• Hi all and welcome to TheWoodHaven2 brought into the 21st Century, kicking and screaming! We all have Alasdair to thank for the vast bulk of the heavy lifting to get us here, no more so than me because he's taken away a huge burden of responsibility from my shoulders and brought us to this new shiny home, with all your previous content (hopefully) still intact! Please peruse and feed back. There is still plenty to do, like changing the colour scheme, adding the banner graphic, tweaking the odd setting here and there so I have added a new thread in the 'Technical Issues, Bugs and Feature Requests' forum for you to add any issues you find, any missing settings or just anything you'd like to see added/removed from the feature set that Xenforo offers. We will get to everything over the coming weeks so please be patient, but add anything at all to the thread I mention above and we promise to get to them over the next few days/weeks/months. In the meantime, please enjoy!

American here in Oundle (Peterborough) - Brand new to woodworking

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shortbusruss

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Name
Russ
LOCATION
Oundle/Peterborough
Hello all. Getting Into woodworking now at 50 years old, as I have always needed a hobby, and have a creative mind (at least I think so).

Played pocket billiards for most of the time since I was 18, and got pretty good at it, even put heat on a top tier pro or two at big events, although I never managed to take a pro scalp. Then, I hit my mid-40s, presbyopia hit (age related hardening of the lense in one's eye), and all of a sudden, couldn't reliably hit the long shots, so that was that.

Not less than 2 years ago, bought a top of the line tournament table, and when I moved from Germany to UK for work, just don't have room for it, even in this "large" house we are renting. So, figured it is time to sell it to free up room in the storage area of this house, and am going to use the money to fill the bank account back up after dropping money on wood and tools to get things kicking off with woodworking.

First project will be to build a furniture-grade workbench, built in three "pods", and attached via threaded inserts/bolts, but are separable for future shipping when my wife and I eventually move back to the USA. Once attached, a set of heavy duty height adjustable casters at 4 corners. The design ideas so far are - leftmost pod will be bare worktop with drawers underneath, and a flip up wing. Center pod will be mitre saw station, and below will be an 1800w Hyundai shop vacuum with filter bags, and a self-built cyclone separator. Threeway input manifold with gates exiting out back and connecting to mitre saw, table saw, and one spare hose for handheld power tools, or a vacuum head attachment for cleaning up shop. Rightmost pod will be table saw with flip up wings on side and rear, to support cutting sheet goods. More drawers underneath.

Structural frame will be 2x4s with thin side facing forward, with british oak edge banding on every forward facing structural member. Total 6' long without wings flipped up. 2x4s will be rough cut to final length + 2", acclimated to my garage, then milled to final length, square and flat at my local coop woodshop. For top, I am thinking two layers of birch plywood, for the built in flatness, and little movement over time.

Gonna use countersuck screws at all structural "front" join points, with contrasting tapered dowel plugs to give the impression of dowel joinery. All wood elements in the build finished with a half-matte polyurethane. Plywood on top will also have oak edge banding.

Going "high tech" on the dust management static solution. Thinking that threeway manifold will be attached to rear of mitre saw pod, and the cyclone box will sit on a platform that slides out on heavy duty rails,. Both threeway manifold and cyclone box will have magnetic connectors, and as the cyclone box is slid back in, these will line up close enough to be pulled into a solid connection. Thin copper wire will be run between viewport gasket and plexiglas to be glued in behind a magnet in the cyclone side's quick connect port. On the threeway manifold side, another copper wire will be glued in that connects to metal Hyundai shop vac canister. And further copper wires running down the length of the individual intake tubes to tools.

Keep in mind.. I am an absolute abject beginner to woodworking. I don't really have any experience with ANY of this stuff. I just have a bit of an engineer's mindset (I do networking and cybersecurity for NATO professionally..) But I have spent a fair few hours going over the build with Google Gemini AI, and I gotta say.. It is pretty good at pointing out gotchas here and there.. Especially if you key it in to certain concerns about wood movement, static management, etc.

Anyways.. Major tool purchases prolly coming in next week, and wifey is leaving for a month a week after that, so I will be free to start on the bench.. I will start a new project thread in the appropriate forum and attach pictures as I go.
 
Welcome to the forum, Russ.

