I am looking for general advice. I apologize up-front if this is not the
correct News Group:



1) I enjoy doing trim work and carpentry, I do not have a lot of
experience. Chair Rail, Crown, Bead board etc.

2) I am interested in getting started in woodworking.

3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as my next steps?
Wood working class?



Any reply would be greatly appreciated.



Scott

Woodstock GA

Unless you know a woodworker willing to do a first project with you, a
course is definitely the way to go.

toller wrote:
Unless you know a woodworker willing to do a first project with you,
a course is definitely the way to go.

I didn't think of taking a course but knew a crafter with an excellent shop
and worked there a couple of afternoons a week in exchange for being taught
how to use the mahines safely and basic construction. It was worth it!
And I got to use first class machines before I went looking to buy. Look
around and see who is out there doing what. Look for shop classes at the
local junior college.

Josie

Sounds like you have tools to get you going. You will need more as you go.
I agree that taking a course will be very beneficial. About 2-3 years after
I started tinkering with wood I took a college intro to cabinetmaking class
and it was great. Not only did I learn a lot about basic woodwork, it paid
two other big dividends:

1) I walked away with an excellent 900 page textbook that continues to
answer design and process questions 26 years later. It is 'Cabinetmaking
and Millwork' by John L. Feirer, Bennett Publishing. It is still in print
and was mentioned in a post here during the past month or two. My version
is 1970 but I know it has been updated and is still used in tech schools.
Expect to pay good money for it but it is available @ Amazon.

2) I was exposed to good quality woodworking equipment, some of which has
remained on my wish-list since then. Our shop was equipped with
earlier-vintage Unisaws, Delta Jointers, good quality hand tools and
professional grade benches.

Look around for college or technical school classes. By the way, where are
you from? I am from Kansas and Pittsburg State University's School of
Technology has one of the best wood technology programs in the region. I am
sure there are others like it.

Build things, find out what your good at... tables boxes etc, with the tools
you have. Most woodworkers find a particular niche they like working. As
your skills increase let your projects determine the tools you need. Read
old posts in this group. Do some shopnotes projects and see where your
skills are lacking and adjust accordingly.
EJ



"Scott Willett" wrote in message
.. .
I am looking for general advice. I apologize up-front if this is not the
correct News Group:



1) I enjoy doing trim work and carpentry, I do not have a lot of
experience. Chair Rail, Crown, Bead board etc.

2) I am interested in getting started in woodworking.

3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as my next
steps?
Wood working class?



Any reply would be greatly appreciated.



Scott

Woodstock GA

"Scott Willett" wrote in message
a. 10 in compound miter saw

Nice to have. You'll get use out of it. Be sure to get a good cross
cutting blade for it.


b. Router, I have only used once.

Good start. You will want a couple of roundover bits, amybe a couple of
straight cutters. Use good 1/2" shank bits. Buy what you need as you go
but there are some reasonably priced kits too.
..

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

Consider upgrading to a good contractors saw. Get a Beisemeyer fence or
equal, or a Unifence. Figure $800 and up. You can spend more on a cabinet
saw, but is is not really needed for the weekender. If you have hte $$, go
for it.




Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven.

Good idea. A drill press is nice to have. Bandsaw, planer, etc. You don't
need all the tools at once. Ear protection and safety glasses are musts,
IMO.

Any suggest as my next steps?
Wood working class?

Yes. A basic class can be a big help. Woodcraft stores usually have them.
Adult Ed classes also. Learn the basics, learn some safety too.

I've invested about $7000 over four years. There is always a tool that
you'd like to have, but most of us buy as we need and can afford. Sometimes
good deals can be had on used tools. Many wood suppliers can joint and plane
wood for you saving the initial investment in those tools. No shame in
starting out with #2 pine boards from Home Depot either.

Scott Willett wrote...

Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as my next steps?
Wood working class?

Number One Rule: Make something! The paralysis of analysis is the biggest
progress-killer.

2. Start with projects, not tools.

3. Simpler is usually better.

There's more, but this is a good start.

