What to do, what to do...

[James Granger]

I recently got paid for some work done on the side and I have a dilemma (albeit a good one) about what to use the funds for. So I’d like everyone’s help in playing everyone’s favorite game – spend someone else’s money!To start out, I already have a table saw, band saw, lathe, drill press, planer, 2 routers, a small variety of clamps, a spindle sander, belt/disc sander, jigsaw, dust collector, small air compressor/brad nailer, among a few other odds and ends.In terms of the projects I like to tackle, I have started making furniture and would like to expand my scope in that realm. Some of the projects I’d like to start are a blanket chest, coffee table, dresser, etc (to give you an idea of my woodworking needs). I’m still fairly new to this craft, though, so that’s why I wanted to get everyone’s opinion.I have approximately $2,000 to invest (I prefer that word to “waste,” “spend,” “splurge,” or any others with more negative connotations!), and have been researching the following items/types of items:

Festool Domino
Festool TS55EQ plunge saw
Festool CT26E dust collector
Starrett combination square
Lie Neilsen or Woodriver #4 plane
Lie Neilsen or Woodriver #5 plane
Lie Neilsen or Woodriver #7 plane
Lie Neilsen or Woodriver block plane
DowelMax
Mortise Pal
Grizzly 6” or 8” jointer
Larger air compressor
Hitachi brad nailer
Incra miter gauge
Clamps, clamps, and more clamps

So, if you were in my shoes, how would you divvy up $2,000? I’m open to any all suggestions, so if there’s something you recommend that’s not on the list, I’d like to hear.

Thanks much in advance for all the help!

[Jerome Hanby]

If I were serious about considering a Domino, I'd be tempted to look at that new model that can handle bigger joints. Looks like it will also do the "normal" sized ones also.

If I had 2K to spend right now, I'd be tempted to buy a Festool sander/vacuum combo and spend the rest on a used drum sander. That Jet with the oscillating head looks interesting.

[Andrew Kertesz]

The first thing I would think about is where I am headed in the woodworking world. Do you want to make furniture to try and sell, keep for personal use, gifts etc. When spending any money it always takes me a while because I want to make sure that I am buying something that is going to increase my satisfaction, productivity, and skill set. I found out the hard way not to buy tools just because everybody says it is a great tool. If you don't have an immediate need don't buy it. One thing I don't see in either one of your lists is a stationary wide belt sander. If you are going to continue doing furniture while it isn't a must have it can sure come in handy. Just my .02 cents....:)

[david brum]

You'll have a difficult time progressing forward without a jointer. Most folks are happy with an 8" with a spiral head. A good block plane would be next, along with sharpening gear. I'd spend the rest on parallel clamps and a good miter gauge. The other items on your list are nice to have, but you can easily get by without them (until the next cash infusion).

[Steve Kohn]

When you did your last project, what tools did you wish you had to make the project easier? I prioritize my purchases based on what what I wished I had.

[Todd Burch]

I usually move funds to purchase machines, tools or jigs that take the drudgery out of, or add precision to, my woodworking. For instance, I have a lot of flavors of sanders because I hate to sand. If a sanding task comes up, I probably have a machine that makes it easy.

Todd

[Andrew Hughes]

Starret square.Jointer,Lie neilson block plane

[Bobby O'Neal]

I'd go jointer.

[Stephen Cherry]

The starrett square- that one is a no brainer. I would look at the combination square, and this: http://www.amazon.com/Starrett-13C-6-Inch-Double-Hardened/dp/B0002CSBP2/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_text_c

[Dan Bowman]

Jointer (Grizzly 490 is excellent), square, block plane, jack plane (you might start out with nicely tuned Stanley's before you spend the money on LN), and I'd replace the domino with a Jessem dowelling jig. I've got and like both, but for the money, get the Jessem.