If I had any advice for complete newcomers to woodworking, it is to focus on the basic tools first, and learn how to use them, before rushing into expensive purchases. Best to spend money on wood rather than tools, I reckon. I'd also concentrate on keeping your bench simple and robust, rather than over complex.
 
Welcome to the Haven Russ, that certainly seems like a very ambitious project for an “abject beginner”.
I do not wish to dampen your enthusiasm but perhaps a few less complicated builds to get to grips with the basics of measuring, marking, cutting to a line, keeping things square etc might not be a bad idea.
 
Hello. Before you spend a lot of energy on a mitre saw station and built in extraction, it is worth knowing that very few mitre saws have effective dust collection - it's partly the nature of the beast. The vacuum will probably get about 70% of it. I'm wondering what you plan to do with the mitre saw. I have a couple, mine was needed for timber framing, but outside of that (and stud work) it doesn't get a huge amount of use and would not be the first power tool on my list. It is also a tool that is handy when portable - so mine is on a folding wheeled stand. 12" Bosch GCM saw.

Although you have quite involved ideas for your bench, when it comes to practical woodwork, the most important thing is usually a means to hold your workpiece. I would be quite focussed on a vice system and facility for holdfasts.

I'm not fully convinced by the folding leaf bench idea. In my amateur experience, a bench needs to be as rigid and sold as possible. Planing wood on a bench that racks or rocks about, is not fun.
 
Welcome to the forum from Northumberland Russ.

+1 to what the others said about tools or you're very likely to have drawers full of unused purchases and machines standing as white elephants. As a newbie you need to walk before you run despite the initial excitement.

The workbench is a must and I'd suggest you look back on the forum at MikeG's workbench build thread which will be very useful and informative., I'd also suggest that if you make it like a piece of furniture you'll spend more time admiring it than actually making anything else, protect it by all means but it's a tool and you'll have to accept it will get damaged. I'd also suggest you look on Facebook etc for a s/h Record 52E or decent Parkinsons vice.

I of course have only a very basic tool kit and no drawers and cupboards full to bursting, 😉 at least that's what my wife thinks though she did ask a silly question when she said "why do you need dozens of planes?" :rolleyes: Eh, what, me, never, she needs her eyes tested or maybe I need to change the lock on the workshop to prevent prying eyes.
 
Welcome. Once you get started, you’ll soon learn what you need. The trick is to manage your finances and available space during the period while you’re still building up experience. If you can spend a few grand on a hobby that maybe doesn’t become a life’s passion without blinking and you’re not limited on time, space, or enthusiasm, honestly you can’t go wrong.

Is the “coop woodshop” a place that you can use for the build, to get experience on tools, and maybe in-person advice from other members?
 
AJB Temple said:
Hello. Before you spend a lot of energy on a mitre saw station and built in extraction, it is worth knowing that very few mitre saws have effective dust collection - it's partly the nature of the beast. The vacuum will probably get about 70% of it. I'm wondering what you plan to do with the mitre saw. I have a couple, mine was needed for timber framing, but outside of that (and stud work) it doesn't get a huge amount of use and would not be the first power tool on my list. It is also a tool that is handy when portable - so mine is on a folding wheeled stand. 12" Bosch GCM saw.

Although you have quite involved ideas for your bench, when it comes to practical woodwork, the most important thing is usually a means to hold your workpiece. I would be quite focussed on a vice system and facility for holdfasts.

I'm not fully convinced by the folding leaf bench idea. In my amateur experience, a bench needs to be as rigid and sold as possible. Planing wood on a bench that racks or rocks about, is not fun.
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Understood. The deal is.. I have VAT-free purchase ability through the RAF base, so in the end. I can get the very best price doing a full package deal to get a further "manager discount", then knock VAT off the full deal, so I am effectively getting the mitre saw for "free", as compared to what it would cost a normal civilian.. I do have some other larger scale projects that are going to require cutting 2x4s to length. A storage shelf solution in another room, electric mower storage shed, picnic table, etc. I am looking specifically at the Dewalt DCS777, which is a little smaller saw with internal rails, so that pod will be no bigger than 26" wide.

