Weak wordplay aside, I've wanted to get a handle on the handier skills for a while now, and a few people say this is the place to be. 25yo security guard in a big Canadian city, broke and living in an apartment. Woodworking seems like an accessible first step, and if it's alright to ask for help in an intro post, I'd like your advice on something - how do you guys work outdoors? I got a little room, behind my basement apartment. And my upstairs neighbours have a patio, with maybe 5' of room under it. Thinking I could just store a bench and wood/projects under a tarp, under the patio. Keep the handtools inside. When it's nice out, just take the tarp off, roll/drag the stuff out, bring out the tools, get to sawing and hammering and joining and whatever else woodworkers do when making tables and mandolins and all that. When it's raining, hang the tarp up, work under it. Maybe that'd even be enough for snow? Alternatively, maybe get/make myself a stool and a low workbench, and just work under the patio the whole time.
If you've got room for a bench you can pull out, go with that, locking casters work pretty well if you have to wheel stuff about, even for a bench you are going to plane on. If you've nowhere big enough for a bench to stay, make something that knocks down (moravian, or something simpler), I just made a sawhorse sized bench that fits in a fairly small corner, a low roman bench would do similar that could fit in a smallish bit of free space (Or double as a coffee table).
Depends on the size of the little room you have (And for hand tools only you can go pretty small). If there was no room for a bench I'd make a narrow (12-18") bench to stay outside as a starting point and work the rest out from there - you could expand to a knockdown bench, or just keep it as is and add a sawhorse of the same height if you end up wanting to use sheet goods.
As always, a lot of what you want to build makes a big difference to what kind of workshop you want to end up with - could turn out you really like whittling and just need a rocking chair to chill in ;)
Plenty of the people here started off simple, heck LittleBlackDuck has some postings on when he caught the bug making a chest on his apartments patio. Primary is a place to work and something to hold parts as you work. A work surface (i.e. workbench) can be something as simple as an old door on saw horses. A few clamps and you are on your way.
so glad to see you join us sam. yes you came to the right place for help. we have an incredible amount of talent here that loves to share their knowledge. i wish more people like you would join us and just ask ! ive seen people make amazing stuff in places similar to yours. if there is a will you will find a way. and we have many here that will help ! for very small spaces hand tools may be the way to start your journey. ive been growing my shop for over 35 years now and there is no end in sight. i started in the garage of a home i rented with a small job site makita table saw and grew from there. just keep asking specific questions and someone will help ! check out the various forums.
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
.... in a big Canadian city, broke and living in an apartment.
Personally cheap/broke and woodworking in the same sentence is an oxymoron... but don't let this moron dissuade you... it is highly rewarding and once you get yourself set up it tends to appear to be a tad cheaper.
.... in a big Canadian city, broke and living in an apartment.
When I started out, I liven in a 1st. floor flat (probably called an appartment in Canuck) and my first project was a chest... which goes to prove it's possible.
RC (RobsCastle) is renowned for a pissant sized workshop and does most of his great work in his back yard, on the driveway and lawn... though it's a long drive from Canada to Queensland and you may need to find your own driveway/lawn.
Yrti, shows a lot of tiles in many of his projects, so I'm assuming he also does a lot in confined spaces... though he specialises in hand tools which by their nature do not have big foot prints..
First thing is to establish your niche (if you can), and there is invaluable advice available only for the asking. Suggest you don't ask what brand or you'll be inundated with 1,000 replies and none the wiser in the end... better to ask what type do people recommend... will get nearly as many different replies, but with nearly, you'll have a few less choices to simplify the matter... a tad.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
Welcome Sam, you have arrived at a good site, with many good members that are will to help others out and give suggestion.
As for a small space I can relate, before moving south I was working out of a one car garage (the car needed to be parked in there at night) I have a 3' x 7' bench on the back wall and a few tools stored under and on some shelving. I built a cabinet to hang above that had a peg board center, everything within easy reach.
Splinter mentioned above your bench could be an old door on horses. I was in the construction trade, and usually set up horses with a of plywood on top, I could put a small table saw and miter saw on there and have room to work on a bench.
LBD (Little Black Duck) mentioned it find your niche and determine how much room you really need. Doing smalls will not require much room. Look up Les Hastings, he built a portable / travel bench that looked pretty good and useful. Traveling Work Bench - Woodworking Project by Les Hastings - Craftisian
Fellas, I appreciate the feedback - only reason I've taken so long to reply is that I can't figure out how to reply to you individually, like on some other social media! Lester Freamon from The Wire was more than a bit of an inspiration for getting me started in woodworking specifically, so starting w/smalls & carving like MikeB, LBD, and the Loft suggested is right up my alley. On the other hand...I do kinda like this dude's style. Here's hoping.
guys ive mentioned this before, but if you have someone you know trying to join let martin know and he will green light em right away ! it's all just to keep the spammers out. and it has worked very well !
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
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