My first woodworking tools

[Xopher]

Hi, For many months I have been reading about woodworking and my family asked me to make a list of some tools that were in the books I read. Well they were not kidding and from them this week I received a belt sander, a plunge/fixed base router, a cordless drill, a corded drill, a circular saw, and a sabre scrolling saw. My grandfather taught me how to use his forge and be a farrier. Many of the tools I use belonged to my great grandfather. I also work in Grandpa's salvage yard, so metals I know but nothing about woodworking. Which means I need some input on making my first wood projects. I like the Reader's Digest beginning wood books, and I like a few of the Black and Decker portable power tools books. Does anyone here have sources (maybe a book) that he or she can recommend for me, a guy who has never even turned on a circular saw (I did power mine up) but now that I have one I really want to make some things? Thank You, Xopher

[Dave Jackson]

I don't have any specific recommendations on the thousands of books and magazines out there, maybe some else who is new to wood working can help you with that. I just wanted to suggest, with the tools you have now, that you're ready to start some projects. A set of sawhorses would make a good first project, and will come in handy when using your new circular saw. Do you need a picnic table? It would make a nice second project. Anyway, get started! Working wood is easier than working metal because you get a board and just cut off whatever doesn't look like your finished project. Good luck --dave

[nailshooter41]

Head for the library, and then to your local used book store. They both have tons of info, and you can see which style of writing and illustration best fit your current skill level, as well as your level of comprehension and ambition in this type of craft.

Don't forget to search this group through Google before asking as it is an excellent archive of material from the factual to the highly opinionated.

Robert

[WillR]

For those kinds of tools -- get the Black and Decker book(s) and some weekend style yard project books from the Home De(s)pot store or whatever is close. Lawn furniture, storage benches rough country style furniture should be no problem -- once you have a stable work surface. Build yourself a nice stable workbench from 2X4 lumber and put on a

3/4" MDF wood top and you can be in business to make some decent stuff. ($100 or maybe less)

Also check out the Lee Valley selection of books...

tried making decent projects with those tools -- found it a little tough. A table saw was necessary for me before I could do "fine" work. ymmmv

Welcome and have fun.

[Toller]

Take an adult ed class. It is the next best thing to having a woodworker friend, and infinitely better than any book.

[Ace]

I'm not really a woodworker, but certainly enjoy making/using some simple projects.

My suggestion is: Get some relatively cheap lumber (pine, 1x4x60 inches long?) and use the tools you received to make something simple. (Plain square box?) Find out what the tools can do, etc. Observe the finish and accuracy of the various cuts you make.

For example, you can cut to length using the sabre saw, but you'll probably find it a bit 'rough'. The circular saw will give a lot nicer cut. But, is it square? No? Does the belt sander work to square it up?

Good luck!

[Xopher]

Thank you all for the thoughtful answers. After much consideration, the first project is chest.

Xopher

[Pop]

Simple things can make interesting challenges:

I keep saying sawhorses because they're on my mind at the moment, but you get the idea. Sounds pretty easy until you realize the angles aren't so easy. IF it's too stiff all 4 legs won't touch on most garage floors; too weak and they wobble. Wrong angles on the feet, and the wood splays off when they get moved. Never a place to set my skilsaw down with saw horses. No place for screws, nails, glue etc. on most sawhorses. They're often too heavy to move around, take too much room to store. To one degree or another, I've "fixed" all those problems over the years. I now have three good sawhorses of 2.5 x 3/4" wood, foldable and hangable, sturdy enough two support lawn tractors without problems, the don't shake or yield without a lot of weight pusing sideways, and all 4 legs sit solidly on the floor anywhere on my garage floor as soon as weight is put on them. 4" drywall screws give me hanging room, fold-down shelves with shallow compartments for screws/nails, and each horse can be "hooked" to another one with 1 x 4's to keep them straight to each other plus support a panel well between them. 1 x 4's are on-edge so saw cuts don't weaken them and natural warpage keeps them fitting nicely .

