POWER TOOLS!

[CECAA850]

Evidently the picture posting issue I was having was caused by my old XP machine. All works well with Windows 7.

[JL Sargent]

The best welding helmet out there for the money is the Harbor Freight one of all things. Especially on sale. I've owned 5 or 6 electronic hoods by different makers. Lets see if that's right, I've owned at least 2 Speedglas ones, A Hobart, Jackson, Miller, and a HF one. All of these were of the adjustable shade variety. Been using the HF one on a service truck last 2 years with no problemo.

http://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-shade-auto-darkening-welding-helmet-46092.html

Edited January 5, 2014 by JL Sargent

[Pete H]

Carl - I agree, I need a panel saw or other solution for big pieces like what you are using.

I was absolutely giddy on the way home from the woodworking supply store. Can't remember when I was this excited about a tool.

For us "poor folk" until you can afford the investment into a fine tool like this one and don't have a table saw with in and out feed tables, you can simply make accurate guides for your circular saw using about $15-$20 in materials and you can make one for different size materials (I have 3 different ones) as well as guides that will work regardless of which side you're cutting on and they are much faster than trying to do the math on every cut to compensate for the blade offset, you simply measure and take two quick clamps and put the guide on the marks. I still want one like Carl's, but until I pull the trigger, the guides or the table saw will have to do.

Did you use it yet Carl?

[CECAA850]

Haven't used it yet. We did demo at the store though.

I used the exact method you described above for years so I'll have a good base line to see whether the investment was worth it or not. The allure of the saw isn't solely about the guide. The bevel mechanism is VERY accurate. The nice thing about it is that you use the guide for bevel cuts and don't have to figure offset either. I have a heck of a time with the overall length of a board when cutting a bevel. I had to cut it long and trim to fit. This should eliminate that which will save me a bunch of time and re-cuts. It also has an incredibly efficient dust collection design that'll capture 90 to 95 percent of the dust it generates. That's also important to me as I don't have a dedicated shop. I have to use my garage.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

It is supposed to be a more comfortable holding position to control the saw.

Cool, good to know for future purchases. Thanks.

I also need a new welding helmet (MIG welding). Any suggestions?

I'm not much help in that realm.

I own a Jackson nexgen. This is my second Jackson, the first one died after years of abuse. ( busted the lense when i threw a tool onto my cart and hit it) The reason I bought this helmet over the hornel speedglas is at the time it had the largest auto darkening window on the market. Really makes a difference. It also has a 3 in 1 function to allow you to use the same lense for cutting and grinding. Both this helmet and the speedglas have environmental kits you can add on for fresh air. Both have adjustable tint, and delay. The nexgen is battery/ solar and has low battery warning. If the battery dies it stays tinted at darkest level like any smart glass. The hornel is smaller form factor which will help if you are crambing yourself into tight spaces but the nexgen had more coverage. My only complaint is the head gear doesn't last if you weld every day and flip it up and down a lot. Also heavier than the hornel. They make replacement parts but I ended up using head gear out of another brand shield. If your investing in a high end helmet($300) make sure to buy lense protectors. Keeps the hot stuff from melting into your glass and making rust stains. Ihave a rather large head and the hornel just wasn't working for me.

As to the last comment about the jig saw, at the end of the day the blade is the most important part of the process. There really is a difference in cut quality and control between the 3 for $5 blades and a $10 blade. I've had good luck with blades that cut on their down stroke instead of up, but it's not for everyone since you have to make shire the saw stays seated. Double cut teeth help also.

I did wind up getting a Jackson Helmet. A WH70 or BH3:

http://www.amazon.com/Jackson-Safety-Darkening-Welding-Technology/dp/B00AAQ4ZPK

What do I need for a lens protector? In my old helmet it is a separate piece of plastic that fits into a slot. What do I do here?

The Makita Jigsaw. Yea, I used a blade that came with the saw. I did also buy a few packages of Bosch blades that were highly recommended. I need to break those out. For my purposes yesterday I just used the table saw to retrim the edge. Not a critical cut anyway. I am building architectural cutouts in some walls to put vases in. Just OSB right now, will trim and cover in 1/4" Mahogany later.

[McMiRA]

The best welding helmet out there for the money is the Harbor Freight one of all things. Especially on sale. I've owned 5 or 6 electronic hoods by different makers. Lets see if that's right, I've owned at least 2 Speedglas ones, A Hobart, Jackson, Miller, and a HF one. All of these were of the adjustable shade variety. Been using the HF one on a service truck last 2 years with no problemo.

http://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-shade-auto-darkening-welding-helmet-46092.html

The HF ones are decent for hobbiest, and for something that lives on a service truck most likely the best bet. Stuff tends to abused on a truck, and eventually grows feet. The only issue with the HF helmets is they are not as sensitive/ responsive as a good helmet. If you use it occasionally for welding, no big deal. If you weld often and for long periods, you will sometimes get minor flash burn from them. Side by side someone who uses them for light duty would never be able to tell the difference in lag, but having tried both for long term welding I'd have to go with a reliable lense. I had my first Jackson for 7 years, and my nexgen going on 10. Great company that stands behind their products, an American made tool with a 2 year warranty, not disposable junk from the Middle East.

[McMiRA]

I did wind up getting a Jackson Helmet. A WH70 or BH3:

http://www.amazon.com/Jackson-Safety-Darkening-Welding-Technology/dp/B00AAQ4ZPK

What do I need for a lens protector? In my old helmet it is a separate piece of plastic that fits into a slot. What do I do here?

