While digging through my stash of reading material the other day, I ran across a book from the "Fine Woodworking on..." series called "Making and Modifying Machines". It gives pretty detailed information on building several shop machines like a panel saw, wooden jointer, oscillating spindle sander, thickness sander...even a wooden table saw.
From the editor's introduction:
"The very idea of making your own machinery may seem daringly audacious, but why not? The keys are the modern electric motor, readily available in any size, the ball-bearing pillow-block, and the common bolt. We can use the motor to whirl any kind of cutter. then we devise auxiliary mechanisms for managing the cutter's movement into the workpiece, like a boring machine, or for controlling the work's movement into the cutter, like a tablesaw with fences. And then there is the lathe which, uniquely, rotates the workpiece into a stationary cutter."
The book's really got me thinking...why don't more of us build our own machines?
Like many of you, I built my own router table system. It's as accurate as any production model and it fits ME and MY style of working. I've built countless jigs, auxiliary fences, tables, etc. to improve the safety and/or accuracy of about every tool I own. Google this newsgroup about nearly any woodworking machine, and you'll get loaded down with improvements or work-arounds that wreckers have made to it so it better meets their needs.
So has anyone out there built or used a homemade woodworking machine? I'd be interested in hearing and/or seeing about your experience or ideas on the subject.