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Post by wrightwoodwork on Oct 7, 2013 17:56:33 GMT -5
Good advice from ghostfish and jalvis I have to agree about the hand tools and building them up there is certain tasks where u have far more control with a hand tool than a power tool. Power tools will save you time but sometimes they will cause more time in setting up where. A hand tool that is well. maintained will be ready to go with no setting up , an example of where I think a good old fashioned smoothing plane is better than an electric planer is when fitting a door into an opening and it might be slight tight in 1 place down the lock side it is far easier to take a couple of shaving off with a smoothing plane than an electric planer where it can be too easy to end up taking off to much you will end up with pitch in ed where the cutter hits as it goes round which stick out like a sore thumb even if you sand the edge they will still be there where a nice sharp hand plane you don't get them problems
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Post by stofke72 on Oct 7, 2013 19:16:45 GMT -5
Good advice from ghostfish and jalvis I have to agree about the hand tools and building them up there is certain tasks where u have far more control with a hand tool than a power tool. Power tools will save you time but sometimes they will cause more time in setting up where. A hand tool that is well. maintained will be ready to go with no setting up , an example of where I think a good old fashioned smoothing plane is better than an electric planer is when fitting a door into an opening and it might be slight tight in 1 place down the lock side it is far easier to take a couple of shaving off with a smoothing plane than an electric planer where it can be too easy to end up taking off to much you will end up with pitch in ed where the cutter hits as it goes round which stick out like a sore thumb even if you sand the edge they will still be there where a nice sharp hand plane you don't get them problems First thing I did was buying an old plane from a retired woodworker, it's an incredible beautiful tool, I need to sharpen it but I can see where this thing will be useful, thanks for the advice. Oh and chisels too, actually I love chisels, I discovered there is a lot one can do with a simple chisel.
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Post by GhostFist on Oct 7, 2013 22:30:17 GMT -5
Chisels are another area where you can spend a pile of money unnecessarily. The quality in a chisel comes in how well they are sharpened (by you) and the quality of the steel. Don't buy the fanciest chisels you can find, out of the gate. In fact I recommend you buy some cheaper ones like irwin or something and teach yourself how to hone and maintain them. You can upgrade the chisels you use most add you need them and keep the cheapies as "beaters".
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Post by jalvis on Oct 8, 2013 10:00:13 GMT -5
Some hand tools are great for there efficiency, but it really depends on the task. Chisels, Block plane, Japenese flush cut saws or a Small backsaw with miter box are good start. As a guiding rule one will have higher production and efficiency with power tools which is important when it comes to building profit and a sustainable wage.
If I were to start over I would be sure to get a good Vacuum like the Festool CT. I waited too long before getting one because the price seemed high, but I was really just making everything harder on myself.
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Post by elimelech12 on Oct 14, 2013 23:12:22 GMT -5
Hey everyone, my name is Pablo. I'm from NY and I'm an aspiring woodworker. I picked up a passion for it 5 years ago when I moved into our home. I decided I didn't want to furnish it with IKEA and I fell into a downward spiral of spending. I started with all craftsman and dewalt, some ridgid too. As I looked to upgrade some stuff I came upon Festool. This is not my primary source of income so it was hard to justify the cost at first, but after I built my first built-in entertainment unit in my home my wife was really impressed and so was I. I guess some of the things my grandfather thought me stuck. I would watch him as a young boy. He built his own home. I wish I could do this for a living. Maybe one day.
As I progressed I stumbled on a company known as Mafell. I had just upgraded my TS55EQ to the REQ and had sold my ps300 for the Carvex. The recall of the REQ and the lack of basic woodworking functions of the Carvex disillusioned me with Festools new products. Don't get me wrong I love their systems approach, but there is no doubt that in those 2 categories (track and jig) Mafell is the winner. Plus, the way that most discussions on another forum about Mafell were quickly shunned by forum members landed me here. I was even told by a forum member that my mention of Mafell was "disturbing" to him. LOL. I just want to talk woodwork and have honest unbiased opinions on tools.
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okami
New Member
Posts: 27
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Post by okami on Oct 15, 2013 0:07:57 GMT -5
I assume you mean the fog forum. Protective bunch over there:) I've never got attached/obsessed with one particular brand in that way. I like to get the best tool for a particular job regardless of brand. Sometimes price and job planned for the tool dictates. I wouldn't "blindly" buy a tool or "upgrade" it just because it's a certain brand. I find it more disturbing that someone would find your mention of another brand disturbing:) Odd..
