$900 budget upgrade


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Well from all my travels I hit executive platinum and got my system wide upgrades (anywhere in the world for people who have not heard of this) so I sold them all to a buddy for $900

I am looking to spend it all on my shop. However, I am not sure what would be the most beneficial ...

I have:

miter saw

bandsaw

tablesaw

shop vac

ROS

drill press

air filter

 

 

What I was thinking ....

dust collection

stock up on different wood to have in shop

some tools

 

 

Thoughts?

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What tools do you already have? I agree with Eric that a jointer and planer are tough to live without for very long. 

Never mind you posted what you have. Once you have a jointer and planer the dust collector will naturally comes next - unless you have a big ass shovel and broom. 

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Flat boards are relevant in every project.  Your choices are: S3S or S4S lumber for the rest of your life (and it's still not dead flat), milling boards by hand, or purchasing a jointer and planer.  Using twisted, bowed and cupped boards is not an option.  And neither is milling by hand unless you hate yourself.

$900 can buy you a nice lunchbox planer and leave you money left over, or get you in the ballpark of a floor-standing model.  A jointer and planer are best purchased as a pair, but while the jointer is completely useless without a planer, the planer can still be useful without the jointer...so get the planer first.  But you do need both.  It's not debatable if it's a serious hobby for you and you like building furniture.  If you're a turner or a crafts kind of builder, never mind.  For furniture it's not optional.

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Yup, this is a no brainer to me.  Pick up a Dewalt 735X and use the money left over for a router and HF dust collector.  Or better yet use the money left over toward a jointer as well, if you can input a few more bucks.  

But like others have said, I wouldn't pass go until you pick up some milling equipment.  Buying S3S sucks, and like Eric said it's not dead flat anyway.

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Flat boards are relevant in every project.  Your choices are: S3S or S4S lumber for the rest of your life (and it's still not dead flat), milling boards by hand, or purchasing a jointer and planer.  Using twisted, bowed and cupped boards are not an option.  And neither is milling by hand unless you hate yourself.

$900 can by you a nice lunchbox planer and leave you money left over, or get you in the ballpark of a floor-standing model.  A jointer and planer are best purchased as a pair, but while the jointer is completely useless without a planer, the planer can still be useful without the jointer...so get the planer first.  But you do need both.  It's not debatable if it's a serious hobby for you and you like building furniture.  If you're a turner or a crafts kind of builder, never mind.  For furniture it's not optional.

+1

I wouldn't entertain anything other than a jointer/planer combo either. I have never used s3s or s4s for a project but you will have a really hard time making quality furniture with that, especially larger pieces. 

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Personally I'd spend the whole $900 on the best jointer you can get.  Then scrape up another $250 and get a cheapo lunchbox planer.  There is not a world of difference between a cheap planer and a Dewalt 735x.  The 735x has some nice bells and whistles (2 speeds, 3 knives, and the DC blower) but you will get similar results from a cheap planer.   

Eventually you will want to upgrade the planer, but at that point you can decide if you want a stationary planer or just a nicer lunchbox.  

 

Yeah I know this is a little over budget once you factor in shipping....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-Jointer-with-Parallelogram-Beds/G0490

 

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Personally I'd spend the whole $900 on the best jointer you can get.  Then scrape up another $250 and get a cheapo lunchbox planer.  There is not a world of difference between a cheap planer and a Dewalt 735x.  The 735x has some nice bells and whistles (2 speeds, 3 knives, and the DC blower) but you will get similar results from a cheap planer.   

Eventually you will want to upgrade the planer, but at that point you can decide if you want a stationary planer or just a nicer lunchbox.  

 

Yeah I know this is a little over budget once you factor in shipping....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-Jointer-with-Parallelogram-Beds/G0490

 

If I had it to do all over again and were in your shoes this would be my choice.  Or I guess any other quality 8" jointer.  Then I would add in order

Dewalt 735

Dust collection.

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Unless you like milling by hand?

Or if you work with small pieces.  I find that for my work (lutherie) I am usually re-sawing and then the thickness sander is quite adequate for finishing up the small thin (0.10" or so) pieces that I tend to work with.  Also the finished pieces I make tend to not be over 30" long or 7" wide.  Jointing the edges of those small thin pieces is probably easier by hand than with power tools and the majority of the edges are cut to curves any way.

I'd definitely want a planer and a jointer if I was making much furniture or otherwise working with thicker or larger stock.

For the occasional larger project I get by with hand planes and the thickness sander.  That or use someone else's jointer and planer.  I don't use them often enough for it to make sense to invest the money or use up the shop space.

I suppose that doesn't apply to very many folks here, but it may to some.

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Maybe post your general location, but I need to suggest Craigslist for the needs everyone else suggested. A 6" jointer of good quality should be pretty easy to come by on CL. A lunchbox planer should also be somewhat easy to come by. Finally, a single stage dust collector should be simple to acquire second hand. Then again, the HF is so cheap to begin with that you can just go that route. 

 

It it sucks that $900 doesn't go too far in woodworking. Going used on simple tools is a  strategy I have used multiple times to stretch a buck. Heck, I've purchased 3 used jointers in the last year and a half or so. Pretty simple machines that are easy to buy used. Bought my first dust collector used on Craigslist. The cyclone was also "used", but it hadn't been assembled and used. Finally, I picked up a dw735x new in the box for a substantial discount. Point is, don't be afraid to buy two of the items on your list used! They are incredibly simple and you run a low risk of anything going bad on you. 

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I don't see a jointer or planer on your list.  Those are not optional tools.  The jointer should be the first machine used in every project, and the planer the second.  Unless you like milling by hand?

What tools do you already have? I agree with Eric that a jointer and planer are tough to live without for very long. 

Jointer

Planer

Router

Dust collection

I'll even make it easy for you:

http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-693LRPK-Fixed-Router-Plunge/dp/B00006411C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1444051349&sr=8-2&keywords=porter+cable+690

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW735-13-Inch-Thickness-Planer/dp/B0000CCXU8/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1444051278&sr=1-2&keywords=dewalt+735

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-industrial-5-micron-dust-collector-97869.html

A little bit over $900, but close.

I looked at your list and assumed you had magical wood gnomes that milled your wood for you. I would have to say jointer and planer and an absolute necessity. 

Personally I'd spend the whole $900 on the best jointer you can get.  Then scrape up another $250 and get a cheapo lunchbox planer.  There is not a world of difference between a cheap planer and a Dewalt 735x.  The 735x has some nice bells and whistles (2 speeds, 3 knives, and the DC blower) but you will get similar results from a cheap planer.   

Eventually you will want to upgrade the planer, but at that point you can decide if you want a stationary planer or just a nicer lunchbox.  

 

Yeah I know this is a little over budget once you factor in shipping....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-Jointer-with-Parallelogram-Beds/G0490

 

Weeeeeell. Sounds like jointer/planer it is haha. Will look for the planet first and tag on the jointer maybe at Christmas. Come on grizzly and a discount coupon haha.
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