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SeptimalMinor posted:But after some more research I discovered that Rockwell doesn't make bandsaws any more, which is probably why it is so cheap. It's cheap because it's Rockwell branded and made overseas like all other cheap tools. I wouldn't recommend buying a small bandsaw unless you know you need one, it's a terrible first tool for woodworking. If you really want a bandsaw then buy a 14" minimum. Other good saw choices would be circular saw, track saw, 10" contractor saw. GD_American posted:I just fell in love with Kreg screws. I want to throw every Phillips bit and screw in the ocean now. I've been on that bandwagon for years now.
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Nov 2, 2011 20:56
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mds2 posted:I dont know about that rockwell saw, but I had a 9" Delta and it was the biggest piece of poo poo ever. Good to know, I think Delta more or less = Rockwell. I'm also wondering if the 9" would be too restrictive...maybe I'm better off shelling out the ~$500 for a 14"+. But that's a big first investment. I'm also looking for recommendations on a nice table saw. Wormil: The main reason I wanted the bandsaw was to do more intricate things. I've been wanting to make something like this for years but never had the means. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzIG9stFXSI SeptimalMinor fucked around with this message at 21:05 on Nov 2, 2011 |
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Nov 2, 2011 21:00
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wormil posted:It's cheap because it's Rockwell branded and made overseas like all other cheap tools. I wouldn't recommend buying a small bandsaw unless you know you need one, it's a terrible first tool for woodworking. If you really want a bandsaw then buy a 14" minimum. Other good saw choices would be circular saw, track saw, 10" contractor saw. My father has an old Craftsman 12" he's been making noises about upgrading from. What would be a good, affordable (ie mid-range) 14" bandsaw for him to look at?
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Nov 2, 2011 21:06
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Can anyone recommend a Dremel type tool that is not a bucket of poo poo? Gone through a few cheap generic ones and they lasted ok for their ~€20 pricerange but all broke in under a year. Just recently i treated myself to a genuine Dremel and it loving exploded within a few weeks, not impressed, i could have bought 6 or 7 cheap ones for the same price.
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Nov 2, 2011 21:17
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echomadman posted:Can anyone recommend a Dremel type tool that is not a bucket of poo poo? Gone through a few cheap generic ones and they lasted ok for their ~€20 pricerange but all broke in under a year. I've owned a single Dremel for years now. What the hell are you doing with them that they break so easiliy? Maybe you should step up to a larger tool...
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Nov 2, 2011 21:30
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kid sinister posted:I've owned a single Dremel for years now. What the hell are you doing with them that they break so easiliy? Maybe you should step up to a larger tool... Thats what i'm asking. I mostly use them with cutoff wheels, small grinding stone bits and wire brushes. I think a small shard of metal got into the electronics of the dremel, i was deburring some aluminium. I need something thats not a whole lot bigger than a dremel as its usually in tight spaces i use it. for bigger stuff i have angle grinders.
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Nov 2, 2011 21:49
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GD_American posted:My father has an old Craftsman 12" he's been making noises about upgrading from. What would be a good, affordable (ie mid-range) 14" bandsaw for him to look at? Grizzly makes great mid-range woodworking tools. http://www.grizzly.com/products/14-Bandsaw-3-4-HP/G0580
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Nov 2, 2011 21:49
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SeptimalMinor posted:I'm brand new to woodworking, but I would like to teach my self. I'm looking for a few staple powertools. The first I will probably buy is a bandsaw. The general rule is to not buy tools until you actually need them for a project. If you're not averse to a little work then used tools can be a really good deal. Generally they are older and better quality than the cheap stuff you can buy new these days. I picked up a 9" band saw off craigslist last weekend for $50. It's going to take a little work to fix up but I'll end up learning a lot more about the machine. I did the same thing with my table saw and radial arm saw and I'm very happy with both of them.
