what are your must-have tools for woodworking/'glassworking

[hamiltonaudio]

I was turned onto a carpetners "profile" tool to aid in smoothing and equallying contours on glass work. Never even seen one before :) Post up your must-have tools or products that make woodworking and 'glassworking doable!

My list:

1. router, circle jig and quality bits (MUST HAVE)
2. 36" formable contour
3. LOTS of mixing cups :)
4. acetone is your friend

bmoney

[coupe]

Dremel

[car audio dave]

- table saw
- 90* triangle
- roto zip
- drill press
- air grinder/sander
- lots of change cups from casinos-free- (work great for mixing resin)
- $.99 paint brushes from home depot
- latex gloves (i guess they are tools)

[tubpub11]

Thats a good idea, never thought of casino change cups, I always got my measuring cups from the dollar store.

[car audio dave]

haha yea it was something that we used at my old work. i always grab a bunch when i go to vegas now (and soon atlantic city).

[hamiltonaudio]

if you're using change cups for mixing resin, how do you know how much resin you're using (to use the EXACT) amount of MEKP for the proper mix ratio? ;)

Professional mixing cups are like $0.80 each - I have about 6 on the go.... marked with easy to read graduations, and give you the chance to mix your resin (or whatever) CORRECTLY <wink>

bmoney

[hamiltonaudio]

some installers swear by the Roloc disk - either surface prep or sanding.... I'm not a fan of them because the consumables are sooooo freakin expensive....

I've found that a simple 5" random orbit sander works VERY well for taking down big spots... and the rest should be hand-bomb with a variety of blocks....

Lastly for anyone doing glass work, stick with 2" brushes - and buy the cheapest ones you can. Instead of throwing the brush out every single mix, keep a mixing cup full of fresh acetone handy and dunk it in there between coats....it doesn't clean the brush entirely, but more than enough to use about 4 times before it goes funky....

1. router, circle jig and quality bits (MUST HAVE)
2. 36" formable contour
3. LOTS of mixing cups
4. acetone is your friend
5. table saw
6. 90* triangle
7. roto zip
8. drill press
9. air grinder/sander
10. lots of change cups from casinos-free- (work great for mixing resin)
11. $.99 paint brushes from home depot
12. latex gloves (i guess they are tools) (or nitrile for those with alergy to latex)

[car audio dave]

when i use the change cups, i just eye ball the amounts. i usually go a bit overboard with the hardener. all that results in that is that it hardens faster, but i use only a litle bit at a time anyways, so its not big problem. obviously if you use too little hardener it will stay syrupy and not completely harden, which becomes quite a mess.

the $.80 cups sound like a good idea. they are pretty cheap and if they ahve the measurements already then its a msart way to go.

[hamiltonaudio]

you have to watch going too hot on your mix too...if its cosmetic only, then no big deal...but if its structural (an enclosure for example) then going to hot yields a more brittle and weaker product as its hardened too fast. You can also add some Air Dry to the resin which helps the drying process and causes it to cure evenly....

yes, there are side effects to being too-hot, other than drying faster ;)

bmoney