Powered tool guide?

[justsomegeek]

Hi Folks,

As i said elsewhere, i'm a noob here, and in the general woodworking sense. I've a shed full of excessively over-specced tools bought for various DIY & hobby jobs and to feed my manly tool-fetish, and i'd like to try making something worthwhile out of it all.

I'm looking for a guide that shows various powered tools (240v, maybe air), what they are used for, and what can be achieved with them. Seeing the results gives me inspiration, and hopefully ways of doing things that are easier/better.

Thanks,
Glenn

 

[bosshogg]

Look no further than u-tube mate, and welcome aboard the good ship harmony...bosshogg

 

[justsomegeek]

Thanks Boss, YT is great for specific techniques etc. But i was more looking for a guide with still pics. I don't even know what some of the tools are called, let alone what exists that i've never seen or heard of.

 

[Henning]

I don't think such a guide exists, but a couple good books and the major player tool catalogs should see you started. Then YouTube for the things which you want to look at specifically. As it stands it helps break projects down into specific techniques needed to make it happen. Say, for instance, you wanted to make a simple bookshelf out of sheet goods. You will then need to determine if you want to use all handtools or combination. ( no such thing as all machine tools IMHO) since you asked about machines we'll assume that. Firstly we then will need to break down a sheet of plywood or similar into specific size. So you'll need a saw. This saw should be capable of cutting straight and you will soon arrive at tablesaw or circular saw. For the keen DIY'er a rail saw is probably the answer. Then you need a way to attach the shelves to the sides. All your new books will have suggestions and will also let you know that just gluing end grain straight against long grain will produce a weak joint and you will then have a lot of possibilities including sliding dovetails with a router, housing joint, screws and biscuits or Domino.
Continuing like this all the while keeping a presence and reading on forums like this one will soon have you up to speed on both tools and the best way to do things. Your tool budget will probably increase as well, as a side effect.

HTH

 

[justsomegeek]

Thanks for the reply H,

I realise that the usual way of doing things is to plan my project, and then work out what i'm going to need for it, which is how i ended up with most of the tools i have, especially the big stuff. I guess i'm looking for something that shows how different tools can make otherwise time-consuming or complicated jobs easier or more professional, like jointing etc.

Routers and lathes have entire careers dedicated to them, but i'd like to see what else there is and what it can do.

An example would be somethiing like a self-centering doweling jig which i never knew existed. It's probably a common tool in a cabinet makers arsenal, but i only found it by accident, and now want one as it would make projects i would never have attempted otherwise, possible. I'm just off to find out what a rail-saw is now.

As for hand tools, i have to keep them to a minimum due to disability, as well as being naturally incompetent with anything needing real dexterity & skill and that doesn't have an off switch.

 

[Henning]

Thanks for the reply H,

I realise that the usual way of doing things is to plan my project, and then work out what i'm going to need for it, which is how i ended up with most of the tools i have, especially the big stuff. I guess i'm looking for something that shows how different tools can make otherwise time-consuming or complicated jobs easier or more professional, like jointing etc.

I completely see what you're after. Problem is that no such thing exists. Most pages rely on sponsors or advertisement to fund and it's really hard to find pages which is multi- brand and doesn't favour one of them.

An example would be somethiing like a self-centering doweling jig which i never knew existed. It's probably a common tool in a cabinet makers arsenal, but i only found it by accident, and now want one as it would make projects i would never have attempted otherwise, possible. I'm just off to find out what a rail-saw is now.

Considering dowels... look at Bridge city for top of the line. Wolfcraft makes inexpensive and reasonable ones. A good biscuit jointer does a lot of what this one does faster and noisier and Festool has the Domino and Mafell has the duo-doweler.
As for tracksaws or railsaws
You're in for a treat. Major players are Festool (very expensive) and Mafell ( hideously, extremely expensive)
Makita gets good reviews, I don't like DeWalt at all.

As for hand tools, i have to keep them to a minimum due to disability, as well as being naturally incompetent with anything needing real dexterity & skill and that doesn't have an off switch.

You'd be amazed at what a sharp chisel can do for you and also a sharp plane!

 

[justsomegeek]

I completely see what you're after. Problem is that no such thing exists. Most pages rely on sponsors or advertisement to fund and it's really hard to find pages which is multi- brand and doesn't favour one of them.

