Beginning beginner: what tools first?
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Tagged: beginner, bookshelves, chest of drawers, first tools, hand tools, workbench
- This topic has 22 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 5 months ago by deanbecker.
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24 October 2017 at 8:10 pm #340050
Hi I’m Dale. I don’t have a shop. I don’t have tools (except the sort of general toolbox assortment – hammer, screwdrivers, tape measure, power drill, etc.) I really, really want to begin woodworking with hand tools. I know it will take time and dedication.
I don’t have thousands of dollars to invest in all of the tools I might eventually need. I am willing to begin with one or two tools and build from there. I have viewed a number of videos here and elsewhere and see them as a wonderful resource for learning.
I’m thinking that to begin with I will need a workbench, a saw, chisels, two planes, a wooden mallet, sharpening stones, and . . . . It seems the list goes forever. I don’t know what to get first. My guess would be sharpening tools. What would be the first-through-fifth tools you would purchase if you were in my position?
I’ve also considered making my own planes and such as a way of beginning, but it might be way beyond me. As far as projects go, I love books and never have enough book shelves so that would be a project that would interest me. Also a chest of drawers is another project which interests me. And of course building my own workbench would be one too. Any advice? Thank you much for your responses.
24 October 2017 at 8:17 pm #340055My guess would be:
– sharpening stones
– nr 4 plane
– Aldi chisels
– saw
– hammerAnd do spend some hours on
– four square making wood. Sawing/planing
– free hand forming wood with chisel and hammer (spoons spatula etc)Took me 1,5 years to built the bench and technique I need most is just making wood four square:
– planing / sawing / shooting board24 October 2017 at 8:34 pm #340069Thank you, Joris. A tendon saw or just hand saw? I have a regular hammer; would that work? Or do you mean a wooden chisel hammer? Your advice is great. I appreciate it very much. Is “shooting board” the preparation of boards with the proper dimensions and square for a particular project? I’m not familiar with that term yet, but I know I can find it on the internet and shall.
You’re not going to find Aldi chisels dependably and I wouldn’t get too worked up about your first tools because they’ll be your starter set–some of which you will damage or wear out and you won’t want to spend too much money on your first tools. Ebay is a good resource, provided you are willing to put in some elbow grease to tune up old tools (but I think it’s a good idea because you will become intimately familiar with each tool if you have to spend time improving it and getting it into working shape).
I would say:
1 #4 plane (can get a Stanley on eBay for probably $20 or so that needs a good clean-up and sharpening).
1 set of chisels (probably 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″ and 1″? Something like that. I bet you could find a decent set for <$50.
1 chisel hammer (nylon head won’t tear up your tools/projects like a steel headed hammer among other things)
1 tenon/back saw
1 larger panel saw (You could probably eliminate both of these saws if you can build a frame/bow saw with Paul’s instructions–they work great and have a nice thin kerf).
Sharpening stones. I see constant mentions of DMT (expensive) and EZ-Lap (hard to find, imo). I got the set of 3″x 8″ UltraSharp diamond stones on Amazon for $100 several months ago and have been pleased with them fwiw).
Combination square (make sure it is square)
Tape measureYou don’t need to spend anywhere near $1,000. And another thing I’ve learned–the more you do this stuff, the more you may learn to actually make your own tools (amazing what you can do with a little tool steel, some wood scraps and some ingenuity).
My recommendation would be to build a workbench first (the vise will set you back $100 or so) and have that be the foundation for what you do going forward.
The mallet and shooting board (for squaring end-grain and perfecting mitres)—these are tools you will make for yourself. No need to purchase them. They’re good, relatively quick projects and will help you with squaring, chopping mortises and that sort of thing. You can make a spokeshave too (Paul recently published the wooden spokeshave video which is also a fun project).
- This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by David B.
24 October 2017 at 9:07 pm #340087Making stuff is kinda hard but you learn a lot.
Workmate is also kinda needed without your first workbench.
To built the workbench you also need some clamp/router plane etc etc.You just can’t start with just 2 tools and increase by each project you make. You need about 10 basic tools (saw hammer chisel plane square knife clamps workmate sharpeningstones) to get you started. And my guess is that will still cost you between 250-500$.
So in my opinion you can’t start on a 100 dollar budget …24 October 2017 at 9:17 pm #340099Thank you, David. I’m learning a great deal just reading the responses here on this blog to my question. Your response is very helpful, and I’m beginning to feel I can make better choices about purchases (and what not to purchase) at the beginning. Now I have direction. I’m surprised to have gotten responses to my question so quickly on this forum.