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Nov 2, 2011 21:56
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SeptimalMinor posted:Wormil: The main reason I wanted the bandsaw was to do more intricate things. I've been wanting to make something like this for years but never had the means. Hmmm, I've never made anything like that but I suspect you would be better served with a good router & table and probably lathe than a band saw. The only thing on there I would cut with a band saw would be the large circles for the gears but you'd need to cut the actual gears with either a router, drill or tablesaw. The chutes could be cut on a band saw but you'd still need a router unless you cut the grooves by hand. SeptimalMinor posted:I'm also looking for recommendations on a nice table saw. I have a Delta Contractor Saw w/ 36" extension and have never regretted buying it. Delta, Jet and Powermatic are probably the most popular, followed by Grizzly. I've heard good things about Rigid. The most important thing about a saw is the fence. A great fence on a crappy saw is better than a crappy fence on a great saw. GD_American posted:My father has an old Craftsman 12" he's been making noises about upgrading from. What would be a good, affordable (ie mid-range) 14" bandsaw for him to look at? I haven't shopped big tools in over a decade. GEMorris is the bandsaw guy in DIY and if he's lurking he can make a specific recommendation. Grizzly is a good affordable brand, made overseas but to very good standards. I've never owned one but reportedly they are quality tools if perhaps slightly lacking in fit and finish. Other than that, I can only point you to the top brands, Delta, Jet, Powermatic, etc. Powermatics were overly expensive the last time I was big tool shopping. I don't have room for a bandsaw but if I did, I would want one big enough for resawing.
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Nov 3, 2011 00:11
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GD_American posted:I just fell in love with Kreg screws. I want to throw every Phillips bit and screw in the ocean now. Is that any different from Robertson? That's seriously one of the best things about being Canadian, they're pretty much ubiquitous here.
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Nov 3, 2011 03:28
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echomadman posted:Can anyone recommend a Dremel type tool that is not a bucket of poo poo? Gone through a few cheap generic ones and they lasted ok for their ~€20 pricerange but all broke in under a year. Always been told that if I want to step up from a dremel to a proper pro quality rotary tool I should look at foredom. So I'm passing that bit of advice on to you! http://www.foredom.net/
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Nov 3, 2011 06:36
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GD_American posted:I just fell in love with Kreg screws. I want to throw every Phillips bit and screw in the ocean now. What are these, exactly? Are they different from other Robertson-head screws? e: Whoops guess I should have read the next page too. stubblyhead fucked around with this message at 07:02 on Nov 3, 2011 |
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Nov 3, 2011 06:43
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SolidElectronics posted:Is that any different from Robertson?
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Nov 3, 2011 09:10
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echomadman posted:Can anyone recommend a Dremel type tool that is not a bucket of poo poo? Gone through a few cheap generic ones and they lasted ok for their ~€20 pricerange but all broke in under a year. I'm thinking of getting something like this: http://www.toolstop.co.uk/makita-gd0800c-high-speed-die-grinder-750w-110v-p4059 as I also think Dremels are pretty lovely. It's not that I break them, they are just so tiny with puny motors. Just make sure you look for one with variable speed. A lot of the straight die grinders have fixed speed like a regular grinder.
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Nov 3, 2011 09:25
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wormil posted:Hmmm, I've never made anything like that but I suspect you would be better served with a good router & table and probably lathe than a band saw. The only thing on there I would cut with a band saw would be the large circles for the gears but you'd need to cut the actual gears with either a router, drill or tablesaw. The chutes could be cut on a band saw but you'd still need a router unless you cut the grooves by hand. I'd be careful there. The flower pot funnel is the only thing that would benefit from having a lathe. Likewise, Matthias Wandel uses a bandsaw to cut gears in his videos. I would see a bandsaw being important for cutting the curved tracks, gears and probably more if he doesn't own a table saw. The fact that the video posted has tracks that appear to have been grooved out with a cove cutter doesn't mean he needs a router to make his own. The tracks could easily be made with square bases via a three piece construction and function just as well. Of course, I think every man and woman should own a router but he could get away with not having one to start with  I've had small bandsaws and they were crap. It's hard to recommend someone new to the hobby to spend lots of money on a tool they may not even like or need but gosh, it seems like such a waste to buy some of these lovely bench top tools they sell these days. Bonus points if you make your own: http://woodgears.ca/bandsaw/homemade.html (don't do this) wormil posted:I have a Delta Contractor Saw w/ 36" extension and have never regretted buying it. Delta, Jet and Powermatic are probably the most popular, followed by Grizzly. I've heard good things about Rigid. The most important thing about a saw is the fence. A great fence on a crappy saw is better than a crappy fence on a great saw. My favorite thing about my big saw is the induction motor and belt driven blade. It's quiet and cuts smoooooooth.
