gift card dilemma

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Location
Central (upstate) NY
I'm down to just under $30 on my Lowes gift card I received over the winter holidays. I was browsing the store earlier today and noticed two possibilities. The bessey 90 degree clamps (as discussed here) are $30 and I only have one, want at least one more. Or, the Skil brand lock miter router bit is also $30. After discussing router bits in my earlier thread, I still want to play with a lock miter bit, but if it ends up being a major hassle and I just put it away to decorate a drawer, $30 is better than $80 for an Amana or like brand.

Not being flush enough this week to just get both I did the "over-30" thing and just came home.

I'll be flush enough next week to just get both and some more. Put in 53 hours this week, so nice overtime, and the bonus pay I get for showing up the day before and after the recent winter holidays should arrive then too. Just need to figure out how responsible I'll be with some car repairs looming on the horizon and what my toy, erm, I mean, tool budget will be.
 
mark if it were me i would tend to go with the clamp over the lock mitre, i would get some more input on the lock mitre setup.. i have a 22.5 lock miter and for inside corner cabs it was just the ticket locates and keeps them alighned.. the 45 degree lock mitre would do the same but i dont find myself using it much.. other ways to skin the cat and easier.. remeber the corner has to be square or your gonna have a crack, and if your base is off your not square no more..and once you make the lock mitre cut your peice is done.
 
Larry, for the immediate turn I have taken your advice.

I'll try to post pics tomorrow if it is too cold to play in the shop (but I'm hoping you all have to wait to see the swag! :wave: ).

From Ken's local hardware shop (on my commute) I picked up the 8" Freud box joint stacked set.

From Lowes I picked up a second Bessey right angle clamp, a General auto-mark punch thingee (was impressed with how my machinist friend used his to dimple to start a drill hole), some more t-shirt wipes for finishing, a small, admittedly way overpriced piece of 1/4" thick maple - planning to recut the key slots to 1/4" using the new Freud set for the ongoing jewelry box project. I'd mill my own, but don't think it will be warm enough for shortsleeves tomorrow and I'm not willing to use jointer in long sleeves. Let's see, what else? LOL I don't remember and we just got back not even an hour ago. Maybe I also tossed in the lock miter too. I did get the clamp though, not sure if I can say I took Larry's advice if I went and got both. :dunno: :rofl:

Anyhow, we also went to Big Lots. I was looking for a giant drill bit set they had awhile back that included numbered and lettered sizes but it wasn't there. They did have 48" and 60" Stanley parellel jaw clamps. At $15 each (for either size), I brought home two 60" lengths.
 
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