Cost breakdown of my suggested essential tool kit.
See
1- Handsaws
2- Chisels
3- Planes
25 essentials tools (I added one, at the bottom) that will become a good foundation tools kit.
Wanna go strictly hand tools? Add a Rip saw, a Dovetail saw and a Plow plane and you are all set.
Links to products shown is not an endorsement nor promotions, simply giving you some good examples at various prices points available to you locally (Nova Scotia Canada). Feel free to substitute, but you should get the idea of what to look for with these.
Prices in Cdn $, unless indicated, on link.
Print and leave lying around with a few things circled in red and Voila. Christmas taking care for you.
You're welcome :-)
SAWS (2)
A good pair of saw horses or saw benches would be a great addition for rough cutting.
A bench hook or miter block would be a great addition for the back saw.
All of these are simple devices and Easy Peasy to make.
Panel saw, crosscut.
New about $20 for the hardened tooth variety. Some examples. Often on sales
15 in, panel saw Craftsman, RONA
Vintage $1-15, must be sharpened
Backsaw, crosscut
New
El Cheapo, induction hardened disposable, but if the steel is any good and the sharpening job decent, replace handle with a real wood one (do not merely copy original plastic handle). Make one that fit your hand properly CTC
A fine cutting 8 in Gent saw, Lee Valley or
8 in Gent saw, Langevin & Forest or
Inexpensive , reversible CTC or
Premium
Veritas Carcass saw, Lee Valley or
Crown, small tenon saw, Langevin & Forest or
Any of the boutique tools makers, about $250 and up
Vintage $10-30, probably need sharpening.
PLANES (3) plus 1 shooting board and 1 spare iron set (5 total)
Jack plane
New
Veritas Low Angle Jack plane, Lee Valley
NOTE than you cannot transformed it into a scrub plane, so would still need the No 5.
Why put it in? It is a very versatile plane and make an even better shooter.
Vintage Stanley No 5 or equivalent (clones) $5-20
Yes, you could buy a new one for about $50 (Stanley, Footprint, Groz and etc), but
the old ones are much better and cheaper. Just look around.
And
Spare blade set
New Veritas 2 in blade and cap iron set, Lee Valley or
New Stanley blade only, RONA
Vintage $5-20 for a No 5 blade (2 in width), about $10 for cap iron.
Veritas set is ready to go out of package, the other new or vintage will required sharpening
And
Shooting board
New
Adjustable, Veritas, Lee Valley or
Make your own
Using parts from LV shooting board, or
Go old school like mine.
I used this article from my friend Norm Pirollo published in
Fine Woodworking Tool & shops 2009 issue
Rabbet plane
New
Veritas skew rabbet plane, Lee Valley
Vintage.
Stanley No 78 $50 and up to about 100
If you find a Record No 778 it is a better tool with two post for fence. $75-110
Wooden rabbet planes, about $15-25
Or Shoulder plane
New
Veritas medium (3/4), Lee Valley or
large (1-1/4), Lee Valley
Vintage expect to pay $100 and up
Router plane
New
Veritas large, Lee Valley or
Veritas Medium, Lee valley
Vintage Stanley No 71 or equivalent (clones) About $70-125
CHISELS (3)
As for which brands to recommend? It does not matter much, any chisels at any price point can be made sharp. The difference would be in how fast it get sharp and how long that sharp edge last.
Unless you are experienced with chisels, stay away from expensive Japanese chisels, simply because being hardened higher than your average Western chisels, you can easily break or chip the cutting tip. That would be a sacrilege, in my book, so please don't do that. Admire them until you feel confident enough :-)
Look for ergonomic, how it feel in your hands, how balanced. But if you are just starting, whatever chisels you may have now are good enough. Learn to sharpen on these, probably inexpensive chisels, before moving up.
Instead of buying a set, with sizes you may never used, buy individual chisels. Buy other sizes as you need them, if ever.
1/4 in
New $10- the sky the limit
Mastercraft at CTC
Marples Irwin at Busy Bee tools
Vintage $1- Very expensive
1/2 in
New $10 - The sky the limit
Mastercraft at CTC
Marples Irwin at Busy Bee Tools
Vintage $1- Very expensive
1-1/2 in
New about $20 and up, larger width not as common. Try for something wider than 1 inch
1-1/4, Irwin Marples, Busy Bee tools, or
1-1/2, Irwin Marples, Busy Bee Tools, or
2 in, Irwin Marples, Busy Bee Tools
Vintage, again not as common, hence more expensive.
MARKING AND MEASURING (14)
Marking Gauge
Whatever style you get, you don't want any play or wiggle from the rod or beam on the gauge while locked by the head. By far the ones that are better at it are the metal rods one's, by design. The worse are most of the wooden ones. And NO, you don't need measurement's marks on them.
Metal, wheel type, Lee Valley Standard, or
Same but micro adj. Lee Valley adjustable, or
The gold standard Tite Mark, or
A Far East copy of Tite Mark design, Langevin & Forest
Marking Knife
Any knife sharpened with one bevel only, is a marking knife.
