New Shop

jyreene · Feb 18, 2009

So having spoken with my father, who got my wife and I interested in wood turning, he mentioned that he wishes he would have gotten a little higher quality tools when he started his shop. With that said I've been trying to figure out a good list of what would be needed and what would be nice to have. We're not rich but we are saving some money for a shop. I chose not to include workbenches and other tools I know I will need and decided to find what some good machines would be. I've been all over the internet and have found many different responses so I decided to pen the question here.

Does anyone have any comments on this as a decent start:

Grizzly G0555 The Ultimate 14" Bandsaw
JET JML 1014VSI 10-inch-by-14-inch Variable Speed Indexing Mini Lather
Grizzly G7943 12 Speed Heavy-Duty Bench-Top Drill Press
JET 708595 JSG-96 6-Inch/9-Inch 3/4-Horsepower Benchtop Belt/Disc Sander, 115-Volt 1-
Phase
Bosch 4410L 15-Amp 10-Inch Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw
Bosch 4000-09 Worksite 15 Amp 10-Inch Benchtop Table Saw with Gravity Rise Wheeled Stand
DEWALT DW756 Heavy Duty 4 Amp 6-Inch Bench Grinder
Crown 5 Piece Full Size Turning Set

Any help in this would be greatly appreciated since I would hate to buy some bigger ticket items and found out that spending an extra $200 or so would have gotten me something greatly better.

Ty

jackrichington · Feb 18, 2009

WOW what a list..when I started I had a hand saw and a lathe (the first mini a record from england) That list would make it possible to make furniture and pens and bowl type items..fairly inclusive..but don't forget the handtools and measuring stuff..

jyreene · Feb 18, 2009

As to it being a big list, we do plan on making furniture at some point.

As to tools, I have a decent idea on what I would need but would appreciate any suggestions as most of the tools I currently own are for fixing cars and I can't imagine a 3/8" socket wrench is very good for pretty much any woodworking job besides some assembly.

twoofakind · Feb 18, 2009

I'm not sure what turning you plan on doing in the future, but I have the same lathe you asked about and I wish I would have bought the 1220 instead. It wasn't that much more, but the extra length would have come in handy on some projects.
Andy

VisExp · Feb 18, 2009

Ty,

I have the G0555 band saw and am happy with it. I have the G7945 radial drill press and am happy with it. You might want to check it out, it is a bit cheaper than the one you list and is radial, although only 5 speed compared to the 12 speed you list. I can't remember the last time I changed the speed on my drill press!

I have the earlier version of the Bosch table saw, before they put the gravity rise on it. It is a good saw, a real work horse. I use it on the job site. However, if space and portability are not an issue then I would look at the Ridgid TS 3660. I have the earlier version (the TS3650) in my garage and love it. It is in the same price range as the Bosch and is a bigger and quieter saw, obviously without the portability.

If you are planing to make furniture then you will also need a jointer and a planer.

markgum · Feb 18, 2009

I have the same lathe as on your list. I'm very happy with it. some times I need a larger one for some bowls I turn. I'm lucky in that I have a friend who lets me visit his shop so I can do a rough turn of the bowl, and then come home and finish it. I see wood craft has a slow speed grinder on sale you may want to look at it. don't know about the 'heavy duty' grinder you have listed. just make sure it turns slow enough to sharpen the tools and not 'grind
them.

KenV · Feb 18, 2009

I tend towards the 8 inch grinders, and a jig system for grinding provides consistency. Wolverine is the brand I have, but the others are similar and work well. Better variable speed drives are good -- expecially on the lathe, but also on grinders and bandsaws. Better means those with ability to deliver torque at all speeds.

A generally good middle of the line list of tools.

I tend away from lathe tools sets as many are not used after practice, but it depends on what you will be turning. I am developing a preference for unhandled tools with interchangable handles. There are several handles available ranging from the Oneway turnlock (of you want wooden handles) to those sold either as generic or name branded. I have liked the unhandled tools from Doug Thompson very well and found the P&N tools to be inconsistent.

penhead · Feb 18, 2009

I didn't look at any of the pricing so,
I would suggest looking at the SteelCity website, they are coming out with a new 14" bandsaw this first quarter of 2009 which should be soon.

