There is a saying that goes that a man is only as good as the tools he chooses to use. 

This declaration is particularly true. Besides skill, your craftsmanship is basically decided through the gear you use. When you don’t realize a way to pick out the proper gear, you’ve got a bigger problem in your hands. 

Being a woodworker for the past years, it is now safe for me to say that I have seen a lot and done almost all.  

Starting out was quite hard for me. I wished I had a guide who helped me every step of the way to set up a workshop, but I wasn’t lucky. I had to learn the hard way, making numerous mistakes in the process that cost me a bunch of money while setting up and growing my workshop.  

But then came the big turnaround. I came into contact with The ultimate small shop through a recommendation.

When I first bought and read Ralph’s guide, I really wished I had this book 10 years ago. 
You can find this guide here. 

Here’s why: 

One of the biggest mistakes I made before I knew about the ultimate small shop was overspending on tools. 

Once, 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 searching for good quality tools on a budget knows that the experience is like walking on a minefield. This is because there are a lot of factors you need to consider. 

Buying tools that are simply bad afterward is a heartbreaking experience because you don’t lose money, but also your precious time. It gets worse if you go through the experience multiple times. I almost give up and quit this hobby.

Just as I had mentioned earlier, when I started out a few years ago I wished I had someone to guide me when I set up a workshop. I know there are numerous other hobby or professional woodworkers who are in a similar situation right now.