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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    waterloo, il
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    18

    Tool Obsession?

    OK...I am a newbie here at the Sawmill, but have been woodworking for a very long time. Usually just read the posts and stay in the background. The question that I have to pose to you is can one have too many motorized tools? I recently acquired a 14 inch DeWalt RAS ($40 bucks at an online auction if you can believe it) and a Powermatic 143 BS (the one with the dual transmission for metal/wood), both in really good shape. I already have an older 14 inch Delta BS and a 12 inch Walker Turner iron beast of a RAS. I am going to sell the Walker Turner because I really like the DeWalt, but am considering keeping the Delta and using it for wood and the Powermatic just for metal work. I am starting to think I am obsessed.....

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    In the foothills of the NM Sandia Mountains
    Posts
    16,669
    Joseph, welcome to the club & welcome to Sawmill Creek! The only criteria I've ever used for a new power tool is if I have a need and enough room for it. At some point I ran out of room!
    Please help support the Creek.


    "The older I get, the better I used to be."
    Lee Trevino


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Wake Forest, NC
    Posts
    493
    It gets worse. Once you run out of space, you start upgrading smaller stuff. Bosch/DeWalt/PC to Festool, Stanley to Lie Nielsen/ Lee valley and then you go to tooling.... Saw blades, router bits, and shaper cutters...

    that doesn’t account for wood. I have lumber stored across 4 counties....

    I would love to buy an automatic dovetail machine, and then I ask myself why..... I have 3 dovetail fixtures I barely use so why do I need an automatic unit.....


    i digresss.... welcome to the jungle.

  4. #4
    Welcome to SMC Joe! Glad to have you join us!

    You can never have too many tools, as long as you have a big building to put them in. And power tools are a great place to start.

    But look. Whatever you do. No matter what. DO NOT go visit the Neanderthal Forum here. Because Travis is right - hand tools will become your next great obsession. They're shiny and sharp and expensive. It starts with hand planes. They can take the thinnest, sexiest shavings you've ever seen Joe. And you're going to want to try all the different kinds and makers - wooden planes, old stanley planes, Lee Valley, Lie Neilsen, maybe even (gasp!) Bridge City. And then there are a thousand sharpening stones and accessories - waterstones, oilstones, ceramic stones, diamond stones, sharpening jigs, waterstone ponds, stone holders.... Then it goes on to handsaws. Western style. Japanese style. Joe, don't google Ron Bontz Saw Works - you're gonna want one. Next it's chisels. Old chisels. New chisels. Mortise chisels (Pig stickers!). Butt chisels. Paring chisels. Antique. Aldi. LV. Lie Nielsen. O1, PMV-11. White steel. Blue steel. You'll want one of each. (Just to try them out ) Then there are spokehaves, and molding planes, and hollows-and-rounds and......

    Joe, just take it from me. Stay away from the Neander Forum or your obsession will GROW. (DAMHIKT.)
    Last edited by Frederick Skelly; 11-10-2017 at 7:48 AM. Reason: Obsessing......

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
    Posts
    9,506
    Oh Gawd, I'll have to go there now!

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    McKean, PA
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    You forgot to mention sharpening stones and gadgets.....
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Kansas City
    Posts
    854
    In all fairness, spokeshaves are incredibly useful. And the Lie Nielsen spokeshaves are just so perfectly made. By far my favorite tool to use.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Murrieta, CA
    Posts
    790
    Quote Originally Posted by Frederick Skelly View Post
    Welcome to SMC Joe! Glad to have you join us!

    You can never have too many tools, as long as you have a big building to put them in. And power tools are a great place to start.

    But look. Whatever you do. No matter what. DO NOT go visit the Neanderthal Forum here. Because Travis is right - hand tools will become your next great obsession. They're shiny and sharp and expensive. It starts with hand planes. They can take the thinnest, sexiest shavings you've ever seen Joe. And you're going to want to try all the different kinds and makers - wooden planes, old stanley planes, Lee Valley, Lie Neilsen, maybe even (gasp!) Bridge City. And then there are a thousand sharpening stones and accessories - waterstones, oilstones, ceramic stones, diamond stones, sharpening jigs, waterstone ponds, stone holders.... Then it goes on to handsaws. Western style. Japanese style. Joe, don't google Ron Bontz Saw Works - you're gonna want one. Next it's chisels. Old chisels. New chisels. Mortise chisels (Pig stickers!). Butt chisels. Paring chisels. Antique. Aldi. LV. Lie Nielsen. O1, PMV-11. White steel. Blue steel. You'll want one of each. (Just to try them out ) Then there are spokehaves, and molding planes, and hollows-and-rounds and......

    Joe, just take it from me. Stay away from the Neander Forum or your obsession will GROW. (DAMHIKT.)
    I think you've hit the nail on the head!
    Be Blessed

    George

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
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    22,520
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    1
    Everyone needs two bandsaws, minimum . . . you're fine ;-)
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Upland CA
    Posts
    5,582
    Glen is right. It's when you have four radial arm saws, that you should think about getting help with your 'problem'.
    Rick Potter

    DIY journeyman,
    FWW wannabe.
    AKA Village Idiot.

  11. Quote Originally Posted by Rick Potter View Post
    Glen is right. It's when you have four radial arm saws, that you should think about getting help with your 'problem'.
    Phew, I only have three....

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    2,483
    Originally Posted by Rick Potter
    Glen is right. It's when you have four radial arm saws, that you should think about getting help with your 'problem'.



    Daniel O'Connell:
    Phew, I only have three....

    Me:
    I had three but after a self intervention I'm down to two.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    2,483
    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Page View Post
    Joseph, welcome to the club & welcome to Sawmill Creek! The only criteria I've ever used for a new power tool is if I have a need and enough room for it. At some point I ran out of room!
    That's me to a "T" except I refuse to give up. I'm exploring ways of stacking tools in the unused ceiling space.

    Suspending a SuperMax 16-32 from the ceiling wouldn't be weird, would it?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Camas, Wa
    Posts
    3,857
    I do this woodworking nonsense to justify playing with tools.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Kapolei Hawaii
    Posts
    3,236
    Quote Originally Posted by joseph mansker View Post
    I am starting to think I am obsessed.....
    Aren't we all? I think I have close to 100 planes. Good morning, my name is Kyle, and I have a disease...... I collect planes........

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