Took A Plunge, New Tools Coming Soon

[kmmcrafts]

I kind of been needing a new miter saw, not that the one I have is bad, I just needed a sliding miter saw for those wide boards I glue up for making signs on my CNC.. Cutting one side and flipping the board over to get the other half has been getting old, LOL. SO I got the DeWalt 12" slider miter saw. Since my current saw is a 10" I also bought a nice Freud 12" blade for it and since I also have my current saw mounted on a regular cheap HF general tool stand ( not even a miter saw stand ) I bought the nice DeWalt rolling stand. 

I also bought a laser attachment to go on my CNC.. been wanting to try the laser and Nextwave had some refurbished ones on sale so I snagged up one of those.. 

Then I bought some upgrades for my K-40 laser. I bought a adjustable focal lens, new mirrors and a laser alignment tool. 

Next up, I need a new table saw.. had it in my cart the last week or so with my miter saw trying to decide if these was the tools I wanted and during that time the table saw sold out.. so I missed out on that one.. better luck next time I guess. Probably a good thing it was sold out as I have no idea where I'm going to put the new tools at. I have my shop crammed full because I have my daughters Jeep in there doing a engine rebuild so I have parts laid out everywhere. Just got the stuff back from the machine shop and my parts order came in today.. hopefully can get it back together and out of the shop next week. Maybe having new tools will motivate me to get the Jeep finished up so I can get it out of my way, been apart now for about 6 weeks.. partly machine shops fault as they was 5 weeks out, LOL couldn't order my parts until I knew how much over / under size they was going to create, LOL 

I had been watching FB marketplace and CL for quite some time waiting on a deal.. got tired of fooling with overpriced used junk and decided I've waited nearly a year and I guess no good deals in my area so NEW it is. Now I'll have a used one to sell, LOL.. 

[OCtoolguy]

Congrats Kevin. New toys are always a fun thing. I'm going to buy a sliding miter saw too but I'm going smaller. I've been reading a lot about the 10" one that H/F has and the price is in my range. I'll have a 12" Dewalt compound miter saw for sale to cover some of the cost. I've been wanting one for a while and the 12" is just to big and heavy for me. If I had the space, I'd put it on a rolling stand but the table saw is the only rolling tool I have room for. Maybe after I get done enclosing my driveway I'll have a bit more space. Anyway, I can't wait to hear all about your new stuff.

 

[kmmcrafts]

7 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Congrats Kevin. New toys are always a fun thing. I'm going to buy a sliding miter saw too but I'm going smaller. I've been reading a lot about the 10" one that H/F has and the price is in my range. I'll have a 12" Dewalt compound miter saw for sale to cover some of the cost. I've been wanting one for a while and the 12" is just to big and heavy for me. If I had the space, I'd put it on a rolling stand but the table saw is the only rolling tool I have room for. Maybe after I get done enclosing my driveway I'll have a bit more space. Anyway, I can't wait to hear all about your new stuff.

 

I looked real strongly at that H/F miter saw and it would have been the one I purchased IF it had been in stock at my local store. I've had the DeWalt and the H/F in my shopping carts online for about two months waiting to see who was going to be offering a deal. I was torn between those two and H/F also has a nice rolling stand too. But the price difference on the stand was really not worth the hassle. Funny because H/F is close to me compared to Home Depot. But since H/D was giving free shipping to me I'm just letting them deliver it to me. The H/F ones have been out of stock for 2 months.. They was supposed to get some in first part of May so I waited.. Never happen, and now they are saying end of June, LOL.. I'm tired of waiting and using this one I have to make my sign blanks it's a real pain. My table saw motor is junk so I can't even use it for cutting anything other than chunking up the 1/8 - 1/4" BB plywood I use into usable sizes. Bandsaw isn't big enough and also is set up to resaw so.. New DeWalt it is. 