That being said... I could be convinced to forgo the mitre saw station altogether if I can get all my crosscutting done with the table saw. I do have plans to later attach a long wooden vise, maybe to the side of the table saw pod, and the overall idea is to route in T track across main work areas and the leaves, for stop blocks/clamping. The main pods will have an overhang for attaching F/C clamps.

I am not opposed to moving dust management under the leftmost pod, then building a fliptop, two-station setup in middle pod. I am not sure if I want to commit to a planer/thicknesses in my shop at this point, as I do have the community shop to mill rough lumber down to exact dimensions. I am open to suggestions on how to finalize the expected build before I purchase any other tools. I do know the table saw is a 100% confirmed buy at this point. Open to convincing on what else. I just don't have the time to do full handtool builds to start off with, and I have an entire month to get things off the ground while wife is away visiting family. So I want to get as much as I can done in that time period. Power Tools are kind of necessary, given that requirement.

As for your comment on the folding leaf stability... I was not planning on going for a simple locking L bracket for the foldout leaves surrounding the table saw. I was planning on a sturdier design with legs that swing down and drop onto cleats attached to wide edge of structural 2x4s. With dadoes in them for a crossbrace piece between them. Transfers the load from the outer edge down through diagonal braces to the vertical/horizontal structural pieces. I am open to suggestions.

On a side note.. I saw a super interesting build where a guy used his table clamp to drop in a custom router contraption with built in fence, to provide a storage capable router station. Thinking that might be something I am interested in, as I do want to do some champfer/roundover work.
 
AndyP said:
Welcome to the Haven Russ, that certainly seems like a very ambitious project for an “abject beginner”.
I do not wish to dampen your enthusiasm but perhaps a few less complicated builds to get to grips with the basics of measuring, marking, cutting to a line, keeping things square etc might not be a bad idea.
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Agreed. I was planning on going the "simple route" as far as joinery in the beginning, and committing more effort to visual aesthetics.. Pocket holes for hidden parts of joinery, "glue and countersunk screw" for front facing, covered with walnut dowels to give the impression of dowel joinery.. I am spending a little money at the coop to get my basic structural members square/flat, and planning on generally "creeping up" on cuts to get tight, square fits. Maybe this is just the " don't know what I don't know yet" neophyte in me, but I figure things can't really go "that" sides ways if I start with a 3 part pod setup, and focus on making the first pod a square and true torsion box with plywood on the back to keep it from racking.

That was the whole point, besides future shipping, of making this as a 3 part bolt together system... To use the first one to get things dialed in. I know watching is not doing, but I have spent a fair bit of time on youtube (and with Gemini AI, I am not gonna lie..), learning about how to build square boxes. I figure that's the one basic fundamental, right?
 
Welcome Russ, my son is involved with cybersecurity and makes a **** load of money.
Nice to see that you are plunging into wood working.
To keep this hobby or new endeavour under control $ there are tons of used tools out there, which is also fun hunting them down.
 
duke said:
Welcome Russ, my son is involved with cybersecurity and makes a **** load of money.
Nice to see that you are plunging into wood working.
To keep this hobby or new endeavour under control $ there are tons of used tools out there, which is also fun hunting them down.
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Oh, man.... While I am very very good at my job, and "generally" good with my hands, I am not so good at fixing machinery. I will have enough on my plate to figure out truing up baldes/fences to be square. It took me longer than I like to admit to figure out how to unlock the cheapo mitre saw I bought (and later returned).
 
Russ. Is it really worth building a knock down bench for future relocation. If it's 4 by 2 and plywood, just make a new one stateside?

The DeWalt battery saw you are considering has a maximum depth of cut of just over 3" and won't do compound angles. This was the problem with my small original mitre saw - not enough capacity due to the small blade. I would be tempted to buy a bigger saw in your shoes. If it's bench mounted in a saw station, does it need to be battery? I suppose later use in the US is a factor.

Edit: it is really useful for framing work (buildings) to have at least a 4" depth of cut capacity vertically. This is much reduced of course when doing compound joints if the saw is tilted with the blade at an angle. I would not buy a cross cut saw personally that did not have compound cutting functions and accurate degree markings.
 
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Welcome to the forum from another U.S. citizen, Russ! I retired as a civilian with the DoD in 2019 and remained in Germany (between Frankfurt and Mannheim).

