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Power tools - woodworking - Xmas

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
My hubby does some pretty nice cabinet/furniture building for fun. His shop is pretty complete, looking for xmas ideas.
He's got radial arm saw, mitre saw, jointer, router table, drills, routers, biscuit joiner, drills, drillpress, dovetail jig, nice chisels, a bazillion clamps, a couple of different sanders...

I was thinking maybe a bench top scroll saw? He's talking table saw but I think he'll need to pick that out himself.

Ideas anyone? (budget is around $300) And the styles he's into are more contemporary than tradition.

gg
 

brungeman

I give a shirt
Jan 17, 2006
5,170
0
da Burgh
My hubby does some pretty nice cabinet/furniture building for fun. His shop is pretty complete, looking for xmas ideas.
He's got radial arm saw, mitre saw, jointer, router table, drills, routers, biscuit joiner, drills, drillpress, dovetail jig, nice chisels, a bazillion clamps, a couple of different sanders...

I was thinking maybe a bench top scroll saw? He's talking table saw but I think he'll need to pick that out himself.

Ideas anyone? (budget is around $300) And the styles he's into are more contemporary than tradition.

gg
with the addition of a table saw that is a pretty complete set up!

I would agree with Westy a nice dust collection system (if he doesn't have one) is a necessity!

also, a good quality orbital sander is something I consider a must in my shop! some of the better ones have takeoffs for exaust that you can hook up to the dust collection system which is pretty good to have cause fine dust blows!
 

GumbaFish

Turbo Monkey
Oct 5, 2004
1,747
0
Rochester N.Y.
A scrollsaw isnt a bad choice, you can also get those sander strips that attach to them so its good for all types of fine detail stuff. My uncle has a killer wood shop and I must admit it is pretty nice having a dust collection system, especially because his basement has no windows. Also for stocking stuffers those flat pencils you use to mark wood are great. Am I the only one that looses those constantly?

Also I think jointers are one of the most underappreciated tools, so props to him for allready having one.
 

Fredzilla

Monkey
Aug 5, 2003
285
0
Seattle
I have a pretty complete collection of tools and powertools and I'd agree that the larger item purchases can have so many options and variables that it usually comes down to personal choice.

There are 2 tools that I got last year that have been indispensible in the shop. One is a palm size screwdriver like this one. It's just nice not to have to lug around the 18v for little around the house jobs.


The other novelty tool that I've actually gotten a bit of use out of is a good laser level. Nice for hanging shelving/pics and such.
 

sneakysnake

Monkey
Apr 2, 2006
875
1
NC
I agree with a dust collection system, they're great. Maybe some nice router bits? A nice set of bits makes all the difference.
 

biggins

Rump Junkie
May 18, 2003
7,173
9
if you are gonna get a drill go with 14.4 or 18v impact drill. they rule for sinkin screws. we use one with the pocket screw set to sink the screws and another drill for the bit that drills the pocket hole. 2 drills is the only way to go.
 

Mike B.

Turbo Monkey
Oct 5, 2001
1,522
0
State College, PA
I'm biased since my brother works for them but anything by Festool is a winner. Their circular saw with the rail system will change your husband's life but blow the budget.

When I e-mailed my brother about buying a new circular saw a while back this was the response, let me know if you want me to run anything by him. He eats this stuff up and for the particular job I was doing, I got a worm drive Milwaukee but now also have a Festool circular saw w/rails.

Okay, it is EXTREMELY difficult and CHALLENGING to not recommend a Festool saw.

Here are some pointers to limit your search: (not in order)

1. I like alloy shoe plates - if you drop the saw they don't bend leaving you with an uneven surface, they are very resilient. If you do drop an alloy based saw the most damage is usually a corner broken off, but the plate is still flat.

2. Cord length - I find this to be important for processing sheet goods. Remember if you rip a 4x8' sheet that you will really like having a cord 8' or longer.

