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I'm getting more into woodworking, but both my budget and my available space are limited. I've set up shop in the one-car garage under our condo, but we also keep our car down there, so any tools I use have to be wheeled out of the way at night. Right now, that consists of a small table saw on a shop-built cart, an attached router table (also shop-built), and a shop vac/2-bucket Thien baffle dust collector. I intend to buy a small 9" bandsaw and a small benchtop drill press. I was wondering if any of y'all have direct experience with these products and/or are familiar with the quality control level of different brands' cheap tools. You don't need to tell me that a 9" bandsaw will be of limited usefulness. I already know. I need a small bandsaw as a stopgap because I'm terrible with a jigsaw (can't see what the hell I'm doing) and I can use it to help build a 14" Wandel bandsaw when I have the space for something bigger. For the drill press, I see similar models from Ryobi, Skil, HF, and Rikon, with little to differentiate them. For the bandsaw, I see Craftsman, Skil, Ryobi, and HF, with some favorable reviews of the Craftsman model. Does anyone have any experience with any of these tools one way or the other? I know HF is likely to be the bottom of the barrel, and given the similar price I don't plan on going with them unless there's some compelling reason of which I am currently unaware. All of these tools cost about $150. If there's something obviously superior within about $100 of that point, I'd be willing to stretch for it, but lately all of my money has been going into buying wood. I'd rather have OK tools and the supplies to use them often than great tools that I can't use because I don't have any wood.
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May 30, 2015 00:25
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| # ¿ May 18, 2024 10:25 |
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Thanks for the feedback.The Locator posted:Peruse your local Craigslist though, as these things are purchased, lightly (or never) used, and then sold on the cheap like crazy. Craigslist in Las Vegas is awful and I hate using it. People will post the Ryobi 9" bandsaw that costs $130 new, except it's obviously used and still priced at $130. I don't have the time or patience to haggle with jackasses, so I mostly avoid it. Deedle posted:Other than that, for a drill press, I'd say scour your flavour of craigslist for a used free standing drill press. Just slap some wheels on it. It's an annoying realisation when you find yourself loving about with a doweling jig and a handheld drill, because the workpiece won't fit in your shiny new drill press. Freestanding's no good. It needs to go under a bench when not in use. I've already hit my limit for floor space use. mds2 posted:My advice is to not buy a 9" bandsaw... Get at least a 12" saw if not a 14". I think a bandsaw really is a tool where bigger is better. His Divine Shadow posted:No smaller than 14" is what I would say, and those aren't that big either. That's not an option right now. I don't have the space or the money, and... wormil posted:I found a 9" bandsaw infinitely more useful than no bandsaw This is where I'm coming from. I'm not expecting it to re-saw hardwood. I'm not expecting much, really. asdf32 posted:I might suggest considering other tools (miter saw, table saw) before a drill press but for the drill press in particular I'd look hard at craigslist. Drill presses have barely changed in decades and age well. I already have a table saw with a good crosscut sled so I don't have a pressing need for a miter saw.
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May 31, 2015 07:09
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Update! Thanks everyone for the advice on the bandsaw and drill press. Between my last post and this one, I found a specialized woodworking store near my home that stocks a huge variety of non-garbage tools (Woodworkers Emporium in Las Vegas, in case you're wondering). Super nice staff, too, so I think I'll be doing a lot more shopping there from now on. I ended up scraping together some more money and got a significantly nicer drill press (Jet 12" benchtop model) that I am very happy with so far. Having a drill press is a night-and-day change over just having a handheld drill (I can use Forstner bits without burning the poo poo out of the wood!). No bandsaw yet, but I'm currently eyeing the Jet 10" benchtop model. After screwing around with it in the showroom, it is much better built than the smaller 9" Skil/Ryobi models and doesn't cost too much more. It's still small enough for me to put away, too.
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Jun 9, 2015 01:52
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Sylink posted:Avoid things made in china is generally good advice, where possible. Plenty of stuff made in China is excellent. It's all about the company ordering the stuff and their standards for quality control. Don't buy cheap poo poo and expect it to work like professional grade machinery. It's cheap for a reason.
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Aug 5, 2015 15:40
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MrPete posted:I recently added a cordless circular saw to my tool collection for emergency use. I have the Makita 12V circular saw and I use it all the time. My car won't fit a full 4x8 sheet and my preferred lumber yard/hardwood dealer won't cut sheet goods, so I use the saw to cut plywood down to 2x8 in the parking lot. I haven't depleted a battery yet so I'm not sure about the limits, but I cut four sheets (so 32 feet of actual cut) of 1/2" shop-grade ply on a single battery last time.
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Aug 19, 2015 21:34
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For what it's worth, I have been buying Freud bits to replace my Ryobi crap and I absolutely love them. So far I have two pattern bits, a bunch of solid carbide end mills, a big 1/2" ball nose, and a tiny 1/16" straight. Very happy with all of them.
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Sep 6, 2015 17:49
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Harmburger posted:I guess I'm looking for a miter saw and didn't know the term. Something to just make accurate cuts without having to own a bigass saw. If I had to own one saw and only one saw, it would be a circular saw. However you said you're in an apartment, and any power saw is going to create a lot of noise and throw dust everywhere, so you're probably better off with a hand saw.
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Sep 27, 2015 22:16
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If all you need is edge jointing, you can build a table saw sled for that. It's what I use.
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Oct 23, 2015 00:49
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| # ¿ May 18, 2024 10:25 |
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CBJamo posted:I'm looking for a decent all-round tool set along the lines of this set. Is kobalt a good brand? I've used some of their tools before and didn't have a problem, but I'd like to buy a set that will last my entire life, if such a thing is possible. Kobalt is the Lowe's house brand. It is okay. I have a set of their bench chisels and those are fine (after sharpening) and some of their screwdrivers which are a little less fine but still serviceable. No set will last you a lifetime. Some tools will see a lot of use and get worn out or break. Those you'll replace. The others will get used once or twice. You probably won't ever have to buy a giant set again, though. Disclaimer: I have never owned a giant set of tools like that. Everything I own I picked up piecemeal.
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Nov 19, 2015 17:33
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