Products/Tools that I own and/or use and would recommend for you to have

This blog post will be somewhat of a live document. It will be updated on products/tools that I own or use in my shop. This is based on my own use and people could have a different opinion which is fine.


                                     


                                     


                                     


                                 


                                                         





Disclaimer: Products on this page are items that I use and are affiliate links. If purchased I will receive a small commission per purchase.

Epica Folding Step Stool Review

I received the Epica folding stool today. I actually had some light bulbs that burnt out over the past few weeks and needing to be replaced. It was perfect timing. I was able to use this instead of the huge step stool I have in my shop. It is made of plastic and weighs very little. I was a little hesitant because of the plastic but after using it I was pretty impressed at how sturdy it was and not to mention I weigh 205 pounds.

The Pictures are that of my wife reaching into a cabinet that she was not able to do so without getting on a chair.

We store our step stool in one of our cabinets so that it is out of the way and not a nuisance 

PROS

• Compact design when it is folded up. Its small enough to place in a bottom cabinet or pantry without getting in the way.
• It is very easy to unfold and it also has a handle that can act as a hook for hanging it if you prefer to do it that way. 
• There are anti slip pads on the top stop you from sliding or slipping while using it.
• Easy cleaning
• Light weight 
• Very durable plastic.

CONS

• When unfolding do not use the handle to help unfold as your fingers get pinched.

Disclosure: I was provided this product in exchange for this review, however receipt of a free product has not swayed my opinion.

Coosh CBT791B Ultra-Slick Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker Review

So I must say this is a great little speaker. I was so surprised at the sound that comes out of this and I couldn't be any more pleased with this. It is very easy to use in my opinion. The rugged design is a plus too. The outer part of the speaker reminds me of a rubber track for a tractor or a track for a tank. When pairing it too my Samsung using the Bluetooth feature I had absolutely no issues what so ever. It comes with a USB charging cable and a Auxiliary cable for phones or devises that don’t have the Bluetooth capability.

One of the options that I was unaware of was that you can answer your phone with it. It only works when the devices are paired and you have NFC activated on your phone. Another great feature is you can pause/stop what you are listening to and the capability of skipping either forwards or backwards to another track.

If you are looking for a Bluetooth enabled speaker I would not pass this one up. You will really enjoy listening to your music from it.

You can purchase the item here at Amazon. Coosh CBT791B Portable Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Extended Range Speaker with Built in Speakerphone, Rechargeable Battery (Black)

Disclosure: I was provided this product in exchange for this review, however receipt of a free product has not swayed my opinion. 

Silicone Heat Resistant Baking/Grilling Gloves Review

So when I received these we were not cooking/baking/grilling anytime soon. I wanted to test these gloves out so I turned on my oven to 425 and waited about 30 minutes. I left a cookie sheet in there to act as if I was baking something. I put on the right glove as it is my dominant hand. I pulled out the pan and had my wife take some pictures and also to time it. I was able to get about 6 seconds. I know this doesn't seem like a long time because it isn't. The fact is that when anyone pulls something out of the oven they use 2 hands which reduces the heat because you are distributing the weight evenly with both hands whereas with one hand all the weight is concentrating on one specific area.

The area that started to get extremely warm was the web part between my thumb and pointer finger. I thought this was a defect but after talking to a sales rep I was asked to try it with a normal pot holder and sure enough it did the same thing.

So I stuck the pan back in the oven and waited 10 minutes for it to heat back up and I proceeded to try it again. This time I was able to get almost 11 seconds before I started to feel the heat. These are heat resistant and not heat proof. So expect to feel the heat of the pan within 10 seconds or so.

I am pretty satisfied with how well these actually worked when used correctly. We are going to replace our old pot holders with these as they are easier to clean and a lot safer to use.

You can purchase your pair here on Amazon. AYL® Silicone Heat Resistant Grilling BBQ Gloves Set: #1 Best Value ★ Perfect For Use As Cooking Gloves, Baking, Smoking, Or Potholder ★ For Use on Hot Food in High Temperature In The Kitchen, Use As Grilling Gloves, Oven Gloves, Or Even Camping! ★ Protect Your Hands And Avoid Accidents With Insulated Waterproof Five Fingered Grip ★ Far More Protection And Easier to Use Than Oven Mittens!



