Hobbyist Woodworking/Chippys

[Mudfuzz]

Routers are life-changing.

True, as long as the user isn't a dumbass. Nothing like watching someone run their finger right into the fucking bit on a router table oddly enough both were named Mark… one was a temp… and one was my boss guess with one was magically fine and which one needed stitches

[Achtane]

somehow that reminds me of this guy my dad worked with. He was wearing flip-flops while pressure washing a house, and when the job was done, he decided to clean his feet off with the washer.
He went to the emergency room after digging a bone-deep trench in his own foot.

[Mudfuzz]

somehow that reminds me of this guy my dad worked with. He was wearing flip-flops while pressure washing a house, and when the job was done, he decided to clean his feet off with the washer.
He went to the emergency room after digging a bone-deep trench in his own foot.

Yeah there are just those guys… I use to use my manager for all my safety examples when training people.. "and this is why we don't stick our hand there" "and this is why you don't hold the air hose up to the drill press" "and this is why we don't run something with nails in it through a table saw" "and this is why we make sure the guard is down on the chop saw" and this is why we have to take the pro pain tank off the forklift before filling it"

[Achtane]

It's a miracle that people manage to get anything done in construction without killing themselves.

[AxAxSxS]

I've pretty much switched to craigslist completely. A couple of times it's been an old dude selling his tools off and just wanted to make sure they got put to good use. The guy I bought my scroll saw from got a little misty eyed when I told him it would be used to build guitars. Was a good feels but also very sad. His son was just happy one less thing would be in the garage.

[ryan summit]

if im lookin at a newer model somethin
i go to cpo outlets
been getting stuff reconditioned
full warrantees
lot cheaper
no problems yet

[tuffteef]

table saws are pretty expensive if i can pick one up off gumtree ill go that way
but are they the best way to cut pieces from a large sheet?

im prob gonna buy a circular saw make a jig, router, clamps
im gonna do some research on the different kinds of joints and maybe try bang something together on some scraps

whats the verdict on spending money on different blades/bits theres always the cheap-middle-expensive argument

i think im either gonna have a crack at recreating my cheap 10 dollar shelf but in wood or build a simple modular case

the safety stuff bugs me i need my fingers....

i think as long as i take my time i should be cool

[Mudfuzz]

table saws are pretty expensive if i can pick one up off gumtree ill go that way
but are they the best way to cut pieces from a large sheet?l

a Skill saw [circular saw] and a straight edge.
measure your cut, then measure the offset on your saw [this is the distance from the blade to the edge of the foot] which is a lot of the time about a inch and a half, then clamp the straight edge to that measurement and run the edge of the saw against the straight edge, if your straight edge is straight and you cut evenly you should have a cut almost as good as a table saw.

[McSpunckle]

table saws are pretty expensive if i can pick one up off gumtree ill go that way
but are they the best way to cut pieces from a large sheet?l

a Skill saw [circular saw] and a straight edge.
measure your cut, then measure the offset on your saw [this is the distance from the blade to the edge of the foot] which is a lot of the time about a inch and a half, then clamp the straight edge to that measurement and run the edge of the saw against the straight edge, if your straight edge is straight and you cut evenly you should have a cut almost as good as a table saw.

That's also easier than a table saw if you have a smaller portable table saw and don't want to build a larger table around it.

For smaller stuff, though, you'll want a table saw.

Speaking of saw injuries... my grandpa cut off the tips of a couple of fingers with a circular saw, and my dad cut off part of a finger with a table saw. I lost a good chunk of a finger to a leafblower when I was little, so I think I'm safe... but I'm still extra cautious. Just in case that wasn't enough finger.

[Decibill]

Here's my take on expensive vs. budget tools. It's kinda like guitars. Unless money is not a concern, there is no reason to spend beyond your means and skill set. Be smart about what you buy and where you buy, always keeping in mind how YOU will be using it. There's no reason to drop $200 on a pro skill saw, when you can easily get by with one for $40 or $50. As for bits and blades, most of your first projects will be light-duty, so I say there's no reason to splurge. Plus, you are gonna break and bend blades and bits as you learn. Make these mistakes with the entry level stuff and then once you get the flow you can start investing in higher quality.

[misterstomach]

i do carpentry for a living and have bought lots and lots of tools over the years. i really don't have much in the way of shop/cabinetry type tools, other than the things that double as both shop/field tools. i stopped buying used tools for the most part years ago, unless it's really obvious that something is a good tool for a good deal. i just ended up with too much shit that didn't really work how it was supposed to. cpo outlets, as mr summit said, are a good place for decent refurbished stuff though.

i also agree with what decibel said about appropriate spending for your level of use and skill. i buy nice stuff generally, but i use it all day every day and beat the shit out of it. most folks who aren't pros don't need and won't really benefit from the more expensive stuff. don't buy total cheap shit, or your wasting your money, but don't get talked into spending too much either. also, for the most part, i don't buy tools at home depot or lowes. i don't know if it's true but it has been said that many of the big tool companies make a cheaper lower quality version of their products specifically for the big box stores, who buy tools by the boatload. this could be a rumor, but my own experience has lead me to believe that it's at least a possibility. that's more a concern for when you get really into it and are buying nicer tools. for entry level they're fine. but going to a local tool store (not a hardware store) you'll find a much more knowledgeable staff usually and better tools. sometimes they're a bit more expensive though.

