Cabinet Shop Solution if you don't have tools or space

[GvilleDave]

Hey I'm a new member here and am sure I will be asking lots of questions as I start my first amp build but in the meantime I thought I would share a possible solution for some of you that want to build your own cabinets but don't have the tools or the space required to work / store them in.  I have been a hobby level woodworker for years and have muddled by with a few portable garage type shop tools until recently when I joined the local woodworkers guild.  The guild membership is about $150 a year and gets me use of the shop and guild tools (4000 SF w/ big industrial quality saws, joiners, planers, router tables, sanders....) unless you are serious fulltime woodworker you would be hard pressed to have the space or funds for these type tools.

Another added benefit - my local guild conducts monthly free classes on various tools and techniques on the various equipment and the senior members are avaiable for free "mentoring" sessions with new members.  For those of you wanting to make cabinets but lacking the woodworking skills this is a great way to learn safely.

Last but not least they keep a stocked lumber area w/ solid wood species and cabinet grade plywood available to members at a big discount from what you would pay at a lumber yard or retail supplier.

I am getting ready to start my first project (Guitar Speaker cab w/ (1) 12" and (1) 10") there since I joined the guild and will take a few pics to share.  For me you can't beat the value of $150 a year with no tools to maintain or store.

[Geezer]

Thanks for the tip Dave! (& welcome to the forum!)

I'll have to check & see if there's a local guild near me (Shenandoah Valley/VA)....does your local have a list or knowledge of other guilds around the country?

TIA, Geezer

[Boots Deville]

I was wondering that same thing Geezer.  The closest for me is a couple hours away.

Check it out:
http://www.wwgoa.com/resources/

-John

[GvilleDave]

Just do a web search for woodworkers guild "your town" and see what comes up.  Another place to check would be a local woodworkers supply store like Woodcraft or a store that sells quality woodworking tools...  Good luck & let me know what you find.

FWIW there are members of the local guild here in Greenville that live over an hour away but its still worth it to drive over and use the shop on a Saturday due to the size of the shop and the quality of the tools.

Check out this link to see some of the shop equip members get to use:  http://www.greenvillewoodworkers.com/PictureGallery/EducationCenter.htm

[duke of earl]

Hey Geezer-I am in the Norfolk area of Va. If you ever get out this way give me a hollar and come by my shop.

[G._Hoffman]

As a serious full-time woodworker, the one thing I'd be very careful of is to make sure you get proper training before you use any of those tools.  NEVER assume you know how to use something, because it isn't always obvious, and getting it wrong can be life-changing in a VERY bad way.  You don't want to see what can happen if you loose a fight with a table saw (and if you get in a fight with a table saw, you WILL loose!)

So, take those training and mentoring options seriously - they are at least as valuable as the tools themselves.  And before you take anyone's advice, make sure he has all his fingers.   



Gabriel

[bluesbear]

Well, I checked. There's nothing like that in Cincinnati... or anywhere close by. Too bad! My biggest problem is lack of space. My shop is about 12 x 12. In that room are 2 tablesaws (one for cutting, one for fingerjoints), a drill press, an upright freezer, the furnace, an L shaped bench and 3 shelving units. Add a few amps laying around and you can see. It takes a good hour of shifting to use either saw... then I have to shift it all back.
No doubt about the safety issue. Tablesaws are a lot more dangerous than a filter cap. I had a 3' peice of 1" by 3" kick back and it broke a bone in my arm. It doesn't have to be the blade! A guided missle can mess you up just as badly.
Dave

[G._Hoffman]

I had a 3' peice of 1" by 3" kick back and it broke a bone in my arm. It doesn't have to be the blade! A guided missle can mess you up just as badly.

That's the one reason I'm not 100% sold on the Saw Stop saws.  Sure, they stop if your finger hits the blade, and that IS a good thing, but they don't do squat for the kick back issues, and I'm afraid they may lead to a false sense of security.  My fear of my Delta is a damn good incentive for being careful around the dang thing.

Which is not to say I wouldn't buy a Saw Stop cabinet saw, if I had the money, by the way!


Gabriel