What tools should I avoid--to avoid developing bad habits?

[Matt Lau]

After a few years of reading threads, it seems like there's some tools that the old timers recommend against (except for very specialized circumstances, like having parkinson's or motor control issues):
- dovetail guides
- jointer plane perpendicular fence.

I'm pretty sure there's others...

Do you guys still feel that way? Are there other tools that I should avoid, so that I can develop proper technique?

-Matt

ps. FWIW, I'm making some Barron dovetail guides. The wood has sat in my workshop for about 6 years, and I figure that it'd make a nice present...if nothing else, really good dovetail markers.

[mike holden]

Tools to avoid -No such thing!
There are different ways of doing things, and thats what makes this hobby interesting.
The only things to avoid involve issues of safety - wear eye protection, use splitters and push sticks, etc.
beyond that - have fun! try different things, find what works for YOU.

and times change, I have more dovetail markers than I care to admit, but once I became comfortable cutting dovetails, I no longer use any of them. Like Frank Klaus, I eyball em. Just one example.

Quit worrying about what others might think and make something, then you can speak with authority having been there and done that.

[bridger berdel]

avoid sharpening with waterstones. that way lies madness.






......slinks off to watch the mayhem.....

[Matt Lau]

Ha!

I was going to say sharpening guides--but then, I use them. For smaller chisels, the Kell guide is pretty useful. For serious reprofiling of a plane blade, I use an eclipse guide (like for new Mujingfang blades).

However, I see merit in sharpening by hand mostly...especially if you're working with nice Japanese tools. The soft steel backing and large primary bevel make it a dream to sharpen.

[Pat Barry]

I would be cautious with regard to what the old timers say. They have gone through a learning curve and likely don't remember things from that learning path all that well. They can spout off about "the right way ", but they don't remember what they forgot, and those forgotten things are exactly what you need to learn.

[andy bessette]

Avoid using a Kreg pocket hole jig if you ever expect to learn real joinery. :)

[Doug Hepler]

matt:

Mike is right. Use what works for you at the time. I'm an old timer and I still use both of the examples you mentioned. Jigs and guides and fences may often be the key to excellent work. And, they are actually as much training wheels as crutches, if you get my metaphor.

Bridger -- put on your raincoat

Pat --I beg your pardon? I remember my learning curve very well -- what were we talking about?

Andy -- you found an exception (IMO) to Mike's Rule. But even then, maybe, once in a while.

Doug

[Jim Koepke]

Everything to follow is nothing more than my opinion.

Avoid having every different brand of plane there is. All but a very few of my planes are Stanley/Bailey models. The parts are mostly interchangeable.

Avoid some of the lesser off brand planes like Shelton or some of the others with a stamped frog.

Of course if one is using Japanese style planes that is a whole different story.

This also leads me to purchase tools well known from vendors like Lie-Nielsen, Lee Valley and others instead of anonymous sources on Amazon. If you lose a screw from an LV or LN product you are not likely going to have a problem getting a replacement. Someone selling things imported from Bangladesh might have trouble getting you a replacement, especially if they disappear when their supply is all sold.

There are some good brands that were actually made by quality makers, but some of them only have a similar shape to a working tool.

Avoid tools you haven't researched. There is nothing like getting Combination Plane Fever for a Stanley #45 on ebay to only find out it is missing a critical part that isn't available.

To me some of my favorite posts are others asking about a particular tool or even a tool maker. Some of those posts have given me the confidence to purchase from people like Ron Bontz. The satisfaction people have expressed with the Gramercy Saw Vise helped me decide to order one to replace my other saw vises that leave a bit to be desired. It hasn't been set up yet.

So on that my advice might be to spring for the Gramercy Saw Vise if you can or do not purchase a saw vise you can not inspect to make sure the saw is held securely.

If there is a voice in your head saying, "this isn't what you really want" and another voice saying, "it will do for now." Listen to the one that says, "it isn't what you want". Buyers remorse is not a healthy nor a satisfying feeling.

jtk

[John C Cox]

I think the biggest thing that will help avoid bad habits is to learn to do things "right" from the get go. It is far more difficult to unlearn a bad habit or ineffective method than it is to learn how to do a thing right in the first place.

