Which Sjobergs workbench: 1060 or 1450 ?

[Greg Pezpollo]

Hello all,

I consider myself a tinkering hobbyist. I enjoy making small improvements around the flat and have built up a basic toolkit over the years (circular saw, jigsaw, …), nothing fancy.
Recently, I have taken a keen interest in hand tools and I am just about ready to take the plunge and invest in a proper beginner’s set of quality tools which would include a couple jack planes, block plane, chisels, saws, etc. One important component is a decent enough workbench. I’ve been looking at the models on display on the Sjobergs website and I find it difficult to tell exactly what sets one table apart from then next, apart from dimensions quite obviously. Maybe it’s just me but I find the website’s layout to be slightly confusing or lacking clarity.

For instance, they have “hobby” and “professional” lines of workbenches. As far as I can tell, there is no clear metric or rationale to objectively set these two lines apart. If somebody knows the answer to that, please feel free to chime in and kindly share your experience.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but as much as possible, I would like to be able to make an informed decision and purchase the best-suited table for me. To that effect, two models have caught my attention: the Nordic 1450 (hobby line) and the Multi Function 1060 bench (professional line). It might be from lack of experience/knowledge, but I would be inclined to say there seems to be no easily identifiable set of characteristics (i.e. differences in quality build) to rationally compare these two tables. I have a slight preference for the 1060 due to its overall slightly smaller dimensions which better suit my workspace. But I cannot exactly tell what sets the 1060 and the 1450 apart.

In general, on the official website, the 1450 has more descriptive content and pictures than the 1060. A particular concern is the vise system. It is fairly obvious from the richer description and pictures that accompany the 1450 that it is equipped with the metal rod vises. Whether the 1060 also comes with the metal rod vises is unclear because I couldn’t find any information in the minimalist technical brochure and there is no shot of the inside of the vises on the website… So, I would really like to clarify this point. Maybe the Sjobergs benches all have the same vise system, but as a beginner I don't know that for sure, and I’d like to be absolutely certain before purchasing.

I hope there is some redeeming logic to my rambling, anyway thanks for reading 😊
Cheers.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Hello, and welcome to the slippery slope;

A few differences on quick review:

1. Yes, the 1060 is shorter in length by about 16", and does not come with the lower shelf as standard.
> And yet, even with much less wood, it weighs 3 pounds more [although the taller 1060 legs might account for some extra]
> This is because the 1450 is birch, and the 1060 is beech. Beech weighs more, and is much harder on the janka scale
> Janka measure density, in terms of ability to withstand a whack and not dent. I think the beech is a much better choice. Birch is too soft.

2. Also - the 1060 has a "Multi-Function Table" [MFT] surface. In English, that means the entire surface is covered with holes to accept various clamping fixtures.
> See Festool for the origin of the MFT. There are many "Festoolies" here who can advise on this.

3. And - the face plates of the vices look more robust on the 1060. Also - both use the metal rods you asked about.

Edit: Greg - where are you located?

[Greg Pezpollo]

Hi Kent,

I hear you loud and clear. It's pretty clear from your answer which has the better build quality, thanks. I should have thought about the type of wood and the mass/density...it makes sense after the fact!

Why a "slippery slope" :)?

To answer your question, I am currently based in the EU.

On a side note - I'm not sure whether this warrants a separate topic so I'll give it a shot here - I'm thinking about what my first project will be, once I get all the equipment and everything is properly set up. I already have a dozen ideas of things I would like to build. These are what I consider "realistic" projects (stands, boxes, etc...), so no Antique Roman-style bed frames just yet! nothing too flashy. For me personally, out of my current list, my preference goes to making a couple wooden handles for my straight razors. I don't know though if that's an "acceptable" challenge as a beginner.

Cheers.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Hi Kent,

I should have thought about...it makes sense after the fact!

Why a "slippery slope" :)?



These two phrases are interrelated. You get a workbench, so you need a couple hand tools. As you get deep into your project, it "makes sense after the fact" that what you REALLY need is that one other tool. So you get it. In fact, to minimize shipping cost per tool, you might as well get two............. Then is the 2d project.

