Some Advice Wanted from You Wood Workers Out There

aeromarine

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I'd appreciate some suggestions from those of you who enjoy working with wood and have a home workshop. My son has a home in Ohio and he is interested in setting up a workshop. He has already picked up a few items on his own but I would like to help him get started this year with a Christmas gift.

When I asked him what he might want he said, "A jigsaw." After a little discussion it sounded like what he had in mind was a small hand electric Sabre Saw. However, I got to thinking that maybe a band saw might prove more useful over the long haul so I've started looking for one. I checked out Sears but was not impressed with what they offered.

Therefore, I would appreciate your advice on how much I should expect to pay for a band saw of reasonable quality and suggestions about specific makes and models we should consider. Our family is very practical when it comes to gift giving at Christmas. I'm not about to run out and buy one to make it a "big surprise". Rather, I'll just present my son with a few options for him to consider and then we can go check them out together to be sure he gets something he really likes.

Any advice you might have would be much appreciated! Thank you!!
 
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I know you're leaning towards a band saw but....I would make the argument that a jig saw would be a good purchase. Since he's just setting up his woodworking setup, he might know exactly what he wants to make and where is interests may fall (or if he'll even stick with woodworking). A jig saw is relatively inexpensive, small, and while you can't necessarily make the same cuts at the same quality as a band saw, it's very handy to have. So, I would say pick up a jig saw, a nice set of chisels, a nice combo square, a nice hand saw or two and see where it goes :)

A sabre saw is like a reciprocating saw/sawzall so I'm not sure how that fits in but that is NOT really a woodworking tool IMHO, more like a demolition tool :)
 
I have a Grizzly Go513 17" bandsaw. I bought it about 10 years ago and I think I paid about $800-900 for it. I just looked at Grizzly's web site and they have it for $974 delivered. Its a good tool, but in no way is it the best. My dad has a 16" Laguna that is night and day better in every way... but he probably paid three times as much for it. Now THAT is an awesome machine! That thing can cut hardwoods all day and you can't even tell. The blade never slows, the motor never strains.... simply an awesome machine.

Ok, all that said, Delta, Jet, Grizzly, Laguna, and Powermatic all make good tools. Some are better than others. Woodcraft in Woburn has Laguna and Rikon bandsaws in their showroom. The Rikon's look to be variation on the Grizzly lineup. Rockler Woodworking in Cambridge I think carries Jet.

Good luck in your hunt.
 
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Festool carvex

going right for the budgetary jugular there ain't ya [laugh]

A good jigsaw can be like a hand held bandsaw...yes that's a bit over the top but it's mostly true. A cheap black and decker jigsaw is like junk. As has been mentioned they are still two different tools and while there is a lot of overlap they can each do things the other can't so try and find out his intended uses before you buy. I've had good luck with Bosch jigsaws in the $150 range. if you're leaning toward bandsaw then you have to decide on what size. Rikon makes some reasonably priced stuff like this bench top model.

I started with a Home Depot house brand Ridgid 14" and added a riser to that for more vertical capacity. those were hit or miss, a buddy got the same one and his is great, mine took A LOT of tweaking to get close to where I wanted it. I added a 17" Bridgewood for heavier lifting like cutting veneers and such and kept the 14" for the quick tasks.
 
The jigsaw also has the benefit of being to make inside cuts (like cutting out a circle from the middle of a sheet of plywood), something a band saw cannot do. In my opinion, the three basic tools to get started are a table saw, a drill press and a jointer.
I agree 100%. For many years I've used those three plus a band saw and jig saw. Jack.
 
If you get him a jigsaw, make sure you get one that blows the chips away from the blade so you can follow your line. It sucks to have to keep clearing the dust while cutting. I believe most of the Bosch ones do it.
 
For general all-around utility, a jigsaw (saber saw) is a great choice. Do a web search for jigsaw reviews and you find some good info to help you with your shopping.
 
