|
Iskariot posted:This is the problem when discussing tools with Americans. Ridgid barely sells any tools in Europe. Craftsman sells none AFAIK. This also means no Delta. All of those brands are basically average quality made-in-china tools with various different color labels on them. Now that Delta (except the Unisaw) is all china made, there is little variation between those brands. quote:There's a lot of DeWalt but far from what it used to be. From what I've gathered, the aforementioned brands really make up the American market. Yes that's true, but there's also Black and Decker and Skil rounding out the bottom of the quality ladder. quote:I hear Bosch is on the rise in the US and smaller brands like Festool and Fein have their special niche. Bosch is decent, but I could happily spend my entire life savings at the Festool dealer. They make fantastic tools, but only a limited line is available in the US due to some type of import restrictions and UL testing problems they've had. quote:What about brands like Panasonic (makes some of the best drills in the world), Hitachi (all around good brand) and Makita (same here)? I've seen all of them in the major tools stores. I own a couple Makita tools -- cordless driver, drill, corded jigsaw, maybe a few others. I think they've been making really nice products lately.
|
#
¿
Jan 27, 2011 23:30
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 1, 2024 23:49 |
|
|
Iskariot posted:"Made in ..." doesn't really say much about quality if the brand is solid. I wish that were true, but a brand's quality goes through the floor when they ship out the manufacturing. I'm not a hardcore made in the USA guy, but there is a clear difference in quality between products made in USA, Canada, EU, Japan and those made in China, Taiwan, Mexico, etc; even when they fly under the same banner. For example Freud blades made in China are clearly inferior compared to their made in Italy blades. Same with the regular Delta line compared to the USA-built Unisaw. quote:I'm not going down that rabbit hole just yet. Prices are so steep it's not even funny. The quality is superb of course but I'm not a professional so "regular" professional tools are good enough for me. I agree the price is a hurdle, and it doesn't really make sense for one or two tools. You really start to see returns when you get multiple elements of the system working together. Plus the dust collection designed in from the start is fantastic. quote:Makita is my favored cordless brand Agree 100%. I think they're the leader in 18V lithium ion tools right now, the weight of their drills is incredible for the power you get out of it. quote:Another German brand to check out - Metabo I do have a Metabo high speed cutoff tool. (It's actually my Dad's, but we share a lot of tools). It's a great little machine that performs well in lovely situations. We often use it for cutting off old cast iron sewer pipes where other tools just can't fit in.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 28, 2011 17:59
|
|
|
wattershed posted:My larger question was whether or not, structurally, a finishing gun was sufficient for projects of this size. Finish nails definitely will not hold together in any load-bearing furniture.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 25, 2011 06:04
|
|
|
I always leave mine pressurized but flip the breaker off when I'm out of the shop. What the hell can the compressor do when you're gone that it can't do when you're there? You do occasionally want to drain the tank out through the bottom valve just to get the water condensate out of the tank so it doesn't rust through, but daily is really unnecessary.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 2, 2011 07:06
|
|
|
emocrat posted:Does anyone have any advice on small powered sanders? I am a little lost on this one. For small occasional sanding jobs that you don't need great results, they are just fine. Expect a "paint-grade" finish and a sore hand after use. Also forget about the dust collection bag on them, because they don't work. quote:However the brands that I associate with more quality products (Dewalt, Milwaukee) only seem to offer round or square options, none with a point. Because it is difficult to get quality power sanding at a point. The mid-level brands do not offer one because the results would be sub-par and reflect poorly on the machines. Fein and Festool both offer very nice corner sanders, but have a corresponding price tag. quote:Is the point not actually that useful? Or maybe just buy a cheap pointed one for corners and a better quality round random orbital for the rest? I would definitely get a good random orbital with dust collection chute for all flat surface work. Unless you're doing a ton of corners, consider just sanding them by hand or with a cheapie corner sander like you listed. If you're doing assembly work instead of refinishing, do all your sanding before final glue-up so you don't have to worry about getting into tight places with the sander.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 7, 2011 23:04
|
|
|
