(Part 3) Top products from r/woodworking

Trying to stick with Amazon...

General: do not get no-name generic Chinese tools. These will fail in no time.

Cheap tools are the more expensive. Partly through the damage they cause and the time they waste, and partly because you're going to throw them away and get the good ones anyway eventually.

Get some good screwdrivers. Yellow plastic handles with rubber grips. Stanley used to be good, but apparently not any more. Most screwdriver sets contain more screwdrivers than you need. Klein seems to be the brand to get now, but they're quite expensive. I'm not a fan of multi-bit drivers, but this one looks pretty good and you can't beat the price: http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-32477-Screwdriver-Driver/dp/B0002RI5EY/

This looks like a superb set, but at $60 it really eats into your budget: http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-85078-Cushion-Grip-Screwdriver/dp/B000ABADXI/

Saws: Get the Japanese pull saws. I like my Ryoba. There's a plastic-handled version at http://www.amazon.com/Shark-Corp-10-2440-Fine-Cut/dp/B0000224U3/ that's pretty good. The one that abnormal_human linked to is an excellent choice. I would go with that. In fact, it's going on my wish list.

Power tools: You won't regret getting a 14 or 18-volt DeWalt electric drill. There are a couple of 18-volt tools on sale at Amazon right now. Don't argue; just get one. Don't forget drill bits. I like the cobalt, but Titanium is good.

I wouldn't bother with any other power tools; the good ones cost money and the cheap ones will only bring you grief.

Do this: buy a cheap but complete set of HSS bits. As they wear out, replace them one by one with cobalt. I got mine at Costco. I didn't see any on Amazon.

Get a tape measure. I wouldn't spend $25 if money is an object. This is probably the single-most important purchase.

Get as many clamps as you can afford. Not metal C-clamps; those are for metal working. Irwin quick-grip or clone and Jorgensen or Bessey bar clamps are your best value here.

Chisels: I'm not sure you need these for a minimalist wood shop, but if you get them, get a 1/4" and 1/2" chisel. That's all you really need. abnormal_human linked to a pretty good sharpening stone. Japanese chisels are the best, but they'll bust your budget, and until you learn to sharpen them well, they'll be a waste of money. Just get a cheap Stanley or DeWalt set. Expensive chisels will come pre-honed. Cheap ones you should hone for best results. You need to learn to hone them anyway.

Don't spend $50 on tweezers. But get a good pair at your local drug store and get a pair with the longest, sharpest, pointiest working end you can find. And a magnifying glass so you can see the splinters.

Get a 12" combination square. Don't get an expensive one, but don't get a no-name tool either. Some of them have a built-in level which you will never use.

Get a large carpenter's square. They're cheap.

I wouldn't get a card scraper. They're nice, but hard to sharpen and you really need a burnisher ($22) to do it properly.

Consider buying the hardware to build a good workbench. And by that, I mean a good bench vise. A very good one can run you around $200, but this one looks pretty good for $21: http://www.amazon.com/Olympia-Tools-38-736-Hobby-WoodworkerS/dp/B002I2KFMG/ and $66 will get you this very decent one: http://www.amazon.com/Woodstock-D4026-Cabinet-Makers-Vise/dp/B005W16LVE/

ETA: If you still have budget left for power tools, a random orbital sander is nice and not too expensive. I'm using a borrowed Ryobi and I have had zero issues with it. (I'm not normally a fan of Ryobi, but this one is pretty good. http://www.amazon.com/Factory-Reconditioned-Ryobi-ZRRS290-5-Inch-Random/dp/B001HTPSKK/

Finally: a cheap Wixley or iGuaging digital caliper is a good investment. Within a week of buying one, I was wondering how I'd survived so long without it.

> If something can save me hundreds of man-hours than it would be a worthy investment right?

You have a limited budget and plenty of free time, and you're a hobbyist, not a factory. Focus on purchases that improve the quality of your work and the capabilities of your shop. Efficiency can come later, once you have a good feel for where you're burning the most time.

> planers are expensive yes? or do I just get one for $500 and do some extra bonus sanding?

If I were buying new on a budget, it would be this one.

These things pop up used for $100-200 all the time because people buy them for a project or two then leave them to collect dust. You could save some $$ by going with a lightly used one.

> any suggestions on a hand plane or two and a backsaw?

Look for a used Stanley #4 or Millers Falls No.9.

Veritas makes a nice carcass saw that's not too expensive.

> 1/4" up-cut spiral bit - yep I honestly can't even see myself doing any other routing aside from mortising, I don't like profiled edges or anything like that so I would never use it for that, crossing the 1/8" bit off the list. To be honest I'm not crazy about routers, but if it's going to be necessary for making those joints I'll have to get one.

> Narex Chisels - sounds good, I'm not set on anything yet but something good quality will do for me. What are you using now?

Now I use Veritas PM-V11 chisels. My favorite "first chisel" recommendation are these, but they are 2.5x the price of the Narex.

> ROS - by the way, is that the first sander I should buy? Do I need a power sander? or is it too much time and energy to do it by hand?Is an ROS they best and most practical for right now?

Yes it is, and yes you should. It's not so much that it's too much time/energy to do it by hand. It takes some practice and discipline to get good results that way, and you won't fully appreciate the process of finish prep before you get through a few projects, and the ROS will make sure that your first projects don't suck for a preventable reason.

> My plan was to buy all the hardwood planed to 3/4", there's only one local mill in town and they will do that.

You will need parts of varying thicknesses sometimes. For instance: you're not going to use 3/4" stock to make drawer sides, backs, or bottoms. A planer, if nothing else, lets you make thinner stock. Thin stock doesn't stay flat for very long, so pre-milling it isn't usually a great idea.

More importantly, it lets you mill your material in the way that's most likely to lead to good results. If you go to a lumberyard, have them mill boards to 3/4", then bring them home and let them sit for a couple of days, they won't be flat anymore. Almost guaranteed. Most lumber yards aren't climate controlled, and they are always going to mill the board in one shot, even if the best option would be to take little nibbles over the course of several days or weeks.

If you want, try doing a few projects without one first and see how it feels. I felt like I needed one to make it to the end of my first non-plywood project without a poor result.

A Jointer (machine) is optional, but you need a way to make the faces of boards flat. A planer sled is probably the shortest path to that for now.

> I'd also love to hear what you'd recommend in the hand tools department.

These two lists are great, just keep in mind they are targeted at someone who wants to use only hand tools. For example, the minimal list recommends a jack plane, but I recommended a #4--I think a #4 is a better fit for a blended (hand/power) shop. But I agree with him for a hand-tool-only shop.

• The Beginning Hand Tool List
  
• The slightly larger hand tool list
  
  Specific hand tool recommendations are all over the map. I like my choices, but they are on the expensive side. Often you can buy old/used tools for much less.
  
  

Hi there, and welcome to the club! There are really almost infinite sources out there for woodworking education but I've compiled a set of info for beginners. If you're looking for a book, though, check out Lost Art Press Books and Lost Art Press DVDs especially The Essential Woodworker by Robert Wearing for hand tools and check out The Complete Manual of Woodworking by Albert Jackson for power tools, design, basics, and pretty much everything else.

-------------------------

Here is my go-to advice for any beginner woodworker. A summary of what I went through when I started, a collection of resources, and my own advice. I add one more thing to this post every time I post it.

Resources

> First, here is a great site to get you started: Woodgears Beginner Page

> Second, when you are ready for it, this is a great and FREE program that I use to make my cutlists for a project. You enter the dimensions of your source lumber and you enter the dimensions of the pieces you need, you enter some auxillary data like blade kerf, and it will generate a cutlist and a layout diagram for you - CUTLIST.exe.

> Third, Youtube! I ate up literally everything I could find. I spent hours watching The Wood Whisperer, Wood Working for Mere Mortals, Fine Woodworking Beginner series. Watch and read EVERYTHING you can.

> Here is my Evernote folder of a plethora of good stuff.

>There are tons of woodworking blogs out there by both professionals and hobbyists. This site curates a great daily round up of woodworking blog posts. I usually peruse it a few times daily.

