Woodworking and carpentry thread

[Zeke]

I've watched that guy many times. Stumpy Nubs is better and top of the cabin is Paul Sellars.

On tools I have a lot to say but not much time right now. One thing I note is that while my Unisaw is great, It's a beast to have around. it's pretty much a stationary machine. If I didn't have that I'd probably get the contractor's Saw Stop.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

I am spoiled from 30 years of working in the shop starting at 18 right out of high school and suffered through college. Friends would save money to buy beer, I saved to buy a router bits, and saw blades. Sucks.

My must have if I were putting together a shop at my house to work on a 100 year old house. (for wood working and not construction.)

Table saw with a good fence. Contractor's, old Sears, or Grizzle will all work, but I buy an after market fence. I have no knowledge if the stock fence is better today then 20 years ago?

Couple routers to make simple moldings for the old house

Sliding compound saw, which you already have.

2 finish nail guns. 15 and 23 gauge are the most common. I like the angle 15 Gfinish gun to get into tight spaces.

Small compressor to run the guns.

Throw away harbor freight spray guns (requires larger capacity compressor)

Track saw if you are planning to cut lots of panels. I love my Festool track saw. A little more money but worth it due to its accuracy compared to other brands we purchased before that, trying to save money. My stupid call.

Lots of great info. I'd never heard of a track saw. Wow, that's a fantastic thing. I hate trying to rip a long straight line with a circular saw.

A Jig saw comes in handy but are rarely used imo. GEt the Bosch, don't mess around with others. Its tracks straight without trying hard. Its that good. We bought a Dewalt once in a pinch at home depot for a couple cuts at the job site instead of driving across town to get the Bosch. The guys wouldn't use it and I used it once to see if they were telling the truth, yep, it went into the bin and never saw daylight again.

Make yourself a router table or mount it to the outfeed table so you are able to use the table fence when necessary.

Those are the basic stuff.

Dust collection if a luxury but in my youth, I breathed in enough sawdust to last me three lift times.

Cordless drills. You need a couple of them. One for predrilling holes, the other to drive screws.

Again, lots more great info. Towards the end, of my time in our old house, I'd hook a shop vac up to just about every power tool, and wear a mask and hearing and eye protection. It's nice to not have a nose full of saw dust and a garage covered in sawdust at the end of a day or weekend of woodwork.

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by dad911

If I just have a cut or 2 at the jobsite, I'll use some clamps and a long straightedge with a circular saw or router before dragging out the table saw.

Actually, these guide/clamps at HF are not bad. https://www.harborfreight.com/50-inch-clamp-and-cut-edge-guide-66581.html

The type of cutting I do, those would work great! Thanks! I do have a good compound miter saw so I should have everything covered.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

Don't know how much experience you have with a table saw? When I taught high school woodshop, I made sure all the kids used the table at least a few time weekly. I watched like a hawk and make sure they know the danger and the things to watch for, things to never EVER do. One is to never pull the stock through from the other side. Kick back often happen because we have a tendency to pull the stock into the blade. I know a couple people cut themselves that way.

I've used a table saw (jobsite-style) a fair amount and always pushed wood through. I don't think I'd ever consider pulling. It is possible that I may have done a plunge cut once or twice, but I'm not sure. I may have only done that with a circular saw. I try to use common sense. Keep the blade only as high as it needs to be (just barely through what is being cut), keep yourself away from the spinning blade. Always use a fence and/or mitre gauge. I use a push stick when it seems like the thing to do. Keep loose clothing/stuff away from the spinning blade. Wear safety gear.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

If you are gong to do that, lets include:

Laser level
Oscillating cutting tool

Laser level, you mean the sort of thing that projects a laser onto a wall to show a level line? Good call. I've seen those used on various shows/videos. They are easier than trying to hold stock and a level and tools and.... I've got an old 2 or 3' level that was my grandfathers. I had, and will probably get another longer level.

Oscillating cutting tool, you mean something like a sawzall? I'm guessing yes since you'd addressed the jigsaw thing farther up.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by LWJ

I am a hand plane hoarder. True. Damn I love my planes. A great tool

Some chisels

A way to sharpen the above

Used table saw. My cast iron craftsman was $25. The fence is garbage but the saw isn't.

Impact driver and drill set.

Putty knife

Orbital sander

Heat gun

Used good router. I have a 1/2 Bosch this is the bomb. $20 at a pawn shop

Work table

Clamps

Scraper
Most of my stuff came from estate sales and pawn shops. It took time. I built some garage cabinets just tonight to optimize my limited space. It is ever going. Have fun!

Good idea to hit up garage/estate sales and pawn shops for tools to get good stuff on a budget.

I've only got a couple of hand planes, and they are short. I've found myself upon occasion thinking "I need something longer."

