The short answer to the question, is woodworking expensive, would be the following:  If you are going for simple jobs, where the materials and equipment that are necessary can be easily gathered, then no, woodworking won’t be expensive. In fact, it could end up being a lot cheaper to perform simple woodworking tasks yourself, rather than having to count on a professional. On the contrary, when going for much harder tasks, it could end up being more costly.

Of course, you’re going to want to know some important factors. For example the budget you will need to get started, before you decide to just jump in. So, let’s look at some of the information you might want to know, shall we? Followed by some handy tips that could end up saving you a lot of money!

The Truth on Costs

If you’re looking to get started and you have absolutely nothing to work with then woodworking can be expensive. You might find yourself in need of tools, wood and definitely space. Each of which could cost you money.

But if you know what you’re doing and you take the time to do some research you just might be able to find some ways that can save you a bit of money. It just takes a little extra work. However, with the money you save,  you might not mind spending that time.

What’s even better is you can save money whether you’re planning on just keeping these pieces for yourself or you’re planning to do something more extensive with them. Woodworking can be for anyone and it can help you to do just about anything. The key is just making sure you have all the things you need to start. From there, learning what to do with them is going to be a runner-up.

You could always learn by trial and error, after all. So, are you ready to start picking up the pieces you’re going to need? Are you ready to become a woodworker for the first time ever?

Tip #1: How to Get Quality Wood at a Good Price

The first thing you’re going to think about (most likely) is the wood that you’re going to pick up. Even though you need equipment to do anything, most people think about the wood they need first. Well, that’s actually a whole lot easier to find than you might think.

Now, if you weren’t concerned about the price of the wood you could order it or pick it up. This can be done  from any hardware store without a thought. These places have all different types of wood in different styles, hardness, stains, sizes and a whole lot more.

For those who are a little more concerned about the price for their wood, it might be necessary to search a little harder. Hardware stores may still be one of the best places to go, but you’re going to want to look closely at what they have to offer.

Make sure you look through each piece of wood before you buy it because these stores are notorious for having some not-so-good options thrown in the middle of some really beautiful pieces.

With hardware stores you should also make sure you know what you’re getting. Most of the wood here isn’t going to be the nicest, meaning you’re not going to get specialty wood unless you special order it. Instead, they tend to keep some basic types of wood because that’s what most people use when they’re building play yards for their kids, fixing up their house or putting on a deck. If you’re looking to get into some more high-end or elaborate woodworking this kind of wood might not be best for you but if you’re getting started it works just fine.

Tip #2: Scrap Pieces

Lumber yards and hardware stores will often have scraps that they sell for much lower prices or even that they’re giving away. Some machine shops and woodworking shops will also give away smaller scrap pieces that you could practice with or turn into something unique.

If you want to find something that’s a little nicer but you can’t afford to spend a lot, or even if you’re looking for the basics but don’t want to spend too much, you can absolutely check out scrap pieces.

Tip #3: Mixing and matching

Mixing and matching the products that you create is another way to create great products without spending a fortune. You can create  the more visible pieces of the project with nicer, higher quality and more expensive pieces of wood but you can then create the inner portions or those that are less visible with wood that is durable but maybe not quite as nice looking.

You end up saving money and you still end up with a finished piece that’s going to look great. That means you’re going to have the best of both worlds.

Tip #4: Gather up

You also have the option of getting together with other woodworkers in your area and purchasing boards together. This can make it easier to buy wood online or through some of the specialty stores.

Generally you can get discounts if you buy in bulk and that means that the per piece price might actually be more affordable for you. And you and your fellow woodworkers are going to have more options. Not to mention you’ll be able to get out there and meet some of the other people who are into woodworking in your area. So you’ll make some new friends while you’re at it.

Tip #5: Saving on Equipment

When it comes to buying equipment you’re going to find a whole lot of costs wrapped up here. The equipment for woodworking can include a table saw, a router table, a planer, jointer and band saw.

Depending on any other intricate pieces you might want to work on you may need even more specialty pieces and as you get more advanced you’ll likely want to keep adding on to your collection. But when you’re getting started and you don’t have a whole lot of money you may not want to pick up all of those tools, especially if you don’t have any of them currently available.

One of the best things that you can do is work with a neighbor or a friend. Do you know someone who has some of the tools that you might need? You may need to go to a few different people to see what they have and to borrow different tools, but even if you pay them a little something for the use of their tools you’ll be saving a whole lot of money.

