I've decided to get into woodworking. Questions.

[Greenman]

For cabinet work a good table saw is indispensable.

 

[snoopy7548]

Ok, I got a Makita table saw that has pretty good reviews, a work bench, goggles, and some wood. I already owned a dremel, googles, measuring tape (who doesn't own measuring tape?), and a level. First project: build a ledge for my cat to stare out the window.

Before you start using your nice new table saw, be sure to thoroughly and meticulously set it up. Go through the manual step by step and spend a whole day getting the table and blade perfectly square (now that I mention it, invest in a good square. Also, a try-square is indispensible), as well as the riving knife, and pick up a new blade (a general-purpose 40-tooth is a fine starting point for most work). Make sure your fence is perfectly parallel to the blade - your wood will thank you - and always, at a minimum use the riving knife. Never stand directly behind the piece you're cutting and treat each cut as if there's a 90% chance of losing your fingers.

I've always found it useful to make test cuts with scrap wood before I make the actual cut. Saves you some frustration and gives you a bit more confidence.

Always use the push stick, too.

And always wear hearing protection. I use these and they do a good job of keeping my hearing intact:

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Over-Earmuffs-X1A/dp/B00CPCH9KA/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1508597067&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=3m+peltor&th=1


And you should watch this video on kickbacks. This guy intentionally made the wood kickback just to show how dangerous it is. He knew it was coming and was prepared for it, and his hand still came extremely close to being cut off. Now imagine if you were happily cutting your piece of wood and it started to get grabbed by the blade. You would almost certainly lose a finger or five.

The link starts at the good part, but it's worth watching the whole video.
https://youtu.be/u7sRrC2Jpp4?t=4m15s

 

[sdifox]

Extra fingers

 

[Mandres]

You need a saw for cutting, a hand plane and chisel for trimming, a drill, a square, and some way to hold the work, a bench and vise is best. That's really it. Power tools just make the job faster, but learning the skills using hand tools should still be first priority

 

[MaxDepth]

Also find a nice wood working supply shop. I had a Wood Workers Supply not far from my house. I was really sad when they decided to close the brick and mortar and sell through the Internet. My wallet however was better off.

I think they made money more from walk ins looking around than online buying. You don't browse as much online, I think.

 

[highland145]

Also find a nice wood working supply shop. I had a Wood Workers Supply not far from my house. I was really sad when they decided to close the brick and mortar and sell through the Internet. My wallet however was better off.

I think they made money more from walk ins looking around than online buying. You don't browse as much online, I think.

"Oh, look, isn't that cool. I must need one." Same reason I like to go to books a million.

 

[Aikouka]

If i was starting from scratch I would buy a Track Saw first. Either the Dewalt, Makitia or Grizzly depending on budget. (Festool if i was ATOT rich)

I've never heard of these before, but as someone that had to buy a long guide for my circular saw, I am quite intrigued!

Then I would have a good router

I've been hemming and hawing over getting a router for a while. The only thing that makes me reel back is that I've been trying not to spend a lot of money on tools at the moment, and routers are something that look cheap... until you see all the stuff you might want to buy. I'd like to try replacing a drawer that was not built well, and I considered buying a dovetail jig to help making it a bit easier; however, that's a good $120-180 depending on which one I get.

A drill and driver combo or a full battery powered combo set. drill / driver / reciprocating saw are all the battery things you really need. I have a radio that came "free" as well.

What about an oscillating tool? I don't use it a ton for woodworking, but I've been able to find a lot of surprisingly good uses for it.

After you get tired of using plywood with its perfectly square and straight edges, you will want a planer and a Jointer. These things will help you cut a wavy board only good for boat building and turn it into something flat and straight that is useful.

I've looked at those a few times, but in reality, the reason why I've even considered them is because I go to Home Depot for wood. Some people probably think I'm weird, because I spend a good 10-20 minutes looking for lumber there. However, I do that, because it takes that damn long to find a piece that isn't warped! When I first started, I wasn't nearly as picky, and it showed when I built my garage workbenches. They turned out fine, but you can tell that the wood wasn't the best with how things line up. I'm super meticulous about my measuring and cutting. I'll measure twice on a 2x4 (on both sides), draw a line with a carpenter's square (intersecting both marks), measure again just to see that it's good, and then line it up in the miter saw. After I cut, I check it again just to make sure that it's good.

 

[herm0016]

I have a harbor freight variable speed oscillating tool. 27 bucks haha. Great for non-precise work. I have a small trim router and a 1/2 in Hitachi in a home made table. I use my small one for lots of things, like cutting slots for biscuits. Router bits are cheaper than having a bunch of different machines. I just buy good versions of what I need. Planner and jointer are great when you start getting into different species that you can't get at home depot.

