Getting the Most from Cheap Tools

[@nohabs]

Thumbs up Colin. I'll bet there are a lot of people who can't or don't spend much money on tools and your advice is spot on.

[@uwelohr7958]

Thx a lot for being so fair and open to "cheap" /affordable tools for us nonprofessionals

[@vernermurillo3151]

One thing I like a lot about your videos is that they often are very objective about woodworking, giving tips and teaching about actual techniques to get the job done, independent of what the viewer budget is.

[@richardfowler3254]

Colin is a good guy and I learn a lot from him. I really do appreciate and value his opinion and teaching. Thanks so much !!

[@TWils-ss4by]

As a newbie just trying to make items for my personal use I really appreciate this video. All of your videos are easy to understand. Keep up the great work!!!

[@dclamby]

Here's how I aligned my fence. First, i got the blade square with the slots using what's called "Pals". They're used to square the trunion with fine adjustments. Then, after the blade was square, I loosened my fence adjustment screws, (don't remove them, just loosen) lightly clamped my loosened fence to the blade. Then i simply slowly tightened the fence adjustment screws. Works like a charm. Soooo, much easier than any other method i've tried.

[@kahoycrafts]

Great tips! Never tried the circular saw blade in my table saw, but that'll be good as a backup method. One thing to watch out for is table saws that have a riving knife designed for a full kerf blade like my Delta 36-725. A thin kerf blade won't clear the knife without modifications. My favorite cheap tools are from Harbor Freight, but you have to pick carefully.

[@erickelley1937]

I appreciate you mentioning the value of refurbishing older tools. That far outweighs the true cost of buying modern, "cheap" tools. Good video!!

[@timothywewege6651]

Dear sir,i want to say a very big thank you for your videos,i am not a pro at woodwork so I learn such alot from your videos,so thanks a ton

[@lxoxrxexnx]

Making a fence spacer jig is a great idea. I have to figure something different for my ShopSmith since the blade is on a quill

[@charliegee5130]

I always use my $5 (on sale at Canadian Tire) skill saw blade on the table saw for cuts in wood that I know are more than likely to have nails or screws in it. Works great and for some reason I haven't managed to chip the carbides yet.

[@David-hm9ic]

Those old Marples chisels (blue plastic handle) are great tools. They're made with Sheffield steel; some of the best tool steel in the world. I've accumulated a fairly complete set of them. (The Irwin Marples are not the same.)

[@rrmerlin3402]

You are correct, I have old Marples

[@furiousfurby]

I have a new set of Marples and would agree. They are better than a cheap set though.

[@jamishep]

You are a good man Colin, sharing your many years of experience with us weekend woodworkers. Love your channel and have learnt heaps. Thank you my friend. Hope you have a great holiday season.

[@duczman76]

all knowledge is useless if it's not be shared

[@JW23551]

Love this video! I think a lot of people get discouraged because they can’t afford a $1500 Saw Stop, when in reality what you said is exactly correct: “what you’re paying for is the convenience”. Well done, sir!

[@rjtumble]

For your spacer jig idea, I'd think you could also make multiple little cuts in the front edge of the jig. Align it for 2", make a small cut, align it for 2.5, 2.25, whatever, make another cut. Then, once you have a bunch of slots, put your jig in the saw, put the blade in whichever slot you're after, then move your fence to that position.

[@kerryfoster1]

I bought a block plane for £4 at a car boot sale. Once well sharpened and set up it works brilliantly. I use it constantly.

[@The_man_himself_67]

I recently paid out on a Makita chop saw. Not the most expensive from their range, but it's a world apart from the cheap saw it replaced. I guess what I'm trying to say is buy the best you can afford. It really does make a difference.

[@KyleStreetMusic]

Thanks, Colin. Dealing with some of these issues from cheap equipment has consumed so much of my time as I learn to be proficient in this craft. Thank you for your expertise.

[@g.fortin3228]

Thank you for explaining so well the differences in the miter saws. Had no idea the fences were different on some.

[@LarryB-inFL]

With all of the saw blades in the rack behind him, I count ten 10" blades...and almost all Diablo/Freud red! I have blade envy!

