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Ordered a few accessories for my soon to be delivered Dewalt Combo kit. Help me choose some layout tools guys as I am new to woodworking, so I can order them together. Was looking at Swanson speed and combination square kit. Any other essential layout tools that I should have in my arsenal, let me know.

Though I am not a user, but the Bosch 12V lineup is highly recommended everywhere. They are among one of the most compact tools. I have their basic 12V screwdriver/ 6mm drill - known as the GSR1000 Professional in India. I was able to grab it for just $40 during sale and it's a great little yet powerful screwdriver. I'd let people with more experience than me chime in, but I think they would also recommend the Bosch lineup.

At one point during my buying research, even I was enamored by Hilti. In the chat that I had with their Canada Support, they even guaranteed International Warranty Support in India. But the price tag of $579 plus tax and me not being a professional who would use them day in and day out made me go with the cheaper yet established option.

I was gonna go with Bosch GKS 235 which has a 235mm blade and 85mm depth cut at 90°. However after posting this thread, I got a chance to talk to one of the manufacturers of the multi-purpose woodworking machines I have mentioned above. I was going to build a router sled to joint and plane whatever stock I was going to get. However after calculating how much wood I was going to have to work on ( a 3000sq ft vaulted false ceiling, 12 doors and 20 window panels and possibly 1000 sq ft of hardwood flooring), it made more sense to go with the above mentioned machine for it's planer and jointer combo as it is just $700 with a 3HP motor. So, the manufacturer I had a chat with, agreed to build a custom machine for me, where I am going to redesign the table saw portion of the machine. I can go for a 14" or even a 16" blade but I think I am going to stick with 12" as 14" will be a little too much for a 3HP motor and I don't want to go for a 5HP motor. So, the end product will supposedly be a one of a kind machine in India with a 13" jointer, a 8" thicknesser and a 12" table saw, all in one. The machine will feature a clutch system as well which will allow the user to run the table saw and jointer/planer individually as well as simultaneously, if needed. I am going to take cues from all the well established table saws and see what all features I can include in my version.

I was gonna order a Ferm HVLP sprayer today too, but all the window frames have already been installed at my house and I will have to go with either brush or rag to apply the finish I want whether I go with Poly or Varnish in the end. During the little research I did today, this is what I came across - 1) Clean the system that comes in contact with the liquid thoroughly with whatever thinning substance you used. That would be water if you used a water based finish and NC thinner if you used oil based finish. 2) In the end clean the whole system with acetone. This is very necessary if you are gonna shift between water based and oil based finishes. There are other environmental friendly alternatives available for Acetone as well. Something by the name of Kleen-Ex something which is a Soyabean Oil based solution that does the same job as Acetone. 3) The viscosity of the solution that you want to spray should be according to the standards specified by your manufacturer. You'll have to thin your finish accordingly till that viscosity is achieved. Setting up and cleaning the system can seem like a chore and hence many people only prefer to use a sprayer if they have to work on a lot of objects. For finishing just a single workpiece, a brush or a rag will always be much quicker.

One of the reasons I had ordered the Bosch HDS183 was because of it's anti-kickback feature. I switched back to the DCD996 because I knew that I won't be doing any major drilling which might lead to a kickback situation, and the price on the Dewalt combo was just too good to be true.

Hi guys, I had posted a thread about the kind of multi function wood working machines that are available in India and as others pointed out, they aren't made with safety in mind. Buying good quality machines from reputable manufacturers are gonna cost more than my house and they are only used by big furniture makers over here due to their high costs. So, I think I would be better off re-purposing a nice Circular Saw like the Bosch GKS -235 into a table saw for my use. That way, I could add features like the Micro-jig splitter and a good movable fence among other things. The jointer/planer on those machines I mentioned above is good enough, but the circular saw part is ill designed and hence, even if I end up getting one of those machines I would be much better off building this table for my circular saw. So I am thinking of going for a thick cast iron table. I am guessing a 4'x4'x1" table should do the trick and I can add in-feed and out-feed tables as needed. The stock that I will be working on is 10" x 5" and in varying lengths from 6' to 12'. Since I don't have experience working on a table saw, all I have got are Youtube videos to help me design and add necessary features to the table So it would really help me if you guys could pitch in with your ideas and suggestions on what design considerations and features I should inculcate in my table.