as far as blades, you can't go wrong with freud diablo blades for anything circular. they are the standard for all the professional field carpenters that i know. they're very good blades at a very reasonable price. nice and thin, long lasting, and cut like it's warm butter. the price range is around what you'd pay for any decent aftermarket blade. if you get real into shop work you might find you want to go buy the $200 table saw blades, but for starters you don't need that stuff at all.

as far as what tools to get, here's my thoughts:
i can't imagine any life worth living without a decent circular saw.

if you're doing shop projects, you're going to want a table saw. (table saws have probably taken more fingers than anything else in the tool world. make sure you know how to be safe and never take any chances. you can't be too careful, no matter how many years of woodworking you get under your belt. plenty of very experienced people end up having accidents because of slacking off on table saw safety. the guards they come with really aren't practical and make the saw annoying and sometimes impossible to use, so your own knowledge and vigilance is all you have to protect you.)

i would get an air compressor and a finish nailer or a brad nailer or both. those porter cable kits with a pancake compressor and a finish nailer, brad nailer and stapler for like $275 are a pretty good starter kit. you'll move on from porter cable guns and will want a quieter compressor down the road, but that'll get you started. i had one of those compressors for years and couldn't break it for the life of me.

i would think you'd want a jigsaw. cheap jigsaws are the most annoying things in the world and it's worth it to get something decent. you can find a used bosch one for around $70 and it's totally worth it .they had a really complex and annoying system for changing blades for a couple of years, but even if you end up with one of those, it's still 1000 times better than a shitty jigsaw, for not that much more money. bosch make the very best, until you get into much higher end stuff like festool.

a cordless drill is something you'll definitely want. plenty of them will do. i like makita. the blue ones are more expensive and are more of the pro carpenter line. the white ones have plastic gears and are cheaper, but for what you're going to do the cheaper ones will be fine. i know plenty of people who have been using the cheaper ones for years without problems.

hope that helps. good luck.

[Mudfuzz]

as far as blades, you can't go wrong with freud diablo blades for anything circular. they are the standard for all the professional field carpenters that i know. they're very good blades at a very reasonable price. nice and thin, long lasting, and cut like it's warm butter. the price range is around what you'd pay for any decent aftermarket blade. if you get real into shop work you might find you want to go buy the $200 table saw blades, but for starters you don't need that stuff at all.

I agree for the most part. Their router bits are very good as are their fiber cement blades, the table saw blades are good unless you are doing high production, which they are fine for but they for whatever reason don't give you as many times to the saw shop to be sharpened as other blades they are scary wicked though in small cordless skill saws

[Mudfuzz]

OK my thoughts on tools.

Don't be afraid of cheap old stuff. Old black and decker stuff rocks, old craftsmen stuff is awesome if you can find it. I got about ten years out of my craftsman band saw and drill press before dying this last year

For larger tools like bands saws table saws ect: if you find ANYthing that is old and a delta get it, same with powermatic. If it look like it is made out of cast iron or like it's a old train it is worth more then most cars if you can find someone to dial it in, meaning 70's back to teens will be better then all that cool Italian shit in all the woodworking mags.

Grizzly is fine for a lot of stuff but I will NEVER recommend their table saws, the one our shop got went through two motors, 12 capacitors, and two guard assemblies [so far, they still have it] On the other hand I think their bandsaws are very nice. Dewalt makes killer chop saws and sliding miter saws, their drills are ok too. Ryobi makes good planers and sanders but their cordless stuff is crap.

Jigsaws: you want a Bosch or something based on a Bosch. The key to them is the knob on the top, it lets you spin it in small spots and you can just tilt it into a cut without drilling a hole first: tilt, grab knob, turn with trigger hand will cut a circle in about anything

Now for real tools…
A Dozuki saw is one of the best things in the world, they are super sharp, the blades are replaceable and they are cheap

Marples blue chip chisels are always the best place to start as they are about as cheap as you can go for a professional chisel. DO NOT BUY STANLEY CHISELS!!!!!!!! THEY CANNOT BE SHARPENED. Also if you find a old chisel anywhere buy it buy it buy it! I have found stuff in thrift shops dirt cheap that just need tlc

Stanley and Marples hand plains are good for most things, although is you want to get tweaky get Hawk blades for them….

Quick clamps [the squeeze kind] are not clamps, they are for holding stuff like the third hand, get metal clamps.

No matter what though with chisels and planes you will have to spend a lot of time truing them, this means flattening the backs of blades and the sole of the plane, a flat surface and sand paper will work [look into scary sharp sand paper and glass sharpening, it's the cheapest way to go] for the most part.

Also a chisel is not sharp unless you can shave with it, otherwise is is a screwdriver… and according to a trim book i have… "all tools are hammers, except chisels, those are screwdrivers"

You will want a tape measure, Combination square, and a small ruler [6" / 15cm], also a 1 yard / meter level/straightedge is also important [you need to check if square though: draw a line with it, then flip it end over end and check the line, it should be the same]

[ryan summit]

wow
mudfuzz and stomach nailed it
always refer to those 2 posts when purchasing
even the brands they shouted out
these dudes know whats up
im guessin they wasted alot of time and money
tryin to save a buck with the garbage as well

and mr.tummy
im goin on 5 years now with my white makita
i did have to get the impact gun as well though
that thing is a time/wrist/annoyance/strippedhead saver
and that lil light still freakin works

[Chankgeez]

here's my contribution to this thread:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKIoezZUK6s[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oZSkD7WoJ4[/youtube]