Part of my retirement planning involved setting up a woodworking shop in my garage, funded mostly by selling all of my photography equipment. My previous woodworking experience was as a carpenter (also a journeyman electrician) building houses while still in high school. This experience didn't translate well when it came to making dovetail or mortise and tenon joints, so I took a series of hands-on courses with the late David Charlesworth in Devon.

When it came to selecting equipment, I was all velocity but no vector and made several regrettable purchases along the way, as well as the proposed location of the shop. My shop is now in the fully enclosed basement of our house, and I am very happy with the current mix of tools and equipment, most of which were bought before I retired from U.S. vendors and shipped through the APO or purchased locally using the VAT form. Since then, I added tools or machines as they were needed for projects.

Some of the machines went through a few trial purchases before ending with the current mix. For example, the DeWalt DWS780 miter saw, Triton TRA001 router, assorted Bosch routers and drills have all been replaced by Festool machines. The Holzmann jointer/planer was replaced by the SCM FS30G. The least used machine in my shop is the Kapex KS120 miter saw, but when needed, it is wonderful and relatively chip free. The DeWalt was a good saw, but was nearly impossible to control the chips and dust. I use a Dylos DC170 air quality meter to monitor the fine dust in the shop. I had to take frequent 30-90 minute breaks when using the DeWalt or any of the Bosch sanders in order for the ceiling mounted filter to clear the room. With the Kapex and Festool sanders, I can work nonstop without the fine dust becoming a problem. I still have to clean up the chips from the Kapex, but chips are not a health hazard.

One weekend, I was in the Obi hardware store in Heppenheim pricing out construction timber for my workbench. I noticed the store had the Sjöbergs Elite 2000 workbench and SM-04 cabinet on sale. Obi was dropping Sjöbergs product line and advertising the remaining stock below cost. Since Obi accepted the VAT form, the decision to buy or make was a no-brainer. If I had not bought the Sjöbergs workbench, I am confident my home built version would have been functional but would have taken much longer to put into service. My workbench is not a piece of fine furniture and I don't treat it as such. Since then, I have also built a 2x1 meter assembly table using extruded aluminum channel and 19mm Valchromat top. I use this table more than the Sjöbergs bench.

Concerning the dust extraction and static charge, there are lots of YouTube videos showing how to "safeguard" non-conductive ducting from static buildup. Based on my experience and professional training, these efforts are a waste of time and money. It is not possible to electrically ground an insulator and to the best of my knowledge, there has never been a reported case of a hobbyist shop exploding as a result of static discharge from a HVLP or LVHP extraction system. The volume and velocity of dust in a hobbyist system is not the same as an industrial environment. I visited two private workshops with dust extraction systems using plastic storm and drain pipe and fittings from the local hardware store. One was fitted with a 5HP blower assembly vented to a shed behind the shop and the other was fitted with a 3HP blower assembly using an Oneida cyclone and filters within the shop. Neither had any copper wire drains installed and I never experienced any static dischage when touching the ducts. However, if the copper wire gives you peace of mind, then have at it. :)

If you plan on returning to the U.S., you might want to consider cordless tools for your powered equipment purchase unless you are content with leaving them behind. I also recommend giving a lot of thought to what you want to make before buying tools and equipment. My journey to my current workshop was more expensive than it should have been because I didn't do enough research first.
 
Mike has nailed this. It's not about the tools or workshop. It is about what you aspire to make. I started off (aged 12-13) making model aeroplanes from balsa. Then guitars. Quite a lot. The focus was on the end product, not tools.

For a bench - walnut pegs to cover screws. Why? It's just a bench. So part of the tool kit.
 
AJB Temple said:
Mike has nailed this. It's not about the tools or workshop. It is about what you aspire to make. I started off (aged 12-13) making model aeroplanes from balsa. Then guitars. Quite a lot. The focus was on the end product, not tools.

For a bench - walnut pegs to cover screws. Why? It's just a bench. So part of the tool kit.
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Well, let me clarify a few things about why I am making the specific choices I am making. Maybe things will be a little bit clearer. My choices go a bit beyond the overall "super motivated beginner woodworker" mindset.

