# Shop & Tool Growing Pains



## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*New House, No Tools*

This blog is aimed at documenting my thought process about this hobby and I hope it can server as a guide to newcomers looking for help.

Let me give you the background …

We lived in Charlotte, NC for 6 years. We had my son, and were pregnant with my daughter when the neighborhood "turned". Driveby shooting, armed home invasions, police helicopters, etc… Needless to say, we decided to move back home. We're both from New England, so coming back was good for everyone involved. I didn't have any power tools down south. I had a brand new house with no real big projects to tackle, so I never accumulated tools.

So we finally bought a house which had a two car garage. I figured that some day I would setup a shop in 1/2 of the space or bulldoze it and build a bigger better garage like my father. So we move in and get acclimated to the new house and all the issues we encountered (carpenter ants, termites, plumbing, etc…). I didn't need to buy tools yet because my dad was helping us with all of our projects.

Enter the hobby …

This house has steam radiators, which are very dangerous for kids. My wife asked me to buy some covers and I remember watching an episod of TOH where Tom Silva whipped together some covers made out of MDF. I knew I could do that, and it seemed like a nice hobby to get in to because it was relaxing and constructive. But here was the problem. No tools.

When I say no tools, I literally mean I didn't have a drill that worked. I had a hammer, some pliers, some screw drivers, but nothing that could be used to get things done. However, it was summer and there was an abundance of estate/garage sale postings on CL for tools. I figured I would give it a shot and try an estate sale from a machinist in my town.

$80 later and I came home with this:









I was psyched. A drill press, band saw, some files, some saws, an old school saber saw, and a belt sander (not pictured because it needs new wiring.) I decided to hit a few more estate sales and flea markets and ended up scoring a lot of old rusty planes and rasps for dirt cheap. I also scored some hand drills, bit brace and lots of bits …

As I amassed these tools, they literally were just sitting on my garage floor on an old door. I didn't have any storage available in the garage … not even a bench. So I quickly discovered my first project. A shop bench with some storage. Off to blog entry #2 for the build.


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## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *New House, No Tools*
> 
> This blog is aimed at documenting my thought process about this hobby and I hope it can server as a guide to newcomers looking for help.
> 
> ...


Hi,

I'm a relative newby to this so I'll be happily following your blog. From one newby to another you might want to consider some of the lessons I've learned in the past year-

Unless you know how to refurbish tools and sharpen blades, you might want to consider buying new, and ONLY as you need each tool. I wasted money on used tools only to have to go out and buy new. The safety features are updated, they come with a manual etc etc. 
For example, I had a budget brand cordless jigsaw and absolutely hated it. I thought I didn't like using a jigsaw until I sprung for a Bosch corded one. It's now one of my go-to tools. I understand how it works, where to buy the blades and how to safely operate it. I expect it's going to last for a long time.

Same story with my router, and circular saw. I did have great luck buying a second hand miter saw though and the wooden handled saws on the right in your picture look pretty neat.

Have fun!
Sandra


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## DaddyZ (Jan 28, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *New House, No Tools*
> 
> This blog is aimed at documenting my thought process about this hobby and I hope it can server as a guide to newcomers looking for help.
> 
> ...


Very Cool Story, Goes to show with a little looking you can start to accumulate an Irritating great passion for old tools !!! 

Welcome to LJ's


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *New House, No Tools*
> 
> This blog is aimed at documenting my thought process about this hobby and I hope it can server as a guide to newcomers looking for help.
> 
> ...


LOL, I remember those days.

First starting out I thought it sucked not having this tool or that. But I learned how to get the most out of each tool as I learned how to do things. I now have a shop full of tools and still reach for the basic tools 90% of the time. One of the things I learned was its not how many tools I have, but what can I do with the tools that I have.

Great score, seems like all the basics needed to get you started on a lot of fun projects. Look forward to hearing how your passion grows.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Shop Bench & Storage*

With a small arsenal of tools from my estate sale scavenging, I needed a place to work on projects and get the tools off the garage floor. I was originally going to build the "Getting Started in Woodworking" bench from FWW, but I decided that a more typical garage bench would be better suited.

I needed something easy to build, and solid as a rock. I wanted a 2' deep surface and I wanted to take up 1/2 of the back wall. My wife has given me 1/2 of the garage because she still wants to park in there during the winter. So I found the plans from Art of Manliness . The build looked straight forward and I could build it in 1 day.

Here are some shots of the build:

I used Simpson strong ties to help with speed and strength.









My dad posing while he helped me erect the frame. Notice the back wall and shelving above. All of this was held together with nails. The heavy 4×8 plywood overhead shelves were nailed into the ceiling. Wicked dangerous, so I actually ripped it all down (see later on this post).









In this photo, you can see my finished bench, and all the tools that I need to find a home for.









With the bench built, I needed something to hang my tools for easy access. I bought some pegboard and whipped together a frame out of scrap 1×3 pine I had laying around. Few magnetic strips from HF and I had storage!









You'll notice the light hanging in this picture too. Another estate sale find … $2.50 for this light with the bulbs. I bought both of the lights he had.

So with a shop bench with drill press and some tool storage, I was able to start some projects. At this time I still didn't have any woodworking tools. No good saws (powered or hand), no chisels, all I had was some dull planes and rusty old dull hand saws. A quick stop into Rockler on my lunch break, and I came home with this:









Now with some proper tools I was able to start a real woodworking project.


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## DaddyZ (Jan 28, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Shop Bench & Storage*
> 
> With a small arsenal of tools from my estate sale scavenging, I needed a place to work on projects and get the tools off the garage floor. I was originally going to build the "Getting Started in Woodworking" bench from FWW, but I decided that a more typical garage bench would be better suited.
> 
> ...


Getting started = half the fun


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

pendledad said:


> *Shop Bench & Storage*
> 
> With a small arsenal of tools from my estate sale scavenging, I needed a place to work on projects and get the tools off the garage floor. I was originally going to build the "Getting Started in Woodworking" bench from FWW, but I decided that a more typical garage bench would be better suited.
> 
> ...


Awesome! Good blog.

You'll like that Rockler glue brush!


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## BTimmons (Aug 6, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *Shop Bench & Storage*
> 
> With a small arsenal of tools from my estate sale scavenging, I needed a place to work on projects and get the tools off the garage floor. I was originally going to build the "Getting Started in Woodworking" bench from FWW, but I decided that a more typical garage bench would be better suited.
> 
> ...


I really really need some good saws, you got the exact ones I've been looking at. Very jealous at the moment.


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## A10GAC (Dec 21, 2009)

pendledad said:


> *Shop Bench & Storage*
> 
> With a small arsenal of tools from my estate sale scavenging, I needed a place to work on projects and get the tools off the garage floor. I was originally going to build the "Getting Started in Woodworking" bench from FWW, but I decided that a more typical garage bench would be better suited.
> 
> ...


You might be from New England if the overhead shelves in your garage are "wicked" dangerous. I'm glad I'm not the only one who says this ( I catch so much grief at work) in daily conversation.

Welcome back…to New England & woodworking.


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## bobasaurus (Sep 6, 2009)

pendledad said:


> *Shop Bench & Storage*
> 
> With a small arsenal of tools from my estate sale scavenging, I needed a place to work on projects and get the tools off the garage floor. I was originally going to build the "Getting Started in Woodworking" bench from FWW, but I decided that a more typical garage bench would be better suited.
> 
> ...


Those Japanese saws are fantastic. I have the same set of chisels and they are pretty good… nice balance and build, though the edge retention isn't the best.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

pendledad said:


> *Shop Bench & Storage*
> 
> With a small arsenal of tools from my estate sale scavenging, I needed a place to work on projects and get the tools off the garage floor. I was originally going to build the "Getting Started in Woodworking" bench from FWW, but I decided that a more typical garage bench would be better suited.
> 
> ...


I just got rid of a strong tie workbench a couple of months ago. Be warned. You are going to get sick and tired of looking at that thing as the years tick by. You just can't kill them…


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Shop Bench & Storage*
> 
> With a small arsenal of tools from my estate sale scavenging, I needed a place to work on projects and get the tools off the garage floor. I was originally going to build the "Getting Started in Woodworking" bench from FWW, but I decided that a more typical garage bench would be better suited.
> 
> ...


Looks like your on your way to having fun. Great start.


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## CameronRobertson (Jul 29, 2013)

pendledad said:


> *Shop Bench & Storage*
> 
> With a small arsenal of tools from my estate sale scavenging, I needed a place to work on projects and get the tools off the garage floor. I was originally going to build the "Getting Started in Woodworking" bench from FWW, but I decided that a more typical garage bench would be better suited.
> 
> ...


Awesome results! I like the concept of the storage bench which has two levels on it. After seeing it, I think it can actually afford more levels, meaning more shelves to provide even more storage space. However, if so, then it would require even stronger legs and all-rounding fasteners. I think this storage bench can also be used as a table even in the dining room. All you need is a tablecloth to throw over the bench and cover the bare wood and you have a table.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Lumberjocks, Sawhorses, and Power Tool Value Trap*

So with my shop taking shape, my tools off the ground, I turned to the web for advice on the first project. Everything I read suggested something like a workbench or sawhorses would make a great first project because it teaches a lot of valuable lessons for beginners and adds value to your shop. This was also where I discovered LJ. What an awesome site. A real social networking site for people across the globe to share their advice and projects. Unlike FaceBook or Twttter where you turn into a screen zombie, I've found this site extremely useful for learning and gathering inspirational ideas.

I had been following Mafe's his blog on Japanese tools (which was why I purchased the two pull saws from Rockler). A few more searches and I found the project to combine a shop addition and some Japanese tools and some skill building.

My Japanese Sawhorses

After this project I quickly realized that I didn't have the luxury of time. Between the kids, my job, and the million other things going on, I needed the ability to get projects done quickly. I really enjoyed working with 100% hand tools, but rather than ripping a 2×6 by hand, I would have rather used a table saw or band saw to finish that step and move on with the project. With TS and BS envy on my mind, I quickly turned to CL to see what was out there.

