"Bob Davis" wrote in message
So I've purchased
some decent power tools and last week bought my first "real" wood - 50 bf
of
teak. I took a piece and ran it through the jointer and put a Roman ogee
edge on it just to play around. I was pumped by the beauty of the wood.

Now I'm frustrated. I feel like I am halfway there in having the right
tools
and skills. Skills come with trying. Tools have to be purchased.

Good planes are NOT cheap. Gluing requires clamps, maybe
expensive cabinet clamps. It seems every time I turn around, its $40
here,
$60 there, and on and on.

I'm ready to just settle down to paying money for wood and building
things.
I cannot help but feel I'm at least $1000 from getting there. More
importantly, I'm not sure how it will have to be spent.

Step one is to decide what you want to make. That will determine the tools
you need. You bring up clamps. When I first started woodworking, I figured
clamps were non-productive and just were not fun things to spend money on
compared to a good tool like a cordless drill or other toy. Right now I am
waiting for the glue to set up on a piece that has 10 clamps on it. Varying
sizes are needed to get the job done so be sure to have a few sizes. A set
of chisels is a smart investment. The Marples blue handles are about $30 and
yes, they need to be honed. Look up the scary sharp method if you want to
get away cheap, or spend $30 to $100 for some stones.

As for spending money, yes, it is a few bucks every time you turn around.
Research a bit and buy quality tools that will last and get the job done. I
just got a new Lee Valley block plane and added it to the spreadsheet I have
listing my tools. The plane brought it to $7007. You can get away with a
lot less, you can spend a lot more.

Tooling has a stable value once the initial depreciation hits. Better than
a boat, car, or computer equipment. Woodworking gives you peace of mind in
that you never have to worry about what to do with surplus money you have.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome