I regret purchasing the belt sanding sharpening system where you need an adjustable speed to control the cut. I also regret buying the Rockler dust hose and connectors as they don't seem to work on the shop vac or the tools. As well as, I have collected tools that I don't use. I have a pantograph for a router. A 1980s router sign set up. Two tenon jigs from delta. A pulley system for an old delta saw.
@@donwight5806 I’ve thought about purchasing a similar sharpening system a few times myself! So far I’ve talked myself out of it! I do have the Rockler Dust Right hose and connecters. I like it so far since it seems to fit most of my tools, but I’ve learned to have very low expectations on any dust collection connectors. So many times I’ve bought a connector or adapter that doesn’t fit anything!
My true biggest purchase regrets were the Grizzly machines I purchased. I wish I had waited and just purchased the Harvey 14 or 15 inch bandsaw, and not purchased a jointer/planer at all. Three years later, I hand plane most everything and the Grizzly G0634XP 12 inch jointer planer just sits taking up a third of my space. It took over a year for Grizzly to not repair the issues with it, and during that time I became much more proficient and reliant on hand planes from learning from Paul Sellers. I was able to set it up finally, without Grizzly's help, by ordering several replacement parts etc. but it is so much easier to just start hand planing. If I absolutely must use a power planer, I am much happier with my Dewalt 735. When I have money again, I will instead purchase the helical upgrade for my Dewalt. Anyone interested in a $3,000 Jointer/Planer? :) the Grizzly G0513ANV bandsaw was another disappointment, the table is not even machined on the sides, so it is very difficult to square everything to the blade, and easily falls out of alignment. I completely redid the wheels, replacing the tires with aftermarket set, balancing and shimming the wheels, as they were completely misaligned from the factory. And now, after resawing small pieces of white oak, it feels majorly under powered. If I had it to do again, I would have gone with the Laguna, or the Harvey (since they make it) bandsaw! And I would never have purchased the jointer/planer.
I keep all kinds of different things from dowel extra nuts, bolts and washers I even saw dust. I thought I was the only one who kept some. Oh by the way Biscuit at 11:05. New sub.
Biscuits! I just came across your channel, and I like what I see. I’ve been working with wood for nearly 30 years, and am a firm believer that I can learn something new from every video I watch. Your tips are spot on! There are two things I learned along the way that every new woodworker should know. 1) Take the time to ensure your wood is PERFECTLY square. I remember trying to cut a mortise for the first time. I drew my line around the board, but my last line didn’t meet up with the first one. The frustration that ensued was enough to make me almost quit woodworking, and it was all because my board wasn’t square. 2) Take the time to be precise. Use a marking knife whenever possible. The thickness of a pencil line is sometimes too much. Rushing will only create more work for yourself. Slowing down and being precise made me a much better woodworker. Anyhow, I just wanted to say hi and share that with everyone. Take care, I have liked and subscribed! ☮️
Biscuits. Thank you for sharing your experiences. One of the nice things about the woodworking community is how we learn from each other, whether it be about tools or techniques.
Biscuits! Good tips! Worst blooper I ever saw with a belt sander was from a guy sanding in his kitchen. He reached too far and unplugged the sander. He walked over, plugged it back in, and watched it skate right through a window. Ouch!
Biscuits; I have been working for a hobby now 5 years. I also have bought tools I don't use and regret buying. I've sold many to collect some money back for the things I do need. Like your approach. I too, also purchase now based on the projects I'm doing. IN this way I have a better idea what I need.
That's the best way to go about it, just get what you need when you need it! Otherwise you end up with a shop full of tools you never use and an empty bank account!
Biscuit. I don't regret buying my small 6" Wen benchtop jointer. It's fine for what I do now and was cheap enough that I won't feel like it was wasted money if I later upgrade to something bigger. Meanwhile it works a whole lot better than the 0" planer I had to use before. ;-) Like you said, it depends on your own needs and workflow. I do regret buying a contractor saw that was not tunable in any way and with a fence that pointed in a different way each time it was locked. That's sitting on my garage floor unused. Between what I spent on it and the much nicer but still lower-end saw that I use now, I could have bought something much nicer than either. Your content is always worth watching, and there's lots of good advice in this video. Thanks!
I imagine the table saw is most people’s first big purchase and probably the first regret. We try to go cheap but end up spending much more in the end.
The Wen is garbage - one of my tool regrets along with my Rigid Contractor table saw with the wavy cast iron top and wings. The Wen is fine if you can actually get it square, but mine went out of square/level and haven't been able to get it back. Going in the junk pile. My Dewalt DW716 miter saw doesn't have a square fence on it either....at least my tools are consistent to build Dr. Suess shaped stuff.
Biscuits. When I started building my shop 30 years ago I was a huge Norm Abrams fan so I would buy tools and brands that he hawked on his show namely Porter Cable and Delta. Where I made a big mistake was buying a Freud biscuit joiner instead of the P.C. that he used. The Freud was half the price but is a royal pain to use. If P.C. was still in business I would buy that tool now.
Porter Cable used to make some good quality tools, but they started going down hill in quality in the 90's with cheaper manufacturing overseas. I have a couple PC routers that are terrible.
Biscuits, good idea to determine what wood working you want to do first, I bought tools i sold because i did not use them , i don't build furniture, You were right ! I was told all what I just had to have to make money with wood, Not so ! put your own spin on what you make and what you make it with. GOOD FILM.
Biscuits, I agree with everything you said here. I have a mixture of parallel clamps, and so far my favorite has been the Bremen from Harbor Freight! I won several Bessey K body clamps and are they expensive. I saw a few reviews of the Bremen clamp and decided to take a chance on a couple. Very pleased with them! Someday I’ll get a Saw-Stop but I need to save up for a while. Great video!
Bought the cheap Harbor Freight trigger clamps first time around, most stopped clamping after a few weeks. Upgraded to a set of Bremen clamps and never had an issue. Have the Jorgensen F style clamps and they work good.
I have used so many joinery methods, and while there's an immense satisfaction I receive from doing traditional joinery and taking the time, I wouldn't trade my Domino for anything. No more time consuming dowels, everything always lines up perfectly. I love it so much, and have made some insane looking shelves with it.
Biscuits! I always look forward to your videos. Your content always seem to speak directly to me and my efforts in the shop. I would like to see more of your videos. But, I appreciate your efforts and look forward to those in the future!
Biscuit I just use Marples Chisels, fairly economical, hold an edge well. I just use a Grizzly industrial saw, with a micro-adjust fence. Love HPLV sprayers. I use a 6" 1950's era jointer, do not use wide boards without cutting them down anyways, to prevent warpage. When I need significant force I use pipe clamps. When just a little force is required I have dozens of $5 dollar clamps that work perfectly. For the price of a few box clamps I can supply my entire shop with perfectly adequate clamps. As a bonus, I have a lot more clamps than I generally use. The man with the most tools when he dies wins.
Biscuits need gravy. my tool regrets are mostly centered around the fact that 2 years ago while I was in the VA hospital, someone broke into my garage, and used my 3 shop carts, to steal most of my hand tools, and quite a few of the small table top power tools I had. they cleaned out over 40 years of tool collection, including a lot I had gotten while working in home building, and cabinet making. as a disabled vet, it is hard to replace them on a VA pension, but my son and I have been trying to slowly rebuild our tools. I am teaching him how to do a lotof the different styles of wood working that I have enjoyed over the years, but we are having ( because of finances, we have no other choice) to rely on Harbor Freight tools for a lot of the things we have. having used quality tools in the past, I know they suck, but they get the job done, more or less.
So sorry to hear that. Good luck with rebuilding your tool kit. Keep an eye out for people selling good tools on Facebook marketplace. You can find a good deal every once in a while.
Biscuits! Thank you so much for all the advice, it must really have taken you a while to make your list but everything you've said is absolutely true and I cannot express enough how grateful I am for this honesty and you sharing this insight with everyone. I'm really looking forward in watching all your other video tutorials. Many Blessing for you and your Family and please continue to make more tutorials I just love your channel 😇🙌
Biscuit! As a newbie just getting going I haven’t had a chance to buy enough tools to regret any (yet). It’s actually encouraging to hear how experienced woodworkers like yourself can still make mistakes about what tools to get. Great video.
I have the rolling dewalt job site saw and I love it. The rack and pinion system is awesome to use and it can take a dado stack, which not all models can, so double check before you buy.
Apparently, we can't be trusted with dado stacks in the UK or Europe. When I get around to needing a table saw, (maybe early in 2024), I'll be looking to get a Dewalt 10".
