(New subscriber) Latest and greatest tools, and old-time tools

I've just started into woodworking as a result of being fed up with dealing with contractors doing so-so work in my home for a lot of money.

My first project is putting up craftsman style moldings in our upstairs bat h. I've chosen to mill my own wood from rough-sawn pieces, which yielded w ood savings enough to pay for my used Ridgid lunchbox thickness planer and my used Craftsman 6-1/8" jointer. This has turned out to be a good beginne r project as I am learning something I believe is pretty fundamental.

So, first a question: I'm finding that used power tools are a pretty great deal, especially hobbyist-grade, since so many hobbyists only use them ligh tly, or even abandon the hobby before long. Are there any modern tools, ne w ones that are new to the marketplace that are must-haves or really-great- to-haves? Sawstop comes to mind as a good example, IMO. Others?

Second question: I have a secondary interest, beyond just building things f rom wood, in building wooden things by hand - using no, or very few, power tools. Does anyone in the group with experience in old-timey woodworking s uch as this have thoughts or advice? Just to be clear, I'm no reactionary

- my interest is in the charm and tradition in the pursuit, not because I t hink power tools are evil - I think they're great. But I'm drawn to this, as is my son, with whom I'm taking up this hobby.

Thanks for your attention, I'm having fun with this so far. At 53 it's ver y cool to learn new things and feel like a kid again :)

Reply to
Jeff Mazur
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If you want cutting edge technology and quality, SawStop is at the top of the list and so is Festool brand power tools. Festool is pricey, 2-3 times more expensive than well known quality tools but very well thought out and the pieces integrate well with each other. Festool power tools could actually replace or eliminate the need for larger stationary power tools. Festoolusa.com

Reply to
Leon

Jeff Mazur wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

*snip*

Ooh, we get to spend someone else's money on our wishlist!

A multi-tool like the Fein Multimaster or clones is worth the investment. Harbor Freight has one they've been selling for less than $20 at times, which is a fantastic place to start. I like the Bosch version as its quiet with little vibration on the tool body.

There's an old tool that's well worth having in the shop: A classic "school" style pencil sharpener. I think the one I bought a few years ago was an X-acto L, a clone of the "Boston L", if I remember right. When the pencil breaks, it takes less than 10 seconds to sharpen. Cost was about $20.

The track saws look really nice. It looks like all you do is make your marks, position the track and make the cut. Better than guide rails, which require making a mark, offsetting the guide from the mark to match your saw, then making your cut. (The guide rails do work well, though.)

Hand tools can be a hobby in and of themselves. One good way to get started is by buying something that's not a tool at all: DVDs of the Woodwright's Shop. (You might get the newer seasons on your PBS station) Roy Underhill uses hand or human powered tools exclusively, and it's sometimes amazing to watch as this tree that was standing last year gets turned into something.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Absolutely nothing wrong with that. I started out that way as a youngster, but the realities of making a living with hand tools alone is harsh in today's world.

There are countless excellent resources available these days on the Internet.

Shannon's is a good place to start, but one will lead you to another:

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And Chris Schwartz one of the acknowledged masters of blending hand work and modern methods:

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Google+ is also an excellent place to look for hand tool aficionados and pick up tips:

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Reply to
Swingman

My perspective: Do the projects you like to do and get the tools you need for what you like to do. If you would like to build a picnic table, you could easily get by with a GOOD hand saw, square, good hammer and a plan. If you need a drill, get a good one.

If you want to make toy chests, you may need a power saw or a sander. If you find you really need a certain tool, get the best you can afford, but don't buy a shop full of tools just because they are neat and pretty. I got by on just hand tools for many years, then accumulated a grinder, power drill(s) and a router. I bought a cheap Sears router and hated it for several years until I replaced it. I bought a cheap grinder and regretted it.

As your horizons expand and you find you like woodworking you will gradually acquire the right tools for what you like to do.

