Woodworking Tool Kit - Suggestion/Critique

[Gmonkee]

Hand tools I will just make the decision as needed. I'm much more familiar with that space. It's not that complicated to find good value options. Adds a lot of bulk to the thread I do not need.

I do project work in manufacturing...So I'm not unused to a hard days work when needed. Simply looking at what my hands have wrought is not an uncommon experience for me. Everything i do for my projects is based on some sort of business calculus. I see no reason to not apply that logic when managing my personal projects. If a vendor can do something more efficiently than me, then so be it. Most of us here probably build a lot of things at work. While it would be nice to add to the list of things I can build. I need to know that I not only executed the plan but my plan was a good one. If I'm doing something inefficient. I need to flag it and justify it

If I struggle or worse fail to reach the standard I could have had by simply buying Hampton Bay pre built cabinets.....I'm not going to be happy with my decisions. Granted at least I'll have more tools to make trying again more rational. Small projects are definitely a better way to gauge my ability to do this. But I don't know that I'm going to want to complete any at this time. Maybe I'll just build some sort of wooden tool cabinet that doesn't have to mount into my bench for the garage.

I do rustic, artisanal and purely functional Masonite stuff as need be. The client determines the project for me.

To exceed IKEA and prefab box store quality is barely a challenge. It takes time in details and better materials going in.
There lies the problem as real wood and even plywood is way up in prices lately . I ended up using Masonite in my closet project on price point. Results are quite good but I would have preferred good grade plywood.

It's hard to sell someone on quality vs economical when the price doubles with good materials. I lose most of my bids on that.

 

[EricM1990]

I do rustic, artisanal and purely functional Masonite stuff as need be. The client determines the project for me.

To exceed IKEA and prefab box store quality is barely a challenge. It takes time in details and better materials going in.
There lies the problem as real wood and even plywood is way up in prices lately . I ended up using Masonite in my closet project on price point. Results are quite good but I would have preferred good grade plywood.

It's hard to sell someone on quality vs economical when the price doubles with good materials. I lose most of my bids on that.

Yeah even with plywood it's not making much sense outside my ability to customize the build exactly as I want.

I will check into masonite. I like Mush's plan of just iron on veneers. So what I put under it doesn't really matter I would think

 

[legenddc]

My only concern with the track saw is I don't really have a mentor. While people taught me a lot of tricks and tips with a table saw. So while in theory the track saw should be better. With my specific knowledge the table saw will be much much more useful in the short term

You don't need a mentor to use a tracksaw. It's simply a circular saw on a track.

I recently made some cabinets for our office and it was a lot of work. The cabinet boxes were very quick. I bought pre-finished plywood for the upper cabinets where you see the inside. Base is unfinished plywood because it has drawers. I started from rough lumber and milled everything to make the doors and drawers. You could easily purchase custom drawers/doors and just have to worry about the cabinet boxes and face frame. Painted our cabinets with a roller and brush using Sherwin Williams Emerald Door and Trim paint. Looks very nice.

No need to use fancy joinery on a cabinet box. Screws from the outside will work just fine as long as you can't see them when it's done.

 

[Gmonkee]

Yeah even with plywood it's not making much sense outside my ability to customize the build exactly as I want.

I will check into masonite. I like Mush's plan of just iron on veneers. So what I put under it doesn't really matter I would think

My closet project was because I needed one. But I have been asked a few times about making one before had no idea how to bid it. Now I do.
Mine is quite basic, I footed the bill.

Others want drawers, wardrobe doors with lots of details and real wood presentation. The base unit is fast and easy with basic tools.
Add in hardware for drawers, hinges, nice trim, premium materials and finish really add up fast long before labor and equipment for it is figured in.

I used curtains and white paint as my finishes and its fine.
I also offered to make them for others using mine as an example. Just estimating materials cost has killed all bites so far. Most dream of a rare hardwood setup for a palace on a used IKEA budget.
I do hope your market is better.

 

[EricM1990]

You don't need a mentor to use a tracksaw. It's simply a circular saw on a track.

I recently made some cabinets for our office and it was a lot of work. The cabinet boxes were very quick. I bought pre-finished plywood for the upper cabinets where you see the inside. Base is unfinished plywood because it has drawers. I started from rough lumber and milled everything to make the doors and drawers. You could easily purchase custom drawers/doors and just have to worry about the cabinet boxes and face frame. Painted our cabinets with a roller and brush using Sherwin Williams Emerald Door and Trim paint. Looks very nice.

No need to use fancy joinery on a cabinet box. Screws from the outside will work just fine as long as you can't see them when it's done.

Yeah i'm going to see my options on the drawers/doors and design the cabinets around that probably. Or just make the drawers myself.

The doors I'm probably going to go with a vendor no matter what

 

[EricM1990]

My closet project was because I needed one. But I have been asked a few times about making one before had no idea how to bid it. Now I do.
Mine is quite basic, I footed the bill.

Others want drawers, wardrobe doors with lots of details and real wood presentation. The base unit is fast and easy with basic tools.
Add in hardware for drawers, hinges, nice trim, premium materials and finish really add up fast long before labor and equipment for it is figured in.

I used curtains and white paint as my finishes and its fine.
I also offered to make them for others using mine as an example. Just estimating materials cost has killed all bites so far. Most dream of a rare hardwood setup for a palace on a used IKEA budget.
I do hope your market is better.

I suspect i will have similar results. And I don't have any experience sourcing high quality lumber. Market is relatively upscale. Maybe if I drove out of the metro a couple hours I could find some deals. Outside the taxes, rural illinois is not that expensive for the most part.