Advice needed on kitting out a workshop

[janieVM]

Hi,
I'm about to make some purchases to enable me to move workshop, it's exciting, and scary, and I don't want to get it wrong. Basically I'm looking for professional grade tools, obviously at the best price and so I was wondering if anyone has any good experiences of places to buy tools who might fancy doing a deal for a few bits together. At the moment my wish list is a Festool MFT Table and Saw with extra rails, a 1/2" and trim router, still choosing between DeWalt and Makita, and an Orbital sander (suggestions welcomed!)
I've also got a massive list of sundries to suddenly start buying for myself, they were included in my old shop, so if anyone has any general advice on that I'd be all ears.
Cheers all!
Janie

[Oakfield]

I think you need to give more information about what you are planning on building, size of workshop and size of budget to get some useful input.

[promhandicam]

For Festool stuff you could try Warren at Bunnies Bolts near Woking - he may be able to do a bit of a deal. If you want to order all from one supplier then Anglia Tool Centre, Folkstone Fixings and Miles Tool and Machinery are all companies I've had positive dealings with.

[janieVM]

Thanks for the replies and tips on places to try!
My new workshop space is 17SqM, I'm a newly starting up furniture maker, mostly smallish bespoke pieces, and I also do some crafty bits between commissions to keep the wolf from the door and to use my scraps up productively.
The studio I'm renting also comes with use of a shared machine shop, so planer, table saw, band saw, table router are already in place for me...Hope that makes sense!!
Janie
http://www.morrisofportobello.co.uk

[tusses]

just a quick comment about your web site .. pics are good, nice work
I found the light text on white hard to read, and gave up.

[janieVM]

Thanks Tusses, feedback is really useful, I appreciate it!

[promhandicam]

Welcome to the forum. If you have access to a panel saw then unless you are going to be doing a lot of site work the festool saw and rails are going to be redundant. Likewise the mft which unless you are flush with money is just a bench with holes in if you are only using in the workshop. For the sander have a look at the mirka ceros or deros. For cabinet making, I'd be looking at a Festool Domino rather than the other festool toys you mentioned.

[siafins]

Welcome to the forum.

I'd probably buy tools as you go along rather than have a big start up list. Buy tools to use for your next project or commission if you see what I mean. Buy the best you can afford and upgrade what you use the most, first. The best deals usually turn up when your not looking!

There are so many tools and gadgets on offer but it's surprising what a 'bit of stick' and sheet off cuts can do! Templates and jigs !

Good luck with it all, nice work as well!

[Roger-M]

just a quick comment about your web site .. pics are good, nice work
I found the light text on white hard to read, and gave up.

+1. Love the "Mavis" cabinet. Text needs to contrast more with the background to make it easier to read. Reading should be a relaxing experience, not a challenge.

As suggested, I would just buy tools as they are required rather than shell out on a long list at the outset. You'll soon find out which you use most. Access to the larger items of machinery is a nice bonus provided that you don't want a nice clean cut on the table saw just after someone has been cutting up a load of MFC for kitchen cabinets and a worktop. If I lost everything, replacing my Festool Domino would be very high on my list of priorities, along with my Bosch SCMS, apart from maybe a couple of japanese "pul" saws, and the usual collection of chisels, smoothing plane, block plane and low angle jack.

[janieVM]

Thank you all for the advice. I take your point re the MFT table, but the way the rail can be used with the router and as a really accurate crosscut/rip saw does make it really appealing…
I'm definitely into the idea of the domino machine, it just feels like such a big lump of money for something so specific though…
Hand tool wise, I'm pretty much all set, my old workshop had all the power toys, but we had to have our own hand tools which I've been working on building up for the last 6 months…the final piece of the jigsaw as far as that goes is a sharpening system, I've had good experiences with a tormek and a worksharp...

[Rogerdodge]

+ 1 on the Domino. As far as the MFT goes, I got the top itself off eBay (£40 , I think.) put some trim round it and tacked it on to my assembly table; I use a Makita track and two sets of parf dogs with it , and dispense with the need for rails etc. Top can also be mounted on trestles if you are out and about.
I also like and use the Tormek.