@@mattgoodstadt2372 Firstly health and safety regulations are a good thing, particularly where blades are concerned. Table saws are most dangerous tool in the workshop after all. Secondly, they're not illegal at all - in a commercial setting, the rule is that the blade must stop within 10 seconds, the dado stack must be fittable to the machine without modification (i.e. a longer arbor) and there must be a guard fitted when using them. Basically their use is a bit more limited and it has to be done as safely as possible. That's commercial of course and it relates to duties of employers for their employees. You can do whatever you want at home in regards to this, go crazy and change arbors and have really long braking times. Personally, I wouldn't modify it, just work around it and use other systems (router) over dado stacks.
@samnichols4361 Ignore my last comment. RUclips confused me! You are right, of course. Health and Safety always has to be the top priority. I LIKE all my fingers, and I don't have any to spare. When I need to make dados, (dadoes?), I'll get myself a router or use a jig.
Biscuits!! Thanks. I have just started doing some woodworking and have made a mistake or two, I found your videos and have begun watching them. I find you to be one of the more down to earth people I have watched, What you say makes sense and has been very helpful.
I bought the DEWALT biscuit joiner many years ago but it never worked quite right. Decades later I was fiddling with it to change the cutter and realized the cutter was never parallel to the fence. A quick adjustment and now it works.
For average construction you can't beat the biscuit jointer. Much faster than dowels and allows a little give if things don't fit exactly as intended. Built many a bookcase with biscuits.
BISCUITS! And - "SUBSCRIBED". Not sure why this channel hasn't popped up before, but you have some really good content. Now, about this video. I've only woodworked for last 9 years after a lifetime passion/hobby for mechanics and cars. Cant work on them anymore and not willing to learn computer systems. So help me, power seats and cigarette lighters (when you can find the latter) are tied into modern car computer systems anymore, and working on cars is simply no longer enjoyable. Enter woodwork. I made THE EXACT SAME PURCHASES and mistakes you outlined. I have the Dewalt 7491RS table saw and love it after a miserable Delta and Craftsman. Used it hard for last 6 years. And once you take the time to dial it in, I think it will rival many really nice cabinet saws for accuracy and clean cuts. And very ironically - I built a near identical dust collection cart as I saw in the background during this video. It is "Frankencart v9.2". It works great. I look forward to going through your videos. Thanks for this - you struck a very familiar nerve!
Biscuits 2! I appreciate using Cubitron sandpaper with my Dewalt orbital sander. Their multiple grit types are really effective at material removal and finishing efforts. Good comments about watching other woodworker comments about tool choices 'for the type of work that I prefer to do'. Putting comments in the context of what you 'need' versus what you 'want' is important.
BISCUITS, I like your style & am just now (age 64) preparing to launch my woodworking business. I'm looking forward to learning from your experience! All the best, Scott
I completely agree about the belt sander. I bought one at a garage sale for $40, it was a Porter+Cable that's not made anymore. It really did a fantastic job of removing material quickly.....so quickly that I realized this tool wasn't for me. I ended up re-selling it to a contractor I hired for some renovations, for the same $40 I paid for it. So I didn't lose any money over it, but I did gain the knowledge that a belt sander doesn't belong in my particular workshop.
Biscuits. I just found your videos and I'm enjoying your tips. I have the same belt sander and thought the same thing. I am definitely an amateur at woodworking as I do projects around the house. I've made plenty of mistakes. The biggest thing I've learned is take your time, no need to rush. When you do, well, mistakes happen. Also, learn from various people then experiment with what works best for you. Thanks and I look forward to checking out more of your videos.
Biscuits! One additional point on sanders, is that upgrading from a 125mm to a 150mm model can really speed things up without compromising the quality or breaking the bank. As for my biggest purchasing regret, that's probably my drill press as there just isn't the space in my shop to justify it... Wpuld have been much better off with something like the Rockler Drill Guide.
Those are both tools that almost made the list! I have a 6" sander that I never use. It's just too big and aggressive for most work I do. It's fine if you have a large table top to smooth, but too big for most smaller pieces. I also have a small workbench drill press that I regret picking up. It doesn't have enough stroke for a lot of jobs. Wish I had purchased a full sized floor standing one. Thanks for watching!
Bosch makes something called a PBD-40 that's fairly compact, and just light enough that it hasn't been a hassle to move around. It's an all-aluminium machine, so there's a teensy bit of flex to it, and they've been known for having some play in the chuck bearings, but mine's alright. Plus, with the way that the baseplate is also your table, it's super-easy to handle longer workpieces, and as it also has a 20mm hole in it below the chuck, you can put the machine on top of a workpiece and use it like a regular drill guide.
@@gustaveliasson5395Interesting points about the Bosch. It's on my list. It's way down, but it's on there. Maybe I should just learn how to drill properly!
I just came across your channel a few days ago, and I really enjoy your delivery. I look up all the tools I see, and that you mention, and I really appreciate what you have to say. I must confess that some of the tools you use are a bit pricier than I'd like to spend, but I do have to make sure I don't go for the budget items...which, again, is why I appreciate all that you share. Those quality, but not overpriced, items like the Narex chisels and Jorgenson clamps are definitely in the mix though. As you said, regarding the clamps, I'll just have to accumulate over time...as the project requires. Thank you again for your videos...they are much appreciated 👍
If you're looking for budget tools, I'm working on a new video now that has a bunch of tools I use that are all under $20! Look for it to release in the next week or two!
Biscuit I had an older craftsman than you showed and bought the dewalt and it is 1000 times better 👍 It made me laugh when you pushed the domino out of the frame 😂
Biscuits. I’ll agree with you 90% The cheap F clamps in the smaller sizes (12” and smaller) from Harbor Freight are very useful. Pipe clamps are also a good for large glue ups. I use a belt sander for flattening large tops, but it was the only way years ago to flatten large panels. I’ve found a sled with my thickness planer the best way to flatten panels and boards
No problem, I don’t expect everyone to agree 100%. That’s why I tried to explain my reasoning for the tools I listed. For some people my issues may not be a problem at all and they may really like those tools! Pipe clamps are a great option and I should have listed them as an alternative. Thanks for your input and thanks for watching!
BISCUITS! Great info!! Really helpful. As a newer woodworker I needed this. I have a pretty well set up shop, but I made many of the mistakes you mentioned.
Biscuits!! This is the 3rd video I’ve watched of yours. They are informative and straight to the point. I’m now a subscriber and look forward to watching more of your vids. Thanks heaps from down under.
Biscuits, I came across your channel today and have watched several of your videos. The tools I regret buying are the tools that I thought I should have but find myself not using them at all (belt sander) or should have waited until I could afford a better quality (Grizzly tablesaw), etc... Absolutely love your content and style so you have a new subscriber!
Biscuits! Super informative video. Agree with you 100% about working with an inferior table saw. My first saw was a Bosch 10" contractor saw, which I thought would be a pretty great saw. It didn't have instability issues or horrible miter slots, but it did suffer from a totally garbage fence. I had to check for square every single time I made a cut and usually wound up doing micro adjustments. I eventually sold the thing and bought the DeWalt - just for the rack & pinion fence option alone. I love that thing. LOL on the look you gave to the Festool Domino.
I seem to do that a lot, buy something thinking I'll save some money. Then it doesn't work and I end up having to buy something else for more money and probably should have bought the first time!
Biscuits - great video! I wish I’d seen this when I was starting out, you’d have saved me a boatload. I have yet to use my Jessem dowel jig, although the engineer in me loves the quality and design. I started with a Porter Cable table saw from the Big Blue Box store - good saw, supported a dado stack, I learned a lot. Leveled up to the Delta 36-725 for a built-ins/cabinet project. Great saw and it fits my tiny shop space, has a good enough fence and a Incra 1000HD miter ups the game. After 6 yrs I still havent unboxed my Kreg flip up router table top and built the router table that was supposed to be my first shop tool. My Dewalt trim router and decades-old Craftsman bench top router table with my Bosch 2 1/4 hp router can do just about everything I work on. I wish I’d skipped my Rikon 10” band saw and just bought the floor standing model, but like I said I have a tiny shop I have to use mobile tools in so I can move things around. Never have moved the saw & stand so would have been better off w the floor version. I have to say I have as many harbor freight clamps as Jorgs - just don’t use them for heavy jobs.
Biscuits. Thank you for the great tips and tricks. I'm a new wood worker, and just bought a table saw last week. Stand arrived yesterday and built my first set of bathroom shelves from cedar and stained and sealed. Thankful I stumbled across your channel. My goal for this new hobby is to build quality things for family and friends but not go broke buying things I won't use. Already implemented a couple tips 🍻
That's awesome! Glad I can help you get started! I have quite a few videos you should watch with lots more tips on saving money and learning woodworking techniques!
Biscuits. Bought an M18 7¼ miter saw to whack together a basic Swedish/Scandinavian/whatever they're called 1X3/1x4 shelf to organize my tools and chargers. Really excited to get into wood working. I've done little DIY projects before. Took shop classes in middle/high-school and college. But never really had the money to buy the tools I needed until recently. I still need to be frugal so I appreciate videos like this! Researching table saws and routers now. Planning on working off a Bora collapsible work space so I can work outside. Or in the unfinished basement/celler. Hopefully by the time we buy a house- I'll have the tools and knowledge to build a proper shop and start cranking out projects!