As such - I don't think a tool or a jig is the culprit....

The only specific tool suggestion is: Don't use dull tools... Sharpen them up and maintain the correct geometry... Sharp fixes most things....

[Jeff Ranck]

My first thought is that you should avoid all tools. First you start out with a plane or two. Then before you know it you have 50. Then it is on to saws and hammers. Before long, you look for ways to sneak out to swap meets, browse auction sites late at night when everyone is asleep, and start hiding the extra tools you acquire in places no one will think to look. It is indeed a slippery slope.

Jeff.

[Steve Voigt]

.

Are there other tools that I should avoid, so that I can develop proper technique?



Yes. Avoid anything that's capable of connecting to the Internet. Then you'll be fine. :p

[Joe A Faulkner]

Probably not what you expected, but one tool to avoid is Credit Card debt. Its fine to use plastic for tool purchases if you can pay off the balance at the end of the month, but if you can't, then keep the credit card in your wallet and save up until you can truly afford the tool.

[Patrick Chase]

avoid sharpening with waterstones. That way lies madness.

The archduke has been shot!

[Patrick Chase]

Yes. Avoid anything that's capable of connecting to the Internet. Then you'll be fine. :p

I think to think of it as "The Internet of Things That Should Not Be On The Internet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_things)"

[bridger berdel]

Bridger -- put on your raincoat


Doug


Bulletproof, fireproof, rustproof raincoat......

[andy bessette]

Avoid any tool which is advertised on late-night TV as being one that "every homeowner should have."

[bridger berdel]

What not to buy to avoid bad habits:

Buy function over bling.
Old tools will teach you tool maintenance- as long as they aren't too far gone to recover.
Set yourself up a sharpening kit that works for as many of your tools as possible with the minimum number of parts. Get proficient with it and use it often.
Avoid One size fits all, multipurpose gizmos.
Think about your shop organization often and implement it continuously.

[Rob Luter]

Avoid the stuff from Lie-Nielsen. Using it promotes the habit of buying more, which promotes using it more, which promotes the habit of buying more, etc. It's a slippery slope (but a fun slope).

[Jim Koepke]

I think the biggest thing that will help avoid bad habits is to learn to do things "right" from the get go. It is far more difficult to unlearn a bad habit or ineffective method than it is to learn how to do a thing right in the first place.

It may be difficult to unlearn a bad habit, ask anyone who has stopped using tobacco, yet learning a new 'trick' can dispose of inferior techniques.

A fear of doing something wrong may compel some in to never starting.

jtk

[Andrey Kharitonkin]

Avoid the stuff from Lie-Nielsen. Using it promotes the habit of buying more, which promotes using it more, which promotes the habit of buying more, etc. It's a slippery slope (but a fun slope).

In my not so long experience, it becomes less slippery and less sloppy after first $5000 spent... and then after next $5000 you come to a point where you have to wait for a new interesting model to be released to spend any at all. In my case it went for Veritas, but the same concept applies. Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

I know (also from a recent thread) that I should master sawing and edge jointing sooner than later... but saw guides and jointing by shooting with bench plane lying on its side on my bench is so convenient and gives consistently so excellent results that I feel like I'm addicted to them.

I would avoid power tools at first. Hand tools give better connection with the wood and understanding what it likes and not. I mean power tools with cutting edge. Lathe or cordless drill is fine.

[Jim Koepke]

I know (also from a recent thread) that I should master sawing and edge jointing sooner than later... but saw guides and jointing by shooting with bench plane lying on its side on my bench is so convenient and gives consistently so excellent results that I feel like I'm addicted to them.

The best saw guide is your hands and eyes, they just need training.

jtk

[Charlie Hinton]

Probably not what you expected, but one tool to avoid is Credit Card debt. Its fine to use plastic for tool purchases if you can pay off the balance at the end of the month, but if you can't, then keep the credit card in your wallet and save up until you can truly afford the tool.

