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11 March 2019 at 12:27 am #555505
Mick:
Lots of opinions on this sort of topic. To me the most important is wood. The philosophy of woodworking and tools is personal.
On lumber, it is expensive. Pine isn’t a bad would and is useful in many ways. It took me quite a while to source wood, and there are sometimes surprising resources.
Surplus lumber from demolition- often in urban locations
Sawmills if you are more rural.
You’ve probably tried hardware stores,
Are there any woodworking clubs in your region. Sometimes members have sources you aren’t aware, sometimes they have surplus lumber, and at the saddest of times; a member dies and their widow struggles with the what to do with all the darn wood.Tools of woodworking, everyone has an opinion. I value the fundamental principals I’m learning here. If you want to use power tool, don’t think twice. You must make a choice that works for you. For example, Sam Maloof used to live up the street from me. Most of his furniture was manufactured with power tools. The joinery was routers and reverse shape bits, screws were used ( and he wasn’t ashamed), the shaping of the furniture’s final form was with power sanders. Planers, jointers, routers, bandsaws, power sanders. It was all fair game to make what he wanted. Sam also lost the tip of 2 fingers on separate occasions and on another occasion the sleeve of his sweated was pulled into his jointer. The sweater was taped to the jointer’s exhaust port as a grim reminder with a hand written note.
Use the tools that suit you! I’ve power tools and use them, but find there is an important place for hand tools. I don’t want to try and tell what I do, because you need take the path that fits your needs.
In regards to machines, others have valid thoughts. A bandsaw is more useful than a table saw, in my opinion, and less likely to loose fingers. If you don’t plan on cutting slabs, buy some other tools. You can do much with a circular saw and a straight edge for ripping and crosscutting. I do find a thickness planer a useful tool. If you want to 4 square a board precisely using a machine, there is much expense. Dust is its own topic. Power tools to get close, and hand tools for precision is a quiet less expensive possibility.
I’m interested in hearing about you choose to do, and what you discover on sourcing lumber.
But as a reminder, rough sawn lumber is always cheaper to purchase than surfaced lumber.
Michael
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