Your First Toolkit

No matter what your style of woodworking, you need a basic set of hand tools. Here’s where to begin.
By Frank Klausz
Pages: 36-40

From the August 2006 issue #156
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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 1/8″, 1/4″, 3/8″, 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.

From the August 2006 issue #156
Buy this issue now

Original article and pictures take http://www.popularwoodworking.com/articleindex/your-first-toolkit site