This ^^^^^^^^
I completely agree, and tools are not only thing this applies to.
Save up the money before making the purchase, you may find that you don't really want/need the gizmo as much as you thought after you have the $$$ in your hand.

[Prashun Patel]

This is a broad question. Instead of blacklisting a particular tool or jig in your head, I advise a more general philosophy:

Avoid purchases that discourage long-term skill development. This is especially true of jigs. Many offer short term benefit only to prevent long term muscle memory that can actually make you more efficient and flexible in the long term.

Respect historical designs, and take time to understand and use them in the way they were intended, but don't dismiss new variations that offer improvements in material or ergonomics. Our forefathers are experienced, but had limited technology.

[michael langman]

This is a little off from your posts question, but may still apply.
Whenever you see something that is supposed to help you do something better, or quicker: instead of buying it, make it yourself.
There are no tools that are bad for everyone. We are all different in many ways. But self reliance is the key to becoming a true craftsman.

[Jim Koepke]

Save up the money before making the purchase, you may find that you don't really want/need the gizmo as much as you thought after you have the $$$ in your hand.

A few years ago when money was a bit tighter, my way of saving was to purchase old tools and rehabilitate them and set them on a shelf. Many were bought at prices low enough to sell them on ebay for a profit. When the tool bank was full enough to purchase my heart's desire, they would all be listed to raise the money.

Now as our financial situation is better this isn't as necessary to raise money for desired purchases.

What Charlie says above applies to one item that has been on my wish list for a while, a pattern makers vise. Now that it is within my ability to splurge on such it makes me wonder if it is really needed. Would it help me do anything better than what can be done with what is already at my disposal? Would it lead me to new endeavors?

Even though it could be ordered today, my thoughts are cause for hesitation, wondering if it is something that would be used or a purchase that would go down as a gutter ball on the lane of regret.

jtk

[James Pallas]

Don't buy tools or anything for that matter that doesn't fit your work or lifestyle. Don't buy a doweling jig to use once or a crock pot if you don't cook with one. I would suggest some thoughts like this, if you saw good straight and plumb and own a shooting board you may not use a miter box. If you saw lots of picture frames then a miter box may be what you need. Sometimes it is worth it to buy a tool to use for one big project like building a work bench. Don't put it on the shelf never to use it again, sell it. There are some tools I just rent for one job. If you buy power tools use them once and then try to sell three years later there will be new models and in most cases yours will be worth less. I think it would be okay to own something like a dovetail jig if you only cut them every 6 months but if your doing them every week learn how to saw to the line.
Jim

[Matt Lau]

This thread has totally morphed into something different than I envisioned....and I like it. ;P

It'd definitely interesting to see the thoughts here.
I will add a few caveats:

1. For some specialized jigs/vises, I try to calculate how much time will go into making it vs the cost of my time.
For instance, I'll be inlaying about 5 rosettes in the near period. I needed a rosette/circle cutter. While I could probably make some (and I spent a few years designing it) or a popsicle stick and scalpel, I found a guy on etsy that makes something that I'd consider pretty much ideal (and far nicer than I'd ever make)...like jewelry.
I've been looking into buying a patternmaker vise...then looked at the price of StewMac's vise...and the cost of what I'd want to use (Ebony, cocobolo, cast iron handwheels, acme screws, etc). I'll probably buy it.

2. For ply wood, I think that a good tablesaw/tracksaw are very helpfful. Same for a router.
I'd feel bad to use a nice Disston or a handmade Japanese saw on MDF.

[Curt Putnam]

My advice is to learn to gauge rather than measure. Gauging is much more precise and accurate than pencil lines. YMWV & JMO

[Todd Stock]

Wanted, but not needed. New stuff before you've wrung the juice out of the old stuff. Collecting, versus using.

[Jim Koepke]

Another thought, beware of buying a tool you are already considering upgrading.

One more, unless you know you can get parts beware of buying a tool missing parts.

jtk

[Christopher Charles]

384130
Bad habit? Jury's out...

[Derek Cohen]

Jigs are not the enemy. There's a difference between using a jig because you do not want to take the time to learn a skill (e.g. dovetail guide), using a jig because the cut you need to make requires extraordinary consistency (e.g paring a mitre to fit a mitre), and using a jig because it will save production time.

