Table saw & planer or planer & jointer?

[Shaun Wesley]

Hello all,

The wife has recently approved me spending a few thousand on a few tools. I was considering purchasing a jointer and planer or a combo machine but have recently reconsidered. I currently am utilizing a job site table saw, which obviously is quite small and cannot accept dado blades. I am now considering getting a nice cabinet saw and either a jointer or planer, since I then would only have the funds for one or the other.

I currently have to have my wood surfaced and edge jointed when I purchase it so the idea of getting a jointer and planer was nice but then I look at this small job site table saw and wonder if I should just get a nice size table saw and maybe a planer. I would still then have to get my wood surfaced and edged on one side but then at least I can plane it to the size I need.

Just wanted to get some opinions of some of the experts around here if they were limited to my situation what would you chose? A table saw and a planer/jointer? Or a Jointer and planer and stick with my job site table saw?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

[Tom Leasure]

Look at Grizzly on line - you should be able to get several machines for the bucks you are parting with plus grizzly makes quality machines

[Mark Godlesky]

Or you can go used. You should be able to get a table saw, 8" jointer, and lunch box planer for about $1500.

[Myk Rian]

For 3 grand, you can get all 3.
I bought a new SC Hybrid saw, a new DW735 planer, and a used Jet jointer for about $1600.

[Wilbur Pan]

Hello all,

The wife has recently approved me spending a few thousand on a few tools.

I don't know how much is a "few thousand", but you could get the Grizzly 12" jointer/planer combo for $2000 delivered, and the new Grizzly 3 HP 10" table saw with riving knife for $1400 delivered, which is $3400 altogether.

Grizzly also has a 10" jointer/planter combo for $1300 delivered.

Buying a used table saw can save you a fair amount of money as well.

I don't have any of these machines, so these aren't hard and fast recommendations. Just trying to point out some options.

[Larry Edgerton]

The table saw is the center of the shop, it would get my first consideration. Planer would be second, jointer third. You can joint with the tablesaw and a sled, and clean up with a handplane until such time as you can afford a jointer.

I disagree with the run to Grizzly because they are cheap train of thought. I would rather have a used saw, tear it apart and clean/paint and adjust and know my saw, and have one with history. I have an old, made in the USA Powermatic that spent its youth in a pattern shop, came to me for a little TLC, and has served me well for some 15 years now, and is worth more now than when I bought it. I like the history of the machine, and woodworking is a bit of a zen thing for me anyway.

Most of the favorites in my shop were bought used.

And, our trade deficit to China is killing each and every one of us, and will only get worse. Like it or not this is something each and every one of us are responsible for. Also I do not like the theft of intelectual property that the Chinese companys have no problem with. When is the last time you saw a unique tool come out of China? What would be the point of developing new tools in the USA or any other country that pays a living wage if the Chinese are just going to do a half donkeyed copy and flood the market using their basically slave labor as an advantage?

[Matt Benton]

If space is a consideration, I'd get a new J/P, either Grizzly or Jet, and find a good deal on a used tablesaw. If space is not an issue, I'd get all three machines used.

Also, depending on the kind of work you do, a bandsaw may be just as important as a tablesaw, if not more so....

[scott spencer]

Assuming you're a hobbiest, all 3 are very possible for $3k, and will still get you excellent performance. I'd likely go with a cabinet saw like a Grizzly, Shop Fox, Jet, or Steel City, or possibly used, including Delta, PM, or General.

A decent 8" jointer should serve you well and come in under $800.... Grizzly, Shop Fox, Jet, Sunhill, or Steel City

A good benchtop planer like the DeWalt, Makita, Delta, or Ridgid should serve you well, but a stationary planer does have some advantages if you can swing it.

Sell the jobsite saw to offset costs if necessary.

[Alex Shanku]

I would rather have a used saw, tear it apart and clean/paint and adjust and know my saw, and have one with history.

Same here. For your budget, you could purchase a few nice, old, american made machines that will last forever and perform as good, or most likely, better, than any machine you could buy from china.

[Shaun Wesley]

First off thanks to everyone that has offered some insight and recommendations. My allowance is 3K. With that I was originally looking at Grizzly's G0634 (j/p w spiral head). That’s when I started thinking I will have such a nice jointer and planer but will be utilizing this baby jobsite saw. I started thinking about getting the G0453Z (planer w/spiral head) and the g0691 (table saw) with the money instead and getting a quality jointer when money permits maybe in 8 months or so.

I see some people are recommending the lunch box planers. I worry that I will want more and it would be more cost effective to spend more money on two of the tools and get the third one when finances permit then spend less on all three. I could be approaching this all wrong though.

Again, thanks for all the input.

[Matt Benton]

Shaun,

Your profile doesn't state where you are. That will go a long way to determining how likely you are to find used machinery.

