Spectacular thread on tools we shouldn’t have bought. I think that the PC detail sander takes the prize, eh?
On the other hand it may be useful to mention tools we are really happy we bought and use often and with joy or at least confidence.
In no particular order:
* Eurekazone EZ Guide – no more struggling with those 4×8 sheets trying to rip them on my….
* Jet 10″ contractors saw with the 30″ Xacta fence. Dead-on cuts, a fence that never lets me down and lots of power for a machine this size.
* Woodsucker Cyclone – finally getting a handle on the shop dust and air quality
* Fein shop vac – so quiet its almost soothing, LONG hose, and HEPA filter to boot.
* Ridgid material supports – threw away my cheezy Record roller stands when I got these.
* PC brad nailer – never a jam, always sinks ’em clean
* Delta 15ga angled finish nailer – ditto, and also gets into those weird corners, a nice replacement for my worthless PC 16ga straight
* Dewalt 12V drill – everyone thinks you gotta have the 18V job, but this one is lighter and with the quick charger battery capacity isn’t the problem it used to be
and…the champion…related to the above:
Dewalt 12V flashlight, uses the same batteries as the drill – very bright, sits nicely on the battery, and most importantly: head rotates. No more try to prop up the flashlight working under the sink or inside a cabinet. This was cheap and therefore gets my vote for most satisfaction per dollar spent.
Roger
I’d rather be making cabinets and friends….
Replies
Delta 14" bandsaw - most used saw in my shop.
Delta radial drill press (bench mount)
Starrett Square. Use it on every project
Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
View Image
Hey Roger,
While I didn't exactly buy it, it's easily the most used tool in my shop; a plain ordinary 4" x 6" card scraper. I swiped it out of my ol' man's shop when I left home in 1976. If he's missed it, or recognized it, in the past 29 years, he's been big enough not to mention it.
Tom
Tms,
Not steal this thread..but I was thinking about what you said relative to taking your dad's hand scraper and your personal quote in your profile...and then you say you've haven't paid for the scraper...(ha,ha)
It just struck me how much were willing to pay for the silliest of things
Hey BG,You're right, of course. When Pop's gone, his shop full of tools will be small consolation. But I'm pretty sure that a few missing items will show up then. ;-)After nearly 30 yrs of tools going back and forth between shops, I think we're near the point of considering it one collection.Tom
Hand tools I would never give up:
Starrett 4" double machinists square
Bridge City 8" adjustable try square
Starrett 6" machinists rule
Lee Valley saddle square
vintage Mathieson dovetail infill smoother - awesome
cuban mahogany shipwrights fore plane, Marples Hibernia laminated iron
Stanley Bedrock 608c jointer plane
Record 073 shoulder plane
Veritas LA block plane
Preston infill bullnose plane
Stanley 289 skewed rabbet plane
Bakuma 12" restorers pattern catspaw
fractional dial calipers
various vintage chisels by Swan, Buck, LJ White, Witherby
Bessey K bodies
6 oz Vaughan and Bushnell vintage Warrington hammer
Lion miter trimmer
LN Independence 15 ppi dovetail saw
several vintage Disston Model 12 handsaws
Stanley 458 miter box, vintage
Record 52 E bench vise
North Bros 2100 brace and Russell Jennings auger bits, vintage
Yankee 1005 vintage hand powered ratchet geared 2 speed drill press
Simonds 503 Royal Chinook 7' crosscut saw
Benchmade Osborne pattern folding pocket knife
Power tools that I actually enjoy working with:
Minimax 16 bandsaw
Festool vac and circular saw + guide = panel saw
Forrest WW2 saw blade
Oneida 2 hp DC
Dewalt 705 CMS
Veritas Mark 1 sharpening system
Bosch barrel grip jigsaw
Bosch 3725 ROS
Veritas steel router table and fence
Panasonic ultra-light 12v cordless drill (Amazon $50)
Kreg jig
Husqvarna 66 chainsaw
did you just inventory everything in your shop?
I invented Coke with Lime.
