Thread: New workshop fitout

I am just happy that you are not wasting valuable space on a car.
Dont scrimp on some items, Bessey clamps are $75-100 each

Yep, garage is for woodwork. Nothing beats the smell of lumber! I even bought a push mower so there isn't any fuel or oil smells!

In terms of clamps, I was thinking of 8-10 irwin quick grip clamps (I have 4 already and like them). For bigger jobs (like a bookcase) I have used band clamps which worked well enough.

As you rightly note, they are expensive for decent clamps, and I may look to it in the future. The quick-grips would still be used, so I don't see it as wasting the cash at this point. Happy for any guidance though!

This is one of those perpetual questions - where to start. My view - but feel free to ignore it - is that you will reach the limits of your suggested table saw and router table pretty quickly. I've never used either of them, but I do think you'd be better off buying a good quality router which can be used freehand or mounted under a home-made router table.

If you can, I'd definitely look for a bigger table saw. A contractors saw would be a good place to start (maybe something like Carba-Tec 10" Contractors Saw : CARBA-TEC) but if budgets are tight look for a second hand triton work centre or something like that. At least when you want to upgrade, it will sell for almost the same price you bought it. Personally, I'd be holding on or sacrificing other things to buy a good quality cabinet saw (but they will set you back more than $1500). The Bosch will, in my view, be too small and flimsy for big timbers (table tops, thick timbers, wide boards (check the maximum width of cuts for example). I'm not sure if the blade tilts, which is a really handy feature. But the most important thing on a table saw is that it cuts straight, which is a result of a strong fence and an accurate blade with little runout.

I too get by with a handful of the quickgrips. But think about lashing out on some cheap sash clamps, which are invaluable for table tops etc. The quick grips just don't cut it for that kind of clamping, where keeping things aligned is important. Bessey clamps are great, but seriously expensive if you want to buy a lot at once.

Dust extraction is a complex issue. I'm not an expert, but I don't know whether the two main machines you have suggested will accept a 4" hose (perhaps another reason for a bigger TS). Dust extractors also specialise in high volume, low velocity extraction, meaning you need to have at least 4" hoses to make it worthwhile. A shop vacuum may be a better bet for the moment. My router is connected (or will be when I return to Cbr from Italy) to a shop vac, not my dusty.

The other things you've suggested are all good. A biscuit joiner is a good idea and makes some joinery much easier (e.g. tabletops etc). It is amazing what you can join with a biscuit if you put your mind to it. The other machines you've not listed - particularly a jointer and thicknesser - will allow you to dimension your own wood and will help to refine your projects, but you can upgrade to those later on (as I did).

Hope this is helpful. Happy for you to come around to my shed once I am back in Canberra to have a look at my setup if that's helpful (but it won't be until August at least).

good luck.

Trav

I agree with Trav. A jointer is a great addition to that list. I think it's not so much where to start, the main thing is to start. Like Trav said, the things you list may not be the end all but they'll get you started and they will always be handy or can be resold.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Artbartiflast

I just bought a new house and it has a 1.5x car garage that I am looking to fill with tools!

Funds are limited as always and the main projects are furniture around the house (shelves, desks, tables, cabinets etc.)

Where possible, I will construct from hardwood veneer ply for the carcass and oak or maple for the face frames (depending on the project).

I've read through a lot of threads here in the various sub forums and was hoping for some feedback on my proposed purchases before I shell out. This seemed like the most logical place since it is an overall budget, rather than the individual components.
I already own a power drill, jigsaw, sander and a few other general tools.

Proposed purchases:
Bosch GTS 10J $540 (My neighbour bought one of those, they are not very accurate and will not fit your sucker (aka Dust Collector), you are better of with a circular saw and a shooting board to keep the saw on track, you can make that yourself from MDF to suit the saw you buy plus a cheap shop vac for the sawdust the sucker does not pick up.)
60 tooth blade $75
Scheppach HF-50 1500w bench top router $319 (we just bought one of those but it has yet to be delivered. I'll let you know what I think of it when I have had a better look at it)
Router bits ~$100
Hafco DC3 Dust Collector -$300 (This will be housed outside the garage on the wall opposite the TS and Router to help get the smaller particles and keep them out) (This sucker has 2x 100 mm outlets, so that will fit the router table, but don't forget that you need to buy hoses as well @ $12 per metre, the suckers do not come with hoses)
Some more clamps $150 (We started out with cheap $20 each Sash Clamps from Mitre10, after 8 years they are still being used to keep biscuit jointer board together and flat.
Ryobi 600w biscuit jointer $100 (we have one of those and it is still serving us well.)

