Woodworking equipment advice

Gringo185

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Wanting to get into woodworking as a hobby and need some advice on equipment. Going to start with projects like picture frames, chess boards, stools and stuff like that but would ultimately like to get into bigger stuff like furniture and cabinets.

What brands should I be looking into? I don’t mind spending a little more on a piece of equipment that will last (for instance spending $200 on a DeWalt miter saw as opposed to $150 for a Kobalt). Bosch? Porter Cable? DeWalt?

Also, what equipment should I be looking to start with? I had miter saw, table saw, router, and planer on my list.

Any input would be appreciated.
 

patc84

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i use ryobi for house/hobby stuff. As far as what to get, get a starter kit along with a router and miter.
 

BigPoppa

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It's addicting.

My first engineering job was working for a cabinet company that was a division of Masco.

If you want "the best", you'll be buying industrial equipment like Timesavers, etc., but the cost of that stuff is outrageous for the hobbyist. Not to mention, most all of it is 480v, 240delta, etc.

You'll be shopping at Rockler for everything before you know it.

For hobbyist equipment, Delta is a great brand, but stuff like Kobalt, DeWalt, etc., are all usually good brands.

I still love to piddle around with it once in awhile.
 

Saleen498

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For the hobbyist I'd start with a Porter and cable router 1/2" collet, with a 1/4" adapter. Dewalt or Milwaukee for anything cordless like drills and whatnot. Kreg makes a nice pocket hole setup, delta unisaw with a 52" fence, the 3hp motor is enough for home projects. Dewalt compound sliding miter saw always worked for me, porter and cable for a belt sander. I found the 4" version too big for most projects so stick with the 3x21 I believe it is. Not sure who makes the best d/a sander now but definitely go with air powered. Its definitely a rewarding hobby.

and Jeffrey Epstein didn't kill himself.
 

venmos1

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i bought a band saw from harbor freight. was around $140. works great for making wooden fishing swimbaits.
 

Gringo185

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It's addicting.

My first engineering job was working for a cabinet company that was a division of Masco.

If you want "the best", you'll be buying industrial equipment like Timesavers, etc., but the cost of that stuff is outrageous for the hobbyist. Not to mention, most all of it is 480v, 240delta, etc.

You'll be shopping at Rockler for everything before you know it.

For hobbyist equipment, Delta is a great brand, but stuff like Kobalt, DeWalt, etc., are all usually good brands.

I still love to piddle around with it once in awhile.

Definitely not looking for “the best.” Just some brands that I can buy as an entry level woodworker that with grow with my skills and not break after a month.
 

lOOKnGO

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It depends if you have the sq. Footage for space. The table saw is the most important, especially if you are working with milled lumber. 240v is a neccessary. Along with extension rail and fence, to handle a full sheet of plywood. I use a powermatic. It is a wonderful machine. Grizzly has some good stuff too. Craigslist is an excellent source for used equipment. As far as miter saws , if you are going to have a shop, it is best to use a radial arm saw. I have a black&decker dewalt commercial in my construction trailer that is priceless in quality and function. So many more uses then a miter saw. Hitachi is hands down the best miter saw, in quality.
 

Gringo185

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I’ve got a 3 car garage and we park the vehicles in the driveway. So space isn’t an issue. And I’ve got an electric dryer in the garage that I only use for my fire gear. So when I’m not washing work clothes, I’m sure I could borrow the outlet.

Any opinions on the Shopsmith? Is it as gimmicky as I fear it is (something that does everything ok but nothing really well)? Or a legit tool that does it all?
 
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buffalosoldier

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Radial arm saws are not a popular as they were years ago but they are very versatile. If you are getting a mitre saw I recommend a 12" compound, I have a Dewalt, the 10" will do small stuff but I really like the 12"
I would like a better table saw, mine is a used 10" craftsman I bought for $100, it has the extensions. A Band saw can be bought cheap be sure you try it out first. And a dust collector.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

tistan

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For a home shop with enough room, I'd buy a cabinet saw with a 50" fence system and learn to use it. I rarely use a miter saw when I'm working at home, I cut everything on the table saw. I feel a lot more confident on not loosing a finger when working on a stable surface than on a cheap little wobbly portable table saw. You can find a used one for $1k. Get a good orbital sander.

Just a quick local craigslist search
$600
Delta Table Saw - tools - by owner - sale
 

Machdup1

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Go on Craigslist and find Delta or Powermatic equipment. Negotiate them way down in price. Then fix anything that needs fixing.

Buy the biggest, heaviest pieces of equipment you can afford. Get a Table saw, jointer, drill press, planer, lathe, claps and a dust collection system.

If you don’t have a space to put all of that equipment find another hobby.
 

Lambeau

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IMHO: First build a heavy, solid, (2x6/4x4) workbench with a tempered Masonite top. That way you'll be able to replace the top anytime in the future. Nothing more frustrating than a light, shakey workbench. I've had mine for +25 years.

Most my powered hand tools are Bosch. Most are new within the last 20 years.
I love my 12" compound Gliding Miter Saw:
Bosch 15 Amp 12 in. Corded Dual-Bevel Sliding Glide Miter Saw with 60 Tooth Saw Blade-GCM12SD - The Home Depot

Bosch Portable Folding Gravity Rise Miter Saw Stand with Wheels-T4B - The Home Depot

I have old Craftsman table saw, drill press, vise, band saw, new DeWalt planer, new Jet Dust Collector.

Good luck.
 

03cobra#694

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Interesting y’all mentioned the Delta. My dad gave me his old ass Delta table saw. I never knew it was a descent brand. Thing works great. It’s a 10”. I’ve done a ton of flooring in my house with that thing.
 

HuntFishCobra

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The delta and craftsman table saws are for sure the way to go. I have a craftsman belt drive that’s a beast. I have the dewalt miter saw, 12” sliding compound etc got it on sale at Home Depot and couldn’t pass up the deal. I really need a dust collector before I keep doing more stuff. And a router... I have too many damn hobbies
 

tistan

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Interesting y’all mentioned the Delta. My dad gave me his old ass Delta table saw. I never knew it was a descent brand. Thing works great. It’s a 10”. I’ve done a ton of flooring in my house with that thing.
For the most part, Delta stuff you get on the shelves at Home Depot is junk. Their heavy duty stuff is good shop stuff is good.
 

08mojo

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For the beginner projects you described (and assuming you have basic power tools), you will want:

  • Table saw (go big here, you don't want to buy twice)
  • Router (I'd also build a table for the router with the nice table saw you bought, be ready to spend more on the router bits than the router)
  • Brad nailer (cordless ones are nice these days)

As you get more into the hobby:
  • drill press
  • band saw
  • planar

From there, you'll know what to buy.
 

tistan

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For the beginner projects you described (and assuming you have basic power tools), you will want:

  • Table saw (go big here, you don't want to buy twice)
  • Router (I'd also build a table for the router with the nice table saw you bought, be ready to spend more on the router bits than the router)
  • Brad nailer (cordless ones are nice these days)

As you get more into the hobby:
  • drill press
  • band saw
  • planar

From there, you'll know what to buy.
You don't want cordless nailers for any kind of intricate wood work. You have to push too hard to make them accurate. Get a good air brad gun and over ride the safety.
 

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