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What didn’t earn its keep in your shop?

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What didn’t earn its keep in your shop?

#1

admin

Every shop has a few lessons sitting on a shelf somewhere.

Tools that looked promising. Supplies that should have worked. Services that talked a good game but didn’t follow through. Most of us have paid tuition one way or another.

This is a place to share those experiences—so the next guy doesn’t have to learn the same lesson the hard way.

If something didn’t work out for you, tell us about it. More important than the name is the reason:

  • What you expected it to do

  • What it actually did (or didn’t do)

  • How it was used

  • Whether the issue was design, quality, or just not suited to the task


A couple of guardrails so this stays useful:

  • Stick to firsthand experience

  • Keep it factual—no pile-ons or score-settling

  • If there’s something the product does do well, say that too

  • If you have any connection to the product or seller, say so


The goal here isn’t to run anything down. It’s to pass along hard-earned experience and help each other make better choices.

Sometimes knowing what to avoid is every bit as valuable as knowing what to buy.

Re: What didn’t earn its keep in your shop?

#2

Belt sander, the machine from hell for anything except actual woodworking. Spews dust, cuts troughs, dishes out what you want to flatten. The best use I've found is to mount it upside down in a vise and hog rust off garden tools.

👍 This page answered my questions

Your vote helps other woodworkers quickly find the answers and techniques that actually work in the shop.