Disclosure: I was provided this product in exchange for this review, however receipt of a free product has not swayed my opinion. 

Astor Canvas Log Carrier Review

So this might be a bit different then what it was actually intended for. I do not own a fireplace but I do own a pellet stove. I thought this would be great to transport my pellets from the garage into the house and able to carry a full 40 pound bag of pellets. I will try it in the spring time when we have bonfires in the backyard but for now this is what I have to work with.

The bag is made up of a pretty strong canvas and has handles for easy carrying. If I had 2 of these I could bring in two 40 pound bags of pellets instead of one. Before using this I used buckets to transport my pellets. It took me 3 trips to fill my hopper and now it takes only one which is very convenient,

I am able to pour my pellets in the hopper with ease. The handles and the design of the bag make this very possible.

I did test this with scrap lumber that I have in my shop and I was able to carry quite a bit with it. So I am sure this would be a great tool for those who own a fireplace and store their wood outside. I know when I was younger I had a friend who had to bring in firewood for the night and would make several trips carrying the logs in his arms. He was only able to grab a few at a time.

I highly recommend this if you own a fireplace or go camping. It will make life a lot easier for you.
You can purchase it here on amazon Astor Heavyduty Canvas Log Carrier

Disclosure: I was provided this product in exchange for this review, however receipt of a free product has not swayed my opinion.

Types of Log Cuts for Woodworking Projects

Here is some more useful information that I have taken from Wood Working for Dummies
This will help you better understand how a log is cut into boards. I never knew this until I read the information that I am about to pass on to you.

To get a flat board to use in a woodworking project, you have to cut a round log. And you have to do so in a particular way so you can get the grain to run how you want it to. While most people don't have a saw mill to cut their own logs, you'll still want to know the difference in cuts to get the particular grain you want for your woodworking projects. The orientation of the blade in relation to the log and its growth rings determines the type of cut the board ends up with.

You can cut a log in three main ways:

Through and through: This type of milling involves progressively cutting the log from one side to the other.Through and through milling is the simplest and most efficient way to cut a log. Milling through and through results in plain-sawn, rift-sawn, and quarter-sawn boards because the orientation of the growth rings changes as the boards are sliced off the log.

Cutting a log through and through results in a variety of boards

Plain-sawn: Plain-sawn milling involves cutting the log from the outside to the center on all four sides. The very center of the log (the pith) is left alone. Check out the following figure to see the finished log after plain-sawing. This type of milling produces plain-sawn and rift-sawn boards.

Plain-sawn milling results in plain-sawn and rift-sawn boards

Quarter-sawn: Quarter-sawn milling is the least efficient way to cut a log, but it produces some of the best boards. You can mill a quarter-sawn board in two ways: the preferred way (see the left side of the following figure) and the practical way. Unless you have a mill of your own or you own the log and have it milled to your specifications, you’re going to have to live with the practical method of quarter-sawing wood. Don’t worry, this is still a great way to mill a log, and because it’s more efficient than the “preferred” method, it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg to buy (maybe just the arm). Quarter-sawn boards are more stable and attractive (to most people, anyway) than the other types of boards, but they are much more expensive. They’re also unavailable for some types of wood.

Quarter sawing a log can be performed two ways: the preferred method (left) and practical method (right)

American Hardwood Species

So with all woodworking your main tool that you would need to get anything done is Wood. It might seem really simple but you really need to put some work into what type of wood you need or want. This is all depending on what type of application you are using it for. I have done a lot of reading lately due to having shoulder surgery and what better way to make use of my over abundance of time. So I have researching and reading on what species of wood I would like to use for upcoming projects.

Through out my findings I have found an abundance of information pertaining to all types of species of wood. Some species have a variety of types. If I do not have a species and you would like me to add it please comment below.

Hardwoods are the botanical group of trees that have broad leaves, produce a fruit or nut, and generally go dormant in the winter.

America's temperate climates produce forests with hundreds of hardwood species -- trees that share certain biological characteristics. Although oak, maple and cherry all are types of hardwood trees, for example, they are different species. Together, all the hardwood species represent 40 percent of the trees in the United States.

