Drill press

[lilsparky]

Brand new baby wood worker and scroll sawer. I love this forum. Everyone has been so helpful with the couple of questions I've posed and I've learned so much from reading all the posts.

Just started woodworking in the spring and have been gradually adding to my tool collection. Had questions for you about planers, and finally sprung for one (haven't played with it yet, had to build a stand, can't wait to use it!!)

This is a no-brainer for all you seasoned folks, but just got a drill press. Mini drill press actually, got it for $60 at one of those truckload tool sales. OK, so it's littler, and won't be able to do things wider than 4" into the wood, but it will do for almost everything I plan to do short term. I can't believe how easy it is to use!! It's really going to change alot of things for me.

I can sand with it, too, right?

Who knew you could get so excited over power tools? I read all the time about guys having to explain their latest purchase and sneaking things into the workshop past their wives. I'm a girl for gosh sakes!!! It's the other way around for us. I pretty much buy first explain later. Boy, you can get real good with the rationalizations!! Not fussing about guns and hunting toys purchases over the years is really paying off.

Thanks again. Someday soon I'll actually complete a project to show you. Been having a ton of fun practicing.

Next question, do you really think I need a table saw? I've stayed away from that purchase for fear of fingers. Hmmmm.... maybe if I found someone to help me build a good crosscut sled?

[Mick Walker]

lilsparky, depends on what you want to cut, if you just want to cut thin wood or plywood for scrolling you can do that with a skilsaw and a straight edge. I have a 50" Tru Grip clamp N' guide that I can cut a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood with using the skilsaw. You can also use the clamp and a router to cut rabbets, etc.

[greatdane2]

I have my small drill press set up beside my scrollsaw. It would not reach into the center of wood with the 4" reach that it had. So I took the metal pipe that is the upright part of the press and cut it shorter. The drill press is now bolted to a piece of 3/4" with a 2x2 along the outer sides. So now I can drill into the center of just about anything I want to. A $10. hacksaw and 5 minutes will take care of the pipe.

Alan.

[greatdane2]

One other note about these small drillpress units. They have a very small motor around 1/10 hp. I found it would not work when the temp dropped in my shop before heat was added. The belt would get stiff and not turn. I used to keep the belt in the house and keep it warm. The belt can be fairly loose and easy to remove/install as the bitts we use are so small.

Alan.

[lucky788scroller]

A tablesaw is a wonderful tool, one I really use a lot. When making fretwork clocks, its nice for squaring the parts , ripping the wood to the right size, ect. Also, its handy for beveling parts, cutting dados, rabbets, and a bazillion other uses. Just do your research, a good tablesaw will cost a lot more than the drillpress. Congrats on gettin another new tool!

[skeeter]

I use a dremel on a router attachment and hang it near the saw, that way if I forget a hole I can grab it and punch it.

[jim_mex]

I'd definitely put a tablesaw into my essential tools list but this doesnt necessarily mean spending loads of money if you only want to use one occasionally as a hobbyist carpenter.

I bought a very cheap Ryobi model from Home Depot for around 200 dolllars which is meant to stand on a flimsy support frame. I quickly realised I wanted something which would be more substantive and enable me to handle larger pieces of wood and after browsing the internet and sifting through plans for various table saw work benches I eventually came across a book by Danny Proulx called "Building Woodshop Workstations" and copied his idea of sinking the saw into a purpose built mobile workstation.

see photo here, shot today after doing some ripping outside
http://jmossmx.com/ss_imgs/tablesaw.jpg

The foto is a bit cramped as my concrete pad is also small but i can assure you i don't use the saw to cut the lemons from the tree.
Don't take too much notice of the poor fitting doors etc - the frame twisted due to poor clamping - another lesson learnt. Important si the table top should be perfectly flat and leveled to the table saw worktop. Construction is largely from MDF and not difficult to build.