I think that you will eventually be unhappy with a 9" disc sander. When I started I purchased the 10" disc sander and just recently upgraded to the 12".

I also think you will eventually be unhappy with the 6" grinder, depending on what you intend on it's purpose. You might check out the 8" grinder. I ended up purchasing the Wolverine sharpening kit, and am pretty sure it required the 8" grinder.

Just my opinion. YMMV.

jyreene · Feb 18, 2009

VisExp said:
Ty,

I have the G0555 band saw and am happy with it. I have the G7945 radial drill press and am happy with it. You might want to check it out, it is a bit cheaper than the one you list and is radial, although only 5 speed compared to the 12 speed you list. I can't remember the last time I changed the speed on my drill press!

I have the earlier version of the Bosch table saw, before they put the gravity rise on it. It is a good saw, a real work horse. I use it on the job site. However, if space and portability are not an issue then I would look at the Ridgid TS 3660. I have the earlier version (the TS3650) in my garage and love it. It is in the same price range as the Bosch and is a bigger and quieter saw, obviously without the portability.

If you are planing to make furniture then you will also need a jointer and a planer.

Radial as pertains to a drill press would mean? Might be a dumb question but then again it could mean the difference in what I buy.

Portability (or wieght) could be an issue as I'm in the military and I'm not sure how rugged some of these things are since they would need to be moved ever 2 to 3 years.

I hadn't thought about a planer and or a jointer so I'll add those to the list of things to buy once I get a little better at wood working, which by the way require a whole lot more finess than anything I ever did on a car.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I was a bit skeptical at signing up for this site but from everything I've read and all the help you guys are giving makes any reservations I had go away. Keep 'em coming.

sbell111 · Feb 18, 2009

I went with the Shop Fox W1706 instead of the Grizzly G0555. It is the very same saw, but with cast iron wheels, a cabinet stand and 2 years on the warranty.

jackrichington · Feb 18, 2009

tools? who needs 'em ?

I think sometimes we get toolitis..we think this tool or that tool will help us make stuff..this plate was made with a smallish lathe, a handrill and some chainsaw files...have fun with your new shop & tools

VisExp · Feb 18, 2009

jyreene said:
Radial as pertains to a drill press would mean? Might be a dumb question but then again it could mean the difference in what I buy.

The head of the drill press will rotate around a number of axis as well as move back and forward. You can see what I mean in the pictures here.

jyreene said:
Portability (or wieght) could be an issue as I'm in the military and I'm not sure how rugged some of these things are since they would need to be moved ever 2 to 3 years.

I really meant portability in terms of "you have to move the table saw to one side so that you can park the car back in the garage". As far as moving the whole workshop every 2 to 3 years a table saw that weighs an extra 100 pounds is probably not going to make much difference overall. Now moving the whole workshop is going to suck though :biggrin:

The Ridgid is heavier than the Bosch because it has a cast iron top. The width of the cut on the Ridgid is 36" compared to 24" on the Bosch. The Ridgid has a much nicer fence as well. The Ridgid does come with a lift system that raise it up about a half inch so the wheels are on the ground. You can move it, but it is a bit awkward and you can only roll it on a smooth concrete floor.

marcruby · Feb 18, 2009

If you plan on making furniture then you will probably need a full size table or contract saw and drill press. I owned the Bosch and it lacked in both accuracy and power. You should be able to find used machines at appreciable savings.

Marc

ehickey · Feb 18, 2009

I have the 12" version of the miter saw you list, and so far I am very happy with it. I then purchased the gravity rise miter stand and absolutely love it.

I ended up buying the HSS turning set from Harbor Freight for about $50, thinking that it would be a cheap way to learn without spending a bunch of money. I figured I would learn how to use them and how to sharpen then, then buy a good set. I haven't had any problems with them at all, as long as I keep them sharp. I doubt I will replace them any time soon.