On the other hand, softwoods, or conifers, from the Latin word meaning "cone-bearing," have needles. Widely available US softwoods include cedar, fir, hemlock, pine, redwood, spruce and cypress. In a home, the softwoods are used primarily as structural lumber such as 2x4s and 2x6s, with some limited decorative applications.

The more one knows about the unique characteristics of wood and its source, the better one can understand the degree of warmth and beauty that it brings to our everyday décor. Furniture made of wood is one of the few things in the world that all people can own and know that they are the only person in the world who owns that particular grain pattern and its inherent beauty. Each grain pattern is a unique masterpiece of design, texture and splendor. Even what some may view as a defect, like a knot or other natural blemishes, can add more beauty and character to any given piece of furniture.

The classification of wood has historically always been either hard wood; any leaf bearing tree, and soft wood; any cone bearing tree. These terms can be confusing since some leaf bearing trees can have very soft wood and some coniferous trees can have very hard woods. To make this easier, below you will find a list of different tree types, classification and then individual wood characteristics.

There are two basic wood grades. Select lumber is excellent quality for use when appearance and finishing are important and common lumber that has defects used for construction and general-purpose projects. The grades of the select lumber are: B and Better grade, which has minute or no blemishes; C Select grade which has some minor defects such as small knots; D select grade that has larger imperfections, which can be concealed by paint. The grades of common lumber are No. 1 grade containing tight knots and few blemishes. No. 2 grade that has more and larger knots and blemishes. No. 3 grade that has loose knots, knotholes, and other flaws. No. 4 grade that is low quality and No. 5 grade where the appearance is not important.

Sampling some softwoods

Softwoods aren't weaker than hardwoods. Softwoods come from coniferous trees such as cedar, fir, and pine and tend to be somewhat yellow or reddish. Because most coniferous trees grow fast and straight, softwoods are generally less expensive than hardwoods. It's also relatively easy to find sustainably grown softwoods (woods grown on tree farms to ensure an endless supply of wood); this means you're not contributing to the deforestation of the world and will always have a supply of wood for your projects.

Following is a list of common softwood varieties and their characteristics.

Cedar
The most common type of cedar is the western red variety. Western red cedar, as its name implies, has a reddish color to it. This type of wood is relatively soft (1 on a scale of 1 to 4), has a straight grain, and has a slightly aromatic smell. Western Red cedar is mostly used for outdoor projects such as furniture, decks, and building exteriors because it can handle moist environments without rotting. Western red cedar is moderately priced and can be found at most home centers.

Fir
Often referred to as Douglas Fir, this wood has a straight, pronounced grain, and has a reddish brown tint to it. Fir is most often used for building; however, it's inexpensive and can be used for some furniture-making as well. It doesn't have the most interesting grain pattern and doesn't take stain very well, so it's best to use it only when you intend to paint the finished product. Douglas fir is moderately strong and hard for a softwood, rating 4 on a scale of 1 to 4. This wood is worth mentioning because it is very common at your local home center and it's so inexpensive you'll probably be tempted to make something with it.

Pine
Pine comes in several varieties, including Ponderosa, Sugar, White, and Yellow, and all of them make great furniture. In some areas of the country (especially southwest United States), pine is the wood to use. Pine is very easy to work with and, because most varieties are relatively soft, it lends itself to carving. Pine generally takes stain very well (as long as you seal the wood first), although Ponderosa pine tends to ooze sap, so be careful when using this stuff. Pine is available from most home centers, but it's often of a lesser grade than what you can find at a decent lumberyard.

Redwood
Like cedar, redwood is used mostly for outdoor projects because of its resistance to moisture. Redwood (California redwood) is fairly soft and has a straight grain. As its name suggests, it has a reddish tint to it. Redwood is easy to work with, is relatively soft (2 on a scale of 1 to 4), and is moderately priced. You can find redwood at your local home center.


Hardwoods

Most woodworkers love to work with hardwoods. The variety of colors, textures, and grain patterns makes for some beautiful and interesting-looking furniture. The downside to hardwoods is their price. Some of the more exotic species can be too expensive to use for anything more than an accent. Some hardwoods are becoming very hard to find and are being harvested without concern to their eventual extinction (Brazilian rosewood comes to mind). Not only is this hard on the environment, it drives the price of the wood so high that making furniture out of it is out of the question for most woodworkers. If you can, try to buy wood from a sustainable forest (commercial tree farms that ensure the supply of the wood). Following is a list of common hardwoods and their characteristics.

