Kit out a complete DIY workshop for £2.5k (or less if poss)

[Triggaaar]

I've got my first workshop, which is 5.3m x 1.9m, and as I've needed tools I've posted the odd question. But as soon as I know which tool I want, I'm on to the next (as I'm fitting out the new guest house that's attached to the workshop) and I'm not sure what budget to set for each tool as I don't know where it'll all end. I know for many it never ends, but I'd like to get a better feel for the tools I'd like to accumulate over the next few months/year. So taking inspiration from the 5k Challenge thread I thought I'd post my own, but with it being less hypothetical (and closer to 2.5k challenge). I am a novice woodworker and appreciate that it's not wise to have all the gear and no idea, and I shall be working on my skills (trying to find suitable little courses)

Requirements:
I don't intend to make money from wood.
My next jobs in the guest house are to fit an oak floor, skirting and architrave (may make my own) and hang some doors.
Once the build is finished I'd like to be able to make an outside bench, and some things for my young children (eg basic table and chairs).
I don't intend to be able to make jewelry boxes etc, but I'd like to make the odd piece of household furniture.
I dable in property development, so I'd like to do more chippying work for myself in the future, as needs must (I'd rarely have time in a project to do too much)

Tools I currently own
Power:
Cordless drills
6kg SDS
DIY mains drill
DIY jigsaw
3" belt sander (not very good)

Hand:
very cheap chisels
hammers etc
Some Irwin XP quick clamps
engineers square
cheap jack & hack saws
collection of other basics, like screwdrivers etc

What I'd like:
A workbench (home made) - £200 ish, inc vice & dogs etc?
Plunge saw (as in separate thread, thinking of DeWalt or Makita kits) £3 - £360
SCMS - Not sure if it has to be sliding but I'd prefer it. I'd like to be able to fit it into a workbench, so it needs to be compact. DeWalt DW777 seems like the sort of thing, although I'd have liked to spend less than £300.
Router - no idea what I'd be after, some seem to find cheap does the job fine. I don't know if I'd build a separte table to sit at the end of the bench, or fit it into the bench.
Combi square - I don't know if cheap ones like the axminster at £13.60 are good enough?
Digital Caliper - something like a cheap Aldi one
More clamps
Bench & block planes (and a lesson on how to use them)
Another SDS. 3 mode 2kg for £100 ish, I have a list of what I'd be happy with, just waiting for the right deal to come up
Decent chisels (no idea how much you need to spend)
Sharpening tools (again I know nothing, but I'd like to sharpen my auger drill bits, as well as chisels)

Longer term I think I'd like:
Planer/Thicknesser
Band Saw
Dust Extractor
Finishing sanders (not sure what sorts)


All advice much appreciated, thanks

 

[Dibs-h]

The Metabo ROS is fantastic - haven't had any probs with mine since I've had it - they do them for around £140 including systainer. The next step up is likely to be a Festool - but that's significantly more.

Router - get yourself a cheapy screwfix one. I have a couple of B&Q ones (fixed and plunge) and a Makita 61something. Yes the Makita has more grunt and an electronic brake, but interms of cut\finish - with a good bit to my mind there is no discernable difference.

Clamps - buy them as you need them or if a good deal comes along. I have a mix of Record sashs, Besseys (recent purchase), few Irwins and some wooden cam clamps.

Chisels - My recent good IA ones were around £100 for the set and have more than paid for themselves with the shop trusses - don't know if they are suitable for finer work. Get a good quide - I use the Veritas and am happy with it, along with the scary stuff from Matthew. I've yet to get some good bench ones - but will leave that till the shop is up and running.

Very few of us are fortunate to kit a shop out with everything in one go (of the final quality) - most usually do it in a series of purchases and upgrade\replace over time. An example being my Circ Saw - originally it was a crappy B&Q cheapo, then a Skill and now a TS55. Skill gets used for general stuff and TS55 for the finer stuff. Same with my Cordless drill - originally I sarted off with a NuTool, it went bang after a few yrs - now it's a NiMh Maikta 14v - still going since 2002.