That seems to be the main thing i found too. I guess i expected a DIY commune or plant hire/sales place to have such a site.

Considering dowels... look at Bridge city for top of the line. Wolfcraft makes inexpensive and reasonable ones. A good biscuit jointer does a lot of what this one does faster and noisier and Festool has the Domino and Mafell has the duo-doweler.
As for tracksaws or railsaws
You're in for a treat. Major players are Festool (very expensive) and Mafell ( hideously, extremely expensive)
Makita gets good reviews, I don't like DeWalt at all.

See if you hadn't said that, i would never have even looked at a biscuit joiner either. I always assumed it was just something for joining narrower planks together to make one large flat piece for tables etc. I had a look at the Domino and was really impressed with what it can do. I couldn't see the Duo Doweler on the (rather naff) Mafell site. Any other cool tools for jointing & morticing etc?

So far, most of my stuff has been DIY store bought, usually own or contracted brands, but not cheap & nasty. I can't see myself investing in serious brands just yet, untill i have a taste of what will really be worthwhile.

The rail-saw is an awesome creation. It's a lot like an idea i had for a home-made panel saw and "reversed" table-saw a while ago.

You'd be amazed at what a sharp chisel can do for you and also a sharp plane!

And you'd be amazed at the damage i could cause with a sharp chisel! I'm not sure i trust myself to be able to use one properly if i'm honest, although i do have a couple of "disposable" chisels for desperate times. I'm more of a designer than a craftsman, and it's only thanks to modern power tools that i've been able to turn any ideas into usable objects!

Cheers,
Glenn

 

[urbanarcher]

haha glenn i know how you feel sometimes about being a designer!
I think the first thing is to get a good book like "the encyclopaedia of furniture making by Earnest Joyce" have a read get a good understanding of things then plan a little project and get started and buy the tools as you need them. oh and a sharp set of chisels is a must sharp enough to shave with will be just right. Sharper is safer! there are loads of great sites on t'interweb.
Like this one!!
Some useful info at woodbin.com
better not to read too much and to actually get your hands on some good wood and get making something.

Ryan

 

[bosshogg]

Hi again Glen, O.K. contrary to what's been said there is a site you might try http://www.instructables.com/ hope this helps...bosshogg

 

[Kieran62]

Hi Glen,
The best site I found (it can make you a little envious), is the late lamented John Lucas site Woodshop demos (http://www.woodshopdemos.com/menu2.htm).
He looked at a variety of machines from different manufacturers and worked through various projects, choosing the best machines and techniques to use and often highlighting the problems he came across and how he solved them.
Hope that helps, and good luck with your own projects.
Kieran

 

[bosshogg]

Hi Glen,
The best site I found (it can make you a little envious), is the late lamented John Lucas site Woodshop demos (http://www.woodshopdemos.com/menu2.htm).
He looked at a variety of machines from different manufacturers and worked through various projects, choosing the best machines and techniques to use and often highlighting the problems he came across and how he solved them.
Hope that helps, and good luck with your own projects.
Kieran

Nice one Kieran...bosshogg

 

[Dibs-h]

You'd be amazed at what a sharp chisel can do for you and also a sharp plane!

And you'd be amazed at the damage i could cause with a sharp chisel!

No doubt - the only thing adding power does is makes the damage far more quicker and spectacular. I've probably come down the road you are on - "Power tools, Power Tools" bit like a mantra with a disdain of hand tools.

However to turn out nice pieces using appropriate construction techniques requires both power tools and hand tools. I don't believe everything can be done with power tools and it some cases the power tool version doesn't look right. Take for example using a router jig to create M&T joints. Some might disagree - but a thru tenon that's round, doesn't look right.

Power tools have their place - but by their very nature aren't precision tools in most cases.

My 2c worth

Dibs

 

[justsomegeek]

haha glenn i know how you feel sometimes about being a designer!
I think the first thing is to get a good book like "the encyclopaedia of furniture making by Earnest Joyce" have a read get a good understanding of things then plan a little project and get started and buy the tools as you need them. oh and a sharp set of chisels is a must sharp enough to shave with will be just right. Sharper is safer! there are loads of great sites on t'interweb.
Like this one!!
Some useful info at woodbin.com
better not to read too much and to actually get your hands on some good wood and get making something.

