greatrockandroll Posted December 24, 2011 Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 I have a problem. I am on a tight budget and I need to choose between two options. 1. my shop is a mess because i have hardly any storage. My plan is to combine an outfeed table with alot of storage underneath and get the shop organized 2. I have most power tools but I dont have a jointer and I found a used one for a bargain Both options cost about the same, and I need both, but I can only afford one. Which option do you think I shoud go with and why. Thanks in advance . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWoodLab Posted December 24, 2011 Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 Domenic - If I were in your position, I'd go for the jointer first. If you found one at at bargain, you may not know when the next opportunity to snag one at that price will be. Then when your funds allow, you get the materials for your outfeed table/storage unit, which should be available whenever you're ready. Hope that helps, Happy Holidays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Posted December 24, 2011 Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 Go for the jointer. If your shop is like mine organization may never happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatrockandroll Posted December 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 alright, thanks for the help guys. I was leaning towards the jointer. Happy Holidays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodninja Posted December 24, 2011 Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 Jointer. Hands down. In my shop, if I don't have a jointer, planer, and table saw, I don't feel like I have a shop. I can give you several cheap options to start your out feed table, but a good jointer at a bargain is a rare animal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmac Posted December 25, 2011 Report Share Posted December 25, 2011 I consider an outfeed table to be an absolute must have, for safety reasons. If I told you the story about why my left thumb looks the way ti does, you'd understand completely. So spend your money on the jointer if you want, but also be sure to put together something (even if it's cheap, crude, and temporary) to use for an outfeed table until you can afford to do it up right. -- Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattvan Posted December 25, 2011 Report Share Posted December 25, 2011 Oh boy, an essay contest! I like the idea of adding the jointer to your shop, but I'm wondering if you have thickness planer yet? If you do, then I say go for the jointer. Otherwise, build away on the storage units and outfeed table. Now for the explanation portion of the post. If you currently don't own a thickness planer than the jointer isn't quite as useful as you think. The jointer does one job and one job really well, it flattens a face or edge. But if you flip the board's face over to work the other side, you'll get it flat, but probably not parallel to the first face. THAT'S what the thickness planer does. Thickness planers make it possible to get two faces parallel with each other. No other machine does that, unless of course you can accomplish it with a hand plane. A jointer can't make a board equally thick across the entire length and width of a board by itself, but it is possible to do it with a thickness planer. It takes a little work, typically a sled that you can shim an unflat board on to make it stable to run through the planer, but it only takes a pass or two to get the first face ready. That's a conversation for another post. So, I say, if you don't own a thickness planer already skip the jointer and take care of the shop storage and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davestanton Posted December 25, 2011 Report Share Posted December 25, 2011 I would do the outfeed table and get your shop organised before you buy the jointer and compound the problem. There are always bargains to be had further down the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted December 25, 2011 Report Share Posted December 25, 2011 If the jointer you're looking at costs the same as a few sheets of plywood, I say buy the plywood...that'd have to be one heck of a bargain to get a decent jointer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomP Posted December 25, 2011 Report Share Posted December 25, 2011 I agree with Matt and Dave. Out feed table and get organized. I built a tower on wheels with four shelves. My planer is on the second shelf. This way when I want to plane some wood I just roll the unit out and use it. The other shelves hold all kinds of tools and attachments. I have a quarter of my garage to use and this really gave me some space to work with. I organize each time I'm in the shop, that's never ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted December 26, 2011 Report Share Posted December 26, 2011 A new tool is always a more exciting purchase. You'll use the outfeed table much more often and be safer while working. Build a unit on wheels with locks, that can serve as an outfeed table and assembly table that has storage underneath - drawers, doors, etc. portable clamp caddy. Dave reminds me of conversations with my dad..."BUT DAD....THIS is a deal!!! There will not be another deal like this one!!" Dad would always say, 'son....there will be more deals'. At the time, I thought it was a put off....decades later, I see it's true. I keep watching Craig's list for a 20" planer. A couple weeks ago, there were 4 in the local area and 3 of them had upgraded heads! I didn't have the $800. Today, there is nothing but lunch boxes. A month from now, there will be 4 more, 20 inchers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 i say get the jointer and organize the shop with even just cardboard boxes for the time being. hard to build anything if you cant find the tool in the mess. a outfeed table is a must but so is a good jointer. so buy a cheap support for you table saw (always come in hand down the line) and buy the jointer because if it the same cost as some plywood and couple pine board then its probably a decent deal. make shure you check out that it works and no big pits in the top. by the way type of jointer is it and what is the size? how much do they want for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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