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Thread: That once used tool.....

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Fitzgerald View Post
    You have no idea what dinky is until you work in my 24x30 shop unless of course you are the guy with one even smaller!
    For almost 10 years I worked, er, played in less than 1/2 of a 2-car garage, with two lathes, two bandsaws, dozens of tubs of wood, tools and sharpening. It was so tight when a friend came to turn one of us had to go outside so the other could get to the bigger lathe. I sympathize deeply with those working in such spaces now!

    Of course my dinky 24x62 building also houses, in addition to turning and big flat wood tools, an office with library, weld shop, machining, electronics bench, wood and metal storage, equipment maintenance tools, photography, animal care and medical supplies, varmint control stuff, and incubators and brooders for hatching poultry. A little sympathy, please - I don't even have room for a kitchen and bathroom!
    Last edited by John K Jordan; 05-25-2019 at 11:41 AM.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
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    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    For almost 10 years I worked, er, played in less than 1/2 of a 2-car garage, with two lathes, two bandsaws, dozens of tubs of wood, tools and sharpening. It was so tight when a friend came to turn one of us had to go outside so the other could get to the bigger lathe. I sympathize deeply with those working in such spaces now!

    Of course my dinky 24x62 building also houses, in addition to turning and big flat wood tools, an office with library, weld shop, machining, electronics bench, wood and metal storage, equipment maintenance tools, photography, animal care and medical supplies, varmint control stuff, and incubators and brooders for hatching poultry. A little sympathy, please - I don't even have room for a kitchen and bathroom!
    I joined the Creek when I was thinking about building a shop. My previous "shop" was an attached shed to our 2 car carport. The shed is about 8x20 with a 3' wide insulated food storage room that a previous family had built inside it. It had a 32" door going into it off our carport.

    So, I built my first piece of furniture using a New Yankee Workshop plan and the wife was so impressed, she took me to our new HD and insisted I buy a Ridgid TS-3650 table saw. Now this saw had been very highly reviewed by some of the top ww magazines as far as hybrid table saws go. So I bought it, put it in boxes in the back of the F-350 I owned then and as I assembled it, I took 1 box at a time into the shed. It came with a mobile base. The first time I went to use it, the thing wouldn't go through the 32" door.

    A local lumber yard sold me a much larger door and the problem was resolved. LOL!

    Then the wife suggested I build a shop.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  3. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Fitzgerald View Post
    A number of years ago I bought a tool that after I completed the project I was working on, it had to be somewhere between another 7-10 years before I found another use for it today. It wasn't cheap and I hope it doesn't break because I suspect I can't get parts for the PC Profile sander. It's one of those tools that you buy it, use it, it saves you and then 2 months later you regret buying it because it's not that useful.

    Today I used it for the 2nd time and once again, for the 2nd time, it saved my bacon,on this end table I'm building!
    I have a large number of mechanics' tools that I bought because I needed them for the last job. It's been said that mechanics are like generals, always fighting the last war. However, as time went on, I had this problem less and less.

    The same could be said of woodworkers.

  4. #19
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    Feb 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stan Calow View Post
    I'm still waiting to get around to using that scroll saw I got about ten year ago. Its survived through 4 garage sales with no takers, so I think its cursed.
    Ohhh,,, I got one of those too! I bought it in 1993, used it once and never used it again.
    I forgot all about that scroll saw.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  5. #20
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    British Columbia, Canada
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    16
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Day View Post
    I think Ken’s point is that the tool was useful, though rarely used. Sounds like your 113 was never useful.
    Hi Matt,

    I was not clear about my experience with the Stanley No. 113 compass plane. I purchased it to finish chair rails that featured significant inside curves.

    While I was able to achieve my desired result, I found that my workflow with the compass plane was frustratingly inefficient.For me, it it was finicky to set up and awkward to use. I do not produce many inside curves in hardwood, but when I do I usually now reach for a round-bottomed spokeshave.

    If I ever take up boat building, the significant reference surface offered by the compass plane may make up for the downsides.Until then, it has been collecting dust.

    Regards,
    Ryan

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Central North Carolina
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    1,830
    Ken,

    I have one of those PC multi-tool stroke sanders. I also only used it a couple of times. It's a fairly complete kit. If I can find it in my shop, it is your's, if you will pay the shipping. Let me know if you want it by PM and I'll find it for you, then send pictures of what I have. I know worked the last time that I used it.

