Newbie must choose power or hand shop
![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/78cc47c026387a6ca74a3a75c78fefbe?s=52&d=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.finewoodworking.com%2Fapp%2Favatars%2F200x200%2Fj.png&r=g)
I’m pretty new to woodworking, and I’ve set myself the challenge of making some furniture for my home. No pretensions to great artistry, but with time and care I expect that I can learn to slowly produce decent pieces. It helps that I’m good at following directions. 🙂
My first inclination was to go the efficient power tools route. I’ve got about $2500 to get my shop going, and I figure I can build a good workbench, buy a decent cabinet table saw, plus a 6″ jointer and 13″ planer. I already have a scroll saw, router table, drill press, and circular saw.
But I really like my hands on the wood, and I’m starting to feel I might like a workout with a plane more than the noisy racket of a board fed through a planer; I might prefer to cut my dovetails by hand than with a fancy router/commercial jig setup. Another benefit is, I’d like my kids, right down to my 1 year old twin girls, to be able to be around when I’m working, and I feel I can make a hand-tool shop MUCH safer, much easier, than a power tool shop.
I also want to add that I’m not thinking of hand tools to save money. Heck, four good LN planes cost as much as an inexpensive but capable jointer/planer set anyway!
So my question isn’t really “which should I do”, it’s more… if I’m learning from books and some videos, am I going to be able to learn to make true, flat stock with a set of planes and some Lie-Nielsen DVDs (and a lot of practice)? Or am I going to be in a world of frustration without some in-person hand-holding? I am quite confident that I will be able to do what I want with power tools, and I’m thinking it’s likely the hand tools route will be rewarding but a slower learning process.
I’d appreciate any guidance on how the difficulties of the two paths may play out. As I say, my goal isn’t really speed and minute-to-minute “efficiency,” but I am concerned that I may find the hand tool route just to difficult to master and won’t be able to get traction on actual, usable projects.
I live in Redmond, Washington in case anyone can recommend a good way to hook up with an experienced woodworker. Anyone want to trade a lunch on me for a good conversation? I hope it’s not against the rules for me to post my email address, which I’ll do in my next post if nobody says I shouldn’t. 🙂
Thanks to all.
Replies
Vulcan,
Some thoughts from me, of the old school:
If you are to make furniture using solid timber (not sheet goods) then I believe a basic mastery of hand tool use is to come before mastery of machine tool use. You have got to understand the nature of wood and hand tool use imparts this.
You need to be able to mark and cut to the line.
You need to learn what "sharp" is and how to get there quickly.
No matter if you are equipped with every power tool under the sun, you still require some hand tools, such as A Plane or two and some chisels for example.People have come up with all kinds of "problems" on this forum which would not have arisen if they had learned the basic hand skills first.
As I said, just some thoughts-I think there will be more responses to your post, lots more.
vulcan666 ---
What size of woodworking are you going to do? What effects are you trying to get? I ask these questions because the answers determine if hand or power tools are best for the task.
Wow, you have some nice decisions ahead. I started by buying one piece (low budget) a year. I am a weekend hobbyist, and I don't think (IMO), you have to pick one or the other (power .vs. hand-tools). I will admit until recently I was a fan of anything with a power cord. I would still recommend a good tablesaw and bandsaw. The next piece depends on your wood source. I could not afford to buy dimensioned wood, so I purchased a thickness planer and a jointer. Yea they have some upfront cost, but they have paid for themselves many times over. Both of those pieces were the small units so within budget. Recently I got bit by the Lie-Nielson bug, and found that I could make a flat board with a hand plane. I think a combination of both power and hand tools make a good shop. I always got the best I could afford. In the beginning, it was all table top portable tools. They got the job done, but with much more aggravation and time. For years I used a shopsmith combination tool. It did the job, but now that I have more money and space, I have acquired separate pieces. The table, saw and bandsaw are the two I will use the most, but the planer and jointer (power and hand) are critical to me as well. I have to tell you the cabinet saw I have is so nice, I wish I had forked over the money a long time ago to get it. I was also into craft shows, so the scroll saw was important. Have fun, and remember he who dies with the most tools wins!! Good luck, and let us know what you get.
In my opinion, a health mix of machines and hand tools makes for a good experience in the shop. My top three machines would be, in order, a tablesaw, a planer and a bandsaw. A couple of good hand saws, a few nice old Stanley planes and the necessary layout tools would round out the basics. As another poster said, knowing how to keep your handtools sharp and in good working condition is a must for success. Sandpaper sharpening may be the least expensive entry system. I'd add another machine here as well, an inexpensive slow speed grinder. You can build a decent workbench for a couple hundred dollars.
