You all have so much knowledge and I am so impressed that you are all willing to share… thanks for sharing. My questions are:
What would be the initial costs to start a basic work shop?
What tools would you suggest?
What type of area should be devoted to such?
What is the best way to get started learning woodworking?
I would like to build for my self many of the box effects from the Mark Wilson Course in Magic and Tarbell books.
Thanks,
Bruce

Take some classes at a college or where otherwise offered. The other path is to work as an apprentice at a sign or cabinet shop because figuring all this out on your own is hard. Wear safety glasses. Use good wood. Find someone who is already making things and make friends. Don't cut off your fingers. Good luck.

"I would like to build for my self many of the box effects from the Mark Wilson Course in Magic and Tarbell books. "

many of the questions you ask depend on the size of the boxes you intend to build. if you're looking to build a sub trunk or such, it is possible to do so with power hand tools. smaller boxes need finer tooling. it seems to me that the smaller the object I try to build, the more precise the tools required.
bob

Initial costs: Not much.

Tools: When I was starting out, back in high school, I made a number of box tricks, tables, cases, and other stuff with little more than a drill, jig saw, hammer, sandpaper, screwdriver, and several cans of spray paint. What most of us do is start out with a few tools and add as we need them.

Area: You can never have too much , but a 2'x4' or 2'x6' workbench, with pegboard or other storage space above, will take you a ways.

Learning: Forget the magic books and plans at first. Do what Jay suggested and learn from people who are very good at woodworking. There are schools and clubs all over the place. If there's a Woodcraft store nearby, go over and hang out; sometimes they do classes. Pick up a few books or mags on woodworking and just sit back and enjoy them. Then start with a very simple project, just to get the hang of it. And have fun.

My shop fits in a one-car garage, but I've got everything I need to make cabinets & furniture (except a thickness sander...that's on the 'to-buy' list )

First purchases should be an electric drill, an orbital sander and a circular saw (along with hearing and eye protection). Learn to use the saw from a skilled, saftey-oriented professional.

Learn the difference between ripping & cross-cutting.

Learn the standard dimensions of regularly available lumber and sheet goods.

Learn to read a tape measure.

Learn about wood finishes; both paint and clear.

Start by buying a dowel rod, sanding it correctly and finishing it correctly.

Then make a table top (plywood with a hardwood trim).

Start small, get bigger. Ask pros who know about safety.

Enjoy!

All great advice here so far. Jr. Colleges often have woodworking classes you can take. I picked up a DeWalt 18v kit a few years ago and have built many things with it. It packs small enough to fit in my closet. I would love to have some table machines but don't have the room.

Thank you to all... I am going to look for night classes in my area. I'll start with jewelry boxes and such, its the smaller things I am looking to build rather than large illusions.
Thanks,
Bruce

I think a good investment would be a bench top table saw. Delta makes a good one for around $100.Dont skimp on blades and you will be suprised what you can make.
Gimpy

My father and I did a great deal of woodwork while I was growing up. If you are serious about it, there are a few tools that are essential.

Band Saw
Table Saw
Miter Saw
Router
Drill / Drill Press
Air Compressor
Rotary tools to match the air compressor listed above
A set of nice hand planes

This is the equipment needed to actually do the bulk of woodwork, and some of it is only required if you intend to carve. If you are not going to carve from a large block of wood then the band saw and rotary tools are not necessary.

I'm giving advice based on the work we did. My father would carve wooden fish, cigar store Indians, large eagles, etc. We also did a lot of furniture restoration.

I learned the basics of woodworking from my father, and taught myself the rest. Use google, and read up on everything- basic power tool use, joinery, etc.

Perry, some would argue on your list- I have not yet needed a band saw or an air compressor- but then again, I don't do much carving.

The cabinetry basics (what you'll need for most illusions... and cabinets, bookshelves, etc.) would be (at least in my mind):

• safety gear- goggles, ear plugs, gloves, face shield, dust mask, etc. Buy extras, so people can help you in the shop.
  
• table saw,
  
• router (with several bits- at minimum, two straight bits in 1/2 and 3/4 inch sizes),
  
• power drill/driver and a good bit set,
  
• assorted hand tools, including a hand saw and miter box, hammer, screwdrivers, tape measure, etc. (you can probably buy a "basic toolbox" which will include everything but the miter box and saw.)
  
• a carpenter's square, rafter square, and/or T-square
  
• work bench and saw horses, and either a roller stand or an assistant to help you run plywood through the table saw
  
• clamps. Tons of clamps. C-clamps in all sizes, pipe clamps and lots of pipe, spring clamps, strap clamps, angle clamps, etc. When you think you have enough clamps, you'll discover you want a few more.
  
• sandpaper in several grits- 60, 120, and 220 are good for starters. You'll quickly want to upgrade to a random orbital sander.
  