What I find especially useful about your comments is that they follow precisely the path I want to take: I’m not in a hurry to build things; I’m much more interested in building skills first and a knowledge base with regard to tools and materials. I’m not a complete novice to wood, only to woodworking. My father, many years ago, was a furniture refinisher and he taught me some of what he knew. My grandfather, I am told, was a master carpenter, so perhaps I’ve got a little wood dust in my veins. Again thank you for your response to my question; I have found it very useful and encouraging.
24 October 2017 at 9:24 pm #340108That’s good. I was afraid the beginning investment was going to be much higher. I can probably pull off $250-$500 but I was beginning to think it would be more like $2000-$3000. Thank you for the extra help. It’s much appreciated.
A 6 or 8 inch Norton combination oilstone (Coarse Crystolon and fine India) will do to get you started in sharpening for cheap. You can add a hard Arkansas stone later or switch to the fancy water stone or diamond sharpening systems if that appeals to you and you can afford it.
Since you just missed Aldi’s annual chisel promotion, you might consider the Buck Bros. chisels with the yellow and black handles sold at Home Depot stores. Marilyn Fitzpatrick (Dare I mention that name in a Paul Sellers forum?) wrote a positive review of these in a recent issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine.
You will need lots of pencils. The Bazic brand pencils, either the drawing or regular pencils, sold at dollar stores at 12 for a buck are as good as any. Pick up a pack of a dozen pencil sharpeners while you’re there.
Marking knife. Any knife with a small thin blade, a straight edge and an acute point will do.
Bench Plane. Either a No.4 or No.5 will serve as a general purpose plane. For now, I’d stick with Stanley Baileys with rosewood handles. Hit the flea markets. estate sales and low rent antique malls for these and most other tools.
12″ combination square. Look for a good one: Starrett, Brown and Sharpe, Mitutoyo, Lufkin, Union–all are good. If you insist on buying new, Harry Epstein usually has “Factory Seconds” by PEC which are supposed to be good. 6″ squares are handier but not as versatile as the larger ones.
Chisel hammer. Vaughn makes a nice one with a wooden handle and plastic faces (available at Home Depot). I use a #2 Garland with nylon faces but these are crazy expensive if you buy them new (I didn’t.)
Eggbeater drill. Much better for precise drilling than power drills. Millers Falls, Goodell Pratt, Pexto–actually just about any one with cast iron gears is good if it’s not too worn.
Saws. Paul doesn’t like them because they are disposable (among other reasons) but, unlike vintage saws, the ubiquitous hardpoint crosscut saws come sharp. Later, you can buy vintage Disston and Atkins saws and learn to sharpen them with expensive (and disposable) files. For small back saws, everybody seems to like the Veritas saws from Lee Valley.
Vise. There are workarounds but you will probably want a vise for your bench. 7″ non-quick release woodworking vises are commonly available used for under $50. Good ones are heavy and expensive to ship so you will want to buy locally. Try Craigslist.
Dave
- This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by Dave Ring.
24 October 2017 at 10:48 pm #340157You don’t need a couple thousand dollars in tools to get started, Dale.
You can get started with a Veritas dovetail saw, maybe a handsaw (old or new), some ugly plastic handled carpenter chisels from a big box store, and a number 4. Wet and dry sandpaper on a flat surface makes for a good sharpening medium until you can buy sharpening stones. Buy a cheap combination square from a big box, it will do in a pinch and get you going.
A 1/2″ chisel, a Veritas dovetail saw, a big box combo square, and a no. 4 will get you a long way before you need to start adding tools.
25 October 2017 at 12:57 am #340240Dave Ring, you’ve made my day. Thank you so much. Dale
- This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by Dale Tucker.
25 October 2017 at 1:13 am #340247Derek, thank you. And thank you too for giving me brand names; this helps in knowing what works. Today I spent a little time on Amazon looking at chisels. Surprisingly, after watching Paul’s video on sharpening chisels, when I looked at the close-up pictures of some of the various ones offered through Amazon, I could tell (in a couple of cases anyway) which brands were better than others – just from the photographs. I saw rounded front edges, nicked edges, and so on. I know that every chisel needs a little help to begin with but it told me something about the craftsmanship of the companies producing these tools. But I would have had no idea without having that little bit of information I got from the video. Thank you again, Derek. Your comment really helps.
Dale Tucker
Powhatan, Virginia -
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