Ash
Ash is a white to pale brown wood with a straight grain. It's pretty easy to work with (hardness of 4 on a scale of 1 to 5) and takes stain quite nicely, but ash is getting harder and harder to find. You won't find ash at your local home center — it's only available from larger lumberyards. Ash is a good substitute for white oak.

Birch
Birch comes in two varieties: yellow and white. Yellow birch is a pale yellow-to-white wood with reddish-brown heartwood, whereas white birch has a whiter color that resembles maple. Both types of birch have a hardness of 4 on a scale of 1 to 5. Birch is readily available and less expensive than many other hardwoods. You can find birch at many home centers, although the selection is better at a lumberyard. Birch is stable and easy to work with. However, it's hard to stain because it can get blotchy, so you might prefer to paint anything that you make with birch.

Cherry
Cherry is a very popular and all-around great wood; easy to work with, stains and finishes well with just oil, and ages beautifully. Cherry's heartwood has a reddish-brown color to it and the sapwood is almost white. Cherry has a hardness of 2 on a scale of 1 to 5. This is a very common wood for furniture-making and is available from sustainably grown forests. You won't find cherry at your local home center, so a trip to the lumberyard is necessary if you want to use it. Because it's in demand, cherry is getting somewhat expensive compared to other domestic hardwoods, such as oak and maple.

Mahogany
One of the great furniture woods, mahogany (also called Honduran mahogany) has a reddish-brown to deep-red tint, a straight grain, medium texture, and a hardness of around 2 on a scale of 1 to 5. It takes stain very well and looks great with just a coat (or 10) of oil. The only drawback is that mahogany isn't being grown in sustainable forests. Forget going to your home center to get some — the only place to find mahogany is a decent lumberyard (and it'll cost you).

Maple
Maple comes in two varieties: hard and soft. Both varieties are harder than many other woods; hard maple is so hard (a 5 on a scale of 1 to 5) that it's difficult to work with. Soft maple, on the other hand, is relatively easy to work with. Because of their fine, straight grain, both varieties are more stable than many other woods. They also tend to be less expensive than other hardwoods. You won't find maple at your local home center, but most lumberyards have a good selection of it.

Oak
Oak is one of the most used woods for furniture. Available in two varieties — red and white — oak is strong (hardness of about 4 on a scale of 1 to 5) and easy to work with. White oak is preferred for furniture-making because it has a more attractive figure than red oak. White oak is also resistant to moisture and can be used on outdoor furniture. This is one wood that can be found quarter-sawn (the most stable cutting option available). In fact, quarter-sawn white oak is less expensive than some other hardwoods, like cherry. The grain has a beautiful "ray flake" pattern to it. Red oak can be found at most home centers, but if you want white oak, make a trip to the lumberyard.

Poplar
Poplar is one of the less expensive hardwoods. It's also fairly soft (1 in hardness on a scale of 1 to 5), which makes it easy to work with. Poplar is white with some green or brown streaks in the heartwood. Because poplar is not the most beautiful wood, it's rarely used in fine furniture, and if it is, it's almost always painted. Poplar can be a good choice for drawers (where it won't be seen) because it is stable and inexpensive. You can find poplar at larger home centers, but a lumberyard will have a better selection.

Teak
Teak is becoming rarer as the days go on, but it is the staple for fine outdoor furniture. Teak is highly weather-resistant and beautiful (not to mention expensive — can you believe almost $24 a board foot?). Teak has an oily feel and a golden-brown color. It rates a 3 on a scale of 1 to 5 for hardness and is only available from larger lumberyards and specialty suppliers.

Walnut
With a hardness of about 4 on a 1 to 5 scale, walnut is a rich brown wood that's easy to work with. Unfortunately, walnut is somewhat expensive (usually around $8 a board foot), and finding large boards for big projects is getting difficult. In spite of this, walnut is still a great wood to work with and lends itself nicely for use as accents and inlays to dress up a project. You won't find walnut at your local home center; you may need to special order it from a lumberyard if you want a large quantity.

