Beckum

My profile pic? Simply put .... "Can someone help me get this monkey off my back?" This is a picture of a truck driver's pet that decided to use my shoulder as a perch. It was taken out west in a truck stop. It is one of those cool memories that I like to keep close.

Now on to the bench cookies ... great idea, if they work as well as claimed.

Best of luck in all you do!

You can also get the same bottles from ebay for refilling ink cartridges. Just another place to find them and they do work very well. Easy to fill with glue, though some thinning might be required sometimes. Very easy to control. And I've never had a blow out with one of them either.

I have say that "Pawn shopping" is usually a pretty good bet on buying tools. They at least plug them in and make sure they will power up before taking in tools. That does not mean that the tool has been properly tested. I've gotten in good enough with a couple of Pawnshops that sometimes they take something in and when they go to sell it, the tool doesn't power up or sounds rough when it does power up. They know I like to fix things and because of that, I get a great price on the non-working tool. Like my little 8" Makita portable table saw. $20 to start, add a new HD cord and a miter and it is almost as good as the same model Makita another shop was selling for $120, also used.

If you are planing to go "Pawn shopping" make sure you take the time to check the tool out the best of your ability under the circumstances. And don't be afraid to offer them less then what they are asking. It is a wheel and deal environment and you should take advantage of it. Best of luck and fun "Pawn shopping!"

Count me in.

What if I were stuck on a deserted island? If it is a deserted island, then you would be talking about getting back to some of the most basic of conditions. Tools of any sort would be at a premium. So true versatility and durability are the only things to consider, in my opinion. And to me, that means that the choices on your list all have major flaws as a one tool only situation. Even though most deserted islands have been touched by man, very few are going to have much of anything that is going to be usable. Nature does tend to take back what man tries to claim as his own. So, assuming the most basic of conditions to find ones self in . . . .

I would have to go with "other" with a handsaw being third on my list(how to sharpen). My tool of choice would be a double bit axe. With it you can fell a tree, split it into usable rough boards, scrape the boards to a fairly smooth state and cut the vines to lash it all together. And let's not forget that you can use it to make weapons and traps to hunt with. My second choice would be a machete for all of the same reasons.

.... and could someone get this monkey off my back?

Bill

Most of the small ones are a "pinch and roll" to get the end exposed enough to grab with a tweezers and pull it out. For the deeper ones, I have dug them out with needles and even gone so far as to cut along the point of entry in the direction it went in enough to expose enough of the end of the splinter to get a hold of. Mostly, I wear gloves and take my time so as to avoid the whole thing. The tape idea sounds interesting, I might have to try that one of these days.

Well maybe not the gallows, but I'm sure you'll get a few dirty looks along the way.

Might I suggest coming up with other practical uses for these little suckers then RTA furniture.

Like .... You could use them on a dinning room table that has leaves (extensions). ie... between the leaves and the table to lock them in place. I remember when I was about 8 or 9 we had a walnut table with leaves that was extended for a big dinner with lots of guests and food and then the adults decided to move the loaded table. As it was being moved it separated and nobody noticed. That is, until a heavy dish that had been placed at the hidden gap went through. Not only did it find the floor, but it dragged everything else with it. I remember the table had a locking system to keep it closed when the leaves were out of the table, but nothing when it was extended.

So I pose a challange to the other readers . . . .
What other uses can you come up with?

One thing I have noticed about a lot of the table top saws I have owned and used over the years is that the blade tends to "float" a little side to side. It isn't a lot, but it can be noticed in the cuts. As far as their mass, clamp or bolt it down to a heavy table and that doesn't seem to be a problem. They are a bit on the loud side, no disputing that in the least. When I had the room for it, I had a table set up that the saw dropped and clamped into that increased my capacity quite a bit. I had added about 6" in front of the saw and about 2' to either side. It also gave me 4' of out feed table as well. And all of that still cost a lot less than a good used cabinet saw. It worked pretty good and also helped the noise level.

Another thing I that I don't like about the one I have (Makita 8") is the fence. It doesn't have enough area where it clamps to the table to keep it straight when I tighten it down. So it does take a bit more time to set up. I have noticed that all of your experts preach the same method for getting a straight cut and that is to measure from the blade to the fence at the front and back of the blade. I tend to do that a bit differently. I use a level as straight edge along the blade and measure from the ends of the fence to the straight edge. I use a spring clamp to hold the straight edge to the blade (fully raised)giving me good contact to the tips of the teeth and I also have both hands free to made my adjustments to the fence. This method has always given me very good results. I know it takes a little longer the just going from the blade, but I think it gives me more consistent cuts.

It still boils down to a very basic concept. Make the best of what you have to work with. For $20 and a repair to the power switch, I have a tough little saw that have been going pretty darn good for a few years now. One of these days, I stumble onto a great deal on a bigger cabinet saw. But until that time comes, I'll continue to do the best I can with what I have.

Sounds interesting. I haven't tried that yet.

It seems like a lot of you are focusing on the battery powered tools. Here's a thought for your dead battery packs. Most of battery packs are a group of AA size cells and they can be replaced. Good deals for the cells can be found on E-Bay, among other places. As far a your big, corded tools, Provided they are quality tools, you should be able to get most of the parts for them. Bearings are one of the things that go out the most and you can get them, no problem. Doing the repairs yourself is where you're going to save money. Having those same repairs done for you at a shop is usually cost prohibitive to making the repairs.

What I always tell people about repairing anything is that everything can be repaired. It is a matter of how much you are willing to spend. Sometimes the repair costs more then a replacement. Sometimes the tool is of such quality that cost is not the issue. In the end, it is your tool and your money and the choice is yours.

I work on a tight budget and most of my larger tool were bought in some state of disrepair and in need of something. I consider myself lucky in that I have dabbled in so many areas that I can do my own repairs about 90% of the time. There are some things I always have done either because I don't have the specialty tool for the repair or I don't feel comfortable doing it myself. Given the time and the internet to research the parts, I only have one left to fix. And it is a back-up.

Best of luck in all you do,
Bill

Settle down gentlemen .... Let the one with a monkey on his back have this one .... :)

If you are going to hit the face of a ball peen hammer .... use a brass hammer, if you have one, or a couple of pound piece of mild steel bar stock. And use eye protection.

I do agree with what Myth Busters are saying, in the context it is said. The odds of a hardened hammer face shattering another hardened hammer face and a chunk of it being able to impact with lethal force is pretty slim.

There is also a lot to be said about the text of this article. It will eventually shoot off chips that can cause injury and if that injury is to an eye, you'll have a good chance of becoming a eye patch wearer. And unless you're a pirate, it isn't a good look.

Each case should be appreciated and each craftsman has earned the respect due anyone who makes the final cut in a competition like this. I like them all. Personally, a balance between from and function should always be a prime consideration in any design. The artsy stuff may look good, but if it can't do the job . . . .

As long as you or your customer enjoys what you make .... have fun doing it!

Bill

Always looking for tips and such!

I'm game for a little more learning. And can someone get this monkey off my back?

Best of luck in your new venture! Looks like, with moving inside, you're going to get to add a dust collector to your assortment. Have fun!

Bill

10 for 10 .... Damn I'm full of myself!

roflmfao!!!

Have a fun and safe 4th!

Bill

Very nice! The line and form are very pleasing to the eye. Could you post some more pictures showing off the details?

Keep up the good work ! ! !

Bill

Very cool! I do a lot of refinishing and gaining a better understanding of how things were done will help me in doing a better job of fixing them.

Good luck to all!
Bill

Great idea :) Very effective use of your wall space! And I agree with Jonnieboy .... more pictures please. Keep up the good work!