Jim

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in
. com:

snip
No shame in starting out with #2 pine boards from Home
Depot either.


Ed's right about starting out with #2 pine, but you might want to find a
decent lumber yard, and see if you can make a friend there. If you can go
during a slow period, and spend maybe five minutes chatting with one of the
staff, you'll likely walk away with better materials, at no higher cost,
and an idea of what the yard can do for you.

And when you need 200 lf of trim, delivered, for a project at home, you may
actually get what you want.

And don't let Ed's $7000 budget scare you off. Some folks can do the trick
for only twice that. ;-)

Patriarch

You have most of what you need to get started. I'd add a cord or cordless
drill/screwdriver and a comprehensive set of bits if you don't have them.

The most important machine in any woodworker's shop is the table saw. Even
though yours is old and has only an 8-inch blade, it should serve you well
IF you can do precise work with it. You will need to thoroughly check it,
i.e.,
* arbor runout
* condition and sharpness of blade
* blade runout
* perpendicularity of blade to miter slots
* perpendicularity of fence to blade
* straightness of fence from front to back
* fit of the miter gauge in the slots (should have little/no side-play)
* ability to precisely set miter gauge to various angles (don't rely on the
built-in protractor)
* MOST IMPORTANT - a good blade guard that includes a "splitter"

ALWAYS use the blade guard/splitter if at all possible.

I don't want to scare or discourage you with the labor involved in
tuning/adjusting your table saw but it is very important that it be done.
Many injuries occur because of out-of-adjustment tools and a poorly tuned
table saw can be very dangerous. It can kick work pieces and/or off-cuts
back at the operator with tremendous force.

There are several good paperback books and magazines that include
step-by-step procedures for tuning/adjusting your table saw. (Perhaps
others could chime in here with some titles.) You can usually find these in
well-stocked magazine and book stores like Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, B.
Dalton, etc. If you have or can acquire an owner's manual for your saw,
that will help immensely in locating adjustment points, etc.

Also check the arbor to see if you can mount a dado cutter and make sure you
have a table insert that will accommodate it. Perhaps you have no use for
this right away but you may eventually want to take that next step.

Good luck...work safely.

"Scott Willett" wrote in message
.. .
I am looking for general advice. I apologize up-front if this is not the
correct News Group:



1) I enjoy doing trim work and carpentry, I do not have a lot of
experience. Chair Rail, Crown, Bead board etc.

2) I am interested in getting started in woodworking.

3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as my next
steps?
Wood working class?



Any reply would be greatly appreciated.



Scott

Woodstock GA

You DON'T want router bits stored just piled in a drawer where they
roll around hitting each other! They seem to multiply like rabbits
once you start using them and see how versatile a router is. Plan
prior to buying many bits on a storage/identification method and put
them away when finished using them.

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 16:39:26 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


b. Router, I have only used once.

Good start. You will want a couple of roundover bits, amybe a couple of
straight cutters. Use good 1/2" shank bits. Buy what you need as you go
but there are some reasonably priced kits too.
.

"Scott Willett" wrote in
:


3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side
wants to purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as
my next steps? Wood working class?

If you have a specific project in mind you want to build, that
should guide you in which tools you might need to get next. You
could describe the project here, and people could advise you on
tools required (probably suggesting 3 different ways to do it
which require 3 totally different sets of tools).

If you don't have a project in mind, a workbench wouldn't be a bad
idea...you'd need something to flatten the top (bench plane or
a belt sander) but otherwise you've probably got the needed tools.
You could also consider making a router table; many tasks using
the router are more easily done when it's fixed in a cabinet.

John

Oops! Just re-read my previous post and meant parallelism and not
perpendicularity of blade to miter slots and fence to blade. Giving myself
10 lashes...ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch...

"Chuck Hoffman" wrote in message
om...
You have most of what you need to get started. I'd add a cord or cordless
drill/screwdriver and a comprehensive set of bits if you don't have them.