It may not be the most used tool in my shop, but when needed I'm really glad I bought it. The Veritas 4-way speed clamp Lee Valley art.#05F01.01 . It's hard to go wrong gluing up a small box or pretty much anything that fits when using these. By adjusting the 4 speed nuts you get perfectly joined miters with little fuss.
Brent
Hands down the one I'd pick from my shop is the Legacy Ornamental Mill.
Or the Hegner scroll saw.
Or - -
Never mind.
dhbI'm not the man I used to be, but then I never was!
Best tool I ever bought -- Fractional dial caliper Now that I have it I can't live w/o it !
Best "tool" I ever made-- hinged board that when my knee pushes it turns off my table saw
I'll list a few before I head off to work:
Starrett 4" combination square: I keep it near my heart (in my shop apron) and use it every blessed day. Perfect size for too many tasks to mention; since I bought it several years ago, I haven't picked up my 12" Starrett combination square more than a dozen times (but when it's called for, it's a great tool!)
Vix Bits
Japanese Miter Square
Fractional Dial Calipers
Card Scrapers of all shapes & Sizes
I'm curious to see what everyone else has contributed by the time I get home tonight!
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Hand tools:
Veritas double sided flush cut saw (I pull this thing out all the time for one thing and another.
Vintage Stanley 5 Jack plane with an LN replacement blade (truly the jack of all trades - a great plane that does all I could ask of it and more)
Set of vintage Stanley 750 users (cobbled together from eBay and the like on the cheap and cleaned up by chopping off the leather washer and rounding the wood handle - they end up looking a lot like the new LN chisels, but less than half the price)
Disston and Atkins hand saws (they just feel so good in your hand, and having actual rip teeth configurations, along with cross cut, as opposed to today's do it all sets, make them a pleasure to use.)
Starrett combo squares.
Tormek - (worth every penny for sharpening things up right)
Veritas marking wheel (brilliant marking gauge)
Rockler pipe clamps (nice action - nice height)
Power tools:
Powermatic 14 inch bandsaw (I'm no old hand at bandsawing, but this is one nice tool that is a pleasure to use so far - about a year)
Makita 1013 SCMS (perfect out of the box and a pleasure in every way)
I suppose I could go on and on as I like so many of my tools, as I'm sure we all do.
JD,
I have to second the Vix bits. I love mine too. I bent one recently :-( (don't even know how I did it). Can the drill bit be straightened?Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
You can buy replacement bits. If I recall correctly, they're held in place with small machine screws you remove with an allen wrench. Unfortunately, they're not the length that's standard for their diameter. I buy mine from a local store that keeps replacement bits right behind the cash register.
Good luck,-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
One other I can't believe I did not mention: my Bessey K clamps! Dunno what I'd do without them.
Roger
I'd rather be making cabinets and friends....
Well, I'm not a serious woodworker by even the remotest stretch of the imagination, probably don't even really qualify as a casual hobbyist... more of a homeowner who enjoys making a mess and tries not to botch the job up too bad... :D
That said, I think the two tools that I've so far paid a little extra for (by my standards) and have since decided that they were worth every penny is a Bosch 1617EVS pack w/ the fixed and plunge base, and a Delta DP400 16-1/2" floor mounted drill press. Of course, their perceived 'value' might have something to do w/ what they replaced... a $60 Craftsman fixed base router complete w/ ARHA and a little 8" 1/3hp Craftsman benchtop drill press that I 'inherited'. Every time I've used the new tools I'm just smilin' from ear to ear :D
Oh, and after years of futzin' around w/ combo squares from the local hardware stores, etc. I got a nice 6" Starrett last year... one of those that as soon as it was in my hand, I realized what I'd been missing all those years... a 12" is on my birthday request list for sure!!!
Monte
Hand tools:
Power tools:
My collection of machinist's combination squares -- blades from 18" to 12", with centre-finders and protractors. A 6" is on the to-buy list.
The B&S dial caliper. Easy to read dial, fast way to check things like oddball screw diameters.
The LV Veritas grinding jig -- great for long sessions on the lathe, set it, it's done until I change gouges.
