Woodworking tools

Soldato
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If you have power wherever you will be working then I'd take the router back and get a electric one. They're definitely not a replacement but are ok for site work.
 
Soldato
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Agree re table saws - sawstop machines are worth a look even if just to see the cool tech in action... ;)

The sawstop is only useful in the US where they remove the guard as they don't have as strict safety laws. You don't need the blade to stop if you can't touch the blade in the first place because theres a guard in the way. A table saw with guard and riving knife is safer than a handheld circular saw.

Just thought I'd drop in a little update. Over this week I've been scouring to find good deals on what I need and have so far got;

Chisels
Tenon saw
No 4 plane

If you bought the plane brand new it might take a bit of work to get it working well. There are videos on youtube that show how to do it. I'd have advised looking for an older Stanley/Record plane on ebay as these are usually much better quality than the new stuff. You can get a useable tool with a bit of work though.
 
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Soldato
OP
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Nottingham
Some big B&Qs will do it.

Otherwise look for some independent timber yards.

The router isn’t ideal but it’s probably the best without buying a circular saw.

My local does it thankful. Makes that job a bit easier.

The sawstop is only useful in the US where they remove the guard as they don't have as strict safety laws. You don't need the blade to stop if you can't touch the blade in the first place because theres a guard in the way. A table saw with guard and riving knife is safer than a handheld circular saw.



If you bought the plane brand new it might take a bit of work to get it working well. There are videos on youtube that show how to do it. I'd have advised looking for an older Stanley/Record plane on ebay as these are usually much better quality than the new stuff. You can get a useable tool with a bit of work though.

I did get it new yes. I'll check some videos out and see how best to set up.

If you have power wherever you will be working then I'd take the router back and get a electric one. They're definitely not a replacement but are ok for site work.

I do have power and I'm actually getting more sockets put in as we speak but for now I'll stick to the hand router and then get a proper router when I've got time and space to a router table.
 
Soldato
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Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
I'll be interested to see how it all turns out. Wish I had the room for a little workshop myself, but just have a tiny 10x8 shed at the moment.

Yeah. My shed is 14x8 which is great. But then it’s also used for storage of garden tools/furniture too which usually means everything is covered in sawdust!

Doesn’t help the shed needs work to make it dry. Can’t decide whether to put the effort in or start from scratch which is a bit bigger and then partition bits off.
 
Soldato
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I'll be interested to see how it all turns out. Wish I had the room for a little workshop myself, but just have a tiny 10x8 shed at the moment.

Presume your on about foot otherwise my garage isn't much bigger. Although the best part is my beer fridge is also in the garage. Sadly the perfect draft is in the kitchen but thst can be moved :p

Bit of a noob questions, I'm drawing up some plans similar to woodworking for mere mortals but bigger and taller. You guys think I can get away with supporting an 1810x750 38mm plywood top okay with 4 legs or should I whack another pair in the middle?

Legs will be 2 2x4s joined together so pretty beefy.
 
Associate
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A sunnier or damper area than Ron-ski....
Yeah, good advice re B&Q panel saw cuts - if you need to progress, would highly recommend looking at a track set up given you've mentioned you're short on space.

These will let you attach plunge saws, routers, jigsaws etc to them to cut straight edges, I'm mainly Festool or Mafell, so probably not best guide for cost... ;) But something like this would start you off nicely:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/evolutio...OR0bt5JD3AOBcoL03B4aAmDSEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Have to say a decent plunge track saw is invaluable for any straight/accurate cuts (like the plywood you mention) - and safer too. Ie you're moving the small saw clamped to a track, rather than wielding an 8ft x 4ft of plywood over a table saw.

The sawstop is only useful in the US where they remove the guard as they don't have as strict safety laws. You don't need the blade to stop if you can't touch the blade in the first place because theres a guard in the way. A table saw with guard and riving knife is safer than a handheld circular saw.

They don't just remove them for the fun of it though - can't use a cross cut sled, cut dados etc etc with guards and full extension riving knives. Riving knife is a definite though - no real reason to remove this. Blade Guard by the way is not primarily designed to stop your fingers touching the blade, it's to stop wood etc falling into the blade. Agree with you though, for amateur use I'd certainly keep everything on - although this means you need a router table to do dados, a sliding mitre to do cross cuts.

But a track saw will let you do all of them....... screw it, sell your car and buy a Festool TS55 - you won't regret it... ;)
 
Soldato
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Beds
Would recommend a second drill. Even better if you find one with a matching battety/charging system and sort 4 batteries. So useful with larger woodwork projects - either end up using one for drill and one for countersink, or one for drill and one for driver. Makes assembly MUCH faster.
 
Soldato
OP
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Would recommend a second drill. Even better if you find one with a matching battety/charging system and sort 4 batteries. So useful with larger woodwork projects - either end up using one for drill and one for countersink, or one for drill and one for driver. Makes assembly MUCH faster.

Already keeping my eye out for an impact driver deal for ryobi already got 2 batteries but an impact driver bundle with a 3rd battery would be handy too
 
Soldato
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I've just found a Makers Club in Newcastle where you can go and use their lathes, pillar drills, laser cutter, CNC machine, 3D printer etc for £10 a month. Seems like a decent option for those specialist bits of work.
 