The most important machine in any woodworker's shop is the table saw.
Even
though yours is old and has only an 8-inch blade, it should serve you well
IF you can do precise work with it. You will need to thoroughly check it,
i.e.,
* arbor runout
* condition and sharpness of blade
* blade runout
* perpendicularity of blade to miter slots
* perpendicularity of fence to blade
* straightness of fence from front to back
* fit of the miter gauge in the slots (should have little/no side-play)
* ability to precisely set miter gauge to various angles (don't rely on
the
built-in protractor)
* MOST IMPORTANT - a good blade guard that includes a "splitter"

ALWAYS use the blade guard/splitter if at all possible.

I don't want to scare or discourage you with the labor involved in
tuning/adjusting your table saw but it is very important that it be done.
Many injuries occur because of out-of-adjustment tools and a poorly tuned
table saw can be very dangerous. It can kick work pieces and/or off-cuts
back at the operator with tremendous force.

There are several good paperback books and magazines that include
step-by-step procedures for tuning/adjusting your table saw. (Perhaps
others could chime in here with some titles.) You can usually find these
in
well-stocked magazine and book stores like Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, B.
Dalton, etc. If you have or can acquire an owner's manual for your saw,
that will help immensely in locating adjustment points, etc.

Also check the arbor to see if you can mount a dado cutter and make sure
you
have a table insert that will accommodate it. Perhaps you have no use for
this right away but you may eventually want to take that next step.

Good luck...work safely.

"Scott Willett" wrote in message
.. .
I am looking for general advice. I apologize up-front if this is not the
correct News Group:



1) I enjoy doing trim work and carpentry, I do not have a lot of
experience. Chair Rail, Crown, Bead board etc.

2) I am interested in getting started in woodworking.

3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants
to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as my next
steps?
Wood working class?



Any reply would be greatly appreciated.



Scott

Woodstock GA

Scott Willett wrote:

Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases?

Try to build things you're interested in. ;-) If you need tools, get 'em.
If you're not sure of each & every step, ask for help and/or take a class.

If you need ideas, I built a bunch of small boxes from 1/4" hardboard. They
hold my glue bottles, small tools, etc. It was a good learning experience
to make them come out square. ;-)

-- Mark

Scott,
For some of the projects you mentioned,(Chair,Crown etc) you will not
need an abundance of tools to start with. You miter saw will be fine with a
good finish blade. Pick up some safety equipment, a good level and a
chalkline. I prefer to cope my joints, others just miter inside corners.
Don't be afraid to cope a joint, and it's getting to be a lost art and I
think it is really the best way. Pick up a coping saw, some spare blades
and a file to clean up a cut when needed. I prefer a "4 way" file that is
flat on one side and rounded on the other having a single cut on one end and
rasp cut on the opposite end. If you do not have a trim gun/air compressor,
now's a good time to invest in one. If not, get a hammer you'll be happy
with and a nailset or two. If you decide to tackle crown in the bedroom or
chair rail/wainscoting in the dining room (or whatever) learn what you can
through a book or classes and ask questions here. You'll get answers from
people who do this kind of stuff on a regular basis to fill in where the
books leave off. Welcome to the group --dave






"Scott Willett" wrote in message
.. .
I am looking for general advice. I apologize up-front if this is not the
correct News Group:



1) I enjoy doing trim work and carpentry, I do not have a lot of
experience. Chair Rail, Crown, Bead board etc.

2) I am interested in getting started in woodworking.

3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as my next
steps?
Wood working class?



Any reply would be greatly appreciated.



Scott

Woodstock GA

If you have a saw mill anywhere near you a jointer and planer can pay for
themselves pretty quickly as rough sawn wood is much cheaper.

I use a scraper (~$5) almost daily for everything from scraping off glue
to a sandpaper substitute.

A block plane, jack plane, and chisel set well sharpened are cheap and
extremely useful. The key is well sharpened. Once you actually use a
sharp tool for the first time you will no longer be amazed at what they
could build back in the old days (just how good of shape they had to be
in to use them for a living).

