Carl

Hello all; this is my first post here and I hope this is the right forum. I am interested in learning woodworking, so I took a class at a local community college. The first thing we learned about was wood, and how "un-straight" it is when you buy it at the lumber yard/store. We learned to use a jointer, a planer, and a table saw together to get a board to have straight sides at right angles to each other, so they can be joined together.

This whole process was somewhat of a shock for me, in that it sure takes a lot of equipment just to get a board straight. I started looking into how much all this equipment would cost. Even inexpensive or used versions of these tools will run me into the hundreds of dollars, not to mention take up much space in my single-car garage.

So... is all this "stuff" really necessary? I know I could probably learn to use a block plane by hand, but I am guessing I don't have the patience or the hand-eye coordination for that. Is there any middle ground -- a way to make boards uniformly straight without breaking the bank? I think I could use a circular saw with a guide rail to simulate some of the aspects of a table saw, but the jointer and planer have got me stumped.

Thanks for any advice,

Carl

BHOFM

First off, Welcome to the mad house.

All this was done for hundreds of years without
power tools and there are still a lot of die hard
hand tool people doing some fine work.

It is just a matter of learning how to do it by hand,
yes it does take patience. And a lot of practice.

My Dad built some beautiful boats with out even as
much as a power drill. He ripped and planed and
shaped every piece by hand. I have seen him cut
a four or five foot board to shape with a copping saw,
smooth it with a rasp and finish with a plane.

Power tools just make it quicker.

A hand power saw is fine for rough cutting stock
to length and working with large sheet goods.
But it is no substitute for a fair table saw.

What you need depends on what you want to do.
For small projects you can buy the stock close to
the size you need and a miter box and back saw
can do a fine job with a bit of practice. A 3/8 drill
and a combo square will do for starts.

One of the little Japaneses saws is also a big plus
for hand work.

For power tools now is a good time to check pawn
shops and second hand stores.

Watch for sales. You can buy a good table saw at
Lowes for a couple of hundred, that will service you
for years to come.

djonesax

You used the NEED word... Need versus want... IMO, it all depends on what you want to build, the time you want to spend and the level of perfectionist you are. It seems like every project I do, I "NEED" another tool. But I justify my "NEED" by time, quality, and the right tool for the job. I don't have a lot of time so I buy tools that will save me time and will help me do a more precise job.

Of the larger tools, in my shop I have a Table Saw, Miter Saw, Band Saw, Jointer(Got it yesterday Rigid, love it!) Router Table, Thickness Planer, Lathe, Belt and Disk Sander combo. The only thing I can think of at the moment that I am looking for is a Dust Collector. I am using my shop vac now and it works well but I have to keep moving it from machine to machine.

Of all those, I seldom use the Band Saw or Belt/Disc Sander but they are handy when you do need them.

I would pick a project and then see what you need versus want.

I built lots of things with just a sander, drill, and a miter saw, and circular saw. I also spent hours at Home Depot picking out the best wood they had.

Check craigslist and yard sales, I buy a lot there. I got my 6" craftsman belt/disk sander for 50 bucks and the same for my rockwell 10" band saw.

David

steve mackay

Lemme think . . . I started my "thing" in the No-Fly Zone in Iraq. Had a pocket knife, hacksaw blade, set of riflers and a hand-held Dremel. All the power tools and machines I've got now might make it easier but not better. Honeing the craft is more important than equiping the shop. Sorry, just waxing romantic there.

Carl

Thanks for the welcome and the quick replies. I guess it seemed that in order to even get started with any project I'd need several hundred dollars worth of equipment to even get a straight board, much less start building something. I have some hand power tools, just none of the larger items like a jointer or table saw; sounds like I should start some projects with what I have and see how far I can get.

I have several projects I'd like to do: I'd like to build an enclosed cabinet for DVD/CD storage. I'd like to build a small dresser, with drawers. Eventually I'd like to put in some built-in bookcases in our home. I think at minimum I'd need to build face frames for these; I might be able to use veneered plywood and pre-made molding for the other parts. I have a pocket hole jig, but I know that the joins have to be very square in order for that to work.

I'll check the pawnshops and craigslist, and look into hand tools as well -- I think I can get some DVDs that would give me an idea of how that would work. Maybe I'd enjoy that aspect of it, never know until you try.

firehawkmph

Carl,
Keep in mind that if you have a good lumberyard in your area, you should be able to find some pretty straight wood surfaced on all four sides. You will pay a little more for this than at a big box store, but it will be much nicer to work with and put off the need, or want for some of the bigger equipment.
Mike Hawkins
PS Welcome to the forum.

BHOFM

One tool not mentioned is a router. They are not
that costly, used ones are cheap. You can get a nice
set of bits at Harbor Freight. You can do dados for
shelves and rabbits for the cabinets ends and they
are great for half lap joints. All you need is a straight
edge and a simple jig.

You could have decorative edges and nice round overs.

It is one of the tools I use most. I have an old B&D
that I paid five dollars for at a pawn shop. The thing
I like most about it is it has a micrometer adjustment.
I have a good Craftsman that has a plastic ring to
adjust it, it works but not as fine as the old B&D.

With a metal straight edge and a laminate bit you
can true up the edge of a board as well.

knotscott

Welcome Carl! All you really "need" is wood and desire. You'll find a way from there!

