Seeking advice on a new purchase

[Warren Clemans]

Here's how I think about it: To get rough lumber "foursquare," you face joint, edge joint, plane, and then rip. Three of those four operations are done with a jointer/planer, whereas a table saw can only do one of them. I'm a huge proponent of Sawstop technology (10 fingers is a good number), but in your case it seems better to start with a good quality J/P combo machine.

Good luck

[Prashun Patel]

"Any new planer and/or jointer would need to have a helical head. I do get snipe with my current planer."

Rich statement here. A helical head on the Jointer and planer is nice to have - not need to have, IMHO. And it won't cure your snipe.

A table saw without a splitter or riving knife is a non-starter for me.

[Thomas Crawford]

"Any new planer and/or jointer would need to have a helical head. I do get snipe with my current planer."

Rich statement here. A helical head on the Jointer and planer is nice to have - not need to have, IMHO. And it won't cure your snipe.

A table saw without a splitter or riving knife is a non-starter for me.

Agreed I like helical better but it doesn't cure snipe.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

This is an interesting thread. You have lots of advice.
I don't own a quality J/P, just a regular jointer and screaming loud lunchbox planer.
I do however own a 52" Sawstop. I can comment on that, and my $0.02 is go the Sawstop route. Since you clearly can mill rough lumber, get the Sawstop, keep all 10 fingers where they are, and go J/P later. I also moved from a delta contractor's saw. I do think that it is a huge uprgade, just for the power, stability and working surface. If you can fit the 52" that is even better. I dropped a router plate in the wing and use that for routing. Space saved.

[Prashun Patel]

A couple points about the Sawstop:

+ : In addition to the brake, it has very food fit and finish. Specifically, I like the fence. I've abused my saw, and it's very accurate still. The Dust collection is great if you have a good DC to plug it into.
- : Count on the cost of brakes. You will need one regular and if you dado, one for that. I've tripped my saw about 3 times on the aluminum Incra miter fence. Each pop is a new blade and new brake.

Not trying to start a typical SS debate, just alerting you to things I didn't think about when investing in one.

[Erik Loza]

This has been thrown out there before but if you plan to do any type of sheet goods, then the cabinet saw makes sense. A lot of the folks I deal with (myself included) are the weekend warrior-type woodworkers doing mostly solid wood projects and in that case, I would put my money towards a jointer/planer and big bandsaw. At least 16" and the heavier, the better. In my experience, a lot of the "hardcore tablesaw" crowd have:

-Never used a really nice jointer/planer
-Never used a really nice, big bandsaw

In order of how I would spend my money:

-Bandsaw
-Jointer/planer
-Track saw
-Table saw

Just my 2-cents. OP, good luck in your search.

Erik