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PostPosted: December 17, 2010, 11:44 pm 
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I used an HF 10" compound miter saw with an abrasive metal blade. Loud yes, messy yes, sparky definitely but it was the simplest way to do compound miters. it also lasted all the way thru the build. For $49 I thought it was worth it, though I must admit a bandsaw is far easier to use.

Other than that make sure your credit card is handy.

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PostPosted: December 18, 2010, 10:14 am 
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Also, another handy tool would be large roll of hundred dollar bills, or a debit or credit card that your wife knows nothing about! :lol:

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PostPosted: December 18, 2010, 11:32 am 
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reading glasses. .. if you don't need them now, you will :roll:

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PostPosted: December 18, 2010, 1:15 pm 
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That's good advice from OldeJack. Even if you don't need them for reading, they will magnify things and let you look closer at them. My welding got noticeably better when I got a set of strong reading glasses that gave me a better/closer view. I wonder where you get the ones that dentists and doctors use, that have little telescopes built into the lenses...

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PostPosted: December 18, 2010, 1:23 pm 
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Agreed on the reading glasses, even if you think you don't need them. If you're fortunate and using a TIG welder, how close you can get to the welds is directly proportional to how good the welds look. When you can get your face 6" from the weld - really - they can turn out really nice.

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PostPosted: December 18, 2010, 5:22 pm 
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Magnifying glass,Really? Just got through a little welding session - I was thinking along the lines of an eye transplant.

Bill


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PostPosted: January 18, 2011, 10:42 pm 
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A cheater lens (magnifying lens) in you helmet works great too. They are only about $12 and worth every penny.
:cheers:

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PostPosted: March 16, 2011, 6:20 pm 
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i only see one person saying a drill press and just a few that say band saw (horizontal) what models/power amounts do you guys recommend? In my head a bench top drill press wouldn't do anything (hf model) but how much bigger do i go? as for a band saw, the red one from HF with a decent bimetal blade or do you guys opt up for the green one?


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PostPosted: March 17, 2011, 1:17 am 
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Location: Phoenix arizona
i have built two frames with the green hf bandsaw and it worked well,got it off craigslist in new condition for $80 I also bought a 6" tall rigid drillpress off craigslist that was used once for $140..over $300 new both these tools you mention are a must have and if your patient you can buy used and save $$$


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PostPosted: September 15, 2011, 11:25 pm 
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A band saw isn't nearly as important as a drill press in my opinion, it would have been nice to have, but I used a hacksaw for everything on my project. As far as size for a drill press, as big and heavy as you can afford. I bought an offshore 22" drill press that weighs over 400 lbs and the column is made from some pretty light tubing. It flexes a bit if you push hard with a big drill bit. So I guess what I'm saying is that it can never be too heavy duty. Oh ya, the T slot table and a cheap set of blocks and clamps is really handy.
Kristian

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PostPosted: September 16, 2011, 1:21 am 
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I have a bench top drill press that works well. It's not a little one though, it's the same as some floor mount ones with a shorter vertical tube, basically. Make sure it has some slow speeds for heavier stuff.

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PostPosted: September 16, 2011, 10:44 am 
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Something I use probably as much as anything....a 12 or 18 inch metal ruler....and if you find a deal, get 3-4. They sure vanish and reappear. I bought 4 or 5 what looked like 6 inch metal rulers from the Black & Decker outlet store. Really thought I had made a great score at 50 cents each. Turned out they were metric. Now I have 4 or 5, 6 inch straight edges. Not quite as handy.

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PostPosted: September 16, 2011, 11:00 am 
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A 6" rule is something no machinist would be without , but most of them have both metric & imperial. They fit nicely in a shirt pocket, so you always have them with you. But, the BIG advantage is... they work better than a screwdriver for stirring your coffee.

On the drill press subject, watch C/L, E-Bay, or the garage sales for older name brand models. They're usually much better quality than the H/F stuff. My wife found me an old 6' Atlas press at a garage sale for $125. Aside from needing a new cord and belt guard, it was (is) in great shape.

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PostPosted: September 16, 2011, 11:41 am 
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Not usually considered a "shop tool", I use CAD in designing all my brackets and gaskets(sorry Bubba!). I lay them out in the flat and print them out scaled 1:1 on paper. I then rubber cement them to a sheet of steel and cut/drill/fold along the lines using your favorite tools and methods. I must have done at least a couple of dozen custom parts this way. Sure works sweet. Now If i need another (heaven forbid) I just have to print out another copy.

I also made my control arms using a piece of scrap drywall as a fixture. Layout,drill and insert bolts accordingly - place the Heim joints over the bolt ends - and you have perfectly repeatable endpoints for building multiple arms.

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PostPosted: September 16, 2011, 3:24 pm 
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A drill press is very high up the list, right behind the bandsaw.

About rulers, the most useful one I have is a stainless 24" one with decimal inches on one side and fractions on the other. It's flexible enough to be bent fairly tightly... VERY useful. This is in addition to 12", 36", 48", 60" and 72" scales. Really, you'll use them all.

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