Christopher Quade - Woodworking Power Tools



I've created this page for those who are curious about what tools I use for my woodworking projects. Some of these tools are nothing fancy, and some are what have been rated "good" tools. I've purchased a number of Craftsman tools, and for the most part I've been happy with what I've paid for. For a long time, the closest tool store was Sears at about 7 minutes one way, which is partly why I purchased Craftsman. But in the Spring of 1999, a Lowe's opened up about 1 mile from my house, which as I've explained to SWMBO, puts power tools "within pushing distance". In October 1999, "The Wodworking Shop" opened about 20 minutes away, and since that time they've been receiving most of my woodworking $$. It's a great shop, stop by sometime!

Click on any picture to view it in full scale.


I've tried to show my tools in the order in which I acquired them, but I can't remember everything so bear with me. I've also included my opinions of many of these tools which I hope you'll enjoy reading, but keep in mind that for many of them I've not had the pleasure of comparing them with competing makes/models except on the showroom or in catalogs.
Use the following links to jump to the tool of interest, or feel free to scroll through the entire document.

Grizzly 2HP Dust Collector
Grizzly 8" Jointer
"The Woodworker's Choice" Dust Collector
Central Machinery Lathe
Granberg Chainsaw Mill
Wagner Moisture Meter
DeWalt Plunge Router
DeWalt Portable Planer
Delta Bandsaw
Porter Cable Plate Joiner
Jet Drill Press
Craftsman Tool Chest
Craftsman Detail Sander
Ryobi Table Saw
Porter Cable Random Orbit Sander
Bosch Jigsaw
Craftsman Compound Miter Saw
Delta Jointer/Planer
Craftsman Shop Vac
Craftsman Table Saw
Craftsman Plunge Router
Craftsman Cordless Drill
Craftsman Belt Sander
Black & Decker 1/3 Sheet Sander
Black & Decker Circular Saw
Craftsman Corded Drill


Grizzly
2HP Dust Collector

I purchased the Grizzly model G1029 2HP Dust Collector not long after moving into a new house with dedicated shop space. It didn't take long to realize that a 1HP model, while perfect for attaching directly to any tool in the shop, just won't pull chips through 50'+ of duct and a separator. You may be able to see from the pictures that I enclosed a small room to put the dust collector, separator, and shop vac in! Inside the room I installed a 120v outlet for the shop vac and a 240v outlet for the DC. From the small room I cut 4" and 2-1/4" holes in the wall for ductwork and I installed back-to-back 10x20" air filters over the door for return air. To the left of the door you can see two switches from which I can operate the outlets inside the closet. There's no need to enter the closet except to check or empty these noisy beasts!


Grizzly
8" Jointer

The Grizzly model G1018 8" Jointer nearly completes my shop. It's much quieter and smoother to operate than the benchtop jointer. I've now used it to clean up a lot of the rough lumber that I'd cut and dried myself, and it really works well.

As an aside, this is the first really "big" tool that I've purchased. At 450 lbs it's too heavy to pick up and move about. However, the freight truck thought I must be able to do just that since the driver refused to drive the truck up my driveway. Furthermore, the truck wasn't equipped with a hydraulic lift OR EVEN A RAMP! Somehow I managed to fabricate a short ramp from the delivery truck to my pickup (2 foot drop), and then I drove my pickup around to my shop door. I unpackaged the jointer right there on the pickup bed. The enclosed stand, motor, gravity switch, and fence all came apart, leaving just the 200 lb. jointer bed which SWMBO and I were able to carry 8 feet and place on top of the jointer base. What a job!


The Woodworker's Choice
Dust Collector

The 1HP Dust Collector from "The Woodworker's Choice" was rated at 700CFM, and was a tremendous improvement over the shop vac for use with stationary tools. But it couldn't handle all the ductwork and the separator in my new shop, so I sold it.


Central Machinery
Lathe

This is a Central Machinery 40" lathe with 7" sanding disc attachment. Not a bad deal for $75 delivered. I haven't used it much yet, check back for an update.


