Is it worth having multiple machines?

brianlanning wrote:
> Presently, I'm on the verge of buying (mega) machines from grizzly, to replace the bench >top models. So my question
> is this. Should I unload the older, smaller machines?
>
Nope, keep 'em all.


> I have a lunchbox delta planer. It has served me well. But
> should I keep it?
>
Yep, say you have a friend who wants to plane some barn wood from a hog
house in NC. Set this planer on the stand and let him find out why
sometimes it's a bad idea to salvage some things. It's been my
experience that anything you put in your lunchbox is something you
might have to eat some day.


> Then longer term, there's the contractor's table saw.
> Does anyone have two table saws and use them both?

Doesn't everybody have 2 ??

Tom in KY, with 1500sq.ft. of wall to wall fun.

The new drill is the cheaper variable speed DP from delta. (norm has
the expensive one) The VS feature isn't electronic. There's a
contraption in the head that changes the diameter of the pullies while
the motor is running. There's a big dial on the front.

That's not a bad idea. I could dedicate the drill press to a common
bit (counterbore) and never change the bit. Kind of the the crazy
people who have one router for each router bit. :-)

brian

>Got hand drills?

Yeah, but I sort of hate hand drills. Although I really like the new
impact driver.

My main motivation for a larger planer is better dust collection and
quieter operation. I'd also like the ability to run boards though at
an angle.

For the table saw I was thinking of doing what you describe, putting
them back to back. I paid about $900 for the saw a ways back. I
doubt I could get half of that now since they're all chinese. It's
probably still worth more to me as a second saw. Still, that would pay
for one of the other machines I'm after.

brian

>But if you're going to be kicking yourself in 6 months because the old
>machine would have been perfect for what you need to do, pack them
>away.

That's the thing. I don't want to sell a tool, then come up with some
cool use for it in six months. For example, I remember seeing a setup
where someone put their bench top DP on it's side and used it as a
small lathe somehow. Turning doesn't really interest me at the moment,
except for maybe turning pens. I guess I was hoping someone would
metion some cool use they have for older/smaller machines that I
hadn't thought of.

brian

On 2 Jan 2006 13:49:30 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Should I unload the older, smaller machines?

Some of them. Small band saws, drill presses, and jointers are pretty
useless if you have standard sized models.

Having a 14" and a 24" band saw can be a good thing. The same can
not be said for an 8" and 14".

>For example, I recently bought a floor-standing variable speed
>behemouth from delta to replace the relatively good if slightly
>underpowered benchtop DP. If shop space and money wern't really a big
>deal, would you keep the benchtop DP?

Nope.

Got hand drills?

>Similarly, I have a lunchbox delta planer. It has served me well. But
>should I keep it?

I'd keep this until it dies. While they can't take as big a cut as a
stationary machine, lunchbox planers are INCREDIBLY useful machines.
They also leave a better surface than most big 'urn, but they can't
plane more than say, 12". if you really think you'll really need a 15
or 20" planer sell it, but I wouldn't. I've lived for a long time
with a 12.5" DeWalt, and still rarely yearn for bigger.

>Then longer term, there's the contractor's table saw. After the other
>machines are in hand, I can see wanting that grizzly 12" table saw.
>Does anyone have two table saws and use them both? Now this is an area
>where I can see wanting multiple setups.

Yeah, but I'd sell the saw for the right price.

Otherwise, I'd build an outfeed table that incorporates both saws into
nearly the space of one, back to back.

Barry

"Brian Henderson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Realistically, there probably isn't much you can do with benchtop
> tools that you can't do with a larger version.

True enough, but consider, if you have the room, how convenient it would be
to have a drum mounted on one DP for sanding, and bits on the other.

On 3 Jan 2006 13:58:31 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>>But if you're going to be kicking yourself in 6 months because the old
>>machine would have been perfect for what you need to do, pack them
>>away.
>
>That's the thing. I don't want to sell a tool, then come up with some
>cool use for it in six months. For example, I remember seeing a setup
>where someone put their bench top DP on it's side and used it as a
>small lathe somehow. Turning doesn't really interest me at the moment,
>except for maybe turning pens. I guess I was hoping someone would
>metion some cool use they have for older/smaller machines that I
>hadn't thought of.
>
>brian

ive got 2 DP one is set up for drilling pen blanks most of the time.
it also is nice having the extra DP when i have one set up for
somthing special like maybe boring cabinet doors for blum hinges and i
need to drill some holes for something else. also have a second
tablesaw for when i got the dado set on the uni and need to cut
something else quick. im not even gonna get into the multiple router
debate right now! lol... 2 band saws is great to. dont have to change
the resaw blade for a few cuts on another project. i would keep em all
if possible.

skeez

<[email protected]> wrote in message>> Then longer term,
there's the contractor's table saw.
>> Does anyone have two table saws and use them both?
>
> Doesn't everybody have 2 ??
>
> Tom in KY, with 1500sq.ft. of wall to wall fun.
>
I actually have five table saws if you want to include my 25 year old
Shopsmith. Of course they are in three different locations and one may as
well not be mine as I haven't seen it for a while (rockwell contractor saw I
loaned to a friend when I bought my unisaw in '99).