A random orbit sander (makita, dewalt, bosch...not a black and decker).

I am amazed at how often I use my pull saw ($20). Great for jobs where a
power saw is too much but you want a decent cut.

And finally everything in the Lee Valley catalog (I'm currently drooling
over the shoulder and low angle planes).

As for classes I think that depends to some degree on your natural
abilities. I peronally found that starting by building shop fixtures
(bench, router table, etc) as close to furniture grade/fit as possible
helped me understand what tools I needed and what tools needed to be
upgraded. It also helped develop my skills to the point where I could do
an adequate job on my next projects. I find I learn something new on
every project and continue to get better. I'm sure this is slower than
classes would be, but I enjoy the learning process. To date I've
improved most at how to fix my mistakes

Jim

"Scott Willett" wrote in
:

I am looking for general advice. I apologize up-front if this is not
the correct News Group:



1) I enjoy doing trim work and carpentry, I do not have a lot of
experience. Chair Rail, Crown, Bead board etc.

2) I am interested in getting started in woodworking.

3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side
wants to purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as
my next steps? Wood working class?

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 17:47:10 GMT, "Chuck Hoffman"
wrote:

The most important machine in any woodworker's shop is the table saw.

Well...

While I'd agree that the most _used_ machine in my shop is the table
saw, I'd give it up if I had to choose between it and my bandsaw.

My cabinet saw is the most used because it's a huge _convenience_, and
I wouldn't want to be without it. But everything I do on it could be
done, (with just a little more effort), using another tool. On the
other hand my well tuned bandsaw, is capable of performing stock
milling tasks I'd be hard pressed to accomplish any other way.

Just a thought,
Michael Baglio

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 05:27:13 GMT, Michael Baglio
wrote:

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 17:47:10 GMT, "Chuck Hoffman"
wrote:

The most important machine in any woodworker's shop is the table saw.

Well...

While I'd agree that the most _used_ machine in my shop is the table
saw, I'd give it up if I had to choose between it and my bandsaw.

Depends on the focus.

Whenever I mention that a fine furniture maker should buy a band saw
before a table saw, I get ignored. G

I know a guy, actually he's a professional ww'ing instructor, who has
a 99% neander shop in his condo. A band saw is the only power tool in
the shop.

However, if the person plans to make all kinds of bookshelves,
cabinetry, built-ins, etc... as the project, I'd go with the table
saw.

Let the project choose the tool.

Barry

On 18 Nov 2004 23:47:19 -0500, Jim wrote:

If you have a saw mill anywhere near you a jointer and planer can pay for
themselves pretty quickly as rough sawn wood is much cheaper.

Even if there is no mill close by, a jointer flattens and straightens
wood. A planer makes ANY thickness of stock easily available. Hand
planes can also do this, with a much steeper learning curve.

Flat, straight stock of varying thicknesses is handy in a wood shop.

I save $0.05 bd/ft from my hardwood dealer buying it rough. However,
I get to choose which side to keep, and I mill it when I need it. S4S
dosen't always stay straight, and boards can get scraped, dinged, and
nicked in transport and storage.

Barry

Ba r r y wrote in
:
Excellent points! My lumber mill charges $.05 per linear foot per side.
That adds up a lot faster than the charge you were getting. In any case
the other points you made for the planer and jointer are absolutely dead
on and probably a better excuse..errr.. justification for the tools.


On 18 Nov 2004 23:47:19 -0500, Jim wrote:

If you have a saw mill anywhere near you a jointer and planer can pay
for themselves pretty quickly as rough sawn wood is much cheaper.

Even if there is no mill close by, a jointer flattens and straightens
wood. A planer makes ANY thickness of stock easily available. Hand
planes can also do this, with a much steeper learning curve.

Flat, straight stock of varying thicknesses is handy in a wood shop.

I save $0.05 bd/ft from my hardwood dealer buying it rough. However,
I get to choose which side to keep, and I mill it when I need it. S4S
dosen't always stay straight, and boards can get scraped, dinged, and
nicked in transport and storage.

