# Game Changing Tools



## marcros (24 Dec 2020)

Interesting video from @petermillard today about game changing tools. 

I have the track saw and would say that it alone has made a huge difference to my woodworking- particularly DIY tasks (which form most of my tasks).

Of all the tools that you have, what are your "game changers"?

The track saw having already been nominated, I would add the rail square to the list. MK2 Rail Square - Festool / Makita / Triton / Evolution - MK2 - SHIPS JANUARY 2021 I have only had mine a couple of months but it is brilliant!!


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## paulrbarnard (24 Dec 2020)

3D printer. I’m forever making repair parts or special adaptors or gubbins with it.


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## Spectric (24 Dec 2020)

Hi

That rail square is £100 cheaper than the Fc one at Hybrid MF Rail Square | Fits All Major Plunge Saw Rails | karpenter.co.uk I would say the tracksaw is great for sitework and the small home woodworker with limited space, but people have been using circular saws and guides for many years, I use an 8ft length of angle iron and a Bosch saw, yes it is not going to be as quick to setup and use like the tracksaw but still delivers the end result. If I was running a business and had space I would want a table saw setup but I suppose that is not the market the tracksaw is aimed at. I am looking at buying a Makita corded tracksaw in the new year simply because I am getting older and want accuracy without it being so dependant on myself. The Domino machine is clever and allows the lesser skilled like myself to make mortices quick and easy although I think it is as much an oblong dowler as a loose tenon machine and because of my familiarity with the Dowelmax I have now got a 700XL because to me it is just a very fast dowelmax which in itself could also be classed as a gamechanger, probably the most accurate device for the money to place dowel holes.


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## Sandyn (24 Dec 2020)

My Band Saw. I didn't bother getting one for years (fear of doing damage to myself), but once I did, I wonder how I managed without it.


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## harryc (24 Dec 2020)

For the home diyer like myself I would say a thicknesser, the ability to buy relatively cheap rough sawn timber makes a huge difference in the projects I have been able to undertake.


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## custard (24 Dec 2020)

It's an interesting question. 

Personally I'd argue that routers and better abrasives have revolutionised post war woodworking. But I certainly see how track saws and better adhesives could also make a claim.

i used to do quite a lot off work in the US and came across a type of hobbyist woodworker that I don't really see so often in the UK. This was someone who made a conscious decision to work primarily in sheet goods. A track saw and a bit of care was the great equaliser, it made them pretty much as accurate as the guy with a multi thousand £ panel saw. 

And wow, for hobbyists, these guys could be super productive. Fitted furniture projects galore, often of such excellent quality that they genuinely added value to their homes and gained the enthusiastic support of their spouses. I suspect the high price of decent sheet goods material puts off lots of UK woodworkers from following their lead.


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## marcros (24 Dec 2020)

custard said:


> It's an interesting question.
> 
> Personally I'd argue that routers and better abrasives have revolutionised post war woodworking. But I certainly see how track saws and better adhesives could also make a claim.
> 
> ...



ah yes. Many people use vintage tools and claim that they are superior to modern. Nobody searched out NOS sandpaper!


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## Jameshow (24 Dec 2020)

Sharp tools for me! So diamond stones!! 

Also accurate measuring / angle devices. 
Bahco for me! 

Finally affordable planes either new or s/h. 

Happy Christmas everyone! 

Cheers James


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## doctor Bob (24 Dec 2020)

Battery driver.

As commercial enterprise, 4 sider and wide belt sander


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## petermillard (24 Dec 2020)

marcros said:


> Interesting video from @petermillard today about game changing tools.


Thanks for the shout @marcros! The video is here if anyone’s interested. My game-changers were about moving from doing handyman type work to cabinetry, and the tools along that timeline that enabled me to compete at a higher level, yet still be a one-man-band maker/installer working from a garage-sized commercial workspace.


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## artie (24 Dec 2020)

The track saw as always, but aside from that lithium ion batteries.

Not really a tool I suppose but definitely game changer.


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## billw (24 Dec 2020)

Anything that needs electricity.


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## Rorschach (24 Dec 2020)

Track Saw for wood working, lathe for metal working.


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## nickds1 (24 Dec 2020)

Track saw (Festool), decent table saw & band saw, MFT table (made with Parf 2 and Valchomat).

If I could justify it, a Shaper Origin (owned by Festool now) would be a wonderful tool to have.


