i agree with all except the drill press. After table saw it is most used tool for me. Depends on what you do. Like for me, i am still relatively new to woodworking. I play with it for about 3 years. Drill press i the tool that is extremely useful for making all kind of jigs, knobs and all. So if you have a table saw and drill press, you can really master your workshop without spending much money for for example, pocket hole jig. Make one by yourself. Yup, if I would start over with my current knowledge i would buy table saw, then drill press and start my journey that way. Cheers!
Good video. As a disabled and largely seated woodworker, I find many power tools more important for me than some other people might. E.G. my drill press is indispensable because while seated it is impossible to get the downward pressure (to say nothing of the accuracy) with forstner bits needed using a hand drill. The mechanical advantage provided by the drill press just can't be matched. The router table makes thing much easier for me as well. And one note about the router tables not mentioned in the video; dust collection is usually FAR superior than when using a hand power router, which I feel is an important factor.
I personally find the drill press an exceptional asset. I use it with sanding drums of various sizes, a wire wheel, a wire cup, and it is a quick and easy way to narrow down a dowel or pin stock that is just slightly too large. For me it is a multi tool that takes up less room (including attachment cases) than separate tools. ( A real plus is that I picked it up at a yard sale for $10)
If you use your drill press in that many workflows, and you also use chisels, pick up one of the Drill Press Sharpening Systems from Taylor Toolworks. I got one and it sharpens my chisels in like 2 minutes. Only a little longer if I have to re-establish an edge. They tested the sharpness on chisels after sharpening with this system and they are down in the low 80s for that 2 minutes of effort. Feather blades from Asia, considered to be the sharpest razor blades test at around 30.
Agreed I would really miss my drill press. Use the table saw the most, then drill press then CNC after that bandsaw and finally router table. But would not give up router table.
I never saw a point in this. Why replace two dowels and a drill, with expensive biscuits and an expensive power tool, and no one will even see them, unless I put them on TH-cam 🤣
Agree totally but with 2 small caveats. 1. The drill press has many uses beyond drilling that could be done on a lathe or drill press such as sanding, polishing, and basic shaping of small workpieces. But I agree in the sense that one or the other is fine. 2. Fancy expensive pocket hole jigs are not necessary but one of the smaller cheaper ones are well worth having around. This is because pocket hole screw are an excellent fastener for plywood since the screw is never parallel to the plywood laminations. Fasteners driven paralllel to the plies are weaker and prone to splitting.
Thank you for this content as it is great to here from experienced craftsmen on their use or lack there of for their tools. That said everyone's work flow is different and everyone of us will have that fancy tool we never use but it may be different for each person. Re: your list 1- My drill press is irreplaceable, and essential for my work incorporating metal into my designs. It allows accurate alignment between these two materials and before I had a mortiser was great at starting larger mortises. 2- sander agree 3- Pocket hole jig from Kreg. I would agree but I own a castle unit which is tremendous for batching out cabinet parts. It allow reproducible alignment and the kreg jig while effective is still a challenge to keep the alignment precise 4- I own a hollow chisel mortiser but it is the floor model and furniture builds with traditional joinery of large mortises and tenons it is fantastic. The bench top model you own is more limited as clamping in somewhat limited but the larger units are truly robust. I guess you could also use a larger router for some of the work of a HCM. 5- router table is a wash, I think for some smaller pieces it shine bringing the work to the machine, larger pieces require a router free unless its molding etc... I think having different tools give you the flexibility of approaching different problems is different and creative ways and opens up possibilities for each workpiece. I, personally, like having the options if needed but again this was a great video.
Great video. . Agree on 3 of your 5. I use both my drill press and router table frequently. Like you point that there are alternative ways to accomplish many items with the tools you have.
I agree with much of what you say. The pocket hole jig I would say...it depends on what you are doing, and for the price I would say is mostly a good thing to have around for shop stands, quick jigs, and base cabinets if that is what are into Router table, at least for me, is as much about safety as it is about utility. The fence and table surface having advantages (though not all the time, and the router table orientation can be over used) so enough to keep around. Some things I think you missed: 1.) Belt sander. In my view not only are there orbital sanders that can remove material aggressively - Rotex 150 and BOSCH GET75... come to mind - but with the availability of DuraGrit sanding disk a great deal of material can be removed quickly while allowing the orbital sander to also be used for much less aggressive tasks. 2.) I know I'll get some blow back from this, but I would say the band saw - at least in the beginning. Now, please hear me out...my own experience indicates a good jig saw can do much of the same work much as a band saw in combination with mounting the jig saw in a table having a support arm that can guide the blade keeping it from wondering as a band saw providing nearly as clean a cut. Additionally, blades are far easier to change out, have far more variety (I was just looking at some blades online and saw the BOSCH T1044DP1 that is 10" long!) allowing for some resaw capacity given the the table I was talking about. Now, don't get me wrong, if you are doing a moderate amount of veneer work, or resaw work, or things like band saw boxes where the precision of the band saw can pay back in spades, no contest. However, in many canes taking the tool to the work is a far better choice, and with some jigs (like a 0 clearance blade slot) the jig saw can do a tone of work until the need really forces you into the clear decision of getting a band saw...which may be never depending on what you do. 3.) Lastly, the jointer. Granted, a jointer makes things much easier. However, many, many videos exist on TH-cam demonstrating how a planer sled can be used for flat boards, and using enter a table saw with a sharp blade, or router and straight edge can be used to get the edges of boards where you want them, granted with more work. I see the planer as a much more useful tool in a small shop. And, this is where the router table may come into play. Just a few thought. Thanks for the video, useful!
Great job I have all of those tools and you are 100% correct, I also made my own spindle sander that dose not oscillate, and I just use it for sanding curves.
I make mostly smaller items and when in production mode I use the drill press and router table a lot. It just depends on what you are making. For example when I am drilling the entry hole for a bluebird house the hole sides need to be cut at an angle so water will drain out instead of in. I use a jig and forstner bit that I clamp to the drill table to do this efficeintly. This is an edge case but sometimes you may do many of a particular edge case or like me you make many different things and experiment a lot so a drill press is just a requirement. Pocket hole jig is not a power tool, but it is something I should have bought long before I did, I do not regret buying it. Biscuit joiner is the only power tool I personally have not found to be essential but I am sure many people have found it to be essential Router table, for me, is an absolute requirement, but I can see why you could get by without it. The router table is so versatile, if you are doing a production run you can set it up for one cut and then that is one less set up for some other tool in a multipart item production run. The router table is just so versatile I think it is still a very good tool for a beginner workshop. Routers are cheap and you can make your own table. If you just buy the bit you need when you need it, it is very cost effective. So I disagree with you about the router table's general effectiveness and utility for the beginner wood worker. I am guessing that a lot of hobbyist that buy cnc machines have buyers remorse. Not because they arent super useful, but because they are expensive overall and promoted so much on youtube. If you are a hobbyist, have a lot of space and plenty of money, then knock yourself out. I am just geussing a lot of people find they have spent a lot of time and money on something that requires more set up time than they expected.
I think you got this right, almost. About the mortiser and drill press...owned them, used them and sold them. The sander I owned, rarely used and gave it to my son. Now, the pocket hole tool I used often. I found that when doing casework, pocket holes are an efficient way a making non-structural faceframes. Lastly, the router table. Many years ago I made a table with a dedicated router...thank you Norm. I have used this machine many, many times. When making "fine" furniture, I usually make my own mouldings and trim pieces. I also, use the table when making cutting boards. Although, recently, I, like you, made a top to cover the table and use it for my sharpening station. As you menbtioned, power tools are great when you are batching out many similar items, but a bad investment for just a few items. Your 2 shows on the utoility of tools is great. I enjoyed them both. You might consider reviewing some new tools that are costly and save very little time. For example, a motorised router table. I must say I've used a router table often over many years and never felt that adjusting the height of the router bit was especially time consuming or gave inaccurate results. But that's just me.
I am literally brand spanking new to all woodworking. Fortunately I have an elderly father who has been woodworking for decades. He is teaching me a lot. BY FAR, my most loved tool at this time is my track saw. I just built a 2400 sq/ft shop (not just for woodworking) and have had to rip a ton of OSB as well as Kaizen foam (yup, u heard that right), and my Makita track saw is amazing! I don’t plan on ever buying a table saw. At least not for several years.
I think it does really just depend on what you're making like you said. I make a lot of wooden swords for markets and the router table is indispensable for me. It's just too crazy to try and put in a hollow groove or bevel the edges neatly by hand. Not really the standard use case I know, but every wood worker is up to their own wacky projects and needs different wacky tool set ups. Great video!
I have a "portable" drill press which can be dissambled and just fits into one of my drawers. Yes, it is a pain to assemble it, then use it for e.g. 30 minutes, and then disassemble. But it is ok. Concerning the router table, I fully _disagree_. It is my second most used power tool, right after my cordless screwdriver. Since I have this table, I can do repeated work very easily, mostly it is hidden door handles for cabinets but also frames for drawers.
I've learned so much from you over the years I would NEVER think you are an idiot. I have a small shop that I wood turn as a hobby. I don't even have some of the tools you highlighted. But your presentation made perfect sense and it inspired me with the idea of substituting the tools I have to fit my needs. Thanks for sharing! BTW, your video on turning eggs with the skew chisel has really helped me improve my skills and comfort level. The skew is an amazing tool in the right hands and I've gotten much better as a result. Thanks so much for sharing. 👍🏽
I agree with most of the choices except the pocket hole jig. Even though I rarely reach for mine anymore, I think that its a great entry level to woodworking. Most people don't want to start with what they think might be complicated joinery, I think the pocket hole can be the easiest route to building something very simple and once someone has went through that journey they would be willing to learn other joinery types. Any time I want to build something quick and fast I'll still use the Pocket Hole Jig for the build... and you can make money to buy other tools by building farm house tables like the rest of TH-cam is. All that said the best tool I own is my ShopSmith and it still has the drill press and a lot more in a compact thing that will fit in my garage. It's also my lathe. So if anyone lacks space and wants an all in one tool. I recommend finding one on craigslist.
I love my simple clamp on jig, but have no intention of getting the bigger table mount type. The small one comes in handy for fixing or reinforcement. A couple screws is quick and cheap, if you understand how they work properly.
Pretty much spot on for cabinet makers. Whenever someone needs one of the aforementioned tools it's usually because they need it for specialist or production purposes. I want a good drill press and will use it. I just haven't gotten around to it for about 30 years.
