JimReed

My advice for a table saw is get the SawStop. I had the Grizzly first but getting the SawStop was a night and day difference. In addition to the safety feature, it is simply the best built, best designed, best supported piece of equipment I have ever owned (and that includes tools from Powermatic, Laguna, Grizzly, Jet, etc.). I know there are many who feel that SawStop is all hype or don't like how they came to be a major player in the field, but as an amateur woodworker who can use all the help I can get to do decent quality work, the SawStop has been worth every penny. I also agree with the advice on the planer and jointer. Both of mine are Grizzly with helical heads and I have been VERY happy with them. See, I am not a Grizzly basher after all! :-) Good luck! Jim

I am in need of a tenoning jig. I did a brief search online and I saw the Stumpy Nubs incremental tenoning jig http://www.stumpynubs.com/tenon-jig.html ) which is pretty cool but I was wondering if there is any commercially available tenoning jig as I am short on time so I would rather buy than build if there is a highly recommended jig? Any good recommendations? Thanks, Jim

Please forgive the off-topic post but I just got a new iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil and I was looking for any good recommendations on drawing apps that might work well for woodworking design. I have always struggled with SketchUp (sorry SU fans!) so 99% of the time, I end up sketching my designs the old-fashioned way with pencil and paper but I would really love to find some simple drawing app that might let me take one step closer to simple design nirvana. Thanks for any advice. Jim

I have four of the iVac automated gates and they are working great. Here is the link: http://www.infinitytools.com/iVac-Automated-Blast-Gate/products/1938/ Pricey but damn it is sooooo nice not to have to open and shut gates every time I move from one machine to the other. I don't get a ton of free time to work in my shop so when I do, I love to get as much done as possible and these gates save me lots of time every time I am in my shop. Jim

Wow, LOVE their pricing! Does anyone have any experience with this T-track and can confirm the Festool clamps fit?

Shaneymack, thanks for the advice! I was going to order the 5/16" Lee Valley t-track you recommended and just wondered if I should go overkill and put t-track around the whole bench for maximum flexibility. I am making my bench monster-size-- a full 4 X 8-- because I have the room and I am replacing a 4 X 8 table that I love using from all four sides so I may still go crazy and put T-track everywhere. Thanks again for your great design!

Shaneymack, finally getting ready to build my bench borrowing heavily from your design. I saw that you put T-track only on the front of the bench but you did use two t-tracks-- one on the top and one on the side. Just curious, if you were doing this again, would you put t-track around all four sides? Also, do you find yourself using the t-track on the top? Would you recommend putting T-track both on top and on the side?

I live in an area where I could easily do this and I have been thinking of doing the same thing for a long time. Just curious, how much sawdust is actually being exhausted? Are you seeing any accumulation under the vent? I don't have a cyclone now but that would be part of my DC upgrade. What cyclone/motor did you end up going with and are you happy with its performance? Jim

I just found my own answer to my question about 80/20 compatibility with Festool clamps so I thought I would add it if anyone else was curious. Per a discussion on FOG, Festool clamps are compatible with the 15 and 40 Series of 80/20. I haven't confirmed this personally so please test before relying on this info. Jim

Thanks for the response and the "plan". Looks like my "plans" but actually the dimensions were very helpful. One more dimension question: what spacing did you use for the Domino slots on the front for your "deadman thingamajiggy"? Glad to hear you have absolutely no flex in the base! I know both the LV T-tracks you used and the Incra T-tracks will accommodate the Festool clamps but I was wondering if anyone knows whether the Festool clamps will fit in the 80/20 tracks: Metric http://www.8020.net/T-Slot-5.asp or Fractional http://www.8020.net/T-Slot-4.asp ? Once again, thanks again for a great design that I will be plagiarizing! Jim

Love, love your bench and I plan to copy your design because it is EXACTLY what I have been trying to design on my own (and failing miserably). I hope you won't mind my asking a few construction detail questions? Of course, if you have any detailed plans I would gladly buy them from you! :-) What were the dimensions of your torsion box? I want to make sure I make my spacers tall enough that the Festool clamps don't bottom out. Looks like about 3 1/2". Did you use 3/4" MDF for the both the top and bottom of the torsion box? With 4 casters, are you having any issues with the base flexing? It sure doesn't look like it but I worried that with just 3/4" ply for the base above the casters that it might be a heavy load to carry. I see some folks double up 3/4" ply or build a torsion box for the base but that seems like overkill so I thought I would see how your base cabinet design worked out. If you were building again, is there anything you would change? I know every project I have ever done I get done and say "Hmmm, if I was doing it again, I would......." Thanks again for your great design! Jim

I am very interested in the drop in LED replacements for 4' fluorescent lights. Does anyone have a good recommendation of where to buy these units at a reasonable price? Thanks, Jim

I have the MFT in my home shop and I LOVE it but I use it in conjunction with my big cabinetmakers bench so I can use each to their best advantages. If the MFT is going to be your only bench, I would definitely get the supports as the bench is a bit wobbly without them (I agree with those who believe the bench should be supplied with the supports). I don't have the supports and don't really need them because I do all the heavy duty planing, pounding on my heavy bench. The MFT is AWESOME in combination with the Festool tracksaw, routers, etc. and it's workholding capabilities are amazing so I heartily recommend it. Good luck!

I have purchased the incredibly good plans for the Paulk Workbench II. I have a buddy who has a large CNC machine so I am interested in talking to anyone who has converted the plans for use on a CNC. Please email me offlist at jamesbreed@gmail.com. Let me be absolutely clear that I have already PAID for the plans so I am NOT trying to pirate Ron's hard work. Thanks, Jim

For some freakish reason my eyes are aging while the rest of me remains youthful.....at least that's my story and I am sticking to it! Anyway, I have a couple cheap desk lights (the adjustable kind with the springs) but I am looking for a higher quality version of that type of light as the cheap ones keep wearing out. Does anyone have a link to an adjustable workbench light they love? Thanks, Jim