New Table Saw or Jointer?

[John McKissick]

I have a roughly 10 year old Bosch jobsite table saw which is a great tool for what it is but it aint a shop saw being quite limited for size and I find i have to find creative ways to deal with larger panels using multiple tools amd cuts to get a finished part where a full sized table saw would save a lot of steps and time. I also have a Kreg Adaptive cutting system which works pretty good put kind of a PITA to set up for just a cut or two. My shop is small and mulit-use so everything has to be portable.

I have been making stuff so far mostly from 3/4 plywood including some rolling shop stands with drawers for planer and sander (yes, plywood drawer fronts). Similar to cabinets in construction and precision. I would like to get into using more boards and joinery techniqes. I do pocket holes and bisquit joints but not any dovetails yet (maybe someday).

So all that being said I get by with the small saw I have but "Would I have better use of a propper table saw or a jointer?".
I have never used a jointer but I can see how it could be useful. By propper table saw I mean somelike a Jet 10" cast wings 30" 115V or the comprable Powermatic

Thanks for your opinions and comments

[Bruce Lowekamp]

IMHO you can do a lot more with S3S lumber and a better saw than you could with a jointer by itself. You need a planer to thickness the wood anyway. Get a decent saw. Will be good enough to cut panels, though you'll still need the jigs to cut down plywood.

Bruce

[Todd Mason-Darnell]

+1 on what Bruce said.

Your really need a jointer and planer as a set. You can get by with a planer and table + a bunch of sleds, but it it is major PIA.

Get the nicer table saw. It will immediately improve your experience

[John McKissick]

IMHO you can do a lot more with S3S lumber and a better saw than you could with a jointer by itself. You need a planer to thickness the wood anyway. Get a decent saw. Will be good enough to cut panels, though you'll still need the jigs to cut down plywood.

Bruce

I have a Dewalt lunchbox thickness planer
I also made a crosscut sled big enough to crosscut nearly 20" on the small "job site" saw

Thanks for your input

[Joe Hollis]

I agree with the other suggestions to replace your table saw before buying a jointer. That said, I have a full-size table saw, and have shifted to a track saw for almost all panel cutting I do. Manipulating large panels onto my full-size saw isn't any easier than moving them onto a portable job site table saw. I don't have a lot of room either, so a shop made multi-function table serves as both an outfeed table for my table saw and cutting table for my track saw. I had a small Ridgid jointer for a while before I got a planer. The jointer didn't see much use at all until I got the planer.

Good luck with your decision.

Joe H.

[Andrew Hughes]

I vote for Jointer.
Mostly because I like jointers more then a tablesaws.
I use my bandsaw more then my table saw. But when I do I like to have the wood flat and square on two sides.
What is the stuff called plywood where does it grow.

[Bruce Lowekamp]

I have a Dewalt lunchbox thickness planer
I also made a crosscut sled big enough to crosscut nearly 20" on the small "job site" saw

Thanks for your input

Honestly, having a planer makes me think the answer is a bit more debatable. Having square lumber (even if it's been stored in my shop for a few years) is so important. And while a better TS, in addition to more rip and crosscut capacity, can use dado blades etc, most of that can be done via router jigs, etc.

If with your current saw you can reliably rip boards 5' long to precise widths, I would think more about a jointer. Especially if you can swing an 8" jointer: so much lumber is between 6 and 8 inches.

Bruce

[John McKissick]

I agree with the other suggestions to replace your table saw before buying a jointer. That said, I have a full-size table saw, and have shifted to a track saw for almost all panel cutting I do. Manipulating large panels onto my full-size saw isn't any easier than moving them onto a portable job site table saw. I don't have a lot of room either, so a shop made multi-function table serves as both an outfeed table for my table saw and cutting table for my track saw. I had a small Ridgid jointer for a while before I got a planer. The jointer didn't see much use at all until I got the planer.

Good luck with your decision.

Joe H.

If I get a cabinet or hybrid table saw I would do the same with outfeed being an assembly bench and track saw table too. I also have the Kreg Accu-cut

I was strongly leaning towards a table saw but I read so many threads here about jointers and get advice from others

[John McKissick]

Honestly, having a planer makes me think the answer is a bit more debatable. Having square lumber (even if it's been stored in my shop for a few years) is so important. And while a better TS, in addition to more rip and crosscut capacity, can use dado blades etc, most of that can be done via router jigs, etc.

If with your current saw you can reliably rip boards 5' long to precise widths, I would think more about a jointer. Especially if you can swing an 8" jointer: so much lumber is between 6 and 8 inches.

Bruce

I can use dado's in the small saw but frankly not a pleasant task. I might need to upgade my blades though, an older Craftsman set.

