Popular Woodworking 2006-08 № 156, страница 38

No matter what your style of woodworking, you need a basic set of hand tools.

Here's where to begin.

Your First

TOOLKIT

When I came to America, I had a lovely wife, two suitcases and 50 bucks. Oh man, where do I start?

Everybody needs a basic tool kit, especially if you want to do woodworking. I had a limited budget. Starting out in America, I got paid low wages even though I was a Master; they tried to blame it on my language skills. Thank God my first boss did not treat me well or I'd probably still be working for him!

I started to buy tools and build this toolbox. The first tool I got was a 10" dovetail saw. You need a marking gauge; I made one. I also bought a 6' folding ruler.

A week later I went to the same store and bought a nice set of chisels that included Vs", 1/4", 3/s", 1/2", 3/4" and a 1" chisel. I bought a two-sided Arkansas oilstone, one side rough and the other super fine. The salesman wanted to sell me sharpening oil; I told him I use kerosene.

I kept going: A No. 4 Stanley smoothing plane, low-angle block plane, small hand saw, two hammers and two mallets - I made one on a lathe and the other is square. At a flea market I found an old Stanley No. 7 jointer plane.

I kept asking around about where to find old tools. I went to tool-collector meetings and tool sales. I found beautiful Stanley planes with Brazilian rosewood handles and brass fittings, and I began collecting them very fast.

But let's get back to the basic toolkit. To work wood, you need squares: a framing square and a couple of any brand of small squares, 8" or 6". Plus a 1" putty knife - make sure the blade is flexible - an awl and screwdrivers. You need at least five flat-head screwdrivers (your screwdriver should fit the screw) and three Phillips-head screwdrivers. Rasps: a Nicholson No. 50 patternmaker's rasp and bastard-cut rasp, a mill file, a cabinetmaker's scraper, a scraper burnisher, nail sets and pliers.

by Frank Klausz

Educated in the Hungarian trade-school system, Frank is a master cabinetmaker, author and owner of Frank's Cabinet Shop in Pluckemin, New Jersey, which specializes in fine furniture reproductions and custom architectural fixtures. He also teaches woodworking. For more information, visit frankklausz.com.

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Popular Woodworking August 2006