Milling and woodworking forum???

[stipes]

They have a woodturning and carving forum that is great on here....There is alot of questions I have had about woodworkin,,probs. I searched off other web sites...Alot of things I enjoy makin outta my milled wood...I was wondering though,,if someone was a newbe,,and wanted to start woodworkin from their milled wood,,as is what is the first type of machine I should buy?? Surface planer,,or jointer,,,table saw,,,what good use is a radial arm saw is for....Stains,vers. dyes...Lacquer vers. polyurethane finish..Alot of times I wanted to ask on here in the milling section,,but just didnt know if it was ok to ask on here....
Milling your own wood and making things from your milled wood is great!!!I just wondered why AS dont have something for this????

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Actually, you can do it all with handtools, haven't you ever watched Roy Underhill on PBS?? lol

I assume you mean small itoms, and not building a building? If so, i'd buy a good quality table saw as my first tool!

A radial arm saw is waaaaaaay down the list, and really, with the chop saws they have today, an radial arm saw is just about obslete...

Rob

 

[BobL]

I'm on 3 different woodworkers forums and have found the Ubeaut Aussie woodworkers forum (www.woodworkforums.com) has all that stuff in spades and more. They even have a milling section - mostly Aussies, but lots of international people too.

 

[BobL]

This is the order I bought my woodworking gear.
1) A 1.5 HP baby combination machine with an 8" Small Table saw, 4" jointer and a doweling able - this is really just a toy. I used it for 20 years before I upgraded - I now run a thin kerf metal cutting wheel in the table saw and that is extremely useful
2) 12" 3HP table saw with cojoined cast iron router table. Router and saw share the same fence. This is a bit of a beast but a very useful machine - I use it a lot to cut ally! I really should not have bought this when I did.
3) 1HP Heavy duty Drill press - this is an excellent machine
4) 10" combo jointer thicknesser - fiddly but excellent
5) 19" Bandsaw - this is what I should have bought first
6) Small 1/2 HP woodworking lathe - this depends how much you want to turn wood
I also now have a bunch of other stuff mostly under restoration including a 16" jointer and a 16" 3 Phase big radial arm saw (which I hardly ever use) .

Here's a pic of my very small shop - the bandsaw and jointer/thicknesser live on the back veranda - they can just been seen thru the shed door. Most of my bigger machines are at the milling yard.

Assuming you already have some hand power tools like a drill and a circular saw, I would recommend that the first WW machine anyone with a mill should buy is a 14" (or bigger if you can afford it) bandsaw. It can be used to resaw milled boards, cuts curves and although it is slow, it is also relatively safe. Then I would recommend a small - maybe 6"? jointer (wider with long bed if you can afford it) and a table top thicknesser, or a combo machine of some king. These 2/3 machines and a bunch of handtools can get you a long way down most projects. Don't forget to get yourself a decent dust extractor as these things make a lot of dust.

After this it depends what you want to do.
I reckon a decent drill press is hard to beat - these things are just so handy.

Then I would say a table saw and a router table.

Other things like linishers, bigger jointers and thicknessers, bigger bandsaw and radial arm saws come well down the list

 

[dustytools]

Jesse, if you are interested, I can hook you up with a Delta 12 1\2 inch planer and a small Craftsman router table. I believe that the planer is due a new set of brushes but other than that they are both in good shape.

 

[stipes]

Thank you all!!!

Jesse, if you are interested, I can hook you up with a Delta 12 1\2 inch planer and a small Craftsman router table. I believe that the planer is due a new set of brushes but other than that they are both in good shape.

Thanks Terry....I pretty much got everything to get by with except a lathe,,which I got lined up for in a few weeks from this man I work with that is sellin it dirt cheep....
Guess what I was gettin at is for some newbe's that want to try this as a hobbie....I never had so much enjoyment as I do millin and woodworking.....I wish I did this years ago now...I always hunted,,,fished,,,but was never so content as I am now....

 

[Old Hilly]

Hooly-Dooly Bob, you got more goodies in your shed than I got in mine!
I have to agree though, the OZ woodworking forum is the best that I can find on the 'net. I would venture to say that if you can't find the info from someone there you would have to be looking for something really obscure.
Lots and lots of good info in there and generally a good bunch of people too.

 

[BobL]

Hooly-Dooly Bob, you got more goodies in your shed than I got in mine!
I have to agree though, the OZ woodworking forum is the best that I can find on the 'net. I would venture to say that if you can't find the info from someone there you would have to be looking for something really obscure.
Lots and lots of good info in there and generally a good bunch of people too.

Plenty of goodies but unfortunately no time to use them

I used to post a lot on the Milling forum on the OZ WWF but the scene there seems now to be dominated by Swing millers and I apart from being envious about it have little to contribute in that area.

 

[Old Hilly]

Well, swingmills have their place but one local timber merchant simply will not buy timber that comes off a Lucas mill. He rekons the timber is always poorly cut because the mill cannot accomodate the tension in our hardwood logs. He will only buy timber that comes off a conventional sawbench. Some people might disagree, I don't know either way. I am in the process of building a bandmill so wish me luck!
Dennis.