THAT is the slippery slope, and you just took your first step onto it. As did everyone else here.

[Jim Becker]

Benches like you ask about certainly can fill a need "quickly". Just keep in mind that they are basically someone else's idea about what your workbench should be like and many hand tool users (as well as the rest of us) have specific things that we want in a bench that we intend to use as the "focus bench" in our woodworking activities. I will admit that my first bench actually was a Sjobergs bench. The benchtop was fine and very functional, at least at the time. The base was way too lightweight, but that could simply be that again, "at the time", it was what was available to me and it certainly wasn't one of the big, heavyweight products.

So in a roundabout way, I just might be suggesting that you consider designing and building your own bench to your own specifications as your actual "first project". You can use almost any kind of temporary work surface to do that work and in the end, you get something that not only fits your own personal needs, but also builds a lot of skills. Yea, you might use a few power tools in the process for some things that can be true drudgery for hand tool work, especially if you're not already highly skilled and patient, but it's still worthy of consideration. If you do decide to buy, pick the heaviest version you can afford and that must include the base. Hand tool work puts a "yuge" amount of lateral stress on a workbench because of how you move the tools in many operations, so sturdy and not-prone to racking and wiggling is truly important.

[Andrew Hughes]

Any bench is better then no bench.
Most of us started with 2x4 and plywood or kitchen table. Whatever you choose you don’t have to keep it. Always something better. My pics with me smiling is a Mdf bench with a granite surface plate. At the time it was all the rage for me.:)
Good Luck

[Alan Lightstone]

My first workbench, and present one still, is a Sjobergs Elite 2000 with the cabinets. While I've built another one, my Sjobergs gets used all the time. I think it's very good quality. One massive disadvantage is that it has 1" dog holes. The vast majority of accessories are for 3/4" dog holes, so that is still a pain for me years later. The 1060 has 3/4" dog holes, so no issue there. The 1400 doesn't say on their websites, but looking at the top, that's also probably 3/4", so no issue there, but I'd check.

I think there is a lot to be said for having storage/cabinets underneath, if for no other reason than to add mass/stability to the bench. And that mass really does matter.

As to your second question, your first project could be to build a cabinet to attach to your bench. You'll learn many skills, and make your workbench even more useful.

My process (and one shared by many others) was to have my first builds be for my workshop. Cabinetry, totes for planes, assembly table, router table, many, many others. After a while, I alternated a workshop project with something like a cutting board as a gift, furniture for the house, etc... But the skills you learn by making your early mistakes on the shop fixtures means that no one else sees them. And your skills will grow very fast.

Enjoy the hobby and the new workbench.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I think there is a lot to be said for having storage/cabinets underneath, if for no other reason than to add mass/stability to the bench. And that mass really does matter.


My process (and one shared by many others) ......was to have my first builds be for my workshop......... your early mistakes on the shop fixtures means that no one else sees them. And your skills will grow very fast.

Exactly correct on all points, Alan - well put. I knew I had a lot of mistakes ahead of me, and I wanted to get to them as quickly as I could.

[Greg Pezpollo]

Thank you all for the collective wisdom and recommendations.

Initially, I was considering building my own bench. I currently have a very lightweight folding work ‘surface’ which would be of very little practical use to build a respectable workbench with. A specific challenge in my situation is that I live in an appartement at the moment which means I work out of unusually tight spaces. That’s why, in the end, I figured it would be best to start with a decent store-bought workbench to get me started. When my personal situation changes, and it will, I’ll then consider expanding and building a custom bench that fits my specific needs as some pointed out – I think it’s a great idea and I will definitely consider it as soon as I have the opportunity.

In the meantime, based on the general feedback, I think I will be going for the 1060 model.


Cheers.

