Cheap tool suggestions wanted!

[Andy McKenzie]

Hey folks. I recently started writing a sequence of articles titled "Woodworking on $1.50 per day", as both an exercise that amused me and a serious guide to starting woodworking on a college-student budget. Each installment covers purchases for one month: what can you do with $45? As it turns out, if you're willing to compromise on quality you can do quite a bit.

Before I give links and ask for suggestions, let me deal with one complaint I'm already expecting. The tools I'm recommending are, for the most part, not very high quality. They're largely things I expect people to outgrow within a year or two at most, and they will never work as well as high quality tools. Why, then would I recommend them at all? Because some people who want to start woodworking don't have the tools to buy a full kit from Veritas or Lie-Nielsen, and don't have the ability to buy and restore tools from flea markets or eBay. These articles are written for those sorts of people: the kind I was when I started about five years ago. I was never able to find solid recommendations for cheap tools that would work without driving me insane, and now that I have (some) of the knowledge necessary to make those recommendations, I felt like I was obligated to do so.

The lists are organized in favor of being able to get started quickly, with greater precision and higher quality following a fast entry. There are a lot of other ways I could have gone, but I'm committed to this one now!

Part 4 hasn't been posted yet, but will be in two parts: recommendations on how to look for used hand planes (at $45/month, it would be a year before a beginner had anything like a set of usable new planes), and a recommendation for a drill and drill/driver bits. Also in my plans are a wooden rabbet/shoulder plane (one of the odd hybrids that are mostly made by Mujingfang), and possibly a plow plane. I'd like to try one of them before recommending it, but it might be a while before that happens.

So the question I have is: what would you add? What inexpensive (no more than $90, for lack of a better definition) tool would you add, somewhere in the second half-year of someone's woodworking career? How do you feel about wooden planes for a beginner? Saw files and a flea-market saw?

I'd like to fill this out to twelve months, but I'm definitely reaching a limit on what I can honestly recommend for low prices.

[William Adams]

Apparently Nicholson files are good again. Hopefully that extends to the 4-in-hand.

For a plane, the $9.99 Made in India jack plane from Harbor Freight apparently tunes up well.

Grooving and making dadoes is always a challenge — making an old widow’s tooth by grinding down a hex key? I’ve long thought that someone should work up a grooving plane design which uses an inexpensive (but decent quality 1/8" chisel).

Workholding? Making a set of wooden cam clamps?

Unfortunately, as was pointed out when I asked a similar question a long while ago, a woodworking shop can’t be self-sufficient in the way that a metal-working shop can be.

Interesting approach, and some thoughtful suggestions thus far. Looking forward to seeing more!

[Mark Fisher]

The easiest thing has to be a cross cut or rip saw. I bought a disston d7 for $6 and dropped another few dollars on a file. Sand paper, MDF and a little spray glue can do a lot to tune and sharpen tools. Then there is making stuff....squares, marking gauge, mallet etc. old drafting tools are a cheap way to find a divider and compass. A machinist's square isn't adjustable but it is cheap and solidly square. It is pretty easy to find a Stanley #4 or #5 bench plane is simple. How about a router plane? An old Millers Falls isn't very expensive (mine was $30). I've found good used chisels tough to find, but older ones with a celluose handle like Craftsman aren't as bad as they seem. The problem with all these things is that it takes time and effort to find these things. Garage and estate sales are great so long as you can tell what quality looks like.

[Luke Dupont]

For joinery, you might want to build a bow saw, or get a small dozuki, or a tenon saw, if you find one. The Ryoba should work pretty well though.

I love wooden planes. Haven't tried a proper western style wooden plane, but I have a small kanna and a home-made block plane, and enjoy them both.

The harbor freight plane with the spokeshave adjuster, as people have recommended, will work. I have a similar one made by stanley, but, as a fair warning, I rather hate the adjustment mechanism. Prefer my wooden planes by far.

