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I was looking at the Porter Cable one for about $600 if I wanted an upright, but I'm also not doing very big projects. I wouldn't mind a smaller one but at the same time I want something that will grow. Any recommendations on something between a $150 one and the $600 standing one? What's the general opinion on WEN? mds2 posted:Bandsaws do not do this when their blades break. Not at all. It was meant to be in jest given that people were just discussing bands breaking. Edit: I found a $65 11" craftsman one on Craigslist. I figure if I'm going to buy a small band saw I might as well get it used. Spazz fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Aug 16, 2016 |
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Aug 16, 2016 18:33
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In one of the magazine tests, Craftsman won in the benchtop bandsaw category, reasons were balanced wheels and better fit and finish. But they were literally all the same one sold at Harbor Freight so yeah, just buy the cheapest used one you can. I paid $35 for my benchtop (gone now) but it was a Powrkraft from the 50's; probably as good as anything made today but still underpowered and aggravating. I have a 14" Delta now, an indefinite loan. Which reminds me, I need to order bearings and a tire.
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Aug 16, 2016 22:20
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Zhent posted:In the meantime, I'm thinking about starting with hand tools. Has anyone tried to make a Paul Sellers style workbench? Is that as straightforward as he makes it seem given the youtube series, or does the fact that he's got 50 years of experience let him gloss over some of the issues that will trip me up? I've successfully made the Sellers-style workbench. His experience does make a lot of things look easier than they are for the rest of us, but it doesn't apply as much on this particular project. Based on my experience I would advise not making it any less than 6 feet long if you do a single bench top slab instead one on either side of the tool well, for the extra weight. Try to pick the best wood you can get. I paid extra for "Premium Select" 2x4s from a local lumberyard and they ended up being shittier than the regular 2x4s I got from the same place both before and after the project. You want minimal knots and a grain that doesn't splinter or tear out very much. Also, when laminating the bench tops and aprons, try to make the grain run in the same direction on all the boards. This will make it much easier to flatten.
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Aug 16, 2016 23:54
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My dad now has it in his head that he wants a lathe. He was looking at a $120 one from Harbor Freight I think I talked him out of. What's the recommendation on an entry level one I can go halves with him on? I know he eventually wants to turn table legs, but that can wait for a future purchase if that puts us above $1k.
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Aug 17, 2016 12:48
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I dunno if you get them over there, but the MC1000 is the standard entry level in Australia. You will need to either bolt it down or weigh it down somehow, because pressed steel legs suck, but it should have a swing head/outrigger and enough clearance to do medium size bowls, and spindles up to 1m. Plus they make extension beds, so if you need to go bigger you can.
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Aug 17, 2016 13:05
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Spazz posted:Any recommendations on something between a $150 one and the $600 standing one? What's the general opinion on WEN? The answer to this question is: search craiglist until you find a 14" delta or Rockwell bandsaw from before the 90's.
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Aug 17, 2016 13:08
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Anyone here have a Grizzly bandsaw? I've been looking at their 17" models. Which is better, bearing guides or "euro" guides?
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Aug 17, 2016 13:39
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mds2 posted:Anyone here have a Grizzly bandsaw? I've been looking at their 17" models. Which is better, bearing guides or "euro" guides? No idea on your bearing question, but I have a Grizzly "Ultimate" 14" bandsaw and have been quite happy with it. It's pretty solid and seems well-designed. The caveat here is that it's the only bandsaw I've ever used, so I don't have anything to compare it against.
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Aug 17, 2016 15:20
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Spazz posted:My dad now has it in his head that he wants a lathe. He was looking at a $120 one from Harbor Freight I think I talked him out of. The little 8 and 10 inch lathes are for pen turning. I recommend buying at least a 12". Many people speak well of this one which is apparently very similar to a Jet. I don't own one so can't comment. http://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-x-33-3-8-eighth-inch-wood-lathe-with-reversible-head-34706.html I tend to go for older lathes myself although I do have a Nova Comet II that I bought dirt cheap, used. I like having it and don't regret buying it but I can't recommend it at full price. If I were going to buy a midi lathe, it would be the Delta. If I were going to buy a full size lathe, then Jet. If I had big budget then there are other choices. Depending on your area, you might be ahead to buy an older lathe and convert it to variable speed with a treadmill motor. You'd probably be in it for about the same price as the HF lathe and it would be better in every way but more work up front. But you need to live somewhere where cheap/free treadmills show up on Craigslist and somewhere where older lathes are not uncommon. It's not a difficult conversion but some people just want to buy and go, and there is nothing wrong with that.