[Michael Burnside]

No shame in buying a well made bench to fit your purposes. Something like the 1060 could last a lifetime. Some folks really love to build shop furniture, jigs, French-cleat doo-dads and nick-knacks. I hate it LOL. I want to build fine furniture, picture frames and mess around on my CNC. If I can buy a quality jig/bench/cabinet for my shop, it's a no brainer. I did build my work bench TBH, but that didn't stop me from buying other well made accoutrements for the shop.

[Patrick Johnson]

Hello all,

I consider myself a tinkering hobbyist. I enjoy making small improvements around the flat and have built up a basic toolkit over the years (circular saw, jigsaw, …), nothing fancy.
Recently, I have taken a keen interest in hand tools and I am just about ready to take the plunge and invest in a proper beginner’s set of quality tools which would include a couple jack planes, block plane, chisels, saws, etc. One important component is a decent enough workbench. I’ve been looking at the models on display on the Sjobergs website and I find it difficult to tell exactly what sets one table apart from then next, apart from dimensions quite obviously. Maybe it’s just me but I find the website’s layout to be slightly confusing or lacking clarity.

For instance, they have “hobby” and “professional” lines of workbenches. As far as I can tell, there is no clear metric or rationale to objectively set these two lines apart. If somebody knows the answer to that, please feel free to chime in and kindly share your experience.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but as much as possible, I would like to be able to make an informed decision and purchase the best-suited table for me. To that effect, two models have caught my attention: the Nordic 1450 (hobby line) and the Multi Function 1060 bench (professional line). It might be from lack of experience/knowledge, but I would be inclined to say there seems to be no easily identifiable set of characteristics (i.e. differences in quality build) to rationally compare these two tables. I have a slight preference for the 1060 due to its overall slightly smaller dimensions which better suit my workspace. But I cannot exactly tell what sets the 1060 and the 1450 apart.

In general, on the official website, the 1450 has more descriptive content and pictures than the 1060. A particular concern is the vise system. It is fairly obvious from the richer description and pictures that accompany the 1450 that it is equipped with the metal rod vises. Whether the 1060 also comes with the metal rod vises is unclear because I couldn’t find any information in the minimalist technical brochure and there is no shot of the inside of the vises on the website… So, I would really like to clarify this point. Maybe the Sjobergs benches all have the same vise system, but as a beginner I don't know that for sure, and I’d like to be absolutely certain before purchasing.

I hope there is some redeeming logic to my rambling, anyway thanks for reading 😊
Cheers.


I wouldn't worry too much about Sjobergs classifications. To work well with hand tools, you want a sturdy and heavy workbench that's not going to move around the floor when you're planing a board. The 1060 weighs 75 lbs (34kg), the 1450 weighs 68 lbs (31kg). For comparison the Elite 1500 weighs 220lb (100kg).

Another thing to consider is the vices on the bench. How much will they rack when you mount a board vertically on the side of the clamp? The tubular vices have quite a bit more racking than the square tubed vises on the Elite series.

If you haven't seen Rob Cosman's workbench video (youtube), he demonstrates how to build a substantial workbench for about $300 US using the Sjoberg Elite style vises and MDF. Just a thought.

Patrick

[Greg Parrish]

If you are anywhere near Arizona, this looks like a good deal for a nice bench if you plan to buy premade. Not my listing, just something i saw posted. Too far away or id be interested.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/146877273070891/permalink/921237595634851/

[Matt Lau]

Hello all,

I consider myself a tinkering hobbyist. I enjoy making small improvements around the flat and have built up a basic toolkit over the years (circular saw, jigsaw, …), nothing fancy.
Recently, I have taken a keen interest in hand tools and I am just about ready to take the plunge and invest in a proper beginner’s set of quality tools which would include a couple jack planes, block plane, chisels, saws, etc. One important component is a decent enough workbench. I’ve been looking at the models on display on the Sjobergs website and I find it difficult to tell exactly what sets one table apart from then next, apart from dimensions quite obviously. Maybe it’s just me but I find the website’s layout to be slightly confusing or lacking clarity.

