Which piece of equipment did you spend the most on?

[Karl Brogger]

Shaper. If you combine all the cutters, coping sled and/or powerfeed.

After that it'd be the widebelt.

[Dennis Ford]

I voted "Dust Collector", my table saw is a very old saw that cost more time than money. I have a nice lathe and large bandsaw but both are home-made so they also cost more time than money. Also have a home-made small CNC router. The dust collector was the most expensive only in terms of $.

[Paul Greathouse]

Dust collection (Oneida) and ducting for now but when I get the tablesaw I want, it will probably win out.

[Jim Finn]

Mine is in the "Other " catagory: My $2450 Hegner polymax scroll saw....................
This is the tool I use the most also.

[Jon Endres]

If you include all the accessories, my table saw. I bought my late-90's vintage Unisaw new in the crate in 2004, for $800; put at least another $800 into fence (Mule Accusquare), blades (mostly Freud) and a mobile base. My Powermatic 180 planer comes in a distant second, as I paid $750 for it but added another $130 set of knives. The Grizzly G0500 jointer is third at about $750, but I've added two sets of knives and a mobile base. Everything else was under $500. I have no interest in 'upgrading' anything I have, except maybe putting Byrd spiral heads on the jointer and planer, and maybe a cyclone DC to replace the Shop Fox 2-bagger.

[Mike Cruz]

We hit the big 300!!!

[Chip Lindley]

I had to vote "other" because three of my major machines cost within dollars of each other. All were exceptional bargains, costing 1/2 or 1/3 of New! But, still Big Ticket items to me!

For decades, the Rockwell RC33 planer, bought barely used in 1985 was my biggie at $900. It has certainly earned it's keep in over 20 years of constant use. That old planer is bullet-proof!

But, within the past 3 years I've gone on a spending spree! The Woodmaster 3820 double drum sander is my biggie at $1200. Powermatic 66 TS with Exaktor slider and overarm blade guard, $1175. Oneida 3hp DC with miles of ducting, gates, and Long Ranger remote, $1100.

The DC is the most used "machine" in the shop. It runs when any other operation produces dust and chips. Milling rough lumber into something finished takes what several machines do best. They all earn their keep. Even the 4 working shapers with power feeds. Shapers are my weakness and my blessing. I have a total of seven that cost me less than any two of the above big ones together.

I've been very blessed to find good machinery at paltry prices. I have not bought new machines since my Craftsman Days of the '70s. If I had to buy new now, I would have either many less machines, or much less quality in the shop!

Happy New Year!!
~Chip~

[Mike Cruz]

Chip, not quite sure I understand. If your sander is your biggie at $1200, why didn't you vote sander?

[Todd Crawford]

The only big money item I've bought new was my planer, so that won out for me. Spent $400 on it. My bandsaw was bought off a guy that used it for one job for $200, and my recently aquired first table saw was a heck of a deal at "come pick it or I'm throwing it away." My small drill press was a Christmas gift from the in-laws a couple of years ago, so I guess when I really think about it, I'm doing pretty good with out of pocket expenses. Thanks for making me thin about this, maybe now I can justify the purchase of a couple of toys!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I voted other too. The Felder CF 741, sliding table saw, shaper, jointer, planer combo wins pretty easily in my shop.

[Chip Lindley]

Chip, not quite sure I understand. If your sander is your biggie at $1200, why didn't you vote sander?

Mike, in order to explain, I have to remember my thought processes in the A.M. today. Lemme see...my three biggies were within $100 of each other. I feel they are all equally BIG! At least for me. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it...

[Mike Cruz]

Fair enough, Chip. Didn't mean to hound you. Sorry.

[James Boster]

I spent the most on my Oliver #66 lathe. Not really a gloat but still got it for quite a bit less than $1 per pound, but then it weighs 6,000#.

[Aaron Berk]

TS bought new, GO605X

I haven't jumped into the cyclone market yet, but I imagine it could get costly.

And I've been itching for a brand new shinny BS


So is there a poll for future spenders?
I'm in transition from hobby shop, to professional shop. I'm about to go in deep.

[Mike Cruz]

358 votes! Holy Cow! And here I thought we were done about 100 votes ago. Glad to see the turners started voicing. This puts the order at TS, Lathe, BS, Other. Wish I had had more options to include jointer/planer combos and such that filled the "other" catagory. Would have been nice to get an accurate count of what the Others are. Maybe when this seems done, and I have spare time, I'll read through all the posts to see if I can figure out what the majority of Others were...

Also glad to see that DP got another vote. No longer a lonely catagory...