Thanks for the responses guys. I have decided to stick with Dewalt due to the crazy deal I got on the DCK299M2 kit. I have also decided to return the Angle Grinder kit and ordered the 4Ah-2 pack instead and save around $80. I wanted to order the 2Ah-2 pack but the price was same for both so went with the 4Ah despite the heavier weight. With my mediocre usage, I don't think I would be able to run out even one 4Ah battery on one tool in a day, but since shipping batteries is such a PITA these days, I decided to take advantage of the fact that my friend is flying down and grab an extra pair of batteries now, even if I don't need them today.

This one I have seen on some reviews. It's an irritating issue but doesn't hamper the performance I think, so maybe I can live with it. Any known issues with the chuck? Also is there some testing that I can ask my friend to do so as to determine the tools are in perfect working condition.

My heart also says to go for Dewalt. The DCD996 and DCF887 are both quite superior to the Bosch counterparts. I had ordered it on Boxing Day too for $250. I had been eyeing it for a few days and would have bought it for $334 as well but like you said, at $250, it was a no brainer. The recip saw would have been used a lot at the farm for pruning and other purposes and that's the only reason that Bosch is still in contention for me. If you don't mind me asking, are there some known issues on DCD996 and DCF887 that my friend could check for. I don't want him to carry them all the way to India and then they turn out to be a lemon.

I was hunting for my first set of power tools this December. My friend was gonna carry these for me from Canada to India. I ordered the Dewalt DCK 299M2 for CAD 282 and DCG412P2 for CAD 225. The pricing on the drill and impact kit was a steal and I ordered the Grinder kit just for the great pricing it offers for 2x5Ah batteries and the Dewalt fast charger. However the products didn't ship out even till 10th of January and Amazon didn't have an ETA that they could provide me. So I started looking for alternatives just in case Amazon don't ship my order in time for my friend's flight. Ended up ordering Bosch combo kit of HDS-183 and IDH- 182 with a bonus bare tool (Recip saw) free for CAD 383. Also ordered a spare charger and 4Ah battery for CAD 113. MHC overnighted this package to my friend's house and I decided to cancel my previous Dewalt order with Amazon. For some reason or other, I kept postponing the cancellation and now I have received the mail from Amazon that my order will be delivered before Jan 26. The price for both orders is around CAD 500. The Dewalt order has an extra 5Ah battery and a much better Drill and Impact. The Bosch order has the Recip saw that I would use a lot more than the Dewalt Angle grinder. Which set, do you guys think I should keep?

This is something many people do here in India, because tile cutters are much cheaper than circular saw. However, as you have mentioned yourself, it is very dangerous because of the nearly double RPMs. The kickback is much more violent. In fact, I read a few days ago, of a man dying because he tried to use his angle grinder on a wood stump and ended up slashing his throat because of the kickback. His wife came home to find him bled to death. You could possibly use it on thin stock but I, and possibly others as well, would suggest you to be safe and not do that.

Adding a feed mechanism might be more cumbersome and hence expensive. What I had in mind was to incorporate clamps in the push blocks so that they can be easily clamped and removed from the stock. A featherboard would provide with the necessary side force. Adding appropriate weight on top of the blocks according to the machine they are being used on to provide the necessary downforce. To remove the human element from the equation, I would like to implement a pulling mechanism that pulls the stock across the blade. I was thinking of using a motor (set at the feed rate of the machine) to pull the stock with the help of a chain and use pulleys to keep the pulling system compact. I would love to hear what you guys think of such a solution and what issues could hinder it's implementation in a work environment.

So guys I hope you don't mind me taking the thread in a slightly different direction and try and learn more about how to maintain safety while working. I am a complete newbie i.e. I have never worked with wood before and neither have had any training. I have however, had success in the past, learning new skills by doing research and discussing it on forums much like this. Of course nothing can beat proper training under a master, but that just isn't possible in my case. So, from whatever I have read so far, I have come to the conclusion that the most dangerous aspect of woodworking is due to the fact that one's hand can get close the running blade while working. I have seen various solutions for that in the form of simple push blocks to expensive jigs like the GRR Ripper. So correct me if I am wrong, but from what it seems to me, ( I have no experience yet, so I could be completely wrong) is that we use hands to provide a downforce on the piece of wood we are working on. Now, again, my observation depends on my above understanding) , but can't we replace our hands with something else to provide the downforce like an appropriate weight which provides similar downforce. Is there an estimated down force that is recommended or has been calculated or is it all left to intuition?