1. I have been a military contractor living overseas with my wife for the past 10 years in Germany, and looking to probably do at least 5 more before we decide where we want to move back to for a final USA-based "final job" location, where we will buy a home, and where I will retire. This will probably be Polk County, Florida.

2. As we have been overseas, most all of our furniture has been IKEA. Having to disassemble/reassemble the bigger furniture this last move from Germany to UK, absolutely, 100% convinced us we are pretty much throwing away/selling all IKEA furniture before we relocate back to the USA. My wife discussed this thoroughly during the move this past winter. That s**t is cheaply made, and not made to be taken apart and put back together. My furniture will be. More technically challenging to make good furniture that way that will hold up? Sure...

3. As such... A fully capable woodshop is going to be used to build an entire house full of furniture. And I want every single piece I build to have that quality, so much as I can accomplish that, right out the gate. I won't build everything out here, but I am fairly uninterested in building things I am going to be throwing away.

4. My company will subsidize the move back to the USA. So I am not all that concerned with buying/building things that will be moved back to the USA.

5. The contract has very good housing allowance and cost of living allowance, so 3,000-4,000 worth of tools is not an especially big hit to our finances.

6. Yes, I am building the workbench out of mainly 2x4s and birch plywood, so on the surface, it "looks" like I am building a disposable workbench, but those choices are mainly being made for ease of moving it around. I want to "pretty it up" with my choices of edge banding and walnut dowel plugs, because I am simply not a fan of a purely utilitarian look. And I "DO" have the right to have certain artistic leanings, yes?

7. I already feel like I am making certain compromises in my vision right out the gate with the workbench, as it is.. What I really "want" is higher end joinery, but am making allowances for the fact I am a beginner, and need to take baby steps and use simple joinery and use more economical methods of increasing visual appeal.

8. And this is an important one... When I choose to take up a new hobby.... I never "dabble". It's just not how I am built. I consume massive amounts of data on "how to do it right", and put all my energy towards that, right from the very beginning. I have read a lot of other people's posts before making my introduction, and I understand that is not everybody else's path. And I totally get that.

And finally... A bit of personal backstory that will hopefully explain my approach to taking up the hobby.... My mother died of cancer about 2 months ago. My stepfather was a tradesman electrician, but an all around handyman as well. A creative sort who drew pretty well, but did not end up doing anything with his artistic side. My mother was a bit of a dominant personality, and we had a fairly strained relationship from the time I went into the military at 17, up till her passing. At the very end when she was on the pain drugs, she was completely ready to go, and at peace with her imminent passing. And the last conversation I had with her, she was so nice, and happy. It affected me fairly deeply, and left me with an overall more positive outlook on her and her life.

That being said... My stepfather took his own life within the past day or so, leaving behind two daughters, and multiple grandchildren. I am in the middle of a trip to the USA to handle personal business, and I am currently in Montana about to meet up with my stepdaughter and son. My son is bipolar, and just got out of jail for charges related to things he did while he fell into a bad cycle. I have yet to reach out to my sisters to give them support in this trying time. That will happen today.

So.. I want to build things I will be happy to pass down to my children, so they have something to remember me by. If my son can hold on and survive this hole he has dug for himself, I want to possibly pass a full woodshop to him someday. He has a long road ahead of him, as he has lost his job, and is homeless right now, and his mother and I can't continue to support him financially for the rest of his life, as retirement age is barreling up on us full bore. Maybe if he can get his life back in order, he can stay with us for a bit when we relocate back to the US, and learn some woodworking with me.

So yes.. My entry into the hobby is more ambitious than most. I have multiple life reasons for taking it more seriously than most do when they start out.
 
Russ, that's interesting and revealing, and I hope your new venture becomes a lifelong passion for you, as it has for me and plenty of others here. I would caution you, though, that woodwork is about skills more than it is about tools, and even with Youtube to guide you these days, expect disappointing results for quite some while. Aquiring skills takes time, even if you can buy a whole workshop of tools overnight.
 
Thanks for the story Russ.

Mike is right about skills. You Tube etc would have you believe it is easy, but reality is that we have all made a lot of mistakes in our woodwork journey. That's how we learn, but it can be frustrating. Mike is a very quick worker, but the rest of us find that projects always take longer than we expect. I hope you enjoy your projects and the learning process.
 
