On 11/23/2020 4:51 PM, dpb wrote:
On 11/23/2020 4:34 PM, Leon wrote:
On 11/23/2020 2:01 PM, dpb wrote:
On 11/23/2020 1:29 PM, Leon wrote:
...
So I'm leaning towards the Hammer, 12 or 16"
I can't see ever going smaller than what you can manage.Â* Just
because you don't use it all the time; the times you do is worth its
weight in gold.
_UNLESS_ you have easy access to other shops for the occasional use;
here in a very small locale even the commercial guys don't have
anything of any size and the c-college has closed their woodworking
program...
I've not used the Hammer specifically so can't really comment on it.
I have used an older Incra...but I wouldn't recommend it owing to
changeover hassles.Â* Altho I think they've been redesigned since,
too, maybe?
--
Thanks!
The advantage to going 16 over 12 "now" the price difference is much
less that if going from 12 to 16 "later".
That keeps haunting me.Â* I never dreamed that I would use my Domino as
much as I have.
If you're intending to keep working commercially for any length of time
at all (I've no idea how old you are, exactly, altho know you're younger
than I by a ways), I can't see how you could possibly go wrong with more
rather than less.Â* It may open up other avenues than those you've yet
tapped, as well.
I have never pushed this to be a living, although I think if I
advertised I might be overwhelmed. Considering that this started out as
a hobby when I was 10 and 14 years later a more serious hobby and
another 5 years as therapy, ;~) and finally 10~12 years after that
something that could not be hidden from the tax man, here is where I am
at. I'm 66.
I do not intend to build big any more unless the project looks fun. And
again, if I am selling a large piece of furniture I buy wood ready to go.
I have always bought roughsawn stock in bulk so to me having the
facilities has always been a necessity.Â* I brought the 18" PM 180 planer
with me; I am now limited to the 8" Rockwell-Delta jointer that is a
pain on occasion whereas in both VA and TN had easy access to either a
12" or 24" depending.
FWIW I saw a YouTube video a few days ago that showed how to mill stock
wider than the capacity of the jointer. Maybe have have seen or heard
of this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyVrabLVuBc
But, only you know what you actually do and what kinds of additional
commissions you might consider accepting in the future.Â* I did a fair
amount of small business conference room tables, credenzas, etc., in VA
that basically required the heft.
Absolutely! And why I buy the wood already processed. In the Houston
area my labor is more expensive than the difference in price of milled
and unmilled wood. Another reason that I never expect for this machine
to pay for itself. Now I can go to a mill and buy rough cut directly,
and save more money buying wood. But that involves a 2 hour drive both
ways and a couple of hours at the mill. That technically becomes more
expensive when I add 6 hours of my labor time.
I've done no commercial commissions since returning to the farm--too
small a town to have any significant demand for anything other than
cookie-cutter so not interesting work plus just not enough time if were
to try to really drum up anything.
I would really like to produce these, a dozen or so at a time.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb112...in/dateposted/
Especially when compared to this tool box company. When I built the
above chests about 15 years ago the going price was about $2200.00 each.
A couple of years ago, over $3,000 each. I sold the second one in
that picture to a neighbor for $800. Apparently they have quit offering
this style. I'm guessing the asking price was too high. The time to
build is mostly on the set up, hence several at a time to bring down
production cost.
https://gerstnerusa.com/products/
Trying to finish our house is more than I've managed in 20 years, so
far... 
Home ownership, a never ending chore. Keep us posted! ;~)