You should look around flea markets and antique stores. You can find some good deals on hand planes sometimes; be on the lookout for any stanleys, or any wood planes (though, they're hard to find in useable condition). Also look for things like auger bits and braces (the bits, by the way, are numbered. The numbers indicate the fraction of a 16th, so an "8" would be a 8/16th, or 1/2". I'm telling you this because it's information that I would have found helpful in the past ;). Also, egg-beater drills, or gimlets could be nice.

A half round rasp and/or file is very useful. Also, a Shinto saw-rasp is quite handy.

Not tools, per se, but you might also consider making:
- A Bench, Bench Hooks, Shooting Board, Saw Horses
- Clamps
- A Mallet
- A Strop. MDF or Leather. Or, if you prefer, MDF and Leather! I like either, depending on how much I want to preserve the original geometry of the blade. I recommend the green compound (Chromium Oxide, I think it is?)

[Phil Mueller]

Regarding sharpening; in addition to granite or tile, plate glass can be used...check with a local glass company for cut offs; 3/8"-1/2" works well.

Regarding planing; nothing is more frustrating or exhausting than a work surface that moves when you plane. A cheap workmate clamped to something secure can work, or a fairly heafty board (flat 4x6) with one end up against a wall with a planing stop will be a big improvement (search planning beam for ideas). You may even want to consider the Japanese methods...
Make a set of winding sticks. Use an existing granite counter top to check for flat.

Regarding saws; to start out, and be less expensive, I'd recommend Japanese saws for finer work, and big box multi-purpose saws for larger work. Neither can be sharpened, but last a long time. I enjoy buying flea market/auction site saws and refurbishing them...but a bit of a learning curve, and requires files (not expensive), a vise (can be made), a saw set (not too expensive), good lighting, and for those of us over the half century mark, magnification.

[Andy McKenzie]

Thanks, all! One thing that occurred to me this morning is that making a "Milkman's Bench" (from Popular Woodworking) would be fairly simple with douglas fir two-by stock. Replace the screws with wedges, and it's a pretty easy build, and would give a good work surface clamped to a desk or table.


Apparently Nicholson files are good again. Hopefully that extends to the 4-in-hand.

For a plane, the $9.99 Made in India jack plane from Harbor Freight apparently tunes up well.

Grooving and making dadoes is always a challenge — making an old widow’s tooth by grinding down a hex key? I’ve long thought that someone should work up a grooving plane design which uses an inexpensive (but decent quality 1/8" chisel).

Workholding? Making a set of wooden cam clamps?

Unfortunately, as was pointed out when I asked a similar question a long while ago, a woodworking shop can’t be self-sufficient in the way that a metal-working shop can be.

Interesting approach, and some thoughtful suggestions thus far. Looking forward to seeing more!

I'm trying to avoid suggesting making tools that require specialty tools. Grinding down a hex key is pretty tough if you don't have a good grinder, which is why I never made a router plane that way. Clamps are a good suggestion, and something I hadn't thought of, as is the 4-in-1 rasp/file.


The easiest thing has to be a cross cut or rip saw. I bought a disston d7 for $6 and dropped another few dollars on a file. Sand paper, MDF and a little spray glue can do a lot to tune and sharpen tools. Then there is making stuff....squares, marking gauge, mallet etc. old drafting tools are a cheap way to find a divider and compass. A machinist's square isn't adjustable but it is cheap and solidly square. It is pretty easy to find a Stanley #4 or #5 bench plane is simple. How about a router plane? An old Millers Falls isn't very expensive (mine was $30). I've found good used chisels tough to find, but older ones with a celluose handle like Craftsman aren't as bad as they seem. The problem with all these things is that it takes time and effort to find these things. Garage and estate sales are great so long as you can tell what quality looks like.

It also helps to know how a "good" tool feels. Until I took a class using provided tools, I hadn't realized how badly set my cheapo backsaw was. I had a similar experience with hand planes, so I hate telling people to start with used planes. There's really no other option here, but still.

