Changed my tune

danmart77

Dan
Corporate Member
Over the years I have met so many "woodworkers that just talk about their work" and don't really do much. You can look here on the site over a years' time and judge for yourself. While I was building a rifle last year a member here was trying to tell me I really didn't need the expensive French made file to get the surface I was showing in a picture. He told me he could do the same job with his cheaper Narex file. Truth is I had the same Narex and I know with certainty he could not do what he was saying he could do so I dropped the discussion. On another occasion I had a guy here that was convinced putting a new generation blade in his Stanley spokeshave was not worth the expense. His case: it was all about sharpening. No it wasn't .. it was about the steel and how long it would hold a sharp edge. What's the point of a discussion when you don't know about something? My response is to try a tool and see for yourself before you buy. Now don't get me wrong here, I can be as tight as a crab's a@@ in low tide but like someone said earlier "you can be working wood or forging steel" make a choice and move on. Its like Yogi Bera used to say "if you come to the fork in the road take it." I say this and laugh as I am about to walk out to change a tool's geomety at my forge. Nuf said.

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Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
On another occasion I had a guy here that was convinced putting a new generation blade in his Stanley spokeshave was not worth the expense. His case: it was all about sharpening. No it wasn't .. it was about the steel and how long it would hold a sharp edge.
I hope that wasn't me. I finally did buy a Hock spoke shave blade, had to file out the mouth because the blade is so much thicker. It is well worth the effort.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Over restored and prestige tools compared to just good tools: You GET to use it rather than you HAVE to use it. For a hobby, how much is the grin factor worth?

I wonder, if any of us ever live long enough to find a LN bronze smoother at a garage sale, how is the wear pattern on the throat compared to iron? A couple of my first planes were from Amish markets and the mouths were worn severely. Bronze may not hold up that well. We can braze an iron sole and re-file it. Not sure how one would refurbish bronze. But I guess anyone buying a bronze smoother would not be using it 10 hours a day for 30 years like my flea market ones probably were.
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
Over restored and prestige tools compared to just good tools: You GET to use it rather than you HAVE to use it. For a hobby, how much is the grin factor worth?

I wonder, if any of us ever live long enough to find a LN bronze smoother at a garage sale, how is the wear pattern on the throat compared to iron? A couple of my first planes were from Amish markets and the mouths were worn severely. Bronze may not hold up that well. We can braze an iron sole and re-file it. Not sure how one would refurbish bronze. But I guess anyone buying a bronze smoother would not be using it 10 hours a day for 30 years like my flea market ones probably were.
@joec is is spot on. We all have different goals and are on different journeys. While I agree some have resign themselves to doing the best they can with what they have, there are others who realize as soon as a tool is in their hand something good is about to happen. Kind of what @danmart77 was talking about. The best tool for the job within reason.

Understanding finances etc, but skill development is being affected, and if you can afford it, how much more enjoyable it is to work with quality tools.

For some of us the grin factor is important enough, but I view tools as an investment not an expense. That said, I have my limits. I've got several Lie Nielsens, but you won't see a bronze one on my shelf. And you won't see any Woodpecker or Bridgecity tools either. Well, with the exception of a BC square (on sale) and a BC mini thickness plane. But these guys with walls full of red $250 squares..........................😊
 

joec

joe
User
I am a serious hobbyist that loves tools and loves to have them around, some maybe not pulling their weight, but having them is part of the fun and joy of the hobby. I recently bought the Pantorouter, even though I have a Domino. Love going into my shop and looking at it as well as other tools in my "collection". To each their own.
 

danmart77

Dan
Corporate Member
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Talking about tools and quality made me think of a project I did a couple years ago and put it in a folder ahttps://ncwoodworker.net/forums/index.php?media/albums/hammer-handle-rebuild.2183/
Its a folder of pictures of rebuilding an Estwing hammer that got messed up and the handle needed to be rebuilt. The first photo is the leather pieces being glue to the shaft. The picture to the right is another hammer that isn't broken for camparison reasons. Now some say that this is just somebody who has too much time. ?? Well I shaped the custom handle to my hand. I reach for this hammer every time I nned a good hammer. PS the hammer was my mother's hammer for small stuff in the house. Take a look at the album to see the process of the handle rebuild.
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
For router bits my go to brand is MLCS woodworking. I don't really see anything about my few whiteside bits that are better. But MLCS are a little better than the bits I've purchased from Amazon. But if I will seldom use a bit I may just go for the cheapest which is often Amazon.

I think Harbor Freight drill bits are fine. They aren't great but are so inexpensive if you need to get another set it isn't a tragedy. I have a full set with letter and number bits too and it is noticably better than the $10 fractional sets.

I see no need for a "dust extractor". My Rigid shop vacs pulling through a dust deputy and activated by a third party auto on switch work great and cost much less. Fancy shop vacs (aka dust extractors) will not handle my 12A track saw.

My strategy of trying a cheap option first has worked out OK more times than not. I upgrade sometimes but often the cheaper tool is still usefull for something. I like my Ryobi oscillating tool, for instance, for cutting holes in drywall. I wouldn't want to make those cuts with my Fein.

I think Bosch makes the best jigsaws and haven't used another for more than a cut or two for years. I only own Bosch. Rigid blades for it are OK, however.

I like my Narex chisels but I don't think they are better than some old "footprint" ones I also have. I use an old Craftsman set to clean off glue and other crude tasks I don't want to be tempted to use a good chisel for.

I like my Worksharp 3000 for sharpening chisels and hand plane blades and even the blades for my Inca Jointer and Ryobi 10 inch lunchbox planner. I bought the latter for $100 used. Only thing wrong with it was terribly dull blades. I like the fact I can sharpen the blades and reset the rather than buying a new set. Occasionally I need to plane a board wider than 10 inches but it is rare. It isn't a great tool but is good enough for me.

I like my HF "2hp" DC but I only use the motor and blower from it. It pulls through a super dust deputy and discharges outside. Really cuts down on the dust and chips in the shop even though it is not up to Bill Pentz's standards.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
I look at the two worlds of woodworking, those who earn their living doing it, and those for whom it's a hobby. Wage earners need tools that they can depend upon, day in and day out, so this eliminates most cheap tools. Every once in while a cheap tool comes along that will do the job more than just adequately. For years, most back yard cabinet shops had Craftsman table saws,. not Unisaws. Simple reason, Sears credit card. I don't know of a single commercial shop that uses Forrest blades. Most use Freuds. Most of my power tools were bought second hand, and I earned a BIG PORTION of my living with them. Only bought the good stuff, even if it needed repair, which I can do. Until I took Garret Hack's class on sharpening both chisels and hand planes, I didn't know what a SHARP tool felt like. As for sharpening chisels, look at Taylor Tools on sharpening chisels. His set up does the same as a Worksharp, but cost only 25% as much
 

pop-pop

Man with many vises
Corporate Member
Until I took Garret Hack's class on sharpening both chisels and hand planes, I didn't know what a SHARP tool felt like.
Bruce, I remember that class when you were at Cary High and I was a new TWA member back in the 20th century. I shared a bench with Jeff (@jlimey) and still have those little honing blocks charged with diamond paste.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
As for sharpening chisels, look at Taylor Tools on sharpening chisels. His set up does the same as a Worksharp, but cost only 25% as much
Bruce I searched (quickly) is this what you are talking about:
(Drill press sharpening system)?
 

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