AnonymousHi, Johnny
Mike is right. Watch the videos and read the books get inspired find where you are comfortable and what interests you. Then I would suggest shutting all that stuff down and just do it. Youtube is a dream stealing trap. I got a lot of great info from it but I also wasted a lot of valuable shop time watching someone else do the work. Paul Sellers and the English Woodworker are my go to’s at the moment for tool tuning and advice. I had to end my popular woodworking account because I was completely addicted to Roy, a very hard monkey to throw off your back by the way. The man taught me more than I may ever use and then some though. So get a couple books , watch some videos and get to work. I also like museums,( something I learned from Roy) there’s lots of old furniture to steal ideas from and you get to learn something. Oh yah something I learned also. I don’t build things I would like to build, I build things I need to build,like spice racks, clothing horses, getting the nerve to do a table and chair set other things for the house. In the shop I build jigs and simple tools like, shaving horses, shelves and stuff. It’s more inspiring to me to build what I need. The necessity keeps me inspired. It’s more than something to look at and move on to the next project, I get to use this thing several times a week. And I made it. To me that is very cool. Build out of need and inspire yourself, it’s what the oldtimers did and look at what they created.
As for tools, get what you can afford learn how to sharpen them, and use them. Buying used is great but if you don’t know what your looking for or need you just have dirty old paper weights and a hefty credit card bill. I got lucky and picked a bunch of old planes and saws years ago when they were just old rusty ornaments in some crafty lady’s country themed livingroom. I fixed them up and they serve me well but…. It would seem those days are gone. There are new tools of the same caliber with less fiddling and a warranty. And for the beginner the newer pro grade Stanleys are fine. Not the sweethearts they may be good , I guess, but I believe there are far better in the same price range. But really don’t waste your money. I bought a #6 corrugated for $50 Canadian 10 years ago. Plastic handle and all and I love it. The corrugated bottom to me makes it hard to keep lubed and requires more grease but I can live with that. I have read that the after awhile the handle makes your hand sweat and causes blisters. I have not had an issue, but maybe some guys are lucky enough to have shop time to use the same plane for hours on end. Besides your a woodworker make a new handle if it bothers you. Anyway buy what you can afford, learn how to tune it and use it and make something even if its just a pile of sawdust and shavings. Enjoy the time you spend it is more valuable than any info me or youtube or any book can ever give. Good luck and keep learning.