Granberg Alaskan MK III Chainsaw Mill
Jonsered 670 Champ Chainsaw

The Granberg Alaskan MK III 24" Chainsaw Mill with a Jonsered 670 Champ chainsaw and 24" bar makes a great combo. I got the Mk III from Northern Tool & Equipment, and the 670 Champ from eBay. I've now cut Aromatic Red Cedar, Red Oak, Shagbark Hickory, and Sweetgum with the mill. It's hard work, but very satisfying, too. If you're thinking about a chainsaw mill like this, I have some advice:

So does it work? Does it cut straight lumber with flat, parallel cut sides? How long does it take to mill lumber with this thing?

Well, yep, it works. Even on the first log the yield was decent, and after milling and planing a couple of logs I now know that with a 1" slab I can in fact get a good 3/4"+ board. If the first cut is done well, subsequent cuts are very close to parallel. I have cut 12" Sweetgum at about 40sec/ft, 12" Aromatic Red Cedar at about 60sec/ft, and 14" Shagbark Hickory at about 90sec/ft. When we moved into our current house I discovered a fallen Red Oak for which the outer bark had deteriorated but the heartwood was intact. I cut that fairly dry log into 18-20" slabs at a rate of maybe 120sec/ft. I had to sharpen the chain after each slab on that bad boy!


Wagner
Moisture Meter

I purchased the Wagner Model L606 pinless moisture meter on eBay. It sure comes in handy if you're milling your own lumber. Incidentally, Aromatic Red Cedar sure dries quickly.


DeWalt
Plunge Router

I purchased this DeWalt model DW621 2HP plunge router as an opened return from Lowe's and negotiated with the manager for a great deal. It's nice to be able to swing 1/2" bits now. The DC port does work reasonably well, and the router has a comfortable feel to it. The "soft start" feature still surprises me a bit, but I suppose I'll get used to it. The router base is really too small, but a larger aftermarket base place has fixed that.


DeWalt
Portable Planer

I purchased this DeWalt model DW733 12-1/2" portable planer locally from "The Woodworking Shop". I mounted it to a $30 tool table and put it on a rolling base so that I can roll it into the corner when I'm not using it, or out into the middle of the floor when I am.


Delta
Bandsaw

This is a Delta model 27-270 Grand Edition 14" Bandsaw, purchased locally at "The Woodworking Shop". I also picked up the 6" riser block so that I could resaw up to 12". So far the saw has had plenty of power for everything except the 11"+ Red Oak I fed it. Oh, it cut the Red Oak fine, but I had to be very slow and deliberate about it or the saw would bog down. My major complaint: dust! The 1-1/4" port under the table is worthless. I picked up the big dust collection port (why is it 5"?), but that has helped only a somewhat. I discovered that if I distorted a 1-1/4" hose and jammed it into the gap in the metal around the lower wheel cover I could actually get most of the dust. As that's really ugly, I've now purchased a 2-1/4" port and I think I'll cut a hole in the lower wheel cover to mount it.


Porter Cable
Plate Joiner

This is a Porter Cable model PC557 Plate Joiner. If you do a lot of edge joinery, get a plate jointer. With the PC557 I can do in five minutes what would have taken me the better part of an hour with a slot cutter bit in mt router.


Jet
Drill Press

This is a Jet model JDP17-MFW Drill Press. I purchased this model partly for the mortising attachment and partly because of the extra-long throat depth (over 4"). As it turns out, I've hardly even used the mortising attachment. I never know how much I missed this tool until after I got it! It's now super-easy to drill perfectly perpendicular (or angled) holes, and to countersink with near-perfect repeatability. The built-in light is very handy, too. Along with the Jet drill press, may I recommend that you get a set of Forstner bits, a set of brad tipped drill bits, a set of sanding drums, a circle/wheel cutter, and of course the 3" magnetic dust pickup.


Craftsman
Tool Chest

This is a Sears model 706.659090 Roll-Away Chest and a model 706.659080 Tool Chest. It sure is nice for every hand tool to have its own spot! I didn't bother springing for the ball bearing slides, and I'm not regretting that decision one bit. I especially like the deep tool chest and all the split drawers rather than the fewer number of full-width drawers. Every time I open a package containing one of those silical gel packs, I toss it into a drawer to reduce the chance of moisture buildup in the units.


