YouTube woodworkers are lying to you.

[@ENCurtis]

The first 500 people to use my link skl.sh/encurtis11241 will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare premium!

[@dustinhenderson8324]

Where do your coffee mugs come from and can I get one?

[@JSarmat86]

I really like Your carving videos - they are the reason why I subscribed to Your channel. The Art and carving make your videos unique, and make You to stand out from a myriad of other woodworkers, for me at least. P.S. That whisky cabinet is gorgeous, by the way.

[@lancerawlings5401]

@@JSarmat86 gorgeous and done with simple tools! Agreed on the carving.

[@Coen80]

One thing missing from the video i feel, is how long it actually took you. This easily looks like 60-80h invested. Maybe even more. I guess its hard to say since you are also making a video .... One of the reasons i do not have woodworking channel is that I don't have time (nor the knowledge) to film everything, edit it etc. it is however, a great way to just be doing things you like once YT is creating an income. And this changes the game obviously. Because now you can invest for example a week's work in just one piece because the profit is coming from the video.

[@lancerawlings5401]

@@Coen80 you are correct. There is way more time involved building this cabinet than a 30 min YT. I suppose I may have built YT channel in my woodworking years. It could be another income stream if you have a very active YT channel. But I chose woodworking over a desk job for a career as I don’t like to sit. So filming, editing, overdubbing etc sounds like way too much sitting behind a computer screen. Also not a huge fan of computers anyway. I am to old school. But I do watch a few YT Chanel’s, only the ones that I think are honest humans.

[@ModernWoodRunner]

KZbin woodworkers are lying, not about their tools, but about how they make money-none of them make the bulk of their revenue from woodworking.

[@ejpierle]

Some are more upfront about it than others. Cam from Blacktail Studios and the guy from Four-Eyes come to mind. They will both tell you that the build video they make for KZbin usually generates way more revenue than the project, PLUS it becomes passive income over time.

[@ModernWoodRunner]

@ spot on! Making a living as a woodworker is incredibly difficult as it is, KZbinrs don’t need to create any illusions about the Industry, and where the real money is made.

[@mimih23]

Why would anyone rely on one source of income anyway? The sheer fact that they are on KZbin with sponsors is a direct indicator of that fact. That's three potential sources of income right there (KZbin, sponsorships, and sales (this could even be broken down more from pre-made for retail, custom commissioned work, or wholesale manufacturing). Why should they need to spell it out when it's clear? I don't think I've ever heard anyone say this is how to make a living without relying on anything else to survive.

[@pictor125]

@@mimih23 it is possible to make a living in the custom furniture industry, though like you said it is extremely difficult. I worked as a custom chandelier designer for a small company in LA and we worked with a lot of furniture designers that have never been on KZbin. The target customer for both our chandeliers (some were sold over 100k) and the custom furniture were generally those who have penthouses in NY as well as a couple houses around the country. Similar to the art scene, you need to break into those social networks in order to sell to those clients. It’s difficult but not impossible.

[@mau4713]

Wait, the guy telling me all the items I can build to make good money isn't making all his money from the cocktail smoker featured by 30 other youtubers as a quick money maker? /s

[@MWAWoodworks]

Every garage should come standard with an ENCurtis

[@RootedInThePastWoodworking]

Yes!!!

[@ErikSherman]

Way too expensive in beard maintenance.

[@damepasty9203]

Yes, but he's priceless.......as in way above my pay grade. LOL

[@kevinmeachem2138]

😂

[@pdavid9903]

HONESTY...yes, we need him and all the other Makers that help us hobbyists keep it simple.

[@jsmxwll]

Rex Krueger's woodworking for humans series builds up from very few tools to building your own tools and picking up new ones as you grow. it's all hand tools and about as cheap as you can get i think.

[@bellybutthole69]

yep ! And as someone with a tiny shop in my basement, hand tools are way less noisy/dusty and they take less space :)

[@MintStiles]

Rex is good, but he is also not really teaching "fine" woodworking. I feel like everything in life cost money. If you are going to do a Rex Kruger project, it would be great, but dont expect a David Charlesworth result. Same with James Wright. I really like his stuff, but some of his techniques and the lack of technicality for the tools and results doesn't sit well with me. The point is, if you want to do good work, it takes time and/or money. You can always compensate one for the other, but you are not going to be building fine furniture if you are using an off the shelf stanley handyman no 4. Yes you can spend 20 hours and have it perform fantastic, but what is your hourly rate worth? Cheap isn't always the best way to go or even start. If it's a necessity, then so be it, but it would not be my choice. You pick up all sorts of bad habits.

[@Raiver-of-Eridu]

@@MintStiles Then watch Paul Sellers. He teaches finer craftsmanship than pretty much anybody else on KZbin and all you need is a handplane, chisels from Aldi, a handsaw and sharpening stones. Yes, it will take time and labor, but it's proof you don't need $3000 worth of tools to make something good.

[@MintStiles]

@@Raiver-of-Eridu Paul Sellers is a production hand tool woodworker. Good teacher, lots of interesting techniques, but he is by NO MEANS authority. I know for a fact that his team or himself removes comments in regards to techniques not consistent with his in comment sections. For example, he seem to hate it when people mention the usage of chip breakers to control tare-outs and will remove any comments to that effect. His hand planes tunings are honestly mediocre at best. While I have plenty issue with Rob Cosman and his pushy sales, his planes are in far better service specs. To a novice, he will seem like a God (or the best KZbin has to offer). To a seasoned veteran, his approach is a bit idiosyncratic and his tools just okay.

[@MintStiles]

@@Raiver-of-Eridu To add to what I just said, I am not saying that he is bad, it's just that he isn't the God everyone seem to make him out to be. To illustrate, a properly tuned plane is perfectly flat (or tip to tip convex by no more than 1/2 of thou or so) and square on the sides. The hard edges are rounded, but there are no additional removal of material on the sides. Or no blade should be stropped on the flat side. You will still end up with a sharp tool, but it will be a chisel that will rise with your cut, become progressively hard to remove a burr, and not a reference edge. Just to point out some issues as hard evidence. Finally, eschewing power tools for the sake of using hand tools is silly. Some work require calories, and that's the bottom line.

[@dtoux]

I grew up in a former soviet union and all tools I had were hammer, hand saw, a dull chisel and a knife - this is how I started… I later acquired a plane and a drill… this is how I did most of my woodworking… I didn’t make anything fancy - just utilitarian pieces for everyday use… that look reasonably nice… so, do I appreciate all tools I have now - yes… but can I make same quality furniture with a fraction of what I have now - absolutely… it may take longer and cause some frustration… but it also forces you to think out of the box and be more creative… and this is in my opinion a fast track to gain experience 😉

[@chrisrobinson414]

One thing I've learned: Time is money, so saving one means spending more of the other. You could start making things with little more than a panel saw and some sandpaper if you're willing to spend a lot more time working on it. Along that same track, you need to ask yourself what part of woodworking do you enjoy? I don't have a table saw, but I can make the same kinds of cuts with a circular saw and a straight edge. However that does require more time to setup to make sure the straight edge is in just the right place, and if you're making a lot of cuts you end up spending the majority of your time doing that setup. I've found that I would rather spend ten minutes cutting and 30 seconds on setup than the other way around, but others may feel differently, and that will determine the tools that you will want to buy.

