First Neanderthal tool kit

[Daniel Rode]

Popular woodworking today posted an article referring to Frank Klausz's 2006 article "Your First Tool Kit"

From a hand tool perspective, I'm not too far from his list. I'm curious what the more experienced here might recommend for a beginners tool kit. Maybe a sharp stone and a piece of knotted twine?

I'd be especially curious about recommendations for a hand tools for a basic hybrid shop that has a table or band saw, jointer and planner. I think many people out there are like me and pick up hand tools after working wood in a power shop.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Daniel,
I'm glad you mentioned that piece. I thought of a lot of the discussions recently concerning "kit". It seemed that when The Anarchist's Tool Chest came out that most folks would have simply gone with that. This list easily pares it down to essentials. I built up a collection within a short period, but wish I had a good list to follow.

[Jim Koepke]

I'd be especially curious about recommendations for a hand tools for a basic hybrid shop that has a table or band saw, jointer and planner. I think many people out there are like me and pick up hand tools after working wood in a power shop.

My woodworking started with a hand saw and a hammer. I did go buy some sandpaper and make a sanding block. Most of the time I didn't have the room or money for power tools. I did get a gift certificate from work that was used to buy a random orbital sander, a circular saw and a reciprocating saw. The sander died and was replaced. The sander is about the only one of those used anymore.

My wife bought me a router as a gift. It is seldom used these days. It makes too much noise and is a little scary at times.

I have almost no experience using power tools. The only stand up power tools in my shop are a lathe, bandsaw and a drill press.

A shop with all the mentioned machines could likely get by with just a few hand tools. A smoothing plane, block plane, a set of chisels and a mallet would be a good start.

My neighbor's house is maybe 100' or less from my shop. I don't think they can hear me running my jointer plane over a board. I am sure they would hear a board being run over a jointer.

I sometime like to work in my shop late at night. Power tools are a bit too noisy if one respects their neighbors right to a peaceful nights sleep.

A bandsaw isn't all that noisy. A table saw needs ear protection.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

This list easily pares it down to essentials. I built up a collection within a short period, but wish I had a good list to follow.

The best list to follow is the list of things needed to finish the projects one wants to build.

In my case I have also bought a lot of tools for the things I dream of building. I have more than I really need, but having the choice is enjoyable.

Besides most of the time when making a purchase of an old tool my first thought is can it be sold for at least what it is being paid.

jtk

[Ray Bohn]

The best list to follow is the list of things needed to finish the projects one wants to build.

In my case I have also bought a lot of tools for the things I dream of building. I have more than I really need, but having the choice is enjoyable.

Besides most of the time when making a purchase of an old tool my first thought is can it be sold for at least what it is being paid.

jtk

This could have been posted by me- dead match.

[William Adams]

There was a similar list posted by Christopher Schwarz, which mentioned a Japanese-made hammer nicknamed ``Mr. Yamaguchi'' --- anyone have a link?

[Daniel Rode]

This one, maybe? http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/hand-tools-techniques/confusing-the-beginners-another-tool-list

There was a similar list posted by Christopher Schwarz, which mentioned a Japanese-made hammer nicknamed ``Mr. Yamaguchi'' --- anyone have a link?

[Bob Lang]

It wasn't Chris, it was me. I can never remember SMC policy about links, but if you go to the Popular Woodworking Editor's blog and search on "Confusing the Beginners" you should find it.

Bob Lang

[William Adams]

Thank you for the correction, and the link!

My apologies for mis-remembering the name (but that explains why I couldn't find it).

Much appreciated.

[Dimitrije Stamenkovic]

Jim Koepke is right.

I am 19 now, in no way I can be called "experienced", but having a lot of hours per day to spend in woodworking, I have learned some things in the years I've been doing this. Also watching people doing woodworking both on Youtube and in real life helped, and coming from the countryside I have had some familiarity with hand work since I was a kid.
My first tools were a #4 Record plane and a blunt hardware store chisel. I then bought a hardpoint stanley saw and a Tyzack backsaw from eBay, some antique chisels, a brace drill with some bits and other various tools.
I had very little money, so I got the cheapest, oldest, dirtiest tools I could find but they have shown to be the best once restored and at first I made some simple projects with them, including a chest to store my tools in since my workshop consisted in a metal sheet on some posts, buying more tools as I was approaching more difficult jobs.
Also when I could I made some of the tools, like squares, which are really simple to make and easy to check for squareness, or marking gouges: it is such a simple tool that you can make your own and it will work great, or mallets.

I don't rely at all on the "academic" side of woodworking: I would never buy a book written by Christopher Schwarz. I don't believe anyone needs to spend money on things like that.
Starting every new project will tell you if you need a new tool to complete it, and making more complicated projects will require more dedicated tools, so you will find your way by yourself.
There is plenty of information on the internet on how to set up your workshop. Just study what other people have done before you, try to see how they did what you want to do, see the tools in action, try to understand how to use them, and you'll realize what is the correct way to do things without having to follow the advice of just one person.

