Bandsaw or Planer?

[M Smith]

I was at a show this weekend and saw a couple tools that it was hard not to buy. Rigid tools was set up and selling both their TP1300LS Planer and BS1400 14" band saw for $220 and $240 respectively. The planer was factory reconditioned, but at that price it's hard not to get one.

Would it make sense for someone just building a shop to get a planer? I don't have any serious duty needs for one now, but expect to be building soon to the point that I could use one. Millwork fees would pay for it pretty quickly! I have a good table saw, router, drill press, and various other small tools. I do need a good miter saw, and my jigsaw could use upgrading (still have the cheap Skil that I got years ago when I didn't know what I was buying).

Anyways, just thought I'd solict the expertise of this board and get a general consensus on whether the planer would be a good next step, and if at that price, it's too good to not get.

Thanks much!

[Ken Werner]

I'm not sure there's a clear answer without knowing what you want to do. If resawing is important, then the bandsaw is the way to go. But if you want to dimension stock and not be obliged to use standard dimensions, a planer is really useful. Curves? bandsaw, but you can make do with a jigsaw. A $220 recon planer sounds like a good buy. I had a $250 bandsaw, and it was prettty awful, it may be best to wait and buy quality unless you are seeing a really discounted price on a good bandsaw. Doesn't look like I've clarified anything.

Often the question - this or that? - has to be answered with both.
Good luck.
Ken

[M Smith]

I'm not sure there's a clear answer without knowing what you want to do. If resawing is important, then the bandsaw is the way to go. But if you want to dimension stock and not be obliged to use standard dimensions, a planer is really useful. Curves? bandsaw, but you can make do with a jigsaw. A $220 recon planer sounds like a good buy. I had a $250 bandsaw, and it was prettty awful, it may be best to wait and buy quality unless you are seeing a really discounted price on a good bandsaw. Doesn't look like I've clarified anything.

Often the question - this or that? - has to be answered with both.
Good luck.
Ken
Good point about the bandsaw that was $250 and was awful. The band saw I'm looking at retails about $350 normally, if that makes a difference. Resaw? Not something that is important to me right now.

Maybe save my money and get a jigsaw or miter saw first perhaps?

Thanks for the advice.

Mark

[glenn bradley]

The band saw would allow you to resaw lumber but then how would you dimension it? It revolves around what you are going to do. If there are more curves and hand shaping in your future a BS is a good call. If you forsee flat straight pieces the planer would win.

[Per Swenson]

I own a rigid planer.

Its my jobsite planer.

It paid for itself the first week I bought it.

7 maybe 8 years later, it is still making money.

Band saws are a different story.

I would scrimp and save and then go for the best I can afford.

That being in the 1 to 2 grand range.

This would be, of course only my opinion.

Per

[M Smith]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm no closer to deciding. I want both :D. The show ends tomorrow so I hope I don't lose sleep over this.

[Jim Becker]

Frankly, the planer will give you more value, IMHO, if you can only buy one tool. And I agree with Per...save your pennies for a better bandsaw. Value priced planers are generally decent machines, but lower priced bandsaws leave a lot to be desired.

[tony strother]

Evening,
I would say the choice for me would be based on where I get my wood and what type.
Dimensioned, from wood stores OR
rough cut from a sawyer, mill...
If you have a need to do a lot of planing, then invest in a good solid planer.
If you plan to buy wood that is much thicker than you need it to be at, then buy a relatively good planer and a bandsaw that can do a good job of re-sawing...saves wood, less sawdust and chips to discard, and less planing you have to do, depending of course on how much/close you resaw the thickness.
I ended up purchasing a Delta 12" planner, good, solid unit. Also, bought a good 14" bandsaw, solid pattern cutting and good resaw, so I have to do minimal planning....
Just my $.07.

Tony ...

[M Smith]

Evening,
I would say the choice for me would be based on where I get my wood and what type.
Dimensioned, from wood stores OR
rough cut from a sawyer, mill...
If you have a need to do a lot of planing, then invest in a good solid planer.
If you plan to buy wood that is much thicker than you need it to be at, then buy a relatively good planer and a bandsaw that can do a good job of re-sawing...saves wood, less sawdust and chips to discard, and less planing you have to do, depending of course on how much/close you resaw the thickness.
I ended up purchasing a Delta 12" planner, good, solid unit. Also, bought a good 14" bandsaw, solid pattern cutting and good resaw, so I have to do minimal planning....
Just my $.07.

Tony ... I buy my wood at the local big box because I don't have a planer. I did buy some lumber at a lumberyard, but payed a premium to have it planed.


I ended up purchasing a Delta 12" planner, good, solid unit. Also, bought a good 14" bandsaw, solid pattern cutting and good resaw, so I have to do minimal planning.... Do I understand you to say that you can almost get buy without a planer if you have a good bandsaw?

Theoretically, if you have a very good blade on the table saw, and the width's aren't too big, can't one use a table saw to get your thicknesses?

I kind of alluded to this above, but is a good miter saw considered an essential prior to purchasing a planer or bandsaw?

Thanks again for all your help.

[Jack Ganssle]

My take is to get the planer first. If you plan to use the BS for resawing, you'll need/want a planer there to flatten the sawn edge.

I have a lot of Rigid tools (TS, planer, jointer, vac) and they're great. But their bandsaw doesn't get high marks from users.

Jack

[Rick Moyer]

I would say from the tools you now have, the planer would be the way to go depending on what,and how soon, you intend to add anything else. You can cross-cut on you table saw so the CMS isn't required, unless you plan on doing a lot of moulding or construction stuff. You can buy or make a cross-cut/miter sled for the t/s. I also agree with others that you should wait for a better bandsaw. You can alway upgrade your jigsaw to cut curves (Get a Bosch!), if you don't plan to re-saw. If you plan to make furniture, you're going to want to add a planer-jointer-bandsaw, and then maybe a compound miter saw later. You have to decide what you eventually want to do with your tools and go from there.

[M Smith]

I would say from the tools you now have, the planer would be the way to go depending on what,and how soon, you intend to add anything else. You can cross-cut on you table saw so the CMS isn't required, unless you plan on doing a lot of moulding or construction stuff. You can buy or make a cross-cut/miter sled for the t/s. I also agree with others that you should wait for a better bandsaw. You can alway upgrade your jigsaw to cut curves (Get a Bosch!), if you don't plan to re-saw. If you plan to make furniture, you're going to want to add a planer-jointer-bandsaw, and then maybe a compound miter saw later. You have to decide what you eventually want to do with your tools and go from there.
No, a lot of moulding probably isn't in my future but I do have ideas that will require miter cuts. I have no reliable miter at all, but can probably get by with a box and a handsaw for that.

I made a decent crosscut sled for my tablesaw, but would benefit from a better miter for the t/s.

I'll put the bandsaw on hold now based on the great recommendations here. I have a stack of cherry waiting for planeing now. So aside from the planer, some sort of miter box/saw, a jigsaw would be the other near-term need. Decisions decisions...

Thanks to all who have contributed advice!