Now I just need more wall to wall fun where I live.

Gary

"GeeDubb" wrote in message
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message>> Then longer term,
> there's the contractor's table saw.
> >> Does anyone have two table saws and use them both?
> >
> > Doesn't everybody have 2 ??
> >
> > Tom in KY, with 1500sq.ft. of wall to wall fun.
> >
> I actually have five table saws if you want to include my 25 year old
> Shopsmith. Of course they are in three different locations and one may as
> well not be mine as I haven't seen it for a while (rockwell contractor saw
I
> loaned to a friend when I bought my unisaw in '99).
>
> Now I just need more wall to wall fun where I live.

I'd settle for a little more distance between the walls.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/13/05

If $ wasn't really a big deal I'd just buy everything I wanted
whether I needed it or not. This is definitely not the case so
I'd turn them into what I don't have.

2nd TS? This is the most valuable keeper of the lot.
Permanently set it up with a dado blade. Or turn it into a
disk sander.

2nd lathe? Turn it into a sanding station with 2 disks, one
outboard and 1 inboard, with different grits. Or an inboard
horizontal spindle/drum sander.

2nd DP? Drum sander. Sharpening station with a really
slow speed grinding wheel.

Art

"brianlanning" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> When I initially got into woodworking, I stocked up on delta's finest
> benchtop tools from the local borg. Some died and early death, others
> proved acceptable. Presently, I'm on the verge (ha! have been for two
> years now) of buying half a dozen machines from grizzly, partially new
> additions, partially to replace the bench top models. So my question
> is this. Should I unload the older, smaller machines?
>
> For example, I recently bought a floor-standing variable speed
> behemouth from delta to replace the relatively good if slightly
> underpowered benchtop DP. If shop space and money wern't really a big
> deal, would you keep the benchtop DP? My immediate reaction is that it
> would be nice to have a second setup sometimes. And it might be worth
> more to me as an extra machine than what I could get for it on ebay. I
> have a dedicated mortiser, so there's no worry about the attachment.
> I'm just not sure if or when I would ever need a second setup.
>
> Similarly, I have a lunchbox delta planer. It has served me well. But
> should I keep it? I can't imagine needing portability. I doubt anyone
> would want to borrow it unlike maybe the cheap miter saw. Maybe as a
> sacraficial lamb (instead of the good knives in the big iron) when I
> find that hidden stash of gritty barn wood? Since it's ear-splitting
> and I don't have the dust hood, I know i'll avoid using it.
>
> Then longer term, there's the contractor's table saw. After the other
> machines are in hand, I can see wanting that grizzly 12" table saw.
> Does anyone have two table saws and use them both? Now this is an area
> where I can see wanting multiple setups. But maybe it's not worth the
> space? What do you think?
>
> brian
>

On 2 Jan 2006 15:02:50 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
wrote:

Kind of the the crazy
>people who have one router for each router bit. :-)
>
>brian

who you callin crazy? :-]>

If space isn't an issue I would definitely consider keeping the second drill
press. If you need to do a number of holes with counterbores it would be
nice to set up one drill with each size bit and not have to keep swapping.
Same with countersinking. Or, assuming your new drill doesn't come with
electonic variable speed control, you might want to keep the old drill set
up at different speed than the other one so you don't have to mess with the
belts just to make a few holes in some oddball material.

Lee

--
To e-mail, replace "bucketofspam" with "dleegordon"

_________________________________
Lee Gordon
http://www.leegordonproductions.com

On 3 Jan 2006 13:58:31 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>That's the thing. I don't want to sell a tool, then come up with some
>cool use for it in six months. For example, I remember seeing a setup
>where someone put their bench top DP on it's side and used it as a
>small lathe somehow. Turning doesn't really interest me at the moment,
>except for maybe turning pens. I guess I was hoping someone would
>metion some cool use they have for older/smaller machines that I
>hadn't thought of.

Chances are, you won't find them, and the DP as a lathe thing really
isn't a very good idea anyhow. If you decide that you want to turn
somewhere down the line, go get yourself a decent lathe. Use the
money you're going to get from selling the tools you have now. :)

Realistically, there probably isn't much you can do with benchtop
tools that you can't do with a larger version.

On 2 Jan 2006 13:49:30 -0800, "brianlanning" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Should I unload the older, smaller machines?

Depends on what you do with them. If they just sit there completely
unused gathering dust and you can't imagine any project that would
ever call for them, then sure, sell them to someone else who might get
some enjoyment out of them.

But if you're going to be kicking yourself in 6 months because the old
machine would have been perfect for what you need to do, pack them
away.