After all, I think that's how apprenticeship has worked in the past centuries: I am pretty jealous of my woodworking knowledge, and I think that was the same for the masters back in the days. So a master would never teach his apprentices everything: they were just additional manpower with no skill and they had to watch him and understand by themselves what the tricks were.
That's how you realize if you are good at woodworking or not, and what you need to do to get better. But if you have somebody telling you everything and start with a kit prepared for you, you will have a decent technique but you won't know how to apply it cleverly and you will just make the same things over and over again without having your own style. Which is perfectly okay for some people who relax doing woodworking as a hobby, but I don't feel that is enough to be a good craftsman.

[Graham Haydon]

Another Vote for Jim!

Find a project you want to make and buy the tools required to make it.

[Judson Green]

Not real sure about the veneer saw and the little roller on that list. A good crosscut and back saw (I have a gent saw like the one on the list and much prefer a back saw) should be on the list and a saw file. And a knife. And unless your jointer is of good size, something for winding sticks. A inexpensive 4' level, straight edge.

I have a Delta Homecraft Table saw/jointer. A 14" bandsaw. A mortiser.

If I needed the space I'd sell the TS/jointer, almost never use it. I'd love to have a lunch box planer but too noisy.

[Jim Koepke]

I am 19 now, in no way I can be called "experienced", but having a lot of hours per day to spend in woodworking, I have learned some things in the years I've been doing this.



Dimitrije,

Welcome to the Creek. You do not list a location in your profile. What part of this planet do you call home?

I wish my woodworking started back in my younger years. I might be much better by now.

I haven't bought any of Mr. Schwarz's books, but I have purchased a few others. I particularly liked a workbench book published by Taunton Press. It shows different types of benches and has information about some of the advantages of one style over another.

Another book has a lot of different simple projects that are a good source of ideas.

jtk

[Daniel Rode]

I sometime like to work in my shop late at night. Power tools are a bit too noisy if one respects their neighbors right to a peaceful nights sleep.
A bandsaw isn't all that noisy. A table saw needs ear protection.


In general, I agree. My shop holds in the noise well from the neighbors. It's more my family that would be disturbed.

A planer is loud, a router louder but my table saw and jointer are quiet by comparison. I no longer have a bandsaw but I always thought it was nearly as loud as the TS. I sold a lot of my power tools a few years ago. I regret selling the bandsaw. It complements hand tools nicely.

[maximillian arango]

Only power tools I own is a drill, circular saw, router, and a compressor. Those are the only tools I needed for the last 4 years when I use to make boxes for subs, and doing car audio equipment. Very quickly I learned that I really knew nothing about woodworking when I joined here and I really wished that I had a guide like what Mr Lang wrote. Mr Lang's article covers just what needs to be seen tool wise by a new wood worker. I wished I had realized what I needed to start to better direct myself but I am thankful that I read the articles posted here so I can go forward. Mr Lang said it the most clear in his article, "[t]he important thing is to get going and make something." Which has been said to me as earlier this week by another member. My list of a million tools that I must buy before my first project which was going to be a too cabinet has been turned into a list of two things a marking gauge and a mallet and I'm gonna make a saw horse.

The information to the those who want to be wood workers is over whelming and it made me want to start off out of my capabilities. I just needed my mind to be grounded so I can learn how to crawl before trying to run.

Thanks Mr Houghton for talking some sense into me.

[Daniel Rode]

I started woodworking when I was 18 or 19. I had no tools and I knew almost nothing. It took a long time and many, many mistakes to learn what little I know now. You are already way ahead of me at that age. Better yet, you're here posting, asking questions and getting the kind of information and feedback I could only dream about. Give it a little time and you'll get where you want to go.

One word of advice, by quality tools whenever possible. They don't need to be the newest or the most expensive but accurate and well made. It's tough to do fine work with rough tools.


Only power tools I own is a drill, circular saw, router, and a compressor. Those are the only tools I needed for the last 4 years when I use to make boxes for subs, and doing car audio equipment. Very quickly I learned that I really knew nothing about woodworking when I joined here and I really wished that I had a guide like what Mr Lang wrote. Mr Lang's article covers just what needs to be seen tool wise by a new wood worker. I wished I had realized what I needed to start to better direct myself but I am thankful that I read the articles posted here so I can go forward. Mr Lang said it the most clear in his article, "[t]he important thing is to get going and make something." Which has been said to me as earlier this week by another member. My list of a million tools that I must buy before my first project which was going to be a too cabinet has been turned into a list of two things a marking gauge and a mallet and I'm gonna make a saw horse.