Oh yeah ... don't buy anything made by Steve Voigt ... it just can't be good :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Robert Engel]

Save those jigs.

Then when you find the one you made for the same thing 5 years ago you'll have two!!

If, for example, you hand cut DT's once a year and, then maybe a saw guide is a good thing. But, as Derek said, if you're goal is to master skills, then guides, etc are really just a crutch, aren't they?

[Jim Koepke]

But, as Derek said, if you're goal is to master skills, then guides, etc are really just a crutch, aren't they?

At least one case of using a guide is open to debate. Most of the time my sharpening is done freehand. When a bevel needs to be reestablished without using powered equipment, a guide can speed things up. Otherwise to touch up an edge, it is quicker to do it freehand than to get out a guide and set it up.

jtk

[kent wardecke]

Everything to follow is nothing more than my opinion.

Avoid having every different brand of plane there is. All but a very few of my planes are Stanley/Bailey models. The parts are mostly interchangeable.

Avoid some of the lesser off brand planes like Shelton or some of the others with a stamped frog.

Of course if one is using Japanese style planes that is a whole different story.

This also leads me to purchase tools well known from vendors like Lie-Nielsen, Lee Valley and others instead of anonymous sources on Amazon. If you lose a screw from an LV or LN product you are not likely going to have a problem getting a replacement. Someone selling things imported from Bangladesh might have trouble getting you a replacement, especially if they disappear when their supply is all sold.

There are some good brands that were actually made by quality makers, but some of them only have a similar shape to a working tool.

Avoid tools you haven't researched. There is nothing like getting Combination Plane Fever for a Stanley #45 on ebay to only find out it is missing a critical part that isn't available.

To me some of my favorite posts are others asking about a particular tool or even a tool maker. Some of those posts have given me the confidence to purchase from people like Ron Bontz. The satisfaction people have expressed with the Gramercy Saw Vise helped me decide to order one to replace my other saw vises that leave a bit to be desired. It hasn't been set up yet.

So on that my advice might be to spring for the Gramercy Saw Vise if you can or do not purchase a saw vise you can not inspect to make sure the saw is held securely.

If there is a voice in your head saying, "this isn't what you really want" and another voice saying, "it will do for now." Listen to the one that says, "it isn't what you want". Buyers remorse is not a healthy nor a satisfying feeling.

jtk

Workmate portable work bench. It will teach you to "get by"instead of using a true functioning work bench

[kent wardecke]

Everything to follow is nothing more than my opinion.

Avoid having every different brand of plane there is. All but a very few of my planes are Stanley/Bailey models. The parts are mostly interchangeable.

Avoid some of the lesser off brand planes like Shelton or some of the others with a stamped frog.

Of course if one is using Japanese style planes that is a whole different story.

This also leads me to purchase tools well known from vendors like Lie-Nielsen, Lee Valley and others instead of anonymous sources on Amazon. If you lose a screw from an LV or LN product you are not likely going to have a problem getting a replacement. Someone selling things imported from Bangladesh might have trouble getting you a replacement, especially if they disappear when their supply is all sold.

There are some good brands that were actually made by quality makers, but some of them only have a similar shape to a working tool.

Avoid tools you haven't researched. There is nothing like getting Combination Plane Fever for a Stanley #45 on ebay to only find out it is missing a critical part that isn't available.

To me some of my favorite posts are others asking about a particular tool or even a tool maker. Some of those posts have given me the confidence to purchase from people like Ron Bontz. The satisfaction people have expressed with the Gramercy Saw Vise helped me decide to order one to replace my other saw vises that leave a bit to be desired. It hasn't been set up yet.

So on that my advice might be to spring for the Gramercy Saw Vise if you can or do not purchase a saw vise you can not inspect to make sure the saw is held securely.