Ryan

Hi Ryan,

I have done a few things such as a coffee table with drawer and a kids bed with monkey bars so i've gathered a lot of tools already, mostly by trial and error!

I did look up the book you mentioned, but i can't seem to find what exactly is in it. I need a book or books that also cover modern methods such as bolts & metal cross-dowels a la IKEA etc. as well as traditional joints.

Everybody seems to be talking me into buying good chisels (recommendations?), so i will invest in some.

As for wood, it's mostly MDF & bundles of warped/knotty/split crappy pine(?) from B&Q that i have stored. I've not yet worked out how to get good wood at a good price or what sort i should be using. I need to do a lot of materials research i think.

Cheers,
Glenn

 

[justsomegeek]

Hi again Glen, O.K. contrary to what's been said there is a site you might try http://www.instructables.com/ hope this helps...bosshogg

Thanks for that. There's a lot of stuff on there that will help me out, especially on the electronis front. Cheers!

 

[justsomegeek]

Hi Glen,
The best site I found (it can make you a little envious), is the late lamented John Lucas site Woodshop demos (http://www.woodshopdemos.com/menu2.htm).
He looked at a variety of machines from different manufacturers and worked through various projects, choosing the best machines and techniques to use and often highlighting the problems he came across and how he solved them.
Hope that helps, and good luck with your own projects.
Kieran

Thanks Kieran. It looks like making my garage into a dedicated workshop is going to be a lot of fun after looking through some of the ideas on that site!

 

[justsomegeek]

You'd be amazed at what a sharp chisel can do for you and also a sharp plane!

And you'd be amazed at the damage i could cause with a sharp chisel!

No doubt - the only thing adding power does is makes the damage far more quicker and spectacular. I've probably come down the road you are on - "Power tools, Power Tools" bit like a mantra with a disdain of hand tools.

However to turn out nice pieces using appropriate construction techniques requires both power tools and hand tools. I don't believe everything can be done with power tools and it some cases the power tool version doesn't look right. Take for example using a router jig to create M&T joints. Some might disagree - but a thru tenon that's round, doesn't look right.

Power tools have their place - but by their very nature aren't precision tools in most cases.

My 2c worth

Dibs

Hi Dibs,

It's not so much a disdain for hand tools, it's mostly because i can't physically hold them for long or firmly enough. Most of the methods i use involve clamping or resting materials on a work surface and guiding the machine to do the work for me. I think this has influenced a lot of the design of things i make.

 

[Dibs-h]

Ah - that makes things somewhat different.

 

[urbanarcher]

hi well i think the chisels may be difficult with the problems you have with gripping things, or maybe you will learn to be very skilled using a mallet correctly unlike myself who tries to push the chisels with just brute force and ignorance! :roll: either way they will need to be sharp. Anyway in that book it sort of covers the fundamentals of furniture making from what wood is, to how to finish the piece and even basic repairs. it is an old one but good maybe some will have some other suggestions on reading. Anyone?

Wood is expensive tho so when you find out where to get it cheap let me know! oh and yes i do have a chainsaw but that's a lot of work!. (not to mention a little risky!) all i know is i go to one guy at a local timber yard at the moment and the wood he has seems reasonable and average prices but he's close so saves too much hassle.
The only thing I'm using mdf for is bench tops and things (jigs etc) to make things out of hardwood!

 

[justsomegeek]

Hi Urbanarcher,

It does make it a bit awkward not having the level of control i'd like, but when i've used chisels before, i just place them at the angle i need and rest the centre of the chisel on a piece of doweling and tap the end with a rubber hammer handle. That way i can hold it mostly with the flat of my hand and thumb round the handle. That should give the chisel experts nightmares! lol

I'm sure i've seen rolls of "knobbly" latex tape somewhere which would probably help.

There are a couple of timber merchants fairly local, but to be honest, i feel rather overwhelmed and intimidated going there without knowing exaclty what i am looking for.

I'd ideally like to avoid mdf as much as possible after reading all that i have over the last week, but again, i'm not sure what else there is that will substitute for it.

Thanks for the reply!
Glenn

 

[MickCheese]

Glen

I think you need to go onto YouTube and try to find some episodes of the New Yankee Workshop.

There you will find Norm and a multitude of ways of using a brad gun and table saw. But it will give you some ideas of how pieces are actually made.

You would be better off trying to learn how wood is jointed rather than trying to find a joint your power tool will make.

Mick