Sir. You are much more experienced than I am. I believe that you are much smarter than I am. I use my big tools on almost every project. Radial arm saw first 😊. I have drawers filled with used tools that cost very little. Some sit for quite awhile, but sometimes that $5 or $20 tool from a yard sale saves the day!! I have bought battery powered tools, drill bits and other consumables new but everything else is used and quite old but in good repair. If someone offered me a special use tool for cheap, if I have the money or space, I'm on it! All of your videos are great! Thank you sir!! 🖖
This is my first visit, and I enjoyed it enough to subscribe. I highly suspect our types of woodworking are dramatically different, but that's ok. I cannot drill a straight hole to save my soul. Therefore, the drill press is the tool that gets used more often than any other except my table saw. I built an auxillary table with a simple swinging fence...pinned on one side with a 1/4" carriage bolt and wingnut, and held in place with a c-clamp. A strip of blue tape across the top of the fence acts as a story board...mark once, drill multiple holes. In my opinion, vital for using forstner bits. Vital for production runs. My drill presses...I have three, a cheap HFT 8" tabletop, an older import 12" tabletop and a late fifties Delta radial...never become 'flat spots. In regards to the jitterbug, I replaced mine in '93 or '94 with Makita's first American offering, the BO5000. It was a game changer. Still use Makita random orbit sanders today. While pocket holes have their place, fine furniture is not that place. Casework? Sure. Face frames? Yeah. Shop fixtures? Ok. But not fine furniture. Now, the third most used 'tool' in my shop is the router table. Yes, I made it. Yes, it has a cover and casters. Yes, it serves as my table saw out feed. But it rarely sits long enough to be considered a 'flat' spot. I do more casework with rabbets than pockets. I would much rather do edge treatment on the table than freehand. Rails and stiles on the table, with a coping sled as required. I do a fair amount of miter lock joinery for boxes. It is an indispensable tool in my shop. But...as you alluded to, this may certainly be a generational approach, as I've been making sawdust for 35+ years, and am pushing 70 with a darn short stick. Enjoyed this video, as well as your point of view. We may agree to disagree, but all's fair as long as each of us achieve the result we had set out for.
Great video. I agree on the pretty much all of them. Other than the mortiser I have all of them. Fortunately, they don't take up a lot of space in my shop. Since I have a Shopsmith I get nice lathe with a drill press, disk sander, joiner and bandsaw thrown in for free and no loss of space (other than the jointer storage. I have my router incorporated into my table saw so it is a compact set up. A few weeks ago I added an orbital sander to my shop and will be selling the 1/4 sheet sander soon. The pocket hole jig that I plan to use mainly for building cabinet carcasses. I think pocket holes are ugly but useful as long as they can be hidden so I don't rely on them. I much prefer traditional joinery.
@@davidcurtis5398 Agreed. I got the Shopsmith back in '85 when I only had a small area in the basement available for power tools. Today I have a 2 car garage but it does triple duty for woodworking, reloading and storage for 2 motorcycles so the space saving is still appreciated.
1. Mortiser (have one, never used it) 2. Radial Arm Saw (used one as a youth, bought one never used it). 3. Quarter Sheet Sander (didn't realize until I saw this video - used one in my dad's shop but bought a random orbital). 4. non-sliding miter saw (I have a 10 inch delta I bought for $100 that has been sitting for 25 years and I have not used it once). 5. Belt Sander (like duct tape. If you need it... its for patch fixing a silly mistake, sanding your deck or sharpening lawnmower blades/axe heads). Honorable mention is the biscuit jointer. I use it mainly for alignment on large panels that are too wide for my thickness planer as I am too cheap to but a Festool domino. I do in fact use it more than the other 5 listed above. WRT your video, I use my drill press a lot; sanding drums , wire brushes, plug cutting, small scale metal work, etc. (I restore old tools, make infill hand planes and find myself using metal on occasion). The Pocket Jig I use on shop furniture for butt joints when sliding dovetails or dados are not practical to use on large panels (although I agree with your assessment about skill development). Router table... I like it. I use it for profiles on larger pieces when templates are in play or when I feel more comfortable moving the piece and not the blade... Shapers however, not really useful for a home shop (may be good if you're a production shop). Overall, great video. I also enjoyed your other one on 5 hand tools not to buy. I cannot disagree with that one at all although i did buy some of them. No 8 Stanley Jointer... check. full set of chisels... check (I, like you, only use 2-3). I will still probably buy a shoulder plane one day although I'm still not sure why ;-). The other two could agree with you more.
I agree on everything except the drill press. I use mine all the time and there isn't an easy alternative for most of the tasks I used it for. Large holes with forstner bits or hole saws, large holes on metal, and the ease of boring with perfect precision, and repeatability if necessary thanks to my costum drill table. I use mine as a small lathe as well, since I don't have one, and as a sander for curved parts too. I'm mainly a hand tools hobbyist woodworker and that's the one power tool I wouldn't give up easily.
@richard profit glad I could help. I use rasps for that instead of turning tools. I saw some videos of people using some sort of vertical tool rest, but it didn't give me a good impression. Also, for longer pieces, I grinded a large screw to a point, secured it to a board, and clamped it to the drill press table. Works as long as the wood doesn't burn since the screw doesn't turn with the chuck. Gonna be fast. A couple of bearings would solve that issue, though.
Not offended Really figuring out what you NEED in your shop is an art, not a science. What power tools offer is convenience and production speed. How much you're willing to pay for that depends on whether you're a hobbyist, side hustle, and pro. A good example of this dynamic is the Festool Domino controversy. Pro cabinet shops almost have to uses these to stay competitive. Everyone else can use dowels for pretty much the same effect without the $1500 price tag. Unless you have so little free time that you need that extra boost in efficiency. Or maybe they have the money and just want one LOL So the trick is figuring out if this is something I need or something I want? Then acting accordingly.
thank you for the great brain test. i dont have a pocket hole jig and will never get one. i understand they work well but i just dont like the look or feel of them.
Your rational in each case makes perfect sense as you explain it. I think the real point to be taken from this video, though, is not to assume that just because a particular tool is popular, or your neighbor has one and uses it all the time, or it's frequently used by your favorite TH-camr, that you should run out and buy one. Everyone is different and, just as with anything else, everyone is going to have his/her own unique needs and preferences when it comes to tools. Your video challenges the viewer to ask him/herself, what do I really need? - and, hopefully, make good choices. Thanks for taking the time to do that. Personally, I'm looking forward to restoring my recently acquired (for free) 80+ year old Craftsman drill press - and using it! It may not be the right tool for the job in every case, but you gotta admit it's really freakin' cool! I really enjoy your content. Keep up the good work! Thanks!
Have fun! Both restoring and using it! Oh, and I was going to politely tell him he was an idiot, but... Nah, it's not as funny as I thought it might be... (that is to say I totally see his points and I can live without all of the stuff on his list - a drill press would be nice at times though)
I bought my first quarter sheet sander used more than 35 years ago. Still going strong, bought another updated one 25 years ago. My Random orbit is still in the box? Would like drill press, but as part of your closing advice...I do like learning, and sharing, knowledge, AND my little crations... Thanks for another great video.
I rarely watch to the very end of any TH-cam video. But this one is the exception. I liked the topic, the way you present, kind of down-home friendly and not coming off as a know-it-all. I look forward to seeing some of your other videos in the future. Keep it up! 👍🏼
After too many years of wanting the next power tool or accessories for power tools, I have now started moving towards hand tools. Less noise and dust with more hands-on the project. Just need to figure out what to do with these woodworking and carpentry tools I seldom consider. Looking forward to more of your ideas and projects.
This is a great topic, and quite a useful comment section to go with it. Funny enough, for where I live, getting my hands on a plough plane would be much more expensive that getting a router and set of bits, recentely I made an add on to my workbench that acts as a router table for a small makita router and hooks onto the bench via dogholes. Since I made it has beeen one of the more used tools. My drill press is permanently fixed to my second bench and also used quite often (for its far more convenient, since I often larger holes that require me to stop at precise depth.) As for to the things I dont use - tablesaw - it has been collecting dust for more than a year in the garage and I do my dimensioning using a bandsaw/handplanes combo. And for the pocket holes, if I build something with screw, I'm ok with them being seen, so never had a need for it.
Most of my early learning about woodworking was from Norm Abrams and magazines like Fine Woodworking, and the emphasis was very much on professional production tooling and shops. With TH-cam, there is much more exposure to home shops and hobby woodworking. I think that more articles and videos focusing on how to identify the most cost-effective tooling for a given project or job would save many hobbyists from wasting money on dust magnets. My own shop has its fair share of dust magnets.
Good points. It all depends on what kind of work you do. If you build a lot of Craftsman-style furniture, then having a mortising machine is a good thing. If you do metal work as well as wood work, then having a drill press is a good thing. This is specific to the individual wood worker. Still, your points make a lot of sense. When I transitioned from carpentry and production cabinet making to woodworking, I was used to working with power tools and I was predisposed to buy and use them. Much has changed for me in 30 years. Power tools (or their accessories) that I completely can do without: drum sanders, shapers, jointers, belt sanders, quarter-sheet hand sanders, scroll saws, and commercial dovetail jigs or pocket hole jigs, to name but several. Rather than large fixed-base power tools, I now am more intrigued not only by good quality hand tools but also cordless hand-held power tools, which are amazing -- drills, impact drivers, circular saws, oscillating multitools, etc. The more time I have spent wood working, the more I have become convinced that personal skills are more important than power tools -- for the hobbyist or small-scale woodworker. For production woodworkers, many larger machines can be essential to their business, as they were to my dad's business. Great video. Thanks! 👍👍
I'm with you on the drill press and mortising machine. But what about getting a mortising attachment to fit the drill press and a fence for the table of the drill press. That will be more cost effective for the home shop as the press will be used a lot more.
@@henningventer2917 If one has a few mortises to do, then do them by hand. If one has a lot of mortises to do, the bench top mortising machine is a good option. A drill press mortising attachment does not work as well (been there, done that) and it ties up your drill press, too. FWIW.
Drill presses aren't built for the torque you'll need. Those attachments destroy drill presses plus they normally suck. Had one before buying my mortiser.
I have a drill press that I don't really use but that's because I have a milling machine. I've drilled a three inch in diameter hole three inches deep through rock maple on my milling machine. Good luck pulling that off using a hand drill. The mill is handy for doing a few things woodworking. It drills great too. It's what I use when I make plane totes. That one screw hole is a tough one to get right. The screw that goes clear through the whole handle. The trick there is drill the hole first then cut the handle out around the hole. Because it never comes out where you want it to.
What we have here is a video perfectly suited to the TH-cam algorithm. The content doesn't matter, it's the response that it generates, i.e. views, likes and comments. Well done.
I design and build furniture. I love your channel and have a high opinion of you. But I do use all of the tools you talked about here. I use my drill presses constantly. I believe Forstner bits shouldn't be used with hand drills. I like the palm sander for sanding flat surfaces between coats of finish. There are a lot of mortises in my furniture and my mortiser plus hand chisel is my preferred method. My router table plus coping sled is my choice for frame-and-panel cabinet doors. And pocket holes and chair making really do go together. Now I built my first mahogany table in 1972 so I can't call myself a beginner. But I am definitely still a learner. And I enjoy learning things from you and your channel.
I think the finishing sander was the very first tool I bought. Now I use a card scraper where I used to use the sander. I now sit it on a paper towel to buff wax finishes. No a drill press isn't necessary, but I use mine a lot, especially when I need to drill a lot of holes. I also use it to rough out mortices using a forstner bit. The mortiser is a specialty tool. The home woodworker has a lot of alternatives. I use my benchtop outer table for small stuff, but there is really no other way to make small dadoes. A large table like we saw here is a big investment in design, time and floor space. The mechanism for raising and lowering the tool is pretty expensive as well.