> Woodspotting.com - http://woodspotting.com/

> And here is a list of YouTubers that I am subscribed to (in no particular order):

> * WoodWorking for Mere Mortals

• Matthias Wandel
  
• Jay Bates
  
• WOmadeOD
  
• GarageWoodworks
  
• Drunken Woodworker
  
• Matthew Cremona
  
• Jon Peters Art & Home
  
• Woodworkers Guild
  
• krtwood
  
• The Wood Whisperer
  
• Zac Higgins
  
• mtmwood
  
• GuysWoodshop
  
• WorkshopAddict
  
• John Heisz
  
• Izzy Swan
  
• ThisWoodwork
  
• MM Wood Studio
  
• Paul Sellers
  
• Ask WoodMan
  
• The WoodGuy
  
• Woodworking Barcelona
  
• Frank Howarth
  
  Wood, Lumber, & Materials
  
  > Want to learn about wood in general? This guy covers the basics and more.
  
  > Wood hardness and uses chart
  
  Sharpening
  
  > Sharpening is a huge part of woodworking that many newbies forego. Chisels, planes especially but all your tools will work better if they are sharp! I subscribe to the Scary Sharp sandpaper method because of the low cost. There are many resources out there explaining that process -- just google around. It works great for the interim while I slowly accumulate the sharpening stones I need. Tools for Working Wood has a great deal on a kit of sandpapers ranging from 40 micron to .1 micron. The Sample Pack -- either 1 or 2 sheets of each[1] is what I use. Click here for the conversion from micron to sandpaper grit.
  
  Where to begin? / My Story
  
  > I started building a work bench. This workbench for which you only need a router, circ saw, and drill.
  
  > Since I got a router, I wanted to build a router table, but just something quick and dirty. So I built this Minimalist router table. It's basically just a slab with a hole and a pivot fence.
  
  > Since deciding to get into the hobby, I prowl Craigslist for good deals on tools. You can use the Craigslist Notification Chrome Addon to set up "saved searches" and get a notification when someone posts a listing that would be a hit on your search. I found a contractor table saw for $40 and figured why not. Picked that guy up and then decided to build The Wood Whisperer's style cross cut sled for that. I've since upgraded to a better table saw, and added a bandsaw and drill press to my kit. You can also check out IRS Auctions for great deals on used machines.
  
  > Shortly after, I got interested in hand cut dovetails. I researched different methods and went and bought the necessary tools for that task and began practicing. I've built a bunch of cutting boards (end and edge), picture frames, and boxes. I'm finished building an awesome Morris Chair (here's my LJ blog posts about it) and I've got a collection of items for the world of finishing (which is a whole different skillset in and of itself) and growing my finishing tools/supply kit. I've also purchased a book on Box Making Basics and am experimenting with mitered boxes, dovetailed boxes, different lids, panels, etc. I built a Wedding Time Capsule Box for my wedding ceremony and a Joiner's Mallet. I recently upgraded my folding Ryobi table saw to a Ridgid R4512, got a nice floor standing band saw, a drill press, belt sander, and a scroll saw. I decided I wanted to build a blanket chest for my wife for Christmas so that became another project!
  
  > I've recently been bitten by the "plane bug" and then started my search for a set of bench planes to augment my power tool work. Thanks to a few key users on this subreddit and reading a whole bunch on sites like this. I've now purchased a few nearly 100 year old #4 and #5 Stanley smoothing and jack planes, a 1925 Stanley #7, and a slew of different block planes, learned to restore, setup, and tune them. I have made a few posts regarding purchasing and restoring Pre-WWII bench planes. Tool restoration can be a whole different hobby in and of itself:
  
  > * Buying and Restoring Bench Planes (TONS of information in this post including detailed tutorials on restoring & sharpening!)
  
• A short history of my plane experiences
  
• Block Planes, Sharpening, and micron to grit conversion
  
  Tools and Tool Acquisition
  
  > To me, there are 5 tools that every shop needs to be minimally functional. They are:
  
  > * Circular Saw
  
• Router
  
• Jigsaw
  
• Random Orbit Sander
  
• and Drill
  
  > The "evolved" versions of these follow when needed/when affordable:
  
  > * Table saw
  
• Plunge router/router table
  
• Bandsaw
  
• Belt sander || disc sander || spindle sander
  
• and Drill press
  
  > Buy the rest as you need 'em. Let your projects lead you into your tools and new projects. Wesley @ Wesleyworkswithwood has put together what he considers the 'essential' tools of a woodworking shop: Wesley's Essential Tools but I again stress to buy them when you need them.
  
  > Your tool list and project backlog will happen on its own.
  
  Pure, Unadulterated Advice \ TL;DR;
  
  >SO! my advice to you, which you can probably infer, is start with shop projects that you need for your shop. Do you have a woodworking workbench? Build one. Do you have a Cross cut sled? Build one. Do y ou have a router table? Build one. As you build those things, you'll find out which kind of tools you need. Once you get some experience with those tools, you'll learn what you can do with those tools. Then you'll start thinking of things to learn, practice, build, do on your own, organically.
  
  > Let your projects lead you into your tools and new projects.
  > Your tool list and project backlog will happen on its own.
  

Glubot - it looks funny to a non woodworker, but it is an amazing thing to have around the shop. It makes glue ups about 100 times more enjoyable. Maybe get some silicone brushes to go with it.

Magnifying Lamp - a great addition to any shop. Be sure to get one with a long arm like this one so he can mount it behind his bench and still be able to use it.

Incra Rulers - these are the best damn rulers you'll ever use. The slots make consistent marks that are very reliable. A 12 inch T ruler would be best, but this one is also cool.

Wool Socks - if you live in a cold climate and his shop isn't heated, this would be an awesome gift. I got these socks specifically and they are awesome. Me feet never overheat, but they keep me very warm and are very comfortable. This is a damn good deal actually... I might order these now.

This is just my experience (~2yrs woodworking) but it might help you. You hear opinions often of people way more advanced and while they can be very accurate, they also are much more sensitive to the finer details that aren't as important right now for us.

I went with the Stanley 4 for my 1st and if I could do it again I would go probably go Stanley Jack instead. They're both super comfortably priced (the jack spiked for the holidays but it'll drop in a week or two, use this to check the price. Those are more than high enough quality for our skills. It's hard to justify the price of a premium plane (LN/V) when starting out.

YES they are nice and incredible quality and will last generations, but it's fun to learn on something you aren't afraid to mess up but that also has some quality to it (yes, it will take some tune up, but it's really fun to learn, scour youtube). I know people will rag on the modern Stanleys, but I absolutely love mine. I'll be going Veritas/LN when the time is right.

Finding an old one to refurbish can be overwhelming especially when starting out. There's a ton all over the place and it's hard to know what to look for and what is the right condition it should be in etc —if anyone wants to chime in here; please do.

That's it from me, good luck!

I'm no pro, but here's my suggstion.

Marking and measuring are important. Get a knife of some sort. This marking knife is cheap and well regarded. Get a combination square (lot available at all sorts of price points). For a longer straight edge, you can use extruded aluminum or angle aluminum which is cheap, lightweight, and straight enough. Then learn to create a knife edge and a handsaw (either western push style, or japanese pull style) and you can cut wood accurately to size.

You're planes will then get you to flatten and surface your boards (you can use the aluminum as winding sticks). Lots of resources available for rehabbing planes. Then the next step is joints. For this, chisels and a comfortable mallet are great (and a rabbet plane if you can find/afford one). To make life easier, a coping saw and a drill (electric or brace and bit) can clear out waste for you. It makes life easier. But the key here is keeping your planes and chisels sharp. I don't know of a budget way to do this. I've got a few Ezelap diamond stones (coarse, fine and extra fine) that I use, but there are other methods as well (sandpaper on glass, waterstones, oil stones, tormeks). But sharpening is critical to handtool woodworking happiness. You might want a sharpening guide as well. The cheap ones work great (I'm not sure why these are so expensive. I think I paid $8 for mine). Then build one of these and you're all set for sharpening. Finally, you need stuff to stick together, so glue and glue applicators are worth looking into. I also use my cabinet scrapers quite a bit, but that's just me. They're cheap so I think everyone should have one.

After that, you can spend all sorts of money on other stuff as you progress. But most anything square can be built with this setup.

are you talking about doing a full epoxy bar-top like finish, as in something like this. where you want a glass/plastic type look? Generally speaking as long as you follow the mixing instructions to the detail they aren't that hard, biggest thing that can happen is you'll get bubbles as the product cures. I wouldn't recomend using just the bartop stuff for the entire coat, maybe look into putting a coat or two of varnish, or more of a penetrating epoxy resin to seal it first. I think this can also help reduce the air bubbles. Regardless though on something this big you're going to get bubbles, so you get some kind of torch like this and go over the top with it as the epoxy drys.