Thanks for the "food for thought"

[Justin Rapp]

If I get a cabinet or hybrid table saw I would do the same with outfeed being an assembly bench and track saw table too. I also have the Kreg Accu-cut

I was strongly leaning towards a table saw but I read so many threads here about jointers and get advice from others

Before you buy anything at all, it would help to really know where you plan to go with your builds. Also what type of lumber are you going to get. If you are sticking with plywood, having a jointer won't be very helpful to you. If buying S4S lumber from a big box hardware store, besides getting it flat again or maybe doing a edge to edge glue up, your are much better off with a table saw upgrade. However, if you are going to start getting rough cut lumber or even getting rough green lumber and drying it yourself, the jointer is an essential tool. There are some other cool things you can used a jointer for, such as putting a rabbit on a board and even make tapered legs, but you can do those things with a table saw as well, and maybe a bit safer.

So - let's assume you have decided to get a jointer, the question is, what size, and also blade type. Of course everyone says go 8" but if all your budget supports is 6", than expect to have some glue ups for wider boards if needed. Or if you only plan to build small projects, like keep-sake boxes, all you need is a 6". Also, with today's spiral cutters, there is really no reason to go for a straight blade model unless you want the frustrating task of reseting the blades each time they need sharpening. If you don't do it often, it can take a long time, even hours to get it perfect. I am sure there are those that have been setting blades for 30 or 40 years and do it often will say 'It is easy'. Well, it can be with a jig, but still frustrating.

So - I will hold off on my thoughts on what you should by until I hear what you plan to build and what kind of lumber you will be using.

[John McKissick]

Before you buy anything at all, it would help to really know where you plan to go with your builds. Also what type of lumber are you going to get. If you are sticking with plywood, having a jointer won't be very helpful to you. If buying S4S lumber from a big box hardware store, besides getting it flat again or maybe doing a edge to edge glue up, your are much better off with a table saw upgrade. However, if you are going to start getting rough cut lumber or even getting rough green lumber and drying it yourself, the jointer is an essential tool. There are some other cool things you can used a jointer for, such as putting a rabbit on a board and even make tapered legs, but you can do those things with a table saw as well, and maybe a bit safer.

So - let's assume you have decided to get a jointer, the question is, what size, and also blade type. Of course everyone says go 8" but if all your budget supports is 6", than expect to have some glue ups for wider boards if needed. Or if you only plan to build small projects, like keep-sake boxes, all you need is a 6". Also, with today's spiral cutters, there is really no reason to go for a straight blade model unless you want the frustrating task of reseting the blades each time they need sharpening. If you don't do it often, it can take a long time, even hours to get it perfect. I am sure there are those that have been setting blades for 30 or 40 years and do it often will say 'It is easy'. Well, it can be with a jig, but still frustrating.

So - I will hold off on my thoughts on what you should by until I hear what you plan to build and what kind of lumber you will be using.

I don't foresee using rough cut lumber. I think most projects would be cabinet sized or smaller. I see some cabinet/desk type of units in a utility room for craft projects etc. Maybe something cabinet sized but a little nicer in living/dining area for camera equipment storage.

I have seen videos of folks making a big sled to put a straight edge on ugly shaped wood (rough cut).

[Bruce Lowekamp]

I don't foresee using rough cut lumber. I think most projects would be cabinet sized or smaller. I see some cabinet/desk type of units in a utility room for craft projects etc. Maybe something cabinet sized but a little nicer in living/dining area for camera equipment storage.

I have seen videos of folks making a big sled to put a straight edge on ugly shaped wood (rough cut).

Plywood is great, and plywood carcasses are a great way to start (was my first few projects, and still the way I would build a lot of things). You'll probably still want straight wood for things like face frames and doors/drawer fronts once you move into living room furniture. And at that point being able to make sure it's perfectly straight is very helpful. But I agree until you are doing those projects, plywood is fine. (I have quite a few unedged plywood cabinets etc in my shop.) If you have a year's worth of projects in mind before you get to wanting wood face frames, by all means get the table saw.

Bruce

[Ron Selzer]

I started out with a very inexpensive table saw with a plastic/metal top, added a 4" used jointer with a washing machine motor. upgraded to a Delta Contractors saw and a 12"Wood Master planer/molder and a 6" Jet jointer. then a 60" SafteySpeedCut panel saw a couple years later . 25 years later got a SawStop ICS, now looking to go to a 12" jointer.
SAID all that so you know my background, I recommend a jointer no matter how small for your next piece. Don't have to face joint anything but I find it had not to edge joint even on plywood. You can make auxiliary tables to surround your small saw to make it easier to handle wide/long pieces.
If you plan on staying with plywood then consider a small panel saw such as the https://www.rockler.com/safety-speed...ro-2-panel-saw
Think long and hard on what to do and then like whatever you end up with. Use it until you get another chance to upgrade again.
good luck
Ron

[Mark Hockenberg]

John - Lots of good advise above. Joe makes a really good point about the track saw. I have a Unisaw and used to cut 4x8's and 5x5s on it. Now I use the track saw almost exclusively for this operation. I get straighter lines, great square cuts and less saw marks this way. I also use the track saw to put straight line rips on solid lumber. It's a game-changing tool.

Maybe you should consider a track saw, and keep the current table saw for smaller parts. I agree that if you add a jointer, you'll soon want a planer - These really work as a pair.

[Mark Daily]

Table saw, especially if you work mostly with plywood.