[trevor adair]

I am also fairly new to this "hobby" (obsession, whatever) and I currently have the Domino, TS55, CT26 and Grizz 490.. Cant imagine working without any of them now..(Also have the Festool MFT/3 which gets used far more than I thought I ever would, cut my table saw use by 2/3rds.) The Domino will "mostly" replace the dowel max and mortise pal. I have a Delta benchtop mortiser and have not used it once since I got the Domino. I also have the Wood River #4 and Block planes, I dont use them much but when I do I am very satisfied with them. Both took minimal tweaking out of the box and are of good quality. My next purchase is a starrett, and more clamps when they go on sale.
Don't know how much this helped but what I am trying to say is that there is no real bad things on that list.. IMHO

[John A langley]

James - I'm going to assume, which makes me wrong, that you made up your list in the order of what you thought was important. I would definitely get the domino and the track saw. Then I would go for the joiner, brad nailer and clamps are a good investment. Unless you are going to build things by hand and not use power tools, you don't need the Lee Valley stuff. Granted they are excellent tools but a good Stanley block plane and jack plane will serve you just as well. And I'm making a statement - not to open up a debate. Once you get the Fess Tool stuff and the joiner, the next number one item on your list should be the Fess Tool vacuum. I will agree with most that the Fess Tool stuff appears to be over priced but once you use it you will see how well it is engineered. Good luck in your endeavors.

[James Granger]

Jerome Hanby - And what if I were only semi-serious about getting a Domino? Haha. Seriously, it's a very tempting tool, but it may be more "lust" than "love." Not sure yet.

Andrew Kertesz - Well, I have a 6"x48" sander already. Or did you mean something else? Like a drum sander?

Andrew Hughes/Bobby O'Neal - What size of jointer would you recommend? And standard knives or spiral cutterhead?

Dan Bowman - I never understood what the difference was between a parallelogram jointer and a standard one - can anyone explain the difference?

John Langley - Well, the list is organized by random order... in other words, there's no particular order to it. Was just writing things down as they came to mind. Does that change anything?

[Terry Beadle]

I'd vote with Mr. Bobby O'Neal. You need a jointer to properly square up any stock. You have the planer and the table saw and with a 8 inch jointer, you'd have the big three you need to get the wood ready for what ever you are going to build.

[Ralph Okonieski]

It is so much fun to spend someone else's money!

It is so much nicer to build things when the stock is straight and flat. I could not work without my jointer. An 8" spiral would be first on the list. I really love my Festool tools but they would be 2nd or lower to the jointer. Domino or TS55? Depends on what you need the most. My shop is really small so the TS55 is used to reduce plywood (or long boards) to a manageable size. I've used the Domino for hundreds of joints but have started to make tenons other methods. It is not as hard as it appeared! A good sharp block plan or shoulder plane works great for that purpose. There are lots of ways to proceed.

Your choices should depend on how you plan to work and what you like (or need) to build. A fun situation to have! Happy spending.

[Michael Mayo]

I would vote for the Domino and the biggest jointer the budget will allow.

[Timothy Wolf]

I would go with a jointer, dust collector, clamps. For the jointer I have a 6" Steel City longbed I am happy with but most people recommend an 8" jointer if you have 220v (if I were looking for an 8" jointer I would probably go with a Grizzly due to the price). I just bought a Fein Turbo II dust vac which is currently on sale at WC for $299. I also picked up a couple of boxes of the Jorgensen Parallel clamps on sale @ WC for $129. After that I would take the rest of the money and go buy some nice hardwood I could use those tools on.

[Jerome Hanby]

Guess I looked at the OP from a different point of view. I was thinking about buying goodies, not really about filling in "needed" stuff. I think the other guys have the right idea. The biggest jointer you can manage then spend the leftovers on a Starrett (or equivalent) combo square then look at what you have left over. Spending some of that cash on gasoline and combing all the CL areas within a couple of hundred miles might net you some good prices...

[Rich Engelhardt]

8" Jointer

Jessem doweling jig & 23 ga. Pin nailer w/the money you save over the Dowel Max.

Starrett combo square (Everyone that enjoys working w./their hands deserves to spoil themself w/@ least one Starrett tool)

The Festool track saw is a marvelous piece of machinery. I'd be lost without mine. I use a fair amount of sheet goods though.
(Even though it wasn't mentioned)Ditto the Kreg pocket hole jigs. Marvelous tool i'd be lost w/out. However, it sounds as though you prefer to use dowels and MT.
Ditto - ditto a larger compressor. I run both a framing nailer and a 15 ga finishing nailer. I have an Ingersoll Rand 4 gal twin hot dog. Marvelous piece of machinery that I seldom if ever use around the shop. Around the shop I use a small Sears 3 gal. to run my pin and brad nailers.
Unless you have future plans to spray finishes, a larger compressor is probably a waste of money.

