Help with selecting tools for a shop - best bang for the buck

Add patience to your list! When I first started making knives, I didn't have much patience and the quality showed. As I've made more and more knives, my patience for getting out every last scratch and doing it over again when it isn't good enough has caused my quality to go up exponentially.
 
One thing I have been reading is that Grizzly mkes a very good tool for the price. I have a magazine which rates products and the Griz tools rank up there with ones twice the price. If I did not already buy my Delta sander I would have gotten a Griz.
 
Paul Weiss said:
Thank you for the safety information.

For my beginning knives do I really need to use a buffer?

Paul
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Here is a inexpensive way to buff your knives without the expense. I use a hammer drill and a buffing wheel on a small arbor I bought at harbor freight. The wheel came in a kit of two with white and red rouge. (forgive my spelling)
The thing to remember is be careful. I clamp my knife down tight with stops at all sides made of wood to protect the finish of the knife so I don't mar it and I do not use the drill on full spead. If you don't have stops in place or you buff at full speed you run the risk of catching and flinging the knife with the wheel. I know this because I had it happen once. believe it or not the wheel actually pulled the knife from the clamp and threw it across my shop. I was not hurt but from then on i started using stops.You can also use a Dremel with buffing wheel and polishing compound that comes in the kits. this is not the best way because for one it takes forever and two you get a slurried finish that you will have to buff out. I don't use a bench mounted buffer because as a kid my father was buffing a knife and it was slung towards the floor where it stuck in the top of his foot. They have scared me ever since. :eek:
 
Check local pawn shops. I mentioned this yesterday in a similar thread.

On the way home I remembered my post and dropped into the pawn shop near my house, I scored a craftsman 2x42 grinder for $20 out the door. It's not spanky new, but aside from a little accumulated shop dust, it's in excellent condition. My air compressor and a little windex cleaned it up with little effort.

In addition, they had a 9" disk grinder for $35, and several benchtop drill presses from $20-50.

Anyway, you get my point...

Take care,
Brook
 
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