On Apr 2, 7:45 am, "Dave" wrote:
Hi all...

I'm looking for some advice on tools and some simple beginner
projects. I just moved out of an apartment and into a house, so I now
have room to start building a modest workshop. I have your standard
portable power tools (circular saw, jig saw, drill, belt and orbital
sanders) which served me well while living in an apartment. But, they
were really for minor repair work. I never really built anything from
scratch.

Now that I have the space, I'd like to start woodworking. I love
watching woodworking shows on TV but they make it seem way to easy.
But, having just bought the house, I'm rather strapped for cash. And
honestly I'm not really sure if this is just a passing fad or not. I
don't want to spend a great deal of money on tools which may just wind
up sitting my basement rarely used. So as a beginner who may quickly
loose interest, what are the essential starter tools that I should be
investigating?

And I would appreciate recommendations for simple beginner projects,
especially ones where I could get by with what I already have. (A
birdhouse, a very basic bookshelf, etc.) I'd almost prefer to build
up a love of the craft first which would drive me towards purchasing
better tools over time.

Regards,
Dave

Go to the public library and read the various woodworking books. They
will have several on getting started. Also go to Borders, Barnes
Noble and read their woodworking books too. The getting started
ones. I saw one by Taunton/Fine Woodworking about getting started and
it seemed pretty good. Simple projects using modest tools most people
already have. All of these have various tol lists. Most are not
extravagant lists and after reading the various books you can figure
out which of the tools suggested are really necessary.

As for tools, you do need certain tools to do the work. I think the
table saw is essential. Without one you are trying to concoct some
other way to do what the table saw does quickly and easily. If you
have to make up work arounds that are inconvenient every time you want
to cut something, your interest can quickly drop off. And you'll
never really give yourself a chance to like woodworking.

I'm not saying having the nicest tools will make everything easy and
get you to be a lifelong woodworker, but without the right basic tools
at the start, the interest will never be kindled because it will be so
tedious to do the simplest things. Imagine being a car mechanic, if
that was your passion, and not having a covered garage or shed or
anything to work on the tools. Laying on your back under a car on a
gravel/dirt patch in the middle of winter, in a northern state. At
night, no trouble light even. And your only tools are a Vise-Grip,
screwdriver, and hammer. Kind of hard to even get interested in car
mechanics if you don't even have the very basics.