RE: building equip
Finding and collecting tools can be almost a hobby in itself. Places I frequent are Micro Mark, Rockler, Harbor Freight, local hardware stores, local tool shops, local metal shops, and even the cosmetics department in the large pharmacies.
If you are serious on scratch building, I agree with others about having a band saw and drill press. Dremels are good for any type of building.
While I don't have one yet, there's a couple of brands of micro table saws that look pretty good. The only thing is that they cost more than my full size table saw! I also would like to get a drum thickness sander in the future too.
While not a tool, another must have is good lighting. I have 6, 4' 2-bulb florescent lights in my garage using daylight color corrected, high output bulbs. These replaced the 5 standard 2-bulb fixtures I had before, and it's a big improvement.
Scott