For these type of glass/bartop look I prefer 2k poly as it can be sprayed and adding multiple coats is easy, stuff can be pretty pricey, but is cheaper if you are producing a lot of stuff for a big job rather than mixing up a bunch of epoxy. The fact that you can do multiple coats easily adds for more options in regards to glossy/sheen (they offer it from matte to gloss like any normal poly).

Now if the epoxy is for filling voids you want more of a structural epoxy (although I guess you could just fill a big void with the tabletop stuff, i've never tried), like a West systems or T-88. fill it a bit over the top, if you have bubbles getting trapped use heat or just do the large voids in multiple pours, bubbles usually congregate to the edge and often times just mixing it a bit more will get rid of it. One's like west system are nice because of their pumps that measure out the right ratio from the hardener and resin, easy to add color if you want, and after sanding it takes a finish fine and becomes clear again.

Those are generally the main applications of epoxies. reason I mentioned using 2k was because if you just want really durable finish because it will take a lot of abuse, there are other options. Also if you do want that plastic bartop, super high gloss look there are other methods out there such as just buffing a higher gloss varnish up through the grits, you don't have to deal with mixing or anything, can usually be applied easier with a brush. General finishes makes a bunch of topcoats that can be sanding, they have a high performance one that supposedly is pretty close to a 2k poly/conversion varnish, but you don't have to do any mixing and it can be applied by hand, although I've never tried it. I use their enduro-var water based urethane for a lot of residential jobs and get get a pretty gloss like look by buffing it up.

There are going to be varied answers, and it really depends on what you want to do and how much you want to spend.

I am an amateur but I'll give you my two cents.

Personally, thinking of staying cheap, I would say larger hand saw to cut big pieces, smaller precision hand saw, CLAMPS, mid-sized hand plane, set of 3 chisels, and sander... keeping it super cheap... a sanding block instead of electric orbital sander. Maybe a miter box too.

The specifics and the whys:

$11 - Hand Saw to cut larger pieces you get. No need for a table saw right away.

$20 Precision saw - I like my double-sided japanese Ryoba. It was cheap, cuts really well and has both end grain and cross-grain teeth. I use this for cutting precision joints.

$30 Clamps - Always very useful. I bought THIS SET to start. Move up to Jorgensen or Bessie bar clamps when you have some dough. Bar clamps are superior in clamping pressure, but you can get most stuff done with the quick grips.

Plane - some people would disagree, but you can get a $15 or $20 Stanley number 4 which can act as your jointer to get a board flat and smoother. If you are just getting home depot wood then might not be useful yet.

Chisels - Basic cheap set from HD. Start slow. You can shave a little off to make your joints fit.

Sander - to keep it super cheap. Sandpaper and your hand. Then block sander.. then orbital sander if you want to spend some money.


I had less than this and it got me by on my few first projects. $80 bucks or so without a plane. Very basic. Other than that... you will need at least 2 sawhorses or a table. A table with a good vise or clamping surface makes your life way easier.

*edit for formatting

This guys list is pretty much what I was going to say.

So for some recommendations:

I've restored an antique 1930s No 5. Bought it for 45, and it is best for those on a budget. Any pre WWII Stanley just needs some light restoration work and a reworking of the blade and it will do 20x better than a harbor freight plane and roughly same as modern Stanley sweethearts at 1/3 the cost. It may not be as good as woodriver or lie Nielsen, but it's a 1/4 or 1/6 the cost respectively.

Paul sellers recommends Aldi Chisels, I got Narex instead for an additional $20. I love them, and will only upgrade out of them once I get enough money to go for some veritas or lie Nielsen. I got a set of 4 with imperial measurements for $60ish. I'd put any extra money into sharpening systems than upgrading them.

I bought David Barron dovetail guides and the Japanese pull saws he reccomends. Gyokucho 372 Razor Saw Dotsuki Takebiki Saw. Look at Amazon for the narex chisels I reccomend and the 'people who bought this also bought' section and you'll find it easily. While there you can find some leather for stropping and the green compound you need with it. Also while looking at these, you'll see a reccomendations for the Stanley disposable knife and the replacement blades. This is what Paul sellers recommends, and it works well. Stays ridiculously sharp, and can be rehoned with little effort and the blade cheaply replaced once it becomes to much work top get the thing sharp. Cutting layout lines is much more precise and helps prevent tearout. I bought narex marking knife and love it. I don't mind trying to hone it every so often. Ditto the scratch awl.

Basically took around the Amazon other bought recommendations and you'll find a bunch of fairly cheap quality things to get you up and running.

YouTube is a great place to learn just about anything.

Agree wholeheartedly with u/Joyrenee22. Woodworking for Mere Mortals is a must.

Also check out King's Fine Woodworking. He and his daughters have some great videos including a free woodworking course that just started. I don't know how many videos there are yet but the first few have been about shop tools, what they do, how to use them, tips/tricks, etc.

A few more good channels: Crafted Workshop, Jon Peters, The Wood Whisperer, Jays Custom Creations, and April Wilkerson. There are a ton more but I can't think of anymore off the top of my head.

Don't underestimate books for learning woodworking. My wife got me a few last Christmas that I've really enjoyed.

Woodworking Basics - Peter Korn

Good Clean Fun - Nick Offerman (bonus, this book is full of light hearted humor)

Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking. This is technically three books and a DVD. They're thick and dense (content wise) so this may not be the funnest to run through. Some of the illustrations in the book aren't that great either.

Good luck!

Honestly a book would probably be best for a beginner. It is great for reference later on down the road as it is all kept nice and neat in one central location rather than bookmarking things and/or printing them out. I have this book and it is awesome. It has everything you want and even stuff you didn't know you wanted. Only 16 bucks NEW or even cheaper used. Then if you want JOINTS this one is pretty good.

NINJA EDIT: But yes, as noclevernickname said, the FAQ is a great place to start for those things as well!

Hard to say for sure without knowing his shop, so you'd probably want to try to scope out any recommendations for specific stuff to see if he already has something similar before you buy.

A good suggestion that I think always works well for any budget is to go to a local hardwood dealer and just pick out a selection of interesting exotic lumber, any woodworker will always appreciate getting cool woods to use in their projects.

If you want to have some ideas for stocking stuffers / tools though I'll list some cool things that I think are not super common that I enjoy owning or make my life easier.

Tiny-T Pocket rule

6" precision t rule

A really nice miter gauge

Router setup bars

A nice marking knife

Marking gauge

Magports

Tapeboss

Grr-ripper

Dozuki & Ryoba

Alexa (Alexa, what is 5 and 3/8 times 16... Alexa set reminder for 30 minutes to spray the second coat... Alexa order shop towels... etc, it's actually really useful, and it plays music too)

Shop apron

Quick sanding strips

Digital Angle Gauge

Digital Height Gauge

Anything from Woodpeckers is pretty much guaranteed to be great, albeit kinda pricey

Dust Containment, Dust Collection, Dust Filtration.

First, go to any big box store (I think even walmart may have it) and get a roll of sheet plastic. Try to get at least 6mil thickness. Attach this to the bottoms of the joists and subfloor. Be sure to go up in between the joists to seal that off too. Staples work really well, especially if you reinforce the edge of the plastic with a piece of duct tape on both sides. Wherever your door is going to be, overlap to pieces by about 12-18" to create a usable door flap.

Second, (if you don't already have one) get some sort of dust collection. A simple shop vac will do, though I highly recommend that you get a large one with a 2 1/2" hose as well as some sort of dust separator or you will be buying vacuum bags and filters like crazy.

Finally, get the Wen 3410 for $125. It has plenty of air movement and at full speed will cycle the air in a 20x20 room something like 7 times per hour I think. It's also quiet. The unit is identical to the Rikon and a couple other units at a much cheaper price.

The first two are the most important, but the last will greatly reduce the amount of dust that stays in the air, and more importantly, your lungs. A good respirator would also be a good investment as well. For less than $20, it's a good investment. I like the 3M 650x Quick Latch Respirator. I use one of these along with the P100 filters. If you have to go cheap on the last one, get a $20 box fan and a 20x20 furnace filter. That works decently too.

edit: I too work in my basement. I did the above and do not have problems with dust anywhere in the house, even right outside of my shop.

Wow, how serendipitous! I only just discovered your site and YouTube channel yesterday (thanks to this mental_floss article), and here I see I just missed your AMA on the same day. You've definitely found a new fan :)

In the off-chance you're still watching this thread:
I noticed quite a few woodworking books in your bookshelf video. Are there any particularly great books you'd recommend for budding wood workers?

