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kp91 · 02-10-2007, 10:55 AM

Ain't it awesome how many different ways there are to do the same thing? The discussion above reminds me of the "wars" that go on about power tool junkies and hand tool purists. Is a router cut dovetail joint appropriate for fine furniture? Are tools not made by XYZ company 'good enough' for quality work? Are plywood and other manmade products wood? etc.

As a guy who lusts after the latest and greatest tools, yet comes last on the food chain at home, I've had to 'make do' a lot when faced with challenges early on in woodworking because I simply didn't have the tools to do it 'the fast and efficient way.' So, a hand miter box and a shooting board worked (and still does best in some ways) until I got a miter saw. Circular saw and guides until I stepped up to a decent table saw. Paying a sawmill or driving to a buddy's house to get boards planed, etc... I'm sure we could all go on with similar examples. I still check the availability of previously loved woodworking and shop tools on Craigslist.com, Ebay, or the reconditioned tool outlets to squeeze the last bit out of my woodworking dollars.

One of the things I've always liked best about the Router Workshop series is the Keep it Simple, Stupid (KISS) mentality that Bob and Rick bring do routing. Simple fixtures and simple jigs can be amazingly efficient and acomplish a great deal of tasks. There are tons of plywood jig plans in shop reference books (free at the library too) that can teach you how to build a router mortise and tenon jig that looks a lot like the $300 and up ones that are the hot products today.

The balancing point becomes when you factor in what you do in your shop, and how valuable your time is. Going a little slower with a Harbor Freight $30 half blind jig may work fine if you're doing one chest of drawers a year, but the PC Omni Jig might be worth the extra $300 if making drawers is how you feed your kids.

There is a fine series of threads on this forum about folks using the little trim routers to carve signs. If doing one is not time critical, that's probably the way I'd do it. If I was doing it for a living, a ShopBot CNC is the way to go, and I'd probably try to pick up a used one at that.

The best thing about this forum is the experience of it's members. I have seen aproaches to tasks that I've done MY way since day one that are much more efficient, and maybe even safer. (you know, the feeling you get when the lightbulb finally comes on.....) Is one more RIGHT than others, I don't know, does it even matter?

So, to wrap up, we can carve by hand, we can carve freehand with a router using an oversized clear base plate, we can use Tom's method, we can use a method like the CMT 3d router carver (picture attached), we can use a $1800 compucarver (I hadn't thought of timesharing it like Bob suggests....), or a $5000 CNC, or a $13000 laser engraver. Whichever fits your need and budget is the way to go.

(I guarantee that my shop is going to look A LOT different if I ever win the lottery......)

The more exposure we have to different ways of doing the same thing, no matter how crazy we may initially perceive them, the better we will become in our own shops.