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Post by stofke72 on Oct 15, 2013 4:30:21 GMT -5
Welcome Pablo, blind brand loyalty is stupid not only when it comes to woodworking.
I have an old Opel car, a brand considered in Europe to be the kind the "average joe" drives around, nothing fancy. I know some people (family members) who swear with Volvo well their cars have had nothing but trouble with their electronics while my simple Opel never had any problems at all, apart from changing light bulbs and the usual maintenance and it's 9 years old.
One has to look at the actual car/product itself not only the brand and more important the service and warranty you get with it.
I don't care if not all my stuff is from the same brand, I just want reliable things that make me productive and if Festool is better I'll buy Festool if Mafell is better I'll buy Mafell provided I can afford to choose.
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Post by GhostFist on Oct 15, 2013 6:08:44 GMT -5
Ya I'm not for brand cults. By all means the best tool for the job IS the best tool for the job, and that is determined by you the consumer. Carpentry/woodworking is an ancient skill set and for the majority of it's history was done successfully without track saws and jigsaws with disco lights on them. I own a lot of festool, I will continue to by more, but it's bad business to base MY business solely around one manufacturer's offerings. Think of your tool set like a baseball team, the players don't all come from the city they represent. Their talents are carefully evaluated and their cost factored into the teams budget, with clever investment and proper research hopefully you come out with a winning team.
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Post by jalvis on Oct 15, 2013 10:32:52 GMT -5
Welcome to the Forum.
Ghostfist has a very good analogy. I'm not much for brand loyalty either and aspire to be non-bias.
The only advantage to brand loyalty is one no longer has to shop. Although this comes with a vail of ignorance and misfortune as the "team" will suffer.
I've gained from this forums willingness to share and look forward to Pablo's contributions.
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Post by 7 on Oct 15, 2013 23:27:58 GMT -5
I'm having a hard time not being brand loyal to mafell. The size of my wallet and the fact that mafell doesn't make all types of tools helps me to stay unbiased I guess.
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Post by GhostFist on Oct 16, 2013 5:54:00 GMT -5
Well you're better off picking and choosing what's right for you
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Post by christoph on Oct 16, 2013 13:09:59 GMT -5
Hey there, happy to see there are more and more People who like Mafell-Quality too :-) Found the "MUF" 2 days ago, great idea!
I'm Christoph from southern-Germany near Stuttgart (sorry, my english is not the best, not enough practice since school...).
I'm not a professional craftsman, but i like working with wood, built own furniture etc., and for shure i like perfect machines for that!
In our little workshop we have the following Mafell tools: Erika 85ec, MT55 plunge saw, P1cc Jigsaw, Lo50e router, DD40P dowler, but also some Festool sanders, a Metabo chopsaw and some other Fein and Bosch tools like the Multimaster, some Screwdrivers, etc.
My Mafell dealer is a great guy and a real Mafell-Expert with own authorized Mafell-repair-center. So if we have questions we couln't find an answer in this forum i can ask him everytime! Feel free to contact me!
He told me that Mafell was foundet 1899 here in Fellbach, 5km from Stuttgart, the name Mafell comes from MAschinenfabrik FELLbach, didnt know that before! 1933 Mafell moved to Oberndorf, which is also not too far from Stuttgart... Festool (Plochingen), Fein (Schwäbisch Gmünd) and Bosch (Feuerbach/Leinfelden) where also foundet here and are still located near Stuttgart. Mafell and Fein are still producing all their machines only here, Festool (Czechia) and Bosch (all over Asia) are also producing in other countries, i think you know ;-)
Glad to be here!
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Post by GhostFist on Oct 16, 2013 13:26:40 GMT -5
Awesome! Welcome aboard! I spent some time in Rhineland Phaltz a few years back and darn well near moved there. I assure you your English is far better than my german. Great to have you on the forum!
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Post by christoph on Oct 16, 2013 13:48:53 GMT -5
Thanks  I read somwhere here your working in the film-industry? Your from canada? Did you come to Rheinland-Pfalz during your military service!? So if you plan to visit germany again contact me and we make a little tour here at Mafell, Festool, Fein, Mercedes, Porsche etc ;-)
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Post by wrightwoodwork on Oct 16, 2013 14:04:47 GMT -5
Great to have you aboard the thing I like about mafell is that the people that develop their tools are carpenters so provide feedback to the engineers. Never been to Germany but was planing to come earlier in the year but plans changed
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