Machine Workshop
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      • Hand Tools
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        • Chisels
        • Clamps
        • Double Square
        • Files and Rasps
        • Hand Saws
        • Hand Planes
        • Marking Gauge
      • Power Tools
        • Heat gun
        • Impact driver
        • Cordless drill
        • Dremel
        • Domino
        • Jigsaw
        • Orbital Sander
        • Plunge Saw
        • Router
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        • Radial Arm Saw
        • Bandsaw
        • Mitre Saw
        • Table Saw
        • Thicknesser
        • Planer
        • Drill press
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        • Belt and Disc Sander
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        • Router Table
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        • Metal Belt Grinder
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    • Purchasing Timber
      • Pre-Purchase Checklist
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      • Where to Buy
  • Making
    • Step-by-Step
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        • Designing for Making
          • Structural Design Principles
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      • Purchasing Timber
      • Dressing
      • Joining
        • Dowel joint
        • Bridle joint
        • Mortise and Tenon joint
        • Dado, Groove, Rabbet joints
        • Lap joint
        • Dovetail joint
        • Finger joint
        • Mitre joint
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        • Floating tenon joint
      • Gluing
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        • Build a Plinth
        • Build a Butcher Block
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        • Turning a Spherical box
      • Advanced Making
      • Tips and Techniques
      • Steam Bending
    • Designer Maker Inspiration
    • Start Your Own Workshop
      • Workbench options
      • Where to buy
    • External Workshop Facilities
  • Library
  • Further Reading
  • Glossary of Woodworking Terms
  • References
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On this page
  • The Workbench
  • Essential Tools - Marking & Measuring
  • Getting started - Power tools and hand tools
  • Extras
  • Machinery
  • Woodturning
  • What else is there?

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  1. Resources

Start Your Own Workshop

This section gives an overview for how to begin setting up your own workspace

PreviousDesigner Maker InspirationNextWorkbench options

Last updated 4 years ago

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If your only experience with making is through a commercial Maker Space or a well equipped workshop, like the MSD Machine Workshop, you might think it’s impossible to set yourself up at home to do some making. Through a clever use of tools and space you can actually achieve a lot more from a modest workshop than you may realise.

Figuring out what direction to head and what to buy can be very daunting. Hopefully your past experiences with making have given you an idea on what sort of projects you would like to work on.

Above all, the first thing you will need is space. Ideally a one or two car garage but if your focus is hand tools you could potentially set up a workstation in your house or apartment.

The Workbench

Whether you decide to do more traditional hand tool work or machine and power tool based making you will still need a solid workbench. This is often a first major project for a lot of makers and you will find that as your skills progress you will end up building a second or even third workbench to suit your working style.

The fancy solid timber workbenches a lot of wood workers use are expensive, complicated and require a workshop full of machinery to make. A simple bench can be made from MDF and plywood like the bench and once you add a vice to it you’ll be ready to start.

Essential Tools - Marking & Measuring

  • Steel rulers

  • Tape measure

  • Marking gauge

  • Combination square

  • Marking knife

  • Sliding bevel (not necessary but handy)

Getting started - Power tools and hand tools

From this point on the tools that you buy are dictated by the work you are doing. In addition to the essentials listed above, here is a list of the tools (power and hand tools) that I would recommend starting with:

  • Cordless drill $55 - $800

  • Fine hand saw $18 - $250

  • Set of chisels (6mm, 12mm, 19mm, 25mm) $30 for a set - $200 each

  • Sharpening stones $40 - $200 (you will need 2 - 3 different grits)

  • Honing guide $20 - $150

  • Wooden mallet $10 - $50

  • Claw hammer $9 - $90

  • Circular saw (a track saw is better if it is in your budget) $59 - $200 (Circular saw) $399 - $1300 (Track saw)

  • ½" Plunge router (you will need to buy router bits as well) $149 - $2000

  • Coping saw $10 - $400

  • Set of screw drivers $10 - $50

  • A smoothing or jack plane $99 - $735

  • A shop vacuum $99 - $1500

Extras

Depending on your projects you may not need all those tools but they will allow you to complete a lot of tasks. In addition to that list you could add:

  • Low angle block plane $49 - $330

  • Shoulder plane $169 - $469

  • Random orbital sander $50 - $1100

  • Trim router $60 - $600

  • Card scrapers $15 - $40

  • Files and rasps $12 - $250

Machinery

If you have the space and budget to invest in some machinery you will want:

  • Dust extraction $399 - $5000

  • Table saw $849 - $6500

  • Drill press $115 - $6000

  • Bandsaw $149 - $6000

  • Thicknesser $599 - $6000

  • Planar/Jointer (or planar/thicknesser combination machine) $439 - $7500

  • Router table $459 (plus router) - $1600

  • Sliding compound mitre saw $160 - $2100

N.B. The price range covers home hobbyist to light commercial machinery, industrial machinery is a different price range.

Woodturning

If it is woodturning that you would like to get into in you will need:

  • Wood lathe $450 - $6800

  • Dust extractor $399 - $5000

  • Bench grinder $150 - $1500

  • Sharpening jigs $180 - $ 400

  • Woodturning tools $65 - $200

  • Face shield $50 - $130

What else is there?

All wood working activities require consumables and personal protective equipment including screws, nails, glues, sandpaper, wood finishing products, safety glasses, hearing protection, dust masks and work gloves.

It is impossible to say what you will need and what order you should buy things in but with a bit of research (there’s heaps of great youtube channels) you’ll quickly figure out what you need to start making from your own home. See the Where to buy section for a list of stores.

Cosman