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Thread: Shop Equipment Advice Wanted

  1. #1

    Shop Equipment Advice Wanted

    Hello,

    Slowly starting to get my garage organized for woodworking and I'm looking for some advice on how to best spend some money at the store to equip my workshop. Received a gift card for $100 and want to make sure I spend wisely on the right equipment. Currently I have:

    Table saw,
    Router and bits
    Chop saw
    circular saw
    jig saw
    shop vac
    drills
    various sanders
    straight edges, speed squares, combination square
    4 bar clamps
    bench clamps
    radio


    I bought plywood to build the router table as the plunge router came with a fixed base as well so I need a few more items for that, but I'm not sure if there is more equipment/tools I should get (for example trigger clamps) or should I put the money into wood to build things for the shop such as a moveable cart to store my wood in, cabinets for storage, etc. Any advice and opinions are welcome.

    Thanks,
    Steve

  2. #2
    I'd buy some lumber and build a bench.

    You'll need money for a vise.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Prashun Patel View Post
    I'd buy some lumber and build a bench.

    You'll need money for a vise.
    ....+1....

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Malcolm McLeod View Post
    ....+1....
    +2 - depending on your space you might double it up as an assembly table/outfeed table. Another option is to drill a pattern of dog holes in the top. If you can't afford solid lumber for the bench there are plenty of free plans/videos for a torsion box setup

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2015
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    More clamps! You'll learn the hard way you can never have to many

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Andy Giddings View Post
    +2 - depending on your space you might double it up as an assembly table/outfeed table. Another option is to drill a pattern of dog holes in the top. If you can't afford solid lumber for the bench there are plenty of free plans/videos for a torsion box setup
    Buying stock seems to be the popular answer which is the way I was leaning. My garage is the workspace, so I need items that 1. can get put away easily, 2. serve multiple purposes as much as possible. Seeing as I don't have an outfeed table yet, doing as suggested above, I think is my best option. As well as getting a couple of quick clamps to have an extra pair of hands, I've looked for that a few times already. Thanks everyone!

    Steve

  7. #7
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    I also advise you to get some stock and build something. No one can tell you what tools you will find valuable and which ones you will not. Just ask my chop saw that is idling away the years out in the shed.

    I find quick clamps to be almost useless and favor good spring clamps as my helping hand. They are also about a buck a piece at Home Depot on a regular basis. As mentioned however, this doesn't mean you won't love QuikGrip clamps.

    You mention your shop is in your garage but, you also say "can get put away easily" which leads me to believe you are one of those weird-o's who put cars, motorcycles or other internal combustion machines in your shop . Seriously, agreeing to park her pickup in the driveway was one of our wedding vows.

    There is a ton of good info here about space-saving, multi-purpose tool stands and fixtures. Setting up shop is a very exciting time. Take it slow and acquire items as you REALLY need them. Nothing costs more than a cheap tool or one that someone else says you "gotta have" that you end up never using.

    P.s. You "gotta have" a workbench . I have one but, I also have a multi-purpose, assembly table, outfeed, drawer unit.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Northern Illinois
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    I agree that building a bench (wasn't on your list) would be a good next step. The idea of using it as an infeed or outfeed table is a great one. That means, though, that you should start thinking about the heights of your table saw and other tools that it might mesh with so that you build it at the right height. The other thing to consider with a bench is that, although it works well as an infeed/outfeed table, a bench at just the right height for you personally is also a very important thing to consider regardless of the height of your other tools. There are a number of online videos or articles on building simple benches. It doesn't have to be complicated or the best bench in the world; just solid, heavy enough so it doesn't move when working on it. There was a great video series on the Fine Woodworking website years ago on building a workbench. It was simple, used either MDF or plywood for the top (possibly with a layer of hardwood) and I believe they built it with less tools than you already have. If you go to www.finewoodworking.com and type "workbench" in the Fine Woodworking search field you will get a lot of items returned, but 2 of them are "Build Your First Workbench" and "A Basic Bench That's Quick To Make". (In fact both may actually be the same bench.) I built a bench similar bench to these as my first bench and used it for probably 20 years before I finally made a new one. These benches are easy to make, don't take any difficult to obtain materials, relatively inexpensive compared to a much more complicated bench, and can be weighted underneath with either sandbags or you can make a box in which to install drawers or shelves for storage (which also translates to more weight). You can do anything you want with the basic bench, including installing whatever kind of vise you feel works for you and adding to it as needed.

