screwpainting
Established Member
And a bottle opener
Workshop Must Have's...
- Thread starter Norfolk75
- Start date
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Ttrees
Iroko loco!
Get at least one pair of safety goggles and make or find a good box to put them in, so they don't
get scratched, and know where they are at ALL times .
Otherwise your an ignorant so and so 8)
Look at the link to the thread mentioned .
Good luck
get scratched, and know where they are at ALL times .
Otherwise your an ignorant so and so 8)
Look at the link to the thread mentioned .
Good luck
Cheshirechappie
Established Member
I forgot some absolute essentials.
Kettle
Mug
Spare mug
Teaspoon
Never-ending supply of teabags, milk and sugar.
Optional;
Bottle-opener
Pint pot
Corkscrew
Wine glass (the pint pot will serve, however)
(NB - Don't use machinery after operating bottle opener or corkscrew, just in case.)
Kettle
Mug
Spare mug
Teaspoon
Never-ending supply of teabags, milk and sugar.
Optional;
Bottle-opener
Pint pot
Corkscrew
Wine glass (the pint pot will serve, however)
(NB - Don't use machinery after operating bottle opener or corkscrew, just in case.)
MarkDennehy
Established Member
You've all forgotten the essentials for a beginner.
/looks at hands
Finger dressings, one larger dressing for your palm, band-aids (especially the long ones that work well for fingers), antiseptic and tweezers. Because we're a clumsy lot
(Okay, granted, you'd only keep the dressings in the workshop, you'd keep the rest in the kitchen or somewhere else nearby that's a bit cleaner than the shed).
/looks at hands
Finger dressings, one larger dressing for your palm, band-aids (especially the long ones that work well for fingers), antiseptic and tweezers. Because we're a clumsy lot
(Okay, granted, you'd only keep the dressings in the workshop, you'd keep the rest in the kitchen or somewhere else nearby that's a bit cleaner than the shed).
You forgot the mirror for when you get something in your eye.
My "go to"shelf - cable ties of all sizes, cotton buds, lollipop sticks, cocktail sticks, kebab skewers, hot melt sticks, elastic bands, biros, pencils and Stanley blades. Even swmbo knows where to go.
MarkDennehy
Established Member
True, but mostly I just use it for checking my hair.phil.p":2sokgbkr said:
custard
Established Member
Norfolk75":k33ytra9 said:
Do you really want a workshop in order to make stuff, or is the motivation more having a workshop for its own sake? Nothing wrong with that, it's your money and your time, you can do with them as you please. But once that time and money is gone then it's gone for good. So before spending them maybe reflect on this.
Lots of people have workshops, but relatively few ever use them to make all that much. There are good reasons for that,
-you've probably already got all the furniture you need.
-it's much cheaper to buy stuff than to make it; the quality and the design is normally better and it's available immediately, not in a year's time.
-many people with a woodworking workshop don't have any wood. Sounds daft but it's true, they may have a few scraps but they don't have the right wood in the right quantities. We expect shopping to be easy and convenient, but buying wood isn't like that. Buying quality hardwood in particular is complicated, confusing, time consuming, inconvenient, frustrating, and expensive.
-making furniture requires lots of time. Many people just don't have enough free time to make woodworking viable.
-acquiring basic woodworking skills isn't hard, but it requires patience and discipline, more than many people are able or prepared to bring to the endeavour.
-the majority of cheap woodworking machinery isn't really fit for purpose. It looks good on a web page but it won't perform well in a workshop, and if you decide to sell you'll find it's almost worthless second hand. Hoping to substitute cheap machinery for skill rarely works out well, there are often hidden problems that you won't anticipate in advance. The bottom line is that much of the equipment you buy will end up disappointing you more than delighting you.
I love working wood. I can't imagine not having it in my life. But it's best to go into it with your eyes open.
Good luck!
paulrockliffe
Established Member
Your circumstances sound similar to mine; no huge ambition in any particular direction but want a shed where I can go and do *stuff* for my own entertainment, but also to save on having to get a man in or buy something that isn't quite right, or just to make stuff for the sake of it. Mine evolved when I finished renovating the house.
My advice would be to look on Gumtree at the tools section a couple of times a day, restrict your search to your local area and buy anything decent that comes up cheap. I started a couple of years ago and now have a very good planer/thicknesser, a thicknesser, belt/disc sander combo, router table, band saw, table saw, extractor, morticer, bench grinder, wetstone sharpener, radial arm saw, mitre saw and loads of other bits of kit, maybe paid a grand for everything. Just wait till something comes up cheap, get in quick and go and collect before someone else does.
If you have no particular goals, you'll end up finding a use for anything and everything, even if it is only occasional. But you'll find the workshop far more useful if you can go and do *whatever* quickly and efficiently without messing around for hours cutting tenons by hand. unless you want to spend hours cutting wood very precisely by hand. Personally I prefer to achieve more in the time I have available, but that's up to you.
If you have a wide range of kit you need to consider the space you have available more. I've got everything big on wheels, but with it's own space against a wall so I've not got clutter everywhere. All my wheeled cabinets are made from white melamine faced MDF that I bought on Gumtree for £3 a sheet, so cost nothing. I'm currently fitting the cabinets with drawers so everything has it's place and there isn't clutter everywhere.
