Woodworking tool check off list.

[jbrowning]

Well yeah, it is still snowing and in the teens so I am stuck inside. I will probably work on some more design patterns later on today. So I'm going over in my head what tools I have for the shop and what tools I will still need to get. The name brands vary a lot. It always was decided by what funds I had at the time. So here come the list and this doesn't include hammers, screw drivers, pliers, saw horses and stuff like that.

 

Scroll Saw - two of these DeWalt and Harbor Freight (for the grandkiddo when she gets older )

Table Saw - got it use it all the time

Router table - got it but haven't used it yet

Mitre Saw (Chop Saw) - got it and use it quite often

Spindle Sander - use this quite often on the sleigh and reindeer sets

Dremel Workstation - I use this quite a bit as my drill press right now

Circular Saw - my dads, it isn't the best but...it was my dads

Electric Hand Planer - use this quite often on the smaller boards

 

Just went to Lowes and these wound up in my cart when my back was turned (now I know what my sister told me to get the BIG cart).

 

Porter Cable Planer - This is the bench top model, I'm sure I will be using this a lot with the pallet wood I will be bringing home

Porter Cable 6" Jointer - I'm sure this will be used alot also

Porter Cable Combination Belt Sander and Disc Sander- I'm sure this will be used alot too

 

Tomorrow I will be looking at a used 14" band-saw. Might be getting a great deal on this due to the hubby wanting a girlfriend instead of a wife. So his stuff is being sold by the wife.

 

What I see I still need is

 

A drill press - for the larger projects that the dremel can't handle or struggles to handle

A air filtration system. I have a friend who will be letting me borrow his to see if it is what I am looking for

 

So after all of that am I missing anything?

 

Thanks

Jim

 

 

[NC Scroller]

For the planer and jointer a dust collector of some kind is a must.

[WayneMahler]

NC Scroller hit my first thought. Some form of dust collection. Second thoughts were eye and hearing protection. Something I rarely see mentioned is a fire extinguisher also. Just a few things off the top of my head. 

[jbrowning]

Thank you both. I do have eye and hearing protection. I am working on a dust collection system. I am looking into the shop vac with a 5 gallon bucket in the middle.

 

Thanks

Jim

[Dan]

Not really a tool but you can never have too much overhead lighting.

[amazingkevin]

Sounds good to me!

[Lucky2]

Jim, a respirator or dust mask is essential. There's little to no need to protect your eyes and ears, if your not going to protect your lungs. It's the dust that you make that will kill you, so, you have to protect your lungs from inhaling it. Before you buy any more tools, you should buy a dust collection system. It's not who owns the most tools that wins, it's those who protects themselves from inhaling wood dust that wins. I own all of the tools that you own, and even more. What I put the most value on, is my dust collection system. I still have to purchase an air filtration unit that hangs from the ceiling, I plan to do that this summer. 

Len

[jbrowning]

Thanks Len, I have been wearing as dust mask since I started wood working. I have asthma from years of inhaling moldy dusty bales of hay in haylofts, so I thought is was a good idea from the beginning to wear a dust mask.

Thanks

Jim

[dgman]

A random orbital sander. Mine gets used on all my scroll saw projects except the mini birdhouse.

[jbrowning]

Hi Dan, I do have a palm sander. I think that is the same thing?

 

Thanks

Jim

[Fab4]

Hi Jim:

One important thing I don't see on your list

TIME

With all the new/used tools you will need lots of it

Hope you have it - Never seem to get enough of it

Fab4

[Jim Finn]

I recommend a ceiling mounted air cleaner: 

[oldhudson]

You mentioned a router table, but not a router. Personally I find the router (I have 4 of them) the second most used power tool in my shop. Mounted  in a table and or hand-held. I'm making a lumber storage rack/cart this week to try and organize all my cut-offs. I used the router to cut a number of groves and dados. I often use one for routing profiles and rabbets, especially for picture frames.  But you can cut mortises for mortise and tenon joints, do in-lays, cut circles, and they're great for cutting patterns.

 

Also, if you do a lot of work with full size sheet goods a track saw can be invaluable. I'm on my third. I had a shop made one for a couple years, wish I still had it. Then I tried a Eureka Zone (I think that was the brand?) But now I have a Makita.

 

Another item, again if you use sheet goods is a cutting table. I've used a shop made cutting table for about 10 years.

 

I know you said to not mention saw horses but they're really important. I have 3 sets and I've been thinking of making a new set that will fold up. Another tool I've had for decades is a Black and Decker Workmate. Even though I have two work benches and an assembly table I still pull out the Workmate to help with some projects.

 

Just my 2¢

[jbrowning]

Hello oldhudson, yes I have a router that came attached to the table.

 

Is a track saw like a circular saw? If yes, then I already have one.

 

A cutting table?

 

Yes, I actually have 5 Fatmax adjustable saw horses which I like a lot. You say "why in the heck would Jim get 5 saw horses". Good question. I find it easier handling the 4'x8' sheets of plywood for the reindeer and sleigh with a sawhorse at each corner and then one in the middle to support it while I'm making it look like I know what I'm doing. lol

 

Thanks

Jim

[oldhudson]

Hello oldhudson, yes I have a router that came attached to the table.

 

Is a track saw like a circular saw? If yes, then I already have one.

 

A cutting table?

 

Yes, I actually have 5 Fatmax adjustable saw horses which I like a lot. You say "why in the heck would Jim get 5 saw horses". Good question. I find it easier handling the 4'x8' sheets of plywood for the reindeer and sleigh with a sawhorse at each corner and then one in the middle to support it while I'm making it look like I know what I'm doing. lol

 

Thanks

Jim

 

Let's see if I can answer your questions. I think at first glance a track saw looks like a circular saw with a fancy edge guide. Really it's more than that. A track saw does a much better job of dust collection. The track saw plunges so there is no guard getting in the way when you start a cut. A track saw greatly reduces or eliminates chip-out when cutting pw. They are very easy to set up right on your layout marks and cross cut, rip, bevel or miter sheet goods. The tracks come with a couple of strips of a high friction material on them so many cuts do not require clamping the guide to the stock before cutting.

 

Of course you can make a nice guide for a couple of bucks, that will be easy to set up and reduce the chip out - but really it's like the difference between driving a BMW and dump truck.

 

Here's my cutting table made from 4 - 8'  2 x 4's. The pieces are held together with half-lap joints I cut with a circular saw and a chisel. When not in use it stores nicely in a corner of the garage. I painted all the parts bright orange to prevent me grabbing one for something else by mistake. I also painted layout lines on the garage floor to help me position the saw horses.

 

This table is completely sacrificial, I cut into it all the time.  It takes just a couple of minutes to set up or take down.

 

[tomsteve]

Thank you both. I do have eye and hearing protection. I am working on a dust collection system. I am looking into the shop vac with a 5 gallon bucket in the middle.

Thanks

Jim

 

youll be wanting something way more than that for your jointer and planer. check out the harbor freight 2 hp dc.

[RangerJay]

Assuming you are going to get into resawing with the band saw then you are likely to get into laminating boards for your work - meaning you're gonna want clamps - lots of them - I have quite a bunch of different types and sizes of clamps - and they all get well used.  These can get to be pretty pricey but they are also the kind of things that often show up in yard sales as well .....

 

 

Jay