My thoughts on the horde of quality tools

Seriously, its something every damn couple of days with you. Could you just stop whining about the injustices of makerspace against you? And are you really talking to us about bandsaw blades when you needed a fresh one every day cause it didn’t meet your standards?

But like I said I wasn’t wanting to turn this into an argument, I already bring my own table saw blades bandsaws drum paper chisels and planes, And hand saws I was just as the title stated stating my thoughts! I’m not trying to change anybody opinion stance or policies

Read the freaking title! Just my thoughts! Pretty specific about what my goal was here to express my thoughts! I can say it three or four more time if needed to help you understand that! Never did I say it was a wrong against me! Just my thoughts

Speaking of maintaining does anybody know where the pam spray went? When installing new bandsaw blades over 3/4” if you put a little pam or oil on them the lifespan is greatly increased but I haven’t been able to find it cause we used to have a can

We still have the Tormek. It should be in the cabinets near the Kapex.

1 Like

Actually Chris, after the last 4AM call about changing the bandsaw you told me you would be bringing all of your own blades. Since then, you’ve contacted me twice about changing blades and needing the code to the locked cabinet.

4 Likes

Please don’t spray the blades with PAM. Hydrogenated oil will solidify and gunk up the blades. If a blade needs to be oiled, which fresh blades should not need to be oiled, a light oil should be applied by hand.

3 Likes

Very true. I frequently see saws and chisels in other than woodshop areas.

I would settle for a proper workbench!

4 Likes

Welcome to the woodshop elitism… remember until somewhat recently the Festool vacuum had a training requirement.

2 Likes

I’m not sure I understand your comment Frank, can you explain?

1 Like

What do you want in a proper workbench?

Until ~May 2019 the Festool vacuum was listed as requiring woodshop basics to operate:
https://dallasmakerspace.org/w/index.php?title=Tools&oldid=28754

I am using that requirement as an example to point out the absurdity of some of the attitudes that have been present in the wood shop. The whole no 2x4s thing is another great example.

1 Like

Hmm I imagine that this was because of the header statement:

All Woodshop power tools require taking the Woodshop Basics class

As far as I know there is not a ban on 2x4s? There is a ban on Southern Yellow Pine on the jointer and planer because the amount of maintenance it causes is considered beyond our capacity to serve right now.

1 Like

At one point woodshop was attempting to ban Southern Yellow Pine on most of the tools:

(Full transparency, I’m new to this rule since returning in March as well.)

So reading through that thread you posted it looks like they passed rules outright banning pine, then after community discussion, decided to roll back to SYP on the jointer and planer. 20180815 Woodshop Meeting - Pine ban discussion

The reasoning cited was maintenance. I can’t personally speak to a decrease in maintenance with the rule passing, perhaps someone else out here can. But I would be strongly inclined to believe it’s true.

All of this notwithstanding. I’m not sure I understand your comment about woodshop’s elitism attitude. To me, it sounds like the shop was trying to figure out how to meet the needs of members in the most reasonable way for the volunteers to deal with?

3 Likes

For what it’s worth, I just looked in the cabinet, and it’s basically just consumables. The only tools in the “hoard” are a pretty complete set on hex wrenches and screw drivers (which I assume are for maintenance), a cheapo drill index that looks like it gets doled out of as a consumable, and one or two other random things that the tool wall has equivalent quality versions of. Doesn’t look like anyone’s hiding the good shit.

4 Likes

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

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:

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:

5 Likes

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