where to get nice hand tools?

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naomij

Joined: 03 Mar 2011
Posts: 379
Location: Kent coast

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 12:52 am Post subject: where to get nice hand tools?

I would like to get a selection of nice hand tools for my son's bday, and for me to borrow too around the house...we are both totally inept at woodwork etc, what do I need and where to buy it (preferably all at once would be good) are some things better than others seconhand/new etc? I was thinking toolbench (are they low enough for 9year old?) saws, hand drill (do they take standard bits?) vice...er, what else? He has had a childs tool set but it was crap...

He'd like a whittling knife, which sounds fun but scary, any good books or something you can recommend so we can learn together without stabbing ourselves too often?

crofter

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 2252

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 1:00 am Post subject:
For a nine year old with a hammer, every job will require a lot of nails.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 1:13 am Post subject:
my eldest started young with tools ,mortice chisel at 4 yrs if the tools are fit for purpose teach the skills get real tools

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 6:55 am Post subject:

Edged tools, even power tools, are perfectly safe if used properly. The first thing, I suggest, is to find some simple projects he can do and then choose the tools he needs to make them.

As far as workbenches go, get a proper one and let him make a trestle to stand on to use it, as his first project.

For that, a vice, a hand saw, a hand drill, bradawl and screwdriver. 30cm and 1m steel rules for marking out, a Stanley knife and carpenter's pencil. A block plane, couple of clamps.

Plenty of waste wood to practice on.

baldybloke

Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1388
Location: Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 7:49 am Post subject:
Get a copy of Axminster Tools catologue would be a good start. Also check yellow pages for tool shops, especially second hand ones. I'm fortunate in having a good one in Salisbury which I use. Another good source for tools would be car boot sales.

Rusticwood

Joined: 01 Dec 2009
Posts: 2154
Location: All over the South West

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 8:05 am Post subject:
If you don't know what you are doing be careful about getting second hand Take someone who has some knowledge as they could have been mistreated

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 8:16 am Post subject:
Rutlands have a nice bench on offer: https://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/DK2600

naomij

Joined: 03 Mar 2011
Posts: 379
Location: Kent coast

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 8:57 am Post subject:

Brownbear wrote:

As far as workbenches go, get a proper one and let him make a trestle to stand on to use it, as his first project.

.

thanks this sounds like a good idea. I definitely want him to have proper tools, but now power tools yet as I'd like him to sort of be aware of the process iyswim. Also he has some slight co-ordination difficulties which mean this will be good exercise to learn these skills. Could you give me a very basic sort of order of construction for a trestle? That would be fab. What sort of wood? WOuld I just turn up at a lumber yard, could I get them to maybe do some cutting as I have no car!
we also thought a simple version of this would eb fun to make https://www.etsy.com/listing/62243587/playground?ref=sr_list_4&ga_search_query=wooden+playground&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

naomij

Joined: 03 Mar 2011
Posts: 379
Location: Kent coast

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 9:01 am Post subject:

Brownbear wrote:

Rutlands have a nice bench on offer:

https://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/DK2600

ooh fab link ta, that would be my max budget for a workbench but excellent value! and very beautiful

naomij

Joined: 03 Mar 2011
Posts: 379
Location: Kent coast

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 9:02 am Post subject:

Rusticwood wrote:

If you don't know what you are doing be careful about getting second hand
Take someone who has some knowledge as they could have been mistreated

good point...I think I will stick with less is more and buy new for now

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 9:11 am Post subject:
The easiest type of trestle would be just a very basic frame of 2x2, with some 3x1 across the top. Good chance to practice cutting, measuring, drilling, screwing.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 2:05 pm Post subject:

timber can often be got as offcuts from joinery workshops and builders for young uns to learn with ,it only needs small bits to practice joints ,dowelling,cutting and finishing etc .if available get any hardwood to work with ,recycle is good

timber for large projects can be delivered

strait,tight grained softwoods are good to start with

if you go for the hand drill option i would suggest bit and brace is more useful than the egg whisk type ,with a few bits most things can be made holey

a smallish general purpose saw .hardpoint is good in case of sawing nails or whatever
gents and tenon for jointing can come later

good quailty 1"bevel edged chisel and a 1/4 mortise chisel that are able to cope with a hammer to knock em

a decent claw hammer ,for a young un a medium is better than light or heavey ,he should try a few in the shop and get the one that feels most natural when used

plane ,good ones are expensive unless got second hand

sharpening stone set for the chisels /knife /bits

build lots of stuff with just those tools

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 2:10 pm Post subject:
his first lesson should be how to sharpen his tools as soon as the begin to loose edge which is quicker than most folk think sharp is safe

perlogalism

Joined: 27 Nov 2009
Posts: 440
Location: Near Welshpool

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 9:26 pm Post subject:
Hi Naomij, I see you're on the Kent coast. If that's the bit anywhere near Sittingbourne, I'd recommend a visit to the Axminster store; https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-tool-centre--sittingbourne-kent-artlstoresittingbourne/?src=frooglelogout=idle Everything from budget to esoteric and I've always found them very helpful. Your son sounds like a lucky boy

naomij

Joined: 03 Mar 2011
Posts: 379
Location: Kent coast

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 11 9:50 pm Post subject:

Brownbear wrote:

The easiest type of trestle would be just a very basic frame of 2x2, with some 3x1 across the top.

Good chance to practice cutting, measuring, drilling, screwing.

thankyou for all your help (but please is my best damsel in distress voice what do we then do with teh 2x2 and 3x1??) I tried looking at online plans but they look frightfullly complex...

maybe I shouldn't attempt to teach son woodwork? I don't want to put him off for life??

But it would be cool to teach him some simple skills (and his father won't!)

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