Starting/Setting Up Shop

[WeilWorks]

I'm looking for advise on how I should begin planning and setting up a hand tool based shop. I'm starting with a blank slate. What leg work needs to be done? What type of toolage would get my started most efficiently? How much/what type of space would I need? Book references materials? How much $$ besides that for tools?

I'm not expecting to start having a permanent shop for a couple more years still, but I would like to know what to do/where to go from here.

Thanks

[lwllms]

In 1736, Richard Neve published his "Builder's Dictionary" and listed the basic tools to build nearly any thing you can dream up. A lot of people have tried to come up with such a list but I think Neve did it best. Here's his list:

Get yourself a copy of Charles Hayward's Cabinet Making for Beginners, it's a lot more than just a book for beginners. Get an early edition, 1955 or earlier. These show up often and pretty inexpensive in out of print book sources. I think Hayward managed to put together the most complete woodworking book ever. He did other titles but start with this one

on edit: I should have said Neve's list of planes was good. He didn't do so well on other types of tools. It's not clear who actually wrote that list or where it originated. Intellectual property laws like copyright weren't very well developed or enforced back then.

The strong part of Hayward's writing is that he explains traditional trade practice. This is a collection of techniques that allow one to work in an efficient and direct manner which allow even a novice to be successful. Traditional trade practice is perhaps the most important starting place for any woodworker.

[Kari Hultman]

There are some good books out there on putting together a woodworking shop. Granted, they're not exclusive to hand tools only, but they still have good ideas about tool storage, heating, electricity etc. Probably my favorite one is by Sandor Nagalyzancy: Setting Up Shop. Go on Amazon and search woodworking shops and you'll get some more good ones.

Regarding tool storage, I recommend Jim Tolpin's book: The Toolbox Book.

For shop layout, you can use gridded paper. Draw your benches and whatever else you have on separate grid paper, cut them out and move them around on the main sheet. That might help you determine how much space you need. If you're just using handtools, you won't need as much room as a shop with machinery.

One thing that's worth doing is positioning your main workbench in front of a window that gets lots of sun. It really helps with lighting.

When I designed/built my shop six years ago, I looked into heating, insulation, soundproofing, lighting, number of outlets, design and placement of windows, ceiling height, ceiling fans, and dust collection.

[jlloydparks]

I would highly suggest picking up "The Joiner and The Cabinet Maker" that has been republished by Lost Art Press. It is amazing to see what a young apprentice can create with a very small tool kit. It goes through three wonderful projects that set the stage for a life of woodworking. I would say that the kit documented there is the basic one needed to do furniture. It includes measuring and marking tools, saws, planes, chisels and hammers. That is the simple list.

[Larry Marshall]

The best advice I can think of for anyone wanting handtool shop advice is to head to Logan Cabinet Shoppe and watch Rob's videos, paying particular attention to his shop organization and tool use.

http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/

Most of us who use handtools come from a machine background and have lots of power tools cluttering up our shops. Rob doesn't :-)

Cheers --- Larry "aka Woodnbits"

http://www.woodnbits.com/blog

[Guest Trace]

I'm looking for advise on how I should begin planning and setting up a hand tool based shop. I'm starting with a blank slate. What leg work needs to be done? What type of toolage would get my started most efficiently? How much/what type of space would I need? Book references materials? How much $$ besides that for tools?

I'm not expecting to start having a permanent shop for a couple more years still, but I would like to know what to do/where to go from here.

Thanks

[Guest Trace]

I've been building things made of wood for 60 years. The one thing I learned early on was never buy a CHEAP tool. You do not have to buy a really expensive tool, but a quality tool is always worth the money. Buy the best you can (will) afford.

As for the shop setup, there are several good books available to help with that chore. I would recomend the following;

A COMPLETE BOOK OF WOODWORKING, from The Lyon Press

WORKSH0P IDEA BOOK, by Andy Rae, from Tauton

SETTING UP SHOP, by Sandor Nagyszalanczy, from Tauton

THE HOME WORKSHOP, from Time-Life Books

UNDERSTANDING WOOD FINISHING, by Bob Flexner,fron American Woodworker/Readers Digest

I have some very old hand and machine tools, plus a lot of new ones. I have a nice large shop in the barn, with room to reposition tools as they are used. If you are going to do a lot of hand work, buy or build a really good woodworking bench. If you are going to do mostly machine work, build a sturdy assembly bench. I guess I would make my first project a reasonably big bookcase, because there seems to be no end of books about woodworking that seem to collect when you have this hobby.

Good luck in your endevour, (Trace the Bald)Email me Tracey615

[RenaissanceWW]

Pardon me for self promoting, but way back when (90+ episodes ago) I did a podcast on setting up a hand tool shop. I didn't get too much into tooling but a lot on the space the general needs. It might be a good place to start. Check out Episode #4 Setting Up a Hand Tool Shop