As several have mentioned so far -- hand saws -- Disstons mostly, but a lovely Atkins 5½ point rip. Handles on the old saws were designed for all-day use. Today's raise a set of blisters halfway through a 2x4.
The cheap Stanley ½-inch butt chisel -- it keeps me from grabbing one of my paring chisels when I have to do something like clean out putty from a fifty year old window. When it dies finally, or I lose it somewhere, I'll buy another.
My #80 scraper. 'Nuff said.
The Miller Falls No. 2 drill and 10" brace. Very handy, never a cord to deal with.
PC router -- I think it's a 630 -- don't use it much but when I need it it always comes through. Easiest way I have to dado bookshelves.
Various hand planes. Restoring them was fun, I learned a lot. Using them is a pleasure. Quiet. See-through shavings to chunky ones when flattening.
My Boice-Crane drill press. When I had to make 52+ mortises for a bed it saved the day.
FWW -- it's a tool, I don't think there's an issue I haven't learned something from. Plus, it's a great way to relax.
Edited 6/13/2005 5:59 pm ET by Leon Jester
A Starret combo square has got to be #1 on the list, but I would also like to add my Sata detail HVLP spray gun to my best tool list.
"but I would also like to add my Sata detail HVLP spray gun to my best tool list."
Oside,
Rather than risk hijacking a terrific thread, would you be willing to start a new thread in which you tell us a lot more about your Sata detail spray gun, what it's capable of, air consumption, controls, limitations, etc. I, for one, am interested in learning more about your rig. Thanks,-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Yep,
I agree with that Starret combo square, what a pleasure to use.
I won't mention the brand, but not too fond of my HVLP conversion gun, which was expensive. Too many settings, pressure, spray pattern, trigger pull and spraying with a high volume of air at low pressure is a different world. You get any of these settings wrong and the claimed efficiency is out the window, as you create enough bounce back and overspray, to fog the whole neighborhood.
Perhaps one day, I'll go back to a good simple conventional gun.
*stanley fatmax tape *glue roller*Delta unisaw*makita 14.4v impact driverIm sure there are more winners here but i'll keep the list short______________________________________________
--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
Did I mention the Vega Fence? What an improvement over the craftsman stock fence.And I'm really surprised how often I use the "Set-it" square corner clamps...http://www.pennstateind.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PSI&Product_Code=SETIT&Category_Code=CLCORMark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
Id have to say my
TS delta contractors platinum series with a unifence, does everything I need it to do I cut 8/4 oak and cut hickory on it with no problems whats so ever..it does it all
Kreg jig..changed my life
Accuspray LVLP
I had a turbine driven cambel hausfeld and I was told to buy a more expensive gun and when I did I havent looked back, just about everything I make comes out great b/c of the finish. I really love using it.
My Dubby,
Its not fancy,
Its not pretty,
but
its pretty darn accurate, I used it for cutting everything includeing long panels for building kitchen cabs.....love it I highly recommend it over any of the high priced high tech gizmos out there
My Mak 12V impac use it for everything dont have a cordless screw driver anymore dont need it with the impact
My dust collector jet 650 love it saves my lungs and saves alot of sweeping up..
Caution: This message may contain "For Official Use Only" (FOUO) or other "sensitive information" is not intended for non-official disclosure. Do not disseminate this message, except to persons who require it for official Breaktime purposes, without the approval of the individual originating this message or other authorized official of the Taunton University. If you received this message in error, please delete it.
"My Dubby"
SR,
OK, you're the first person I remember saying he had a Dubby. Tell us more, please.
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Edited 6/16/2005 1:43 pm ET by jazzdogg
Its a cross cut sled with a fence that moves to cut various degrees..extremely accurate and easy to set up and use.
Its decieving in its simplicity and most people go for the "high tech" items that are out there such as the fancy mitre attachments with sleds ect with a million bells and whistles...
If you ever go to a woodshow look for them they are there. But unlike the other snake oil salesmen who been factory trained and very experianced with their products to make it look easy.and when you get them home have a huge asembly process and a steep learning curve..
the dubby actually is very easy to use. Ive made everything the guy (also the inventor) at the w/w show has made in a realatively short time.
