Starting a shop..

[Greg Koch]

Just starting out in woodworking, I have to make do with the tools I have, one's I've received, and a few I can afford. Not the Pro-quality, Italian babes some of you have, but hopefully they will get me going.

My Rockwell/Delta 9" adjustable arbor saw I got from my Dad. He and my Mom built their last house with this saw.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/th_IMG_2509.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/IMG_2509.jpg)


I've cleaned the deck as best as I can and added a Freud Diablo blade. Plans call for a complete treardown, cleaning, maintanance, and repaint a Hammerite Green. (lighter than Grizzly). Also some jigs and accessories to make it work better for me.

This is the Rockwell 4" jointer they used. I've cleaned it up a lot, scrubbed and brushed the deck and had the blades sharpened. I need to re-install the blades, adjust them and test. When I can, I'll also teardown, clean, and paint the same Hammerite Green.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/th_IMG_2513.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/IMG_2513.jpg)


I'll have some more pics to post later.

Greg

[John Bailey]

Greg,

That old jointer brings back memories. I had one many many years ago. I was building dulcimers completely by hand back then and gave the jointer to a friend because I thought it was too small. He had more imagination than I did. I helped him pick up a couple hundred bd. ft. of roughsawn lumber one day. Using that old jointer, in a couple of months he turned that lumber into some beautiful furniture. Wish I had that jointer today.

Your two machines may be small, but they look like solid performers that will serve you well.

John

[Scott Donley]

Welcome Greg. Looks like a nice start you have going there. I started with an old Monkey Ward RAS and Craftsman router. Still use the RAS !

[lou sansone]

everyone has to start some place.. and you have as good as many do when starting out. best wishes

lou

[Steve Ash]

Just starting out in woodworking, I have to make do with the tools I have, one's I've received, and a few I can afford. Not the Pro-quality, Italian babes some of you have, but hopefully they will get me going.


Greg

Greg, your first paragraph says a lot. You are just starting out and these are what you can afford. Italian machinery won't make you a better woodworker, you'll be surprised at what you can turn out with what you have and your skills will improve. Remember when adding to your shop to buy the best "you" can afford and if later down the road you want to upgrade you can sell what you have to help accomplish that goal.

My dad use to do some very nice things with just a 8" old Craftsman table saw and a small jointer like yours. He gave me the tablesaw when I first got interested but sadly I gave it away when I moved.

Good luck setting up your shop, looks like you are off to a good start!

[Jim Hager]

Looks like to me that you will have a better start than I did. I have an old jointer very similar to the one you show. It is a bit older being labeled as a delta/milualkee. I don't have a steel stand for mine, it is on a stand made out of 2x4's.

Just keep on keeping on and you will have a shop full of stuff before long. Like Steve says, buy what you can afford and buy the best you can at the time. However saving a bit over time for an upgraded machine is a good idea too.

[Julio Navarro]

I'd say you are starting out great. The love of WW is the best machine you can have and besides having all the right machines dont make you a craftsman any more than holding a guitar makes you a musician.

I am by no means or streatch of the imagination a craftsman but I like holding guitars:D

Good luck and welcome.

[Steve Clardy]

That table saw brings back memories. I had a ten incher like it.

[Anthony Anderson]

Greg, a friend once told me that a person may have the best tools in the world, but that cannot make him a craftsman. There is nothing wrong with the tools you have there. Better than what I started with. Use them to develop your love of woodworking. I have another friend that has the craftsman tablesaw that his Dad handed down to him, and you should see the incredible work that he does, simply amazing. Craftsmanship comes from the heart, and develops, grows, and then unfolds with patience. Good Luck. Regards, Bill

[Jesse Cloud]

Off to a great start. Sounds like you have good mechanical aptitude and interest with your teardown and rebuild plans. If this is the case, I suggest keeping an eye on the classified forum here and in other boards to look for used tools. Schools are also a good source - lots are shutting down their woodworking programs and clearing out their machinery. Try craigslist.com too. You can get some real bargains on first rate machines that need a little TLC.
Good luck and keep in touch!

[Don Baer]

Greg,
Thats more then I started out with. I made a lot of pieces with only hand tools (both power and non) for years and made a lot of furniture. As time went on I aquired an 8" bench top table saw and a CMS. Now I have a decent contractor saw, band saw and jointer and am looking to add a planner. Just get what you can when you can and in the ean time enjoy your woodworking.

[Charles Bruno]

A lot of history in them tools. I would be proud to start my shop with them.
A well known wood worker once said to me "don't go broke supporting your hobbie". Looks like you have a fine start.
You have two of the basic four tools most shop have, is a bandsaw and planer in the future?
Good luck and have fun

[Greg Koch]

Thanks for all the comments and encouragement. I appreciate it a lot.

Here's the next tools, again from Dad. A 1984 6" Wilmar Drill press. It has several speeds, made by changing the belt after lifting up the top cover. I works pretty well, but I need to make a bigger table and maybe mount a light on it. It will also get the restore/paint treatment. It's mounted on a table I got from Sears, $29 including the MDF boards. Sure beats moving it back and forth from the shelf to the workbench and is much more stable. I mounted it back a bit so I would have room to put small items on the table in front. On the table is my Freud Diablo saw for the table saw, and below is my new Hitachi MV12 Router!!!!! It will be going in my homebuilt router table. I'm going over plans and ideas now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/th_IMG_2505.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/IMG_2505.jpg)

I found this Craftsman router table, 2hp plunge router and stand for $99 in the discount corner of my local Sears store. I fugure it's a cheap way to get some routing work done until I can make my own table. The table and router were brand new, reg $120 http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?vertical=TOOL&bidsite=&pid=00926501000&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes, just the display model. Stand was new in the box and is the same as the small Bosch table., which sells for $75 by itself! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00020J1QC/qid=1142018191/sr=1-18/ref=sr_1_18/104-5556887-6270335?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=hi&v=glance&n=228013

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/th_IMG_2512.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/IMG_2512.jpg)

Here's the Rigid Miter saw stand next to the router table. As you can see, some cleaning, re-arranging of the "shop" is needed!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/th_IMG_2511.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/IMG_2511.jpg)


more to come...

[Greg Koch]

Here's my Craftsman 10" Band Saw. Works pretty good, but needs adjustment as the blade wants to keep coming off, partly because of needing adjustment, and partly because of a broken adjustment knob on the upper wheel.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/th_Goodsidebandsaw.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/Goodsidebandsaw.jpg)

I went to my local Ace hardware and picked up a new knob, and a bunch of machine screws to replace the standard phillips head screws. I really like machine screws and plan on using them in my restorations. Even though you need to keep an allan wrench handy, I have a ton of them, I think they are worth it.

Here's a pic of the guides as I took them out. Lots of caked on sawdust, screw slots worn and overall needing of cleaning and adjustment.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/th_IMG_25142.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/IMG_25142.jpg)

Here's the after shot... The bearings are in great shape, so I just cleaned and gave them a few drops of Turbin oil. The rest of the assemply got wire brushed and some of the stainless guide parts were gone over with 600 sandpaper.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/th_IMG_25022.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/IMG_25022.jpg)

I've since mounted it on a stand, like this, so it's more permanent and easier to work with. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/th_IMG_2508.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/IMG_2508.jpg)




more to come...

[Greg Koch]

I took the Craftsman 10" bandsaw that I got from Dad apart and cleaned it,
and made a couple of mods.

The base is cast iron...the frame is cast aluminum, not plastic... The side
cover is sheet metal..like they used to build things. I plan on just
cleaning and adjusting it, some maintenance and using it. Later, when it
gets warmer, I'll tear it down again, strip/sand and paint it the Hammerite
Green.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/th_Bandsawframe2.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/Bandsawframe2.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/th_Bandsawframe1.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/Bandsawframe1.jpg)

Anyway, I took the thing apart, took the motor/switch off and other things
and did a quick clean.

The tires on the blade wheels are weathered, cracked, so I ordered 3 new
ones.. Pricey little buggers..$7.5 ea. X 3... But it was Dad's saw, it's a
very well built saw, you can always use a smaller bandsaw in your shop, I
won't have to replace anymore, so I think it's worth it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/th_Bandsawparts.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/kgregc/Woodworking/Bandsawparts.jpg)


More..