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Nov 3, 2011 17:07
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echomadman posted:Can anyone recommend a Dremel type tool that is not a bucket of poo poo? Gone through a few cheap generic ones and they lasted ok for their ~€20 pricerange but all broke in under a year. Looked at some of the oscillating multi tools? I've been thinking about buying one, they seem pretty handy
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Nov 4, 2011 03:42
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kafkasgoldfish posted:The flower pot funnel is the only thing that would benefit from having a lathe. Likewise, Matthias Wandel uses a bandsaw to cut gears in his videos. Yeah, looks like he drills out the gear then makes straight cuts with the bandsaw which seems like more work than just cutting them with a modified box joint jig using either a router or tablesaw. The funnel is what I had in mind for the lathe. I suppose you could do it in pieces and glue it up though I'm not really sure how, it isn't something I've ever thought about doing. kafkasgoldfish posted:I would see a bandsaw being important ... if he doesn't own a table saw. I love bandsaws, they are almost as addicting as lathes but a tablesaw is just more versatile. And you can do cove cuts on a tablesaw eliminating the router. kafkasgoldfish posted:My favorite thing about my big saw is the induction motor and belt driven blade. It's quiet and cuts smoooooooth. Definitely. That's why people interested in woodworking should save up and buy either a contractor (sometimes called a hybrid) or cabinet saw. Jobsite saws are loud, underpowered and imprecise for woodworking though they are fine for carpentry. I keep meaning to buy a link belt for mine because I've read time and again that they run smoother but I just never get around to it. It's already pretty smooth.
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Nov 4, 2011 05:59
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wormil posted:Yeah, looks like he drills out the gear then makes straight cuts with the bandsaw which seems like more work than just cutting them with a modified box joint jig using either a router or tablesaw. The funnel is what I had in mind for the lathe. I suppose you could do it in pieces and glue it up though I'm not really sure how, it isn't something I've ever thought about doing. Hmm... If you start a hole in a piece of wood and then alternate back and forth between a 1/4" rabbet bit and pattern bit you could incrementally enlarge the hole in each sheet. Laminate them together and then chuck up the block in your drill as makeshift lathe and put a rasp too it  Ghetto but I think it just might work. lol
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Nov 4, 2011 06:16
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dwoloz posted:Looked at some of the oscillating multi tools? I've been thinking about buying one, they seem pretty handy
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Nov 4, 2011 10:35
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I just picked up a Worx 18" electric chainsaw and it owns bones. Its really simple to use as far as chain tightening/oil and is really powerful which surprised me. It flew through the 16" dutch elm I was cutting and I didn't have a single problem for the 3 hours or so I used it. If you are like me and aren't nuts about dealing with normal gas chainsaw I would highly recommend it. And the price is pretty great too.
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Nov 5, 2011 00:15
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ibpooks posted:My first power tool recommendation is a lithium-ion cordless drill. It doesn't have to be top of line or anything, but that tool will get more use around the house than any other. Add to that a drill bit index of common sizes and a set or two of various Phillips, square, hex, star tips for driving screws and bolts. Get some extra #2 Phillips bits because those are by far the most common.
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Nov 10, 2011 20:20
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ibpooks posted:Grizzly makes great mid-range woodworking tools. http://www.grizzly.com/products/14-Bandsaw-3-4-HP/G0580 They are the poo poo. I've used their planers, jointers, dust collection, bandsaws, probably more.
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Nov 10, 2011 23:27
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Welp, my old 19.2V batteries for my Craftsman drill finally gave up the ghost. Should I replace them with more NiCd/NiMH's, or step up to Li-Ion's? Does anyone have experience with both kinds? I know if did, I'd need a new charger as well.
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Nov 12, 2011 19:34
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kid sinister posted:Welp, my old 19.2V batteries for my Craftsman drill finally gave up the ghost. Should I replace them with more NiCd/NiMH's, or step up to Li-Ion's? Does anyone have experience with both kinds? I know if did, I'd need a new charger as well. Now that I own a couple of good quality LI-powered tools, I'll never go back to NiCads again. The initial investment might suck a bit, comparatively, but in my opinion the difference in power, run time and battery reliability is worth every penny. I have one of these Milwaukee drill kits (gift from the boss, he purchased one for all us airplane monkeys last year as a thank-you), and one of these little Makita kits (wheeled and dealed with the Mac tool guy, got 'em for $75 after trading in some of my old poo poo) and I use at least one of the various tools every single day at work. I'm honestly surprised that I haven't destroyed any of the batteries yet, but my only frame of reference is all my old NiCad stuff. All these new tools just seem so much more robust. Even the cheap Ryobi cordless tools seem to gain a new sense of manliness when you switch to their LI packs - one newer guy in the hangar has one of their 18V drills, and it's (so far) doing really well for him. I might not have laid out the money if I'd had to pay full retail for my stuff, but I certainly will in the future now that I've seen how much better the LI batteries perform under heavy use.