Delivery McGee posted:Speaking of chucks, why hasn't anybody combined the two types? Have the keyless grip on it for light work/hex shafts, and the gear teeth on top in case you feel the need to really crank it down. You can do a pretty good job of tightening a keyed chuck by hand as long as you're not a girlymahn. Hold the bit with your thumb and forefinger, wrap your other three fingers and palm around the chuck and run the drill forward. How hard you squeeze is how tight it gets. Obviously you'll need to break out the chuck key for bits that need a lot of torque, but this method works fine for switching screw tips or something light like that. Try not to mangle yourself.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 8, 2011 18:44
|
|
|
stubblyhead posted:What's the conventional wisdom on getting tools from pawn shops? I was browsing through one today and they had a pretty good selection of power tools. They'd obviously seen some use, but presumably are in working order. My conventional wisdom is don't buy them. Mostly because they're almost all probably stolen; what kind of legitimate contractor would sell the tools he needs to do his job? Contractors who do sell tools legitimately sell them to friends or coworkers. Pawn shops are where everything that walks away from a jobsite or disappears from the back of pickup trucks goes. Second unless you're buying completely beat up junky tools, the price that the pawnbroker wants is drat near close to retail of brand new tools with warranty on sale at the big box stores.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 14, 2011 18:57
|
|
|
Cakefool posted:Does anyone have advice on airless paint sprayers?...up to £100 They are complete junk unless you get a professional unit. Wagner, etc will break and clog and overheat and you will spend more time loving with it than actually painting.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 30, 2011 17:16
|
|
|
Blistex posted:but those 36 grit belts die fast There are two forces working against you. The big machines use "open coat" paper on the low grits, which is much better at removing old finish without gumming up. Most sand paper for small machines is "closed coat", which produces a smoother surface, but will gum up when you sand finished wood, especially flooring which has very thick varnish or poly coat. When the paper gums up, it basically stops cutting into the wood and just generates a bunch of heat from sliding friction on the wood surface. The old varnish turns into a goo which rubs against the wood surface. The heat build-up causes the paper backing to fail and it also has a "glassing" effect on the wood making subsequent sander passes even more difficult. The large drum sanding machines have a big steel drum and outer shell which acts as a heat sink to dissipate some of the heat away from the sanding head, thus preserving paper life and preventing as much gumming.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 11, 2011 20:05
|
|
|
themachine posted:In short, should I just go with Milwaukee, a trusted and solid choice, wait for the new Ridgids and see how they are, or the random option, and do something like stay with DeWalt or maybe even Makita? I would go with the Milwaukee. I don't have that set but an older one that I am quite happy with. I also have the Makita 18V drill/driver set which is great for smaller, overhead area or crawlspaces where the light weight drill and driver is a big help. I personally just don't think Ridgid power tools are designed for professional use anymore, it's sliding more and more toward the Home Depot weekend warrior with every new model that comes out. Milwaukee has remained best-in-class for years and they understand how to make quality tools even if the price ends up higher.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 29, 2011 19:24
|
|
|
The Human Cow posted:is there anything important I need to know before I start messing around with [router]? Always cut with the grain. Be careful routing end-grain or into corners where kickback is possible. Always cut against the bit rotation. DO NOT CLIMB CUT until you are much more confident with your router skills, and only then when it's required to do so. When routing a deep or wide profile, it's better to make a couple passes increasing the bit depth on each pass rather than cut the whole profile at once. Expensive router bits are worth it, as are 1/2" shaft bits. I know it's tempting to get the pack with 100 bits for $20 instead of the single bit for $20 but there is a huge difference in the quality of the cut and the safety. You want carbide bits with roller bearings. High speed steel (HSS) bits dull very quickly, like within one or two cuts, forcing the motor to work harder, you to push harder and the bit much more likely to burn the workpiece, overheat and break. Never exceed the rated RPM of a bit and never use non-router bits (drill, dremel, etc). And on that note, always wear safety glasses. Router bits break and send shards of metal shooting out in addition to the shards of wood shooting out under normal operation. It's also a good idea to wear a mask or respirator, routers make a lot of dust you don't want in your lungs.
