starting out

[Mike Steinhilper]

Hi everyone.... I've been woodworking as a hobby for a few years, and I've used mainly power tools. I found myself spending more time buying and building jigs than actually producing anything. Not to mention wasting a lot of wood with mistakes. And the noise and dust. I'm thinking about saving the power tools for carpentry, and moving toward hand tools for my special stuff. I don't build anything huge... small boxes, end tables, drawers, etc. Right now I have a 5 piece set of Craftsman chisels which I try to keep sharp. I have one small block plane, and a larger (can't remember the number) jack plane. A cheapo backsaw and a coping saw. What, at the very minimum, will I need to make hand tools my primary tools?

[Raney Nelson]

Hi everyone.... I've been woodworking as a hobby for a few years, and I've used mainly power tools. I found myself spending more time buying and building jigs than actually producing anything. Not to mention wasting a lot of wood with mistakes. And the noise and dust. I'm thinking about saving the power tools for carpentry, and moving toward hand tools for my special stuff. I don't build anything huge... small boxes, end tables, drawers, etc. Right now I have a 5 piece set of Craftsman chisels which I try to keep sharp. I have one small block plane, and a larger (can't remember the number) jack plane. A cheapo backsaw and a coping saw. What, at the very minimum, will I need to make hand tools my primary tools?

whew - this is just what I set out to do a year ago. It is astonishing to me what I've cqiured since then, and how much my CC has suffered.

My advice would be to do just what is recommended when starting out power tool woodworking: pick a simple handtool project, and purchase whatever tools you need for that project. A simple project, such as one of those from PWW's "I can do that" series, is a great place to start working with handtools.

Given what you already have, here is a quick list of what I use on just about every project:

jack plane
Jointer (though you can get away with the jack if it works well and the project isn't large)
smoother
Shoulder plane (not strictly necessary, but it would be on my 'immediate list' if I were starting from scratch)
LA block plane
card scrapers
marking gauge
6-inch double-square
rip and carcass backsaws
x-cut handsaw
joiner's or carvers mallet
serviceable bench chisel set.

Two additional things that I think are indispensible which you may or may not have: Sharpening materials (stones or scary sharp setup) and a workbench. If you plan to use handsaws, learning to sharpen them is a very good idea. One of Bob Smalser's outstanding series of tutorials is on sharpening handsaws. It's easier than it might seem once you give it a shot. There are also a couple of very good sharpening services, but the cost (including shipping) and turnaround time makes them no-starters for me.

From here, there are any number of additional tools that can do specific tasks much easier/better than those listed above. Off the top of my headd, this 'next level' for me includes:

mortising chisels
spokeshaves
rasps/files
plow plane(s)
router (plane)
rabbet plane
bow saw
Rip handsaw
combination and/or molding planes
.... this list goes on and on and on.

edit: there are any number of links for information on this, but I will leave you with jsut this one to guide you to all manner of handtool wisdom: http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To.htm

[Robert Rozaieski]

You ask a tough question and there will be many good answers. I work only with hand tools and have done so for awhile so I have quite a few to choose from, however, since you asked for the bare minimum, I will try to answer from this point of view :) .

From a bare minimum standpoint, it sounds to me like you have a good start. You may someday desire for some higher quality tools but properly tuned, the hand tools you have will work just fine. Make sure you add something to keep your tools razor sharp (so you can shave with them) as this is of utmost importance. This can be water stones, oil stones, diamond stones, wet/dry sandpaper glued to MDF or glass, whatever you prefer. Also get a triangular file to keep your saw sharp. Dull saws and edge tools are probably the #1 reason many people loath hand work.

If you want to go with hand tools only for the types of projects you list, I would add a small plough plane or router plane for making/leveling grooves (drawer/box bottoms; though this could be done carefully with backsaw and chisel if you don't want the expense of the plane). I would also add a panel saw if you need to rough cut large boards down to smaller boards, and maybe a rabbet plane for making rabbets (though this could also be done with saw and chisel or the plough plane if it is of the combination plane variety).

As far as bench planes go, you can do a lot with the jack plane alone, IF, you buy your lumber already surfaced and flat. If you plan to buy rough sawn lumber and surface it and joint it with hand planes only, I would suggest a longer plane (maybe 22"-26") for flattening and jointing (look for a decent transitional, they are dirt cheap and just as good as the metal versions when tuned properly) and maybe a smooth plane if you don't want to sand. Set your jack up for a rougher cut and the jointer up for a finer cut. If you decide on getting a smooth plane, set it up for a tissue paper thin cut (or use sandpaper to smooth surfaces if you don't have a smooth plane).

You should also get a few marking/measuring tools. A decent 6" try or combination square will serve well for the smaller projects but a 12" will be more versatile and the rule on a good 12" combination square can also be used as a straight edge. Also get a marking gauge and a marking knife. Forget pencils, a knife is more accurate and the knife line serves as a registration point for chiseling and sawing.

Finally, for boring holes, get a brace, a couple of auger bits, an eggbeater style drill and some twist bits. These can be used to bore out the waste in a mortise (before cleaning up with chisls), to drill holes for hinges or predrill for screws or nails (for which you would also need a hammer ;) ).