Soldato
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Also, I'm going to move my old kitchen into the garage. All the doors and drawers are knackered but the frame and worktop are ok.

So I'm going to move it down, reinforce it a bit and use it as a huge workbench. You might be able to find someone on Facebook market place looking for someone to take one away?
 
Soldato
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Had another thought overnight - Kreg Rip cut will fit your circular saw and allow very accurate quick repeated cuts - only £40 to give you most of the benefits of a panel/table saw....

Just a thought!

https://www.toolstoreuk.co.uk/kreg-...SFw_D_YDWunfLREaaxm_auZe7Xv12HoxoCJj0QAvD_BwE

Will add it to my list of things.

Project has had to take a little bit of a pause as I'm getting some work done on my garage/toilet/porch roof due to a leak so the builders are currently keeping tools etc in the garage while they sort it. Im away next weekend but hopefully the weekend after I can get started and build a work bench. I've spent the weekend playing in solidworks designing a workbench and a sideboard. The sideboard is a big project and won't be done for a while but I knew exactly what we wanted from it as it is copying the existing style from our current living room furniture.

Im a bit rusty on the CAD front, but any feeback is welcome. Also any suggestions for getting the black metal parts fabricated would be welcome, legs are 2x2 metal square tubing and handles are just whatever size I can get but never had any metal work done before so no idea what I'd be looking at in price.

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Soldato
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My only concern is cutting the plywood for the bench top. The legs and frame will be made out of some timber which I can cut just fine with my saw and mitre box if needed but any tips for cutting plywood straight by hand?
Why use plywood? Just edge-joint more of these same timbers and make a nice, thick, solid, heavy worktop... or face-joint, if you want it really hefty. You can plane it down every couple of years to keep it flat and square, and it'll not only last far longer than plywood but it's probably cheaper. Last plywood sheet I bought was £36 in B&Q. 12 lengths of 4x2 at 2.8m (so trimmed with offcuts for other things) was maybe £15...
 
Soldato
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Why use plywood? Just edge-joint more of these same timbers and make a nice, thick, solid, heavy worktop... or face-joint, if you want it really hefty. You can plane it down every couple of years to keep it flat and square, and it'll not only last far longer than plywood but it's probably cheaper. Last plywood sheet I bought was £36 in B&Q. 12 lengths of 4x2 at 2.8m (so trimmed with offcuts for other things) was maybe £15...

My issue is joining them all flat if I can get around that I'd rather the 2x4s
 
Soldato
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Soldato
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23,661
Sash clamps
Grip clamps and quick grips
Chisels
Rubber mallet
Couple of spirit levels, one long one shorter and a little one: 30mm ish
A combination square
Steel rules, one long one short
Drill bits, flat and Brad point
Bradawl
Lots of sandpaper in a range of grits
Cork sanding block.

I think that’s enough :)

My father-in-law and I went to Axminster.. I came out with hand tools and clamps on his advice (except a good workshop vacuum).

I made my bench from simple garden timber using the tools, the top bonded planks, the legs - two together and the lower-inter-leg support being one plank wide. Heavy, almost bomb-proof but is lacking a good vice (provision in the design). I also have simple tool racks made from sheets of floor interlocking boards (about 1/4" thick), they're raw bolted to the walls and they have wooden tool holders made for each tool or screws for hanging tools. It saves on having masses of holes in the walls and makes it easier to reposition things.

I would suggest a good sharpening stone/shapener will work wonders. Also works on the lawnmower blades (sacrilege!).

Rubber mallet.. for tent pegs and not for chisels - use a wood mallet. However a sharp chisel will work better than hammering a blunt one.

Also ensure you have good lighting too.

PS The vacuum is one of the most used tools - be it the bandsaw, the power plane, the circular saw, the drill - even works on lighting BBQs too (the hose can connect to the air out and act as a blower)
 
Soldato
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Easy to make using basic wood (garden 2x4) for the frame using a simple B&Q workmate to hold things. You can make with a square, a rule, a pencil, saw, a chisel and a plane and some glue. I used mortice and tenon joints - including the tops of the legs into the top. You want it heavy enough to be able to haul but not light enough to move with things clamped to it.
Just have the four legs, an upper structs that goes between the tops of the legs, and again a lower set that go between the lower for rigidity - then do the top. On the top you could biscuit or put a cross support under the table and screw in (although watch if you plane the table top) to help stop any warping.

If you want woodworking vices built into it - have a look and think about the positioning.

If you want ultra clean top - then simply fit a better quality wood over the top (I would still use the rough wood under it) then locate it with dogs.

This way it gives you the option of shoving something oily/bad on the top of it using the rough wood, or fitting the better top for finesse. It can be skimmed using a plane if needed.

If it's a woodworking table you'll be making holes for dogs to make clamping easier on larger things.

You may also want to make a detachable back riser - like a splash back that stops anything from falling down the back of the table if it's against a wall. One option is to use two dog holes and make something that slots in flush with the table top.

It will take longer and more of a PITA than you think (simply down to your ability), but it will be awesome and mine - well it's happy me standing on it.
 
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