I’m just curious how many homebrewers on here are also wood workers? I would like to start making furniture and have already spent plenty of money on tools before even beginning a project. Sounds alot like my brewing endevour…seems like alot of reward can be had though, just as in making your own beer.
I have as many tools for wood in our tiny apartment as for beer. I don’t make fine furniture though. It’s an essential skill
What kind of tools do you have? I recently discovered lie Nielsen so I have a few very expensive planes and chisels…
I enjoy woodworking and making furniture and CRAFT BEER. After a project or screwing around in the garage I have a beer for a job well done. I like to watch youtube to get ideas and technics. I will also after watching, I will add something and or take something out of an idea.
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I do also…
Sneezles61
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Expensive tools are nice but just like expensive brewing equipment it isn’t necessary for the craft. I’m not a furniture maker but I’ve worked with wood for a good part of my career doing most phases of carpentry from building forms to building stairs and cabinets. I’ve worked in some nice woodshops and worked on site with some pretty basic tools. My advice is buy the tools as you need them and leave the beer alone until the tools are shut down for the day.
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I’m with you! There is a tool for everything you can imagine… But to use imagination to do almost everything with very few tools is what makes you crafty… Plan draw and build in your head first… The mistakes will be fewer
Sneezles61
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I’m a machinist by trade so I can appreciate quality tools and have an apt for measuring as well as an eye for detail. Making your own furniture just seems like such exciting endeavor.
I’ve made quite a few things… Getting crafty with what few tools you have, takes a little more time… Resetting up for tasks… I don’t have a joiner… So I run it through my planer… It works… Get 2 routers… I monster for table top and a smaller one for small hand work… Bits… That’s like buying barley or hops… You’ll need many…
Sneezles61
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We have a custom made CNC cutter coming to work after our Covid19 Pause. I can hardly wait to use it.
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I thought my ultimate calling in life was carving really neat tap handles.
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I have a friend who turns handles on a lathe and sells them to local Portland breweries. Makes around 200 a piece for them.
I work with cnc machines and manual machines for metal every day. Went to an interview at a manual machine shop last month and the 40+ year veteran scoffed at the idea of them. I think they are incredible and alot of fun. Been wanting to get a cnc router for my home shop, maybe in a few years.
The cnc plasma cutters are really amazing as well.
I accidentally removed my post trying to post this picture of a lathe. We went to a 100k sq foot warehouse filled with only lathes and mills. The wasn’t even the biggest one.
What are you making you need a lathe that long? Threading long pipes for well drilling/fracking?
Sneezles61
The biggest ones they had came out of a GE factory that made crank shafts for hydroelectric plants.
Making a pirate chest for one of my grandchildren out of l old mahogany out in my garage yesterday and today. I am wearing my resparator which unfortunately I didn’t do for to many years. So you guys that are just getting into it resparator and ear protection please. The best wood shop requires a good air filtration system.
I have hearing loss in my left ear from too many loud concerts in tiny venues plus exposure at work.
I’m a big fan of the following ear protection…
https://www.decibeldefense.com/collections/all
We keep inexpensive bulk purchased eye protection at all our stations so there is never an excuse for not being able to find it or that it’s too dirty.
Apparently the darker the wood the more dangerous it is for longterm lung exposure.
I was working with ipea the other day. Nasty stuff, very fine dust. Goes through a standard dust mask. That’s why I wear an N95 for virus protection. Got really messed up working with cedar without a mask.