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## Jacob (24 Dec 2020)

Spindle. It came on a AEG Maxi 26 Combi machine. Cheapo machine but did loads of work. Got into making my own cutters and hardly used a router for many years.
Moved on to SCM T110 with power feed which was another game changer really.

Going the other way (backwards technologically) I bought an old lathe with a 12" sanding disc and table attachments. Really useful. Hadn't realised how good they are, wood and metal. Got rid of my Sorby Proedge - the disc does a far better job, faster and cooler.


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## billw (24 Dec 2020)

Jacob said:


> Spindle. It came on a AEG Maxi 26 Combi machine. Cheapo machine but did loads of work. Got into making my own cutters and hardly used a router for many years.
> Moved on to SCM T110 with power feed which was another game changer really.



The spindle moulder at Leeds College scared the bejesus out of me, it's definitely not a tool for the home woodworker!


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## Peter Sefton (24 Dec 2020)

Oh so many but I would say battery drill, biscuit jointer, router table, scalpel and scary sharp and I love all my machines especially the power feed.


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## Sideways (24 Dec 2020)

I second Custard's votes for the handheld router and modern abrasives (in my case Mirka DEROS and Abranet, but more widely abrasives for finishing glass, plastics, solid surface materials and even car engine parts).
A game changer for me personally is a quality spraying setup. A tiny Iwata LPH-80 + near silent compressor + 3M Paint Preparation System makes for excellent painting of projects upto the size of a fridge and remarkably quick, easy clean up.


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## Just4Fun (24 Dec 2020)

Let me go against the grain here. I have a variety of (hand) tools that I enjoy using to a greater or lesser degree, but I would not describe any of them as game changers. Rather, game changers for me have been steping stones in my skills or understanding. When I finally "get" something that has previously caused me problems, that is a game changer. For example (and it is only an example) understanding what is needed to reliably produce decent dovetails. That sort of understanding has been more of a game changer for me than any tool.


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## marcros (24 Dec 2020)

Just4Fun said:


> Let me go against the grain here. I have a variety of (hand) tools that I enjoy using to a greater or lesser degree, but I would not describe any of them as game changers. Rather, game changers for me have been steping stones in my skills or understanding. When I finally "get" something that has previously caused me problems, that is a game changer. For example (and it is only an example) understanding what is needed to reliably produce decent dovetails. That sort of understanding has been more of a game changer for me than any tool.



Ah, that is an interesting twist to the discussion. I like your thoughts.


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## Ollie78 (24 Dec 2020)

Just4fun has touched on a great point here. Skills and understanding.

Easy access to educational and instructional resources is probably the number one change in the last 10 years or so. Youtube is a goldmine of information on techniques, how to maintain tools etc. Forums such as this are also a great tool in the quest for knowledge and skills.

Other than that I love my Domino and Ts55 though my latest favourite is the HKC 55 with cross cut rail, it is genuinely a fantastic thing.
Also an oscillating edge sander, I use it all the time now and not sure why I didn`t buy one years ago !
CNC machine is fun too.

Ollie


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## Doug71 (24 Dec 2020)

Cordless drills, the Makita 60954 with stick battery that came in a metal case, proper old school.

Festool TS55, how did I manage without it?

The internet, the knowledge I have gained from forums like this and Youtube etc is priceless.


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## Roberto Flintofski (24 Dec 2020)

Can I add, becoming older and wiser ( i have often been called a tool ) so think i qualify ! 
Years ago i just couldn't manage to sort a hand plane and get it to actually cut with any success, unable to sharpen it or set it up. I think with age we gain the personal skills we need to progress and not to get as frustrated as we would when younger!


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## Lons (24 Dec 2020)

I'd echo all that's been said as each for me has been invaluable at times though I don't own any Festool however going way back to the late eighties the real game changer for me having just moved into a large wreck of house was the purchase of a humble little Kity K5 combination machine. Limited in capacity but with a bit of planning saved me a huge amount of time for refurbishment where using hand tools just wouldn't have been possible.
I still own it despite having larger machines.


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## Deadeye (24 Dec 2020)

marcros said:


> Interesting video from @petermillard today about game changing tools.
> 
> I have the track saw and would say that it alone has made a huge difference to my woodworking- particularly DIY tasks (which form most of my tasks).
> 
> ...



Interesting game. How far are you going back?