For instance, they have “hobby” and “professional” lines of workbenches. As far as I can tell, there is no clear metric or rationale to objectively set these two lines apart. If somebody knows the answer to that, please feel free to chime in and kindly share your experience.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but as much as possible, I would like to be able to make an informed decision and purchase the best-suited table for me. To that effect, two models have caught my attention: the Nordic 1450 (hobby line) and the Multi Function 1060 bench (professional line). It might be from lack of experience/knowledge, but I would be inclined to say there seems to be no easily identifiable set of characteristics (i.e. differences in quality build) to rationally compare these two tables. I have a slight preference for the 1060 due to its overall slightly smaller dimensions which better suit my workspace. But I cannot exactly tell what sets the 1060 and the 1450 apart.

In general, on the official website, the 1450 has more descriptive content and pictures than the 1060. A particular concern is the vise system. It is fairly obvious from the richer description and pictures that accompany the 1450 that it is equipped with the metal rod vises. Whether the 1060 also comes with the metal rod vises is unclear because I couldn’t find any information in the minimalist technical brochure and there is no shot of the inside of the vises on the website… So, I would really like to clarify this point. Maybe the Sjobergs benches all have the same vise system, but as a beginner I don't know that for sure, and I’d like to be absolutely certain before purchasing.

I hope there is some redeeming logic to my rambling, anyway thanks for reading 😊
Cheers.


Marketing...probably.

If you have the time and means, you may want to slap together a quick bench and get a nice vise.
Here's a dead easy workbench to build using what you have:
https://woodgears.ca/workbench/build.html

Here's a hand tool only workbench:
https://picnicpark.org/keith/woodworking/workbench/BobAndDavesGoodFastAndCheapBench-ne.pdf


Don't get me wrong. I'd love to have a Roubo, and probably would need to just buy one (lack of time and energy). Premade has it's place.

However, I think that your first workbench will teach you a lot about what you need and don't need.
You might as well spend on the good stuff....you can also beef up the points of failure (flexing of the base, thickness of the top, etc).

[Tom Bussey]

I am building a Mickelson 6 foot bench that will be for sale when it is finished. It is going to be in that price range. If you are interested in a bench the Michelson would be a much better bench.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Tom - easy to miss, but he said he's in the EU. Shipping might not work out.

[Will Blick]

love my SJobergs bench, very durable, heavy....
my only regret, they did not offer the Festool MFT hole sizes, 20mm, which is surprising, since that appears to be the new standard for ww's. not easy to ream out from 3/4" diam holes they provide. I found out the hard way....

[Warren Lake]

have two lengths of ulmias, prefer the longer one its more stable. Even so its fastened to a stair case to make it more stable. I some how survived with quick benches I made for many years then got the benches and wished I had done that many years before.

[Greg Pezpollo]

I thought I'd share my beginner's shopping list/hand tool starter kit. I haven't purchased anything yet. At this point, I'm still studying the market and trying to figure out what I need (including tool maintenance).
My list was compiled from several sources (Youtube channels, websites such as Wood and Shop, etc).

Regarding panel saws, I am still not clear whether I want to get two Western style saws (one rip, one cross cut) OR go for the more attractive price of a Japanese '2 in 1' saw. Whatever the final choice, it will also affect the saw sharpening equipment to some extent.

I also have an 'Extras' section. Truth be told, I don't know which of these items are absolutely necessary and which would be nice to have (as a 'luxury'). For instance, I'm not sure how necessary a miter box would be. Should I throw in a few extra bench dogs, a 3/4” holdfast..? Of course one usually never has enough clamps (I already have a few though).

Regarding whetstones, I already have a Belgian coticule (grit est. 4-8k). My hope is I can repurpose it for honing my hand tools and hopefully save a bit of cash! On the other hand, it might be on the small side (13 x 5 cm / 5 x 2 ") for this kind of use.

