Recommended next shop tool?

[Patrick Nailon]

I'm saving my money up for my next shop tool. Here's what I have to date:

Craftsman 10" table saw, floor model, old, but works well.

Hitachi 10" mitre saw, new, works excellent.

Hitachi router with a Craftsman adapter for the Craftsman router table and Bis-kit attachment for making biscuit joinery (which works pretty darn good, actually!)

Ryobi 10" Drill press (new)

Hand power drill

Circ saw 7 1/4"

Reciprocating saw (not much good for woodworking, but a blast for home demolition!)

Craftsman cordless set, including drill/driver, trim saw, jig saw, work light, dustbuster, and sander.



SO - what would be the recommendation for the next tool? I'm thinking band saw. Yes, I suppose it all depends on what I want to do next, but very often what one wants to do next depends on what tools one has (Catch-22). I'm also thinking about upgrading the table saw to something newer, with more capabilities for upgrading. None of the aftermarket miter bars for table saws work for Craftsman owing to the design of their miter sleds.

Any other thoughts?

[Bruce Page]

Patrick, I was in similar shoes several years ago and upgraded from a Craftsman TS to a Unisaw.
When it comes to table saws, there’s a HUGE difference between “works well” and “works excellent”

[Jon Grider]

in your current arsenal,so I assume a machine for jointing edges and surfacing faces would be a good choice,a jointer.However,the next project you have in mind and the type of projects you are interested in should dictate the tooling you should buy.If you are going to use plywood and pre-dimensioned lumber,a jointer can wait.If you plan on making curved cuts,maybe the bandsaw is a good choice.It's been said so much that it's a cliche,but if you intend to make woodworking a long term affair,buy the best tools your budget can deal with.

Just my humble input.

[Patrick Nailon]

You're right - I forgot those. Well, like anyone else, I'd love one of everything.

What I'm looking for is to build the basic "shop" then add the more advanced stuff afterward. I'm leaning to the bandsaw for it's abilities to do things that my other tools cannot currently do.

But a jointer and a planer are on my wish list for down the road.

[Lance Norris]

Patrick... I have 2 bandsaws. Its my favorite tool. You already know what I am going to say. Get the bandsaw, but put a Jointer and a Planer on the short list. You are going to need all 3 eventually. Consider a used, older Delta, Powermatic, Jet or Grizzly bandsaw, from local sources like Craigslist. If you are saving up your money to buy one, keep your eyes open, be patient, and one will come along. Also consider dust collection .

[glenn bradley]

You're right - I forgot those. Well, like anyone else, I'd love one of everything.

What I'm looking for is to build the basic "shop" then add the more advanced stuff afterward. I'm leaning to the bandsaw for it's abilities to do things that my other tools cannot currently do.

But a jointer and a planer are on my wish list for down the road.

Well, now you went and ruined my suggestion. It sounds like you've got a good start on the basics. If your projects will be out of as-is material (meaning dimensioned lumber and sheet goods), the jointer and planer can wait.

No matter how new your shop is, I would recommend a good block plane to anyone. Get a quality tool and you will be using the same one many years down the road.

Use my secret formula for rationalizing my way into a quality tool that I can't afford . . .

Good block plane - Around $120
Use twice a week for the next 20 years = 2080 uses
Net cost = Just shy of 6 cents per use.

I like the Lee Valley low angle block plane with a second blade to allow a standard angle when desired. Many folks like the Lie Nielsen which is quite nice.

[scott spencer]

If you use alot of hardwoods, a planer is awefully handy.....then I'd aim at picking up a jointer shortly after....the two in tandem will change the way you do woodworking. (DC will follow soon enough! :D) I got by without a BS for 3 years using a jig saw...it's great to have the BS but I didn't see it as a priority over basic milling tools.

[David DeCristoforo]

See this thread...

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=84500

Either one of those... or maybe a broom?

Seriously... Bandsaw, planer, jointer... Which comes first is going to be determined by the kind of stuff you want to do but no "power" shop would be considered complete without those.

[Brian Kent]

I wouldn't go for a planer or jointer without a dust collector. At least 1.5 HP with a 1 micron bag.

[John Thompson]

This is one of those questions that have no real answer as right or left tilt TS.. which TS blade is "the best".. etc. Your question simply depends on what you need first for the next project that you don't have and I don't think anyone can really answer that but you.