By pausing the video I was able to identify these 3:

• The Complete Manual of Woodworking
  
• Encyclopedia of Furniture Making
  
• Sam Maloof, Woodworker
  
  PS, I'm a WordPress developer by day. If you'd ever like a hand with your site I'd love to help :)
  
  
  EDIT: Formatting

You can't rent a pocket hole jig, but they run about $20 for the cheapest one. You'll also need to get a locking clamp situation, and you can get some ideas on clamps here. The one Kreg hocks is most ideal, and it runs around $30.

I don't know if Home Depot rents circular saws, but you can check. Considering that their rental tools are always beat to crap, you may be better off getting the cheapest Ryobi they offer, which is about $40.

I know this flies in the face of this subreddit, but if your goal is to have something like that stand for pretty cheap, I'd just buy the stand you posted or get something similar you like from Ikea. There's an entry level cost to building anything. I know, it sucks. You can fit this whole design onto a half sheet of MDF, the sides and top just won't be as thick, and it will run you around $19. But I'd still get a full sheet so you can make that circular saw jig. I'll tell you, though, that making a piece of stable furniture out of MDF is going to be a task in and of itself since it's basically a big sheet of compressed and glued sawdust.

You're better off doing it with plywood and screws, and there's a cost to be had with the screws and whatever paint you use.

Hopefully that helps! Maybe! Possibly!

Second /u/Grimsterr. A respirator is an absolute godsend in the shop.

I use this kind, with these filters.

They're amazing. The respirator itself is super comfortable. Its silicone gasket is very soft and snugs up perfectly against your face, blocking all air ingress and egress around the edges of the mask. (As an eyeglass wearer, this is a huge deal for me. The disposable ones inevitably send your hot breath straight up around the edges, right into your eyes and instantly fog up your glasses.) The filters block everything. Well, everything you're going to be exposed to in a woodshop. All the dust, and all the smelly finishing-product vapors. It's pretty astonishing what you can't smell while wearing one of those things.

And they're pretty inexpensive, too. If you go through a lot of those disposable masks, you'll break even pretty quickly on a proper respirator.

I'm also new to woodworking. Youtube and various websites are great once you get a lay of the land, but for a brand spankin' newbie, they can be tough to grok.

The book that helped get what this hobby was all about was "The Complete Manual of Woodworking". It is very broad, but shallow, and covers just about everything in some form: Types of wood, furniture contructions, using hand and power tools, turning, veneering, joinery, marqutry, etc. Most topics only get a couple of pages, but you'll walk away with enough knowledge to make an informed Google query.

Best of luck. It's a great hobby!

I would consider using a cabinet scraper (just sand a little after you remove the bulk of the finish) and a scratch stock. This will be AGES faster than sanding or stripping and a lot easier to clean up. It may take a while to get the profile perfect on the scratch stock, but it will save you hours of nasty chemicals or lots of dust and gummed-up sandpaper. Chances are, even if you do end up changing the profile of the handrail slightly in your efforts to remove the finish with a scraper, no one will know or care.

If you do decide to sand, a toothpick or sharpened dowel with sandpaper wrapped around it tightly might help you get into the grooves.

As for the gaps...You can do a total repair by cutting the sides clean with a dovetail saw and then gluing in a shim, which you would then sand to match the profile. Or you could go the lazy route and fix it with a filler paste; I would recommend mixing up some sawdust and glue, rather than using a store-bought product (they tend to be chalky and don"t last long).

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

Clamps are important, and when it comes to clamps never buy an odd number. Get a mix of different types: quick grips are great for quickly clamping things together one-handed; f-style clamps are great for their reach and pressure, and pipe clamps are wonderful for their length flexibility and pressure. Down the line, consider panel clamps, band clamps, corner clamps and parallel clamps.

Get a speed square and a framing square. For the table saw, consider a digital relative angle finder like this. Get a tape measure and research how to use it effectively (eg why is the tab on the end loose). Learn how to mark wood accurately with a pencil, and then learn how to do it with a knife.

Get a set of inexpensive chisels and a mallet. Get a cheap block plane. Get a combination square. Get a shop vac and make sure your tools can connect to it.

Safety is of course top priority. Get good quality eye protection, respirator (even when using dust collection) and hearing protection (routers and planers are loud). Wear them every time.

For around the shop, make sure you put everything on casters because that perfect shop design you make on paper won't work in practice. Add more outlets and lighting. Build a good flat level workbench.

Just a few thoughts from someone who's been doing it for fun for over a decade. Not necessarily the right way for everyone, but those are what I wish someone had told me when I first started.

I think a gulfstream G650 is a nice starter plane.

Joking aside: you'll want at least three planes-- block plane, #4, and #5. To get started, I don't think you can go wrong with a #5. Old stanleys are great and so are veritas and Lie nielsen offerings. Now....if you want to get the lie nielsen...i'd say go with the veritas bc 1) its a slightly wider blade, 2) you can use the same blade in nearly all of their bevel up planes 3) you can get them in PM-V11 which will stay sharper longer and 4) its a little more heafty and helps with plough through a little better and 5) I think the blade advancement is better on veritas bevel up vs lie nielsen bevel up. That being said, both lie nielsen and veritas are many times better than any other commercial new hand planes out there.

Other thing to keep in mind: ya gonna need to sharpen the blade. Norton kit is a good place to start. You'll need a way to keep the stones flat. You'll also want a strop with some kind of compound.

I have that saw. For a portable, it's probably the best I've used. I use the Bosch and the Dewalt at work, and the Ridgid is a lot better in my opinion. For a beginner in the woodworking world you've found a pretty sweet deal if that saw is in good shape.

When I pulled mine out of the box it was already set up correctly. The blade was perfectly at 90° and the fence locked in square every time. It will handle a dado set, too. I run this one. It cuts perfectly smooth bottoms and clean edges.

You might find a better deal on craigslist, but you won't be sorry if you spend the money on the Ridgid. It's a solid saw, and better than all the other portables I've used.

Edit: The link to the dado set is not the cheapest I've found. I don't remember where I ordered mine, but it was in the $60 range. If I find my receipt I'll post where I got it.

I think boiled linseed oil would be a good choice. Any finish will wear out over time but with BLO you can simply wipe a fresh coat onto the handle when it wears out. You could also shellac which can also be re-applied when it wares. Shellac won't offer as much protection from sweat though.

I have the 3M 6502 which I like. It's fairly inexpensive and seems to work well. Get some of the pink particulate filters for general woodworking and some vapour filters for finishing.

Look for hardwood dealers in your local area and see what they have. Some places will stock a huge array of exotics and others will stock next to none. If you only need a small amount you could try online hardwood retailers. I've also found eBay to be okay for smallish pieces of exotic or highly figured wood. Go to the Crafts>woodcrafts>wood/materials category and look there. Sometimes you can find good deals.

Ok, $100 isn't going to go very far, especially if you need everything, but here we go.

Whetstone - This is slightly better than the hardware store combination stones, but it's cheap, it's a water stone, and it's got a good grit combo.

Handsaw - Japanese style, cuts on a pull stroke, crosscut and rip teeth. I have this exact saw, still works pretty damn good after a dozen years of occasional use.

Beater chisels - Not the best steel, but a chisel is better than no chisel. You'll want at least 2 sets of chisels anyway - don't beat the hell out of your good set.

Block plane - Don't expect super high quality from Stanley anymore, but we've all got at least one of these little block planes somewhere.

And I'm $6 above the gift card budget. The chisels and plane will need some sharpening before use, but it's enough to get you started. You still need marking/measuring tools, a square, a work surface, clamps, vise, and obviously, some wood to sink your teeth into.

Sorry, that should have been 800, 1,200 not 600, 1,000.

But the jump for me feels fine. I don't know maybe my frame of reference is off because I used to use my dad's stones and jumped from 1,200 to 12,000.

Backs are a bear depending on steal but again I haven't really felt that I was killing myself. Perhaps either the tool or the stone is out of flat making you work far harder to move up grits?

>Which lapping plate do you have

Atoma 400 from Hida tool, but also sold from Lee Velley
I was ready to throw some change at a diamond plate that would last. In my dad's setup, I was using a dmt duosharp. It worked fine though I was always questioning how flat it was being plastic and it doesn't have a lot of grit on it, so it's pretty warn these days. I was debating between the Atoma and the diasharp. I got the Atoma because I thought it would last longer. Don't know if that's the case or not.

Honestly the sandpaper method for corse work and flattening seems like a pretty cost effective way to go. I picked up a piece of granite counter top cheap for lapping plane bodies. Others say the float glass works good too. I'm sure it does.