Digital Caliper - have a few Aldi ones & perfectly happy with them.
Combi Square - have 2 Stanley (cheapy ones) and happy with them.
Planes - have a Stanley 220, Nbr 5 and Nbr7 (all old ones). Happy for the moment. That may change later.

For the bigger kit - I'd suggest the Bay. Some cracking kit comes up. Virtually all my kit has come from the Bay.

 

[wizer]

nah boll*cks to woodworking, go on holiday and buy a new dress :lol:

 

[Dibs-h]

nah boll*cks to woodworking, go on holiday and buy a new dress :lol:

When you said in your other post there were a few non-serious complications - something you want to tell us? :wink:

 

[petermillard]

Ditto what Dibs-h says really - buy the gear as you need it, with an eye to longevity where possible. On a purely personal note, I'd move the dust extractor and finish sanders higher up the list, and if flooring, skirts and arch's are your next job, then the SCMS would be good to have sooner rather than later!

With that in mind, I'd recommend taking a look at the Elektra Beckum (now branded Metabo) KGS 255 - I have one and it's a nice saw, easy enough to lug around, gives a good cut, and usually available at under £200 if you Google it.

Chisels - I have an ancient Stanley set that are still going strong, but Marples 'red & yellow' are a pretty safe bet for general work ~ £60-ish for a set.

Routers - you need to decide what you expect to do with them really e.g. you'll need a 1/2" for kitchen worktops or heavier work, 1/4" for lighter trimming and grooving, rounding-over etc… I'd buy a cheap 1/4" to begin with and use it as a learning tool - it can always be relegated to 'rounding-over' duty when you outgrow it. Expect to end up with more than one!

Combi square - how good to they have to be? Seriously, you're not going to get a combi square that's perfect right out of the box until you start spending Moore & Wright kind of money; that said, I have a Stanley combi (yellow one) that's absolutely bang-on - and another, more expensive Stanley Rabone that isn't! One thing they are useful for though is for setting your guiderail true to an edge when you're doing narrow cuts. I also like the Bahco combi squares - good for the money - but if you want a square that's genuinely 'square' then an engineers square is a better option IMO.

Hand planes - don't really use them myself; the odd bit of trimming a door in situ, maybe. Because of that I have Rali planes (the heavy ones with the laminated steel soleplate) with disposable blades; saves me a lot of time, but I know they're not to everyone's (anyone's?) taste, loll! And obviously, I know nothing about sharpening tools (apart from Japanese waterstones for my chisels…

Sanders - hard to imagine being without a random orbital sander, detail sander and 1/4 or 1/3-sheet 'palm' sander. Start with the one you need for the next job, and add them accordingly. Ditto clamps - there are so many different types and qualities, best to buy them as you need them - or as you find them 'on special' somewhere.

And yes, if you don't mind buying 'previously enjoyed' then eBay is a great source of gear at lower prices.

HTH, Pete

Now, back to the dresses - or is that a 'robe'??

 

[OPJ]

I agree with Pete's comments on the need for an accurate combination square. I've got an 'affordable' Empire square from Axminster (possibly the same one you're looking at, Trigaaar?). It claims to be accurate within a certain tolerance but, in my opinion, it isn't. Like a lot of sliding mitre saws it is accurate to a point... Until you slide it along a bit and find it's a good degree or two away from 90°! :x

Engineer squares (even the cheaper ones) will serve you well if you're really after a square reference. Like Pete, I generally use my combination square for as a gauge to set things parallel to an edge and also for scribing parallel lines. One thing I do like about the Empire model over the cheaper ones that I've used is that you can drop it on a concrete floor (many times, in fact!) and nothing will break or fall apart! :wink:

A 1/2" router will be ideal for table use. If you can also afford a second model then, a 1/4" router will probably do most of what you need for freehand/hand-held tasks. My preference for 'finishing' sanders when making furniture is random orbit sanders, particularly the smaller 5in. models (I have a Bosch and also a 6in. Metabo).