JACKPOT! I found a vintage cast iron craftsman TS and BS for $20. Yes, $20 for both saws. They shared a motor which was on a quick release system so you can bring it to either stand. A 30 minute drive and a long conversation with the original owner of these tools, I brought these babies home:


















A new blade, and a little TLC, these things were running like new. Very little vibration and seemed like an "oldie but goodie". Unfortunately, I didn't get too far with these tools before running into some issues. During the final stages of the Radiator Covers, I needed to build some french cleats. I bumped my table saw to 45 degrees and fired it up … WHAM! The belt flung off and shot across the room. I put the belt back on and nudged the motor a bit to get it in better alignment and tried again. WHAM! Flung off again. Finally I got it to run with some perfect alignment. The issue with these old saws is that the motor moves freely off the back of the saw as the arbor tilts. You can kind of see the motor mount in this shot:









So the arbor pulley is tilted and the motor pulley isn't. So naturally the belt wanted to come off. Anyways, I got the saw the run, and I tried to rip the french cleat out of a 1×6 or 1×8 (can't remember) piece of scrap. As I started to get about 1/2 through the cut, I noticed the wood started to vibrate and felt strange … so I killed the saw. I am dang lucky I rewired the saw with a new delta saw safety switch. The original motor has a switch on the motor itself and I would have been in serious trouble if that was still the case. The wood was actually drifting away from the fence a bit because the fence had come out of alignment with the blade. You can see the safety switch I installed, which definitely saved me from a kickback:









So with the TS officially scaring me half to death at this point, I decided to go fire up one of my 2 band saws. Remember I have the 10" craftsman from the estate sales, and the 12" vintage one from the CL deal. So I went to the 10" saw first because it was setup on my table. I went to tilt the table to 45 degrees and SNAP! The lower blade guide assembly cracked in half. Cheap garbage aluminum was the culprit. So on to the next BS. I tilted the table and fired her up. I actually got through one of my 4 cleats. During the second rip, the blade came off the wheels. I opened it up and tuned her up per the manual. Put the blade back on and tried again. This time two tires came off … :-(

Granted this is to be expected when I have tools from the 1950's. They still have all the original parts and were probably not maintained as the manual suggests. Which is why I have come to my realization that just like in the stock market, I was sucked into the VALUE TRAP. I couldn't see past the fact that I could get a TS and BS with nice metal stands for $20 total. The time and effort I put into rewiring the motor and tuning up the saws felt like a giant waste. Granted I could get new tires for the BS and fix the TS pulley (now bent) or only use the TS for straight cross cuts … but I have a small shop. Which brings me to my new revelation:

I have a big interest in this hobby as I find it extremely relaxing and constructive. I want to spend my limited time working on projects, not rehabbing old tools. I have a huge appreciation for the older tools and I'm sure they still work 100% as intended in better hands … but I just don't have it in me. I am throwing in the towel.

This is when I posted my forum topic about a new TS recommendation. I told my wife about the near kickback and she was actually in the shop with me when the tires came off the BS … so she said … buy something new with some better safety features and just get back to work on your projects.

So I'm happy to say that I have an electrician coming to my house Thursday 10/25/2012 to install a new 200amp service with a 100amp sub-panel to my garage. I am going to run wires for 220 and 110 all over my side of the shop and I'm investing in a nice higher end saw with riving knife. I was going back and forth between a hybrid, contractor, or cabinet saw in that forum … but I eventually ran into some electrical issues in the garage which I needed to address anyways. If I'll have 220 capabilities, I decided to get a well made saw with great safety features that I can grow into as I progress through the hobby. Grizzly is at the top of my list. Specifically the G0690 3hp 220v cabinet saw for $1,250. I'll post another update to this blog when the electrician is complete and I've got some more news.


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## nwbusa (Feb 21, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Lumberjocks, Sawhorses, and Power Tool Value Trap*
> 
> So with my shop taking shape, my tools off the ground, I turned to the web for advice on the first project. Everything I read suggested something like a workbench or sawhorses would make a great first project because it teaches a lot of valuable lessons for beginners and adds value to your shop. This was also where I discovered LJ. What an awesome site. A real social networking site for people across the globe to share their advice and projects. Unlike FaceBook or Twttter where you turn into a screen zombie, I've found this site extremely useful for learning and gathering inspirational ideas.
> 
> ...


I enjoyed reading your blogs so far. Glad you're enjoying the hobby and getting the opportunity to upgrade your tools along the way. Stay safe and have fun!


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## MisterInquisitive (Aug 29, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Lumberjocks, Sawhorses, and Power Tool Value Trap*
> 
> So with my shop taking shape, my tools off the ground, I turned to the web for advice on the first project. Everything I read suggested something like a workbench or sawhorses would make a great first project because it teaches a lot of valuable lessons for beginners and adds value to your shop. This was also where I discovered LJ. What an awesome site. A real social networking site for people across the globe to share their advice and projects. Unlike FaceBook or Twttter where you turn into a screen zombie, I've found this site extremely useful for learning and gathering inspirational ideas.
> 
> ...


I have well-maintained older equipment. Newer machines usually have identical mechanisms, but aren't built as solid as the older units. Eventually, new machines develop the same problems, and since they often contain cheaper components (bearings, switches, you name it) they break down as fast or faster than something you'd find on CL. An old bandsaw with new tires and blade guides is almost always going work better for you than a new one, and almost always costs less. If you're already using hand tools, you could probably get by with a band saw to do all your rip cuts, then a hand plane to fine tune to depth or joints like a French cleat. Cross cuts with a hand saw are quicker and just as accurate, once you develop the skill. I find table saws from any era to be dicey, especially without a blade guard or kickback dogs, and do not believe their limited utility justifies the risk involved in using them. Even in the hands of an experienced operator, and perhaps especially in the hands of an experienced operator, they often lead to horrific accidents. Plus they take up loads of space.


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Lumberjocks, Sawhorses, and Power Tool Value Trap*
> 
> So with my shop taking shape, my tools off the ground, I turned to the web for advice on the first project. Everything I read suggested something like a workbench or sawhorses would make a great first project because it teaches a lot of valuable lessons for beginners and adds value to your shop. This was also where I discovered LJ. What an awesome site. A real social networking site for people across the globe to share their advice and projects. Unlike FaceBook or Twttter where you turn into a screen zombie, I've found this site extremely useful for learning and gathering inspirational ideas.
> 
> ...


Your off to a great start and building a nice collection of tools. Look forward to seeing more of your progress. Keep up the good work.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*1.21 GigaWatts!*

So the new main panel went in yesterday, and man is this sucker huge. Here are the before and after shots:

Before:









After:









Garage panel:










Seeing this makes me feel like I'm getting ready for some mad scientist experiments. Or maybe a Delorian projects:






On a more serious note, I've been astronomically depressed at work over the last couple of months. My company actually has amazing benefits (free health care, great pay, bonuses, etc…) but more and more I seem to be depressed sitting at my desk. I am getting tired of sitting in front of computer screens for 10 hours a day. Taking the train to and from the city. Being too tired to play with the kids for the 20 minutes before their bed time. It all adds up to this:

I'm not happy with what I do for a living.

That said, without this job, I couldn't afford to purchase tools or upgrade electrical. So I feel even more unhappy because I know I am trapped. In order to afford the hobby, I need to be unhappy and depressed for 40-50+ hrs a week. I know this might sound selfish because there are a lot of unemployed people out there, but I've worked extremely hard to get where I am today … and I'm not happy. It just feels like a big disappointment.

I would be dramatically more happy if I could work part time to pay the essentials, then spend the rest of my time in the shop. My work is *not* professional by any means, but I've received orders for my radiator covers simply because of the close knit community we have. They are functional and clean looking, which appealed to a lot of my neighbors and friends. Unfortunately, I have to decline these orders because I simply don't have the time. I would love to build something on commission … and I'm flattered that someone liked my work enough to want to purchase one.

So I had a talk with my wife about our lifestyles and what we want to do. She is on the same page as me, we'd rather be happy than be wealthy. She is very crafty and as the kids get older and she has more time on her hands while they're in school, she is going to start expanding her crafts & design projects. She likes to make bows and accessories for our daughter. She is good enough that she can sell the bows through local channels without even trying. Granted there isn't a ton of money to be made in small bows, but it is very satisfying work for her.

So part time consultants in my field (development, quant finance, modeling) actually earn about double what I make as a full time employee. Granted I have benefits and all that jazz which I need to consider, but I could easily work 20 hrs a week and bring in roughly the same pay as I do now. That would free up all my other time to skill building and working on projects. And if I get orders for some projects, I could tackle them and actually earn money on the side and start to grow a business slowly.

Anyways, sorry for the rant. I feel like I'm having a mid-life crisis at the age of 29. Except instead of buying the sports car, I just want to work with my hands and be constructive instead of a computer zombie.

The good news is the electrical work will be completed today. I'll post more pictures of the finished project with the sub-panel in the garage. On a funny note, my garage sub-panel is the same size as the original panel for the whole house. Gotta love overkill.


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## Robb (Aug 18, 2007)

pendledad said:


> *1.21 GigaWatts!*
> 
> So the new main panel went in yesterday, and man is this sucker huge. Here are the before and after shots:
> 
> ...


God bless your plan! I hope you're able to make the transition to part time, and grow your creative side. I have a similar situation - good to great job, but not really satisfied that I'm doing what I'm meant to do, and yet feel trapped by financial constraints. I truly wish you the best. ...and I envy your new electrical work! 

Great Back to the Future reference, btw!


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## firewire (Aug 30, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *1.21 GigaWatts!*
> 
> So the new main panel went in yesterday, and man is this sucker huge. Here are the before and after shots:
> 
> ...


pendledad - I also feel the same way. I will be 29 shortly and am a computer engineer that works in IT. I really don't enjoy the work that I do. All of the politics and other corporate issues including 60-80 hours a week of sitting in front of computer are taking its toll. Most weekends I get called in to work on one thing or another.

I have no problem working hard and long hours. The problem I have is that I do not enjoy it. In the corporate world today everyone is replaceable and the companies don't care about the individual. I really enjoy woodworking and can't think of a better way to be spending my time. Its relaxing and gratifying at the same time. I am also allowed to make mistakes and learn from them.

That being said, I am also looking for a way to spend more time in the shop. Over the past few years I have put together a shop with almost everything I could need to build my projects. The problem is that I rarely get anytime to work on them. I also own a house that I live in by myself so I need to make sure I can continue to pay my bills.