That’s especially true when you’re still not sure you’re going to like it or you’re just getting started with woodworking. Many of your friends and neighbors will probably let you borrow these things totally free, as long as you bring them back when they need them.

Tip #6: Rent rent rent

Another option is to rent out equipment. Those same hardware stores we already talked about are also likely to have rental options for some of the equipment that you might want. Other, specialty stores might have some rental options for equipment as well, so you’re going to want to pay close attention to what you can find and where.

Make sure you weigh out just how much that rental is going to be though. If you’re going to be renting for a long time it might be less expensive to purchase your own equipment on payments.

Tip #7: 2nd hand Equipment

Yet another way to get the equipment that you need is to buy it secondhand. Oftentimes you’ll find that there’s nothing wrong with secondhand tools other than the original owner decided to trade up. Maybe they decided to get out of woodworking for themselves. Maybe they found a different tool they liked better or they wanted something newer.

No matter the reason, it’s usually not because the tool is damaged or broken in any way (after all, they can’t sell them that way). That means you could get some perfectly good tools that are just a little bit worse for wear, and at a fraction of the cost.

Tip #8: Saving on Your Location

If at all possible you’ll probably want to start your woodworking projects right at your own home. That doesn’t mean you should be doing it in your basement. Unless you have a walk-out basement that you can leave the doors open you’re not going to have enough ventilation to use your tools and get that sawdust everywhere.

Working in an open garage or shed or even in your yard can be a great way to go though and it can help you cut down on the costs associated with your new adventure.

Talk to a friend or family member who lives near you or who has some extra space that you might be able to use. They might have an extra shed they don’t use or a workshop where you could spend a little time when they’re not using it (or even learning alongside them).

Maybe they just have a larger yard that you could set up in. No matter what you want to talk to them about using their space or even renting the space so that you can get really into the craft.

From there, you could look into makerspaces, also called hackerspaces, where you could not only work but actually learn even more about woodworking too. These are generally spaces where people get together to engage in all different kinds of creative endeavors and those people just might be willing to show you the ropes or help you learn some more things about woodworking that you can use as you get better.

Even more than that, these spaces give you room to spread out your tools and your pieces so you can work, without having to worry about how to park the car in the garage alongside the piece you’re trying to finish 🙂

Tip #9: What about the potential profits!

When it comes down to it, you’re going to have some costs involved because woodworking is definitely not the least expensive hobby to get involved with, but there are some other benefits that you should consider too.

For one thing, you may be able to make a little bit of money when you start getting really good at woodworking and that’s going to make a big difference for you. If you can make products as part of a hobby that you can turn around and sell for a profit (even a small one) you can definitely justify some of the cost.

Tip #10: Less shopping

Next up, you may be able to make some things that you can use around the house. So, even if you’re not selling the products you make, you might be able to cut down on some of the things you need to buy. Maybe you can make your own picture frames or even start making your own chairs and knick knacks.

That means you might also be able to make your own gifts for people. All of these things don’t make you any extra money, but they can definitely save you money and that’s a great aspect on its own.

Bonus tip: The Real Reason to Get Started

The number one reason to get started with woodworking, however, is because it’s just going to be a whole lot of fun. You’ll be able to do some work with your hands, which can be great on its own. You can get out of the house (since most woodworking will be done in a shop or even outside) and you can just expand your artistic abilities.

Even if you’ve never felt very artistic before, you can absolutely feel that way when you get to see that first object that you’ve made entirely on your own.

Is Woodworking expensive? 100% NO

No matter what your experience with woodworking or carpentry has been in the past, you don’t have to let the expense of it deter you. There are plenty of ways that you can cut down on the costs and make sure that you still have a whole lot of fun and enjoyment out of it. Plus, as you continue to get better, you may be able to turn something that you actually really love into something that’s beneficial to your entire family, either by cutting down on what you need to spend or by actually bringing in even more income.

Something for you? 100% YES

We can conclude that how much money that is needed for woodworking greatly depends on the type of woodworking jobs you want to perform. Are you looking for a new hobby and you’re not sure just what to do? Maybe you’ve tried woodworking before in school or with some scraps you had around the house. Maybe you’ve never tried it before but someone you know suggested it. No matter what your thoughts are, woodworking can be a great hobby to check out. But before you dive into your new hobby, defintely take a look at your budget and the tools that you will have to purchase.

And in the end, even if you would have to make some costs, being able to enjoy a new hobby will have a positive effect on your mind. Being active with your hands and being creative might just cause a little spark inside of you, that no money can replace 🙂

Greetings,

Vince