Lumber Buying Guide

So with me being somewhat new to my hobby(woodworking). I find myself in the predicament on what type of wood I will use with my project. Granted I have not done that many projects but it is nice to know ahead of time what type of wood is would be good for what project. I have done some research and the information below is credited to Lowe's

More posts to come about the types of species and what type of application they are used for.


Lumber Buying Guide

Choosing the right wood for your woodworking or construction project may seem like a daunting task, but it's actually not as hard as it seems. Woodworking can be easy and a whole lot of fun. The key element is the wood. Here's the information you need to get started.





Wood Basics

There are basically two kinds of wood from which to choose: hardwoods and softwoods. In addition, there are certain characteristics that are common in all wood types.

Hardwoods are the deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the fall. Although there is an abundant variety, only 200 are plentiful and pliable enough for woodworking. Much like our skin, hardwoods have microscopic pores on the surface. The size of these pores determines the grain pattern and texture. Because of this, hardwoods are classified by pore openings as either: Closed Grained (smaller pores), like cherry and maple or Ring Porous (larger pores), like oak, ash or poplar.

Softwoods come from coniferous trees, commonly referred to as evergreen trees. Only 25 percent of all softwoods are used in woodworking. All softwoods have a closed grain (small pores) that is not very noticeable in the finished product. The most popular softwoods are cedar, fir, pine and spruce.


Lumber is separated into a variety of products.

Treated Lumber
Treated lumber is produced for exterior use only and pressure treated for ground or above ground contact. It is resistant to rotting and insect damage. Boards can be painted or stained. Make sure you choose the right fastener (galvanized or stainless steel) when working with treated lumber.

Decking
Decking includes floor boards and railing, either composite or treated lumber. Composite decking is manufactured from wood by products and plastic. It is denser, heavier and longer lasting (and more expensive) than treated wood. Decking products are milled with rounded edges, ready to cut and install.

Dimensional Lumber and Studs
Dimensional lumber and studs are milled on all four sides. Available in different lengths, these products are used for a wide number of wood projects and construction.

Plywood and OSB Panels
Plywood and OSB panels are manufactured (engineered) from
various wood products and by-products. Plywood is produced by layering thin sheets of wood. Oriented strand board (OSB) is made from flakes or chips of wood. Both are made with glue or resin and cured under heat and pressure. These products are used for shelving, subfloors, sheathing and a number of other applications.

Boards
Boards include a broad category of products used for light construction, crafts, woodworking projects, cabinetry, furniture, shelving, internal joinery and moulding. Boards can be stained or painted. Larger boards may be edge-glued (two or more boards glued together to provide a wider size) or solid.

Hardwood Grades

Grading designation depends on the number of defects in a board. A lower grade can be perfectly acceptable, depending on placement and usage. Hardwoods are graded by the National Hardwood Lumber Association. Here's a chart to help explain the grading system. Grades are listed from highest to lowest.

Grade Name	Abbreviation	Minimum Board Size	% Usable Material On One Face
First and Seconds	FAS	6-in x 8-in	83
Select	Sel	4-in x 6-in	83
#1 Common	#1 Com	3-in x 4-in	66
#2 Common	#2 Com	3-in x 4-in	50

Softwood Grades

Softwoods are divided into two categories: dimensional lumber, with a grade based on strength, and appearance boards, which are typically used for woodworking projects. Grades listed here are from highest to lowest.

Grade	What It Means
C Select	Almost completely clear of defects. Widely used for interior trim and cabinets.
D Select	Fine appearance, similar to C Select. May have dime-sized knots.
1 Common	Best material for high quality pine with a knotty look. Knots will be tight, meaning they won't fall out, and are generally small.
2 Common	Tight knots, but larger than found in 1 Common. Often used for paneling and shelving. Very suitable for general woodworking projects.
3 Common	Knots larger than in 2 Common. Also used for paneling and shelving, but especially well-suited for fences, boxes and crates.

Grade Stamp

While lumber of the same species and size is at the mill, it is designated and separated by grade. It is then identified by a stamp and often inventoried by its grade and species. When selecting wood, be sure you look for its grading stamp because different lumberyards sometimes use different names for the same grade. Remember, if you are having trouble figuring it all out, ask for help. Grade designations depend on particular defects such as knots or wane. Keep your project final results in mind when selecting the grade of wood. Grade does not indicate consistency of color or grain patterns.

