mickeyt

Newbie to woodworking small shop type projects. I do have experience in general carpentry, as in remolding work, but cutting 2 X4s is different then shop type woodworking, and I want to learn as much as I can.

I retired from Law enforcement after 23 years in 1996 at age 55. Decided to try wood working at that time, bought a few tools and tried it for awhile, but never got into it like I should have. Along the way I picked up on wood carving, which I liked a lot and still do some now and then, never was real good at it, but it help me in understanding some woodworking.

I’m a jack of most things and a master of none. LOL
Since my retirement check and the bills were fighting with each other, I got into the rental business, and that is how I learned to cut all the 2 X 4’s.

I have been planning my shop for many years waiting for the time I would be ready to use it. I have been buying and storing away different tools so I have a good start on a pretty nice shop I think.
I have been lurking here at Lumber jocks for about 6 months or so and thought it was time to jump in and get more involved. I find it one of the best if not the best internet site on woodworking there is, the folks on here seem real nice and treat each question by newbie’s like myself with respect as in there is not a stupid question.
I have learned so many different ways of doing woodworking in the past 6 months just by this site.
I don’t know what else to add to this but I guess I can add to it later if you guys think I need to.

Well after reading an email I received after signing up, I guess I’m suppose too give you all some information on my shop.
Well my shop is a converted milk barn, with a hay loft on top, is is about 1200 square foot on the bottom and 1200 in the loft. The exterior is make of an older type red clay block that was used in this area years ago. Only real problem is the it only has a 7 foot high ceiling, guess the guy that built it was short or was out to save a little money when it was built LOL.
The shop is insulted and has air conditioning and propane heat by a house type furnace.
I have an area that is about 10 foot by 10 foot that can be closed off by a door way as a finishing room.
In the finishing room I have a spray system for finishing and also use it to store some of my construction tools (air guns and such) closed off from the spraying.
The rest of the shop is a work in progress, as I am trying to arrange the wood working equipment in areas that will work best for me.

Some of the shop equipment I have.

Dust collectors:
I have three, each is only 1 hp and I have only two set up at this time and should have the last one working pretty soon. Each of them are exhausted to the outside to reduce the finer dust. I live in the country outside of town and have no issues with people living close by. Each one goes through a trash can to get the bigger stuff before blowing out side.

Table saw :
Older model 10 inch Delta contractor type, I have had it for about 15 years, It works pretty good, but I am looking to replace with something that is better.
Drum sander:
16/32 Performax . Just picked this up last month and really love it.

RAS:
Sears 10 inch, not the best saw but I use it a lot for just cutting boards to length.

Jointer:
Sears 6 inch, I don’t use this at all, have had it for many years and could never get set right, I am working on it now trying to set it up.

Shaper:
Sears 2 hp, Have not used this much, picked it up a long time ago,. I need to find some cutters for it.

Planers:
I have three, one is a Delta 12 inch, one is a Dewalt 733 12 inch that I like, and the other is a Sears 12 ½ inch that needs a new set of blades, but Sears is the only place I can find them and they want to much for them.

Routers:
Have 5, but never have used them much, I do use one in a small table top table for making roundovers through the years but that is about it, I do not have much experience with routers.
I also have a shop smith over head router with a table mounted Sears router in the table, I am just starting to use this one but have never used the over head one yet.

Band saw:
Older 14 inch Delta, which I have used a lot over the years.

Smaller tools:
Just about everything, but you can’t have to many right. LOL Most of these are from remolding over the years.
Boy I don’t want this to seem like a gloat, as I know some of the guys don’t have as much as I have, but then some have a lot more. I’m 69 years old and it has taken me many years to acquire what I have.
I’m also just learning how to use a computer, I’m hoping that I can figure out how to post stuff.
Ok I’m ready to make some saw dust, I just retired and ready to get with it.

-- Do it right the first time