RobPorcaro

These end mills are solid carbide.

I agree!

By intuition, admittedly without expertise, I think the brain works with tools such as the imagination, paper and pencil, visual constructs, and input from the hands. Since hands are uniquely human, it would come as no surprise that some cognitive functions of our uniquely human brains depend on its integration with the "knowledge" supplied by the hands. How interesting that very young children rarely are satisfied with seeing a new thing, they want to touch it and handle it.

It seems like some of the richness of life is lost without working with one's hands. Practically, we all can eventually use handiwork skills, even if it is just installing some moulding or fixing a lamp. Hands are not just for tapping a keyboard and mouse!

Having used this sled for many different size crosscuts without a hold-down, I have not found any problems with the work pieces shifting. However, I understand how this could be a concern, and the addition of toggle clamps sounds helpful. Sandpaper adhered to the working face of the fence is another option.

I feel the right side platform is necessary and safer for crosscutting off all but the tiniest trimmings, and I do indeed use this sled for sizable cutoffs. For splitting very large sheets, I agree with Slowlearner’s suggestion.

I generally control the front of the sled with my left hand with my right hand on the work piece, well away from the blade, as I make the cut. Each woodworker has to decide what is a safe and practical limit for stock width using this type of sled, and whether the fence needs added stabilizing features. Some may feel more comfortable with rear fence sleds.

As with just about everything else in woodworking, there is more than one good method. Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

To clarify, the question I raised was which major machine to buy first (and second). Judging from the interest generated, this clearly seems worthy of discussion. I feel it’s great to hear opinions from passionate fellow woodworkers. In agreement with many of the comments, the answer surely depends on the types of projects a woodworker intends to make. This, along with personal preferences in working style and other factors, precludes a definitive answer. The main point is that new woodworkers can hopefully benefit from the many opinions offered.

Regarding the roles of the jointer and planer and the "which machine first" question, I suggested in my post that the necessary flattening of one side of a board can be done by hand reasonably quickly and more easily than thicknessing a board by hand. The latter task still remains for hand work to achieve the desired thickness if you have a jointer but lack a planer (unless certain rigs are attached to the jointer which I feel are awkward).

My suggestion for machine number two, the bandsaw, is also a subjective choice, based largely on the versatility and creativity capable with this machine, even by novice woodworkers.

For the record, I happily use my Saw Stop cabinet table saw, jointer, and routers. I like them almost as much as I like my hand tools!

To clarify, the question I raised was which major machine to buy first. Judging from the interest generated, this clearly seems worthy of discussion. I feel it’s great to hear opinions from passionate fellow woodworkers. In agreement with many of the comments, the answer surely depends on the types of projects a woodworker intends to make. This, along with personal preferences in working style and other factors, precludes a definitive answer. The main point is that new woodworkers can hopefully benefit from the many opinions offered.

Regarding the roles of the jointer and planer, I suggested in my post that the necessary flattening of one side of a board can be done by hand reasonably quickly and more easily than thicknessing a board by hand. The latter task still remains for hand work to achieve the desired thickness if you have a jointer but lack a planer (unless certain rigs are attached to the jointer which I feel are awkward).

My suggestion for machine number two, the bandsaw, is also a subjective choice, based largely on the versatility and creativity capable with this machine, even by novice woodworkers.

For the record, I happily use my Saw Stop cabinet table saw, jointer, and routers. I like them almost as much as I like my hand tools!

There is not likely to be one good answer to these questions because woodworking is a creative, personal pursuit. Woodworkers, new and experienced, have the opportunity to make more thoughtful, informed decisions, resulting in better woodworking, when presented with a variety of viewpoints.

The following may clarify my rationale for suggesting the planer as the first machine purchase. As an example, I would rather hand rip and crosscut an 8" x 36" board than reduce its thickness from a rough 4/4 to 3/4" or from a presurfaced 3/4" to say, 5/8". The same goes for making 1 5/8" table leg blanks from 8/4 stock. I feel that a new woodworker can quickly improve his range of design by not being restricted to the thicknesses of predressed stock.

I am not suggesting that anyone send a board into a planer without one flat surface to register against the planer’s bed. I believe it is easier to achieve that flat surface by hand, starting with either rough or presurfaced stock (both are almost never flat when purchased), especially since it does not need to be smooth to properly register on the planer bed, than it would be to thickness the board by hand. After one surface is machined flat and smooth, the board is flipped to cut the hand-prepared surface. Thus, I suggest buying an economical, high quality planer as a first purchase to go along with hand tools.

It’s great to accumulate a full set of woodworking machinery, but I hope the various opinions in FW's TWL blog will help new woodworkers decide where to start.