A respirator is awesome. I highly recommend the 3M 7500 series (e.g. 7502). The vent on the 7500 faces downwards, so if you're wearing a face shield (as I do when running a bench or angle grinder), it won't fog the shield. Amazon Link

The P100 "Pancake" filter are a good match. Low profile and organic vapor relief (i.e. good working with small amounts of solvents). Another Link

Finally, for ear protection, I like earplugs with a string attached. Easy to take in and out and low profile if you're also wearing a faceshield or welding helmet, or whatever. example

"Walnut is poisoning" what I hear. My first boards had walnut in them and reddit gave me shit about it. I use them for myself so I don't care that much. I'm not eating the wood.

This planer: (I love it)
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW734-2-Inch-Benchtop-Planer/dp/B0000CCXU6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480052378&sr=8-2&keywords=dewalt+planer

The zig zag pattern was the hardest one. Yes it drifted up to 1/8th. They are not my favorite.

I used a table router on some of them for the edge, but I like the sander better. Something about it just felt more solid and manly.


Feel free to ask more questions. I only have about 50 boards worth of experience. So I don't know everything. I learned a lot doing this.

>I was looking for advice on what type of sharpening stones I should get?

Water stones or oil stones. Your choice. It's a completely personal preference and you really can't go wrong either way.

>Can I sharpen tools like a chisel, plane blade, cabinet scraper with the same set of stones?

Yep. Although cabinet scrapers I've never seen stones used. Just a flat block w/ sandpaper and a burnishing rod.

>Is it recommended to get a honing guide?

Depends on what you're sharpening. Honing guides help tremendously with chisels or any flat blade plane. They're not so useful on cambered blades.

>I'd appreciate a few suggestions. Thanks!

As an "all in 1 starter kit," Norton makes a great water stone kit that includes 220/1000/4000/8000 grit stones and a SiC flattening stone. Some people here and on lumberjocks swear by the "scary sharp" sharpening system, which is nothing more than varying grit sandpaper, some 3M spray adhesive, and a flat surface like a glass pane.

Definitely buy tools based on the project(s) you have to do, but I think a good start would include:

Hand planer (Vintage Stanley Bailey is ideal)

A few chisels (Narex are a good option if you're on a budget)

Combination Square

Marking Knife (Stanley makes one that Paul Sellers recommends: Amazon)

Marking/Mortising Gauge(s): I think Crown is the only company making reliable ones with pins vs. the more common cutting disc.

Saw: I got this to start, its sharp as all heck, and has a crosscut and rip edge Japanese Ryoba

This one fits your budget. It's about $107.00 after the Stanley rebate. Normally I wouldn't recommend it, but at less than half the price of other low angle jack planes, I'd take a chance. Cross cut your stock to rough length first. It makes things easier.

You are going to need sharpening gear too. If money is super tight, grab a 12x12 granite tile from a home center store for a few bucks and some wet/dry sandpaper. 80 grit, 220 grit, 400 grit, 600 grit and 1500 grit will get you razor sharp. It ends up being really expensive in the long run, but good enough until you can get a few waterstones or diamond plates.

Desks and shelves are totally fine to start with! Just draw up your plans and get started, you'll start finding out what you need to know. For example, on both, you'll have to learn how to flatten and square your lumber on the jointer and planer, or using hand planes, and for a desk, you'll need to edge glue some lumber together to form a panel. Just jump in & start asking questions, you'll get a lot more out of having a specific problem that needs solving and therefore having a specific question to ask than all of this vague "where should I start" kind of stuff. You start by starting. That being said, I got a lot out of these books when I started:

https://www.amazon.com/Woodworking-Basics-Essentials-Craftsmanship-Integrated/dp/156158620X

https://www.amazon.com/Tage-Teaches-Woodworking-Step-Step/dp/1561588261

https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Solutions-Strategies-Essentials-Woodworking/dp/1561583448

This third one I linked was especially helpful. I liked it because it discusses things in terms of general considerations, like here are the various ways you can attach a tabletop to a base and allow for wood movement, here are the space considerations in designing a table so everyone has enough elbow room, and therefore gets in you the mindset of thinking things through and drawing your own plans.

They're challenging but not impossible. If you've done the brick pattern one and you are satisfied with it, I'd say that you could do the Q-Bert one. I think the two hardest things for me were accurate planning for material (I had another reply here that goes into more detail) and actually getting the confidence to start; once you're doing the work, you can constantly refer back to his videos and basically see step-by-step how to do the things, and the steps make a lot of sense.

The one piece of equipment I would say is a requirement for this is a magnetic angle measure for your table saw (I have this one and it works well). And an accurate and sturdy rip fence that doesn't wobble. Two. The two pieces of equipment I would say are requirements. I mean, I personally wouldn't attempt this without my benchtop planer, but it's totally possible to use hand planes and/or sanders.

I just bought this Stanley Sweetheart low angle jack plane. It took an afternoon of tuning, but overall, I am impressed. It was about $100 less than the Lie-Nielsen. What's your opinion of the newer, better Stanleys? I think I read your review of that plane from about 4 years ago, but I think Stanley has been making improvements since then.

SUIZAN Japanese Pull Saw Hand Saw 9-1/2" Ryoba ( Double Edge ) for Woodworking https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MU9XB1W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_NN.ZAbV1EP155

This is the saw I got, and I love it 😊

You can make a huge variety of joints with just a few tools. This is close to what my toolset looked like when I cut my first dovetails.

Note: None of these are affiliate links. I don't get paid if you buy these.

$28 Dozuki "Z" saw
I prefer western style saws (like the Veritas saw /u/jbaird recommended), but you will be able to cut very nice joints with this:
https://www.amazon.com/Z-saw-07029-Dozuki-Z-Saw/dp/B001DSY7G6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495827959&sr=8-2&keywords=japanese+saw+dovetail

$14 Empire combination square
https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Level-E280-Professional-Combination/dp/B000EU0ZB0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1495828208&sr=8-4&keywords=combination+square

$10 pocket knife for laying down lines:
https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-10-049-Pocket-Knife-Rotating/dp/B00002X201/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495828775&sr=8-2&keywords=stanley+knife

$24 marking gauge:
https://www.amazon.com/Crown-152M-Miniature-Rosewood-Mortice/dp/B001V9KOSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495828829&sr=8-1&keywords=rosewood+gauge

$35 chisel:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SG70L4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


You could also get:

$49 DMT coarse sharpening stone. Only sharpening stone you need. Get a strop eventually.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001WP1L0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$5 Stanley Coping saw. Will help you remove dovetail waste.
https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-15-106-8-Inch-Length-4-Inch/dp/B00009OYG2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495829310&sr=8-1&keywords=coping+saw

Provided you're gonna buy lumber that's already prepped, you should be good to go with the above. I'd suggest building things rather than 'practicing joinery'. You'll get plenty of joinery practice along the way :)

This is why I love /r/woodworking (one of many reasons). I had my mind set on the Norton starter kit based on some earlier advice on a thread here. I was chatting with some other folks who talked up the Worksharp system and got interested. Hearing both that I'll get stones anyways and that they'll be useful long term even if I go with a machined route someday is helpful.

Here's what I'm planning on instead of the Worksharp system.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XK0FMU/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I'm not an expert, but if it were me, the first thing I would try is using a card scraper.

They are cheap no matter what (whether you make one or buy one), you can buy them in all kinds of different shapes from places like woodcraft or online.

I've also used putty knives (like the kind you use for dry wall) to make card scrapers. I can't personally tell a difference in the effectiveness doing it this way vs buying them (and at this point I've done it both ways).

here is an example of a set you can buy on amazon... https://www.amazon.com/Crown-376-Cabinet-Scraper-Gooseneck/dp/B001C06BLE

the curvy one would probably make the most sense for the fine work here.

basically you sharpen them with a file and a screw driver (make sure it's hard metal going all the way up the shaft like an old craftsman screwdriver or the like, also it should be round and not some weird hexagonal shape.

there are lots of videos on how to sharpen a card scraper, so you should watch them, but basically you file the edge flat across, then use the screwdriver (which should be made of harder steel than the scraper which is why this works), to turn a hook onto the edge of the steel.

A mitersaw is probably going to be less accurate/repeatable than a table saw. One thing you can do is get a angle gauge for your table saw so you can actually dial in the 45 degree angle, chances are the indicator on your saw is off and causing the issue not the fact that you're using a table saw. The next thing I'd suggest is a sled for your table saw, which is pretty easy to make... if you're doing 45s for things like frames a sled like this would be useful as well.