Craftsman
Detail Sander

This is the Sears model 315.116090 Dustless Detail Sander. It's pretty handy for removing pencil marks and excess glue runout which the random orbit sander can't reach, On the downside, it's back-and-forth action nearly guarantees scratching the wood. Or maybe I just need to get better at using this tool?


Ryobi
Table Saw

This is the Ryobi BT3000 series Table Saw. I've owned mine for several months now and I've been very happy with it. The lack of a standard miter slot is perhaps the saw's greatest fault, but Ryobi sells a slot table for $50 or you can build one yourself like I did. The saw is both quiet and smooth, and the dust collection port is great! Removing the blade guard (for dadoing) sure could be easier I decided to hang onto my old Craftsman table saw just to save myself the setup time on the Ryobi, and that seems like a good use for the older saw.


Porter Cable
Random Orbit Sander

This is the Porter Cable mode 333VS 5" Random Orbit Sander. Once again, it's the top rated tool according to the folks in the newsgroup rec.woodworking. After using it extensively, I'll have to admit that it's fantastic! It purrs along smoothly and delivers a great sanding job essentially free of marks.


Bosch
Jigsaw

This is the Bosch model 1584VS Orbital Jig Saw. It's reputedly the best jig saw on the market today, or at least it's the top saw according to a concensus of folks in the newsgroup rec.woodworking. I picked up a refurbished model at half price from www.onsale.com, and I look forward to using the clic blade system. After the purchase I thought I might have preferred the top handle model (1587) but now after a number of uses I must say I really like the barrel grip design!

As a small aside, I'd like to point out that this Jig Saw replaces my first ever power tool: a Black & Decker two speed jig saw which I can remember purchasing as a pre-teen for $12 at a nearby Roses store (a local dime store chain) more than twenty years ago. (sniff) The B&D model still ran, but the base plate wouldn't hold the blade vertical while cutting. And just last Saturday (8/22/98) I stripped out the last little bit of thread that held the blade set screw in place while I was cutting some 3/4" plywood. It also broke my last 3 blades in less than 15 minutes, so in disgust I tossed the old monster into the garbage.


Craftsman
Compound Miter Saw

This is the Sears model 315.235360 Compound Miter Saw. I spent a long time agonizing over this purchase and whether or not to get a slider. The cheaper tool wins again! This CMS came in a kit with two side support extensions, a "stop" bracket that fits on one extension, a screw clamp, and a dust collection bag. Unfortunately the dust collector fitting was a non-standard size. Not to worry, I got a 1-1/2" to 2-1/4" fitting, jammed an R/C car tire into the small end (a thick foam-like tire), and it now fits snugly over the dust collection bag fitting! The saw seems to work very well, although even with the dust collector on I get a lot of loose sawdust on the table behind the blade. I'm thinking of installing something like a radial arm saw dust collector behind the saw to help pick up this loose stuff. Check back and you may see a picture of that.


Delta
Jointer/Planer

This is the Delta model 37-070 6-1/8" Jointer/Planer. (No, I don't buy ALL my tools at Sears!) Seems to work very nicely, I've been very happy with it. I didn't spring for the dust collector attachment but rather made my own with a scrap of 1/4" plywood and a 2-1/2" hose connector I received in a hose kit from Sears (where else?). I used this on top of my Black & Decker BenchMate 200 work table for awhile before eventually building a rolling table for both the jointer and my compound miter saw.


Craftsman
Shop Vac

This is a Sears model 113.177060 16-gallon Shop Vac. It's top is held on with plastic buckle, and when unsnapped the top becomes a 200MPH leaf blower. It's a cute feature, and I find that after vacuuming garage (where I work) I can blow it out to get the sawdust in the hard-to-reach places. I use the shop vac for dust colection. The original paper filter seems to clog up pretty well when I'm finish sanding my projects, but I don't see any sawdust floating around in the garage. The shop vac is also fairly noisy. If you get a shop vac I highly recommend getting a muffler. The plastic muffler doesn't look like much, but it works!

I should point out that I do use hearing protection. Anyone who uses noisy power tools inside should. I was using earplugs for awhile for the best hearing protection (34db dampening?). However, I've found the headphone style (28db dampening?) to be much more convenient.