  9. #9
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    If you don't already have them, get some good quality ear protection muffs.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    I also advise you to get some stock and build something. No one can tell you what tools you will find valuable and which ones you will not. Just ask my chop saw that is idling away the years out in the shed.

    I find quick clamps to be almost useless and favor good spring clamps as my helping hand. They are also about a buck a piece at Home Depot on a regular basis. As mentioned however, this doesn't mean you won't love QuikGrip clamps.

    You mention your shop is in your garage but, you also say "can get put away easily" which leads me to believe you are one of those weird-o's who put cars, motorcycles or other internal combustion machines in your shop . Seriously, agreeing to park her pickup in the driveway was one of our wedding vows.

    There is a ton of good info here about space-saving, multi-purpose tool stands and fixtures. Setting up shop is a very exciting time. Take it slow and acquire items as you REALLY need them. Nothing costs more than a cheap tool or one that someone else says you "gotta have" that you end up never using.

    P.s. You "gotta have" a workbench . I have one but, I also have a multi-purpose, assembly table, outfeed, drawer unit.
    Haha, yea the wife had the audacity to tell me she wants to park in the garage and for some reason she objected to having the lawn mower and grass cutter sitting in the back yard Thanks for the tip on the spring clamps, do you recommend a specific kind? I see some have a flat end to grip the material flat and others the tips follow the angle of the handle sort of speak. I have 2 stationary work benches in the garage, but I definitely need one that can be moved around and have, as you mention multi-purpose function.

    Thanks,
    Steve

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    I like quality two drawer file cabinets. as a base for machines or tables. Find them under $20 and they work well for some storage needs. By quality I mean full extension slides etc. If they are locked they are even cheaper. easy enough to unlock from the bottom or drill out the cylinder.
    Two drawer lateral files are good also. My grinder is on top of a three drawer cabinet which are harder to find.
    If you want a full height file cabinet get the five drawer units instead of the four drawers. they cost the same,used, and the five drawers are sturdy enough for wood working tools.
    Bill D

  12. #12
    for my garage shop I built the Ron Paulk work bench. you might want to check it out, google it. it is very handy, can be broken down and stored flat against the wall.

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    Adding which particular "stuff" or tools/clamps/jigs/etc is largely dependent upon what kind of items you typically intend to build and that typicality may very well change over time (see where Glenn's chop saw went up above). I would start building things and then slowly add in "stuff" that helped me build what I liked to build. It is easy to convince yourself that you need some tool or jig that "everyone" says you need only to find that it sits around without being used. A tablesaw outfeed/assembly/glueup table seems to be a good starting point and should not be too costly to jump into. Sometimes new guys tend to concentrate a little too much on tool/equipment purchasing and shop setup rather than actual projects. Go slow on adding tools and equipment and start building is my advise.
    David

  14. #14
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    A good bench/assembly table can be made using a solid core door atop 2 saw horses or roll-away cabinets (preferably with casters removed). But you really need a woodworking vise.
    "Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."

  15. #15
    If your tools have accessories that allow you to connect them to a shop vac you might want to start focusing on dust control. Get a shop vac and put a Dust Deputy or Rockler Dust Right Separator between the tool and the shop vac to collect the dust & chips. Of course you'll want a hose long enough to be comfortable, and I've moved to smaller diameter 1-1/4 inch hose - not the 2.5 inch stuff - for hand-held tools.

    I've been reading about how poorly most shop vacs do in catching the very fine dust that is the biggest risk to your health, so I've added the best filter I can to my shop vac and have started wearing a good half-mask respirator while cutting. I try to leave the area for a while after cutting to let the dust settle before returning. There is a big benefit to working in a garage where you can open the large door to get lots of fresh air and hopefully get some flow-through to remove the dust.

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