[Stew Hagerty]

It sounds like we're in about the same place and have much the same equipment. Without some major changes to my workshop layout (which is complicated because I'm in a wheelchair) I don't have room for a jointer. However, if I did have room, that would definately be my first choice. If you have room, that would be my recommendation for you as well. If you plan on doing lots of hand work, which I have recently started doing, the good handplanes are essential. You mentioned Lie Nielsen and Woodriver, but I would also check out Veritas. A good miter gauge is essential for accurate cuts. You're looking at Incra, and they do make excellent models. However, I looked at and compared miter gauges for quite a while, including the Incras, before I decided on the Osborne design because of it's accuracy and simplicity. I had always used "F" and "Aluminum Bar" style clamps until I bought my first pair of Bessey K-Body Revo's. It was an epiphany. I not have 22 of them ranging in size from 24" al the way to 98" (yes, I've actually used the 98"ers) and I want to get 4 more of the 24" size. As for the domino, and Festool in general... At my current level of work, I have trouble justifying the expense. I have saws, drill, and a PC biscuit joiner that all serve me well and were far more economical. Now, I'm not saying don't buy them, they fantastic machines and if I was at a point where I needed and could afford them, I'd definately buy them myself. I do love tools and for a hobbiest I think I have quite a bit invested. I love Woodpeckers products. They're impecable quality and American Made. I also have a nice collection of antique iron (nearly all Stanley) and wooden (especially Copeland) planes. Myself, if I have the extra money, I would probably buy a Spiers Ayr plane and those 24" Besseys. Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself.

[Ben Hatcher]

I would suggest the following:
1. Sell your planer and buy a 12" spiral head jointer/planer.
or
2. Used 8" planer, dovetail jig, Domino, clamps.

[Larry Browning]

Of course you could just take your wife on a cruise. Then you wouldn't have to make all these decisions! (That's what she said!)

[Van Huskey]

To me the jointer is so integral to woodworking it would be first priority on my list. I would prefer a helical head. Since you have the money burning a hole in your pocket I would skip the 6" and go to 8". Ben brings up another option that being buy a combo machine, if room is any issue and you don't mind the changover time that could be an excellent direction to go since you could get a 12". If I were you I would focus on the jointer and then deal with what money I had left over from that purchase later.

[Jerome Hanby]

I may have faults in my work methods, pleas feel free to point them out, but I bounce between jointer, planer, and and table saw a lot when I'm preparing stock. Changing a combo machine back and forth would get old. But if I had a combo and kept my lunch box planer...no worries <g>.

[Todd Burch]

i may have faults in my work methods, pleas feel free to point them out, but I bounce between jointer, planer, and and table saw a lot when I'm preparing stock. Changing a combo machine back and forth would get old. But if i had a combo and kept my lunch box planer...no worries <g>.

I bounce just like you. Joint an edge, rip, joint new edge, rip. Repeat as needed. For face frame stock, this MO is such a timer saver later on.

[Van Huskey]

i may have faults in my work methods, pleas feel free to point them out, but I bounce between jointer, planer, and and table saw a lot when I'm preparing stock. Changing a combo machine back and forth would get old. But if i had a combo and kept my lunch box planer...no worries <g>.

I am like you, though I think in a perfect world we wouldn't move back and forth as much, if at all, just a straight forward jointer to planer to TS process. However, there is a huge percentage of European hobbyists and an increasing number of NA hobbyists that find the advantages of a combo machine to outweigh the cons. Ultimately, I think the big draw is the footprint of a 12" J/P and the monetary advantage given the price you can get a 12" J/P for.