Reply to
G. Ross

I read the other responses to your query before posting this. You got some good suggestions and some not so good. I'd stay away from that $20 HF multi-tool - while some have made it work, a lot of users have complained that the blades work loose - they did for me.

OTOH, the latest HF 12" sliding miter saw got great reviews. I bought one because of those reviews and so far I agree with them.

Something that's come along in the last few years are those digital angle gauges. Get one - worth its weight in gold.

As far as new power tools go, nothing that's a "must have" comes to mind. I will say that after buying a thickness sander (Jet 10/20) it certainly made avoiding tearout easy.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

This message was supposed to get posted earlier, but it was never sent. Please excuse any redundancy it has with the messages others have already sent.

One person's "must have" is another person's "paper weight". Maybe decide on a big goal, then maybe consider a related smaller one--and start collecting tools for that. That way, at least you know why you are buying things. I have observed that it's much, much cheaper to collect

*books* about tools, than the actual articles (a little pun there). It's easier to keep them sharpened and free of rust too! : )

Do you have a suitable stationary workbench? If not, there are a couple of good book on workbenches (not that you "have to" read one). Your approach may vary depending on whether you wish to spend $200, $2000, or $15,000 to spend to pursue woodworking. I guess a "SawStop PCS" starts you off near $4000 once you start to accessorize. Suggest you maybe make a list before you buy very much so you can prioritize. Do you have a 240V outlet at your convenience? If not, you may wish to consider putting one in. Maybe not. There are many who don't think it makes sense to buy a low voltage Sawstop.

Bill

Reply to
Bill

I agree with the above, before you buy tool one decide what projects you are going to be doing, then look at the tools to do that project.

If you are going to be doing finishing work in a house or such then a good powered miter saw should be your first purchase.

If your projects are fancy little decorative flowers or toys, you would be better off making your first tool purchase a good jigsaw or bandsaw, and a drill press.

If you are making picture frames you will need a good table saw, with an angle miter gauge and a router/table with a good slot cutter bit.

If you plan to built yard sheds or houses, a good skil saw and a nail gun or hammer would be more appropriate.

Reply to
Keith Nuttle

...and now back the regularly scheduled show. ;-)

BTW, I have a few FessteringTools, too. They're certainly more expensive but I don't buy the 2-3x. Probably the most useful FesteringTool is the TeackSaw. The competition is pretty closely priced to the FT. Some tools may approach 2x but even their routers aren't 2x a good quality tool.

Reply to
krw

I have the Bosch 12V cordless. It's a great tool for the few times it's needed. I don't use it as a "woodworking" tool, though. It's more of a construction tool.

I use cheap .7mm mechanical pencils. I buy bags of them for ~$.10 each. I have them scattered everywhere so there's always one within sight, if not reach. ;-)

I used guide rails for some time. There is no comparison. Track-saws are flawless.

A skill I would never have the patience to learn. I'd rather make a cake than play with the ingredients. ;-)

Reply to
krw

: )

Reply to
Bill

So first, welcome...

Second you will find the saw stop to be an excellent saw for you and your son and save you from the most dangerous accident of digit removal.. It will not protect from incorrect safety methods and poor fundamentals, so kickback is still a danger.

Do buy the saw stop, well worth the money if it ever saves your fingers..

I love doing stuff by hand. I have a full power shop, yet sometimes I want quiet. Or I find that I can do something by hand faster than jigging up to make a cut.. or it's too dangerous and a handtool eliminates the danger.

If you start with handtools, you will work slower, but learn more. You'll learn the grain direction matters big time.

You will find many videos that show you how to on the web.... Please don't call it old timey, that guy is entertaining or trying to be, but I'm not sure of his skills. He has a lot of nice moulding planes, (I'm jealous) but it's not old timey...