    Charley

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Canonsburg PA
    Posts
    71
    In the FWIW category I to bought a PC profile sander many years ago for a project finishing 8 chairs with intricate turned legs, a worth while time an finger saver at the time. I put it away out of site and didn't touch until recently when cleaning out the nooks n' crannies looking for more storage space. It sat on the bench opened just waiting for trash day. It so happened I was finishing a little project for my grandson. I saw just the right profile block in the case and finished up the sanding quickly. So... I thought... maybe if I leave it in plain site like other often used tools maybe I would find it useful. In plain site it turns out to be a pretty useful tool but I do need to make more compact storage for it. The molded plastic case is easily 4-5 times bigger than it needs to be.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Camas, Wa
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    3,853
    Mine is the Festool Domino. Bought it on CL so I got my money back out of it when I sold it.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
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    28,504
    Quote Originally Posted by Charles Lent View Post
    Ken,

    I have one of those PC multi-tool stroke sanders. I also only used it a couple of times. It's a fairly complete kit. If I can find it in my shop, it is your's, if you will pay the shipping. Let me know if you want it by PM and I'll find it for you, then send pictures of what I have. I know worked the last time that I used it.

    Charley
    Thanks for the offer Charley but no thanks! If it took me 7-10 years to find a 2nd use, I really don't need any for parts. Thanks again for your generous offer!
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  10. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Stan Calow View Post
    I'm still waiting to get around to using that scroll saw I got about ten year ago. Its survived through 4 garage sales with no takers, so I think its cursed.
    Dang. I forgot about that downright awful $90 BORG Delta scroll saw I have up on the shelf. Used on one project and put away. Awful tool.
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  11. #26
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    MA
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    2,252
    I have a hinge bore/gang drill machine stashed. All pneumatic. Picked it up from a shop that just wanted it gone for low $, and thought I am always building bookcases that need shelf pin holes and this will make short work of it. A sweet little machine and not too big. But I end up using the Kreg guide since I dont want to pull the machine out (dont have the space to leave it setup).

    Then I have a Wirth machine. Used it on a couple projects then decided I like other methods better and it sets on a shelf as well.

    Then I have a Lie Nielsen 112 scraping plane. A few years ago I shipped it around to members here that wanted to try it out, and after several weeks it came back. And went right back into the drawer (I prefer a card scraper or traditional holder it seems). (and btw I might be agreeable to sending it another round if members are interested in trying it out)

    Then I have some chisels that are little used. (always have duplicates and reach for my favorite...)

    And a belt/disc sander combo. I put it in the kids craft area thinking they might use it but they dont either.

    Oh, and a biscuit cutter that I cannot remember the last time I used.

    And another thing I have a lot of that isnt getting used - WOOD! Two or three piles of some really nice material that I am saving for 'someday'.

    Hmmm.... turns out I might be a hoarder....

    (ps: Yes I have one of those PC profile sanders. I bet I could find it even, because I put it in a cabinet years ago and have never pulled it out since)
    Last edited by Carl Beckett; 05-26-2019 at 6:51 AM.

  12. #27
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    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Cutler View Post
    Ohhh,,, I got one of those too! I bought it in 1993, used it once and never used it again.
    I forgot all about that scroll saw.
    Get the scroll saw out! I bought an old junky horribly vibrating Craftsman for $25 and used it a lot. Made some of these when the craze hit, some with more elaborate profiles, cut out on the scroll saw and turned on the lathe:

    spinner_cocobolo_brass_IMG_6217.jpg

    Some friends and kids liked to use it too so I bought an Excalibur - what a difference! No regrets - I sold the Craftsman for $25.

    Like almost everything in woodworking (or working with metal, cloth, stone, dirt, food, music) what we find useful depends on the kinds of things we do.

    JKJ

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Griswold Connecticut
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    John
    It's actually not a bad scroll saw. It's not in the Excaliber class by any means ,it's just a Ryobi from the early '90s, but it definitely worked, except for this plastic pump thingy that was supposed to clear debris.
    I was cutting Art Nouveau style shelf brackets out of mahogany for a project that never finished. I still have the brackets too. They're very pretty.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  14. #29
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    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
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    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    <snip>
    A little sympathy, please - I don't even have room for a kitchen and bathroom!
    So you have to be nice to spousal unit then?

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
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    I'll make this a formal announcement!

    ATTENTION:

    The 21" Excalibur scroll saw my wife insisted I buy and for which we took a Woodcraft 4 hour class, driving a total of 4 hours and 30 minutes to attend? A few months ago, I was invited to join a local woodworking class. One of the guys there challenged me to use that scroll saw and I did. It only took me 4 attempts to accomplish his challenge.

    Then early last week, while working on the end table I am currently building, I used that scroll saw in the process of making a curved hardboard template for my router!

    My first completed practical use of my $800-$900 Excalibur!

    There is hope guys. Don't give up!
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

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