For a jigsaw, get a Bosch. Don't even consider anything else.
I've used and abused mine daily since 1992 when I bought it.
 
The jigsaw also has the benefit of being to make inside cuts (like cutting out a circle from the middle of a sheet of plywood), something a band saw cannot do. In my opinion, the three basic tools to get started are a table saw, a drill press and a jointer.
I will also agree with this and add a good router and router table. Then get the bandsaw.
 
Agree , Bosch makes the only jigsaw worth having. .... But -

What is he going to be getting into ? Cabinet/ furniture making or making little intricate boxes ... Or what ?
 
If you get him a jigsaw, make sure you get one that blows the chips away from the blade so you can follow your line. It sucks to have to keep clearing the dust while cutting. I believe most of the Bosch ones do it.

The Bosch actually has a switch to turn it on or off. In case you want the chips to hide the line
 
I would say jigsaw first... Also vote for Bosch. I use mine just about every day at work and have had it atleast 10 years. The bandsaws are nice but I would say jigsaw first. I am a finish carpenter/ cabinet maker with a shop at home also. Also when it comes to the bandsaws the small cheaper ones vibrate so much they are next to useless for any finess work. So when he gets one go for something with a solid intergrated stand.
 
I like the old school Walker Turner machines and and a Delta cabinet saw for a home workshop. You have to be careful when buying power tools today because even Bosch has decided to build Chinese and I have lots of Bosch tools.
 
Festool carvex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It's the only one I have ever used that consistently cuts plumb through hardwoods of all thicknesses. However, I make due with my Bosch. Certain Festool products are indispensable, but the Carvex isn't one of them.
Get him a barrel grip Bosch. You're a good Dad.
 
I agree with Bosch jig saws being very good. I also think the ones at tool dealers are slightly different (better) than the big box stores. Another thing to consider is a barrel grip design or top handle. I prefer the top handle, but most like the barrel grip. The shank on Bosch blades is better than conventional blades as well and less likely to break. Bosch also makes long blades that will cut through a 4x4.
 
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really depends on what he is going for. i had a collection of lee neilson saws and clifton planes. robert sorby chisels, and some oilstones. but from your post i imagine he is going the power tool build stuff quick route. if he gets a table saw go with a saw stop. they are pricy but i personally have seen them save someones hand. i would go to this place. lots of good prices and while i was going to north bennett we picked up some nice stuff here. http://www.brentwoodmachine.com highland hardwoods is also right down the street
 
Actually it's pretty tough to recommend something in this situation without knowing a few things.... what does he have already? What type of space is he set-up in and what does he plan to build primarily? I am a woodworker that builds furniture and stringed instruments. In my experience a good contractor or cabinet-based table saw is a must regardless. The saw would depend on budget and power source available (120v or 240v) A decent router and router table can get you very far with tons of projects. A band saw is something I use very heavily with what I do. A planer may be useful depending on what he plans to do. Different types of sanders, a drill press etc.... the need for good hand tools from clamps to rasps to hand planes to chisels... the list is endless. If you're looking to spend less money and he is just starting out... you could go with the hand tool equivalent of the above i.e.: circular saw, jig saw, 3/8' drill, maybe a saber saw/sawzall. Those are good tools for any homeowner needing to fix things around the house and do basic woodworking projects.

Some important advice I usually give everyone is buy right the first time so you only buy once. Good tools last lifetimes and can be handed down from generation to generation. Cheaply made tools are disposable, make working with them very frustrating and your end results can suffer - just wasted money IMO.

I would be more than happy to give more specific tool examples / prices but answers to the above would help in doing that.

If a band saw is the way you want to go, this is one of the band saws I have in the shop and I have had success with it.

http://www.powermatic.com/Products.aspx?Part=1791216K

The can be found on sale for around $1000. Not high-end per se but considerably better than what you would find at Lowes, Home-Depot, Sears, etc...
 