1.) Pretty accurate. I use mine just as much for non-drilling things as I do drilling things. 2.) 100%. I got one for non-wood based things, mainly rust removal on machine tables and saw blades (for restorations and saw making). 3.) Eh.... I think I agree. I use mine for some of the "Just want it done" projects, or as a temporary clamp that I remove and discard later. But largely goes unused for long stretches 4.) 100% agree. Though good luck getting my Barnes Foot Powered Mortiser away from me :D 5.) Mixed bag. I've got an over-arm pin router that I love, because it does different things than a router table. But most of my use for it and my router table is production in nature, so I suppose that means for the sake of your arguments here, I agree. So what are your feelings on mortiser attachments for drill presses then? :D
In my shop (half of a two car garage) I have a table saw, mini lathe, router table, drill press, bandsaw, 12 inch planer, miter saw, and a grinder. The one stationary power tool I had that I found just took up too much room for its usefulness was a jointer. I had one but sold it. But I love having a drill press, use it for hole saws, forstner bit drilling, drilling in metal, and just any time I want a vertical hole. If I were to get rid of more power tools the band saw would be next. I know many people love them, but I just use the band saw for resawing and curved cuts. Most of what I make could be made without the band saw. The few curved pieces I make could be done with hand tools or jig saw.
I'm with you 100% on the mortiser. Sold mine several years ago. But, I switched to making mortises by using the drill press to drill over-lapping holes (using a fence and brad-points) that I chop into square mortises. Also, I use the router table to create tenons and quickly clean them up with a router plane. I could easily do woodworking without a Kreg jig, mortiser, and 1/4 sheet sander, but I use my router table and drill press almost daily. Thanks for another fun video.
My name is Mike and I am very new to woodworking and I will soon be posting videos for all to see. I think you have a lot of valid points on all of these however I also believe it depends on the type of work that each person is doing too. I only have a few power tools and hand tools and I'm currently trying to figure out what I'm going to be building and what tools I should invest in. I don't have very much money to put into this but I am determined and I have a newly found dream so I will find a way. I hope to see more videos and I will learn from as much as I can and make this dream a reality. Happy building and stay safe 😁
My personal takeaway from both this video and the previous hand tool video is that I really need to reevaluate much of what I have and do I really use it. Thanks for your honesty and not just trying to sell us something.
The best way to compare is to list your items and my take in my workshop on each one. My Drill press - smaller version - I use it all the time. Don't have a floor stand unit, why spend the cash when what I have works very well. My Pocket hole system - I use it quite frequently. My two Sanders - both orbital and oscillating - as one reader put it - they complement each other. I haven't used my "Kind of like Norm's" router table this week because I am working on the vegetable garden startup, but my router table spins up more than my bandsaw. Have never seen a need for the power mortiser unit, I have super sharp chisels for that. Even when I am turning bowls or running wood through my planer preparing a "Glue Up" for a bowl , the only tool that appears to collect dust is my Miter Saw. I know some would think that is odd, but I am more comfortable with my table saw (SawStop) than the miter saw. Actually, Dust collecting on my tools is fairly non-existent. My self-built MERV-15 filtration system (silently) circulates the room air every nine minutes in my 500 sq ft shop.
I got rid of drill press about the size you have there, say 15 years ago, and replaced it with a majestic vintage floor model. It needed new electronics, that I still haven't installed... But, I picked up one of the tiny ones they are 4 inches, or 6 inches to the collumn, for a CNC project part out, and I use it all the time. The thing is that it isn't just a woodshop. I fix household stuff, or build parts for trailers, or metal projects the catilever for a banquette table I am working on. I absolutely need a press. Even though I have a milling machine...
Top has to be a cordless drill. Pro tip keep it in the exact center of your shop because you'll be reaching for it all the time. I tried mine in one place after another. Finally I put it right in the middle and that's where it's stayed. The shortest distance between all points. You end up using it all over the place.
Gotta keep the pocket hole jig. I think that’s the easiest way for beginners to spend their time on building things instead of getting bogged down with complicated joinery. Project successes early on is a great confidence booster. Pros have their uses as well for pocket holes.
I agree with mrmoto - pocket hole joinery is a fast, effective way to get started MAKING THINGS. However, I also understand the point about needing to learn other methods of joinery.
Drill press I use every day, and I'm not a production shop. I don't own a quarter sheet sander. I use a cordless random orbit sander all the time. I'm on my third generation of Kreg jigs, which is good for face frames and cabinet work. Never owned a mortiser, but then I learned to cut mortises from Paul Sellers and it's not hard for as often as I do it. I could live without my router table. So 3/5 not bad. I'm just glad you didn't throw my radial arm saw under the bus.
I can see the reasoning for your choices but personally would advise people to watch videos on the type of work they want to do. Personally, I use my drill press a lot for the control it gives me on the speed of cut and precise depth control. The one I wish I didn't buy is a jigsaw and a cheap combination thicknesser planner.
A drill press is one of the very useful tool I have one and I haven't used it yet but I'm glad I have it that's how useful they are you can drill perfectly straight with them and you can set up jigs and stuff to drill holes in exact repeatable pieces of wood😮
I use my drillpress all the time. #2 I agree upon. I sometimes use a pocket hole jig. #4 is unnecessary. It is much faster to use a chisel - if you know how to use it correctly. I often use my router table. And what you do not need, is to fork out thousands on Festool power tools. There are other brands, which are just as good and do not cost an arm and a leg. You also do not need biscuit and domino jointers. Ordinary dowels are actually stronger than both. And it is simple to make your own dowel jig.
I’ve has my drill press for over 30 years. There is rarely a project where I don’t use it. There are many projects I can’t even imagine doing without a drill press. Easily the most valuable and most used tool in my shop along with the tablsaw
I think that most tools in a woodworking shop, you don’t really need as there is always a cheaper option. It all comes down to what you can afford and what you’re planning on making.
I am in general agreement with your choices and your rationale but depending on the projects, a few might really be necessary. I wouldn't classify your pocket hole jig as a power tool but I did have a powered one (the Porter Cable model 500 pocket cutter - an absolutely horrid machine). I swore off pocket holes after that but, I recently purchased an inexpensive (~$30) Kreg jig to do an in-situ furniture repair that was the only practical way to complete. The only time I use the router table is on small workpieces where there is little support area to use the handheld router. If it weren't for that, I would get rid of it. The other tools you mentioned, I have already ditched, some as long as 20 years ago. Steve
RENTING a specialized tool is what I've done for those one off jobs. Recently, we used a Dewalt planer for half a day to thin out some new deck lumber boards so they match the thickness of the sanded down existing parts. Many towns have a tool rental center.
Great video from your perspective. I like hearing peoples opinions on what they use, don't use and why. I think very hard on what tools to invest in. For me price is a factor but I would rather buy once cry once. My main concern is floor space and workflow. We only have so much room in the garage.
I buy most everything used now. So I buy whatever I find. I never cry for what I pay for it either. I buy stuff for pennies on the dollar. I tend to buy the higher quality stuff when I see it too. I have passed on some tools just because I couldn't think of where I'd put them. I'm pressed for space here now.
I purchased my old 1970's drill press for £20 2 years ago for a one off job drilling 27 holes to a common depth . Surprised at how much use it has had since . The router table and pocket hole jig i agree with .
I do not own a pillar drill. Instead I have a vertical mill. Acts like a pillar drill when I need it, but can do so much more. Router table- I built a digital router table system, and it does a heap of stuff- automatically calculates finger joints, can do dovetails, and is very precise. Use it a lot!
As an ER physician BEFORE I ever got into woodworking, I knew that I would never have a table saw. That fact was probably one of the real reasons I became primarily a hand tool woodworker.
I had a visit to the ER due to table saw kick back. I’ve been acquiring hand tools ever since! Also bought the Milescraft Tracksaw for those times it just makes sense for larger sheet goods.
In my shop, the tool I use the least is my table saw. I have a chop saw that is more portable, and a band saw I use all the time. I also have a drill press that gets used frequently. I mostly make pens and other small items on my lathe. Very rarely will I do any big projects, but I have made a fold down bench for my boat and a couple scuba tank racks. I also have a router that has never come out of the box. I work full time as a nurse, so woodworking is only an occasional hobby for me.
You just killed me 5x’s. Agree with the observations as I have been down that route and man it like you walked thru my shop, or what’s left of it, I have/ am currently transitioning to hand and power hand tools, with preference to hand tools. I challenge myself to build some with limited hand tools, and you would be surprised at how creative one can get with tools on hand to get out of a tight spot. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it.
Man I love watching the content you put out, you’re knowledgeable, genuine and always have well thought out/descriptive videos. Also I just want to say that the name of your channel “wortheffort” is phenomenal and creative! Great job sir, appreciate the effort in the channels purpose rather than monetizing it.🙏🏼🎯
As you said, the 1/4 sheet sander is good for finish sanding. That is what it was designed for and what it excels at. Random orbital sanders have been with us for decades. We had a ton of them in the furniture mill I worked in in the early 1980s. We also had several 1/4 sheet finish sanders. We used both because they make a great tag team. However, most DIY shops can do without a 1/4 sheet sander. It's not that technology has passed the sander by, it's that a small shop simply doesn't have enough volume to justify using the tool. If you're going to finish sand 100 dressers and nightstand sets on an 8-hour shift, using a 1/4 sheet finish sander will make the task a lot easier. If you're just going to finish sand one or two dresser-sized projects a year, just break out a sanding block and do it by hand. If you're doing a lot of finish sanding, the 1/4 sheet sander makes sense. For most of us, it doesn't.
I agree with you 100%. The only reason I do like my 1/4 sheet and decided to buy one was the possibility of putting a soft adapter foam on it to sand up profile better than a random orbit sander.
Nothing gets stacked against my drill press. I use mine a lot for various applications. Would not part with it. Just bought a very cheap pocket hole jig for some upcoming projects and it will be well worth the small expense. Agree on the mortiser. Would bet against my ever getting one. You didn't talk me out of the router table. I still want one better than the one I tried to make. One tool I've bought that I regret is the Kreg fence for my band saw. I very well may be doing something wrong, but it has just been a waste of money.
I love my drill press. I use it for plug cutting for leverage, and drum sanding in cutting board production. Also, the large forstner bits are hard to control with a hand drill. Just made my first cabinet with pocket holes. Next one I'll try dowels. Agree on the mortiser unless you're making a lot of furniture. I do like and use my router table. My least useful tools are the quarter sheet sander, the scroll saw, and the small benchtop jointer.
Hollow chisel mortiser is useful, but it is nice to have, not necessary to have. Router table, on the other hand, is essential in my opinion. It can cost a lot, but a good fixed base mounted under a piece of sheet material can get you started right away. Scrap plywood should be enough to make an adjustable fence. Even for making just one table, I’d say a router table can be great for cutting all mortises. With stop blocks, repetitive cuts can be more accurate and efficient than handheld router with a jig or template. Last time I made a bench with all traditional joineries, such as double bird’s beak mortise and tenon, sliding dovetail aprons as stabilizers for the top. I actually used my hollow chisel mortiser and router table in the same project.
You just got another subscriber. I'm laughing a bit because I have all these tools, but a shaper instead of a router table. I use my drill press periodically, but mostly for two things - metal, and 35mm holes for hinges. You can easily add the biscuit jointer and belt sander to the list here (though the latter is handy for removing a lot of surface fast). As for the Kreg.... I use it for quick and dirty stuff, stuff that I want to disassemble in the future, and a few other things. I prefer older methods of joinery, but sometimes the pocket holes make more sense. Good show, and no nonsense. Appreciate you!
I have a drill press that I got when my dad moved to an apartment. Used it once. The Dewalt square palm sander is the first and only one I ever bought. Got my dads orbital and hate it. These days I don’t use sand paper. I use hand planes, scraper planes, and card scrapers. I don’t use a router - I do the same things with hand tools. I don’t own pocket hole equipment and mortises are easy to cut by hand. So yeah, I’d agree with you on all of these choices.