Yeah, I'm going to need a workbench of some sort for sure.

I used to have a bunch of the cheap, small quick clamps, and a few big cabinet clamps. Those things are awesome.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by masraum

Laser level, you mean the sort of thing that projects a laser onto a wall to show a level line? Good call. I've seen those used on various shows/videos. They are easier than trying to hold stock and a level and tools and.... I've got an old 2 or 3' level that was my grandfathers. I had, and will probably get another longer level.

Oscillating cutting tool, you mean something like a sawzall? I'm guessing yes since you'd addressed the jigsaw thing farther up.

An old fashioned level is more useful. Check the level for accuracy before buying it. Put it on any surface, it doesn't have to be level or plumb, the flip it around 180 degrees and if the bubble is in a different place, go to the next one. Most are inaccurate, right out of the box.

The oscillating tool is not a Sawzall. Google it and you'll see what he's talking about. A relatively new thing and useful for some jobs. Cheap ones can be bought for occasional use. Way down the list from the first two items on my list, which you cannot do without.

[javadog]

I should point out that what you need for remodeling a house isn't near the same as what you need in a woodshop if you want to make furniture the old fashioned way. Woodworking shows are fun to watch but they are mostly irrelevant for what tasks await you.

[gregpark]

oscillating tool referring to the small, high speed back and forth cutting super duper wonderous saw/mouse sander?
I actually don't know how I survived in the business for so many years without my Fein multi tool. Fein tools are a bit pricey and worth every cent but now everyone is making a similar version.

[javadog]

Or, get one at Harbor Freight for $20

IT'S JUST AS GOOD.

[1990C4S]

Find a Stabila level. Rugged, accurate, reasonably priced.

[MBAtarga]

I haven't seen a Random Orbital Sander listed yet. I prefer it over finishing (pad) sanders.

[908/930]

You do not really specify what you plan to build?

Good sliding miter saw, table saw, I picked up a Makita track saw use it for cutting all sheets, I use it a lot. Good oscillating tool, had light duty ended up picking up a Fein like shown above, what a difference. Recently picked up a Bosch GET75-6 sander for removing material way better then anything else I have used.

[look 171]

Steve, blade height is important. It should be 1/4" above the stock when cutting and dropped back into the saw to save from tooth damage. But, often its more then an inch above the stock in our place. The higher the blade, the less chipping from cutting plywood or melamine. Of course the tooth grind and amount of tooth on the blade makes a huge difference.

Make sure you buy a neg. hook blade for your slider to keep the blade from climbing onto the the work piece. If its a bit short on the capacity, just lift the stock to get another inch from the larger diameter area of the blade to finish the cut instead of flipping it around.

A typical lever is a must come installation time, but the laser will help you on the lay out of, say kitchen cabinets.

[look 171]

If you ended up with a 10" cabinet saw like the Sawstop, buy a HTC mobile base. It is so nice to be able to move that heavy beast around and set the locking castor with a tap of your foot and start cutting. Its that stable and good, not cheap, but worth every penny.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by 908/930

You do not really specify what you plan to build?

That's the problem, I have no idea what will end up being done.

Right now, we're thinking of possibly pulling the drywall out of the upstairs in a couple of spots and putting shiplap in to replace it that goes to the rafters.

Another project that I'm pretty sure will be happening will be building drawers into the walls where there's clearance behind the walls.

Something similar to what's in this pic


The bedrooms are small with limited storage, but there's room to build drawers into the walls.

I can see myself fitting new (old) doors in spots, or adding door knobs to existing doors, working on mouldings around openings, doors, windows, etc.... I could even see myself building cabinets or furniture.

You name it, if the wife and I can imagine it, and I think I can do it, then it might happen.

[masraum]

The missus is also wondering about me building a daybed/window seat type thing under some windows upstairs complete with storage flanking either side. Basically a window seat with a mattress and a trundle underneath and storage at the head and foot of the bed.

[look 171]

All fun stuff to do, Steve. I bet your wife already has a list, rubbing her hands together

[908/930]

If you intend on cutting lots of sheets on your own I would take the track saw over a table saw, not as fast but easy to use compared to handling a 4x8x3/4 sheet. When I decided to build the boxes for the kitchen it was time, cut up 38 sheets of ply, great for cutting long tapers also. The blades are pricy though.

[masraum]

I'm sure she does have a list.

I don't think I have pics of most of the stuff that I've built. Like I said, I'm just a novice. I've built a few sets of built in bookshelves, and a simple entertainment center. I've made cabinet doors for existing cabinets. I made a desk for my wife so she could study and use her laptop in bed that would fold flat under the bed when she didn't need it.

This is the last set of built in shelves that I made. They are ready for paint in this pic. Don Quixote is sitting in his place of honor.