Thread: What would you put in a newbies workshop?

Jordan,
You have done the basics at school woodwork. Do what you can with hand tools and then get a machine now and then as the project dictates. It is nice to have all the gear but most woodworkers take a lifetime to gather all the tools. Be a woodworker rather than a machine operator. I find after a lifetime hankering for machines I have the urge to get back to hand tools. That said a good table saw with the right blades will do what you want. I am not a box maker but finger joints remind me of fruit and veg boxes.
My first job when I left school was in a sawmill and they made a range of fish boxes for kippers and expensive fish fillets. Finger joints, say no more. Dovetails mmmm, now there is a joint.
Regards
John

I set up a manual arts wood shop from nothing and the kit if tools that I started the chaps with included
tenon saw, square, bevel gauge, chisels, hammer, wooden mallet, work bench and vice, a good hand plane and a block plane, marking gauge, straight edge and tape measure.

It will make your life easier if you also had an electric drill and jig saw. You will need some clamps for gluing and a few F, G or old style cabinet makers clamps for holding things.

At some point you will definitely make good use of a router (or three) and a router table

After that the questions of what you need and what you want become harder to disentangle. But you will probably make good use of
table saw
jointer
bandsaw
thicknesser

particularly if you work with rough saw timber.

In reality however if you get bitten by the wood bug there will be no end to the things you will be able to persuade yourself that you need.

The other thing to consider quality. It is hard enough to make beautiful objects without the burden of bad tools. You are much better off waiting a bit longer or searching a bit harder to get a really good quality tool than buying something because of the price. In fact sometimes people sell good tools second hand that are very cheap and at least as good as the new article.

Consider how much space you have.
Apart from hand tools consider investing in a workbench with a stable top and a vice. There are a range of ready made or ready to assemble benches, or you could build something to fit your space.

Good point orraloon - I do like the idea of your workshop being something that you build up over time.

I'm certainly not looking for a bunch of machines to buy now, just one or two that with a few hand tools will start giving me some options.

I was originally thinking a scroll saw and disc sander, which aren't big money items but give me some flexibility. But I keep feeling a table saw would be better instead...and certainly I do need a workbench!

Have you guys got any advice in finding or building a workbench? I looked at carbatec and they have a nice workbench, but it's close to $700

Also what would one be looking for in a table saw, if I decide to go down that path?

Thanks!
Jordan

Originally Posted by JPA

Good point orraloon - I do like the idea of your workshop being something that you build up over time.

Unless you have a workshop that washed away or burnt down that really is the only sensible way to go about it otherwise you really will end up with a lot of stuff you will never or only use occasionally.

I'm certainly not looking for a bunch of machines to buy now, just one or two that with a few hand tools will start giving me some options.

As far a power hand tools go a drill is pretty much at the top of the list. If you plan to work with sheet material the a hand held circular comes in pretty handy.

I was originally thinking a scroll saw and disc sander, which aren't big money items but give me some flexibility. But I keep feeling a table saw would be better instead...and certainly I do need a workbench!

A TS and a workbench sound like a good start. If you find a cheap Bandsaw don't discount that as a short term starting saw as they are incredibly useful machines and you will always use it after you buy your TS.

A good way to practice WW is to build your own bench. A basic bench does not have to be fancy and it is for most purposes a sturdy flat table. Mine latest is made from salvaged treated pine and jarrah with a 7 ply top. Someday I'll build a fancy one but it will do for now.

Originally Posted by JPA

I'm mainly looking at box making and some small furniture too. But when you start thinking about all the tools you need oh boy it gets a bit pricey!

I'm really looking for something I can cut mitres and finger joints with accurately, as well as obviously cutting, trimming and finishing.

So what machines do you see as essential, keeping a budget in mind? Or which ones will give me the best flexibility?