Before you build or buy anything, decide what type of thing you want to concentrate on with your time and effort. Read everything you can on each subject, then commit to specific needs in the shop. Some of the most telling posts I read are the ones that ask, 'I've got some extra money, what should I buy?' The only person that knows what you need for your shop is you. Suggestions are nice and give some direction, but don't buy things unless you need 'em.
Tom
A realisic scenario would be to use power tools for CONVERSION of rough lumber to useable stock then hand tools for joinery.
This means no joinery is cut on the tablesaw - no dadoes, rebates, tenon cheeks, nothing. You rip and *maybe* crosscut with it. Jointer and planer obviously do what they do.
In this scenario you own exactly three electric tools and no more - tablesaw, jointer, and planer. No jigsaw, bandsaw (although it's a good substitute for the tablesaw), router, etc.
All show surfaces will be handplaned to remove rotary maching marks left by the power tools.
When you start using machines to cut joints you start to introduce machine-imposed limitations. The caveat being that if you use sheet goods then certain joints are only executable by electric tools. If you intend to build with solid wood then you can use machines as "tailed apprentices", again, to convert rough stock to project stock.
This allows you to enjoy the satisfaction and efficiency of hand cut joinery.
Edited 8/15/2005 1:07 pm ET by ProWoodworker
I agree with others here that a mixture of power and hand tools works best for me. The three power tools that I consider most indespensible are the band saw, the router (mostly for moldings and the like, and for treating edges), and the planer. I find myself using the table saw less and less, even for ripping; I tend these days to use the band saw and plane to a line (although others make a good point--the idea of using hand tools on sheet goods gives me the willies).
Flattening a piece of wood with hand planes is doable for even a newbie, once you understand how planes work and how to get them set up and sharp. Planing the other side parallel and to exact thickness--well, that's another story, so I use my planer often, though with regret.
Here are the advantages--as I see them--of using hand tools whenever possible: more physical work (you will grow a nice set of calluses on your palm); safer (to ears, lungs, digits and as you pointed out little ones); quieter (you can work anytime of day or night, you can hear when folks are calling you, etc); takes up less space; no need for noisy expensive dust collection; more affordable (for the money you're planning to lay out, you could easily get started with the very best in hand tools, although I'd still buy a band saw and router if I were you); deeper skills development; less need for fancy shop space/wiring; and it can be more satisfying, a feeling of being a part of something ancient and traditional.
Disadvantages as I see them: more physical work; takes longer to get things done with hand tools (although not as much longer as you might think, once you've got it); power tools have an easier learning curve; using power tools, it's easier to learn from others (easier to find others that know how to do it), no carbide hand tools (so, they need frequent sharpening, and hand tools are damaged on sheet goods. This is a very big deal if you plan on a lot of cabinetry. Maybe not so much if you plan on building fine furniture).
MHO.
Good luck, stay safe, have fun.
Charlie
a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts,
build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders,
cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure,
program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects.
- Robert A. Heinlein
First, thanks to all who replied! Some good thoughts in there...
As to what I want to make, well, we need a home entertainment center downstairs. The TV and its accessories are right now on a set of strong metal shelves but my little twins are getting in and messing with everything, so I'm thinking of building a facade around it... stile, rail and panel for two sets of front pocket doors that open at the center and slide back and out of the way. The sides will be bolted to the existing shelves, but have leveling to put the weight on the floor. To reduce cost and weight I'm thinking of oak or cherry ply for the panels and matching solid wood for the rails and stiles.
Then I want to do a hutch for the dining room, some solid wood and some sheet goods. There are several other desks and storage items I want to get to as well.
So I think I need to be able to work efficiently with ply and solid, both.
I think so far what I've picked up here is that I might have a hard time on my own figuring out how to get wood thicknessed precisely with just planes. Maybe I'll proceed with my power tool plans but add at least a smoothing plane. Should I also have a jointing plane, if I wish to remove the planer's milling marks, or will a smoothing plane do for that? Am I likely to throw a board out of true if I just plane it for finishing purposes after milling with the jointer/planer? With just power tools, here's how I thought I'd mill stock: joint, joint, rip, planer, sand. Adding planes, is it joint, joint, handplane, rip, handplane, planer, handplane? :)
I appreciate the sharpening advice as well. For now my plan for chisels and planes is a water grinder, a set of water sharpening stones, a diamond plate to keep the stones flat, and a strop.
