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Thread: What tool saves you the most time?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Lindsborg, Kansas
    Posts
    62

    What tool saves you the most time?

    As a father of four I have limited time in my shop. I was curious what the community's finds to be the biggest time saver on projects.

  2. #2
    refrigerator

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Ingleside, IL
    Posts
    1,417
    my Baleigh mortiser
    Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Lindsborg, Kansas
    Posts
    62
    Got two

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Prairie Village, KS
    Posts
    397
    In the shop: domino
    Around the house: multitool

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Lindsborg, Kansas
    Posts
    62
    No domino yet, multi-tool yes. Thanks!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Matthew Carver View Post
    As a father of four I have limited time in my shop. I was curious what the community's finds to be the biggest time saver on projects.
    Depends on the project. My 20-ton hydraulic press runs a close second to the plasma cutter. The milling machine sure beats filing by hand.

    Oh, maybe you mean wood projects. Depends on the project.

    JKJ

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Lindsborg, Kansas
    Posts
    62
    Fair enough. My father-in-law has the metal shop in front of my wood shop. Milling machine upgrades are kinda where my mind is at.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Prairie Village, KS
    Posts
    397
    Quote Originally Posted by Matthew Carver View Post
    No domino yet, multi-tool yes. Thanks!
    I got lucky on a used Domino Havent used it a ton but what little I have made it clear how fast it is.

  10. #10
    My forklifts.

  11. #11
    Track saw.

  12. #12
    Mirka Deros with Festool dust collector

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Western PA
    Posts
    1,242
    Hard to argue with the domino. It takes what could potentially be 20ish mins of finessing a joint into a 30-40 second process. After that, a good 6" sander is a nice upgrade/timesaver. An inch doesnt sound like a lot, but is 30% larger, which means you should finish large surfaces 30% faster. Another timesaver is spraying water-bourne finishes. Applying oil finishes by hand is a lot more time consuming, AND the cure times are considerably different. I can easily spray 3 coats of finish in a day and be done with the project. With oil finishes, that process was closer to 4 days. Those are probably my big ones where the investment isnt too extreme and the difference is incredible. Not that ill ever get there, but im imagining a moulder would blow my mind when it comes to milling lumber. Doing all that work at the jointer/planer/table saw is very time consuming. I track all of my commissions religiously, and id say i spend about 2/3rds of my time milling, sanding, and finishing.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Leesville, SC
    Posts
    2,378
    Time Saver... I vote for the pocket hole jig. No more waiting for glue and clamps.
    Army Veteran 1968 - 1970
    I Support the Second Amendment of the US Constitution

  15. #15
    For me I would say the best time saver would be a stroke sander. Kind of too big for the home shop. For assembly I would say a pneumatic corrugated fastener gun is very helpful. Does the job of a pockethole without having to drill holes.

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