Hi,

I assume that these types of questions have probably been asked before, so a pointer to any existing threads would be very helpful. But here goes...

I'm new to woodworking (well, I wanted to start on it years ago but didn't get very fair...just barely into the very frustrating "I have no clue what I'm doing" part ) and want to be a neanderthal...I guess. I would like to stay away from tools that require amps and watts and instead will run just fine on elbow grease. Although I realize that well sharpened tools will require less of that

Also, and I'm sure just about everyone starts off this way, finances and space are limited...So the questions are:

a) What is the minimum set of tools one needs in order to get started?
b) What books/DVDs/Websites would you suggest for help in learning techniques for sharpening, sawing, planing, chiseling, gluing, finishing...all the basic skills one needs in order to become a somewhat proficient woodworker?
c) Are there specific exercises, or simple projects, that you would suggest to someone who wants to practice, and perfect (I hope ), all the basic skills? In particular simple projects that yield useful and worthwhile results .
d) What would you do for a fairly functional, but very inexpensive, workbench?

On the workbench front, my current thinking is to make a couple of sawhorses that I can stack when not in use and get a couple pieces of MDF that I can glue/screw together, put a bunch of 3/4" holes in and (maybe, once the budget allows for it) some Veritas pups and wonder pups. At the moment, unless I can find a usable bench vise at a flea market, I'm thinking that might be my best bet for a semi-functional workbench with some basic clamping capabilities.

The other thought that I had for a vise is to make a "moxon" twin-screw vise (I do have the tap and thread-box for 1-1/2" wooden screws) that I can clamp to my "bench", but that doesn't solve the problem when trying to plane longer pieces, hence the "pups".

Any thoughts/suggestions/pointers to previous threads would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and I live in Mid-Coast Maine (just south of Phippsburg/Bath) so if there is anyone in the area that wouldn't mind someone bugging them, asking stupid questions, and generally being a nosy pain in the neck...that would be great too

Thanks,

Rob

P.S. Here's what I have so far...a couple of bench chisels (no mortise chisels), a couple small (cheap) block planes, a Craftsman #5 plane, a Stanley #4 plane, a spokeshave (all the planes need to be cleaned, sharpened, and tuned), a brace and set of Jennings bits (4/16-16/16, although I'm sure I paid too much for them since at least one of them is bent...), a hand-crank grinder (with a somewhat beat up stone), a few short (12"?) wood clamps, two VERY rusty saws (one dove-tail and one other fine-toothed saw...and I'm not sure I'll be able to get the rust off of them), some hammers, screw-drivers, framing square, some smaller squares and a t-bevel square, a Workmate 1000 (currently has my reloading stuff bolted to it...but if I build a stand for that... ). And a couple other bits and pieces.