the $1000 woodworking tool test

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Location
Tennessee
THIS IS NOT A CONTEST... I hope the title isn't misleading... let me know if you think it is.

This IS a way to get you thinking about what your most important tools are, which will in turn give you some insights into yourself as a woodworker.

Here's the hypothetical scenario:
1) You have no tools. Zilch. Zero. Not even a pocket knife.
2) You have $1000 tool budget for a YEAR.

How would you spend your $1000?

Why?

You may be interested to read how Marc Spagnuolo answered: http://thewoodwhisperer.com/?p=159

I look forward to hearing how you'd outfit your woodshop with only $1000...

G
 
garrett,
this is simple.......the entire budget would go toward lay-out and hand tools.....i wouldn`t spend a nickel on power tools...that way in a barren shop i could still build and i wouldn`t throw my money away on cheap,make-do type of power tools......tod
 
garrett,
this is simple.......the entire budget would go toward lay-out and hand tools.....i wouldn`t spend a nickel on power tools...that way in a barren shop i could still build and i wouldn`t throw my money away on cheap,make-do type of power tools......tod
With two exceptions I agree with Tod. The two power tools that I would buy would be an electric (not battery) powered drill and a jig saw. They would probably both be Bosch.
 
basic router and a few bits, good used contractor saw with a decent GP or combo blade, a planer w/cutterhead lock and shopmade sled, cordless drill, jigsaw, small used block plane, some HF Pittsburg bar clamps, basic Kreg pocket hole jig, sandpaper, combo square, tape measure. If I go over $1k, I'll think up some justification pretty quick, but I think I could get those items pretty close. . The router is one of the most versatile tools I own. I could build a simple shopmade router table for next to nothing. I use my TS alot and wouldn't want to do without one. The surface can be covered with a $10 piece of hardboard and can double as an assembly table. I'd still want a basic bench of some sort...road finds might dictate what I use. I'd probably want a shop vac in short order too. I'm pretty frugal between garage sales, sales, and road finds, so there'd eventually be a few unlisted jigs, helpers, and misc stuff.
 
Tod said what I was thinking. That's the sure fire way to be able to set up and produce something.

Another way is older used tools. With some careful shopping I could pick up an old tablesaw and a drill press and refurbish them and still have cash left to add some hand tools. I would out hold for the cosmetically ugly and just refurbish and repair them. You can get some real deals that way. I believe I could set up a decent shop on $1000 with some patience and a little luck. And of course a lot of my labor.

Jeff
 
A razor knife

Straight edge

string

Pencil

Japanese handsaw

Speed square

circular saw

Chisel (s)

Drill, or bit and brace.

Rabbet plane.

sanvik scraper.

Business cards.

coping saw.

Stanley #4 style plane

Put the left over money in the bank and keep working

like a mad man till you can get a piece of land and shop space like Tod.:D

Per
 
I must add that when I was young (er)

and decided I wanted to build houses.

I went to work, I kid you not,

with a hammer a free nail apron, tape measure, knife, and a ball of string.

But my wages instead of over the bar rail at clancys went

right back in to my company of the day.

Per
 
Interesting thought experiment :huh:

Top of my list would have to be a thickness planer, if you are on a budget you aren't going to be getting that expensive pre surfaced wood are you.

A reasonable router and a set of bits for it.

A reasonable jigsaw with selection of blades.

A sander

Drills, probably a corded one and a cheaper 'screwdriver' size cordless.

A small toolbox of hand tools, ruler, square, chisels, pencil, hammer, knife, handsaw, sandpaper and some cheap clamps.

A small bandsaw, if I could fit it in the budget. I could make do with the jigsaw if need be, but I do like my bandsaw.

Then a good session of jig building to build a workbench, planer sled, router table, router bridge, M&T and dovetail jigs for the router etc.


