That's a lot of nailing yet it doesn't compare to the nailing OP's mom gets.
Plus
1. Pin nailer
2,Brad nailer
3, Finish nailer
4. Stapler
5. Framing nailer
Equals 800 or so...
Anyone picked up woodworking as a hobby out of the blue?
- Thread starter Nole Lou
- Start date
I’ve made a number of things for around the house, outdoor patio furniture, hanging porch swing, desks fir the kids and some end tables.
I’m not that great but I enjoy it. I do wish I had somewhere to do it though. The sawdust makes a mess in the garage so I typically only work on projects when it’s not outside and I can get up saws in the driveway.
I’m not that great but I enjoy it. I do wish I had somewhere to do it though. The sawdust makes a mess in the garage so I typically only work on projects when it’s not outside and I can get up saws in the driveway.
That's awesome and hopefully you get a chance to use them and catch some fish! No matter where you live there will be some fish that will eat flies. If you ever have any questions about it all don't hesitate to ask, as I've owned fly shops and been a guide for almost 14 years out west
A small table saw is fairly cheap. As are used ones.
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The only way around that is to plan your project so that you use dimensioned specialty lumber so that widths and thicknesses have been done for you at the factory, then make jigs or use other controls to replicate lengths precisely. I have built several small items this way, but I also know how to laminate, plane, and do other things accurately by hand. It's a LOT easier if you have the right equipment.
I've been upgrading my tool portfolio by finding good quality stuff for pennies on the dollar on NextDoor.
Like:
- 12" Ryobi benchtop drill press for $60
- Free belt sander (paid $20 for it, and the sanding belts that he sold with it cost more than that, and were all new); this needed some rework on the handle, but an hour or so of repair work; it's a 1950s era tool and looks just bulletproof
- Free table saw (old-school Craftsman cast iron, mounted on a nice rolling platform; just needs the motor mounted on)
- Passed on a $70 radial arm saw, as I didn't have the space cleared out for it, but it came with a slew of new blades
- $20 circular saw, old-school Craftsman w/ the miter guide
- $100 Hitachi 10" miter saw (really want a sliding one, but this will do the job for the 2x6 deck updates I'm working on)
- $25 Craftsman router (w/ table) and a bunch of bits
Been using all of them so far except the table saw, and they work fine for me.
NextDoor and CL have been a boon for finding good used tools.
Was tempted to pick up a 2 stage Toro snowblower, but would have been too long a drive. $1200 unit someone was selling for $200 and it looked practically new. Lots of folks moving just want to get rid of stuff, so if you have 30-60 min a week to peruse the ads and find something you don't immediately need, you can save gobs of cash. But it does require a lot more time than just walking into Home Depot and buying something.
That's why I'll definitely be getting a table saw. I need the accuracy and stability for sure.
Plus
1. Pin nailer
2,Brad nailer
3, Finish nailer
4. Stapler
5. Framing nailer
Equals 800 or so...
I have a 10 gallon version from CA Air tools. It is super quiet, compared to many of the low end units you get. A couple folks who have heard it have gone out and purchased their own to replace louder units. Seems to have about the same CFM (5.3 @ 90 psi, 6.4 @ 40 psi). Picked that up as a prior year model from Menards a few yrs back for a lark. Been worth every penny.
Plenty for any air tools and enough juice to blow out sprinklers pretty easily.
And in the long run it's safer,.. particularly on tight cuts..
If you want to do quality woodwork, you'll also want a jointer and planer.
Those take up lots of space, so it can be more practical for some to find out if there is a MakerSpace or similar nearby that'll let you use theirs for a few $$.
Denver has a cool place called the Tool Library, and for something like $15-20 an hour, you can use all of their equipment, and can pay an annual fee to be able to check various tools out. They have a 24" planer and 12" jointer, giant table saw, band saw.....damn near anything you need for woodworking. Unfortunately, too far of a drive for me to get to regularly. I just used them for planing down 5' 3x12s for stairs work I was doing this past year.
One thing I would suggest as a consideration. Sawstop.
