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Hand Tool School #23: How to Get Into Hand Tools Without Spending a Fortune
I completely agree this this sentiment. I have bought a a whole shop full of power tools, jigs, accessories, only to now just find out I'm not enjoying being in the shop like I thought I would. I'm transitioning to the hand tool route, and now I look forward to spending time working in my new shop (power tools in garage, hand tools in basement) building a sturdy workbench by hand.
If I could do it again, I would've started with a simple hand-tool set, using moderately priced tools, and bought the few necessities for power tools I think just about everyone should own. Experiment with both, and see which way I wanted to lean. Right now I have several thousands of dollars invested in power tools, and don't really have the funds to purchase more hand-tools.
Now I'm faced with potentially having to sell some of my power tools to fund my hand tool adventure. Luckily most everything was bought second-hand and hasn't diminished in value since purchase (some has gained in value after being tuned up and running better than before).
I also wanted to mention, that I noticed when working with power tools I always seemed to be working to an end, vs hand tools working the wood is the end game (if that makes sense). It's less about the end goal, and more about the process.
Consignment shops can be good, but you are right about restoring old tools. I bought a small Stanley plane, and I still quite haven't got it to work right. Of course on the other hand, I don't even know how to use a plane, just wanted one. Difference too is if you're a hobbyist getting into woodworking or a pro.
I might challenge you a little bit and say got for some "low end" tools in certain cases. I have the Aldi chisels, random no name spoke shave,Irwin hand saw, and a few handmade tools. They require less work than vintage but more work than lee valley tools. Once I got some of those I realized how fun hand tools are and have bought Veritas hand planes and carcass saw (your recommendation). I would also recommend estate sales and garage sales for some old tools if you live in a good area for that. I dont live in a great area but still have some luck.