I agree re. abrasives. I inherited a great stack of my father-in-law's glasspaper...and was using it diligently as I started woodworking. Using a decent modern abrasive was a revelation.

Has anyone mentioned modern glues? They seem to have more or less done screws out of a job.


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## Felix (24 Dec 2020)

Norm Abraham.....
If I'd never watched the New Yankee Workshop I would not be doing what I'm doing now....I sold my beloved zx7r and bought a table saw.....that was a game changer for me...


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## memzey (24 Dec 2020)

Given that I mainly work in solid, it would have to be a reliable, solid and accurate planer thicknesser and an equally solid bench. The P/T takes much of the drudgery out of stock prep and the bench, well, that just makes everything easier and more enjoyable.


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## Jelly (24 Dec 2020)

billw said:


> The spindle moulder at Leeds College scared the bejesus out of me, it's definitely not a tool for the home woodworker!



I disagree, it's not a tool to be used by someone who is unfamiliar with the risks associated with its use.

If a hobbyist is committed enough to spend he cash, and take the time to learn to use it safely there's no reason they shouldn't get one.

Hobbyists (especially in the US) routinely do what I'd consider to be inappropriate and even unsafe things with table-saws to get round not having access to a moulding machine which would be both quicker and safer.


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## Doug B (24 Dec 2020)

I spent my apprenticeship & early working life with hand tools so the advent of battery powered tools has been a massive game changer particularly when I think of the hours spent putting screws in with a Yankee screwdrive.

As has been said the track saw made a huge difference as did the domino when they came alone. Another big breakthrough was the first dust deputy cyclone, it must be 11 or 12 years since I got my first one & it really did change my view on dust collection. 

The latest game changer for me at least has been the spiral carbide tipped planer block, it really is a time saver leaving a planed surface so much better than any traditional planer block I’ve used.

Finally I really love Veritas’s PMV11 not a huge game changer but I wouldn’t want to go back to ordinary chisel & plane blades.


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## novocaine (24 Dec 2020)

Tracksaw yes, but also a multitool/oscillating saw. Perhaps not in the shop but on site they are a god send, quick trim of a skirt or cabinet to fit round something, hole in the back of something, fitting sockets or switches, cutting floor boards it gets used way to much.

Brother in law asked which mitre saw he should buy, i told him to buy a tracksaw. That says why its a game changer.


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## toolsntat (24 Dec 2020)

Superglue and activator.
5min pu glue
Makita 9404 belt sander
Ditto 18v circular saw
Ditto 18v multitool cutter

Back in a workshop before self-employed one of the biggest improvements we had was when sheet laminate bonding using contact adhesive spreaders then a rep came in with the "STARSTUCK" web spray system.... nuffsaid 

Cheers Andy


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## Doug71 (24 Dec 2020)

novocaine said:


> Tracksaw yes, but also a multitool/oscillating saw. Perhaps not in the shop but on site they are a god send, quick trim of a skirt or cabinet to fit round something, hole in the back of something, fitting sockets or switches, cutting floor boards it gets used way to much.



Forgot about multitools. For years I saw the Fein multimaster (when only Fein made them) demonstrated at shows and exhibitions, I thought it looked like a bit of a gimmick but eventually caved in and bought one after seeing other people using them and yes game changer for me, especially when I got a cordless version


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## Mooose (24 Dec 2020)

TSLS from Incra - fitted so that it serves as a fence for both my table saw and router table (my router is in the table saw wing)

This old video was the one that got me thinking about it 6 years ago:


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## stuckinthemud (24 Dec 2020)

The internet, not for videos, but for forums like this one. Being able to say "help I'm stuck," or, "wow, how did you do that? " or to be able to chat with like-minded people and top-level crafts-people has broadened my horizons, raised my standards, transformed my woodwork.


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## t8hants (24 Dec 2020)

The battery drill so versatile, coming from a steel work background I remember the days of the cast alloy bodied 'gut buster' or was it wrist breaker drills.


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## Roland (24 Dec 2020)

A lot of tools have made a difference at certain points in my life. An electric hammer drill made life a lot easier in the early days. Before that I used a hand drill when I attached anything to a wall. However making something easier doesn’t always change the way you do it. Sanders and abrasives have also made jobs easier. There are jobs I wouldn’t have tackled without them because it would have been too much hard work.