I've added loft storage with a winch so I can get heavy stuff out of the way but also store loads of little stuff up there. The trick is easy access so you get stuff when you need it rather than wasting time or bodging something, I fitted a loft hatch and ladders, £10 on Gumtree. I'm currently adding a second loft area at the other end because I need to clear my house loft ready to start converting that and there's no way I'm working with a pile of rubbish in one corner of my workshop. All my spare wood is going up there, so all the space is available for working projects efficiently.
You don't *need* a proper bench if you're using machinery rather than mallets and chisels, but it's still handy. I've not found time to build anything properly strong yet and not had any insurmountable problems. I do have lots of workbench space to setup machinery on, put projects on while I'm working on them etc, but these are all kitchen worktops above cabinets. I have one large bench that I can work all around, but it's built on kitchen cabinets, so use a workmate for hammery jobs.
I've fitted a sink, I've got hand dispensers for swarfega, barrier cream and soap as well as hand towels and racks for safety gear so it's always to hand. These little things make it much easier to work quickly without being tempted to cut corners or risk getting work dirty; I have a classic car in one corner now that threatens all my woodwork with it's oil and gunk if I'm not careful! I've run internet out there and have a TV setup so I can work when the football or the F1 is on which helps if you're time limited and it means I can get answers when I'm stuck without having to go inside. I can put youtube tutorials on the TV while I follow them.
I know my approach is quite different to a lot of people's on here, but my hobby isn't woodworking, it's doing practical stuff, of which woodwork is just a part and investing more time in the workshop than in projects now fits with that and is a good investment long-term.
My advice would be to look on Gumtree at the tools section a couple of times a day, restrict your search to your local area and buy anything decent that comes up cheap. I started a couple of years ago and now have a very good planer/thicknesser, a thicknesser, belt/disc sander combo, router table, band saw, table saw, extractor, morticer, bench grinder, wetstone sharpener, radial arm saw, mitre saw and loads of other bits of kit, maybe paid a grand for everything. Just wait till something comes up cheap, get in quick and go and collect before someone else does.
If you have no particular goals, you'll end up finding a use for anything and everything, even if it is only occasional. But you'll find the workshop far more useful if you can go and do *whatever* quickly and efficiently without messing around for hours cutting tenons by hand. unless you want to spend hours cutting wood very precisely by hand. Personally I prefer to achieve more in the time I have available, but that's up to you.
If you have a wide range of kit you need to consider the space you have available more. I've got everything big on wheels, but with it's own space against a wall so I've not got clutter everywhere. All my wheeled cabinets are made from white melamine faced MDF that I bought on Gumtree for £3 a sheet, so cost nothing. I'm currently fitting the cabinets with drawers so everything has it's place and there isn't clutter everywhere.
I've added loft storage with a winch so I can get heavy stuff out of the way but also store loads of little stuff up there. The trick is easy access so you get stuff when you need it rather than wasting time or bodging something, I fitted a loft hatch and ladders, £10 on Gumtree. I'm currently adding a second loft area at the other end because I need to clear my house loft ready to start converting that and there's no way I'm working with a pile of rubbish in one corner of my workshop. All my spare wood is going up there, so all the space is available for working projects efficiently.
You don't *need* a proper bench if you're using machinery rather than mallets and chisels, but it's still handy. I've not found time to build anything properly strong yet and not had any insurmountable problems. I do have lots of workbench space to setup machinery on, put projects on while I'm working on them etc, but these are all kitchen worktops above cabinets. I have one large bench that I can work all around, but it's built on kitchen cabinets, so use a workmate for hammery jobs.
I've fitted a sink, I've got hand dispensers for swarfega, barrier cream and soap as well as hand towels and racks for safety gear so it's always to hand. These little things make it much easier to work quickly without being tempted to cut corners or risk getting work dirty; I have a classic car in one corner now that threatens all my woodwork with it's oil and gunk if I'm not careful! I've run internet out there and have a TV setup so I can work when the football or the F1 is on which helps if you're time limited and it means I can get answers when I'm stuck without having to go inside. I can put youtube tutorials on the TV while I follow them.
I know my approach is quite different to a lot of people's on here, but my hobby isn't woodworking, it's doing practical stuff, of which woodwork is just a part and investing more time in the workshop than in projects now fits with that and is a good investment long-term.
+1 on Paul's post, my story is very similar, although I'm towards the start of the journey he has been on for a while. For me the paragraph on Gumtree is priceless advice, my haul is, Mitre Saw (£100), P/T (£200), table saw (£90), Drill Press (£50), Wadkin Planer (£250), Triton TRA01 router and table (£150), stack of 5 yr old air dried 2" sycamore planks (£200 delivered).
F.
F.
whiskywill
Established Member
worn thumbs":2mhcarjx said:
Use the toilet. These can make the floor very slippery.
Cheshirechappie
Established Member
whiskywill":s1kijd41 said:
They would deter visitors, though. So you'd get some peace and quiet.
Some interesting advice and as usual pretty sound advice.
