The Cost of Woodworking, Tools, Etc.

[Mike Cutler]

I'm probably in for about $20K in tools since the early 90's. The only tools I have that fit the extravagant bill would be the Lie-Nielsen planes and the Festool stuff I have. It's still a pretty modest investment with those.( I have more $$$$ hanging from the water pipes in the basement, in the form of bicycles, than I've spent on woodworking machines.
As for wood though, I do have a good amount of wood, and that's by choice. I'd rather have the raw material, ready to go, than have to source it when I need it. (I probably don't need anywhere near as much Cocobolo as I have.)

If I ever finish my kitchen, it along with the two baths, and library project, will have more than paid for what I have in tools and materials had I paid someone to do it. I also like the flexibility to adapt to a project in the middle and if necessary go in a different direction. Something that would be costly, and aggravating for them, if someone else did the work.

Everything is relative though.

[Rich Riddle]

I keep records of what I have spent on my woodworking hobby since 2000. I now have equipment that cost me $9,949 That would take $13,407 to replace today. I earn at least that much every year form my wood working "hobby". I have found a way for others to fund my hobby.

That's a good thing to have a method for others to pay for equipment. Most of us don't have exact totals like you. You keep good records.

[Jim Andrew]

My woodworking hobby has cost me about 30k in machines. I saw my own trees, buy ply on sales, and almost every machine I have has been bought on sale or some promotion. I justify my shop to myself by driving a junky old ranger pickup truck. And that does not include the skidsteer. But I use it for other things than just sawing lumber.

[Julie Moriarty]

$20K-$30K, maybe more, especially if we're looking at buying the same today. The tools of my trade - electrician - cost me a fraction of that, even when you figure in the tools I've fried, worn out, lost or had stolen.

[Marty Tippin]

There's about a 5x difference between my tools and my skill level. But at least I've got lots of shiny things to play with, even if I don't produce anything that makes it beyond the door of my shop...

[eugene thomas]

Boy the dollars sure add up. Think with the cnc just purchase pushed me over 100k.

[Rick Potter]

When we moved into this house 8 years ago, I made a deal with my wife. We build my shop first, then I would do whatever she wanted to the house. So, we built my 1600' shop, which is built to house standards, stucco, drywall, Low E, porches, and it cost way more than I want to admit.

Then we started adding on and remodeling the house. Eight years and counting. She got the best of the deal. We could afford to do this because we sold our previous home for enough to redo this one, which was paid off. Of course that is before a contractor ripped us off for $150K, and ended up in jail. Then we had to go much more into debt to finish the job, but we may get it paid off if we live to 98.

Most of the tools were in my previous shop, and many added later, and she knows about every nickel, since she is an accounting major. I have most major tools of decent quality, with multiples of quite a few. Some new, many used.

I can give you one figure I know for sure...when in the old house, I built the kitchen and saved more than enough to buy my $1600 Unisaw over 15 years ago.

[Jim Matthews]

I have a garage full of large tools but I have spent way less than my wife has spent on horses.

Horses are a moving hole into which you throw money.
On occasion, they provide something in exchage.

[John A langley]

Rich I like to say I'm semi retired bought most of my equipment when I was working full-time,not looking into my records I can't tell you exactly how much I have in equipment what amazes me is how much we have tied up small tools and accessories drills ,router ,clamps, saw blades ,airgun ,Sanders.

[Rod Sheridan]

Waiting to see if Dave Kumm or Rod Sheridan offer a figure....Dave's band saw budget likely exceeds most of our total shop budgets.

Rich, my shop costs will be fairly low because I'm using my basement as a shop.

I think this looks like my shop costs

- saw/shaper with a stack of options $13,000

- jointer/planer with options $6,000

- accessories for above machines $2,000

- cutters for shaper $2,000

- circular saw blades $1,500

- stock feeder $1,000

- Hand tools $4,000

- dust extraction $4,000

- bandsaw $3,000

- Drill Press $1,000

- shop storage/electrical/lighting $2,000

- lathe $1,000

- lathe accessories $1,500

- portable power tools $2,500

- Consumables/abrasives etc $1,500

- sawmill $500

- stock lumber $3,000

So unless I've made an arithmetical error it looks like my present shop configuration is aproximately $46K.

I've made more furniture than that so it's still a free hobby although I don't ever worry about hobby costs.

I have two fixed money allocations in my personal budget, I put 10% of my gross into an RRSP every year and set aside 10% of my gross for hobbies and vacations.

Since my other hobby is motorcycling ( we both own bikes) vacation often includes our hobby. Averaged over 35 years I haven't spent all of my hobby/vacation budget.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. The above figures are in Canadian currency, which at our present rate of exchange is $1,132.67 US

[Rod Sheridan]

$20K-$30K, maybe more, especially if we're looking at buying the same today. The tools of my trade - electrician - cost me a fraction of that, even when you figure in the tools I've fried, worn out, lost or had stolen.

Obviously your company pays for everything except your hand tools.

Once you start adding hydraulic benders, tuggers, saws, wire pulling accessories, test equipment you would be well over $30K for your job.........Rod.

[Bruce Mack]

Several (many) thousands. LN small and adjustable mouth block planes, an edge plane, 2 shoulder planes, small router plane, 4 1/2 smoother. LV small smoother, block plane, spokeshave, burnisher, 2 honing guides, metal plates for diamond honing. Kell honing guide, 4 Shapton stones, 2 EzeLap, 2 Spyderco. Two LV saws, one Bad Axe sash saw, many Japanese dozukis, ryobas, katabas, many inexpensive panel saws incl. Sears when they still sold them, 2 one dollar panel saws sent to Matt for expert sharpening. Auriou and Nicholson and Japanese rasps. On the tailed side, a Ridgid table saw, Ridgid jointer and planer, a few electric drills, Delta bandsaw and drill press, 2 routers and one homemade router table, a disc sander, 3 belt sanders, 2 random orbits and a whole s***load of things I have forgotten. Has this paid for itself? No. Have I had fun? You betcha.

[Brian Henderson]

And that's really all that matters. I couldn't care less how much money I've put into my shop and tools. I will never make a dime off of it, I do it as a hobby and I get paid back in enjoyment. I can easily afford what I put into it, so long as I have fun, it's worth every penny.

[Jim Dwight]

I don't know or care how much I've spent on woodworking tools. I don't have any high end equipment. Ryobi BT3100 table saw, for instance. I have a DeWalt track saw (not Festool), Ryobi AP 10 planner, Jet benchtop mortiser, INCA jointer. I'm sure with all the hand tools it's several thousand dollars over 30+ years. My inexpensive tools have built one kitchen, so far, other cabinets for bathrooms and other rooms, and half a dozen bedroom sets plus other furniture. The difference between what I would have spent on these things and what I spent for materials more than pays for all my equipment. That is how I justified buying most of it. If I needed a tool to do something that needed done, I bought the tool. At this point I could buy more expensive tools but I'm used to my tools and don't plan any big changes.

[Mike Ontko]

I have a garage full of large tools but I have spent way less than my wife has spent on horses.

Ditto!! In addition to a horse and all of the dressage ecoutrements, my mrs is also a concert violist. The cost of her bow alone is worth more than my jointer, tablesaw, dust collection, and soon-to-be bandsaw.

I would rather allocate our funds to these types of things than to overpriced automobiles, jewelry, general consumer electronics, etc.