[@jum5238]

A couple of comments: The alignment method is awesome, but make sure you use dimensionally stable wood (good baltic birch with lots of layers) so that seasonal swelling doesn't throw that off. The smaller blade is great! Not sure how it makes less sawdust, unless it's thinner, but many of us use cross-cut sleds, and that extra height of a bigger blade is needed. Great tips!

[@andrewbieger5004]

Great comments regarding quality TS blades. For my portable jobsite saws, I found it was worth the investment to get Freud RIP blades, as the bulk of the work was rip cuts. It made the saw do MUCH LESS work to rip the material, with much less scorching. Those saws just don't have the muscle to get effective cuts with combo blades, IMHO. On my workshop saw, I typically keep the rip blade on, unless doing a bunch of cuts with sheet goods.

[@dale7561]

Nice Video Colin. I like how you give people confidence to use cheaper tools. Lots of people make you believe it is only possible with brand name tools. Just a couple of points I think are important Thin Kerf saw blades on a table saw are great like you say, but in Europe, they will not work with most riving knives. Of course, you can remove the riving knife, but that adds a level of danger. Also, Diablo is quite hard to find in Europe, but I have great experience with Bosch blades and can definitely recommend them. Also, with second hand planes, there are tons of old wooden planes on the market. Paul Sellers does a great video on how to renovate them. You can just whack them through the jointer and the sole is as good as new. Personally, I love wooden planes and for it is much cheaper to kit out your workshop with a full set.

[@arth.4196]

Colin. Thank you for all you do 👍

[@Idahoanghost]

This is spot on. Thanks Colin 😊

[@k13ehr]

Good video Colin, how about in a future video you discuss how fast to push the work through the tool, or the tool across the work.

[@jimkeown2074]

Some may disagree, but years ago I stopped buying high speed drill bits, and have only purchased cobalt bits. They are getting less expensive over time, and can drill thru armor plate, can be sharpened when needed (as opposed to titanium coated bits). The only difference is the point angle is less acute at 135 degrees,which has never been any kind of problem for me at all. They hold a sharp cutting edge FAR longer than HSS bits and being able to use them for metal or wood makes them more versatile.

[@boyscout419]

While watching your idea for a fence-setting jig, I thought that not only could you have several different sizes, but you could also use one of the jigs in combination with various sizes of setup blocks to create even more fence settings. All you would need to do is run the setup block along the jig to make sure the spacing is the same all the way, then use your clamps to tighten the fence in place. Seems like a few setup blocks is a good addition to any shop!

[@rfrisbee1]

One point that wasn't mentioned in the video is if you use a smaller diameter blade in a table saw which has a riving knife then you will probably need to remove the riving knife. This is because the kerf of the smaller blade will likely be narrower and the work would get jammed on the riving knife. Obviously using a table saw without a riving knife increases the risk of kick-back.

[@hansdegroot8549]

I bought my table saw only about six months ago. A cheap one with cheap blades. Only now, from the second half of October I started to learn to work with it. I want to buy more types of blades for it. At least one with more teeth, one with special teeth (which don't mind so much going through nails when I am using reclaimed wood. And for resawing I'd like to have a blade with a thinner kerf. The blades can have a smaller diameter. It's possible to remove the riving knife. But I think I should replace the original one by a thinner one. I don't want to be without a riving knife.

[@martinoamello3017]

Little tip for spotting cheap steel on used chisel..have a small stone in your pocket and run across the surface of the chisel body. If it scratches real easy walk away. Too soft and it won't hold an edge..Sometimes even new chisels won't be wrapped so you can check them the same way..

[@charlespatt]

I think Colin and I are probably close to the same age, but I always feel like I'm getting advice from my father or grandfather! Actually I just recently pulled out my grandfather's planes and cleaned them up, now to check the quality.

[@bigsparky65]

Very interesting video. I have both cheap, expensive tools. Most of my hand planes are passed down from my Father. All of my hand saws are also passed down.

[@GraemePayne1967Marine]

I can adapt the table saw fence alignment to my cheap bandsaw as well!

[@TrueLoveEternal]

I have the Kobalt jobsite tables, love the saw, hate the fence. Thanks for the tips on the fence alignment.