Plus they have a awesome guarenty and take care of you real good, plus they are just nice people to, husband and wife...
Caution: This message may contain "For Official Use Only" (FOUO) or other "sensitive information" is not intended for non-official disclosure. Do not disseminate this message, except to persons who require it for official Breaktime purposes, without the approval of the individual originating this message or other authorized official of the Taunton University. If you received this message in error, please delete it.
Thanks, Ron.I'd forgotten about the Dubby. Now bookmarked for future.BTW, the contractor saw performance package Mr. Cole sells works pretty well. My cousin put one on his old -- really really old -- Craftsman table saw, smoothed up his cuts immensely.Here's the url for their site if anyone's interested.http://www.in-lineindustries.com/index.htmlLeon Jester
Ya know there are alot of products out there that were created to compete with the Dubby...all do all sorts of fancy things.. But I still say the Dubby does just what Cole says it does..acuately cross cuts and makes complex cuts and is very simple to set up.
I dont know about all the fancy set ups but I do know any time I had to repair my Dubby get a new panel or mylar tape ect..they got it to me immediately and in the case of mylar for free. Cant find the customer service anywhere plus at the shows when you talk to him and tell him you own one and tell himm and the crowd what you built with it..He'll give you what ever give away item he has..at least thats what he's done for me..
Caution: This message may contain "For Official Use Only" (FOUO) or other "sensitive information" is not intended for non-official disclosure. Do not disseminate this message, except to persons who require it for official Breaktime purposes, without the approval of the individual originating this message or other authorized official of the Taunton University. If you received this message in error, please delete it.
Ron, do you have a link for the Dubby?
Brent
Not quite a "tool". bit in the past year I installed one of those ceiling-mount extension cord reels. Great for cord-powered portable tools (sanders, etc.). The cord is always within quick, easy reach, I don't have to go get an extension cord and plug it in, etc.
yea leonjester provided one:
http://www.in-lineindustries.com/index.html
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My Griz left tilt Table saw
12" Griz jointer for $1,000 used-dead on and has replaceable blades
old rosewood sliding bevel that was my grandfather's
old drawknife bent into a "U" shape for carving chair seats that was my grandfather's
lie-nielsen low angle block plane, solid brass-what a beauty!
lie-nielsen low angle jack plane
self adhesive measuring tape added to crosscut sled. Both left and right of blade. Invaluable.
Do rubber floor mats (over concrete) count?
Dust free cloths my sister got me from work. Shhh.There are more old drunkards than old doctors. Ben Franklin
BTW, love your signature...
Believe it or not, I'm really happy I got the Sears 22124 TS. I'm also pretty fond of my Griz jointer, Kreg pocket jig, Griz DC, Forrest 40T WWII, DeWalt 7124 ripping blade, Delta planer, Record vice, Incra V27, HF Pittsburg bar clamps, and my Milwaukee router.
Yeah ... that Sears 22124 TS *IS* One HeckovAn Awesome Machine!
(it's one darned decent table saw as well !!!)
-- STEVE
-- Steve
Enjoy life & do well by it;
Well we buy a LOT of tools and many of them are very, very good. What I have found is that in general you get what you pay for. A lot of our tools are way beyond shop grade (like my new Martin T73 CNC) but some of the things we use that you might want to buy:
• Bessey K Body clamps.
• Fein vacuum/dust extractors. These things are excellent.
• Festool 5" random orbit sanders.
• Dewalt biscuit joiner
• Dewalt scroll saw.
Keep in mind that all of these are being put to a severe test: full time use by professionals who require excellent durability and performance.
Paul Downs
In no particular order:
Pfeil swiss tool carving tools. If you've used cheap ones, then used the swiss tools, I don't need to explain.
Kuntz #80: A cheap german stanley #80 copy. Now that it's flattened and the blade is properly sharpened, it's the best smoothing tool I've ever seen for taking sanding marks out of nasty grained wood.
