I am a new/old woodworker and have taken a few years of courses at Cerritos College in Southern California (for outsiders, that is the best low cost way to learn woodworking out here, they are the "papa" to all the other colleges' programs). I've learned Cabinets, furniture, turning, finishing, design of furniture, and so on. I've made things in the classes, but since I no longer attend I have had no access to a shop for 6 years. Festool has become the answer and solution to all that slows me down. I only have a 2 BR condo, with three wiener dogs, and 2 half remodeled bathrooms and no garage. I have so much to do and no space. SOLUTION: get something I can stack and put away that doesn't make a mess. So I am donating some furniture to make room for 2 MFT table(s) in my front room and I am beginning to redo my kitchen, and make a sewing table, etc. I'll have to post from time to time and let you know my progress and how easy these tools are for an almost beginner, and show you some pics as I go. I bought the plunge saw, 1400 router with 32mm guide rail, Carvex Jig saw, one of the sanders (5", since my old one is that size), Sawdust collector 2.6, and a bunch of things I understand but need to learn how to use. The road show is passing thru here on June 10th, after that I hope I will be good to go. I still need the router table but I'm not sure if I need the whole one, or the attached one. Wish me luck!
Just getting started
- Thread starter Cherilm
- Start date
Welcome Cherilm! Sounds like you are off to a great start.
There are a lot of super talented people on this forum, and other sites, who can help answer questions for you. Also, Google and Youtube have been really helpful to me as I got more familiar with my Festool's and other tools. It took me a while to come around, because of the price, but I love my MFT and might even get another so I have more clamping space. I suggest getting a pair of Parf dogs when you get your tables, they are awesome.
There are a lot of super talented people on this forum, and other sites, who can help answer questions for you. Also, Google and Youtube have been really helpful to me as I got more familiar with my Festool's and other tools. It took me a while to come around, because of the price, but I love my MFT and might even get another so I have more clamping space. I suggest getting a pair of Parf dogs when you get your tables, they are awesome.
copcarcollector
Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2013
- Messages
- 1,455
[member=61511]Cherilm[/member] [welcome]
Sounds like a great start! If Steve Bace is at your Road Show event, ask him all that you can - he is super informative and helpful.
Have fun, keep us posted on your progress.
Sounds like a great start! If Steve Bace is at your Road Show event, ask him all that you can - he is super informative and helpful.
Have fun, keep us posted on your progress.
Thanks so much to all who replied. I am excited with caution. I don't want a kick back to blow out my sliding door. So I'm taking a deep breath and a little over a week of vacation to get started. The first day off is the road show at Woodcraft so I'm all geared up.
Good luck and Welcome!
Sounds like a good plan for an apartment shop.
As your projects grow, you may want to consider a storage unit as your shop until you have the funds for a house. As you appear to live in southern California you can get a storage unit with a roll-up door, have a shop you can use year round, and no issues with neighbors complaining about noise from the tools. Festool may be a great solution for keeping dust under control but you are still going to generate a good deal of noise.
Sounds like a good plan for an apartment shop.
As your projects grow, you may want to consider a storage unit as your shop until you have the funds for a house. As you appear to live in southern California you can get a storage unit with a roll-up door, have a shop you can use year round, and no issues with neighbors complaining about noise from the tools. Festool may be a great solution for keeping dust under control but you are still going to generate a good deal of noise.
Welcome and awesome! I have taken some classes at Cerritos too -- great program. Lots of great machinery too! Maybe I will see you at the Roadshow as I plan to escape work during lunch. I might have to go to Austin the day before, though. Excited to see the big semi of tools!
Good set for your first purchases. I also recommend the Domino to speed up joinery and the Festool drills are amazing as well.
Good set for your first purchases. I also recommend the Domino to speed up joinery and the Festool drills are amazing as well.
sancho57
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 7,089
Since your near the OC, go talk to the guys at Austins Hardwoods near the bus station in Santa Ana, also the guy who owns woodcraft is pretty good to. He used to be in Stanton but He moved to Fountain Valley.
Woodcraft periodically has festool demos there. Alan Kinsley used to be the guy demoing the tools. He is awesome.
