Getting into furniture making

[beesonthewhatnow]

How much do I need to spend on a router?

I've only had a £50 B&Q job before - virtually impossible to get anything decent out of it.

I'm about to buy a router, currently trying to decide between a Makita 3612, DeWalt 625 or a Trend T11. All seem to go for between £200 - £250.

Remember to allow for bits as well, good ones aren't cheap. Avoid the various sets that are available and just buy what you need, all the sets I've seen seem to include odd ones I'd never use.

 

[Cid]

Festool are the best, but stupidly expensive... I think I'd go for a 1/2" to start with, they're heavier, more expensive and harder to use but can take 1/4" bits with a collet (which these days you need to buy separately ), are much better for use in router tables and tend to have better stuff with them (extraction adapters, centering things etc). I have both and probably use them about equally, but we have a spindle molder that takes router bits so I don't ever need to use a table, whereas working at home you'll use one a lot.

I use a Trend T11 1/2" and a Trend T5EK (which came with the fine height adjuster when i bought it). It's the same basic design as a DeWalt/Elu (DeWalt used to be called Elu), but the newer DeWalts (since DeWalt was bought by B&D) aren't quite as good as they once were. There's not all that much in it, but the Trend is better for router tables... It has a fine height adjuster that (aside from being much better quality and more precise than the DeWalt) can screw into the base of the router. This means that when the router is upside down in a table, the fine height adjuster can stick up through a hole, which is useful. Also the trend comes with a guide bush centering thing, which works ok and the other accessories (extract spout thingy and guide bush) are better quality than the DeWalt. Oh, and i think it has a longer guarantee. The DeWalt does come with a 1/4" collet though and is about £30 cheaper.

DeWalt is around £200, Trend around £230 (shop around though, lots of deals to be had, just found this which includes the 1/4" collet for the trend free). I wouldn't really go any lower than that, you'll be using it a lot and probably for some fairly heavy duty stuff, so a cheaper model is just going to break.

Have to remember you need bits too.

 

[Cid]

I'm about to buy a router, currently trying to decide between a Makita 3612, DeWalt 625 or a Trend T11. All seem to go for between £200 - £250.

Remember to allow for bits as well, good ones aren't cheap. Avoid the various sets that are available and just buy what you need, all the sets I've seen seem to include odd ones I'd never use.

Site i linked to earlier (Wealden Tools) is very good for router cutters, cheaper than the trend pro range but better quality than most.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I use a Trend T11 1/2" and a Trend T5EK (which came with the fine height adjuster when i bought it). It's the same basic design as a DeWalt/Elu (DeWalt used to be called Elu), but the newer DeWalts (since DeWalt was bought by B&D) aren't quite as good as they once were. There's not all that much in it, but the Trend is better for router tables... It has a fine height adjuster that (aside from being much better quality and more precise than the DeWalt) can screw into the base of the router. This means that when the router is upside down in a table, the fine height adjuster can stick up through a hole, which is useful. Also the trend comes with a guide bush centering thing, which works ok and the other accessories (extract spout thingy and guide bush) are better quality than the DeWalt.

Hmmm, looks like I'll go for the T11 then

 

[northeastoipunk]

spindles

Nice - did you turn the spindles yourself?

yes it was all done in green ash appart from the seat which was a bit of kiln dried stuff i had lying around which was made in 2 parts book matched and buscuit jointed .the spindles were done on pole lathe which was quite difficult because it was a minature piece the spindles were very narrow diameter and were prone to whip

 

[eoin_k]

I did a two day course on an electric lathe last year. Had a great time but I would need a bit more practice to get the hang of it.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Gotta love a man who digs vinyl.

You could make some change around here doing custom speakers for the hip hop crowd.

 

[ringo]

Cheers, I forgot to mention the 12"/Lp racks I just knocked together from plywood but the 7" singles cabinet on the left has been my main attempt at proper joints so far. Just made planks out of thin strips of pine and then used housing joints to build it. By the end of the project I'd almost got them straight!

Reckon I can make a few quid with record boxes. I like building speakers but it's really just plywood, glue and screws so I want to move on from there. Not that I'd turn down some work if I needed the money, I know plenty of sound system addicts who'd like big bass bins. Not sure about big cabinets, although I know one person interested in the 7" job above, but one thing record collectors love is old Schweppes boxes for storing singles. Hard to find these days, especially in good condition, so reckon I might practice dovetail joints reproducing a few of these and see if I can sell them. Vinyl Cat not included.

 

[ringo]

Cid, I've been using your advice as best I can, it's been very helpful getting me on my way.

