not way shape or form an expert. I'm sure plenty of the guys on here know way better than me.

The SawStop and Hammer exhaust that $10k on their own. No one will dispute they are amazing machines, but using all your money on just those doesn't make too much sense when starting. Even if you do most things by machine, you are still going to need to spend quite a bit on hand tools, some power tools, and workshop accessories (clamps etc). So if $10k was literally just for machines, then those are two awesome machines to start with, but you will need at least a few more grand on top for everything else you need to actually utilise those machines and finish what comes off them.

Also you need a dust extractor straight up if you get a table saw or a combo.

For me I use my band saw the most and then a bigboy sander followed by the router table.

SB

If only it was just a matter of buying a few machines and tools . . . . . .

Originally Posted by Ghallahad

Also you need a dust extractor straight up if you get a table saw or a combo.

I agree but even before that the shed needs be wired to supply at least 2 15A machines.

A lot of folks ask me how much should they spend on dust extraction and I tell them they should aim for a figure of 10% of their budget.
The DC is only one aspect, ducting, junctions, gates, opening up new machinery to accept larger ducting etc - this takes WAAAAAY longer that most people want to know.

I helped a friend spend $12K a few years back to setup a small furniture workshop. see https://www.woodworkforums.com/f245/shed-set-play-167900
She already had, a 2HP DC, a 20" CT Thicknesser, a Festool Vac, a small wood lathe and a full size Drill press and a bunch of Festool gear.

The machines we purchased with the $12k were
Jet 14" BS
Jet 6" OScillating Sander
Jet 6" Long bed planer
Woodman 12" table saw
Festool TS 75 plunge saw
12" Metabo SCMS
Plus a bunch of consumables.

Now she has a Woodwizz, another DC and another BS

I have pretty much done that and estimate my workshop expenditure is around the 10K.

You first need to decide what you intend to make and then tailor your workshop to do that.You need to plan what machines you need,where to put them and then think about the DC system first.

To put things in perspective I make small furniture items in my small workshop (double garage)which is about 20 square metres or so.
My main machinery is;

10x8 combination thicknesser jointer with spiral head $ 2000+ APPROX
16" bandsaw $ 150 secondhand
Bosch SCMS $ 400 approx
cast iron router table and 1/2" router $ 1200 approx
400mm drum sander $ 750 approx
Home-made horizontal boring machine with 1/2" router $ 750
Bobbin sander $200 approx
Festool tracksaw plus 2 sanders and vacuum $900 approx secondhand.
2 hp DC and ducting approx $ 300 secondhand.

This is a listing of most of my main equipment but you will probably need a myriad of handtools and router bits plus umpteen other sundry items.

I do not have a table saw due to space restrictions and find that the Festool tracksaw is more than edequate for the sheet materials and other cut I need to make.

My work bench is just welded tubular steel with a particlcle board/formica top.There is so much stuff piled on the shelf underneath it is rock solid and wont budge an inch.

my inventory was built up over a few years and is certainly easier in some ways to have the 10K to spend straight away although you will need to give your selections more thought.Don't rule out secondhand as there are some real bargains to be had.

I think there's a lot to be said for building your kit gradually. When I started out I had no idea what half the machines even did!

I started with a project and just bought what I needed to get that done, with a minimal budget (through necessity) and that approach worked well for me.

I don't know what I would have done if I had a lazy 10G to spend back then, but I think a good table saw plus a planer and thicknesser, combo or seperate, and a dust extractor is a good start. A good bandsaw is also very handy.

My 2c worth.. I would have spent around $25,000 over the last 3 years on my workshop and most of it are small pieces that you need but never remember you have!?!

If you want to do it properly and you own the property then i would recommend the following.. If you just want to get into it and have a go then I suggest you just buy any tools as you need them after points 0, 1 & 2.

Miko

0. Safety gear - gloves goggles and so on, leather aprons are handy to save your innards!
1. Dust extraction system (pipes & connections as per BobL), maybe even a shed out of your work shop to put it in!
2. 15 & 20 amp wiring to shop + enough lighting & power points
3. Helical head planer/jointer (I have a Jet)
4. Bandsaw 18"
5. Solid Tables saw (cast iron top)
6. battery drill, driver, drill bits, driver bits, screws
7. Drill press
8. clamps
9. Sanding equipment
10. Router and equipment

Good luck and post some pictures when you decide.

The other thing not worth skimping on is measuring gear as this determines everything including setting up machinery

A range of steel rulers 150 - 300 -600 - 900 mm
A range of 90º squares, 50 to 600 mm, plus a bevel square.
Vernier calipers
Tape measures, small and large
Compasses, small and large
Marking knives
Digital Angle finder
A short and long level
A protractor or digital bevel gauge
A long (~3m) reasonably straight edge like a length of SH Al
There's probably more.

It would not be that difficult to spend $1K on these alone

You describe yourself as a "novice". What have you made? What do you want to make? Did you enjoy the experience? Yeh basic questions I know, but what I am getting at is, are you "good" with building things? The most expensive workshop will only produce projects of a standard that the user is capable of.
My approach would be to find a project that is simple and one that can be made with rudimentary gear. Then progress with projects that you can handle slowly. Repartition of pieces of a project can be frustrating but parts have to be made to complete a project.

I did for a long time loads of what you propose to do: make tables and benches primarily, with the odd bookshelf, bedstead, chest of drawers and assorted knick-knacks thrown in here and there.

I always dreaded table saws (yes I know what they can all do!) and got myself a radial arm saw and an over-and-under combination jointer/thicknesser, and that was all the machinery I had for a long time, along with a 2nd hand bandsaw. The radial arm saw can do cross cutting as well as ripping (awkward though it is) and for cutting sheets of ply and mdf I simply have it on my assembly benches and clamp a long aluminium profile to it as fence and use my skilly to cut panels very accurately.

I just had a SawStop demoed to me earlier this week and it seems an amazing bit of machinery, I would consider putting one of those into my workshop were I to start over. I think with that and the Hammer you'll be doing well, you really don't need a drop saw as well. A decent skilly or a 2nd hand radial arm saw that's been kept well would be one hell of a lot cheaper for cross cutting than anything Festool, i.m.o.

A domino sounds fine, and I covet one secretly, but a Makita bisquit jointer is a much cheaper option and also very nearly as versatile. Love mine all to bits for making cabinets and drawers. And, as someone said, a router is probably a very good idea to add to your shopping list.