Absolute Beginner

[Wiltshiresaint]

Hi,

Aside from a few hours in woodwork lessons at school 30 years ago, I'm an absolute beginner to wordworking. I'm now looking to learn the craft with a view to the skills being helpful when I set up a smallholding. Basic carpentry skills to fix things and maybe build the odd cabinet or table for the house.

I need to start my toolkit from scratch, and I'm wondering what tools are most useful to someone in my position? I also want to buy just the once, so I'd like to buy very good brands if it means they'll last a lifetime when well looked after. I'm have no idea what are good brands though :-(

Secondly, is there one book that you'd recommend any beginner purchases?

Lastly, I have no workshop apart from my garage, and no workbench. I was considering buying a workbench ini kit form - does this one look like a good one to start with?

http://www.alwayshobbies.com/Store/Craf ... -Workbench

All help gratefully received!

 

[mr]

Trying again ...


http://www.alwayshobbies.com/Store/Craf ... -Workbench

Hmmm still cant get this URLify - sorry

Cheers Mike

 

[Argee]

Here you are:

http://www.alwayshobbies.com/Store/Craf ... -Workbench

Ray

 

[mr]

Now how did you do that


Cheers Mike

 

[wizer]

Welcome to the forum Wiltshiresaint.

It all depends on the specifics of what you want to do. That workbench will be fairly flimsy for all but the lightest of work. I good workbench idealy needs to be heavy and sturdy. You could beef it up by building a ply cabinet into the space below the top. This would add weight and rigidity.

However, if you going to go to that trouble. You might as well build yourself one from scratch.

This discussion has been done recently here:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=25677

and here:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=26164

 

[wizer]

Oh and as for books. Ernest Joyce seems to be the majority's bible. Have a look at this:

http://trevera25.proboards85.com/index. ... hread=1737

 

[ByronBlack]

If I could go back and start again before I shelled out a penny, I would invest in good sharpening stones, and some decent basic hand-tools. I'm thinking some bench chisels, a couple of tenon & rip saws for basic dimensioning. You'll also never regret spending money on a good marking knife and engineers square (the most used tools in my 'shop).

A block and jack plane should get your buy for most planing requirements to begin with.

I agree with Wizer, the benches at that price range are going to be quite flimsy, but you could add balast to the bottom-shelf to absorb some of the forces to improve it, but at the price you could get some hardwood and make a nice heavy one fairly simply. My workbench was probably the best investment in time and money that I've so far put into the hobby.

Good luck!