Manufacturer: Mill's number, name or symbol. (ex. 12)

Certification mark: Symbol of agency providing quality control supervision. (ex. WWP®)

Grade: Often abbreviated. 1 Common shown. (ex. 1COM)

Moisture content (MC): Abbreviations for MC when board surfaced: MC 15 is 15 percent or less; KD or S-DRY is 19 percent or less; S-GRN is green wood with more than 19 percent MC. (Ex. S-DRY)

Species mark: Symbol or abbreviation for types of tree.

Lumber Definitions

Density
Heavy woods like oak are identified by their weight and tight grain pattern and resist wear, dents and
scratches better than softwoods.

Texture
Texture is the wood property that determines the condition of the surface and its stability. It plays an important role in deciding how a wood is finished.

Color
Color contributes to the personality of wood. For example, red cedar will give you a very different look and character than white pine.

Wood Grain
Each tree has its own grain pattern, so two boards of the same species can look very different. Wood grain is the direction in which the wood cell fibers grow. These variances in grain direction can have a significant impact on your project.

The grain direction is important to consider when building either structural projects or decorative projects such as furniture or crafts. For instance, when working on a structural application, a straight-grained board is generally the strongest. In more decorative projects, grain with varying characteristics can add beauty and personality to the project. Grain pattern density determines strength. As you'd expect, a piece of lumber with a tight pattern is stronger than one with a loose grain pattern.


Common Defects

Defects in wood are natural and appreciated by many woodworkers for the unique character they contribute. However, defects in structural lumber should be kept to a minimum. Below, you'll find a list of common defects in lumber.

Bow

Warp on the face of a board from end to end.

Cup

Hollow across the face of a board.

Crook

Warp along the edge line, also known as crown.

Knot or Knothole

A tight knot is usually not a problem. A loose or dead knot, surrounded by a dark ring, may fall out or may have already left a hole.

Split

Crack going all the way through the piece of wood, commonly at the ends.

Twist

Multiple bends in a board.

Check

Crack along the wood's annual growth rings, not passing through the entire thickness of the wood.

Shake

Separation of grain between the growth rings, often extending along the board's face and sometimes below its surface.

Wane

Missing wood or untrimmed bark along the edge or corner of the piece.

The Beginning of Woodworking

Awhile ago I was surfing the internet on tools for woodworking and anything related to wood working and I came across a YouTube video of a man named Matthias Wandel. I must have watched over 20 videos of this guy and his creation. While I was exploring his website I came across a very informative post about where to begin as a woodworker/diy hobbyist.

I am actually using this approach with a few exceptions. He states not to buy until you are at the point of needing it. I bought my miter saw right from the beginning and a brad nail gun to make things easier. Below are my reasons why.

The first exception is buying a Miter saw in the beginning. I have gotten a lot of use with my Miter saw. He explains why he doesn't like it but I have found a great deal of use with it.

The second would be a Nail gun or Brad gun. I just bought one because whenever I had to nail something with a small nail I would have to pre-drill the hole and then hammer each nail. I wanted something quicker and easier so I purchased a Bostitch 18 ga 5/8" - 2 1/8" brad nail gun . I have yet to use it but I know it will make my life a lot easier in the shop plus I got it for almost half the price thanks to my wife.

Here is his link to his web page and from there you can navigate to his various websites.

Matthias Wandel

Here is what he has to say about the beginning of woodworking.

A question I get asked from time to time is how to get into woodworking, what tools I would recommend, and where to start.

I can't really make good recommendations as to what specific brands of tools are better than others. Most of my tools were opportunistic purchases, with relatively little regard to specific brands. More often than not, it's price and a quick inspection to gauge the solidity of the tool that are the determining factors. My tools are usually not among the best that can be had, but good enough.

Where to start?

But where to start with woodworking? What machines do you need? My suggestion is that you should start by doing some woodworking, and only after that start buying big equipment.