Barry

Michael, I obviously need to spend some quality time with you to learn
bandsaw technique. I can't get mine to do much more precise work than I
can with a jigsaw. Of all the tools I own this is the must un-intuitive.
One of these days I'll have a week or two to just do a major project on
the bandsaw and learn to use it properly...or at least better.


Michael Baglio wrote in
:

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 17:47:10 GMT, "Chuck Hoffman"
wrote:

The most important machine in any woodworker's shop is the table saw.

Well...

While I'd agree that the most _used_ machine in my shop is the table
saw, I'd give it up if I had to choose between it and my bandsaw.

My cabinet saw is the most used because it's a huge _convenience_, and
I wouldn't want to be without it. But everything I do on it could be
done, (with just a little more effort), using another tool. On the
other hand my well tuned bandsaw, is capable of performing stock
milling tasks I'd be hard pressed to accomplish any other way.

Just a thought,
Michael Baglio

On 19 Nov 2004 23:04:19 -0500, Jim wrote:

Michael, I obviously need to spend some quality time with you to learn
bandsaw technique.

Hey, I'm nothing exceptional. If I can get a bandsaw to run smoothly,
I'd guess just about anyone can. A reading of The Bandsaw Book, some
time and patience to tune it up, you should be set. Once you get the
thing to track properly and get a good blade on it, the quality of
work they produce is pretty amazing.

(I suppose I should say my experience is with a Delta 14". Can't
speak to how well a smaller/lesser machine will perform regardless of
how much energy you put into it.)

Of all the tools I own this is the must un-intuitive.

Well, as long as you promise not to tell anybody, I'll admit that I'm
so mechanically inept that I don't even get _how_ bands stay on
spinning wheels that are crowned. ; Don't know how it works, just
know it does.

I think it's charlieb here who has a couple of pages on his web site
about the joys of a finely tuned bandsaw and the groovy-all-over
feeling he got the first time he cut some really nice veneer slices
with it. They're worth a read-- maybe he'll see this and chime in.

Someone else here who knows tons more about them than I probably ever
will is "UA100". Might want to ping him for some set-up advice.
(Just don't ask him about co-planarity.) ;

Duginske's Bandsaw Book: imo, a very good investment. Good luck.

Michael Baglio

I wanted to thank you so much for all the replies. I was quite surprised at
the number of responses.

Scott
Woodstock GA

"Scott Willett" wrote in message
.. .
I am looking for general advice. I apologize up-front if this is not the
correct News Group:



1) I enjoy doing trim work and carpentry, I do not have a lot of
experience. Chair Rail, Crown, Bead board etc.

2) I am interested in getting started in woodworking.

3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as my next
steps?
Wood working class?



Any reply would be greatly appreciated.



Scott

Woodstock GA

Thanks for the advice. I am reading a book called Table Saw Magic by Jim
Tolpins. He has a section on Table Saw Maintenance. I am very concerned
with safety. He has general safety guides, but not a lot of specifics. Any
suggestions.

Thanks
"Chuck Hoffman" wrote in message
om...
You have most of what you need to get started. I'd add a cord or cordless
drill/screwdriver and a comprehensive set of bits if you don't have them.

The most important machine in any woodworker's shop is the table saw.
Even
though yours is old and has only an 8-inch blade, it should serve you well
IF you can do precise work with it. You will need to thoroughly check it,
i.e.,
* arbor runout
* condition and sharpness of blade
* blade runout
* perpendicularity of blade to miter slots
* perpendicularity of fence to blade
* straightness of fence from front to back
* fit of the miter gauge in the slots (should have little/no side-play)
* ability to precisely set miter gauge to various angles (don't rely on
the
built-in protractor)
* MOST IMPORTANT - a good blade guard that includes a "splitter"

ALWAYS use the blade guard/splitter if at all possible.

