Shop Equipment

"T." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Tue, Nov 11, 2003, 11:30pm (EST+5) [email protected] (Roger N)
wants to know:
<snip> What are your recommendations for home shop (occasional use)
machines <snip>

Would depend on what you plan on making. Which would be?

For starters, Perhaps a doghouse for me to sleep in after buying these tools
:-)

Misc. woodcrafts, projects with the kids, garage storage shelves/cabinets,
perhaps a workbench to make more projects .....

Tue, Nov 11, 2003, 11:30pm (EST+5) [email protected] (Roger=A0N)
wants to know:
<snip> What are your recommendations for home shop (occasional use)
machines <snip>

Would depend on what you plan on making. Which would be?

JOAT
My aim is to get through life peacefully, with as little interferrnce
from human beings as possible.

Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 11 Nov 2003.
Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/

Roger N wrote:

> What are your recommendations for home shop (occasional use) machines
> (and where to buy):

I was fortunate to buy a bandsaw, drill press, jointer, planer and dust
collector in *great* shape from someone getting out of woodworking. I saved
about 1/3 over having Grizzly deliver them, but the real benefit was using
each of them before buying, proving there were no shipping-damaged parts
etc. Keep your eyes open, maybe you can find the tools you want used.

I have a Grizzly contractor saw I bought new. I like it a lot. After using
it a year I wanted a better fence. I bought a Shop Fox Original fence used
on the internet but don't like it. When finances permit I'll probably get
one of these:
http://www.mulecab.com/products.asp?mnu_Products=1
If I feel really rich I like micro adjust & would get something like this.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=47305&category=1%2C41080&SID=&ccurrency=2

-- Mark

"Roger N" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I have a pretty descent shop for metal maching and would like to get some
> basic woodworking equipment. I don't want the "Best" ($$$) but would like
> some equipment that is good for home shop project use. I have a cheap
> ($179) Craftsman table saw that I don't like, it's noisy and vibrates a
lot.
> I am willing to spend up to $400-$500 for a nice table saw, would I be
> better off with something like a JET, Grizzly, DeWalt, Delta, Other, or
used
> equipment? Also would like a nice Bandsaw in the $250 - $400 range. Of
> course cheaper is fine if it does a good job :-)
>
> What are your recommendations for home shop (occasional use) machines (and
> where to buy):

The $400 table saws are not incrementally better enough to upgrade to that
range. Keep what you have to go to a good contractors saw. Look for used
at that price.

>
> Table Saw?
Delta, Jet, Grizzley with a belt drive 1 1/2HP and GOOD fence.
>
> Band Saw?
In your price range, used or a 12" Jet
>
> Radial Arm Saw?
Nah, get a router with the money.
Ed

"Roger N" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I have a pretty descent shop for metal maching and would like to get
> some basic woodworking equipment. I don't want the "Best" ($$$) but
> would like some equipment that is good for home shop project use. I
> have a cheap ($179) Craftsman table saw that I don't like, it's noisy
> and vibrates a lot. I am willing to spend up to $400-$500 for a nice
> table saw, would I be better off with something like a JET, Grizzly,
> DeWalt, Delta, Other, or used equipment? Also would like a nice
> Bandsaw in the $250 - $400 range. Of course cheaper is fine if it
> does a good job :-)
>
> What are your recommendations for home shop (occasional use) machines
> (and where to buy):
>
> Table Saw?
>
> Band Saw?
>
> Radial Arm Saw?
>
> Thanks!
>
>

I would suggest purchasing a GOOD contractor's table saw,
and router for starts. Then build all the jigs and etc.
for each as you need them. If I had only two major power tools I could
purchase, that would allow me to do the most, it would be these two.
Mind you I have all the major power tools, and would not like to do with
out them, but if I had to choose only two amongst all, it would be a
GOOD table saw and router.(or good radial arm saw in place of the table
saw) You can build a lot of nice stuff with these two power tools alone,
with supporting fixtures/jigs/ cutting implements. IMHO.

Kruppt

Like myself you made the mistake of buying a crapsman table saw. I sold
my 11 year old saw to a neighbor for $225 and got a Delta Unisaw. It's
like night and day. Why spend $400 for ANOTHER crappy saw; you already
have a crappy one? Seriously, you can't get a good TS for peanuts; you
gotta let loose with some serious green, Roger. I'm not rich, (or even
well off <g>) but I'm not expecting to ever have to replace the good
equipment I've been buying this past year to outfit my shop. Spending
the money ONCE on good stuff is a double win. You get the pleasure of
using the good stuff, AND you won't have to replace it, the good Lord
willing!

You will get lots of recommendations for specific tools here. Everyone
has an ax to grind, so to speak. Your best bet is to look over any
large ticket item carefully in person after winnowing down the
contenders with suggestions from around here, reading magazines, and
gathering info off the web. For example I almost bought a Powermatic
table saw, but instead of just ordering sight unseen, I drove 50 miles
(each way) to see it side by side with a Delta and Jet. I spent several
hours looking under the hood and playing with the hand cranks and
fences, and asking questions. It boiled down to the fact that the
Powermatic was $600 more than the Unisaw and it didn't appear to be
worth that much more to ME. Someone else might argue that it's worth
more, but I'm the one writing the check. If I felt buying the Unisaw
would be "settling" for second best, then I would have gotten the PM.
Fact is I love the Unisaw and have enumerated the things about that I
like better than the PM anyway, regardless of price.

Happy tool hunting!

dave

Roger N wrote:

> I have a pretty descent shop for metal maching and would like to get some
> basic woodworking equipment. I don't want the "Best" ($$$) but would like
> some equipment that is good for home shop project use. I have a cheap
> ($179) Craftsman table saw that I don't like, it's noisy and vibrates a lot.
> I am willing to spend up to $400-$500 for a nice table saw, would I be
> better off with something like a JET, Grizzly, DeWalt, Delta, Other, or used
> equipment? Also would like a nice Bandsaw in the $250 - $400 range. Of
> course cheaper is fine if it does a good job :-)
>
> What are your recommendations for home shop (occasional use) machines (and
> where to buy):
>
> Table Saw?
>
> Band Saw?
>
> Radial Arm Saw?
>
> Thanks!
>
>
>