Let me know how everything works out. I would be very interested to here about the changes you make. Any advice that you have would also be appreciated.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *1.21 GigaWatts!*
> 
> So the new main panel went in yesterday, and man is this sucker huge. Here are the before and after shots:
> 
> ...


Pendledad, I just got to reading this but would have posted sooner if I saw this sooner.

I'm 32, have not worked a real job in over 8 years and am suffering for my bad choices. I do make money out of my shop (in fact, the money I bring in from the shop is the only thing that supports the shop), but my wife is the bread winner here. Because of my bad judgement with employment, it spiraled down into a lot of bad things. I used to be a healthy 240 lbs (stocky, but healthy), I'm now over 400…
I rent my apartment and shop now, and will likely never have the credit or money to buy a home. My shop is a detached one car garage that is leaning to the right pretty bad and has no insulation (chilly NY). I have a single outlet on the wall with 4 plug receptacles on a single 20 amp 110 volt circuit. I do have plans to straighten the garage, insulate it and add another 20 amp circuit with a couple of receptacles (my needs aren't much for a shop; I'm happy in a cozy space where I can run a heater and the tools at the same time, something I can't do now), but for now I'm stuck with what I have. A motor vehicle is another luxury I do not have. All my tool, supply and lumber purchases are made online or from local borgs and only what I can bring home on the bus. I'm doing the best to remedy my situation, but because of the choices I made there's a long, hard road ahead of me, and I'll get where I need to, but I regret quitting my job those years ago.

So I understand your stress (I used to be a baker working 12+ hour nights (where my username comes from) 6 days a week), just make your decisions carefully, and realize that those hours you spend in front of the screen are a means to an end.

I'm enjoying this blog. Keep up the good work.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *1.21 GigaWatts!*
> 
> So the new main panel went in yesterday, and man is this sucker huge. Here are the before and after shots:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the message. My firm had great year and I made a good income this year. It has funded my shop and tools as well as all the family stuff. I think I'll be happier once I get to work on more projects and enjoy the time in the shop.

It stinks am tied to my desk, but when things like my dog getting a double ear infection and needing $200 for a vet visit … I'm much happier knowing I'll get those steady paychecks.

Thanks again for the note … it takes all perspectives and experiences to paint a good picture.

Looks like I'll be a code jock by day, and a lumberjock by night!


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## FeralVermonter (Jan 1, 2013)

pendledad said:


> *1.21 GigaWatts!*
> 
> So the new main panel went in yesterday, and man is this sucker huge. Here are the before and after shots:
> 
> ...


I'd just add that you shouldn't rule out the dream job, even if it doesn't seem feasible in the moment. Just keep it in the back of your mind, and take a step here, a step there… who knows how it will work out? It doesn't have to be one or the other-have you considered fusing the two professions? If you can manage code and tools, you might be able to make computer controlled tools-that'd sure be an advantage when it comes to making radiator covers, among other things. And that might take you a while… well, so be it. If it takes you five years to get into your dream profession, I say that's five years well spent.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Hurricane outside and inside the shop*

With hurricane sandy barreling towards us, my wife wanted her car in the garage. Probably a good idea seeing as my car got smashed in hurricane Irene.

Anyways as I shuffled all the crap in the garage is realized that I literally don't have any space in my shop. Here are some pictures :



















So before I buy any tools I have some serious planning to do. I need to rethink my shop and put everything on wheels and get as much stuff on the walls as I can.

This also had proven to me that I need a shed for the yard tools and toys… And a trash area outside that keeps the ************************* away.

If I get the non shop items out of the shop, I can easily roll around tools to make room for he car. Maybe this winter will be a planning phase and I'll buy my tools in the spring after the snow is gone.

Ugh… I have the power, now I need more room.


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## GrandpaLen (Mar 6, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Hurricane outside and inside the shop*
> 
> With hurricane sandy barreling towards us, my wife wanted her car in the garage. Probably a good idea seeing as my car got smashed in hurricane Irene.
> 
> ...


Winter is a great time for reflecting, researching and planning that shop area.

There are hundreds of ideas for Stands, Shelves, Storage, Tables, Racks and Benches here on LJs Site.

Use the 'Search LumberJocks.com' window by entering your 'keyword' and sort out what will work for you.

Best Wishes for developing that shared space with mobility.

Work Safely and have Fun. Grandpa Len.


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## ratchet (Jan 12, 2008)

pendledad said:


> *Hurricane outside and inside the shop*
> 
> With hurricane sandy barreling towards us, my wife wanted her car in the garage. Probably a good idea seeing as my car got smashed in hurricane Irene.
> 
> ...


Forget that! Insure your vehicles well and use all that prime space for shop, I say! Besides it looks to me like you have yet begun to pile.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Hurricane outside and inside the shop*
> 
> With hurricane sandy barreling towards us, my wife wanted her car in the garage. Probably a good idea seeing as my car got smashed in hurricane Irene.
> 
> ...


It can be done. I use a three car garage for my shop. The tablesaw and outfeed table sit between bays, and stays there permanantly. The chopsaw is against a wall on a base cabinet. Most everything else is on a mobile base or rolling cabinet. 
In theory I can park two cars, at least when I don't have 1000 lineal feet of quartersawn oak stickered there!

Good luck in the storm, I hope you fare well.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Hurricane outside and inside the shop*
> 
> With hurricane sandy barreling towards us, my wife wanted her car in the garage. Probably a good idea seeing as my car got smashed in hurricane Irene.
> 
> ...


And, you can use all the tools to make the aforementioned Stands, Shelves, Storage, Tables, Racks and Benches.

I would get started at once as it will get the storm of your mind


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Grizzly Sale & Shop Design*

So Grizzly posted their x-mas sale prices. I posted a forum topic about that here . So I'm wrestling with the idea of buying one cabinet saw for roughly $1,400 shipped to my house. OR … I can get the 0715P hybrid, plus a G055LX band saw for roughly the same price as just the TS. I am struggling over what path to choose. I know the cabinet saws are well made and will be a more quality tool as the cornerstone of the shop … but … as soon as I get the TS I will probably find myself in need of a BS that same day.

Example: I showed my wife the LJ website and she really enjoys the look of BS boxes. She liked it so much that she showed her family. And then of course everyone wants one. I have no problem with that … in fact … I really enjoy the opportunity to build things for other people.

Another tool I've found myself looking for often is a jointer. Far too many times have I had an un-jointed surface of a board that I wanted to rip on the TS. With a jointer, I could make short work of it. With a BS and my jointer hand plane, I could get the same result with a little more elbow grease required.

I guess the point of this post is to show the conundrum I'm currently facing. Do I blow $1,400 on just a cabinet saw? Or do I spend the same amount to get a hybrid saw and a BS? I'll try to figure out my pro's and cons a little more clearly for my next post. So let's move onto the shop design fun.

My last blog entry showed the Hurricane Sandy shuffle inside my garage. I had to move all the garage crap onto my shop side, so I could fit the monster mini-van into the garage. Needless to say, I quickly realized that I need EVERYTHING on wheels. I am not going through that exercise again without mobile bases on all workbenches and tools. My giant work surface table was a 4×6 sheet of plywood on top of my japanese sawhorses. The time it took me to clear that off, move the sheet, slide the horses … was about 10 times longer than I expected.

Enter the grizzly workshop planner.

I started by adding the dimensions of the whole garage, and adding the things I've already built (8' workbench). Then I put my thinking cap on and tried to picture a shop where I can quickly move things out of the way, but would give me ample room when the van isn't in the shop. Here is what I added to the layout:

TS. I used the G1023S icon because that is the approximate size of the saws I'm considering. I added a 17" BS (in case I get the 17" over the 14"). I also added a 6"x46" jointer (in case I purchase one). Then I added an outfeed/assembly table off the back of the TS. I also added a 2'x6' workbench (which I plan to build). I don't have a real woodworking bench and this will be one of my next projects.

Here are the two shots…

Everything pushed aside to make room for the van:









The van out of the shop, and my tools out ready for use:









*Things I am missing*
I have a make-shift 2'x8' wood storage thing that I threw together some afternoon over a few beers. It is sloppy, made from 100% shop scraps, and huge. I plan on getting rid of it to free up that floor space. I will most likely employ a small wood storage rack on the wall with enough clearance for the tools to slide under.

I'm also missing a dust collection system. I don't have the space for a massive 2hp floor unit, so I'm probably going to consider something like a dust deputy to hook up to my shop vac, or a wall unit that is powerful enough to handle 1 tool at a time and not be in the way of everything else.

I'm also not considering all the garage crap that is in there. I just tried to leave enough room where I can throw everything and make room for the van. I'm hoping there will be enough space. Next spring I'm building a shed to get the garage cleared of yard tools, toys, and all the other stuff that ends up in there.

I welcome all comments on the layout I've chosen. The bench I have in mind is the GSIW bench that looks like a solid bench, with simple construction. The outfeed table will probably be a simple plywood table similar to the wood whisperer's design.

Edit:

Here is another shot of the garage with some of my current tools in place. Notice the large wood storage thing behind the BS, and the 4×6 table on the sawhorses behind the TS. You'll also notice the ceiling are very low, and there isn't a ton of wall space to work with, but enough to make something work.


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## Flocktothewall (Jan 16, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *Grizzly Sale & Shop Design*
> 
> So Grizzly posted their x-mas sale prices. I posted a forum topic about that here . So I'm wrestling with the idea of buying one cabinet saw for roughly $1,400 shipped to my house. OR … I can get the 0715P hybrid, plus a G055LX band saw for roughly the same price as just the TS. I am struggling over what path to choose. I know the cabinet saws are well made and will be a more quality tool as the cornerstone of the shop … but … as soon as I get the TS I will probably find myself in need of a BS that same day.
> 
> ...


Im sure you'll get a ton of recommendations of what is best. But I think that you should get the best you can afford. I have bought hand fulls of used tools and discount (HF) type tools, and have spent twice as much replacing them, or spent months (YEARS) searching the internet for sales and discounts hoping that one day, I can get a nicer tool, that doesn't feel like it will explode when I turn it on…

That being said, I went for years without a Jointer in my shop, I ended up picking up an old craftsman cast iron jointer (works well, but the thing scares me) I use it in EVERY project. I have a few hand planes that do the job too #7 Jointer plane, but it can be difficult to get a perfect 90* angle unless you pay careful attention.