I don't mean that entirely literally. But I think it's best if you buy just a few tools and start using those. As you get more comfortable with what you have, it becomes easier to understand what tools you should get next. It also reduces the risk of buying a workshop full of tools only to find out that you aren't really into woodworking.

Start by getting a few hand tools - a hammer, screwdrivers, nails, a few chisels, a hack saw, a try square, some sort of work table, and some clamps.

Your first power tools should probably be a drill and a jigsaw. Those are tools that come in handy here and there, even if you are not into woodworking. You won't be able to make any fine furniture with them, but it's enough to bang together a few projects for the basement or outside.

There are different grades of tools available at different prices. Salesmen will probably tell you to get good quality tools that last a lifetime. But the price difference between a cheap tool and a good quality tool can easily be a factor of four. My advice is to get cheap tools first and use them until they break. Once they break, it's time to consider getting something better. But unless you are a professional who uses the tools every day, even a cheap tool is likely to last a long time.

A good tool to get next is some sort of circular saw. A circular saw cuts a lot faster than a jigsaw, and it's easier to make a straighter cleaner cut with it. It's also a very useful tool for cutting up big sheets of plywood, even if you already have a table saw. At this point, you have enough tools for some simple projects such as this table or some storage shelving

You should consider getting a hand plane or two at this point, and maybe a workbench with a vise on it. It may be a good challenge to build a workbench while you are at it.

You may also want to invest in a doweling jig, or a pocket hole jig (although I'm personally not very fond of pocket holes joinery because it's not very strong) 

With just the tools mentioned above, you can already tackle some basic projects.

Getting into stationary machines

You can get a lot of hand-held power tools, but after getting the assortment mentioned above, it's probably time to start looking at getting some stationary tools.

The most useful stationary tools are a drill press and a table saw. For the longest time, I only had a cheap old contractor saw, and only a very small drill press, but I made do with those. The difference between a good drill press and a cheap drill press is much smaller than the difference between a cheap drill press and no drill press, so don't wait until you can afford the perfect one.

I can't say the same about a table saw. The cheapest benchtop table saws for under $200 tend to be awful, and will never produce a good clean cut. The better quality benchtop saws are much better, but cost as much as a contractor saw will. A contractor saw is the type of table saw with the motor at the back and open at the bottom. They tend to be made of cast iron, and good value for the money. Hybrid saws are also becoming popular. Hybrid saws are essentially built like contractor saws, but with the motor in the cabinet, just like a cabinetmaker saw. They are much cheaper than cabinetmakers saws and not as heavy. The saw at left is my first table saw, a 40-year old contractor saw, which I enclosed on the bottom to keep the sawdust inside. At present, I use a hybrid table saw

To get a cleaner cut on a table saw, it helps to buy a good quality saw blade for your table saw. With a decent table saw, and a good quality blade, it should be possible to get a cut that is smooth enough that it should require only minimal work to prepare it for finishing.

Those tools, plus a band saw, were all I had when I built my marble machine one. So you can go quite a ways with just this much equipment.

A nice thing about a bandsaw is that it's not scary to use. Sure, a bandsaw can cut your fingers off too, but it will probably cut your finger slow enough that you can pull it back before it's a major injury. I cut into my thumb with a band saw once when I was a kid. I pulled back as soon as I felt it, and the cut on my thumb wasn't even deep enough to warrant a band-aid. So if table saws scare you, get a band saw first.

A band saw is also very handy. It cuts cleaner than a jigsaw, but perhaps one of the biggest advantages of a band saw is convenience. It's my tool of choice for making most quick rough cuts.I also use it for cutting up long scraps to short pieces to fit them in the scrap box. I really use the band saw a lot. I actually bought my band saw before I bought a table saw - I saw one marked down at a woodworking show, and I knew I'd get one eventually, so I jumped on it. That was before I built my own

Next it's probably time for some more power tools. A belt sander often comes in handy. A router is also a really nice thing to have. Don't fret too much about which router to get - most woodworkers have more than one. So if you don't like some aspect of your router, it will still be handy as a second router later. Most people would also recommend that you get some sort of miter saw for making crosscuts. Personally, I have always just used a crosscut sled. Miter saws just don't have the rigidity to produce a cut as clean as can be made with a table saw sled, so I have never been a fan of them.