Spear points combine both Left and Right blade edges, only one knife required
Spear point: Thin blade, Lee Valley, or
Spear point: Thick blade, Lee Valley , or
My favorite Czeck Kerf Kadet knife, Lee Valley
Machinist Squares (2)
You may end up buying a few more sizes, depending what you work with, but a small ad a 6 inch is all you need. If buying only one buy the 6 in first.
6 In Machinist square Groz, Busy Bee Tools
3 In Groz, Busy Bee Tools , or
4 In Groz, Busy Bee Tools
Drafting Square
Examples found on line, could not find much. Get at least the 12 inch set
Why the set? You get one 45/90 triangle, one 30/60/90 triangle and an angle protractor.
If buying individually, start with 45/90 triangle
Set, aluminum squares with circles sizes, Michaels
Set, plastic, 12 in, Michaels
Check Walmart, Staples and etc.
Combination square, Starrett, Lee Valley
Stay away from cheap hardware stores variety
Compass
You want something built ruggedly. Most drafting supplies one are a bit flimsy to survive in the shop.
8 in wing compass, Busy Bee Tools
Caliper/Dividers
You will probably accumulate a few.
Buying the set (divider, inside and outside caliper) in one size is a bit cheaper in long run
But buying individually only the ones you used, is fine too.
6 in divider, Groz, Busy Bee Tools, or
8 In divider, Groz, Busy Bee Tools
Setup blocks
Begin with the starter set, add as you need. lee valley
Depth gauge
You want machined surfaces, not moulded or punched out
Bar style Lee Valley
Pinch sticks
Hardware kit from Lee Valley, or
make your own from scrap
Winding sticks
Hardware store. One approx. 4 ft of angle iron or aluminum Canadian Tire, or
Veritas from Lee Valley
Trammel points (pair)
Can be uses with pinch sticks, sticks or make another dedicated stick. As a minimum make a small stick called the keeper to keep them together.
Comes with pencil holder and 2 points, Busy Bee Tools
A late addition
Should had thought of it earlier. A simple ingenious tool to set up your blades exactly.
Could very well become your most essential tool...in power tools woodworking.
Can also be adapted to some hand tools woodworking techniques.
The Kerf master, Lee valley , or
make your own How to make a kerf gauge
And Ho Ho Ho and a bottle of Rhum
Bob, in the spirit
1. I would add:
ReplyDelete- (DMT) diamond "stones". Gross, fine and extra-fine. (and extra gross if you don't have a grinding wheel). I have 2 double sided ones which is not as convenient as single sided ones so I tend to use only the gross and fine sides + strop.
- a scrap of leather to make a strop.
2. With a plow plane, one can make small rebates (or larger ones in multiple passes) but one can not plow grooves with a rebate plane.
Bob,
ReplyDelete"Chisels (3)
As for which brands to recommend? It does not matter much..." Blasphemy :-)
And only 3?
I know you posted some price points. Did you figure a total with buying only good tools that would not need replacing as the worker progressed?
ken
Sylvan
ReplyDeleteI purposely kept maintenance tools IE Sharpening out. An additional list, which must contain a strop for sure.
Plow plane is kept out since we are talking power tools users mostly and want to keep it as small as possible. If was for hand tool users, a definite add for sure. Similarly would had add a rip saw.
Bob
Ken
ReplyDeleteOnly 3 chisels ?? I know that was hard to do :-) But seriously we both have a "few" chisels" and which ones do we reach the most for?? The vintage Marples... err I meant the 1/2 inch :-) You need smaller and bigger at times.
As for price points. I try to keep it reasonably low. By limiting the numbers and type of tools. Not all tools listed are premium, but they are are good, solid tools with a few suggestions at various price points. NO dud, but no extra fancy pricy tools unless it would make a difference. Such as insisting on a Starrett Combo square, but no point paying $$$ for a Starrett divider or caliper, similarly for the Try square (Machinist Grade B) Planes, chisels and saws you have lots of choices at various price points. Make your own buy a good inexpensive or premium tool. All these listed will grow with them and served them well as they progress. In other words I tried very hard to keep list short and affordable, spending the money were it count the most.
Not an easy task if you ask me :-)
Bob, who managed to finished some projects and got a few projects approaching that stage. Trying hard to keep busy before wedding :-)
Is this in loonies or dollars? Definitely agree with Sylvan about the DMT stones.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with early exposure to some form of sharpening. Since hand tool woodworking is so dependent on sharp tools and the ability to keep tools sharp.
ReplyDeleteI would advise a beginner to grab a plane and sharpening setup and use it to remove machine marks from surfaced lumber. If they like what the plane does for them and they can keep it sharp, branching out to the other tools will be a fit for them. If not, they are spared the expense of all the other tools like shoulder planes and the like.
Unfortunately, the very first experience with a plane is not always a good one. But there are very good videos by Paul Sellers.
ReplyDeleteThen the surface obtained is so incredibly smooth...
(and even shiny)
Sylvain