Then there are the enablers. It’s difficult to turn bowls without a lathe.

The real game changer for me has been a router


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## Nelsun (24 Dec 2020)

If I had to pick one thing from this past year it would be a diddy cordless drill: the Bosch 12v FlexiClick and it's interchangable chucks. The offset and right angle chucks have gotten me in to so many tight spaces I'd never have managed otherwise. Other diddy drivers are available.


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## Bristol_Rob (25 Dec 2020)

For me it's my sharpening method.

Understanding what sharp is and being able to quickly produce it with repeatable results.

Nothing has moved my results forward more.


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## Sandyn (25 Dec 2020)

paulrbarnard said:


> 3D printer. I’m forever making repair parts or special adaptors or gubbins with it.


Which one?


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## Auldfart2010 (25 Dec 2020)

The Japanese Ryoba saw. The first precise, clean joint I ever made. All my push saws are at the bottom of the drawer.


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## Peri (25 Dec 2020)

My 'game-changing' wood work nomination is the 2010 Ford Kuga Titanium.

My wife bought one, and when she tried to put it in the garage found it to be about 3" too long to fit - I went from having a fold down shelf and a cupboard to having a dedicated single car garage workshop !!


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## Ralfyfix (25 Dec 2020)

Happy Christmas folks. By a mile my Router is the most versatile tool I have. So many options with jigs that can be shop made and not bought.


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## mg123 (25 Dec 2020)

An impact driver changed my life. I always got by with a battery drill or manual screwdriver and never really felt the need to change. Now I have one, I don't know how I lived without it. 
I would also say the tracksaw made a huge improvement in my accuracy and speed, like many of you I've watched the majority of Peter Millards videos and had the sudden "need" for a tracksaw. Peter has also convinced me that the domino will be in my tool list soon but I can't yet attest to the benefit of that until its in my hands (and oh yes, it will be in my hands ) 
Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you're all eating and drinking far too much.


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## Fidget (25 Dec 2020)

This forum!

When I built my workshop back in 2017 I had learnt everything I knew from Norm's NYW and was only using power tools.
This forum has educated me in the use of hand tools and I now enjoy using them. Whereas before I had a couple of old planes (No 6 and a 41/2) and a couple of rusty chisels which I couldn't get to cut properly. I now have a few more!
The knowledge and willingness of members to give advice freely and others posting WIPs showing the process has inspired me to be better (although progress is slow)
I still use the power tools but finishing everything by hand has been a revelation.
Thank you and Merry Christmas to one and all


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## Illy (25 Dec 2020)

My personal game changer was a reasonable table saw and a Kreg mitre gauge - for the first time I was able to cut absolutely square.


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## heimlaga (25 Dec 2020)

My gamechangers so far have been:
-A large enough planer/thicknesser for the work I do. This means a huge increase in productivity as I can dimension timber and platten most glue-ups in short time. I would never again try to make do without a 600mm capacity planer/thicknesser or equal separates.
-Full size spindle moulder. This also meas a huge increase in productivity. I can profile timbers quickly and rather safely using the power feeder and cut joints using the tennoming sled.


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## jcassidy (25 Dec 2020)

YouTube.

Want to build a table? A car port? A new bathroom?
Someone's done a video for that.

Dunno which sander to buy? @petermillard has a video for that (BTW thanks, I bought the Bosch!)


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## paulrbarnard (25 Dec 2020)

Sandyn said:


> Which one?


Sintron i3 kit, essential a Prusa clone. It’s been a bit pimped. I have a laser head under the tree, or at least I hope so.


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## Jacob (25 Dec 2020)

Yamaha GC41 was another game changer. Lucky ebay buy £550. It'd been fu**eded up with badly set bridge and nut for "low" but buzzy action and the poor sod had given up on his expensive purchase. £5 for replacement bridge and nut and a bit of fiddling about - perfect!
Have googled "Sintron i3 kit, essential a Prusa clone". Still no wiser!


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## Awac (25 Dec 2020)

A good pair of safety prescription glasses! I can see so much better and eyes protected all the time, no "I will just do this quick, I don't need my safety glasses for this....." Oh, and the string to keep them around my neck....LOL.


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## paulrbarnard (25 Dec 2020)

Jacob said:


> Yamaha GC41 was another game changer. Lucky ebay buy £550. It'd been fu**eded up with badly set bridge and nut for "low" but buzzy action and the poor sod had given up on his expensive purchase. £5 for replacement bridge and nut and a bit of fiddling about - perfect!
> Have googled "Sintron i3 kit, essential a Prusa clone". Still no wiser!