It's slow, 'cos so many of the tools are expensive, but I've picked a few up. I went to that woodwork show at Alexandra Palace and had a good chat to some helpful and some very awkward "experts". I was eventually persuaded by the man from Cliftons to buy one of their 5 1/2 Jack planes and have since got a Lie-Nielsen 90 1/2 adjustable mouth block plane, the Ice Bear waterstone kit you recommended and a honing guide.

After spending 5 hours working on the Jack plane yesterday I now understand why all the old blokes at the woodwork show were buying grinding wheels.

It's tricky just using 240 grit paper, then an 800 and 6000 stone but I think I learned a lot by doing it all by hand. I was just about proficient enough by the end to put a second bevel on the blade. Trouble was by the time I finished it was dark and then I had to read up again on how to set the plane up properly so I'm yet to actually try the thing out.

Dovetail saw will be coming next, looking forward to actually doing some work with them all. Cheers again for your help.

 

[ringo]

Three months on, still trying to afford more tools! Working up the courage to blow over £200 on chisels at the mo. Would love one of those lovely Japanese sets but they're even more expensive than the Lie-Nielsen jobs. Worth it or just beautiful to look at/handle?

I have got a flippin lovely L-N dovetail saw now though.

Current job may be going down the pan, wish I could actually move into this now instead of thinking of having to apply for another IT job.

 

[ringo]

Ten years on, back to this again.
Got as far as a job lined up restoring antique furniture last time, but then the antique dealer got cold feet decided not to expand. Had a baby a few months on and couldn't justify the year long cabinet making course. Went back to IT and have spent ten years hating it.
Don't have such a need for that wage now so time to jack it in and do something rewarding I reckon

 

[friedaweed]

Ten years on, back to this again.
Got as far as a job lined up restoring antique furniture last time, but then the antique dealer got cold feet decided not to expand. Had a baby a few months on and couldn't justify the year long cabinet making course. Went back to IT and have spent ten years hating it.
Don't have such a need for that wage now so time to jack it in and do something rewarding I reckon

There seems to be a bit of a market in working with reclaimed stuff currently mate. Best of luck to ya

I've been cutting up woof in my shed for decades, passed down from the old man, and I've had a few people prod me about making a go at if professionally. My biggest problem is I don't like parting with the stuff I've made Plus I quite like my job.

Keep us all informed

 

[heinous seamus]

(BTW, the "wrong side of 35" is under 35, IMHO. Young'uns don't know shite.)

(Getting that in while I still can)

 

[heinous seamus]

I have actually been looking to get into woodworking lately. So far I've bought a plane

 

[ringo]

There seems to be a bit of a market in working with reclaimed stuff currently mate. Best of luck to ya

I've been cutting up woof in my shed for decades, passed down from the old man, and I've had a few people prod me about making a go at if professionally. My biggest problem is I don't like parting with the stuff I've made Plus I quite like my job.

Keep us all informed

I'm not sure about that upcycling business, making bookshelves out of a mangle and a broken stepladder doesn't hold much appeal, but doing up something and giving it a bit more life I could go for.

I think the time for becoming a master cabinet maker has gone for me, sadly. I enjoyed seeing Cid 's skill and expertise in the workshop, but it was rubbish to hear that the incredible, and hard won, craft of cabinet making he'd achieved wasn't appreciated enough to earn the good wage it deserved. And that was a decade ago, what now cid? I hope things are better.

I fancy doing a bit of repair and renovation, selling on, we'll see.

I need to cut stress before I cark it, and do something I like, so time will tell.

 

[Boudicca]

My friend is a cabinet maker with a big workshop in Bermondsey and he rents space to a couple of other woodworkers.

He's really good at his craft, but not so good at budgeting and dealing with customers, so you might be able to help each other.

PM me if you want contact details.

 

[friedaweed]

I'm not sure about that upcycling business, making bookshelves out of a mangle and a broken stepladder doesn't hold much appeal, but doing up something and giving it a bit more life I could go for.

I think the time for becoming a master cabinet maker has gone for me, sadly. I enjoyed seeing Cid 's skill and expertise in the workshop, but it was rubbish to hear that the incredible, and hard won, craft of cabinet making he'd achieved wasn't appreciated enough to earn the good wage it deserved. And that was a decade ago, what now cid? I hope things are better.

I fancy doing a bit of repair and renovation, selling on, we'll see.

I need to cut stress before I cark it, and do something I like, so time will tell.

Yeah I know what you mean mate but I don't mean making lampshades out of hoovers and kenwood mixers. I mean making nice kit out of old reclaimed wood

Have a look at some of the stuff I've made on the crafty thread.

I managed to grab hold of 20 odd lengths of 300 yr old oak a year ago when some lads were pulling a house to shreds in town. I gave them 20 sovs for a beer and ended up with some shelves that I've twice now been offer 3 ton a piece for

I wont even show people my teak work horses



This sort of thing