A workbench is also a requirement but this can be anything from a folding table to a cabinetmakers bench (though the heavier and flatter the better if you plan on doing any heavy planing or pounding). A few clamps are nice to have as well but there are ways around using them like pegs & wedges or twine and toggles (you said bare minimum right :D ).

As your range of projects expands and your skills increase you can always add tools for the new tasks as you need them (shaping curves, chopping mortises instead of boring them, making mouldings, etc.). However, once you start gathering and using hand tools, it's hard to stop and you will likely find yourself with way more than you need in less time than you ever thought possible :eek: . But that's half the fun!

The one piece of advise I will vounteer that you did not ask for is to try and get away from measuring. This is typically a hard transition to make for someone used to carpentry, power tools, precision fences and the like. Instead, gauge your project pieces from each other (e.g. scribe the drawer front directly from the opening, don't measure the opening and try to transfer the measurement like you would using a power tool with a fence). You will find that doing this is faster and more acurate and leaves less room for error. Also, try to forget about machine tolerances. Rarely do wood projects need to be made to this precision, and because wood moves it won't hold that precision anyway. Trust your eye and realize that no one is going to notice that your table top is 24" at the back and 23-7/8" at the front. This will make hand work much less frustrating and much more enjoyable. Enjoy your slide!

[Zahid Naqvi]

For starters the acquisitions will depend on your financial situation, that is can you just go ahead and buy what you want, or budget the expenses and gradually build over a period of time. I fall in the later category so I buy tools as I need them (as opposed to want them). I think Raney and Robert have provided a good list.

Generally there are two schools of thoughts in hand tool world, there is the rehab old tools group, and the buy the well crafted modern tools (Lee Valley, Veritas etc) folks. Then there are some which have a foot in both.

I personally think it is more important to learn how to use the tools, rather than acquiring the best tools for jobs. Hand tools are quite versatile, in the right hands each tools can do several different things. Learn what each tool excels at, their limitations and capabilities.

Most importantly enjoy what you are doing, if you start enjoying the process the products/results will come in time.

[Mike Steinhilper]

Thanks for the advice. Robert I really like your take on measuring. That's something that I need to really work on. Let's narrow it down to the one area where I think I need the most help initially... sharpening. What is an effective and economical way to keep my tools sharp? How important is the bevel angle? I have been intimidated by some of the precise instructions. But I keep telling myself that beautiful furniture was made long before exact tolerances and micro measurements. Can someone give me an overview of shapening? By the way, I'm sure this has all been posted before so I apologize for asking basic questions again.

Mike

[Robert Rozaieski]

Thanks for the advice. Robert I really like your take on measuring. That's something that I need to really work on. Let's narrow it down to the one area where I think I need the most help initially... sharpening. What is an effective and economical way to keep my tools sharp? How important is the bevel angle? I have been intimidated by some of the precise instructions. But I keep telling myself that beautiful furniture was made long before exact tolerances and micro measurements. Can someone give me an overview of shapening? By the way, I'm sure this has all been posted before so I apologize for asking basic questions again.

Mike

Mike,

I use oil stones but water stones and sandpaper on glass are just as good. The sharpening medium is not as important as the mechanics of it as all media have their pros and cons so it's really personal preference.

The first thing you must do is get a flat polished face (back). I use sandpaper on granite (or glass) for this as I've found this method easier than stones for flattening the faces of irons and chisels and it's a one time (per tool) undertaking. Once the face is flat and polished, you only need be concerned about the bevel.

Here's a great tutorial for lapping faces:

http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/dCohen/z_art/lappingBlade/lappBlade1.asp

After the face is flat, then grind the primary bevel. I don't get caught up in different bevel angles for different tools (except mortise chisels, but more on that later). I grind all my plane irons and chisels at 30 degrees. That way I don't have to wonder what angle a particular tool was ground at.

Once the bevel is ground, I move to oil stones to hone and polish the bevel. I use a fine India oil stone followed by a surgical black arkansas. They are inexpensive (I paid $11 for the India and $40 for the black) and will likely not need to be flattened in my lifetime (unlike water stones which cut faster but should be flattened each time they are used, a drawback in my mind). Hone just until the scratches from the previous stone are removed. After honing on the two stones, I move to a leather strop charged with 0.5 micron honing compound. I can shave with my tools when I'm done.

Since I hollow grind, I do not create a secondary bevel (also called a micro bevel). I have found it unnecessary and difficult to maintain when honing freehand as I do (sans honing guide). The only time I use a secondary bevel is on mortise chisels. For these chisels I grind a 20 degree primary bevel for deep penetration, but I put on a 35 degree (approximately, I don't measure) secondary bevel to strengthen the arris (a 20 degree edge would chip when chopping mortises). These are not precision chisels, however, and do not really need to be shaving sharp (though they should still be plenty sharp enough to cut wood) so I'm not that concerned with the difficulty in maintaining a secondary bevel.

The following link is a great freehand sharpening tutorial. A micro bevel is used in this tutorial but, again, I have found it unnecessary. You can try for yourself and see what you think.

http://www.antiquetools.com/sharp/

If you do not think you can hone freehand, I strongly urge you to try the hollow grind method described in the link above on one of your chisels. After trying it I was freehand honing in minutes. I had previously used a honing guide but have since sold it. It really is not as hard a it is made out to be and does not take years of practice.

Good luck!

Bob

[Mike Steinhilper]

Robert, that is a great tutorial. Thanks for the link.