Shopsmith Forums

Every year I work out a tool budget and it runs from Dec 1 to Nov 30. Some years I run out of funds early and have months of waiting on the next years purchases. A few times I have cheated and spent more then allocated. I don't like to do that......... but some times it makes sense.

I track all that under a category I call "New Venture". It is strictly for tools but does include tax and shipping
. Some items are only a couple of dollars and others can be much more. A quick glance at this year shows amounts from $9.34 to $1147.45.

I try to make a list of items I know I want and then have some discretionary funds for say Woodpecker one time tools. Then I guess at how much I can spend then generate my buy list. Some times my need for an item that didn't make the buy list will cause me to make adjustments and move items between lists. I also try to allocate some funds to take into account raising prices.

This years planning is being difficult due to inflation and while the SS checks will be bigger so will the bills. I'm thinking of about limit of about 50% of my last years amount. Maybe that is too much a reduction but since there are so many unknowns.

Now for those of you who use the Domino (DF500) I purchased the "Q" set and the assorted domino with cutters. Since I have zero experience with tool is there anything that I should put on my list to make my experience better? Any thoughts or after purchase regrets are welcome.

Does anyone else here do similar planning? What might you have on your list this year?

Ed

I don't have a tool budget simply because I don't need one. If I see something I think I need or just want I buy it. Enough said.

For the Domino, check out Ramon Valdez's web site. He makes vertical holders for both Domino tools. If I had a Domino I would certainly have one of his jigs. He also sell plans to make your own.

https://ramonvaldezfinefurniture.com/pr ... ino-df500/

The one thing to know about the domino is to always use it with dust collection, no exceptions. It will plug and overheat otherwise.

As far as a tool budget, I have a quarterly allowance I give myself for purchases TBD but don't plan specific purchases in advance. I stick to it pretty well and unused funds do not roll over to the next quarter, and being incredibly cheap, having leftover budget normal. Large purchases are budgeted separately, but are very infrequent.

Cutting you budget may be wise until the world rights itself. You may want to reevaluate it mid year if things turn out better than expected.

Hello Ed

I used to own both the smaller Domino (the 500), as well as the Domino XL. When I closed my business, I ended up selling both of them because I didn't have enough use for them to keep 'em on the shelf. But while I had the Dominos, we used the heck out of them and I have nothing but good things to say about both tools (well worth the price paid).

Two attachments we found to be extremely useful were the Seneca Domiplate and the TSO BigFoot. Take a look at both of them and fire away if you have any questions.

https://www.senecawoodworking.com/produ ... nd-3-4-ply

https://tsoproducts.com/accessories/dbf ... ol-domino/

Rob

Some progress on my list. I added the TSO Bigfoot and the Seneca Domiplate(imperial). I found a vertical holder called a Domino Station that I will put on the list but not sure if I really need it or not but it does look like it would be useful. Similar Ramon Valdez's version.

As of now I have a list with estimated costs of $2791 but I have to verify prices as some of these come from last years or earlier lists and price tend to go up. At this point I'm already over the 50% of last years budget so a few things are going to have to be saved for another year.

Ed

My tool budget for the coming year(s) is much more conservative. Absolutely every dollar I spend for items to be used in the shop will be a dollar deviation from the budget.

I have gotten all that I "need" to do the work that I anticipate doing in the shop.

What I spend for other toys is subject for a different discussion. My financial manager, for years now, has given me cash for in my pocket. A monthly slush fund if you will. Each month she asks, "how much do you need for your wallet"? I seldom answer. I just give her my wallet. Each month, toward the end of the month" I remove the largest denomination bill I have in my wallet and stash it in the shop.

I probably have enough stashed in the "shop fund" right now to last the rest of my life.

Now for those of you who use the Domino (DF500) I purchased the "Q" set and the assorted domino with cutters. Since I have zero experience with tool is there anything that I should put on my list to make my experience better? Any thoughts or after purchase regrets are welcome.

You are really going to like the Domino. For years I thought it was just an extravagant nicety and redundant to a very good dowel jig that I have. It took a little while to get the hang of it but now it has become my most used tool in the shop. One of the better investments I have ever made. I would use it for a while before you decide on other accessories. I ended up getting two: one that allows attachment to the Festool guide rail

https://www.etsy.com/listing/927303568/ ... 8825bcaa56

and one to stabilize it in the vertical position. I have yet to use the Big Foot and in retrospect probably should not have gotten it.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/927303568/ ... 8825bcaa56


Steve

I hadn't studied the printed parts they have for the domino, it looks like some might be useful. I do own the Dewalt to festool track adapter and the 2.3mm waste side jigs from someone on etsy, don't recall the name?? The vertical position jig looks like it also come as a kit with a selection of off-sets which I could see as useful but also pretty easy to make yourself.

Ill just add enough to the list to cover both and decide later what I really want.

Thanks for all the input!

Ed

The biggest item on my list is a 3D printer. I wanted to have one by now but for some reason reality doesn't alter itself to suit my plans. Hard to believe the year is almost over. Yes Virginia, it is only November still, and once upon a time I thought a month and a day was a lot of time, but there's no way I'll catch up to where I should have been in June by January. I do need a few things though, some decent chisels and carving tools, some kind of laser drill guide because my eyes keep getting worse. I'm sure there are plenty of other shiny tools that will catch my eye over the next year as well.

Finished my 2022 budget. After adjusting a few items and updating prices etc it stands at $2891. I have a few things that are easy to put off, again, like a new air compressor. The old one works but CFM is lower then some of my tools want, longer recycle time is one thing but other effects are not so welcome. But if push comes to shove it can get put off again, think it has been on the list for 4 years now.

New purchases start anytime after Dec. 4th. Now I have to figure out which month which things get purchased. Months like June and Sept are property tax months so not good for expensive tools. Like wise Feb is insurance month. So more expensive tools will have to be in the other 9 months.

List is 30 items long. Nothing over $400.

Ed