[Dega]

Having seen a couple questions on "best" router (including my own) I thought I'd start a thread where y'all could post recommendations on shop tools from experiences y'all have had in the past. Things like . . .

Best router
Best/most useful store bought jig
Best home made jig
Best workbenches and shop layouts

Etc., etc., etc . . .

Perhaps even two catagories -
1. if money was no object (yea right!) and
2. best for the frugal woodworker's small salary . . .

What dy'all think?

 

[Dega]

Hey Mark, if this thread takes off, can we get it made a sticky? Maybe sticky the "online router stuff" thread as well. Might be two very useful threads for new members. And for the rest of us too.

 

[Glenmore]

Yeah this would be a good idea to see what products could help us out with the routering and shop perspective I think it would be very useful.

 

[Mark]

Mmm sure, lets just see how it goes.

 

[ejant]

Right now on the top of my wish list is a One Way 1224 lathe

 

[kp91]

Too bad I just answered the "best/favorite" router question in another topic. Oh, well, short and sweet, my favorite router right now is the PC 890 series.

my favorite "jig", believe it or not, is the set of brass setup bars I picked up loooong ago at a woodworking show (the next year, I went back and bought the spacer fence system, but that's a different story). The simplicity of not having to measure, especially with my eyes, is a tremendous time saver in the shop. I use them to set up everything, from the router table to the table saw.

sometimes simplest is best.

 

[Mark]

Dega, thread is successfuly STUCK! lol ( I made the thread a sticky )

 

[Ken Massingale]

Too bad I just answered the "best/favorite" router question in another topic. Oh, well, short and sweet, my favorite router right now is the PC 890 series.

my favorite "jig", believe it or not, is the set of brass setup bars I picked up loooong ago at a woodworking show (the next year, I went back and bought the spacer fence system, but that's a different story). The simplicity of not having to measure, especially with my eyes, is a tremendous time saver in the shop. I use them to set up everything, from the router table to the table saw.

sometimes simplest is best.

I agree with Doug on the brass setup bars. My set stays in my shop apron, ready to use. Thanks to The Router Workshop, I had not seen them before I saw Bob and Rick use them.
As for the favorite jig, it has to be the mortise jig I built from Shopnotes:

 

[dustmaster]

My dream for a dream shop would be the shop itself. Got to be big enough and have several thousand power outlets!

 

[Dr.Zook]

My dream shop would be one like Norms, only better.

 

[Dewy]

My dream shop would be one like Norms, only better.

Mine's just like Norms only half the length, a quarter the width and half the height.
With a flat roof sloping slightly from front to back I can almost get to the back without bending to stop hitting my head on the steel roof joists.
With carful planning it's surprising what can be fitted in a small workshop.
In my 20'x10' workshop (garage) I have most machines I want apart from a lathe and thicknesser yet am in the planning stage for a complete refitting with all the gardening tools relegated to a shed I will be making for them.

One of the foremost router experts in UK, Ron Fox, has a workshop so well laid out that he can work with no problems in the 16'x8' side extension on his house.
He has cupboards full of routers and makes most of his own templates.
He still has, and uses the first router he bought about 40 years ago when they were prohibitavely expensive for home use.
He has a scroll saw by a low window.
If he has a long moulding to do he moves the saw to one side and can feed the wood from his router table through the window which was purposely put there for that reason.

My choice for best router would have to be the Festool which has been designed to be able to use it with one hand safely.
The price is likely to keep that beauty out of my shop unless I win a fortune on the lottery. lol

 

[reible]

I did a little story about a dream shop

A little attempt a humor on my part, check out:More like the tall tails but with a different twist…….
See:
www.routerforums.com/showpost.php?p=3552&postcount=9

Ed

 

[CanuckBeaver]

My dream shop would be one like Norms, only better.

And if you have the winning lottery numbers.... :sold:

 

[Dr.Zook]

Maybe if I had Bill Gates money, I could afford one better than Norms.

 

[pmspirito]

I have my dream shop. And later this week when my Grizzly G1023ZX with the additional sliding table arrives to replace the current Ryobi table saw it will be complete. 24" x 31" with 3 tons of central a/c and heat, satelite TV, full attic for storage. There is at least one of every power tool known to man (e.g. 4 routers) except a lathe (not interested). I suppose at some point I will have to fiqure out how to use this stuff as my wife is asking when I will begin to build something other than shelves in the wood shop to hold all of the power tools that I bought to build the shelves in the wood shop to hold all of the power tools I bought to build the shelves in the wood shop to hold the power tools that............I better put a cap on that drum of lacquer thinner...........soon..........latter........eventually..........Wher'd I put that new ToolCrib catalog......

 

[CanuckBeaver]

Nice toy room pmspirito! I like mine (22x26x10 with 8'9"x16' AC) but I'll trade if you insist?

 

[pmspirito]

Thanks. I have to thank my wife Judy for all of her support and encouragement. In the past when i was an electrical contractor i never had the time or the place and therefore never bought the equipment. Now as a building inspector i have the time and the place and the equipment. Also I am around a lot of high end cabinetry and woodwork and get to watch and ask questions. I may go into a house for a plumbing inspection and i'll ask the cabinet guy "what's the #1 tip for today".

I have been working on 6 replacement wooden columns for the front porch for a 100 year old family homestead in North Carolina that my wife inherited. I'm not sure if this house is a blessing or a curse. This weekend i created a spray booth in 1/3 of the shop with vis-queen so i could spray paint them. Its fun and every task is a skill builder towards future projects.

 

[kemo]

Nice toy room pmspirito! I like mine (22x26x10 with 8'9"x16' AC) but I'll trade if you insist?

Yo, I had the same problem until I turned the paper over...No problems since. You may want to watch out for a little more dust than before.

 

[PoPnBuG]

Dream Shop??

Several thousand square feet, plenty of power, and "one of everything"

 

[pmspirito]

THE DREAM SHOP GROWS March 1st was my birthday and my lovely wife Judy bought me the Rigid oscilating spindle and belt sander from Home Depot. A very sweet machine. It comes completely assembled and the change over from spindle to belt requires removing only one knob. The dust collection is excellent and I am very particular about dust in my shop.