I think some of the best lessons of handtools are Roy Underhill. Roy teaches quickly how to, you won't be taken all the way through, but you will learn a lot. Many of his seasons are still available online, so before you spend on the series from pop wood, just go learn by watching them online.

He has taught me things I thought I knew and didn't have to learn.. Certainly there were faster ways of getting the wood roughed out, and he knows how to do it quickly and efficiently.

Add power tools as you need them... I goto garage sales weekly with the wife. I look for tools (old tools mostly) and she looks for her things. I have found some great bargains.

Just remember nothing is perfect, everyone makes mistakes, and fixing them is part of the fun and challenge.

Reply to
woodchucker

OK, this is just CRAZY - guys, I can't thank you enough for the flood of re plies! I remarked to my son the other day that I noticed that woodworking guys seem to be almost without exception some of the nicest people around, and you all bear that out with your attention and help.

I will craft a proper reply and commentary regarding this wealth of knowled ge - in the morning, when I'm fresh. Again, thanks for this grand and help ful welcome, it's truly appreciated.

Jeff M.

Reply to
Jeff Mazur

I"d consider the Domino as the most useful tool. While the tracksaw is certainly useful, there's several competitors out there to it. The Domino is pretty much unique in the home market when it comes to loose tenons. Not much else out there that is as easy or fast to use.

Reply to
none

On Thu, 05 Dec 2013 20:14:46 -0500, woodchucker

For me the biggest challenge is turning those mistakes into a design feature. :)

Reply to
none

Sure but I didn't use Domino as an example _because_ there isn't any direct competition (there are several jigs). Yet. It's hard to compare the price of something to, um,??? ;-)

But you have a point, I did say the TrackSaw was the most useful. I still think it is but I'm certainly not going to argue that the Domino isn't right there. (You just hit the third and final FesteringTool in my toybox ;).

Reply to
krw

Have you not seen the large Festool Router that is over $800.? ;~)

Reply to
Leon

I think my most surprisingly cool Festool tool is my T15-3 cordless drill. I have not yet stalled it even driving 5/16"x 4" lag screws. I have two impact drivers, Makita and Bosch which I have not used since getting the Festool drill two years ago.

The track saw is great for finish cuts in plywood, the sanders are clean and basically dustless, and of coarse my Domino. I have cut well in excess of 10,000 mortises with it.

Reply to
Leon

I will craft a proper reply and commentary regarding this wealth of knowledge - in the morning, when I'm fresh. Again, thanks for this grand and helpful welcome, it's truly appreciated.

------------------------------------------------------------------ It's not difficult to invest a small fortune, even rights to your first borne, and still not have the right tools for the job.

So what do you want to do?

A table saw with a good fence, emphasis on GOOD, is a dream.

These days that means SawStop.

Add an 8" stacked dado set and a set of quality carbide set of blades (24T rip, 50T combo & 80T plywood finish) and you are good to go.

Freud has product.

Add some sheets of 9 ply (1/2") & a 13 ply (3/4") 60" x 60" Birch plywood to make jigs.

The above will keep you out of trouble for at least a year.

Add a router kit with a fixed and a plunge base along with bits as you need them.

P/C 690 used to be the king of routers but their day is long gone.

I'd look at Milwaukee, others may have a better suggestion.

Add a couple of 6" ROS, I like Bosch, a multitool (Mine is a Fein) and a couple of battery operated hand drills.

I had 18VDC DeWalt, but that was a long time ago.

Throw in a Bosch jig saw, mine is a 1587 and it's long in the tooth, but it gets the job done.

Don't forget the band saw, but only after the need is established.

And finally the most important tool in the shop, the THINKING chair.

If you still have money in the piggy bank, come on back and we will help you spend it.

Have fun.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

On Thu, 05 Dec 2013 22:47:02 -0600, Leon

Yeah, but you're suffering from a fatal infection of Festool brain disease. Every Festool that you put your hands on immediately infects your central nervous system. The other tools just don't stand a chance.

Reply to
none

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