I also have the dewalt bench grinder that you list, and it is a good grinder, but sometimes I wish I had an 8" grinder.

jskeen · Feb 18, 2009

I would strongly concur with the suggestion of the radial drill press vs the standard, you will find many instances where it is a lifesaver to be able to move the head around. The only other thing I have direct experience with is the grinder issue. If you intend the dewalt grinder to be your primary lathe tool sharpening device, you are going to quickly regret it. For about the same money you can get a 1800 rpm grinder that will work much better than a 3600. either will necessitate the purchase of one good fine grit sharpening wheel, and the fabrication or purchase of a sharpening system such as a wolverine system or a homebuilt one similar to what's listed here. http://www.aroundthewoods.com/sharpening01.html
BTW this is one of the single most informative and useful turning sites on the web (other than here of course) This guy is a homespun genius and one of my inspirations to start turning and making my own tools in the first place. I use a variation of this jig with a 6 in 3600 rpm grinder, and it will give you sharp enough tools to turn with, but it also eats them up fast and requires dressing the wheel more often. I intend to upgrade to an 8 inch 1800 rpm model asap.

While I don't have direct experience with either model, I agree that a few extra dollars spent upgrading from a tabletop table saw to a full size iron top model will never be regretted. The table saw is the heart of any furniture shop, as important there as a good lathe is to a turning shop. And the new midsize models are a wonderful addition between a contractors saw and a full blown cabinet saw. I may get jumped on for this, but the one tool you list that I consider optional even up to intermediate level turning and furniture projects is the sliding compound miter saw. For most things short of framing buildings and full blown production work, anything that you would do with the miter saw can be done just as well or better and almost as quickly on a good table saw. The miter saw, like the radial arm saw has it's niches in the woodshop, but is simply not as versatile as a tablesaw or bandsaw.

VisExp · Feb 18, 2009

jskeen said:
I may get jumped on for this, but the one tool you list that I consider optional even up to intermediate level turning and furniture projects is the radial arm saw. For most things short of framing buildings and full blown production work, anything that you would do with the miter saw can be done just as well or better and almost as quickly on a good table saw. The miter saw, like the radial arm saw has it's niches in the woodshop, but is simply not as versatile as a tablesaw or bandsaw.

James, he didn't mention radial arm saw in the list, so I'm assuming you're referring to the sliding compound miter saw he listed. I agree with you that is one of the last tools I would buy for the workshop.

I have two of them. One I use on the job site all day long installing cabinets. I could not work without it.

However, the other, my spare, sits under a shelf in my workshop at home and never gets used.

A good table saw and a good crosscut sled are far more accurate to use for most work in the shop. However, if you're planning on running crown, baseboard or general trim work then a SCMS is a must.

jskeen · Feb 18, 2009

Keith, you are correct, and I edited my original post to fix it.

jyreene · Feb 19, 2009

From what I'm gleaning, the list is pretty decent. A drill press with a radial arm (ability) is better. I think I understand that and I can sort of visualize the need.

A mitre saw isn't really necessary and I had originally thought that and have read that a table saw is all you really need but I've worked with both and just thought I would need both. I think I will hold off on the mitre saw.

A bigger sander (I can't remember if it was 10 or 12" that someone recommended). That I can understand. I did some work on my dads 6-8" belt/disc sander and it was a little annoying have such a small surface.

A bigger grinder that can work at a slower speed. This one kind of confuses me but I am really only used to sharpening chizels which I've always done at pretty high speeds. Is the lower speed better for the grade/type/shape of metal on woodworking tools?

As to the table saw I can see what you are talking about, though look at the Rigid model I've only seen them for twice what I saw the Bosch. I will look for a used one when I get to my next duty station and hope I can find a decent one.

I had another questions tool related. One pen I made in my dads shop was a segmented one, when I'm back in the states I'll post some pics of it and one or two others that I'm proud of, but to get the sides of the blank exactly the same a local Woodcraft owner, great guy named Larry, helped by using one of those mini table saws. If I have the extra money is it worth the investment or is there a stable and somewhat easy way to set up sleds to do the same thing on a full size table saw?