For the tools, my current thinking is to proceed with the table saw (I'm considering the Craftsman 22124), jointer (maybe something like the General 480-1), and a 13" thickness planer. This should leave enough room in my budget to run the juice I'll need and maybe add a nice plane or two. I'm going to take a few weeks to think about this and absorb feedback, then start placing orders in September or October.
To get some familiarity with the tools before I start on the facade project, I'll build my own workbench, some toolboxes and shop shelving, etc.
Thanks for everyone's friendly and helpful attitude towards a newbie! And my email is john at pcpix dot com in case anyone in Redmond WA wants to give more advice over a beer or lunch. :)
Vulcan666,
Just a couple of thoughts to throw into the mix. Recently I bought the LN smoothing plane(4.5 york frog)and it is a beautiful tool. All my other planes I bought used and tuned...never sure how well they were tuned till I bought the LN. The jointer plane preceeds the smoother and with some scraping eliminates sanding...so little lungs don't get filled with dust. Many think the jointer plane is the most important of all the planes.
There is much to know about wood...how to read it to get the best outcomes. To insure straight stable wood I often use quarter sawn wood for projects that invlove rails and stiles, legs, and solid wood panels. The quarter sawn material can save me from my own stupidity. I mention this because the bandsaw is very useful in resawing for thinner panels and quarter sawing thicker pieces of stock.
BG,
Slight hijack: I've also decided to obtain a york pitch 4 1/2. Who were the other plane makers you considered? What were the factors that pushed you toward Lie-Nielsen?
Thanks,-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
I have very little to go on, actually. I've gone through the newsgroups and websites I can find, and haven't found anyone who dislikes LN. I like their attitude as represented on their site; I have a Taunton book by LN and like his work values and ideals.
Also it helps that they have the instructional materials available; I'll be getting some of those as well.
I like well-made things, and I'm hoping their reputation for well-made tools is deserved, and will inspire me to make things well, uh, as well. :)
Until recently, I was intimidated by hand planes. The big part for me was the lack of knowledge on sharpening. Once I could do that (scary sharp method), I took the advice here and got a LN #7 jointer, and low angle jack. They are some sweet tools. I can also reccomend the videos by David Charlesworth. I learned volumes from those DVD's. I am the type that gets more out of watching than just reading about it. I also got Rob Cosman's rough to ready. He is a good source as well. One of the biggest things I learned was how to let the tool do the work instead of the tool working you. It's amazing how easily a sharp tuned plane will skim across a board and produce a shaving you can see through. And you don't need ear muffs. I regularly use my #7 to take a twist out of a board. Be carefull though, ones you get the plane habbit you never have enough. I thought they were kidding when they said it here, but I'm saving for the next LN now. Take care.
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/library.html?cat=6
Hey I have a question for you... if I get the normal 4 1/2, and decide later I'd like a york pitch, can I just add the HAF and have both? Presumably I'd want a second blade as well, so I'd change out the blade and frog to convert? (I'm thinking of getting four LN planes: a 7 or 8, 4 1/2, jack and scrub; adding just a HAF and extra blade to the 4 1/2 adds more versatility without as much extra $$)...
V,Yeah, the HAF just drops into the body and you've got a York pitch. I swap mine in and out as the need arises.But there is another way. Investigate--maybe even by calling LN, they're great in that role--low-angle planes. While there are those here who will advise against them, there are advantages (including price), one of which is that you can adjust the micro bevel to achieve any cutting angle you like with just a few strokes on a waterstone. This was demonsrated to me by a LN rep named Deneb Puchalski at a woodworking show. He firmly recommended the #62 as the most versatile tool in their catalog. Lee Valley has jumped on the bandwagon with their Bevel-Up smoother; that one looks great, too.If I could own only one plane, it would be a LN #62 with a set of blades pre-honed to a variety of angles and a toothed blade for scrubbing purposes (although a scrub plane is MUCH faster. The toothed blade wastes far less stock though.) What a fantastic and versatile tool, the #62 is!I'd also strongly urge you to add a plane to your list that has a blade all the way to the side, for shoulders, inside edges, trimmimng applied moldings, and the like. I have the Lee Valley medium shoulder--a fabulous tool at a fabulous price--but I nonetheless covet the LN rabbeting block plane. Some manner of shoulder or rabbet plane will make your WWing ever so much more enjoyable and productive; their uses are seemingly limitless. I have no idea how I ever made a thing before I got mine.Live Long and Prosper,CharlieA human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher
a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts,
build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders,
cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure,
program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects.
