Any advice for a basic shop for a teenager?

[glebo]

Hey all,

I'm planning on spending my winter break re-organizing the un-finished section of my basement to set it up for woodworking projects. But the catch is that I'm currently a high school junior and will (hopefully) be going to college in 2013, and my parents will probably be moving and would take apart the workshop within the next half decade. It's not a terribly big space, but would certainly be able to fit a half-dozen floor power tools and some worktables. So does anybody have any tips for the basic list of power tools, accessories, clamps, etc. that I would need to cover the widest range of projects possible and where to get them? I'm already borrowing a table saw from a friend's dad for the next year until I leave. And with that, any set-up tips would be appreciated.

I've been doing a few basic signmaking and little toy projects at home, and haven't had time to do any fancy stuff yet at the school shop, which already has anything I would need but I don't have access to unless I'm in class (which makes it hard to really get into projects). I'm not into turning yet, but am taking a workshop with Frank Penta next week so that'll probably change! My basement is currently under a lot of dust and my throat has been killing me 'cause I don't have proper ventilation in there, so ventilation is my first priority right now. Speaking of which, would a blower through the wall to move air and dust outside the house suffice?

I'm a very recent new member to the forum, and have only began woodworking in the last few months. But I'm really eager to learn more and can always use some advice! I attached a picture of some holiday gifts I made that I gave my visiting Aunt and Uncle's family from out of state today. So as you can tell, it's nothing complex, but I can't wait until I get into more complex projects!

View image in gallery​

Thank you in advance!
- Alex

 

[cskipper]

Welcome to the group! It's really great having someone your age excited about woodworking! I can't answer questions about ventilation except that you do need some. At a minimum, get a box fan and attach a furnace filter to it. That won't help if you are using bigger equipment, but helps with the airborne dust.

I have a scroll saw and drill press in my bedroom shop, and the bigger tools at home. A band saw (bench top) is also great. Sanders would be even sweeter. A number of years ago I had my midi lathe in an unused room with hardwood floors. Watch for turning - EXTREMELY addictive and we refer it to as a "slippery slope".

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Alex, you've asked some good, thoughtful questions, which is definitely the right way to get started. As Kathy said, and you've already realized, the first step is getting the airborne dust under control. There are lot's of ways to do this, starting w/ a simple box fan pulling air through a furnace filter, all the way up to the ceiling hung units that cost several hundred dollars. Since you didn't mention your budget, I'm not sure which will be your best bet.

I would strongly suggest you find a local member of NCWW (there are many in your area) and go see their shop. That's where you'll pick up some good ideas. You can search the members list here to find others around you. If you have transportation and would like to drive about 45 minutes west, you are more than welcome to come visit my shop.

Having had two basement shops, my best advice is to make sure you can get whatever tools you buy into the shop. The same goes for whatever you build. There's nothing like building something really big only to find out you can't get it up the stairs. :nah:

Bill

 

[Mike Camp]

Welcome to NCWW Alex. What tools do you have now?

I personally started out with just a circular saw some guides similar to this one (I used slightly thicker MDF) and a miter saw. This limits you to using pre-dimensioned lumber from the hardware store and sheet goods, but it is definitely a cheap way to start.

 

[smallboat]

Another hearty welcome! you've come to the right place.
As Bill said, you're off to a good start with the right questions.
And you're in a location where you have lots of experienced hands near by.

I'm certainly not as widely experienced as a lot of folks here but this is what I've learned.

First, you can't have too many clamps
Or too much light.

Next, think "cutting" vs "abrading".
Good saws, chisels and planes will get you where you need to go without having to "grind" the wood into dust.
Keeping sanding to a minimum helps a lot with the dust generation.


I've built two boats in a basement shop and more in my current garage shop.
Small spaces can be workable, even for large projects, but it takes planning.
They also force you to keep things tidied up, which can be a plus.


Since you have access to a table saw I would highly recommend a 14" band saw.
Keep all the floor mounted stuff on wheels, including work surfaces.
I have one fixed bench that is high enough for me to "park" the table saw and compressor underneath when I need the floor space. Everything else can be moved easily without hurting myself.
I don't have a drill press but its on "the list".