I would highly recommend a Kreg Jig. This little thing is super useful for making quality furniture. If you dont want to get that I would recommend clamps. You always need clamps.

I really like the sound of Japanese saws over Western, but am wary of chintzy knockoffs. Someone recommended this brand of saws, sold via Amazon, that are made in Japan:

SUIZAN Ryoba

SUIZAN Dozuki

Do you have experience with this brand at all? Were I to swap out the Japan Woodworker saws for these to save some money, do you think I'd be alright or do the Amazon ones look unusable?


And as for planes, do you think I could get by with two? And if so, which two would that be? Block and Jack or Smoothing and Jack?

I don't think you need much more out of a pocket hole jig than that. Unless you're a production shop that is making a ton of cabinet face frames, I think a pocket hole jig should be unintrusive, flexible, and convenient.

Actually, I think this one is better because you get much more flexibility in how you can use it. It's easier to make holes at weird angles to the edge, and to fit into tight spaces.

I use this one. It does a great job, but in my experience it helps if you are clean shaven. Throw some of these on it and you'll be hot to trot. I don't get any extra goggle fog than I do just wearing my goggles on their own.

Oh yeah I'm sure he does. That probably makes all the difference in this kind of stuff. I've done endgrain with my dad's Ryobi planer with 2 flat blades and it works ok. Lots of tear out on the back end of course. I've got my eye on this with this sexy beast. mmmmmfff...

I'm currently using the Freud glue line rip blade https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001V5J4QY?pc_redir=T1 and I just ripped a bunch of maple, walnut, purple heart, cherr and Pau Amarello with minimal burning and a smooth surface. I think that's probably the best blade for that price range.

As far as the dado is concerned, I grabbed one of these with great success. https://www.amazon.com/Freud-SBOX8-Cutter-4-Inch-grooves/dp/B000ASGV1E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426348245&sr=8-1&keywords=Freud+SBOX8

For me, it's been as much of a challenge as any joinery so far. I used this book extensively. Great step-by-step instructions using hand tools or power tools or both!

I like this one from 3m, it is inexpensive but i feel like it does a good job.

The Narex Premium chisels are often recommended on this sub as one of the best bang-per-buck sets available. They are in your pricerange. https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/narex-premium-bench-chisel-set-wooden-box.aspx

I personally got the 4-piece set here: https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/narex-premium-chisel-set-4.aspx and haven't found myself wanting for more.

I will note they are going to also require some sharpening stuff -- and that might end up costing you just as much as the chisels themselves. I picked up this set (https://www.amazon.com/Norton-Waterstone-Starter-Kit-flattening/dp/B000XK0FMU) and have been happy with it... though I wish I would have gotten a diamond stone for the coarse stuff (the narex chisels have good, hard, steel but take a bit of lapping to get that back flat...)

awesome! i heard about this. Good to hear that it does work.

Looks like amazon has one for $83

http://www.amazon.com/Freud-SBOX8-Cutter-4-Inch-grooves/dp/B000ASGV1E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426348245&sr=8-1&keywords=Freud+SBOX8

welcome! if you want a regular set, i have this one and i'm very happy with the quality and performance of them.

Great ideas in this thread; I'll put in a plug for the GlueBot - good deal less than $50, but there is a little accessory kit you could add to bring it up closer to $20. Maybe for an occasion other than Valentine's Day.

It is definitely something I didn't know I needed until I used it.

Try something like this

And a blow torch to run over the top to release the bubbles. The bubbles are introduced from stiring the epoxy and just natural permeation. If you know someone with a vacuum chamber you can ensure ZERO bubbles.

nice, now save up for a few more and get the helical cutters, totally worth it https://www.amazon.com/Byrd-Tool-Shelix-cutterhead-Dewalt/dp/B008CS2QAE/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526271684&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Pull saws are by far the best option. I got a Shark pull saw and have had some good results with it for relatively cheap.

For true minimum you can use a hand saw, a drill, and something to support the wood, like some buckets or a pair of saw horses.

For angles, use a speed square or sliding bevel and kids protractor.

Amazon has the Dewalt 735x for $544.59. The X is the one with the in/outfeed tables and an extra set of blades. It is a very good thickness planer. There is also a third party helical head for it.

Yes, double down and go for the larger size. You won't regret it. This is what I found to be a great set. I still have, and use these stones. They're fast cutting and quick to flatten.
http://www.amazon.com/Norton-Waterstone-Starter-Kit-flattening/dp/B000XK0FMU

3M 6502QL Rugged Comfort Quick Latch Half Facepiece Reusable Respirator.

I could never get into using the disposable dust masks, so I was honestly surprised how much I liked this one.

As far as fogging up glasses, I haven't had any issues (granted only wearing safety glasses), but it is designed so the air you exhale goes downward specifically to reduce fogging issues.

And I keep my beard shorter, so I can't speak to how well it works with a larger beard.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-137-No-62-Angle-Plane/dp/B002B56CUY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466791378&sr=8-1&keywords=Low+angle+jack+plane

I know I would love something like this.

I recommend that you spend the extra $34 and get the following setup.

http://www.amazon.com/Norton-Waterstone-Starter-Kit-flattening/dp/B000XK0FMU/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1448929859&sr=1-3&keywords=waterstone

On a honing guide like this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Rockler-Honing-Guide/dp/B001DSXGM2/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1448929972&sr=1-6&keywords=honing+guide

You need to check to make sure that the distances on the packaging really gives you the proper angle. In the end I purchased a Vertitas guide

Point well taken. I'm in a somewhat similar situation.

Since I'm enrolled in another supervised shop class, I will have a place (once a week) to work on real benches. My plan was to work on cheap wood and get some basic joints down, then tackle the bench project in Basic Woodworking. This is a small bench with mortise and tenon, wedged mortise and tenon, and dovetail joints. If that comes out alright I think I'll feel comfortable to move ahead with making my own bench.

I personally like the N100's. I hate dust boogers, and the N100 is the only one that will block out mold, which I am very sensitive to. If you are getting good lumber that has no lumber mold on it the N95 should be fine however. You probably don't need the P as you will just be dealing with particulates. However, I have the half face respirator with these pink P100 3M filters. The fit is a lot better than a disposable, and the replacement filters are like 12 bucks for a 2 pack, not too bad as they will last a decent while.

My advice is to use a table saw to get the joints straight and square. You can use either a normal saw blade with some practice (and possible hand tool fine tuning at the end), a dado stack, or a dedicated box joint set.

3m 6503ql this is the mask only

dust filters

You can get different filters for different applications. Like for finishes you can swap out the filter so you don't breathe in the fumes and whatnot. They are easy to take on and off.

I got these ones because the internet told me to, and they are/were cheap.

What is your budget? I would personally avoid both of those planes that you listed. The only modern day Stanley's that are worth while are the sweetheart versions, specifically the low angle sweetheart. There are a few other budget options if you are looking for cheaper (less than veritas or LN) options including vintage or luban/woodriver. Vintage options would likely mean that you would need to do some minor restoration to get it to prime working condition, but not out of the realm of doable. You could easily get a No. 4 or 5 for around $30-50. Luban/Woodriver may also need some minor adjustments and a sharpening of the iron out of the box. Be sure that you still have plenty of room in your budget for sharpening materials even if that just means sand paper and float glass or marble starting out.

As for the size of your first plane it really just depends on what you will be using it for, but you can't go wrong with either of those sizes. The 9 3/4" is equivalent to a Stanley No 4 and the 14" a No 5. Both are recommended as starter planes. The No 5 would be a little better at getting a truly flat surface, while the No. 4 may be a bit better at getting a smooth surface. I went for the No. 5 first personally. Block plane next, and then a jointer (No 7 or 8) and got a No 4 last.

try one of these digital angle gauges. I bought a cheaper version of this (about $15 iirc) from HF and it has saved me hours of headache. I've used this on a cheap jobsite saw and managed to get perfect 90 degree cuts every time.

I use the 3M quick latch with the P100 particulate filters. I've been very pleased. My brother swears by the RZ Masks. I bought a couple and don't find them all that comfortable unfortunately.

I really like the flat, flexible blade Japanese style saws, they work well for a lot of things, but this type of cut it is great for.

If you don't have one, you can use any regular saw, cut it a little high then chisel or sand it down.