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Nov 13, 2011 14:14
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kid sinister posted:Welp, my old 19.2V batteries for my Craftsman drill finally gave up the ghost. Should I replace them with more NiCd/NiMH's, or step up to Li-Ion's? Does anyone have experience with both kinds? I know if did, I'd need a new charger as well. After I switched to Li batteries I have only used my NiMHs maybe once or twice when I was really in a pinch. NiCds have been gone for a while now. The charge time is so much better and the decreased weight of the Li batteries is really noticeable when you're working overhead. I guess it depends on what you're doing, but a pound lighter on the drill really adds up over the day. This one is my regular set: http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LXT218-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless/dp/B001EYUQPK ibpooks fucked around with this message at 18:49 on Nov 14, 2011 |
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Nov 14, 2011 18:45
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ibpooks posted:This one is my regular set: http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LXT218-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless/dp/B001EYUQPK I just bought this set: http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LCT200W-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless/dp/B000V2DSE2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_17 FYI the difference with this set is that the batteries are "compact Lithium Ion" which are about half the size, and thus probably have the run time. I use it mostly for woodworking/furniture building and whatever else around the house and can't recommend it enough. I almost went with the set in the quote above but in the end decided I didn't need contractor grade equipment and I'm glad I made this choice. Saved about a pound and a half per tool, plus so far I haven't run out of juice.
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Nov 14, 2011 19:48
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With Makita drills and drivers the compact and the LXT batteries are interchangeable. I have a set of each so I can use the lighter weight batteries when I don't need the extended run time. The charging station is compatible with both kinds so it's very easy to swap back and forth. I don't own any Makita NiCd or NiMH but I believe the charging station is compatible with those too so you can still charge your legacy tools without having to cart around multiple chargers. I don't really use the hammer function on the drill very much as I have a much heavier duty Bosch for that. The Makita hammer works okay, but hammer drilling and lightweight are basically opposite goals so you can't win on both. I wouldn't buy this set specifically for hammer drilling, but for every other kind of drilling/driving it's great. ibpooks fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Nov 14, 2011 |
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Nov 14, 2011 20:11
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Cross-posting this from the blacksmithing thread, since I feel like I may find a broader audience here... A jewelery student/friend of mine asked about the harbor freight micro o/a torch. Has anyone heard anything good/bad about this torch? There is one review on Harbor Freight's site but its hard to judge value off one review...
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Nov 15, 2011 22:29
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iForge posted:There is one review on Harbor Freight's site but its hard to judge value off one review... Actually you can, from just the name. Pretty much everything Harbor Freight makes is junk, that's why it's so cheap. They fill the niche between "rental" and "HOW much for a new one?" Personally, I wouldn't buy anything from them that could blow up in my hand.
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Nov 16, 2011 00:08
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So cost aside, what is a good buy for a cordless impact wrench? Snap On? IR?
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Nov 16, 2011 01:15
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kid sinister posted:Actually you can, from just the name. Pretty much everything Harbor Freight makes is junk, that's why it's so cheap. They fill the niche between "rental" and "HOW much for a new one?" Personally, I wouldn't buy anything from them that could blow up in my hand. Not entirely true. I have experienced both high and low quality tools from harbor freight. They sell cheap rebranded stuff for the most part but some of it is relatively decent quality. I appreciate your stance but I am looking for any first/second hand accounts.