The information to the those who want to be wood workers is over whelming and it made me want to start off out of my capabilities. I just needed my mind to be grounded so I can learn how to crawl before trying to run.

Thanks Mr Houghton for talking some sense into me.

[John Coloccia]

Popular woodworking today posted an article referring to Frank Klausz's 2006 article "Your First Tool Kit"

From a hand tool perspective, I'm not too far from his list. I'm curious what the more experienced here might recommend for a beginners tool kit. Maybe a sharp stone and a piece of knotted twine?

I'd be especially curious about recommendations for a hand tools for a basic hybrid shop that has a table or band saw, jointer and planner. I think many people out there are like me and pick up hand tools after working wood in a power shop.

I'm a hybrid shop. The hand tools I use most for my instrument building work, excluding the ones that I use ONLY for instrument building, are:

- #6 Lie-Neilsen bench plane...general work but often gets used on a simple shooting board to make edge joints
- Lie-Neilsen 60 1/2
- Veritas low angle block plane
- 2 or 3 Taylor paring chisels
- a nice assortment of scrapers
- some good rasps

And of course, some way to sharpen them. I won't even get into that. It's a black hole and you need to find what works for you. Basically, though, it boils down to a couple of planes, some paring chisels, some scrapers and some rasps. With that and a bandsaw, I'm pretty sure I could build most anything.

What kind of work are you doing? That will drive what a good first step is.

[maximillian arango]

One word of advice, by quality tools whenever possible. They don't need to be the newest or the most expensive but accurate and well made. It's tough to do fine work with rough tools.

I have been buying the rustiest tools of quality that I can find and so far it has paid off getting great value for what I've paid and the hours that I spent bringing them back from the dead has given me a better understanding of how to use them. I am happy that this is my last semester of collage because I will have some more money so I can buy some wood and more time. For now I am more then happy practicing planing on pallet wood and all other free wood that I find, I just wished I could find someone near by to compare sharpness of planes and see if I have set them up right. I am looking into joining a woodworking club by me but they have all the meeting when I have class so it is pointless for me to join and when I graduate I may be forced to relocate since I may become a state trooper in another state.

Looking at what I've done I feel like I have done a lot and when I look back at what I've done all I have to show are tools I've bought and cleaned up and some nice cuts from being careless with plane blades and chisels. On March 6th I will be past all my midterms so I will be making at least one saw horse and maybe some storage shelves under it.

The only reason I am out asking questions is because the people on this forum are very warm and welcoming. I wish I could buy some of you guys a beer for some of the advise and generosity I have experienced here.

Thank You SMC

[William Adams]

Added Robert W. Lang’s tool list to a list on the Shapeoko wiki (search for that, click on Additional Build Information, Tools, scroll down and click on List of Tools) --- It makes an interesting contrast to the Studley Tool Cabinet.

Comment and updates and suggestions welcome.

[Chuck Hart]

Every time my wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday, Christmas, fathers day, or just because I said tools. I think because I worked on cars when I was younger and could fit underneath them mechanics tools were my start. Then I got a circular saw. Then we bought a house and babies came and my needs changed to DIY stuff. Over the years I bought new tools when I needed a new tool to advance my skills. Then I discovered planes and other quieter tools. The kids were gone so tinkering became my pastime. The loudest tool I own is a TS and a band saw. After that my tools are pretty quiet. Oh I forgot my router I guess because I use it less these days. Now I concentrate on how straight and true I can make whatever it is I am working on. It is the process now and less the tool. But I still buy things I need...want

Chuck

[Stew Denton]

Hi Maximillian,

Build 2 saw horses. Two saw horses and a couple of 2X10s 6 or 7 feet long equal a work bench. I still use two that I built from pallet lumber about 35 years ago. The pallet lumber was free. Like you I was fresh out of college, graduate school in my case, and my wife and I had no money but were about to have a new baby. At least I did have some tools and a job. Like you, most of mine were old garage sale and auction saws, a brace and bits, tools my folks had given me for Christmas, and the tools I had bought back when I worked or a carpenter, etc. Mine were mostly kept in my carpenters tool box, and a couple of boxes for my circular saw and router.

That said, my tools were almost exclusively carpenters tools, not fine woodworking tools. I did, however, have an old miter box I bought at an auction, hand back saw powered, that I still have and still use. My "drill press" was a "port align drilling guide" that attaches to my drill. I still use it, and it is all I have for that now. It does pretty well, and again beats not having anything for a drill press a lot. They don't make them anymore, but you can buy one of that auction site for a reasonable amount, far less than a drill press. If you don't have a drill press, I highly recommend one.

I still work on a pair of horses in my garage, but hope to build a for real bench some of these times after I get my garage cleaned up so I can work in half of it. My old pallet lumber, read that rough cut oak, horses are outside, and the weather has about gotten to them, but I do have a couple nicer ones in the garage.