I completely agree mate. The problem is, no one worries about safety issues in India. The guys who work are usually uneducated. I will be looking for models with riving knife. The machine in the first video does have anti-kickback for the planer. And their machines are more properly built. I will also be making and using all sorts of jigs that help in boosting safety while working with a table saw. If they would incorporate basic safety measures, I believe these machines could be quite popular in US as well. You can work in a small space and not have to spend a lot on different machines either.

I am gonna link some videos so you guys can get a better idea about the capabilities of such machines. Even I agree that single operation machines might be more accurate but for people who might have space issues, such machines could be real life savers. https://youtu.be/bwA6koaizT0

Hi guys, So as I posted in my Intro thread, I am from India. In India, nearly 99% of the woodwork done when building a house (mainly window frames and doors as structure is usually made of bricks and cement) is done on these 8-in-1 woodworking machines. http://gspaik.com/MultipurposeWoodworkingmachine8in1.html It is a Jointer, Planer/Thicknesser, Table Saw, Rebater in one with some other functions as well. The machine runs on a 3HP/1440RPM motor. So halfway through building our house, I had to let the contractor go as his work wasn't upto our standards. I've decided to tackle the rest myself with the help of a seasoned wood worker who will be working at a fixed daily wage. I will most likely be purchasing a used machine like the above one as they are the only one available at a decent price. Such a machine is available for around $700 brand new. In comparison a portable Bosch Table Saw costs the same. Let me know your thoughts on the viability of using such machines. I probably won't have a choice to use something else, but would you guys ever consider using such a machine. One can even buy a version with a bandsaw attachment for around $1000.

Hi guys, I am from India. We were building the first floor of our house and I wasn't very pleased with the work and lackadaisical attitude of the contractors, so I decided to let them go and have a crack at the work that is left on my own. In India, the frame is built using bricks and plastered with cement 99% of the time. That part of the house is done. I now have to build the sloped false ceiling, do the tiles, plumbing and electrical work. As we have the ground floor to live in, I can take my time with the above mentioned projects and hence why I decided to tackle it myself without having any prior experience. 10-15 years ago, a thing like that might not have been possible. But thanks to the power of Internet and guys like you, we can share our knowledge and learn and practice a lot of stuff which we can't have even thought of before. At the time of writing this post, the only power tools I have in my hands is a corded Bosch 500W Impact drill and a corded Dewalt DW801 4" Angle Grinder . The past two weeks I have been doing my research, watching and reading reviews and what not. The only thing I haven't done is read any long-term reviews and that's why I have joined this forum, hoping that among other things, I get to see some good long term reviews. All the reviews and videos I have watched so far have been lacking when it comes to comment on the reliability and life of the tools. Cordless power tools are crazy expensive in India. Also we don't get a big line-up of tools and offerings from US companies like DeWalt and Milwaukee. Hitachi, Makita and Bosch do have the latest offerings available but at 2-3 times the price in US and with lower capacity batteries. For example, DeWalt still sells the 18V DCD771C2 with 1.5Ah batteries for USD200 over here. Other companies like Bosch, Hitachi and Makita only offer their 12V products at $150-200, while their 18V lineup is in the $300-400 range for single tool kits. So, I decided to buy from US/Canada but Amazon and other courier companies have stopped shipping products with Li-Ion batteries. That left me in a bit of a fix. Luckily one of my friends is coming from Canada for a wedding and has graciously accepted to carry some tools for me. It helped that this coincided with the festive period and I was able to grab a couple of good deals. I managed to snag the DeWalt DCK299M2 Combo kit for CDN 282/USD 208. It comes with DCD996 Hammer Drill and the DCF887 Impact Driver and 2 4.0aH batteries and the charger. It hasn't shipped yet as it showed Temporarily Unavailable when I ordered it, but I hope Amazon deliver on their promise and ship it once it comes back in stock and just not cancel the order. The price went back up to CDN 399 after I had placed my order, so I was lucky I could sneak in my order at the discounted price and hope they ship it. I also went ahead and ordered the DEWALT DCG412P2 20V MAX Lithium Ion Grinder Tool Kit I ordered this kit just because it is an inexpensive way to snag 2 5.0aH batteries with a fast charger with a decent tool. Bought this one for CDN 225/USD 166. Prices for power tools were usually higher in Canada compared to US, but the sales prices were definitely much sweeter. I'll add a Flexvolt Circular Saw and Recip Saw in the future if these ones turn out to be reliable and we see more long term reviews of them. For now I'll just buy a good Corded versions of those. Sorry for the long intro guys, I get excited when I pick up a new hobby as that means new toys to play with.