Reddit mentions of STANLEY Sweetheart Chisels Set, 4-Piece (16-791)

Product link. Also this is regular price. Amazon likes to post inflated MSRP prices no one ever actually charges. Price Zombie will confirm in a few seconds

These are some of the best entry-level options:

• Narex Classic Bevel Edge
  
• Woodriver
  
• Stanley 750
  
  If you want to spend a small amount more and get chisels for life, consider these. They are shockingly inexpensive for how good they are.
  
  You don't need to go to L-N/Veritas/Blue Spruce and spend $75+ apiece on the world's greatest chisels to get good results. You can cut perfect dovetails with any of these.
  
  For dovetails, I mostly use 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4". On smaller pieces, sometimes just 1/4" and 1/2". For casework, the 3/4" chisel comes out a lot more.
  
  When clearing tail baselines, I like my chisel to be slightly more than half of the length of the baseline. This way, I get the whole thing in two strokes per side, and both strokes have plenty of knife line available for registration.
  
  Also, if you are going for super skinny pins, especially in thin stock, you may need to go smaller than 1/4". If your smallest chisel is 1/4", make sure that when you lay out your dovetails, the pin sockets are at least that wide. If you find yourself bruising the sides of your tails because you don't have room to maneuver, it's a sign that you need a smaller chisel or a larger pin.
  
  It's also useful to have a much wider chisel than 1/2" for paring and strengthening knife lines. Something in the 1"-2" range. This is less dovetailing-specific, but dovetails aren't the only joinery involved in making boxes.
  
  As for other tools:
  
  
• A cutting gauge like this for marking baselines.
  
• A try square or combo square
  
• A dovetail saw. The best bang/$ is this one.
  
• A dovetail marker: make it yourself.
  
• Some means for jointing and thicknessing stock.
  
• A way to hold boards upright while you work on them. You can make a Moxon vise out of scraps and inexpensive hardware.
  
• A saw to remove waste. I use a fret saw most of the time--with a little practice it's quick and efficient. Some people use coping saws. On larger/thicker dovetails (>1" stock), I sometimes use a turning saw.
  

Stanley Sweethearts - https://smile.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488082816&sr=8-1&keywords=stanley+sweetheart

$82 any day of the week. . . best bang for your buck.

That being said, I use Lie Nielsen chisels and I wouldn't trade them for anything. . . a good set of Japanese chisels would be tempting but they run upwards of $900. . . and they're typically metric.

I own a set of Narex mortising chisels and I've see some of their bench chisels. They are ok. . . but pretty brittle. . . and when I held a Lie-Nielsen mortising chisel I immediately wanted to sell my Narex set for just that one chisel. . . however, they're not very easy to sell since they are so cheap to begin with. . . so I'll just save up.

I have multiple sets of chisels but I find I go back to my Stanley 750 (the modern ones) often. You can get a set of 4 for under 100 on amazon. Quality stuff. I use the Paul Sellers technique to chop mortises. I isn't as quick as some but it sure feels good once completed. Like reliving an ancient technique.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8

This set of Stanley Sweetheart chisels is on sale for $83 which is a really good deal. Normally the chisels run around $30 per unit at a place like rockler. I'd put them a step above chisels like Narex (which aren't "bad" by any shot) but still below a brand like Ashley Isles or Pfeil.

Great set if you're looking to upgrade from something like harbor freight chisels.

If I were in your position, I would definitely shoot for a big ticket item such as the sawstop PCS (36" T-glide) with 1.75hp motor. That will eat up your entire budget (plus $219 more). I cannot imagine a hobbyist woodworker who would not be happy with it.

OR you can do lots of little stuff: (take out the things he may already have)
Sharpening: this this this this and this

Chisels: here

Japanese saw: this and this

Caliper: here

Exceptional quality hand plane set every woodworker would love to have if they don't have it already: here. Conversely, you can get the Lie Nielsen 60-1/2 block plane and get the #4 and #5 from Lee Valley (I prefer their version).


If he doesn't have a planer, this is a great one: here


As for festool products, I would highly recommend the Rotex 150 with Dust collector combination

I'm sure i'm missing a couple of stuff here and there but I hope the list helps you get started.

