New woodworker, books first, tools later

[Dan Kraakenes]

Hi.

New woodworker here.. although I have not "started" yet.
33 years old, my hobby room is approximately 100 square feet. But, we are planning a wood shop in the the yard ( "Garage".. *wink wink*.. ) that will be around 300-700 square feet, depending on how much "garage" we need.

My plane is to make in order:
Saw Horses
Bench
Tool storage ( wall mounted )
Sharpening station
Shaving horse
Book case for woodworking books
Small cabinets to hold smaller items/ papers
Pole / bow lathe
+++

Hopefully the "garage" is finished by then, and I can move all of these over.


My idea is not to make a living of this yet, but maybe selling a few items in the future. I think more of it as a stress-relif, concentrating on making a thing as good as I can.


Im pretty new to the whole thing.. actually just talked to my Grandfather, a cabinetmaker / carver / wood turner, about being given his old tools. I will have to look through, to see if anything is salvageable. Given he used mostly power tools, not everything will be of "use", but I will most likely keep most of it. Thats why I am not that concerned about tools as of yet.. but most likely will purchase a good good deal from Lie Nilsen or Lee Valley..

But, I guess I will need most of these items:
Saws ( carcas, dovetail, tennon, miter, rip and crosscut, resaw ( make myself )
Handplanes ( course, medium, fine, block plane, shoulder plane, tongue & grove plane, router, scrub )
Chisels ( 1/8", 1/4", 1/2", 1" )
Mortise chisels
Drawknife and spokeshave
Bit & Brace
Eggbeater drill
+++

And the list just keeps on going it seems.. :)

I will probably also purchase a band saw and a planer for rougher work, some in plywood and other that I don`t want break my hand tools on.




But, all that aside, I was wondering if any of you could give recommendations on hand tool woodworking books I should purchase??

[Frederick Skelly]

First, welcome to SMC Dan! Glad to have you with us.

Two immediately come to mind:
* Tage Frid teaches woodworking. 3 volume set. Very good all around book.
* A cabinetmaker's notebook, by James Krenov. He doesn't teach technique - this one is purely for inspiration. Wish I'd read it years sooner.
You can/should also search the archives here for "books". You'll come up with a VERY long list that way. (Search function is in the upper righthand corner of most pages.)

Fred

[Tony Zaffuto]

Ditto what Frederick said, but I would add to seek out someone nearby to pal around with, at least initially. The books mentioned are excellent, and would be my suggestions also. I would add books by Robert Wearing and Charles Hayward, as your experience increases (seek out books used on Amazon-dirt cheap!).

Lot's of top notch guys here, with many willing to offer advice, via open forum or by private message. I would caution to take with a grain of salt the talking heads in blog-o-sphere land. They're always touting latest greatest tools, that will drive you to living in a van down by the river. Seek out the basics-few cihisels, block and han planes, measuring and marking tools, handsaws, to name a few. Learn to use these and keep them sharp (ah sharpening, one of the sub-categories that can drive you to the poor house).

[Stewie Simpson]

I would caution to take with a grain of salt the talking heads in blog-o-sphere land. They're always touting latest greatest tools, that will drive you to living in a van down by the river.

Excellent advise Tony. Reminds me of some feedback I read recently on another forum site.

Gotta agree about second hand Stanleys. I'll put it this way... I started out buying Lie Nielsen and Veritas planes. I don't mean to sound like a tool here, but, frankly, I can afford to use them. Since then I have actually sold numerous LN and Veritas planes with the deliberate intention of replacing them with vintage stanleys, and not even necessarily super nice stanleys. In my opinion, the pre-ww2 stanley planes are the best tool ever made for the job they perform, and LN and Veritas are just taking their ideas and creating the same thing on more modern machinery.

[Archie England]

A bandsaw is a great tool, and it virtually replaces my tablesaw, especially for ripping. With that said, I didn't buy one big enough. Throat clearance is critical for handling stock.

