beginner tools

[Justa Beginner]

Hi everyone, been lurking around for week or so now trying to get the gist of the group. Anyhow the wife has given me the go ahead to start buying some woodworking tools for my new hobby. For the last 10 years or so have not been able to do much physical work because of some illnesses but within the last year I have been doing quite well. So now with the signing of a new contract at work I will be getting a few thousand dollars in back pay which wife is allowing me to spend on my new hobby. Was looking at outfitting my entire shop. Table saw, jointer, planer. dust collection, band saw, drill press, dust collection, some air tools and a multitude of hand tools, ie, biscuit joiner, drills, sanders, circular saw, jig saw, clamps, router, etc. I've worked as a carpenter for a number of years when i was younger so I have a pretty good idea of safety, how to use tools and what the different tools can be used for and not be used for. Now sinse I do not have a whole lot of money to go out and buy top of line tools I have been looking at the Delta Shopmaster line and thats pretty much the direction I am leaning to. Where I live in Canada, norwestern ontario, there are not alot of options as to where and what brands of tools I can purchase and see before purchasing but have seen Delta tools at a few places. My projects are not going to too detailed to start with. The wife wants a new garbage can and maybe some toyboxes for the kids, and maybe a new tv stand for the rec room. Anyways was just wondering what you folks thought of the Delta Shopmaster line of power tools. Good? Bad? or just useless? Thanks in advance for any insight or comments and sorry for the longish post.

[bluemax1811-newsgroups]

I'm feeling more blunt than usual today, so please don't take offense. My immediate response regarding Shopmaster and stationary tools is "ptooey!". I'd rather spend my money on good quality portable power tools and hand tools instead of investing in tools that will wear out soon and always be a compromise on accuracy (why you buy stationary tools). Maybe invest in one or two to get stated but don't go building a whole shop around junk.

Things that come to mind are top quality jig saw, a block plane and jointer plane, a benchtop planer, a good workbench. I was thinking the other day about how much money I've spent on tools over the last year (YIKES!) and what I would do if I had to get rid of most of it or start over on a limited budget. That's where my recommendations are coming from.

Bob

[Will]

Look at King and General - same as low end of Delta lines etc and typically less money. Easy to get in Canada.

industrial is better....

The links on my web page might help

Page .. where you can find the shop... you can find "The Shop" page directly from here...

[Doug]

I've pretty much just gone through the same scenario that you're describing, only I'm about 2 years ahead of your curve. I just finished equiping my shop with all of the things you want to get. I've probably got as many name brands as tools I own including: Delta, Grizzly, Craftsman, Harbor frieght, Ryobi, Hitachi, porter cable, Yorkcraft!

I've come to feel that certain tools represent bargains, others are a waste of money (i.e. cheep but not worth it). I suggest you do google searches on this site to get testimonials on the major tools you want to buy, then e-mail some of the owners and see how things held up. Most people will mail you back. I found this approach to work pretty well for most tools. Example, the Harbor Freight dust collection unit which regularly goes on sale for $150 represents one of the great bargains (in my mind anyway). Keep in mind the amount of time you will be using each tool and also use that to consider how "high end" you want to go. Finally, I would recommend getting the Grizzly catalogue, They sell everything you will want, most of it at good prices and pretty good quality. (Consider Yorkcraft for your 6" jointer: that too represents one of those bargains!) Good luck

Justa Beg> Hi everyone, been lurking around for week or so now trying to get the gist

collection,

multitude of

ontario,

[Clint]

I think this is the first comparison I've seen between the General line and the "low-end" of the Delta line. And keep in mind that General is different than General International...

To the Original Poster:

For Canadian vendor's, you can check out:

House of Tools and Busy Bee Tools have their own "house" brands. Approximately equivalent to Grizzley, from what I can tell. But you'll never see a review of those brands, since they're not really sold in the States. You can check out

for a Canadian magazine discussion forum, where you might get more input on the Canadian tools. For that matter, I think there are products in the Delta line that are only sold in Canada (or just in the US, for that matter).