Thanks!
Jordan

Jordan

if you're starting with boxes, buy yourself a good powered mitre saw.
with this you will be able to cut parts to length, cut mitres and, with this jig http://www.gifkins.com.au/Custom%20Fence.pdf from Richard Gifkins cut small box sides to width.

when starting buy your wood already dimensioned -- many of the smaller wood suppliers supply box kits ready to joint and assemble.

for your second power saw I recommed a band saw before a table saw.
Many will disagree, but to my mind a band saw is more versitile than a table saw.

get a variable speed 1/2" router and mount it in a table.
with the right combination of bit and fence, you can cut rebates, 45° mitres and finger joints, and with a Gifkins jig, dovetail joints as well.
That combination pretty much covers all the joints most box makers would use in a lifetime.

sanders?
unless you sand your wood before assembling a box, you'll find a power sander virtually useless.
after assembly, if you want to maintain crisp edges on a box, you will need to sand it by hand.
if you sand before assembly, the most useful sander is probably a drum sander BUT you need to include a dust extractor or high spec shop vac as part of teh package.


Hand tools
basic set of 3 quality bevel edge chisels -- 6mm, 12mm and 19mm -- add other sizes as you progress JUST REMEMBER, the wood only notices if the chisel is sharp or dull, it doesn't care if the handles and steel don't form a set.
saws. As you progress you'll want to get a small carcass saw (for cross cuts) and a dovetail saw
planes. for boxes get a #4 or #5 or the equivalent bevel up planes

clamps, and then more clamps

layout tools
square
mitre square -- if your budget extends that far get a 12" and/or 6" Starrett combination square. Also, the Veritas 4" layout square is really handy. Chris Vesper also makes superb layout tools and if the price doesn;t take your breath away, you will NEVER regret buying one or two or five!

I seem to be leaning towards a table saw at the moment, only because they seem to give you a few more cutting options...and also because you can cut splined mitres that I've been desperate to try!

My only problem is cutting (accurate) mitres along the width of the timber on a table saw, and I find it hard to visualise how you would do it. By width of timber I mean on a box edge like this:



as appose to say a picture frame mitre. Is it accurate enough to simply tilt the blade on the machine?

Ian - I might just have to invest in one of those combination squares as they look fantastic! And thank you for the link to that jig - it's certainly made me think twice about a mitre saw.

The plan is to purchase a saw and then get cracking on a workbench

Thanks!
Jordan

Don't forget clamps. Clamps in various types and sizes.

The number of clamps that you will need is x + 1.

Clamps

As an idea of how many is not enough, I just counted up the number of clamps in my workshop that I could see (57 in total). About half are for metal work, and of course I constantly run out of the size I need I know one woodworker who has over 200 clamps and even he complains about running out.

I find that this works well for me

www.torqueworkcentre.com.au

Originally Posted by JPA

Good point orraloon - I do like the idea of your workshop being something that you build up over time.

I'm certainly not looking for a bunch of machines to buy now, just one or two that with a few hand tools will start giving me some options.

I was originally thinking a scroll saw and disc sander, which aren't big money items but give me some flexibility. But I keep feeling a table saw would be better instead...and certainly I do need a workbench!

Have you guys got any advice in finding or building a workbench? I looked at carbatec and they have a nice workbench, but it's close to $700

Also what would one be looking for in a table saw, if I decide to go down that path?

Thanks!
Jordan

As for table saws the main considerations seem to be quality, price and size in that order. I got a very good saw from GPW. They sell for $1375 and in my opinion anybody who is in the market for a saw should at least have a close look at them before parting with the cash.

Originally Posted by JPA

... But I keep feeling a table saw would be better instead...and certainly I do need a workbench!

Have you guys got any advice in finding or building a workbench? I looked at carbatec and they have a nice workbench, but it's close to $700

Also what would one be looking for in a table saw, if I decide to go down that path?

Thanks!
Jordan

wander over to the workbench thread - enough ideas there to keep you entertained and to widen your horizons re what types of workbenches work for some people

workbench thread here

Thanks for the replies all!

A recent development has rendered the shed quite a bit fuller, so I'm going to have to wait a while for the table saw! (it seems space was a real factor in the end, damn)

But I'm still comfortable with buying a decent scms to get me going. Also on the list is a combination square, tenon saw and when I get the funds a plane and a few clamps. And with a few random tools floating around the house should be pretty well set up

Now...off to the workbench thread!

Jordan