If there is a voice in your head saying, "this isn't what you really want" and another voice saying, "it will do for now." Listen to the one that says, "it isn't what you want". Buyers remorse is not a healthy nor a satisfying feeling.

jtk

A Workmate portable bench. You'll learn how to get by rather than learning to use a proper bench as an extension of your hands

[Jim Koepke]

A Workmate portable bench. You'll learn how to get by rather than learning to use a proper bench as an extension of your hands

My first bench was a Workmate portable bench used in a small space. It helped, but it was a PITA. It was responsible for as much frustration as it was for finished projects.

jtk

[John C Cox]

Yes - ironically, making spectacular beautiful masterwork jigs to do a 1 time operation is kinda crazy when you think about it... Because it may take far more time and money to buy or make the jig than the thing you are doing...

But other times - you are crazy not to make some sort of jig to do a task.. For example - if your hand tool skills are good enough to completely freehand a guitar rosette - you are a better man than I and have my enduring admiration.... In my experience - a circle cutting jig of some sort is more or less mandatory.. Now - do you go spend $400 or 6 weeks in the workshop on that jig for a 1 time use? No, that's crazy... You can make one out of a popsicle stick, a straight pin, and an exacto knife blade or drill holes in a $1 piece of lexan for a router jig..

Thanks

[John Sanford]

Avoid using the credit card tool to buy tools that you don't need to make a living or save a life.

[Charlie Hinton]

A Workmate portable bench. You'll learn how to get by rather than learning to use a proper bench as an extension of your hands

I agree, and yet I still have mine sitting folded behind the bandsaw just waiting for its next opportunity to lend a squeezing hand.....LOL

[Stanley Covington]

Avoid any tool sold at a Department Store or Big Box Retailer, especially if it is made in China.

This rule will help you avoid developing the following 2 Bad Habits.

Bad Habit Number 1: Wasting hard-earned money on reasonably-priced, attractively designed tools that are packaged and displayed with style, incorporate obviously clever improvements, but are junk the minute they are out of the packaging.

Bad Habit Number 2: Throwing tools in the garbage (see Bad Habit Number 1 above).

[john jesseph]

It's a beautiful thing- your hobby, your choice. What's your goal? If you are trying to make nice things, and your sense of satisfaction is from completed projects, I would suggest avoiding duplicates​.

[Jim Koepke]

It's a beautiful thing- your hobby, your choice. What's your goal? If you are trying to make nice things, and your sense of satisfaction is from completed projects, I would suggest avoiding duplicates​.

Where were you with these words of wisdom about 20 years ago?

Some of my duplicates have duplicates.

jtk

[john jesseph]

I was busy acquiring duplicates.

[Matt Lau]

Good tips, everybody!

My only deviation is that I quite like my limited mijingfang planes.
The HK trim and high angle polisher work great once tuned...particularly on dubious stuff that scares me....like baltic birch plywood or mdf.

If I was using a white steel kanna from a good smith, I would cringe/cry with every stroke.

[Justin Ludwig]

Avoid any tool sold at a Department Store or Big Box Retailer, especially if it is made in China.

This rule will help you avoid developing the following 2 Bad Habits.

Bad Habit Number 1: Wasting hard-earned money on reasonably-priced, attractively designed tools that are packaged and displayed with style, incorporate obviously clever improvements, but are junk the minute they are out of the packaging.

Bad Habit Number 2: Throwing tools in the garbage (see Bad Habit Number 1 above).

Caveat to buying the cheap BORG tools... Those tools can be made to work, and work quite well. I bought THIS (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-6-25-in-Adjustable-Block-Plane/4777021)$15 block plane. Out of the plastic packaging it is definitely a sub-par plane by every conceivable means. The sole was out, every edge on every component (stamped and cast) was rough, the blade was dull and not square, the mouth... I can go on. I also bought THIS (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-Source-23-Piece-File-Set/4777065) file set. So now I'm $40 committed to one of two things: 1) a cheap lesson in futility. 2) A learning experience in rehabbing a plane with cheap files. I am now the proud owner of a cheap block plane that will take .002 shavings on a variety of woods. I have about 1.5hrs of hand work in it. Like most of my tools, it's another "ugly betty" that works quite well.

So the day that I happen to come across an old plane that needs a little TLC, I'll be ready.