 

[jlawrence]

buy what you need when you need it - there's not a lot of point having nice shiny new (or good 2nd hand) kit that you've no use for.
I'd go with a decent SCMS from fleabay - can't really fault my Dewalt so far.
router - yep, hard to imagine doing without one or two of those.
don't forget that you're likely to end up spending more on router bits than you will on the router itself.
planes - a block plane and something like a No4. There's bound to be a bit of fettling needed with skirting.
get a ROS - I find my 125mm adequate for what I need.
detail sander - there's always bit the ROS can't get to.
Bench, build your own from MDF & recycled wood. £200 is easily achievable including a decent vice.
Dust extraction is a must - even a cheap vac is better than nothing at all.
clamps - it's impossible to have too many.

 

[Mcluma]

Same advise

buy the tools you need when you need them ,do not buy them to have them

 

[Triggaaar]

Thanks all!

The Metabo ROS is fantastic

I don't know anything about sanders (except belt sanders). I don't know the pros and cons of different types, and how many one needs.

"Clamps - buy them as you need them or if a good deal comes along."
Sounds good to me.

"Get a good quide - I use the Veritas and am happy with it, along with the scary stuff from Matthew."
I have no idea what you're talking about

"Very few of us are fortunate to kit a shop out with everything in one go (of the final quality) - most usually do it in a series of purchases and upgrade\replace over time."
Indeed. I won't get anything until I need it, but that need seems to be cropping up at a fast rate, and I would like to try and buy at 'final quality', whatever that is for me, as I hate buying things twice.

"Digital Caliper - have a few Aldi ones & perfectly happy with them."
Why do you need a few?

"Combi Square - have 2 Stanley (cheapy ones) and happy with them."
I was thinking of a Stanley, but it had poor reviews on Axminster. I've got an accurate engineer's square, but I'd like a combi sooner rather than later.

Ditto what Dibs-h says really - buy the gear as you need it, with an eye to longevity where possible.

That is definitely the plan. I decided to ask about everythin as I don't want to start spending a few humdred here and there and get to the point where I just can't afford the next purchase. I'd like to know how much I need long term, and adjust my budget accordingly.

"On a purely personal note, I'd move the dust extractor and finish sanders higher up the list, and if flooring, skirts and arch's are your next job, then the SCMS would be good to have sooner rather than later!"
I can't use the workshop yet (it's full), so I'll be working in the guest house until that can take some of the junk from the workshop. SCMS is at the top of the list, with the plunge saw and router.

"I'd recommend taking a look at the Elektra Beckum (now branded Metabo) KGS 255"
Price sounds decent. I've been using a MacAllister SCMS which was only £70 ish (it's not mine) and it does the job, but I'd like a more accurate saw for keeps. I need to chec the specs for the smallest decent saw as I'd really like it to fit in the bench.

"Marples 'red & yellow' are a pretty safe bet for general work ~ £60-ish for a set." Thanks

"Routers - you need to decide what you expect to do with them really e.g. you'll need a 1/2" for kitchen worktops or heavier work, 1/4" for lighter trimming and grooving, rounding-over etc… I'd buy a cheap 1/4" to begin with and use it as a learning tool - it can always be relegated to 'rounding-over' duty when you outgrow it. Expect to end up with more than one!"
Well I think I'm going to be using one for an undermount sink it 40mm walnut in the next couple of weeks, so not much time for learning.

"Combi square - how good to they have to be? Seriously, you're not going to get a combi square that's perfect right out of the box until you start spending Moore & Wright kind of money... One thing they are useful for though is for setting your guiderail true to an edge when you're doing narrow cuts. I also like the Bahco combi squares - good for the money - but if you want a square that's genuinely 'square' then an engineers square is a better option IMO."
Yeah I thought I'd use an engineers square for setting saws etc, but I guess you can use the combi as a guage, rather than as a square for guide rails. Maybe I'll grab a Bahco from D&M when I order my plunge saw.