As far as the table saw goes, again I say get the best you can afford, it will be something that hands down you will use EVERY project. For me: A hobbyist, the 1 1/2 HP saw I have does the job. There are times when I wish I had a 3 HP or the like, but thats probably 10% of the time. The other 90% it works well beyond what I can ask.

My bandsaw is a rickety old 14" 3/4 HP model I picked up at a yard sale for $50. And for $50 its served its purpose, but I find myself WEEKLY toying with the idea of buying a newer bandsaw.

Someone once said on one of my posts, if you don't enjoy using your tools you wont use em. Thats the case with alot of mine, I find myself wanting to replace them because I just don't like using them. With that said, if it were me, (EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT) I'd spring a package deal.


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## derosa (Aug 21, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Grizzly Sale & Shop Design*
> 
> So Grizzly posted their x-mas sale prices. I posted a forum topic about that here . So I'm wrestling with the idea of buying one cabinet saw for roughly $1,400 shipped to my house. OR … I can get the 0715P hybrid, plus a G055LX band saw for roughly the same price as just the TS. I am struggling over what path to choose. I know the cabinet saws are well made and will be a more quality tool as the cornerstone of the shop … but … as soon as I get the TS I will probably find myself in need of a BS that same day.
> 
> ...


My advice, get the big saw. A bandsaw is an incredibly useful tool that I constantly wish I had a bigger version of and a cabinet saw is a nice beast to have. So get the better tablesaw and save for an even better bandsaw later, there is always father's day or next christmas. It will be easier at a later date to claim you need another tool, the bandsaw, and end up with two nicer tools then to claim you need an upgrade if you find the tools you get aren't quite sufficient in the long term. 
Only comment to the layout, I used to have my tablesaw near the wall and found that too many times the wall was in the way of long cuts. It is, IMHO, better to move the tablesaw into the center, set some rollers around it for support on big items and have it in the best position for sheeet goods or long boards.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Grizzly Sale & Shop Design*
> 
> So Grizzly posted their x-mas sale prices. I posted a forum topic about that here . So I'm wrestling with the idea of buying one cabinet saw for roughly $1,400 shipped to my house. OR … I can get the 0715P hybrid, plus a G055LX band saw for roughly the same price as just the TS. I am struggling over what path to choose. I know the cabinet saws are well made and will be a more quality tool as the cornerstone of the shop … but … as soon as I get the TS I will probably find myself in need of a BS that same day.
> 
> ...


Like Derosa said,move the TS out into the room. Looks like you would have room for a HF D/C on the back wall where you are showing the TS now. Put the table on casters so you can move it around out of the way.


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Grizzly Sale & Shop Design*
> 
> So Grizzly posted their x-mas sale prices. I posted a forum topic about that here . So I'm wrestling with the idea of buying one cabinet saw for roughly $1,400 shipped to my house. OR … I can get the 0715P hybrid, plus a G055LX band saw for roughly the same price as just the TS. I am struggling over what path to choose. I know the cabinet saws are well made and will be a more quality tool as the cornerstone of the shop … but … as soon as I get the TS I will probably find myself in need of a BS that same day.
> 
> ...


PD, 
I ll throw another angle on this. Based on what your type projects are think about a large bandsaw and a floor model spindle sander. It looks like your using a craftsman saw now (right?) and it should be well capable of handling what your doing. In the interum yu might watch c-list for a cab. saw if you really want one. Or a nice older delta cont. [email protected] hp. Its just me but I cant see throwing much money at a hybrib. Either go all the way or stick with a quality cont. saw. Dust collection is way overated for hobbiest use anyway and as far as the smaller footprint of a cab. saw, well you have an outfeed table, right ? so there goes that one. Wish you well with your decision. JB


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Grizzly Sale & Shop Design*
> 
> So Grizzly posted their x-mas sale prices. I posted a forum topic about that here . So I'm wrestling with the idea of buying one cabinet saw for roughly $1,400 shipped to my house. OR … I can get the 0715P hybrid, plus a G055LX band saw for roughly the same price as just the TS. I am struggling over what path to choose. I know the cabinet saws are well made and will be a more quality tool as the cornerstone of the shop … but … as soon as I get the TS I will probably find myself in need of a BS that same day.
> 
> ...


There's always room for a dust collector.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Patience is a Virtue*

It has been more than 2 weeks since my last post. In that time, we've taken a trip to Disney World, and I've been consumed getting the leaves bagged from my 4 100+ yr old oak trees in my yard.

That said, I've been waiting patiently for the Grizzly sales and I've been struggling with what tools to purchase. I am going back and forth between the G0715P hybrid + G055LX BS, or just the G0690 cabinet saw. I might just purchase the cabinet saw because I can grow my shop slowly over time with better quality tools rather than stock up all at once with average tools. I've been watching a lot of NYW episodes where he builds complete projects with just the TS. I am amazed at what a good saw, a dado stack, and some jigs can accomplish.

So as I am waiting for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to surface, I've been giving a lot of thought to my shop and what to do with the space. My walls are currently metal mesh with cement plaster. It cracks like crazy and it is HEAVY. To remove the walls would consume one weekend for demo, then either tons of $$$ to haul away, or multiple weekend runs to the dump. Here is a couple panorama shots of the garage so you can see the old nasty cement walls:

(Sorry for the links, they wouldn't upload correctly because of the sizes)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5gvlnb34nhmg6e9/20121026_195828.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q2ivhuvirb427tj/20121026_195930.jpg

Does anyone have experience with covering these types of walls with additional material? I was thinking maybe I could just put up 3/4" OSB *over* these walls with some 3" screws into the studs. Then I can paint the OSB bright white to get better lighting. This would also allow me to hang tools/cabinets at any point along the walls rather than just trying to find studs. I need to make this decision before I start the wiring process, because the conduit runs will be secured to the walls.

I am borrowing my dads portable electric heater, because it is now getting cold up in New England and I still have to run the wire for the shop. The cement plaster actually does an ok job insulating the shop … kind of like the rest of my house. No insulation in the walls, but the plaster is so thick and air tight that the voids in the walls act like insulation. (We're still going to insulate in the future, but that is a much larger projects which requires years of savings).

So here is the wiring plan I've thought of so far:

*Lights*
I plan on running a dedicated line with switch over my side of the garage. I'll probably put in 2 rows of lights to evenly cover the ~8' side of the garage. I'll probably ask for shop lights for my x-mas presents this year. The $20-$25 ones at HD will probably suit me fine … then I can use specific lighting at my areas with clamp on lights or spot lights hanging from the walls. I'll run these on a 15 amp breaker. All other breakers will be 20amp.

*Outlets*

I plan on running a dedicated 110 line just for my shop workbench. This will handle things like the drill press, sanders, cordless charging, etc… I'll probably buy a 6' long power strip that covers the whole bench area.

I'll run another dedicated 110 line to my side of the garage near the window, with multiple receptacles every 6-12". This will be used for power tools like my circular saw, shop vac / DC. I don't have space for a large DC, so I'll have to make due with a smaller wall hanging unit or a dust deputy setup. Both of those only require 110V.

I'm going to run a dedicated 110v line up to the ceiling so I can have a hanging reel extension cord for operations that require me to be away from my side of the shop. I can move the wife's car out and rip plywood on her side. Also, this hanging reel will allow me to plug in the workbench/assembly tables (future projects) for things like extra lights, mini compressor, etc…

I'll run a dedicated 220 line with 2 outlets to my side of the shop for the TS and future BS/Jointer. I'll only run one 220 line for now as I don't require multiple 220 tools running concurrently. So one path with 2 receptacles will be enough.

The next few weekends will be a lot of organizing and removing items from the garage (my old tools that won't sell on CL). I am going to disassemble the make-shift lumber cart last because I need to find a temp spot for all the lumber it currently holds. Once I get everything out of the way, I'll start wiring. I'll probably start by wiring an outside outlet off the garage as a practice project. I need something to power my x-mas lights so this will be a good chance to learn.

Sorry for the delay in progress but between Mickey and careful decisions, I've been slow to jump on the shop stuff. Any help with the wall covering suggestions would be welcomed. Also, anyone with experience in wiring a shop, I'd gladly welcome things you've done and things you wished you did.


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## Cellulosespinner (Oct 29, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Patience is a Virtue*
> 
> It has been more than 2 weeks since my last post. In that time, we've taken a trip to Disney World, and I've been consumed getting the leaves bagged from my 4 100+ yr old oak trees in my yard.
> 
> ...


I think I would just give it a good coat of paint and move on to setting your shop up.
You could hang the osb but I'm not sure you would be happy with it in the end .
As far as hanging cabinets I think I'd just find the studs. You could also cover just one wall for your bench and cabinets. By the time you lay out your workspace you'll find your going to have less room than you think. I use to think I had to have the Ferrari work shop but now I'm just into function…. 
On the Grizzly note, I was just up at grizzly's showroom in Bellingham ,WA last month and I've gotta say I was woefully disappointed with the experience. We wandered the place for about and hour…I had some questions and was told they would be right with me. Never saw the guy again. I like their saws but now I think I'll go with the saw stop.
By the time I would have the grizzly of my dreams shipped to the house I can have a saw stop. Please don't get me wrong the Grizzly is a nice saw….I'm just a crabby old guy I guess


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Electrical Layout*

The past two weeks have been spent planning, buying, and sketching. I'm trying to figure out the best layout for my lighting, tools, bench, and storage in my tiny 8×18 space I have to work with. I've decided to flip my current 8' bench to the other wall and have two dedicated "zones" in my shop. I'll have a garage bench, which is where I'll keep my drill press and toolboxes full of wrenches and all things non-woodworking. The other area will be a dedicated woodworking area for a new smaller 2'x5' workbench, a new cabinet saw. Here is a sketch of my plan:










Over the garage bench area, those two outlet boxes will be on a dedicated circuit. This will cover chargers, drill press, dremel, etc… In the woodworking area, I will have 4 outlets, 2 per circuit. This allows me to plug in a shop vac, portable heater, sanders, routers, etc… without worrying about popping a breaker. The other two walls will make up the final circuit, and I will primarily use these outlets for my circular saw when ripping plywood on the open bay of the garage. That totals 4 circuits covering 8 outlet boxes all 20amp 110v.

