I’d really love to start making something, even if it’s basic. Any tips on where to start? Tools, wood, etc?
IF you have enough for a “full size” shop, including workbenches, a table saw, etc. Then I recommend Steve Ramsey (Woodworking for Mere Mortals). He has a lot of projects and shop tips for people just getting started. He also has a website that has a constantly updated buy list for how to build a shop on the cheap.
https://www.youtube.com/@SteveRamseyIF you are tight on space, but still want power tools, then Peter Millard (10 minute workshop) is a UK woodworker that does a lot of cabinetry and custom builds in a small basement UK shop. It’s really nice, and he even has a series of projects where he starts with just some super basic tools, and then makes slightly more complicated stuff every week.
https://www.youtube.com/@10MinuteWorkshopIF you want to try your hand at a no power tool shop (which can still be expensive to buy the stuff), then Paul Sellers is a great instructor. Most of his videos assume you don’t know anything and are just starting out.
https://www.youtube.com/@Paul.SellersFinally, Stumpy Nubs is a great channel for just general info, shop tips, and safe handling of tools. Just beware that he slips in a lot of “Just buy this one last thing from my affiliate link and it’ll solve all your problems.”
https://www.youtube.com/@StumpyNubsWood Whisperer, Tamar at 3x3 Custom, Lincoln St. Four Eyes, Izzy Swan, and a bunch of other channels are a lot of fun too, but most of them have moved into more of a “watch me make this awesome thing with my quarter million $$$ shop.”
If you are in the US, don’t trust any dimensions for wood. Buy a cheap caliper and measure to confirm. Personally, I prefer to work in metric to resist the urge to round to a nice fraction. That being said, measurements are always relative and wood is very forgiving so keep a few offcuts labeled and stored away to use as a reference.
As far as tools go: a cheap pull saw, square, hammer, and a steel straight edge will get you started. Harbor freight has some cheap entry level tools worth buying once to learn on. A drill would be my first power tool purchase if you don’t have one.
I sprang for a starrett combination square when I began my woodworking journey and it’s probably the single most useful tool I own.
It’s not necessary to have a square that precise, but knowing one part of the process is dead square is handy for figuring out where error comes from when there are issues
Unless you’re going the hand tool purist route, the table saw is IMO the central tool in the shop. It can rip, cross-cut, and cut joinery like dados and tenons. So you want a good one with a solid fence that won’t frustrate you. I haven’t been in the market for one in a while, so my suggestions will be out of date, but I’m sure others here can help you.
When you’re starting out you’ll probably be buying your wood S4S: surfaced four sides, so it’s smooth and pretty much ready to go. This is how all the wood at the big-box hardware stores comes. Wood from specialty dealers will come rough, and you can surface it yourself with the right tools ($$$) or have them do it for you for a fee ($).
It’s probably best to start with a project in mind, even if it’s shop shelving or something that doesn’t have to be heirloom-quality.This might not be everyones opinion but my recommendation would be to get a plunge saw as your first tool. For me it was a big revelation that everything I built in shop class looked so terrible because we werent allowed to use power tools. Cutting a straight line with a hand saw is a skill that needs a lot of practice, same for joinery with chisels etc. But a plunge saw with track will give you very straight cuts for not so much money. And IMO it can do everything a table saw can do, just not as quickly (repeated cuts etc.) But on the other hand I think it makes more sense to get a decent plunge saw that you can keep for years and still use for breaking down sheets even when you decide you prefer a table saw rather than buying a cheaper job site table saw that you outgrow after a couple of years.
I use my plunge saw for so many things, BUT it does have limitations. I struggle making long narrow rip cuts, and repeatable cuts can be difficult without an MFT style workbench.
It can be a lot safer, cleaner, and easier than a table saw, ESPECIALLY for large panels, but it can’t entirely replace a table saw.
I do agree with this comment, and the 10 minute workshop YouTube channel has a lot of great tips on using a plunge saw (and recommendations on less expensive versions), but just be aware that it’s not a 1-1 replacement.
I agree, of course every tool has some limitations. I think a set of parallell guides can also make the plunge saw much more versatile without breaking the bank. And the set i have also works well for narrow rip cuts, exept when the piece is really small to begin with. And as you say an MFT is great for repeated cuts. As another comment mentiones together with a mitre saw and some jigs i think you could replace a table saw functionally, but its probably not the most efficient way of doing some things.