A high quality blade will make a big difference. I use freud blades and love them. You could use a general purpose blade if you make both rip and cross cuts. https://www.amazon.com/Freud-LU83R010-10-Inch-Combination-PermaShield/dp/B00020JOAA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1466877982&sr=8-6&keywords=freud+10+inch+saw+blade
If you make a lot of rip cuts https://www.amazon.com/Freud-LM75R010-10-Inch-8-Inch-Arbor/dp/B001V5J4QY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466878111&sr=8-1&keywords=freud+10+inch+saw+blade+glue+line+rip is amazing.
I use thin kerf as i had a crappy table saw in the past and its easier on the saw.

Spend a few bucks on a pocket hole jig. You want to avoid screwing into end grain on most places. A basic jig will be about $20 and will work just fine.

A square clamp is also handy, but not necessary.

Sand the pieces before assembly will save you some trouble of sanding in the corners.

Wood glue will add a lot of strength, spread it evenly, screw the pieces together. Then use a rag with a little white vinegar to wipe off any glue that presses out before it dries.


Kreg MKJKIT Mini Kreg Jig Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00065WPP2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xvrIAbVMZ9N52

Can-Do Clamp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LJNJNU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_6xrIAbVATMDX4

I could suggest a few tools, but this one might be an even better tool for him especially if he's just getting into it.

It's really going to come down to you using it, if it's making bad cuts then it might be worth exchanging for another to see if the issue persists or if maybe it's supposed to be that way. I just checked amazon canada and they have an Olshun for $77 in the warehouse, might be worth a shot--often times when I order there it's just the packaging that got beat up but the items are pretty much new

I use a very similar one but with a quick release. Might be nice for you if you get short of breath.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IF7RBS4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494873395&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=6502ql&dpPl=1&dpID=414%2Bl-bPsBL&ref=plSrch

Check this out http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00065WPP2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1419211383&sr=8-1&dpPl=1&dpID=41E7C63NTJL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40 . its not a super fine woodworking tool, but its simple and will allow you to join boards cleanly.

Maybe a curved cabinet scraper?

https://www.amazon.com/Crown-376-Cabinet-Scraper-Gooseneck/dp/B001C06BLE

A sharp, fine file and burnisher will keep / make a nice sharp rolled edge on them.

I just started about six months ago, and I thought I would add some pretty un-sexy things to the list... but Im so happy with them

• FastCap Glue Bottle Dispenses from the bottom. Precise and convenient control
  
• [Sanding Disc Pad] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XW7MZVA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Means not having to buy sanding paper of different sizes
  Silicone Glue Brushes Are completely reuseable
  Digital caliper Since grabbing this I have used it countless times when making cuts to match
  
• Clamps, clamps, clamps
  
• Also please don't forget PPE :)
  
  Edit: Apparently I can't bullet point :(

Crystal Clear Bar Table Top Epoxy Resin Coating for Wood Tabletop - 1 Gallon Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYK2NAG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Z-OLDb6H9FNVZ

It was the weekly sticky thread, I couldn’t find anything in the wiki either. Recommended one, which I like was an Oshlun. Cheap one was a Mibro.

Wife bought me a Byrd head for mine after one magically appeared on her wishlist ($340 on Amazon). Holy shmokies I didn't think that something that worked so well already could be THAT MUCH better. I haven't had an upgrade on anything ever make that much difference. Add that to your list. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CS2QAE/?coliid=I2JHDA29KV3K9L

I like "The Complete Manual of Woodworking" for all my basic woodworking needs. Helped me get started and understand why the techniques and tools I saw on youtube were used.

I also really like "The Anarchist's Design Book." This book helped shape my view of the pieces I design and want. It's a great read even if not for the technique but for the thought provoking look at modern furniture design and woodworking techniques.

Amazon sells 3" x 8" diamond stones.

edit: http://www.amazon.com/DMT-D8C-Dia-Sharp-Continuous-Diamond/dp/B0001WP1L0

Is this the sort of thing you mean? Just clamp it in place and screw it together?

The picture looks like it has an allen key too, what is the purpose of it?

Not a Freud but this is my combo blade that almost never comes out of the saw:

https://www.sliversmill.com/product_665_10x40_Tooth_Thin_Kerf_WOODWORKER_II_6_for_NEAR_FLAT_BOTTOM_.html

If I'm ripping hardwood longer than 30 inches and thicker than 4/4, then I switch to:

https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Tooth-Blade-Arbor-LM75R010/dp/B001V5J4QY

Which is a Freud and works very well.

I really like the oshlun dado set. I have had it for years and it still works great. Not sure how big of a table saw you have but an 8 inch dado stack will put a lot of strain on the motor. A six inch version will be plenty for most woodworkers.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MU9XB1W?psc=1

This looks good

Same here. I essentially built the whole thing using one of [these] (http://www.amazon.com/Shark-Corp-10-2440-Fine-Cut/dp/B0000224U3/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1341947923&sr=1-1&keywords=japanese+saw). I thought a jigsaw would work, but I had too much trouble getting 90° edges. The pull saw worked beautifully, although it did get a little laborious. For the half joints I used a chisel, same as your plan.

Are you going to use all 2x4s, or are you going to use hardwood?

I bought a set of norton water stones from amazon and have been very happy with them, they call it a starter kit but it comes with all you need for planes and chisels... was under 140 bucks http://www.amazon.com/Norton-Waterstone-Starter-Kit-flattening/dp/B000XK0FMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395702676&sr=8-1&keywords=norton+waterstone

I was in the same boat and purchased this:
Stanley 12-137 No.62 Low Angle Jack Plane https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002B56CUY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dliKzbV82V8RY

Loving it thus far

You can use this set for the 7480 and 745. It's been sitting in my wish list waiting for a project where I need it.

Freud 8" x 20T Box Joint Cutter Set (SBOX8)

Ballpark $200.. I bought the wood about two years ago and believe it was ~ $80-$100 2x6x8 walnut. The epoxy, tyvek tape, mica powder and a few other things I didn’t have were about $110. Here’s the epoxy and mica powder in case anyone is interested.

This may fit your table saw. It fits a dewalt dw745 https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Joint-Cutter-Joints-SBOX8/dp/B000ASGV1E

A Japanese pull saw would work. Something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MU9XB1W/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B01MU9XB1W&pd_rd_wg=u2keA&pd_rd_r=P0PDV3TWS8NWE25XKRNQ&pd_rd_w=fiUFY

Ok, here are some plans for you: Modular shelving plans
If you have any questions, let me know.

These require the use of a pocket hole jig. If you don't have one, get one. This one is the most basic kit.

ok I got this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T6YZ0K6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and I'll give it a shot or I'll return the Ryobi I guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtkBZHLJyD0

Here's a way to use the router to flatten a piece. I adapted this to smaller use by finding to boards I knew to be flat and making the sled ride on top of them.

If you still have some ridges after this, or just generally needs some smoothing, get a card scraper ( i got these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C06BLE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) to knock them down and then follow up with some sanding up to 220 grit.

I just bought a planer from amazon. DEWALT DW734 15 Amp 12-1/2-Inch Benchtop Planer. Amazon is selling it at $360 plus an additional $25 off if you spend more than $100 on Dewalt products. That will bring it down to $335 before taxes, $355 after. It's $400 everywhere else before tax.

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW734-2-Inch-Benchtop-Planer/dp/B0000CCXU6

I'm new to woodworking so I don't have a lot of experience and have only tried a handful of things. What I noticed is that a planer will always be helpful or needed in most projects. I could be wrong and there could be other ways to accomplishing the same thing using different tools. That's just been my experience so far.

I used this stuff and it turned out well:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYK2NAG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A ryoba saw could make quick work of that. You use the saw with two hands so it's fairly simple to keep straight. Just be sure to rotate the post to get each line started before going too deep.

Otherwise you could just go to town with a sharp low angle plane.

There's 14 sections, they were 3/4" wide at the bottom and were angled at 12.9° (360° / 28 surfaces = 12.86°). I stuck my digital angle gauge on the table saw blade and tilted it until it read 12.9°.

After it was glued up, I rounded the outside on a benchtop belt sander and the inside with a drum sander chucked in a drill press. I really wish I owned my lathe then, it would have drastically sped up the process.

I've got an Oshlun stacked dado set with spacers. I like the sled you posted and mine is similar but I think I need to make a changes to both my key and maybe pull a shim out of my stack.

Here's my sled

I got mine from Amazon too: You can see the prices for the different grits here

Any woodworking store will carry them, probably not Home Depot or Lowe's. Amazon has them at https://www.amazon.com/Crown-376-Cabinet-Scraper-Gooseneck/dp/B001C06BLE, I think I got mine from Busy Bee in Canada.