Moving up to the next level, the next machine to get would be a jointer planer. A jointer planer is very important if you want to glue up pieces of wood side-by-side to make panels. It's just plain all around handy for planing stock. I'd recommend you get a jointer planer before you get a thickness planer, because there is so much more that can be done with a jointer than a thickness planer. A thickness planer is really handy to get stock to the right thickness, although in a pinch, that can also be done on the table saw by putting the workpiece between the fence and the blade. If you cut from both sides, you can thikness stock up to twice the maximum depth of cut of your table saw. 

Tools that I don't recommend buying

All the tools below have their uses, and you may eventually get to a point where they are needed. But if you are just starting out, I'd recommend waiting until later before buying any of the tools below:

Compound sliding miter saw

Hardware stores are full of big compound sliding miter saws. But before you buy one, ask yourself, how often do you need to cut miters on stock wider than a non sliding miter saw can handle? For the few times you have to do that, it's probably better to use a circular saw. The complicated mechanism of a compound sliding miter saw makes them less rigid. Which means an expensive compound miter saw may not make as clean a cut as a non-sliding miter saw for a third of the price.

Do everything combination machines

Avoid machines that can be converted from one machine to another. The ShopSmith is a prime example of such a machine. Multi purpose machines are usually good at one or two functions, but other aspects are compromised. But the real problem is that every time you need to switch functions, you need to convert the machine. And the cost of these machines is usually high enough that you could get several single function machines for the same price.

Pre-built workbench

If you want to get into woodworking, a good project to tackle is building your own workbench. It's really not that hard. So if building your own workbench is a bit too much work, or too intimidating, then take a step back and examine whether you really want to get into woodworking. This may be different if your goal is to cut silhouettes of kittens out of plywood with a scroll saw, but I wouldn't call that sort of activity "woodworking".

Nail gun or brad nailers

Furniture shouldn't use a lot of nails. If you must use nails, you can always drive them in with a hammer. I am sure you have heard the saying "if all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail". Now, if you have a nail gun then... Well, go figure.

Fancy table saw miter gauge and fence

Fancy miter gauges sure look nice, with all the colored bits of anodized aluminium and brass knobs. But are those really something you need? Do you really think that an Incra brand miter gauge made out of bent sheet metal is more trustworthy than the more solid cast aluminium one that came with your saw? Sorry, but those are some of my pet peeves. Build yourself a good table saw sled instead, and you won't need to second guess it. If you cut a lot of 45-degree miters, make another sled with a 45 degree angle.

Scrollsaw

Scrollsaws are good for projects like cutting puzzles or silhouettes of cutesey animals out of wood. But for making furniture, scrollsaws just aren't up to the task. Scrollsaws, along with Dremel tools, do have their uses in crafts, but for woodworking, they are just a little too small. That said, Dremel tools are very useful for sharpening brad point drill bits, forstner bits, and bandsaw blades, so they do have a use in woodworking.

Lathe

You can make nice candle sticks and blows with a lathe. And if your aspiration is wood turning, a lathe is definitely something you want to invest in. But few funtiture projects require the use of a lathe. I'm not saying you should never get a lathe, but a lathe is not one of those "must have" tools like a table saw or drill press.

Track saw

A track saw will allow you to make many cuts that would otherwise require a table saw, and is hard to beat if you need to cut up whole sheets of plywood. But for the price of a track saw, you can buy a table saw, and table saws are so much more versatile and convenient. So if you are just starting out, don't let anybody tell you that you don't need a table saw if you have a track saw.

What to do next?

Well, that concludes my introduction to woodworking for beginners. For more information follow some of the links in the article - they are all relatively easy projects.

You can also watch some of my woodworking videos on YouTube. to get a better sense of how I work.

You will probably also enjoy the Woodworking for mere mortals YouTube channel, by Steve Ramsay. Very entertaining, and, I would guess educational for beginners. I enjoy watching them because Steve is very entertaining. Steve also has a Woodworking for mere mortals blog.

So have a go at it. Who knows where it might lead. Maybe some day you'll have a workshop like this one

That concludes what he has to say. I hope everyone who reads this gets an idea or uses this to either start the process of woodworking or make an addition to their shop like I have. 

Please post any questions or comments you might have with the above information.