Any comments/suggestions are more than welcome. Here is my list so far:



Jack plane: JUUMA Low angle (12°) n°5
Block plane: JUUMA low angle (12°)
Marking wheel gauge: VERITAS Dual Marking Gauge
Combination square: Starrett 10 mh-150
Panel saws:

Rip cut: PAX Crosscut Handsaw Thomas Flinn 560 mm (22 inch)
Cross cut: "PAX Ripcut Handsaw Thomas Flinn 510 mm (20 inch)
Alternative to the above: Japanese Ryoba 250 mm pull saw


Dovetail saw: VERITAS Fine-Tooth Dovetail Saw (pitch 1.3 mm, 20 TPI)
Bench chisels: WOOD LINE PROFI NAREX 6-part chisel (6, 10, 12, 16, 20 and 26 mm).
Mortise chisel: Narex heavy mortise Wood Line Profi
Marking knife
Joiner’s mallet
Sharpening tools:

Naniwa whetstone 1000 grit
Veritas MK.II honing guide
Naniwa 220 flattening stone


Sharpening for saws:

Saw vise
Saw files (size TBD)
Saw Sharpening File Holder
Bastard Mill File & File Jointer/edger


Extras:

Miter box and saw?
Bench dogs?
Clamps?
3/4” Holdfast?
Other?...

[Holmes Anderson]

Any comments/suggestions are more than welcome. Here is my list so far:



Jack plane: JUUMA Low angle (12°) n°5
Sharpening tools:

Naniwa whetstone 1000 grit
Naniwa 220 flattening stone




3/4” Holdfast?
Other?...





Standard jack plane. A Stanley sweetheart circa 1918 or similar English plane is a good place to start. LN or Veritas if you have money to spend but the Stanley is lighter.

No. 4 or 4-1/2 smoother with a York pitch frog. Again, an older used plane is a good place to start but go with the high quality new ones if you have money to spend.

I don't understand how low angle jacks became so popular. Weren't they designed as specialty planes for end grain? Hard pass on the low angle jack. A standard Jack, York pitch smoother, and block plane will get you far.

Diamond plates are much better than stones IMO. They last longer and don't require as much care.

The holes in your Sjobergs workbench will be larger than 3/4" so you will probably need larger diameter holdfasts.

[Kent A Bathurst]

1. Slow down. No rush. Buy only the bare minimum to cover the first couple projects, and keep the projects simple. For example - get the Ryoba and defer the western-style saws and all of the saw sharpening gear.

2. "Cry Once". If you buy a Lie-Nielsen #62 low-angle jack, and a Lie-Nielsen 60-1/2 block plane, you will cry when you pay the bill, and never again. You will "Cry Once". If you buy cheaply made low-cost substitutes, you won't cry when you pay the bill, but you will cry every time you use them, and forever.

3. Starrett-starrett-starrett. You can't make what you can't measure, accurately and repeatedly. Forget the 6" combo square, get the 12". And the 4" double-square. And the analog 6" dial calipers. I use each of these three every day. Cry Once.

4. Some F-style clamps maybe 2 each 12" and 24". Couple 6" quick-grip clamps. To start. You'll get more as needed. Lots more. But you don't know today what style and size you need.

5. Spear-point marking knife.

6. 2 bench chisels and 1 mortise chisel, and a dirt-cheap mallet with plastic faces.

7. You will get far more value from the Veritas micro-adjust marking gauge than you will ever get from the dual. You can get the dual as a second gauge when that solves your bottleneck on making mortise and tenon joints.


Make some stuff. What you need next will become evident. Like finishing brushes, etc.? You need a high angle plane? Get a second blade for the 62 and give it a 40* secondary bevel. For tuning tenons, a Veritas or L-N router plane would be high my list.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I own the 1450 (or what looks to be about the same as the 1450). I have had this for a very long time.

Two items to note:

I purchased the cabinet that goes under the bench. This is a great place to store things and it adds much needed weight to the bench. So, no matter what you get, I think you will probably want weight added to the workbench. Can you build your own? Yes, you probably can. Can you do it cheaper than what you would buy? Probably not. For me, there was also the part that I was not in a position to build my own (I lacked the skill at the time).

