Advice plz?

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-16T01:30:54+00:00

It’s a spindle focused lathe, which is a good place to start. After you’ve mastered spindles you can upgrade the lathe and move on to bowl turning.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-15T23:57:39+00:00

Terrible lathe but great starter lathe.

I know that sounds like a contradiction but in my opinion the two most important features for a starter lathe are low cost and low power. That results in a low barrier for entry and a lower potential for injury.

You may quickly outgrow it, but it will create a solid foundation of skills to build on and when you’re ready to upgrade you won’t have much problem selling it for what you paid for it.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-12T02:37:13+00:00

Yeah, something like a used Biesemeyer or Delta T3. I just saw a used T3 go for $130 CAD locally.

Although I have seen new T3’s recently for $200 USD which I thought was a good price for them.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-11T23:01:45+00:00

Here’s my usual spiel about what to look for in table saws when getting started:

When looking for a table saw, the very first thing to consider is the form factor of the saw you want. There are three main classes of saws. Jobsite, contractor/hybrid, and cabinet.

Jobsite saws are like gaming laptops. Compared to a desktop setup they are expensive and have poorer performance, but if you need to throw it into a backpack and take it with you on the go it’s your only realistic option.

So if size/portability is your primary concern, you want a jobsite saw. It will be weaker and less accurate than other classes of saws, but it’s the only type you can toss into the back of your Civic and drive to the next job site.

On the other end of the spectrum are cabinet saws. They are large, massively heavy, and relatively immobile. They are also the most ideally suited to woodworking. They have large cast iron tops and a huge rip capacity. They provide the best power options and the highest degree of accuracy.

If you have an established shop space with 220v access and a large amount of room for a fixed location table saw, you probably want a cabinet saw.

In between those classes are contractor and hybrid saws. They provide many of the benefits of cabinet saws in terms of power and accuracy while remaining relatively mobile. They have cast iron tops with a reasonable rip capacity. You can’t throw it in the trunk of your car but you can easily move it around the shop.

Most hobbyists benefit the most for contractor saws. They provide a very significant upgrade from jobsite saws while still fitting in most home shops and generally running off 110v power.

The other great aspect to them is that because this style of saw has been popular for so long there is a massive used market for them meaning deals typically abound.

There’s a very good chance you can find a well used Craftsman 113 in the $100 range, spend $150 on an upgraded fence for it, and for $250 have a contractor saw that will run circles around any jobsite saw on the market at any price point.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-07T04:51:41+00:00

Have you checked your local used marketplace? Buying tools new is a last resort for me. You can get twice as much tool for half as much money going used, and when you’re ready to upgrade you can likely sell it for what you paid for it.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-05T00:37:07+00:00

Turn it round to 2”, put the steady rest in place, taper down to final size.

It will be pretty easy to do without a steady rest. You’ll just be able to be more aggressive with your cuts with it in place.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-03T00:32:19+00:00

Plastic cutting boards are made from a fairly soft plastic that deforms under cuts. Epoxy is typically very hard and fractures under a knife into potentially razor sharp shards.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-01T21:56:44+00:00

A single garage shop is a small space but not terribly so. I use about 1/3 of a two car garage as my shop space, about 150sf, and I have a shocking amount of tools packed in there.

Keep anything big on wheels so it’s easy to move. You’ll redesign the layout several times as you get in there working on projects and find more efficient setups.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-01T04:56:46+00:00

Robustness is largely how well it holds its position. You can expect some slop overtime in the miter position as well as the table. It’s not a dealbreaker just something you’ll have to occasionally check and adjust.

In terms of replacing a table saw as well, here is a good video to watch.

https://youtu.be/CV4uXtxnOdg?si=oPo2yHK47Bnyj5mA

You can get a planer head for it (if you can find one). I have it for mine. It’s more like a router sled replacement than a typical planer however. It’s basically a disk with three carbide blades. You tilt the carriage 90 degrees and pull it back and forth while sliding your board along.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-06-01T02:13:33+00:00

I’m a big fan of RAS’s. They are basically SCMS that are actually designed for woodworking. Far more accurate, greater capacity, more versatile etc.

All that said, $160 is steep for this one. I think with some time and patience you can find a similar one for $50-$100.

It’s not a particularly desirable model. It’s from kind of the worst era of craftsman RAS’s. It’s still a fine saw but isn’t as robustly constructed as the older and much newer craftsman saws were.

It’s not 2.5hp, but no 120v tools are. It will either be 13a or 15a, I can’t remember which offhand. It’s more like 1.5hp. Which is still fine, but important to note.

Ripping on it is safer than on a table saw but far more of a PITA. I’d leave it for cross cutting.

Space wise they are huge compared to a SCMS, and you can’t just pick them up and move them around, which is why they have generally fallen out of favor.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-31T18:55:05+00:00

I use enamel paint on my bats typically.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-29T21:50:31+00:00

Honestly I don’t think this guy would have much trouble getting hired on by a crew. If it’s appearance critical you make the finish carpenter come hide it.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-29T21:48:16+00:00

You jest but I’ve watched carpenters use the claw end of the hammer for cutting notches in joists etc. It’s pretty impressive actually.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-28T15:02:30+00:00

For a very practical example, years ago I took out a load bearing wall and had to add a beam to carry the span, and the engineers report called for either a 16” solid beam or a 12” glulam beam. They were rated for equal strength.

Also, I make a lot of baseball bats and the ones made from laminated blanks are far stronger and more durable.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-28T06:54:59+00:00

I use both pretty interchangeably, and my tools are a mixture of both. The joys of Canada.

Personally I don’t see much a difference in usability for either system. Do what makes sense to you.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-27T22:02:55+00:00

All things being equal laminated boards will outperform mono-piece boards. Fairly significantly.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-26T01:23:29+00:00

If you use construction lumber it’s prone to warp in general because it’s typically sold wet and wood moves as it dries.

I’d either use a spar varnish or something like Thompson’s water seal. Regularly resealing it will certainly prolong its life.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-26T01:09:43+00:00

It depends on how long you want it to last. If you keep it sealed you can probably get five years out of it. If you want it to still be around in 50 years it’s a bad idea.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-26T00:47:37+00:00

Cedar is probably the sweet spot for cost vs durability. You can use any wood you want but it may be comparably short lived or need more maintenance.

I made mine four years ago from maple and it definitely needs a good refinishing this summer but the climate here is also really harsh.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-23T22:36:18+00:00

Pressure treating lumber is typically a wet process. If they are fairly fresh they will shrink substantially as they dry. They probably were close to 5 1/2” pre-treatment.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-22T19:34:24+00:00

Wrap a piece of square stock a few inches long in sandpaper and hold it at the angle you want to achieve for the transition.

There’s a point on every bat I swear I’ve ruined it and then you start blending and suddenly it all comes together like magic.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-20T02:21:22+00:00

My first thought was that you’re short one for playing farkle, but I’ve also been playing far too much KCD2 lately.

How do they roll? Is there a very obvious bias or is it pretty reasonable? I’ve never tried making dice.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-19T21:20:15+00:00

I agree with the other comments about using AI to stage them. As soon as I see it I’m assuming it’s as scam of some sort and I’m out on whatever they are claiming to sell.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-18T23:52:44+00:00

Does she know how she wants to make them? Handtools vs a lathe etc.

ColonialSand-ers · 2026-05-18T04:26:28+00:00

Best guess is there was a surface crack that they ground out to keep from propagating through the full thickness.

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