My first post - do I need to go shopping yet?

[Martin_S]

My dad (a plumber by trade - old school, he thought copper was for wimps) used to tell me that carpenters only used saws and hammers and made joists and rafters and the like, joiners were more skilled and had more tools and could make doors and things and cabinet makers were the really skilled woodworkers who could make most anything.

On his scale, I have got through life with some basic carpentry skills but have always hoped to find time, space and the ability to make something finer.

Well, now I appear to have time and space - not sure whether I will ever develop the precision required but am willing to give it a go.

Thought I'd start with simple stuff - need to replace some chest of drawers and wardrobes and where they are going to be used, MDF is probably the material of choice (they are not going to get looked after as they will be in rental properties - so they just need to be functional and sturdy whilst not looking too industrial). Also have some kitchens I could move onto and after that, have aspirations for some 'proper' woodwork with real wood and stuff - but need to see how I go before I get too far ahead of myself.

Anyway, reason for this post: I see various posts raving about Domino's and the TS 55 circular saw and stuff and wonder whether my initial problems will be because I am a low skilled beginner or because I don't have the right tools. What I have accumulated in the past 30 years includes:
- A range of handtools, most 30-100 years old, none cherished or cared for
- A Stihl circular saw (I love it and with a batten clamped to a board as a guide, I think I can cut boards really well - but when I need precision, will it be good enough)
- A Bosch jigsaw (works / seems to do the job)
- A 'Performance' 1/2" router and Clarke router table (There is no lock on the router, so cannot be used with the table as the on/off needs to be constantly depressed)
- A Silverline biscuit jointer (I know it lacks the jigs and things available with a domino, but I'd have thought this was enough for what I currently have planned)
- A Red Devil planer (never really used it as it appears a brutal tool with little control of outcomes)

So my question, what would you add, change or upgrade or is this enough for what I have planned in the next few months?

Thanks, Martin

 

[marcros]

Welcome to the forum. For cheap furniture, I would look at ikea where you can probably buy stuff cheaper than the materials. Sad but true. But at least you can use the time saved on other projects!

 

[Martin_S]

Yep - we put IKEA stuff in all of the houses and it works well and is very reasonably priced. But there are some awkward rooms where I need oddly sized cabinets and also, when it comes to wardrobes, they are either much more expensive than the materials involved or very flimsy (I have replaced 4-5 wardrobes in the past 5 years, student tenants overload them and put quite a lot of stress on them).

And my wife just reminded me, I have a shed to put up at my daughters and a play area to build for my grandson, think I have the tools for that already but happy to find out things could be done more easily, accurately or quickly if I had a .......

Thanks, Martin

 

[mahomo59]

Go and get the Tools you'd like, the best you can afford. You will enjoy it more and get great satisfaction once completed. I'm a Festool junkie and I need help!!! My tools earn me money and are a joy to use, I catch myself smiling whilst using them and then in return the customer is happy. Have some fun!

James

 

[Zeddedhed]

Just get started on the jobs, and when you can't do something as well as you'd like go and get the best tool for the job that you can afford.

 

[Martin_S]

James, Zeddedhed, Thanks - am happy to buy tools as and when I need them, but my challenge is not knowing enough for example, to know whether my imprecision on some tasks is because my router lacks fine adjustments, say, or I just lack the skills and need to practice more. Also, I tend to find ways to do stuff with what I have but for the sort of stuff I mention, would a pillar drill or a mortiser makes things quicker/easier for example.

 

[mahomo59]

Plunge saw is brilliant for sheet material, so if you're using mdf I'd get one and a good extractor. Midi and ts55 for me. FYI mrmdf better for paint finish.
Mitre saw/station for Cornice, skirting board work etc, some brilliant cheap models out there, again more money generally better model and dust extraction.
Biscuiter helps for strength and alignment. I had a dewalt model before, very accurate. Now on Domino.
A good sander with extraction, especially for mdf.
If you only have a cheap router, buy the best cutters you can afford.
Practice practice practice.

Most on here buy the best quality because they make money from it. One of my top concerns is dust extraction from a tool, I'm 37 years old and have many years left doing this, so it's important to me. Clearly accuracy plays a major part too.

 

[Zeddedhed]

For the MDF furniture you'll need a good cordless drill, a circular saw, a good straight edge and not much else. A jigsaw is useful, sanders always save a bit of sweating, but it can be done with very little.
On the other hand, if you want it be fun as well then by a Festool track saw and rail and an MFT.
I can't see that a pillar drill and mortiser are going to be much use to you at this stage.

 

[Martin_S]

Thanks for the last 2 posts - that helps a lot. In addition to my initial list I do have a good mitre saw and stand, plus Rutland dust collector and workshop vac, a rotary sander and several good cordless drills, so I guess I need to look at smaller things like router depth gauges and jigs for pocket holes and the like. Had not come across mrmdf before - thanks for that.

 

[McGill]

- A 'Performance' 1/2" router and Clarke router table (There is no lock on the router, so cannot be used with the table as the on/off needs to be constantly depressed)

Hold the router switch down with a cable tie. (I'm presuming the router table has an NVR switch.)

 

[LJM]

Don't neglect decent, simple marking out tools, a good range of clamps and a solid thing to work on (be that a traditional bench or something more portable). Once you're confident that your marking out is accurate and that your work is well supported, you can begin to address whether any of your tool techniques need to be developed and/or whether another tool is required.

But I would agree with the sentiment that you should buy the best that you can afford, and enjoy it!