Of all the injuries <that could happen> and all the tools I have, the router is "scary" cause you have to get hands in close when you are working on a routing table, but the tablesaw can really get you if an accident occurs. Working with plywood sheets by yourself is daunting and when you get close on smaller cuts, kickback can really get you attention. I keep debating spending the extra money and just getting a stopsaw, but I haven't done it, my existing works. But I think about it a lot.
Also, I tried a cheap harbor freight sliding compound mitre saw, mine was amazing and when it finally died, felt like the savings was worth it to just get another harbor freight on. Easy way to get new and save money UNLESS you have time to shop for a used one.
I get those videos all the time in my Facebook. I watch them from time to time..... which is probably why I keep getting them
If money is not a concern, and space is limited, I'd be getting one of those Bosch 12" miter saws with the ingenious angle-sliding mechanism. They ain't cheap, but you get the cutting ability of a slider that'd require >2ft of counter space, that can sit against the wall.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-1...Saw-with-60-Tooth-Saw-Blade-GCM12SD/202568455
I would love to make woodworking a hobby. I can sit for hours watching woodworking shows. While tools can be a barrier to get into this hobby the bigger issue is the space for a workshop.
Maybe to keep costs down the OP could try the hobby using hand tools only, the Old Yankee way. Make small projects like a keepsake box or a desktop humidor.
A few years ago I got really good at making and finishing boards for the game cornhole. Not a huge investment in tools. Not expensive materials. The hardest part was in the painting and finishing work. I would make sets and give them away as gifts.
Maybe to keep costs down the OP could try the hobby using hand tools only, the Old Yankee way. Make small projects like a keepsake box or a desktop humidor.
A few years ago I got really good at making and finishing boards for the game cornhole. Not a huge investment in tools. Not expensive materials. The hardest part was in the painting and finishing work. I would make sets and give them away as gifts.
Yeah, that is a good idea...for someone else. The more I have to do by hand, in terms of keeping things straight, clean, accurate etc, the worse its going to be. Years of pinewood derby cars taught me that.
I know I am not that kind of skillful with my hands. Ask any of your mothers.
And this is why you can pick up a radial arm saw for 50 bucks on Craigslist. I picked up an old Craftsman and put a diamond blade on it to use exclusively for cutting cultured stone. I haven't bought a sliding miter yet because I don't trust how long they will cut straight after some use and they cost 2x what my Dewalt 12" saw cost...
Good quality brands will cut straight for a long-long time.
Sliding miters do fine; they just require countertops that are 36" in depth (or deeper).
That's what's so neat about the Bosch model. It'll easily fit on a 2' deep counter.
I basically take on a project, then instead of getting a contractor, I will buy the tools and DIY. Did my bathrooms and fully upgraded/expanded my kitchen this way.
But on my next up project I want to build a paddle board. Been looking at the Jarvis boards website a lot for a blueprint. Except I need one extra long and wide so may have to customize. https://jarvisboards.com Not the only site, but one, and they have some beautiful boards.
Check pawnshops in your area Lou. You can often find decent deals at them.
Yeah, I want a lathe, esp after watching all the videos of people cutting, gluing, compressing, recutting, and then spinning the chunks. How many multi-colored bowls do I need? But it looks cool as hell.
Excellent tip. Will do that.
One reason I'd prefer to buy second hand is that if it turns out this isn't for me, I should be able to sell them for close to what I paid for them, so the risk isn't too bad. If I can get the fingers cleaned out of them.
It's very helpful to have those, but you can do good work without if you know how. It takes a lot more planning and handwork, but it can be done. A drill press is more important than those, imo, although there are ways to work around that, too.
Plus
1. Pin nailer
2,Brad nailer
3, Finish nailer
4. Stapler
5. Framing nailer
Equals 800 or so...
Porter-Cable 6 Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor with 16-Gauge, 18-Gauge and 23-Gauge Nailer 3 Tool Combo Kit PCFP3KIT - The Home Depot
Get the ultimate accessory for your compressor repairs with the addition of this excellent Porter Cable Portable Electric Air Compressor with and Nailer Combo Kit.
www.homedepot.com
You're welcome
I do the same and that way I can justify the spend on tools.