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Sintron Prusa i3 had beed sold for over thousands quantity. we provide tech support for this when you meet any problems. buying 3D printer without tech support is just a waste of money. Come and check below video, this is what our printer real work Those plastic parts which we send to you are...



www.sintron.co.uk


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## sploo (25 Dec 2020)

Good thread. Totally agree on a planer/thicknesser (going from a hobbyist making speakers from sheet goods to being able to dimension "real" timber was a game changer).

But then, the Festool Domino was another game changer; being able to do decent joinery really quickly (a not inconsiderable factor for a hobbyist who gets very little time to do the hobby).

However, the one that changed things for me the most was actually the hand plane (or more specifically - learning how to sharpen and set one up). Being able to do projects with hand tools; without the noise and dust of powered machinery has been a joy.


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## topchippyles (25 Dec 2020)

2 ways to look at this and a really good thread. The hobbyist will be different to the professional woodworker in choice but for everyone the cordless systems we all use today. I am 51 so taught old school but was subbing on price work when all these cordless tools came on the market and boy what a game changer.

My main tool which i think you guys would all love to have is a bandsaw mill (woodlands HM130) No feeling like milling your own stuff.


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## sploo (25 Dec 2020)

topchippyles said:


> My main tool which i think you guys would all love to have is a bandsaw mill (woodlands HM130) No feeling like milling your own stuff.


Having done a bit of milling and air drying (using a poor man's solar kiln); yes, it's incredibly satisfying. Unfortunately it's also extremely hard work, and requires way too much storage space for any decent scale of stock. If I had the space I'd definitely be doing more though.


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## Jelly (25 Dec 2020)

If I had to pick a single tool which revolutionised my woodworking, it's probably the joiners axe (i.e. a hand axe with a wide, very slightly radiused bit with a very acute bevel, sharpened to be extremely sharp).

I was doing a lot of heavily carved work from the solid when I got one, and discovered that if I had the confidence to use the axe I could remove material very quickly and accurately to get close to the finished shape.

Power-Tool wise it's got to be the Impact Driver, with the Planer Thicknesser coming a close second, both would be inconvenient to do without, but the impact driver moreso.

In metalworking I would argue that the universal dividing head was more more of a game changer for me than the mill or lathe, as it opened up spiral milling, gear cutting, splines etc. which allowed me to generate the full range of machine elements from scratch.


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## Jacob (25 Dec 2020)

Jelly said:


> If I had to pick a single tool which revolutionised my woodworking, it's probably the joiners axe (i.e. a hand axe with a wide, very slightly radiused bit with a very acute bevel, sharpened to be extremely sharp).
> .....


It was standard issue with the C&G TOPS course kit. I've still got mine and it got a lot of use. Folding boxwood rule was also standard but they soon got dumped in favour of a steel tape.


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## Jelly (25 Dec 2020)

Jacob said:


> It was standard issue with the C&G TOPS course kit. I've still got mine and it got a lot of use. Folding boxwood rule was also standard but they soon got dumped in favour of a steel tape.


I have a vague memory it was one of your posts that alerted me to how useful they could be.

It seems to have been largely overlooked as a sensible tool to use in mainstream woodworking circles, but I don't really get why as they're dead handy whenever you need to remove a lot of material fast... 

I have even used mine to split tenons for some huge M&T joints, followed by cleanup to the line with a jack plane; which sure beat cutting them with a ripsaw for both speed and conservation of effort!


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## NormanB (25 Dec 2020)

Actually for me the game changer was You Tube.

Without You Tube I would not have sought out the information about tracksaw or the domino.

But beyond woodwork You Tube and the interweb in general is an absolute godsend for those with a will, an enquiring mind and who want to ‘do stuff‘ or repair stuff.

Judging by some of the more sensible channels on You Tube it has also provided the inspiration/catalyst to many to actually change their lives be that building a house, building a boat, converting a van to an RV, going adventuring or sailing around the world with their family ( it’s so common now they are literally bumping into each other).


Its just cost me a lot of money - thanks Peter Millard.