I have been following you for a while. The only one that I disagree with is the router table. I find it very useful in my woodworking. I purchased a drill press few years ago and have used it very little since. I thought you might really piss people off saying circular saw, lol
Thanks for the video! You hit on it in the video. It really depends on WHAT you are doing. I work a lot with wine barrel staves and I use Forstner bits on the drill press several times a week. I can't remember the last item I made that didn't make trip across the router table. However, it comes down to the type of projects you will be making as to how to best invest your money. Research and reviews always helps save you from an expensive paperweight.
I agree with the standalone router table, but I have one built in to my table saw. Gotta have easy roundovers and dados. And I use my drill press quite a bit for getting pieces ready for the lathe. Drill a big recess with a forstner bit and use an expansion mount. But for people who are in the shop sporadically, I fully agree with your list.
Good video, funny thing I just got a flip table that I put on casters, so that I can mount a router table and a chop saw (I tend just to use a sled on the table saw) to it, because I almost never use these things because they are a pain to bring out and setup. So if I can put them on a small table and wheel them out when needed I can see more use out of them. But my router table is too big for the flip table, so I have plans over the weekend to take the lift out and make a small custom router table using pocket holes and plywood. That being said I agree with all of your choices, my drill press is rarely used, though I do use the table it sits on to store all of my bits, and I yell at myself when I do not return the bits to their places. My pocket hole jig takes up space, though I find use for it when doing quick shop projects.
I have all of these and you make a compelling argument against each one. The only one I agree with 100% is the 1/4 sheet sander, I have the Makita and it just beats my hands to death. It has been in the drawer for almost 20 years, I would have given it to an enemy years ago but that would violate the Geneva Convention. The one I would refuse to give up is the router table, I use mine all the time. I find it much easier and I get better results by running the wood across it than by running a router across the wood. I like and use the mortise machine, drill press, and pocket hole jig often enough to justify having them around, but if anyone wanted to buy them and make me whole I not hesitate to move them out of the shop.
You're going to laugh but I currently have SIX drill presses in my shop for a ridiculous 16 month production job. And because they are all set up for production work if I need to drill a straight hole in something else I still don't have enough drill presses. I don't use my router table very much but I will say that you do have to have a router (or three or five) and a router needs a lot of stuff to go with it so you have to have a place to store all that stuff. If you're going to have a cabinet full of router stuff it might as well be a router table too.
I mostly agree with you on all 5 tools. I do find that I am more comfortable with Forstner bits when they are chucked in a drill press, so that might be an exception. That said, I am finding myself wishing I had gotten a different drill press. I really don't like the one I have, and I am stuck with it (it weighs over 300 lbs... so you can guess the brand). The "laser cross-hairs" feature is also useless. I've toyed with the idea of getting a hollow-chisel mortiser, but I feel that would be a cop-out given that I am trying to move towards hand tools. Also... a plunge router with a mortising box requires much less real-estate in a small shop. I recently built a miniature router table based on the Patrick Sullivan design. I'll probably go ahead with the full-size version, but there is no rush... I really enjoy your videos. Please keep making them, and please continue to offer controversial points of view. If you are thinking it, chances are a lot of us out here are as well!
I love the topic! I do use a drill press frequently, but thinking about that, I'm mostly using it for metal work, not wood, and I have a small benchtop drill press. I also use a router table from time to time, but I have a small benchtop version of that, too. Working on the idea that if the part is smaller than the tool, I take the part to the tool. For larger projects I typically use jigs and a handheld router. I thought for sure you were going to say "band saw" and completely freak out most of the audience. But I don't know if most people really need one. Oh, and I'd add "domino tool" right with "mortising tool". Pocket screws? Handy once in a while, I have the smallest jig they make. The only reason I see for a bench mounted pocket jig is if you're going to do production cabinet builds, but that's just me.
Tom, I also have the small pocket hole jig. Never saw a need for the bigger ones. If I went to casework as a full time job, I would buy one of the table styles that drill from the bottom.
I am building 1/8th scale railroad trestles, 200 feet of them. The drill press & the bandsaw are the go-to power tools for this task. The drill press gets 100's hours of use drilling & countersinking all the holes. For the counter sink. I need depth stop to sink to proper depth. I need to do this quickly as there are 768 ties to drill, 2 holes each! The holes need to be square, not just "guessed" square by looking at a template. When holes are deep, they "wander" if they are not square.
My table saw motor broke down a few weeks ago and it put an absolute HALT on my life man! I did some welding and metalworking for a couple weeks til I figured out the motor was beyond saving and found another for the right price! Id choose a bandsaw over a drill press any day.
I like my drill press, don't have a tablesaw at home and don't miss it, but do occasionally use the tablesaw at work for a home project. Most of my work I could get by with the hand tools one could fit in a 18x18x40 ish old wooden toolbox plus some woodshed stuff. Just depends on your typical projects I suppose.
I've had the little two-hole clamp-on Kreg since they came out (30 years ago?) and have never felt the need to upgrade. I still use it occasionally but would not shell out for the fancier models. No use at all for a hollow chisel mortiser. For the home shop, learn to chop mortises and cut tenons or leave it alone. Still have my router table but haven't used it in years. Hand planes are less screechy, produce no clouds of dust, etc. I got my Stanley 45 with all the blades for a hundred bucks and restored it in a weekend. I do have a benchtop drill press that I find useful frequently, mostly with Forstner bits when preparing blanks to turning. . Don't power sand often as I prefer hand planes and scrapers. I haven't made the switch to circular random orbit because I don't use my square sander often enough for it to be a problem. Overall, my advice to newbs would be to start small with hand tools and purchase power when and as you really need to, assuming you ever do. I'm not a hand tool purist; I love my lathe and would never give up my SawStop. But I advise folks to make purchase decisions at the workbench, not at the woodworking store. Thanks for a thoughtful posting.
I have a quarter sheet orbital sander specifically for sanding when I'm refurbishing a piece of furniture. It gets into tight spots the random orbital sander can't due to its circular pad. Otherwise I use the I find the drill press particularly useful for drilling into oddly shaped and cylindrical things. Very hard to get it right by hand even with a guide.
You're spot on with pocket holes. I use them on shop furniture or places where it made sense. However, a lot of TH-cam makers use them for EVERYTHING, which is nuts. I've learned mortise/tenon, dowels, and other joinery methods to improve my skill set. I built my own router table which folds into the side of my workbench, which I do use a lot.
There's a lot of pocket hole hate out there. I got the little kit and I use it. Not for everything but where it's good to use. My router table is a wing of my table saw and it shares the fence. I think those dedicated router tables are a bit much.
@@1pcfred I had an old Porter Cable router table from my dad, but it was a piece of junk. I could never get the fence straight, hard to adjust, etc. Made my own which just folds flat and I've been happy - especially with a very straight fence I made. :)
@@Erik_The_Viking I've tried a couple different fence designs with router tables. Now I just have a box behind my table saw fence that I can bury a bit in. It's pretty simple but gets the job done when I need it.
I agree with your choices. My drill press is a junk collector. I bought a decent drill press guide for my cordless drills. After a year of having it I'm looking into buying the woodpeckers version and selling off my drill press for space. Sanders? What are those things? Lol. Yes I have multiple orbital and quarter sheet sanders. However in the last decade or more I generally only hand sand, as I've become efficient with a hand plane,scraper, so it's only a few minutes to hand sand. So I could seriously toss all my sanders, well if I didn't need them for work. Router table is a wash for me. I find they're handy, but useless. I guess it's a love hate relationship for me. I've used many hollow mortisers over the years and while they can be handy, I find them very limited. I think the advent of spiral bit for routers to be far faster and repeatable. The biggest advantage to the router the mortise isn't limited to what chisels you have. Just knock up a jig and boom, a 13/16" mortise no problem. I even do through mortises this way and square up the corners. Plus I own the hated black and green hole maker. A bonus unnecessary tool which will seriously get hate is the table saw. I while I will say I'm a hypocrite as I need one for work. A bandsaw miter saw and router will do what a space hog table saw will do. I also have a track saw, so I haven't found myself "wanting for a table saw in own space. But then again I have and use hand tools on a regular basis. Along with building in a tradional fashion.
I would agree on your reasoning except on the drill press. I use mine all the time for various projects. I am slightly dyslexic and have difficulty measuring or getting things straight. So the drill press helps with that in getting straight holes. Most of the time I can drill a hole in something I am turning with my lathe. I don't like pocket holes because they are a PITA to use for me. Instead I bought a Festool Domino. You would go bananas on that one but I have used it on thousands of joints over the last 3 years and although I don't use it every day, when I need it, it is always there with a perfect floating tenon joint. I would ask you, how often do you use that Jet drum sander sitting in the background? You have a jointer and and planer so why the need to spend a grand on a drum sander? Finally, I have found that once I buy a tool, it tends to stay around the shop anyway. I have a square sander that I haven't used in a year but yesterday I needed it, I pulled it out and did the job and I didn't have to go anywhere to buy it, I just pulled it out, took 15 minutes to sand a small platter, and was a happy camper! Keep up with videos like these because they are always interesting and makes me think!!
I agree. I make cigar box guitars and I bought a good inexpensive drill press to drill tuning machine holes. I can't truly say it is worth it. My goto power is the bandsaw. I would be lost without it. My grandfather was a master cabinet carpenter. He personally owned an electric drill and circular saw. Everything else was hand tools.
i agree with all except the drill press. After table saw it is most used tool for me. Depends on what you do. Like for me, i am still relatively new to woodworking. I play with it for about 3 years. Drill press i the tool that is extremely useful for making all kind of jigs, knobs and all. So if you have a table saw and drill press, you can really master your workshop without spending much money for for example, pocket hole jig. Make one by yourself. Yup, if I would start over with my current knowledge i would buy table saw, then drill press and start my journey that way. Cheers!
Good video. As a disabled and largely seated woodworker, I find many power tools more important for me than some other people might. E.G. my drill press is indispensable because while seated it is impossible to get the downward pressure (to say nothing of the accuracy) with forstner bits needed using a hand drill. The mechanical advantage provided by the drill press just can't be matched. The router table makes thing much easier for me as well. And one note about the router tables not mentioned in the video; dust collection is usually FAR superior than when using a hand power router, which I feel is an important factor.
I personally find the drill press an exceptional asset. I use it with sanding drums of various sizes, a wire wheel, a wire cup, and it is a quick and easy way to narrow down a dowel or pin stock that is just slightly too large. For me it is a multi tool that takes up less room (including attachment cases) than separate tools. ( A real plus is that I picked it up at a yard sale for $10)
If you use your drill press in that many workflows, and you also use chisels, pick up one of the Drill Press Sharpening Systems from Taylor Toolworks. I got one and it sharpens my chisels in like 2 minutes. Only a little longer if I have to re-establish an edge. They tested the sharpness on chisels after sharpening with this system and they are down in the low 80s for that 2 minutes of effort. Feather blades from Asia, considered to be the sharpest razor blades test at around 30.
@@StoneyMeyerhoeffer Thank you, Ill look into it. I restore alot of old tools and have spent hours trying to re-sharpen some edges.
you won't be drilling 2.5" forstner holes with a little right angle guide either
Agreed I would really miss my drill press. Use the table saw the most, then drill press then CNC after that bandsaw and finally router table. But would not give up router table.
