Thread: The workshop from Heaven ... or Hell ...!?

I found it sad that the concept of getting the ultimate machines would make you're woodworking projects for you. This guy with endless funds has found that is not the case.
The whole point of making things yourself is proving that you can be adaptable and make do with the things you have to hand. A woodie should set up his own workshop. Perhaps not build the building himself(or herself) but many do. He should at least do the setup and perhaps the benches. Even if they are only doors or planks on trestles. True most of us in woodworking have more tools than we really need and are verging on being collectors. Mind you there is a bit of pleasure there too. I am not pushing the darkside here and if offered would gladly have slung a few of those beasties in the ute. There would have been some redemption in it all if there were signs that he had at least tried to make something.

Apparently the BMW is still for sale.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Most handtoolers are likely to be focussed on the journey, while most power users are more likely to be focussed on the destination.

That's a sensational statement if ever I heard it

I find the idea of using hand tools boring! I bought my power tools together (3hp ts, 15" thicky, 6" jet jointer, bandsaw, drill press, 2 routers)

Before I bought any of them, I had NO idea how to use them. The journey for me is definitely not about the destination, its all about the journey and learning how to use the power tools.

Power tools do not make a bad or inexperienced woodworker any better in my opinion. It's probably far easier to completely ruin a project with power tools than it is with hand tools

What is the saying 'how the other half live'
In this case it would be like 0.001
As he stated nearly all of the machinery has not be used, maybe he couldn't work it.
It may be the same as the people that buy super cars not to drive just to look at.
I have a woodworker mate that gets most of his enjoyment by making the jigs to do a function.
I aslo have mate who is a professional cabinet maker he cuts his dovetails by hand, when asked why, he says because it is quicker.
I myself couldn't pay the electricity bill

les

Machinery ... like watching a video of Pam Anderson romping around (well almost ).
The first vid just shows what you can do with too much money. Why have 2 band saws? I thought it was bit sad that someone who could buy the best of everything did not use it. Us mere mortals can only dream.

The Martin video was amazing, but remember that this is industrial scale machinery where, as Derek rightly pointed out, time is money. I'm sure that the guys who use these machines take pride in their work and get satisfaction out of a job well done, even if they can make 50 tables in the time it would take us to make one.

But I can also understand the satisfaction the Darksiders get out of hand planing a piece of wood rather than sticking it into a machine and watching it come out the other end. They can say "I made this piece of furniture - not a collection of machines".

I hope when I get my shed sorted out and finish some of the projects lined up to stroll over to the Darkside. I have a morbid interest in hand cut dovetails

i love hand tools.
i just recently purchased a marcou smoothing plane and 4 sets of harold and saxon chisels.
but i love my power tools also.
festools and makita rule!
i love that martin thicknesser and jointer.

as a carpenter, time is money, so i use power tools a lot.
but it is great to pull out the hand saw and let rip once in a while.
i always use routers/trimmers for door hanging. and then final clean up with chisels and block plane for chamfers.

everybody has their own opinions, and thats great.

for me personally, that would be my perfect workshop. a combination of awesome machinery and the best of the best hand tools.

regards, justin.

Nice shop, but so sad to see it was used very little.
At least the house maid would have got overtime to clean the shop as well as the house.
Dave

Its all rather sad.

Acquiring all those tools, no matter how good, at the same time. The learning curve for each of them must have been rather steep. The learning curve for all of them at the same time was a mountain that he did not conquer.

How sad. He did what we all say we should have done years ago - bought quality tools and not discount specials - and got learning/information overload. How sad.

Graeme

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Its all rather sad.

Acquiring all those tools, no matter how good, at the same time. The learning curve for each of them must have been rather steep. The learning curve for all of them at the same time was a mountain that he did not conquer.

How sad. He did what we all say we should have done years ago - bought quality tools and not discount specials - and got learning/information overload. How sad.

Graeme

I bought all good quality tools (3hp table saw, jet band saw, jet 6" jointer, 15" thicknesser, pedestal drill press, 3hp router, dust collector) and new shed all at the same time and I did not know how to use all of them. I bought the absolute best I could afford.

And to date I have not had information overload. The challenge of learning all these new tools (or toys as SWMBO calls them) has been f***ing awesome! The learning curve is straight up, but its exhilarating all the same

I suspect his heart was not in it from the start, but he had more money than sense.

It's definately a fantastic idea to try and buy a collection of major tools at once it makes getting into the hobby so much easier as you have pretty much all you need to complete most tasks without having to jump through too many hoops.

Isn't it great, the differing opinions on this subject. It really does come down to each his own. I would dearly love some of that equipment but I would also love some of the hand tools that some of the guys on this forum have in their workshop. Guess you could say, I Iike it both ways.

I think you will find that many people who can afford to pay that sort of money for their equipment also have very little time away from the professon which gave them that opportunity. That's the sad part.

When you put it into perspective, its no different to the multitude of people who by large boats and don't use them that often.

If I could justify that expense, I wouldn't hesitate to do what he did, except I would stop working and start playing a little bit more.

If the saying "the man with the most tools wins" then this guy must be up with the leaders, but I hope he can use his tools better than he can use a camera

Originally Posted by beer is good

Why have 2 band saws?

one for resawing, the other for joint cutting and curved work – then you only need change blades when they are blunt

'Mint'