I think a used rip saw is going to make it onto the list... a large-toothed saw is a good place to start learning to sharpen, and while I love my ryoba, I'll choose the 5TPI Disston every time for thick material.



For joinery, you might want to build a bow saw, or get a small dozuki, or a tenon saw, if you find one. The Ryoba should work pretty well though.

I love wooden planes. Haven't tried a proper western style wooden plane, but I have a small kanna and a home-made block plane, and enjoy them both.

The harbor freight plane with the spokeshave adjuster, as people have recommended, will work. I have a similar one made by stanley, but, as a fair warning, I rather hate the adjustment mechanism. Prefer my wooden planes by far.

You should look around flea markets and antique stores. You can find some good deals on hand planes sometimes; be on the lookout for any stanleys, or any wood planes (though, they're hard to find in useable condition). Also look for things like auger bits and braces (the bits, by the way, are numbered. The numbers indicate the fraction of a 16th, so an "8" would be a 8/16th, or 1/2". I'm telling you this because it's information that I would have found helpful in the past ;). Also, egg-beater drills, or gimlets could be nice.

A half round rasp and/or file is very useful. Also, a Shinto saw-rasp is quite handy.

Not tools, per se, but you might also consider making:
- A Bench, Bench Hooks, Shooting Board, Saw Horses
- Clamps
- A Mallet
- A Strop. MDF or Leather. Or, if you prefer, MDF and Leather! I like either, depending on how much I want to preserve the original geometry of the blade. I recommend the green compound (Chromium Oxide, I think it is?)

A mallet is a good idea, and it's good to know that people are having luck with wooden planes. I take it you started that way? How hard did you find it to learn to adjust them?

Gimlets! I knew I was missing something obvious!



Regarding sharpening; in addition to granite or tile, plate glass can be used...check with a local glass company for cut offs; 3/8"-1/2" works well.

Regarding planing; nothing is more frustrating or exhausting than a work surface that moves when you plane. A cheap workmate clamped to something secure can work, or a fairly heafty board (flat 4x6) with one end up against a wall with a planing stop will be a big improvement (search planning beam for ideas). You may even want to consider the Japanese methods...
Make a set of winding sticks. Use an existing granite counter top to check for flat.

Regarding saws; to start out, and be less expensive, I'd recommend Japanese saws for finer work, and big box multi-purpose saws for larger work. Neither can be sharpened, but last a long time. I enjoy buying flea market/auction site saws and refurbishing them...but a bit of a learning curve, and requires files (not expensive), a vise (can be made), a saw set (not too expensive), good lighting, and for those of us over the half century mark, magnification.

It's hard for me to recommend Japanese or Chinese methods, just because I know so little about them. They're clearly effective, and in some cases may well be better than the ways I know, but I don't feel like I can responsibly suggest them without actually knowing what I'm talking about.


Keep the suggestions coming! I've got a lot of columns left to write, and I'm only going to be able to come up with so many ideas!

[William Adams]

Absolutely agree on the Milkman's Bench workbench --- I think working up and adjusting the whole series so that it naturally progresses from minimal tools, to building some things, to buying more tools, &c. is a great idea, and really look forward to seeing the balance of it.

[Andy McKenzie]

Absolutely agree on the Milkman's Bench workbench --- I think working up and adjusting the whole series so that it naturally progresses from minimal tools, to building some things, to buying more tools, &c. is a great idea, and really look forward to seeing the balance of it.

The downside to that, of course, is that I'll have to do all of the builds myself, and buy any tools I recommend that I don't already have. You know, just to make sure I'm saying the right things? It's going to be a terrible hardship, buying all those tools and spending time in the shop....

[Kees Heiden]

The wooden planes from ECC are good. Get the simple wedged ones, they are cheaper then the primus planes.

[Andy McKenzie]

The wooden planes from ECC are good. Get the simple wedged ones, they are cheaper then the primus planes.