3. Squareness - I would recommend you take a good quality combination square with you. Check the blade and plate for perpendicular squareness. You want that saw to cut square to its own shoe.Also, check to see if the blade is parallel from the edge of the saw. Most manufacturers don't consider this. If you ever need to use an edge of the base shoe against a straight edge you want that blade to track square to that edge. If it doesn't your cut will wander, the blade can get pinched, the cut will burn, tear-out will happen, and it could cause the saw to kick out. (although you can adjust somethings it is much better to not have to)

4. Does it give you the option for collecting dust? I think besides ours, the vast majority do not. This can be helpful for those "inside the house" cuts or when cutting granite.

5. Grip comfort - even though you will probably not use the saw for
extended times you want to make sure it fits your hand for optimum control and confidence while cutting.

6. Easy depth setting - You should always set the depth of the saw
appropriately for the material to be cut. It is safer and gives you better control when following a scribe line or chalk line. You should be able to easily move the knob for setting depth.

7. Storage - since you will not have this tool in your hands 24/7 it is
good to have robust and adequate storage to protect your investment. The better quality tools out there at least have a blow molded case. The case should also have room for additional blades and accessories like parallel edge guide.

8. Blades - the blade that comes with most circular saws is carbide tipped. That is a good starting point but it does not mean that it is quality. Most manufacturers cut costs with the supplied blades. If you pick it up at Home Depot, pick up a good Freud or Ridgid (made by Freud) blade. Remember coarse teeth (low tooth count) for ripping and fast cuts, finer teeth (higher tooth count) for cross cuts and finer cuts.

9. Easy blade changes - to ensure you use the right blade for the job at hand, you will want an easy to change set up. A spindle lock and on board storage of arbor wrench are good. Porter Cable's is toolless.

10. Consider who and where it is made - in the power tool business this is still important. QC is best on US stuff. Better balanced motors and better quality bearings are hard to see but you have a better chance of getting it with the US stuff - although not always.

11. I like base plates that are ribbed. The have less surface area and
therefore less friction. Makes it easier to cut with.

12. Robust blade guard - you don't want a flimsy one as it will bend or hang up at the worst time. It is there for your protection - use it. Look for a blade guard that has a leading edge that is beveled. If it is square it will hang up on you for the angle cuts.

So, in conclusion, although without a doubt Festool excels in all of these areas. I will have to be patient here.

After looking at some of the saws in a Depot, while waiting for an
appointment nearby, I like the following. (In no order)

1. Porter Cable - meets most requirements above. I do not know where they are made today. They used to be made in Jackson, TN but could be Mexico. I don't like seeing $$$ going toward the B&D corporation but so be it.

2. Milwaukee - was an award winning saw last year for this category. Could still be US made, but now owned by TTI, a Hong Kong based company.

3. Bosch - Model CS70. Like their cord concept. Good base plate. Good German company. And my personal pick of the litter. Although it is ultimately what "feels" good to you.

Forget Hitachi, Ridgid, Makita (used to be good but need to update their models to reflect current trends and technology), Skil, B&D, Hilti, Ryobi, or any off brand saw.
 

neanderthal

Monkey
Mar 1, 2005
215
0
Pittsburgh
Your husband is pretty set with power tools. How 's about getting him some quality hand tools like a good hand plane or a set of chisels. Quality hand tools don't come cheap and are a good compliment to power tools. Heres a good source of some quality hand tools.

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/
 

mshred

Monkey
Aug 6, 2006
525
0
Posts: 26,935
Yes a dust collection is a must have. Other than that, a scroll saw would be good for smaller stuff, but a band saw (pretty much the same thing but bigger) would be better for bigger stuff.
my 2 cents
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
wowee.... keep it coming guys! I've never heard of some of these systems. I have to be careful; some of the bigger tools he can use as tools for his business. I'm thinking it would be best to let him choose a dust collection system or tablesaw., I suspect that's more than I've got budgeted for Xmas. A nice dust collection system is going to set me back way more than $300, right?

misc. commentary ( sorry if some of it seems clueless, it's his hobby not mine:biggrin:
- stosh, what would you use a hand planer for? In lieu of a true planer?