BTW It seems H/F is making many of the larger tool purchases "In Store Only" Had they delivered I'd have bought the larger 12" miter saw and that rolling stand and possibly the Hercules table saw. seem to have good reviews on it too.. BUT, they only ship the 10" one that's out of stock, The 12" Hercules miter saw and the rolling stand cost more than the DW I bought LOL and with the daughters Jeep apart I don't have any wheels here to drive during the day.. had I known the machine shop was going to take 5 weeks on my engine block and heads I'd have legalized my old Dodge truck. I don't insure it other than to haul my 5th wheel travel trailer which is only a few months in the summer. But no trips in the works this summer so was just going to leave it in storage for this year. Anyway, I guess I bought out of frustration as I scraped a couple signs yesterday as trying to get the board lined up to cut perfecting inline to the first cut on this non-sliding miter saw I have, I just came in and went on my shopping spree, LOL. H/D did have the items on sale to so that played a part too, LOL  

[BadBob]

5 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I looked real strongly at that H/F miter saw and it would have been the one I purchased IF it had been in stock at my local store.

I was wondering if you had considered the Harbor Freight saw. It would be my first choice if I needed to replace my saw. I have a 12-inch Hitachi that I purchased several years ago for a project where I had to cut many landscape timbers and 4x4s. Thinking I would sell it when the project was done, I liked the sliding saw so much I kept it.

[kmmcrafts]

18 minutes ago, BadBob said:

I was wondering if you had considered the Harbor Freight saw. It would be my first choice if I needed to replace my saw. I have a 12-inch Hitachi that I purchased several years ago for a project where I had to cut many landscape timbers and 4x4s. Thinking I would sell it when the project was done, I liked the sliding saw so much I kept it.

Yeah, I really kind of wanted the 10" saw because I already have a variety of 10" blades etc. The cross cut difference though.. The 10" was only 12" cross cut and the 12" saw has a 14" cross cut. I can see me using all of that to the max. with carving signs etc. on my CNC. Now my next big purchases are going to be a table saw, and a drum sander. 

[daveww1]

enjoy your new tools, I just got the Supermax sander a few months ago and love it.

[rjweb]

Congradulations on your tool purchases, I am glad to see you are helping the econmy going forward, RJ

[kmmcrafts]

6 hours ago, daveww1 said:

enjoy your new tools, I just got the Supermax sander a few months ago and love it.

That is the brand I'll most likely get since I have a local dealer for them. They seem to have good reviews etc. 

[OCtoolguy]

I don't know what you have in mind for a table saw but I highly recommend the Dewalt jobsite saw in 10 inch. I love mine ever since I properly tuned it. I just wish I had room for all the sleds I'd like to make for it. Unless I really need the full 10 inch blade, I put a high quality 7 1/4" blade on it for small things that I want close accuracy on.

[kmmcrafts]

Yeah the DeWalt is what I was looking to get. The one I wanted is out of stock at H/D now otherwise I'd have ordered it. It's the one with the rolling stand as well. https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Portable-Table-Saw/50040968

I'm wondering if this shortage of everything is also coming to tools. In my shopping I've found a lot of things out of stock or back ordered etc. There is several sites showing this saw as low stock etc. I found a eBay listing with several and thinking maybe I should grab it up, LOL

I don't use a table saw all that much, maybe because the one I have is very inaccurate and has been a piece of junk since day one of getting it. It's a cheapo ( Tradesman ) that I bought on clearance for $69 with a stand back around 1998 because I was doing a remodel project in my house. ( before I was into woodworking ). I'd like to get back into making some cutting boards but can no longer do that with this saw. About 5 years ago maybe longer a bearing in the gearbox went bad and seized up. This made a cloud of smoke come from the motor. I took it apart and changed the bearing but sadly the motor is real weak now. Does fine for what I " really need " it for which is just chunking up my 5x5 sheets of thin BB ply.. I'd just like to be able to rip some 1" boards etc. again.

The Hercules one from H/F had some pretty good reviews on it too.. But it's not really any cheaper once I get the stand etc. so I figured I'd just go with a reputable name brand and something I know I can get parts for later on if needed. A lot of the H/F stuff doesn't seem to have a parts source like ereplacement parts etc.. always a witch hunt for parts for that off brand stuff sometimes. Guess they expect it to be thrown out and buy a new one. 