Actually I guess I've just basically described what I have in the shed already :thumb: A table saw and jointer would be nice, but I can live without them. If I get another $1000 to play with I'd go with a chainsaw sawmill. Then my wood is basically free :D

Cheers

Ian
 
Speed square....

A friend of mine calls that the "squammer".

Handy, and somewhat indestructable.
 
I would say that I would have to use that as a loan origination fee to get started on buying the lot to build a building and stock it with stuff.
 
garrett,
this is simple.......the entire budget would go toward lay-out and hand tools.....i wouldn`t spend a nickel on power tools...that way in a barren shop i could still build and i wouldn`t throw my money away on cheap,make-do type of power tools......tod


Same here.
 
Like others, I would get some hand tools. I would head to a local flea market or similar, finding a couple hand saws, chisels, a few hand planes, and such. I think I could do that with about $200 nicely.

I would setup a scary sharp system to keep the edges sharp, and spend $5 for a file to sharpen the saws.

I'd spend about $500 on wood, of various types, and save the rest of the money for more wood.
 
This is what I would buy to try to give me the most capability for $1000.

Basic EZ rail system from Rockler-$164
EZ sliding square/fence from Eurekazone-$70
Good circular saw-$148
This group would substitute for a tablesaw, edge jointer and mitersaw.

Add a good quality jigsaw (such as an older model Bosch) for curved cuts-$100.

DeWalt 621 router-$199 for edge treatments and dados, and on and on. Especially with shop made jigs.

Ridgid 5" ROS $70.
Ridgid 3/8th inch corded drill-$70.
Kreg Pocket Hole jig-$139.

Now we are at $962. I would spend the other $38 in this manner. Three piece Buck Bros. chisel set-$20, Stanley 24" carpenters square-$6, Husdy 6 in 1 screwdriver-$6 and an ecomomy Homedepot claw hammer-$8.

I did not consider bits, blades, sandpaper etc. as those are disposables and not tools. All prices were found on the internet and rounded up to the nearest dollar. I feel that the power tools are pretty good quality and not junk which would be a bad decision.
 
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That's interesting, Per, about going to work with a free nail apron and hammer. When I started out, I took a Public Service bus to a job in Convent Station carrying my tools in a box I made. They consisted of a hand saw (ten point Sandvik), a six foot stick rule, a chalk line/box, and sixteen ounce straight claw hammer. There may have been a sixteen foot tape measure in there too, but I recall my father saying that I might be laughed off the job if I showed up with one of those.

This was a long time ago for most of the forum members...about nineteen sixty one or two.

Now, I bet your father has some good stories about the "olden days".
 
Ian,

What is a "Router Bridge"? I haven't heard that term before. :dunno:

Thanks,
-Sean

A router bridge is a jig for flatening large boards with your router. You set up straight rails on either side of your workpiece then mount the router in a 'bridge' between the rails. Then just run the router up/down and side/side over the workpiece. Works great for tabletop sized boards or big glueups that are too big for your planer and jointer.

It's the same theory as using an Ez-Smart and router to face joint, but just made out of plywood :thumb:

Cheers

Ian
 
Ian,

What is a "Router Bridge"? I haven't heard that term before. :dunno:

Thanks,
-Sean
Here's an example of a small one being used to flatten an end grain cutting board. It still needed sanding afterwards, but it gave me a good flat starting point. It's a simple four-sided frame to surround the piece, and a flat piece of plywood with the router mounted on it.

Router Bridge 3 600.jpg Router Bridge 5 600.jpg Router Bridge 6 600.jpg Router Bridge 7 600.jpg

You can get creative and come up with other variations of the same basic idea.
 
Yup, thats what I'm thinking of.

If you are on a budget you need to get a bit creative. But with that jig you can live without a jointer, or even a planer if need be. Completely planing a board is probably a bit slow, but it does work well with figured wood and end grain. And of course it works great for WIDE boards.

You will need to add a set of earmuffs and a good brush and shovel to your list though :D

Cheers

Ian
 
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