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Aug 17, 2016 18:00
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wormil posted:The little 8 and 10 inch lathes are for pen turning. I recommend buying at least a 12". Many people speak well of this one which is apparently very similar to a Jet. I don't own one so can't comment. That's the one I have. It's my first and only lathe, but it seems just fine and a good starter tool. The motor's smooth, and the accessories are simple but functional. The tool rest is a little finicky, but that's my only real complaint. I preemptively cut a piece of plywood to sit on the leg crossbars and piled it with 80 lbs of bagged solar salt -- some people online said it helped with stability, so why not. That said, I got it for $225 (after a coupon) so make sure you sign up for their emails for coupons and/or look for sales. Hell, many of the people who work there are so checked out that they'll tell you if there's a sale coming. At least in my store they have no pretense about preserving margin. At full retail... Eh, it's probably more than you should spend. While the manual is bare bones, setting it up is simple but definitely a two-person job, at least when it comes to mounting the motor/bed atop the frame. If you can get help from someone other than your 100lb wife, even better 
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Aug 17, 2016 20:51
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Spazz posted:Is a $150 bandsaw too good to be true? On a scale from 1 to band-snapping-and-ripping-my-face-off, how bad is it? You can find literally the exact same saw with different stickers from Harbor Freight, Sears, Ryobi or many other brands. . , Its apparently a popular design. I chose to go with Ryobi green on mine since I didn't want a saw that passed through Harbor Freight's QA department. I have only used mine on 2x4 or smaller pieces of wood and so far I have been very happy with the performance.
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Aug 18, 2016 13:02
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Trying to restore an old, used plane iron has taken me hours and hours of grinding at 250 grit, and it's still not perfectly flat. Is there a powered grinder that can be recommended that isn't a $500 tormek system? I don't mind hand sharpening once I have the primary bevel set, it's just getting to that point seems to be taking forever. Iron when I received the old plane:  One full evenining of grinding + sharpening:  Second evening:  I think I'm on the right track, but the last 1/4" or so of both sides of the iron still doesn't match as it probably should.
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Aug 18, 2016 14:28
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Not sure if this is the right thread to ask this, but other than the price being a bit higher is there any reason why I shouldn't use all stainless steel hardware all the time? My dad was always big on it even for stuff that was indoors but he's also a weirdo who saves the plastic wrap around boxes and thinks that switching the AC in a car from "outside vent" to "recirculate" without turning it off first "stresses the fan" so it's not like he's a good reference point
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Aug 18, 2016 14:42
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Parallel Paraplegic posted:Not sure if this is the right thread to ask this, but other than the price being a bit higher is there any reason why I shouldn't use all stainless steel hardware all the time? My dad was always big on it even for stuff that was indoors but he's also a weirdo who saves the plastic wrap around boxes and thinks that switching the AC in a car from "outside vent" to "recirculate" without turning it off first "stresses the fan" so it's not like he's a good reference point My friend who installs gutters for a living was just saying the other day how they have to use stainless screws to hang them. He was complaining about how the screws are quite brittle and the heads snap off if you torque them too hard. I don't know if that is any different from standard screws though.
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Aug 18, 2016 14:58
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Zhent posted:Trying to restore an old, used plane iron has taken me hours and hours of grinding at 250 grit, and it's still not perfectly flat. Is there a powered grinder that can be recommended that isn't a $500 tormek system? I don't mind hand sharpening once I have the primary bevel set, it's just getting to that point seems to be taking forever. That looks good as is. On mine the frog only contacts on the sides and middle and you've got those areas cleaned up. It's just bracing, it doesn't need to be perfect. The other side should be flat all the way across where the cap iron contacts the blade, and on the cutting edge. 1/4" back at most. I gave up on my old #4 and bought one from lee valley. It cost more than the rest of the plane. 
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Aug 18, 2016 15:31
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Zhent posted:Trying to restore an old, used plane iron has taken me hours and hours of grinding at 250 grit, and it's still not perfectly flat. Is there a powered grinder that can be recommended that isn't a $500 tormek system? I don't mind hand sharpening once I have the primary bevel set, it's just getting to that point seems to be taking forever. Uhh, you actually want a curve to your blade (slight for a smoothing plane, more severe for a jack) so that the corners don't dig into the surface. That blade looks like it has a decent camber on it for a smoothing plane. What kind of sharpening jig are you using ? If it's a side clamp eclipse style jig just putting pressure on the corners is enough to sharpen slight cambers like that. You also don't need a former, a regular bench grinder with a Norton 3x wheel will do just fine, just dont burn the metal (take frequent breaks to let things cool, discoloration is bad news)
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Aug 18, 2016 15:41
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After having to resquare a chisel because I'm a stupid fuckhead who can't apply even pressure, purchasing the Veritas Sharpening System has made re-honing and sharpening so much easier.