 

[FeuerFrei]

I've got some overhanging MDF to trim off flush. Flush enough to stand upright on its own. What would be a suitable tool for that job? Maybe 6 ft total length of cuts.

Hacksaw? Jigsaw?

I don't own any saws.

 

[herm0016]

I've got some overhanging MDF to trim off flush. Flush enough to stand upright on its own. What would be a suitable tool for that job? Maybe 6 ft total length of cuts.

Hacksaw? Jigsaw?

I don't own any saws.

what is the MDF for? what are you building? for sheet goods like this, I would recommend a circular saw or a track saw. using the correct blade is also important. A hacksaw is usually for metal. a jig saw could work, but it is harder to keep the cut straight and 90 degrees to the edge.

 

[zinfamous]

what is the MDF for? what are you building? for sheet goods like this, I would recommend a circular saw or a track saw. using the correct blade is also important. A hacksaw is usually for metal. a jig saw could work, but it is harder to keep the cut straight and 90 degrees to the edge.

A Sawzall maybe? Do they have proper blades for MDF?

 

[herm0016]

A Sawzall maybe? Do they have proper blades for MDF?

It will be quite a rough cut with a sawsall

 

[FeuerFrei]

what is the MDF for? what are you building? for sheet goods like this, I would recommend a circular saw or a track saw. using the correct blade is also important. A hacksaw is usually for metal. a jig saw could work, but it is harder to keep the cut straight and 90 degrees to the edge.

I'm dismantling an armoire. The doors feature shelves on the top half. I want to turn the two doors into free-standing shelves, which means sawing off the bottom half, flush with the bottom of the lowest shelf. Not much of a job really. I'm thinking a blade with small teeth to avoid rips ... something expendable?

 

[PottedMeat]

I'm dismantling an armoire. The doors feature shelves on the top half. I want to turn the two doors into free-standing shelves, which means sawing off the bottom half, flush with the bottom of the lowest shelf. Not much of a job really. I'm thinking a blade with small teeth to avoid rips ... something expendable?

oh your cut will be on the floor? i'd cut it as best you can with whatever saw you have on hand and rest it on 4 bumpons in the corners. if you want it perfect without little rubber nubs on the bottom, a router with a flush cut bit and bearing would work.

 

[Billb2]

For cabinetmaking you should to be able to hold a 64th of an inch for 5 feet.

 

[RLGL]

I've got some overhanging MDF to trim off flush. Flush enough to stand upright on its own. What would be a suitable tool for that job? Maybe 6 ft total length of cuts.

Router with a flush trim bit. Use double stick tape to bond the MDF to a cutting guide such as a straight board or a piece of angle iron.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Router with a flush trim bit. Use double stick tape to bond the MDF to a cutting guide such as a straight board or a piece of angle iron.

Huh? I'm having trouble visualizing this. A flush trim bit shouldn't need a guide - it has a bearing on it that rides the piece of wood you're cutting flush to.

Unless I'm just visualizing the problem incorrectly. (Likely!)

 

[dave_the_nerd]

For cabinetmaking you should to be able to hold a 64th of an inch for 5 feet.

Really?

Oh.

Guess I need to keep practicing.

 

[herm0016]

Huh? I'm having trouble visualizing this. A flush trim bit shouldn't need a guide - it has a bearing on it that rides the piece of wood you're cutting flush to.

Unless I'm just visualizing the problem incorrectly. (Likely!)

Use the bearing on the guide. Often used when you use patterns to make curved peices.

 

[Greenman]

For cabinetmaking you should to be able to hold a 64th of an inch for 5 feet.

Are you talking about a free hand cut?

 

[RLGL]

Unless I'm just visualizing the problem incorrectly. (Likely!)

Check out this video: explains how the flush trim works. The part explaining is a bit into the piece

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Check out this video: explains how the flush trim works. The part explaining is a bit into the piece

Oh, I get it. Thanks!

 

[Billb2]

"Hold a 64th" means that, for example, if you're going to cut (rip) a 1" x 8" board that is 5 feet long down to 1" x 6", that the width of the board, anywhere along the length, will vary by less than 1/64th of an inch after the cut. It doesn't matter how you do the cutting, just that you get that result.

 

[MaxDepth]

For those thinking of getting a dovetail jig, try practicing with scraps and by hand with a pull saw.

 

[Arcadio]

I'm going to try not to buy too many tools until I get more practice with my manual saw and my circular saw, which is what I actually got. I posted earlier that I got a table saw since I thought they were the same thing. I got a Makita Circular Saw. I also got a square and a chisel set. My working table supports a router, but I'm not getting a router yet.