Justifying A Major Tool Purchase

[Julie Moriarty]

I haven't had any time to get the machine tuned up. But tuning up a $5K woodworking machine was not something I thought I'd ever have to do. Everything I have purchased was pretty much plug and play (occasionally some assembly required) but they were all "cheap" machines of $1K or less. Apparently once you get into pricier machines the term "commissioning" comes into play. The good news is if this new gig pans out, I'll be able to hire Felder to come and commission that brand new machine I bought from them. Than again, maybe that money would have paid better dividends if it was put towards a sailboat.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Doing my best to keep the "I WANT IT!" out of this debate, here's the facts:

I've been able to deal with not having a power jointer and using a benchtop planer because the supplier back in Chicago did mill work and the wood in stock was planed. Since moving to Florida, that's changed.

Supplier #1 doesn't have any power tools, not even a Skil saw. And their prices are outrageous. Supplier #2 doesn't have a jointer but will plane wood for 40 cents a square foot. All the wood they have in stock is right off the mill's bandsaw, not even skip planed. But what they sell is always thicker than sized. Example - 4/4 I bought recently was 1-1/16" to 1-1/8" thick. To take that to 3/4" I start by resawing ~3/16" off. That leaves me with thin stock I would not have had if I had them plane it and I'm already putting some of that to use.

I spend 25 or more hours per week in the workshop. And since moving here I've been working the planer pretty hard. I replaced my old one with a Dewalt 735, thinking it would handle the workload better. I was wrong. It can't even handle what the old one could. Plus it won't lock the depth and it keeps tripping the overload. Right now Dewalt service has it. I have no idea what they will come back with. In the meantime I've been wondering if I need to rethink things.

My options:

1) Use what I have and incorporate the drum sander to do the planing the benchtop can't.

2) Start buying the cabinets or furniture I need and cut back on woodworking and find something else to keep me busy.

3) Find $5K and buy a planer/jointer that can handle the workload.

And I'm not sure if I came here to be convinced I need a planer/jointer or I want to be talked out of it.

Comments welcomed.

Although you spend 25 hours a week in the workshop, from the financial POV probably it isn't worth to spend all that money. It would be better to get the prepared wood even at higher cost...

But, big but, life is short... if you can, damm the Economic stuff and buy the baby.

Today I used my Makita 2012NB, a 12 inch planner I was deciding to purchasing since the beginnings of the 1990s. There was no way to justify it from Economic POV but around one year ago I decided to purchase it: it is worth from the satisfaction POV. I use it very rarely but when using, it is great. I enjoy to have that resource at my own shop although I use it just eventually, around once a couple of months but today I have the opportunity to use it. It is worth each cent I paid for it.

Regards.