I want to possess the knowledge, tools, materials, and workspace to make whatever the hell I feel like making, whenever I feel like making it. Because I can’t do this overnight, I want to start with the most versatile tools and skill first.
I want to be able to build a Stratawhovius violin one week, a steel trebuchet the next week, a Stormtrooper uniform (Galactic Empire or WWII Germany, doesn’t matter) the following week, and a Construction-Worker-From-The-Village-People costume for my cat the week after that. I don’t want to be “a woodworker”, “a metalworker”, “a computer guy”, or “a guy who can sew”, I want to be all those things. I don’t need to make money from any of them, nor do I need to be an expert at any one thing.
I want to be a human Swiss Army knife.
I’m off to a pretty good start. I have a decent collection of hand tools, electronics tools, and a couple power tools. I have a Dremel. I have a basement with lots of space to put stuff. I'm geeky enough to install and futz with Linux. I know how to breadboard.
I already subscribe to Make Magazine, which is probably one of the greatest things ever, though I prefer the more practical things. The artsy “this will be awesome at Burning Man” stuff, not so much.
I have nothing specific I want to make, nor do I have a specific skill I want to focus on. I really enjoy building things that require different skills. I built a MAME emulator arcade cabinet that required some woodworking, electronics, computer skills, etc. Same with the Death Star costume. I probably wouldn’t want to build a wooden chair unless it’s part of a flight simulator cockpit.
I’m looking for:
General tool advice. What tools are the most versatile? What tools should no shop be without? For example, I keep thinking a tabletop sander could be used for working with wood, metal, plastic and pretty much anything else. Is this true? Can a bandsaw be used for anything but wood?
Book advice. What should a maker’s library not be without? What is The book for learning woodworking? Electronics? Plastics? Whateverthe hell?
Skills to possess. What can I learn from a book vs. what would I be better off taking a class in? What skills carry over to other things? Like if I learn basic woodworking would that help me if I learn about metalworking some day?
Where to learn. Interesting places to learn interesting skill in the Boston area.
Materials I should have on hand at all times? I think I’m starting to get a fetish for angle brackets I’m finding so many damn uses for them. What else is like that? Don’t say duct tape. Duct tape is overrated. Electrical ties, now there is a versatile thing to have.
General shop advice. How best to organize a multi-use workshop? How do you organize your shop? Build or buy workbenches? Where do you get cheap little parts organizer thingies.
I'm also happy to hear of fun projects that might require learning a mix of skills.
Sorry this question is so vague. It’s kind of like one of those “Help my outfit my kitchen and pantry, and oh yeah I also want to learn to cook” questions only with a greater risk of eye injury.