Spend 1k ?

[Gregg Mason]

Is this a good way to spend a thosand bucks ? Or should I be going another direction ?

Let me start off with what I currently have.

Griz contractors TS
Griz 6" jointer
Ridgid planer
Griz belt/disk sander
Misc hand tools(sanders, router, etc)

What I'm thinking of Buying -

Incra LS-TS 32 fence system, with Wonder Fence package, Right side Table extension and legs. Maybe add a lift or new router, if I can squeek out enough $'s. It's about $1000.00 at woodpeck.

Other items in consideration -

Dust collection (using shop vac on each machine now)
Drum sander

So is this a good direction to go or is there something else I should be looking at for my next purchase. Space is not an issue. I just moved into my new house and have about 1000sqft or more(if needed) of the basement I can use. Pics of new house/shop to come.

[Jason Morgan]

If you got 1000sq ft of basement to set up shop in, then man you need a gorilla and about 300' of 6" S&D pipe.

My advice, dust collection all the way!

Good luck!

[Michael Gibbons]

Bandsaw

Drill press

Dust collector

Air cleaner

Small lathe and tools

Depending on what brand(s) you buy you could probably buy more than one of the items listed. How are you set on hand held power tools? Might want a seperate router table also.

[Jason Beam]

I absolutely love my incra fence. I also absoultely love my router lift.

But... I had my bandsaw and dust collector before them. If I had a grand to spend and had the tools you have now, I'd get a good DC and a good BS first.

That said ... there isn't a single tool I walk up to with more confidence than my router table. Between the Incra and the Lift, I can pull off just about any standard router trick with ease. Beaing able to sneak up on a dimension, then being able to repeat that dimension makes my work a whole lot better.

Keep that Incra on your list, it'll serve you well. If you can't see a need for a bandsaw yet, then I'd say get the incra fence and a DC. The lift can come next time :D

[Carroll Courtney]

I go for the 8" jointer,iI made the mistake of buying a 6"

[Mike Heidrick]

OK.

Lets do this another way.

Get a milwaukee 5625 or PC 7518 router. - $300
Get yourself some MDF and laminate and plywood for a router table and base. - $150 at most. Make it a Norm table but build it big enough and to the size of the WoodPecker tables/offset styled and you can add that incra fence latter around Christmas when they go on sale and you can put it on your list. Untill then use a Norm fence or other clamp on design.
Add $100 for electrics/switch, DC fittings, and castors.

You need a real DUST COLLECTOR - HF 2HP for $150 with coupon. Then add the $100 Wynn environmental Cannister or even the HF cannister.

Then add the rigid OSS with mini belt sander as well - $200

Now you get all three for $1000.

[glenn bradley]

Go for a DC. You won't believe how much more pleasant it will make your shop time.

[Bob Dodge]

Gregg,

It's always a tough choice when you have some spare cash and are trying to get the most "bang-for-the-buck" to evolve your shop. On the one hand, you can upgrade your current machines, and on the other, you can acquire new machinery and tools that will expand your current capabilities. No choice is "wrong"; it simply depends on the type of work you do, and the type of work you'd eventually like to do. While I'd be inclined to recommend a few good handtools (shoulder-plane, smoothing-plane), I also see the need for a decent drill-press, a bandsaw, and possibly a dc.(in that order). $1K may leave you a little short, but personally, I'd rather wait a bit longer and get the machines I want, rather than "buying cheap". I'd probably go with Delta as well.

Delta offers quite an array of drill-presses, a 14" bandsaw that is a little gem for the price, and a very decent 1.5 HP dc (model 50-760) that will see you through for quite some time.

I'd tend to stay away from "gadgets" at this point. If you're looking for accuracy, build yourself some decent jigs, and you'll have all the accuracy you need.

Bob

[Pete Brown]

A good cyclone dust collector. It's not a sexy tool, but it makes things work well and makes working with your other tools a much more pleasant experience.

I love my TS-LS as well. I will say, however, that if I had the room, I would not have a router table in my table saw. I'm not quite organized enough to not have to break down setups because of the limitations of having them both in one.

I really like the incra fence just as a general table saw fence, though, even without the router stuff.

Pete

[Paul Johnstone]

Other items in consideration -

Dust collection (using shop vac on each machine now)
Drum sander

.

Sorry, but you can't get a drum sander without dust collection.. shop vac won't cut it. I'm sorry, but as boring as it is, you should get dust collection.

[Gregg Mason]

alright you guys convinced me. I bought a DC today. I got a HF 2hp DC, for $123.00 using the 30% coupon floating around.

Now I need to order replacement bags or cartidge. Any suggestions. I'm thinking wynn cartridge filter.

[Jason Beam]

Wynn's the only way to go, if ya ask me :)

I love mine. Rick Wynn is VERY helpful on the phone and he convinced me of the reasons for going polyester instead of paper. It's basically a lifetime filter in our application. Keep metal out and you'd be hard pressed to hurt the fabric one. You can even spray it out with the garden hose! :D