Thread: 2 hours + spare ply + table saw base = Sanding Station

Glad you can afford plywood mate. Today I went into my local store south of Hobart for some 6mm plywood. I only wanted a bit 1200mm x 900mm. $49.95 yes $49.95 for a small bit of 6mm ply. Rip off, I got some MDF but even that was $21.

Boy that is a bad deal. I'd be looking further afield for my ply in future if I were you. I have used a lot of mdf for various projects but the dust has been driving me crazy, not to mention the humidity has been playing hell with the mdf until I can get it sealed. Ply is more stable with the conditions we've been copping and certainly easier on the lungs - I wear a mask and use d/c all the time - and clean up.

I needed one piece of baltic birch for the downdraft sanding table/wing for my mobile work centre that had to be 27"x171/2" and of course the smallest sheet I could buy was 5'x5' and they didn't have the 5/8" I wanted. So I wound up with a sheet of 5'x5'x3/4" baltic birch that cost $C50+ after taxes. That's how and why I had some sitting around to use for this.

5'x5' is a terrible size for sheets of ply. I can fit 2'x4' pieces into the back of the car no problems at all but 5'....... no way known. There is another yard that does sell 4'x8's of it but they are an hours drive away and charge more of course so for such a small job I went to the local place.

Nice job Expat but finding the quality of ply available in your part of the world is avery difficult, and expensive, task over here. I hunt around places like Builders´Surplus in Brisbane.

Othe r places charge very close to new price for bankrupt stock, so chances of a good deal are very slim.

Expat, do you know anything about Rigid wood lathes? I know their Stilson wrenches, pipe cutters, blimd rivetters and so on are top knotch but know nothing about the quality their one model of woodworking lathe.

Not sure about their lathes - desperately trying not to let all the turners I know these days "corrupt" me. Ridgid have an exclusive distribution arrangement with Home Depot so of course getting anything like a sensible or educated answer from one of the (un)friendly associates on any of the orange and silver tools is next to impossible. I can ask around for you and drop you a PM if I hear anything. Failing that the Woodstock Wood Show is coming up soon and Ridgid are usually there with people who do know the product - that's where I bought my sander last year. I could ask them if you're okay waiting a couple of weeks?

Originally Posted by Expat

Not sure about their lathes - desperately trying not to let all the turners I know these days "corrupt" me. Ridgid have an exclusive distribution arrangement with Home Depot so of course getting anything like a sensible or educated answer from one of the (un)friendly associates on any of the orange and silver tools is next to impossible. I can ask around for you and drop you a PM if I hear anything. Failing that the Woodstock Wood Show is coming up soon and Ridgid are usually there with people who do know the product - that's where I bought my sander last year. I could ask them if you're okay waiting a couple of weeks?

Yep.

I'm pm'ing artme anyway but for anyone else who read his question about the Ridgid lathe and were wondering what the answer might be here's two quotes from experienced turners:

"Bottom of the totem pole, nuff said ????
made in different colors for Craftsman,Mastercraft,BusyBee,Harborfreight, etc,etc.
Leo"

and.......

"I had one and bought it on price alone...HD clearout for 199.00 should have been 1.99 Take Leos advice and advise your friend to run from it, however It would have made a good dedicated buffing machine...
Ron"