Your time frame may not accommodate this, but if possible buy used.
Between this forum and CL you can get what you need for < 1/2 retail.

Looking forward to seeing photos of your projects!

 

[tar1heel]

Alex,

As Bill suggested, visiting the shops of other NCWW members in your area would give you some good ideas. If you are free on Monday evenings, there is a group called HOW (Hillsborough Orange Woodworkers) that meets weekly at members' shops near you. You are welcome to join the group. We will gladly answer any questions...maybe even a few you don't ask. If you are interested just PM me and I can provide more details.

 

[glebo]

Thank you all for the great advice!! Here are my new plans, using what you guys have posted:

Stuff I already have:

• Ridgid router (fixed & plunge base)
• A few old circular saws
• Jig saw
• Handheld belt sander
• A few old drills
• Small shop-vac
• Box fan with duct fan
• Borrowed table saw
• I just got a small compound miter saw from my sis for a holiday gift (should help with the small cuts!)

Stuff I'm probably going to buy (either from CL, or at Direct Tools tomorrow, somewhere else):

• Shutter-mounted wall fan to vent out all the dirty air. phew.
• Band saw (maybe 14"?)
• New sanders: belt/disc combo (preferably large belt and disc for large signs), and a pad sander or two.
• I read another post stressing how much a planer and jointer will help with cabinets, so probably a 6" jointer (why would you need much more than that?) and as big of a planer I can find for a good price (I make a lot of cutting boards out of glued, un-cut hardwood scrap from the school shop and the wider, the better).
• Lots of clamps.

Eventually, I may find a drill press and scroll saw for cheap. Probably not though.

Stuff I'm going to do:

1. Vacuum up everything in the shop before cutting anything else.
2. Set up the shutter-mounted vent (regardless of what tools I get, I need air!)
3. Visit Mr. Penta's shop on Friday and see how that is set up. If it's mostly just for turning, I'll make sure to contact one of you guys, or maybe the Hillsborough group!
4. Set up new benches and worksurfaces, making sure that I have room for each tool.
5. Go get the tools.
6. Set up some extra vacuum tubing (ceiling-mounted?) so I can easily connect the shop vac to all the different tools.

Any thoughts on all that? Again, thank you for all the help so far!

 

[Dudelive]

Welcome aboard and enjoy your stay.

Look around the internet and shops near you and get all the information about collecting dust at the source. It will make the biggest difference of just about anything you can do.

Starting out, a good shop vacuum to move from tool to tool will be a big help as far as dust goes. Try not to vent outside if you can help it as that will carry out your heat or air conditioned air. It will cool a shop down in a hurry in the winter time and warm it up real fast in the summer. Plus when blowing dust outside it makes for a mess and some people will complain if not lucky. As mentioned a box fan and a good filter located near the working area will be a big help.

Buy only what you are sure you NEED....not WANT.
Later as your experience grows so can your tool purchases......so far you are doing great from the pictures I saw.

Good Luck....looking for more pictures to come from your future projects.

Thanks
D

 

[glebo]

I'll go with the shop vac! The vent outside would be for the ambient air, not the actual dust from the machines. And the unfinished part of the basement is where the heater and A/C are actually located, so it already has wide temp swings. Hopefully the neighbors won't see any fine dust that is vented outside, and the box fan I have its't working too well currently.

You're right about the jointer/planer, I can probably use those at school or somewhere else close and wouldn't need to have one at my house, so I'll hold off on those until I'm certain. Of course I want more, but I gotta stay practical!

 

[steviegwood]

Welcome to the addiction of woodworking. One thing that I did not see mentioned was your power supply for your tools. You can get most of your tools for 120v but if you happen to pick up something that is 240v just make sure that it can be easily wired for you. You also can not have enough outlets to plug into. If you have a small heater and or ac unit to maintain a constant temperature and humidity level for finishing, that also helps. Even a separate area for that helps so you can do other dust making projects while waiting on something to dry. A drill press is almost a must if you get into scrolling. Would love to see more photos of your work as you progress. Steve

 

[glebo]

Haha thanks Steve! the power to the house comes through the basement so it shouldn't be too hard to re-wire some stuff. During the summer I can leave stuff outside while finishing under a covered porch, but for winter, I'll have to separate the areas with some trash bags or something. Or just make sure I have fans blowing the other way

 

[rcarmac]

I had very good success putting my shop together using Craigslist. I have purchased a scroll saw, band saw, bench sander, table saw, drill press, planer, spindle sander, and dust collector that i purchased from Craigslist. I didnt pay over $75 for a single piece. They that, get yourself started and then upgrade to the larger and more expensive tools and you gain experience.