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Nov 16, 2011 04:29
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This is sorta antique tools, today I wanted to turn something small and realized I returned my friends mini lathe so I said "hey, I should make a little bow lathe" or something, then looked for plans and came across that famous Joseph Moxon book everyone in the fine woodworking world is jerking off over, specifically a plate for this little bench lathe that gets clamped in the face chop. Then I realized the workbench I bought a few months ago came with weird dogs/attachments, one of which being a pair of essentially centers. I could throw them in the dogholes and ratchet them down on something with a little added length and use a bow to power it! I don't know why I'm so excited but spring pole and bow lathes are really neat. Here's a photo of the weird doohickeys, they're the pair in the middle that look the same. I think they're more conventionally used to work on chair legs and such. 
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Nov 16, 2011 04:34
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ibpooks posted:
 This seems like a great deal. However, my roommate has a cordless drill, so while it makes sense to buy hand tools when they're on sale because they don't get cheaper/better, it might make sense to wait on the drill until I move out.  Keter 19" tool box w/tray - $9  Home Depot 16 oz hammer - $6  Harbor Freight 26 pc ratcheting screwdriver set - $10 Also debating these and these  Home Depot Folding lock back utility knife - $8 It seems like this is safer than the typical sliding box cutters that I'm used to.  Home Depot pliers set: adjustable, needlenose, linesman dyke, side cutter, and sliding - $15 Josh Lyman fucked around with this message at 13:53 on Nov 16, 2011 |
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Nov 16, 2011 13:48
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Everything there looks good for starter tools except the ratcheting screwdriver and the drill. The screwdriver will fall apart and lose its ratcheting action in no time and the drill is filled with lovely plastic internals that will shatter the moment you drop it once. Not to mention the drill is poo poo and you always want minimum two batteries. If you want cheap, Costco has some half-decent Kawasaki or whatever drills for $50 and you can always buy cheap bits when they're on sale at harbour freight or wherever. I would still recommend buying a real name brand drill like Dewalt, rigid, or makita to go on sale, sometimes you can get a drill/driver and an impact in a combo kit for as low as $125 if you find the right clearance. For the extra price you will feel a lot less frustration in overall use. I think I went through 3 lovely $50 drills including a black and decker before i got fed up and bought something that works right. I always find a good variety of pliers to be useful so yeah get those.
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Nov 16, 2011 16:35
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Mercury Ballistic posted:So cost aside, what is a good buy for a cordless impact wrench? Snap On? IR? I've not seen the IR ones in use, but a friend has an older gen Snap on which gets a fairly hard life with a fair bit of outside work and seems to just keep on going.
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Nov 16, 2011 18:06
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wormil posted:Definitely. That's why people interested in woodworking should save up and buy either a contractor (sometimes called a hybrid) or cabinet saw. Jobsite saws are loud, underpowered and imprecise for woodworking though they are fine for carpentry. I keep meaning to buy a link belt for mine because I've read time and again that they run smoother but I just never get around to it. It's already pretty smooth. I am going to second the link belt for you. I have an old craftsman cast iron cabinet saw that I use fairly regularly and I cannot recommend the link belt enough. I had some minor to moderate vibration in the saw with a regular belt but once I got the link belt it was like a whole new saw! Runs 100% smooth now.
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Nov 16, 2011 20:41
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Josh Lyman posted:tools Since your roommate has a cordless I'd go for whatever corded drill (maybe hammer?) you can find for a good price/extend your budget to afford. You should be able to get something from a good brand for relatively cheap, and it will outlast/outperform any cordless thing you can get for the same price. Get a real cordless when you can't use your roommate's any more, and for now gloat about the awesome power you get from an awesome corded tool. I don't know if they are a Canada only thing, but PicQuic screwdrivers are awesome. Get one of those instead of a lovely ratcheting thing that will break in a day of use. Also magnetic bit holder for the drill, and a whack of cheap #2 robbie/philips bits.
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Nov 16, 2011 20:44
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Ahz posted:Everything there looks good for starter tools except the ratcheting screwdriver and the drill. The screwdriver will fall apart and lose its ratcheting action in no time   $7.50 at Target. It's like they're precision screwdrivers, but you can plug them into the handle for additional torque in more standard applications. Josh Lyman fucked around with this message at 21:11 on Nov 16, 2011 |
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Nov 16, 2011 21:09
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I was not aware that a hook driver was a thing that existed. I wish I had found out sooner..
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Nov 17, 2011 00:56
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Slugworth posted:I was not aware that a hook driver was a thing that existed. I wish I had found out sooner.. I just use the box end of a wrench.
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Nov 17, 2011 04:50
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