Crosscutting, especially with veneered plywood is where your 80T
carbide tipped blade would typically find its home.
However, a 60t carbide tipped combination blade can handle the ripping
and crosscutting of that veneered plywood with satisfactory results. ~
Saves a little money and the need to change blades.
You might look at the Frued adjustable dado blade. It is more
expensive, but as plywood sizes vary so much you might find it will
save you a lot of time and trouble with setup. I know budgets have to
be maintained, but this will pay for it's self with reduced
frustration and tighter fits.
Mike M
I didn't really want to like it... But as a $75 premium on an already
$200 dado blade set, I can see that it would quickly pay for itself in
"reduced frustration" (as you called it). Thank you for mentioning the
blade.
Bill
--------------------------------------------------------------
Having had a Freud SD508, it didn't disappoint me.
You have a couple of chippers designed to match the undersized ply
in the set.
A $20 dial caliper OTOH, is worth it's weight in gold IMHO during
setup.
OTOH, until you have a table saw, the SD508 is nothing more than
a display trinket.
Lew
When I tell folks that I read through motherboard manuals before buying
the motherboard they will often look at me as though that is absurd.
IMO, there is no other (good) way to do it. I was surprised to learn
that the Dial-A-Width Freud Dado set does not work on all saws,
including some you might expect it to work on. And yes, I learned this
yesterday with neither a table saw nor a dado set. Knowledge is king
(or queen). Of course, telling you this is like preaching to the
pope... ; )
Cheers,
Bill
First off figure out what you want to build. Exactly. Then maybe come here and ask what tools you need and how to use them to build whatever you want to build. The people here will suggest many different tools and many different ways to build whatever you want to build. Then figure out what method you want to use to build the project. Then go buy those tools. Repeat for the second, third, fourth project. Eventually you will have quite a few tools. And many of the tools will get used over and over on every project. I don't recommend going out and buying lots of tools to start. Not even the basics such as a table saw and router. Wait until you know you are going to use them. Best to get the tools as you need them for a specific project. You can make the decision whether to go high end tools or low end tools. Probably replace a few tools with better after awhile. Nothing wrong with that. Its not wasted money since you used the cheaper tools for awhile and learned something.
On Saturday, December 15, 2012 5:20:52 PM UTC-6, Pringles CheezUms wrote:
On 12/16/2012 3:49 AM, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote:
That's great advice (even if I didn't always follow it myself). There's
a saying, "if all you have is a hammer, every problem is a nail!" Apt
for this discussion. Collect/buy the tools you need for the job at hand
and the method you'll employ AFTER noodling the "problem" for awhile.
Faced with undercutting all the door jambs in the house to replace
carpeting with flooring I "noodled" the best and easiest way to make
accurate undercuts that wouldn't have me standing on my head in a closet
doorway while I made them. Could have gone out and bought a machine
made exclusively for that but...
I then remembered that I had a biscuit cutter. Using the biscuit
cutter's height adjustment and a plywood shim in one case allowed me to
undercut every jamb in the house, perfectly square in the time it would
have taken Norm Abrams to cut one with a hand saw<g>
This is referred to as "Tool Acquisition 101" Accustom SWMBO to the
concept of "One Project, (at least) One New Tool." When you couple that
with "If Mamma is Happy, EVERYBODY's happy" and do nice work on the
projects that she requests, she's not going to complain about your tool
purchases. If you luck out you may find, as I did, that SWMBO is your
"bird dog." First married and still living in an apartment but planning
a house, my wife spotted my first power tool purchase, a used RAS with a
ton of accessories that has served me well for almost 40 years now. She
is also the one who spotted a used Jet cabinet saw advertised in the
local fishwrap and chased me over to buy it since she knew I wanted one
(note that the word NEED is not necessarily part of the purchase
strategem<g>). So it goes with sales on quality tools seen in newspaper
fliers, etc. No, she doesn't use them, can't use most of them. She's
quite happy to assist when necessary and hold the dumb end of the tape
measure.
Hoo boy this is much bigger than I expected! Cool.
This get-what-you-need-per-project seems to be good advice. I'll start
there.
I've already got a good drill, and what I think is a set of good bits so
that's taken care of. Dewalt 24 volt (i think), two batteries. I use the
charger that came with it but don't know how good a quality it is.