"hard to imagine being without a random orbital sander, detail sander and 1/4 or 1/3-sheet 'palm' sander. Start with the one you need for the next job, and add them accordingly."
Which ones do you need for which jobs?

"if you don't mind buying 'previously enjoyed' then eBay is a great source of gear at lower prices."
I'm very happy to buy previously enjoyed.

I've got an 'affordable' Empire square from Axminster (possibly the same one you're looking at, Trigaaar?).

Not sure which one that is. For me a simple accurate engineers square and a combi that adjusts without a battle will probably do.

"A 1/2" router will be ideal for table use. If you can also afford a second model then, a 1/4" router will probably do most of what you need for freehand/hand-held tasks."
But I'll need a 1/2" for the worktop right?

"My preference for 'finishing' sanders when making furniture is random orbit sanders, particularly the smaller 5in. models (I have a Bosch and also a 6in. Metabo)."
Well you all seem agreed on the ROS. I've always sanded with the grain - that's what happends when you don't know what you're doing

buy what you need when you need it - there's not a lot of point having nice shiny new (or good 2nd hand) kit that you've no use for.

Don't worry, will do.

"I'd go with a decent SCMS from fleabay - can't really fault my Dewalt so far." Are they ok second hand, with a new blade? Sounds like a good idea if they are.

"don't forget that you're likely to end up spending more on router bits than you will on the router itself."
Oh! I knew that the bits were important, I didn't know they were that expensive. Any recommendations?

"Dust extraction is a must - even a cheap vac is better than nothing at all."
I like the sound of a cheap vac! Are we talking Earlex £50 cheap, or does it need to be better than that? I am good at keeping my tools for years, and whatever I buy should get long term use, but I don't expect to be able to devote the number of hours to projects that many here can.

 

[Triggaaar]

buy the tools you need when you need them ,do not buy them to have them

I promise!

 

[petermillard]

Which ones do you need for which jobs?

Best sander to use is the one you have, lol! I use ROS for most things, detail sander for the corners, palm sander for the in-betweens. Example; I've just been prepping a pair of French doors. Stile and rail faces were sanded with the ROS, inside corners of all the rebates with the Deltex and the outer edges with the palm sander. If you're planning to do a lot of paintwork prep. then there are other options.

Oh! I knew that the [router] bits were important, I didn't know they were that expensive. Any recommendations?

I've always had great service (and bits!) from Wealden Tools - www.wealdentool.com

I like the sound of a cheap vac! Are we talking Earlex £50 cheap, or does it need to be better than that?

I'd be more inclined to go for this one - has a power take-off (you can plug power tools into it and it'll auto-start) and run-on; once you've used them you won't want to be without them!

HTH

Cheers, Pete.

 

[Triggaaar]

I've always had great service (and bits!) from Wealden Tools

OMG Help! That's far more cutters than this beginner knows what to do with.

I'd be more inclined to go for this one - has a power take-off (you can plug power tools into it and it'll auto-start) and run-on; once you've used them you won't want to be without them!

That looks perfect, thanks. I ought to check out some extracters, but that could really do the job.

 

[Dibs-h]

"Get a good quide - I use the Veritas and am happy with it, along with the scary stuff from Matthew."
I have no idea what you're talking about

Scary sharp is sharpening chisels with lapping film. http://workshopheaven.com/cgi-bin/cp-ap ... Sharpening

Worth giving him a ring - super service!

"Digital Caliper - have a few Aldi ones & perfectly happy with them."
Why do you need a few?

