Next Power Tool Purchase??? Everyone Comment!!

[jgfore]

Ok. I have sold a few items and have finally decided to make my next POWER TOOL purchase! I had first thought that I want a jointer, however I began a job the other day that required one and I did not have the money to purchase what I wanted, so I purchased a small Porter Cable table top jointer to finish the job. So, I hate to turn right around and purchase another jointer, even though I will most likely do so in the future. For now it does what I need. My next thought was a miter saw. Right now I use my table saw to make all of my miter cuts that are too big for my 10" miter saw that I have borrowed from my dad. The third item that I am considering is a 14" band saw. I do not have one now, and it does some what limit me when purchasing wood. My last item that I am considering is a dust collection system. I normally just cover the basement in dust and them spend an hour or so cleaning when I am done.

So, to recap.

1. Floor Mount 6" Jointer (Ridgid) $300.00 on sale

2. 12" Miter Saw (Ridgid) $300.00

3. 14" Band Saw (Porter Cable) $400.00

4. Dust Collection System (Grizzley or Delta) $350.00- $400.00

Since I really need all of them, rate each one of them in the order that you would purchase them.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Jeff

[woodtinkerer]

Ok. I have sold a few items and have finally decided to make my next POWER TOOL purchase! I had first thought that I want a jointer, however I began a job the other day that required one and I did not have the money to purchase what I wanted, so I purchased a small Porter Cable table top jointer to finish the job. So, I hate to turn right around and purchase another jointer, even though I will most likely do so in the future. For now it does what I need. My next thought was a miter saw. Right now I use my table saw to make all of my miter cuts that are too big for my 10" miter saw that I have borrowed from my dad. The third item that I am considering is a 14" band saw. I do not have one now, and it does some what limit me when purchasing wood. My last item that I am considering is a dust collection system. I normally just cover the basement in dust and them spend an hour or so cleaning when I am done.

So, to recap.

1. Floor Mount 6" Jointer (Ridgid) $300.00 on sale

2. 12" Miter Saw (Ridgid) $300.00

3. 14" Band Saw (Porter Cable) $400.00

4. Dust Collection System (Grizzley or Delta) $350.00- $400.00

Since I really need all of them, rate each one of them in the order that you would purchase them.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Jeff

If the jointer you have is working for you then my opinion would be,

3. Band saw

4. Dust Collection

1. Jointer

2. Miter saw

But thats just my two cents.

Where did you find the Ridgid jointer for $300?

[jgfore]

It is usually 429.99 or so at Home Depot, but they run it on sale alot for $299.99.

Jeff

[jgfore]

If the jointer you have is working for you then my opinion would be,

3. Band saw

4. Dust Collection

1. Jointer

2. Miter saw

But thats just my two cents.

Where did you find the Ridgid jointer for $300?

[woodtinkerer]

It is usually 429.99 or so at Home Depot, but they run it on sale alot for $299.99.

Jeff

Oh ok, if its on sale now it must be a region specific sale. I looked in my area and it is still 429.

It looked like a nice jointer and peaked my intrest.

[Beechwood Chip]

Here's the order I would buy them:

Which will I use the most on my next project - buy that one first.

I always find that buying a "big" tool involves a fair amount of re-arranging the shop, setting it up, tuning it up, etc. If I'm not going to dive in and start using it on a real project right away, then it saps my motivation.

[kep1019]

I'd rank and change slightly.

1 Bandsaw

2 planer instead of joiner if you do not have one. I'd stick with the table top and check out Neil at Furnitology I believe that is all he uses and seems to work out fine.

3. dust collection

4. miter saw.

Enjoy whatever you decide to get.

Keith

[JLYoung]

I agree with Wood Tinkerer on the order.

3. Band saw

4. Dust Collection

1. Jointer

2. Miter saw

And here's why:

1. Go with the band saw first because it's safer to rip rough lumber, it will allow you to resaw your boards so you're not wasting so much wood making thinner panels, veneers etc., because you're forever finding useful things for it to do and because it's a cooler tool purchase than a dust collector.