I agree with number 2. I like the drill press when I'm using forstner bits. My most unused tool is the biscuit joiner.
Have one but hardly use it any more.
so glad I never bought a biscuit joiner. You only really need to eat one biscuit at a time.
biscuit joiner and hollow chisel mortisser
I never saw a point in this. Why replace two dowels and a drill, with expensive biscuits and an expensive power tool, and no one will even see them, unless I put them on TH-cam 🤣
Don't even know where mine is!
Agree totally but with 2 small caveats. 1. The drill press has many uses beyond drilling that could be done on a lathe or drill press such as sanding, polishing, and basic shaping of small workpieces. But I agree in the sense that one or the other is fine. 2. Fancy expensive pocket hole jigs are not necessary but one of the smaller cheaper ones are well worth having around. This is because pocket hole screw are an excellent fastener for plywood since the screw is never parallel to the plywood laminations. Fasteners driven paralllel to the plies are weaker and prone to splitting.
Thank you for this content as it is great to here from experienced craftsmen on their use or lack there of for their tools. That said everyone's work flow is different and everyone of us will have that fancy tool we never use but it may be different for each person. Re: your list
1- My drill press is irreplaceable, and essential for my work incorporating metal into my designs. It allows accurate alignment between these two materials and before I had a mortiser was great at starting larger mortises.
2- sander agree
3- Pocket hole jig from Kreg. I would agree but I own a castle unit which is tremendous for batching out cabinet parts. It allow reproducible alignment and the kreg jig while effective is still a challenge to keep the alignment precise
4- I own a hollow chisel mortiser but it is the floor model and furniture builds with traditional joinery of large mortises and tenons it is fantastic. The bench top model you own is more limited as clamping in somewhat limited but the larger units are truly robust. I guess you could also use a larger router for some of the work of a HCM.
5- router table is a wash, I think for some smaller pieces it shine bringing the work to the machine, larger pieces require a router free unless its molding etc...
I think having different tools give you the flexibility of approaching different problems is different and creative ways and opens up possibilities for each workpiece. I, personally, like having the options if needed but again this was a great video.
Mine too and I have a x-y table that lets me use the drill press as a metal working machine for light modeling work.
Great video. . Agree on 3 of your 5. I use both my drill press and router table frequently. Like you point that there are alternative ways to accomplish many items with the tools you have.
I agree with much of what you say. The pocket hole jig I would say...it depends on what you are doing, and for the price I would say is mostly a good thing to have around for shop stands, quick jigs, and base cabinets if that is what are into Router table, at least for me, is as much about safety as it is about utility. The fence and table surface having advantages (though not all the time, and the router table orientation can be over used) so enough to keep around.
Some things I think you missed:
1.) Belt sander. In my view not only are there orbital sanders that can remove material aggressively - Rotex 150 and BOSCH GET75... come to mind - but with the availability of DuraGrit sanding disk a great deal of material can be removed quickly while allowing the orbital sander to also be used for much less aggressive tasks.
2.) I know I'll get some blow back from this, but I would say the band saw - at least in the beginning. Now, please hear me out...my own experience indicates a good jig saw can do much of the same work much as a band saw in combination with mounting the jig saw in a table having a support arm that can guide the blade keeping it from wondering as a band saw providing nearly as clean a cut. Additionally, blades are far easier to change out, have far more variety (I was just looking at some blades online and saw the BOSCH T1044DP1 that is 10" long!) allowing for some resaw capacity given the the table I was talking about. Now, don't get me wrong, if you are doing a moderate amount of veneer work, or resaw work, or things like band saw boxes where the precision of the band saw can pay back in spades, no contest. However, in many canes taking the tool to the work is a far better choice, and with some jigs (like a 0 clearance blade slot) the jig saw can do a tone of work until the need really forces you into the clear decision of getting a band saw...which may be never depending on what you do.
3.) Lastly, the jointer. Granted, a jointer makes things much easier. However, many, many videos exist on TH-cam demonstrating how a planer sled can be used for flat boards, and using enter a table saw with a sharp blade, or router and straight edge can be used to get the edges of boards where you want them, granted with more work. I see the planer as a much more useful tool in a small shop. And, this is where the router table may come into play.
Just a few thought.
Thanks for the video, useful!
Great job I have all of those tools and you are 100% correct, I also made my own spindle sander that dose not oscillate, and I just use it for sanding curves.
I make mostly smaller items and when in production mode I use the drill press and router table a lot. It just depends on what you are making. For example when I am drilling the entry hole for a bluebird house the hole sides need to be cut at an angle so water will drain out instead of in. I use a jig and forstner bit that I clamp to the drill table to do this efficeintly. This is an edge case but sometimes you may do many of a particular edge case or like me you make many different things and experiment a lot so a drill press is just a requirement. Pocket hole jig is not a power tool, but it is something I should have bought long before I did, I do not regret buying it. Biscuit joiner is the only power tool I personally have not found to be essential but I am sure many people have found it to be essential Router table, for me, is an absolute requirement, but I can see why you could get by without it. The router table is so versatile, if you are doing a production run you can set it up for one cut and then that is one less set up for some other tool in a multipart item production run. The router table is just so versatile I think it is still a very good tool for a beginner workshop. Routers are cheap and you can make your own table. If you just buy the bit you need when you need it, it is very cost effective. So I disagree with you about the router table's general effectiveness and utility for the beginner wood worker. I am guessing that a lot of hobbyist that buy cnc machines have buyers remorse. Not because they arent super useful, but because they are expensive overall and promoted so much on youtube. If you are a hobbyist, have a lot of space and plenty of money, then knock yourself out. I am just geussing a lot of people find they have spent a lot of time and money on something that requires more set up time than they expected.
When I heard you invoke Norm I thought for sure you were going to mention the biscuit joiner.
I think you got this right, almost. About the mortiser and drill press...owned them, used them and sold them. The sander I owned, rarely used and gave it to my son. Now, the pocket hole tool I used often. I found that when doing casework, pocket holes are an efficient way a making non-structural faceframes. Lastly, the router table. Many years ago I made a table with a dedicated router...thank you Norm. I have used this machine many, many times. When making "fine" furniture, I usually make my own mouldings and trim pieces. I also, use the table when making cutting boards. Although, recently, I, like you, made a top to cover the table and use it for my sharpening station. As you menbtioned, power tools are great when you are batching out many similar items, but a bad investment for just a few items.
Your 2 shows on the utoility of tools is great. I enjoyed them both. You might consider reviewing some new tools that are costly and save very little time. For example, a motorised router table. I must say I've used a router table often over many years and never felt that adjusting the height of the router bit was especially time consuming or gave inaccurate results. But that's just me.
I am literally brand spanking new to all woodworking. Fortunately I have an elderly father who has been woodworking for decades. He is teaching me a lot. BY FAR, my most loved tool at this time is my track saw. I just built a 2400 sq/ft shop (not just for woodworking) and have had to rip a ton of OSB as well as Kaizen foam (yup, u heard that right), and my Makita track saw is amazing! I don’t plan on ever buying a table saw. At least not for several years.
I bought a track saw a couple of years ago and wouldn't be without it. It also occupies very littlecspace when not in use.
I think it does really just depend on what you're making like you said. I make a lot of wooden swords for markets and the router table is indispensable for me. It's just too crazy to try and put in a hollow groove or bevel the edges neatly by hand. Not really the standard use case I know, but every wood worker is up to their own wacky projects and needs different wacky tool set ups. Great video!
I have a "portable" drill press which can be dissambled and just fits into one of my drawers. Yes, it is a pain to assemble it, then use it for e.g. 30 minutes, and then disassemble. But it is ok. Concerning the router table, I fully _disagree_. It is my second most used power tool, right after my cordless screwdriver. Since I have this table, I can do repeated work very easily, mostly it is hidden door handles for cabinets but also frames for drawers.
I've learned so much from you over the years I would NEVER think you are an idiot. I have a small shop that I wood turn as a hobby. I don't even have some of the tools you highlighted. But your presentation made perfect sense and it inspired me with the idea of substituting the tools I have to fit my needs. Thanks for sharing! BTW, your video on turning eggs with the skew chisel has really helped me improve my skills and comfort level. The skew is an amazing tool in the right hands and I've gotten much better as a result. Thanks so much for sharing. 👍🏽
I agree with most of the choices except the pocket hole jig. Even though I rarely reach for mine anymore, I think that its a great entry level to woodworking. Most people don't want to start with what they think might be complicated joinery, I think the pocket hole can be the easiest route to building something very simple and once someone has went through that journey they would be willing to learn other joinery types. Any time I want to build something quick and fast I'll still use the Pocket Hole Jig for the build... and you can make money to buy other tools by building farm house tables like the rest of TH-cam is. All that said the best tool I own is my ShopSmith and it still has the drill press and a lot more in a compact thing that will fit in my garage. It's also my lathe. So if anyone lacks space and wants an all in one tool. I recommend finding one on craigslist.
I love my simple clamp on jig, but have no intention of getting the bigger table mount type. The small one comes in handy for fixing or reinforcement. A couple screws is quick and cheap, if you understand how they work properly.
it is the MIG welder of woodworking
excellent
Pretty much spot on for cabinet makers. Whenever someone needs one of the aforementioned tools it's usually because they need it for specialist or production purposes. I want a good drill press and will use it. I just haven't gotten around to it for about 30 years.
Sir. You are much more experienced than I am. I believe that you are much smarter than I am. I use my big tools on almost every project. Radial arm saw first 😊. I have drawers filled with used tools that cost very little. Some sit for quite awhile, but sometimes that $5 or $20 tool from a yard sale saves the day!! I have bought battery powered tools, drill bits and other consumables new but everything else is used and quite old but in good repair. If someone offered me a special use tool for cheap, if I have the money or space, I'm on it! All of your videos are great! Thank you sir!! 🖖
This is my first visit, and I enjoyed it enough to subscribe. I highly suspect our types of woodworking are dramatically different, but that's ok.
I cannot drill a straight hole to save my soul. Therefore, the drill press is the tool that gets used more often than any other except my table saw. I built an auxillary table with a simple swinging fence...pinned on one side with a 1/4" carriage bolt and wingnut, and held in place with a c-clamp. A strip of blue tape across the top of the fence acts as a story board...mark once, drill multiple holes. In my opinion, vital for using forstner bits. Vital for production runs. My drill presses...I have three, a cheap HFT 8" tabletop, an older import 12" tabletop and a late fifties Delta radial...never become 'flat spots.
In regards to the jitterbug, I replaced mine in '93 or '94 with Makita's first American offering, the BO5000. It was a game changer. Still use Makita random orbit sanders today.
While pocket holes have their place, fine furniture is not that place. Casework? Sure. Face frames? Yeah. Shop fixtures? Ok. But not fine furniture.
Now, the third most used 'tool' in my shop is the router table. Yes, I made it. Yes, it has a cover and casters. Yes, it serves as my table saw out feed. But it rarely sits long enough to be considered a 'flat' spot. I do more casework with rabbets than pockets. I would much rather do edge treatment on the table than freehand. Rails and stiles on the table, with a coping sled as required. I do a fair amount of miter lock joinery for boxes. It is an indispensable tool in my shop. But...as you alluded to, this may certainly be a generational approach, as I've been making sawdust for 35+ years, and am pushing 70 with a darn short stick.