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Guys, thank you very much for all of your great suggestions! This is a learning experience for me! You've given us a lot to think about. I'm going to let my son read through this thread and then tell me what he thinks! Again, thank you for taking the time to provide great input!!
 
I'd appreciate some suggestions from those of you who enjoy working with wood and have a home workshop. My son has a home in Ohio and he is interested in setting up a workshop. He has already picked up a few items on his own but I would like to help him get started this year with a Christmas gift.

When I asked him what he might want he said, "A jigsaw." After a little discussion it sounded like what he had in mind was a small hand electric Sabre Saw. However, I got to thinking that maybe a band saw might prove more useful over the long haul so I've started looking for one. I checked out Sears but was not impressed with what they offered.

Therefore, I would appreciate your advice on how much I should expect to pay for a band saw of reasonable quality and suggestions about specific makes and models we should consider. Our family is very practical when it comes to gift giving at Christmas. I'm not about to run out and buy one to make it a "big surprise". Rather, I'll just present my son with a few options for him to consider and then we can go check them out together to be sure he gets something he really likes.

Any advice you might have would be much appreciated! Thank you!!

It depends on the type of woodworking. Will he be making furniture, built in's for his house, doing crown molding, etc.

Here are a listing of some tools and which ones to look at.

For straight cuts in plywood, dimensional lumber, etc. look up the Festool TS 55. Amazing saw, very safe since it runs on a track, can do plunge cuts very safely, makes extremely clean cuts, add extra sections of track and you can break down sheet good quickly and flawlessly. Festool is a system, things are meant to work together with the dust extractor, work tables, etc. I have the dust collector, rotex sander, some clamps, some tracks, the TS 55. They are expensive but they are always the best in their categories for the most part and they last forever under heavy use.

Jessem dowel jig

Kreg master pocket hole set

Get a barrel grip jigsaw. They are much easier to control and use than the top grip. I have a 1591, it looks like the newer version is http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-JS470EB...1387579603&sr=8-1&keywords=bosch+jig+saw+1591 They make a cheaper home owner one. I've heard it's not great, pay a bit more and get the pro one. Festool jig's are very good but 2x the money for a tool that is about the same.

Dovetail jigs, look at Leigh super jigs. The top line from Leigh has a bit more flexibility but it's a bunch more.

For joiners and planers, there are some decent smaller options but if he is going to get into serious woodworking, look at the combo machines, Felder, Minimax, etc. They are $4k, etc. Not suggesting it as a gift but the portable joiners and planers are something you'd rather not buy if you are going to get a better quality sooner than later.


Some great marking and other tools are woodpeckers (they are in Cleveland area OH.) They make some great marking tools that are invaluable for accuracy. When they do a run, get a combo metric/inch saddle T square. http://www.woodpeck.com/saddletsquares.html

Router bits - Whiteside are generally considered the best.

For handwork, two cherries chisels give you a good chisel for the money, Planes, Lie Nielsen are the best and worth it. Made in maine.

He can never go wrong with clamps. The more the better. I like Bessey parallels, Gross Stabil are great if you can find some used as Bessey bought them out.

For tool stores in OH, Rockler and Woodcraft are national stores and are good (I like rockler better). Lee valley is good. In OH there is Hartville tool http://www.hartvilletool.com/ They are a good store.

Have him do some research on woodworking, tools, etc. at sawmill creek forum and FOG (festool owners group. You can search and find tons of info and the people there are great.


Have him look online for the table saws, band saws, etc. You can get a much better machine for the money. Get decent size machines, if you go small, he'll out grow them quickly.
 
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What sort of tools does he already have?

The core of a good woodshop is a quality tablesaw - or - a quality chopsaw.

Those are going to be the two major things he goes to most often.

If you're looking for good reviews on tools I would check out the Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking websites.

They both regularly do reviews on all manner of hand tools and things like tablesaws and chopsaws and so forth.
 
