Bigger tools for workshop.

[mborg10]

My workshop is coming together. My wife is surprising me with a drill press for Christmas. My birthday is in February and I'm looking at what bigger tools to get. What's your thoughts. I have most hand tools
I'm thinking table saw or band saw or possibly a combined bench grinder/sander
What tools do you useir want

 

[Habbosrus]

All of them. I get by with very little in the way of tools but lots of ingenuity (meaning of ingenuity: working out how to use a tool not meant for the job )

 

[mborg10]

All of them. I get by with very little in the way of tools but lots of ingenuity (meaning of ingenuity: working out how to use a tool not meant for the job )

Like a butter knife to tighten screws

 

[Habbosrus]

All of them. I get by with very little in the way of tools but lots of ingenuity (meaning of ingenuity: working out how to use a tool not meant for the job )

Like a butter knife to tighten screws

You mean I'm not the only person to do that .
Or a chunk of steel to drive stakes into the ground for candy canes. Or a piece of wood with an alligator clip screwed to it to hold stuff when soldering, etc.

 

[BradsXmasLights]

The bunnings "workshop" tools are all on the small side.


I have this table saw...

http://www.gettoolsdirect.com.au/makita-mlt100-255mm-table-saw.html?gdftrk=gdfV26854_a_7c442_a_7c1200_a_7c63430&gclid=CLaGjvbn2cICFUQHvAodShoAdQ


...and honestly I would rather a larger one but I don't have the physical space.


Checkout carbatec.com.au


I have this: http://www.carbatec.com.au/carba-tec-6x9-beltdisc-sander-with-stand_c2770 - much bigger than what Bunnings were selling!

 

[Bill Ellick]

Something that very few people think about is a dust collection system for a shop.. It is SO VERY NICE to have once you get one and realize how much it saves in cleanup work as well as just overall cleanliness (which the women do appreciate trust me).
You can pick up a reasonably priced one from many outlets. Try to think about how BIG you actually want to get in a shop and then you can get an idea about how big a collector you might want. A small one will work for one or two tools but once you start using things like table saws, routers, or do much sanding; you will want to think about something like a two stage cyclone and using a main 4" feed line around the shop with shutoffs (slide gates) and adapters for different tools.
A good dust collection and control system will also help eliminate static problems in a shop as well as help immensely if you are planning on doing painting or staining in the shop too as well as most tools can be set up to automatically turn on the collection system when you use them.

Just another "shop toy" that seems to be forgotten by a lot of folks!

Merry Christmas!

 

[mborg10]

The bunnings "workshop" tools are all on the small side.


I have this table saw...

http://www.gettoolsdirect.com.au/makita-mlt100-255mm-table-saw.html?gdftrk=gdfV26854_a_7c442_a_7c1200_a_7c63430&gclid=CLaGjvbn2cICFUQHvAodShoAdQ


...and honestly I would rather a larger one but I don't have the physical space.


Checkout carbatec.com.au


I have this: http://www.carbatec.com.au/carba-tec-6x9-beltdisc-sander-with-stand_c2770 - much bigger than what Bunnings were selling!

Yeah they are bigger but also a lot more expensive. I still need to buy some lights too.

 

[Bird]

Buying tools is like buying lights & controllers with one small difference.
Research tools online, do side-by-side comparisons when able, then the difference comes in.
Unlike lights, tools you expect to have for 20 or 30+ years.
Go out and physically look at the tools before making a decision.
Purchase what you can afford, but make sure you get the best you can for your budget.

Make a wish list of all the tools you would like to have, where to get each tool, model # of each, and current price.
Keep the list on your phone, or document on your computer, and make the list available to those that might want it.
You will have your tools in no time.
Also with a list someone may find a tool on sale when its not a holiday or birthday.

 

[multicast]

Bigger Workshop for Tools

I need a bigger workshop before i get any more tools.


On Tools, buy good ones. Cheap Crap anyways ends up being a waste of time, does poor work, is potentially dangerous and is not cheap at all.


The price point between rubbish and moderately ok is not that much these days. But you really do get what you pay for.

 

[arw01]

Woodworking is another of my hobbies, so a subject very near and dear to my heart. Few years ahead of you on acquiring tools.


Festool is a high end brand around the world, but extremely well made and engineered. They make a track saw system that can substitute for a table saw extremely well, and there are certainly a lot of folks that make due with a large bandsaw instead of a table saw.


One of the tools that gets a lot of use in my shop is a large drum sander as well. Also used a great deal is the planer (thicknesser) and I had installed a Byrd hellical head that was worth every penny.


Alan

 

[scamper]

I agree with the comments about buy better quality, with just one caveat.
If you really can only afford the cheaper one, spend a little extra on the cutting edges. ie saw blades, grinding wheels or whatever you use.
If you have quality (sharp) cutting edges, the tool doesn't have to labour as hard to get the same job done.
Case in point, I bought a cheap GMC 9 inch grinder over 10 years ago and spent more on the diamond blade than the tool itself.
It is still going strong today with the same blade attached.
I have also got a battery circular saw that will cut better than a friends cheap power saw, simply because the blade is top quality.
Also, you could look for a good table workstation, like the old triton work bench which you can interchange tools to make it do a multitude of tasks.

 

[multicast]

Re: Bigger workshop for tools.

I agree with the comments about buy better quality, with just one caveat.
If you really can only afford the cheaper one, spend a little extra on the cutting edges. ie saw blades, grinding wheels or whatever you use.
If you have quality (sharp) cutting edges, the tool doesn't have to labour as hard to get the same job done.
Case in point, I bought a cheap GMC 9 inch grinder over 10 years ago and spent more on the diamond blade than the tool itself.
It is still going strong today with the same blade attached.
I have also got a battery circular saw that will cut better than a friends cheap power saw, simply because the blade is top quality.
Also, you could look for a good table workstation, like the old triton work bench which you can interchange tools to make it do a multitude of tasks.

Absolutely, there is no substitute for having sharp tools!!

 

[penguineer]

Absolutely, there is no substitute for having sharp tools!!

Mmmmmmmm.........sharpening gear........that's another type of workshop madness....stones, strops, guides, abrasive polishes, rouge....

Cheers!

 

[bluzervic]

If you have the space get all of it, and might as well throw in a planer, lathe and some welding equipment....


Hopefully it all comes to good use and you're are off and selling new props to all of us that don't have space in our garages or wife limited budgets


BTW, I picked up a portable table saw myself... on sale...now I need a drill-press and some welding equipment


-blu

 

[multicast]

Re: Bigger workshop for tools.



Full sheet 400W laser cutter
Bigger 5 axis CNC machining center
A 'real' 3d printer. Not a toy one.
sheet router.




That will do for the moment. Though a water jet cutter would be good.