They say a man is only as good as the tools he chooses to use. This statement is particularly true. Besides skill, your craftsmanship is largely determined by the tools you use. When you don’t know how to choose the right tools, you have a bigger problem in your hands. Having been a woodworker for the past 15 or so years, it is safe to say that I have seen and done it all.
Starting out was quite tough for me. I wished I had someone to guide me through every step of the way, but I was not lucky. I had to learn the hard way, making several mistakes in the process that cost me thousands of dollars while setting up my workshop and growing my business.
A Review of Ultimate Small Shop Guide
When I first bought and read Ralph's guide at UltimateSmallShop, I really wished I had this book 15 years ago.
Here's why:
One of the greatest mistakes I made in the past was overspending on tools. I was buying bad tools and other times I ended up overspending on tools I really didn’t need. You can’t blame me though; anyone looking for good quality tools on a budget will tell you that the experience is like walking on a minefield. This is because there are numerous factors you need to consider.
I quickly learned that buying from big box retailers such as Home Depot, Amazon Walmart, Lowes, and the like was not a good idea. This is especially when looking for a one stop shop for your tool related needs.
And as Ralph mentions, the "paid" reviews and recommendations make purchasing tools a guessing game. This is because more often than not, these "sponsored" reviews are paid for by the manufacturers of the tools themselves!
The online sellers also tend to sell, old refurbished tools as good condition tools to end up being disappointed after a few uses. Then there is also the risk of buying too much in terms of quantity and price, not spending enough and even buying tools that just suck. This experience is heartbreaking because you just don’t lose money, you also lose your valuable time. It gets worse when you go through the experience several times. I almost give up my passion and never got started with this hobby.
Just as I had mentioned earlier, when I started out 25 years ago I wished I had someone to guide me through setting up my shop. I know there are numerous other woodworkers who are in a similar situation right now.
Here's why I highly recommend Ultimate Small Shop to anyone setting up shop
This is the key reason why Ralph created the Ultimate Small Shop Guide to help you set up a fully functional small shop on a budget. And it clearly shows in the book.
There are plenty of guides out there on shop setup but most of them don't focus on budget - which is in my opinion one of the most important factors.
Let's face it, you can set up any shop you like if you have a endless budget! But not anyone has that luxury - certainly not me. So the tips and advice is useful and very practical for shop setups on a budget.
Ralph includes all the lessons he has learned the hard way and his major goal is to save you from the agony of the trial-and-error process of setting up shop. Thus, you will no longer have to make bone-headed mistakes or waste any more money buying the wrong tools
This guide is perfect for you if you want to learn how to set up a fully stocked functional workshop with whatever little space and budget you have.
