Review of woodworking (power) tools available in the UK on UKWorkshop

[gyuunyuu]

I find that many of woodworking tool brands are based in USA and even sell their wares only in the USA with few or none sold outside. So basically, there is less variety of tools in the UK. But that is not exactly a problem, maybe that is a good thing.

What would be great is that, this forum and maybe together with a youtube channel, do reviews of the latest power tools e.g table saw, track saw, mitre saw, router table e.t.c along with thier accesories, as well as hand tools e.g chisel, clamps, measurement and marking tools e.t.c. It is always quite a trouble to decide what to buy since many tools used by woodworkers on youtube are not available in the UK. Also, anyone that is new to woodoworking will not know what to buy also since the budget is not going to be 1000s of £s so can't buy the high end quality stuff.

Maybe this is already done on this forum and I have missed it?

 

[Sideways]

I think I disagree with several of your points but the USA does have a much bigger population than UK and many more youtubers posting their opinions about all sorts. How much of that is worth listening to is another question.

Big budget or small, taking up any hobby involves investing time to learn and figuring out who to listen to.

What are you wanting to make ?
What tools are you interested in (first) ?
Maybe the members can give you some pointers towards suitable tools that are available here and channels that are actually worth watching

Along the way, you may also realise that there are USA tools that are actually just the same products that are sold here but under different names. A great example is Grizzly machine tools. You won't see that big American brand in the UK but you will see the same machines from the same Chinese factory under other labels.

 

[Jacob]

If in doubt buy the cheapest.

 

[Spectric]

I thought that some of the more well known names like Porter cable are now part of Dewalt and that America just like the Uk is buying more asian products just rebadged for that market as @Sideways has said. The big difference is that in America you can buy brands like Jessem and Incra for a lot less money and someone who could provide more detail on the brands is @MikeK .

 

[gyuunyuu]

I am looking for a router table. I got table saw recently. Also, I am looking for some place in the UK where they give a lot of lessons on woodworking.

So what do I want to make: Boxes, big and small, with and without lids. Chest of drawers. Desks for use with computer that also contain drawers. Dining table that can be extended. Floating shelves. Book shelves. Wardrobes with drawers. Build in storage in my house that is connected to walls, with and without shelves. Convert the area under the stairs into storage with doors and shelves. Side tables for the bedrooms. There are a few other things but you get the idea. None of this needs to be done as an emergency.

 

[gyuunyuu]

If in doubt buy the cheapest.

I am an electronic engineer myself. I understand that cheapest is never the right way to go.

Your avatar indicates that you like crusaders or maybe metal working along with woodworking?

 

[mc281]

I find that many of woodworking tool brands are based in USA and even sell their wares only in the USA with few or none sold outside. So basically, there is less variety of tools in the UK. But that is not exactly a problem, maybe that is a good thing.

What would be great is that, this forum and maybe together with a youtube channel, do reviews of the latest power tools e.g table saw, track saw, mitre saw, router table e.t.c along with thier accesories, as well as hand tools e.g chisel, clamps, measurement and marking tools e.t.c. It is always quite a trouble to decide what to buy since many tools used by woodworkers on youtube are not available in the UK. Also, anyone that is new to woodoworking will not know what to buy also since the budget is not going to be 1000s of £s so can't buy the high end quality stuff.

Maybe this is already done on this forum and I have missed it?

Watch Peter Millard on YT.

 

[johnnyb]

To be honest woodwork can be a really hard hobby to do. It's expensive, potentially dangerous, uses tons of space, technically hard, hand tools only can be hard graft to. A stained glass artist told me that hobby is becoming to expensive(i thought that's cheap!)

 

[Jacob]

I am an electronic engineer myself. I understand that cheapest is never the right way to go.

Often works out OK, especially as there is so much pressure to buy expensive stuff which nobody needs.

Your avatar indicates that you like crusaders or maybe metal working along with woodworking?

If you look closely the crusader is holding a plastic push-stick. Somebody kindly photoshopped it together, in reference to my obsession with safety!

 

[Spectric]

in reference to my obsession with safety!

Nothing wrong with being safety concious, if it was top of everyones agender rather than just getting the job done then we would not see the number of accidents that happen.

I am looking for a router table.

Don't just think "router table" as we all seem to do but also look into spindle moulders and there is a good write up about them here:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/spindle-moulders.146698/