This Serenity Prayer plaque is 10" X 8".
If you are just getting started in the scroll saw hobby you have some decisions to make. You need some tools and they can be expensive. It's usually better to buy the best quality you can. We have all heard this but we all know that most of the time shelter, food and shoes for the kiddies take precedence over our toys.
I started with entry level tools many years ago and so do most woodworkers. Do they last a lifetime? No but they will let you gain experience and have a shop that won't put you in the poor house. There are legitimate reason not to buy cheap. There is also a difference between cheap and inexpensive.
Google is your friend. Do research on the tools you are looking to buy. If you read ten reviews throw out the best reviews and the worst reviews. Keep in mind that there are woodworkers out there who will give a bad review for any tool that is not top of the line even if they paid entry level prices.
YouTube is also a great place to see a tool in action. Being able to see the review can often let you make a better decision than just reading.
This subject came up today when a reader ask me to recommend a drill press for under $100. I could have been a tool snob and told them they did not have enough money for woodworking. I have seen that response many times in woodworking forums. This person wants to enjoy the hobby and thay are on a tight budget. Nothing wrong with that.
So my search was to find an inexpensive drill press that was not cheap. Two ways to go about the search. Try to find a used machine for a good price or find a new inexpensive drill press that has decent reviews.
I gave the reader a few recommendations on how to look fro a used machine. Then I turned my search for an inexpensive machine.
I found a table top 8" drill press on Amazon for $72. It had 4 out of 5 stars from 451 customer reviews. Some of the reviews looked fake but the majority seemed reasonable. I read through a sampling of the reviews and they looked like the machine is workable.
I then jumped over to YouTube and watched a guy assemble the machine and make a few holes. It looked and sounded okay. I passed the information on to the reader with the reminder that any machine can have problems. I explained that this would be a light use machine. I suggested that they check the return policy in case there were problems. Time will tell but we can only make the best informed purchase we can and understand the limitations of the equipment we buy.
Just for the sake of openness the machine I found is below with my affiliate link. I'm not recommending this machine I am just going through my thought process of how I picked it out for my customer. To recommend it I would have to put it in my shop for a few days and test it.
Questions and comments are welcome.
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If you are just getting started in the scroll saw hobby you have some decisions to make. You need some tools and they can be expensive. It's usually better to buy the best quality you can. We have all heard this but we all know that most of the time shelter, food and shoes for the kiddies take precedence over our toys.
I started with entry level tools many years ago and so do most woodworkers. Do they last a lifetime? No but they will let you gain experience and have a shop that won't put you in the poor house. There are legitimate reason not to buy cheap. There is also a difference between cheap and inexpensive.
Google is your friend. Do research on the tools you are looking to buy. If you read ten reviews throw out the best reviews and the worst reviews. Keep in mind that there are woodworkers out there who will give a bad review for any tool that is not top of the line even if they paid entry level prices.
YouTube is also a great place to see a tool in action. Being able to see the review can often let you make a better decision than just reading.
This subject came up today when a reader ask me to recommend a drill press for under $100. I could have been a tool snob and told them they did not have enough money for woodworking. I have seen that response many times in woodworking forums. This person wants to enjoy the hobby and thay are on a tight budget. Nothing wrong with that.
So my search was to find an inexpensive drill press that was not cheap. Two ways to go about the search. Try to find a used machine for a good price or find a new inexpensive drill press that has decent reviews.
I gave the reader a few recommendations on how to look fro a used machine. Then I turned my search for an inexpensive machine.
I found a table top 8" drill press on Amazon for $72. It had 4 out of 5 stars from 451 customer reviews. Some of the reviews looked fake but the majority seemed reasonable. I read through a sampling of the reviews and they looked like the machine is workable.
I then jumped over to YouTube and watched a guy assemble the machine and make a few holes. It looked and sounded okay. I passed the information on to the reader with the reminder that any machine can have problems. I explained that this would be a light use machine. I suggested that they check the return policy in case there were problems. Time will tell but we can only make the best informed purchase we can and understand the limitations of the equipment we buy.
Just for the sake of openness the machine I found is below with my affiliate link. I'm not recommending this machine I am just going through my thought process of how I picked it out for my customer. To recommend it I would have to put it in my shop for a few days and test it.
Questions and comments are welcome.
Ad: AffiliateWEN 4208 8-Inch 5 Speed Drill Press
You need a drill press for your scroll saw workshop. Drilling dozens of entry holes is hard work. A drill press take the job and makes it easy. This inexpensive entry level machine is perfect for a small workshop.
- Includes a 1/2-inch keyed chuck and onboard key storage
- Operates at 5 different speeds: 740, 1100, 1530, 2100, 3140 RPM
- Spindle travels up to 2 inches with easy to read, locking linear depth stops for accurate and repeatable drilling operations
- Durable 1/3 HP induction motor develops ample torque and power
- 6-1/2 x 6-1/2" worktable is height adjustable and bevels up to 45 degrees left & right
- Swing: 8 inch. Motor: 120V, 60Hz. Horsepower: 1/3 HP.
