Wenzloff Half-Back Advice Needed.

[Tony Z]

As I said, I use mine (usually the CC) as a bench saw. The rip rarely gets used. If this were my first saw, would it be the one I would buy? Well, that would depend how much value I place on wanting tools that are used a lot versus buying tools that are hot so ordinary.

Yeah, you're getting it at a good price, but, for less (maybe much less), you may find someone here that has a sharp CC panel saw, maybe 8 or 9 point, maybe 22" long, that you'll find more useful. Of course you'll need a bench to cut on, but this is something as simple as a knee high saw horse.

You're on the top of a hill with a very slippery slope, and if you fall into a slide, the next thing you know, you're living in a van down by the river.

[Derek Cohen]

Derek,

The plane in the background is a Blum, correct?  Does it get much use?  Is the company still around?  

T.Z.

Hi Tony

The photo must be about 10 years old. That Blum trying plane was a really nice plane - light, comfortable and beautifully balanced. I used it for a while. However I could not come to terms with the shavings and blade being hidden from view. This was disconcerting for me. Others have not felt this. 

Blum is around and has some excellent planes and benches for sale. I would certainly recommend that a potential buyer give one a spin. 

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Tony Z]

Hi Tony

The photo must be about 10 years old. That Blum trying plane was a really nice plane - light, comfortable and beautifully balanced. I used it for a while. However I could not come to terms with the shavings and blade being hidden from view. This was disconcerting for me. Others have not felt this. 

Blum is around and has some excellent planes and benches for sale. I would certainly recommend that a potential buyer give one a spin. 

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks Derek-good hearing from you. For something different, I may try one of the Crown jack planes that Woodcraft has listed.

[agerlach]

I must have not refreshed my page before making my last post because I didn't see some of the previous posts when I made mine. Sorry for any confusion. 


Thanks for the insight Tony and Derek. The point about the miter box is very intriguing. A good miter box is on my short list of tools to buy. 
It certainly sounds like from your comments that you view the halfback as a specialty tools vs. a "jack of all trades". 

You're on the top of a hill with a very slippery slope, and if you fall into a slide, the next thing you know, you're living in a van down by the river.

Without a doubt I am on a slippery slope! I doubt I'll be joining Matt Foley by the river though. A few years ago my wife and I put together a pretty tight budget for ourselves. As part of that we allocate each of us a couple bucks a month for something we call "blow money". Meaning money that you can blow on anything... not meaning money to blow on blow. If we want something expensive and we don't need it, then you better start saving your blow money. I recently sold off some old power tools that I don't use any more and an Arcade machine I build 10+ years ago, so my blow budget is looking pretty good right now. With that said, blow money is a very precious resource that must only be managed judiciously!

[Tony Z]

I must have not refreshed my page before making my last post because I didn't see some of the previous posts when I made mine. Sorry for any confusion. 


Thanks for the insight Tony and Derek. The point about the miter box is very intriguing. A good miter box is on my short list of tools to buy. 
It certainly sounds like from your comments that you view the halfback as a specialty tools vs. a "jack of all trades". 


Without a doubt I am on a slippery slope! I doubt I'll be joining Matt Foley by the river though. A few years ago my wife and I put together a pretty tight budget for ourselves. As part of that we allocate each of us a couple bucks a month for something we call "blow money". Meaning money that you can blow on anything... not meaning money to blow on blow. If we want something expensive and we don't need it, then you better start saving your blow money. I recently sold off some old power tools that I don't use any more and an Arcade machine I build 10+ years ago, so my blow budget is looking pretty good right now. With that said, blow money is a very precious resource that must only be managed judiciously!

I would suggest buying Robert Wearing's book on jigs and fixtures. For pennies of scraps, you can make all sort of easy shop appliances, that will permit you to do extremely accurate work.

Though I have many miter boxes, they're a carpenter's tool, great for trimming a house. The Stanley 150 I mentioned is small and with an easy to make shooting board, will give you top quality results for venturing into furniture making. The half back would fit the 150 easily, giving you accurate saw cuts.

[Timberwolf]

As I said, I use mine (usually the CC) as a bench saw.  The rip rarely gets used.  If this were my first saw, would it be the one I would buy?  Well, that would depend how much value I place on wanting tools that are used a lot versus buying tools that are hot so ordinary.

Yeah, you're getting it at a good price, but, for less (maybe much less), you may find someone here that has a sharp CC panel saw, maybe 8 or 9 point, maybe 22" long, that you'll find more useful.  Of course you'll need a bench to cut on, but this is something as simple as a knee high saw horse.

You're on the top of a hill with a very slippery slope, and if you fall into a slide, the next thing you know, you're living in a van down by the river.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
the next thing you know, you're living in a van down by the river.

[Tony Z]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
the next thing you know, you're living in a van down by the river.


 
 
 

Well Jack, I had a van in the late 70's and my wife (38 years now) had some good experiences, parked down by the river!

T.

[Timberwolf]

Well Jack, I had a van in the late 70's and my wife (38 years now) had some good experiences, parked down by the river!

T.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
TMI, Tony.....No explanation needed....... I know why those vans were so popular back in the seventy/eighties.

[Admiral]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
TMI, Tony.....No explanation needed....... I know why those vans were so popular back in the seventy/eighties.
 
 

Aggghh, you guys, I had some of the best nights of my life in the front seat of a '63 VW beetle down by the river !!!!!

[Tony Z]

Aggghh, you guys, I had some of the best nights of my life in the front seat of a '63 VW beetle down by the river !!!!!

I hope the seats at leasted folded back!