Beginners Power Tools

[The Magician]

Hi all, I am new to this woodworking and Diy stuff so please go easy on me. Can anyone tell me what power tools are needed for a beginner just starting out. Thnaks

[sawdustblues]

Money is a major factor to your answer. You are starting one of the most expensive hobby there is. When you think you have all the tools you got somone comes out with a new version and new jigs. It will drain you bank account forget the wallet. There are more tools and then new tools and new jigs than one can dream of. It really depends on what you want to do. Someone that is going to just tinker or interested in scrow saw fret work is different than someone who is into cabinet making. If your are on a low low budget get a really good circuilar saw a good square and the one tool that you can use and use and use is a router. Get atleast a 2hp that has a soft start and a 1/2 collect. Most of the better bits are 1/2 shank I'm not sure what that is in mm. But you can find more things to do witha router than any other tool. It is so many acc. for it. I perfer a plunge type. And if you got the money a good router table would really increase what you can do. It has a lot to do with what you want to do. Tom

[adamsmr]

Hello,
Well just as in Tom's reply, the tools for the beginner are varied, dependant on what you really want to do. I would recommend a circular saw, router (you could get by with a 1 1/2 horsepower with interchangable collects 1/2 & 1/4, Porter cable makes a very nice set. I believe it's model 690, which comes with a plunge router base and a fixed base along with the interchangeable collects.), various clamps, jig saw, sanders (random orbital type, with either hook & loop or adhesive attachment of the sand paper). With those you could start basic woodworking. And then there's always more you could buy. Just remember as in most things in life, you definately get what you pay for. So I would recommend that you buy the best tools you can afford.

Thanks,
Mark

[Mike K]

Magician,

When I started woodworking a dozen or so years ago, I thought that the biggest investment would be a table saw. I was wrong!!

My initial investment was $1500 in a Shopsmith, which is a good quality, universal tool that combines a table saw, drill press, lathe, disc sander, etc. into one tool with many add-ons.

Since then, I sold the Shopsmith and bought a Powermatic cabinet saw, which was expensive, but still a drop in the bucket when compared to the total price of a planer, jointer, sanders, clamps, router, router bits, saw blades, chisels, and the myriad of other hand and power tools required.

Having said that, I like to have the best tool for the job, which is usually not a requirement.

Also, if you work with primarily plywood, as opposed to hardwoods, you can get away without a jointer and planer, which is significant.

As a minimum, you need a good table saw. Do not scrimp too much here, at least as far as quality goes. It is unlikely that a hobbyist will wear out any table saw. However, a poor quality saw will drive you crazy when trying to make precise cuts (this goes for all tools, by the way.)

A couple of good sanders is also required. I like a random orbital sander (ROS) for taking off material quickly, and a finishing sander for the final sanding before applying a finish.

A plunge router is handy. You don't necessarily need one of the 2.5+ HP models. But a plunge version is helpful.

Don't waste money on "sets" of router bits. You'll find a few that you use often, a couple you use once in a while and some you never use.

A good selection of clamps is also a must. Bar clamps are inexpensive and work fine for many applications. Cabinet clamps such as those from Bessey and Pony are excellent larger panel glue-ups, but more costly.

Some form of dust collection is important. At least get a good shop vac for the short term until you determine you need a larger dust collector.

As you go, you'll learn what tools you need and you can pick and choose what to buy over time. There are many woodworking websites that have tool reviews that compare different brands of tools so you have an idea of the different parameters and ratings of the various brand names.

Good Luck,

Mike

[Dave]

Everyone who has replied has been right on the money. I can only say again a couple of important things.
Do fix up some sort of dust collection system. A clean shop is much more enjoyable to work in, and more importantly, much healthier.
Buy the best tools you can afford. Cheap tools are just that. Cheap tools. They are hard to work with and can discourage you very quickly.
That's not to say they aren't good inexpensive tools out there. I have a 10" Delta Shopmaster table saw that cost me less than $100, and it has performed very well. It has its limits, but all tools do. I also have a Shopsmith, and it is a fine precision tool. But it too has its limitations on how you can use it. Every tool on the machine performs extremely well, but before you sink $2000 into one, ask yourself if you need all of those tools.
Bottom line, buy the best tools you can afford that you will use, read the manual, and take the time to set the tool up right, whatever it is.
Like computers, you can't keep the most up to date tools there are in your shop unless you are made out of money, because they are always coming out with something new and better.
Once you get into woodworking you will find it to be a very pleasurable addiction. You'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.
Keep us posted on how thing are going, and be safe and have fun.
Dave

[ElRay]

Originally posted by Mike K
A couple of good sanders is also required. I like a random orbital sander (ROS) for taking off material quickly, and a finishing sander for the final sanding before applying a finish.

I'm not sure what you mean by "a finishing sander". A ROS is a finish sander. The whole point of the Random Orbital action is to remove sanding marks before finishing and between coats. That's why there's many that are variable speed, and they all take sanding disks that are finer than anything you'll need short or hand rubbing the final coat of finish.

Ray

[rdj054]

Hi,
If cost is a factor then try to find used tools. You can find them all the time in the papers and your areas shopper papers. Also don't count out the shopsmith. I own one that is 50+ years old and is still working great. They are great to have if workshop room is a factor. Bob

[john_p]

do you get "the new yankee workshop" in your part of the world? norm knows how to buy tools. if i had to pick two power tools to complete my next few projects it would have to be my bandsaw and my router. other people might say a surface planner, and i couldn't argue.. i have taken a fallen limb and a pocket knife and carved for days.. my favorite single tool to use is my lathe. so for a new guy, i guess you ask a tough question.. welcome to the site

[colinP]

Hi every one i hail from accross the pond and it is fair to say that i / we look at things from a slightly different perspective. In the first instance we learn to get a feel for the material we are working with which usually means the use of hand tools. Bearing this in mind my advice based on some 40 years in this arena is to buy a few hand tools such as a plane, tenon saw, carpenters square, marking guage , claw hammer , mallet and a small set of paring chisles oh and as many cramps as you can muster. These are tools you will use to finish work done on machines. As an aside when i was in College i was making a jewellry box in English oak and we had an American Professor over on a sabbatical. H ;) e was shocked and amazed that i had cut all the dovetails by hand he had not seen it done that way for many years. I realised then that i should look at machine tools to speed up some of the more mundane tasks in cabinet making. I cannot agree more when buying tools that it is better to buy one good tool that several inferior ones as you will stop using the inferior ones because they do not do the job properly.
Best of luck it is a wonderfull hobby and job
Colin p Head of technology Impington College Cambridge England

[Woodbutcher68]

First of all, define what kind of woodworking you are going to do. Cabinetmaking, furniture, scrollsawing- intarsia or fretwork, turning, carving,etc... After you figure that out you can get tools just for tha area you're interested in. Some of the tools will interchange between types of woodworking, some are more specialized. I've met people who have made pens using a drill and a handsaw. The variety of tools you can buy is endless. (and you're bank account might not be!)
There's a wealth of information on this site if you ask the right questions!