But.. looking at your list I would suggest a ROS sander and clamps before any of the bigger machines. I had 26 clamps in action at once about a week ago and still didn't have enough of the lenghts I needed with another 40 + clamps hanging on the wall unable to be used as they were too short.

Just my view with the question you ask..

Good luck deciding...

Sarge..

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I think Sarge beat me to it. You said sander but you didn't specify what kind. A good random orbit sander is almost required.

Other than that.....one of the three mentioned power tools; jointer, band saw or planer. And the preceeding is the order in which I got mine. And has also been mentioned, keep yoour eye out for a good heavy table saw. And a way to double the size of your present woodworking facilities to keep clamps and hand tools. :)

[Patrick Nailon]

Just my view with the question you ask..

Sarge..

Excellent view too. I forgot to mention I have 4 pairs of clamps, and I realize the value of having as many as possible! I also have various hand tools of course - screwdrivers, hammers, jackplane, etc.

My idea in asking was more to ask what an overall shop usually has. Obviously the best shop would have everything under the sun including biscuit joiner, mortise machine, radial arm saw - and the list goes on.

My hope was that people could see specific functions of woodworking that were not addressed by the tools I have. I think this forum has come thru wonderfully - you yourself mentioned clamps, others have mentioned planer and jointer, all very necessary things.

Of course, there was also the hidden agenda of mine - that someone in my area (Tustin, California) might have one of the tools that I don't have 'fer sale' at a reasonable figger...;)

[Peter Quinn]

Without knowing your budget, shop size or ambitions its difficult to offer specific meaningful advice. Every shop and every wood worker is unique. It takes so many things to equip a modern machine oriented shop its hard to know where to begin. Are you making kitchen cabinets? Carving? Turning? Furniture? One of the best things I did early on was to take a few classes at a good school, learn a bit about the machines I was interested in, and focus my goals while building skills. Money well spent.

Until you gain control over your stock you are at the mercy of lumber yards, borgs, and nature. If you cannot prepare square stock your potential is limited, so a jointer and planer would be near the top of my list. The band saw is a very flexible and capable addition to any shop. I'd buy a good one. I pick up clamps when they are on sale a few at a time, or buy what I need as I need it to finish a project. I suspect I'll never be done buying clamps.

If I were setting up my shop today I'd look seriously at a euro combo machine. You can get a jointer/planer, a great table saw with a slider, a shaper, and a mortiser all in one package. They seemed so out of range when I first looked at them, and as it turns out I've spent more money on individual machines than a good combo would have cost me. Throw in a decent band saw and there's not much you can't accomplish.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

A dust collector, band saw, or Bosch jigsaw all seem to be valuable additions. I would start with a DC--1.5 HP w/ 1 micron filter. You usually get just 1 set of lungs--protect them. IMHO comparing a Bosch jigsaw to a Craftsman cordless is like comparing a BMW to a Yugo.

[Greg Hines, MD]

Well, I would suggest a Kreg pocket hole system. You will find tons of projects that you will use them for. I have a master set, and love it.

Doc

[Thomas Pender]

My first major tool was a jointer that I still have. Since then the LOML tolerates additions.

Having used various bandsaws, I have been more than happy with my Grizzly that did not cost so much - 14" is a good start. I rip with it, cut curves, some light resawing, trim stock away from through tenons, you name it. I usually use a 3 hook blade (except when cutting curves - I use a .025 then) and also have the resaw fence, etc. So my .02 is buy a bandsaw, but get good blades - e.g., Timeberwolfe, etc. (Fine Woodworking has a super bandsaw tuning article on archive to get you started.)

If you buy the Grizzly and do not overpay (my opinion as to many of the other brands, but I respect the fact that others disagree) then you have money left over to buy the block plane, which candidly, I use a lot. I agree with Glen re the Lee Valley - I have several Lee Valley planes and they are super fine. (Gives you an excuse to buy a Japanese waterstone kit also :D.)

I use my random orbital sander (Porter Cable which plugs into my Festool), my OSS, 50+ clamps, my jointer, planer, TS, also - but I mostly use my jointer, bandsaw, planer, router, and router with router table and most critically, my new dust collector which I have just finished ducting, but for real, all of this will take time, unless you are independently wealthy.

