But you don't need a wood shop to make molds. You only need a few hand tools and with them you can make phenomenal molds. For less than $10 you can have a miter box and a back saw and make very accurate cuts. Here is one at True Value: http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-143134/Detail Then you can get a few clamps: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Bar+Clamp&cid=14088671917582709393&sa=title#p Or http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Bar+Clamp&cid=3201175993519669351&sa=title#p Depending on your choice of style. Here is an inexpensive drill: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3670 Then pick up a quick change drill and driver bit set: http://sale.ebuyable.com/shop/shop.asp?item_id=TLAC11211 Get a nice combination square http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=square&show=dd&cid=16385007339688654875&sa=title#p Or even just a try square http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=try+square&cid=9716101759370019170&sa=title#p A tape measure: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=tape+measure&cid=14728665849585179574&sa=title#p And everyone should have a nice hammer: (this one will last forever. You may have to change the handle every 10 or so years, and it might need a new head every 20 or so, but other than that it will last forever http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=hammer&cid=10287082614004117883&sa=title#p And if you want to get really fancy pick up a Workmate: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=workmate&oe=utf-8&ved=0CCUQrQQwAg&show=dd&cid=9294094467462209000&sa=title#p With the exception of the Work Mate or maybe even including it, you are under $100. Most of the things I listed were under 10 and many were under $5. They would all fit nicely in a single nylon tool bag something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012QRXWO/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001DXVVC4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0SCSXX3R3C2CFD0QCJ5Q It could all stow under a bed or behind a door, and if you get the WorkMate that it folds up to about the size of a large folding chair. Voila, you have a wood shop. We are not talking about fine cabinetry. However, if that were your goal, you could add a set of wood chisels, a few choice hand planes, and scrapers and you are ready to make 90% of what ever your heart desired. You don't need big expensive power tools. Even the power drill is an unnecessary luxury item. Point is this, just like soaping, you can get started on a shoe string. You can make some pretty nice soap with $1/pound lard, a $0.69 lemon and some red devil drain opener using a used milk carton for a mold. Or you can buy expensive exotic oils, food grade lye, use electric mixers, fancy cutters and all the rest of the "drooled-over-wish-list-items" and in the end you still have soap. One may be a bit prettier than the other but they will still clean your body or your clothes or even that spot the dog made on the rug. Same thing with woodworking... You don't "need" but a handful of things to get started, and none of them are all that expensive. The rest is for when you want or need to go faster... that's all.