I happened across Young Je's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2t4TIhJWPg&t=335s) video of tuning a brand new Kobalt block plane. That is what prompted me to take the chance.

[Stanley Covington]

Matt:

If you have not read this post by Mr. Schwarz in his Popular Woodworking Blog, you should.

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/the-6-stages-of-tool-love-hate-obsession

The Six Stages. Sounds kinda like gum cancer....

[john jesseph]

Two words: opportunity cost.

[Phil Mueller]

We often talk about jigs or guides as a crutch, yet we use them all the time. It just seems certain ones are looked down upon. If you argue jigs are nothing more than a resistance to learning “free hand” woodworking, then I would suggest you throw away your straight edges, squares, marking guages, grinder tool rests, french curves, saw sharpening file guides and everything else that is beyond hand and eye. Derek’s point is well taken. If you want to learn the skill, do it. If not, use a jig or guide until at some point maybe you do. I don’t believe in the notion that you need to be able to have a certain predetermined set of skills to be considered a good woodworker.

[Jake Rothermel]

Not to potentially resurrect a dead thread (what's considered "too long" to add your two cents on a thread around here, anyways....?) but I cannot stress and agree more with Joe Faulkner, Charlie Hinton, and others, here:

DO NOT GO INTO DEBT FOR YOUR HOBBY (or hobbies). Pay *cash for all your tools. If you don't have the cash on hand, then save your pennies until you can. Even if you do make money off of your work, try VERY HARD not to purchase beyond your means (admittedly, that's harder to do, but...).

The sheer number of tools I *thought* I needed that, as I saved up for them, realized I didn't (or figured out how to make due with a different/cheaper/other version, etc.) is greater than the tools I *do* own. It's helped make me more inventive/imaginative craftsman AND very confident in the tools that I *have* purchased; I don't own many, if any, tools I regret spending my hard-earned dollars on.

Best advice I ever got that I couldn't not pass on. It's been a wallet- (and, frankly, relationship-) saver.


*okay, who uses cash anymore...? So, if not with actual cash, then, as someone else pointed out, with plastic you can immediately pay off...


--jake

[Jim Koepke]

I don't own many, if any, tools I regret spending my hard-earned dollars on.

Best advice I ever got that I couldn't not pass on. It's been a wallet- (and, frankly, relationship-) saver.


*okay, who uses cash anymore...? So, if not with actual cash, then, as someone else pointed out, with plastic you can immediately pay off...

Likewise, not many of my tool purchases end in regret.

Not going into debt for a hobby is an important point with any hobby. One of my ways to save, bank and then spend is to purchase tools as inexpensively as possible, fix them up, hang on to them and then when a new tool is wanted sell off my spares from "Jim's bank of tools" to finance the more expensive tool. The hard part is in not selling a tool here and a tool there. Money tends to get spent if it is in the form of cash.

Speaking of using cash, it can often lead to a lower price in many places. Sometimes even in a nation wide chain store at times. Especially if you spot the manager and ask. One night in a nationally known store one person was spotted doing the "boss work" and my inquiry while he was close to the registers was, "are there any discounts for old farts with cash?" He answered with, "tonight we have an old fart with cash discount of 10%." When doing this is also helps to not do it in a crowd of others who also might try to get in on the discount train.

Also be ready to find this to not always work. In an antique mall where we have occasionally received discounts we couldn't get one a few days ago. All of the items we wanted to purchase were fairly recent additions to the stock. We spent about $70 on four items. One of which was a Griswold frying pan with a top marked $50. It seemed like a good price so what the heck.

The price check on ebay when we got home proved me right:

386047

Another item was something we have been looking for since the 1980s. A friend gave us a large three tined fork, about 2' long and 3" wide at the tines. It is great for garden work. It is branded Hercules Food Service Company New Jersey. My search for another fork or the company has been for naught. This looks like it could pick up a good hunk of meat without any flex. So in the store was a different large fork that looked like it could pick up a side of ribs without any problems. It was marked "Granny's big A$$ Fork" $12. It is a bit lighter than the Hercules, it also has a wooden handle on the end. The Hercules fork is just a heavy piece of stainless steel with a bend on the end so it can hang on a rod.