[@tombiggs4687]

I am a computer programmer, I started in the 1980s. I read articles by programmers from the soviet union who began programming on simple computers with 1024 or 2048 *bytes* of memory, not kilobytes or megabytes. Limited resources meant that they had to do everything with almost nothing, and gained great skill that way.

[@Bob-o-h4k]

That saw is 599 I hate people that say you don’t need that but I am using it if you could make nice stuff without those tools that you said you don’t need then why don’t you do it without it and tell me how long it takes if it take you 8 mo to make a table then you can’t make money to buy more tools

[@JamesSmith-su3oz]

I think something is missing in this thread, the word hobbyist. I don't plan on making $$ from a hobby.

[@thomaskirkpatrick4031]

That's what woodworking is all about. Do you need a $4000.00 table saw? Absolutely not.

[@lordcheeto]

The best advice for the budget conscious woodworker is to see if there's a local woodworker's guild or maker space. I may be spoiled, but my guild has 6 SawStop cabinet table saws, router tables, drill presses, bandsaws, jointers, planers, lathes, a range of Lie-Nielsen planes, etc. A year of membership with shop privileges (after a safety course) is $200.

[@ardemus]

Wow, where do you live? The makers spaces I toured when I lived on the edge of Silicon Valley didn't even approach that kind of woodworking shop. I recall being dissapointed by one shop's one table saw and the guide's answer about what they did to keep it making clean, accurate cuts. IIRC, that was at the place with the best woodworking tools.

[@alexanderknips4690]

@@ardemus Did you try Makernexus in Sunnyvale? While not having what @chestergregg8668 has, the tools are really great and people there, including me, have made some great furniture pieces. While a monthly membership is not free, it's so worth it.

[@mrhatch117]

Bargain, wish I had that nearby

[@johnhaller5851]

The Dallas Makerspace has 2 Sawstop table saws and other typical power tools, with a monthly charge of $60, and some lower fees for special categories like retired/disabled for $40/month. But, the woodworking space is just part of what they have. They have a number of classes, some free, some with nominal fees. The power tools are having an interlock installed, so only members who took the appropriate safety class can use the tools. But, it's a big metro area, this is the closest (maybe only) Makerspace, and not the fastest place to get to. The last time I went to the area, I took 4 separate freeways/tollways to get there, and my city touches the city that has the Makerspace (Carrollton).

[@ardemus]

@@johnhaller5851Wow, the places I looked at in the bay area, a decade ago, were 4 times that each month. They were much more than the annual cost for @chestergregg8668's guild! Though a guild sounds more like what I'd want anyway: a community funded, community owned, non-profit. IRRC, the makers spaces were all for-profit businesses.

[@coolhands9927]

My first wood working project was a coffee table for my mother-in-law. The only power tools I had at the time was a circular saw, palm sander, and drill. I bought a $20 pocket hole jig and a few clamps from Harbor Freight and built it out construction lumber. 10 years later and it is still in her living room.

[@bluedragonfly5]

Steve Ramsey has excellent beginner videos with many basic beginner, some used, tools. He never uses the fancy expensive tools. He also explains how to do basic builds.

[@thefirsted]

It's a good video too! A more reasonable price point as a starting point is $3-4k including some raw materials. His $1k to start is just the table saw imo.

[@JustNobodyButME]

also known as WoodWorkingForMereMortals.

[@cj-ef1rp]

One should remember that for thousands of years fine woodworking was performed without electricity, specialty tools, and modern process advances. Sweat, elbow grease, and proper techniques. What does it cost to be a woodworker? Determination to learn the skill and craft. A tape measure, some decent handsaws, a few planes, chisels and mallets. All joinery can be done without hardware, without mechanical fasteners and certainly without electricity. Look at the centuries old Japanese buildings still standing that don’t have a single nail in them for evidence.

[@jacksfather]

Sure. But if you are trying to make money, selling something for $400 that took you 7 months to build…..

[@Monkycrasure-gk4fz]

@@jacksfather What they hell are you building that takes 7 months? An entire home? You need to charge much more than $400 for a house dude. A cabinet, table, chair, desk, no way in hell should take you 7 months. Maybe if you think hand tools means only sandpaper.

[@kthec1298]

sure you can do that, you also can ditch your car and ride a horse to work, almost no cost and is co2 neutral why making it difficult when you can use tools, using tools does not degrade your work or skill, a shitty woodworker can fuck up a project by using the most expensive tools and a good woodworker can build something fantastic with the cheapest tools just because some one is using tools does not mean he has no skill

[@melgross]

And, honestly, how much woodworking have you done? A lot of people who say what you say have never done anything in the area they’re commenting on. I’m 75 and I’ve been doing this and other work for 60 years. I started out doing almost everything by hand. That’s how I learned. But over the years I’ve accumulated more tools and equipment, as almost everyone who does this seriously does.

[@frankryan2505]

@@kthec1298 you aren' picking up what he's putting down.. The simple fact is, if you want to enjoy woodworking as a hobby you can get by with simple tools,you will not be unable to start working without dropping thousands on gear.

[@NewTestamentDoc]

wise advice from a woodworking friend... don't buy a tool until you can't complete a job without it

[@mrfirestop415]

That's a great way to hold yourself back! Encouragement never starts with the word "don't".

[@CaptainofmyShed]

He didn’t say dont buy it, just dont buy it until you need it. This is a great way of avoiding buying those tools which you end up never using. You’ll save yourself a lot of money this way.

[@polerin]

​@@mrfirestop415that isn't "don't do it" it is more " wait till you need a tool for a job, THEN buy it " which means that you shape your tool collection to your actual needs and work type

[@mrfirestop415]

Buying tools "you" never use is a "you" problem. I don't need advice about "your" problems.

[@agcons]

@@mrfirestop415 Advice about other people's problems is not what is being given, actually, but you do you.

[@synk2]

I worked for years in a small outbuilding with no electricity (or very rarely with a 100' extension cord hanging out the window) - my entire dining room is outfitted with pieces made primarily with hand tools. Mind-blowing pieces have been created for centuries without fancy tools - they just speed up the process and give you convenient precision, but they're ultimately just a great shortcut for a hobby woodworker, not a mandatory thing. That metric changes if you're trying to make a living at it (time is money and all that), but I've found it's amazing what you can make with a very limited amount of tools if you're willing to hone those skills and trade time and effort for smaller budget and space. None of that is to say that you shouldn't have those cool tools, but not having them shouldn't be an impediment to enjoying the craft.

[@Kunfucious577]

Not many people want to workout while woodworking. It’s also really hard to get the perfect cuts like you can on power tools. However, you’ll always show that piece off to whoever will listen.

[@Beezkneez187]

Go as cheap as possible UNLESS it compromises or increases your safety. Safety is worth the investment having fingers, eyes and lungs are important. id rather spend money on materials than fancy tools

[@mikedean6374]

You don't need the jointer; worked for years without one. I flatten the initial face using the planer with a sled. Edges done with an L fence on tablesaw or hand plane.