Enjoyed this video, as well as your point of view. We may agree to disagree, but all's fair as long as each of us achieve the result we had set out for.
Great video. I agree on the pretty much all of them. Other than the mortiser I have all of them. Fortunately, they don't take up a lot of space in my shop. Since I have a Shopsmith I get nice lathe with a drill press, disk sander, joiner and bandsaw thrown in for free and no loss of space (other than the jointer storage. I have my router incorporated into my table saw so it is a compact set up. A few weeks ago I added an orbital sander to my shop and will be selling the 1/4 sheet sander soon. The pocket hole jig that I plan to use mainly for building cabinet carcasses. I think pocket holes are ugly but useful as long as they can be hidden so I don't rely on them. I much prefer traditional joinery.
Had a Shopsmith and would reccomend it for any DIY'er but I have a shop that has room for "stand alone" tools.
@@davidcurtis5398 Agreed. I got the Shopsmith back in '85 when I only had a small area in the basement available for power tools. Today I have a 2 car garage but it does triple duty for woodworking, reloading and storage for 2 motorcycles so the space saving is still appreciated.
1. Mortiser (have one, never used it) 2. Radial Arm Saw (used one as a youth, bought one never used it). 3. Quarter Sheet Sander (didn't realize until I saw this video - used one in my dad's shop but bought a random orbital). 4. non-sliding miter saw (I have a 10 inch delta I bought for $100 that has been sitting for 25 years and I have not used it once). 5. Belt Sander (like duct tape. If you need it... its for patch fixing a silly mistake, sanding your deck or sharpening lawnmower blades/axe heads). Honorable mention is the biscuit jointer. I use it mainly for alignment on large panels that are too wide for my thickness planer as I am too cheap to but a Festool domino. I do in fact use it more than the other 5 listed above.
WRT your video, I use my drill press a lot; sanding drums , wire brushes, plug cutting, small scale metal work, etc. (I restore old tools, make infill hand planes and find myself using metal on occasion). The Pocket Jig I use on shop furniture for butt joints when sliding dovetails or dados are not practical to use on large panels (although I agree with your assessment about skill development). Router table... I like it. I use it for profiles on larger pieces when templates are in play or when I feel more comfortable moving the piece and not the blade... Shapers however, not really useful for a home shop (may be good if you're a production shop).
Overall, great video. I also enjoyed your other one on 5 hand tools not to buy. I cannot disagree with that one at all although i did buy some of them. No 8 Stanley Jointer... check. full set of chisels... check (I, like you, only use 2-3). I will still probably buy a shoulder plane one day although I'm still not sure why ;-). The other two could agree with you more.
I agree on everything except the drill press.
I use mine all the time and there isn't an easy alternative for most of the tasks I used it for.
Large holes with forstner bits or hole saws, large holes on metal, and the ease of boring with perfect precision, and repeatability if necessary thanks to my costum drill table.
I use mine as a small lathe as well, since I don't have one, and as a sander for curved parts too.
I'm mainly a hand tools hobbyist woodworker and that's the one power tool I wouldn't give up easily.
never thought of using a drill press as a lathe- great idea..thanks!
@richard profit glad I could help. I use rasps for that instead of turning tools. I saw some videos of people using some sort of vertical tool rest, but it didn't give me a good impression.
Also, for longer pieces, I grinded a large screw to a point, secured it to a board, and clamped it to the drill press table. Works as long as the wood doesn't burn since the screw doesn't turn with the chuck. Gonna be fast. A couple of bearings would solve that issue, though.
@@Wa66it thanks again..I'm definitely going to try that..have a great day!
Not offended Really figuring out what you NEED in your shop is an art, not a science. What power tools offer is convenience and production speed. How much you're willing to pay for that depends on whether you're a hobbyist, side hustle, and pro.
A good example of this dynamic is the Festool Domino controversy. Pro cabinet shops almost have to uses these to stay competitive. Everyone else can use dowels for pretty much the same effect without the $1500 price tag. Unless you have so little free time that you need that extra boost in efficiency. Or maybe they have the money and just want one LOL
So the trick is figuring out if this is something I need or something I want? Then acting accordingly.
thank you for the great brain test. i dont have a pocket hole jig and will never get one. i understand they work well but i just dont like the look or feel of them.
Your rational in each case makes perfect sense as you explain it. I think the real point to be taken from this video, though, is not to assume that just because a particular tool is popular, or your neighbor has one and uses it all the time, or it's frequently used by your favorite TH-camr, that you should run out and buy one. Everyone is different and, just as with anything else, everyone is going to have his/her own unique needs and preferences when it comes to tools. Your video challenges the viewer to ask him/herself, what do I really need? - and, hopefully, make good choices. Thanks for taking the time to do that.
Personally, I'm looking forward to restoring my recently acquired (for free) 80+ year old Craftsman drill press - and using it! It may not be the right tool for the job in every case, but you gotta admit it's really freakin' cool!
I really enjoy your content. Keep up the good work! Thanks!
Have fun! Both restoring and using it!
Oh, and I was going to politely tell him he was an idiot, but... Nah, it's not as funny as I thought it might be... (that is to say I totally see his points and I can live without all of the stuff on his list - a drill press would be nice at times though)
I bought my first quarter sheet sander used more than 35 years ago. Still going strong, bought another updated one 25 years ago. My Random orbit is still in the box?
Would like drill press, but as part of your closing advice...I do like learning, and sharing, knowledge, AND my little crations...
Thanks for another great video.
Perfect ! I do have any of these tools
I enjoyed this. I agree on everything except the last one. I have found my router table very useful certain types of work. Thanks!
I rarely watch to the very end of any TH-cam video. But this one is the exception. I liked the topic, the way you present, kind of down-home friendly and not coming off as a know-it-all. I look forward to seeing some of your other videos in the future. Keep it up! 👍🏼
After too many years of wanting the next power tool or accessories for power tools, I have now started moving towards hand tools. Less noise and dust with more hands-on the project. Just need to figure out what to do with these woodworking and carpentry tools I seldom consider.
Looking forward to more of your ideas and projects.
This is a great topic, and quite a useful comment section to go with it. Funny enough, for where I live, getting my hands on a plough plane would be much more expensive that getting a router and set of bits, recentely I made an add on to my workbench that acts as a router table for a small makita router and hooks onto the bench via dogholes. Since I made it has beeen one of the more used tools. My drill press is permanently fixed to my second bench and also used quite often (for its far more convenient, since I often larger holes that require me to stop at precise depth.)
As for to the things I dont use - tablesaw - it has been collecting dust for more than a year in the garage and I do my dimensioning using a bandsaw/handplanes combo. And for the pocket holes, if I build something with screw, I'm ok with them being seen, so never had a need for it.
Most of my early learning about woodworking was from Norm Abrams and magazines like Fine Woodworking, and the emphasis was very much on professional production tooling and shops.
With TH-cam, there is much more exposure to home shops and hobby woodworking.
I think that more articles and videos focusing on how to identify the most cost-effective tooling for a given project or job would save many hobbyists from wasting money on dust magnets.
My own shop has its fair share of dust magnets.
Good points. It all depends on what kind of work you do. If you build a lot of Craftsman-style furniture, then having a mortising machine is a good thing. If you do metal work as well as wood work, then having a drill press is a good thing. This is specific to the individual wood worker.
Still, your points make a lot of sense.
When I transitioned from carpentry and production cabinet making to woodworking, I was used to working with power tools and I was predisposed to buy and use them. Much has changed for me in 30 years.
Power tools (or their accessories) that I completely can do without: drum sanders, shapers, jointers, belt sanders, quarter-sheet hand sanders, scroll saws, and commercial dovetail jigs or pocket hole jigs, to name but several. Rather than large fixed-base power tools, I now am more intrigued not only by good quality hand tools but also cordless hand-held power tools, which are amazing -- drills, impact drivers, circular saws, oscillating multitools, etc.
The more time I have spent wood working, the more I have become convinced that personal skills are more important than power tools -- for the hobbyist or small-scale woodworker. For production woodworkers, many larger machines can be essential to their business, as they were to my dad's business.
Great video. Thanks! 👍👍
I'm with you on the drill press and mortising machine. But what about getting a mortising attachment to fit the drill press and a fence for the table of the drill press. That will be more cost effective for the home shop as the press will be used a lot more.
@@henningventer2917 If one has a few mortises to do, then do them by hand.
If one has a lot of mortises to do, the bench top mortising machine is a good option. A drill press mortising attachment does not work as well (been there, done that) and it ties up your drill press, too. FWIW.
Drill presses aren't built for the torque you'll need. Those attachments destroy drill presses plus they normally suck. Had one before buying my mortiser.
I have a drill press that I don't really use but that's because I have a milling machine. I've drilled a three inch in diameter hole three inches deep through rock maple on my milling machine. Good luck pulling that off using a hand drill. The mill is handy for doing a few things woodworking. It drills great too. It's what I use when I make plane totes. That one screw hole is a tough one to get right. The screw that goes clear through the whole handle. The trick there is drill the hole first then cut the handle out around the hole. Because it never comes out where you want it to.
What we have here is a video perfectly suited to the TH-cam algorithm. The content doesn't matter, it's the response that it generates, i.e. views, likes and comments. Well done.
Ya, trying to get some favor with algorithms before going live with stuff I’m more proud of.
I design and build furniture. I love your channel and have a high opinion of you. But I do use all of the tools you talked about here. I use my drill presses constantly. I believe Forstner bits shouldn't be used with hand drills. I like the palm sander for sanding flat surfaces between coats of finish. There are a lot of mortises in my furniture and my mortiser plus hand chisel is my preferred method. My router table plus coping sled is my choice for frame-and-panel cabinet doors. And pocket holes and chair making really do go together. Now I built my first mahogany table in 1972 so I can't call myself a beginner. But I am definitely still a learner. And I enjoy learning things from you and your channel.
I think the finishing sander was the very first tool I bought. Now I use a card scraper where I used to use the sander. I now sit it on a paper towel to buff wax finishes. No a drill press isn't necessary, but I use mine a lot, especially when I need to drill a lot of holes. I also use it to rough out mortices using a forstner bit. The mortiser is a specialty tool. The home woodworker has a lot of alternatives. I use my benchtop outer table for small stuff, but there is really no other way to make small dadoes. A large table like we saw here is a big investment in design, time and floor space. The mechanism for raising and lowering the tool is pretty expensive as well.
I love how you present this. You show the why which is what matters and help people understand their own decision making process. Thank you.
WoW. So intelligent, informed and honest. Please continue doing these, they are appreciated.
1.) Pretty accurate. I use mine just as much for non-drilling things as I do drilling things.
2.) 100%. I got one for non-wood based things, mainly rust removal on machine tables and saw blades (for restorations and saw making).
3.) Eh.... I think I agree. I use mine for some of the "Just want it done" projects, or as a temporary clamp that I remove and discard later. But largely goes unused for long stretches
4.) 100% agree. Though good luck getting my Barnes Foot Powered Mortiser away from me :D
5.) Mixed bag. I've got an over-arm pin router that I love, because it does different things than a router table. But most of my use for it and my router table is production in nature, so I suppose that means for the sake of your arguments here, I agree.