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## Jameshow (25 Dec 2020)

Just4Fun said:


> Let me go against the grain here. I have a variety of (hand) tools that I enjoy using to a greater or lesser degree, but I would not describe any of them as game changers. Rather, game changers for me have been steping stones in my skills or understanding. When I finally "get" something that has previously caused me problems, that is a game changer. For example (and it is only an example) understanding what is needed to reliably produce decent dovetails. That sort of understanding has been more of a game changer for me than any tool.


Definitely spill the beans!! 

Cheers James


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## D.Stephenson (25 Dec 2020)

I think the single biggest game changer tool for me has been the domino jointer. I finally bought the original df500 back in 2013 and instantly regretted not getting one sooner, within a month it had paid for itself!


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## shed9 (25 Dec 2020)

Possibly contentious....

Biggest game changer for me was buying better quality tools. I got stuck in a rut of compromising on quality, conflating tools with similar purpose as being similar in capability. The cost hurts initially but I have yet to regret purchasing the best I can afford at the time. I appreciate someone will retort with the usual comment that it's the end user and not the tool that counts but lesser and poor quality tools will always impact that overall equation.


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## Noggsy (26 Dec 2020)

David, I don’t think that is contentious. Not to me at least. Buying a well-made tool of any kind has definitely moved me on. 

For me, it was buying the Quangsheng number 7 plane. It was expensive (for me, at that time) and it was the first new plane I’d bought. Years later it is still a tool I use pretty much every time I plane anything and the clean, unadorned way it it is made and set up showed me what I was aiming for with my other planes. Definitely a game-changer mentally. I genuinely love that plane and I think I’d keep it over any other tool.


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## glenfield2 (26 Dec 2020)

A Makita compound mitre saw. I’ve always been pretty rubbish at hand sawing (still am TBH) so woodworking was pretty low on my DIY skills list but this gave me the confidence to do major jobs on house renovations and refit a completely burnt out canal boat into something others thought impressive. 
subsequently joined by a router, track saw and Dewalt table saw. 
So sad as it may seem to some of you power tools made me a woodworker.


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## Notters (26 Dec 2020)

Doug B said:


> I spent my apprenticeship & early working life with hand tools so the advent of battery powered tools has been a massive game changer particularly when I think of the hours spent putting screws in with a Yankee screwdrive.
> 
> As has been said the track saw made a huge difference as did the domino when they came alone. Another big breakthrough was the first dust deputy cyclone, it must be 11 or 12 years since I got my first one & it really did change my view on dust collection.
> 
> ...


All you battery powered tool fans remember there is an additional cost. Battery's use lithium and cobalt both rare earth materials and they finish up in toxic landfill.!


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## kinverkid (26 Dec 2020)

In the forty years that I've been a hobbyist wood worker there have been a few game changers. My first hammer drill, first hand held circular saw, first router. Then my first love was a wood lathe. Then naturally came my second love and the real game changer - a bandsaw. The first one was a small Delta bench top model which my brother-in-law still has and uses. In 2001 I bought a larger Record floor standing one and has to be the most used power tool I have. My latest buy which surprised me how much I like it is a Glubot. I think I must have had a tenner burning a hole in my pocket at the Makers Central exhibition two years ago and bought one (less than a tenner). No more shaking Fairy Liquid type bottles to get the glue out. Simple thing for a simple mind.


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## Lonsdale73 (26 Dec 2020)

A Festool Domino certainly helped me however I'd have to include the Incra LS Positioner for my router table. Neither of them cheap for the hobbyist I am the ease of use and, with the Incra, the ability to make accurate and repeatable cuts time after time improved consistency and boosted confidence to tackle ever more complex tasks.


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## recipio (26 Dec 2020)

bowmaster said:


> Norm Abraham.....
> If I'd never watched the New Yankee Workshop I would not be doing what I'm doing now....I sold my beloved zx7r and bought a table saw.....that was a game changer for me...



Same here. I was starting out and in need of a table saw when Norm's programmes went out. I imported a DeWalt 746 with a sliding table so I could run dado blades on it. Since then I have added lots of accessories like flat ground 1/4 inch blades , a 'Magic Moulder ' set ( cuts profiles ) and the Rockler mitre fold dado set ( cuts a mitre joint in one pass ). They only made the saw for a few years in the 1990's and it was a transition between site saws and full size sheet saws. I think it a shame that saws with a 5/8 inch arbour are so difficult to find as they are very versatile for amateurs anyway. Best purchase I ever made.