[@TNH91]

And it seems to me that just doing it with the planer and a sled takes up a lot less space too

[@monteglover4133]

YES!!!! 50 years without a jointer, 30 years without a thickness planer.

[@yetanotherbloke]

He seems to think it's essential equipment. It's like he's never heard of a hand plane. My whole tool chest has about the same volume as that jointer.

[@thedarkside3394]

It's a big waste of money when you can use a router and router table to do the same work and get more uses out of it. Or just use a hand plane.

[@michaelmolinari3061]

You don’t NEED a jointer, and I went years without one, but got a 6” bench top model and it was a game changer. Speed, accuracy, not having to run through complex setups with other tools, totally worth it

[@vickyrobert2669]

I don't even have a shop! I do my woodworking on the back patio, using handtools and jobsite tablesaw on rolling stand. I've built furniture and cabinets and decorative trinkets. It can be done without the expensive stuff!

[@wilburrrrr742]

Yup. Me too. I do cleanup with a leaf blower. 😊

[@Kunfucious577]

That’s how I started. lol. During Covid, I felt like wood working and just started making something.

[@hansangb]

Hobbyist shop: jobsite table saw. foldable outfeed table. Circ saw or a jig saw. And drill driver set. That's all you really need. Another good resource is Steve Ramsey. He has a list of tools for under $1,000 all-in for beginners. But the key is you don't have to buy it all in one shot. It's an additive (never mind addictive hobby)

[@jacksfather]

You are building furniture without a planer?

[@randycosgrove3608]

@@jacksfather I built matching dressers 40 + years ago with no access to anything other than a radial saw and hand tools. Knotty pine was the thing then so that's what I used. From a lumber yard. Granted that lumber yards then had a better grade of material than you can get from the box stores today. It was dry and not warped all to hell. Just needed a bit of TLC to make glueups work. The drawers are 3/4" material. No planer. But they were straight and square and are still in everyday use today. And I was completely self taught. Just got started and figured it out as I went.

[@zonial]

Loved this video honestly. Hit right at home. 7 years ago my wife bought me a miter saw. Then I bought a table saw. The rest is history. I’m a full time woodworker now and love everything about it. I have everything from sawstop to festool to lie Nielsen. And everything I got essentially for free cause I saved all of my profit from side projects and now I’m here. I can’t emphasize enough how much this video hit to heart to the point I have a tear in my eye. Now it’s how I provide for my family and how we take our vacation every year. Thank you encurtis!

[@danielmiller9894]

Your comment was very encouraging to read. I'm starting out with a good set of tools. What platform would you recomend to sell your work off of?

[@claytoy123]

I started my woodworking journey with a drill, some C clamps and a dowel jig starter kit to make a coffee table in my living room. It was the best thing ever in my life. Those equipments costed me less than $150. I am so glad that I had believed in myself and tried it! Best thing ever in my life!

[@nicholassmerk]

Same here. I made an aquarium lid with a plastic miter box, nails, a chisel, a stone aged 1/4 drill and a sanding block. I must have had 2 clamps, but I don't remember which ones. All in the middle of my appartment. It came out acceptable and I''m still using it many years later. Would I make a nailed together project again without joints, no, but it's still better than anything from the big box store. When I moved into a house, a friend ditched a table saw on me and it stuck.

[@oliver299d]

there are very few woodworkers on you tube that have actual skills or knowledge, most are just there to sell tools and make money doing so

[@BishjamIC]

I've been a hobby woodworker for about 4 years. I recently upgraded my table saw from the Hercules table saw I started with to a Delta 36-725t2. I made things with the Hercules, but it had its limitations. Over the course of time I've made lots of tool purchases and upgrades, but you can get started theoretically with a circular saw and a drill and a couple squares as I did.

[@DansInfernalMachines]

Thanks so much for being real with everyone on this sort of issue. I've been picking up tools and equipment bit by bit at auctions within a couple hours' drive. I'm slowly getting things organized.

[@Dusty-Builds]

I've had this conversation with many people that come to me shop and see all the second hand machinery and hand tools I use. My Grandfather used to say "Machinery doesn't make you a woodworker. However, a woodworker can make a machine do things it wasn't intended to do." He also said "A true craftsman is someone who can make a mistake look intentional." lol

[@BCToby]

@ENCurtis I'm walking this path right now... so happy you made this video. There are a LOT of costs I've come across... The right guage extension chord, lighting, shop vac (even a good BROOM is expensive). If you live in an area where used tools are scarce or in Canada your shipping costs can be as much as some of the tools. IF you work in a power supply limited area all you may opt to go battery powered for tools, which doubles or triples the cost once you factor in batteries. - Clamps were well north of $100 for me assuming you get 4+ with two even them being long enough to do larger pieces. - Dust mask? Organic filter (if your workspace has real poor ventilation), saftey gear, expendables. - How bout a finishing saw blade? Are you really going to cut using the framing saw blade that came with the $150 hand saw ;)? - Up in Canada I don't know what's going on with finishing products/paint but they're 50% more than just a couple years ago. - Hardwood costs are also way up there, i've been trying to just make a decent mallet not out of softwood for ages. - The #1 limiting factor though is SPACE if your living near a big city, which most people are. - How about router bits! They aren't all that cheap if you're buying them 1 at a time. Long story short, I'm lucky to be able to go down this road but I do feel the reality is that this hobby is out of reach for 90% of people, especially those in their earlier stages of their carreer/life. It might be better to just call out woodworking as a hobby for those privliged enough to be able to start off on it. Who knows how many tried and got discourged by costs halfway through thinking it was a budget friendly hobby!

[@zionosphere]

25:35 Huckleberry footage begins. He deserves his own comment for being such a good boy.

[@Citadel1974]

Before I moved into my house, every tool I owned fit in 2 tools boxes on one shelf in a cabinet. Just things like a hammer, handsaw, some very cheap chisels, rubber mallet, cordless drill, level and a box cutter. I would love to see what you could do with very basic DIY tools like these. This video served as a reminder of all the tools I've bought since I moved here. It's also reminded me of all the things I've learned over the last couple of years about woodworking. Thanks a lot for the lessons!

[@FrankPace54]

This brings back memories! I've been working for over 30 years and still look for garage sale tools and used tool deals although my shop is very complete now. But to give an example, a friend who is setting up a new shop just got a 3 hp Unisaw at a local town auction for $80, and had it cleaned up and running with only one day of sweat equity. Love the channel Erick, I need more design and theory and things.

[@twostepaasr]

This video is why I watch your channel. I am lucky that 95% of my equipment was inherited from my great-grandfather down to my Dad. Most everything else came from social media and Harbor Freight. In truth, I didn't become a woodworker until late in life; before that, I was a carpenter on my best days. Maintaining and repairing our farm and uncles' and family friends' places is where I got my basic skills growing up. You don't realize how important these types of videos are, from respected craftsmen, for young boys and girls who have an interest in woodworking. I promise you there was no one doing what you do when we got our first black and white TV in 1954 when one station came on the air that we could watch..

