Shopsmith Forums

I've been in the woodworking industry for 25 years and had education in the shop since before high school. I was just on some site called lumber jocks or something reading in disbelief.

Talking about something as simple as a cross cut sled or sliding table as I always new them. As far back as I remember we just tossed them together with scrap lying around. As long as they were square an tight to the slot all was just fine. Last one I made was oak and fiberboard because that's what I had. They're talking special woods plys and even plastics ????? Damn, my work table is 2x4s and melamine, my router setups are mdf, all have lasted for years and this is in a production facility. I have a sliding table set up on a shaper with adjustable hold downs made of mdf, I did use the Rockler aluminum T-slots on that because there was one close by for a while.

The net seems to make people over think and criticize things on a huge scale. This happens on every forum I've been on including drums, audio, motorcycles, bikes etc. etc. Outrageously expensive tools/parts that really have no need to be and everything severely over thought.

I guess I'm rambling here, sorry.

I do believe you have a very valid point. I would also include all the wood working magazines on partically every cover and on the internet as well: the "perfect miter joint jig, the perfect box joint jig, make perfect picture frame jig, along with the perfect work bench, or foolproof dovetails" and the list goes on and on and on. There can be a number of ways to get the job done but it seems to me that there can be only one "perfect." I'll get off my box now.
Regards,
Dwight

Yeah! Beatnik! I too, am frequently amazed at the special tools and procedures that many hobby woodworkers today believe are necessary. I even have some of the gadgets;)

All in all, this is a sign of our times - folks like to feel good and part of that is having and using the latest/"best" stuff.

The best/perfect thingie is that which allows you to accomplish that which you need to with accuracy you are satisfied with.

If you make the thingie from materials at hand, all the better.

Buying all that fancy stuff is for those with more $ than skill!

As for 'perfection', seeking it is an endless journey.

None of us is exalted sufficiently to look down upon any one else's thingie.

I agree that some will take a subject a little too far than whats needed. But also, for some, it is just a matter of one being passionate about their craft.

cincinnati wrote:I agree that some will take a subject a little too far than whats needed. But also, for some, it is just a matter of one being passionate about their craft.

That is where 'satisfaction' criteria enters.:)

I was venting while reading and looking at my 100 year old dining table. I was wondering how they ever built that without all those high dollar specialty tools with computerized sensing and such.

While I enjoy woodworking it took me a long time to admit to myself that I am more of a tool / shop junkie than I am a woodworker.
Tools tend to be important to many of my "herd" of hobbies. Having said that I am not a tool snob in that I almost never buy the "super tools" and most of my tools have been bought at yard / garage sales etc. over many years. I have bought more new stuff since I retired but mostly just "wants", not "must haves".
One of the reasons I rarely visit sites like LJ and a bunch of others is it makes me boil when someone learning woodworking makes a post all excited about buying a new tablesaw or other item and the tool snobs pounce on him saying that it is a piece of worthless junk. A lot of those guy are just there to feed their own ego. Maybe the guy just wants to make a few bird houses and a boot jack. Let him enjoy his purchase and some woodworking. Don't call him dumb for buying it and tell him that if he didn't spend $2400 on a tablesaw that he shouldn't be allowed to make stuff...
As a site LJ is a great site with a lot of great folks but it really seems to draw the tool snobs like a giant snob magnet. As a result I usually just come here when I want a woodworking fix.


.

I have really enjoyed Shipwright's posts 'over there'. He merely displays his results which are unquestionably outstanding.

And to have him extol the virtues of his shopsmiths puts icing on the cake.

[quote="JPG40504"]

None of us is exalted sufficiently to look down upon any one else's thingie.]

I never look at anyone else's thingie. I only look down at mine - but not always.