-
If you are having trouble changng your password please click here for help.
Thinking of getting into wood working as a new hobby
- Thread starter BIGLEW
- Start date
Ah, old school.................a true craftsman doesn't use power tools............................and for the record, I am not a true craftsman.
My wife's grandfather and mine both had a shop full of those old hand tools. They built furniture that is still being used in the family. A lost art with the newer generations. Thanks for posting.
I wish I had a shopsmith, those things are great. I don't do as much as I used to put still like puttering around in the shop. Last thing I built.
Ah, old school.................a true craftsman doesn't use power tools............................and for the record, I am not a true craftsman.
My wife's grandfather and mine both had a shop full of those old hand tools. They built furniture that is still being used in the family. A lost art with the newer generations. Thanks for posting.
It truly is a lost art. I by no means would fashion myself a craftsman either. However, as I draw closer to retirement it's my dream to build a nice barn style shop and learn from some true craftsman. I'd like to explore the best of both worlds, the old and the modern.
I've been turning perfectly good wood into dust for many many years now. I currently have a 5,000 square foot shop partially equipped (because any woodworker worth his salt NEVER has all the tools he wants).
If you want to get your feet wet, my recommendation is to first buy a quality table saw. I'm biased towards Delta or Powermatic cabinet saws with the Beisemeyer fence, but a good quality contractor saw with at least a 36" fence will suffice for 99% of your needs. You can buy a good miter gauge, make jogs and sleds for it and have many uses.
-You also cannot go wrong in buying (again--quality) miter saw. Get the 12" saw. I've owned Delta, Dewalt, Bosch...but found the Hitachi C12FL to be pretty good.
-Hand tools are a must.
-A decent router (2-1/4 horsepower or better) in a sturdy table (no benchtop garbage) is a very versatile tool.
-Do not buy a 1/4 sheet sander, as they leave awful "swirlies" that must be hand sanded out. A random orbit sander is better.
-Compressor, and nail guns.
-Clamps. You can never have enough clamps.
In the last 5-10 years, the profitability of making truly custom pieces has all but withered away. Every once in a while I get to build a neat project, but for the most part I'm stuck with building kitchens to make ends meet. My nephew is getting married in a couple of months, so I'll be making him a dining table from reclaimed church beams. I'll post pictures when it's done.
For now, though, here's a dresser I made from zebrawood.
If you want to get your feet wet, my recommendation is to first buy a quality table saw. I'm biased towards Delta or Powermatic cabinet saws with the Beisemeyer fence, but a good quality contractor saw with at least a 36" fence will suffice for 99% of your needs. You can buy a good miter gauge, make jogs and sleds for it and have many uses.
-You also cannot go wrong in buying (again--quality) miter saw. Get the 12" saw. I've owned Delta, Dewalt, Bosch...but found the Hitachi C12FL to be pretty good.
-Hand tools are a must.
-A decent router (2-1/4 horsepower or better) in a sturdy table (no benchtop garbage) is a very versatile tool.
-Do not buy a 1/4 sheet sander, as they leave awful "swirlies" that must be hand sanded out. A random orbit sander is better.
-Compressor, and nail guns.
-Clamps. You can never have enough clamps.
In the last 5-10 years, the profitability of making truly custom pieces has all but withered away. Every once in a while I get to build a neat project, but for the most part I'm stuck with building kitchens to make ends meet. My nephew is getting married in a couple of months, so I'll be making him a dining table from reclaimed church beams. I'll post pictures when it's done.
For now, though, here's a dresser I made from zebrawood.
they are on the list of stuff to do.....
The ex kept most of my the furniture I built. Black walnut dining room table, cherry 3 leg end tables, maple night stands, ugghhh, still makes me mad that I dont have even half of what I built over the years.
I did mange to rescue this turned bowl. Spalted birch turned green.
Last edited:
One of the first things you'll need to learn is that wood moves in different ways depending on the orientation of the grain, which makes how you approach a piece of furniture to make sure it doesnt become a wobbly POS over time.
The best example is a Windsor chair. The correct way to make a Windsor chair is to orient the grain on all joints so it locks together as the wood moves, as it shrinks and swells. If it wasnt crafted this way, it would work itself apart over time. All wood moves and it moves dramatically more tangental to the grain.
Understand that and you are well on your way to being a wood worker.
The best example is a Windsor chair. The correct way to make a Windsor chair is to orient the grain on all joints so it locks together as the wood moves, as it shrinks and swells. If it wasnt crafted this way, it would work itself apart over time. All wood moves and it moves dramatically more tangental to the grain.
Understand that and you are well on your way to being a wood worker.
Well OP, if you're interested, I have a decent table saw with side extension and biesenmeyer fence that I'd sell reasonable or trade for something that goes bang.
Space, need space.
I also have a 7" joiner.
If you are, and can pick up in Vidalia area, shoot me a PM and I'll get you specifics.
Space, need space.
I also have a 7" joiner.
If you are, and can pick up in Vidalia area, shoot me a PM and I'll get you specifics.
My classic workhorse
