Wet behind the ears

[LonerMatt]

Hey guys and girls,

I've always wanted to be able to make my own furniture and at the ripe age of 20 I decided to start. My family is not handy, we have 1 drill, 2 hammers and some old wood laying around, woodworking is not a tradition amongst us.

I've got no experience, no tools and no idea about what woodworking involves or how to do it.

My lack of knowledge led me to the internet, which is one of the reasons I'm here!

After a bit of research (only a little) it seems that making my own wood working bench is a fine (and hopefully realistic way) to start woodworking. Ideally I want to be able to make some simplistic furniture in a year or two, just bookcases, a new desk and some draws and shelves . Hopefully nothing too ambitious.

For my bench I found these two websites that seemed a good idea:
Simple workbench plans
Building A Basic Work Bench

Is either one 'better'? The second link seems a bit simpler (no dowel joints), but each plan seems fairly straight forward and do-able (with a bit of hard work).

I have a few other questions I hope you guys can answer:
- Is making my own bench a good place to start? Are these plans do-able and worthwhile?
- What is a woodworking club? What goes on there?
- Does anyone know a good place for tools (preferably second hand)?
- What are some good, basic tools I should get? I was thinking of doing the workbench with what I have (a drill and a hand saw) and adding some clamps and then going on from there with a circular saw
- Are there any good/great places to check for used material? There are two local salvage yards I'm going to check out tomorrow, but maybe there's a famous place I don't know about.
- Any advice for someone who is enthusiastic but naive?

[Manuka Jock]

Matt ,
apart from the shelf , they are much of a muchness .
Both are good , so I reckon do whichever one makes sense to you.
The shelf is good , it also helps brace the legs
have fun ,
keep us posted with pics

[munruben]

I agree, either would be ideal and reasonable easy design. The dowels would not be hard to do as they are drilled straight through and a good option. whichever you choose a bench is very necessary. Welcome to the mad house

[Christos]

Welcome to the site. I cannot comment on the workbench plans as I have yet to make out. I am working off a small table that I have stacked wood on top to get some height and wood under to get some weight. Still wobby, but travel.

Local timber yards in Melbourne I am not sure. Salvage yards are good that will allow you to look at reclaimed wood. Be aware that in reclaimed wood nails or screws could be in them.

On the tools front little harder to say but ebay is a source of a guide on prices. Ruler and pencil will always come in handy.

[artme]

G'day Matt and welcome to the world's biggest shed!!

Your little intro made me chuckle. You are going to fit in very well.

I agree with what has been said about benches. So hop in and make a start.

[woodworm1]

Matt,
Both designs will work, but I agree with Manucka Jock, bracing would be a good move. Triangulation always produces a stiffer frame.

On the side a benefit of the basic workbench design is that if the bench legs are not quite square you can realign them with some carefully cut lower pieces or packing, worked for mine.

[LonerMatt]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Any advice regarding a wood working club? What about any good salvage yards (are they all the same)?

[bsrlee]

If you are starting out & don't have a lot of money for stuff, get to know your local library. Most libraries have a fair selection of woodworking/DIY books, probably not the latest stuff but its a start.

Ask the staff about 'Inter Library Loan' - its a system where your local library can get books in for you to have a look at (and possibly photocopy the best bits) at no charge. Mostly you can't take the ILL book home but have to read it at the library.

You can also 'subscribe' to a few good online nesletters from the US woodworking mags - for Benches I'd recommend Popular Woodworking's site -http://www.popularwoodworking.com - Chris Schwarz aka Mr Workbench is one of the editors & a regular on the newsletter on benchs & hand tools.

[LonerMatt]

G'day guys.

I went down to the salvage yard and found a solid core door for the top. 2 meters long, 81 cm wide and 6 cm thick! It cost me $70, and I probably paid too much being new and impressionable and unsure. But it's all a lesson!

I rooted around in my shed (well, my parent's shed) and found a few pieces of wood to start the frame.

I'm wondering now about legs - how thick would they need to be to support this weight well? Is 5 cm x 5cm enough? Should I go larger?

