Page 3 of 8 FirstFirst 1234567 ... LastLast
Results 31 to 45 of 108

Thread: "Good" tool purchases - 100% satisfied with,,

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Northeast Ohio
    Posts
    582
    Two tools that have upgraded my capabilities, much beyond my skiill level.

    1) Kreg pocket hole system. For the money, it is at the top of my best values.

    2) I struggled a long time with the decision whether to purchase a Festool Multi-Function Table (MFT) when I bought their circular saw. After using the MFT for only a few months, it is number two on my list in terms of best value. My shop is very small and my workbench has limited ability to clamp and hold pieces firmly. The MFT has solved this problem for me plus providing a nice flat area for working. It may not have as much value to others with nicer workbenches and larger shops but more me it is now the heart of my shop. The quality of my work has improved an order of magnitude at least. The other Festool tools are nice but this is the best for me.

  2. #32
    Biesemeyer Commercial fence that I added to my table saw.

    Bosch 4212L compound miter saw.

    PC 890 Router.

    All of my Pfeil carving tools.

    LN low angle block plane. The chisels are good, also, but expensive.

    Dewalt 18V portable drill. Had it a long time and it's always worked well.

    Bessey clamps in all sizes but the 12" and 24" get the most use.

    Mike
    Last edited by Mike Henderson; 07-13-2007 at 3:06 PM.
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Lancaster, Ohio
    Posts
    84
    I'm going to go against the norm in the 'Bad Tools' thread and say my Rockler Dovetail Jig. I would say that for the money it was the perfect dovetail jig for making kitchen cabinet drawers. I had bought the original model with the two piece ends stops and later upgraded it to the one piece stops. Once it was setup, which wasn't difficult, it cut perfect blind dovetails in 1/2" maple drawer sides and fronts. It is simple to use, cuts both the pins and the sockets in one pass, and its accurate. Never had a problem with it.

    But its not intended to be used for anything but uniform half blind dovetails.

    Jim

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Rio Rancho, NM
    Posts
    2,568
    Great thread!!

    Delta Unisaw with 50" Bies fence
    Steel City 6" wedge-bed jointer
    Steel City 15" planer
    Delta 13-pin boring machine
    Hinge boring machine
    Delta drill press
    Hitachi BIG bandsaw with 3" blade
    WoodTek midi-lathe
    DeWalt 20" scroll saw
    WoodTek 6x89 oscillating edge sander
    WoodTek 25" dual-drum sander
    Makita impact drivers, drill-drivers
    PC biscuit joiners
    ALL of the Bessey clamps

    I could go on and on and on, but I don't think there's a tool or machine in our shop that hasn't been good. Of course, it helps that LOML sells tools and machines for a living, so he knows what to get before he buys it.

    Nancy
    Nancy Laird
    Owner - D&N Specialties, Rio Rancho, New Mexico
    Woodworker, turner, laser engraver; RETIRED!
    Lasers - ULS M-20 (20W) & M-360 (40W), Corel X4 and X3
    SMC is user supported. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/donate.php
    ___________________________
    It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    537
    My Dubby is # 1 by far. I can also say that I am quite happy with most all my tools

    Earl

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    State Capital, WI
    Posts
    470
    Kreg Jig

    14v DeWalt Impact Driver - I could not live without it!

    Bad Dog Tools Rover Bits and Standard Bits - Picked up both of these at a WW show three years ago. Still haven't broken or dulled form my (ab)use!

    Fuji Q3 HVLP Sprayer - I don't dread finishing now (as much)

    Dewalt 735 Planer - 3+ years old - got it the first time I saw it at Woodcraft - still on the original blades

    Porter Cable 690 D-Handle router

    Marples Blue Chip chisels - for the price they take my abuse very well and are easy to hone.
    oops ....1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 - yup all there, whew!

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    London, Ont., Canada
    Posts
    2,200
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    Hello,
    I thought a good companion to the bad tool thread would be one for "good tools". Not so much the obvious, but ones that worked out exactly as planned or better than planned.

