What tools in your magic workshop do you use the most? Here's my top list...

- Table saw (I finally spent about $50 for a nice carbide blade with lots of teeth that works well for plywood and all lumber(without chipping)
- Power Mitre Saw (great for cutting small pieces and I use primarily for 90 degree cuts) I also use primarily a plywood type blade on this primarily so avoid chip-out of the small pieces.
- Pneumatic Brad Nailer (wow, I don't know how I managed without one, they sink the brads (finish nails) all in one shot), ok you need an air compressor too (the air compressor is also great for blowing the dust off your work prior to finishing), although Stanley makes a cheapo electric stapler/brad nailer (very small brads only).
- Bench Belt Sander, what a time saver for finish work. Your edges can always look nice with a good sanding job. Wear a good dust mask.

portable drill
Radial arm saw
Table Saw
Drill Press
Scroll Saw
Router
Joiner/planer
belt sander
wood lathe
biscuit maker
lots of clamps

Band Saw
Table Saw
Drill (hand and drill press)
Hand tools
Glue and clamps

I work in wood. I'm sure Jim Riser would have a completely different list.

M.Reutz -- I have had the opportunity to see Mel Babcock's (Babcock House of Magic)shop. For the amount and quality of work that he does I was suprised that he has a 10" Craftman table saw. His secret is the blade. Not sure where he gets them, but they are about $130 each and he will only send them back to factory to be sharpened.

Count Larry -- Do you use an electric or gas biscuit maker?

BTW -- Does everyone still have all their fingers?

While I didn't go with the $100+ blade it definitely makes a BIG difference to get a good quality blade. Re: Fingers, I have been lucky so far and use various jigs to push the wood through and am always paranoid about the proximity of my fingers to the blade.

IN this order of importance to make the props I make:

* Table Saw
* Chop Saw (power miter saw)
* Band Saw
* Drill press
* Planer

Here are my top five (in order of use):

Dremel Tool
Table Saw
Cordless Drill
Belt Sander
Scroll Saw

In the category of "don't use often, but glad I have them":

Electric Hand Planer & Table Planer/Jointer
Metal Lathe (max 1.5" diameter stock)
Small wire feed mig welder.

--- Guy

In order of importance...that's a tough one but:
1) RIGID Table Saw (I use the Freud Carbide "lots o teeth" blade which simply kicks butt on all my materials. Remember, let the Blade & Motor DO THE WORK. Don't rush your stock thru or you may cut off more than you want!
2) Drill Press (Man, what haven't I used this for?!)
3) JET Band Saw (Great tool at a great price! Always make sure your band saw features "balanced wheels" before choosing to purchase )
4) 12" Sanding Wheel (120 grit will work most anything for rough shaping and quick grinds)
5) Dremel Tool (these little puppies are priceless for odds and ends tooling
6) ROUTER!! oops..this should be near the top along with all my trusty lil router jigs. Yup! NO CNC at Wolf's Magic! I prefer old school methods and all the headaches that come with it. Truth be told, we may have to upgrade to a CNC Router very soon as the demand is out of hand...plus it is good common business sense.

Hey Jeff, Mel offered me a visit to his shop in the near future. Needless to say, I will go He was so kind at Stan Kramiens Jamboree and held back nothing regarding his fabrication methods. A true Craftsman and a fine Gentleman.
Take care,
Chance Wolf

Blimey! You guys have some serious hardware!

I have a few power tools, which I own for general household usage. But other than a Dremel-type drill, none of them ever get used for manufacturing magic.

When this thread started, I expected (quite honestly) to read something like scissors, sellotape, ruler, scalpel, Araldite, and superglue as the primary magic workshop tools.

I've used a power drill for making hook coins, but other than that, I think that all my "magic workshoppery" with cards, coins, what-have-you has involved no "serious" tools. No, I tell a lie, I think I used a fine grinding wheel once. And an oilstone.

Dave

My power tool List:

• Table Saw
  
• Power Mitre Saw
  
• Belt Sander
  
• Circular Saw
  
• Jig Saw
  
• Portable Drill
  
• Router
  
• SawSal
  
• Weed Wacker (Got to cut down the weeds)
  
• Chain Saw (Great for Cutting Trees)
  

Chance,
How could I forget the router! Though, I just as often use a stacked dado head on the table saw instead.

Jim

Geez...where to begin...

The tools used most often depends upon the type of work currently being done. I'll just list some tools...

I have 5 metal spinnings lathes. I keep one permantly set up for making the Riser/Loomis Micro Chop Cups. These lathes range in weight from around 200 pounds up to 2600 pounds.

an old Niagara circle shear
grinding, sanding, and buffing equipment

Sheldon metal lathe
Sheldon 12" metal shaper
Rusnok Milling Machine
Benchmaster Milling Machine
Jewelers lathe
Elgin Precision second operation/turret lathe
EMCO CNC lathe
All types of metal shears - from hand to stomp
MIG welder
Plasma cutter
Several wood lathes - largest 650 pounds
10" Baldor Grinder
20 ton punch press
Boyar-Schultz surface grinder
Drill press
Blacksmithing equipment for forging special items needed
2 auto feed eyeleting machines
2 auto feed riveting machines
10" Table saw
Belt grinder 2"
Belt sander 6x48
12" disc sander
8" jointer
36" and 12" slip rolls
24" pan/box brake
Power hack saw
Carolina HV metal cutting bandsaw
18" wood cutting bandsaw

I'm sure I left out a few items. There are, of course, tons of smaller hand tools.

A good ruler! I'm of the "Measure twice and cut...four or five times!" school.

I've been recently thinking about getting a steel cup. You haven't lived until you've gotten a piece of oak to the crotch at a gazillion RPM's.

And yes, I still have all my body parts and they are all in perfect working order!

Cheers!

I mostly use ....

Circular Saw
Wood Lathe
Clamps / Glue
Bench grinder
Drill
Rivet Gun

James.

Jim Riser,
I hope someday to have a Bridgeport milling machine and a lathe.

Jim

Hmmm...

My hands...?

P.

"Count Larry -- Do you use an electric or gas biscuit maker?"
I now use Bisquick so my bicuits are quick and tasty. Actually, I have a miniature biscuit slot maker which makes the slots for those itty bitty biscuits useful for small boxes and projects. They're great when you want to make strong joints without screws or dowels.