My bench is a pair of horses and a couple of planks. Painted wooden 2X12 on the outside horses when I work outside, but only about 4 feet long though. When I work in the garage I work on two 2x10s which get taken down and stored under the parked car most of the time, but they are closer to 7 feet long. The 7 footers were ones that got thrown out and I took home, and were scaffolding planks that no longer passed our plants standards for scaffolding. Still, they are plenty good for a work bench for me, since I have no other options currently.

Part of the time I work on a plywood plank on the horses in the garage though, that was the top that came off an old coffee (or something similar) table that someone left in the basement of a house we bought. It is fir plywood, about 2' by 5' and about 1" thick, but at least the edges are nice on it. I cleaned it up and put a coat of urethane on it, and it works pretty well on the horses for better work.

With some clamps, jigs and ingenuity you can do a lot on a sawhorse work bench. It goes partially back to my carpentry days, though, because as a carpenter your horses and a plank or two form your bench. A Moxon vise is one of the next items for me to build for my "bench."

That said, it doesn't mean you shouldn't go for a better bench when you can, but in the mean time the horses and planks can do.

Stew

[lowell holmes]

[QUOTE=Judson Green;2231440I'd love to have a lunch box planer but too noisy.[/QUOTE]

That's why they make ear muff hearing protectors. :)

[John Glendening]

Jim Koepke is right.

...


I don't rely at all on the "academic" side of woodworking: I would never buy a book written by Christopher Schwarz. I don't believe anyone needs to spend money on things like that.
Starting every new project will tell you if you need a new tool to complete it, and making more complicated projects will require more dedicated tools, so you will find your way by yourself.
There is plenty of information on the internet on how to set up your workshop. Just study what other people have done before you, try to see how they did what you want to do, see the tools in action, try to understand how to use them, and you'll realize what is the correct way to do things without having to follow the advice of just one person.

...

I appreciate your opinion, yet I have to wonder why anyone would not want to see what paths others have followed to learn and grow. No one has ever been born with all the knowledge needed ... in any subject. After all that's why we're here, in conversation, on this forum. A book is just another way of conveying experience, and you don't have to use everything that the author presents - or anything at all. I enjoy his writings, but I'm not going to do something, buy some tool, or follow his suggestions just because he writes it. And there are lots of very good writings and videos by many of the experts here on this forum. It's all about learning.

I'm moving from all power to a blended approach myself. I have a very long way to go in the woodworking realm, but am seeing how hand work can be very rewarding. There are some incredible old tools that I've found at yard sales, flea markets, and even in my own stack of general stuff.

[Ray Selinger]

The "Buy The Tool When You Need It" tends to leave you with tools from Home Depot, that's if you are lucky enough to have a Home Depot handy. Rather work from one of those paired down lists and get good tools.

[William Adams]

Agree, that’s a good point. I try to look at each project in advance and determine if it has a tool need unaddressed by my current set, and if said tool need is likely to be recurring, or one which a work-around isn’t reasonably feasible in terms of time / effort / quality of results.

If the tool in question hits all those points, then I’ll order the new toy (I mean tool) in conjunction w/ acquiring the materials and hardware for the project.

[Jim Koepke]

The "Buy The Tool When You Need It" tends to leave you with tools from Home Depot, that's if you are lucky enough to have a Home Depot handy. Rather work from one of those paired down lists and get good tools.

Often times a tool or two will show itself while one is out and about doing other activities. Then the time to buy it may be when you see it. Some of my most used tools came from a chance stop at a yard sale, flea market or antique store.

Sometimes one can plan a project well in advance and put tools in the box before they are needed. This will allow a few practice rounds on scrap to help with future endeavors.

Sometimes it may be better to learn how to do the job with less than the best tool for the job. Sometimes the job can be adjusted to allow for not having a particular tool.

Many of my automotive tools were bought on the "Buy The Tool When You Need It" plan. My preference was for quality not low cost. Fortunately there were Sears and even a brick and mortar Snap On distributor in the local area.

jtk

[Ray Selinger]

Agreed. With automotive you would be hard pressed to even know what specialty tools you need. A Snap-On tool catalogue is in itself is a great tool when working on a car . But grease makes a mess on wood. So avoid that where possible.

[Warren Mickley]

One thing about the Lang and Klausz "tool kits" is that they both assume multiple power tools. If they don't include those tools, their lists are of limited value to the "beginners" they are addressing. There is no point in having three combination squares if you have nothing to bore with or nothing to rip with. No point in having six bevel edge chisels if you have no way to make a mortise and tenon joint or no way to make grooves.

[steven c newman]

The "First Neanderthal Tool Kit" I ever had? It was sold as a "Handy Andy" set. No power tools needed. Everthiny was there, even a fat pencil to draw with.

Maybe update a tool set like that?