    My list:
    #1 is the Kreg pocket hole jig.

    I've noticed a few people posting lists of "tools that they really like". But for me, the requirement of "100% satisfied" makes this actually a very tough list.

    Sure, I like my GI table saw, I think it is great. Ditto my Hitachi M12V router. And my Delta x5 Six inch jointer. But have I never had any problems with them? Whether through design or through my own fault? Really? One-hundred-point-zero-zero percent satisfied? Well... no.


    So actually the list is pretty short...

    - I agree, the Kreg K3 has done exactly what I expected, and worked great.
    - And it's a pretty simple tool, which is why my Hitachi 12v cordless drill also fits on this list.
    - Oh yeah... my DW735 planer. Yeah, it's heavy, but I knew that when I bought it, so it doesn't count.

    Sorry, nothing that outlandish.

    ttfn
    ...art

    (Heck, even my hammer doesn't fall into this category. OW! Darn thing, stay away from my thumb! )
    "It's Not About You."

  8. #38

    Woodrat is #1

    #4 LN #4 Smoother, LA block
    #3 LV LA Jack and Jointer
    #2 Digital scales for Woodrat, ornamental mill, and planer
    #1 Woodrat

    The hand planes put a smile on my face whenever I use them. Isn't that what a hobby is supposed to do?

    The digital scales speed things up and dramatically reduce frustration. I plan on putting them on anything that moves!

    Finally, the woodrat encourages me to do joinery that I otherwise wouldn't have time to execute. Dovetail big case work--no problem. Sliding dovetails--no problem. Multiple tenons--no problem.

    I'd love to list my ornamental mill as a favorite. It will be some day; however, I'm still working through too many deficiencies. Right now it's a time sink.

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    O'Fallon IL
    Posts
    492
    I've bought the vast majority of my machines as restoration projects. After the restorations, these are the best:

    Powermatic 65 tablesaw (1959)--Got this as a wreck for $240. $650 later (new motor, controls, paint, and various other bits) the step up from the Craftsman saw I was using is still amazing. Teamed with the Woodcraft tenon jig (which itself has exceeded all expectation), it's opened up a whole new class of joints.

    Hall & Brown 30" bandsaw (~1915): All the power and space I'll ever need in a bandsaw--I never run into the casting when cutting a large curve, the table supports every board I've tried, and it cuts tight curves in 4" oak without any strain. Still needs some more tuneup and a new top tire, so it will only get better.

    Rockwell LD Shaper (1974): I had used router tables of various sizes, and not been too impressed. I bought a big shaper to restore, and the idea of using it without any training or knowing what I was doing was intimidating, to say the least. So I bought this from a friend as sort of a "training wheels" shaper. But it has a 1 hp motor, and I added a shelf and wood feet to cut down on the rattlely cabinet. Since trying it out, the templates and hold-down jigs have been multiplying almost as fast as the sets of 3-wing cutters, rub collars, spacers, and bushings I've needed on projects.

    Greenlee 227 autofeed mortiser (1928): Sure it's overkill. But the sheer gizmosity of using an autofeed mortiser with a compound table makes this the funnest tool in the shop.

    Oliver 399 18" planer (1951): I bought this to do the heavy planing on wide boards after I wore out my Delta 22-560. I figured I'd use my Dewalt 734 for finish planing. The Oliver does such a good job that the 734 has been relegated to planing small pieces or when I've only got one or two boards to plane and it's quicker to set up than the Oliver (both have to sit against the wall in my garage). And it was easy to restore. Oliver sure built this right.


    Kirk Poore
    Last edited by Kirk Poore; 07-13-2007 at 2:10 PM. Reason: typo

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Burlington Ontario
    Posts
    164

    Metabo sander

    The best tools I have is the 6" Metabo sander it makes sanding so quick and swirl free. I've sanded quite a few staircases and edged alot of flooring has it running for 8 hours a day quite a few times. Makita 12" CMS been going strong for 5+ years now. Ridgid bandsaw for 240 bucks was a deal. Hitachi Hammer drills both 3/8 and 1/2" can't be killed I've heated both drill's up till you couldn't hold onto the case drilling holes in Cement.

