Workshop

With the above minimum, your first project should be a woodworkers bench. There are good plans all over the web,
but a good one is the one that Norm Abrams made in the first season of the New Yankee Workshop. It is simple and
cheap to make and is plenty rugged. I made it and it gave me years of service. His first book describes its
construction. I highly recommend it!!

'The second project should be a router table. You can buy one, but the one you make will be much better and
cheaper with more bang for the buck. Check out the magazines or woodworking shops for plans. The design should
have a miter slot and a good fence system. I plan to put up plans for one in the future.

Now you can begin making projects with some degree of confidence and skill. First make cabinets for you shop for
storage or for your home. I will add more pages on the workshop in the future.

The basic workshop should have the following items. With these basics you can build most any piece of furniture. See
the tools section for specific recommendations.

Tablesaw:

This is the heart of the shop. Get the best you can afford. Belt drive at least 2 hp with a cast iron table and good rip
fence. Most good contractor's model works well. If yo0u can afford it bu a tilting arbor model.

Power Tools:

A good router of at least 1-1/2 hp preferably a plunge type, cordless drill/driver with an extra power pack, power nailer
(this may sound extravagant, but it makes nailing a no brainer, pneumatic is best, but it needs a compressor.), belt sander,
finishing sander, circular saw, jig saw.

Hand Tools:

Hammer, good tape measure, 6" metal rule, speed square, good set os chisels, block plane, utility knife, screwdriver,
dutting pliers, scratch awl, nail set.

Tools Sets:

Router bits, drill bits, countersink/pilot drill, good tablesaw blades (VERY IMPORTANT), good table saw dado set,
pipe clamps (as many as you can afford, YOU CAN NEVER EVER HAVE ENOUGH), straight edge clamp.

The next tool to add to the shop should be a surface planer. A good 12" portable model like the Makita is good.
This allows you to quickly thin stock to a uniform thickness, finish glued panels for raised panel doors, door fronts etc.
I would get this tool before I get a jointer as there are other ways to joint edges easily, but there is no real good
altenative method to thinning panels

The next tool should be a jointer. Buy a 6" model with easily adjustable in-feed and out-feed tables so that you can
fine tune the depth of cut. The jointer should have a good heavy duty fence and should be heavy cast iron
construction. Do not waste your money on those table top models as they are too flmsy and do not do the job. You
need a heavy weight floor standing model that will allow you to easily feed stock through it without it moving around.
Any of the imports work well. The only disadvantage to this tool is that you need sufficient room in front and behind
the in-feed and out-feed tables in order the run stock I placed my jointer on a locking portable tool stand to allow
movement around the shop. I would move it into the center of the shop, hook up a shop vac to the dust collection
port and run the stock through it, and put the joinnter away to the side when done. See the tool section for specifics.