[@BigRedNZ1]

I'm starting in woodworking. Inherited a lunch box thicknesses Second hand band saw NZ$250 Plastic handle chisels - gift Wetstones... From kitchen Hammer - eastwing, had it forever Mallet - made it myself from offcuts You get the idea… Don't be in a rush Buy it when you need it. Nothing wrong with second hand.

[@randycosgrove3608]

Love the message in this video. I've been an avid hobbyist woodworker for 60+ years and can tell you that I've done many projects with minimal tools and some ingenuity. The tools I have now are not the high end stuff like Sawstop or Harvey but they are decent tools and here's the bit that I figured out quite some time ago... they are as accurate as I am. So any more of a tool wouldn't result in a better job. And I have fun in the shop learning new things and to me that's the goal.

[@skippylippy547]

I rarely ever bought my tools new. Almost everything I have came from garage sales, Craigs List, etc. I clearly remember paying $2.50 for a Stanley #5 Jack Plane - completely rusted - took me 2 weeks to restore it. I still use that plane today. It works like new. Used hand saws were a couple bucks. Same for used chisels. All my power tools were purchased used. They are still working for me just fine today.

[@red58impala]

Agreed. Most of my tools current set of tools were purchased used. When I first started I bought a new table saw and band saw, both bought on sale at Sears, thinking I couldn't do anything without them. My lathe, a Harbor Freight Jet clone, was purchased new as well with a 20% off coupon. I bought a $1500 scroll saw used for $300 on Craigslist. My drill press came from CL as well. Eventually I migrated to mostly hand tools and like yourself I paid little to nothing for most of my used planes, braces, saws, etc...

[@1pcfred]

$2.50 for a Stanley #5 Jack Plane is a stunning deal. Even back in the day they tended to go for $10-$20 Now I hardly see them. But I have seen some no name #5 sized planes. I just got a basket case for $1. Now I only buy wrecked planes to see if I can get them to make a shaving.

[@nicholassmerk]

Same here!

[@benrevell]

Carpenters and cabinet makers made superb furniture before electricity was discovered.

[@karlwiseman5639]

But that requires decades of teaching and learning. A hobbyist obviously won't have had the time to discover those skills.

[@Mcinoh]

I do think that floor space and making the most efficient use of it is always a challenge. But a necessity to add to your list would need to be dust collection. I was surprised you didn’t have any in your video.

[@chipsterb4946]

As he wrapped up I thought “Wait! What about at least a shop vac?” Dust mask too.

[@mm9773]

This is one of the stumbling blocks people encounter at some point in their “journey”. I also treated this as an afterthought until I saw a video by Xyla Foxlin in which she described how she had to sleep sitting up for weeks because wood dust from a rare species had seriously effed up her lungs. You can sort of get away with using a dust mask, but you’ll still have to clean the whole room all time, and that can take the fun out of it and make the costs pile up. The barrier to entry into woodworking is indeed very low and I would still encourage anyone who is interested, but it just isn’t a cheap hobby.

[@mrfirestop415]

​​​@@mm9773 When i was a grade school aged kid, a family friend had a machine woodshop in his basement that was utterly fascinating to me. He worked exclusively in black walnut. I remember writing my name in the brown dust that covered every exposed surface in his shop, including the underside of his bench. Zero dust collection in the shop. I'd bet if that bench is still around my name is still in the dust... That guy ended up suffering chronic bronchitis and alveolitis by the time I was in highschool. It was so bad he had to drag around an oxygen tank and could no longer do woodworking, let alone climb down and up the stairs to his shop. Less than 10 years without dust collection, friends. If your boogers are the color of the wood you're working, start that cumulative dust inhalation clock.

[@binaryLV]

He actually had dust collection in his video at 7:56, but he didn't add it to the list.

[@wilburrrrr742]

I don't "collect" my dust. Mostly, I disburse it. If it's a big pile, it goes in the firepit. I do all of my work on an open (but roofed) patio. A wrought iron fish tank stand holds my tablesaw on the lower level and my mitersaw is on the top. Separate table for my router table. Cleanup is done with a leaf blower, dust mask, and goggles. 🤓 My grass is well fertilized.

[@Greyotterstudio]

Started out with second hand handtools and an old dining table with a plywood top for a bench. Now have a few more machines but work out of my conservatory because I don't have a dedicated shop! It's all about making do with what you've got and finiding happiness in just creating! Good video dude.

[@lennierichardson1387]

For resawing, before I got a big bandsaw, I built a Roubo-style resaw. I think it cost me 60 bucks all in. I've used it to break down a lot of 4X oak and sycamore material into 2X lumber. Bonus: Good upper body workout. It is surprisingly accurate and efficient. I bought a roll of nonslip drawer liner stuff from the dollar store to use as a sanding mat. Very grippy and stows away easily.

[@BrittaDuffy]

Thank you for this comment. I don't have a bandsaw and all the local maker places in California are expensive for shop space. I am going to build one of these for my small shop.

[@obliciouzz]

this was my first video I have seen of yours. I must say this is definitely a video that shows the lay person that beautiful things can definitely be made without contractor grade things. I've seen many wood working videos from some of the best, and as a entry level wood worker myself, that is always a question I find myself wondering about. Truly appreciate your input and great work.

[@RuudInTheWood]

I would remove the jointer from the list. I get by happily with a sled for the planer. My version doesn't use glues or tape or any other sticky thing and is quick and easy to set up. In some ways it works better than a jointer.

[@rogerlove7588]

I would agree. I did finally buy a used 6” jointer for $300 a couple years ago and have gotten a lot of good use out of it. But I still use my planer to flatten wider boards. Could I live without it? Yeah, I could. I encourage people to purchase major tools used when starting out-table saws, planers, jointers, band saws, etc. Go new as the opportunities and needs arise down the road.

[@antonia4722]

A Plane and Winding Sticks. Takes a while to begin with but the more you do it the quicker it gets..and its sooo satisfying!

[@karl_alan]

Honestly don't need either when first starting out. Sure, they'll pay for themselves in the cost of wood over time, but for those first handful of projects, already flat boards from the big box store is even cheaper.

[@paulgenereux8248]

Also places like Rockler sell S2S lumber and most lumber yards can joint edges for you for a fee. So I'd agree with pulling the jointer

[@Carpentry344]

I have been watching you for a while, and I have to say. You have been my hero in my new experience of woodworking. Now I do woodwork, but I think I'm not good enough. This video is going to be another motivation for what I do now because this is what my situation is. A budget garage shop. Thank you so much for the hard work you do. I know it is not easy, thank you again.

[@rikbitter]

When starting a hobby woodshop, Craigslist/Marketplace is your best friend. Used machinery will save you at least half usually 2/3 of the new price and you'll likely meet a few characters along the way. Enjoy the journey.

[@skippylippy547]

Yes, that's a fact! 👍

[@craigfrank5112]

Have a shop full of great second hand gently used equipment. Let someone else take the hit 😊

[@balzac_jones]

Maybe it's just my local area, but I almost never see used machinery costing less than 75% of current new prices for sale on the various Internet marketplaces.

[@1pcfred]

If I pay ten cents on the dollar it's a lot.