So what are your feelings on mortiser attachments for drill presses then? :D
In my shop (half of a two car garage) I have a table saw, mini lathe, router table, drill press, bandsaw, 12 inch planer, miter saw, and a grinder. The one stationary power tool I had that I found just took up too much room for its usefulness was a jointer. I had one but sold it. But I love having a drill press, use it for hole saws, forstner bit drilling, drilling in metal, and just any time I want a vertical hole. If I were to get rid of more power tools the band saw would be next. I know many people love them, but I just use the band saw for resawing and curved cuts. Most of what I make could be made without the band saw. The few curved pieces I make could be done with hand tools or jig saw.
I'm with you 100% on the mortiser. Sold mine several years ago. But, I switched to making mortises by using the drill press to drill over-lapping holes (using a fence and brad-points) that I chop into square mortises. Also, I use the router table to create tenons and quickly clean them up with a router plane. I could easily do woodworking without a Kreg jig, mortiser, and 1/4 sheet sander, but I use my router table and drill press almost daily. Thanks for another fun video.
My name is Mike and I am very new to woodworking and I will soon be posting videos for all to see. I think you have a lot of valid points on all of these however I also believe it depends on the type of work that each person is doing too. I only have a few power tools and hand tools and I'm currently trying to figure out what I'm going to be building and what tools I should invest in. I don't have very much money to put into this but I am determined and I have a newly found dream so I will find a way. I hope to see more videos and I will learn from as much as I can and make this dream a reality. Happy building and stay safe 😁
My personal takeaway from both this video and the previous hand tool video is that I really need to reevaluate much of what I have and do I really use it. Thanks for your honesty and not just trying to sell us something.
Great video with some solid advice. I have a lot of tools collecting dust that I rarely use. I'm looking forward to your box joint videos.
I would say your turning skills and tuition are brilliant. Thanks for all the content.
The best way to compare is to list your items and my take in my workshop on each one.
My Drill press - smaller version - I use it all the time. Don't have a floor stand unit, why spend the cash when what I have works very well.
My Pocket hole system - I use it quite frequently.
My two Sanders - both orbital and oscillating - as one reader put it - they complement each other.
I haven't used my "Kind of like Norm's" router table this week because I am working on the vegetable garden startup, but my router table spins up more than my bandsaw.
Have never seen a need for the power mortiser unit, I have super sharp chisels for that.
Even when I am turning bowls or running wood through my planer preparing a "Glue Up" for a bowl , the only tool that appears to collect dust is my Miter Saw. I know some would think that is odd, but I am more comfortable with my table saw (SawStop) than the miter saw. Actually, Dust collecting on my tools is fairly non-existent. My self-built MERV-15 filtration system (silently) circulates the room air every nine minutes in my 500 sq ft shop.
I got rid of drill press about the size you have there, say 15 years ago, and replaced it with a majestic vintage floor model. It needed new electronics, that I still haven't installed... But, I picked up one of the tiny ones they are 4 inches, or 6 inches to the collumn, for a CNC project part out, and I use it all the time.
The thing is that it isn't just a woodshop. I fix household stuff, or build parts for trailers, or metal projects the catilever for a banquette table I am working on. I absolutely need a press. Even though I have a milling machine...
This was good. You should do the opposite - what are the top five power tools that you absolutely must get.... in the order you should get them.
Top has to be a cordless drill. Pro tip keep it in the exact center of your shop because you'll be reaching for it all the time. I tried mine in one place after another. Finally I put it right in the middle and that's where it's stayed. The shortest distance between all points. You end up using it all over the place.
Gotta keep the pocket hole jig. I think that’s the easiest way for beginners to spend their time on building things instead of getting bogged down with complicated joinery. Project successes early on is a great confidence booster. Pros have their uses as well for pocket holes.
I agree with mrmoto - pocket hole joinery is a fast, effective way to get started MAKING THINGS. However, I also understand the point about needing to learn other methods of joinery.
Drill press I use every day, and I'm not a production shop. I don't own a quarter sheet sander. I use a cordless random orbit sander all the time. I'm on my third generation of Kreg jigs, which is good for face frames and cabinet work. Never owned a mortiser, but then I learned to cut mortises from Paul Sellers and it's not hard for as often as I do it. I could live without my router table. So 3/5 not bad. I'm just glad you didn't throw my radial arm saw under the bus.
Damn, Shawn! I don't really have power tools, but I do have a drill press-and I love it! Do I use it? No, not really, but I love it! 😅
I can see the reasoning for your choices but personally would advise people to watch videos on the type of work they want to do. Personally, I use my drill press a lot for the control it gives me on the speed of cut and precise depth control. The one I wish I didn't buy is a jigsaw and a cheap combination thicknesser planner.
A drill press is one of the very useful tool I have one and I haven't used it yet but I'm glad I have it that's how useful they are you can drill perfectly straight with them and you can set up jigs and stuff to drill holes in exact repeatable pieces of wood😮
I use my drillpress all the time. #2 I agree upon. I sometimes use a pocket hole jig. #4 is unnecessary. It is much faster to use a chisel - if you know how to use it correctly. I often use my router table. And what you do not need, is to fork out thousands on Festool power tools. There are other brands, which are just as good and do not cost an arm and a leg. You also do not need biscuit and domino jointers. Ordinary dowels are actually stronger than both. And it is simple to make your own dowel jig.
festool sanders and dust extraction is the best and my lungs vote to spend the cash on the best mash
I’ve has my drill press for over 30 years. There is rarely a project where I don’t use it. There are many projects I can’t even imagine doing without a drill press. Easily the most valuable and most used tool in my shop along with the tablsaw
Sure do like my drill press. I cut metal too and it sure is nice to line up things with the machinist vise and make a nice neat hole.
I think that most tools in a woodworking shop, you don’t really need as there is always a cheaper option. It all comes down to what you can afford and what you’re planning on making.
I am in general agreement with your choices and your rationale but depending on the projects, a few might really be necessary. I wouldn't classify your pocket hole jig as a power tool but I did have a powered one (the Porter Cable model 500 pocket cutter - an absolutely horrid machine). I swore off pocket holes after that but, I recently purchased an inexpensive (~$30) Kreg jig to do an in-situ furniture repair that was the only practical way to complete. The only time I use the router table is on small workpieces where there is little support area to use the handheld router. If it weren't for that, I would get rid of it. The other tools you mentioned, I have already ditched, some as long as 20 years ago. Steve
RENTING a specialized tool is what I've done for those one off jobs. Recently, we used a Dewalt planer for half a day to thin out some new deck lumber boards so they match the thickness of the sanded down existing parts. Many towns have a tool rental center.
Great video from your perspective. I like hearing peoples opinions on what they use, don't use and why.
I think very hard on what tools to invest in. For me price is a factor but I would rather buy once cry once. My main concern is floor space and workflow. We only have so much room in the garage.
I buy most everything used now. So I buy whatever I find. I never cry for what I pay for it either. I buy stuff for pennies on the dollar. I tend to buy the higher quality stuff when I see it too. I have passed on some tools just because I couldn't think of where I'd put them. I'm pressed for space here now.
I purchased my old 1970's drill press for £20 2 years ago for a one off job drilling 27 holes to a common depth . Surprised at how much use it has had since . The router table and pocket hole jig i agree with .
I do not own a pillar drill. Instead I have a vertical mill. Acts like a pillar drill when I need it, but can do so much more.
Router table- I built a digital router table system, and it does a heap of stuff- automatically calculates finger joints, can do dovetails, and is very precise. Use it a lot!
As an ER physician BEFORE I ever got into woodworking, I knew that I would never have a table saw. That fact was probably one of the real reasons I became primarily a hand tool woodworker.
Occasionally I like to see chunks of wood flying through the air at 120 mph in my garage.
I had a visit to the ER due to table saw kick back. I’ve been acquiring hand tools ever since! Also bought the Milescraft Tracksaw for those times it just makes sense for larger sheet goods.
One of the most dangerous tools in the shop is not a power tool at all. It is a dull chisel or a chisel carelessly used.
@@jerrystark3587 I'm the most dangerous tool in my shop
You might want to look into a good track saw. You can do most of what you would with a table saw, but it seems a lot safer.
In my shop, the tool I use the least is my table saw. I have a chop saw that is more portable, and a band saw I use all the time. I also have a drill press that gets used frequently. I mostly make pens and other small items on my lathe. Very rarely will I do any big projects, but I have made a fold down bench for my boat and a couple scuba tank racks. I also have a router that has never come out of the box. I work full time as a nurse, so woodworking is only an occasional hobby for me.
You just killed me 5x’s. Agree with the observations as I have been down that route and man it like you walked thru my shop, or what’s left of it, I have/ am currently transitioning to hand and power hand tools, with preference to hand tools. I challenge myself to build some with limited hand tools, and you would be surprised at how creative one can get with tools on hand to get out of a tight spot. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it.
Man I love watching the content you put out, you’re knowledgeable, genuine and always have well thought out/descriptive videos. Also I just want to say that the name of your channel “wortheffort” is phenomenal and creative! Great job sir, appreciate the effort in the channels purpose rather than monetizing it.🙏🏼🎯
As you said, the 1/4 sheet sander is good for finish sanding. That is what it was designed for and what it excels at. Random orbital sanders have been with us for decades. We had a ton of them in the furniture mill I worked in in the early 1980s. We also had several 1/4 sheet finish sanders. We used both because they make a great tag team.
However, most DIY shops can do without a 1/4 sheet sander. It's not that technology has passed the sander by, it's that a small shop simply doesn't have enough volume to justify using the tool. If you're going to finish sand 100 dressers and nightstand sets on an 8-hour shift, using a 1/4 sheet finish sander will make the task a lot easier. If you're just going to finish sand one or two dresser-sized projects a year, just break out a sanding block and do it by hand. If you're doing a lot of finish sanding, the 1/4 sheet sander makes sense. For most of us, it doesn't.
I agree with you 100%. The only reason I do like my 1/4 sheet and decided to buy one was the possibility of putting a soft adapter foam on it to sand up profile better than a random orbit sander.
I've had that 1/4 sheet sander/finish sander for 25 years, still works as good today as then. Like you said it's what they're designed for.
thank you. pocket hole make no sense to me , however i have watch many cabinets builds using em. makes me wonder ?
Nothing gets stacked against my drill press. I use mine a lot for various applications. Would not part with it.
Just bought a very cheap pocket hole jig for some upcoming projects and it will be well worth the small expense.
Agree on the mortiser. Would bet against my ever getting one.
You didn't talk me out of the router table. I still want one better than the one I tried to make.
One tool I've bought that I regret is the Kreg fence for my band saw. I very well may be doing something wrong, but it has just been a waste of money.
A drill press is a must have for larger bits. Fortner bit? The other tools you get if you find a need or have deep pockets.
I love my drill press. I use it for plug cutting for leverage, and drum sanding in cutting board production. Also, the large forstner bits are hard to control with a hand drill. Just made my first cabinet with pocket holes. Next one I'll try dowels. Agree on the mortiser unless you're making a lot of furniture. I do like and use my router table. My least useful tools are the quarter sheet sander, the scroll saw, and the small benchtop jointer.
Hollow chisel mortiser is useful, but it is nice to have, not necessary to have.
Router table, on the other hand, is essential in my opinion. It can cost a lot, but a good fixed base mounted under a piece of sheet material can get you started right away. Scrap plywood should be enough to make an adjustable fence. Even for making just one table, I’d say a router table can be great for cutting all mortises. With stop blocks, repetitive cuts can be more accurate and efficient than handheld router with a jig or template.
