Re: Selecting Machines For A Home Shop

[Dave Lyon]

Say you want to setup a home shop for both metal and wood

> working....what older American or European machines would you choose > to populate the shop with? In a home shop environment, the size of the > work envelope can vary greatly with the work done so a number of > different candidates exist for the same function performed. > > With welders, I would consider that newer machines might be more > desirable. > > I have listed what categories I would consider might be wanted in a > combination metal and wood work shop for the serious hobbist. > > I look forward to hearing of your choices and the reasons why. > > And feel free to add any tool that I might have forgotten. > > Thanks > > TMT > > > = Metalworking > - vertical mill > - horizontal mill > - metal shaper > - slower drill press > - small metal lathe > - larger metal lathe > - horizontal metal bandsaw > - vertical metal bandsaw > - surface grinder > - bench grinder > - band/disc sander > - belt sander > - tool grinder > - air compressor > - arbor press > - hydraulic press > - heat treating furnace > - bender, brake, shear, slip roll > > = Woodworking > - table saw > - cross miter saw > - radial arm saw > - scroll saw > - vertical wood bandsaw > - jointer > - planer > - wood shaper > - wood lathe > - faster drill press > > = Welding > - ARC welder > - TIG welder > - MIG welder > - A/Ox welder > > = Material Handling > - SMALL forklift (1000-2000lbs.) > - Pallet jack >

All that for a home shop?

I'd have a nearly used up CNC knee mill, and a medium lathe. Throw in a bench grinder, a vice, a vertical and horizontal bandsaw, a tig welder, and a torch. With some decent tooling, that should build about anything the average farmer would need.

[John E.]

Yikes, how many "home shops" include a forklift and a pallet jack?

too many tools indeed...;^)

John E.

[Jesse]

Did you have a large Lottery winning. I wish I could do this. jesse

[steamer]

--FWIW I suggest you consider what *not* to get and steer away from the turkey brands; i.e. Rockwell good, Sears bad, etc. Also getcher self a copy of a massive tome called "Machine Tool Reconditioning" which includes survey forms that you copy and take with you when you go to look at used machine tools: very handy that one...

[Curt Welch]

- dust collection and air filtering systems

- Plasma Cutter

- Pickup truck with trailer hitch.

- Trailer to haul the stuff that doesn't fit in the pickup.

- Enough land to hold the large shop to put it all in.

- The large shop to put it all in.

- A wife that understands the addiction.

[Andrew Barss]

In rec.woodworking Too_Many_Tools wrote: : Say you want to setup a home shop for both metal and wood : working....what older American or European machines would you choose : to populate the shop with? In a home shop environment, the size of the : work envelope can vary greatly with the work done so a number of : different candidates exist for the same function performed.

Sure, but you also need to consider the type of work planned. In your WWing list, you have a scroll saw, a lathe, and a tablesaw. IME, people who scroll saw don't usually have all that other stuff, for example. So, scoller would have a scroll saw, and a variety of supplemental tools that would go with that.

And why would you need both a "cross miter saw" (?) and a raidal-arm saw? And what about a router or three? And hand tools?

-- Andy barss

: = Woodworking : - table saw : - cross miter saw : - radial arm saw : - scroll saw : - vertical wood bandsaw : - jointer : - planer : - wood shaper : - wood lathe : - faster drill press

[AHS]

I have one recommendation about woodworking tools. If you look at old tools, keep in mind that they may or probably predate dust collection. That means those tools will generate a MESS whenever you use them. If you think you can adapt them to collect dust, you may find yourself really challenged.

Alex

[Steve B]

It all depends. For some standard welding, the oldest AC/DC welding machines will burn rods as good as and sometimes better than the new comparables.

However, with the new advances in MIG, TIG, and other specific types of welding, yes, the new machines are way ahead of the old ones, which were the first generation. Maybe second, or third.

One must analyze their needs with regards to welding, their quality standards, and what machine will get them there.

No need to buy a $3,000 welder when a $200 Lincoln Tombstone will do the job.

A new high line welder ......... $3,000 A new low line welder .............. $200 Knowing which one you need .......... priceless.

Steve

[Gunner]

Ah....er...ahum.....

Gunner

"Liberalism is a philosophy of consolation for Western civilization as it commits suicide"

- James Burnham

[Curt Welch]

LOL

[Nick Mueller]

OK, my biased selection:

An old Deckel

A Gack

Alzmetall or Flott

Weiler, Schaublin

No band saws, cold saws!

Not my Klaiber!

What comes along and isn't too cheap.

What comes along

DeWalt

EWM rulez!

Nick

[Ralph E Lindberg]

It all depends... I don't own much Sears (any more). I think just the

1/2-inch industrial drill. But I built the house with Sears, of course a good number of the tools didn't survive much longer after the house was built. Then, as I could afford it, I replaced them with better tools. But I couldn't have afforded good tools when building the house, and built the house.

[Alan Wright]

A forklift would be nice, but where would you store it? I'm looking at "truck lifts" instead, which might also eliminate the need for a pallet jack.

If you want really small lathes/mills, I like Sherline. For medium size, Wabeco is really nice. I have no experience with larger ones. For vertical bandsaws and drill presses I like Delta so far. My horizontal bandsaws are cheap ones but work fine. I like DeWalt, Makita, and Bosch for miscellaneous saws and other tools.

Due to limited space, for surface grinding and horizontal milling I'm looking at the Sieg U2. Can't see making room for a shaper.

I'll have to give up another garage bay (already use one plus small shop) if I add worddworking and welding.

Alan

[J T]

Fri, Mar 2, 2007, 11:58am (EST-3) too_many [e-mail] (Too_Many_Tools) doth burble: Say you want to setup a home shop for both metal and wood working....what older American or European machines would you choose to populate the shop with?

It this pretend, or for real? I won't bother if it's pretend, there'll be plenty of others willing to do that. If it's for real, you didn't say if it's for you, or something I'd choose for myself. Either way, the sanswer is the same. It depends.

It depends on: Whait is actually needed versus what is only wanted, space available, money available, etc. Details, details, details.

It wouldn't make sense to recommend a huge metal lathe, if all you want or need is a lathe to make model parts. As far as I'm concerned you just tossed a blanket question out, with insufficient details to allow a viable response. More details. And a forklift? For a home shop? If you really need onc, it's probably be more cost effective to rent one, plus it wouldn't be sitting around taking up space.

JOAT It was too early in the morning for it to be early in the morning. That was the only thing that he currently knew for sure.

- Clodpool

[Alan Wright]

A "truck lift" or "lift truck" is apparently designed to lift things from the floor up to the loading height of a truck. They also call them "stackers", in another context.

Here is one example:

has a bunch of models under "lift truck".

Alan

messagenews: [e-mail]...

[charlieb]

Just a little note of caution.

Fire and wood shouldn't go together unless it's in a fireplace, barbecue or smoker. In an enclosed space, especially a basement . . .

charlie b

[Mark & Juanita]

Also be aware that forklifts have a hard time in gravel. I found that out when picking up my shipment of cherry from the UPS terminal. Their forklift got stuck in the gravel in the truck yard while attempting to load onto my pickup. The gravel was dry, the forklift was standard warehouse LP-powered with smooth rubber.

... snip

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[B A R R Y]

Or get into a basement shop.

[Gunner]

Oh they can go into a basement shop ..getting them out..now there is a serious issue...

Gunner

Political Correctness

A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

[B A R R Y]

Isn't that always the case?

Getting it IN is easy...