I will run a 220 line up to the ceiling and branch out to each window area. I may or may not install a 220v in the ceiling, but I will probably just put a junction box to begin with. The 220v will be on a 20amp circuit. It will be dedicated for the TS.

The final circuit I plan on putting in will be a 15amp just for the lights. I am going to put in 8 4ft flourescent shop lights with some nice electronic balasts and good bulbs.

I've decided to use MC cable because I don't want to deal with conduit and bending and buying spools of wire. It was about $100 for 250' of 12/2 MC cable. 500' of THHN wire cost $75 … and then you add conduit at $0.38/ft, and fittings, and bending tool … it was just too much money and hassle. Granted I'll have more cables running from my panel, but I am going to get clever with bundling them and making them look neat.

I'm almost ready to start running wire. I've put up some 5/8" firing strips of plywood on the walls and mounted the boxes where I feel like they should go. I just need to disassemble the pegboard wall and move it and the bench to the other side of the shop… say goodbye to this:










I plan on building a pegboard cabinet to get the same sq. ft. storage space in a smaller area so I can get more efficient. I also plan on building some drawers for the garage bench to get the surface cleaner and less cluttered with random stuff.

The cold is moving in though … and I'm not sure how much I'm going to get done this winter. I have some nice insulating clothes, but my hands just can't take more than 30-45 minutes at a time. Maybe I'll get some fingerless gloves and put those skiing hand warmers inside the palms and give that a shot.

I'll post again soon once I start the wiring.

Edit #1:
Here are a few shots (bad flash) of the firing strips where I'm mounting my boxes. I can't help but feel these outlets are going to be to high off the floor. They are 50" to the bottom of the box. I felt having 12"+ from a 36" bench would be a good thing because I don't want to splash or spray anything near the outlets. I have a good solid 40" above the boxes for cabinets and french cleat storage … so I think it will work out just fine.

This shot you can see the 2×8' make-shift lumber cart thing I threw together over the summer. It takes up way to much space and will be demolished very soon. That wall is where my 8' garage bench will go with the drill press.









This picture shows the light switches right on the inside of the door. I practiced opening the door and feeling where my hand wants to naturally flip on lights. The nice thing about these strips of plywood on the wall is that I can mount these boxes wherever I want without worrying about studs.









Bad flash in this picture, but it shows how a piece of 4' tall plywood rests comfortably against the wall without interfering with the outlets.









I have to keep reminding myself that whatever I do is better than what I had. Rather than second guess all my decisions, I'm just going to give this a shot and make it work.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

pendledad said:


> *Electrical Layout*
> 
> The past two weeks have been spent planning, buying, and sketching. I'm trying to figure out the best layout for my lighting, tools, bench, and storage in my tiny 8×18 space I have to work with. I've decided to flip my current 8' bench to the other wall and have two dedicated "zones" in my shop. I'll have a garage bench, which is where I'll keep my drill press and toolboxes full of wrenches and all things non-woodworking. The other area will be a dedicated woodworking area for a new smaller 2'x5' workbench, a new cabinet saw. Here is a sketch of my plan:
> 
> ...


This is the fun part, enjoy it while it lasts. 
Maybe this will help. Good luck!
http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner.aspx


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Electrical Layout*
> 
> The past two weeks have been spent planning, buying, and sketching. I'm trying to figure out the best layout for my lighting, tools, bench, and storage in my tiny 8×18 space I have to work with. I've decided to flip my current 8' bench to the other wall and have two dedicated "zones" in my shop. I'll have a garage bench, which is where I'll keep my drill press and toolboxes full of wrenches and all things non-woodworking. The other area will be a dedicated woodworking area for a new smaller 2'x5' workbench, a new cabinet saw. Here is a sketch of my plan:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the link hairy. I've used that planner to get the basics of what layout will work best. I wish they would update that tool with the most recent tools in their catalog. The dimensions are roughly the same, but in a tiny 8'x18' space, every inch counts for me.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Electrical progress & quality time*

This weekend was a blast. I got to spend some time both up and down the family tree. Me and my dad started the wiring in the shop on Saturday. We rerouted some existing conduit to make room for the lights. Then we installed a light fixture on the ceiling.

I bought some t8 zero degree 4' lights at Lowe's. Hopefully they'll work well.

Today I decided to get my son out in the shop with me. I had a few tasks that he could help with which weren't too dangerous. He is only 3, but I want to start him early working with his hands and get him away from the computers , tablets, and video games. Anyway he helped me mount a few more boxes. He handled the impact driver like a champ. Then he helped me snap a chalk line, then mount a furing strip of ply up with some more impact work.

So hilarious because he kept saying it sounded like it was farting when the impact started.

More wiring will continue this week and I'll orient the bench when the outlets are live. Then will come the table saw purchase (before year end).

Here are some pictures of the weekend work














































Update 12/15/2012
I got a little more done this week. I've never done wiring before so I am taking my time with all the connections. The flexible conduit doesn't like straight lines as seen by the wavy runs on the ceiling, but I'm trying my best.

I have all three lights wired to the switch and I'm ready to hook it up to a new 15 amp circuit tomorrow. Here are a couple of shots to see the disaster I've made doing this work.


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## Cellulosespinner (Oct 29, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Electrical progress & quality time*
> 
> This weekend was a blast. I got to spend some time both up and down the family tree. Me and my dad started the wiring in the shop on Saturday. We rerouted some existing conduit to make room for the lights. Then we installed a light fixture on the ceiling.
> 
> ...


Your making great progress. Enjoy your son, they grow really fast. Mine are now 34 and 28. I'd be interest in hearing how the T8 light work out. I'm thinking of changing mine out. It doesn't get real cold here in Portland but cold 'nuff to make my cheep 4' fixture not always start.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Shed some light on the plan*

*Shop Progress*
So I successfully wired up my first circuit ever. It was so much easier than I thought, I can't believe I've been so afraid of electrical work before. Anyways, I have 3 lights wired to a switch, and even down to 30 degree weather, they flick on instantly. If it gets really cold, the lights will still turn on, but it will take a minute or two for them to warm up and get super bright. I bought 0 degree fixtures because I knew it would get cold during the winter. With the lights in place, I can now actually see in the shop. I am going to put up 3 more lights over the other half of the garage to get the entire garage lit evenly. But I decided that I would instead focus on getting the wall outlets wired before doing any more lights. I put these first lights where my big power tools are going to be used.

I've been practicing with different wiring methods to see what works the best. I found that regardless of what I do, I have 4 ground wires that need to be connected in each box. I put a loop in the infeed ground wire and have it go around the box ground screw. I leave enough after the loop so I can attach the outfeed ground and the two grounds from the receptacles using a red wire nut rated for 4 #12s.

The pigtail method for the hot and neutral seem to be the easiest option for me. I have one pigtail from one receptacle that I wire nut to the infeed/outfeed matching wires. Then a small jumper to connect the other receptacle. It seems to be the least amount of wire I can stuff in the box, so the install is quicker and cleaner.

Here are some pictures of the lights on, and the outlet boxes going up. The pictures don't show the lighting very well.





































And just a recap on my final plan:
110v-10 double gang boxes, 2 boxes per circuit, five 20amp circuits, 12awg wire.
110v-2 wall light switch, 3 lights (currently), single 15amp circuit, 14awg wire.
220v-2 single outlet boxes, single 20amp 220v circuit, 12awg wire.

I actually don't know where I am going to put my 220 boxes yet. I might buy my equipment first to see what layouts will work the best. Or I can just put them in a couple general areas and just make small extension cords if needed.

*Edit 12/26/2012*
I finished my 110v wall outlet wiring. 10 wall boxes, each set of 2 on their own circuit so I always have a most 4' between a new 20amp breaker. Here are the final pictures of the wiring in place:

Panel with my wiring at the bottom. I'm trying to keep things organized. Left side of panel controls things on that side of the garage. I'm also working from the bottom up so I can organize if I add any non-shop outlets I can keep those near the top instead.









Note the baby monitor as most of my shop time comes from my wife taking my 3yr old son out shopping and I babysit my 1yr old daughter during nap.









This is going to be the power hungry corner. It would have been much easier to just connect all four of these boxes to the same circuit. But I figured this is where I am going to be using my wood working bench and possibly have multiple tools running at once. I don't want to trip a breaker, and with two different 20amp circuits I shouldn't run into this problem.









A bad picture, but here you can see the last two outlets on the left of the window. That will be my garage bench area to hold all the non woodworking tools. My drill press will be located between the window and the right outlet box.









This is the result of using armored MC cable. It kinda gets a little "spider webby". But, I saved myself a ton of money by doing this myself, and I get the satisfaction knowing exactly how all of these are wired.









I still need to run my 220 lines, but I'm holding off until my saws get delivered and setup.

*Tool Progress*
My next blog post will be with my tool purchase. I have it narrowed to a few options:

G1023RL + G0452P + G0555LX (with riser)
or
G1023RL + G0513X2
or
G1023RL + G0452P + DW735 Dewalt Planer

The similarities between the G1023RL and the G0690 are so close that I've decided on the G1023RL because it is $100 less in price and $50 less in freight. That $150 can go into another tool. Also the dust collection port on the back of the 1023 is better for me because I can put storage on the right side of the cabinet if I need too.

These options are all roughly the same cost. The heavy duty BS and TS are attractive because they are big beefy machines that I would not be disappointed with and leave me wanting more power. I fear the problem I'll have is no matter what package I decide on, I'll end up not having the one tool I need for a project.

I've always used S4S in my projects, so I've never used a jointer or planer. I know first hand the importance of a solid TS, and I've experienced the sheer fun of a BS. But I know I'll be limited in my projects with only those two tools….


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

pendledad said:


> *Shed some light on the plan*
> 
> *Shop Progress*
> So I successfully wired up my first circuit ever. It was so much easier than I thought, I can't believe I've been so afraid of electrical work before. Anyways, I have 3 lights wired to a switch, and even down to 30 degree weather, they flick on instantly. If it gets really cold, the lights will still turn on, but it will take a minute or two for them to warm up and get super bright. I bought 0 degree fixtures because I knew it would get cold during the winter. With the lights in place, I can now actually see in the shop. I am going to put up 3 more lights over the other half of the garage to get the entire garage lit evenly. But I decided that I would instead focus on getting the wall outlets wired before doing any more lights. I put these first lights where my big power tools are going to be used.
> ...