Total: ~$1600

Aside from consumables, this is pretty much all I will buy. A dremel is the only other tool for consideration, but not for a while.

Any feedback on alternatives or other options or things that I should get. I have some instructional books and DVDs, and with the router and TS, I'm confident I can do what I need.

Thanks!

Any feedback on better options

Workbench: We used an old door on a couple of sawhorses and a cheap machinist vice.
We had a Triton Router table but in our opinion, it was not worth the money. The red plastic knobs did not take long to strip the treads,
As time goes by, you will find you have outgrown these tools. HOWEVER, you will have had lots of fun with them in the meantime and, as time goes by, as I said, you are not going to need to replace them all at once, hence can afford better ones.
The first machine we bought was a bandsaw and we never regretted that, it can be used for almost any kind of sawing.
Most importantly, enjoy the feeling of I MADE THIS
Hope this long tirade has helped you out.
Cheers
Wolffie
ps: If you can afford it, then have a look at this saw, it is on special at the moment http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W450

Thanks for all the advice, it has been very helpful. The clamp advice is really good.

After reading through some of the 'which table saw' threads, I had my heart set on the W452 (https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W452#tabs) because it was 12" and had a large cast iron top. I was set to pull the trigger, but it is a 15A.

The garage only has a single 2x powerpoint. It is on its own circuit with 3 fluorescent lights and a 20A fuse. It is a 10A circuit, so looked at some smaller saws, like the GTS10. At almost half the price, and only 10A, the GTS seemed a no brainer.

In theory, I could risk getting a 15A saw, but if running simultaneously with the dust collector, it would be getting close. I'm not super keen on getting a sparkie to rewire the garage to 15A either as I understand it would be about $300 or so.

In terms of the router, the forum consensus seemed to be the Triton 2000W, which can be had for ~$330 delivered. Its size would make it difficult to be hand held, and it would be a pain to take it on and off the table. Plus the cost of parts to make a table etc. On this basis, the HF-30 looks pretty good, and I could get another smaller router in the future for hand held stuff (or maybe the Dremel).

Originally Posted by Artbartiflast

Thanks for all the advice, it has been very helpful. The clamp advice is really good.

After reading through some of the 'which table saw' threads, I had my heart set on the W452 (https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/W452#tabs) because it was 12" and had a large cast iron top. I was set to pull the trigger, but it is a 15A.

The SB12 (452) saw looks like a good choice for you but I cannot find any reference to the 15amp requirement. Don't forget that for the GTS10 you are also going too need somewhere to put it, like a stand or something.
OOOPS jus read this https://www.woodworkforums.com/f153/b...le-saw-133106/
We have just bought this one https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/K050

and it is mentioned specifically that it needs 20 amp.
Cheers
Wolffie

On H&F, there is a yellow triangle indicating 240V with 15A plug on the side.
From other threads, if it is 3HP or over, it is often 15A. Not always though.

Plus the startup spike can be up to 60 or 70A and the GTS has a slow startup feature which should mitigate it a little.

The ST-12 looks good - me gusta!

We are looking forward to the workshop kitout
Perhaps I should explain that everything we owned was destroyed by Cyclone YASI last year, hence everything is going to be brand new, simply because of insurance money not because we are wealthy.
Thank goodness we had the fortitude to insure the workshop well.
Can't wait to get my hands on some timber again
Wolffie

You're the only one who can make the final call on what will work for you. Get into it and enjoy it.

I'd explore the 15A issue before taking the plunge on the TS. If you have the room, I think the W452 looks much better and more robust. But don't get caught up in the 12" blade - you will almost never use it (I've never had one and don't recall ever missing it) and the blades are more expensive). A table saw is all about weight, power and precision - ripping thick hardwood is tough work for a TS and cutting wide or long board is awkward (and expensive if you stuff it up). You'll appreciate a robust saw.

