Check with Habitat for Humanity.  If they have a store you may find several good items such as a bench, bandsaw or etc.  When I retired and moved I donated  a complete shop full of woodworking power tools and hand tools to Habitat.  They sold them, I deducted them from my income tax.  Unfortunately I could not retire my desire to woodwork and at age 78 I built a shop and use only hand tools and a bandsaw.  Good exercise pushing  a LN #7.   Build yourself a solid bench with some southern pine with a moxon vise that can be built by hand.  Get some holddowns!
If you’d like to read some more about SketchUp, check out Ryan’s article on how to plan a home DIY project with SketchUp 3D Design for Daily Life: How to Plan a Home DIY Project With Sketchup 3D Design for Daily Life: How to Plan a Home DIY Project With Sketchup Doing a home improvement project on your own isn't always a simple matter. Sometimes it seems simple enough when you get started, but before you know it, you realize that if you had just taken... Read More . And if the idea of 3D design in general captivates your imagination, you should read our interview with world-class 3D artist Rafael Grassetti How A Dream Job Comes True: Interviewing World-Class 3D Artist Rafael Grassetti How A Dream Job Comes True: Interviewing World-Class 3D Artist Rafael Grassetti It's not every day that I get to pick the brain of a world-leading 3D artist -- but that's exactly what I got to do with Rafael Grassetti. You may not recognize Rafael's name, but... Read More .

John Heisz is a Canadian woodworker who makes many of his own tools to help him with his projects. His YouTube channel shows you how to also make your own tools. He has a video series on how to make homemade clamps, whether you're making hand screw clamps, wooden bar clamps or a deep c clamp. Another one of his video series takes you through the making of your own homemade vise.

Tung oil is derived from the nuts of trees that are native to Asia but have been cultivated in other parts of the world. This is a durable finish that has a rather quick drying time and is very moisture resistant. Tung oil penetrates the woods surface, soaking deep into the wood grain for a fine finish. Tung oil is great for exterior furniture, tabletops and countertops. 

_{Non-Standard Miter Slots - This one is a downer.  One of the primary advantages of having a table saw is access to jigs that expand the saws functionality.  This is a major issue if you plan on buying after market jigs.  Given that we are limiting the cost of this buildout to $500, I am guessing that after market jigs are probably low on the priority list.  Your going to want jigs once you start researching what they enable you to do, my advice is to build your own - there are plenty of plans online.}  
Repurposed materials are taken from their original intent and utilized in another fashion. This refers to barn beams or siding, old wood floors, paneling or even wood pallets that had an original purpose, but are then transformed into something completely new. The possibilities are endless, as every repurposed piece has a little piece of history that comes along with it, and gives unbelievable character to the new project.
If you have wood pallets just lying around the yard, put them to use by turning them into a great mud room bench. This bench would look fabulous on the deck or just inside the door, wherever you want to put it. When you finish putting it all together, just sand and stain it whatever color you want and you have a beautiful bench that cost you very little to create.
Find a wide selection of edge banding tools and hand tools like chisels and files.  Find other woodworking products like protective gear, clamps, and wood finish.  Whatever your project, find the quality woodworker's supplies you need to complete the job.  Shop over 18,000 products from the top names in the industry today.  Shop our hardware online, or order from our catalog, available to you free of charge.
Once you have the four aforementioned handheld power tools in your arsenal and you've had time to get comfortable with using them, its time to make your first (and likely most important) major tool purchase. The table saw is the heart and soul of every woodworking shop, the centerpiece around which all of the other tools are used and organized, so you'll want to buy the best table saw that your budget can comfortably afford. Take the time to learn which features you really want and the table saw that best fits your budget and your needs. This article will show you the most common features, and how to determine what features you need and how to know if those features are really well built, or simply added on to the saw because they are selling features.

These how to videos and articles of information are dedicated to my woodworking instructor who trained me during my apprenticeship. This body of work is also in honor of the journeyman who were generous in sharing their woodworking knowledge and skills with me throughout my long career. All of you have helped me to make a wonderful living  in a great craft. My hat is off to all of you.

Turn leftover wood or old pieces of furniture into DIY reclaimed wood projects! Wood is one of my favorite materials to work with. The possibilities are endless and they give such a homey and cozy feel to any rustic home. My husband, Dave, and I sometimes even go the extra mile and carve our initials on a little spot. It’s our own way of making our DIY project even more personal! Here’s a list of some of our favorite DIY reclaimed wood projects!   