• a shop vac. Trust me- it helps keep sawdust out of the air, and it helps you clean up afterwards
  
• optional- a place to store all this stuff. I mounted pegboard to the wall, but some people buy a cabinet to hide all the stuff when it's not in use.
  

After you get those, and become familiar with using them, you'll start to learn what you'll need next, based on what you want to build.

Expect to make some basic mistakes- my first big piece of furniture was a linen chest that doubles as a step unit for our dog. Since our dog is big, I figured I'd use 2x4's and 3/4" plywood so it would take her weight. The chest runs the full width of our king-sized bed. I'm sure some observant people have already spotted my mistake... The linen chest weighs so much I needed a hand cart just to move it. Then I had to get it up the steps.

One last piece of advice- "Measure twice, cut once." Good luck!

-Erik

If a local junior college does not offer courses, call a local high school and talk with the shop teacher, you can probably make some sort of arrangement with him for some instruction. Power tools can be expensive, but you would be surprised how few you might actually need. Don't go out and lay out a bunch of front money on table saws, planers, drill presses, jointers, routers, etc. Learn what does what and how to use them first. You will make better informed purchase decisions on what you need. Some people can get by with a small portable table saw, another might need a big fancy job with special fences, it depends on what you do. I made a lot of good magic with hand tools in my hearly days. Yes takes a bit longer, but worked just fine. If you ever watch PBS shows like the Wainwright Shoppe you will see what can be done even with crude handtools. Few woodworkers out there have a full production shop like the New Yankee Workshop, but far too man who get into woodworking end up owning a lot of expensive equipment like on that show and little or no knowledge of how to use it.

The Church I belong to has a mens club that has a woodworkers Guild. we meet in each others shop for fellowship and sawdust. I have pearned allot from these guys and they are willing to let you use their tools.
Mike

Thanks all for all the great suggestions, I really do appreciate them. I am still saving for my table saw, but in the meanwhile I have been checking out woodworking books.

Bruce

Be careful about starting up woodworking. It can be an expensive, but rewarding hobby. You can do a lot with a few basic hand tools, but the power tools make things much easier. You may end up as a tool collector along the way. As an example, I've got four planes, maybe 6 chisels, and four different hammers, and a large number of clamps, as well as two table saws, a drill press, and a scroll saw.

Too many hobbies, not enough time. Maybe if I lived to be 500 I could do a good job with everything that I'm interested in.

A table saw is tne first power tool I would buy.I build for a living and have all the tools Norm has.I only mentioned the delta bench saw becase I have found it to be a great lightweight saw to learn on.It's a very safe tool that can rip,cut,miter,dado/rabbit,finger joint, sand and many other tasks.

Many hand tools take years to learn well and good one's cost a ton.

Gimpy

Marty- if you're saying you've got too many clamps, I could take the extras off your hands.

See my post above- you can't have too many clamps. Just this week I used every C-clamp I own, plus my big spring clamps and all my spreaders, just to glue together the side of a head board. (Using screws would have left visible plugs after staining the oak- which is not the look I want.)

All the suggestions are great. Let me add to it that if you are going to start out with small stuff, it's hard to beat having a Dremel tool.....I use mine almost daily. You can get the basic tool & all sorts of extra goodies to use at just about any hardware store, Lowe's, or even Wal Mart.

Thanks all for your suggestions!

Gimpy,
It has been suggested that I can get a descent (at least for starting) table saw for between $400 and $500. What do you think? I am not looking to build large illusions, but trick the size of large jewelry boxes at most.

Marty,
It's too late... a neighbor has started me off in collecting hand tools. He gave me 4 wood planes and a small hand saw all from around the 1920's. The saw has all kinds of cool carving on the handle.

Thanks,
Bruce

Bruce,
A small bench type table saw is the way to go.For starters I don't think you have to spend more than $100 or so.I have a table saw that dose most of the work in the shop that runs about $1200,that was not my first saw.As you spend more money you get things like more powerful moters and larger table size.A small saw will rip up to 12" and is perfect for small boxes.Buy 1/4 sheets of plywood and you wont need a big saw.
I have used a little Delta bench saw for out on the job work as a finish carpenter.I was asked one time what are you doing with that little thing.I replied,"carying it up the stairs".I bought the tool for the fact of its light weight and ease of storage.Who would have known it would be so versitile.
The $400 saws wont do any better than this one for small jobs.You will need a bigger saw with a belt drive and cast table to do everything you may want to do in the future,those start at about $800.For now start with the basics and good blades.
My little delta is now serving as a disk sander in the shop now.
Good luck ,Gimpy

I would suggest finding some garage sales or try craigslist.org to find some used tools. There are many well intentioned do-it-your-selfers who have tools they barely used and need to reclaim their garage space back.