-Kregtool pocket screw kit; is this related to biscuit joinery? Would it complement or replace biscuits? ( that's what it looked like to me from the site) Bisciuts are his main form of joinery I think, but he will hand cut some fancy or decorative joints sometimes.
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
with the addition of a table saw that is a pretty complete set up!

He's been working on it patiently for years. He had a really really good job right out of college and it seemed like once a month we were getting a carton from Wood Worker Supply back then. This was BC of course. After that, we had a friend who had a cabinet shop who was leaving town and selling absolutely everything - for $500 he picked up the jointer, radial arm saw, two routers, a bucket of clamps, shoplites, a drawer full of handtools and god knows what else. We've added things over years, big and little.

Latest score. Our neighbor is a wood turner, and he had a friend who passed away, leaving his widow with a huge shed full of rough cut, aged walnut boards. She had a workshop full of tools. We now have a full wall of the shop stacked with rough cut walnut.


gg
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,025
Sleazattle
wowee.... keep it coming guys! I've never heard of some of these systems. I have to be careful; some of the bigger tools he can use as tools for his business. I'm thinking it would be best to let him choose a dust collection system or tablesaw., I suspect that's more than I've got budgeted for Xmas. A nice dust collection system is going to set me back way more than $300, right?

misc. commentary ( sorry if some of it seems clueless, it's his hobby not mine:biggrin:
- stosh, what would you use a hand planer for? In lieu of a true planer?

-Kregtool pocket screw kit; is this related to biscuit joinery? Would it complement or replace biscuits? ( that's what it looked like to me from the site) Bisciuts are his main form of joinery I think, but he will hand cut some fancy or decorative joints sometimes.
Pocket screws could replace biscuits or other fixed joints but they allow you to build furniture that can be taken apart, something glued joints can't do.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,025
Sleazattle
I need to get back in the basement building some stuff. A friend who runs a tree service gave me a couple hundred board feet of quarter sawn oak over a year ago. I've been using the excuse that I need to let it dry more, but I really just should stop riding so much.
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
Pocket screws could replace biscuits or other fixed joints but they allow you to build furniture that can be taken apart, something glued joints can't do.
Aha!
I watched the little video on the website... they suggested glue. Boy can I see the advantage of being able to take things apart ala particle board construction.:biggrin: Seriously though, he's working on a solid cherry modular office suite that has some big pieces to it.

sorry for another potentially clueless question. If you use something like that pocket screw jig, does that take you out of the realm of "finer joinery" to shortcutter? Or is it just a different tool that improves efficiency, like the biscuits?
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,025
Sleazattle
Aha!
I watched the little video on the website... they suggested glue. Boy can I see the advantage of being able to take things apart ala particle board construction.:biggrin: Seriously though, he's working on a solid cherry modular office suite that has some big pieces to it.

sorry for another potentially clueless question. If you use something like that pocket screw jig, does that take you out of the realm of "finer joinery" to shortcutter? Or is it just a different tool that improves efficiency, like the biscuits?

I've only used biscuits myself but I'd say every type of joinery has its place. Dovetails are great when you want to show off some craftsmanship. Biscuits are totally hidden and a pocket screw is usually visible from some angle but doesn't require clamping.
 

GumbaFish

Turbo Monkey
Oct 5, 2004
1,747
0
Rochester N.Y.
I would use pocket screws for more rough projects personally, like making a shelving unit in my garage or something. I almost said band saw, but I found I have one that gets little use. To me the scroll saw takes care of most of the things I would want to use it for and if I need something beefier a saber saw takes care of that. Just my 2 cents.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
I almost said band saw, but I found I have one that gets little use.
Most bandsaws are just too small to be usefull. Ideally you need one that you can mill thin boards on. It saves tons of money if you buy thick blocks of hardwood and cut thin planks for cabinet work. Hook it up with a thin kerf blade and it works like a chanp. I just milled a 6"x18"x3' block of Shedoa into 1/4" planks for a couple boxes I have planed, couldn't have done it without the bandsaw.
 