Thanks for the pointer. They're still pretty pricey on a $45/month plan, though... at Highland Woodworker the ECE Jack Plane is $100 at regular price. That's more than two months worth of the budget. They're far nicer tools than are available at a lower price, but still not easily affordable.

[Prashun Patel]

clamps. The HF 12" quick release clamps are a very good buy. With a good set of cauls and only a few cheap pipe clamps, you can handle most glue up situations.

Card scrapers are cheap and useful.

I also love all 3 of my rosewood contour planes from Lee Valley. I think each one was < $20 and they make very passable spokeshaves.

[matt stott]

The North Bennet Street School has an "into to woodworking" course that is all hand tool use. They give you a list of basic tools to come in with and show you how to use each of them properly- nothing fancy, a $16 gent's saw and a norton india stone, but a good solid list for starting out. The idea is that you don't need a bunch of fancy stuff to get started, and many things on this list have cheaper versions out today. Your question reminded me of this list of basic tools, not much that has not already been mentioned but wanted to post it up to share.

The main things they do not list are the benches and vises. But adding the wooden screw clamps to a list like this would help a great deal.

(this list is from 5 or 6 years ago and is likely out of date, but you get the idea)

pps- a great class in a great school.


Matt

______$6.00 - Safety Glasses – REQUIRED (#1535)


______$80.00 - 12" Combination Square (Starrett) (#5)


______$68.00 - #4 Bench Plane (Stanley) (#514)


______$32.00 - Cutting Gauge (Crown) (#306)


______$11.95 - 6 Inch Card Scraper (#398)


______$10.50 - 16oz. Honing Oil (Norton) (#38)


______$7.00 - Burnisher (#226)


______$16.00 - Dovetail Saw (fine tooth at least 15T per inch) (#388)


______$28.00 - Sharpening Stone (Norton Fine India 8”x2”x1”) (#1509)


______$14.00 - Mill File with Handle (#516)


______$16.50 - Protractor (General) (#25)


______$17.00 - Bevel Gauge (#515)


______$52.00 -Set of 4 Chisels (Irwin) (#265)


Also available individually; please check if not buying complete set:


______$15.00 - 1/4” (#262)


______$15.00 - 3/8” (#264)


______$15.00 - 1/2” (#261)


______$17.00 - 1” (#260)

[William Adams]

Isn't that the school whose students' tool cabinet projects were featured in Jim Tolpin’s The Toolbox Book: A Craftsman's Guide to Tool Chests, Cabinets, and Storage Systems

[Jim Koepke]

There are inexpensive chisels available through many sources.

One of the common problems often seen with many woodworkers is absolutely no desire, knowledge or experience with metal working. Yet one of the most important parts of wood working is the metal work of sharpening a blade.

In my opinion, if someone wants to do wood working on a less expensive basis they need to learn some basics about using a screwdriver to be able to loosen the screws on a frog that needs adjustment.

Any course to help people get started in woodworking needs to cover at least the simple basics of sharpening. I would hope no matter what tools they are using they would also learn some basics about how a plane works and how to proceed when something doesn't work.

Many of my woodworking tools were picked up for less than the $45 monthly expenditure cap in the original post.

Your audience may be better served by a yard sale find and an hour or two than buying something from Harbor Freight that needs adjustments they do not understand. If there is no knowledge of the mechanical workings of things the yard sale find and the Harbor Freight purchase will be equally confusing for a newbie.

I have bought many planes that were used at one time and set on a shelf for a decade or more. All they really needed to perform adequately was a sharpening and a dusting.

If any of your audience is going to sharpen a blade on a plane with a chip breaker you will need to cover some of the mechanics of how a plane works.