[OCtoolguy]

11 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yeah the DeWalt is what I was looking to get. The one I wanted is out of stock at H/D now otherwise I'd have ordered it. It's the one with the rolling stand as well. https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Portable-Table-Saw/50040968

I'm wondering if this shortage of everything is also coming to tools. In my shopping I've found a lot of things out of stock or back ordered etc. There is several sites showing this saw as low stock etc. I found a eBay listing with several and thinking maybe I should grab it up, LOL

I don't use a table saw all that much, maybe because the one I have is very inaccurate and has been a piece of junk since day one of getting it. It's a cheapo ( Tradesman ) that I bought on clearance for $69 with a stand back around 1998 because I was doing a remodel project in my house. ( before I was into woodworking ). I'd like to get back into making some cutting boards but can no longer do that with this saw. About 5 years ago maybe longer a bearing in the gearbox went bad and seized up. This made a cloud of smoke come from the motor. I took it apart and changed the bearing but sadly the motor is real weak now. Does fine for what I " really need " it for which is just chunking up my 5x5 sheets of thin BB ply.. I'd just like to be able to rip some 1" boards etc. again.

The Hercules one from H/F had some pretty good reviews on it too.. But it's not really any cheaper once I get the stand etc. so I figured I'd just go with a reputable name brand and something I know I can get parts for later on if needed. A lot of the H/F stuff doesn't seem to have a parts source like ereplacement parts etc.. always a witch hunt for parts for that off brand stuff sometimes. Guess they expect it to be thrown out and buy a new one. 

Kevin, we live close enough to the Pacific Ocean and just south of the San Pedro harbor where all the big freighters come in to be off-loaded. We can see them backed up for as far as you can see waiting to be unloaded. The last time we checked there were 17 in line. So, anything that is coming in from most anywhere is sitting out there waiting. 

[OCtoolguy]

11 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yeah the DeWalt is what I was looking to get. The one I wanted is out of stock at H/D now otherwise I'd have ordered it. It's the one with the rolling stand as well. https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Portable-Table-Saw/50040968

I'm wondering if this shortage of everything is also coming to tools. In my shopping I've found a lot of things out of stock or back ordered etc. There is several sites showing this saw as low stock etc. I found a eBay listing with several and thinking maybe I should grab it up, LOL

I don't use a table saw all that much, maybe because the one I have is very inaccurate and has been a piece of junk since day one of getting it. It's a cheapo ( Tradesman ) that I bought on clearance for $69 with a stand back around 1998 because I was doing a remodel project in my house. ( before I was into woodworking ). I'd like to get back into making some cutting boards but can no longer do that with this saw. About 5 years ago maybe longer a bearing in the gearbox went bad and seized up. This made a cloud of smoke come from the motor. I took it apart and changed the bearing but sadly the motor is real weak now. Does fine for what I " really need " it for which is just chunking up my 5x5 sheets of thin BB ply.. I'd just like to be able to rip some 1" boards etc. again.

The Hercules one from H/F had some pretty good reviews on it too.. But it's not really any cheaper once I get the stand etc. so I figured I'd just go with a reputable name brand and something I know I can get parts for later on if needed. A lot of the H/F stuff doesn't seem to have a parts source like ereplacement parts etc.. always a witch hunt for parts for that off brand stuff sometimes. Guess they expect it to be thrown out and buy a new one. 

I bought a H/D compressor to carry in our dually when we went full time. The regulator when bad on it and when I tried to get it replaced/repaired/??? at H/D they told me that the best they could do was to discount the price of another unit. About that time H/F came out with one that was identical but without the roll around ability. Same compressor less the wheels and handle. Anyway, I contacted them and got them to sell me a new manifold and regulator. So, they do have parts if you pursue through their home office. And the service was pretty good too. Just a couple of days. I think with the improved stuff they are selling you'll start to see them offer a service department/parts source in the near future. The high end stuff they are selling now seems to be as good as the names we are used to.

Here is a pic of the one I have. I bought the saw used on eBay and then I ordered the cart right from Dewalt. It's not the same one they are selling now.

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by octoolguy