Good luck in any event.

[Bill Huber]

You have a lot of good input on your next tool and I am not going to tell you which one you should get.

The way I have done it was work with what I had and then when a new project came along and I needed a tool to do that project then I worked at getting it.

I had a table saw, drill press, router table and I needed a planner to work on a project I wanted to build. So that was my next tool. That has worked out very well.

Then I found a project that I wanted to build and I could have used a jig saw but for all the curves I need to cut a band saw would be much better, so that's when I got the band saw.

So I think your next tool would be the one you need to make your next project what ever that may be.

[Paul Ryan]

I have to agree with Bill. Your next project should determine what tool you buy next. I just built some shelving that required lots and lots of joinery, so to making things easier and faster I finally bought a biscuit joiner. I have gone with out one way to long and just decided this project was not worth starting unless I had a biscuit joiner.
If you are going to do a project with sheet goods you really don't need the joiner or planer. Maybe it is time for the bandsaw or miter saw.
And as stated many times in the past. Buy the best tool you can afford. Dont just buy a cheap one to get you buy. Save until you can buy the good one. It will save you headaches and more money in the long run.

[Bob Slater]

An overhead dust filter, a Bosch jig saw, a band Saw and a Dust collector. I still can't decide on my dust collector. Oh yeah, I want a Mig Welder too...does that count?

[Patrick Nailon]

Good luck in any event.

Thanks Thomas, and to all.

With all the feedback, and the realization of my next major project (I had to sort thru the many projects and wants/needs we have in our house.

1. I do work a lot with hardwoods - so far just walnut and oak, but I'm going to be building some cupboard doors for our hallway with Poplar, and my wife wants the kitchen cabinets in maple.

2. My wife wants the kitchen cabinets re-done, and she wants them in maple (or have I said that already?).

3. Cabinets require lots of jointing, some planing, and little if any bandsaw work.

My next big purchase will be the best floor model jointer/planer that I can lay me mitts on. Craigslist, here I come.

Thanks to all for the input. Yes, dust collection is on my list as is a good set of tools for sharpening the tools that I have now.

I'll keep posting pictures of my projects, as I get them done. Thanks again to everyone.

[Peter Quadarella]

With no way to surface wood, I'd have to say a planer, as much as I love my bandsaw.

If you're going for a combo, I really like the looks of the Jet, but if you're starting out you can just spend $300 or so on a lunchbox planer and decide from there.

[Steven Hardy]

I'm saving my money up for my next shop tool. Here's what I have to date:

Craftsman 10" table saw, floor model, old, but works well.

Hitachi 10" mitre saw, new, works excellent.

Hitachi router with a Craftsman adapter for the Craftsman router table and Bis-kit attachment for making biscuit joinery (which works pretty darn good, actually!)

Ryobi 10" Drill press (new)

Hand power drill

Circ saw 7 1/4"

Reciprocating saw (not much good for woodworking, but a blast for home demolition!)

Craftsman cordless set, including drill/driver, trim saw, jig saw, work light, dustbuster, and sander.



SO - what would be the recommendation for the next tool? I'm thinking band saw. Yes, I suppose it all depends on what I want to do next, but very often what one wants to do next depends on what tools one has (Catch-22). I'm also thinking about upgrading the table saw to something newer, with more capabilities for upgrading. None of the aftermarket miter bars for table saws work for Craftsman owing to the design of their miter sleds.

Any other thoughts?

A decent capacity planer should be next..It can greatly increase your prospective wood supply.

[Doug Shepard]

I'd say get a jointer. Those and planers dont make dust. They make chips which are messy but nothing a broom and (big) dustpan can't cure. The jointer would improve the saw cuts coming from your Cman TS and cutting things well on a BS often want a nice flat/square side against the fence and table.

[J. Z. Guest]

Surface planer so you can use rough lumber. You can edge joint with the router table and make a sled for face jointing until you get a jointer or get proficient & patient enough for face jointing with hand planes.

[Jim Becker]

Planer and jointer--and yes, at least a chip collector to compliment them. Those and the table saw are the "big three" when it comes to milling and preparing material for project construction.

But the real answer to your question lies with your project needs...