2. I work in my basement as well and added a dust collector to my planer and jointer and it made a huge difference in the amount of dust and debris that got tracked through the hose. (I use a shop vac for my table saw and band saw)

3. I'd buy the jointer third only because you already have one. I have a Delta 6" benchtop model that's served me very well for about 4 years now. (though I did just order an 8" Steel City with helical cutter head and granite fence/tables, yeah me!)

4. I have a small 10" single bevel miter saw and about the only time I use is for home remodeling projects (baseboards, trim, cutting 2x4's to length etc.) I don't use it for woodworking since I made a crosscut sled. I'd like to get the Rigid 12" slider but just haven't been able to justify it.

[mlehikoinen]

Seeing as you are in a basement, are you using a respirator? Also, what is the heating/air conditioning like in your home? Forced air? If so, I would absolutely consider proper dust collection first. Those microscopic airborne particles are probably making their way into your ventilation system.

I work in an open air garage and the days that I don't wear a respirator, I'm blowing sawdust nose nuggets for several hours. Having read up the usual literature about the potential hazards of machine tool caused dust makes me wear my respirator all the time now (almost anyway )

then:

Bandsaw, mitre saw, jointer.

[knotscott]

I'd definitely move DC toward the top of the list. It's a major improvement in health and the quality of work life in your shop.

Jeff, do you have a planer? Depending on what you do and how you do it, I'd think a planer would add more capability than a bigger miter saw or a band saw. A planer used in tandem with a jointer is a beautiful thing....it gives you flat square stock right from the start, so joints fit the way you planned. I used a jig saw in place of a BS for years...the BS certainly has some ability that the jigsaw doesn't, but it works out pretty well for curved shapes most of the time. I find the TS to be more accurate than a miter saw for all but really long pieces (like molding).

[TonyV]

The machines I bought in the order I bought them were:

1. Craftsman 10" Compound Miter Saw (this was actually a birthday gift from my wife)
   
2. Craftsman Benchtop Table Saw
   
3. Delta TP400LS Lunchbox Planer
   
4. Craftsman 12" Benchtop Drill Press
   
5. Grizzly G0555 14" Cast Iron Band Saw with riser block
   
6. Craftsman 22124 "Zip code" Table Saw
   
7. Grizzly G1182HW 6" floor standing jointer (not 100% on the model number as I'm at work)
   

If I were going to do it again, I'd have gotten the jointer sooner. However, in your situation, you shouldn't just get a machine because you think you'll need it. I bought the band saw because I was going to build a NYW garden bench & I needed it to make the curved cuts. That project never happened, but now I can incorporate curves in my work & cut them with less hassle than my jigsaw (a Skil model) gives me.

Seriously, what's your next project going to be? If you really want the band saw, for example, then make it something that will require curved cuts. Significant others have a hard time stopping you when you say, "I can't do it without this tool," especially when it's something you're making for them!

Tony

[jgfore]

OK Guys. I just got back from my local WoodCraft Store. Seeing that I current project is a picture frame for my parents anniversary (48"x36" and 5" wide), I had to have something that would cut the miters. Also, after reading what many of you have wrote about the large footprint that a miter takes, the very limited use for it unless doing household jobs, and not fine woodworking, I have narrowed my selection somewhat. While I was at the Woodcraft store, I had a great revelation. Since I need to make some very precise miter cuts, but will not use the miter saw much and it will take up room in my already lacking shop...................why not buy a

INCRA Miter Gauge 1000HD. So......I DID!

No more need for a miter saw (or not for now anyway). Therefore, buy the greatest majority the band saw is looking up, but please keep and suggestions coming. It will be a little bit before I make the leap and fork out the money.

Jeff

[PaulMarcel]

I have that gauge; you'll really like it. Takes some calibration, though... don't assume it is dead-nuts out of the box.