Tom Fidgen, "Made by Hand," is another great handtool author (and website) to follow; as is Paul Sellers. There are several virtual groups to join. These groups offer semester workshops, common builds, and provide you access to individualized training (via the web) when needed. Some of these groups will show you how to do the same task from different perspectives--power tools, specialty tools, hand tools.

Buy good wood (which can be expensive) from a lumberyard, if possible. One local yard to me will actually plane it to thickness for a small fee--great savings since their industrial planer is wide and powerful. AND, buy your tools based upon the project that you plan to build.

Lastly, sharpening (saws, blades, knives, etc.) is real important, and as one said above, it can be a black hole. So, remember, all systems work--as they are supposed to! Most often you gain/lose speed and/or convenience by changing from one medium to another. And, most often, you proportionally do get what you pay for--the more expensive it is, the better it should work.

[Matthew Hills]

I think you could do worse than getting (the video) "The Naked Woodworker" and then following his advice on vintage tools and building sawbenches and a bench. (and those are the first two projects on your list, anyways)

Getting the experience quickly will give you a base to integrate anything you read later.

Matt

[Phil Mueller]

Paul Sellers has a new book; Essential Woodworking Handtools. Due out in a few weeks.

[Frederick Skelly]

Lastly, sharpening (saws, blades, knives, etc.) is real important, and as one said above, it can be a black hole. So, remember, all systems work--as they are supposed to! Most often you gain/lose speed and/or convenience by changing from one medium to another. And, most often, you proportionally do get what you pay for--the more expensive it is, the better it should work.

Very well said Archie and a valuable warning for folks new to hand tools. I've poured an excessive amount of money into sharpening equipment. And it wasn't necessary. I'll leave it at that because I don't want to hijack your thread.

[Steve Bates]

Lost Art Press just released a two volume set of Charles Hayward's articles from The Woodworker magazine. I got the message that my order was shipped Thursday the third. I should see it this week.

[David Eisenhauer]

Another vote for Paul Sellers' books/videos. Take a quick look on You Tube for his views on making essential joints with hand tools and it will give you an idea of what he has to offer. His website dives deeper into the various subjects. I am a book kind of guy (perhaps a generational thing maybe too), but I will gladly admit that the various "how-to" videos available from skilled/experienced woodworkers are very instructional indeed. They can call it the "garage" all day every day, but you and I know what it really is, don't we.

[Bill Houghton]

Library first: you've paid for the books in your local library system already, why not take advantage of them? Library systems vary in the quality of what they offer, but you're sure to find at least one book from which you can learn useful information. That may help you decide on what to buy.

[Jim Koepke]

Howdy Dan and welcome to the Creek. You do not have your location information in your profile. If you are in the Pacific northwest you are welcome to look through the few wood working books in my library.

I do enjoy a good book or two. Here on SMC and all over the internet are some great resources for learning about woodworking.

The Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs has a lot of information on various subjects including tool use and restoration:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?103805-Neanderthal-wisdom-FAQs

There are discussions on many individual topics that will come up if one is patient and diligent with the SMC search engine.

You mention building some saw horses. Here is a project of mine building what are essentially saw horses made with 2X construction lumber:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?146777-Saw-Table-Project

I do not know how you selected the sizes of chisels in your list. It may be totally adequate for your needs. I find 3/8" & 3/4" chisels are used quite often as well as a few of my chisels that are wider than 1". If you work with plywood you might consider looking for some metric chisels. Plywood is not my thing for most wood working projects. Though I have looked at it for somethings. My recollection is it is now in odd sizes that are more equivalent to metric measurements than inch.

Not very many of my tools have been purchased new. If you are good with metal, then a lot of money can be saved buying used. In my case it was not only the enjoyment of metal working it was a case of having more time than money. If the time and money were reversed, then my tools might be mostly new ones. Though there aren't many things that feel better than taking a shaving with a plane that looked like it was beyond the pale before it was brought home for some TLC.