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
A nice dust collection system is going to set me back way more than $300, right?
My dad has a small but pretty complete woodshop. He bought a shop-vac (brand) dust collection system just for the short term. He ended up keeping it with a few additions because it worked so well.

He got it from Sam's for $75.00 and then added some additional pieces to customize it for his layout. He already had the shop vac. But even adding the shop vac you'd still be under $200.00. Then you could give him the balance in a gift card to add whatever he needed to the basic set up.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&upc=0040632534169&pid=_Froogle
 

kindtrails

Monkey
May 23, 2006
135
1
Humboldt
I am also a woodworker and cabinetmaker. For 300 bucks- you can't get a decent dust collector (unless you ebay it). The kreg jig is super sweet! I use it for almost my entire cabinet assembly. A scroll saw is for small detail work They cut curves and decorative designs. I like mine, but I hardly use it. It is sweet when I have some fine detail work to do. I would also recommend a Lie Nielson hand plane. There is no greater joy (besides riding) than planing a board by hand. The Lie Nielson planes are beautiful just to look at. Ahhhhh when you use it.....I'd get him the low angle block plane. That is one of my favorite tools!
 

biggins

Rump Junkie
May 18, 2003
7,173
9
wowee.... keep it coming guys! I've never heard of some of these systems. I have to be careful; some of the bigger tools he can use as tools for his business. I'm thinking it would be best to let him choose a dust collection system or tablesaw., I suspect that's more than I've got budgeted for Xmas. A nice dust collection system is going to set me back way more than $300, right?

misc. commentary ( sorry if some of it seems clueless, it's his hobby not mine:biggrin:
- stosh, what would you use a hand planer for? In lieu of a true planer?

-Kregtool pocket screw kit; is this related to biscuit joinery? Would it complement or replace biscuits? ( that's what it looked like to me from the site) Bisciuts are his main form of joinery I think, but he will hand cut some fancy or decorative joints sometimes.
you can use it with biscuits or without. we use them cor doing cabinets big builtins and shelves and book cases in a professional environment...it seriously is the strongest way to join stuff that i have found. clean pocket finish....it would also leave you open to buy him a few smaller tools like a new router bit or two...or a dado set for a table saw or something along those lines. Just so you nkow i got my table saw for my shop for 300.00 bucks.....it gets used like all the damn time. I am very partial to hitachi brand...one of my cordless drills, my circular saw and my table saw are all hitachi and they have 5 year warranties as well.
 

biggins

Rump Junkie
May 18, 2003
7,173
9
I would use pocket screws for more rough projects personally, like making a shelving unit in my garage or something. I almost said band saw, but I found I have one that gets little use. To me the scroll saw takes care of most of the things I would want to use it for and if I need something beefier a saber saw takes care of that. Just my 2 cents.
we use them for cabinets, big multi shelved built ins, building columns...all kinds of stuff. just screw into the bottom.
 

GumbaFish

Turbo Monkey
Oct 5, 2004
1,747
0
Rochester N.Y.
I guess I was saying if he already has a biscuit cutter he would use pocket screws for quicker jobs maybe, or something you would want to take apart. But not on like a small really well finished piece because there is no reason you would ever want to take it apart like you would a large shelving unit or something. I think it kind of came off wrong that I thought pocket screws were cheesy or something.
 

biggins

Rump Junkie
May 18, 2003
7,173
9
haha no its all good. i still used biscuits and other methods of joinery but if its cabinets/furniture/built in interior shelving all that stuff i will use th epocket screw. they work great on the countertops that we build before we send them off to be wrapped in copper.
 

mrbigisbudgood

Strangely intrigued by Echo
Oct 30, 2001
1,380
3
Charlotte, NC
Drill bit sharpener?

Shop lighting upgrade?

Killer shop radio?

New ball bearing toolbox?

Organizers?

Give me some time and I'll come up with more. I do agree with the dust collection system, that's pretty key.