Understand the pain. Retired, fixed income, bills to pay like anyone else. Most of the accumulated equipment is used, a few pieces bought new. Other detriment - WW is one hobby, home machining another, and welding/fabricating another, to say nothing of an electronics hobby. Add in no real shop, just enough garage space to house everything, and wheel each piece out on the drive to use. Bad weather = no work! Make a lot of my own stuff also, such as:
Teak is an excellent choice, the “crème de la crème”, for fine outdoor furniture. Teak is highly weather-resistant by nature, which means that it does not have to be weatherproofed when used outdoors – although it often is finished and stained for aesthetic purposes. Teak is one of the most expensive exotic hardwoods there are, but it will look absolutely beautiful and maintain its integrity over time.
But until then, I’ve been thinking of other ways to use my hands and create things.  (Even though many of our saws and tools have been stolen.) But I’m feeling a little antsy to make some quick projects, because creating makes me extremely happy…..so we’re calling this surge in me to create something simple, THERAPY.  In fact, I need to call up a few friends and have them make some with me because friends and creating is a favorite combo of mine!  (Any out of town-ers want to fly in?! ;) )
Thinking about starting a crafts or DIY business? Take a look at these creative ideas using pallets, which have become very popular. One of the reasons many enjoy creating DIY ideas into DIY projects with pallets is there are so many different type of items and decorations that can be made from this rustic wood. Pallets are simply leftover wood and using them is a very eco-friendly and green thing to do. If you choose to make these crafts to sell, you’ll be pleased to discover that many pallet crafts can be created over a weekend. So give DIY pallet projects a try, there are so many here to enjoy! Happy Building and Selling!
A long-established channel with Italian-American woodworking geek Marc Spagnoli and his sidekick Nicole.   It's filled with great tutorials, guides, reviews and generally high quality content.  I'd described as aimed at an improving, and committed, woodworker - he uses fairly lots of clamps and glue, and shows in professional how to build quality pieces, generally of furniture.  I learned a huge amount from here, and it's easy bedtime viewing.  

Can you outfit your shop with all the necessary hand tools for just $100? Christopher Schwarz says you can, and he’ll show you how to do it in this article. Take Christopher’s shopping list to the flea market and come back with everything you need for less than you’d spend on one new hand plane. You can do all your woodworking with hand tools, and this article from Popular Woodworking will equip you with everything you need.

^{As the final stage of any project, the finish will define your piece for years to come. Whether you choose to leave the material unfinished, stained, painted, or rubbed with oils, there are many options to choose from when it comes to finishing. A finish is meant to protect the wood from water damage, dirt, stains, etc., so the benefits are obvious. At CZ Woodworking we will finish the material to your exact needs and determine what will work best for your specific piece. A piece that will endure everyday use, such as a countertop or tabletop, would need a more durable finish than a display shelf. An exterior table, if not made from a naturally weatherproof material, would have to be finished with moisture resistant materials to endure the outdoor elements such as rain and snow. Some materials – such as repurposed barn woods – would be better left unfinished in order to maintain the naturally aged look that defines it.
I, too, would pass on the Jawhorse, and agree with the suggestion of a solid bench. (Remember, it can double as a desk if space is limited.)  A used solid-core door can be a starting point, but there are better options, such as laminating your own from scrounged 2x4s. Spending time at flea markets looking for old tools that can be reconditioned is a good suggestion, too.}
After you have chosen the perfect table saw for your wood shop, the next major purchase one should consider would be a compound miter saw. While not as expensive as a quality table saw, a compound miter saw is invaluable for cutting compound angles (beveled, mitered and combination cuts) on the ends of a piece of stock. Once you develop your ability to make precise cuts with a compound miter saw, you'll find that your circular saw spends a little more time in the drawer than it used to.

Steve Ramsey.  He's an energetic, fast-talking eccentric whose built his channel based on projects that can be done without investing in fancy tools.  He trudges out a banged-up table saw from his garage, chops stuff up on the bed of his truck, and generally produces well-structured projects - even if I can't agree with his design aesthetic and color choices.  Lots of good stuff to learn and a great channel for someone starting out.