Are you sure you need those tools? You'd be surprised at what is possible using only hand tools, a table saw, a scroll saw, and a welder, plasma cutter, and ri

Are you sure you need those tools? You'd be surprised at what is possible using only hand tools, a table saw, a scroll saw, and a welder, plasma cutter, and right-angle grinder. Heck - if you're only doing metal work, the last three can be all had for less than $2k (if you aren't too picky about brands). Now - if you're wanting a place like this because you don't have the space or such to have your own "shop area" (like a garage or shed), that's understandable. But really, if you can swing it, going with the basics can sometimes yield just as good results. For instance, take a look at this image: https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/1*1e8OyXBwVk0Pnd-eMRhpzA.jpeg https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/1*1e8OyXBwVk0Pnd-eM... The guy is a friend of mine, and that's his shop. His name is Lance Greathouse. I volunteer on weekends and such to help him with his non-profit, Wheelchair Labs. We take donated powerchairs, like the one he's sitting in, clean 'em up, fix 'em up, then donate them back out to those in need. I've seen lives change because of this. Anyhow, he's been doing this for a while, and the non-profit is fairly recent; prior to that, it was just a side hobby (inspired by his brother, who passed away) - but he was donated a bunch of chairs and such that couldn't be re-used. We've used them for parts, and he's used them for years to build robots and other toys. See that 6-wheel machine to the right? It's powered by a couple of large wheelchair motors, driving the wheels using a chain drive. That gun thingie on the top is an actual flamethrower he built (he's an expert in fire effects, too). The whole thing is radio controlled. Anyhow, that robot was hand-built, using pretty much a welder, a right-angle grinder, and a cutting torch (acetylene). There was drill press involved, too. Plus hand tools and some other power tools. Virtually everything you see in that picture, minus the chair Lance is sitting in, was made without access to a lathe, cnc mill, or laser cutter. We do have a plasma-torch CNC table, but we've never gotten it to work properly (it never holds the arc for more than a few inches of travel). We've found, though, that we can do anything with just a bit of imagination and gumption. Just keep that in mind. Rarely is it the lack of the proper tools or space that holds you back. Re-evaluate what you want to do - maybe you do need the equipment you mention (for instance, the stuff we do is very much "one-off" items; if you wanted to do production quality, larger runs, or you need more precision, then you'd probably want better tools). Or - maybe you might be able to get along with other tools?