Anyway, if it was up to me (and this is what I did), I'd pick a project, and say "What tool(s) do I need to do this project?". Then buy what you need, of at least mid-range price (and hopefully quality). I would think the Shopmaster series would be more focussed on the low-end, so I'd shy away from them for anything that you intend to use on a regular basis. For example, if you're going to by a cordless drill, you'll probably be using it on almost every project (at least, I do). So I'd invest the money in a Porter Cable, or DeWalt, or whatever, rather than a cheap Delta Shopmaster drill. Thinking about what I just typed, though, I guess if it's something I wasn't going to use on a regular basis, I'd try to figure out a way to do it with what I have already. So I'd be reluctant to buy something on the low end unless it was a specialized project that I wasn't going to need that functionality again. And in that case, I'd probably try to rent or borrow it from somewhere first...

Anyway, enough rambling... Good luck with your purchases!

Cl> > Hi everyone, been lurking around for week or so now trying to get the gist

[Clint]

Except Grizzly and Harbor Freight don't sell into Canada, AFAIK.

Clint

[Patriarch]

"Justa Beginner" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

A week isn't _nearly long enough to get the jist of _this_ complex group! ;-)

Advice, worth what you'll pay for it: Find an adult ed class in your area, or a commercial school, and take a couple of classes. You'll learn a lot about what you like, what you already know, safe working practices, who sells what in your area, what local clubs may be available, and what you can do for your budget.

THEN you can warm up the checkbook, more intelligently, and to better purpose.

Save money for materials acquisition.

Patriarch, owner of several expensive tool acquisition mistakes...

[Phisherman]

[Bob]

Bob,

You took the words right out of my mouth and make more sense than any reply that can possibly follow. We have been so brain washed and our pockets picked to death by the advertising world that it is pathetic. They have a way of turning "wants" into "needs" in a hurry. Watch the enemy!

Bluemax Bob is right on this one!

[gandalf]

---------------- Best advice I've heard is: don't buy it till you need it.

Just because you can afford to buy a whole bunch of toys doesn't mean you should. As you progress you will know more about just what it is you want from a particular tool, then buy it.

The odd cheapo tool to get going isn't a sin. It teaches you what you don't want want and helps you determine what you do want. Some of the cheapo stuff isn't all that bad occasionally.

I started off with cheapo stuff and am gradually replacing. Not much to replace thankfully as I followed advice on here and only got what I needed. Now when I need a new tool, as in one I haven't got or a better replacement for one I have got, I am better able to judge what I'm buying.

Resist the urge to buy all the toys in the shop, we all love them but it's not the best approach.

[gandalf]

---------- Sorry, meant to reply to the OP.

[Justa Beginner]

Thanks for all the advice. I looked up a local woodworkers club and found out my neighbour across the street is a member as well as owning his own cabinet making business so I ventrued over to chat with him and in the end he gave me an old rockwell beaver table saw. The saw needs a new fence and base and the blade size is only 71/4" but it will do just fine for starters. He said alot of the guys in the club share and lend tools to cut down on costs for the tools that may not be used as often but needed occassionally. He also told me of a store just around the corner from my work office that sells tools mainly for woodworking and also has a section for used tools as well as aboard for used tools to be posted. He said for having such a limited amount of locations to buy new tools there are alot of resources for some good used tools. So i've got my table saw and already have basic hand tools, ie. chisels, planes, assortment of hand saws. I am going to attend the woodworkers club meeting on thursday evening and see what that is all about and probably venture out to my wifes' uncle sawmill to see what kinds of woods I can get and decide on a project and go from there. Once again thanks for the advice, probably saved me a ton of money and saved me an even bigger headache by buying lesser quality tools just to get a fully stocked shop. Will take it slow and buy what needed as needed and hide the money I don't spend from my wife hahaha.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Justa Beginner" Newsgroups: rec.woodworking Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 12:53 PM Subject: beginner tools

"Justa Beginner" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

[johnny999_99]

I would recommend being opportunistic - if you see a good deal on a good, used sander, grab it, because bargains don't come along all the time.

[Eddie Munster]

Justa Beginner wrote: Anyhow the wife has given me the go ahead to start buying

What a great lady!

John

[Mark]

What is you plan on making? Mark