I need your opinions

[Skey_000]

I've worked in three different cabinet shops in the past ten years and recently decided I would like to start my own home woodshop. I started doing research on all the tools and equipment I would need to get started and tried to come up with a number of around how much it would cost. Needless to say I was overwhelmed by the numbers I was coming up with and I still wasn't sure I would be getting quality equipment for what I would be paying.

I started to dig deeper on how to choose what was quality equipment and how to tell. Again I started to get overwhelmed. There was no one site I could go to that gave a good explanation of all the different stuff to look for before I bought. I had stacks of books from the library and was scouring the web for info.

I thought wouldn't it be great if there was one place I could look to find the information I needed. So for others like myself I decided to set up a site that would do just that.

In the past few months I have been working on the site trying to explain the information as clearly and easily as possible. The problem is what may make sense to me may not to others. What I'm asking you all for is to act as my editors.

My site (as of right now) is small and just an informational site. There are no advertisements and I am not trying to sell anything, so please don't be worried that is some sorta scheme.

All I'm asking for is your opinion on the information that I have given so far. If you think it is good or bad. No matter which please don't just tell me "oh this site sucks/ is good" but would like to hear why and how you think I can make it better. What else should I add or get rid of? Please add your comments on the forum or send me a message through the comments page on the site.

The site is

.

Thank you in advance for your time and opinions

Jeremy

[RicodJour]

A recent Fine Woodworking had an article on outfitting a shop for $5000 (they lied, it was actually something like $5250). It covered a good, basic, wide selection of tools, both power (portable and stationary) and hand tools. Check it out from your local library. Good place to start as any.

Taunton also has some very good books. See if you can locate their one on setting up shop.

cover budget and shop layout (as important as, and inseparable from, tool selection).

R

[GROVER]

Jeremy, IMO you've picked a topic that will keep you very busy. I suspect its a full time job for more than one person.Good luck. Joe G

[Bill in Detroit]

Jeremy ... basically praise ... with two caveats.

1) get someone with a solid grasp of the language to proofread for you. I proofread my own work extensively. But far too often I 'read' what I 'meant' to write ... but not the words that actually ended up on the screen. It is HARD to read your own writing objectively but on the Milling Machines page ( ) I noticed a grammatical error in nearly every sentence. Most of the errors are simple (missing punctuation, subject-verb disagreement and so on) but their inclusion is distracting.

If you must proofread your own work, set it aside for a time. Then, when you return a week or so later, it will be somewhat fresh ... and you will be less inclined to confuse what you intended with your actual deeds.

2) The photos. These photos are very nice but, unless you are a professional photograph, are probably not be original with you. Most likely they are under copyright by someone else. You never gave attribution to their source (hint, use tables and use the second line of the table to show attribution

something.jpeg attribution for the pic

or as

where I got this pic fromsomething.jpeg

There are, undoubtedly, other ways of accomplishing the same goal. The bottom line is to avoid assertions of copyright infringement. At the moment, you are probably guilty as all get-out. Most especially, don't forget to use the 'alt' attribute in the link to the image.

You left it empty here:

There are other techniques ... choose one (or more) and avoid legal hot water.

I definitely like your writing style ... it's easier to read than my own. And I definitely like your light & airy color / design scheme.

But you need to take a peek at this site:

order to steer clear of the shoals.

Bill

[Tanus]

Hi Jeremy,

Overall, I really like the idea of this site.

First thing I noticed is that on measuring and marking tools the pictures look really good. Professional. If you've done what I'd do, and copied them from a commercial site, you may want to make sure the site has given permission. Sometimes copywrite gets in the way here. That may not be an issue if you're advertising the site that you got the pics from.

I like the idea of how the categories are initially laid out: broad overview, and then drilling down into details.

The hand tools section seems a bit small. You've only got one type of chisel pictured, no hand planes and no hand sharpening methods. Lots of people love power tools, but there are many of us who have a mix of power/hand tools.

Similarly in power tools. I think I'd add grinders. Routers. Portable drills. Jig saw, scroll saw? Nothing on chip and/or dust removal, and that may easily be taken care of by linking to the Pentz site.

As I said from the outset, I think the idea of the site is tremendous. However, to truly serve who is going to be going to the site, I really think the number and types of tools needs to be expanded upon.

Tanus

[-]

I sent you a comment via the contact us, but I skimmed the site so I had another recommendation:

You have the jointer and planer listed as milling machines. You may want to rename that as there are machines called milling machines that have to do with machining metal. Look up Bridgeport mill on google images. The terminology is a little confusing. Is all.

Also I have a Rigid router and will soon have a Rigid thickness planer, I'll get some good photos of them in the next week and post them on that blog I sent you. Feel free to download them when they show up on the blog, all I ask is you link back to the blog and give me credit for them.

-Matt

[Mark & Juanita]

... snip

I took a quick gander at you site, not expecting a whole lot (since you said you were just getting it set up). I came away greatly impressed, you have done an admirable job of setting up a site for someone looking to get started in woodworking. This would not be a bad site to point people who post on rec.ww who ask about setting up a shop and what tools they should get, etc.

Don't have a whole lot of recommendations for you. Would recommend you add "rubber mallet" to your hammers section, that seems to work well for closing paint cans, tapping things into place and is somewhat less expensive than the dead blow hammers. Also, point folks toward the Robertson screw type as well as flat and philips.

Maybe a link to hand planes and scrapers on your hand tools page.

You've undertaken a huge project (as if you don't already know that). The site (IMO) is well done and crisp.

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[charlieb]

Great idea for a site. You've taken on a Herculean task though.

Layout's nice - navigation easy.

Handtools section seems a bit light - no handsaws, no planes, not even a bench plane / apron plane. when it comes to marking gauges, why not an example of a 20th century one - like the Tite-Mark (tm) or the Lee Valley version of it.

If the info is for folks thinking about setting up a commercial shop - add a chop saw, miter saw or compound miter saw or sliding compound miters saw. No commercial shop lacks a router or three and a shaper.

As for machine comparisons - manufacturers make it tricky by changing model numbers and paint jobs - remember when Platinum Edition stuff was hot. Meant - same old saw but painted white with a stick on Platinum Edition badge.

Bookmarked your site for future investigation.

Thanks for all the effort you've put in so far.

charlie b

[Mike Marlow]

I thought this was well covered in another thread recently, and it was widely agreed that the mallet was not necessary to close paint cans. The proper technique, as I seem to recall was to loosely place the lid on the can, quickly flip the can over upside down on the floor, and then to stand on the can to seal the lid. This prevents damage to the rim of the lid, such as would be introduced with the mallet. I'm certain this was agreed to by all. You really need to keep up Mark...

[Mark & Juanita]

Well, I'm sorry if some of us still cling to the old ways of doing things.

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[Mike Marlow]

Dinosaur.

[Bill in Detroit]

Mike, will that work with striped paint?

TIA Bill

[Mike Marlow]

As I understand it Bill, the secret to doing this successfully with a can of striped paint is the direction in which you flip the can over. I can't remember which direction that is though.

[Charlie Self]

I

PR departments. I'd go into terminal shock if anyone ever got in trouble over using those shots, because that is why they are taken and why they are provided.

[Charlie Self]

Add me to the old-fashioned list. I'd be very leery of turning a paint can upside BEFORE the lid was sealed.

Simplest way: 12" square of plywood on top of the lid; stand on the plywood. Works for me, and has for more than 50 years.