I've got at least 4 - never find the damn things when you need them so end up buying another one. I suspect when the house is cleared out to kit out the workshop - stuff I haven't seen in yrs will suddenly surface! :wink:

I suppose 2 would be enough - 1 in the garage and another in the woodshop. Maybe another in what will be the metal shop (garage basement). Maybe another in the study (in the house) - see you can never really have enough tools! :wink:

 

[OPJ]

Not sure which one that is. For me a simple accurate engineers square and a combi that adjusts without a battle will probably do.

It's this one here. They slide easily and do lock securely. Be aware that they are only graduated in metric (no imperial scale)

But I'll need a 1/2" for the worktop right?

Yes, for kitchen worktops and other 'heavy' work like this. As they have more power than 1/4" models, they're also better suited to router tables, if you plan to do a lot of moulding and shaping work.

 

[Triggaaar]

Scary sharp is sharpening chisels with lapping film. http://workshopheaven.com/cgi-bin/cp-ap ... Sharpening

That looks good. I'll call them at some point, but have you any advice on which of their kits to go for?

"1 in the garage and another in the woodshop. Maybe another in what will be the metal shop (garage basement). Maybe another in the study (in the house)"What if you need one when in the kitchen though?

It's this one here. They slide easily and do lock securely. Be aware that they are only graduated in metric (no imperial scale)

For a combi square I'd be happy with just imperial. Less fussy, easier to see. I won't bother with the Stanley, I'll either get one of those or the Bahco from dm-tools, depending on what else I'm ordering, thanks.

 

[Dibs-h]

Scary sharp is sharpening chisels with lapping film. http://workshopheaven.com/cgi-bin/cp-ap ... Sharpening

That looks good. I'll call them at some point, but have you any advice on which of their kits to go for?

I just got 5 sheets of each film - 5 white (100micron) and 5 blue (40 micron) IIRC - but I was sharpening\honing some IA mortice chisels. Ring Matthew and once he has an idea of what you are looking to sharpen - I'm sure he'll suggest the most appropriate & cost effective stuff.

"1 in the garage and another in the woodshop. Maybe another in what will be the metal shop (garage basement). Maybe another in the study (in the house)"What if you need one when in the kitchen though?

I'm not in the kithcen that long! :wink:

It's this one here. They slide easily and do lock securely. Be aware that they are only graduated in metric (no imperial scale)

For a combi square I'd be happy with just imperial. Less fussy, easier to see. I won't bother with the Stanley, I'll either get one of those or the Bahco from dm-tools, depending on what else I'm ordering, thanks.

I've got 2 of these - http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?i ... mm&x=0&y=0

Perfectly happy with them. Don't ask why I have 2 of them!

 

[Triggaaar]

You're like a shop, maybe I should just buy from you. I'll see if I can pop by B&Q to at least have a look. I'll also see what cheap routers they have while I'm there. But first, I'm going to have a look at see how your workshop is coming along, I hope there's some progress for me to see.

 

[Joints]

Same advise

buy the tools you need when you need them ,do not buy them to have them

Best advice anyone could give.

 

[Dibs-h]

buy what you need when you need it

In most cases, yes - but in some cases, if it's likely to be an expensive bit of kit and you are looking to buy used (i.e. off the Bay) it actually pays to keep an eye out, well in advance. Not only to gauge the sort of prices you should pay when it comes time to get one - but if a bargain turns up, buy it, even if you won't use it for some time.

It's only now I'm using my Stihl saw - but bought it a while ago for £100 on the Bay. For a hardly used machine - that was too good a price to miss.

Also it kinda helps on the financial side - almost like an easy payment plan! :wink:

 

[lurker]

Trig

Have been there.
Knowing what I know now, one thing you have missed off your list & thats a local guru.

Folks here have helped me by:

demonstrating techniques
Lent me stuff
Letting me see & use properly set up tools
Sold me (for a pittance) kit when they have upgraded
Given me kit
Bartered wood
Advised on purchases
Shoved me down slopes

Post a rough idea where you live & I bet someone local will help