- Robert A. Heinlein
Hi Vulcan,
I'm not ignoring you - Charlie simply beat me to the punch.
I've decided to make a smooth plane this semester, and defer my purchase of a 4-1/2 until I see whether or not I'm competent making wooden hand planes.
Seriously considered buying a Norris-style kit from Sheppard Tools until I started hearing horror stories from fellow members of San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association.
Already have some LN tools - they're fabulous! You won't be sorry.
Sawdust in your shoes,-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
jazzdogg,
For me, the decision to buy the LN 4 1/2 was made quite a while ago ..it was execution that was delayed; primarily because of cost.
Comments and opinions from members here convinced me I needed a smoother to help with preparing the wood for finish and specifically the 4 1/2 to help control tear out in highly configured wood. Just as important, however, all my other planes are used (old Stanley's and wood bodied) and I wanted a bench mark for the old Stanley's relative to tuning and performance.
Given my criteria, there wasn't really any competition to consider.
Edited 8/16/2005 9:50 am ET by BG
Hi BG,
Your reasoning mirrored my own until I started seeing Lee Valley/Veritas tools that were nearly the equal of Lie-Nielsen's - usually at a lower cost. I bought the LV/V shoulder plane a few years back and I couldn't be happier with it. Then two friends purchased low-angle jack planes - one LN, the other LV/V - both were high-quality tools.
For now, I'll wait to see how my attempts at handmade planes turn out before I buy any more (he said, thinking about the upcoming old tool swapmeet and licking his chops). Famous last words,
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Jazzdogg,
I would not hesitate a NY minute at buying a Lee Valley-Vertias plane, from all reports they appear excellent. However, there are differences, some significant, some not.
Most important, the LN can be an impulse buy. You walk into Woodcraft and make a bee line for the glass case with the recessed lighting. In a rather confident voice "Let me see that 4 1/2 there"...everyone turns, he's buying one of those...he must be good...."yup, this is the puppy...gotta box?". Then you drive home and sneek into basement leaving the box in the trunk. You take out a brand new #5000 ceramic stone and gingerly hone....strop with only a hint of rouge...lock the piece of cherry in place.... It was a great Saturday.... kinda like buying a new baseball glove...
Well everyone this conversation is telling me two things. 1) I was lucky to stumble across this group of folks. 2) Asking for advice is a good way to learn things.
I feel like I know now how to allocate my resources in getting started. I'm allocating 2/3 of the money for electrical work and power tools, and 1/3 for hand tools including some LN planes. I feel like you guys have helped me along a path that will prevent me spending money on stuff that's not going to go the distance. I expect that the hand tools will eventually get passed along to my grandkids, along with some of the furniture I make. :)
Thanks yet again!
Hey there Vulcan,
Just my two cents, but if I were in your shoes (and I built a lot of furniture years ago with very few tools) this is what I would do. I won't repeat everyone else's excelent advice, but this should fall within the budget you've mentioned.
Power Tools:
1) Get yourself a contractors table saw (the kind with legs) that has a good fence. e.g. Delta with a Biesmeyer. With a good fence and a nice blade you can also straighten boards on the table saw, then do your final pass with a large jointing plane. I successfully glued up panels for many years using this method.
2) Get yourself a small 12.5 or 13 inch planer. This is a necesary tool if you want to save time, build yourself a sled for straightening stock like the one that appeared in FWW, and you'll negate the purchase of the jointer again
3) Good circular saw with nice blades for cutting plywood, and some clamp on guides for cutting down large sheet goods into managable sizes. I don't use guides, just a straight piece of lumber for a guide.
4) Curved cuts, you can buy a cheap bandsaw but I would tend to suggest buying a very good scroll saw for your curved cuts (I like the Bosch models), then when your budget allows, buy a good bandsaw instead.
5) A decent small miter saw for your angled cuts, to start off with you won't need one of the big fancy sliders, just a simple one but the not the el cheap-o model.
6) A basic router and a few bits, roundover, chamfer, beading, straight, straight with guide bearing.