[Don Jarvie]

Here's what I would buy

1. Starrett Combo Sq - essential for furniture making
2. 8 inch jointer - rough wood is cheaper than finished and you have the planer. A 6 inch jointer is a bit too small
3. LN # 4 - better than a block plane
4. Good Chisels - Invest in a good set that will hold an edge
5. 2 Good tenon backsaws - rip and cross cut
6. Sharpening items to sharpen chisels and plane
7. Clamps

Finally take a few classes to learn to sharpen and make mortise and tenons and hand cut dovetails. This along with the power tools and you'll be making great stuff in no time.

[Ben Hatcher]

I jump around some, too. Most of the reviews of the combo machines say that changeover times are between 30 and 90 seconds. It takes me that long to lug my work pieces from machine to machine and verify that the blast gates are set correctly. In reality, I do this for fun so as long as changeovers aren't tedious I could care less how long they take.

You could probably do a reasonable job jointing the narrow edge of most stock with a table saw jig and planer sled...OR a nice new festool ts55 and router rail guide.

[Mike Cruz]

If you don't already have them, I would spend the $2K on Byrd heads for your planer and jointer. If you don't have a jointer yet (looks like you may not), get the Byrd head for the planer, and an 8" jointer (if the budget allows, with a Byrd head). IF I had $900 to "invest" right now, it would be for the Byrd for my 20" planer. My two cents...

[shane lyall]

I can do without a lot of tools but not my jointer. I bought a 6 inch benchtop when I started and wanted a bigger one from the first time I used it. I have an ol' arn 8 inch Powermatic now and love it.

I just got a Woodmaster 38 inch drum sander and would sure miss it if I didn't have it. It's a big timesaver for me and I don't like to sand.

Next on my list would be the Domino because I work in a production shop. The more I turn out the higher my margin. I WILL NOT drop the quality of my work for quanity and I think the Domino would be just as good as the mortice and tenons I do now only faster. In a home shop it may not be an issue.

You can never have enough clamps. I have everything from Irwin Quick grips to Jorgys, Bessys, and the Jet clamps but for F style bar clamps the HF clamps are hard to beat for the money...did I say that out loud! I have at least 25-30 in assorted sizes and the longer ones do flex some. They have more than enough grip to glue starve a joint. I use them every day and have only had a few to fail. On a side note, Rockler has Bessy 36 inch on sale right now for $10. I ordered 8 last time and they work well. I actually like the grip on the HF clamps better. Bessys have cheap looking wood where as HF has a ruberized handle.

Thats my list but I make cabinets with a furniture piece or two for a living. Your list may be completly on the other end of the spectrum.

[Alan Lightstone]

I would suggest the following:
1. Sell your planer and buy a 12" spiral head jointer/planer.

Especially if space is an issue. If not, buy the jointer.

I have a Domino, but don't really use it enough to justify its price. I would put the Festool 150/3 and Festool vac just below the jointer on your list. If money is left over, the TS55 gets used a bunch and works great. Sure beats handling sheet goods on the table saw.

And you can never have enough clamps. Not a sexy purchase, but a very useful one.

[Sam Murdoch]

I'd vote with Mr. Bobby O'Neal. You need a jointer to properly square up any stock. You have the planer and the table saw and with a 8 inch jointer, you'd have the big three you need to get the wood ready for what ever you are going to build.

I agree that a jointer is an essential shop tool. There is no more efficient way to flatten stock. Lots of praise for the Grizzly 490 with an 8" bed, but if room is at a premium I can vouch for the Powermatic 54A . It's a 6" jointer with a longer bed than most in that width - 66" with double edged quick change knives. Though go as wide as you can afford and dedicate the floor space.

Also, I am a big fan of the Domino, but if you loaned me a $ 1,000.00 of your stash I'd buy a variety of Japanese chisels :D.

[Andrew Hughes]

Hi James,I have a 8inch jointer so i vote for the 8.I also have machines with both straight knives and carbide inserts.I like them both for different reasons.The carbide inserts have a advantage less tear out with reversing grain and much quieter.Good luck with your choice. Andrew

[Chris Rosenberger]

If I were serious about considering a Domino, I'd be tempted to look at that new model that can handle bigger joints. Looks like it will also do the "normal" sized ones also.


The larger Domino 700 XL does not cut the smaller sizes 4, 5, & 6 dominos.