Shopsmith Forums

You will find a lot of advice here and most of it spot on. As far as the power if the cost is not a significant factor 220 is better. My personal rule is if it runs on 220 then run it in 220. When the time comes you need that extra power you will be glad it's there. That doesn't mean I would wait to get it installed to start using the SS. Ed was right on. Start simple, ask a lot of questions and get to woodworking. This forum is populated by some very fine woodworkers who can guide you through just about anything. With the addition of a few hand tools there is very little you not be able to build. Welcome aboard !
Paul

AWake, 2 books I HIGHLY recommend are Bob Flexner "Understanding Wood Finishing, and How to Select and Apply the Right Finish" 2nd Edition, my finishing Bible. Jeff Jewitt has some too just as great but never read his so cant vouch for his.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c ... Caps%2C371
The other one is on joinery, it shows/tells how to make all joints, using various options to make the same joint, both with hand and power tools.
I got a Time Life book on joinery a few years ago from the Library, that was terrific, no way to buy it that I could find on the net, even there site.
Gary Rogowski, The Complete Illustrated Guide to Joinery.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i ... y+rogowski
It will be the best $40-50 you ever spent if you are serious about getting into wood working. You can go to Forums and ask questions, get advise, but you dont know there knowledge level or experience that is giving you it. These are wood working Bibles!!!

Thank you everyone for the advice. Even the fact that there is some disagreement on the advice is helpful. If everyone had said "oh you need to do this right away" I'd have had a different takeaway from it. I think the general advice of going slow and adding things when I need them seems pretty sound to me. I think I'll plan to add electrical capacity to my shop/garage, but maybe wait until I've gotten the basics down first.

ERLover Those books look excellent. I just ordered them, thank you! I've started reading "Power Tool Woodworking for Everyone" on the shopsmith website and I've already learned some very cool things that I'm excited to try out for myself. I will start by working through the 10 lesson self study course provided by shopsmith and branch out from there into the things that will help me pursue my specific goals. I will try to make "slow and steady wins the race" my motto because I know it will take a lot of time to get really good at this, but I think it will be a lot of fun too.

Thanks again for all the advice! I'm sure I'll have a lot of other questions as I proceed along my woodworking journey

I, like you, am a budding woodworker whose wife would like to redo the kitchen. Fortunately, she is not in a great hurry so I have time to heed one the best pieces of advice I have received: before building any cabinets and doors for the kitchen, build them for your shop.

Some of the benefits are:

• - Mistakes while learning are to be expected - make them on things that need to be functional more so than pretty.
  
  - Every shop, especially small ones, will benefit from storage space.
  
  - You get to practice on relatively inexpensive material while you learn.
  
  - This will help you develop a habit many good workers have: build mock-ups of the final product with inexpensive wood.
  
  - You will avoid wasting money on expensive wood as you learn.

And, as has been said, this is one of the best sites I have found for both SS and woodworking advice.

Larry

Rudy49,
Thanks, that sounds like really good advice! I agree that my garage/shop could use some extra storage. Also, I think the idea of using mock ups with cheap wood is a very good idea.

My notion is based on if you stay in the garage and have future needs. Once the electrician has looked at it, you find it is not much more expensive to put in 220 and two dedicated 110 20A circuits positioned where you will need power for other things down the line.

If you ever envision using a wire welder (after you sweep up all the combustible sawdust of course), the 220 will allow more choices on the welding side. My compressor takes 220 by itself. Again, plan down the line for what interests you.

If your existing panel lacks expansion space to run what you envision in the future, then a sub-panel makes more sense. A good electrician will help you figure out the least expensive method that meets electrical code. A hungry electrician may help you find the most expensive way at the outset, so having a reference is helpful.

If you fall in love with woodworking, and we hope you do, then someday that stand-alone shop out back may be in the plans.

When you want to be in the shop, and mom wants to park inside to unload groceries and the like, or the grandkids need a space to use in winter weather for stuff you just can't let them do indoors.... that shop out back will make more sense.

Everett