Wolffie is right - the most important thing in your shed is a workbench. It doesn't need to be pretty, but it needs to be strong and ideally heavy to resist movement when you're working. There is weeks worth of reading here about workbenches, both cheap and expensive.

As for the router, it depends on what you want to use it for. I only have one router (the triton) and it hardly ever emerges from my table. But when I built my pergola, I used it to do some housing joints and it was brilliant. You wouldn't be able to make trenches or dados/rabbets for shelves with a fixed machine, but you could with a handheld router.

Finally, I read that you are hoping to use veneered ply. I've not had much luck finding ready supplies of veneered ply in Cbr. Some places have veneered MDF, but not many have good ply. Let me know if you find a good source. Tassie oak veneer (and edging) would probably be the best value, if you like the look of it.

Trav

Hey,
I have the Bosch GTS10 table saw and it's my first and only table saw that I have ever owned. You can set it up to be fairly accurate by measuring from both ends of the blade to the fence. It's obviouslly limited by it's power and size and it could be more accurate but it's worked well for me over the last few years.
Iv'e mainly only made smaller type projects such as boxes and a hall table. I'm looking to get into larger work and i'd like more power, larger work surface and more accuracy. I'm not sure if you can fit a dado to the Bosch but that's another reason to why i'd like to upgrade.

I made a cover for the base of the saw which allows me to attach a 4" hose. I also ran a hose to the dust port on the saw. Below is a pic that I took in 2010 and you can see the dust extraction set up.

Having just purchased equipment to fill a workshop a couple of years ago, I found the best thing to do is buy as you need it. Plan a project then get the required tools for that project. Also as everyone has been saying buy quality first.

I also made my own router table (you can see it behind my jointer in the pic) and that way you can buy a quality router for hand held and table mounted work. A Triton router will set you back $300ish and you could easily make a table from MDF scraps.


Andy

Originally Posted by Artbartiflast

In theory, I could risk getting a 15A saw, but if running simultaneously with the dust collector, it would be getting close. I'm not super keen on getting a sparkie to rewire the garage to 15A either as I understand it would be about $300 or so.

The TS is only ever going to be drawing 15A at two points, on start up you'll be using about 6-7 times the running current if it doesn't have some sort of soft starter and when you're really giving the motor a workout.

If you are cutting big sections of hardwood for extended periods of time then I would consider running another circuit out to the garage and with current limiting and RCD protection for one 15A outlet in the garage for the big machines and put a safety switch on the old power circuit to the garage.

As a sparky this is generally how I wire a garage for a bloke who plans to use it as a workshop even as a hobbyist, you can't be too safe with electrics, particularly in your home workshop as it tends to be overlooked, your tools can start to draw a deal of current and things get hot when that happens creating a potential fire risk.

Just a thought

Hey, Irvs - what would that usually cost? It is a detached garage, with a single 2x10A plug with 20A circuit breaker in the house on main circuit board.

Trav - thanks for your advice. In terms of ply
Turners Building supplies has just started getting some exterior birch from dmkforestproducts.com.au. This would be faced with Vic mountain ash.

Fyshwick Building supplies had some ash faced ply also.

As a last resort, there is the marine and structural ply from Bunnys.

Also, I have some killer plans for a workbench - it's project number one!

Originally Posted by groeneaj

Hey,
I have the Bosch GTS10 table saw and it's my first and only table saw that I have ever owned. You can set it up to be fairly accurate by measuring from both ends of the blade to the fence. It's obviouslly limited by it's power and size and it could be more accurate but it's worked well for me over the last few years.
Iv'e mainly only made smaller type projects such as boxes and a hall table. I'm looking to get into larger work and i'd like more power, larger work surface and more accuracy. I'm not sure if you can fit a dado to the Bosch but that's another reason to why i'd like to upgrade.
Andy

Thanks Andy, really good info - when you say 'fairly accurate' - do you mean the fence has some wiggle in it, or do you mean the blade isn't straight/true or wobbles or something?

Also, how much accuracy are you talking? Could you do lap joints well and have them sit flush?

The dust port looks good - any more pics or description of what you did to upgrade to a 4" port?