# Newbie here needing lots of help!



## Bluesssman (Mar 11, 2014)

Hi everyone!!

I have just started doing woodworking and I need as much guidance as I can get.

A week ago I purchased a used Craftsman table saw for $20. The motor needed a new starting capacitor and I upgraded the on/off switch. I completely disassembled the unit and cleaned every part from the rusted beginning. I added my own fence rail system with an extension and for under forty dollars it works great. 

I need advice on what other equipment I would be wise in adding to my shop. I have a router table I just build, along with a drill press, miter saw and lots of hand tools. 

I like building just about anything, but I think I will be leaning toward fine art furniture. 

Included in this post is s two pictures of the table saw.

Thanks,

Gary


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## ButchC (Mar 11, 2014)

If you're going to be doing furniture, you're going to need to be able to make both edges, and both faces parallel, and square to each other. This can be done without power tools, but a planer and a jointer (or combo) would be a great addition. You seem like a handy guy; try lookin on Craigslist or checking auction houses in your area. Sometimes you can get lucky and find a machine for dirt cheap and do the repairs/maintenance yourself.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Mar 11, 2014)

Going with a planer and jointer next will be a good step in furniture building. The longer the better on the jointer. An 8" wide one also has its upside. A planer 13 or 15" is pretty standard but if you could spring for a 18 or 20" you would be sitting nice.

Next step after that would likely be a drum sander....


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## barry richardson (Mar 12, 2014)

Jointer should be definitely be high on your list. My opinion is you could get by fine with a 6" jointer though, Unless your going to do a lot of large projects. A dust collector too, although with a contractor saw like you have, you will need to do some modification to contain the dust. A band saw is a necessity IMO. I got by for many years without a planer by using a bandsaw and jointer to dimension boards, just a hassel for real long ones. Having said that, lunch box planers are pretty cheap used, and handy I'm sure.


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## Kevin (Mar 12, 2014)

The tools mentioned are good advice and pretty standard for just about all woodworking of a flat nature. But as I mentioned in your introduction thread, you should clearly define what type of woodworking you'll be doing. "Fine art furniture" can be a whole lot of things to different people.

For an example of why you need to better focus on "what do I want to build for my first x number of projects" instead of "what cool tools should I buy" is your table saw extension. You expended $40 and some amount of time and energy on something that for building 95% of the furniture you would build, you will not need unless the furniture is going to consists oif a lot of carcass work. In which case you will need infeed and outfeed also. Instead of the right hand extension, if you are going to make only one modification to a table saw's surface area it should always be an outfeed table.

Sure you didn't waste much money or time on that extension, and it will come in handy on real wide stuff but you don't have enough power in that saw to cut big thick wood. Don't keep buying tools until you better define your goals. And to do that you need to lay out your shop before you start running cords and plugging stuff in. Havng said all that (just trying to get you to slow down a little not completely) the suggestion of a jointer and dust collector are both crucial to any power tool woodworking. I have used planers, bandsaws, and table saws for face jointing and nothing beats a real jointer. A bandsaw is also indispensible. 

You can do perfect edge jointing with a router table but I'd say get a jointer next and a dust collector. If you think you'll stick with this hobby build your shop in a permanent way. I am in the process of redoing everything because I have scarffed my tools together to do a project then stuffed them all back in the corner to have the space for other things. that really sucks after a while and your shop looks like it's big enough like mine that you can dedicate some permanent space to it. That's what I'd say you should do now. So you need a layout so you can design the duct work. There's about a thousand other things to cover but that's a start.


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## Bluesssman (Mar 13, 2014)

Kevin, thank you for all of your advice. I have designated about 1200 square feet of space in my shop for the woodworking area with an additional 1200 square feet that can be used for an assembly area if needed. I am currently installing a dust collection system and looking forward to not having to constantly hookup the shop vac to each tool. The next project on my list is a good work bench. 

Again thank you Kevin and everyone else for your advice!

Gary


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## Mike1950 (Mar 13, 2014)

Different subject- nice old ford? panel-early fifties?


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## Bluesssman (Mar 13, 2014)

It is a 1951 1 ton Chevrolet I picked up 32 years ago. It has been through various upgrades and has seen many many miles on the road. Thanks for noticing!!

Gary

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Mar 13, 2014)

Bluesssman said:


> It is a 1951 1 ton Chevrolet I picked up 32 years ago. It has been through various upgrades and has seen many many miles on the road. Thanks for noticing!!
> 
> Gary




RATS that was my second guess- NICE chevie...........


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## woodintyuuu (Mar 14, 2014)

Gary all great advice above. My own thoughts tend to be tools and aquisition of them should always be married to necessity and competency level. I used to buy tools because i wanted it. not because i needed it. Some of the very best money that can be spent is take a class offered by any number of schools :Highland Hardware, Anderson Ranch (close to Ya) David Marks, JC Campbell Folk School , the list goes on and on . Or mabey post a craigslist ad offering to pay a working craftsman for cupla days intruction. Lose his philosophy and drive the hell out of his tools, cheap test drive ,you will gain both insight and experience
when you purchase your own. PS: the best money spent is to hire a fishing guide in an area were unacustomed. Glad your here and wood is a cool thing cl

Reactions: Like 1


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