I don't want to scare or discourage you with the labor involved in
tuning/adjusting your table saw but it is very important that it be done.
Many injuries occur because of out-of-adjustment tools and a poorly tuned
table saw can be very dangerous. It can kick work pieces and/or off-cuts
back at the operator with tremendous force.

There are several good paperback books and magazines that include
step-by-step procedures for tuning/adjusting your table saw. (Perhaps
others could chime in here with some titles.) You can usually find these
in
well-stocked magazine and book stores like Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, B.
Dalton, etc. If you have or can acquire an owner's manual for your saw,
that will help immensely in locating adjustment points, etc.

Also check the arbor to see if you can mount a dado cutter and make sure
you
have a table insert that will accommodate it. Perhaps you have no use for
this right away but you may eventually want to take that next step.

Good luck...work safely.

"Scott Willett" wrote in message
.. .
I am looking for general advice. I apologize up-front if this is not the
correct News Group:



1) I enjoy doing trim work and carpentry, I do not have a lot of
experience. Chair Rail, Crown, Bead board etc.

2) I am interested in getting started in woodworking.

3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants
to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as my next
steps?
Wood working class?



Any reply would be greatly appreciated.



Scott

Woodstock GA

Michael,

I am getting conflicting advice about the band saw. Can you cut curves
effectively with a band saw. I was also told it was a safer machine than
the table saw.

Thanks
"Michael Baglio" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 17:47:10 GMT, "Chuck Hoffman"
wrote:

The most important machine in any woodworker's shop is the table saw.

Well...

While I'd agree that the most _used_ machine in my shop is the table
saw, I'd give it up if I had to choose between it and my bandsaw.

My cabinet saw is the most used because it's a huge _convenience_, and
I wouldn't want to be without it. But everything I do on it could be
done, (with just a little more effort), using another tool. On the
other hand my well tuned bandsaw, is capable of performing stock
milling tasks I'd be hard pressed to accomplish any other way.

Just a thought,
Michael Baglio

Scott Willett wrote:
Thanks for the advice. I am reading a book called Table Saw Magic
by Jim Tolpins. He has a section on Table Saw Maintenance. I am
very concerned with safety. He has general safety guides, but not a
lot of specifics. Any suggestions.

Thanks

[snip]

Hard to beat watching someone to whom safety is nearly automatic. Exception
might be having them watch you for a while.

Josie

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 07:06:45 -0500, "Scott Willett"
wrote:

Michael,

I am getting conflicting advice about the band saw. Can you cut curves
effectively with a band saw. I was also told it was a safer machine than
the table saw.

Thanks
Scott, look at Duginske's Bandsaw Handbook (esp page 244) if you want
to see what curves a bandsaw can cut.

Re safety, both with cut you - bad - there is no substitute for
knowledge about the equipment and being careful but, having said that,
the bandsaw may stall if you jam a piece in it but it will never throw
things at you at a hundred miles an hour like a good table saw can.

TWS

"Scott Willett" wrote in message ...
I am getting conflicting advice about the band saw. Can you cut curves
effectively with a band saw.

yes, blades go down to 1/8". The smaller, the easier it is to cut
curves. There's a demo that I see at all the woodworking shows. I
think it's the guy pushing carter guides. He cuts a reindeer out of a
small block of wood. He was cutting 180 degree curves with a 1/4"
diameter.

I was also told it was a safer machine than
the table saw.

Yeah, no kickback. And if you do hit the blade, it's less
catastrophic. You can still cut things off easily though. I'm always
reminded by this when I look at bandsaw catalogs. There's nearly
always a model designed to cut meat.

brian

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 09:41:56 -0500, "Scott Willett"
wrote:

I am looking for general advice. I apologize up-front if this is not the
correct News Group:



1) I enjoy doing trim work and carpentry, I do not have a lot of
experience. Chair Rail, Crown, Bead board etc.

2) I am interested in getting started in woodworking.

