What are your favorite woodworking tools?

[Mike Leung]

It would be good to share everyone's favorite bargain and spendy tool experiences. I'll start with a few of my favorites.

Bargain hand tool: Simonds Vixen file $5.00 eBay. I use this as a float to clean and adjust all of my mortises and tenons. It make fitting my joints a breeze.

Bargain powertool: Ridgid oscillating spindle belt sander. $100 Home Depot. I have been using the sander for almost 10 years and it is used on almost every project to quickly sand flat or curve surfaces. I use 3m regalite belts that lasts forever. It also has a lifetime warranty.

Spendy hand tool: Lie Nielsen Rabbet Block plane. $175. I use this to trim shoulders and cheeks on tenons, cut chamfers and use it for all my general block planing needs.

Spendy power tool: Sawstop 3hp ICS $3500, awesome table saw. Accurate and has performed flawlessly for the past 4 years. Only the fence faces needed to be upgraded. It was expensive but worth every penny.

[Rod Sheridan]

In hand tools my favourites are egg beater drills. I have a few, on particular Millers Falls drill get used often.

In power tools my favourite is the shaper, nothing to me changes a stick of wood into something nice like a shaper. Using it to pattern copy is even more remarkable to me.

Regards, Rod.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I just like this corner of my shop best, hard to pick just one thing in it.

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Ok, lets try that size...

[Larry Browning]

Steve, I like it big. That's a pretty awesome picture!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Steve, I like it big. That's a pretty awesome picture!

Thanks Larry, think I may have violated a rule by posting something that big though.

[Sam Whit]

Bargain hand tool - 36 inch ruler. $2.00

Spendy hand tool - Stanley planes.

Bargain power tool - DeWalt job site saw - over half off brand new.

Spendy power tool - Worm drive Skil saw. Around the same price as the dewalt actually. Just stung more because of no discount.

I think my shop and its contents are much different than most here. I am just starting get my feet wet with furniture. Most of my previous projects have been things like beach lounge chairs, dog houses, and the usual home improvement things.

[Larry Browning]

Thanks Larry, think I may have violated a rule by posting something that big though.

If it was too big, you would not been able to post it at all. I think you need to put the big one back! Much better!

[Patrick McCarthy]

I just like this corner of my shop best, hard to pick just one thing in it.

20140203_082335 (640x360) (2).jpg

Ok, lets try that size...

Steve, you got me confused . .not all that difficult to do. Looking at the orientation of the planes in center of photo, I thought to myself "Oh, he must be left handed", mostly because mine are oriented the other way and I am right handed (may be some logic in there, not sure). BUT then I saw the shelf on the let of photo . . . .

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Steve, you got me confused . .not all that difficult to do. Looking at the orientation of the planes in center of photo, I thought to myself "Oh, he must be left handed", mostly because mine are oriented the other way and I am right handed (may be some logic in there, not sure). BUT then I saw the shelf on the let of photo . . . .

Patrick, I'm sure this pic will clear the situation up... I'm going to blame it on my ambidextrous daughter who was helping me make the mess this pic was meant to illustrate. She rearranged some of the shelves while we were looking for cool tools to try this evening. I'll never find anything again. Pretty ingenious 5 year old to get to that top row... I'm sure you can see, there is no pattern, but thought I'd post it for peer review.

[Rick Alexander]

Bargan power tool and dear to my heart - 1949 model Dewalt model GR radial arm saw - works flawlessly and just does what is asked of it every time - a little spendy at $600 but compared to what it's worth - bargain for sure

Spendy Hand tool - I know I'm missing something without a hand plane in the shop but just never spent any time with them I guess.

Spendy power tool - Grizzly 0514X 19 inch bandsaw. I know it's not the fanciest but I love using it and it gets the job done just fine.

Bargain hand tool - Most handy and often used tool bargain addition to the shop in the last 5 years - learning how to use Sketchup. Still cannot believe that software is free.

[Rich Riddle]

Steve,

How much money did you invest in your planes?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Steve,

How much money did you invest in your planes?

I have no idea Rich, they are old family "heirlooms", farm auction finds, ebay treasures and some just seemed to multiply on the shelves. I paid 1150 for one off the more valuable ones, and 10 for a better one. All together, probably less than you'd think. It started as an attempt to get one of each Bedrock, which was modified because there are so many other interesting ones out there. Still don't have one of each Bedrock.

[Jery Madigan]

Most surprisingly good tools are the dragon rasps from Stewmac.

Expected and good: Festool TS55 & guide rails

[Prashun Patel]

"Most surprisingly good tools are the dragon rasps from Stewmac."

Haha!
I thought I was the only one who thought that. I love mine.

[George Bregar]

Two, first this early first generation 17" Delta Drill Press. It's a pretty nice press, but mostly because it just looks so cool.
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I also love my Oliver 88-DX. It's just an awesome piece of machinery. I smile every time I look at it. And look back at it every time I turn out the shop lights when leaving the shop. It's hard to get a feel for the size of it in a photo, but the counter behind it is 10 feet long.

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