|
|
#
¿
May 6, 2011 19:34
|
|
|
stubblyhead posted:What sort of eye protection do you guys recommend for someone who already wears glasses? You can have a pair of prescription safety glasses made wherever you have your regular glasses made. They're usually like $50 for basic ones. quote:Is this due to user error, or could it be indicative of substandard nails/nailer? The nailgun came with my compressor, so it certainly could be of poor quality. A couple things come to mind. If the nails aren't exactly the right angle, head, and collation to match the gun it can increase the chance of a jamb. If your pressure regulator isn't set right for the gun and nail type that can cause a malfunction. Not enough or too much oil in the gun (a couple drops of air tool oil per use), bad technique, just plain old lovely gun maybe. What kind of nailer are we talking: staples, finish, framing, roofing? ibpooks fucked around with this message at 21:10 on May 9, 2011 |
|
#
¿
May 9, 2011 21:07
|
|
|
Looks like one big difference is that the Crain unit has a dust collection port. Other than that they look drat near identical.
|
|
#
¿
May 13, 2011 21:55
|
|
|
Cpt.Wacky posted:How would you go about securing the water bottle while cutting it? I would strap it down to the bench using a nylon tie down strap like you would use to secure cargo in a pickup truck. quote:is $80 a good price for a used Freud router?...it's model FT2200CVE That is a discontinued model, but a fair price I think. The base isn't great on that router but it does have a lot of power.
|
|
#
¿
May 17, 2011 17:12
|
|
|
It's actually pretty surprising to me that (workman's comp) insurance companies haven't yet mandated SawStop saws in professional shops.quote:I wonder, are blade guards required or is it a voluntary thing in the industry? Blade guards and recently (as of year or two ago) splitters/riving knives are mandatory on all table saws sold in the US.
|
|
#
¿
May 25, 2011 20:51
|
|
|
Iskariot posted:I strongly dislike Sawstop because it's so obvious that the inventor is lobbying his rear end off for his product. Wouldn't you do the same? Wouldn't anyone? He has millions of dollars of his own money and investor money on the line. He spent years and actually created a product that was novel and that solves a major problem in society. Isn't this exactly what the patent system is for? add: Although SS has been fairly successful, they are still a speck of dust compared to the multinational tool companies. No doubt all the major tool companies will eventually come out with some type of similar technology to directly compete. The only chance he has of long term survival for his company is to be as aggressive as possible as early as possible before he gets crushed under endless litigation and marketing effort from the giants. As a patent lawyer he knows the little guy rarely wins, and in this case he is the little guy. ibpooks fucked around with this message at 23:14 on May 25, 2011 |
|
#
¿
May 25, 2011 23:07
|
|
|
Iskariot posted:The whirlwind tackles another safety issue which costs the community millions - dust. Are vacuums mandatory on saws? Are dust masks? Probably not but the health issues due to wood dust exposure can probably rival cutting accidents. I'm not arguing with you on this but just pointing out that SawStop saws also have excellent dust collection features. I don't own one of their saws, but I have cut on one before and there is very little dust to be seen or smelled after a cut. I would certainly consider it very close to top-of-the-line in dust collection. In fact the entire saw (ignoring the safety feature for now) is very high quality; it's not like they just slapped the blade stop on a cheap saw and marked it up $1,000. The whole thing is built very well. quote:My only gripe is how he's trying to market this via trying to enforce it by laws. I don't see how he has any other choice.