Just curious. No conduit protecting the wire? I am no expert, but I do not believe that is up to code…


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Shed some light on the plan*
> 
> *Shop Progress*
> So I successfully wired up my first circuit ever. It was so much easier than I thought, I can't believe I've been so afraid of electrical work before. Anyways, I have 3 lights wired to a switch, and even down to 30 degree weather, they flick on instantly. If it gets really cold, the lights will still turn on, but it will take a minute or two for them to warm up and get super bright. I bought 0 degree fixtures because I knew it would get cold during the winter. With the lights in place, I can now actually see in the shop. I am going to put up 3 more lights over the other half of the garage to get the entire garage lit evenly. But I decided that I would instead focus on getting the wall outlets wired before doing any more lights. I put these first lights where my big power tools are going to be used.
> ...


This is an alternative to conduit. It is called MC armored cable. It is basically very small flexible metal conduit with the wires already inside of it. This ended up being a cheaper option for me and less time consuming. Rather than buying individual wire and conduit, I can just run this armored cable where I need it.

I got 250' of 12/2 armored cable for under $150.

250' of ground, netural, and hot THHN wire at home depot would have been ~$100. Then I would need to use EMT conduit at a cost of $.38/ft. So another ~$80. Then a conduit bender, ~$30. So I would have been well over $200 and be spending a lot more time in the garage.

The downside is I need a new run for every circuit out of the panel. I can't combine wires inside a large conduit like you can with EMT or PVC.


----------



## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*G1023RL Table Saw, Preparation & Arrival*

*The Preparation*
I capitalized on the 5% coupon, Christmas sale, and gift card from my family …

The Grizzly G1023RL will be here tomorrow (01/04/2012). I ordered this saw New Year's eve, Monday 12/31/2012 at 3pm EST. The saw will be delivered to my garage withiin the same week with a holiday. Hats off to Grizzly and UPS for having an efficient setup with delivery and stocked warehouse.

Luckily my dad helped me get the shop organized and cleaned up for delivery. We spent New Year's moving my garage bench to the other wall and freeing up my woodworking area in the back. I'll have my wife's side of the shop when the car isn't parked there, so I'll wheel the table saw more onto her side. Here are the shots of the shop ready for delivery:

This is going to be the woodworking zone. It is roughly 8' from the back corner to each window … so I'll have an 8'x8' square to house my bench/outfeed, and ts when I wheel them out of the way. The 8'x8' zone will be big enough so I can pull the saw out into the middle of the shop and get an 8' board run through if needed. The lights don't look that bright, but they're actually very nice. I am going to buy 3 more for the south side of the shop and install them in the spring/summer.









The garage workbench is 2'x8' to give this picture some scale. So I have a decent amount of room in front of this bench before I run into the other garage door. I have about 5' of width left, possibly a future spot for a CMS on collapsable stand?









Here is a shot from my side of the garage. With both cars out of the shop, I actually get a pretty decent work area. So with everything on mobile bases, I'll be able to organize my shop however I want. Note the snow, it was 8 degrees outside this morning! I might be waiting for some warmer days before I get to play with this TS 









I'll post an update tomorrow or Saturday when I have pictures/video of the saw delivery.

*Arrival*
Table saw has landed.

The UPS guy was super helpful. Took him all of 2 minutes to get the packages off the truck up the driveway and into the shop. He proceeded to help my lift off the cardboard box and open up the packages so I could inspect things. He stuck around for a bit because he wanted to just see what it was and ask about why I bought it. He was great, so I gave him a $10 tip for his extra time and courtesy.

The saw has about 1,500,000 pounds of cosmoline on the table surface. It is going to take me a full day to clean this stuff. The box had almost no damage except for some scuff marks. The saw was wrapped in plastic wrap under the styrofoam packaging inside the cardboard box.

The pallet it is on looks old and weathered, no sense in trying to save that wood for a project.

I'm super excited to dive into this beast when my mobile base arrives Monday.

Here are some shots, I threw one in of the ups guy just because…



























UPS guy giving me the thumbs up!









Cool thing was his whole trailer was FULL of Grizzly machinery. Looks like I wasn't the only person capitalizing on the sale. His next stop was one town over, with a GIANT sliding table table saw and a 19" bandsaw. It was cool seeing all the grizzly boxes in the truck.

I'll probably do another blog post dedicated to the cleaning and setup of the saw instead of editing this post again.

Thanks!


----------



## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *G1023RL Table Saw, Preparation & Arrival*
> 
> *The Preparation*
> I capitalized on the 5% coupon, Christmas sale, and gift card from my family …
> ...


congrats on the new saw,great looking shop you have.i'll check back when you post updates.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *G1023RL Table Saw, Preparation & Arrival*
> 
> *The Preparation*
> I capitalized on the 5% coupon, Christmas sale, and gift card from my family …
> ...


Alright! That's as exciting as a new baby comin home. Excited for ya. I know you won't sleep very well tonight.


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## thedude50 (Aug 13, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *G1023RL Table Saw, Preparation & Arrival*
> 
> *The Preparation*
> I capitalized on the 5% coupon, Christmas sale, and gift card from my family …
> ...


i AM ACTUALLY SURPRISED YOU WENT WITH THAT MODEL AFTER THE SCATHING REVIEW ON SAW MILL CREEK oops damn laptops any way i too tired to re type that so it is there but i am not yelling sorry anyway i also dont like the color of that model i hope you get a good one some people are really down on that saw


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *G1023RL Table Saw, Preparation & Arrival*
> 
> *The Preparation*
> I capitalized on the 5% coupon, Christmas sale, and gift card from my family …
> ...


I'm excited for you! I have been very pleased with all of my Grizz tools (despite what some of the naysayers said)!


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *G1023RL Table Saw, Preparation & Arrival*
> 
> *The Preparation*
> I capitalized on the 5% coupon, Christmas sale, and gift card from my family …
> ...


I like grizzly too. Just picked up the discontinued version of same saw from cabinet maker who bought the new version.

Make the delivery guy slow down, Do not sign until you have inspected the cabinet and parts. My Grizzly band saw came on a frieght truck and it was all good. The grizzly saw comes assembled I had asked them when thinking to do what you did, and they said it comes together. I had to dissassemblemy saw just to get it off my truck.( I am getting woosie in my older years…BOOOO!..LOL)

The great thing about my saw is there are replacement parts. And even when I have had a problem, tech support was quick to respond. But everything is a crap shoot.

Another thought.

I researched heating my shop before I made my choice. I installed a gas furnace with a professional supervisor. I do not have any cars to deal with which limits open flame heaters. I checked w/insurance co as they don't approve wood heaters…( that sucks) anso remember that saw dust can ignite!

Consider saftey and function first? Dust air filter by Grizzly removes fine dust from air and lungs! Replacement parts available. Dust collection next? Get big motor, and good pull (cfm) I bought a delta, still being sold, but it can't suck over long distances.

sorry for doing this got on a roll! LOL! But hind sight helps me walk backwards! OH yeah before layout of your shop there are some great books on shop design, and some good info here on LJ's.

Above all have a ball!


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *G1023RL Table Saw, Preparation & Arrival*
> 
> *The Preparation*
> I capitalized on the 5% coupon, Christmas sale, and gift card from my family …
> ...


The saw has arrived! Check the edit to the blog for pictures.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *G1023RL Table Saw, Preparation & Arrival*
> 
> *The Preparation*
> I capitalized on the 5% coupon, Christmas sale, and gift card from my family …
> ...


Yahoo! Enjoy!


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Saw Setup*

It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…

*Cosmoline*
For the initial cleanup of the main table surface, I left the saw on the pallet/skid:










Like everyone else, the surfaces had a nice thick coating of this sticky nasty stuff. I'm thankful for it though, because I didn't have any rusted surfaces on the saw. I didn't bother buying a special gunk remover, I just used WD-40. I sprayed a very thick layer of WD-40 over the whole surface, and let it sit for about 10 minutes to start eating away at the cosmoline. I used a Rockler plastic glue spreader to remove the thick layers of the gunk, then another coat of WD-40 and some shop rags to remove the rest of the stuff.

I took it from this:









To this:









Using these:










I coated the surface with T9-Boeshield. But the next day it went from below freezing to 60 degrees. The huge swing in temp coupled with 100% humidity for that day wreaked havoc on my saw. I actually had RUST developing on the surface. Thats right, RUST. After I applied the boeshield??! Which leads me to my first *clean up mistake*. Because I used WD-40, I obviously didn't wipe down the surface sufficiently before applying the boeshield. So the residual WD-40 must have worn away some of the boeshield in certain places. I also didn't let the boeshield dry itself. I applied and gently wiped it off after a few minutes. This was for a "light coating" in the instructions on the can. *The solutions* was to clean off the rust that had developed (almost before my eyes), and then completely wipe down the surface until it was 100% dry and 100% WD-40 clean. This took about 20 shop towels and 30 minutes of elbow grease until I was satisfied. Then I did a HEAVY coat of boeshield and let it dry overnight.

*Slight Damage*
After the surface was cleaned, I noticed there was a nick in the surface on the right side of the blade where the wing would be attached. Of course, I freaked out and called Grizzly CS about it. The tech guy said there was three options. 1.) Mill it flat myself using a mill file and some fine grit sandpaper. 2.) They can ship out a new table surface. 3.) They can swap out the entire saw for a new one. They left the decision to me. I was really impressed with how they handled it. But with it being so small and easy to fix, I decided to mill it flat myself before attaching the wings. I didn't want to throw away the multiple days of work I already had put into this saw. You can see a picture of the nick here:










There was also a surface scratch on the surface to the left of the left miter slot. This wasn't deep, just a cosmetic scratch from the factory:










*Moving Off the Pallet*
I was intimidated at first, but I called my dad over for some help and we did what we always do in these types of moves. We call it "Kiddy-cornering" ... I'm sure you've all used this method. This was a multi-step process to get the saw off of both pallets and onto the garage floor. Here is how we did it:

1.) Left the saw bolted to the skid. Walked the saw off the large bottom pallet and onto some 4×4 blocks. With one end of the saw on the blocks, we balanced the saw in the air as we kicked out the bottom pallet.
2.) Now the saw is on the skid, but the skid is on the garage floor.
3.) We unbolted the saw from the skid, and walked the saw off onto 2×4 blocks. Balanced the end of the saw on the blocks and kicked the skid out of the way. Then balanced the saw on the garage floor and kicked the 2×4 blocks out of the way.