BTW, I have seen some of the cheap tools available in some hardware stores. In some cases the Harbor Freight planes are better made.

jtk

[Doug Hepler]

Andy,

Great idea -- as you can see from all the responses you are getting here. I agree with your concept and with most of your suggestions, for example, I think your suggestion of Sears for hand tools is good, and I especially agree with your suggestion to get two chisels instead of a set. But I do have a few constructive suggestions
(1) You should mention looking for used tools at antique malls, garage sales, ebay, etc. The world is full of used hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, etc that are as good as or better than cheaper new ones.
(2) cheaper tools are not necessarily a "waste of money". For example, a somewhat cheaper chisel may not hold an edge as long as a more expensive one but that just means that you might need to sharpen more often, not that you are wasting your money. Same for hammers, etc.
(3) I happen to be a fan of sandpaper sharpening, and not just for a beginner. Also, I don't find that sandpaper wears that fast or is that expensive. The idea that SS is more expensive in the long run seems to be received wisdom without a basis in fact. Yes, you can buy a three-in-one or double-grit oil stone, but it probably will not be flat when you buy it and will not stay flat after you use it. Trying to sharpen with a cupped stone will be very discouraging to a beginner, So to be realistic you should add in the cost of a diamond stone for flattening. That changes the economics.
(4) Handplanes are a real problem for beginners because a poorly fettled, dull plane is extremely discouraging to use and a new, properly fettled one is a budget buster. Consider recommending that they buy re-habbed planes from one of the sellers on a WW forum like SMC or Woodnet.

Just my two cents.

Keep on

Doug

[Jim Koepke]

I especially agree with your suggestion to get two chisels instead of a set. But I do have a few constructive suggestions

A three piece set of Stanley chisels cost me $2.99 +tax on sale. I have seen better four piece sets for less than $20. Harbor Freight has a six piece set (iirc) for $10. This is one place where I can agree a beginner might do well with an inexpensive set to learn sharpening and set up of chisels. These can be the future beater set or used to make a set of 'Old Witch's Tooth' routers.

jtk

[Andy McKenzie]

clamps. The HF 12" quick release clamps are a very good buy. With a good set of cauls and only a few cheap pipe clamps, you can handle most glue up situations.

Card scrapers are cheap and useful.

I also love all 3 of my rosewood contour planes from Lee Valley. I think each one was < $20 and they make very passable spokeshaves.

Good point... card scrapers in particular are something I hadn't thought about.


The North Bennet Street School has an "into to woodworking" course that is all hand tool use. They give you a list of basic tools to come in with and show you how to use each of them properly- nothing fancy, a $16 gent's saw and a norton india stone, but a good solid list for starting out. The idea is that you don't need a bunch of fancy stuff to get started, and many things on this list have cheaper versions out today. Your question reminded me of this list of basic tools, not much that has not already been mentioned but wanted to post it up to share.

The main things they do not list are the benches and vises. But adding the wooden screw clamps to a list like this would help a great deal.

(this list is from 5 or 6 years ago and is likely out of date, but you get the idea)

pps- a great class in a great school.


Matt

______$6.00 - Safety Glasses – REQUIRED (#1535)


______$80.00 - 12" Combination Square (Starrett) (#5)


______$68.00 - #4 Bench Plane (Stanley) (#514)


______$32.00 - Cutting Gauge (Crown) (#306)


______$11.95 - 6 Inch Card Scraper (#398)


______$10.50 - 16oz. Honing Oil (Norton) (#38)


______$7.00 - Burnisher (#226)


______$16.00 - Dovetail Saw (fine tooth at least 15T per inch) (#388)


______$28.00 - Sharpening Stone (Norton Fine India 8”x2”x1”) (#1509)


______$14.00 - Mill File with Handle (#516)


______$16.50 - Protractor (General) (#25)


______$17.00 - Bevel Gauge (#515)


______$52.00 -Set of 4 Chisels (Irwin) (#265)


Also available individually; please check if not buying complete set:


______$15.00 - 1/4” (#262)


______$15.00 - 3/8” (#264)


______$15.00 - 1/2” (#261)


______$17.00 - 1” (#260)

Man... Good prices they're giving there! I'd love to take a class at North Bennet St., but so far the timing hasn't worked out. That's a solid basic list there... thanks for the pointer! I see so many lists it's hard to remember what's where, and I'm always afraid I'll forget something.


