Starting Out

[Backspin451]

Hello,

I'm looking to get into woodworking, and I'm not quite sure where to start. I've sanded and refinished three tables and two bookshelves, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, but now I'd like to build some things and I find that I'm relatively stuck.

What are some good resources for finding the utmost basic woodworking information? I know nothing and no one that can help me explore this new interest of mine. I have a limited budget and very little space.

Should I look for plans? If so, where and of what type?

Thanks. I've very much enjoyed browsing this website and I look forward to getting more involved.

-Backspin

[Tom Hintz]

Welcome to the hobby, and this forum!
There is lots of experience right here to answer questions and your local library may have way more information than you suspect in the form of books and videos.
I have a bunch of articles on my site, as do many others that can be accessed free as well. Take a look around and ask what you need to know.

[Mainer]

Welcome Backspin.

You may want to start by picking up a few woodworking magazines. If you find one that you like, maybe subscribe to it.

That will help fill in some of the gaps in your knowledge, and will probally reveal others!

If you have a project that you are interested in, you can ask specific questions here.

If you do not have a project in mind, maybe you know someone who needs something. It could (maybe should?) be as simple as some shelves in the garage.


If you enjoyed the sanding and refinishing, you will really enjoy the building!

Good luck, and again, welcome to the forum.

[The Mantel Man]

There are plenty of places on the web concerning woodworking, as you've probably already discovered. One very good site to start at is www.grampasworkshop.net The site has general information and links to other sites. I would recommend plans for at least the first few projects, then you can start designing your own items. Another good way to pick up general info is to browse catalogs such as Rockler (they are on-line as well). This will give you more insight into tools and hardware. When you start buying tools, most will agree, even on a budget, buy the best quality you can afford. It makes life much easier, the cuts etc. more accurate and if you don't you'll end up replacing it later anyway. Good luck and have fun.

[Howard849]

I'd advise a book or 2 on woodworking to see if the process is something you wish to do. Then this forum is an excellent place to find out which tools you'd need if it's a "GO."

The cost of setting up a hobby shop varries greatly depending on who advises. But I'd say between 2 and 4K is about right for the low end. This seems to be something you really wanna do. But there's plenty of help here if needed.

Howard

[slaphitter]

What you need, and where to turn for advice and education, sort of depends on what sort of stuff you want to build.

If your interest is home improvement, that's one thing.

If your interest is furniture and cabinetry, that's another thing.

If your interest is small projects, frames, woodturning, etc., that's another thing.


I would go to Barnes & Noble, and browse the woodworking section in the "Crafts" aisle. There are lots and lots of books about beginning woodworking, setting up a shop, etc. You'll get a sense of what kinds of things interest you.

Read 3 or 4 and you'll get a sense for what things everyone agrees on, and what things seem to be matter of personal style. You'll get a flavor for the truism: there are usually several ways to accomplish the same thing, in woodworking.

My "workshop" consists of a 12x12 corner of my unfinished basement (with a little bit of overflow into the other parts of the basement for lumber storage and assembly). My tools are all (every one of them) small benchtop models. If I decided to start building large dining tables, I'd probably need to change things. But for the small furniture and household projects that I do, I manage just fine. Here's what I've spent on power tools for my woodworking shop:

$160 for on-sale Craftsman benchtop table saw with stand and extendible wings.
$40 for no-name plunge router.
$100 for Porter Cable fixed router, on sale.
$40 for open-box GMC benchtop drill press, from Lowes.
$100 for Ryobi benchtop bandsaw.
$100 for two good-quality tablesaw blades.
$15 for bandsaw blade.
$100 for Porter Cable dovetail jig.
$25 for no-name biscuit joiner
Maybe $100 on router bit sets and individual bits.

I already had a shop-vac (dust collection), a hand drill, a circular saw, various drill bits, and a bunch of generla household tools that really don't get used when I'm woodworking. I've spent very small amounts of money buying no-name clamps on ebay, and I've picked up a set of chisels and a couple of small planes. I built a large router table from scratch, including the fence.

I'm not making museum-quality stuff with this shop, but I'm doing just fine. My wife is proud to show off my furniture to her friends, so I must be doing alright.

[JBark]

Jane,

Welcome and good luck, much fun and satisfaction to be had (did I say satisfaction?) It sounds like you took a logical first step, after that I would get a few basic hand tools and some way to hold on to your work as you work it. A few power tools doesn't hurt either if you have the buck$. What you start with might depend on what level you see yourself pursuing this hobby. Many will start with easy projects and joinery, some will want to launch right into good solid joinery no matter what the project. Educate the hell out of yourself and you will know what you want to do and how. Libraries, internet, woodworking stores, and regular bookstores all have good information.

When I started out in a cabinet shop we were incouraged to practice our dovetails, since everything we built had them. Taking two boards and cutting and fitting dovetails for a few hours is a good way to get better - nothing made, but you get better. Simple boxes are another way to practice simple procedures.

Decide where you think you will go, be it furniture, turnings, carving, whatever, research, join a club, take a class, practice, and have fun.

Cheers,

John

[dcarter636]

Slaphitter's list is a lot like mine was 20 years ago.

My wife and I only knew that we wanted to make some plaques for tole painting and wooden toys for our children, nieces, and nephews. So we bought the lowest cost machines we could find, just to see if we would use them enough to justify buying industrial grade stuff. Some of those, low cost, no-name, machines lasted many years in our garage/shop while some others were almost immediately replaced with the best heavy machines we could afford at the time.

All of the advice above is good, I would look through the library books and magazine racks first, to get some idea of what you would like to tackle.

Be forewarned, every hobbyist seems to want to do two or three elementary projects and then tackle a huge elaborate bookcase or cabinet or some such. DAMHIKT Do take it easy and learn through a progression of basic projects so you'll confidently know what's what and what's not.

[Backspin451]

Thank you all for your advice. I will do as many of you suggested and check my library and later a bookstore.

I think I want to go the furniture route, but I wouldn't say no to a little bit of home improvement when I have that level of confidence.

I'm thinking that once I have prioritized which tools I'll need I'm going to try to pick as many as I can off eBay. Having browsed it looks as though I will be able to find some decent deals that way. It sounds like Slaphitter's list may be a good place to start, but I'm thinking that the logical progression would be to find some detailed plans and buy what tools would be necessary for that project and concievably others, building my inventory as I go.

Thank you again - I have no doubt that this site will be a valuable resource.

-Backspin


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[Howard849]

You mentioned learning home repairs and improvement. My experience with all of that is if you are willing and mechanically able AND have a resource for details on particular jobs of interest - Then you will be able to get most anything done yourself and save a lot of money over calling in someone and get a better job. No one sweats the details like a homeowner.

Sometimes it involves throwing away most of your material and rebuying it and still save money over calling in a plumber, electrician or carpenter. The very best part though is as you go, you accuire tools and skills that get you through the next job. A good attitude and a lot of work lands you in the position where there's nothing you won't tackle and complete. And you have an entire room full of tools. Sometimes big ugly ones too.

There is a lot of tallented people here on this forum. No shortage of deatils. The rest has to come from you.

Best of luck,

Howard