Biscuits! Great info!! I have a tendency to just buy random tools I’ve never seen before and they end up ruining everything and cluttering up my space! These videos are teaching me not to be so impulsive for sure! Thanks 🙏
Biscuits. Thanks for the great videos. I got a cheap set of chisels and the metal was so soft. I have been holding off on getting a new set, and I am glad I saw this video on the set you got.
Biscuit! And new subscriber! Most of your vid sounded like my life. My grandfather use to goto Sears for EVERYTHING... it use to be difficult for me NOT to goto Sears. My background is technology, but wanted woodworking to be a hobby.. Looking forward to watching your other and new vids.
Thanks! Sears and Craftsman used to have pretty decent tools many years ago, but like a lot of brands they have gone down hill in quality. Hope you enjoy the videos!
Biscuits. I’m just getting into this since working in a cabinet shop during college. I appreciate your videos, they are well done and honest, two of the best attributes of a quality craftsman.
Biscuits - good info. I am just starting a woodworking journey and this type of information is invaluable for assisting in the selection of tools for the shop.
good video! I think the best advice is something i remember Steve Ramsey saying that saved me a lot of money: Buy tools when you need them, not when you think you might need them in the futur. its very easy to buy a lot of stuff, only to use it only once, because you are exited about the purchase, then let it collect dust. Buy if you notice yourself actually needing stuff. Couple things i regret: a very cheap pocket hole jig. i bought the wolfcraft one, thats a cheapo german brand. its terrible. its a clamp on one and it cant even clear chips, so i need to manually vacuum every single hole out, before i even finish one hole. otherwhise it just gets jammed. it works, but its so annoying to use. Buy a good one if you do buy one. Cheap router bits. I bought a rather cheap set of router bits, thinking "better to have them all in okay quality in case i need one, then replace the ones i actually use"... well, i bought the set of 15 from bosch and 3 years in, i have used 4 of them. And one of those ones was a v grove bit that i wanted to use for some carving, that was so dull, every piece was burnt, even at tiny depth. So i replaced it with a festool one that was worlds better. Overall the bosch set is fine, but its never great, and as i mentioned before, its mainly collecting dust. Buy the bits you need and buy those in good enough quality. for the money that i spent on 15 okay-ish ones, i could have gotten the ones i actually need in great quality. Cheap casters. Man does it suck to replace casters a year or two in because you wanted to save 20 bucks Things i do not regret: Good japanese pull saw, i use Zsaw. I also love the 3m extract cubitron 2 sand paper. The Incra Tiny T is an amazing marking tool for joinery. A decent blockplane, i have never had an absolute need for one, but i grab it so often for things. Cerax sharpening waterstones. they last a good time before needing to be flattened and are just overall great value. ... this one is gonna be stupid, but a metal Stanley tape measure. it doesnt work any better, its just a tape measure... but it feels really nice :D
Biscuits I definitely agree with the belt sander I bought a few years back and probably only used it twice and that was on rough construction not fine woodworking good video
Good to hear someone else agrees with me on the belt sander! I've had a lot of people say they use it all the time, but it just doesn't fit my kind of wood working!
Biscuit. OK, I saw you roll your eyes! While I would love to have your domino cutter, @ nearly 72 I'll never purchase one. I do admit that I love my PC557 and have been using biscuits for nearly 25 years. I just used mine this past week while joining some Black Walnut from trees that I cut down on my father-in-law's farm in 1975. They're going to be a desktop for my granddaughter's new writing desk. Hey, on another note, I love your content. I've always been of the mindset to never purchase cheap tools, (haven't always followed my own instincts...) but still use tools I purchased over 50 years ago. Count me as a new subscriber!
Biscuits. Just found your page glad I did. Definitely subscribed. I'm Milling and building while running a tree service I bite off more than I can chew but i will figure it out. Great stuff sir and look forward to seeing more
Biscuits. I both regret and don't buying a cheap box store block plane. It wasn't good quality, but showed me that I enjoy using a plane and what they can do. I just got three used planes (Stanley #4, Stanley S5 Jack, and a Dunlap block) that I'm restoring and I'm looking forward to using them.
Biscuits. Found the belt sander works great for hogging off material when I'm doing a renovation/rejuvination, but for the finer stuff, the palm sander.
Biscuits.. are good with gravy.. or fried chicken.. or glue.. Thanks for the honest takes, exactly the sort of thing some of us wanna-be woodworkers appreciate. I was debating on whether a 6" joiner would meet my needs and you helped make that decision (I'll wait and save my pennies). For that belt sander, turn it upside down and clamp it to your bench: instant usability for small projects.
Biscuits! It seems like I use dowels more and more. They are strong and relatively fast and easy. I haven’t used the JessEm but I love my Dowelmax. It’s easy and very accurate. Thanks for sharing.
I believe they are very similar. Both are great tools, if you do a lot of dowels. I tried it a few times and just don't enjoy that method. Glad it's working for you though!
Biscuits! Good information. I am just starting my journey. All I have is a jig saw, circular saw and a Brad nailer. I plan on starting out with some small sellables and buying tools with that money and working my my up . Good stuff to consider
That's a great start, pretty much the same I had when I first got started, although I had a drill instead of the brad nailer! For my first project I built a step stool for my wife to use to reach the top of the closet. I used some plywood and a wood stair tread from Home Depot. You can see a photo of it in the About section of my website! biscuittreewoodworks.com
Biscuits! Only found your channel a few weeks ago but its one of the best. Much appreciated. As for the 6" joiner, well, I got mine for free, but I have spent so much time tuning it with never the perfect result in the end, I can say that a quality joiner (that's an 8" as you say) is a wise move.
Biscuits and gravy! I have watched a few of your videos now and I got to say that they are top notch quality and you have an amazing way of presenting information concisely, great job! I agree with most things you say here, however, I do see quite a lot of hate for the belt sander. For its intended purpose, I agree, not very useful at all, however, if you create a jig like I and a few others have, you can turn your belt sander into a benchtop sander and use it for shaping purposes, you can save lots of money this way.
Interesting use for the belt sander! Glad to hear it works well for you! I have a drum sander and a spindle sander, so not sure I would go through the effort of making a jig for the belt sander, but thanks for sharing!
BIScuits. I’m 47 now use to be a firefighter, vet, etc. I only had woordworking experience when I was in middle school for about 3 months. Of that… everything I made was an “astray”. Now I build up the courage to make stuff. Now I’m an artist making … starting to make my own frames. My first tool I bought last week is a miter saw: Dewalt 781 I want to get into making other things but not sure what ALL to have. I heard I should get a router and a planer I have a limited budget basically $500 to $1000 a month to spend if it’s really needed. But I hate wasting money my space is very limited. The idea of things I want to build; cabinets, tables, stools/ chairs. Along with art pieces of abstract etc. please provide a detailed list of WHAT you would buy with all your knowledge and experience… that if you could go back in time 30 years ago… you would say flat out what I should buy (brand name etc). That would really help me. I’m the type that like to “cry once”.
This is a question that is almost impossible for me to answer. There are so many variables involved in outfitting an entire shop of tools. Table saws alone there are hundreds of options and prices range from around $100 to over $10,000. Some shops have multiple table saws and some have none at all. It really depends on what you need and how you want to work. Instead of trying to figure out what all tools you should go buy to start building projects, just pick a project you want to build and get started building. Do you have the tools needed for step 1? Great, what about step 2? If no, what do you NEED to complete Step 2? Can you build or buy a jig for an existing tool or do you have to buy a piece of equipment for that specific task? Doing it this way will build your shop and tool set naturally with the tools you need instead of spending thousands of dollars on tools that you may never even use just because someone in the internet said you should. If you have any specific questions I'll be happy to help as much as I can. Good luck and happy building!
Hey biscuit. I just subscribed, this is my second video. Great work. Easy to hear for this hearing impaired older fellow. Very good info. Just built a king size bed frame and head board. I’m going to enjoy my retirement, tennis and woodworking. Thanks, buddy.
Biscuit. Blade quality for bandsaws is critical for your woodworking experience. Have a Grizzly 14” bandsaw for nearly 20 years. Used it mostly for resawing. Bought multiple blades from local saw specialists. The saw did not perform well. Upgrade guides to bearings, bought a blade tensioning device (good idea), installed modified dust collection. Still a difficult experience to the point of avoiding it. Bought a new blade from Highland recently and WOW what a difference! Now I’m considering doing shop made veneers.
Subbed. Its nice seeing a woodworking RUclipsr that doesn't automatically suggest the most expensive thing in order to get the most from commissions. Thanks for that. And with the chisels ive found Jorgensens new chisels are amazing. Theyre 10-13 bucks each and the steel is exceptional. The belt sader is great if you can clamp it down upside down and use it to round over small parts or sanding right up to the line
Biscuits. Great video. I’ve made a lot of those same purchases and regrets over the years. It was funny when you pulled out those craftsman chisels. I have the same set and they are always chipping and dulling. For the jointer I did get the 6 inch Rigid and love it. Of course bigger would be better, but I didn’t have the budget. Having the 6 inch still opened a lot of doors for me with my woodworking journey. My next big upgrade will be the table saw. I need a better one and I’m considering the Harvey.
Biscuit. I use my belt sander a lot to prep wood for the other tools. I use a lot of rough cut directly from the sawmill that is not prepped so I use it to take off the high points and any dirt that might be on the wood after a wire brush. I completely agree with the jointer wows. I just found your channel, I like what I see so far.
Biscuit, Biscuit. Hello from London Ontario Canada. Really enjoyed your video. Nice to see that you talk to people and not over them. I'm a subscriber now. Keep up the good work
I had heard about the oil based finish fire risk. I wanted to see for myself, so after staining my deck, I put the rags in a stainless steel pot in the middle of my patio, away from anything flammable. It took about 8 hours, until I started smelling something like diesel fuel. I went out to check, and the pot was smoking. A half hour later, it was in open flames. Seriously dangerous stuff.
That is what makes it so dangerous! It can take a very long time to generate the heat and ignite and may be long after you've left the shop for the day!
Biscuits, My first and current table saw is a 1955 Craftsman 113 my grandpa used in his backyard shed woodshop. I upgraded the fence and thats it. I a workhorse and gives me no problems. I modified a dust collection system to it and haven't cursed it ..yet. Thanks for the video, I appreciate your time
my dad gave me his craftsman powered drill that was built like a tank and still runs like a beast, but any craftsman powertool nowadays wont last a year. I wish manufacture companies would take pride in their tools instead of building crap that breaks down every few years. But what do I know I'm a Eighties child, lol@@biscuittreewoodworks
Biscuits! Greetings from Argentina, thanks for your advice, it´s really helpful for those who are beginning this journey in woodworking (including me).
Like your videos a lot although I worked in professional cabinet shop and the most versatile tool we used was a belt sander. All the things you say are true but if used correctly they are irreplaceable and those things don’t happen. A orbital sander doesn’t get things nearly as flat and leaves uneven surfaces at times. Just one observation love the channel
Biscuits. Lots of good advice there. I know I've been taken in by the newest and shiniest toys out there. I do agree with you on the clamps. I bought a bundle of inexpensive plastic spring clamps and I don't know that I've ever used them. I need to donate them and get them out of my shop. All I do is move them out of the way to get to something else. I have a 5 gallon bucket full of Harbor Freight f-clamps, and I reach for them most often because my projects are small, but anything over 12" I would reach for my Pony/Jorgensen clamps. That said even though they cost more than my HF clamps I have some Bora clamps that are just crap. I regret buying them. I think saws are a personal choice, as I'm sure you would agree. I love my Japanese saws and do use them but, unlike you, I reach for my western saws first most of the time. That Veritas saw you showed is a very nice saw for the money. Where I made my mistake was buying every one they offered when I first got into woodworking. Some I never use and other get used regularly. I keep my dovetail saw right beside my bench hook, so I can save a few steps. Compared to today's prices, I bought my saws 10-15 years ago, even with buying all their back saws, I got a deal. 😆 If someone wanted an inexpensive western say, that isn't just crap, the Spear and Jackson tenon saw sold on Amazon is pretty decent. That said a beginner would need to add sharpening saws to their skill set. This is a great skill to have, especially if you are not using saws with impulse hardened teeth.
Biscuits. I agree with you on a lot of items. First table saw was a Grizzly contractor saw, which actually a good beginner saw for me back when they were cheap. Then too many visions of my kids and son in law using my saw and missing a finger. Broke down and bought a sawstop😢, I sleep better now. Agree about the chisels, bought Craftsman and Irwin. Narex has to be a best buy! Clamps fortunately bought Jorgensen f style and 3/4 pipe clamps. You can never have too many on glue ups. Keep up the great videos!
Biscuits. Well done! I've made a few of the mistakes but am trying to go with the BOCO methodology (buy once, cry once). My jointer story is akin to yours. I did get an 8", but a table top unit which I don't like using. I'll sell it at a big loss as I want to get a full-size 8" Grizzly or Jet.
Biscuits! I just recently started to get into woodworking and bought almost the cheapest table saw I could find. I went with the Craftsman and they're still putting those stupid slot tabs on their saws! It was super frustrating that the first thing I wanted to build was a cross-cut sled, but couldn't find anything to go in the slots. It ended up being a several day process of designing and redesigning something for my 3D printer that would work well. Hopefully things go well from this point. Great video and information!
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Do you have any tool purchase regrets?
I regret purchasing the belt sanding sharpening system where you need an adjustable speed to control the cut. I also regret buying the Rockler dust hose and connectors as they don't seem to work on the shop vac or the tools. As well as, I have collected tools that I don't use. I have a pantograph for a router. A 1980s router sign set up. Two tenon jigs from delta. A pulley system for an old delta saw.
@@donwight5806 I’ve thought about purchasing a similar sharpening system a few times myself! So far I’ve talked myself out of it! I do have the Rockler Dust Right hose and connecters. I like it so far since it seems to fit most of my tools, but I’ve learned to have very low expectations on any dust collection connectors. So many times I’ve bought a connector or adapter that doesn’t fit anything!
My true biggest purchase regrets were the Grizzly machines I purchased. I wish I had waited and just purchased the Harvey 14 or 15 inch bandsaw, and not purchased a jointer/planer at all. Three years later, I hand plane most everything and the Grizzly G0634XP 12 inch jointer planer just sits taking up a third of my space. It took over a year for Grizzly to not repair the issues with it, and during that time I became much more proficient and reliant on hand planes from learning from Paul Sellers. I was able to set it up finally, without Grizzly's help, by ordering several replacement parts etc. but it is so much easier to just start hand planing. If I absolutely must use a power planer, I am much happier with my Dewalt 735. When I have money again, I will instead purchase the helical upgrade for my Dewalt. Anyone interested in a $3,000 Jointer/Planer? :) the Grizzly G0513ANV bandsaw was another disappointment, the table is not even machined on the sides, so it is very difficult to square everything to the blade, and easily falls out of alignment. I completely redid the wheels, replacing the tires with aftermarket set, balancing and shimming the wheels, as they were completely misaligned from the factory. And now, after resawing small pieces of white oak, it feels majorly under powered. If I had it to do again, I would have gone with the Laguna, or the Harvey (since they make it) bandsaw! And I would never have purchased the jointer/planer.
Biscuits
I don’t have any regrets on any of my tools though I don’t use my drill press very much. But it is nice to have it
Those old folgers cans in the background just got you a new sub. Utilizing old coffee cans and containers speaks to my heart.
Awesome! Thank you! I keep my small glue brushes in those!
Biscuit
I keep all kinds of different things from dowel extra nuts, bolts and washers I even saw dust. I thought I was the only one who kept some. Oh by the way Biscuit at 11:05. New sub.
I just subscribed as well due to you making that comment...lol
Biscuits! I just came across your channel, and I like what I see. I’ve been working with wood for nearly 30 years, and am a firm believer that I can learn something new from every video I watch. Your tips are spot on! There are two things I learned along the way that every new woodworker should know. 1) Take the time to ensure your wood is PERFECTLY square. I remember trying to cut a mortise for the first time. I drew my line around the board, but my last line didn’t meet up with the first one. The frustration that ensued was enough to make me almost quit woodworking, and it was all because my board wasn’t square. 2) Take the time to be precise. Use a marking knife whenever possible. The thickness of a pencil line is sometimes too much. Rushing will only create more work for yourself. Slowing down and being precise made me a much better woodworker. Anyhow, I just wanted to say hi and share that with everyone. Take care, I have liked and subscribed! ☮️
Excellent tips!
Biscuits. Thank you for sharing your experiences. One of the nice things about the woodworking community is how we learn from each other, whether it be about tools or techniques.
Absolutely! For the most part it is a very positive and helpful community! Thanks for watching!
Biscuits! Good tips! Worst blooper I ever saw with a belt sander was from a guy sanding in his kitchen. He reached too far and unplugged the sander. He walked over, plugged it back in, and watched it skate right through a window. Ouch!
Oops! You got to remember to turn the tool off before plugging it back in!
Biscuits! Good advice brother. Had me rolling with the domino! Keep up the great work!
Thank you!
Biscuits! I have some WWII chisels. Really good steel, great handles. They also came free!
Hard to beat that!
I love your sense of humor...sliding the domino out of the shot had me laughing out loud!
That's awesome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Biscuits; I have been working for a hobby now 5 years. I also have bought tools I don't use and regret buying. I've sold many to collect some money back for the things I do need. Like your approach. I too, also purchase now based on the projects I'm doing. IN this way I have a better idea what I need.
That's the best way to go about it, just get what you need when you need it! Otherwise you end up with a shop full of tools you never use and an empty bank account!
Biscuit. I don't regret buying my small 6" Wen benchtop jointer. It's fine for what I do now and was cheap enough that I won't feel like it was wasted money if I later upgrade to something bigger. Meanwhile it works a whole lot better than the 0" planer I had to use before. ;-) Like you said, it depends on your own needs and workflow. I do regret buying a contractor saw that was not tunable in any way and with a fence that pointed in a different way each time it was locked. That's sitting on my garage floor unused. Between what I spent on it and the much nicer but still lower-end saw that I use now, I could have bought something much nicer than either. Your content is always worth watching, and there's lots of good advice in this video. Thanks!
I imagine the table saw is most people’s first big purchase and probably the first regret. We try to go cheap but end up spending much more in the end.
The Wen is garbage - one of my tool regrets along with my Rigid Contractor table saw with the wavy cast iron top and wings. The Wen is fine if you can actually get it square, but mine went out of square/level and haven't been able to get it back. Going in the junk pile. My Dewalt DW716 miter saw doesn't have a square fence on it either....at least my tools are consistent to build Dr. Suess shaped stuff.
Biscuits. When I started building my shop 30 years ago I was a huge Norm Abrams fan so I would buy tools and brands that he hawked on his show namely Porter Cable and Delta. Where I made a big mistake was buying a Freud biscuit joiner instead of the P.C. that he used. The Freud was half the price but is a royal pain to use. If P.C. was still in business I would buy that tool now.
Porter Cable used to make some good quality tools, but they started going down hill in quality in the 90's with cheaper manufacturing overseas. I have a couple PC routers that are terrible.
Biscuits! Still using my old craftsman tablesaw, saving and researching between Harvey and Sawstop. Thanks for the video
I don't think you would go wrong with either choice! I love my Sawstop and I see a lot of woodworkers happy with Harvey!
Biscuits, good idea to determine what wood working you want to do first, I bought tools i sold because i did not use them , i don't build furniture, You were right ! I was told all what I just had to have to make money with wood, Not so ! put your own spin on what you make and what you make it with. GOOD FILM.
Exactly, buy tools as you need them for the projects you are working on. Not because someone online said you have to have it.
Biscuits, I agree with everything you said here. I have a mixture of parallel clamps, and so far my favorite has been the Bremen from Harbor Freight! I won several Bessey K body clamps and are they expensive. I saw a few reviews of the Bremen clamp and decided to take a chance on a couple. Very pleased with them! Someday I’ll get a Saw-Stop but I need to save up for a while. Great video!
Thank you! Keep an eye out for people selling off all their tools, that's how I snagged mine cheap!
I took my virtually new DeWalt biscuit joiner to the Goodwill.
Bought the cheap Harbor Freight trigger clamps first time around, most stopped clamping after a few weeks. Upgraded to a set of Bremen clamps and never had an issue. Have the Jorgensen F style clamps and they work good.
I haven't tried Harbor Freight clamps, or HF anything really. I like the Jorgensen and Bessey clamps. Very good quality and really strong clamps.
I have used so many joinery methods, and while there's an immense satisfaction I receive from doing traditional joinery and taking the time, I wouldn't trade my Domino for anything. No more time consuming dowels, everything always lines up perfectly. I love it so much, and have made some insane looking shelves with it.
The Domino really is an incredible tool!
Solid content pal
New sub earned, keep doing what you're doing.
Thank you!
Biscuits! I always look forward to your videos. Your content always seem to speak directly to me and my efforts in the shop. I would like to see more of your videos. But, I appreciate your efforts and look forward to those in the future!
Thank you, I really appreciate that!
Biscuit
I just use Marples Chisels, fairly economical, hold an edge well. I just use a Grizzly industrial saw, with a micro-adjust fence. Love HPLV sprayers.
I use a 6" 1950's era jointer, do not use wide boards without cutting them down anyways, to prevent warpage.
When I need significant force I use pipe clamps. When just a little force is required I have dozens of $5 dollar clamps that work perfectly. For the price of a few box clamps I can supply my entire shop with perfectly adequate clamps. As a bonus, I have a lot more clamps than I generally use.
The man with the most tools when he dies wins.
Great tips!
As a tool buying junkie extraordinaire, I knew I hit the right vid at about 30 seconds in.
Awesome! Hope it was helpful!
We need to set up "tool buyers anonymous" meetings. I'm also an addict.
Biscuits need gravy. my tool regrets are mostly centered around the fact that 2 years ago while I was in the VA hospital, someone broke into my garage, and used my 3 shop carts, to steal most of my hand tools, and quite a few of the small table top power tools I had. they cleaned out over 40 years of tool collection, including a lot I had gotten while working in home building, and cabinet making. as a disabled vet, it is hard to replace them on a VA pension, but my son and I have been trying to slowly rebuild our tools. I am teaching him how to do a lotof the different styles of wood working that I have enjoyed over the years, but we are having ( because of finances, we have no other choice) to rely on Harbor Freight tools for a lot of the things we have. having used quality tools in the past, I know they suck, but they get the job done, more or less.
So sorry to hear that. Good luck with rebuilding your tool kit. Keep an eye out for people selling good tools on Facebook marketplace. You can find a good deal every once in a while.
Biscuits! Thank you so much for all the advice, it must really have taken you a while to make your list but everything you've said is absolutely true and I cannot express enough how grateful I am for this honesty and you sharing this insight with everyone. I'm really looking forward in watching all your other video tutorials. Many Blessing for you and your Family and please continue to make more tutorials I just love your channel 😇🙌
Glad it was helpful!
Biscuit! As a newbie just getting going I haven’t had a chance to buy enough tools to regret any (yet). It’s actually encouraging to hear how experienced woodworkers like yourself can still make mistakes about what tools to get. Great video.
I make mistakes all the time, but that’s usually the best way to learn a lesson!
I have the rolling dewalt job site saw and I love it. The rack and pinion system is awesome to use and it can take a dado stack, which not all models can, so double check before you buy.
Thanks for the info!
Apparently, we can't be trusted with dado stacks in the UK or Europe. When I get around to needing a table saw, (maybe early in 2024), I'll be looking to get a Dewalt 10".
@@mattgoodstadt2372 Firstly health and safety regulations are a good thing, particularly where blades are concerned. Table saws are most dangerous tool in the workshop after all. Secondly, they're not illegal at all - in a commercial setting, the rule is that the blade must stop within 10 seconds, the dado stack must be fittable to the machine without modification (i.e. a longer arbor) and there must be a guard fitted when using them. Basically their use is a bit more limited and it has to be done as safely as possible. That's commercial of course and it relates to duties of employers for their employees. You can do whatever you want at home in regards to this, go crazy and change arbors and have really long braking times. Personally, I wouldn't modify it, just work around it and use other systems (router) over dado stacks.
@@samnichols4361Thanks for the name check, but you got the wrong guy 😁
@Scottturner3831 was the droid you're looking for.
@samnichols4361 Ignore my last comment. RUclips confused me! You are right, of course. Health and Safety always has to be the top priority. I LIKE all my fingers, and I don't have any to spare. When I need to make dados, (dadoes?), I'll get myself a router or use a jig.
Biscuits!! Thanks. I have just started doing some woodworking and have made a mistake or two, I found your videos and have begun watching them. I find you to be one of the more down to earth people I have watched, What you say makes sense and has been very helpful.
Awesome, thanks!
Biscuits! Speaking of biscuits, one of my regrets was buying a biscuit jointer back when, as it never did quite work right.
I picked up a biscuit joiner at a yard sale once. That's another tool I never even used!
I bought the DEWALT biscuit joiner many years ago but it never worked quite right. Decades later I was fiddling with it to change the cutter and realized the cutter was never parallel to the fence. A quick adjustment and now it works.
I have a Freud biscuit joiner, and love it. I've used it on Cabinetry, tabletops, and boxes. Been using it for about 15 years
My Makita biscuit joiner is AWSOME, many years used!
For average construction you can't beat the biscuit jointer. Much faster than dowels and allows a little give if things don't fit exactly as intended. Built many a bookcase with biscuits.
BISCUITS! And - "SUBSCRIBED". Not sure why this channel hasn't popped up before, but you have some really good content. Now, about this video. I've only woodworked for last 9 years after a lifetime passion/hobby for mechanics and cars. Cant work on them anymore and not willing to learn computer systems. So help me, power seats and cigarette lighters (when you can find the latter) are tied into modern car computer systems anymore, and working on cars is simply no longer enjoyable. Enter woodwork. I made THE EXACT SAME PURCHASES and mistakes you outlined. I have the Dewalt 7491RS table saw and love it after a miserable Delta and Craftsman. Used it hard for last 6 years. And once you take the time to dial it in, I think it will rival many really nice cabinet saws for accuracy and clean cuts. And very ironically - I built a near identical dust collection cart as I saw in the background during this video. It is "Frankencart v9.2". It works great. I look forward to going through your videos. Thanks for this - you struck a very familiar nerve!
Thanks, I hope you enjoy the videos! I'm glad the Dewalt table saw is working out for you!
Biscuits 2! I appreciate using Cubitron sandpaper with my Dewalt orbital sander. Their multiple grit types are really effective at material removal and finishing efforts. Good comments about watching other woodworker comments about tool choices 'for the type of work that I prefer to do'. Putting comments in the context of what you 'need' versus what you 'want' is important.
Totally agree! Thanks for watching!
BISCUITS,
I like your style & am just now (age 64) preparing to launch my woodworking business.
I'm looking forward to learning from your experience!
All the best,
Scott
Best of luck!
I completely agree about the belt sander. I bought one at a garage sale for $40, it was a Porter+Cable that's not made anymore. It really did a fantastic job of removing material quickly.....so quickly that I realized this tool wasn't for me. I ended up re-selling it to a contractor I hired for some renovations, for the same $40 I paid for it. So I didn't lose any money over it, but I did gain the knowledge that a belt sander doesn't belong in my particular workshop.
At least you were able to get your money back!
Biscuits. I just found your videos and I'm enjoying your tips. I have the same belt sander and thought the same thing. I am definitely an amateur at woodworking as I do projects around the house. I've made plenty of mistakes. The biggest thing I've learned is take your time, no need to rush. When you do, well, mistakes happen. Also, learn from various people then experiment with what works best for you. Thanks and I look forward to checking out more of your videos.
Awesome! That's a great tip as well, take your time and don't rush or you will be more likely to make mistakes. Thanks for watching!
Biscuits! One additional point on sanders, is that upgrading from a 125mm to a 150mm model can really speed things up without compromising the quality or breaking the bank.
As for my biggest purchasing regret, that's probably my drill press as there just isn't the space in my shop to justify it... Wpuld have been much better off with something like the Rockler Drill Guide.
Those are both tools that almost made the list! I have a 6" sander that I never use. It's just too big and aggressive for most work I do. It's fine if you have a large table top to smooth, but too big for most smaller pieces. I also have a small workbench drill press that I regret picking up. It doesn't have enough stroke for a lot of jobs. Wish I had purchased a full sized floor standing one. Thanks for watching!
Bosch makes something called a PBD-40 that's fairly compact, and just light enough that it hasn't been a hassle to move around.
It's an all-aluminium machine, so there's a teensy bit of flex to it, and they've been known for having some play in the chuck bearings, but mine's alright.
Plus, with the way that the baseplate is also your table, it's super-easy to handle longer workpieces, and as it also has a 20mm hole in it below the chuck, you can put the machine on top of a workpiece and use it like a regular drill guide.
@@gustaveliasson5395Interesting points about the Bosch. It's on my list. It's way down, but it's on there.
Maybe I should just learn how to drill properly!
I just came across your channel a few days ago, and I really enjoy your delivery. I look up all the tools I see, and that you mention, and I really appreciate what you have to say. I must confess that some of the tools you use are a bit pricier than I'd like to spend, but I do have to make sure I don't go for the budget items...which, again, is why I appreciate all that you share. Those quality, but not overpriced, items like the Narex chisels and Jorgenson clamps are definitely in the mix though. As you said, regarding the clamps, I'll just have to accumulate over time...as the project requires. Thank you again for your videos...they are much appreciated 👍
If you're looking for budget tools, I'm working on a new video now that has a bunch of tools I use that are all under $20! Look for it to release in the next week or two!
Biscuits and gravy, rip some wood daily.
Thanks!
Top Bisquits Mate..
All The Best...
Thanks!
Biscuit I had an older craftsman than you showed and bought the dewalt and it is 1000 times better 👍
It made me laugh when you pushed the domino out of the frame 😂
Awesome, glad to hear you like the Dewalt saw! Thanks for watching!
Biscuits. I’m new to woodworking and I’m really enjoying your content. Thanks man! 11:06
Awesome, thanks!
Biscuits. I’ll agree with you 90%
The cheap F clamps in the smaller sizes (12” and smaller) from Harbor Freight are very useful. Pipe clamps are also a good for large glue ups.
I use a belt sander for flattening large tops, but it was the only way years ago to flatten large panels.
I’ve found a sled with my thickness planer the best way to flatten panels and boards
No problem, I don’t expect everyone to agree 100%. That’s why I tried to explain my reasoning for the tools I listed. For some people my issues may not be a problem at all and they may really like those tools! Pipe clamps are a great option and I should have listed them as an alternative. Thanks for your input and thanks for watching!
Biscuits - Thank you. Loved your video! Learning and appreciating content such as yours. Any advice on Woodpecker lineup?
I really like their squares! I have a couple on my wall and use them often. Some of the one-time tools can be a bit gimmick, so I don't do those.
BISCUITS! Great info!! Really helpful. As a newer woodworker I needed this. I have a pretty well set up shop, but I made many of the mistakes you mentioned.
Glad it was helpful!
Biscuits!! This is the 3rd video I’ve watched of yours. They are informative and straight to the point. I’m now a subscriber and look forward to watching more of your vids. Thanks heaps from down under.
Awesome, thank you!
Biscuits. Good advice, I have just started my woodworking. These tips are spot on.
Glad it was helpful!
Biscuit. All are great tips! Oh, I wanted a belt sander - not any more. Sandpaper quick reviews, great Thank you! 😊
You are so welcome!
Biscuits, I came across your channel today and have watched several of your videos. The tools I regret buying are the tools that I thought I should have but find myself not using them at all (belt sander) or should have waited until I could afford a better quality (Grizzly tablesaw), etc... Absolutely love your content and style so you have a new subscriber!
That’s awesome, I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos!
Biscuits! Super informative video. Agree with you 100% about working with an inferior table saw. My first saw was a Bosch 10" contractor saw, which I thought would be a pretty great saw. It didn't have instability issues or horrible miter slots, but it did suffer from a totally garbage fence. I had to check for square every single time I made a cut and usually wound up doing micro adjustments. I eventually sold the thing and bought the DeWalt - just for the rack & pinion fence option alone. I love that thing. LOL on the look you gave to the Festool Domino.
I seem to do that a lot, buy something thinking I'll save some money. Then it doesn't work and I end up having to buy something else for more money and probably should have bought the first time!
@@biscuittreewoodworks You have a great channel, btw. Just subscribed.
Biscuits - great video! I wish I’d seen this when I was starting out, you’d have saved me a boatload. I have yet to use my Jessem dowel jig, although the engineer in me loves the quality and design. I started with a Porter Cable table saw from the Big Blue Box store - good saw, supported a dado stack, I learned a lot. Leveled up to the Delta 36-725 for a built-ins/cabinet project. Great saw and it fits my tiny shop space, has a good enough fence and a Incra 1000HD miter ups the game. After 6 yrs I still havent unboxed my Kreg flip up router table top and built the router table that was supposed to be my first shop tool. My Dewalt trim router and decades-old Craftsman bench top router table with my Bosch 2 1/4 hp router can do just about everything I work on. I wish I’d skipped my Rikon 10” band saw and just bought the floor standing model, but like I said I have a tiny shop I have to use mobile tools in so I can move things around. Never have moved the saw & stand so would have been better off w the floor version. I have to say I have as many harbor freight clamps as Jorgs - just don’t use them for heavy jobs.
Sounds like you are doing pretty good! If you make a mistake on a tool buy just upgrade when you can and try to learn form it!
Biscuits.
Thank you for the great tips and tricks. I'm a new wood worker, and just bought a table saw last week. Stand arrived yesterday and built my first set of bathroom shelves from cedar and stained and sealed.
Thankful I stumbled across your channel.
My goal for this new hobby is to build quality things for family and friends but not go broke buying things I won't use.
Already implemented a couple tips 🍻
That's awesome! Glad I can help you get started! I have quite a few videos you should watch with lots more tips on saving money and learning woodworking techniques!
@biscuittreewoodworks i absolutely will!
Happy holidays
Good sound advice, made a few of these purchase mistakes on the journey. We lean from mistakes which add to our experience. Cheers 🇦🇺
Well said! I've made plenty of mistakes but try not to make the same ones over again!
Biscuits - Thanks for taking the time to make this video. As a newbie woodworker, I'm sure you saved me a lot of time, frustration, and money.
