On Oct 19, 7:39 am, "jk" wrote:
What books or tools would you suggest for a beginners library or
woodworking shop? I have some tools, Dewalt DW621 router, Ryobi RAS,
piece of junk table saw, etc. No really good books though.
Assume that the budget is $400. Thanks.
john k.

What kinds of things do you plan to build? Answers for small boxes
will be totally different than those for large furniture...
My main recommendation would be to pick a project, plan it as carefully
as you can, and request tools you think you'll need for that particular
project. Then continue to buy things as you need them, rather than
stocking up and then being forced to pick projects to fit your tools.
For most general woodworking, though, I'd probably recommend:
books about whatever projects and tools you're interested in $60 (look
for used online, look at your local library)
a GOOD quality combination square (costs more than $30, $60 is
better)
a vernier or dial caliper that reads in fractions $30
a decent set of chisels (some will disagree, but Marples blue-chip are
decent to start) $30
a low-angle block plane from Lee Valley or Lie-Nielsen $120-150
water stones or "scary sharp" materials to sharpen your chisels and
plane $20-50
clamps, sandpaper, glue, wood, etc.: whatever $ you have left
If your budget were larger, or if you want power tools instead of hand
tools, I'd say the drill press is one of the most frequently-used power
tools in my shop, up there with the router. Then you'd want some
brad-point bits and some forstner bits to go along with that...
You've got a good router - if you need bits, look for several recent
threads here regarding brands and quality, but plan on spending at
least $10-20/bit.
You say you have a "junk" tablesaw - I've seen some pretty nice
projects come off a "junk" tablesaw. Get a decent carbide-tipped
blade, and spend some time tuning it up, and don't blame the saw for
poor work. When you can drop $500 on a new saw, go for it, but I'd
play around with a few small projects first.
As you can see, $400 doesn't go very far towards stocking a woodshop -
keep an eye on your local craigslist, local auctions, eBay, etc. for
used tools and materials.
Harbor Freight (HF) seems really cheap, but don't ever buy
sandpaper/abrasives from them, and whatever you get there, be aware it
might not last through your first use. They're pretty good about
returns with receipt, though, and some things there really are good
deals. Just don't get your hopes up too high.
Welcome to a fun, rewarding, and expensive hobby,
Andy