[Questions]: Beginning woodworker needs some advice

[stormwolf]

Hi all:

This seems to be a very active and helpful group and I am hoping that I will get some advice for the newbie questions I am about to ask :-)

I am a beginning woodworker. I am just starting to research into this area. My interests are to start out small - maybe build a small shelf, a jewelery box, a small storage cabinet. Stuff like that. The first thing is that I live in a apartment with limited room. I can devote a little bit of room (maybe 8 ft x 6ft) for my woodworking projects. Does anyone live in a small apartment and do their projects? What kind of problems might I encounter? The 2 that spring right to mind are maybe noise complaints by neighbours and cleaning the area. Any suggestions on this?

Also, I'd like to start out small. I do not want to spend a lot of money on tools initially but I will buy the minimum required stuff. Hammer, saw, planes, chisel....Does anyone have any advice on this?

Also keeping the nature and scope of my projects in mind (as described above), does anyone have any recommendations on books to get? Again, keep in mind that I am a complete newbie. The closest I have gotten to woodworking is putting an Ikea table together ;-)

Regards,

Stormwolf

[Thomas Mitchell]

[dave]

Most Woodcrafts have a woodworkers Club attached to them. The membership gets you use of tools on their premises. Combined with classess ther, you should be able to pick up the information, tool usage and help to complete your projects. Dave in Fairfax

[Charlie Self]

Not so. A FEW Woodcraft stores have the WWs Club, and it is a worthwhile addition. The one here in Parkersburg is excellent, but I think there are only about 6-7 nationwide.

And the membership isn't cheap.

Just checked. There are 4 Woodworker's Clubs.

Charlie Self

"If our democracy is to flourish, it must have criticism; if our government is to function it must have dissent." Henry Commager

[dave]

Thanks for the correction Charlie. I guess I lucked into the ones that had them and just figured that it was a feature. Dave in Fairfax

[Lenny]

Also ....

I remember seeing an idea for taping a furnace filter to a box fan to use as a "cheapy" benchtop dust collector. Place the filter on the back side and facing toward the dusty area so that the fan pulls the dust into the filter. Not sure how it will work but it might be worth a try.

[Silvan]

I worked in my kitchen for years. The advice you already have is good, so I won't bother to go through the litany of how/when I bought what.

I built a rather massive 10' x 6' x 1' plant stand in my kitchen using a miter box, jig saw, electric drill and random-orbit sander. Don't let a small shop get you down. DO buy a Shop Vac.

I built a lot of shadow box thingies too. I have one shaped like a house, and one shaped like a mushroom. Just plywood and 1x2s with some kind of thin something for the shelves.

I have to say that I was looking at one of those just the other day and thinking how few projects I've done with all my fancy power tools can match the beauty of some little thing I built with a few tools and a lot of love in my old kitchen.

[Bob Bowles]

[dave martin]

You might consider what your goals really are: to efficiently build quite a few acceptable items in which case good power tools will help, to lovingly handbuild a few perfect items in which case you might consider some high end traditional japanese & european hand tools, etc..

There can be immense enjoyment in making a perfectly dovetailed box using only traditional tools. It takes a long time, but if process and personal accomplishment is what you seek, the "old ways" may be for you.

Me, I don't have the patience or hand-eye coordination needed to make fine cabinetry. I use a few makita battery powered tools (which are quiet and precise) to make functional items using mostly doweled & pocket drilled joints.