[@1pcfred]

@@balzac_jones the deals don't come by every day. But if you look long enough you'll find them. My tablesaw I bought for $20 without a motor. I got a motor for it for another $20 and a switch cost me another $10. So $50 all in. It's a vintage Craftsman cast iron top contractor's saw.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

If there was a single one of your vids. that reinforced the wisdom of being one of your thousands of subscribers, this would be THE one. Inspiring. Honest. Some of my most memorable projects were build in someone else’s shop, on site where I couldn’t bring all of my fav. tools, or where I was using (oh, the horror) - someone else’s tools. IMHO, the mark of craftsmanship is being able to work past limitations (& fix the inevitable mistakes so that only you know about them). Thanks for putting this together.

[@unretiredbiker1612]

My advice to any new woodworker is to simply just start with what you have. If you have nothing and you're starting from scratch, don't be afraid! Some of the lesser expensive tools will still get you going and producing. You can work your way up over time. The price of your tools doesn't make you a wood worker. The skill set to make quality items with what you have does. I've seen many cheaper tools with proper setup produce quality cuts. Don't get suckered into the belief you have to have top dollar everything. Just build, enjoy, purchase and upgrade as you can and within your means.

[@Kunfucious577]

Doesn’t have to be top dollar but it does have to be a quality tool. Starting out with shitty tools will get a beginner extremely discouraged. They will believe they just suck and end up hating it.

[@unretiredbiker1612]

@@Kunfucious577 I can understand what you are saying. But, people have to start somewhere. Hence me saying at least start with what you have. Some people need to upgrade as they can due to financial reasons.

[@justinmacanufo9127]

I particularly appreciate this video. I've been doing wood working for a few years now, and love it. Took me a little over a year to get comfortable enough to buy my table saw (Something I desperately needed as my projects got more complicated), but had to do the research and finally bit the bullet. Only to use it a few times before it was stolen, along with several other critical tools. Overall I lost nearly $2000 in gear. It's been hard to get motivated to keep doing it, especially when every time I go to places like the big orange store, I see things I used to own, and see their new price tags.

[@steveh7866]

That jointer's a luxury when you've already got a handplane, a router and a tablesaw on the list. Same with the circular saw when a disposable hardpoint handsaw does the same job (as would your router.) Hehe understand it's hard to think basics when you're used to all the frills, but your list sets the entry price far higher than it needs to

[@1pcfred]

He's just trying to be honest. You can get by with less. People do. There's people with more too.

[@jbratt]

When I started I had a router two router bits , a straight edge, framing square,tape measure, pencil, cheap skill saw, and a cheap mitre saw. I built bedside tables with those tools 30 years ago. I now have a shop that rivals a KZbinr’s shop. I still use those bedside tables.

[@RobertCade-zm3cy]

Nice video! Let me start by saying I agree with your assessment of what a new woodworker today would need to start as a hobbyist. However, setting aside the limitations of time, that list could be a whole lot less expensive. There was a time in this world before electricity and before power tools, when craftsmen, professionals and hobbyists, turned out beautiful wooden projects. A hammer, a hand saw, a jack plane, a couple of chisels, a couple of files and rasps, a hand auger and bits, a square, and a ruler were the fundamental items needed to make something out of wood. Very time consuming for sure but very doable. Today’s newbie, in any field, is generally impatient and wants to be able to make things just like the woodworkers on you tube, right from the git go. They assume that it is the tools and not the craftsman that makes the difference. And, as you know, that is just not the case. There is no substitute for experience, practice, and knowledge. If you are just starting out as a woodworker, learn to be patient first of all. Second, start out with simple things and when they turn out less than you wanted, learn why, and work on doing things better next time. America’s pawn shops are packed full of nearly new tools, sold off by frustrated newbies who want perfection but lack the fortitude to stick with things until they master them. Start with a rudimentary set of tools and master them before you go out and spend thousands and thousands of dollars on tools and equipment. It’s 10% the tools and 90% skills and ability that get you where you want to go. Master the skills and the tools will eventually come along out of necessity. Remove time from the equation. If you find joy in working with wood, and in making things, it shouldn’t matter if a process or project takes 15 minutes or 15 hours. Enjoy the time spent, and constantly work on refining your skills and craftsmanship. Use the tools you have or can afford, and learn how to make them work to your level of satisfaction. You would be amazed at what you can actually make with a bare minimum of tools.

[@LennyJames60]

I'm a woodworker with no KZbin channel and have a very low key shop. I have been in the craft for 35 years. I feel sorry for folks who like and sub and think all shops look like YT shops. Remember folks building furniture has been around way before Festool. KZbin is a business. It always makes a good visual seeing the newest gadgets hanging on the wall.

[@AkosLukacs42]

Sadly lot of channels are mostly affiliate link harvesting at this point. When you see half a dozen "cheap" domino alternatives that still cost several hundred dollars, or "you don't need a (of course Festool, like there are no capable much cheaper alternatives on the market) tracksaw, just this track thingy for 199.99$. Yeah, pumping FOMO. But there are still some channels I love.

[@stankrajewski8255]

This was a great discussion. I have a well appointed two car garage sized shop. I manage to work without a jointer or resaw bandsaw. This video talked from a funding perspective--my woodworking journey is influenced by a network of woodworkers and space constraints. I am heating my shop with an electric/oil bath heater. For safety and sanity, I am upgrading to a heat/cool mini-split. I want to get back to projects, but the environment needs to be secured to maintain temperature and humidity.

[@matthewbakke1623]

I built up my clamp collection 1 paycheck at a time buying 1 or 2 clamps with each check.

[@santoni58]

My shop is a 2x6 shed, the rest is the great outdoors, folding table, folding or contractor table saw, no vacuum, no filter, two heavy duty horses (left over wood) and I have build a world in that space.😅

[@protoform77]

Imo, the biggest issue isnt cost, it's space. Most people don't have the room for all the cool tools. That said, don't let that stop you. I teach a class of 6th and 7th graders and we use mini workbenches I built and hand tools and make amazing and fun projects. Don't let space or money be your barrier to entry, the only limitation is your imagination and creativity. Now get out there and build something! You will never regret it!

[@mm9773]

Pep talks like this are well-intentioned and not wrong, but they can be counterproductive without further explanation. Yes, the barrier to entry is very low, but people usually get discouraged a little further down the line, not at the entry. At the moment, my biggest limitation isn’t my imagination and creativity, but finding the time to prepare the material for what I’m building with the tools that I have. It’s OK, it will happen and it will be great, but I really had to learn to manage my expectations with regards to realistic time frames, motivation, that kind of stuff. There are some real stumbling blocks along the way, depending on what you’re trying to make, and when someone comes along and tells you that you’re only limited by your imagination, it can sound a little hollow.

[@protoform77]

@@mm9773 so....i agree 100% with what you have to say. The number one thing that helped me along my journey was having other craftsman to ask questions and get advice from. If I can help in any way please do not hesitate to ask.

[@TheBert]

As a fingerprint examiner, I have to tip my hat @ the carving pattern on that cabinet.

[@halsonger1317]

If you go to a place and there are two barbers, always get your hair cut by the one with the terrible haircut.

[@skippylippy547]

LOL! OK, I'll bite - Why get your hair cut by the barber with the terrible haircut?