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Fredericksburg, VA
    Posts
    29
    Not in any particular order, the tools that have met or exceeded my expectations.

    Lie Nielson #100 Block Plane
    Lie Nielson Rabbetting Block Plane. No comment really required about the LNs. They lived up to the hype and just work well.

    Stanley #4 from eBay
    Stanley#7 from eBay
    I reach for these planes all the time. With no jointer that #7 comes in very handy. The price was right too.

    Lee Valley Saddle Square. Until I bought this, I never could get the lines to meet on the adjacent face of a board.

    Set of Marples Chisels. Cheap and they stay sharp.

    Bessey Clamps. What a difference they make in clamping panels.

    PM701 Powermatic Hollow Mortiser. It does one thing very well.

    PM64A Tablesaw. The first real power tool I ever bought. I've had no regrets. It is the mainstay of my shop, for now.

    Grizzly G0513X Bandsaw. I love this saw. It is gaining on the tablesaw as my go to power tool.

    Tom

  12. #42
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Benbrook, TX
    Posts
    1,245
    Ridgid jointer, planer, and bandsaw, all $149 closeouts. I'm less enamoured of the bandsaw since aquiring a tablesaw. These are all firsts for me, so nothing to compare performance to, but the planer rocks, IMO. Zero snipe and very nice finishes.

    Jessem MitrExcel

    Makita LS1221 CMS. No slide & no laser, but I love it.

    DeWalt 12v Impact Driver. I could live without all of my cordless tools except this one.

    #1: Tashiro hardware Zeta saw with joint blade.

  13. #43
    30 years of “collecting”

    PM 66
    Rikon 18” Bandsaw
    Dewalt 621 Router
    Bosch 1590 EVS
    Jointech Cabinet Maker Router Table System


    These are at or very near 100%

  14. My favorite tools, and the ones that surprised me the most are oldies but goodies.

    1938 Delta 10" band saw.
    1947 Delta 12" band saw.
    1964? Powermatic 1150 Drill press
    1968? 10" Rockwell RAS

    Those tools should last for several lifetimes.

    Of my newer tools.

    Bosch 1617evs router kit.
    Bosch 12v Impactor
    JET vs mini lathe. What a little monster.
    Big Johnson 25' tape measure

  15. #45
    I found it a great deal of fun to think back on tools in trying to answer this question.

    There's old tools like the hammer that my Dad gave me when I was a boy more than 50 years ago which still does hammer things as well as any hammer but also provides a lot of good memories when I use it.

    There are brand new tools such as my Nova 1624 lathe which I got last month and has been wonderfull fun but over time will the memories still be good - I hope so.

    And there are those old faithfulls of the past 20 years that have done so darn much satisfying work, Makita 9.6 volt drills all 5 of them that just keep on working everyday, Delta Unisaw new in '92, and my CTD double miter saw which just sits there against the wall and cuts 2 perfect 45 miter cuts everytime I step on the pedal and has never asked for a repair.

    And of course my Starrett combination square used more than any other tool.

Similar Threads

  1. Flip Top Tool Stand
    By Dominic Greco in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 12-12-2013, 11:14 PM
  2. A NEW TOOL "PLUG & PLAY BOWL TURNER"
    By Bill Stevener in forum Turner's Forum
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 07-23-2005, 10:21 PM
  3. Trends in tool purchasing - voice in....
    By Chris DeHut in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 50
    Last Post: 02-07-2005, 12:10 PM
  4. Shop-Built texturing tool
    By Dominic Greco in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 03-29-2004, 11:00 PM
  5. tool usage(long and funny)
    By Walt Quadrato in forum Off Topic Forum
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 10-29-2003, 4:56 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •