My thoughts on the horde of quality tools

Woodshop
#38

I wasn’t a member when the rules regarding 2x4s, southern yellow pine, pressure treated lumber, and reclaimed wood were put in place, but I can understand why they are/were there. There is no reason to run cheap 2x4s through the jointer or planer. If you need true flat and square wood, you should buy better wood. And I’ve used southern yellow pine for years, but only ripped from 2x12s that I’ve carefully picked out that weren’t too sappy or wet, and I only used my table saw or chop saw (and perhaps the bandsaw) on them. I would never run that kind of wood through a jointer or planer, because it gums up blades on the machines, and can actually rip the teeth out of the jointer. Pressure treated lumber shouldn’t be cut with anything other than a chop saw (not the Festool) or a cheap jobsite table saw and not ANY of the Woodshop tools. Reclaimed lumber should only be used with great caution. It has to be free of dirt and debris and free of any kind of metal.

Having said this, I realize that not everyone at DMS makes fine furniture. Some just need the use of a chop saw, or table saw, then go on about their business. They need access to contractor grade tools and really nothing more. The problem is that is not what we have in the Woodshop. We have some very expensive, professional quality equipment in the shop.

Both arguments are valid. DMS members need easier access to most of the Woodshop tools. And the Woodshop needs to be able to own nice things without having them broken through misuse or abuse. The challenge going forward will be in finding the proper balance.

2 Likes
#39

A stout bench with thick top and legs and a Benchcrafted leg vise and tail vise. It doesn’t have to be made from maple or a slab of oak. Southern yellow pine works just fine. My workbench for the last 20+ years was made from 3.5" wide strips of SYP, 8’ long, ripped from 2x12s and laminated together, which I took down to Hardwood lumber and had them flatten on both sides. It has served me wonderfully, although I some point I cut it down to 6’. I just upgraded the leg vise and added a wagon (tail) vise:

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Chris Schwarz (Lost Art Press) is about to release a book on his ultimate workbench (also from SYP) any day now. This is a picture of his:

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5 Likes
#40

100% agree. The issue I take is when the basic user, or someone learning, is blocked access to tools for the sake of making the tools better/easier for elite users.

3 Likes
#41

& after that several ~$700 festool sanders were ruined in a couple days by people sanding without putting sandpaper on them and just keept going at it until their thing was beautifully Velcro plastic sanded. Seriously not making this up, it’s like Murphy’s law. I caught one person & saved one.

#42

The woodshop is not trying to block access to tools to make them better for elite users.

There are no ‘elite’ users in the space.

Tools are restricted for safety, liability, or fiduciary responsibility reasons.

In the instance of SYP, that falls under fiduciary responsibility: we can’t keep machines reasonably maintained and serviced if we allow SYP.

In the instance of the above mentioned tools that were locked up, that falls under either safety or fiduciary responsibility.

2 Likes
#43

This was not always the attitude:

Emphasis mine, the assumption that someone can even identify pine and knows that it is inferior to other woods is fundamentally rooted in the idea that people using wood to make something are “fine” wood workers or even aspire to be. From @Mrksls2 posts it is clear that he never even considered that wood species identification is not something they are concerned with much less even aware of.

#44

Check cameras for the past month every single time I’ve used the bandsaw and realize you’re very very mistaken! I called you cause a saw stop cartridge popped, and a SAW blade which both are in the locked cabinet

#45

You called him at 4am?

1 Like
#46

They sell replacement pads so I highly doubt If the pad got destroyed we’d have to scrape the whole unit

#47

I text him because he would normally come in around 4am and see me on my way out so i assumed he was up because that’s the time I’d normally see him at the space

1 Like
#48

Then a lot of $ worth of stuff has been stolen most notable a massive 200-300$ bandsaw blade which I don’t think you could even hide in a full suit case yet alone walk out with it

#49

Replacement bandsaw blades are consumables, albeit expensive ones, not fine woodworking tools nefariously hidden away.

I grow increasingly tired of your rabble rousing and I hope the woodshop leadership understand that, in my opinion, it would be a very bad idea to give you access to expensive consumables.

3 Likes
#50

I recommend you educate yourself before criticizing

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#51

I’ve bought my own so not a concern

#52

so FYI literally that thread is an argument amongst people as to whether it’s a good idea or not

Get educated with resources and those who manage the machines, not random forum arguments you find on Google.

1 Like
#53

I’ve read that from multiple sources but sure we’ll say it’s a bad idea, just curious what’d we used to have the can of Pam for then? If it gunks up woodworking tools doesn’t make sense to have it in the woodshop

#54

Woodshop muffins. Obviously.

5 Likes
#55

Using Pam for woodworking tools is like using 10w40 for firearms.

#56

I think one of those threads suggested using pam when resawing brownies. I’ll admit, I’ve made a few batches of brownies that could require a bandsaw to cut up.

8 Likes
#57

Only the pads were ruined at a still substantial cost of $40-$50 as near as I can recall. The education/ retraining/ awareness raising seems to have helped - we haven’t seen that kind of problem since.

3 Likes