An old stanley claw hammer with a fiberglass handle. The first tool I ever bought for myself. Still drives those nails just fine.
Two new stanley block planes, a regular and a low angle, both lapped and filed until they cut 0.002" shavings. No wonder these were the signature tools of finish carpenters for a century.
A John Deere 670 - an 18.5 Hp 3 cylinder diesel. Not a garden tractor, a real, very heavy, small 4wd tractor. It drives a 5' mowing deck, a 4' rotovator, a bearcat chipper, drills 12" holes for planting trees, lifts about anything with its bucket, and generally drags stuff all over this place. It would be hard to live here without it.
Whoops! Forgot a really good one. The 15 year old Makita 9.6 V cordless drill. The case is scratched, paint smeared, the rubber is gone off the keyless chuck. This drill has build buildings, cabinets, and lots more. I do every thing with this drill like screwdriving, drilling (off the DP), sanding bowls, etc. Whatta workhorse!
My 15 year old makita (9.6v) - recently took an untimely dive off a ladder - broke the handle (battery compartment) off. After two re-glues and two re-breaks, I bought a brand new replacement from ebay for $25... a great tool that served me well...
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
* My Record 52 1/2 bench vise, the last Record vise the local woodworking store ever had in stock (I stopped by the store right after reading here that they were no longer going to be available).
* my 5 HP Unisaw; 'still get a grin when I turn it on. Those stories I read about table saws stalling when cutting thick stock are pure science fiction to me.
Edited 6/14/2005 2:45 am ET by BarryO
My RYOBI routers.. I have several of them.. For 99.00 US they work pretty well.. Not the best but I like having a few routers around with bits set to what I want...
Yes.. The plunge will move the bit off center when moving it BUT goes back to center when tightened up... OK... so I have to remove the bit from the work... reset plunge dept and go.. At least when I GO... the bit is where it should be...
I think I could fix that with a nylon tipped set-screw to keep the case in-line with the shafts but I never bothered.. Maybe someday..
I also have two PC.. the little ones... They work a bit better on plunge but still the bit moves off center when setting the plunge.. Just not as much..
Movement of RYOBI is about 16 thousands.. Whuch can spoil a cut.. Hell, any thing off will spoil the cut but I have learned to live with it.. I'm cheep!
Will wrote: I also have two PC.. the little ones... They work a bit better on plunge but still the bit moves off center when setting the plunge.. Just not as much..--Do you mean the laminate trimmers? I recently picked up a PC 310 to use trimming up edge banding and putting light chamfers and roundovers on shelves etc. I am still getting use to it but so far I love this tool.RogerI'd rather be making cabinets and friends....
Do you mean the laminate trimmers?.. NA! But thinkin' of gettin' one..
Mine the old 690? with different bases... It is OK.. but not much better than my others.. NO.. I do not have or want a 3 HP + one...
You wrote: Do you mean the laminate trimmers?.. NA! But thinkin' of gettin' one..Yeah thats the one - mine is a 310, basically its a 3/4HP fixed base router - perfect for those small jobs.RogerRogerI'd rather be making cabinets and friends....
I used to work in a production cabinet shop where we used those little PC laminate trimmers all day, every day for light edge treatments. I got really used to it but for some reason I never bought one until last year. I think it's indespensable.
JohnnieV,
Can you tell us how height is adjusted (how easily-adjusted and accurate it is), what accessories are included with the purchase of the trim router, and what kinds of accessories are available at extra cost?
Thanks,-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
I'm going to put in a plug for the Makita 1013 SCMS, which I have had in my shop for almost 10 years. I needed a replacement slider for job site work, so I have recently done a lot of pondering and tire kicking on which model to buy. Finally decided on a Hitachi CF 10 with the laser; picked it up last week and used it for a bookcase job. $480.But now I've decided to take it back and get another Makita. The Hitachi is a decent saw (loved the laser), but there were just too many small things I found irritating -- table too small, cord kept getting caught in the slider bars, interlock button on the left hand side of handle (making cuts with the left hand close to impossible for me), sliding action not as smooth as the Makita (even after lubing it).And the list goes on: mounted on my mitre saw stand, the handle is pitched too high, and my wrist actually started to hurt after about a dozen repetitive cuts. The angle marks are below the table, and are covered with sawdust even after one or two cuts, so you have to bend over to blow them off. The Makita on the other hand have their angle marks on the top of the table (on the left hand side) -- which at first may seem dumb (since you have to move the board to set the angle. But they always stay clean, and now I consider this placement a feat of thoughtful engineering. And finally, the blade supplied with the Hitachi is only adequate, whereas the stock blade for the Makita is really superb.********************************************************
"I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there."
