Thread: What tools are in your dream workshop?

Originally Posted by baldy

I want one of these http://straightrazorpalace.com/forge...l-grinder.html

That is quite the piece of machinery there.

I know we're talking about a straight razor/woodshop here, but I might was well include a full home brewing setup. A couple 40gal tanks for starters.

I've been doing woodworks & restoring vintage furnitures as an occasional hobby for about 30 years. Also worked with engines, pumps, cars & motorcycles etc, doing this and that, so i have about everything i need in my workshop.
However. For some years i've been into using hand tools as much as possible and forget electronic tools unless there's no other reasonable way. Doing things like razor scales or horn or knife handles of bone is relatively easy without electric tools, really old school way. It's funny, rewarding and i've found that those items i've made/restored without buzzing tools have more personal value to me.

Originally Posted by Sailor

I've been doing woodworks & restoring vintage furnitures as an occasional hobby for about 30 years. Also worked with engines, pumps, cars & motorcycles etc, doing this and that, so i have about everything i need in my workshop.
However. For some years i've been into using hand tools as much as possible and forget electronic tools unless there's no other reasonable way. Doing things like razor scales or horn or knife handles of bone is relatively easy without electric tools, really old school way. It's funny, rewarding and i've found that those items i've made/restored without buzzing tools have more personal value to me.

I agree with Sailor, I was taught to do every job by hand at the beginning of my training, it was only later that I was allowed to use machinery / power tools to accomplish the tasks in hand, the rationale being that without mechanical assistance the end result could still be achieved.
The only time I use power tools is to take the drudgery out of the job, and to guarantee repeatable accuracy. Cutting a guitar neck profile from rock maple is a whole lot easier using a band saw rather than a bow or frame saw, and trust me, I have done it both ways!

I suppose at the end of the day it depends on whether you are working for fun or a hobby, or are trying to earn a living, the latter usually dictates that speed is of the essence.

Cannot think of any phase of razor resto work that actually requires any power tools.
I teach a JC metalshop course and the need for speed is engrained in todays youth sadley.
They hate doing it, but I try to teach them to polish,shape and fit metal by hand,keeping angles sharp and screwholes flat and undished.
Long ago my dad used to do shotgun resto work for abercrombies,we had all the major powertools in the shop but they were never used for that type of gunsmithing,was all handwork.

You guys make me feel spoiled.

I remodeled my garage into my ultimate man cave/workshop about a year and half ago. I am still working on getting some of it set up. When its all set up and going I will have the ultimate make anything workshop.
I have in there:

Hardinge TL10 tool room lathe
Hardinge DSM 59 turret lathe
36" American Watch and Tool co lathe (use it for a wood lathe)
Hardinge universal milling machine with vertical head
Whitney Roper kick press
8" metal shaper
Deckel GK 21 pantograph mill
Burgmaster 6 head turret drill press
Delta variable speed drill press
Small heat treat oven
2x72 belt grinder
6x48 belt sander with 12" disc sander combo
Delta jig saw
12" table saw
6" jointer
12" portable planer
17" wood bandsaw
12" Bel Air metal bandsaw
two fairly large workbenches
several nice vises in various sizes
lots of tooling for the machinery
several hand tools for woodworking/metalworking
Machinist measuring tools (calipers, michs, radius gauges, etc)
several stones for sharpening
Cedar cabinets around the room for storage
Various cordless hand power tools
And I have a nice stereo with surround sound. Oh ya!

Ray

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Cannot think of any phase of razor resto work that actually requires any power tools.
I teach a JC metalshop course and the need for speed is engrained in todays youth sadley.
They hate doing it, but I try to teach them to polish,shape and fit metal by hand,keeping angles sharp and screwholes flat and undished.
Long ago my dad used to do shotgun resto work for abercrombies,we had all the major powertools in the shop but they were never used for that type of gunsmithing,was all handwork.

I agree whole heartedly! Back in '68 when I was a freshman in high school and taking wood shop you first made a cutting board with beveled edges (they were made from pine) then you made a stool (they were made with mahogany)all with hand tools. At one point in time my mom and dad had three of each in the house!

When I was attending autobody repair in college, you learned to use hand tools to remove dent's including a 'file' that was mounted and used to remove metal very quickly. The machinist class was right next door and their first project was to smooth and level a piece of 1" flat iron with hand held scrapers.

All of the hand work has really come in handy throughout the years as the basics always apply to power tools, the power just works faster!

Originally Posted by osdset

I suppose at the end of the day it depends on whether you are working for fun or a hobby, or are trying to earn a living, the latter usually dictates that speed is of the essence.

+1
That is exactly how i see this too. It all becomes different when you are doing it for living or when you have to make, say, some boring task like making 12 new bottom plates of veneer for vintage bedroom drawers.

That doesn't remove the fact (imo) that sometimes jumping straight into power tools without knowing the basics first is like getting a motorcycle without knowing how to drive bicycle. Of course we can learn a lot by just reading about things but still it's better to actually learn the basics, and we can learn only by doing them. In most cases that will help you to understand better what is this all about.
Of course it is also up to person how deep he/she wants to go with any skill.
I have enough power tools to use when needed (and possibility to use those i don't have elsewhere; mostly related to metal working: welding, using metal lathe & miller etc), but nowadays specially with woodworking & such i rather use hand tools when i see it is more reasonable. Of course it isn't always so.

Maybe it's just getting older, but nowadays, when doing something just for fun, getting ready is only part of the process and part of the fun. I like actually doing things with my hands when there's no hurry; every part of the process is important and i honestly believe that i will never be ready: there's always a change of learning something new and interesting.

Having said that, i highly respect when people nowadays actually like to spend their time with such vintage things like razors, and then pick up the restoring method they like, be it power tool or just few simple yet precise & sharp tools like our grandfathers did.
Although my wife usually calls me lazy, i still think that doing something for fun is usually better than not doing at all.

Originally Posted by RayCover

You guys make me feel spoiled.

I remodeled my garage into my ultimate man cave/workshop about a year and half ago. I am still working on getting some of it set up. When its all set up and going I will have the ultimate make anything workshop.

Very nice! Do you mind posting a couple pictures

Sailor,
I really enjoyed your previous post. Whether it's playing an instrument, doing your job, getting in shape, or working at a craft, you learn a lot of respect by doing it the more difficult way, in our example with and tools. As I mentioned before I am starting out with next to no tools, and monetary restraints will assure that I will be starting with old, used hand tools before upgrading to power tools.

My dad is a tile setter and I've worked with him off and on my whole life. His dad was a mechanic at a pharmaceuticals factory. I've spend more time working in a chem lab than in a woodworking shop, but I think working and studying in a lab has taught me the patience to take the time to do things right...the first time.

Hey Conroygc, I didn't want to hijack this thread with a bunch of pics so I just posted a shop tour of my shop in a new thread.

Ray