[@halsonger1317]

@@skippylippy547 Because the barbers cut each other's hair. If one has a good haircut then he got his cut by the one with the bad one, which is the guy you want cutting yours.

[@skippylippy547]

@@halsonger1317 Thank you! I suspected that's what you were going to say. I love it. And it's so true! 👍

[@ripntearslayer9101]

I got a laguna fusion 2, a rigid standing jointer, a dewalt shelix planer, a harbor freight dust collector, and and old cnc with a laptop that has aspire (3.0) all for $900. I know this is beyond a rare deal, but is also why I say start with used. You can find amazing deals because someone else is either upgrading or getting out of the craft. Then when you do the same you can pay it forward while not getting screwed. Really helps others get into the craft.

[@kb6dxn]

The big box store will breakdown the plywood for projects for free too.

[@orbitalair2103]

if you can find a worker to do it

[@RaulV22]

Totally agree. Having basic tools can teach you tricks and workarounds. As you progress and hopefully start to make money, it’s okay to invest in fancy expensive tools because the primary purpose of those fancy tools isn’t for KZbinrs, it’s to save you time. If you’re an aspiring business owner then you need to realize that those expensive tools are what they are in order to save you time and time is money. So if you’re starting out, regardless if you are starting with power tools, a hand craft woodworker, or hybrid, none are right or wrong, regardless of what some purists say, start basic.

[@fritz4345]

This is waaay to sophisticated. No beginner need a lot of this list. Steve Ramsey is the guy to follow when you get really started.

[@LyleAshbaugh]

Woodworking for mere mortals

[@tomblanco8234]

My first work bench was a washing machine. So i couldn't do my wood working thing while doing laundry. The point is we can do what we want with what we have, at least to a point. Thanks for the video illustrating this. Something I do when I find myself complaining about not have fancy enough power tools is think about the masterpieces made before 1800. The master craftsmen got it done without any power tools, and did it with style! We should not give ourselves excuses for not doing good work.

[@VivienLEGER]

Hello Eric, Feel free to delete this comment because i will talk about either content creator. So minimum amount is addressed in Paul Sellers Blog, with a full guide to hunt for tools, in the same style Rex Kruger devote his channel to the minimum cost woodworking. Rex also made a specific platform to source wood working tool for a decent amount. At the beginning you need two chisel, (let s say 3/8th and 3/4), a hand plane (4 or 4 and half) a decent dovetail saw and a large hardened teeth saw for big rip. and there you go.

[@barryomahony4983]

Beat me to it. This patron maybe needs to watch Paul's YT channel as well as this one. Or Roy Underhill's old TV show. A lot can be done with just a handful of cheap tools, albeit at a pace that would be way too slow for a pro.

[@VivienLEGER]

@@barryomahony4983 yeah definetly, but the question was from an amater stand point. for pro the computation boils down to : (tool cost - how many ours will this tool save you multiplicated by your hourly rate) and do you have a customer project with the revenue to support this investment.

[@drmvh]

Glad you got to the sub $500 around 33:45 That brings to mind the marvellous work done by my Dad with a few hand tools, inc just one plane and only an electric drill, later augmented with a circular saw attachment, but for years he was just hand sawing.

[@jeffreyjbyron]

A lot of woodworkers will say a jointer isn't 100% necessary depending on what you build. If I was just starting, I'd choose the project I wanted, then tally up the tools I might need, then double that cost. Stuff like sandpaper, small tools, bits, clamps, glue, adapters, cables, shop towels, etc etc, can end up being more than you think. When I first started, I never planned to spend as much as I did. BUT, you'll end up spending for the enjoyment of it, not because you're starting a business.

[@joephillips8244]

Sorry about the loss of your dog. Great video, appreciate your work!

[@thomlipiczky9021]

Very nice reminder. Being "rich" is being content with what you have. But gone are the daze (!) when I bought really nice old handtools at tag sales and used a funky old skilsaw upside down in a piece of ply as a table saw (so lucky I didn't sever any hands). Now I'm grateful to say I have a large well-tooled up shop (including a Shaper Origin!!). But I still remember the excitement of my first forays into "making something" so long ago. Thanks again for keeping things sensible.

[@wilburrrrr742]

That brought back a memory for me. I did the circ saw upside down on a piece of ply also. Pretty sketchy, but it got the job done. But as Clint Eastwood said, "A man's got to know his limitations".

[@DangerTV]

When did Mac get so handy?

[@jeffreyknotts4148]

5 years in and my equipment list is still under a grand. A Ryobi job site table saw, a nice DeWalt sliding compound mitre saw, and a Bosch trim router are my biggest expensitures to date. It can be done.

[@WoodcraftBySuman]

EVERY successful social media page with fancy tools/shops started with the most modest of tools. It's important for folks to not compare your beginnings with someone else's middle and end. That goes for woodworking and just about every other aspect of life.

[@ENCurtis]

Like comparing your new guitar skills to Jimmy Paige. Just ain’t fair.

[@michaelanderson3063]

I started out with a plastic Black & Decker circular saw my dad gave when we bought your first house and my YOU TUBE was PBS with Norm Abram. If you want to see how to do wood projects watch some of his early shows.

[@cswann8]

0:39 I moved into my first home at age 53 this year. I finally have space that's mine where I get to do what I want. My garage is about to be turned into a wood-shop. The next few years are going to be so much fun.

[@Michael_Schm]

I dont like promoting other youtube channels in a video, but I'll say that "woodworking for mere mortals" has a fairly modest shop that I think most could strive for. Good video Curtis.

[@andrewunderwater2246]

Thanks for doing this. I got into ww about a year and a half ago and have been accumulating the necessities over this time. I’ve found that the best way to go about it is to think hard about what you need to get your current project accomplished, and as you go from project to project you start to build a decent arsenal of tools. I’m now at a point where I already have what I deem to be the bare necessities and can get just about anything done if I get creative in utilizing what I have. Last few months I’ve been acquiring the stuff that makes it more convenient and quicker. But for the folks at the beginning of the journey… spend some time getting creative with the bare minimum and it will make you a better craftsman.