We asked if there was any discount for cash. Since the two 'big' items had only been in the store a couple of days the answer was no.

Remember though, if you don't ask, you likely won't get.

All in all it was a good deal anyway.

The deep side of the cast iron unit was used to make up some chow for me using a whole baked chicken and some roasted chili and tomatillo wasabi sauce, yummy.

That will likely stay in our kitchen until the kids inherit it.

jtk

[kent wardecke]

Workmate portable work bench. It will teach you to "get by"instead of using a true functioning work bench

Workmate... Useless price of junk I've given two away ;-) I'm a slow learner

[steven c newman]

I use mine as a storage shelf....have used it once as a clamp to do a glue up....that has been it.


IF you start a project with a tape measure..make sure it is the only one used throughout the project.....same with a square. Old saying about too many cooks.....also applies to too many tape measures....just pick one, long enough to do all the work on the project. Then hide all the others in the shop...

[Doug Hepler]

Stanley Covington

Thank you very much for the link to Schwarz's blog post.

Doug

[James Pallas]

Good tips, everybody!

My only deviation is that I quite like my limited mijingfang planes.
The HK trim and high angle polisher work great once tuned...particularly on dubious stuff that scares me....like baltic birch plywood or mdf.

If I was using a white steel kanna from a good smith, I would cringe/cry with every stroke.
Having shelf sitter tools that only work that "very special" piece of wood is like having a sheep dog that only runs lambs and not Rams. Pretty soon you end up with a lot of expensive and beautiful tools that you can sit on your shop stool from the big box store and watch them rust.
Jim

[lowell holmes]

Shiner beer in Idaho? Shiner is a Texas beer. :)

[Pat Barry]

Workmate... Useless price of junk I've given two away ;-) I'm a slow learner

I've got one at my cabin and use it all the time. Its portable, the clamping system works great. I'd buy another one for sure. Of course, its not intended to be a Roubo, its called a Workmate after all.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Having done this, as a hobby, longer than many here have been alive, I have to add define your goals and then add a"stretch goal" to keep you striving for more.

Lots of good advice here, and several professionals and advanced hobbyists that you can learn from. For me, there are things mentioned that work for me and not for others & vice versa. Don't get hung up on the tools so as to cloud yourself from learning good technique.

After thinking about this thread through the day, I've decided to add somethings that have been helpful to me: first are top notch pencils, TomBow is a top brand, and real graphite & cedar. For mechanical, get a .3mm. You want Starrett accuracy in a saddle square? Try a Shinwa, through Amazon (might be $15 and called a miter square). While on Amazon, looked for a used copy of Robert Wearing's book on "woodworking fixtures and jigs" (cheap used, and some of the best money you'll spend.

[Matt Lau]

Thanks for the link. I'm probably between stage 4 and 5...maybe I'm near terminal.

I think:
1.) Just do more woodworking!
I have my blum workbench in my car, so no excuses now. With holdfasts and Lee Valley accessories, it's pretty capable. Adding some sorta front vise will be even nicer.

2.) Carefully weight out how much I need a tool before buying it.
For me having two yankee drills is too much, as is three eggbeaters. Mainly, I use some Bosch cordless drills and drivers unless I need the noise down....then, I have a miller's falls eggbeater.

3.) Stop being cheap about wood, and use what I have
I'm used to being a bottomfeeder, since having a hobby is considered a wasteful indulgence in my household. For instance, my dad's only indulgence for his first 10 years of work was a cheap, made in China $100 Yamaha guitar.
In contrast, I have two full sets of chisels (Stan's set, and a beater set off ebay), Lee Valley LA planes, a good Jointer plane, three router planes that I've never used, and a plough plane. I also have a garage with some power tools and a stockpile of port orford cedar that I've been saving for guitar necks and billets.
If I don't use the wood I have, it'll just create spaces for Rats to stay.

-Matt

ps. For the new guys, my most useful tools are-- a good set of chisels, a good Japanese pull saw, a good bench plane (LA jack--machined flat). After that, other stuff can be substituted.