I just gave away the old ones each time I had to start over, which was three times. They're not perfect (for me) yet, but are about as close as I know how to get them and still be light and small enough to hang out of hte way on the wall.

Also think parts bins if you have a need for them. Lots of interesting beginning challenges in those. Don't just make parts bins - make USEFUL parts bins.

Just try to think outside the box

Now, if I could just get the cars out of that garage ...

Pop

[nailshooter41]

Like the idea of building a set of sawhorses (if you have no decent worktable very well. I work of sawhorses most of the time.

The idea of taking a woodworking class is excellent, and you might take a look at joining a woodworking club like the ones that meet at your local Woodcraft or whatever woodworking stores you might have.

Just to get you going in the right direction since you have made a choice, check this out:

like they had some great projects in there that could really help learn some basic used of the tools.

Good luck!

Robert

[nospambob]

[Ba r r y]

To expand on that, this is a great time to make things like storage boxes for the tools. As you gain experience, you'll have the confidence to make more "public" items.

You should know that whatever you make now may look terrible to you next year, and the stuff you make next year... It's all about developing skills and making mistakes (to learn!) now.

Have fun, and work safe. Barry

[Enoch Root]

You may have noticed a number of the responses urge you to make some of the tools you need for woodworking. You can use the idea of making a chest guide what tools to start with. People mention a table or sawhorses... if you really want to get down you might want to combine woodworking with metal and make a wooden plane to smooth the surfaces of the chest. :)

er

[John]

The first thing you might make in wood is a new chest in which to store your farrier's tools. Maybe it'll be something stationary, on legs, with a cover that you can pin on with your own forged nails, or something relatively portable that you can haul in the back of your truck to the farm or racetrack. Likewise, a rack on which to hold your various sets of hammers, tongs and hardies while working near the forge, even if it's new, wouldn't be a bad first project. See whether you can make one nearly as good as your great granddad did. If you don't walk away impressed by the man's woodworking skills you will be floored by his access to inexpensive, quality lumber.

While maybe you don't need one for the kind of metalworking you do, an instructive combination wood- and metal-working project would be to make your own manually operated coal forge bellows. Not a trivial project, but not rocket science either and you could use most of your new tools on it too. And if you don't actually need such an item you could sell it for a pretty penny to someone else and buy a table saw, which is the next tool you're going to need if you're going to be doing serious woodworking.

And why stop there? Next up would be a stout workbench. Every woodworker makes one. Just resist the temptation to hold it together with iron.

;->

You will be the envy of every woodworker on this newsgroup if you make your own chisels (mortise, skew, and crank neck) from whatever leaf springs or tool steel you've got laying around and then employ them to make a simple blanket chest.

Go for it!

J.

X> Hi,

[Mike Marlow]

Anyway the best book I have ever seen for a beginer, and I've got quite a library now, is "The Complete Book of Woodworking." It assumes you know nothing about wood or tools and have only a desire. It is illustrated wonderfully. Starts off talking about kinds of woods how they are sawn, section on joinery, 40 or so projects, many for the shop. I used a variation of the 2x4 workbench plan they have for two workbenches I made in my garage shop. It comes in hard and soft cover versions.

Anyway, get this book, it is perfect for someone starting out. I have scanned the cover and inserted it below.

Good luck and happy woodworking!

Paul

Paul - there's a binaries group for posting woodworking related binaries.

[Bugs]

No one mentioned the pocket knife. It is the first, best and most universal tool you will ever own. Bugs

[Xopher]

I have about a sixty knives - a man is not dressed until he has his pocket knife. X

[Xopher]

snippage...> library now, is "The Complete Book of Woodworking." It assumes you know

snippage.. I bought the book earlier this week and I agree, it is a good book. X

[Xopher]

Last year I machined a blade for my uncle's Stanley 55 plane. It was reproduction of the blade he broke.

X

[CW]

I carry two daily. One in each front pocket. Yes, I do use them, a lot.