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+-- Thread: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? (/showthread.php?tid=7355186)
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - John Mihich - 05-13-2020
Buying a 12" BS instead of bigger.
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - Cian - 05-13-2020
(05-13-2020, 11:05 AM)John Mihich Wrote: Buying a 12" BS instead of bigger.
This. I have a 14" but really should've gotten a 19" or 20". The bigger ones don't take much more room.
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - jstraw - 05-13-2020
Mine would have to be my old version Porter Cable 24” Omnijig dovetail jig. It’s a great tool that is built like a tank. But, I quickly learned hand cut dovetails and just don’t use it. It takes just as long to dial the cut in on test pieces as cutting them by hand. The advantage is when you have to batch out a bunch of drawers for a cabinet project. I just don’t have a need to build a new kitchen or storage cabinets.
I’m thinking of using it on a current project so I can justify moving it into my new shop last year.
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - Admiral - 05-13-2020
(05-13-2020, 12:11 PM)Cian Wrote: This. I have a 14" but really should've gotten a 19" or 20". The bigger ones don't take much more room.
When I bought my 20 inch, I kept my 14 inch as space was not an issue. I wish I would have kept by lunchbox planer when I moved up to big iron...
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - Cian - 05-13-2020
(05-13-2020, 03:19 PM)Admiral Wrote: I wish I would have kept by lunchbox planer when I moved up to big iron...
Ayup. I likely would not have used it in the shop, but there were times when a portable wouldve been really handy when doing light construction/remodeling at family or friends' houses. Checking out modern portable planers, they are like 2-3x what I paid for my humble Delta portable back in the day.
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - KyleD - 05-13-2020
Bought a Deltat 17-965 floor standing 12 speed drill press in 2003.
Could never get an acceptable amount of chuck run-out. Combination of a poorly machined JT33 taper and about .040" play in the quill. The quill bore was not adjustable
The table would not properly lock on the post.The bore that slid on the post was machined too large. Used a cut-off wheel to open up the gap which would close completely when tightened on the post. This improved the grip but still had to really cranck on the handle.
The on-off switch failed and the replacement was no longer available. Installed a 20 amp light switch. This worked great for a number of years after which I sold the drill press.
Found a Powermatic variable belt drive drill press made in 1965. It has two speed gearbox on the motor in addition to the variable drive. It also has a split quill so no play.
Installed the ball bearing chuck I bought for the Delta drill press using a MT2 to JT33 arbor. Best I could get for run-out on the Delta was .015" with the quill locked. On the Powermatic the same chuck measured out at .002" run-out.
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - toolmiser - 05-13-2020
A Porter Cable detail sander. I'm not sure if I purchased it or it was a present. I doubt anyone who has had one will debate it's worthlessness.
Almost all of my stationary machines were purchased used, and I didn't loose when I upgraded. I've purchased some that looking back, I shouldn't have, but I sold them and got my money back out.
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - EightFingers - 05-13-2020
Last month I’ve run my jointer a total of 12 hours. It’s a DJ20.
My mistakes were mostly smaller woodturning “gadgets”....
When I moved to Hawaii, I sold several floor tools: mortiser, drum sander, oss. spindle sander, shaper.
I just didn’t need them as much for the woodworking I do here. I made money on all those tools...
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - Cooler - 05-14-2020
Not a lot of dollars, but a waste nonetheless.
I ordered a Blum jig:
1 x 6mm Drill Bit (DB-6MM) = $3.11
1 x Blum TANDEM Tool Set - T65.9000 (T65.9000) = $24.99
1 x Blum TANDEM template for 563/569 Series - T65.1600.01 (T65.1600.01) = $37.32
When it arrived I went to put it in the drawer with my cabinet tools and I saw that I had that exact item (still new in the boxes) already. I hadn't used and it I had ordered it 2 years earlier.
RE: Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes? - EricU - 05-14-2020
I loved my BT3000, but I used it so much I couldn't keep the sliding table working right and I sold it. Got a PM66 with a sliding table and amazon didn't ship the slider so I took credit. That wasn't a mistake, because I have no room for a slider like that. I kinda wish I had gotten a SawStop instead of the PM though.