The next most important thing to buy...

[Josh Goldsmith]

Hello everyone! I am getting a new table saw (Craftsman 22124) for christmas and my question to you all is what next do i need to buy. Here is what i have:
Table saw
Router
Router Table
Dust Collector
Cheap benchtop drill press
Belt sander
Bunch of drill bits and forstner bits

What should i buy next?

I was thinking about a planer then i thought that a joiner is more important then i think that i can make a jig to turn the planer into a joiner or do i need bandsaw first? Maybe a mortise machine (my spelling sucks)?

I am a hobbiest who is constantley building stuff for other people. About a month after christmas i am refaceing my parents-in-law's cabinets. Right after christmas i am building my brother an entertainment center. Then maybe after all that i will build me a nice dinner table. I think you get my point. I'll try to build anything. If there is any other tool that i forgot that is really handy please let me know. Thanks for you time. Josh

[Vaughn McMillan]

Josh, take this with a grain of salt considering I'm relatively new to woodworking, but for the things I'm building a lot of right now (mostly cutting boards and boxes), a tablesaw, planer and a variety of hand-held sanders cover a lot of ground for me, but there are still times I could benefit from a jointer. If I were building cabinets and large furniture, a different combination might be more beneficial. For example, with the projects you've named, sounds like a good guide rail system (EZ Smart or Festool) might be very useful. (You can also "edge joint" lumber with a guided circular saw or router on a rail.)

In regards to your planer vs. jointer quandry, as it looks like you've figured out, if you purchase (or intend to purchase) rough lumber, a planer would probably make sense as the next big tool in the lineup. A jointer would be a close runner-up, but with a good tablesaw and proper jigs and such, you can "joint" edges of boards, and also with jigs and such, you can flatten bent board faces with a planer.

On the other hand, if you purchase a lot of smooth lumber, or have other to surface your boards, the bandsaw opens up a whole new realm of possibilities and capabilities. I'm having lots of fun with mine, but it's new to the shop, so I'm finding all sorts of things to do with it. Personally. I'd put the mortiser lower on the list, but then again, I'm not building mortised furniture or doors.

Just my couple o' cents -

- Vaughn

[lou sansone]

you are going to eventually need both a jointer and a planer. If you always buy your wood already surfaced then you might get the planer first along with a band saw for resawing.

lou

[Byron Trantham]

Josh, when I was in your shoes I let the IMMEDIATE demand drive my purchases. I couldn't afford to buy all of them at once so I just bought them as I needed them. Most of the big ones; band saw, planner, jointer, etc were Christmas presents so they were purchased over several years. The upside of this approach is shopping. You can research your needs vs price. the only thing I have bought that I would like to change is my jointer. I bought a 6" Jet and I wish I had an 8" something - probably a Griz.

[scott spencer]

Hi Josh - Alot depends on what you do, but I use a jointer, planer and TS to mill my rough stock flat and square right from the start of every project which ain't a bad place to start! The jointer is great for flattening and squaring, but you mentioned that it is possible to flatten a face on a planer with a sled, so while I love having both, if I could only have one, I think the planer makes the most sense.

[Josh Goldsmith]

All of my wood that i buy is allready planed on both sides and joined on one side. The wood is pretty nice to begin with. I think that is the reason why it is so hard for me to make my mind up on what i need. I would like to start buying rough lumber becuase it is cheaper (I think?) than the wood i am buying now. I just don't know how to get ahold of some rough lumber. Oh' i allmost forgot i am buying the kreg miter gauge setup also for christmas. I though of having a good miter gauge would be a key thing to have. I thought about buying a 15" drum sander instead of a planer becuase if i have a 14" wide chess board (just for example) that i want to make sure is 100% flat i can sand it or if i have a 27" wide cabinet door, i can sand one side and then flip it over and sand the other. Would that work? I know they are a little more than what i want to spend next but if they are important:) . Thanks for all of your comments.

Josh

[Squizzy Taylor]

Mate I'de go for a sliding compound mitre saw
Once you get one you can't live without it

I think you guys call them a chop saw ,


Rgds

Squizzy

[Michael Gabbay]

Josh - We've all been there at one time or another. I ended up getting the planer followed close on the heals with the jointer. A small 13" planer can go a long way in reducing your lumber costs.

You can get your lumber face jointed (skip planed) at most mills for a reasonable fee, sometimes free. The planing can cost you.

If you have the room for an 8" jointer get it. I have a 6" and would love to have an 8" but at the time money and room were a concern. For the most part a 6" will do fine but it limits the size of the boards for tops and such that can be glued up.

my 2 cents...
Mike

[tod evans]

josh, the rough lumber issue is certainly debatable. most wholesalers will surface and straightline for 10 cents a foot, at this rate it`s very hard to justify a planer on cost savings alone. going off your list of tools i would suggest you purchase either a bandsaw or jigsaw to do curves, you will eventually need a planer. a compressor and nailguns are in order also, as are such basic things as good cords for your tools, a skillsaw, portable drill,lay-out tools etc.........food for thought, tod

[Frank Hagan]

Table saw
Router
Router Table
Dust Collector
Cheap benchtop drill press
Belt sander
Bunch of drill bits and forstner bits

What should i buy next?


Here's my list:

Bandsaw
planer
jointer (next on my list, if I can fit one into my shop!)

[Jim Becker]

So...what kind of projects do you have coming up on your "list" and what do you need to do that next project that you don't have now? Although I'm a believer in a well-equipped shop when it's possible, building that equipment up is sometimes best done based on need. And don't forget that hand tools need to be part of your arsenal...don't assume that the next buy has to have a cord. ;)

[Bob Oehler]

IN my neck of the woods the "local" wood dealers who sell roughsawn do not have planers and jointers. The one around 25 miles away does but he charges an arm and leg for the service $0.50 per bdft with a 100 bdft min.:eek:

So for me my 7" jointer was next and I just bring the lumber to thickenss with my planes and dial caliper. If there is a lot of thicknessing to be done I can get some time on a 24" planer for nothing but my time and labor.

For me in your situation
Jointer
Planer
Bandsaw.

IF you get your lumber milled then
Planer
Jointer
Bandsaw

My 2 cents
Take care
Bob Oehler