I also discovered a neato little device down at Radio Shack which makes using the dust collector much more convenient: a keychain remote system. For $25, the keychain remote model 61-2663 allows me to turn my dust collector on and off with the touch of a button. I put velcro on the back of the remote and a mating piece on or near each piece of equipment in my shop. Now I can turn the dust collector on and off without having to run a separate dust collection wire to each tool or move from my tool while I'm working. This model seems to handle the capacity of my shop vac. Other models are available elsewhere, I've seen them at http://www.smarthome.com, look for the X10 Wireless RF Keychain Remote & Base.


Craftsman
Table Saw

This is a Sears model 113.221770 10" Table Saw. I'm told that this saw is made by Emerson. It's got a 2.5HP (hah!) direct-drive motor, a fence that can cut no more than 12" on either side of the blade, and it came with a leg set. The arbor is kinda short, so I can't put much more than 1/2" worth of a stacking dado blade on at once. There's a dust collection port on the back, but it takes some effort to make this work since there was no bottom cover provided. I made a bottom plate out of MDF only to find that the dust collection port really didn't operate all that efficiently -- lots of sawdust seeped out of other openings (which I'd assumed were for ventilation and "make-up" air), and the sawdust literally "shot" out of the front slots for the blade tilt lock and blade height handles.

I made some modifications which greatly improved the dust collection ability of the saw. First, I purchased the Craftsman table saw dust collector kit (plastic), which basically hangs down beneath the table and has a 2-1/2" port at the bottom of the "funnel". I changed the bottom insert material from MDF to 1/4" plywood (for strength), then screwed and caulked the dust collector insert to the plywood, and caulked the plywood to the bottom of the saw. I covered the original dust collection port with 1/4" plywood and caulked it on. Inside the saw, I molded some sheets of plastic (flashing I'd cut off a kitchen drawer silverware insert) and replaced the undersized metal guard which I suspect was supposed to prevent the sawdust "shooting" problem I described above.

I noticed when cutting the "butt grooves" from my barstool project that the height adjustment wheel became self-adjusting with the vibrations! Granted, the saw is probably underpowered for cutting Red Oak slid sideways across the blade (a scary operation, and the saw sure made a nasty noise!), but I was still surprised to the the height adjustment creeping. I haven't noticed this problem while using the saw "normally".

My only real complaint is that 12" just isn't enough cutting width. 16" or even 24" would be much better. Sears doen't seem to sell extension kits for this saw. I've tried to find an extension set to fit this saw form other vendors without success. I've thought about making my own wood extension with fold-out leg(s), but I'm not crazy about the fold-out legs or the fact that my fence won't fit it without some fancy wood work. (Hey! No comments from the peanut gallery on this issue, please. I know I'm a woodworker and I should be able to do that, but I want to complain!) Does anyone know where I can get an extension that will fit my saw? Does anyone else sell Emerson saws, or does anyone know under what name(s) Emerson saws are marketed?


Craftsman
Plunge Router

This is a Sears model 315.175070 1-3/4 HP Variable Speed Plunge Router. A close inspection reveals this to be a Ryobi Model RE175, but without the depth stop adjustment knob in the rear. Not a bad little router, it seems to handle the jobs I've given it. The plunge mechanism was a little sticky at first, but nothing a squirt of Teflon spray didn't fix right up. The shaft takes 1/4" bits only. I like the locking shaft for changing bits, the locking plunge release makes it easy to set the blade depth, and the depth stop mechanism seems to work well. My two biggest complaints are that I can't seem to find an edge guide for this router which slides into the base with two rods. The plastic edge guide that Sears sells for this model screws onto the router base and is really a piece of crap. I guess it's better than nothing, though.

I bought a plastic tabletop router table made by Vermont American to use with the router. All I can say is: it works. The table is so lightweight that it's really unusable without bolting it down to something. I built some leg extensions out of scrap 2x4s, but it's still not quite heavy enough... The work area really wasn't big enough so I picked up a couple of metal extensions for it. The fence was pitiful. One day recently I was looking through the discount bin at WalMart (of all places!?) and came across a nifty fence with dust collection built in for an unbelievable $20. Now, if I only had dust collection under the table...