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## Spectric (26 Dec 2020)

Hi all

There is another side to having things off the shelf that some may call game changers and that is inovation and solving problems. Looking through many books, Mr Maskery's videos and Mr Seftons videos the thing that stands out is the inovation and thought process in making jigs to perform a particular task or achieve repetion. If we all just look at buying off the shelf then we may loose this fundamental ability that has driven woodworking for so many years and in so many ways is part of the fun, maybe not so much for those who are doing it for the cash.


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## thetyreman (26 Dec 2020)

the humble square awl was a game changer for me.


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## space.dandy (26 Dec 2020)

Auldfart2010 said:


> The Japanese Ryoba saw. The first precise, clean joint I ever made. All my push saws are at the bottom of the drawer.


List them in For Sale? I‘m looking for good secondhand saws. Just saying’...


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## Benchwayze (27 Dec 2020)

Probably my Startrite 351 bandsaw. I bought it because it would allow me to resaw timber and, more importantly, cut my own veneers; thicker and workable with planes. Still wouldn't be without it.

John


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## aebersold (28 Dec 2020)

Interesting question and most revealing posts in that the game changers are different for most of us depending on where you start from, what you make, the space you have and the budget available. I think the biggest game changers for me have been you tube videos, this forum and a visit to the Barnsley workshop where I realised (even though I thought I worked to close tolerances) wasn’t even scratching the surface ! Still learning the meaning of perspective !


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## Popey (28 Dec 2020)

Bristol_Rob said:


> For me it's my sharpening method.
> 
> Understanding what sharp is and being able to quickly produce it with repeatable results.
> 
> Nothing has moved my results forward more.


This. For me, the game changers in this regard are my Veritas Mk II honing guide system and my Tormek T4.
Another game changer was when it dawned on me that I didn't need a tablesaw or mitresaw. Both machines took up a lot of space and made an awful lot of dust and noise. When I sold my Evolution tools I put the money towards a 10" bandsaw and some hand tools. I've since upgraded the bandsaw and haven't looked back.


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## Ttrees (28 Dec 2020)

A hand plane was the biggest game changer for me, and nothing has come close since.
I had an easy start working on a pretty flat bench from the get go.
I'd say as a "package" the hand plane and flat bench can't be beaten if your working with hand tools.
Making sure the bench is actually flat is important if you want to get good with the plane.

Straight edges actually as long as the bench, which are surfaced on both edges and parallel in height.
This means one can flip them over or around and any spooning error will be doubled, if they happen to move.

An old style angle poise lamp with a 7.5" shade is the business for shining light underneath,
A good photo of how easily one can spot flat or not.

Tom


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## BHwoodworking (30 Dec 2020)

cordless kit. i have a cordless mitre saw, and was working on site yesterday, and the sparky shut off the plugs, and i was able to carry on fraiming, while the others were kicking their heals, waiting for the sparky to turn power back on.


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## Spectric (1 Jan 2021)

Hi all

Just thought about something that was really a gamechanger, the pozidrive / Torx headed screw that replaced the traditional slotted head screws, how many can remember having to drive slotted headed screws in with a yankee screwdriver? Nails were so popular then!


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## paulrbarnard (1 Jan 2021)

Spectric said:


> Hi all
> 
> Just thought about something that was really a gamechanger, the pozidrive / Torx headed screw that replaced the traditional slotted head screws, how many can remember having to drive slotted headed screws in with a yankee screwdriver? Nails were so popular then!


The Canadians will point out that the Robertson square head is even better...


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## Spectric (1 Jan 2021)

Perhaps thats why Kreg pocket hole screws have that square drive, good but the drivers do round off the corners.


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## artie (1 Jan 2021)

Spectric said:


> Hi all
> 
> Just thought about something that was really a gamechanger, the pozidrive / Torx headed screw that replaced the traditional slotted head screws, how many can remember having to drive slotted headed screws in with a yankee screwdriver? Nails were so popular then!


That was a big changer that I has all but forgot about.


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## OldDave (2 Jan 2021)

Game changing tools for me so far.
1) Set of Japanese saws.
2) Pockethole jig.

I suspect (and hope) that the bandsaw is going to be game changing but unfortunately, it’s not yet arrived.


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## Spectric (2 Jan 2021)

Hi all

I think bandsaws have been around ever since the Waltons.


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