He will show you how to use almost any festool and help you with any problem you may have.
The guys at Austins are very good to. They gave a area where you can play with the tools and can help you with any issues, how to's you may have as well.
Anderson Ply is pretty good to but a bit far from OC.
Other sources are FestoolTv and calling festool directly. Instructional days like Aldo has at Intouch tools host about Twice a year.
Woodcraft periodically has festool demos there. Alan Kinsley used to be the guy demoing the tools. He is awesome.
He will show you how to use almost any festool and help you with any problem you may have.
The guys at Austins are very good to. They gave a area where you can play with the tools and can help you with any issues, how to's you may have as well.
Anderson Ply is pretty good to but a bit far from OC.
Other sources are FestoolTv and calling festool directly. Instructional days like Aldo has at Intouch tools host about Twice a year.
Thanks so much to all who replied. I am excited with caution. I don't want a kick back to blow out my sliding door. So I'm taking a deep breath and a little over a week of vacation to get started. The first day off is the road show at Woodcraft so I'm all geared up.
Yes, jobsworth, I know the guys at all those places, and I knew Joe at Austin. He was a very nice man. And I know Jim Anderson. I work almost directly across the street from Jim's place. Good suggestions! I'm getting most of my ply from Jim, and my wood from Austin for the most part. We must have run into each other and not known it, we have all the same friends!
Cherilm said:
Festool are great at dust collection with their vacs and tools with integrated dust ports, as are a number of other manufacturers. However, don't believe all the hype, videos may show dust free working, but they're well staged, ideal circumstances and low volume repetition. In the real world I wouldn't fancy using the space I live and sleep in as even a temporary workshop space!
sancho57
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2011
- Messages
- 7,089
Cherilm said:
I used to go to Austins on Fridays and stock up on hardware or Ply eat their popcorn and pull up a stool and chat with Drew. I heard that Drew is no longer there. If ya saw a fat old man with a little brown doggie running around sniffing everything that was me. I used to take my doggie there. they were real good about letting dogs in the shop, they'd even give her biscuits.
Ill be back in the states next year around this time. Once my stuff gets there and I set my shop up ill be hanging out there again.
To Bobfog and Motown, thank you for your input. My front room is a temporary fix. My back room is the final location but before I can use it I have to make the space to work in. Moving my sewing into my new area in my own room, and making a better room inside a room for my dogs off the hall bath so they can safely watch while I work.
I have also gotten the Veritas MFT SYS kit with all types of devices that work for holding material while you work. Lee Valley makes it, Veritas is their hand tools division. I have a number of their hand planes and other tools I have collected waiting for my "shop". I will get organized. Someone said I should get a storage space, but I can't, the heat in the summer and cold in the winter(though mild in SoCal) is still too much for me. I need the A/C badly. And hand tools don't make much noise. So I'm not worried. The family next door has 5 kids and I'm close to the pool where noise is a common thing, so I'm not worried about it. But thank you for your concern. It did occur to me. When I tested the tools at Woodcraft they were much quieter than the ones I already have. The attached sawdust collection captures a good percentage of the noise.
I have also gotten the Veritas MFT SYS kit with all types of devices that work for holding material while you work. Lee Valley makes it, Veritas is their hand tools division. I have a number of their hand planes and other tools I have collected waiting for my "shop". I will get organized. Someone said I should get a storage space, but I can't, the heat in the summer and cold in the winter(though mild in SoCal) is still too much for me. I need the A/C badly. And hand tools don't make much noise. So I'm not worried. The family next door has 5 kids and I'm close to the pool where noise is a common thing, so I'm not worried about it. But thank you for your concern. It did occur to me. When I tested the tools at Woodcraft they were much quieter than the ones I already have. The attached sawdust collection captures a good percentage of the noise.
Don't worry guys, I know tools are not silent and there would be some mess, and I knew it before I bought anything. I've been checking this out for over 6years. It was a big decision and I procrastinated as long as I could. I know there is hype, but I checked it all out and I'm happy with my decision.
I'm making my list of questions and getting ready.
I'm making my list of questions and getting ready.
