So where do you shop to get good / reasonably priced tools
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It is clear to me (from what I have read from others online and what I have seen in stores) that there are a range of tools out there. It is “fairly” easy to determine what power tools to get (OK, within a range I suppose) but hand tools are particularly difficult for me to figure out.
Some of the prices I see are moronic! Almost $200 for a tenon saw?
So my question is: where does everyone go to get reasonably priced tools that will last and do quality work for the weekend hobbyist?
Thanks!
Replies
Peter has given you good advice. There are less-expensive tools available that will "get the job done". The tool reviews in the archives here usually include a decent spread of quality and price, for example. Dealers that cater to hobbyists, such as Rockler and Woodcraft, are good places to look for new tools of decent, but not always stellar quality, as well. Another place at which to compare brands and prices is Woodworker's Supply (http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/home.exe). Buying used, if you know what you are looking for/at, can be economical, but can also trade cost for effort in tuning or sharpening. Sharpening is inevitable, however.
Also, with power tools, be aware that the models carried by the big-box stores are often made especially for that chain, using different components that enable the lower prices. So, even with well-known brands, you have to pay close attention.
Over time, one develops a greater appreciation for the differences in quality that often justify the difference in price.
It's a slippery slope
For chisels, try the Narex line from Highland Woodworking. For a reasonable dovetail saw, try Ace hardware or sears. The difference between between their saws and the $200 one you mention might be more subtle than the difference between a Kay and Martin guitar; but a good player can make either work. Of course there is that old saw in the back of your mind that says good tools make difficult things possible, but it is an old saw.
Once you have the hand tools then the cruel joke is that they only work if you go on to sharpen them. Buy a $10 chisel or a $200 plane and then you need a set of Norton waterstones that cost $70 each and honing gigs on top of that. One can lost trying to get an edge when all you wanted was to make a simple book case. My advise is to buy a $10 card scraper and learn to put an edge on it with nothing more than an old screw driver.
For bargains try Ebay and Craigs List for folks who've lost interest, gotten tired or their offspring clearing out the estate. Buy the few tools that you need for a particular job. Over time you'll loose track of how much you've actually spent. And then somehow that $200 tenon saw will seem a reasonable price for a tool that lets you feel special and matches the level of your skills.
Peter
Peter
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