[@Z3n1tHL0rD]

you can use a marker pen on the plane base, after sanding there should not be any marker visible, did similar as an apprentice engineer with engy blue instead

[@chaplainand1]

Thank you. Right on.

[@chippywarren9706]

Thank you very much for this. I work a lot with wood these days. Invaluable info. 👍

[@dudesmith9698]

Thank you for the tip on aligning a split fence chop saw. Maybe I don't need a new one

[@hallyMUSICprojecT]

Hi Colin, thanks for all your wonderful content. I just upgraded my mitre saw to a Bosch BOSCH GCM 8SJL. It takes a 216mm blade. What 80 tooth cross cut blade would u recommend for this saw, I lots of precise fine cuts... thanks for any advice and greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@blandmccartha]

You didn't mention keeping your saw blade clean. Cleaning the blade is the best method for making clean, clean and non-burning cuts, especially if you are cutting softwoods.

[@russellborrego1689]

I'm completely guilty of this one. Spoiled by many years of almost exclusively cutting MDF, I know I need to research this in-depth, but never remember to do so unless I read a comment like this somewhere as a reminder.

[@Wiggles_vs._snuggles]

I did not know that! I thought I just needed a new blade or something

[@leonardnoel888]

Thanks, Collin. Valuable and interesting points.

[@christinashawgo6510]

This ALL helps me sooo much! Thank you .

[@mariaaparecidacarvalho6530]

Thank you very much. Salute, from Sao Paulo, Brazil. 🤩

[@djquibblez12]

How do you sand a planer? Use and angle grinder? Would love a video on this.

[@MrDmorgan52]

I've seen it done with a land of glass and a sheet of 320 sandpaper

[@michaelvandyke6658]

i have a old craftsman 10 in table saw and i never liked the fence . I put a old Delta unisaw fence on it wow what a difference

[@carpdude73]

You might mention the difference in the blade rotation with using a circular saw blade on a table saw. Always look at the rotation markings on the blade to know which orientation when installing in your table saw. Not sure everyone caught that.

[@raydunn3501]

Great tips Colin,,, love watching your vids

[@grahamrankin4725]

I always appreciate your tips and tricks.

[@shaunpage4498]

Just remember that if you're changing blades from a 10" to a 7 1/4", and you use the riving knife on your table saw (as you usually should) you may have to change out to a thinner riving knife as the little skil saw blades are usually thinner than the 10" blades. I switched to a 7 1/4" blade once without removing the stock riving knife and couldn't figure why pushing the stock through was so hard!

[@TootieProduct]

The blue handled chisel your demonstrating looks like a Faithful just like the one I inherited from my grandfather

[@scottlouis7785]

Very good advice especially the blades

[@hphillips7425]

Good video and good advice. I hope to come across more videos like this. I can’t justify spending a lot of money on wood working for what little I do

[@sundrapoonan6724]

Thanks Colin, always great advice and well presented, such a pleasure to watch your videos. Stay well and safe through the holidays and wishing you all the best for 2021.

[@natemartin7697]

Can you do a video on an easy way to make a fence that lines up and locks easily on the cheap harbor freight saws? I bought one but all the fences want a new top on the fence and all that.

[@johnwente1413]

Thank you for all your excellent videos, Colin. One question: I have a miter saw that also uses a 10" blade. Would you recommend that Diablo blade for the miter saw also?

[@phillipmedley7455]

Awesome Colin, I’ve been watching you for a while and these videos are perfect for people like me who can’t afford to go all out for their tool budget lol. I love the 7 1/4 blade trick and I’ve been using it for a while. Depending on manufacturer they also seem to have a fairly flat kerf that’s been getting me by until I can buy a glue line blade

[@ELW2940]

Sears used to sell an 8” cast iron top table saw that was a worthwhile little saw and it used the 7.25 blades very efficiently. Too bad that went away. It was ideal for many non-professional wood workers. I used to have one that I used as a job-site saw that saw lots of service until the bearings went out and I couldn’t find replacements.

[@adrian_barreto]

That was an appropriate way of using the word in expensive.. The word cheap sounds less durable. But with this video you have assured many of moving ahead with woodworking irrespective of the cost of tools and equipment. Great video..