Kenbo

Hey there Carl,
Welcome to the forum of sawdust jockeys!!
Everyone who is new to woodworking assumes that you require a ton of equiptment to enjoy working with wood. This is a false assumption. The fancy power tools are definately a plus and they are definately one of my obsessions,(maybe even an addiction) but I could get by without them. (I hope they didn't hear me say that)
I've always been under the impression that a jointer is one of the final tools that I would get. I am an obsessive compulsive person when it comes to the calibration of my power tools and I feel that a well calibrated table saw can perform most of the functions of a jointer. That said, I must point out that I have never used a jointer and when the time comes that I do purchase one, my attitude towards it might change.
As far as what type of tools you need......
if you are referring to power tools, my recommendation would be a good palm sander. Whether it be an oscillating or a quarter sheet, makes no difference to me. A good sander is worth its weight in gold IMO.
If money is a factor for you, then you may want to start by purchasing some basic hand tools. A good quality rip and crosscut saw. A few chisels, a hand plane and a good try square will get you started quite nicely. Before jumping into large projects like shelving units and built-ins, why not try some simple boxes with hand done dovetails. As Steve Mackay said "Honeing the craft is more important than equiping the shop." You just may suprise yourself with what you can accomplish on a smaller scale with only a few hand tools and your imagination. Check the internet for free woodworking plans. There are plenty of them.
Good luck, and don't forget to post some photos of your work.
Ken

KevinK

In reality you need very few tools, but if you are like a lot of us it become an obsession, and you want a lot. The Lee Valley catalogue arrives and all of a sudden you have managed to identify a few tools and you are over a thousand dollars, so your collection will grow over time. One thing I try to keep in mind is buy the best you can, avoid B&D products and no name products, save your money, buy slow but buy the best it will make your woodworking experience far more enjoyable.

What to buy first, I would say a table saw, again the best you can afford, $2-3000.00 may seem like a lot but these tools are going to last you a life time, (20+ years) that is a better investment than that gas gussling thing parked in the driveway. My second tool would be the planer, and a jointer. For portable power tools, first a router, and a drill. I would also look into a busicuit jointer and then a mitre saw. After that the priorities are not so important, but an orbital sander would be good. Now of course you will need some hand tools, chisels and planes as all project will require hand work just because power tools move too fast and can ruin a project when all you want is some fine detail touched up.

I have also found from experience, that my second table saw should have been my first, my second band saw should have been my first. Do your homework, review the tool reviews test them out, talk to friends and this forum for what is the best make for a particular tool. General, Power Matic have nice stationary tools, Festool seems to be changing and improving the portable power tools market for the better I think. B&D is taking over everything and I am not sure if their lines are getting better, (they now include DeWalt, Elu (which was an excellent tool but is now gone) Porta Cable and Delta) so good luck and have fun

Kevin
Kevin

snowi

For a fast start...

All you need is a Hammer, some nails, and 2 pieces of wood.

Thats the most basic start that I can think of.

Sorry for being a smart A$$,,,lol

Welcome to the Wonderfull World of Wood Working...

Carl

Wow, lots of great info here!

My dad and I remodeled the kitchen and parts of the bathrooms in a condo I owned many years ago. Or more accurately, my dad remodeled them and I bought the necessary tools and handed him the screws. I had to buy some tools for that job, like a cordless drill, a jigsaw, a hammer drill (the building was concrete-and-steel), and a random-orbit sander and belt sander. Most of these are pretty cheap quality. Since then I've also acquired an inexpensive power miter saw that was on clearance. I have some hand tools, but mostly the basics like hammer, screwdrivers, and pliers. No chisels or handplanes yet.

BHOFM: I really want a router; I took a one-night router class at the local Woodcraft just to learn a little more about them. After reading what people wrote here, I'm keeping my eye out for an inexpensive used one. Went to a local pawn shop and they have a 1 3/4 hp B&D plunge router they will sell to me for $30; not sure if I will go for it.

Kenbo: I like the idea of starting with smaller projects. For my class we are building a toolbox and I am also making some cutting boards. I think it'd be good to do a similar project at home with my own tools and see how far I can get. I'll check out some local lumberyards for surfaced wood as Mike Hawkins suggests.

KevinK: I'd love to have a $2000+ table saw, but I'd never be able to get that price past the wife, and I'm not sure where I'd put it -- she wants to actually park her car in the garage.

Thanks again all, I really appreciate all the advice!

Itchy Brother

If ya got some skills you could put an add in Craigslist.Say -Will do so and so for used woodworking tools!See what happens,there are peeps out there that may need that sidewalk concreted but maybe can pay for the concrete but not for someone to do it,but there in their garage is that saw they never use. Itchy

Fox E

• I need,
• I want,
• I could use,
• Wish I had,
• Those are nice ...

Santa Clause is coming .......
There will always be more tools (available) then money, IMHO,
and never enough skill, patience, experience or practice for a perfect home project.

knotscott

What you end up with really depends alot of what you'll build and what materials you'll use, and there are many ways to skin a cat. Tools all have a purpose but you're sure don't need all of them to make stuff. Buying used is a great way to stretch your budget. Buying smart is another way to save! Every year there are some crazy deals to be found if you watch....when a good tool that's on your "watch" list goes on sale for 35-50% off, that's the time to jump....sometimes buying your "second" choice on sale is better than never owning your first choice.

A router is the most versatile tool in my shop. Mounted in table makes it safer, more precise, and even more versatile. You'll eventually want one for hand use and one for table use, so keep that in mind if you purchase one.

If you use sheet goods, you'll want a way to cut it...circ saw with straight edge, TS, or RAS are good choices...TS being my saw of choice.

If you use rough sawn lumber, then you'll want to add a way to smooth, straighten, and flatten the wood before cutting...a jointer, planer, and TS are my methods, but hand planes work too. Buying 2S or 3S (predimensioned) lumber can help but to get really tight joints you're likely still going to want a way to flat and straighten boards.

If you cut curves, a jigsaw works well, but a BS works better. You can also slice veneers with a BS.

A DP helps with precise holes and can double as a sanding drum.

Eventually dust collection will come into the picture....you'll know when!

As I was mentioned earlier...where there's a will there's a way.