Here is another great resource for woodworkers:

http://www.pbs.org/show/woodwrights-shop/episodes/

Happy woodworking,

jtk

[Nick Stokes]

I just finished reading Anarchist toolchest from my local library on loan from somewhere else in the country... Sorry to whoever was next in line, I turned it in late... :(

Good book for you, no doubt. As well as anything from Paul Sellers.

[Jim Koepke]

Library first: you've paid for the books in your local library system already, why not take advantage of them? Library systems vary in the quality of what they offer, but you're sure to find at least one book from which you can learn useful information. That may help you decide on what to buy.

That is how I got started in all this. I wanted to make some chairs for my back yard. Went to the library and found a book from 1937 written by a high school shop teacher.

My first few Adirondack chairs were made of pallet wood. I was hooked.

jtk

[Ray Selinger]

Tools are problem, affordable good hand tools haven't been made since the '60s. Power tools are cheap, disposable and fairly well designed. And the writers are vague and wishy washy on what makes a tool good. The best resource for serious opinions is here.

[John Blazy]

Here's a quick list of essentials off the top of my head (likely missing stuff, so this is in addition to all above advice):

Go to garage sales and get hand tools etc, but look hard for old washing machines or other appliances that you can rob of their electric motors. My favorite tool is a direct drive disc sander that I made from a 1750 rpm washing machine motor for only 3 bucks - still works after CONSTANT use every day for 15 years.

Make clamps from 4" PVC pipe - rip a kerf down the length (jigsaw safest), then chop em up like a carrot on a chopsaw.

Use PL Premium polyurethane construction adhesive for any bonding anything besides flat grain wood on wood (Titebond is best for that). Very useful in building your shop - will bond wood to steel, wood or steel to concrete, plywood edges to solid wood better than titebond, etc. Functions as a lubricant until it sets, then expands in the joint, filling end grain or other pores, and is cheaper than Gorilla glue.

Do woodworking as much as you can while reading the books - so that what you learn has context.

Get a jack plane and a block plane.

I can sharpen anything anywhere with just a brick and my pocket diamond hone, so be creative and resourceful before purchasing sharpening systems. That being said, I love my 4" grinder, an my ONE Japanese waterstone.

Don't have the tool yet? Get them as you go, not all at the beginning.

[Brent Cutshall]

Welcome to the trade Ray!
The Complete Guide to Sharpening by Leonard Lee is an awesome book for sharpening info. As for books on the art, you'll about hafta just search stuff online and buy books you come across that you like, it's what I do but everybody's different.

[Evan Ryan]

I second the naked woodworker video bc he gives great advice and work surfaces are essential.

I'm gonna recommend the anarchist design book bc it focuses on nailed and staked furniture.
When I started struggling to plane boards flat, cut dovetails and make good mortis and tenon joints I built a lot of plywood furniture with pocket screws. I had a lot of fun destroying wood while learning trad hand tool techniques but I needed results. I think that if I started now I could get results with nails and staked furniture.

you can get all the building and finishing techniques here at sawmill creek once you know what you're searching for.

for inspiration I like "the wheelwrights shop" by George sturt. It's about a writer who inherits his families wheelwright business and He ends up documenting the disappearance of a hand tool woodworking trade.

[Megan Fitzpatrick]

Another vote for "The Woodworker: The Charles H. Hayward Years" (from LAP). The amount of hand-tool info covered therein is truly staggering.

[Ray Selinger]

Thanks for the welcome Brent, but I've been making sawdust for over 55years.

[David Bassett]

Another book to consider is The Joiner & Cabinet Maker, (Lost Art Press, Anonymous, Joel Moskowitz, & Christorpher Schwarz.) I found it interesting historically and it has a lot of beginner to more advanced hand-tool techniques and projects. (Chris Schwarz recreates and explains each project with more details than are in the original text.)


Another vote for "The Woodworker: The Charles H. Hayward Years" (from LAP). The amount of hand-tool info covered therein is truly staggering.

