I agree with Bill that Frank Mastini's book is a good reference. I use it and also "Ship Modeling from Scratch" by Edwin Leaf. My bible for period wooden ships is "Historic Ship Models" by Wolfram zu Mondfeld. Look for the English translation from the original German.
You don't need a full shop of tools right away. Like anything else the more you spend on quality the more you'll be paid back in a quality model.
Basically, for cutting wood, you might consider a fret saw, small carving knives or chisels (Lee Valley Tools has a good selection).
You may also want a good miniature hand drill, jeweller's hammers (light weight, less than 6 ounces), tons of clamps, and a good square. A micrometer is useful as well.
You can also get things like used dentist tools from your dentist, and crochet hooks from your significant other's knitting basket. These are a great help in rigging.
If you are already building plastic models you probably have most of the other tools you will need. To each his own, and I know some builders swear by them, but I personally have found so called "rigging jigs" and plank benders to be of limited value and generally not worth the money. Ditto for power tools, start with good quality hand tools and you can always add them to your shop later.
For setting up keels and frames I build a strong back for each model; most kits include a work base or instructions on building one. You cannot build a true symmetrical hull without ensuring you have a ridgid base to keep everything aligned.
Enjoy!