Knowing what bit size/mortice is really needed for the joinery at hand. A machine with the proper gear ratio and a bit with the correct feed screw will make a difficult job, simple. You learn to place your joints in clear wood whenever possible. Frozen wood you predrill pilot holes, 1/8" with a cordless drill, making bit location a given. Know the boundaries, what is acceptable and when you have over bored in a spot. I do most of the grunt work! But not without a little forethought.
I have both a boring machine and a chain mortiser. I fully competent and efficient with a chain mortiser. I would like to be able to say the same with a boring machine. Things like drilling a hole before starting in frozen wood, and what the best screw is for different woods are things I need to learn. The thirst for that knowledge is why I participate in these forums. It is also why I should participate in guild events.
I would like to one day cut frames as efficiently with hand tools as I can with power tools. It is a better way to live.
The choosing of which tools are the most cost effective is also an issue with hand tools as well as power tools. For those of you that use axes, what styles and shapes do you find most useful and for what joints?