Actually it's pretty tough to recommend something in this situation without knowing a few things.... what does he have already? What type of space is he set-up in and what does he plan to build primarily? I am a woodworker that builds furniture and stringed instruments. In my experience a good contractor or cabinet-based table saw is a must regardless. The saw would depend on budget and power source available (120v or 240v) A decent router and router table can get you very far with tons of projects. A band saw is something I use very heavily with what I do. A planer may be useful depending on what he plans to do. Different types of sanders, a drill press etc.... the need for good hand tools from clamps to rasps to hand planes to chisels... the list is endless. If you're looking to spend less money and he is just starting out... you could go with the hand tool equivalent of the above i.e.: circular saw, jig saw, 3/8' drill, maybe a saber saw/sawzall. Those are good tools for any homeowner needing to fix things around the house and do basic woodworking projects.

Some important advice I usually give everyone is buy right the first time so you only buy once. Good tools last lifetimes and can be handed down from generation to generation. Cheaply made tools are disposable, make working with them very frustrating and your end results can suffer - just wasted money IMO.

I would be more than happy to give more specific tool examples / prices but answers to the above would help in doing that.

If a band saw is the way you want to go, this is one of the band saws I have in the shop and I have had success with it.

http://www.powermatic.com/Products.aspx?Part=1791216K

The can be found on sale for around $1000. Not high-end per se but considerably better than what you would find at Lowes, Home-Depot, Sears, etc...

I'd agree.

There are two questions that have to be answered first.

1) What type of work does he envision doing? (or is he maybe just trying to outfit a complete woodshop)

2) how much space does he have


Some of these tools will take up a decent amount of space. A full size tablesaw is large, and heavy - and not easily moveable - and is not "storable" at all - since you can put it on wheels and move it - but it's still going to take up the same space no matter where you put it.

If he's got a space problem - again I would recommend checking out Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding - they've run numerous "how I built out my shop" articles and I think they even have some books which are full of REALLY good ideas on how to build out a woodshop. There's been a number of articles over the years with people's solutions to making the most of a small space and adapting your equipment to what it is you want to do - and what kind of shop space you have.

And yeah - I would stay away from cheap tools. You'll regret it. Buy quality tools and equipment and it will last you the rest of your life. But something cheap for half the price - and you'll find it doesn't work well or just plain breaks - and then you'll be out spending the money anyway on something good.

As an example: one of my father's neighbors came to him over the summer because he was trying to use a 7.5" Black & Decker circular saw to cut a piece of plywood in half. But the damn thing kept going off the line. The guy wasn't real handy so he thought he was doing something wrong. The saw was new. My father said "try this" and loaned him his 8" Skilsaw worm drive. Guy takes the thing - and cuts a perfectly straight line across the plywood. Turns out the crappy B&D had so much bearing run out on the blade that it just simply wouldn't cut a straight line.

That's what you get with crappy tools.
 
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For a jigsaw, get a Bosch. Don't even consider anything else.
I've used and abused mine daily since 1992 when I bought it.

Try to get your hands on the blue Bosch line, that's the pro's stuff and will last.
The green line, mostly sold by box stores, is rather dedicated to the once-in-a-while hobby handyman.
 
I have to agree on the Bosch jigsaw. I got mine for Christmas back around 1994, and it is one of the best tools I own.

I also agree that for starting up a woodshop, the table saw is pretty much the centerpiece. I think a good router/router table is probably second. With a little creative setup, I was able to use my router table as a jointer for boards up to about 3/4" thick. A drill press is probably next.

For a small sander, I think the Dewalt random orbit palm sander was the best I found, but that was about 20 years ago. I haven't kept up with the market since then, but mine is still going strong, along with my Porter Cable portable belt sander.

I have a very small workshop right now, so I keep a sheet of masonite on top of my table saw and use it as a work table most of the time.

Once the kids came along, my woodworking hours sort of went away, so I never got around to buying a lathe or a scroll saw.
 
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