I was going to make a snide comment about repeating marketing copy until I noticed Megan was the poster. She's one of the few people that have already seen these books. (It only just started shipping. My set is "in the mail".)

[Brent Cutshall]

Sorry about that Ray, I maybe should be asking you for advice.:)

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

I didn't see it mentioned, but kindle unlimited (10 bucks a month, may require you to be an Amazon prime member) is loaded with woodworking e-books. I think you can have 10 downloaded at a time. Chris schwarz has a workbench book on there. Some bob flexner books on finishing. Off the top of my head I've already gotten 5 or 6 books that I've seen recommended on previous threads. I'm a newbie as well, and I love this place!

[Prashun Patel]

Sorry to sound like a glib curmudgeon but imho you are going about it in an academic and tough way.


Ask yourself what you want to make first or next, then google how to make it or ask about it here and buy your tools one at a time as you need them project by project, skill by skill.

You may find you don't need things you think you need. Further you may find power or hybrid working more to your liking.

Of course that's how I learned so I tend to think its the only and best way ;)

And books are great for leisure and inspiration. But for raw how to, you just cannot beat (short of taking courses) the volume of online videos and the generosity of the posters on this forum. I learned entirely that way and I can't imagine a more economical, efficient, and personalized way to learn in today's day and age. Again that's one mans experience. But all that is to say just start planning a project and let the rest follow.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

There is a lot of merit to what Prashun is saying. I think one of the great things about that approach is that you can focus on things you like without spending a ton of money on things you may later decide you don't want or need.

I do think some books are helpful, but it is certainly another area you can waste a lot of money. One I have found very helpful, and that has stood the test of time is The Complete Woodworker, by Bernard Jones. It is available used for about $10, and has a tremendous amount of useful information in it.

[David Eisenhauer]

Finishing is rarely/never up for discussion on this particular forum, but Bob Flexnor's "Understanding Wood Finishing" (along with Jeff Jewitt's books) is, in my opinion, a primer for modern-day finishing. I would highly recommend that one if it is available.

[Frederick Skelly]

Finishing is rarely/never up for discussion on this particular forum, but Bob Flexnor's "Understanding Wood Finishing" is in my opinion, a primer for modern-day finishing. I would highly recommend that one if it is available.

+1 Best finishing book I've seen anywhere.

[Jim Koepke]

In buying tools there are many different opinions or philosophies if you will.

One is to plan your project(s), take inventory of what you have and what you will need. Buy what you will need to successfully complete the project.

This seems good as long as one isn't tempted to only plan projects requiring some shiny new tool to be acquired.

Another is to start with a minimal set and then add as you go. This is a sound plan for anyone who doesn't want to become a tool hound. Good advice for this buyer is to purchase the best you can reasonably afford. The better tools will retain their value barring the world being thrown into a massive depression.

There is also the buy every tool you can without any idea of why. These are some of the most favored people of those looking to buy tools on the secondary market when these folks decide they do not really need all of these tools and they sell them on the secondary market.

Then there are people like me who don't buy every tool we see, but if we see a deal, it is hard to pass up. I occasionally find myself kicking myself for not buying those really low priced Witherby chisels and other tools. So what if they were all duplicates of what is already in my shop. With a little work they could have been sold at a nice profit so I could buy some more tools. I always consider if a tool can be sold for as much or more than what it is costing me.

Of course a lot of one's purchasing depends on the work one wants to do and the work they will have to do. By that I mean some of my work involves working on some pretty gnarly stuff outside and in the chicken coop. I am not going to use my nicest plane to work on smoothing over roughness on the chicken coop's door.

Some folks do not have the odd variety of wood related work as may enter my daily wanderings. I have sets of tools for use where they might get damaged or hit an embedded nail. I like to think someday a few of my grandchildren will want to have and use grandpa's old tools. If not, then there will be plenty for everyone to sell on ebay.

My other thought on duplicate tools is they can be sold if something I really want comes along. Lately though there hasn't been any shiny new tool to catch my eye.

jtk