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Aug 18, 2016 15:43
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Zhent posted:Trying to restore an old, used plane iron has taken me hours and hours of grinding at 250 grit, LOL, use 80 grit. Should only be a few minutes worth of work. To get it straight, grind it straight then grind a bevel.
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Aug 18, 2016 16:09
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Grizzly sells a Tormek knock off for $120 and according to my coworker it works fantastic. WorkSharps are around $150 to start and work really well. I'm a big fan of DMT diamond sharpening plates. They easily cut 5-10 times faster than waterstones. I think the 3 diamond plate set I have was around $100.
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Aug 18, 2016 16:28
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GEMorris posted:Uhh, you actually want a curve to your blade (slight for a smoothing plane, more severe for a jack) so that the corners don't dig into the surface. That blade looks like it has a decent camber on it for a smoothing plane. What kind of sharpening jig are you using ? If it's a side clamp eclipse style jig just putting pressure on the corners is enough to sharpen slight cambers like that. Ok, that makes sense. I'll have to figure out a bit more about how to set the plane up the first time - it's working alright, but instead of getting shavings coming out the top everything gets stuck right in the mouth of it. I figured it just wasn't quite sharp enough, but maybe problem is not setting everything up correctly. Spazz posted:After having to resquare a chisel because I'm a stupid fuckhead who can't apply even pressure, purchasing the Veritas Sharpening System has made re-honing and sharpening so much easier. mds2 posted:Grizzly sells a Tormek knock off for $120 and according to my coworker it works fantastic. WorkSharps are around $150 to start and work really well. Thanks - I'm using the Veritas Mk2 guide. I picked up the waterstones before I realized that the DMT plates seem to work better - now I think I need to at least use these until I can justify replacing them. I'm sort of hoping that once I get all these irons squared away one time, I won't have nearly as much trouble keeping them sharpened. But since I have 2 more old, rusty irons to clean up, and I still havent found a #7 or #8 yet, I think I'll need to pick up at least a bench grinder that I can put a better wheel on.
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Aug 18, 2016 18:05
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The stones should be sufficient, but I would recommend grabbing a coarser one for reshaping for next time you drop a chisel point down or put your plan down on top of something metal. I bought the DMT DiaSharp stones in 220, 600, and 1200. I'm considering getting the 8000 eventually, but so far this has been all I've needed for my work. They sell the multi-packs at Woodcraft and other stores, but I preferred 3 separate stones. edit: vvvv That's honestly why I'd recommend picking up in store if you can. DMT ships their stuff in padded cardboard, but that will only do so much if it's bouncing around in the box. We talked and may end up going halves on a Jet 1015, maybe the 1015VS, rather than risk buying a lemon. I'll buy a lot of tools off craigslist, but certain things (like high speed spinnny stuff) I want to make sure it's safe even if that seems paranoid/over cautious. Spazz fucked around with this message at 18:55 on Aug 18, 2016 |
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Aug 18, 2016 18:41
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An important thing to remember if you ever get water stones is to keep in mind who is going to ship them. I've ordered some off amazon and I guess they went "lol it's a rock" because they shipped with zero padding. One got hosed up bad, should have at least tried to return it but the chunk didn't break off until I was flattening it so I figured they wouldn't accept a return. The others survived but had their corners chipped. If I ever order more it'll definitely be from a woodworking place. Spazz, from what I've seen in reviews that big HF wood lathe is apparently actually pretty decent all in all, so unless your dad loves restoring old tools or just doesn't want to spend more than the mini lathe cost I'd agree with Trabant and go with that. My old Sears is great but did require some TLC and tracking down a motor, which almost doubled its cost. Probably should have opted for the HF one instead in retrospect, but whatever. It having 2mt tapers instead of the old Sears one's 1mt would also have been nice since I have to hunt more for tools.
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Aug 18, 2016 18:47
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Zhent posted:Ok, that makes sense. I'll have to figure out a bit more about how to set the plane up the first time - it's working alright, but instead of getting shavings coming out the top everything gets stuck right in the mouth of it. I figured it just wasn't quite sharp enough, but maybe problem is not setting everything up correctly. Paul Sellers has a number of video about planes on his youtube channel: complete restoration, sharpening, tuning and setup. There are a lot of little details that go into making a plane work well and it can be hard to explain them all in text. For your specific problem it could be a few things. If the frog is adjustable then it could be set too far forward making making the mouth too narrow. Most of the time I set the frog so that it's just slightly forward of the back edge of the mouth. The idea is that if the frog is farther back than the back edge it will cause the blade to bend slighty when pressure is applied through the lever cap. The cap iron could be set too close to the leading edge of the blade, I go for about 1/16". The cap iron may not be making complete contact across the width of the blade, leaving little gaps for shavings to get caught. This edge can be carefully flattened on your diamond stones. The leading edge of the cap iron might not be smooth enough, maybe pitting from rust, that is causing some friction on the shavings. This can be cleaned up on the stones too. Paul's trick with a rag stuffed in a small can, saturated with 3-in-1 oil for lubrication of the sole is really helpful too. It makes the plane practically float over the wood.
