Resawing results & some favorite tools

Carol Reed

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Coolidge, AZ
Last week there was a thread about bandsaw blades and I mentioned I bought a Timberwolf AS-S series for resawing a bunch of red oak. Well, today I got started on that project. What a sweet blade that is! I took care to set up the bandsaw properly. I used a Clamp'N Tool guide as a fence and a Rigid magnetic Feather Board from Home Depot to keep things in line. It went a smooth as silk. I have a bunch more to do, but I am now looking forward to it.

Favorite tools? I love the blade, but I also love the feather boards. So much so, that I popped another $30 for a second one. There is another thread about affording woodworking. Some things I cannot afford to be without. Anything that makes things easier, faster, safer, also makes them more predictable and accurate, thus increasing my sense of well-being. Little things like clamps, feather boards, saw blades, and a gazillion other goodies in the shop are a whole lot less expensive and a ton more fun than the counselor's couch!

So what are some of your favorite, don't want to life without tools? I have a lot more, but I don't want to pig out on band width.
 
I'm trying to visualize your re-saw setup with the clamp and feather boards, but not quite clear. Can you snap a pic?

Overall, my favorite purchase was my Jessem Miter for my TS, it's a bit heavy, but love the extra width and accuracy when cutting angles. The wixey angle gauge was a big improvement as well for squaring things up.

New blades on a well tuned saw is a real treat and needing to replace several of mine since income a bit more fluid again. Will have to check out the Timberwolf blades.
 
In no particular order...
  • Incra TSIII and fence, plus Incra Miter 1000SE on the tablesaw - with these two tools, I KNOW my cuts will be square, straight, and to the correct dimensions. (Or if they're not, it's my fault, not the fault of the tools.)
  • MicroJig Grr-ripper push block
  • Any of my Thompson gouges
  • Grex 2" pneumatic ROS - the Magic Scratch Eraser[SUP]TM[/SUP]
  • Tormek T2000 - Fast, repeatable results when sharpening my gouges
  • Trend Airshield
  • Oneida Dust Deputy - has paid for itself in saved shop vac filters
And many more...
 
just bit the bullet for a 3M PAPR setup to replace the borrowed one that i used to use..but got asked to return it.. and to me saving my lungs from spraying anything is worth it.. fortunately it was payed for by the latest commission i am in process on.
 
I really love my LV medium shoulder plane, their snazzy block plane and a bunch of those nifty rare earth magnets. Those are the handiest little buggers. I have also acquired, over the years, most of a set of Berg bench chisels. Love those chisels!
 
the two best tool purchases I made, so far, are the 30 year old 10" Rockwell/Beaver bandsaw, that I have used in every project since I got it, and the 5 gal. Ridgid shop vac that I use to clean up the mess afterwards. I can't use the vac with the bandsaw or the table saw running, as it trips the breaker, but I sometimes attach it to my router or planer.
 
I'm trying to visualize your re-saw setup with the clamp and feather boards, but not quite clear. Can you snap a pic?.

I bet it is kinda like this:

Resaw (1).jpg

But, maybe with a taller fence of some sort?

Resaw (2).jpgResaw (3).jpg

As to favorites; too many to choose as they are favored per task :). The LV medium shoulder plane certainly earns its keep as does their little apron plane. I have a few cutters that are favorites from spiral heads to router bits. Timberwolf and Woodslicer bandsaw blades are a favorite. They don't have the longevity of carbide but at the price ratio during sales, you can make a good case for changing blades as they wear. The extra long spiral router bits from Whiteside make routing with jigs more versatile and member Jerrimy Snook's touch on some of my tablesaw blades has moved my work to a whole new level despite my 'underpowered' saw.

Even if I only listed things I use on nearly every piece I make it would get boring:
Marking knife
Combo square
Set of steel rules
1, 2, 3 and setup blocks
Right to left tape measure
Dust collection / Vacs
Jigsaw (I use this more to breakdown material than a circ-saw)
Bandsaw / fence and featherboards
Jointer
Planer
Tablesaw / fence and featherboards
Router table / fence and featherboards
Hand planes
Chisels
Card scrapers
Clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, clamps, oh . . . and clamps.
Cauls
Glue pot, brushes, sticks and fingers

All favorites at their task and many good versions available . . . . what was that about how one affords woodworking :huh:. As Carol stated; cheaper than a counselor's couch.
 
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Glen nailed it with pic #1. Thanks, Glen, now I don't have to take the pic. I also have the medium and taller fences, but not needed yet for this project.

As for other favorite tools, I would not be without all the drafting triangles I have, from 3" to 24". My secret to squareness. Also love my Bridge City saddle square (was a gift from teaching days). And Xacto knifes for marking and positioning jigs. Would be hard to name just one, wouldn't it? :rofl:
 
Favorite tool is what ever I am using at the time if I am getting the job done.

Still say the air compressor is the best tool I ever bought. However I tried to use it and a small air motor driven wheel to cut plastic today and all I did was make a melted mess. Went to an 8 inch pull saw and things went much better....
 
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