Machine dilemmas

**Harry72** · 10th March 2005, 03:28 AM

dilemmas
dilemmas
dilemmas
Im unsure what to get, my SWMBO has given me $500 to spend for my B'day(plus I got $200 profit to spend from 1st project sale, with more coming from my DVD racks).
I need every machine you can think of... ATM I have only a cheap 10" TSaw(POS), router table/handheld, 10" CMsaw, 7 1/4" circular, air comp/spray equipment, biskit joiner, belt and ROS sander(air), drills air/power/cordless/press and a various jigs because I havent got the proper machines.
Im just starting out in the furniture making biz, I would like to end up doing it full time giving up my current job(we can dream...) So making wrong decisions now many cause me trouble later.
I thinking of either a Delta 14-651 mortiser($395@CT) or a cheapy CT/TC/H&F style 3hp/1ph twin bag dusty($499 from Gasweld in Adel)
I can get away without the morticer as I have a "rocker M&T jig" but the mortiser would make for faster cutting of mortices thus making my project turnover a fair bit quicker(no need to round tennons... each door on my DVD racks has 8 M&Ts and I like to make 10 at a time thats 80 M&T's), Jamie Bell from AWR gave the delta a thumbs up in his review.
The dusty I do need, but I wont be able to use it much yet as not much of my gear I currently have can be draughted very well, the TS can be modded and my router table could be draughted. The rest cant be draughted... but as I build up my tools I will definantly need one, prob make a cyclone for it.(will be putting unit in its own enclosure outside of the workshop).
Does anyone have one of these model dustys what are they like?
dilemmas
dilemmas
dilemmas... Help anyone, any advice for a beginner wannabe pro!

**gatiep** · 10th March 2005, 12:59 PM

My advice:

Don't give up your day job too soon, keep dreaming on for a while. Dayjobs usually have a better per hour return than making furniture unless you are extremely good at it and fast. Keep it as a hobby ( maybe paying hobby to acquire more toys) and you'll enjoy it for the rest of your life. Turn it into a business and it becomes yet another job with whatever goes with jobs and suddenly all the enjoyment and pleasure fades as deadlines etc creep up on you.
Well that has been my experience in the past whenever a hobby of mine became a job.

Have a nice day!

**vsquizz** · 10th March 2005, 05:15 PM

Harry, It doesn't matter, sooner of later your going to need a dusty so just get it before you start trying to get by without one. Sucking manufactured board dust ain't so great to be sure. (or any dust for that matter). Go the Dusty mate.

Cheers

**Grunt** · 10th March 2005, 05:49 PM

Get your DC, like Squizzy says.

Do a search on Cyclone. Mind boggling amount of information on dust collection, pictures and disagreements. Fun for the whole family. Also check out Wayne Davey's site. http://members.optusnet.com.au/waynedavy/

Also check out Bill Pentz' site. He is the guru of home dust collection. http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm

**Bob Willson** · 10th March 2005, 06:17 PM

I agree with the others. In our grandparents day there was no need for suckers as the type of sawdust produced was heavy and just fell straight down. Nowadays if you cut anything using a power tool then the dust is thrown across a large expanse and lots of it is fine enough to hang around in the air and be available for you to breathe in. Bad , bad, bad.
Get the sucker, you can't work lying in a hospital ward.

**Harry72** · 10th March 2005, 06:20 PM

Yeah your right about the $ per hour thing... even tho my day job if you can call it that its shiftwork, Im getting about $26hr(annualized)I would take a lower pay to get better working conditions.
My work is in a lead refinery the amebiant temp on a 35* day is around 60* and the place does not cool down during night shifts, now can you imagine a 40*+ day... we've had amebiant temps up to 75* and then when it gets muggy... and my job aint pushin buttons(well maybe on the crane remote control)its doing silly things like swinging 20lb slugger or shoveling and brooming lead fines(its a messy process)which I might add it makes normal wet sand shoveling feel very easy.
I dont mind the hard work as Im quite fit its just the enviroment conditions, safety is paramount with molten metal we regulary have spilt/sprayed molten metal because we actualy pump it around under high pressure. Then there's all the dangers you get from lifting/logistic equipment.
So no matter how safety orientated you are its really a matter of time berore you get hurt and how bad!
There has been a few to many deaths at this place, one not long ago it was my next door neibour..."was"(RIP "Sleepy") he was chrushed by a large loader, the poor driver didnt even know and may have run him over several times... poor visiablity, we are hoping he was killed the first time and not run over still being alive and not able to move then have the loader hit him again, its a horrific thought.

I dont think the deminishing enjoyment thing would bother me that much, I enjoy making 1 off things out of wood. I allready find repeative things a bore but at the end of the day working with wood is better than work with molten lead hands down, plus I get more enjoyment working for myself rather than some rich shareholder!

**Harry72** · 10th March 2005, 06:29 PM

Thanks guys you reassured me, the dusty it is!
But looking at my current finances, I may just afford the delta as well after all!(thanks to the SWMBO, ah shes a good one!)

**Harry72** · 12th March 2005, 12:23 AM

Ended up with both anyway.

**Rusty** · 12th March 2005, 10:33 AM

Good move, Harry. Still relying on dust masks and shop vac in my shed.

As for going pro, "follow your bliss", dude; IMHO a mix of part time work to pay the bills and part time "paying hobby" will keep you fresh and stop either from becoming a chore.

Your job sounds hardcore. I can understand why you want a career change. Don't wait until you become a statistic.

Best of luck,
Rus.

**Harry72** · 12th March 2005, 05:30 PM

I'd love to work part time but my bank manager wont let me, Im a little snowed under ATM with house and car plus personal loans, so I must keep my job because it does pay well.(over $65K last year counting OT)
Eventualy I might throw it in, but I'd need to earn at least $50K minimum, which would be a big ask of a small venture, so for now I'll build up to it.

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