Isn't that the school whose students' tool cabinet projects were featured in Jim Tolpin’s The Toolbox Book: A Craftsman's Guide to Tool Chests, Cabinets, and Storage Systems

Yeah, I think so. They're a fantastic school.


There are inexpensive chisels available through many sources.

One of the common problems often seen with many woodworkers is absolutely no desire, knowledge or experience with metal working. Yet one of the most important parts of wood working is the metal work of sharpening a blade.

In my opinion, if someone wants to do wood working on a less expensive basis they need to learn some basics about using a screwdriver to be able to loosen the screws on a frog that needs adjustment.

Any course to help people get started in woodworking needs to cover at least the simple basics of sharpening. I would hope no matter what tools they are using they would also learn some basics about how a plane works and how to proceed when something doesn't work.

Many of my woodworking tools were picked up for less than the $45 monthly expenditure cap in the original post.

Your audience may be better served by a yard sale find and an hour or two than buying something from Harbor Freight that needs adjustments they do not understand. If there is no knowledge of the mechanical workings of things the yard sale find and the Harbor Freight purchase will be equally confusing for a newbie.

I have bought many planes that were used at one time and set on a shelf for a decade or more. All they really needed to perform adequately was a sharpening and a dusting.

If any of your audience is going to sharpen a blade on a plane with a chip breaker you will need to cover some of the mechanics of how a plane works.

BTW, I have seen some of the cheap tools available in some hardware stores. In some cases the Harbor Freight planes are better made.

jtk


Thanks for the input! The entry I'm working on now has some details on picking up planes used: a low quality plane is a terrible thing to try to use, and a high-quality one isn't likely to be affordable to someone on this kind of budget. I'm trying to put some useful advice about what to look for, and how to not get scammed.

I'm largely trying to avoid putting too much training into these: There are so many fantastic sources of training that adding to that pile seems like a waste of time. I will, though, be doing an entry with links to what I think are some of the best videos and articles. And yeah... there are some really terrible tools out there!


Andy,

Great idea -- as you can see from all the responses you are getting here. I agree with your concept and with most of your suggestions, for example, I think your suggestion of Sears for hand tools is good, and I especially agree with your suggestion to get two chisels instead of a set. But I do have a few constructive suggestions
(1) You should mention looking for used tools at antique malls, garage sales, ebay, etc. The world is full of used hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, etc that are as good as or better than cheaper new ones.
(2) cheaper tools are not necessarily a "waste of money". For example, a somewhat cheaper chisel may not hold an edge as long as a more expensive one but that just means that you might need to sharpen more often, not that you are wasting your money. Same for hammers, etc.
(3) I happen to be a fan of sandpaper sharpening, and not just for a beginner. Also, I don't find that sandpaper wears that fast or is that expensive. The idea that SS is more expensive in the long run seems to be received wisdom without a basis in fact. Yes, you can buy a three-in-one or double-grit oil stone, but it probably will not be flat when you buy it and will not stay flat after you use it. Trying to sharpen with a cupped stone will be very discouraging to a beginner, So to be realistic you should add in the cost of a diamond stone for flattening. That changes the economics.
(4) Handplanes are a real problem for beginners because a poorly fettled, dull plane is extremely discouraging to use and a new, properly fettled one is a budget buster. Consider recommending that they buy re-habbed planes from one of the sellers on a WW forum like SMC or Woodnet.

Just my two cents.