 

[BobL]

Well, swingmills have their place but one local timber merchant simply will not buy timber that comes off a Lucas mill. He rekons the timber is always poorly cut because the mill cannot accomodate the tension in our hardwood logs. He will only buy timber that comes off a conventional sawbench. Some people might disagree, I don't know either way. I am in the process of building a bandmill so wish me luck!
Dennis.

It would be interesting to post that in the Oz WWF small milling section and see how the swing millers huff and puff over it!

 

[BlueRider]

Bob hit the nail on the head when he said a bandsaw should be the first big tool purchased for a shop. It could be argued that a planer should be purchased at the same time. this would depend on if you have any hand tools such as a plane or even hand held power tools such as a belt sander. Combine these two tools with a good quality heavy duty router and you can do an amazing aray of tasks.

Don't get too hung up on the notion of needing a table saw. If you have a good router, a hand full of bits, and a straight edge, you can do most basic joinery tasks that are usually done on a table saw. I mention this because a poor quality table saw can be more of a hinderance than a help to a beginning woodworker. I recomend saving until you can afford a good quality cabinet saw or even one of the newer hybrid saws.


Radial arm saws have gotten a bad rap in the last couple of decades. This is largely due to the poor quality of most machines made since 1980. the older machines are solid heavy duty machines, even the smaller home size machines made prior to 1970 are solid and well made . Another reason for their unpopularity is a lack of knowlede in how best to use them. For instance you can not safely use a blade from a table saw in a radial arm saw(radial arms saws require a blade with a negative hook tooth). Do a google search for "Mr sawdust book" for some good info on how to properly set up and use a vintage radial arm saw. A good older radial arm saw can do most anything that a table saw and a compound miter saw can do. For a small shop or someone on a limited budget it could be good option.

Another good source of info is from these guys:
http://www.routerworkshop.net/
I like how they take a no nonsence aproach to working with routers and don't get all caught up in complcated jigs. For instance their router fence is a board clamped at each end of the table, no micro adjust or zero clearance bs just a simple board and two clamps.

As far as forums they can be really helpful, try woodcentral.com or finewoodworking.com

to some extent the tools you need and the order you burchase them will be largely dependent on the type of work you do. for instance here is a list of my tools in the order of most used to least used:

18" Parks bandsaw
15" MAX disk sander
12" Parks planer
Max osscilating spindle sander
24" delta Unidrill radial arm drill press
10 jet cabinet saw/52" biesemeyer fence-router mounted in table extension
6" craftsman/king-seally jointer
12" Delta model 1460 wood lathe
full size mortice machine made in 1920
24" craftsman scroll saw
8" craftsman bench top drill press (newly restored and not yet into service)

Notice where I listed my table saw. Also I will guarantee no one on this list will list a stationary disc sander as their second most used tool. This list is very particular to me and the way I work. Your list will look very different.

 

[Old Hilly]

Getting right back on track, yes the bandsaw would be one of the most useful tools in a woodworking shop. Get a good, strong, heavy duty machine that is bigger than you think you might need today 'cause you are going to find you need the extra size and strength when you find out just how useful and versatile that machine can be.
My next choice would be a big router set up in a decent router table. You need variable speed so you can run some of those big panel raising bits and that just about finishes up your wood cutting department. A big disc sander and a belt sander is another "must have" for finishing off some of those odd-shaped bits of wood.
You also might find a jointer and a thicknesser handy tools to have, just so you can get flat, even boards from big pieces of timber that you cut down to size on that bandsaw you just installed.
Re-sawing on a table saw? Fergeddit! You need a (big) bandsaw for that. Or a chainsaw mill, eh Bob?
Dennis.

 

[gemniii]

Alot of things I enjoy makin outta my milled wood...I was wondering though,,if someone was a newbe,,and wanted to start woodworkin from their milled wood,,as is what is the first type of machine I should buy???

The first thing to answer is what do you want to make?
Then what else do can you do with those certain tools?
Example - If you want to make pipe bowls a high quality table saw would not be very beneficial. But if you want to make kitchen cabinets it would be very useful.
Remember - if all you have is a Bronson rock and duct tape you can fix anything.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I guess there's some difference of opinion here... I'm a retired custom furniture/cabinet maker... I no longer sell work, but i do still have all the tools and a nice shop. In my shop i have a Newel 20" planer, 18" Woodmaster planer and a 13.5" Rockwell planer. Two Delta Unisaws, a 14" Huss table say, Rockwell jointer, 4 "floor" drill press', 2 table drill press', Delta bandsaw, Delta lathe, Delta 12" disc, 6x48" belt sander, and waaay too many other tools to name, including at least 10 routers...

If i was starting over tomorrow, for big tools, i'd buy a Unisaw tablesaw, an 8" quality jointer, and then a Woodmaster planer... in that order... Those are the tools, along with some small power tools that i could built anything i ever wanted, and are the most used tools in my past shop, and my shop today. AND i mean today, when i made a table top for my nephue...

Bandsaw is a GREAT tool, but it wouldn't replace my Unisaw... Everyone is worried about resawing, why not do it right and start out with thinner material to begin with? Buy an assortment of thickness, or mill your lumber in several thickness' in the first place...