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Aug 18, 2016 19:21
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Speaking of old planes, pretty excited. My uncle's father (greatuncle?) was a shipwright in WWII and gave him a bunch of old hand tools he's had kicking around for a long time, including a bunch of larger planes. Will be down there in a month to look over what's there and might ship some back to myself. Is there a resource anywhere on identifying good old hand tools so I don't accidentally grab the 1940s equivalent of harbor freight?
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Aug 19, 2016 00:47
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Falcon2001 posted:Speaking of old planes, pretty excited. My uncle's father (greatuncle?) was a shipwright in WWII and gave him a bunch of old hand tools he's had kicking around for a long time, including a bunch of larger planes. Will be down there in a month to look over what's there and might ship some back to myself. The good news is that anything pre-ww2 from almost any manufacturer is going to be decent to great.
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Aug 19, 2016 01:58
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I've been working my way through the thread picking out tool recommendations as I get started. I've been indefinitely lent a lovely "TASK FORCE" miter saw and a Ryobi contractor table saw. I also bought myself a track saw and router kit with a plunge and fixed base, have a circular and sort of ghetto jigsaw. I guess I'm starting to troll CL for radial arm, stationary table, and band saws. What am I likely getting myself into if I buy one of these? I can't imagine quality for these prices, but idk. Am I likely buying some huge restoration project that i won't be able to get tight, square, etc? http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/tls/5730188162.html http://nh.craigslist.org/tls/5683270791.html
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Aug 19, 2016 04:09
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uwaeve posted:
$100 for a Dewalt RAS? That would be gone in a minute here. Unfortunately I don't know much about them. They were falling out of favor when I was learning woodworking and I've only used one and that was in HS. You might find a few general tool buying tips here: http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2016/08/best-power-tools-for-new-woodworkers.html
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Aug 19, 2016 07:03
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uwaeve posted:What am I likely getting myself into if I buy one of these? I can't imagine quality for these prices, but idk. Am I likely buying some huge restoration project that i won't be able to get tight, square, etc? I have that second radial arm saw, the squared arm dewalt. It's great and for $100 I'd snatch it up immediately. There is a dewalt RAS group with tons of info on restoration and adjustment. The quality in each of these saws with some minor refurbishment would cost multiple thousands of dollars in new equipment. Do you already have a workbench? Because I'd prioritize that over anything else once you have a tool that can crosscut and a tool that can rip.
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Aug 19, 2016 13:19
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GEMorris posted:I have that second radial arm saw, the squared arm dewalt. It's great and for $100 I'd snatch it up immediately. There is a dewalt RAS group with tons of info on restoration and adjustment. I did see that saw on someone's (possibly even yours) "good buys" list itt, I just don't have the experience to know whether anRAS classified as "works" is able to be refurbished economically. Is there any disassembly possible so I could potentially get it home in a Mazda hatchback, or is this in borrow-a-truck territory? If the bolts aren't frozen in the first place, I guess. I have a super fuckin ghetto bench that has a front and side vise, tool tray, dogs etc. the problem is it racks like mad if you so much as glance at it. My plan is to add some cross braces to make it moderately functional while I learn more about benches. I've seen a lot of discussion in here about recommendations, books, etc.
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Aug 19, 2016 14:09
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I'm gonna attempt with the help of my dad to make this wine rack / shelf for my GF for her new apartment. I'm not trying to replicate it exactly but would like to approximate the design. I want to basically have the center cabinet with the bottom having 12 individual bottle slots, a middle shelf with the racks for hanging glasses, and above that could be a simple shelf. I think a drop down drawer that becomes a little serving table thing would be neat if it's not complicated. The leaning "ladder" design is cool and what she likes about it but I'm not sure if there are any unforseen challenges with it. I'd like to have at least 4 open space shelves on either side. We'll probably use pocket hole screws and dadoes / slots where needed for assembly. Plan is to use plywood and edge banding where needed. Anyone ever made something like this before? Anything I should keep in in planning it out? I don't have any sketch up plans. Will likely just draw something up on paper as a rough plan. Thanks for any feedback. 
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Aug 19, 2016 14:41
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GEMorris posted:I have that second radial arm saw, the squared arm dewalt. It's great and for $100 I'd snatch it up immediately. There is a dewalt RAS group with tons of info on restoration and adjustment. +1. That 2nd one was the saw we used when I started doing cabinets and trim. Cadillac of radial arms. Before there were miter saws with bevel settings and bells and whistles, there was that DeWalt.
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Aug 19, 2016 15:07
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Cpt.Wacky posted:Paul Sellers has a number of video about planes on his youtube channel: complete restoration, sharpening, tuning and setup. There are a lot of little details that go into making a plane work well and it can be hard to explain them all in text. Thanks - I've been watching the Sellers videos quite a bit, and I keep going back and forth between what he's working with and what I've got. I may have to back the frog up a bit more, and I definitely didn't put any thought into shaping the chip-breaker, so I'll look at that and see if it's angled or pitted. I'm definitely looking at those grinders and the grizzly system this weekend to help with the blades, hopefully I can find something at a local Lowes, HD, or Woodcraft.
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Aug 19, 2016 16:11
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uwaeve posted:I did see that saw on someone's (possibly even yours) "good buys" list itt, I just don't have the experience to know whether anRAS classified as "works" is able to be refurbished economically. Is there any disassembly possible so I could potentially get it home in a Mazda hatchback, or is this in borrow-a-truck territory? If the bolts aren't frozen in the first place, I guess. You can get that thing in the back of any generation of mazda3, you may have to remove the table (which looks cashed anyhow, that'll be one of the things for you to replace). The main thing about these machines that goes "bad" is just the rail bearings getting old or out of adjustment. These can be replaced and there are good instructions for getting one of these machines properly adjusted. As long as the saw spins up and down without overloading a circuit, you should be good on wiring. Occasionally the cord from the saw to the wall will have cracked insulation but that is cheap and easy to replace. There are a few power tools I consider "insta-buy" for woodworkers. They are: this RAS for less than $250, a pre-90's dewalt or Rockwell bandsaw for less than $350, and an INCA 20" bandsaw for less than $600
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Aug 19, 2016 16:31
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GEMorris posted:You can get that thing in the back of any generation of mazda3, you may have to remove the table (which looks cashed anyhow, that'll be one of the things for you to replace). The main thing about these machines that goes "bad" is just the rail bearings getting old or out of adjustment. These can be replaced and there are good instructions for getting one of these machines properly adjusted. As long as the saw spins up and down without overloading a circuit, you should be good on wiring. Occasionally the cord from the saw to the wall will have cracked insulation but that is cheap and easy to replace. Awesome, I'll contact the guy. I did read some of the forums and guides to restoration and it sounds like it could get marginally expensive. I understand that it'd still be a bargain, I just hesitate to bring it home and wrestle it down to the basement without knowing whether it's going to cost me $200 or $800 to get it refurbished. Just whining I guess, it just made me laugh that one of the refurb guides had someone literally say something like "Little did I know that the overall cost was going to explode."
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Aug 19, 2016 18:23
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Restore would be a strip down, de-rust, clean, fix, replace, paint, reassemble. Refurbish would be a bearing change most likely, replace any missing or broken parts, and you are on the road.
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Aug 19, 2016 19:59
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GEMorris posted:
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Aug 19, 2016 20:14
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You couldn't give RAS away 8 years ago but they are experiencing a resurgence. Forgot to post this earlier but Amazon has the new Kreg automaxx clamps for about half price, both 3 and 6 inch. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HFKUETE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Aug 19, 2016 20:25
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Squibbles posted:Funny because RAS's seem fairly unpopular around here in Vancouver, BC. I see craftsman ones up on craigslist all the time for $100 and sometimes they even show up in the free section The craftsman ones are absolute poo poo imo.
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Aug 20, 2016 00:24
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nosleep posted:I'm gonna attempt with the help of my dad to make this wine rack / shelf for my GF for her new apartment. I'm not trying to replicate it exactly but would like to approximate the design. I want to basically have the center cabinet with the bottom having 12 individual bottle slots, a middle shelf with the racks for hanging glasses, and above that could be a simple shelf. I think a drop down drawer that becomes a little serving table thing would be neat if it's not complicated. The first thing that springs to mind (because of my own apartment) is that a design like that needs really flat walls. If you've got a hint of uneven/wavy plaster walls you're in for a tedious few hours of selective planing to get it to sit nicely.
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Aug 20, 2016 00:31
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GEMorris posted:The craftsman ones are absolute poo poo imo. Maybe that explains the garbage prices then 
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Aug 20, 2016 01:07
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