This made an incredible difference to my workshop as I have a very work small area (approx 10 ft long by 7 1/2ft wide at the entrance end (full width door) and 6ft wide at the other end). When I need to work on sheet timber I easily pull the table onto a small concrete pad next to shop and get to work. I can cross cut in the workshop for all but the largest/widest boards by having the table running parallel to the workshop wall.For ripping large boards I simply turn the table perpendicular to my shop wall and open the wide entrance door and feed the timber from outside!

In the same book there is also a very neat setup for a small bench press fixed to the shop wall which is worth a look and something I intend to build.

As you are starting up in woodworking I highly recommend you get this book. If its not in your local library you can buy it for about 25 dollars. It has saved me a fortune and completely revolutionized how I work as a part-time woodworker with budget end tools and limited space.

Hard to believe but in my small workspace I have a table saw, a router table and storage cabinet, a sanding table and storage unit, a scrollsaw and a general purpose table for assembly work where I also stand my drill press, and I still have space for a small bandsaw! All the units are mobile with lockable wheels for feet and as I work I just shunt them around to suit what I am doing or if i really need space I shunt them outside.

Naturally like most enthusiasts I'd like a much bigger shop and more professional machinery but for the moment and for my needs I get by fine.

Ref the crosscut sledge, if you need a design just shout - I have a very simple one but have literally loads of plans for different types for you to plough through.

Happy woodworking
Jim

[Gill]

If space is a problem for accommodating a table saw, perhaps a guide rail system such as the EZSmart might be the answer? Never tried it myself and there are alternatives on the market, but it does seem to have a following.

In fact, the same can be achieved with a circular saw, a straight edge and a couple of saw horses!

Gill

[Wood Dog]

Lilsparky if you haven't used the planner yet be advised about a big mess. Consider safety glasses, hearing protection, and mask. I love mine purchased this year, but its an outside only use for me. I only have a shop vac dust collection system and don't like wading through big piles of sawdust. Read the directions carefully and follow all the safety rules.
Table saw is a good idea in my opinion. Post some pictures of your projects, shop, shop pet etc. We love pictures here, gives food for thought. Have fun.

[greatdane2]

Jim hit some real important points. the first is research, and by that I mean what are you going to do with wood. There are a ton of wood working tools out there to do anything with wood. and most range in price from cheap to thousands of dollars. I try to make do with what I have until I am sure that a new tool will be worth having. Then the choice of how good do I buy.
For example I have 3 band saws. The 9" gets used to chop stuff down for scrolling and was around $160. The 14" is a good one as that does get a lot of use. The 18" is used to resaw wood into boards and will not get much use so with a 3hp/220 voltmotor at $1700. it is an import cheapy.
As for a table saw, if you are just doing fret work and the table saw is to cut the wood down to size, getting a lumber yard to do the cutting at 50cents a cut might be better.
A 5x5 ft sheet of BB ply would take 8 cuts to produce 25 pieces 12" square. Or 4 cuts to make 5 strips 12" wide and cut the strips down with the scroll saw.
If you do buy a small table saw, it would be wise to bolt it to a piece of plywood so you can clamp it down to a table top.
Jim mentioned wheels, all my large tools are on wheels. Pushing a sheet of plywood threw a machine takes 16 feet of room. Boards are the same problem. You can see shops in magazines where every tool is set up and bolted to the floor. But I don't know anybody that has a dedicated wood shop. Mine has camping gear, lawn mower etc.
As long as you buy the right size wheels the tools are easy to move. I tend to put multiple tools on mobile platforms.

Did you notice how we each have an opinion on how to spend your money.
Fine Woodworking Magazine is a bit highbrow for me but the sell a series of books that are made up of 25 years of best tips. The one on "Workshop" is full of workshop solutions on making jigs and tools, and how to do things in the shop. It is my most read book. One of the others in that series is called "Tablesaw" and is full of great ideas of what you can do with a tablesaw. They sell for $20. each and are the best books I have seen on getting the most from your tools.

Alan.