I just finished re-equiping my shop, and the only new machine I have is the Jet JJP12 j/p combo, because I don't have room for separates and would never find a combo used.

With the budget you have, I would strongly suggest buying used whenever possible. You can get so much more machine for the money if you are patient...

[Sonny Edmonds]

My thoughts run along the same path as Larry's.
Get a good cabinet saw for your shop. It will become the heart of your shop that all else will work from.
Personal experiance has proven worth in the same order as Larry said, Table Saw, Planer, then Jointer. With a glue joint rip blade, on a properly tuned TS, you won't need a jointer.
I had my TS, and got a planer because I had a pile of Black Forest pine from electrical equipment crates that was rough cut. I worked it down into lumber for several projects, two biggest of which were large toy boxes for two of the grand daughters.
I edged those boards by clamping them into a stack and running them through the planer on edge. The end result was a lot of stock that was diamensionally great for my projects.
Later on I got a jointer, and it's handy, but no where near the meat and potatoes that my cabinet saw and planers are.
But as you can see, I don't subscribe to the tried and true "Norm's" most do in my woodworking. I venture way outside the box.
1. Cabinet saw (3-5 HP)
2. Planer (stationary, 15 - 20", or Dewalt 735)
3. Jointer
There is the meat, potatoes, and vegetable, for a good shop. :)

[Eric DeSilva]

Or you can go used. You should be able to get a table saw, 8" jointer, and lunch box planer for about $1500.

+1 on used.

I bought Delta platinum edition Unisaw w/52" bies fence, delta mobile base, and other extras (Delta tenoning jig, Delta mitering jig), plus a Grizzly 8" jointer and Grizzly 20" planer for $1400. All in very good condition. I'm pretty sure I could get my money back on all three.

[Don Bullock]

The table saw is the center of the shop, it would get my first consideration. Planer would be second, jointer third. ...

I would fully agree with Larry on the order of purchasing your major tools. Having said that, I bought a jointer first and found that I had to have a planer too. A combo may have been a better way to go, but I like having separate machines.

As for buying used or new, only you can make that choice. It is an option depending on your experience with the machines and the availability of used equipment. I chose to buy a new jointer and planer because I don't feel I'm experienced enough with these machines to fully evaluate a used one. If I ever decide to upgrade I will, after I have used these machines for a while, I will consider used machines. For my table saw, after TLOML (aka SWMBO) saw the SawStop videos, I had no choice. Used ones weren't available at the time.;):D

[Mike Wilkins]

I'll toss in my nickels' worth here. I would get the good quality table saw and the planer for now, with future plans for a jointer. This is my reasoning: you can get a glue-ready edge on boards from the table saw with a good quality blade and a sled for holding the board for straight-line ripping. After getting one straight edge, you use this for the reference against the rip fence. Then on to the planer for thicknessing.
Another option would be to get a combo jointer/planer in the 12" range, and a hybrid tablesaw. It all depends on the budget you have for now.
And don't forget the used market if you are willing to wait.

[Curt Harms]

If you buy stock with 1 flat face that will stay that way, a jointer becomes less critical. There are ways to get a straight square edge without a jointer, e.g. router, table saw jigs etc. I tend to buy stock rough so need to face joint one side. I bought a combo to get same width jointer & planer. Before I bought the combo machine, I bought machines in the following sequence--
1) Contractor Saw later upgraded to a cabinet saw
2) benchtop planer
3)6" jointer.
I would follow the same sequence if I were doing it again. Having said that, it's sure nice to have a 12" induction motor powered jointer & planer. Quieter, more substantial and I can feed stock on a skew to help with tearout if necessary. For $3K I'll bet you could get the Jet or Grizzly combo machine and a used cabinet saw or good used contractor's saw. If you don't care for the combo idea, you might find all 3 pieces someplace like Craig's List to fit your budget.

HTH

Curt

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

If you're gung-ho on a new saw, the new Delta Unisaw is coming out this year I believe...their seems to be some high hopes for it. Might be a little spendy, but it will be a quality piece. It's probably worth holding off to see what pricing will be...up to you of course.

[Scott Wigginton]

First off thanks to everyone that has offered some insight and recommendations. My allowance is 3K. With that I was originally looking at Grizzly's G0634 (j/p w spiral head). That’s when I started thinking I will have such a nice jointer and planer but will be utilizing this baby jobsite saw. I started thinking about getting the G0453Z (planer w/spiral head) and the g0691 (table saw) with the money instead and getting a quality jointer when money permits maybe in 8 months or so.

Has having the jobsite saw been holding you up from doing things you want to do? Follow up to that is do you have sufficient Dust Collector to handle the new tools you want?

If its holding you back now then get the do that first, sell your old one, and save up until you can get whatever jointer/planer you want. If its not holding you back then I caution you to upgrade "just because you'll eventually need it", I'd rather continue to save and keep an eye out for any great deals.