-- Herb Caen (1916-1997)
Hi JD,
The height adjustment is made with two knobs-one to tighten/loosen the base, the other to raise or lower the base. If you loosen knob #1 enough, you can move the base without the knob for quicker adjustments. I usually just eyeball the bits, because it's just being used for edge treatments, so I can't say how accurate the adjustment is (though once tightened it never slips). It would be a lot easier with a lever instead of a knob.
As far as accessories, it comes with nothing (it was $99 at HD). I believe you can get the usual laminate trimmer accessories for it (offset base, angled base, etc.) but I have not looked into it.
I know you can also get the PC 690 router at HD for $99, and that one has the 1/4" and 1/2" collets, so the laminate trimmer seems overpriced by comparison. But it sure is nice not having to get out a bigger router just to round over or chamfer an edge (or trim laminate, for that matter).
Thank you, Johnnie.-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
All my Starrett rulers, squares etc.
My Milwaukee shop vac, running fine after 15+years and still very quiet. Don't have a regular d/c in my main shop room so it gets lots of use.
Milwaukee shop radio hooked up to small monitor and cd/dvd player with sub woofer. Watch concert video when doing a little shop maintenance or cleaning up or sketching.
New style Lenox utility knife; much better grip. Not a critical tool but I'm always using it for something.
KDM
The Bill of Rights
December 15 1791
NRA Endowment Member
LEAA Life Member
CRPA Member
Milwaukee shop radio..
I have a GRUNDIG 800 in my shop (shortwave fer the non tech. folks)..
AM/FM/Whatever..
I tune it to the US Atomic Clock for rhythm when sharpenin' my blades...
Prince
I confess, I'm guilty I purchased the P C detaile sander earlier this year from a fellow who retired from a space job and allways wanted to be a woodworker. Bought a garage full of tools and a year later changed his mind . Ran an ad and sold everything at least 50% of what he paid. I purchased the P C sander for $50.00 , case and all attachements , never used. Come to think of it I haven't used either. Oh well it seemed like a good idea at the time.
[email protected]
T.O.
Although I was not impressed by the quality of a vix type bit I bought it in order to make my own version. Went on to make a set of them-very useful to me in view of all the brass fittings I install. Satisfying to make as well.So I'm glad I bought one.
Edited 6/15/2005 4:45 am ET by mookaroid
Mookaroid,
OK, now you're just showing off! ; - )-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
What a cool thread.
1 - Forrest WWII & WWI saw blades
2 - Starrett Combination square
3 - Incra Mitre 3000
4 - Delta DJ-20 Jointer $600 heh heh
5 - Jet Canister filter dust collector 1100cfm
6 - PC 7335 5" ROS
7 - Stanley #750 chisels
8 - PC 7518 speedmatic router
9 - Dewalt 14.4V drill still going after 7 yrs. Bought 1 battery
Michael Burton
Thunderbird Hardwoods
KD Mesquite
Llano, TX
DJ-20 for $600? I'd be laughing too...for a year!
Hey Mikey,
I purchased a Forrest Chopmaster 80T for my table saw, to do cross cutting and tenons and it does only marginally better than my Oldham combination.
I have both WWII and WWI, but have not tried them yet, a year later. What makes them special?
I agree that Starret Combination is real sweet.
"I have both WWII and WWI, but have not tried them yet, a year later. What makes them special?"
For me what makes them special is the quality of the cut left by the blade - glue ready rips and clean (almost polished) cross cuts.
What are you using for the cross-cuts the WWI with 60T?