This is what I got.Porter-Cable 6 Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor with 16-Gauge, 18-Gauge and 23-Gauge Nailer 3 Tool Combo Kit PCFP3KIT - The Home Depot
Get the ultimate accessory for your compressor repairs with the addition of this excellent Porter Cable Portable Electric Air Compressor with and Nailer Combo Kit.www.homedepot.com
You're welcome
RIDGID 18V Brushless Cordless HYPERDRIVE 16-Gauge 2-1/2 in. Straight Finish Nailer(Tool Only), Belt Clip, Bag, Sample Nails R09892B - The Home Depot
Tackle nailing jobs in tight areas with the use of this RIDGID HYPERDRIVE Straight Nailer. Features brushless motor for superior power and runtime.
www.homedepot.com
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Those are louder than shit.Porter-Cable 6 Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor with 16-Gauge, 18-Gauge and 23-Gauge Nailer 3 Tool Combo Kit PCFP3KIT - The Home Depot
Get the ultimate accessory for your compressor repairs with the addition of this excellent Porter Cable Portable Electric Air Compressor with and Nailer Combo Kit.www.homedepot.com
You're welcome
Yeah, but for $9 you can buy a box of foamies and just wear them when using every tool. Or, listen to music with noise canceling headset while you work. That makes sanding so much more enjoyable.
I don't operate power tools, shoot a gun or ride a motorcycle with hearing protection in. I assume years of loud machines caused my tinnitus, and really lou noises will instantly set it off. And eye protection is worth the $15 as well. I have no interest in wearing an eye patch.
While you're at it, never hop on OP's mom without protection. Including the foamies. She gets pretty loud at times.
So...here's my first "project", a record crate:
I decided to go ahead and try to do a few prelim projects I could manage without a table saw or mitre saw, just to get a basic sense of if I enjoy it or not. It's pretty substandard, but it sits flat and is strong, so I'm satisfied. And other than a drill, I was basically using the other tools for the first time (circular saw, impact driver, jigsaw, sander).
It would have been WAY easier with a table saw, my biggest struggle was getting all the boards marked and cut to perfect size with the circular saw. But it's probably good to get some level of comfort with these tools before investing in a table saw. I'll probably try to find another simple project or two to work on, or maybe try to make another one or two of these and see if I can do better, before trying to pick up a second hand table saw.
I decided to go ahead and try to do a few prelim projects I could manage without a table saw or mitre saw, just to get a basic sense of if I enjoy it or not. It's pretty substandard, but it sits flat and is strong, so I'm satisfied. And other than a drill, I was basically using the other tools for the first time (circular saw, impact driver, jigsaw, sander).
It would have been WAY easier with a table saw, my biggest struggle was getting all the boards marked and cut to perfect size with the circular saw. But it's probably good to get some level of comfort with these tools before investing in a table saw. I'll probably try to find another simple project or two to work on, or maybe try to make another one or two of these and see if I can do better, before trying to pick up a second hand table saw.
So...here's my first "project", a record crate:
I decided to go ahead and try to do a few prelim projects I could manage without a table saw or mitre saw, just to get a basic sense of if I enjoy it or not. It's pretty substandard, but it sits flat and is strong, so I'm satisfied. And other than a drill, I was basically using the other tools for the first time (circular saw, impact driver, jigsaw, sander).
It would have been WAY easier with a table saw, my biggest struggle was getting all the boards marked and cut to perfect size with the circular saw. But it's probably good to get some level of comfort with these tools before investing in a table saw. I'll probably try to find another simple project or two to work on, or maybe try to make another one or two of these and see if I can do better, before trying to pick up a second hand table saw.
It's a crate. Not sure I'd call that a "record" tho... 😉
So...2.5 years into this hobby, I wanted to thank those on here who were supportive on this thread. So, a couple posts below my first project, this is my latest. My son asked me earlier this summer if we could do a project together. He's off to Georgia Tech for mechanical engineering, but he hasn't really built anything since legos. Well, his eagle project, but they require adults to use all the big tools. While he'd be unlikely to be using shitty woodworking tools like I have, more the process and thinking through of a project. This is what we came up with...(we didn't make the pieces)...
In other words, we made a very fancy thing to keep weed in.
In other words, we made a very fancy thing to keep weed in.
I’ve built a couple of model railroad bridges out of hobby wood. They’re a lot more fun to put together on a table than in real life.
