Starter's Tool list

[draks]

Thank you for any help.

I last did wood work at school in 1972!

I fancy having another go.

The first project I would like is to undertake is are simple open back enclosures for some superb sounding but ugly black KRK Rokit 5 studio speakers.

The Subwoofer is about 22 " cube and the stereos are about 14 x 6 x 8. Controls are on the back of the speakers

I simply want to slide these into an open backed box with a grill at the front.

I have an idea of a tool set and work mate bench. I would welcome a recommendation list with a ball park figure for cost.

Prices seem to vary greatly from £3 at Aldi to £50 for the same thing from another maker for say, a chisel.

The tools need to go away in a box at the end of a work session so wife cannot whinge at me.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Hardwood66]

Marples trial set about £100 for all the marking out equipment you will need


If life gives you melons you may be dyslexic

 

[Shultzy]

We get lots of these requests for "which tools to buy". The answers have many variations, but the best is to only buy what you need to complete your current project. Your current project is making speaker enclosures, so sit down and make a list of the tools you need which you currently don't own. When you start a new project go through the same exercise. This will insure that you don't buy tools on a whim, this can come later when you have more experience. There's nothing wrong in buying cheap tools, as long as you understand that they are cheap and you might have to replace them at some time in the future with a more expensive version.

 

[draks]

Great replies , I've wish listed the Marples marking set in Amazon

I will make a list of tools to make an enclosure with dove tailed vertices as suggested by Shultzy.

Thanks

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Welcome back to the wonderful world of making sawdust!

There is also the hand tool vs. power tool question - to which there is no right answer!

Personally, I like hand tools because they don't annoy the neighbours as much, and the mess they make can be controlled by dustpan-and-brush levels of technology. Power tools often get repetitive tasks done far quicker, but their batteries always run out at the critical moment, or the extension lead is always two feet too short, and when you do fire them up their capacity for spreading dust and chips over the immediate vicinity is quite startling. Hand tools generally cost less as well - even the good ones.

For sawing chores, you can do most things with a couple of hardpoint saws from the local DIY shed. A pair of handsaws, say 22" 7tpi and a 20" 11 tpi, will cover most rough and fine sawing jobs, and a backsaw will do what the handsaws won't. You should be able to buy all three for about £30 or less. Once your technique improves, and you've got a better idea of the sorts of things you'll be doing, you'll know which 'posh' saws to look for.

A good tape measure is pretty well indispensable as well - but look after the little hook thingy at the end of the tape. They can get mangled and render tapes inaccurate as a result.

If you start to lean towards planing, think about a bench of some sort. I know from bitter experience that planing on a workmate is a pain in the arm - it's at the wrong height, so your back aches, and it's nowhere near heavy or rigid enough, so you chase it round the room.

By the way, on basic techniques, there's a surprising amount of helpful video clips on Youtube. There are also a lot of books - one good one for the basics - if you lean toward 'real' woodworking with hardwoods or softwoods - is 'The Essential Woodworker' by Robert Wearing. Axminster Power Tool Centre and Classic Hand Tools can supply.

Be prepared to spend some months, or even a year or two, getting things sorted out. It can seem frustratingly slow to start with, but if you stick with it, things get easier and quicker, and the arsenal of essential equipment seems to have fewer gaps.

Any snags - bung a question on here. There will be plenty of helpful suggestions - and possibly some less helpful!

 

[draks]

Thank you Cheshirechappie, what a friendly bunch you all are!

I think i will steer away from power tools.

I have had to re-implant too may digits, hands and arms in my time to risk loss of body parts which would end my career.

The exception is a drill, to give accuracy.

I like the idea of working slowly and with complete control over say a chisel or a spokeshave.

I am thinking of a Workmate 825. Any comments?

 

[AndyT]

Some sensible advice so far.
I'm not sure what the Marples set is but £100 sounds a lot for a beginner - I suggest a combination square and a marking gauge for starters - under £20 for both.
If you don't have space for a bench and have to tidy up afterwards, the Workmate will be the best option and the model mentioned is a proper one, even if not quite as solid as the older models with the cast frame. A good tip mentioned on here by Jacob which I have used is to clamp a stout bit of wood (eg a chunk of 3x2) onto it, bearing against the wall, so that it all becomes more steady. Use it at the upper height but stand on the step to keep it still.

Good as the Workmate clamping is, I think a pair of F-clamps will be needed from the start.

(Later on, when you have a workshop, bench and lots more tools, the Workmate will still be useful.)

And have fun!

 

[AndyT]

Another thought - one of the topics rarely covered properly is how to measure and mark out the pieces of a project so that everything fits together properly. The production, machinery method is to make stacks of bits all to exact dimensions, then assemble them - think flatpack + glue. That won't work for diy with hand tools, where the principle is to have a face side and a face edge and dimension relative to them, with common pieces marked up and cut together.
The Robert Wearing book covers this, but for an online guide I recommend Jeff Gorman's site here:

http://www.amgron.clara.net/

which I found excellent revision for things I had been taught in the 70s but was a bit hazy on.

 

[marcros]

could i recommend a scalpel or stanley knife for marking out? They will do a far better job than a pencil and would be a good investment of £5.