[@lewisdye1002]

This is some of the very best information and experienced opinion I have seen on ut. from a 50 year commercial cabinet and millwork vet

[@andreibucur710]

Rex Kruger and Paul Sellers are great examples of “working with what you got” woodworking. Adding bonus plus for jackmanworks side has come a long way from his garage shop but the passion and frugality are still there

[@TheCryptKeeper]

I needed just the title of this and hear you used your garage🙂Ive just finished rebuilding my old mans furniture shop and its a little workshop about 6x6 meters or there about in my basement,but funny thing for me thats just do it for the love and the fun of it is that its perfect for me. I dont have big money or lot of equipment,but i had a woodworker bench and a band saw after him that just makes the workshop alone where he taught me the basics back when and i love it❤Makes me feel he right there with me putting it back to shape again. Tomorrow i get in a monitor some speakers to have some music and tutorial videos if i need,but yeah im kinda going with the basics like mostly all the essential hand tools for woodworking and is easy to get with less dollars. Mostly power tools is the band saw,,multitool,nail gun on air,and my drill,and getting som router and drill press + a sander to sharpen my chisels..Handheld miter saw and im set mostly. Ive bought a little here and there over time tho to get the ecosystem of battery and that,but remember that way back i cant remember my old man ever used other than mostly hand tools like if you had to drill use a hand drill and saw you use hand saws😂My point is you dont ever need festool or milwaukee,but only make sure you get good quality that last you almost all the way that you just maintane over time and you are good😊 I love my dewalt my self for power tools and battery system that is descent for my use. And for larger projects i have a garage that is about 7x8 meters or 7x6 that im lucky i can use..BUT i rarely need because i mainly make more little fun projects just for the hobby of it like cups,stools,lesser tables,shelves,better my carving or fire decorating something so no i cant say it is costly,just that it can take time to get most what you need and woodworking to me is also a hobby that teach a lot of patience and trial and error to get that final result you first was thinking of🙂Not so many think of this i imagine,but yard sales and second hand stores can have rare and decent tools some times not to say for sale ads here and there😉Its a blast with woodworking,but keep safe all with the real heavy equipment👍Have a good one dear sir and best of wishes for you! Crypt!

[@AngieWilliamsDesigns]

I’ve been woodworking since June of 2012. So I’m not a newbie. I enjoyed watching for multiple reasons. Obviously…. I just enjoy your style. But it was just interesting to watch. I started my journey while I was at my very good friends house. He was a hobby woodworker. EVERY time we would go to his house I’d insist on him showing me his shop and what he was working on. That day… he was showing me some tool. Somehow we got on the subject of what he did with his old one. His shop was in a small garage. He then took me to his pole barn and showed me that. He had his lumber stored there… and all his old tools that he didn’t want to let go of. Somehow…. I ended up giving him $50 and left with a used miter saw, a used sander and a whole bunch of pallet wood that had already been disassembled. (This was good pallet wood from his work). I was about as happy as a girl could be. We already had a drill at home and a tape measure. I had a plastic folding table that I put in the yard as my bench. That’s how I got started. I’m pretty sure the first several projects were just boxes and pictures frames and I used blue tape instead of clamps. While I don’t think that $50 is an achievable way to get started now…. You can find second hand tools and build up. I consumed KZbin videos like crazy. I watched anyone from Steve from Wood working for mere mortals to Marc on the Wood Whisperer. And never once did I think I couldn’t build things like Marc because I didn’t have all those Powermatic tools. Instead… I built smaller pieces building my skills and adding to my collection. I actually ended up making doll furniture and that got me my first sales for my work. I now am super blessed with an amazing 1100 sq ft shop. I have a domino (because they are amazing) and lots of other festool (including a Kapex. The old miter saw I started with is gone). If you are motivated and work for it… you can start with a few hundred dollars and scale it.

[@ENCurtis]

The world needs more people like you in the trades. Keep on keepin' on my friend. You are crushing it.

[@margaretumbsen9015]

Steve Ramsey also has a good approach for folks at Woodworking for Mere Mortals. His is for the hybrid (power/hand tools) woodworker. I think his starting list of tools lands at about $1000. Like Erik said in this video, these can come over time and there ain’t no shame in buying used either.

[@daverodecap9710]

I really appreciated this video. After many years, I’m finally putting my shop together. Trying be as purposeful as I can with my purchases and this is a good guide. A planer and jointer are coming up as my next major purchases.

[@DavidBlevins]

I started in the pandemic and loved your videos. My tools were a WORX Pegasus work table, $70 Circular Saw, Bosch Router Table, Makita Palm router, 2 hand planes, cheap chisels, palm sander, 2 Bora 50 inch clamps, Bora NGX tracks and $250 Ender 3 3D Printer which I used endlessly to make jigs, small clamps, router bases, track saw base, etc to fill in all the gaps. NO table saw, NO planer, NO jointer, NO miter saw.

[@loudhoundwoodworking]

Another great video and another great peice. I got most of my tools second hand or as gifts from other makers/my parents. I have been able to accumulate a really good set up for what I would consider very reasonable investment. Also, the last WWBS episode yall did talking about stress came at a great time for me. I'm finishing up a custom bedframe for a client and the stress of wanting to meet their expectations was really getting to me. Hearing how you still deal with that after all these years of making fantastic pieces really helped bring me back down to earth.

[@roninrtist560]

I started woodworking with my dad's hand tools and built from there. We caught the bug from Norm Abrams watching New Yankee Workshop every week growing up. I had a Craftsman circular saw and B&D corded drill. Kmart supplied a benchtop table saw and miter saw which I still use 30 years later. Delta benchtop planer and jointer, Skil router/ jig saw and i was set for years spending less than $1K (probably closer to $1800 in today's market). Built tons of cabinets with them and several bathroom renovations. Fancy tools make the job easier but is in no way necessary. My biggest purchase at the time was a Porter Cable biscuit jointer. My Delta 12" planer got a Shelix head upgrade a few year ago and is still going strong. You often have to find "work-arounds" in some instances, but I enjoy that process. I add tools as I need them and splurge now that I am more experienced and have the budget. I often pick things up second hand too. Got a Ridgid 6" jointer off FB Market for a great price that was barely used.

[@TheNewPlagueBand]

I got a job working for an old-timer back in 2005. He was a woodworker who made hand carved Redwood signs as well as CNC routed signs. He started his dig out with a router made from a washing machine motor. This was maybe 1972-74. By 2005, he was worth a million and still making his own bits and modified woodworking tools

[@hellmagex]

I remember doing projects with 2 clamps, one handsaw, a circular saw i bought for 8 dollars on craiglist, and cheap chisels. Made an argyle pattern cutting board that way. Now I have access to a full shop, but youd be suprised what you can do with not much in the way of tools.

[@gregblake2764]

My list of must have tools is different from yours. I professionally built furniture my first 25 years without an electric jointer. I use a used $50 Stanley #7 to joint panel glue ups. What I find essential is a mid-sized plunge router with both 1/4 and 1/2 inch collets and an edge guide. A small benchtop router table can be made from a half sheet of plywood and it will get you by. A half dozen 6 foot pipe clamps are essential for me to do large glue ups. A half dozen more 2 to 3 foot pipe clamps make smaller glue ups more manageable. A Port-Align drill guide substituted for a drill press and while not essential, it sure is handy. I've been a professional woodworker for over 50 years. Right now I'm laid up sick with a bad cold. I don't normally watch KZbin woodworkers, but I'm bored and stumbled on you channel. I've been binge watching and am really enjoying your work. I like your honest approach to the craft and appreciate your design esthetics. Thanks for entertaining me until I'm well enough to get back into the shop. Love the coffee mug, it's what pulled me in to watch in the first place.

[@thefirsted]

I think you hit the beginners price point right on the head for making nice stuff out of something other than construction grade lumber from the box store. I'd nix the jointer from the equation in favor of a jointer sled for a planer myself. My first project was a picnic table that I made with a cheap $15 plastic box miter set, and a $20 drill from Walmart though so I hope nobody is discouraged by the entry cost because there are a lot of neat things you can build with super low cost entry points.