Lastly, you'll need to think about measuring and marking. Your work is only as good as the accuracy you can maintain. You'll need:

-Combination square

-Marking knife - I use the one recommended by Paul Sellers https://www.amazon.ca/STANLEY-10-049-Pocket-Knife-Rotating/dp/B00002X201?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duc12-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00002X201#

-Marking gauge/mortice guage

-Bevel guage - not essential, but nice to have

I work in the hazmat industry and agree with the previous posts. Grab a 3M half-face respirator. I’d shoot for either p100 “pancake” filters (dust protection and very light vapor protection on a budget) or organic vapor for the same dust protection and extreme vapor/fume protection

yes, I use it a lot and it works fine. It's a dado that will do 1/4" and 3/8", but 3/4" is too risky. The comments specify people using it for the 745: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ASGV1E/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this one

I bought this book on a recommendation from a blog that I read.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156158620X/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A marking knife always comes in handy: https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-10-049-Pocket-Knife-Rotating/dp/B00002X201

If you are jsut looking for a planer, why not a 12 1/2" DeWalt?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CCXU6/ref=s9_simh_gw_g469_i2_r?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1656R9796A1531CYPJMX&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop

Then what do you call these?

Should be around $50 each, at least in the US.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001WP1L0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

for example.

You need one of these instead.

FastCap Glu-Bot Glue Bottle (16 Ounces) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006IUW8G/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_4VFevb0V4S2SZ

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006IUW8G/ref=s9_qpp_gw_p469_i7?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1217VWZTFEHZX0Z5Y76W&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=1970559082&pf_rd_i=desktop

Not yet. You still need This

Can't decide on which Dado set. Have decided to go with 6" for my 1 1/4 HP saw. But can't decide between Ohslun and the Freud. Just tell me what to do.

For only double the price! http://www.amazon.com/Byrd-Tool-Shelix-cutterhead-Dewalt/dp/B008CS2QAE/

Now you need one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008CS2QAE/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_2_10?colid=281352E1OK511&coliid=I1SWHCA3UXVO82

https://smile.amazon.com/Crystal-Clear-Table-Coating-Tabletop/dp/B01LYK2NAG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2PGLVZYV5O35O&keywords=bar+top+epoxy+resin&qid=1556287104&s=gateway&sprefix=bar+top+%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-3

​

https://smile.amazon.com/Colorant-0-36oz-Cosmetic-Natural-Pigment/dp/B07DH8QDJN/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2VA4LC6AZZO6M&keywords=epoxy+resin+color+pigment&qid=1556287213&s=gateway&sprefix=epoxy+%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-4

It was one of the cheapest I could find on YouTube.. here’s a link: https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Clear-Table-Coating-Tabletop/dp/B01LYK2NAG/ref=pd_aw_lpo_201_bs_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HM7ACTD9CXGKXZM42WXK

the first two blades i purchased for my saw was a freud glue line rip and a freud ultimate crosscut. I used the crappy blade that came with my saw for cutting shop plywood and 2x4s. I recently bought a Freud combo blade that works really well. this is the combo blade I bought. If your tablesaw is under-powered, I recommend a thin kerf rip blade. HTH.

I had your exact problem with my Dewalt DWE7480 (just a bit newer version of your saw).

[This] (https://www.amazon.ca/Freud-SBOX8-Cutter-4-Inch-Grooves/dp/B000ASGV1E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524245560&sr=8-1&keywords=freud+box+joint+cutter+set) is what you're looking for.

It's obviously not as ideal as a full dado stack, but gets the job done. I used it for cutting tenons on 8/4 stock and it leaves a nice clean/straight cut.

Interesting, I see a lot of videos on this topic including this one and this other one. Would this be a good blade? I also see this thin kerf model, but I have a 3HP table saw and I'm not worried about 1/32" of extra waste, and I assume the non-thin-kerf is more durable.

I looked at 5 or 6 different stores wanting one of these before I broke down and odered it on amazon. The home depot near me doesn't have much as far as precision jigs in general either.

https://www.amazon.com/Wixey-WR300-Type-Digital-Backlight/dp/B00T6YZ0K6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1512074427&sr=8-2&keywords=wixey

DEWALT DW734 15 Amp 12-1/2-Inch Benchtop Planer versus [Grizzly G0832 - 13" Benchtop Planer](http://www.grizzly.com/products/13-Benchtop-Planer-with-Built-In-Dust-Collection/G0832?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp4u-1svQ2QIVBY3ICh2K7QFUEAkYASABEgKRE_D_BwE
). Ignoring the cost, which would you choose and why? Seems like the DeWalt is the more practical choice (more horsepower, cuts per inch, rpm, etc.), but there's just something that draws me to Grizzly.

Byrd shelix cutterhead for DW735 planer on amazon right now for $207 - insane price!

https://www.amazon.com/Byrd-Tool-Shelix-cutterhead-Dewalt/dp/B008CS2QAE/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1542995854&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=byrd+shelix+dw735&psc=1

​

Start with this book: [Woodworking Basics - Mastering the Essentials of Craftsmanship] (http://www.amazon.com/Woodworking-Basics-Essentials-Craftsmanship-Integrated/dp/156158620X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398568760&sr=8-2&keywords=beginner%27s+woodworking) and read it cover to cover. Learning about the properties of wood is a good start. It will prevent common mistakes such as using the wood in a weak (cross grain) direction for structural components.

Once you've made a few tables and bookshelves, make some of the joints in this book: [Handbook of Joinery] (http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Joinery-Woodworking-Pierre-Home-Douglas/dp/080949941X/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1398568624&sr=8-13&keywords=time+life+books+woodworking)

If you do pursue diamond stones, here is a list of what I have.. I am not sure if this the be-all-end-all, and I can definitely recommend trying lots of things, because sharpening seems to be something so personal. Just wanted to collate in one place what I have settled on thus far.

This is one of the cheaper setups. I think it would be interesting to try ceramics at the top end, and better leather for a multi-strop setup.. Just ran out of funds after trying several failed other methods ;)

OP gave you some good advice about research. I'd add that if you can somehow find someone local who can show you what sharp really is, that would be a big bonus. I haven't found that person yet myself, because I am a hermit.

Stones:

• DMT D8X (Extra-Coarse) - $55. Amazon
  
  
• DMT D8C (Coarse) - $55. Amazon
  
  
• DMT D8F (Fine) - $53. Amazon
  
  
• DMT D8E (Extra Fine) - $55. Amazon
  
  Paddles:
  
  
• DMT Paddle Kit (Coarse, Fine, Extra-Fine) - $23. Amazon
  
  Stropping:
  
  
• Leather piece of scrap - From an old weight belt. Can be bought new for about $12, but I suggest cutting up a thrift store leather jacket or something.
  
  
• Woodstock Honing Compound - $13. Amazon
  
  
• 1" x8" Pine board as strop backing
  
  
• 3M Spray adhesive - $13. Amazon
  
  Sandpaper:
  
  
• Porter Cable 80 grit PSA Roll - $12. Amazon
  
  
• Porter Cable 120 grit PSA Roll - $12. Amazon
  
  
• Shower Door Glass used as sandpaper backing -- I got mine from the scrap bin at a glass shop, you can use premade granite blocks from Woodcraft for about $40. Or granite countertop scraps. If money is no object buy something premade just to avoid the "is it me or the tool?" doubts.
  
  
• Miscellaneous wet/dry sandpaper sheets in grits from 220-1500 for sharpening gouges and carving tools, I wrap around wooden dowels along with stropping compound to polish at the end. I bought the dia-wave sharpener and it was not as good.

Low angle jack plane.

Stanley 12-137 No.62 Low Angle Jack Plane

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002B56CUY

I starting using this mask with these filters a few weeks ago and it's made a world of difference for me. I just hate having to wear it for hours after I've made dust because it's all floating around.

I use these, which go with this, so you can have hot pink AND talk like Bane. And, like, avoid cancer or silicosis or some shit.

I used this Ryoba saw, and hated every second of it!

That said, don't be intimidated. I was too, but it didn't turn out to be as bad as I thought.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MU9XB1W/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492805550&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=ryoba&psc=1

You'll probably mess up (from what I've heard, everyone does), so just plan on trying again right away :)

I decided I wanted to learn, and I figured trying it was the only way to get there. It was a little intimidating at first, but I just accepted that I would make mistakes, and took it slow. For these, I followed the steps in [this book] (http://amzn.com/156158620X) and a Paul Sellers video.

I messed up by following the book literally, and only made the dovetails 5/8" deep, but the finished poplar I used was 3/4". So, I just buried my frustration, extended the lines, and cut/chiseled another 1/8".