[knotscott]

A high precision miter gauge is an excellent acquisition. Enjoy!

[samhell]

Bandsaw! Its very useful. All the resawing, curve cutting, etc and also great for small quick cuts that you don't want to mess with the table saw. Just walk up turn it on and cut. Plus its great for cutting plastic or sawhide dog bones and all kinds of stuff.

[jgfore]

OK! OK! OK! I will go and buy the band saw!!

Now I have to find a good video on how to set the darn thing up properly.

Jef

[brtech]

Go get a DC. For $139 with a coupon at HF, you can get a "2HP" DC that is really quite good.

It's filter is a joke, you really need to upgrade it to canister filter with a .5 micron rating.

You also want to build a "Thien baffle" that does a good job of separating chips and heavier dust from the airstream than the stock system does, but it's just a piece of plywood or MDF that you can mount inside the DC.

You need 10' of flex hose and a couple of adapters to match your equipment.

[Dyami Plotke]

I'll play contrarian and say miter saw. If your work ever leans towards carpentry you'll love having one. If not, then go dust collection first.

[Saddlestrum]

I have that gauge; you'll really like it. Takes some calibration, though... don't assume it is dead-nuts out of the box.

Agreed. At 90 degrees my Incra is good. Turn it 45 and it's not exactly perpendicular to the tabletop.

[samhell]

OK! OK! OK! I will go and buy the band saw!!

Now I have to find a good video on how to set the darn thing up properly.

Jef

Well, there is this one guy I heard about once on the interwebs.... on or around March 31, 2007 he made a good video about just this very subject!

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/bandsaw-setup-tuneup/

I would listen to him. His hair patch thing on his lip has a power not unlike the hypnotoad. Though I didn't notice a single rubber chicken in the entire video... I dunno what that was all about.

[jab73180]

if your thinkin jointer, i would go with the grizzly 6". it is 400 right now or it was a few days ago. it has a mobile base built in and i hear that the customer support is second to none.

[jgfore]

I just ordered my Grizzley G0555P Band Saw today. I think that I have figured out the order of my next purchases, and I can tell you that the miter saw will not be one of them. This is why.

I decided the other day to follow several peoples advise and purchase equipment as the project required. Well since I was working on a large picture frame, I decided to just get the miter saw since it was the cheapest. I purchase a Porter Cable 12" miter saw and took it home. I took it out of the box and set it up and to my supprise, the angles were not right. the 45 degree miter cut was closer to 44 degrees and there was not adjustments. That was it............like it or not. I quickly boxed it back up and took it back to the bug blue store and said....No Thanks. I ended up just using my new miter gauge that I purchased and it Works Great!!!!!!! Anyone that needs to cut miters or anything on an angle or 90's, I would highly recommend the INCRA Miter Gauge.

Anyway, the list of next purchases will be as follows:

1. Band Saw (just purchased)

2. Dust Collection System

3. 6" Stationary Jointer

Thanks for everyones in-put.

Jeff

[Chester]

An hour to clean the dust ... doesn't that tell you something?

I would put the DC as Numero Uno.

Then, you can get a combo Jet 8" Jointer/Planer for $249 http://www.amazon.com/Jet-JJP-8BT-8-Inch-Jointer-Planer/dp/B001O0D6NS ... that way you can buy rough lumber and do the milling yourself.

Then you should get the band saw ... and sell your other jointer.

Then a 12" chop saw ... with dust collection hooked-up. Remember your lungs!

[Mister Pants]

My order would be the same as many others:

1. Bandsaw

2. Dust Collection

3. Jointer

4. Miter saw

The reasons being:

1. Bandsaw, is extremely versatile and you don't have (from what I read) a comparable to it righrt now

2. Dust Collection - health is important

3. Jointer. While you have a little tabletop jointer right now, a larger jointer allows you to do more

4. Miter saw. You already have a useable workaround with the circ saw, and I'm guessing a tablesaw. Miter saw falls into the nice to have category, but not an essential.