[@MrMarkpeggy]

Thanks for the great video Colin.

[@kentgreer3891]

Great video Colin

[@watermain48]

Very informative, thanks Colin.

[@cwgoforth]

Very cool! THX for the awesome tips

[@user-wy5ik6zq4r]

I noticed you had a Veritas iron in your plane. I bought one for a plane I refurbished and it was quite a bit thicker. The throat opening didn’t seem to be big enough to allow and adequate gap between it and the iron and the frog didn’t have enough adjustment to accommodate the thicker iron. Have you run into this?

[@keventavares2442]

Mr. Colin first I must say I have a lot of respect for you and admire your work. I'm from Québec and I have a question for you. Can I use a 7 1/4 blade on a 10 in. miter saw ? I prefer having the opinion of a professional before trying it myself

[@henryskinner1092]

Great, thank you.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

FYI I’ve been using Diablo thin kerf blades for years on many of my saws excellent value for home and small shops for business I buy Freud and have a sharpening company that will re tooth if needed those blades will go for years and years with good success

[@jaayjones5937]

Why ---- would a smaller blade produce less saw dust? @2:15 you made that statement. If the cut is the same width why would there be less saw dust?

[@russellborrego1689]

Thinner kerf. Should be around 1/16th verses 3/32 for the 10" blade.

[@harleyhawk7959]

blade is spinning faster its cutting through the material faster, hence less saw dust. the slower the blade moves, the more material it gouges out from blade wobble. the steel in the blade heats up. Cooler blade less wobble, less wobble, less material removed, less material, less saw dust.

[@michaelwarren2391]

@@harleyhawk7959 However, the teeth on a smaller blade are traveling slower than the teeth on a larger blade, for the same RPM.

[@russellborrego1689]

@@michaelwarren2391 👍👍

[@harmyassai9094]

Thank you for your help with this matter 👍👍👍👏

[@charliecaltagarone9234]

Would like to see a video on refurbishing a hand plane.

[@brucepeter3409]

Thank You for another informative video

[@matthewisaac9670]

Greetings Colin. I have what appears to be the same miter saw as you, makita LS1019. I can’t for the life of me get it to cut square. It appears to make a curved cut when doing a full extension cut. Have you experienced this issue? Suggestions?

[@jimhayden7132]

I love running the Diablo 7 ¼ demo demon on my table saw when cutting reclaimed lumber in case I missed any nails, but the problem I have is the riving knife is wider than the blade kerf and it won't feed. Do you think it would be OK to file down the knife to the same thickness as the blade?

[@bassrun101]

Garry not Linda. I don't think I would do that. Check with your saws manufacturer they may have a thin knife available to accommodate thin kerf blades.

[@Master_of_Chess_Shorts]

as always, good tips

[@armus550b]

Also, in regards to miter saws, don't trust the stops. A move able fence will throw the stops off even if perpendicular to the blade

[@lxoxrxexnx]

I got a cheap chisel from a garage sale. I use it whenever I need to be a bit abusive with it.

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

Thanks for the trips!!!

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

Tips

[@LarryB-inFL]

An interesting question I think is how to compare 10" and 7.25" blades for tooth count! I noticed your 7.25" was labeled as 24 tooth....but I doubt that is comparable to a 10" with 24 teeth. On the 10 inch, those teeth will be moving MUCH faster and will be MUCH more spread out...like 38% faster/further spaced. So how do they compare?

[@wolfman75]

Thank You for the Info!!! Much Appreciated!!! 👍😎

[@noelritchie1295]

Colin, do you have a tip for sanding 100s of pine or hardwood wooden blocks 35mm x 35mm x 35mm (have a photo but not sure how to send it to you), do you think a compost tumbler filled with sand would work. Thanks for the video lots of good tips

[@rogerlove7588]

I would lay as many as possible side to side and end to end, making a large rectangle on a flat, stable surface. Then clamp them so they won’t move. Now you can sand one side of at least a hundred (10 x 10 square) of them at the same time. Yeah, it’ll take a while to do all six sides but that’s better than tumbling them IMHO. Unless you want rounded edges....