It is difficult to explain, but it was way easier than I thought. Definitely don't recommend doing it alone. The saw is heavy, top-heavy at that, so it can be dangerous. I didn't take any pictures of this process because it all happened in under 3 minutes.

*Mobile Base*
Plugging away at the manual, then next step was to build the mobile base around the saw. Unfortunately one of my wheels was busted:










But Grizzly CS sent a replacement caster immediately when I called. I really like dealing with them, they're always pleasant and fast.

I goofed when putting together the base, I put the wheels on the front of the saw so I could push it out of the way. But in my forum post about caster orientation I got a lot of great advice. I decided to put my wheels such that I can't move it front to back. This way if I ever forget to lower the feet, I can't move the saw when feeding through a board.

*Wings & Fence*
The wings I cleaned using the same method as the surface. Except this time, I didn't make the mistake of the boeshield. I did the WD-40 to clean, boeshield to protect, then paste wax to smooth up routine. The extension wings were flawless, no scratches or nicks, and they bolted on easy. It took a bit of work to get them flush with the surface. I didn't have to shim anything, it was pretty flat. I did have to work it into place with a rubber mallet for about 20 minutes though.

Once the wings were on, I moved to the fence. Couldn't have been easier to install. It bolted on without a problem and I lined it all up with a few soft hits with the rubber mallet. Fence is about 1/32" - 1/16" off the table surface which is good enough for me.



















*Blade Guard & Riving Knife*
This was the hardest part for me. The blade guard assembled no problem, and I clicked it into place to check for alignment with the blade. Using my japanese square, I found the splitter to be in alignment, but it was a tiny tiny bit leaning towards one side. It was leaning towards the fence side by probably 1/64 - 1/32" off the center of the blade. Using the straight edge it still showed it was aligned. So I decided to fire it up … Oh wait … thats right, I forgot I still haven't run my 220 line … LOL. Because I have to kill the power to the shop to wire it up, I couldn't get the 220 line done until a Saturday morning. It would have taken about 10 minutes to run the line, but because it was 20 degrees, my hands felt like they had frost-bite and it took almost 1 hour.

Anyways, I ran the line, and fired up the saw. It ran just fine, I didn't know what to expect in terms of noise/vibration. The 3hp motor has a lower rumbling sound. The blade spinning gives it that high pitch whirring. The table doesn't vibrate a lot (it passed a two nickel test no problem). But if you put your hand on the table, you can feel that there is a motor running. Again, nothing that caused me to go … "huh, that isn't right." I've just never used a saw like this and I had no idea what to expect.

For the first test cut, I simply did a small cross cut. It sliced through it so effortlessly I didn't realize it even cut it. The blade is garbage, but even still, it sliced through the pine like it was air. Amazed at the power of the saw. With the cross cut working just fine, I decided to give it a rip.

I took a 1×6 board and decided to just rip it to about 4" wide. It was only about 36" long so I wasn't going to be uncomfortable. I lined up the Grip-Tite magnetic featherboard and my push block. As I started the rip, it was going very smooth and effortless feeding. I then got past the back of the blade and into the splitter when I noticed it was getting harder to push. About 1/2" further and I immediately knew something wasn't right, so I went into lock down mode. I whacked the off swtich with my knee, and kept all my force down on the push block. The blade came to a stop and I unplugged the saw and went into discover mode.

What happened? The culprit was the blade-guard / riving knife. On further investigating, that 1/32" slant to the right of the blade was causing the board to pinch slightly into the fence. The fence was in alignment and wasn't the culprit. I might toe out the end of the fence 1/64" to give some safety margin in the future though. So here is a picture of the kerf with the riving knife installed to see the problem:



















You can barely see it, but the bottom of the riving knife in the photo is actually closer to the fence than the top. When I was setting up the guard/splitter, I was only really focusing on making sure the splitter was in line with the blade. I wasn't checking to see if the splitter was at 90 to the surface. So I went to work on the alignment process until I was satisfied with the splitter/knife in this kerf. I fired up the saw and it cut much much nicer this time.

I did notice it was still a little harder to push than I wanted, so I might go back over the fence alignment again and the splitter again just to triple check everything. But that said, it could possibly be the blade that sucks.

*Conclusion*
This saw is awesome. I only checked the blade for parallel with the miters using a combo square, but it seems to be pretty accurate. I'll borrow my dad's dial indicator and check everything when it gets warmer. The setup that I had to do (splitter/knife adjustment, rubber mallet the wings/fence rails), ... it was all easy. If I have to bump the table surface to align the miter slots it will only take me probably 10 minutes because the cabinet mounts are easy to access.

I found myself trying to build my wife a thread spool rack just because I wanted to cut more wood with the saw. I've made beveled rip cuts from 22 through 45 degrees. 90 degree rip and cross cuts. This thing eats wood and asks for more. I do seriously need a dust collector though. I have sawdust everywhere now. I will also probably make a zero clearance insert soon.

I think my next post will be some shop projects using this saw. Possibly another tool purchase coming as well. I am looking for a bandsaw, jointer, and planer. Stayed tuned for more. Thanks for reading.


----------



## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


Nice narrative. Did you purchase the Heavy Duty Shop Fox base?

Cleaning up my 1035 Grizzly to set up, now that I've sold my Old Craftsman.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


Yes. I got the heavy duty shop fox mobile base. It isn't exactly easy to move around … but it is a 500lb+ tool. I can still get it out of the way if needed.


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## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


great post,and great looking saw.hope you get alot of use out of it.

enjoy.


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## JesseTutt (Aug 15, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


Thanks for the review. I will be in the market for a new table saw later this year. Please keep us updated on how the saw stands up.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


Thanks for the post. Hope you continue to grow fonder of the new saw


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## thedude50 (Aug 13, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


I am glad your happy I would be less so if I had all the problems you have handled so well I don't like things being wrong and i don't tolerate it like you do so well but I am a viking so I have no tolerance


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## thedude50 (Aug 13, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


Hey I just noticed you don't have a table all the way to the end of the fence are you going to make one or buy one


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


I'm thinking about building a router table to put there. Or at a bare minimum a table extension with some pullout drawers hanging off the bottom of it. I need a place to quickly access my push block and extra blades I'll accumulate over time.

I'm not so picky right now mainly because this is my first real power tool purchase. So the excitement overrides any annoyances. As I get more experienced and purchase other tools, I'm sure I'll be a bit less forgiving.

Unfortunately I won't be getting any shop time in the near future. It was 4 degrees this morning. And the high today is going to be 18. I need it to be at least into the 40's to comfortably work in the shop.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


Saw your response to thedude50 re: extension table with router. Check out Mark at the Woodwhisperer. He has a video on a very nice outfeed table.

I ordered the extra heavy duty dolly for my saw. Thanks for helping me make a decision…LOL!

Have the lighter heavy duty Shopfox under my Grizzly Bandsaw.


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## thedude50 (Aug 13, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *Saw Setup*
> 
> It has taken me a bit longer to setup the saw than I was expecting. Not having enough time in one shot is mostly the culprit. I was only able to get an hour here or there, which just isn't enough time when dealing with cleaning, aligning, and assembly. So anyways, here is my step by step on what I did…
> 
> ...


if space is a premium then a router table on the end of the saw can be cool if it is not an issue it is something that just gets in the way.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Dam you Craigslist*

I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.

That said, I realized something this weekend about my experience with the 1950's craftsman table saw and bandsaw. Even though I cursed those tools, I got to learn a lot about how the tools operated. I didn't have a large investment in them while I was still learning how they work and their proper maintenance. It was almost like a $50 course in understanding and caring for tools. I was forced to take apart the motor and rewire a new switch, take apart the fence and fix a broken nut, and shim the tables so they're flat. I learned a lot about the table saw and how everything works. I also learned that I wanted safety equipment that is found on the newer saws … which is why I eventually went with the new Grizzly G1023RL.

So, this weekend, I found an old Grizzly 6" jointer less than 5 miles from my house. The guy was asking $175, but I called him and asked if he would consider $100. He did tell me there was some rust on the stand, and some surface rust on the beds. I brought my Dad with me to inspect the metal condition (he works on classic cars so he has a lot of experience with rust). The machine was actually a bit older than I expected, probably from the early 90's if I had to guess. It was made in Taiwan and from the best I can tell it is an early model of the G1182 jointer that won a bunch of awards.

I had the guy fire it up for me and show me that it cuts. Nice and quiet, no weird noises. It didn't cut very well, but they're the original blades, and the outfeed table was 1/4" lower than the infeed table. The tear-out was pretty bad, but I don't think the owner knew about having the outfeed table a few thousands lower than the knives… Anyways, it obviously isn't setup correctly. But I checked the table movement, fence movement, and everything seems to be ok. The moving parts are caked in dust and some have light surface rust which makes things difficult to slide easily, but I have lots of experience with Evapo-Rust and WD-40/Steel wool, so I'm not worried about it. Can't wait to paste wax the hell out of this thing and get this sliding like my fence on the table saw.

My Dad is confident we can sandblast the rust off the stand and repaint it to match perfectly. That will be fun. If the metal is compromised, we'll bust out his welder and fabricate the top piece of the stand. I might do this anyways because it is a fun project and I haven't done any projects with him in 6 months. I'm going to throw a new anti vibration v-belt on it, clean up the beds, wax everything and see how she looks. Here are the before shots:



















$100, not a huge investment, and hopefully I'll learn as much about jointers through this project as I did about tablesaws on my other tool. And I can use this as a stepping stone to learn and care for jointers, which will prepare me for that 8" jointer that I'll buy when I outgrow this in a few months 

Dam you Craigslist, I just found a Grizzly G1021 15" planer for $500 o.b.o ...

EDIT:
I wanted to confirm the model number with Grizzly, so I sent them a picture and I just received an email back from them:

Dear Brian,

After reviewing the picture we have identified your jointer as the G1182. I have provided a copy of the factory manual for your viewing. To provide some insight, the model you have will not accept an spiral cutterhead if you were thinking about converting it over. The replacement knives would be the G6697 for $40.95 plus shipping.