So far you've spent about $1500 + or - depending on prices in your area and wether or not you can find some good stuff used. With your remaining $ 1,000 buy GOOD hand tools, because the cheap ones won't last or teach you to understand the wood in the same way.
Hand Tools:
1) Jointing Plane (big stanley), smoother (LN #4.5), block plane (LN low angle)
2) Set of middle of the road chisels (marble, lee valley etc.)
3) A dozuki for crosscut and a tennon saw for ripping.
4) Every clamp you can afford after that (bar clamps, spring, K-body, c-clamps, quick-grip)
Of course after buying all of this there are a lot of things you will find you need like tape measures, rulers, marking gauges, knives, drill bits, the list goes on and on. But many of these things can be purchased with pocket money little by little and don't represent the bulk of your investment in serious tools.
I would suggest that your first few projects be for your shop, like a bench, toolboxes, cabinets etc.. This will get you familiar with your new tools and set the stage for your first projects in your house.
Good luck and remember, this is supposed to be fun, so take your time and enjoy it
Brian
Brian, I have to say you've pretty much summarized how I'm looking at it right now, except one thing. I don't understand how a planer obviates the need for a jointer. My understanding of a jointer is that its purpose is to make one dead-level and true face, and one more true face exactly 90 degrees from the first. I don't have a FWW that has a straightening sled... how does this work?
I totally agree and understand why the first projects should be for the shop. And when I do the home entertainment center thing, I'm going to do it in white wood before I do it in cherry. In my industry (software) I already know to "make one to throw away." I have always loved wood, and wouldn't do good wood the injustice of the abuse I'll undoubtedly visit upon the first victims.
I was also going to upgrade from the contractor saw to a Craftsman 22124, unless you consider that a contractor saw. It's got a Biesmeyer style fence so won't have upgrade on the aftermarket.
I just bought a 10" miter saw but am thinking I'll return it and get a sliding 10", as sort of a budget radial arm saw.
As to the band saw, for rough curved cuts I may just go with a handsaw for now, and wait on the bandsaw until I want to make my own veneers, probably next year or so. None of the projects I'm thinking about for the next six months will require significant curved cuts, so the bandsaw can wait. :)
As to the hand tools, the shopping list I had is pretty much what you did, though I might go with the LN jointer rather than a Stanley. A friend of mine is going to Japan next week and I've asked him to find me a nice "standard" woodworker's saw there, which are said to be good for both crosscutting and ripping by hand.
I'm also a musician, and there's something about a fine instrument that makes you want to pick it up and use it well. I expect good tools will help me enjoy working in my shop much more.
Thanks again to all who responded. I think when I start ordering next month, I will be able to avoid HUGE mistakes anyway. :)
"I don't have a FWW that has a straightening sled... how does this work?"
If you have access to back issues the sled article is in Fine Woodworking August 2004 "Face jointing boards in the planer." Basically a shallow box (I-beam?) with if I recall correctly a nifty way to support the uneven stock using a built in shim system. -robert
I don't have access to that, but I'll do some searching and see what I can find. I mean, if you have a cupped board, you could put it face up, plane it a few times until the extra is milled off, then you'd have a flat top if you kept the piece from rocking on your sled... I can picture how that would work. Then of course it's no trick to flip the piece over and put on a parallel face (the third face).
I wonder if all that is any better than just learning how to use a jointing plane. :)
Still, even if I get the first face flat, how do I get the second face straight and precisely perpendicular? Just shoot a jointing plane alongside?
Thanks!
vulcan,
Take a look...
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/wvt095.asp
Thanks for the link BG... that was informative. I like the little adjustable shims, though I might be tempted to DS tape them to the piece and jig to prevent movement between passes. Or maybe make the shims truly integral and use dogs to secure the piece to the jig...
I also liked the little arm he built onto his planer stand to make it easier to move the piece back for additional passes. Clever idea.
So seeing this, gives me the idea I could go for a 6" jointer rather than an 8", thinking that between a 13" planer and a jointer plane, I should be able to fairly quickly true boards almost 13" wide... and then I can still put the second face on with the 6" jointer.
Thanks! Oh, and I sent off my subscription to FWW today. :)
Vulcan,
Don't get me wrong, I use my jointer everyday and it is an invaluable tool, however I was trying to use the budget you established as a starting point for the most basic tools you will need to begin the process of building furniture.
A jointer, while invaluable for time savings in a shop, is not totally necesary if you're just beginning. The edges of boards, as I mentioned, can be straightened within reasonable limits for most of the projects you are talking about, with the nice long biesmeyer fence, and a jointer plane.