When I use my table saw, I use the 40T WW 2. To tell the truth, I do most of my crosscutting on boards (as opposed to panels) with my SCMS which has a Forrest Chopmaster blade on it. Frankly, I don't really care about the polish (avoiding splintering is much more important to me), but the near polished aspect just seems a testament to the clean cutting nature of the blades. In the end, you're right that other decent blades exist, but Forrest has never let me down or left me feeling like I didn't get what I paid for while some other blades definitely have. Forrest scores alot of points for their customer service too in my book.
Samson,
Thanks for your reply.
Just curious, do you think a Chopmaster will give the same performance on your table saw, as compared to the SCMS?
I'd just be guessing on that. Others around here who understand the motor speeds, tooth grinds, etc. might be better qualified to answer that one.
In my amateur woodworking expereince, and for my amateur needs, I can't imagine a circumstance when I would feel the need to put the chopmaster on my table saw. I'm not sure what I would be trying to achieve that my WW2 couldn't do well enough for my purposes. Did you have something in mind?
I have a CMS and can kick my but for not getting a SCMS, but do a lot of cross cutting on my table saw. Wider boards, panels and then tenons with a jig. On the latter, tearout or chipping is critical considering the shoulders and cheeks.
I have an ancient Craftsman (King-Seeley) table saw that I bought from my boss for $20. I downloaded a manual for it at Owwm.com. and then installed a Mule Cabinetmaker rip fence. This old 10 inch saw is dead on accurate. I just bought the 8 inch little brother to it at auction for five bucks. I stuck a molding cutter in it and it will do just fine as a dedicated molder. I also have an old Craftsman belt and disk sander that was made by King-Seeley. For routing I like my PC 691 with table, plunge and fixed base. I recently built some raised panel doors that turned out nice and happen to be the first ones I ever made.
PC 690 router - have two of them
Delta Midi Lathe - Has worked great for what I do
Skil 8" drill press - For $99 it has worked well
6" Jet Jointer - again, great for what I do
1920 vintage Parks 12" planer - Damn thing is like a A1 tank
variable speed Dremel
1960 vintage Sears 12" band saw
Delta 23-665 bench grinder
Delta 1200 cfm DC - had a few issues at first with cheap components
PC 14.4V 1/2" portable electric drill - Battery packs not to goo though.
PC 330 finish sander - have dropped that sucker on concrete at least a dozen times
Rockwell 10" contractor saw
All the the above tools have earned their keep many times over.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
My wife's uncle recently passed away and left a garage full of tools. Unfortunately, most were not in great condition. However, there were a few great finds. He was a very creative woodworker and I'm glad that I was able to receive even a few of his tools.
Does anyone have any information on approximate ages? The lathe appears to be a Craftsman, I can get the product numbers if this helps. The Starret pieces all have item numbers on the boxes, I think they can be read from the photo. The Hasler piece is an RPM gauge, it still works too.
Dunno about the Starretts they look like my set, just a little older, probably about 20 years old.
The lathe is a Craftsman, same as mine. You need a motor and pulley (obviously), but its a satisfactory machine. Don't know the model number off-hand. I'll check when I get home (its on a plate on the pulley-cover). MT1 head and tailstock and 3/4x16 spindle. I think it's 80's to early 90's.The older I get, the better I was....
Sorry for the delay, but I just checked it out.
My lathe is a Sears 22-816. Yours looks similar- but there are some small differences.
My guess would then be that yours is an offshore import of some sort, based on the Craftsman design. Probably works quite well.
First off, get the cup centre out of the tailstock and clean out the taper. Mine was frozen from years of disuse, and took hours to get out. Headstock should be easier.The older I get, the better I was....
Both pop out with no problem.
This probably hasn't been used in 5-7 years but all parts still move freely. The motor was shot, so I'll need to buy a new one sometime soon. I'm looking forward to using this unit.
My favorite tools (bought or found) are always the ones with the best stories!!
So, has anyone tabulated the TOP 10 list yet??
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
No, but I'll bet the Starrett square is in it...Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
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