Better be tho, retails for round a couple hundred bucks. (not that I
paid that much, I'm pretty cheap...err, frugal. yeah, frugal.
thatstheticket.)
I've used a handheld circular saw most of my life, and I could go borrow
one of dads. But I'm a lazy son of a gun as well, and a table saw seems
it would do it faster and smoother once I got used to it. Doubt it would
go to waste, there always seems to be a better way to make things take
less space than they do, know what I mean? Used seems to be the way to
go.
Thanks all!
and ask what tools you need and how to use them to build whatever you want to
build. The people here will suggest many different tools and many different
ways to build whatever you want to build. Then figure out what method you want
to use to build the project. Then go buy those tools. Repeat for the second,
third, fourth project. Eventually you will have quite a few tools. And many of
the tools will get used over and over on every project. I don't recommend going
out and buying lots of tools to start. Not even the basics such as a table saw
and router. Wait until you know you are going to use them. Best to get the
tools as you need them for a specific project. You can make the decision
whether to go high end tools or low end tools. Probably replace a few tools
with better after awhile. Nothing wrong with that. Its not wasted money since
you used the cheaper tools for awhile and learned
On Sun, 16 Dec 2012 19:02:50 -0600, Pringles CheezUms
[...snip...]
A good table saw is a great thing to have. But realize it is a
slippery slope. You will find it great at ripping and OK at
crosscutting, but eventually the limitations for crosscutting will
become apparent. Then you will want a compound miter saw, sliding or
not. Until you find you want to crosscut wider boards than it will do.
Then you go back to the table saw and make a sled or two to help with
that. Or you invest in a track saw.
By the way, if you take the time to learn how, you will find that a
good quality properly sharpened handsaw will make much faster, cleaner
and more accurate cuts than you ever would have suspected.
Check your communty's Craigslist. Recently I bought a low-end table saw
(virtually new) for $35 and gave it to my son. I also bought two disk and
belt sanders, the first was a 6" ($30) and the second was and 8" ($35).
Of course you'll have to differentate between immediate or probable use
(table saw) or something of inconceivable usage (sheet metal brake).
Yes, used is a great place to look, especially craigslist.
My shop is a veritable showcase of craigslist scores that have saved me
at least $1500 on my own "minimum recommended tools" acquisition,
including a barely used $950 table saw I got for $225.
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
around the house. I'd like to be able to make fairly simple things like shelves
and bookcases, structure to organize closets, etc. What are some minimum
recommended tools? Not the small things like measuring tape or glue or the like,
but the big stuff. A basic table saw probably, right? I'd like to be able to
make strong joints like dovetail (or whatever the straight version of that is)
so
maybe a router is necessary, yes? Would you recommend a nail gun? It comes in
really handy doesn't it?
Or pick your project and buy what you need to build it. Then pick
another project.
Let me finish with
Are there sources for plans for common things on the net? I googled, but
only found pay sites.
Specifically, I'd like to build a modular bookcase. Cubes that stack and
look decent but that I could just grab when I want to reorganize or
move. (kinda like milk crates but stronger.)
Any website, and/or plans, like that around?
Maybe browse some woodworking magazines. I think Wood magazine has a
bookcase related item in every issue-at least it seems like they do.
Virtually every book on cabinetmaking in your library ought to have
plenty of ideas. You may even find such a book on Google Books.
You might look at Google Images website lumberjocks.com for ideas.
Try to draw a picture of what you want. Does your project need to
resemble "fine woodworking" or will "rough carpentry" suffice? Are you
really going to be satisfied with "stackable cubes"? If so, I guess
you only figure out how to build one. What material do you wish to build
with? The expression "look decent" is really vague--WHAT do you want it
to look like?
If you can sketch, give it a go! You can post it at
alt.binaries.picures.woodworking, and you will probably get some helpful
tips from people who know stuff.
Cheers,
Bill
On Thu, 20 Dec 2012 01:00:37 -0600, Pringles CheezUms
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10//Barrister3.pdf
Much nicer looking than cubes or boards set on concrete blocks.
Google "free woodworking plans" for more options.
--
It is characteristic of all deep human problems that they are
not to be approached without some humor and some bewilderment.
-- Freeman Dyson
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