Awesome! Glad it helps!
Biscuits. Bought an M18 7¼ miter saw to whack together a basic Swedish/Scandinavian/whatever they're called 1X3/1x4 shelf to organize my tools and chargers. Really excited to get into wood working. I've done little DIY projects before. Took shop classes in middle/high-school and college. But never really had the money to buy the tools I needed until recently. I still need to be frugal so I appreciate videos like this! Researching table saws and routers now. Planning on working off a Bora collapsible work space so I can work outside. Or in the unfinished basement/celler. Hopefully by the time we buy a house- I'll have the tools and knowledge to build a proper shop and start cranking out projects!
That's great! I'm glad the videos are helping!
Biscuits! Great info!! I have a tendency to just buy random tools I’ve never seen before and they end up ruining everything and cluttering up my space! These videos are teaching me not to be so impulsive for sure! Thanks 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
Biscuits. Thanks for the great videos. I got a cheap set of chisels and the metal was so soft. I have been holding off on getting a new set, and I am glad I saw this video on the set you got.
The Narex chisels are great!
Biscuits! Great advice, I switched to using 3m Cubitron and am very happy that I did. The dust removal from using it is second to none
That Cubitron really cuts through the material!
I’m still using my homemade table saw. It makes decent straight cuts. I like your advice on this video especially regarding cheap clamps.
I used my homemade version for many years! Thanks for watching!
Biscuit! And new subscriber!
Most of your vid sounded like my life. My grandfather use to goto Sears for EVERYTHING... it use to be difficult for me NOT to goto Sears. My background is technology, but wanted woodworking to be a hobby..
Looking forward to watching your other and new vids.
Thanks! Sears and Craftsman used to have pretty decent tools many years ago, but like a lot of brands they have gone down hill in quality. Hope you enjoy the videos!
Biscuits! Hey, what a great vid man. Im getting into wood working and don't have disposable cash, so this is super helpful.
Glad to hear it!
Biscuits. I’m just getting into this since working in a cabinet shop during college. I appreciate your videos, they are well done and honest, two of the best attributes of a quality craftsman.
That's great! If there's anything I can do to help you get going, just let me know!
Biscuits - good info. I am just starting a woodworking journey and this type of information is invaluable for assisting in the selection of tools for the shop.
Great to hear!
Biscuits!!!! Totally agree on the 6" jointer. Thanks for the video. Good stuff.
Thanks for watching!
BISCUITS- New wood worker. Thank you for the advice. Keep up the good work!
Glad to hear it’s helpful!
good video! I think the best advice is something i remember Steve Ramsey saying that saved me a lot of money: Buy tools when you need them, not when you think you might need them in the futur. its very easy to buy a lot of stuff, only to use it only once, because you are exited about the purchase, then let it collect dust. Buy if you notice yourself actually needing stuff.
Couple things i regret:
a very cheap pocket hole jig. i bought the wolfcraft one, thats a cheapo german brand. its terrible. its a clamp on one and it cant even clear chips, so i need to manually vacuum every single hole out, before i even finish one hole. otherwhise it just gets jammed. it works, but its so annoying to use. Buy a good one if you do buy one.
Cheap router bits. I bought a rather cheap set of router bits, thinking "better to have them all in okay quality in case i need one, then replace the ones i actually use"... well, i bought the set of 15 from bosch and 3 years in, i have used 4 of them. And one of those ones was a v grove bit that i wanted to use for some carving, that was so dull, every piece was burnt, even at tiny depth. So i replaced it with a festool one that was worlds better. Overall the bosch set is fine, but its never great, and as i mentioned before, its mainly collecting dust. Buy the bits you need and buy those in good enough quality. for the money that i spent on 15 okay-ish ones, i could have gotten the ones i actually need in great quality.
Cheap casters. Man does it suck to replace casters a year or two in because you wanted to save 20 bucks
Things i do not regret:
Good japanese pull saw, i use Zsaw.
I also love the 3m extract cubitron 2 sand paper.
The Incra Tiny T is an amazing marking tool for joinery.
A decent blockplane, i have never had an absolute need for one, but i grab it so often for things.
Cerax sharpening waterstones. they last a good time before needing to be flattened and are just overall great value.
... this one is gonna be stupid, but a metal Stanley tape measure. it doesnt work any better, its just a tape measure... but it feels really nice :D
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your regrets and some good finds!
Biscuits I definitely agree with the belt sander I bought a few years back and probably only used it twice and that was on rough construction not fine woodworking good video
Good to hear someone else agrees with me on the belt sander! I've had a lot of people say they use it all the time, but it just doesn't fit my kind of wood working!
Biscuits!! Nice video. Lots of good advice for a beginner like me!
Glad to hear it!
Biscuit. OK, I saw you roll your eyes! While I would love to have your domino cutter, @ nearly 72 I'll never purchase one. I do admit that I love my PC557 and have been using biscuits for nearly 25 years. I just used mine this past week while joining some Black Walnut from trees that I cut down on my father-in-law's farm in 1975. They're going to be a desktop for my granddaughter's new writing desk. Hey, on another note, I love your content. I've always been of the mindset to never purchase cheap tools, (haven't always followed my own instincts...) but still use tools I purchased over 50 years ago. Count me as a new subscriber!
Welcome! Glad you enjoyed the video!
Biscuits! I'm a hobbyist and I appreciate all your advices on this subject as I'm still building my array of tools. Thank you. Cheers!
Glad it was helpful!
Biscuits! Amazing video and tips, I'm starting and all the information was very useful! Thanks!
Glad it’s helpful!
Biscuits. Just found your page glad I did. Definitely subscribed. I'm Milling and building while running a tree service I bite off more than I can chew but i will figure it out. Great stuff sir and look forward to seeing more
Awesome! Thank you!
Biscuits. I both regret and don't buying a cheap box store block plane. It wasn't good quality, but showed me that I enjoy using a plane and what they can do. I just got three used planes (Stanley #4, Stanley S5 Jack, and a Dunlap block) that I'm restoring and I'm looking forward to using them.
Oh yes, those cheap planes are terrible!
Biscuits! You are reminding me how much I desire to really just take my time and create beautiful pieces!
Awesome! Go make something amazing! That's what I hope to do, inspire people to build great things!
Biscuits. Found the belt sander works great for hogging off material when I'm doing a renovation/rejuvination, but for the finer stuff, the palm sander.
A palm sander is ok, I prefer a random orbital sander for most of my projects.
Biscuits.. are good with gravy.. or fried chicken.. or glue.. Thanks for the honest takes, exactly the sort of thing some of us wanna-be woodworkers appreciate. I was debating on whether a 6" joiner would meet my needs and you helped make that decision (I'll wait and save my pennies). For that belt sander, turn it upside down and clamp it to your bench: instant usability for small projects.
I built a cradle for my random orbital sander so I can mount it upside down for that very purpose! Works great for small parts!
Biscuits! It seems like I use dowels more and more. They are strong and relatively fast and easy. I haven’t used the JessEm but I love my Dowelmax. It’s easy and very accurate. Thanks for sharing.
I believe they are very similar. Both are great tools, if you do a lot of dowels. I tried it a few times and just don't enjoy that method. Glad it's working for you though!
Biscuits! Good information. I am just starting my journey. All I have is a jig saw, circular saw and a Brad nailer. I plan on starting out with some small sellables and buying tools with that money and working my my up . Good stuff to consider
That's a great start, pretty much the same I had when I first got started, although I had a drill instead of the brad nailer! For my first project I built a step stool for my wife to use to reach the top of the closet. I used some plywood and a wood stair tread from Home Depot. You can see a photo of it in the About section of my website! biscuittreewoodworks.com
Biscuits! Love the honesty here!! Your Chanel is great!
Thanks so much!
Biscuits! Only found your channel a few weeks ago but its one of the best. Much appreciated. As for the 6" joiner, well, I got mine for free, but I have spent so much time tuning it with never the perfect result in the end, I can say that a quality joiner (that's an 8" as you say) is a wise move.
Free or cheap tools aren't always a great deal! Sometimes they cost you more than buying a good tool instead!
Biscuits and gravy! I have watched a few of your videos now and I got to say that they are top notch quality and you have an amazing way of presenting information concisely, great job! I agree with most things you say here, however, I do see quite a lot of hate for the belt sander. For its intended purpose, I agree, not very useful at all, however, if you create a jig like I and a few others have, you can turn your belt sander into a benchtop sander and use it for shaping purposes, you can save lots of money this way.
Interesting use for the belt sander! Glad to hear it works well for you! I have a drum sander and a spindle sander, so not sure I would go through the effort of making a jig for the belt sander, but thanks for sharing!
BIScuits. I’m 47 now use to be a firefighter, vet, etc. I only had woordworking experience when I was in middle school for about 3 months. Of that… everything I made was an “astray”. Now I build up the courage to make stuff. Now I’m an artist making … starting to make my own frames.