Welcome Russ. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate. I can relate to a little bit of it.
I can't tell you what to do, of course, but I built a bench a few years ago and documented it here. If I built it again, there is not a lot I would change, just the height of the bottom front rail. It mght give you some ideas.
Bonne Chance
S
 
Very ambitious plans Russ, I wish you well and sincerely hope you manage to reach your goals.
I think most people when starting a new hobby do so with enthusiasm and there are members on here with a lifetime of knowledge and experience who can and do offer very valuable help and advice if you need or want it although from your initial posts it seems possibly not. :unsure:
 
Welcome Russ from a Brit in the US, your bench your way! and I’m sure you will have a lot of fun and learn a lot building it.
I’m sorry to let you know that this probably won’t be the last one you make though, I’m on my 5th lol.
I certainly applaud your wanting to make decent furniture, something I did on a commercial basis for quite a few years until recently.
If your employer is financing the move back home why do you want to make it knock down though? (Dismantleable)
And building furniture you will need a really sturdy bench to withstand the planing and chopping, so I recommend you build that strength into it now.
My 5th bench was under construction but has gone into storage as I build a new workshop - the Wonky Donkey Workshop , full wip (work in progress) when I restart it.
Ian
 
Hi Russ, you sound like someone that does a lot of research which will stand you in good stead. One of the main things I've learned in building things is that plans can change as you go along and things occur that require new approaches but that's part of the fun in woodworking. I use mostly handtools and although I've been tempted to buy lots of tools I think in general it's best to buy as you need and as others have said, this will be dictated to a degree by what you plan to make. Lots of big projects in a shorter time could be helped along by power tools but also depends on what stuff is available to you. I handplane a lot of rough sawn stuff but as I'm not massively pressed for time it serves as a work out and way to learn the tool and materials but now I can definitely see the attraction of something like a thickness planer for example.

I'd also second that the workbench is a tool and a good vice the heart of the workspace. My workbench is covered in cuts and dings but it doesn't in anyway affect its function. A showpiece pristine workbench to me would be like using a Ferrari to tow a trailer but no matter what it's your hobby and project and wish you the best of luck with it.

As well as Steve's video above, there are a couple of series on workbenches made with 2 x4s and a plywood workbench by Paul Sellers.
 
fuse said:
Welcome.
Nb - "Pocket billiards" is a euphemism in the uk ;)
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Lol.. It carries the same connotation in the USA, only as "pocket pool"... Though to players, "pocket" billiards is a specific reference to the games played on a table "with" pockets, such as snooker, pool, Russian pyramid, etc. Versus those games played on a table "without" pockets, such as 3 cushion, straight rail billiards, etc.
 
Planeiron said:
Hi Russ, you sound like someone that does a lot of research which will stand you in good stead. One of the main things I've learned in building things is that plans can change as you go along and things occur that require new approaches but that's part of the fun in woodworking. I use mostly handtools and although I've been tempted to buy lots of tools I think in general it's best to buy as you need and as others have said, this will be dictated to a degree by what you plan to make. Lots of big projects in a shorter time could be helped along by power tools but also depends on what stuff is available to you. I handplane a lot of rough sawn stuff but as I'm not massively pressed for time it serves as a work out and way to learn the tool and materials but now I can definitely see the attraction of something like a thickness planer for example.

I'd also second that the workbench is a tool and a good vice the heart of the workspace. My workbench is covered in cuts and dings but it doesn't in anyway affect its function. A showpiece pristine workbench to me would be like using a Ferrari to tow a trailer but no matter what it's your hobby and project and wish you the best of luck with it.

As well as Steve's video above, there are a couple of series on workbenches made with 2 x4s and a plywood workbench by Paul Sellers.
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Yup, I totally get it. I am debating whether to get the miter saw at all, or whether to use the table saw exclusively, and to build a crosscut sled for it. I really won't know what I have room for in the garage until I get the workbench built, so that is a secondary reason for building this bench as a three pod system, in case I change my mind as I go along.. "Maybe" a thickness planer is in the cards? But definitely not committing to that yet, as I can get by with the local coop woodshop for those things in the short term.