I'm sure that some day I'll buy another router. I'll be looking for one that can use 1/2" bits in addition to 1/4" bits, perhaps one with a bit more power, and I'd like dust collection if at all possible. But before I get a new router I'll probably build myself a new router table. I've seen plenty of plans on the web, maybe that'll be my next project.

Speaking of router bits, here's a picture of what I have.


Craftsman
Cordless Drill

This is a Sears model 973.27492 12v Variable Speed Reversible Drill with a 3/8" keyless chuck. The Sears rep told me it was a DeWalt drill with a Makita chuck (if you can believe that), although a close inspection revealed this to be a Ryobi drill. Anyhoo, I love this drill! It's got to be my favorite hand-held power tool. The drill rests extremely comfortably in my hand, it's not too heavy, and it's got plenty of power. It's got a torque adjustment, a built-in level, and the built-in storage for two screwdriver bits means I don't have to remember to grab one when I get the drill. The kit came with a spare quick-change battery pack, charger, and carrying case (plastic). I can't believe how long I clung to my old el-cheapo Sears cordless drill before getting this one -- the difference between the two is like night and day. Many thanks to my wife for getting me this as a Christmas gift! Special note: My old cordless drill is a 6v Sears model 900.11215. It has two speeds, 300 and 500 RPM. I picked it up many years ago before the rapid-change battery packs became popular. The drill is OK for very light duty, but it really doesn't have the torque or speed to compare to a good 'ol corded drill. When the original NiCads in that drill went bad, Sears said it would be cheaper to buy a new drill than to replace the old cells (since the batteries were sealed in the handle of the old drill). But I was handy with electronics and an electric R/C modeler, and I found that I could buy new batteries and replace the old ones for under $20. I did that several times, extending the life of that drill WAY beyond its expected lifetime, I'm sure. Anyone want to buy an old Sears cordless drill? :)


Craftsman
Belt Sander

This is a Sears model 315.117131 3x21" Belt Sander. It's rated 1HP and 1300fpm. It works, but I'm not ecstatic about this purchase. Not too long after I purchased this sander it developed a "spot" on the motor. Basically, if the belt stops in just the wrong position the sander won't start when you hit the button. To fix it, roll the belt a small amount and then try again. The belt also likes to creep on the rollers during use. I've adjusted the thingamajig through both extremes and found the best position, but the belt still creeps. Unfortunately there's no "lock-on" latch and no dust collection chute either, but I guess I knew that before I made my purchase.


Black & Decker
1/3 Sheet Sander

This is a Black & Decker model 7448 1/3 sheet sander. It's rated 1.6A and does 1600 OPM. I really like the fact that I can buy full sheets of sandpaper and cut them to size for peanuts. I wish there was a dust collection port. It works OK for light jobs, but I've found that if I have to use it for very long my hand that's holding it begins to tingle. That can't be good. I've thought about purchasing a Porter Cable model 333 5" random orbit sander to replace it, but so far I haven't come up with the $$$. In the meantime, I've got a pair of "gel" gloves that I wear when using this sander.


Black & Decker
Circular Saw

This is a Black & Decker model 7391, 2-1/8HP, 7-1/4" circular saw. Works for me.


Craftsman
Corded Drill

This is a Sears model 315.101421 Variable Speed Reversible 3/8" drill. It has a 3/8" chuck which requires a chuck key. Much to my dismay, the chuck cannot be replaced with a keyless chuck because the screw that holds the chuck in place is not threaded. Major bummer! The same was true of an old Sears 6.2v cordless drill that I still have, so I shoulda known better. The drill was a gift from my wife.

Well, that's about it. I'll add to this page as my power tool collection grows. I've really enjoyed creating this page; it's given me a way to bridge my interest in woodworking with my interest in computing.

Most of the pictures on my web site were taken with my Ricoh RDC-2 digital camera.

All of the opinions on this page are my own. I doubt anyone else would claim them. I'm not affiliated with Sears or any other vendor mentioned on this page. If I stepped on your toes then write me and I'll say I'm sorry.

This page was last updated February 5, 2002