3) I have the following tools:

a. 10 in compound miter saw

Excellent for your trim work and general framing- this, along with a
Skil saw is probably the best thing you can have for trim carpentry.

b. Router, I have only used once.

c. An old Makita 8 inch, contractor table saw

d. Other hand tools, Skill Saw, etc



Any suggestions on my next steps or purchases? My "gung ho" side wants to
purchase an upgraded table saw, belt driven. Any suggest as my next steps?
Wood working class?

A Woodworking class would be my suggestion. Short of that, a book
about using the table saw wouldn't be a bad idea before upgrading.
Sounds like you're on your way anyhow. Your next tool purchases
should depend on just what it is you're going to be doing- if you're
going to continue doing trim carpentry, a brad nailer is not a bad
idea (though not necessary) but if you're looking at something else, a
bandsaw is always useful as well- but I'd advise staying away from the
really cheap ones, since they're a real PITA to set up.


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On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 22:36:12 GMT, "Dave jackson"
wrote:

Scott,
For some of the projects you mentioned,(Chair,Crown etc) you will not
need an abundance of tools to start with. You miter saw will be fine with a
good finish blade. Pick up some safety equipment, a good level and a
chalkline. I prefer to cope my joints, others just miter inside corners.
Don't be afraid to cope a joint, and it's getting to be a lost art and I
think it is really the best way. Pick up a coping saw, some spare blades
and a file to clean up a cut when needed. I prefer a "4 way" file that is
flat on one side and rounded on the other having a single cut on one end and
rasp cut on the opposite end. If you do not have a trim gun/air compressor,
now's a good time to invest in one. If not, get a hammer you'll be happy
with and a nailset or two. If you decide to tackle crown in the bedroom or
chair rail/wainscoting in the dining room (or whatever) learn what you can
through a book or classes and ask questions here. You'll get answers from
people who do this kind of stuff on a regular basis to fill in where the
books leave off. Welcome to the group --dave

A lot of folks have suggested the voc. school courses, and they are
good, and usually not too expensive- but you can also get a few free 1
hour classes at Home Depot. They're unlikely to go into the finer
points of chair making, but it's a good bet they'll have something
related to crown moulding and other trim work.
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On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 07:06:45 -0500, "Scott Willett"
wrote:

Michael,

I am getting conflicting advice about the band saw. Can you cut curves
effectively with a band saw. I was also told it was a safer machine than
the table saw.

Sure can- the radius of the curve is limited by the width of the blade
(narrower blade = tighter radius) You can free-hand them without risk
of kickback, or use a jig.

Thanks
"Michael Baglio" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 17:47:10 GMT, "Chuck Hoffman"
wrote:

The most important machine in any woodworker's shop is the table saw.

Well...

While I'd agree that the most _used_ machine in my shop is the table
saw, I'd give it up if I had to choose between it and my bandsaw.

My cabinet saw is the most used because it's a huge _convenience_, and
I wouldn't want to be without it. But everything I do on it could be
done, (with just a little more effort), using another tool. On the
other hand my well tuned bandsaw, is capable of performing stock
milling tasks I'd be hard pressed to accomplish any other way.

Just a thought,
Michael Baglio


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On 23 Nov 2004 08:13:23 -0800, (brian lanning)
wrote:

"Scott Willett" wrote in message ...
I am getting conflicting advice about the band saw. Can you cut curves
effectively with a band saw.

yes, blades go down to 1/8". The smaller, the easier it is to cut
curves. There's a demo that I see at all the woodworking shows. I
think it's the guy pushing carter guides. He cuts a reindeer out of a
small block of wood. He was cutting 180 degree curves with a 1/4"
diameter.

I was also told it was a safer machine than
the table saw.

Yeah, no kickback. And if you do hit the blade, it's less
catastrophic. You can still cut things off easily though. I'm always
reminded by this when I look at bandsaw catalogs. There's nearly
always a model designed to cut meat.

If you get a big enough one, then they're really impressive. The two
I've got at work (.056" x 1.25" x 16' blades) could lop a person in
half in about 5 seconds (depending on how the feed rate is set) That
being said, I've never even come close to getting hit by it, or
anything that it's cutting.



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