As for the jointer plane I won't argue with you that the LN is a superior plane as compared to the stanley, but, if you are working within a budget, that big LN will take a bite out of your cash. It was for this reason that I suggested the stanley. I have an old stanley jointer that has served me well for many years, and have not yet taken the plunge for the LN. I do have several other LN's like the 4.5 which is an invaluable tool and worth the price tag.
As for the Craftsmen cabinet saw, you've now moved into the territory of needing to invest in dust collection, which is a must if you have kids in the shop, but again only you know your budget. I haven't heard anything bad about the craftsmen cabinet saw as of yet, which is a good thing. You usually hear pretty quick around here when a tool isn't good, and so far I haven't read anything.
Any which way, you'll figure it out as you go, and I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself and the satisfaction you will feel from making your own stuff.
Just one more thing, I don't know if you used powertools before but read all your manuals, keep the kids faaaar away when they're running, and have a deep respect for a machine that could potentially hurt you seriously. Don't rush things and be careful.
Have Fun
Brian
My budget has grown to $3500, so I can upgrade a bit. :)
Well all I can say is thank you for the careful and thoughtful advice. It will help us a lot.
Thanks to everyone!
None of my tools are electric except the ones that came with the cords attached-
so far you've received some sound advise... lots of things to consider... there's a couple of less obvious aspects that need to be brought into your equasion too, namely available shop space and health...
Stationary power tools work by passing the stock over / through their cutters; the resultant infeed / outfeed demands thatthe minimum space required should be a wee bit more than double the length of the stock you're working with... Some latteral thinking can make inroads into this, but by and large the rule can't be ignored...
Secondly.... health... Virtually all power tools excell in creating mess... the ones to watch out for are tools that produce dust particles in the 1 micron region as these are both the hardest for filters to deal with and the most detrimental to your health. To deal with it you need to give very serious thought to shop filters and dust extractors, remembering that not all filters are created equal.. If the shop is part of / under the house the need to filter effectivly becomes all the more important to prevent its migration beyond the confines of the shop...
Experience will teach you that a good shop will have both hand and power tools... proficiency with both will come with experience... sneaks up on ya when yer not lookin... you've already made the right start... from here on in its easy
Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
Hi Vulcan,
My approach would be to see if you can find a local woodworking program you can join; community colleges, adult education courses, and local woodworking clubs, are all examples that spring to mind.
In addition to networking with fellow woodworkers, the value of which can overshadow the cost many times over, you'll have an opportunity to use several large stationary machines without buying them; you'll also be able to cogitate on your experiences with high-quality tools when making purchasing decisions of your own later - preferences and standards of quality will become apparent after you've used a variety of tools and equipment, first-hand, over an extended period of time.
With access to the big machines, you will be in a position to defer stationary tool purchases - each tool can be thoughtfully and selectively researched, justified, and budgeted, as needed to complete of new projects.
I found that clusters of new skills are accompanied by cluster of new tools. Each new set of skills and tools opens a door that expands my woodworking capabilities. Examples include squaring & layout, finishing, carving, bending & laminating, cabinetmaking, green woodworking & chairbuilding; turning, veneering, and countless others.
With this in mind, I'd start with tools that enable you to make parts that are properly squared and sized - with a plan for eventual purchases of items you'll start out borrowing or hiring. For example, borrow a thickness planer and finishing sander, invest in high-quality hand tools for home.
The next cluster, after being able to competently produce squared and dimensioned parts, is the ability to join them together into furniture:
First, I'd probably invest in the tools used for joinery: chisels, saws, planes, winding sticks, pinch rods, marking & mortising gauges; marking knives and straightedges...
Next, Clamps, adhesives, cauls, et al.
Having built a project, finishing needs to be accomplished: brushes, guns, HVLP rig, scrapers, abrasives, dyes, shellac flakes, solvents (denatured alcohol, mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, naphtha, acetone...), oils, film finishes...
Having reached this juncture, most woodworkers start branching out; adding curved elements, carvings, bent components, surface embellishments, etc. Approaching each of these activities as tool & skill clusters, and I think you'll be an effective and fulfilled woodworker!
Live long and prosper,
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Bosch 4100-09 10-Inch Worksite Table Saw is the best and well-known product known to me so far.. Its portable construction feature making it perfect for any work site. The rip fence is accurate and easy to calibrate
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled