Tool selection review suggestion

[Steve Roxberg]

First, let me state that this is not directed any any prevous post on this board, don't need anyone taking this personally, besides we've probably all done it.

One every woodworking board I see questions like,

Which router should I buy?
Which table saw should I buy?

Etc.

Would there be a way to create a page or a database where members could enter their thoughts, experiences, etc on equipment.

Then when someone wants to know something they would have a resouce, if a new question came up it would be stored in this spot.

Obviously this isn't very well thought out, but I guess, is there a better way to help people and provide infomation?

:confused:

[Jim Izat]

Hey Steve,

The only downside to participating in a new forum is that it hasn't been around long enough to accumulate a lot of information that is searchable yet. Given time I know the creek will become the outstanding research resource the pond was. As those resources become available, such queries will both diminish and be met with "you might want to search the archives" replies.

Jim Izat

[Ken Garlock]

Good idea Steve.

I think it would be great to have a section where you can go specifically for tool reviews. But don't limit it to power tools, the hand tool people have the same need for reviews of planes, etc. The organization can be as simple as hand power tools, stationary power tools, and just hand tools.

The only things I would want reviewer to do is to make a short post to the message forums that the new review had been posted. Second, standardize the subject format like "router, (name, model)", or saw,(name, model.)

[Tim]

A tool reviews forum would be a good idea. However, a great many people who have experience with particular tools don't have the time or inclination to write a "review". Such forums, while usually of great value on the item under review, rarely cover the entire current market. I think the tool questions are right where they should be - in the main tool forums. As Jim mentioned, on the Pond the very general types of questions would get referred to the archives. Usually though, folks have taken the time to search the available archives (the Pond not currently being available) and still have unanswered questions. I've always been comfortable with the "if you're not interested in this thread, then just politely don't post" way of doing things.

[Ted Shrader]

The tool reviews should be dated. Many times a problem noted by users will be corrected in a subsequent version of the tool.

So negative comments about the DeFreorterman 345 ROS produced in 2001 may no longer be valid since they now produce the 345B. One would just need to look for the new model.

Ted

[Brad Risley]

I may be missing something but...
If we don't ask questions about POWER TOOLS on a POWER TOOL forum what will we talk about?? I think the best place to collect realtime current data about a tool we are considering is right here. But this is just my humble opinion. Brad in Fl

[Ted Shrader]

Originally posted by Brad Risley
I may be missing something but...
If we don't ask questions about POWER TOOLS on a POWER TOOL forum what will we talk about?? I think the best place to collect realtime current data about a tool we are considering is right here. But this is just my humble opinion. Brad in Fl

Brad -

What is being suggested is after you have bought the brandy-new super-whammy-dyne tool - write a review. The reviews would be stored in their own repository. A good starting place for someone doing the research on a new tool. After that, further questions could be asked/answered and otherwise discussed.

Ted

[Richard Allen]

There was a site on the net I vivited years ago where useres filled out a form on a the tools they had. The type and model was selected not typed in and there were a bunch of check boxes next to question like "ease of changing the sandpaper" and you selected on a scale of 1 to 10.

There was room for prose as well. I have no idea what happened to that site. When I saw it there were a lot of tools listed with a fair number of entries for each tool. If that somhow was kept up it would be a wonderful resource.

Thanks

[Keith Outten]

Last year I purchased the Grizzly G9969 radial drill press. The radial design allows me to drill anywhere within a sheet of plywood and at any angle up to 45 degrees. At 400 pounds it is a very heavy drill press.

The chuck provided with the drill leaves a lot to be desired, it seems very cheap and isn't smooth operating. I almost always have to fight it to change bits. There is a very large distance between the base and the drill chuck, so much so that you must construct a platform to use the machine unless your project is very large. Even with an XY table installed drilling most flat objects still requires me to use some type of material so that the drill will reach the project.

Anyone interested in this drill press should plan on 3 things;

1 - Buy an quality drill chuck to replace the original.
2 - Definately purchase an XY table.
3 - Plan on building a removable base that can be installed when you must drill flat material.

End of Review-----------------------

Note:
This is what I suggest for tool reviews, just use "Tool Review" and the name of the tool in he subject line. Make sure that you include the model number in the body of the message. A search for the words Tool Review will provide a list of all the reviews available.

If enough people would prefer we create a Tool Review Forum we will be glad to do so.

[Bobby Hatfield]

Originally posted by Brad Risley
I may be missing something but...
If we don't ask questions about POWER TOOLS on a POWER TOOL forum what will we talk about?? I think the best place to collect realtime current data about a tool we are considering is right here. But this is just my humble opinion. Brad in Fl
I'm with you Brad, any newbie asking questions will only be a newbie for a couple questions and if he is serious about woodworking, he will stay and our influence on him will help him become a better woodworker, and if he isn't serious will leave and its his loss. Which is the right thing for us to do on a woodworking board, refer newbie's to research arcives or be polite and help a budding Sam Maloof ? Give him your curtious heartfelt opinion and advise. I'm off my box now.

[Steve Roxberg]

My post was not to stop people from asking questions.

It was to provide a quick efficient method of allowing people to find the information. If we create and follow a standard, and I don't profess to know what that is, searching for the answers will be both easier and more productive.

I like several of the solutions proposed, we'll see where this takes us.

[Howard Ruttan]

A advanced search of USENET, using Google Groups, would allow you to pick the brains of the couple thousand posters to rec.woodworking and select only recent posts relating to particular tools. I have been involved in rec.woodworking for 7 years and, although they have their moments when things get a little hot - like the last few months, you don't need to join in to extract the experiences there. In fact, the way things have been going since December, I would recommend that you NOT join in. They have hundreds of posts per day so over the course of a couple of months there is quite s bit of information to be had. Using Google Groups allows you to separate the wheat from the chaff.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

There are almost 2000 woodworking tool reviews here.

http://www.woodworking2.org/toolpage.htm