Drawback to having the cabinet? Well, if you want to stick something very long down the dog hole, it can be a problem. This has not been a problem for me, meaning I have not needed to have something stick out more than a foot under my bench.

My next complaint with the bench is the that the vice has a single metal piece sticking out the middle so if I have something wide, it will not drop down past the screw. Also, if you clamp on the side of the vice, you will want to stick on the other side of the vice so that it does not rack. It will still work, but is not good for the vice.

I like that I can move the vices to different locations on the bench.


If you look at a picture of the 1060 bench, you will notice that the vice has a wider black metal attachment on the back side where the handle attaches. I assume that this MIGHT help with racking a bit, but I have no experience to say that this is the case.

Site unseen and untested, I would be inclined to with the 1450 and add the cabinet and the price is still about the same as the 1060. Note that the only reason I are about weight is mostly because I want it while hand planing wood. For most other things, it just does not matter.

If you really need or want something to clamp wider stuff, built or buy a Moxon vise, it really made things such as hand cut dovetails easier. Then again, I found this works really well and I clamp it to my existing workbench and it can work as well for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQGK6pdMo_A&t=1s

This is a "portable workbench" that uses the Micro-Jig dovetail clamps (I am a huge fan of these) and you can easily create something similar to a moxon vice. The clamps are expensive, but this is very versatile. Note that I also use these clamps for things like a jig I built from a piece of plywood to join board edges on my table saw (fastest method I have found without a jointer). Note that although I really like this bench and I have been using it for dovetails because it does offer some capabilities that my Moxon vice does not, my Moxon vice is faster to clamp down.

[Greg Pezpollo]

Thank you all for your recommendations and comments.

Regarding the workbench, the situation has evolved somewhat. While the 1060 had caught my eye and was my preferred choice (budget and quality wise), I came to realize that shipping was a factor I had greatly overlooked. It turns out that finding a store that carries that particular model AND has the logistics to ship such a bulky piece of equipment is not that simple. So in short, I had to pour cold water on the idea of getting the 1060 - it's just not available where I live - and backtrack a bit.

Taking the shipping 'metric' into account this time, it boils down to two choices: the 1450 or the superior, but obviously more expensive, Nordic pro 1400. I'm not too keen on getting a cabinet straight away, while I do appreciate the convenience and extra weight it affords and many pointed this out, it's not in the cards for me right now. As a beginner, it's already quite expensive as it is, as I have to buy almost everything (tools + bench) from scratch, so I need to 'limit the damage' wherever I can and not go too overboard on this. So now, I'll have to decide between the 1450 (roughly same budget as the 1060) or for 200 smackers more, go for the superior 1400. My gut feeling is that I would be perfectly happy, as a novice, with the cheaper 1450.

For my beginner's tool set, I took several of the recommendations onboard. In short, I'll go for Veritas planes (I'm not willing to go on a Lie-Nielsen wild goose chase, they're virtually impossible to find and I just can't be bothered).

These are now the items I'm considering:



Veritas low angle jack and block planes with PM-V11 alloy (cry once :))
Ryoba 250 saw
Dozuki saw
Veritas micro-adjust wheel: it seems like there's a "new" improved model - I'd like to get my hands on that one if I can...
4 or 5 bench chisels
one mortise chisel
mallet of course
Starrett 4" double square + combo square
Veritas router plane
marking knife (the thinner the better?)
Veritas MKII honing guide
Naniwa 1000 grit whetstone
Atoma diamond lapping plate: seems like the 140 grit will do the job
1 Gramercy 3/4" holdfast (I already have 4 clamps)


I think it's shaping up nicely...Of course, it's a hefty sum (+ workbench) and truthfully it makes me feel a bit guilty, it's like a case of buyer's remorse but before the fact.
I'll have to take the leap of faith soon enough...

Cheers.