Steve Maskery's post had me smiling as his father's bang on. Buy a tool every pay day.
I've been doing that for years now and I used to say that every tool in my garage/workshop has been used and gets used many times. Now, not so much, as there's a good few over-indulgent purchases hanging on the walls. Complete the set type purchases !!!.
I remember when I served my time, the man who took me under his wing said to me that you never stop buying tools - and he's right.
I do go by the theory of buying the best you can afford, however there does seem to be a perception that a £320 Lie Nielsen number 4 will make your joinery better. Possibly. Possibly not. A bad workman blames his tools and all that.
Anyway. My advice has already been suggested. Before you stuff your garage/workshop full of all kinds of 'necessary' tools -. Clean it to an inch of its life; paint the floor a bright colour, paint the walls and ceiling white and then plan out what goes where, leaving room for future additions. You will thank yourself for brightening the place up when stooped over your bench or at a saw. And invest in some high frequency natural light lighting - or if your budget allows, some LED lighting - go mad with the lights. Again you'll thank yourself for all that shadowless light when cutting up to a line.
Good luck
Jonny
Steve Maskery's post had me smiling as his father's bang on. Buy a tool every pay day.
I've been doing that for years now and I used to say that every tool in my garage/workshop has been used and gets used many times. Now, not so much, as there's a good few over-indulgent purchases hanging on the walls. Complete the set type purchases !!!.
I remember when I served my time, the man who took me under his wing said to me that you never stop buying tools - and he's right.
I do go by the theory of buying the best you can afford, however there does seem to be a perception that a £320 Lie Nielsen number 4 will make your joinery better. Possibly. Possibly not. A bad workman blames his tools and all that.
Anyway. My advice has already been suggested. Before you stuff your garage/workshop full of all kinds of 'necessary' tools -. Clean it to an inch of its life; paint the floor a bright colour, paint the walls and ceiling white and then plan out what goes where, leaving room for future additions. You will thank yourself for brightening the place up when stooped over your bench or at a saw. And invest in some high frequency natural light lighting - or if your budget allows, some LED lighting - go mad with the lights. Again you'll thank yourself for all that shadowless light when cutting up to a line.
Good luck
Jonny
Steve Maskery
Established Member
On the subject of painting the walls, my previous workshop was built of breeze block. I painted it white. That was a mistake.
My BIL built a workshop. His was breeze block. He skimmed his out before painting it white. I was envious. It was so much easier to keep clean. Mine use to get really clogged up with dust, I had to vac the walls.
My BIL built a workshop. His was breeze block. He skimmed his out before painting it white. I was envious. It was so much easier to keep clean. Mine use to get really clogged up with dust, I had to vac the walls.
If you don't want to skim you can cement wash well and paint.
Random Orbital Bob
Established Member
You've forgotten a wireless access point (range extender) and a USB plug!
screwpainting
Established Member
Don't forget the crotchless earmuffs and of course the original cordless screw drivers, claw and club hammers.
tomatwark
Established Member
I suspect a lot of tools never get used.
I always wanted a set of Record Bench planes, over time managed them except for a no2.
When I was still making things however I would use a block plane and a no4 or 5, the rest sitting in a cupboard gathering dust.
In fact they all do now, with all the other I would like one of those or that is a good buy on Ebay purchases, as I drive a desk.
But I had always thought that I would have a home workshop and make things by hand for fun and use the hand tools I have collected over the years.
I am now in the situation that I am able to do that, and have realised that I don't really have enough spare time, or if I am honest the drive.
What I am now thinking is that I will keep a small tool kit, which I can make bits and bob's as and when I need to at work, or to help out the lads in the workshop when we are pushed and sell the rest.
If I was starting out I would buy a small kit of good quality hand tools as discussed in the other thread and buy to other bits as and when I needed them, and if it was something I would probably never use again sell once it has done it's job.
A lot of folks on here are collectors of tools really and only use a few on a regular basis.
I always wanted a set of Record Bench planes, over time managed them except for a no2.
When I was still making things however I would use a block plane and a no4 or 5, the rest sitting in a cupboard gathering dust.
In fact they all do now, with all the other I would like one of those or that is a good buy on Ebay purchases, as I drive a desk.
But I had always thought that I would have a home workshop and make things by hand for fun and use the hand tools I have collected over the years.
I am now in the situation that I am able to do that, and have realised that I don't really have enough spare time, or if I am honest the drive.
What I am now thinking is that I will keep a small tool kit, which I can make bits and bob's as and when I need to at work, or to help out the lads in the workshop when we are pushed and sell the rest.
If I was starting out I would buy a small kit of good quality hand tools as discussed in the other thread and buy to other bits as and when I needed them, and if it was something I would probably never use again sell once it has done it's job.
A lot of folks on here are collectors of tools really and only use a few on a regular basis.
El Barto
👍
Steve Maskery":1dofppvb said:
Why'd he do that? (genuine question)
My advice for what it's worth is to make your workshop into what you want it to be and go from there, seeing as you're not in any immediate rush to start making things. A workshop can be a very "zen" space and I reckon that can be achieved as easily as having a bench, some shelves and somewhere to sit. Buy the tools as you need them.