[@DavidChristensen-p1k]

Absolutely amazing video on this. For me, since I had 80% of these tools from work, the hardest thing to overcome that I kept blaming on my tools was really the "good enough" attitude we get from framing, most siding applications, etc. Overshoot the blade 1/32nd? Use a fat pencil isntead of a knife? Tape sagging? All these things I had to retrain, or at least show more care in than when you're trying to strike that balance of pushing a project forward "within tolerance".

[@MikeJowsey]

About 40 years ago I made a headboard for our queen-sized bed. The wood was all factory-milled and expensive, but the tools I used were a combination table saw/router table (called a Triton Workcentre from Oz) and a drill. The dowel joinery used those pointy plugs which came with the dowels. Total capital cost for Workcentre, circular saw, router, and drill sub $300 USD. We still use that headboard to this day and I'm still proud of it.

[@temjiu9915]

I loved the resaw with the demo saw! Improvise, adapt, overcome! plus ultra! Traditional resawing used a fixed blade saw with a fence to create the kerf, and a long blade hand saw to finish the cut. Tom Fidgen has a great saw he uses for this, he even sells the hardware kit for it so you can make your own saw to resaw with, then resaw your own boards! I think Fidgen's videos are still on youtube, he makes some great stuff and uses solely hand tools. Not saying this is good or bad, but it ends up with him having some real cool videos and amazing builds with just hand tools alone.

[@markwarner5554]

When I started my first woodworking project in 2010, I had a corded Ryobi drill, a display model Ryobi router, and a Harbor Freight random orbital sander. I still have both Ryobi tools, but the sander didn't last. I will die on the hill of "Ryobi is good enough for hobbyist woodworkers who don't need to make money with their tools". My first project was a bass guitar, so there were some specialty tools I had to buy, but I still got it done with well under $500 in tools. Then I found some local cabinet shops who would so small jobs for me (thickness planing a board, bandsaw-cutting out a shape, jointing an edge, etc.), usually for a 6-pack of beer or $10 or so. It was a good arrangement while I built up my own shop full of tools, and I learned a lot about how to use those tools from those guys.

[@HensleyAdventures]

Glad you made the comment about buying this second hand. I picked up a 6" jointer and dust collector for $300 off Facebook. Slow and steady you can get your tools you need if you have patience.

[@johnkunstman1070]

the cheapest way to get tools is antique hand tools from yard, garage, estate sales. Learn how to tune, sharpen and use them. This will get anyone started. It is exactly how I started, as interest and skills increase. I feel going the power tool route you have to consider a place to keep and use them. a set of hand tools can be kept in an old foot locker until a chest can be built.

[@woodcraftloop]

You could skip the jointer (especially if in a limited space) and buy/integrate a powerful table router in to your workbench, which you could use as 2in1 router/jointer. Thats what I do as well.

[@65OrangeCrush]

Those prices were for brand-new items. Everything listed could be purchased at a fraction of the price at FBMP, including garage sales, auctions, and Craigs List. I've asked friends online if they knew where to get a few shop tools; most times, they are eager to get rid of whatever they have or know someone who does. Beautiful work, by the way.

[@frijoli9579]

I really appreciate the way you did this. Real tools making real quality stuff. Not bargain basement tools but realistic tools.

[@mdglussier]

I definitely resawed by hand on my first bigger furniture project, then used my trim router to flatten my terrible resawing on a router sled, and did the rest with the table saw and trim router, a vintage Stanley no. 4 (which my great grandfather happened to use during his carpentry career), a cheap panel saw, and a DeWalt random orbit sander. I'd saw the minimum viable (mostly) power tool shop is probably about $1000-1500, as long as you are willing to so some of the stock prep by hand. I've built dozens of pieces and only recently got a lunchbox thickness planer. Great video.

[@352508]

Great video. You can do a lot with a drill, circular saw, square, and a tape measure. But even with your list buying used this hobby is still very attainable.

[@DaddyBooneDon]

I'm stubbornly trying to do my work with a miter saw and contractor table saw, 2 drills and a jig saw, plus a handful of handtools. I have a wish list that I add to and then ignore. Working like this means having to solve problems and swap time spent for the convenience of bigger priced power tools. I'm still learning and maybe down the road I'll need power tools when my arthritis wins the battle.

[@lorenschnabel6187]

Great video for someone who looking to get into woodworking. It’s how I’m building my shop. One tool at a time.

[@michaeldawicki9897]

I am glad to be reminded that we all started small with a limited budget! I have acquired half my tools from estate sales, rummage sales and people moving! I can’t pass up a good deal to expand my shop!

[@Poor_Mans_DIY]

In recent years, I have not found time to remark on other creator's channels but this video came up in my feed and caught my attention. I am so very happy you addressed this topic. I agree with everything you have addressed. I have had a channel for many years but I do it strictly as a hobby and only create things my wife and I want, not what viewers or anyone else wants. I admit, we are like you, one of the KZbinrs that hear a lot about our "expensive" tools. To make matters worse, my channel's name is Poor Man's DIY and people are regularly pointing out my name does not match all the Makita tools I have. I offer a little more information to add to your wonderful video. In our case, we are home owners and as such, inevitably, something in the house breaks and needs repairs. We use these very incidents to obtain tools. For example, we received quotes near $10,000 to redo a bathroom. Instead of paying a contractor, we identify what tools and supplies we need to complete the job and we purchase new tools. The cost of the tools are significantly lower than paying a contractor. We may not do a professional job of remodeling our bathroom, but it is exactly how we want it to be and when finished, we now have tools we can use for future projects. Using this same process again and again, we save a lot of money from contractors and end up with more and more tools. So... instead of hiring a contractor, viewers can watch incredible videos such as yours and learn from them. Do the work themselves and build up tools slowly, that way. Again, thank you for addressing this topic, I may have to refer viewers who complain about our tools to this video to show how they dont need to be rich to obtain tools and start building.

[@1deerndingo]

The cost to do wood working depends on how easy you want to work to be. You could replace a lot of the expensive kit (jointer, thicknesser, tablesaw) with a hand saw, a hand plane, a few F clamps, a hand router plane, a marking knife, a steel rule, patience.

[@evilgenius3646]

Why pay $100 for a table when you can build it yourself for $300

[@timburton5950]

the most appreciated end table I made for my wife 33 years ago is still next to recliner and all I had at that time was a cheap B@D jig saw, B@D 3/8" drill, palm sander and sand paper to smooth inside heart shaped cut outs; if you really want to get it done you'll do with what you have and not spend thousands for starting up1

[@diy-hyrum9842]

I appreciate that you're not pulling your punches with this video Eric. If you shop around, look through discount bins, look online, etc.. you can get a lot of the tools for a fraction of the price. It's always the bigger the tool, the more likely that you'll be stuck paying the full price. I hope others see this comment and understand that if you're patient and shop around, you can totally get everything you NEED for a fraction$.

[@ProfessorDIY]

I love your videos! Harbor Freight is also a great place to buy some of these tools for much less! Especially the hand screws and chisels

[@ENCurtis]

Thanks! And absolutely--HF is a lifesaver when you need an inexpensive, functional tool. And some of them work equally as well as the more expensive versions.