Of course once I get to my next station I would love to meet with a few fellow turners and gain more experience, as I'm sure my wife would as well though it's obvious she has a better and more patient touch at this than I do.

jyreene · Feb 19, 2009

jackrichington said:
I think sometimes we get toolitis..we think this tool or that tool will help us make stuff..this plate was made with a smallish lathe, a handrill and some chainsaw files...have fun with your new shop & tools

Nice looking bowl. I may someday have the skill to do that with a handrill and a chainsaw but knowing how "delicate" my touch isn't it will be some time. I do admire that kind of ability.

VisExp · Feb 19, 2009

jyreene said:
A bigger grinder that can work at a slower speed. This one kind of confuses me but I am really only used to sharpening chizels which I've always done at pretty high speeds. Is the lower speed better for the grade/type/shape of metal on woodworking tools?

When you grind a chisel you are not grinding a flat area, you are grinding an arc because you're holding the chisel against a circular wheel. The bigger the circle the "flatter" the arc. The larger wheel needs to rotate slower so as not to heat up the tool metal. At a certain rpm the outside edge of a 8" wheel will be travelling faster than the outside edge of a 6" wheel.

jyreene said:
As to the table saw I can see what you are talking about, though look at the Rigid model I've only seen them for twice what I saw the Bosch. I will look for a used one when I get to my next duty station and hope I can find a decent one.

Ridgid at Home Depot $549
Bosch at Lowes %599

jyreene said:
I had another questions tool related. One pen I made in my dads shop was a segmented one, when I'm back in the states I'll post some pics of it and one or two others that I'm proud of, but to get the sides of the blank exactly the same a local Woodcraft owner, great guy named Larry, helped by using one of those mini table saws. If I have the extra money is it worth the investment or is there a stable and somewhat easy way to set up sleds to do the same thing on a full size table saw?

I would not spend the money on a mini table saw. You can make jigs to do anything you want on a full size table saw. I do it all the time.

jyreene said:
Of course once I get to my next station I would love to meet with a few fellow turners and gain more experience, as I'm sure my wife would as well though it's obvious she has a better and more patient touch at this than I do.

Do you know yet where you are going to be stationed next?

jyreene · Feb 19, 2009

I must admint checking home depot never crossed my mind. I think I might be too firmly in the internet age. I was checking Amazon and the Ridgid website...home depot or lowes it is. You just saved my wife and I a bunch of money on that one. I owe you a pen, a good one, which might take some time to make one I deem worthy.

I will next be in Pendleton. I know they have a Woodcraft in the area as well as a woodshop on base to tide me over until we gather all the necessary tools and such.

Again, I have to admit I almost thought this site would end up like a myspace or some such but you guys are really helpful and I've been noticing people send others blanks and such for only the shipping. You guys rock.

kevinbrown22 · Feb 19, 2009

FYI, The Ridgid seems seems to be on close out around here (AZ) at 399.
I think they are getting ready to roll out a new model.

"That could have gone better"

jyreene · Feb 20, 2009

Damn that would be a nice price. Too bad I'm on the other side of the world in a place I'm sure I could buy it but the instructions would be in Russian and it would cost me 10 times as much. Stupid Moscow, oh well 8 more days.

MDWine · Feb 20, 2009

Don't forget the riser block for the 555 bandsaw! Better to have and not need than the other way around!

Woodlvr · Feb 20, 2009

The Ridgid table saw TS 3660 with the cast iron top is on closeout for $399, the new granite topped saws are on the way, so they say but look to cost about $600 or so it said in the popular woodworking ezine, I believe. I have the TS 3650 and it has been a good saw.

jyreene · Feb 25, 2009

Okay, so searching through the forums I've found this thread:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43421

which relates to this band saw:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/17-B...unnion/G0513X2

If I changed out my bandsaw for this one could I forgoe the table saw until a later date? It seems this one would be able to perform more duties than my original thoughts on a band saw and while it wouldn't replace a table saw it could fulfill some of it's duties (obvisouly nothing big).

jyreene · Mar 5, 2009

Any comments on the bigger more powerful bandsaw taking place, until we get more heavily into turning, of the table saw. I know that if I truly need one I can just go on base and use the woodshops there.

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