Same thing as your old helmet, your local welding supply store should carry 3 packs or 5 packs of the protectors. On my helmet I have to pop the module out to put the front protector in. Don't know it they did this on the newer helmets but the inside of mine also gets a protector, just have to trim the corners to expose the buttons.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

Carl - I agree, I need a panel saw or other solution for big pieces like what you are using.

I was absolutely giddy on the way home from the woodworking supply store. Can't remember when I was this excited about a tool.

For us "poor folk" until you can afford the investment into a fine tool like this one and don't have a table saw with in and out feed tables, you can simply make accurate guides for your circular saw using about $15-$20 in materials and you can make one for different size materials (I have 3 different ones) as well as guides that will work regardless of which side you're cutting on and they are much faster than trying to do the math on every cut to compensate for the blade offset, you simply measure and take two quick clamps and put the guide on the marks. I still want one like Carl's, but until I pull the trigger, the guides or the table saw will have to do.

Did you use it yet Carl?

How do you make the jig for offset? If someone would just make a saw with an even 1.5" offset to the cut that acounts for the kerf (not the blade) life would be so easy.

My two problems are using milk crates, I need a taller table so I stand up. The other is the offset, which is not that bad, but not as accurate as I like sometimes.

[McMiRA]

Milk crates are great for when you accidentally cut through them but it is hard to work that low. I gave up on wooden sawhorses long ago and got some of the folding metal ones, easy to store and very strong. Just make sure if you get them to find the ones that have buttons to extend the legs and not the wing nuts. I miss having a workshop. Gave up a wood and a steel 12x12 fab tables when I left, so working out of my garage I have learned how to adapt.

[CECAA850]

How do you make the jig for offset?

I took a (roughly) 4" strip off the side of a piece of 3/4" MDF. MDF edges are virtually machine straight. That's what the saw rides on during the cut. I then laminated (glued) about an 8" piece of 1/4" plywood to it. After it was dry. I ran the saw down the MDF (on top of and cutting the plywood). When you're done, just put the cut plywood edge on your pencil mark on top of the piece of wood your cutting.

[CECAA850]

How do you make the jig for offset?

See the 3'rd and 4'th pic in THIS thread.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

Carl,

I have seen that before. I have several straight edges but will need to build one of these.

[CECAA850]

Carl,

I have seen that before. I have several straight edges but will need to build one of these.

The cut edge goes on the pencil line your cutting. There's nothing to figure that way. Just be sure the guide is on the save piece, not the scrap.

[dtel]

Carl - I agree, I need a panel saw or other solution for big pieces like what you are using.

I was absolutely giddy on the way home from the woodworking supply store. Can't remember when I was this excited about a tool.

You should be, probably the most accurate saw made without being crazy expensive. Really if you think about it in some ways it's better than a panel saw especially with a single operator, a panel saw is not the easiest to get a sheet of plywood ready to cut. You then have long guides which can affect the accuracy, kind of like the old style sliding miter saws always binding or being to loose.

I wanted a panel saw really bad until I talked to the guy who worked in the local home depot. He was doing something to the panel saw they use, trying to get it to work. He told me the company who makes the saw has people who just travel around and adjust and fix the saws and even with that many times they still have problems. The saw they have probably cost more than what I would spend so it kind of scared me away from them, also the size and that they are very limited to what they can do.

I see a build of some kind for you just around the corner. Very nice

[CECAA850]

Almost forgot. If you notice in the 4'th pic, I put another piece of 1/4 inch scrap on the opposite side of the blade. This keeps the saw level and prevents rocking.

[CECAA850]

I see a build of some kind for you just around the corner.

[McMiRA]

I have a friend that has a home build panel saw. He's what I would call extreme hobbyist in cabinet building. Meaning he does some awesome woodwork, but only for himself and maybe a odd job from time to time. He's pretty OCD when it comes to building stuff exact and applied that to his panel saw. Even with that said, he only uses it for ripping down material to be more manageable for his table saw. It takes up to much space for its intended use, I think track saws and saw guides are a much better choice.

[Pete H]

Carl,

I have seen that before. I have several straight edges but will need to build one of these.

You want to use the lightest and thinnest material that will stay straight; I used 1/4 and 1/2" Baltic Birch but make sure when you make these that you use the same exact blade to rip all the time because if you change the thickness of the blade you will screw up your guide or your cut. You should also seal it when your done building it and store it flat when not in use.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

I think a multi purpose table is in order some time in the future. I am thinking a steel welding table with locking wheels that I can throw a piece of wood on with some sort of suspension to hold the wood up (can be as easy as 1" MDF or even a bunch of left over baltic birch doubled or tripled up to get to 1" to 1.5") and use something like Carl's new toy to rip big pieces down.

[dtel]

I think a multi purpose table is in order some time in the future. I am thinking a steel welding table with locking wheels that I can throw a piece of wood on with some sort of suspension to hold the wood up (can be as easy as 1" MDF or even a bunch of left over baltic birch doubled or tripled up to get to 1" to 1.5") and use something like Carl's new toy to rip big pieces down.

I made benches like that before, 2 layers of 3/4 plywood, it was very solid. The MDF would work great because it's very flat and smooth, just not as strong on the edges and must stay completly dry. For that type of table those things would probably not be as important as a general work bench, things can get spilled on a work bench much easier than a bench for cutting.

One mistake I made with a old work table I had was to get paint on it, any new clean wood would pick up unwanted paint marks. At the end of it's life I was covering it with things just to to keep from marking up new wood, not good.