Thread: What's your favorite power tool?

I do restorations by hand at the moment and number one on my list of tools to get is... wait for it... a belt sander.

Shaping and thicknessing scales by hand is very time consuming and definitely the part of the restoration that takes me the longest. Hand sanding a blade isnt too bad but the scales can take me four or five hours if the material they're made from is hard.

Number 1 overall power tool for me would be the table saw. With proper know how, you can do pretty much anything on a table saw. They even sell large sanding wheels that fit on the arbor of the saw.

Geezer: I do already have a shop vac, though it's only a little 1gal model. But I think coupled with a good respirator, which I have, that will be sufficient to catch dust if I place it correctly. Thanks for the other suggestions also! To all: I have a cheap little dremel-type tool that I use pretty often with a wire wheel and Maas for cleaning up blades, and I just saw in another post the drill press attachment for the dremel. That looks really handy. I actually have one of those drill press frames that fit on the chuck of a drill, and that has been enough for me since all i really use it for is drilling pin holes and maybe a pin out. Theseus: A table saw is pretty high on my list, but until we get the house with my basement it would take up more room than I currently have. I didn't know some have sanding attachments though. Do you have to have a variable speed model? Do they even make those?

For $200 you can buy a belt/disc sander and a small band saw from Harbor Freight. I have them both and am in the same both as you with scale making. It has greatly reduced time and frustration in their making. and have a bit left over to put toward a buffing wheel set up.

if you make your own scales, get a scroll saw.

Originally Posted by 96firephoenix

if you make your own scales, get a scroll saw.

I love a good heavy scroll saw but for the money he is looking to spend, he would have to get a smaller one and they tend to vibrate a ton in that size. Especially with small detail work on small pieces like scales. I hate the smaller ones.

Along the lines of the scroll saw: My father has a decent scroll saw, and I usually try to take at least one set of scale blanks over when I visit so I can avoid the coping saw. This is out of pure laziness though, as I can probably cope out a set of scales in under 5 minutes. The more I think about it, and the more opinions I get about how handy a belt sander is, the more I am leaning that way. I will probably go with one from sears, HD, or Lowes, and have a little bit left over. Maybe go in on some small stuff I have my eye on. I've got two questions now, though: is a 3/4hp motor necessary, or will 1/3hp be enough? And what are everyone's opinions on the 1" vs the 4" belt?

[QUOTE=Geezer;824923
A nylon stocking skinned over the input end is great for collecting the little parts you dropped onto the floor. They are easier to find in the sock than on the floor.
[/QUOTE]

This is brilliant.

My vote's for the belt sander. With a low-grit belt or disc you can go from a scale-sized rectangle of material to a scale in very little time, without any of that fussy sawing.

Other than that, my favorite power tool is the reciprocating saw, but that's just because of its destructive potential. Heh heh. heh.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

4x36 belt with a 6 inch disc sander is my number one most used tool in my shop... Second is a buffer

I'd second Glen's "Favorite". I could not imagine life in my shop without my 4 x 36 sander belt/disc combo!

Originally Posted by adbuett

snip... I will probably go with one from sears, HD, or Lowes, and have a little bit left over. Maybe go in on some small stuff I have my eye on. I've got two questions now, though: is a 3/4hp motor necessary, or will 1/3hp be enough? And what are everyone's opinions on the 1" vs the 4" belt?

If you are wanting to thin material for scales, the 4x36 may be a better call as it has a wide flat top and the sanding lines are parallel. You can also use the disk on either one for thinning scales, but not as conveniently. and you would have to hand sand to remove the semicircular grind marks. I like the 1x for contouring the outside of the scales while they are taped together after sawing.. I take off the top shield and use the top pulley to grind inside the top curve of scales. I have only stopped my extra cheapo HF 4x36 a couple times and I was really hogging on it to flatten a whet stone. Don't try this at home unless you go outside!!!!!

Double sided tape will be your friend!!! Permacel is my favorite and very expensive but a cloth carpet tape will work! Don;t use the fiberglass cloth type!!