the woodworkers paradox

up until recently i have had nothing more than magazines and books to satisfy my growing interest in the world of woodworking. i have found a paradox that exist not only in woodworking but also in nearly every design field. because this paradox is found in many fields of design and not just woodworking, i will be referring to it from now on as the paradox. being such a far-reaching phenomenon, it is difficult to concisely put the paradox into words but i will do my best. for now i will state it merely as it relates to woodworking.

the paradox
1. in order to be able to produce good furniture -- or any other wood project -- one must have the proper tools.
2. in order to justify -- or even be able to -- purchasing the proper tools one must be able to produce good furniture.

it seems that one is not possible without the other, making it very difficult to get started in woodworking (or any other design field) and can, at times, be discouraging. to be honest, it is the sole reason i have had to wait until i was 30 to begin practicing my hand at woodworking. To use a practical example: in nearly every woodworking magazine i own there is at least one article/plan for a jig to help streamline your woodworking, or for a nifty workshop add-on. unfortunately, even for the most basic of these projects, it seems a full wood shop is required to make it, or the project itself is needed to be able to properly make the project.

for myself, craigslist and other online classified ads have definitely helped in finding tools that are in decent condition, but still i encounter the same problem time and again. i would like to hear what others have done to resolve the dilemma of the paradox.

what are your tips and solutions for the paradox?


[edit] i think paradox is too lofty of a word so i'll probably just refer to it from now on as the chicken and the egg problem. i know, it's more wordy, but i think more people will understand what i'm getting at without having to refer back to this post.