outofstepper Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 Two luxury buys I wish I would have gotten sooner: 1. Veritas Scrub plane. I've always heard (read) not to spend the big bucks on a scrub, that anything would do. In fact, I've been making due with a modified jack plane. Got some chatter -- but on a scrub, who cared? I do a lot of my projects with VERY rough lumber. Every see the cartoons where they turn a tree into a toothpick? That's me. The Veritas scrub feels so solid, no nonsense, I'm hogging some wood and no one is stopping me. Maybe its new-toy psychology, but I don't regret one cent. Love the narrow sole. 2. Duo Sharp diamond stone. I'm mostly a belt sander and water stones kinda guy, with an oil stone or two for the axes.. but boy does this coarse stone cut fast! This was a tougher buy as I've had some bad experiences with the longevity of "diamond" stones I've bought in the past. Lets hope it holds up. How about the rest of you? Anything you wish you would've bought sooner? -Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodwhisperer Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 For me its a high quality marking gauge. I fuddled around for years with a hand me down from Grandpa. That one still holds a place in my heart by my new marking gauge is just a joy to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 Mine would be my Lie-Nielsen rabbet-block plane. I have had it since April, and have been amazed at how much I grab that for just about anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kep1019 Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 I have to go with the 12" Starrett combo square what a difference from everything else I used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhl.verona Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 The Essential Woodworker by Robert Wearing. Just seems to click with me. Much handier to carry around than the Taunton books too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 For me that would either be my LV router plane OR believe it or not a few $6-$10 triangular files along with enough confidence to begin sharpening my own saws. AND OH YEAH, my slanted leg-vise (and the workbench its on)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marist Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 For me it was more light. I added 3 - 4ft T8 fixtures near my bench. Not quite a neander purchase, but it's so much easier working on projects when you can easily see your line. My sawing definitely got better overnight - so much that I now want to buy a nice dovetail saw. (Maybe that will replace lighting on this list ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
areynoldsre Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 A good workbench for me. The first I build self destructed (didn't know what I was doing then) and the one I have now is just okay but I got it before I took any woodworking classes. Now I am plotting a way to get my third, better, really good workbench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpdorn Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 oneida 3hp cyclone. no more running extension cords and hoses from machine to machine. it'll suck up thick plane shavings without getting clogged and the remote fob is always close at hand. love that sucker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyNoName Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 My workbench. No other tool has improved my woodworking more then my workbench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flairwoodworks Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Good-quality rags for finishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmaichel Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Good-quality rags for finishing. What kind of rags and where did you get them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flairwoodworks Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I bought Absorbant Cotton Wipes from Lee Valley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southwood Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I will chime in with lighting. I never knew how little light I had, until I redid my whole lighting setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmaichel Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I bought Absorbant Cotton Wipes from Lee Valley. Thanks Chris! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I will chime in with lighting. I never knew how little light I had, until I redid my whole lighting setup. +1; I remember the first time I tinkered in the shop after adding a number of lights. I've since doubled those lights. I had a decent marking knife, but now have a much nicer one mostly because the blade is 2 1/4" long. 1 1/2" longer than my previous knife. Shapton stones are so much nicer to spritz with water and sharpen vs soaking waterstones and the mess associated with it. Ponds are for ducks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 GRR Ripper. without question one of my best ever purchases. it has totally changed my comfort level with my table saw, not to mention it has increased the quality of my cuts 10x. much less burning and blade marks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konkers Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 For me it was my first decent chisels. These were definitely my gateway hand tool that taught me that there we some things easier/possible with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChetlovesMer Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 I'm going to say I remember way back when I bought my second router.... Holy cow, that made my life so much easier with one in the table and one in a drawer. Even being a Normite I had trouble justifying a second router of about the same specs as the one I already owned. ... but once I got it, I couldn't figure out how I got by with just one. On a similar note, when I built my shop it was a huge upgrade. I remember running an extension cord out of my garage around to an outside outlet so I could run the dust collector and the table saw at the same time withou the lights dimming. Then I built my shop with 100 extra amps on 5 different circuits, plus 3 220 circuits and lighting on seperate a circuit. Suddenly it seemed wordworking was so much easier. Maybe that isn't where you were going with this, but those were the two things I remember thinking "how did I do this before?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted June 26, 2011 Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 For me it would be my Wenzloff and Sons dovetail saw kit. I ordered the saw plate, brass back and saw nuts; after some time making the handle and polishing the brass I assembled it-wow what a difference. I also just bought a 12" Starret, after all the other squares I have bought over the years I should have just did it right away-all those replacement costs, shipping costs, and most of all sanity could have been spared! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flairwoodworks Posted June 26, 2011 Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 This flex-neck magnetic pick up tool is something I probably walked by hundreds of times at the tool store without even giving it a thought. My brother bought it for me and it's been really useful. The flex neck lets it snake through flex hose to retrieve the table saw's arbor nut (not that I ever drop it - yeah, right!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bois Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 A good marking knife. I couldn't understand why I should have to pay $50 for a quality marking knife when an Exacto or cheapo Crown Tools knife would work just as well. Well, thanks to Blue Spruce my dovetails look remarkably better. Who knew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 For me it was my first decent chisels. These were definitely my gateway hand tool that taught me that there we some things easier/possible with them. Definately +1! I purchased a set of harbor Freight 3pack specials, intending to knock around with them. (I figured the cheap chisel might last long enough to start muscle memory and figure out whether or not I needed the better stuff. I bought one Marples, just one, and immediately realized the quality difference. And this just verified that you get what you pay for. And $5 does not a good chisel make, let alone three chisels. I don't have far to go to regrind them into a screwdriver, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamV Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 I'll second the starrett combo square, I even paid a little extra for the hardened head for when I'm working in metal. But I'd have to say the 5 wooden handscrew clamps that I have are gold. They've held an axe handle I made and a new handle (tote) for my MF#5 when i was shaping them. They make dovetailing and the day to day edge planeing ,rip sawing, webcam holding all really easy. Make sure to buy a giant handscrew and a baby sized one so "all else" doesn't fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snichols Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I really wish I'd bought ANY of my Lie-Nielsen or Veritas planes sooner but I'll give the credit to the one tool that started me down this slippery slope: the Lie-Nielsen 60 1/2 low angle block plane. It taught me what a real high quality tool could do and I haven't looked back since. I could've used the year or so I messed around with low quality planes to build more stuff if I'd bought LN or Veritas sooner. Great thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.