Anyway, that's how it's worked out for me, since the 70's when i started my first cabinet shop...

Rob

 

[discounthunter]

Plenty of goodies but unfortunately no time to use them



bill i was going to say that. your shop is way too clean so you are like most and work for a living and dream about playing in the shop,lol

 

[BobL]

Plenty of goodies but unfortunately no time to use them

bill i was going to say that. your shop is way too clean . . .

I cleaned up just for the photo, normally my table saw is covered with chainsaws in pieces, the lathe and drill press are covered in sawdust and there are chains hanging from everywhere!

. . .so you are like most and work for a living and dream about playing in the shop,lol

Yep - that's me.

 

[BobL]

I guess there's some difference of opinion here... I'm a retired custom furniture/cabinet maker... I no longer sell work, but i do still have all the tools and a nice shop. In my shop i have a Newel 20" planer, 18" Woodmaster planer and a 13.5" Rockwell planer. Two Delta Unisaws, a 14" Huss table say, Rockwell jointer, 4 "floor" drill press', 2 table drill press', Delta bandsaw, Delta lathe, Delta 12" disc, 6x48" belt sander, and waaay too many other tools to name, including at least 10 routers...

Wow - lotsa nice goodies there

Bandsaw is a GREAT tool, but it wouldn't replace my Unisaw...

I agree, table saws do many things that bandsaws cannot do at all or do not do well, but I still think they are more useful as a first saw for a beginner.

Everyone is worried about resawing, why not do it right and start out with thinner material to begin with? Buy an assortment of thickness, or mill your lumber in several thickness' in the first place...

This approach makes a lot of sense for people with lots of space, bandsaw mills and large quantities of logs of the same kind. But how many of us are in that league?

Thicker wood takes up less space.
Most of us have CS mills and milling at less than ~2" with a CS mill is, IMHO, usually a waste of wood.
Irrespective of the above, unless an immediate use is being targetted, milling a rare or unusual tree into any small pieces is not a smart move
And for me, unless Aussie hardwoods are serious stacked and weighted, milling to 1" or less will often result in a bunch of pretzels.

 

[TraditionalTool]

I would pick a band saw over a table saw. I have longed for a Yates-American snowflake (Y-30 or Y-36).

A bandsaw is way more versatile, IMO, but what do I know.

Table saws are one of the most dangerous machines in a woodworking shop, where I band saw is relatively safe, sans sawing your fingers and/or arm off...you have to account for some brains around all equipment, just that the table saw is much more dangerous in function and use.

The band saw is typically not as accurate, but I do most of my finish work with hand tools anyway.

 

[TJB]

What tools for a wood shop. That's a question that 100 woodworkers will give you 100 different answers. I have always felt that a scroll saw is the most under used tool in a shop. Seem's like everyone has a cheap scroll saw in their shop that they bought and tried for a hour and then gave up on. I have a homebuilt chainsaw mill, a excalibur scroll saw, delta 12 inch planer, a cheap craftsman 4 inch jointer, tabletop drill press, a craftsman bench grinder with the wheels removed and sanding drums on it instead and a couple of random orbit sanders, skill saw and a craftsman bandsaw I hardly ever use in my shop. Those are all the tools I use for the scroll saw woodwork I do. Here's a few pics of the stuff I do and a link to my website if you want to see my CSM

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http://www.tjswoodshop.com

 

[Brmorgan]

I cleaned up just photo, normally my table saw is covered with chainsaws in pieces, the lathe and drill press are covered in sawdust and there are chains hanging from everywhere!


Yep - that's me.

I don't feel so bad about using my $50 yard-sale tablesaw as a workbench anymore!

My first stationary power tool was my drill press, I think. But that's because I got into doing metalwork etc. about the same time as woodworking, and that's one tool that is very handy for both.

If I had to make a choice between a radial arm saw or a tablesaw, I'd take a good radial. I have a Craftsman professional radial (still sells for ~$1000 CDN new) that I got for $80 at a yard sale a couple years back, and it's a pretty nice tool. I had to put $50 into parts for it, but it was still a steal. The backside of the motor doubles as a shaper head as well, and I happened to find the shaper head and full set of knives (10 profiles, I think) for $20 at another yard sale last summer. I'm not sure what it retails for new, but this set shows no evidence of ever having touched wood. This radial will do pretty much everything my tablesaw will do, except very wide cuts on sheet goods, though many cuts are admittedly more awkward to make. I've used it to dado shelving and I find it quicker and easier to set up and use than either a tablesaw or a router.

My tool list includes a Viel 4' duplicator lathe, Ridgid bandsaw (busted) and 6" jointer, Rockwell tablesaw, Delta 12-1/2" planer and scroll saw (as noted I really never use it!), Craftsman 6" grinder and radial arm saw, Mastercraft spindle sander, belt/disc sander, and wet/dry grinder, unknown cheapo imported drill 15" drill press, home-built 3-cylinder air compressor, and a Lincoln 225AC buzzbox welder's guts rebuilt into a custom box with a DC rectifier.