|
|
#
¿
May 26, 2011 17:08
|
|
|
Nerobro posted:And where is the "touches flesh" stop on lathes (that would have saved that MIT chick) bandsaws, routers and angle grinders? Just because it isn't yet available for all tools doesn't mean there isn't huge benefit for it to be on table saws. That's like saying you shouldn't wear safety glasses because you don't have knee pads. quote:If you're dumb, you're dumb. It's very short-sighted to make the assumption that accidents happen to only dumb people. Everyone is susceptible to distraction, a lapse of concentration, or a completely unforeseen event. quote:I also remember that the stopsaw is a one time use thing, as it breaks parts when it's stopped like that. The blade brake is one-time use and can be replaced for something like $60; although in many cases the company replaces them for free in the event of a finger save. The blade is often ruined also. Compare that to the medical cost of a finger cut -- well into the $1000s even for a minor injury. The rest of the saw is undamaged by a blade stop. quote:Given my experience two weeks ago with wood dust... I'd be much more concerned about good dust control than stopping the blade immediately. It is very reasonable to be concerned with both. ibpooks fucked around with this message at 19:37 on May 26, 2011 |
|
#
¿
May 26, 2011 19:33
|
|
|
Iskariot posted:Not directly related but I dropped a chain-saw on my knee once. I was wearing safety pants and got away from it with a scrap and a racing heart. Holy poo poo that must have been the longest 0.5 seconds of your life.
|
|
#
¿
May 27, 2011 17:06
|
|
|
If it's just the switch mechanism or some of the internal wiring I would fix it, but if the motor's shot I would scrap the saw. The replacement motor is probably on par with replacement cost for the entire machine. Check for simple things like thermal overloads on the motor or brushes.
|
|
#
¿
May 31, 2011 18:38
|
|
|
GEMorris posted:So you crosscut 10' 2x4's on your table saw? About as easily as you could rip them on a RAS.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 2, 2011 17:09
|
|
|
GEMorris posted:Not even close. I said rip, not crosscut. Both tools have things they're good at and things they're terrible at.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 2, 2011 22:17
|
|
|
TouchyMcFeely posted:Dumb questions but what can you do with a table saw (or RAS) that you can't do with a tracksaw? Thin rips are tough (although not impossible) with a tracksaw, as are dados and rabbets. You can get good repeatability using a tracksaw system like the Festool MFT in combination with the TS55 track saw, but tracksaws really excel with sheet goods and other panel materials like doors, flooring, countertops, etc.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 3, 2011 16:28
|
|
|
I feel like all of the good qualities of the RAS have been done better with sliding compound miter saws, which I guess are a type of radial arm saws.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 3, 2011 22:09
|
|
|
Iskariot posted:Bad press and an American tradition to worship the TS is my guess. I think a big part of it is the limited range of material sizes you can realistically work on a RAS. A tablesaw is only limited by the size of the room it is in whereas a RAS has a fixed arm length that puts an upper bound on what you can do with the saw.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 3, 2011 22:14
|
|
|
Iskariot posted:Nope. A miter saw is an advances chop saw. It does cross cuts, miter and bevel. That's it. A TS or RAS can do all the functions of a miter saw, the miter saw can do a fraction of the things a TS or RAS can. I know it can do more, but a good 95% of the work that most people encounter are crosscuts, miters and bevels. The SCMS meets the needs of the vast majority of the market out there which really limits the appeal of the RAS.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 3, 2011 22:17
|
|
|
I really hate cutting any Creosote wood - it's nasty poo poo. I would use a chainsaw or a sawzall with a long aggressive wood blade to crosscut them. Watch out though; they usually have some steel "S" pieces driven into the ends to prevent checking and you really don't want to hit that with your chainsaw. I would lean toward ground-contact treated 6x6 timbers instead of railroad ties. It is more expensive but looks a lot better and doesn't smell like oily poo poo forever.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 6, 2011 20:02
|
|
|
The creosote smell is nasty and it never goes away. A couple years ago I tore down a railroad tie retaining wall on my property that had been there 55 years and it still smelled like creosote every time it rained. It reeked of it as soon as I started breaking the wall down. The soil all around the wall reeked of creosote. The stuff does not break down in any human-scale timeline. If this is some remote area on a big lot, then fine use the railroad timbers, but I wouldn't want it up near the house at all.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 7, 2011 19:50
|
|
|