And realistically... I am doing all the edge banding because I bought some British oak for another project, and asked for extra material of same general thickness/width, and ended up getting WAY more than I expected for about £80. My plans for the workbench started with simple edge banding of the top plywood layers for protection, then evolved from there to incorporate the extra material I have that I likely will not have any other uses for.
 
To get into things with minimum delay, my advice would be to build a Joiners style bench which are simple and quick to make and very sturdy. If you then want to make something more fancy you will have a good bench on which to make it and you can push it to one side and use as an additional surface. When planning a workshop the one thing that you should work into it above all else is SPACE not just for storage of timber but for the phycological benefit. Don't fall into the trap of creating fold away/up/down stuff regardless of how good those things look on YouTube because if you cannot walk up to something and use it without fuss it will drive you crazy. Keep it simple.
 
Space is a good point. The big snag with table saws in a small workshop is handling the planks or sheet material. Even though I do have a table saw, I find a track saw much better for sheet goods, and the big chop saw for cutting timber to accurate length. I do have a bandsaw and that too gets more use than the table saw. The PT is useful and so are the big sanders.
 
I had a TS but sold it quite recently and yes there are times such as for accurate dimensioning when they are nice but so is the room it leaves. A good bandsaw more than makes up for it. PT yes because lets face it who really wants to plane boards to thickness? BTW, don't underestimate a 4" hand held battery circular saw which are great for cutting sheets and take up zero space.
 
I find that in my case I use the table saw surface often for other things apart from it's primary function. A 10" SIP so large flat cast iron bed, great for glue ups, assembly and multiple other things. My laser engraver is sitting on it at the minute, lifted off in seconds if necessary.
If I have large sheet material the tracksaw comes out, usually outside, the bandsaw is in very regular use and the saw I use least is the mitre saw, usually because it's a faff to pull it out even though on a cupboard with a mobile base. Anything else is a handsaw job.

What Ray said about having to pull out machines is dead right, it's the reason I sold my Robland planer thicknesser because it really wasn't worth the effort often enough but when space is limited everything is a compromise.
 
Welcome from Salisbury. Having just got back last night from a long trip abroad, I'm still 'firing on three' but much good sense discussed thus far. As complete newbie to this wood mangling lark I'd advise to keep it simple 'cos simple always works (at least for me) Make a straightforward, robust bench from inexpensive materials (pine legs n' stretchers, mdf top with sacrificial top) to included a decent vice(s) of choice, but most importantly, it needs to have mass and shouldn't 'rack' when planing.

Buy some good quality, basic hand tools (Workshop Heaven and Classic Hand Tools are your friends if purchasing in the UK) and learn how to use them properly. As MikeG mentioned, woodworking is about the acquisition of skills and that comes with time and practice. You will, absolutely, make mistakes along the road and although I've been doing this stuff since the early 70's, I still make them and I'm still learning.

Learn how to sharpen tools. If you can't get your tools sharp, forget woodworking.

Don't go overboard on machine tools; for the work I do I don't need a tablesaur and have owned two and disposed of two. For me, a bandsaw is far more useful. That's about it for the mo' as I need more tea...lots of it - Rob
 
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I’ve found a mitre saw useful because I’ve been doing a lot of flooring, skirting, moulding, but on the latest floor I just used a track saw for everything because I had put the mitre saw away to get some space back & didn’t want to pull it out again when I always use the track saw for rips on oak flooring anyway. The mitre saw is nice for mitres & cross cuts, but any saw can do cross cuts. A major limitation of track saw (or any circular saw) is stopped cuts which I tend to finish by hand. I don’t have a bandsaw myself, but I think the bandsaw people are on to something.
 
I think the bandsaw is very versatile. While it mightn't match a dedicated tool for specific cuts is does a great job of several different types and is excellent in getting stuff reasonably accurately dimensioned. Great for thicknessing so that planing can be minimised. I'd recommended putting your money in the best quality bandsaw matched to the likely size you'll mostly need and can afford and learning how to set it up. The best thing I did was match the bandsaw table height to my bench height so that very long stuff was properly supported when passing through.
 
My Festool mitre saw lives in the 'pseudo-workshop'. Given space is at a premium, the thought of wielding a long length of track, supporting either end of the cut, fiddling around with the actual saw, lining it all up would be enough to send me insane. I'm in a similar situation to you re flooring etc. I found that a £99.99 Screwfix mitre saw was perfect and lightweight enough to be very manouvreable.
 
