budget workshop

[neilyweely]

evening all

I am moving in a few months (can't wait!) and will have a workshop in the garage. I already own a table saw, router table and an elu flip saw, which will be left as a dedicated mitresaw, as well as a good set of hand power tools (circ saws, jig saws, drills etc...)

at the moment I fit kitchens mainly, although I am really a site carpenter. What I would really like to do is to make my own kitchen units to fit customers requirements. I understand I will often be better off using made carcasses and making doors etc, but would like the facility to make my own units.

What other workshop tools should I be looking for- I buy most of my eqpt from auctions and need to start looking for bargains now if I want to be ready for when I move.

Help please, I am on a strict budget (its birthday season!).
Thankyou in advance for your advice.

 

[woodchip]

A powerful router must be a must (you probably already have one for worktops?) and a router table for it (lots of plans on here).

Clamps, clamps clamps. Did I mention clamps?

A good shop vac or dust extractor.

A good mask (I use a trend airshield) especial for mdf.

 

[Digit]

Perhaps some clamps! :lol:

Roy.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm suprised no ones mentioned clamps. :lol:

 

[Karl]

You'll also need planning permission - trade use of (presumably) residential buildings. That might be tricky if its in a built up area????

Cheers

Karl

 

[neilyweely]

check my other forum entry,

poundland clamps/spreaders x 10
plenty of f clamps and g clamps.
got router already.


was wondering about a guide rail system for my circsaw, hilti 265, think there is one available. or do i need it cos i already have a table saw.
what i really want is somebody to tell me how to put a laminate surface on some chipboard for next to nothing (think bullnoses). any ideas???

Thanks for the clamp ideas anyway......

 

[Big Fat Pig]

You may wish to consider getting a bandsaw and a pillar drill. I`ve also heard that some people keep clamps in their workshops although this is just a rumour.Obviously. I mean, clamps..........Ha ha, what a silly idea.



Oh,by the way, my own workshop has been kitted out on a budget.No Lie Nielsens to be seen.sniff sniff.



Piggy

 

[OPJ]

If you're planning to make a lot of kitchen cabinets, then I'd assume that for the carcasses, you'll be wanting to use a lot of MFC, or similar. You could look for a machine/tool that adds a melamine lipping to any edge after you've cut it?

I might have suggested a spindle moulder as well, but, you do have a router table and, with the right cutters, that should be able to give you everything you need.

 

[mister henderson]

If you are making cabinets from MFC (melamine faced chipboard) then you will need some way of edgebanding them. There are various solutions on the market, many of them made by Virutex.

Of course, a cabinet without a door isn't much good. What do you have in mind for the doors? You could use MFC for those as well, but whatever you edge them with will need to be thicker than standard melamine edge band, and they will still look like cheap doors.

Frame and panel wooden doors would be possible with a decent router and table, though you would also need a planer thicknesses and some way of joining up boards to make the panels

 

[ike]

I don't think there's any way to DIY laminate over a bull nose profile. I think the only option is to fix on separate profile moulding (glue with biscuits or a ply tongue strip). Then you'll need a biscuit jointer (£40 upwards) and a decent number of edge clamps (£3-50 ea). I occasionally make flush-panel doors and similar edged panel type stuff for folks and found 16 isn't really enough for a full-size door but can get by for smaller jobs with a bit of thought.

Ike

 

[Gary]

at the moment I fit kitchens mainly, although I am really a site carpenter. What I would really like to do is to make my own kitchen units to fit customers requirements. I understand I will often be better off using made carcasses and making doors etc, but would like the facility to make my own units.

What other workshop tools should I be looking for-

Am I missing something here?

I would have thought any professional tradesman would know what tools he would require.

 

[OPJ]

...Then you'll need a biscuit jointer (£40 upwards) and a decent number of edge clamps (£3-50 ea)...
Ike

I really think you'd be better offer spending closer to £200 on a decent biscuit jointer. Anything less than that will only frustrate someone who's trying to get good results from it on a daily basis.

I agree with you about adding lippings and mouldings though. Maybe you'd also need to consider flush-trimming those to the faces of each door once the glue's dry?

 

[Max Power]

My advice would be to forget about having a cottage industry manufacturing carcases and concentrate on the fitting ,its far more cost effective to buy in.