Last time I made a bench with all traditional joineries, such as double bird’s beak mortise and tenon, sliding dovetail aprons as stabilizers for the top. I actually used my hollow chisel mortiser and router table in the same project.
You just got another subscriber. I'm laughing a bit because I have all these tools, but a shaper instead of a router table. I use my drill press periodically, but mostly for two things - metal, and 35mm holes for hinges. You can easily add the biscuit jointer and belt sander to the list here (though the latter is handy for removing a lot of surface fast).
As for the Kreg.... I use it for quick and dirty stuff, stuff that I want to disassemble in the future, and a few other things. I prefer older methods of joinery, but sometimes the pocket holes make more sense.
Good show, and no nonsense. Appreciate you!
I have a drill press that I got when my dad moved to an apartment. Used it once. The Dewalt square palm sander is the first and only one I ever bought. Got my dads orbital and hate it. These days I don’t use sand paper. I use hand planes, scraper planes, and card scrapers. I don’t use a router - I do the same things with hand tools. I don’t own pocket hole equipment and mortises are easy to cut by hand. So yeah, I’d agree with you on all of these choices.
Need my router table and drill presses. (I have 4 drill presses and a milling machine) The other three, you are spot on.
What do you use for / instead of pocket holes?
normal joinery
I have been following you for a while. The only one that I disagree with is the router table. I find it very useful in my woodworking. I purchased a drill press few years ago and have used it very little since. I thought you might really piss people off saying circular saw, lol
Router table is one of my most used tools. I make mortise, various dados, and edge jointing. I don't even have a j9inter.
Thanks for the video!
You hit on it in the video. It really depends on WHAT you are doing. I work a lot with wine barrel staves and I use Forstner bits on the drill press several times a week. I can't remember the last item I made that didn't make trip across the router table. However, it comes down to the type of projects you will be making as to how to best invest your money.
Research and reviews always helps save you from an expensive paperweight.
Good on you. Of course it depends on what you make. I don't know if I will ever use a lathe but I can't see you not using one.
I agree with the standalone router table, but I have one built in to my table saw. Gotta have easy roundovers and dados. And I use my drill press quite a bit for getting pieces ready for the lathe. Drill a big recess with a forstner bit and use an expansion mount. But for people who are in the shop sporadically, I fully agree with your list.
Good video, funny thing I just got a flip table that I put on casters, so that I can mount a router table and a chop saw (I tend just to use a sled on the table saw) to it, because I almost never use these things because they are a pain to bring out and setup. So if I can put them on a small table and wheel them out when needed I can see more use out of them. But my router table is too big for the flip table, so I have plans over the weekend to take the lift out and make a small custom router table using pocket holes and plywood.
That being said I agree with all of your choices, my drill press is rarely used, though I do use the table it sits on to store all of my bits, and I yell at myself when I do not return the bits to their places. My pocket hole jig takes up space, though I find use for it when doing quick shop projects.
I have all of these and you make a compelling argument against each one.
The only one I agree with 100% is the 1/4 sheet sander, I have the Makita and it just beats my hands to death. It has been in the drawer for almost 20 years, I would have given it to an enemy years ago but that would violate the Geneva Convention.
The one I would refuse to give up is the router table, I use mine all the time. I find it much easier and I get better results by running the wood across it than by running a router across the wood.
I like and use the mortise machine, drill press, and pocket hole jig often enough to justify having them around, but if anyone wanted to buy them and make me whole I not hesitate to move them out of the shop.
You're going to laugh but I currently have SIX drill presses in my shop for a ridiculous 16 month production job. And because they are all set up for production work if I need to drill a straight hole in something else I still don't have enough drill presses. I don't use my router table very much but I will say that you do have to have a router (or three or five) and a router needs a lot of stuff to go with it so you have to have a place to store all that stuff. If you're going to have a cabinet full of router stuff it might as well be a router table too.
How did handheld belt sanders not make this list? And I've owned a biscuit joiner for ten years without ever using it.
I mostly agree with you on all 5 tools. I do find that I am more comfortable with Forstner bits when they are chucked in a drill press, so that might be an exception. That said, I am finding myself wishing I had gotten a different drill press. I really don't like the one I have, and I am stuck with it (it weighs over 300 lbs... so you can guess the brand). The "laser cross-hairs" feature is also useless. I've toyed with the idea of getting a hollow-chisel mortiser, but I feel that would be a cop-out given that I am trying to move towards hand tools. Also... a plunge router with a mortising box requires much less real-estate in a small shop. I recently built a miniature router table based on the Patrick Sullivan design. I'll probably go ahead with the full-size version, but there is no rush...
I really enjoy your videos. Please keep making them, and please continue to offer controversial points of view. If you are thinking it, chances are a lot of us out here are as well!
In my shop, I have several "dust collectors". But MAN! When I need to do that one little thing, I'm glad I don't have brute force it.
I love the topic! I do use a drill press frequently, but thinking about that, I'm mostly using it for metal work, not wood, and I have a small benchtop drill press. I also use a router table from time to time, but I have a small benchtop version of that, too. Working on the idea that if the part is smaller than the tool, I take the part to the tool. For larger projects I typically use jigs and a handheld router. I thought for sure you were going to say "band saw" and completely freak out most of the audience. But I don't know if most people really need one. Oh, and I'd add "domino tool" right with "mortising tool". Pocket screws? Handy once in a while, I have the smallest jig they make. The only reason I see for a bench mounted pocket jig is if you're going to do production cabinet builds, but that's just me.
Tom, I also have the small pocket hole jig. Never saw a need for the bigger ones. If I went to casework as a full time job, I would buy one of the table styles that drill from the bottom.
I am building 1/8th scale railroad trestles, 200 feet of them. The drill press & the bandsaw are the go-to power tools for this task. The drill press gets 100's hours of use drilling & countersinking all the holes. For the counter sink. I need depth stop to sink to proper depth. I need to do this quickly as there are 768 ties to drill, 2 holes each! The holes need to be square, not just "guessed" square by looking at a template. When holes are deep, they "wander" if they are not square.
My table saw motor broke down a few weeks ago and it put an absolute HALT on my life man! I did some welding and metalworking for a couple weeks til I figured out the motor was beyond saving and found another for the right price! Id choose a bandsaw over a drill press any day.
I like my drill press, don't have a tablesaw at home and don't miss it, but do occasionally use the tablesaw at work for a home project. Most of my work I could get by with the hand tools one could fit in a 18x18x40 ish old wooden toolbox plus some woodshed stuff.
Just depends on your typical projects I suppose.
I've had the little two-hole clamp-on Kreg since they came out (30 years ago?) and have never felt the need to upgrade. I still use it occasionally but would not shell out for the fancier models. No use at all for a hollow chisel mortiser. For the home shop, learn to chop mortises and cut tenons or leave it alone. Still have my router table but haven't used it in years. Hand planes are less screechy, produce no clouds of dust, etc. I got my Stanley 45 with all the blades for a hundred bucks and restored it in a weekend. I do have a benchtop drill press that I find useful frequently, mostly with Forstner bits when preparing blanks to turning. . Don't power sand often as I prefer hand planes and scrapers. I haven't made the switch to circular random orbit because I don't use my square sander often enough for it to be a problem.
Overall, my advice to newbs would be to start small with hand tools and purchase power when and as you really need to, assuming you ever do.
I'm not a hand tool purist; I love my lathe and would never give up my SawStop. But I advise folks to make purchase decisions at the workbench, not at the woodworking store.
Thanks for a thoughtful posting.
I have a quarter sheet orbital sander specifically for sanding when I'm refurbishing a piece of furniture. It gets into tight spots the random orbital sander can't due to its circular pad. Otherwise I use the
I find the drill press particularly useful for drilling into oddly shaped and cylindrical things. Very hard to get it right by hand even with a guide.
lmao I love the fact that you had the table saw front and center for a few of these. Absolutely perfect lol
You're spot on with pocket holes. I use them on shop furniture or places where it made sense. However, a lot of TH-cam makers use them for EVERYTHING, which is nuts. I've learned mortise/tenon, dowels, and other joinery methods to improve my skill set. I built my own router table which folds into the side of my workbench, which I do use a lot.
There's a lot of pocket hole hate out there. I got the little kit and I use it. Not for everything but where it's good to use. My router table is a wing of my table saw and it shares the fence. I think those dedicated router tables are a bit much.
@@1pcfred I had an old Porter Cable router table from my dad, but it was a piece of junk. I could never get the fence straight, hard to adjust, etc. Made my own which just folds flat and I've been happy - especially with a very straight fence I made. :)
@@Erik_The_Viking I've tried a couple different fence designs with router tables. Now I just have a box behind my table saw fence that I can bury a bit in. It's pretty simple but gets the job done when I need it.
@@1pcfred Great!
I agree with your choices.
My drill press is a junk collector. I bought a decent drill press guide for my cordless drills. After a year of having it I'm looking into buying the woodpeckers version and selling off my drill press for space.
Sanders? What are those things? Lol. Yes I have multiple orbital and quarter sheet sanders. However in the last decade or more I generally only hand sand, as I've become efficient with a hand plane,scraper, so it's only a few minutes to hand sand. So I could seriously toss all my sanders, well if I didn't need them for work.
Router table is a wash for me. I find they're handy, but useless. I guess it's a love hate relationship for me.
I've used many hollow mortisers over the years and while they can be handy, I find them very limited. I think the advent of spiral bit for routers to be far faster and repeatable. The biggest advantage to the router the mortise isn't limited to what chisels you have. Just knock up a jig and boom, a 13/16" mortise no problem. I even do through mortises this way and square up the corners. Plus I own the hated black and green hole maker.
A bonus unnecessary tool which will seriously get hate is the table saw. I while I will say I'm a hypocrite as I need one for work. A bandsaw miter saw and router will do what a space hog table saw will do. I also have a track saw, so I haven't found myself "wanting for a table saw in own space. But then again I have and use hand tools on a regular basis. Along with building in a tradional fashion.
I would agree on your reasoning except on the drill press. I use mine all the time for various projects. I am slightly dyslexic and have difficulty measuring or getting things straight. So the drill press helps with that in getting straight holes. Most of the time I can drill a hole in something I am turning with my lathe. I don't like pocket holes because they are a PITA to use for me. Instead I bought a Festool Domino. You would go bananas on that one but I have used it on thousands of joints over the last 3 years and although I don't use it every day, when I need it, it is always there with a perfect floating tenon joint. I would ask you, how often do you use that Jet drum sander sitting in the background? You have a jointer and and planer so why the need to spend a grand on a drum sander? Finally, I have found that once I buy a tool, it tends to stay around the shop anyway. I have a square sander that I haven't used in a year but yesterday I needed it, I pulled it out and did the job and I didn't have to go anywhere to buy it, I just pulled it out, took 15 minutes to sand a small platter, and was a happy camper! Keep up with videos like these because they are always interesting and makes me think!!
I agree. I make cigar box guitars and I bought a good inexpensive drill press to drill tuning machine holes. I can't truly say it is worth it. My goto power is the bandsaw. I would be lost without it. My grandfather was a master cabinet carpenter. He personally owned an electric drill and circular saw. Everything else was hand tools.
Phew, that was a close one. I was getting worried he was about to bin off the bandsaw. It's the first floor standing power tool I plan to get.