[@keithatkins7883]

Good information!

[@hassanal-mosawi4235]

thanks for sharing that

[@woodworkfrance5048]

Good job bro

[@1111bigdiesel]

I've got a Triton compounding slider mitre saw. It always goes out of mitre degree after a couple of cuts. I use a speed square to set it and then after a couple of cuts, it's out again. Any tips on that?

[@jeffcarr392]

One question regarding the smaller blade, I've heard you have to be mindful of the rake of the teeth, table saw blades don't have the same as circular saw blades (positive or negative rake) could anyone clarify?

[@christaylor751]

Great video Colin, very timely I'm about to replace the blade on my mitre saw .....

[@hansdegroot8549]

I replaced my blade after 9 years. A difference of day and night.

[@ELW2940]

Cleaning and sharpening is probably worth trying before buying. I use heavy body blades in my miter saw because they have less chance of flexing.

[@jack002tuber]

My dad would sharpen his plane blades and it took all day and had many steps. I have to think it was overkill

[@shanejohnson800]

I have a craftsman 113 table saw so can I use a Diablo circular saw blade in it also?

[@langrock74]

I don’t think that a smaller blade will be easier on the motor since it has to work harder cutting the lumber. The angular velocity is what it is regardless of the blade, but the velocity of the teeth will be significantly smaller for the small blades compared to full-size blades.

[@user-rs1990]

New power tools are expensive these days. So ideally, buy used ones from pawn shops like Cash Converters. Just make sure they're still safe.

[@WanJae42]

I see the Abominable Snowman in the thumbnail photo. 😁

[@okayusa6608]

Cool watch.

[@mike97525]

I've been using the smaller blade for years, they are cheaper and cut just as good as the larger blades😀

[@A6Legit]

The harbor freight table saw i got is terrible. Definitely worth getting a nicer one to start.

[@stanmashek3085]

great video colin thank you this was a big help

[@mariushegli]

I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.

[@h4mmy753]

Haha

[@Ematched]

I'll help, too.

[@ericwoody6339]

Colin, quick question... What if your table saw doesn't have a riving knife?? Have a friend who gave me a Dewalt 746.. A massive saw, but Dewalt has discontinued that particular part !! Any suggestions??? BTW, love your videos!! Thanks

[@williamsanderson7315]

You might try mj splitters to replace riving knife. Have seen them work and seem to get the job done.

[@aaudain1]

You are awesome

[@skogsmats]

High frequence of adds?

[@jimthesoundman8641]

The biggest problem I've had with cheap tools like chisels, is rust. Could you do a video about combatting rust?

[@DavyHulme]

Pretty sure Tamar on 3x3 Custom channel recently did a video that included a section on removing rust [edit: in measuring tools video]

[@jimthesoundman8641]

@@DavyHulme I have a bench grinder with a wire wheel, so removing the rust isn't the problem, it's stopping it from returning that vexes me.

[@DavyHulme]

@@jimthesoundman8641 Ah, well, rust only forms in the presence of both oxygen *and* water, exclude one or the other & rusting is prevented. Obvs, it's easier to try to stop water from coming into contact with your tools than oxygen - storing tools in a tank of deoxygenated water isn't terribly practical. To prevent rusting, wipe tools with an oily rag after every use. If stored unused for longer than a few days or somewhere that temperature & humidity variations produce condensation, eg unheated poorly ventilated shed/garage during colder spells, coat them with a slightly heavier hydrophobic compound, eg grease, wax. The aim is to create a barrier to moisture.

[@jimthesoundman8641]

@@DavyHulme Yeah, I wipe everything down with WD-40 after each use, but eventually the rust still forms. So then I have to spend time on my bench grinder's wire wheel. Annoying at best. I was wondering if anyone has found a foolproof way other than oil to prevent rust. I guess I could keep everything in a bucket of evaporust all the time but that would get annoying also.

[@usaf4dbt]

Thank you. Where do you purchase quality plan irons?

[@furiousfurby]

Woodcraft replacement blades have a decent reputation.

[@usaf4dbt]

@@furiousfurby Thank You!

[@giovannipetitti1588]

Hi Colin,💯👍