Thinking of getting into wood working as a new hobby

[MAK]

View attachment 283844

My classic workhorse

Hey, I've got a 10ER too. Used primarily as a lathe. I've got a Mark V I picked up dirt cheap that serves as a sanding station and a horizontal slot mortiser.

 

[harrycalahan]

Hey, I've got a 10ER too. Used primarily as a lathe. I've got a Mark V I picked up dirt cheap that serves as a sanding station and a horizontal slot mortiser.

Yeah it was my grampas. My uncle got it after he passed, had new bearings installed in the headstock and then he gave it to me. I put new bearings in the motor but Im not sure this is the original motor. Ive got to hand flip the belt to get it to run on high speed. It may just be a weak start capacitor but I use it so infrequently that its no sweat to give it a boost by hand. I'll address it one of these days. Whats hp is your motor?

 

[harrycalahan]

Nevermind, I'll keep my Q's to pm's. Hi jack over...

 

[GAGunguy]

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. View attachment 283751

that's pretty cool.

 

[dial1911]

Does Highland Hardware still offer classes on various topics? A couple years ago I really wanted to take a wood turning course.

Uncle Google found it: http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/woodworking-workshops-seminars.aspx