They have Stanley 750 series stamped on them. http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Series-Socket/dp/B004TK0IG8

I would second the Stanley Sweetheart chisels as a good, affordable set of chisels. I think they perform great, feel good in the hand, and even look like a quality tool. Amazon has a great deal on the set of four most commonly used sizes.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482187654&sr=8-1&keywords=stanley+chisels

I can't comment on the ones in your pic, but I bought the ones above it (you can just barely see the bottom of them) and it was not worth the $10 or whatever I spent. They are softer metal and now essentially garbage for me. I next bought the Stanley Sweetheart 4 piece set for $75 and they are outstanding. (If that's too much for you FWW says these are really good for like $40.) So like I said, can't comment on these but in general, with tools, you pay for what you get. I'd rather spend $75 on something that will last my lifetime than $1 on something that will cost me time to replace, will fail when I need it, doesn't do the job quite as well.

I use Stanley Sweethearts and they're great.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8

The new stanley sweethearts are also worth looking into IMO https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8

Here are some other brands to look at: http://www.startwoodworking.com/sites/default/files/tool-test-bench-chisels.pdf

Keep in mind that with higher priced chisels you're often paying for it being closer to set up out of the box, and quality of the steel in terms of holding and edge vs ease of sharpening.

Second candleww that Ashley Iles are really sweet. Watch how quickly Dave Barron sets one up for use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENqMrvsR3q8

Lastly, I've seen vintage chisels perform just as well as new premium chisels once they are restored. Brands like Butcher, Witherby, Berg, Stanley are great. There are lots of videos on restoring chisels out there, and it isn't hard to do.

This is the chisel set I'm heavily considering. Would also appreciate recommendations from experienced guys/gals.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8

Which stanley's are you looking at? I have these and I love them. I prefer the handle shape/size of these over the narex. Both have great reviews. I never considered the Irwin chisels because I didn't like the handle.

Craftsman Table Saw Model # $150


Shop Fox model #G8826 fence system $275


Freud P410 Premier Fusion 10-Inch 40 Tooth Hi-ATB General Purpose Saw Blade $80


Wilton 15” drill press $100


Parks 12” planer $600 This requires a little road trip

Atlas 6” jointer $150 Model #


Delta 10” bandsaw, Powerkraft radial arm saw and Rockwell contractor table saw $200
I would resell one of the tablesaws Just pick the nicest one and sell the other.


Oneway Multi Gauge $97 This is for setting the jointer perfectly and the dial indicator can be removed to make planer setting jig as described by Bob Vaughan (see youtube) or fine woodworking 107.


Angle block set for machine setup $30


Bessey Bar Clamps $14x3 plus maybe $10x3 for bars Say $75 total


Stanley sweetheart chisel set of 4 $80



This leaves $243 left for misc things like drill bits, planer/jointer knives or sharpening F style clamps a cordless drill, random orbit sander, sand paper ect.

Thanks for the info.

I feel I'm treading water here flip flopping back and forth.

So this is what I have come up with.

Sharpening:

https://www.amazon.com/DMT-D6EF-Dia-.../dp/B000GD3V3E
and
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PVXRJ0..._ZkHazb3N619JN

Chisels:

Stanley 16-791 Sweetheart 750 Series Socket Chisel Set, Brown, 4 - Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TK0IG8..._MlHazbXRPYNVR

Included the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1", add the 3/8" in separate.


That or the Narex set of 4 and the 5/8 from LV.

For some reason the Narex set looks more "robust" as the hornbeam handle on the sweetheart seems fragile...but after looking around more everyone says the sweetheart chisels are better than the narex. They seem to be identical to the ones on LV as on amazon for 30% less.

Thanks for asking the question because I was wondering about decent chisels on a budget. I'll probably pick up https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TK0IG8/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I1JK4X4CB9PRRD&colid=XSR4TUQ1ES94&psc=1 based on the recommendations. Hope the BF loves his gift whatever you get!

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8 shoot the price went up on them by about 10 dollars since i last bought them, but they're very good chisels to have. You really don't need a full set of 8 of them.

i'd recommend getting the 1/8th http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-781-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TQGHOE/ref=pd_sim_469_2/188-9502197-5612530?ie=UTF8&dpID=21S6-4OQCyL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=18XVZDRFP6Q1YPHKAX8G
chisel too for getting into tight little corners and what not.