Buy versus build?

[Jamie Buxton]

Because we're builders, we can make stuff for our shops. We also have manufacturers which are happy to sell us similar stuff. For instance, you can make your own sawhorses, or you can buy them. You can make a workbench, or you can buy one. You can make your own jigs (for instance a shelf-pin jig, or a hinge mortising jig), or you can buy them. You can make your own router table, or buy one. You can make most of a dust collector, or you can buy one.

So what's your choice, and why?

[Stuart Gardner]

I have a real mix of both. When things require fairly high precision or real complexity, I usually buy, because I just don't have the patience for that. I do make benches, outfeed tables, and I put a router table in my outfeed table. But when I build something and generate sawdust, I would rather make something that will be used in the house by my family or be used by someone else rather than a new shop fixture. Wood Magazine just had plans for a self built dust collector. I admire people who do that sort of thing, but it's realy unlikely that I will ever build something like that. I'll buy the premade ones every time.

[Norm Roy]

Jamie, I make straight and tapered legs, but buy turned table legs. I have found that my skill level for duplicating long detailed turnings can't compare to the machine rendered versions.

[Pat Barry]

router table - build
table saw sled - build
1/2 blind router dovetail jig - buy
band saw extension table - build
table saw 45 deg sled - build
pocket screw drilling template - buy
hand saw sharpening clamp - build
workbench - build
just examples - being a hobbyist I would rather build than buy

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

I would rather buy a jig and spent time with it to build some piece of furniture or something for my home. And I am a hobbiest.
Ed.

[Kevin Bourque]

It usually happens this way: I'll visit a friends shop and see some expensive jig he bought and say to myself, " I could make that same jig for practically nuthin:". Then I'll borrow his jig and make a copy for myself.

[David Weaver]

I build anything that costs a lot and has no residual value. I buy anything that's cheaper than I can get the components (e.g., I can find vintage stanley bench planes and vintage panel saws around $15 if I'm patient. In both cases, they are masterpieces of design where each supposed shortcoming is just something the user needs to find out).

I really don't want to build a bench, but when mine poops out, I probably will.

Otherwise, I sort of (like most of us here) do whatever I feel like doing.

[Jim Koepke]

Do both, but for many things it is preferable to build my own.

Especially saw horses, the ones in the big box stores are pieces of junk.

At Home Depot there is a bin of lumber culls. Many a saw horse around my place that cost less than a couple of bucks in materials.

They are made to last:

5-10-15° Benches.jpg

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...-Table-Project

jtk

[Andrew Joiner]

I love to invent. I'm cheap. It's very satisfying for me to make things and learn from the experience. That's why I got into woodworking as a kid. Now I'm retired and have lots of time and money,but I still NEED to build.

I love the panel saw I built. It's ugly, but it only cost about $120 in materials. I love it because it cuts as accurately as the Safety Speed model I had in my commercial shop. It's a very simple design, and a joy to use. You can't beat that feeling.

I don't think I've ever bought a jig. I have so much fun making them,I'd probably never buy one.


Great topic Jamie, thanks.

[Lornie McCullough]

If I look at "it" and say to myself... "I couldn't/wouldn't build it for that...." then I buy it..... but most of the time I just build it.

sawgiraffe.jpg

Just a couple homemade sawgiraffes put out to pasture.

Lornie

[Paul Saffold]

Mostly build it myself. Not just because I'm a tightwad. I like making things and jigs are just as much fun to make as furniture. Plus the extra satisfaction of using jigs tailor made to my purpose and not an approximation that a store boughten one would be.
Paul

[Gordon Eyre]

image-4256224573.jpg

This sort of says it all.

[Brian Ashton]

I made a copy of the Lee Valley Carvers Bench many years ago out of a bunch of scrap metal and recycled fir I had kicking around the barn... Dragged it all the way to Australia and have been very happy I did as it's been my only bench for the past 9 years. For the last few days I've been re-carving the ball and claw feet on a desk and chair I made about 20 years ago and I have to say it's ability to tilt and swivel has been indispensable. Australia is a lot like England in that having decent work space is something you only dream of so the compact size has been a bonus.

I also find the grinder set up I made a few years back has been absolutely brilliant. There's a VFD off to the side powering the 3ph motor. Can grind anything from 1RPM on up to many thousands of RPMs... 1/8 chisels to 24" planer blades, complex shapes... no muff too tough for this rig. And because I grind at about 200 to 300 RPMs bluing a tool is unheard of.

I've probably built about half of what I have including the tools. There is great satisfaction in building it yourself and the journey you go through in the process. Monetarily it's probably a money loser. I think I paid at least double to make my own router plane than it cost to buy one but what I've gained in knowledge and the satisfaction of saying it's truly mine is priceless.

[Matt Meiser]

Depends...

I built my workbench (or rather have built/rebuilt it a couple times) because I could make exactly what I wanted. But I bought the start of the top. Sawhorses I bought some of the Hide-A-Horse sawhorses because they are really well thought out. Some of my tool storage I made to fit specific places, other places I've bought commercial tool chests which tend to be more efficient. I'm made most of my jigs but there are a couple I've bought.

[Shawn Pixley]

Some people have time. Some have money. A few have both. I don't have time. I get little satisfaction out of building jigs, etc., preferring to spend my time on furniture. I bought my router table for instance. I make a judgement call when I need something, "how does this fit into my goals for the year?" It it supports the goals, I build. Otherwise I buy or re purpose. My shop cabinets and storage looks very poor compared to many. But I built 4 tables, a guitar dsiplay cabinet, several boxes / trays for gifts and guitar in the last year.

That said, I spent ~2 hours building a cove cutting jig yesterday. Today I will work on one of my projects and while the glue is drying, I will start my bench on bench.