If we may be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. You are a valued customer, and it is a pleasure doing business with you.

Sincerely,

Craig C.
Technical Service
Grizzly Industrial, Inc.


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## oldretiredjim (Nov 14, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *Dam you Craigslist*
> 
> I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.
> 
> ...


Personally, I am addicted to old stuff. The work is worth it in my opinion - but sometime you make a mistake and when you see the real problems you have to cut bait. Nice find.


----------



## rob2 (Nov 27, 2007)

pendledad said:


> *Dam you Craigslist*
> 
> I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.
> 
> ...


The beds don't look too bad. Runs smooth? Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Nice job!


----------



## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Dam you Craigslist*
> 
> I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.
> 
> ...


LOL!

Enjoy the learning, and time with your dad.

there will be more toys on craig's list. I have to tell myself that!


----------



## Dakkar (Feb 14, 2013)

pendledad said:


> *Dam you Craigslist*
> 
> I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.
> 
> ...


That sounds like a great deal to me. You might check into the availability of replacement parts just in case. That one would probably serve any jointing needs I'd ever have.


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Dam you Craigslist*
> 
> I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.
> 
> ...


Your on the right track. Buy old tools, understand how they work, take the time to readjust them. IF you have the patience to do this you will find a LOT of good tools out there that people have tossed away. (Mostly because they neither have the brains or the patience to make them work).
I do understand wanting NEWER tools. Some newer stuff does have safer features.
I am currently working at a school, we have SAWSTOP table saws, I have read about them, thought good and bad ideas. Now that I am using one, it is a good saw. BUT the things I am doing I find I am swithching OFF the safety part or removing the blade guard or removing riving knife. I have found these are easily removed and replaced.
Will I rush out and buy one for myself….....Not yet. I enjoy my old stuff.


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## gawthrrw (Sep 13, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *Dam you Craigslist*
> 
> I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.
> 
> ...


Good find. Just dont sand blast the bed lol!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *Dam you Craigslist*
> 
> I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.
> 
> ...


I envy you your ability to tear into those old tools and refurb them. When my stuff malfunctions, I'm pretty helpless. Thank God for friends that are more mechanically inclined!


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *Dam you Craigslist*
> 
> I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.
> 
> ...


Sounds like a good investment. Show us the "after" pics when you are done.


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## Sarit (Oct 21, 2009)

pendledad said:


> *Dam you Craigslist*
> 
> I know I originally posted that I hated Craigslist and I hated the value trap of used tools. In short, inexpensive tools offer good value, but you need to invest a lot of time to bring them up to good working order. Granted, there are astonishing deals to be had on amazing equipment, but for the most part, Craigslist finds require a good amount of work.
> 
> ...


The first thing you should check for is warpage in the tables. If they are not flat you will have to get them surface ground flat again. Its best to grind both tables at once while still mounted to the base. Be sure to tighten/loosen the gibs on the dovetailed ways to their final position since that can through off the alignment of the tables. If there are other shims in there for leveling out the tables you should remove them too since you'll be reflattening everything.

If each table is flat but not coplanar to each other, you can use brass sheet stock as shims to fix the angles.

Yes, don't sandblast the top of the tables. They wont be smooth again.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*DIY Dust Deputy*

Bought some 8×24" hvac duct from home depot. 2 feet of 2" pvc. Some sheet metal screws and I hit the shop.

Problem 1: How do you take a rectangle of sheet metal and turn it into a cone?
Answer: 71º angle, and 2*pi*r. I wanted an 8 inch top for the cyclone, so an 8 inch circle has about a circumference of 25 inches. I took a 26" long piece of scrap plywood and drilled a hole at both ends. I pivot at one end and draw an arc with a radius of 26". I dont know if this is the right way to form a cone, but it made sense in my head. To be sure i did everything on paper first. Once i was satisfied i then transferred to the metal and cut it out.



















With that complete, i formed the cone. I do not have pictures because this was the most difficult part for me. I drilled pilot holes in the overlapping piece and pulled the cone tight together with the sheet metal screws. Once that was complete, i cut out the intake hole with my dremel.





































Now on to the bucket lid. I decided to use a plywood sandwich technique where i would pull the lid tight between two pieces. It was fast and worked quite well. It added some strength to the bucket lid too.



















The last piece was the cone top, which i made from some 1/2" plywood.










I dry fit everything and did a test run. This was with no sealing or epoxy, just painters tape and suction… i was amazed at the results. It works extremely well … i cant wait to see what happens when i seal everything up.

I shot a video to show it in action:






EDIT:
Finished product with epoxy and sealant.









EDIT #2 (03/2014):
Make one of these. Even if you're not going to use it for a wood shop, you really should make one of these for everything else. I use this to clean my couch, clean my cars, radiators, chunky plaster pieces, etc… If you have kids and they spill giant bowls of snacks/crackers/etc… and you wonder if that dyson or hoover can pick it all up without clogging … Just be a man, grab your shop vac, attach this thing to it … and suck it all up without skipping a beat.

I'm thinking I might actually hang this in the basement and buy a cheap shop vac with a switch. Use an existing hole in the kitchen area as an intake and I'll have a built-in central vac for probably < $100.


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## MitchMan (Dec 20, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *DIY Dust Deputy*
> 
> Bought some 8×24" hvac duct from home depot. 2 feet of 2" pvc. Some sheet metal screws and I hit the shop.
> 
> ...


Looks great! What was your cost? Curious about the dollars and hours, vs a Dust Deputy or whatnot.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *DIY Dust Deputy*
> 
> Bought some 8×24" hvac duct from home depot. 2 feet of 2" pvc. Some sheet metal screws and I hit the shop.
> 
> ...


The hvac duct was $5.
Sheet metal screws $2.
Pvc pipe $4?
Pvc connectors $4?
Epoxy will be $5
5 gallon bucket and lid $5?
Ge silicone II … had on hand
Plywood had on hand

I would say definitely under $30.

I had a few extra shop nights this week so i did not mind trying this. Probably have 6 hours invested so far. Will be 8 once sealed and ready to go.

I am probably going to buy the HF DC and the Super Dust Deputy to build a big cyclone that way.


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## MitchMan (Dec 20, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *DIY Dust Deputy*
> 
> Bought some 8×24" hvac duct from home depot. 2 feet of 2" pvc. Some sheet metal screws and I hit the shop.
> 
> ...


Cool. Looks like it worked out well.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *DIY Dust Deputy*
> 
> Bought some 8×24" hvac duct from home depot. 2 feet of 2" pvc. Some sheet metal screws and I hit the shop.
> 
> ...


It's a very nice job of rigging up something useful. Congratulations.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

pendledad said:


> *DIY Dust Deputy*
> 
> Bought some 8×24" hvac duct from home depot. 2 feet of 2" pvc. Some sheet metal screws and I hit the shop.
> 
> ...


Well done.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *DIY Dust Deputy*
> 
> Bought some 8×24" hvac duct from home depot. 2 feet of 2" pvc. Some sheet metal screws and I hit the shop.
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting your journey and solutions. I installed a two stage zoned furnace and ductwork in my little two story shop/barn. And I have duct material leftover. I've been thinking about making one of these, but still have a few shop projects to complete first.

Thanks again,


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## Sarit (Oct 21, 2009)

pendledad said:


> *DIY Dust Deputy*
> 
> Bought some 8×24" hvac duct from home depot. 2 feet of 2" pvc. Some sheet metal screws and I hit the shop.
> 
> ...


I actually got my dust deputy for something like $30 since I had a Woodcraft coupon.
At that point it was extremely hard for me to justify making my own. 
Although I would like to make my own DC cyclone, I probably will end up making a top hat separator instead.

If you're interested in making a full sized one this guy in japan shows you how he did it:

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop_archive/cyclone.htm


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *DIY Dust Deputy*
> 
> Bought some 8×24" hvac duct from home depot. 2 feet of 2" pvc. Some sheet metal screws and I hit the shop.
> 
> ...


I posted the final picture after epoxy and sealant. It captures 99% of dust and small debris. It has a lot of power with a nice clean filter. I might try this on my table saw as a temporary dust collector.


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## pendledad (Sep 5, 2012)

*Coming out of hibernation*

For those of you in New England, you know what a beast of a winter this has been. It seems like whenever we get rid of the snow, another round comes through and dumps all over us. That said, I've been looking forward to the warmer weather slowly approaching.

We're doing some work on the house (new roof, new beam (termites), and a new mudroom). As part of the new mudroom, my wife wants me to do a built-in locker/cubby/storage/bench thing. It will be my first attempt at trim carpentry. Most of the built-in is basically just boxes connected to eachother but she is more interested in the crown moldings and nice trim look to the end result. So I'll be adding to the shop, starting with a nail gun/compressor and a miter saw!

I left the shop before winter by adding some french cleats on 4 of the 5 wall areas. I built custom tool holders for some tools to get rid of the scraps laying around. It also gave me a chance to use the new 17" grizzly bandsaw (that thing is a beast). Here are some shots of the work I did:














































So once the cold weather breaks, I'm going to be heading back to the shop to start building some cabinets and shelves, then once all that work is complete, I'll start to trim it out in place in my new mudroom.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

pendledad said:


> *Coming out of hibernation*
> 
> For those of you in New England, you know what a beast of a winter this has been. It seems like whenever we get rid of the snow, another round comes through and dumps all over us. That said, I've been looking forward to the warmer weather slowly approaching.
> 
> ...


Pretty soon you will be cursing, cutting it "to short" and saying "I thought there was a stud there?!" Enjoy your woodworking.

Lots of light and outlets!


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## Grumpymike (Jan 23, 2012)

pendledad said:


> *Coming out of hibernation*
> 
> For those of you in New England, you know what a beast of a winter this has been. It seems like whenever we get rid of the snow, another round comes through and dumps all over us. That said, I've been looking forward to the warmer weather slowly approaching.
> 
> ...


Woohoo!! you are on your way! With all those outlets you could have a heater in there … 
I got a note from a northern friend the other day, he says that spring is coming 'cus he can see the top of the bird bath again …
I like the white walls for light reflection.


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