Keep on

Doug

Thanks for the input! I'll go point by point for a response, since you've made it convenient:

1) I'm doing a first article on buying used now: I hope to get it posted tomorrow. And you're absolutely right: there are a lot of fantastic tools out there on the used market. A lot of us live in areas where they're hard to find, though... I only know of one flea market near me that routinely has tools in good shape, and they all price for collectors, not users. Otherwise, bent screwdrivers, rusty pliers, badly re-handled hammers, and planes missing important pieces (like 2/3 of the sole, for instance) are the rule rather than the exception. I've bought a bunch of nice used tools, but almost entirely out of state.

2) It's true, not all cheap tools are terrible. In general, a $5 hammer works as well as a $50 hammer (at least for furniture making purposes). I certainly overstated the problem with buying cheap, but as a general guideline it's not too far off. Certainly I don't regret buying any of my cheap, low quality tools, even the ones that have worn out. I did, however, feel the need to upgrade on almost all of them, and mostly sooner rather than later.

3) I took the price question from personal experience. In working with reasonable quality wet/dry paper, I found I could use a half-sheet three, maybe four times before it was cutting unevenly. With low quality tools, I needed to sharpen every time I used them, and hone mid-project. That's a lot of paper on even a moderately large project. By contrast, I have a couple of oilstones that were my father's, and I still use them occasionally. They're still pretty flat, certainly flat enough to use for most things. I decided I like diamond plates better (no oil required, which is a huge plus in a shop the size of mine), and I have a set of three DMT plates. Total cost was around $110, I think, and I've used them hard for several years without noticeable wear.

I'm not going to tell anyone to switch what they're using, and certainly I'm not going to say any of the methods is actually bad: they all work, and that's what matters. But for me, the math worked out that sandpaper didn't make much sense.

4) Yep! Already written in. I actually suggest that people make a smoothing plane the LAST bench plane they purchase: A poorly tuned jack will still work OK, and a jointer really just needs a flat sole and a sharp iron to be good. A poorly tuned smoother is enough to drive you crazy. Buying from a forum member is something I hadn't considered suggesting, though... I like the idea, and I'll add it in!

[Luke Dupont]

Haven't caught up on the thread, but:

Do you have a vise? Consider the small, cheap "Irwin Lightweight Woodworking Vise", or comperable vises; you can even get some which are portable/removeable, and made for woodworking. They should be in the $20-$30 range. A vise is extremely convenient, and will solve a lot of work holding issues for you.

Also, the suggestion on a Japanese style planing board is a good one. They're quite handy.

[Andy McKenzie]

Haven't caught up on the thread, but:

Do you have a vise? Consider the small, cheap "Irwin Lightweight Woodworking Vise", or comperable vises; you can even get some which are portable/removeable, and made for woodworking. They should be in the $20-$30 range. A vise is extremely convenient, and will solve a lot of work holding issues for you.

Also, the suggestion on a Japanese style planing board is a good one. They're quite handy.


Fantastic! I'd been trying to figure out what to do about a vise: making one out of pipe clamps works, but it's a nuisance to use. I hadn't run across those yet, so I'll have to keep that in mind. That makes a cheap bench much more of a possibility.

Thanks!

[Warren Mickley]

That North Bennet Street list reminds me of a Paul Sellers list. It is not really a list for someone working with hand tools; it is a list of hand tools for someone who already has a table saw, a planer, a jointer, a drill press etc. No need for a scraper and burnisher if you can't even rip a board.

[John Sanford]

and a recommendation for a drill and drill/driver bits.

Ryobi Clutch Driver (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-5-5-Amp-3-8-in-Variable-Speed-Reversible-Compact-Clutch-Driver-D48CK/205216292)

It's only $40, and its the only corded drill/driver out there to my knowledge. It definitely won't mix mortar or paint, but for woodworking it should do the trick quite nicely.

[Andy McKenzie]

Ryobi Clutch Driver (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-5-5-Amp-3-8-in-Variable-Speed-Reversible-Compact-Clutch-Driver-D48CK/205216292)

It's only $40, and its the only corded drill/driver out there to my knowledge. It definitely won't mix mortar or paint, but for woodworking it should do the trick quite nicely.