My first tool I bought last week is a miter saw: Dewalt 781
I want to get into making other things but not sure what ALL to have.
I heard I should get a router and a planer
I have a limited budget basically $500 to $1000 a month to spend if it’s really needed. But I hate wasting money my space is very limited.
The idea of things I want to build; cabinets, tables, stools/ chairs. Along with art pieces of abstract etc.
please provide a detailed list of WHAT you would buy with all your knowledge and experience… that if you could go back in time 30 years ago… you would say flat out what I should buy (brand name etc). That would really help me. I’m the type that like to “cry once”.
This is a question that is almost impossible for me to answer. There are so many variables involved in outfitting an entire shop of tools. Table saws alone there are hundreds of options and prices range from around $100 to over $10,000. Some shops have multiple table saws and some have none at all. It really depends on what you need and how you want to work.
Instead of trying to figure out what all tools you should go buy to start building projects, just pick a project you want to build and get started building. Do you have the tools needed for step 1? Great, what about step 2? If no, what do you NEED to complete Step 2? Can you build or buy a jig for an existing tool or do you have to buy a piece of equipment for that specific task? Doing it this way will build your shop and tool set naturally with the tools you need instead of spending thousands of dollars on tools that you may never even use just because someone in the internet said you should.
If you have any specific questions I'll be happy to help as much as I can. Good luck and happy building!
Hey biscuit. I just subscribed, this is my second video. Great work. Easy to hear for this hearing impaired older fellow. Very good info. Just built a king size bed frame and head board. I’m going to enjoy my retirement, tennis and woodworking. Thanks, buddy.
Much appreciated!
Biscuits! These days I use my belt sander clamped to my bench as a moveable bench sander. It's pretty useful.
I did something similar with my random orbital sander. I made a cradle for it to use upside down on my bench for sanding small parts.
Biscuit. Blade quality for bandsaws is critical for your woodworking experience. Have a Grizzly 14” bandsaw for nearly 20 years. Used it mostly for resawing. Bought multiple blades from local saw specialists. The saw did not perform well. Upgrade guides to bearings, bought a blade tensioning device (good idea), installed modified dust collection. Still a difficult experience to the point of avoiding it. Bought a new blade from Highland recently and WOW what a difference! Now I’m considering doing shop made veneers.
Yes, a good blade can make a world of difference!
Biscuits.
Wow! Can’t stop listening your content. Thanks.
Glad you enjoy it!
Subbed. Its nice seeing a woodworking RUclipsr that doesn't automatically suggest the most expensive thing in order to get the most from commissions. Thanks for that. And with the chisels ive found Jorgensens new chisels are amazing. Theyre 10-13 bucks each and the steel is exceptional. The belt sader is great if you can clamp it down upside down and use it to round over small parts or sanding right up to the line
I made a holder out of scraps to mount my random orbital sander upside down for just that purpose!
@@biscuittreewoodworks that's a good idea also. I look forward to watching more of your videos
Biscuit.
Hi from the Caribbean.
Beginning DIY , still in the process of buying tools , and so far I think I am making some fairly good choices
Awesome!
Biscuits. Great video. I’ve made a lot of those same purchases and regrets over the years. It was funny when you pulled out those craftsman chisels. I have the same set and they are always chipping and dulling. For the jointer I did get the 6 inch Rigid and love it. Of course bigger would be better, but I didn’t have the budget. Having the 6 inch still opened a lot of doors for me with my woodworking journey. My next big upgrade will be the table saw. I need a better one and I’m considering the Harvey.
Thanks! I've heard good things about Harvey! I think you'd be happy with it if that's your choice!
Biscuit. I use my belt sander a lot to prep wood for the other tools. I use a lot of rough cut directly from the sawmill that is not prepped so I use it to take off the high points and any dirt that might be on the wood after a wire brush. I completely agree with the jointer wows. I just found your channel, I like what I see so far.
Great tip!
Biscuit, Biscuit. Hello from London Ontario Canada. Really enjoyed your video. Nice to see that you talk to people and not over them. I'm a subscriber now. Keep up the good work
Awesome! Thank you!
I had heard about the oil based finish fire risk. I wanted to see for myself, so after staining my deck, I put the rags in a stainless steel pot in the middle of my patio, away from anything flammable. It took about 8 hours, until I started smelling something like diesel fuel. I went out to check, and the pot was smoking. A half hour later, it was in open flames. Seriously dangerous stuff.
That is what makes it so dangerous! It can take a very long time to generate the heat and ignite and may be long after you've left the shop for the day!
Biscuits, My first and current table saw is a 1955 Craftsman 113 my grandpa used in his backyard shed woodshop. I upgraded the fence and thats it. I a workhorse and gives me no problems. I modified a dust collection system to it and haven't cursed it ..yet. Thanks for the video, I appreciate your time
They sure don't make them like they used to!
my dad gave me his craftsman powered drill that was built like a tank and still runs like a beast, but any craftsman powertool nowadays wont last a year. I wish manufacture companies would take pride in their tools instead of building crap that breaks down every few years. But what do I know I'm a Eighties child, lol@@biscuittreewoodworks
Biscuits! Greetings from Argentina, thanks for your advice, it´s really helpful for those who are beginning this journey in woodworking (including me).
Glad it was helpful!
Like your videos a lot although I worked in professional cabinet shop and the most versatile tool we used was a belt sander. All the things you say are true but if used correctly they are irreplaceable and those things don’t happen. A orbital sander doesn’t get things nearly as flat and leaves uneven surfaces at times. Just one observation love the channel
Thanks!
Biscuits! Nice presentation and helpful advises.
Thanks!
Biscuits. Lots of good advice there. I know I've been taken in by the newest and shiniest toys out there.
I do agree with you on the clamps. I bought a bundle of inexpensive plastic spring clamps and I don't know that I've ever used them. I need to donate them and get them out of my shop. All I do is move them out of the way to get to something else. I have a 5 gallon bucket full of Harbor Freight f-clamps, and I reach for them most often because my projects are small, but anything over 12" I would reach for my Pony/Jorgensen clamps. That said even though they cost more than my HF clamps I have some Bora clamps that are just crap. I regret buying them.
I think saws are a personal choice, as I'm sure you would agree. I love my Japanese saws and do use them but, unlike you, I reach for my western saws first most of the time. That Veritas saw you showed is a very nice saw for the money. Where I made my mistake was buying every one they offered when I first got into woodworking. Some I never use and other get used regularly. I keep my dovetail saw right beside my bench hook, so I can save a few steps. Compared to today's prices, I bought my saws 10-15 years ago, even with buying all their back saws, I got a deal. 😆
If someone wanted an inexpensive western say, that isn't just crap, the Spear and Jackson tenon saw sold on Amazon is pretty decent. That said a beginner would need to add sharpening saws to their skill set. This is a great skill to have, especially if you are not using saws with impulse hardened teeth.
I wish I had bought more saws and hand planes back then when they were cheap! The prices these days are outrageous!
Biscuits. I agree with you on a lot of items. First table saw was a Grizzly contractor saw, which actually a good beginner saw for me back when they were cheap. Then too many visions of my kids and son in law using my saw and missing a finger. Broke down and bought a sawstop😢, I sleep better now. Agree about the chisels, bought Craftsman and Irwin. Narex has to be a best buy! Clamps fortunately bought Jorgensen f style and 3/4 pipe clamps. You can never have too many on glue ups. Keep up the great videos!
Thanks! Yeah, when my kids got big enough to be out in the shop I knew it was time to upgrade to a SawStop!
Biscuits! Thanks for posting this. I can see myself wanting to make some of your same mistakes right now.
Hope this helps avoid a few mistakes in the future!
Biscuits. Straight to the point. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Biscuits. Well done! I've made a few of the mistakes but am trying to go with the BOCO methodology (buy once, cry once). My jointer story is akin to yours. I did get an 8", but a table top unit which I don't like using. I'll sell it at a big loss as I want to get a full-size 8" Grizzly or Jet.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the benchtop jointers. Not a long enough bed to joint long boards.
Biscuit like and appreciate the insights. Great work man
Thank you!
Biscuits! That is a nice video, thanks for the tips!
You bet!
Biscuits! I just recently started to get into woodworking and bought almost the cheapest table saw I could find. I went with the Craftsman and they're still putting those stupid slot tabs on their saws! It was super frustrating that the first thing I wanted to build was a cross-cut sled, but couldn't find anything to go in the slots. It ended up being a several day process of designing and redesigning something for my 3D printer that would work well. Hopefully things go well from this point. Great video and information!
Sorry to hear they are still making those saws like that! Such a poor design choice!
BISCUITS! great video for us just starting out building our garage woodworking shop
That is awesome! Good luck building out the shop!