[Greg Parrish]

Greg, between those benches, it looks like the only real difference is the material and working height. The 1450 is made from Birch and says its 33.5” working height and the 1400 is made from Beech and says 35-7/16” working height. Between those two, the beech would be slightly harder (Beech 1300 / Birch 1260) but not enough to make the deciding factor. Beech is also heavier. Personally, I’d pin down the real height for them and decide which height was a better fit for your comfort. For me, I’d prefer the 33” height simply because it would be a better fit for me for most usage. I am building my bench at 33.5” because it’s a comfortable height for planing, but also it’s lower than my table saw. However, I also have another bench set at 38” that is more comfortable for other tasks. Beyond the height and material choice, you can build your own ballast box for either one if you need more weight for stability.

Regarding all the other items on your list, don’t sweat the choices too much. My guess is that like the rest of us, you will change many of them over time as you use them. You find things you like and dislike about a tool through use. You will probably find that unless you are a collector, having every tool from a single manufacturer may not fit your needs either. I’m finding when it comes to planes that I like some items from Lie Nielsen, some from Veritas, some vintage Stanley Bailey, etc. I’m still dating my Lie Nielsen Chisels and so far it’s a love hate relationship. However, i haven’t found the right replacement yet either. I like the Veritas PMV11 ones and I also like the Two Cherries ones.

Good luck which ever way you go.

Regards, Greg


Thank you all for your recommendations and comments.

Regarding the workbench, the situation has evolved somewhat. While the 1060 had caught my eye and was my preferred choice (budget and quality wise), I came to realize that shipping was a factor I had greatly overlooked. It turns out that finding a store that carries that particular model AND has the logistics to ship such a bulky piece of equipment is not that simple. So in short, I had to pour cold water on the idea of getting the 1060 - it's just not available where I live - and backtrack a bit.

Taking the shipping 'metric' into account this time, it boils down to two choices: the 1450 or the superior, but obviously more expensive, Nordic pro 1400. I'm not too keen on getting a cabinet straight away, while I do appreciate the convenience and extra weight it affords and many pointed this out, it's not in the cards for me right now. As a beginner, it's already quite expensive as it is, as I have to buy almost everything (tools + bench) from scratch, so I need to 'limit the damage' wherever I can and not go too overboard on this. So now, I'll have to decide between the 1450 (roughly same budget as the 1060) or for 200 smackers more, go for the superior 1400. My gut feeling is that I would be perfectly happy, as a novice, with the cheaper 1450.

For my beginner's tool set, I took several of the recommendations onboard. In short, I'll go for Veritas planes (I'm not willing to go on a Lie-Nielsen wild goose chase, they're virtually impossible to find and I just can't be bothered).

These are now the items I'm considering:



Veritas low angle jack and block planes with PM-V11 alloy (cry once :))
Ryoba 250 saw
Dozuki saw
Veritas micro-adjust wheel: it seems like there's a "new" improved model - I'd like to get my hands on that one if I can...
4 or 5 bench chisels
one mortise chisel
mallet of course
Starrett 4" double square + combo square
Veritas router plane
marking knife (the thinner the better?)
Veritas MKII honing guide
Naniwa 1000 grit whetstone
Atoma diamond lapping plate: seems like the 140 grit will do the job
1 Gramercy 3/4" holdfast (I already have 4 clamps)


I think it's shaping up nicely...Of course, it's a hefty sum (+ workbench) and truthfully it makes me feel a bit guilty, it's like a case of buyer's remorse but before the fact.
I'll have to take the leap of faith soon enough...

Cheers.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Thank you all for your recommendations and comments.



Veritas low angle jack and block planes with PM-V11 alloy (cry once :))


You're welcome - recommendations are free, and it is always a pleasure to spend someone else's money and watch them cry.

Veritas stuff is very good - you cannot go wrong there. I don't have any, except the shooting plane, which is great. No argument with your choices, I'm just an L-N person from a few decades back. Old dog. New tricks.

You may want to consider a second iron for the jack plane. One at a low-bevel like 25*, and the second at a high bevel like 40* to give you a working angle of 52-ish for face grain that is not behaving well. But that can wait as well.

I did warn you about the "slippery slope". I'll wave on your way past.

See you in the funny papers