Yup. There may well be others, but they're frustratingly hard to find. The Ryobi is easily available pretty much anywhere in the US.

[Luke Dupont]

Fantastic! I'd been trying to figure out what to do about a vise: making one out of pipe clamps works, but it's a nuisance to use. I hadn't run across those yet, so I'll have to keep that in mind. That makes a cheap bench much more of a possibility.

Thanks!

You can most likely find them at Lowes, if not Amazon.

[Stew Denton]

Hi Andy and All,

I hope this isn't too far off what you are after, but I would take a bit of a different track here. I would suggest that the first thing the young fellow would do is go to the library, and check out a copy of a book like Michael Dunbars "Restoring, Tuning, and Using Classic Woodworking Tools."

Have him do most of his looking a garage sales and flea markets.

I would give him a relatively small basic list of tools, such as: 1. 8 or 10 pt CC saw, 2. 6 or 7 pt rip saw, 3. jack (#5) plane, 4. 1/4 and 1/2 inch chisel or a cheap set, 5. gents saw for fine work, 6. cheap handy mans nail assortment blister pack (for drill bits), 7. garage sale 3/8" drill and some assorted spade bits, 8. a couple of files for saw sharpening, etc., etc.,

The thing is, a garage sale drill can be had for probably $5 or less, but he needs to try it to make sure it works, and a few spade bits for another dollar or two. The handy mans blister pack of nails can be used for drill bits, cut the heads off, I've done it, and a nail assortment gets you an assortment of sizes. An upgrade, a small set of bits from the lumber yard from the low end tools, would not cost too much, and would work fine as long as he stayed away from steel.

For sharpening, get a small piece of scrap plate float glass from a glass shop, and use spray adhesive to stick it to a small piece of flat plywood. I got my piece from a glass shop, and they didn't even charge me for it, it was about 6" by 17" by about 5/16" thick, and the glass shop guy said that from the color of the edge, it was very likely 50 years old. The glass shop had lots of the scraps from cut offs from bigger pieces they had cut over the years, and had they charged, it would not have been a lot.

He can use the spray adhesive to stick sandpaper to the glass for his sharpening, or buy self stick, either way he has a very flat surface for flattening and sharpening his plane iron and chisels, and the cost is cheap. At some local lumberyards like the one in town, they cut plywood for folks, and then sell the off the scrap pieces. You pay more a square foot, because there is a lot of waste, but the little piece you will need won't cost much.

Sandpaper stuck to glass plane it isn't the cheapest way to go for sharpening in the long run, but in the short run it is radically cheaper than even one diamond plate. He needs to make sure the piece of plywood he buys is pretty flat though. Remember we are only talking about ONE plane and at most 3 or 4 chisels here, so he won't use up much sandpaper.

Marking gauge? Make one. If there is one thing college kids know how to do is surf the internet for instructions and videos.

For clamps I would go the Harbor Freight route, which is listed above. A friend has some of the H.F. quick clamps, and they are not as good as my Irwin versions, but for the price, they are pretty good, and they will get him by for quite a while. They may have some cheap good sized C clamps too.

I still work on saw horses I made from thrown away pallets, even though I have newer pair made from 2X4s and 1X4s that I keep in the garage out of the weather. Still he may have to buy 6' of 2X12 to complete a bench. Some scraps of 4X4, 2X2, and 2X4, along with the quick grip clamps and C clamps can be used to improvise a vice if need be, and clamps and scraps of wood can be used to hold lumber to plane. The same idea can be used to improvise a saw vise for sharpening saws.

What I am getting at, is you can go a low dollar route, and still have good tools, given some time and garage sales and flea markets.

I did a number of these same things, so know they can be done. The kids will know more about tools, and appreciate the ones they have more if they go this route. They will learn a lot about woodworking in the process. Further, for the same amount of money, or less, they will have far better tools that are much easier to use, and with far fewer frustrations.

Stew