babyeatingpsychopath posted:I would have no problem building cabinets in my living room with this setup and not worrying about mess. As cool as the saws and routers are, the sanders are what's really cool in the Festool line. They have drat near dust free sanding all the way from rough paint stripping to very fine polishing.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 27, 2011 19:53
|
|
|
The Human Cow posted:I need some new clamps, and I've always liked the quick-grip kind where you can squeeze the handle to tighten the clamps. Depends on what you want to use them for. If you just need them as another set of hand to hold something occasionally they are great. If you want to do precise clamping of glue-ups you want to look more at parallel clamps like Bessey Revo. The problem with quick clamps for precision work is that when you pump the handle to tighten them down they tend to torque or twist a little bit which will move your clamp off the exact mark you were aiming for. If you want to stick with the quick clamp style have a look at the Irwin XP series (silver color) too. They have a much more robust construction, a lot more power and a very smooth tightening action.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 1, 2011 17:55
|
|
|
I posted:have a look at the Irwin XP series (silver color) too. They have a much more robust construction, a lot more power and a very smooth tightening action. kafkasgoldfish posted:Keep in mind, there's a new type of Irwin quick clamp that has like 3-4 times more clamping power (up to 600lbs). I haven't been able to justify buying them but they've received good reviews.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 2, 2011 17:40
|
|
|
I would call the local hardwood dealer(s) and ask if they know of any portable mill operators in the area. Smaller dealers and mills will often do a cost-sharing with you on the lumber (you keep some, they sell some) to cover the cost of processing the logs.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 6, 2011 20:47
|
|
|
Blistex posted:I've seen flat pads with rollers, rollers with guards, metal edges, sponges with guards, brushes with rollers, etc. . . I almost never use tape, just a good brush and patience. I use a good angled cutting brush; spend at least like $20 on your cutting brush. Then just take your time and be steady and careful. The extra time you spend painting is nothing compared to the horrible pain the rear end that is taping, un-taping and touching up when the taping has failed.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 7, 2011 18:07
|
|
|
ExplodingSims posted:Ad in question: http://orlando.craigslist.org/tls/2631858618.html Has it actually been stored outside as pictured? If so, I would avoid that one. Retail price a low-end 5hp motor will run you about $350 -- probably half that if you can find a suitable used one. Add about $50 for a decent mag starter.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 12, 2011 18:01
|
|
|
Josh Lyman posted:As Black Friday approaches, I figure it's a good time to ask for recommendations for brands/pieces to build my own tool set for home repairs and what not. 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. For hand tools, I'd go with a standard claw hammer, a rubber mallet, a 6 piece screwdriver set, and a crosscut saw -- probably $30 for the lot at a home depot sale. Next would be a socket/ratchet set ideally with SAE and metric sockets. A decent kit would be rounded out with a pair of sliding pliers (Channellocks), adjustable wrench (Cresent), needle nose, and side-cutters or linesman dykes. If you're not good at finding studs using your knuckle, get a stud finder that also has a wiring detector. quote:Since I'm making such a newbie request, should I get a 40-piece starter kid thingy or just buy separate pieces from Home Depot as I need them? Those kits have really, really low quality pieces in them. I suppose it's fine for very light use, but nothing I would use to do a "project".
|
|
#
¿
Nov 1, 2011 19:15
|
|
|
jackyl posted:I know this is a brutal derail, but I always say corded over cordless.. Maybe 15 years ago in the 12V NiCd days, I would have agreed. Today cordless drills are very well made, even the store brands like Ryobi. The only thing I use my corded drill for anymore is hogging out multiple holes in studs. An 18V cordless Lithium can do absolutely everything else, weighs less, and the battery charges in about 15 minutes. I even run a 1" auger with it on occasion when getting out the cord is too much hassle for one hole.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 2, 2011 17:26
|
|
|
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
|
|
#
¿
Nov 2, 2011 21:49
|
|
|
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 |
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2011 18:45
|
|
|
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 |
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2011 20:11
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 1, 2024 23:49 |
|
|
The ratcheting multi-bit sets are okay for the various sizes and odd bits, but be sure to get the common types in regular screw drivers. An average sized flat screwdriver and a #2 Phillips are essential.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 17, 2011 18:41
|
|