RogerS said:
My Festool mitre saw lives in the 'pseudo-workshop'. Given space is at a premium, the thought of wielding a long length of track, supporting either end of the cut, fiddling around with the actual saw, lining it all up would be enough to send me insane. I'm in a similar situation to you re flooring etc. I found that a £99.99 Screwfix mitre saw was perfect and lightweight enough to be very manouvreable.
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I think a small, light, manoeuvrable mitre saw makes a lot of sense. Low cost makes it even better. Do you use the blade it came with? What do you use as a stand?

The latest floor has been prefinished oak of the kind you get in boxes, so short lengths. That meant any length could be supported on my work table in either orientation and 1.5 m track was long enough to rip an entire board in one go. With the winter weather, I had to work inside so space limited. The track just stays in one position clamped to work table supported on offcuts, slide the board under track to cut, and it’s fairly quick for both cross cuts and rips. Dogs (or a speed square) keep the cuts 90.

The previous floor boards were 2.5-3m long and the weather was better, so there it made sense to set the mitre saw up outside and use all the space and extend the supports of the stand. Still used the track saw to do the rips. Had to shift the track to do multiple cuts for the rips on those because track not long enough which is fairly straightforward by overlapping the existing cut and keeping the saw on the track with its blade in the cut to ensure correct position.

The first floor I installed I did the cutting in the room, but too much dust so I always cut in workshop or outside now.
 
For all my Furniture making I have never had either a Mitre saw or a track saw ( it was completely unknown to me) but I had a brilliant Tablesaw with crosscut built in, and now I’ve got a similar saw with a slider, I’ve always had a bandsaw but it’s never had much use. Depends I suppose what you find works well for you.
 
Windows said:
I think a small, light, manoeuvrable mitre saw makes a lot of sense. Low cost makes it even better. Do you use the blade it came with? What do you use as a stand?
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Yes but mainly because I was using it to cut the studs in a partition wall and so the finish of the cut wasn't relevant. Its next outing will probably be some engineered floorboards and I think the blade will probably be fine for those as well. Cut on the floor.

If I had to rip a board down, I'd use the track saw outside .
 
Talk of bandsaws fired me up. My faithful trusty is still hors de combat post-damp-knackering but I've found a Titan bandsaw in what looks to be very good nick for £60 and pick it up tomorrow
 
One thing I forgot to mention as an absolute requirement - Have to build a half rack for squatting/benchpress weights, with multiple dogholes for adjustability up/down to meet both my wife and I's height differences. That is actually one of the very first things I have to build, to get a workout area set up before she comes back from Belize. The sheer number of dogholes through two laminated 2x4s means one trip to the local coop woodshop "at minimum".

I think I will start off with just the table saw at first and work on getting the table saw pod/wings set up to be able to handle longer pieces of wood for crosscuts, as I need that right now, and I need it to build multiple things quickly. I will see if I can get by without the miter saw for now. Maybe this will allow me to dedicate some time to setting up a routing station, which I know 100% I will be using in the near term.

I have to get a lawn mower for the first cut of the spring in a new rental home, so the next project will be to build a little enclosure for an electric mower, that the mower can roll into and be safe from the weather.

I get what everybody is saying about to going overboard with big power tool purchases, though. But I got 3-4 builds that need to be built quickly, and would be absolutely tons easier with a miter saw. And I do want to quickly graduate to dado/rabet joinery for house furniture, and that is a lot easier with proper table saw setup, so those were the whole reason I was looking at those two tools specifically.. Open to suggestions on means to accomplish quick builds without one of them, though.. I just don't have the time to dedicate to huge amounts of hand tools usage in this initial period. I do HAVE the chisel set and a hand plane for cleaning up of course... But I need to build a workbench with drawers, full wall length shelf system for storage, a half rack weight setup, and a doghouse for the electric mower. And all of it within 5 weeks or so.
 
I had a look at bandsaws just now and anything I could afford has the fence secured at only one end.
Just like the Einhell tablesaw I got rid of.
Im getting Vietnam-style flashbacks now.😱
 
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