 

[glebo]

Wow, that's kind of amazing! I'll attempt that, and see what I can find!

 

[Mike Camp]

I had very good success putting my shop together using Craigslist. I have purchased a scroll saw, band saw, bench sander, table saw, drill press, planer, spindle sander, and dust collector that i purchased from Craigslist. I didnt pay over $75 for a single piece. They that, get yourself started and then upgrade to the larger and more expensive tools and you gain experience.

I've gone pretty much the same route, and saved a bundle. Just make sure to do your research ahead of time on what make/models of particular tools to look out for, and what is a good price. lumberjocks.com and amazon both have great review sections on many different makes and models of tools so be sure to read up on those. Often people post good craigslist deals on here as well so make sure to keep your eyes open. Also feel free to ask questions about what to look for on a particular item here, because buying used poses the risk of you getting something that is broken beyond repair or with no available parts.

I just recently rehabbed a contractor table saw and learned how to remove rust, paint, lubricate, clean, adjust and reassemble it (it did take a good bit of time). It was an awesome learning experience and I got a lot of help from other NCWW members so don't be shy to ask.

 

[bob vaughan]

Two important gauging tools that will be used quite often:

Vernier caliper - learn how to use it. It'll be your eyes. Avoid digital or dial calipers at first. They'll only confuse. A vernier set will give you relative positions, much like an analog watch tells you much more than a digital watch.

Combination square: Get a fairly good heavy one. You'll use it a lot. It works great as a marking gauge, depth gauge, etc.

Another consideration for long-term use is a good sharpening setup like a good bench grinder and some honing stones. Sharp cuts, dull frustrates. Big machines will come and go, but cutting and detailing hand tools like chisels and hand planes will always be part of the woodworker's tool chest.

 

[merrill77]

• I read another post stressing how much a planer and jointer will help with cabinets, so probably a 6" jointer (why would you need much more than that?) and as big of a planer I can find for a good price (I make a lot of cutting boards out of glued, un-cut hardwood scrap from the school shop and the wider, the better).

A power jointer is generally used for two tasks: to flatten either the face or the edge of a board. Getting an edge perfectly flat and straight is necessary for gluing boards up into a wider panel - this is edge-jointing. Flattening the face of a board is necessary to get nice flat straight stock to work with - since boards frequently do not arrive in our shop flat and straight. This is face-jointing.

For edge-jointing, you are correct, 6" is much more than is usually needed. 2" would be more than enough for most jobs. For face-jointing, 6" is rarely enough IME.

Edge-jointing can be done in a variety of ways - most commonly: powered jointer, jointer plane, table saw and router jig.

Face-jointing can also be done a variety of ways: powered jointer, a jointer plane, a router jig or a a simple sled in a planer.

Since planers are usually much wider than jointers (at a given price point), face-jointing with a planer sled gives you more capacity and is generally much safer as well. In my experience it is also faster and less error prone - especially if the board is really twisty. So if you are either space or dollar constrained (I am), you might consider skipping the jointer at first and get only a planer. The planer is useful for milling boards to final dimensions if you buy it rough-cut (saves $$$) or getting thicknesses that are not available from the stores (e.g. 3/8" stock). I use my planer on nearly every project, but used my jointer so rarely I ended up selling it and am glad to have the extra space. I edge-joint at the table saw or with a router jig. Using a router jig, you are only limited by the length of your straight-edge. With a jointer, you are limited by the length of the jointer tables.

I offer the above simply as an alternative to the common approach - not necessarily better, depending on your needs (like making oodles of cutting boards).

Here are before and after pics of face-jointing a really wavy board with a planer sled. In my experience, this would be very difficult with a jointer.