Additionally the 'frame' I'm making for the door to go on to is leading me to a few new questions. Essentially I'm thinking I make 2 symmetrical rectangles (200 cm long, 70 wide) and attack the legs on the inside corner, just with screws and glue. This would be a departure from the designs I looked at above, but it'd be easier for me to make. Structurally would there be any problems or weaknesses?

I'm also thinking of making the door shorter! 2 meters is a lot of length! Maybe I should just borrow a circular saw!

Also: if I'm looking for lengths of wood at specific measurements is Bunnings an OK place to go to pick things up? For the legs I'll do some measurements of height, width and depth is it worth going to Bunnings? Is it cheaper to buy a long piece and cut it myself?

[Col]

Matt

If you are in the West go to the following for all of your timber needs. Bunnings only sell timber suitable for boomerangs as none of it is straight and it costs too much.

North Laverton Timber & Building Supplies

Rear 22 Fitzgerald Rd, Laverton, VIC 3026
p: (03) 93609040

This bloke buys timber from the auctions and resells it. Prices are good too.

For all of your tools go here

Just Tools

180 Clarendon St
South Melbourne VIC 3205
(03) 9696 5722

Tell them you are starting out and what you need and they will most likely sort you out and give you a bit of a discount as well. I used to send all of the apprentices there.

Col
Hoppers Crossing Vic...

[Manuka Jock]

Matt ,
the door sounds fine for a lightweight bench top , You will have to give it good support tho.
The 50mm x 50mm (5cm x 5cm) (2 inch x 2 inch )sticks won't be any good as legs , bearers , struts , cross braces etc on this workbench .
All of the above will need to be at least twice that , as in 100mm x 50 mm . Knot free timber , or as close as you can get .
The plans that you have posted call for 100x 50 , go with that

PS. The timber trades in OZ. and NZ usually work in meters M , and millimeters mm .
Two are better that three , less confusion

[LonerMatt]

Thanks for the suggestions Col! I'm in Newport, so both of those are good.

Makuna:

So, what's a good support? I want 1 meter length, but width and depth I'm not fussy about. 70 x 70? 100 x 100? (in mm).

That'd be for the four legs.

But you've got me second guessing the timber I found in the garage.

I found 4 pieces that were of suitable size (quality is not my forte). 2 were 2 meters long and about 70 mm wide - and the other two were MDF boards. I was going to use the salvaged timber to form the frame around the legs. Maybe that's not a good idea?

Also: would it be advisable to hand plane the door before attaching it to the frame? I notices the edges were a bit rough and dirty. I guess it's more a look and feel issue rather than structurally.

[LonerMatt]

Oh also:

I made a list of the tools I'll need to use for this project. The thing I'm most hung up about is whether to hand saw, borrow a jigsaw or circular saw or buy one (hesitant!). I'm not in any rush so I can wait and save.

Will 2 clamps be enough do you think? Do I need more? Or less?

[Manuka Jock]

Matt , in general , if you are going to follow a plan , then follow that plan .

MDf is not a good idea for this other that for a well supported shelf . It is only cardboard after all
Yep ,clean the top up a bit , don't cut it , just flick over it with sandpaper . its a workbench after all .
You need quality timber for structural integrity . A bluddy great knot in a leg or bearer ain't that

Use the hand saw , its only 100 mm timber that you are cutting , and the skill is worth learning .
No clamps will be needed in this project
All the tools you need for this is a saw , a hammer , a rule , a square and a pencil .

[LonerMatt]

Matt , in general , if you are going to follow a plan , then follow that plan .

MDf is not a good idea for this other that for a well supported shelf . It is only cardboard after all
Yep ,clean the top up a bit .

You need quality timber for structural integrity . A bluddy great knot in a leg or bearer ain't that

Gotcha! I'm endeavoring to stick closest to the plan I have, but the door I got doesn't match up with the measurements exactly, so the lengths of the frame wouldn't be appropriate, I imagine.

The plan said 3 feet by 7 feet. My door is 2.8 x 6.9 - so slightly smaller.