Opinion - Next tool purchase?

[dazart]

Well missing out on the deal of the year (as of 1/2/2018 ) for that planer got my mind wandering about my next somewhat major tool purchase.

Last year I bought a used table saw from someone on NCWW and it's been awesome. A lot better than what I could have gotten buying something new.

In people's opinion, what would be a good 'next purchase'? I'm thinking a planer because the wife would like me to build a big-'ol dining room dinner table - which I'll be posting her want list images in the near future.

Other than that I was thinking band saw and jointer are the other big ones. I have seen video's of people using a plywood sled and their table saw to clamp down the wood as a makeshift planer, so if I get to that point I can do that I suppose.

I don't have a drill press yet, but I assume for what I do right now hand drilling of anything I do isn't going to ruin something.

 

[Chilihead]

Well it depends greatly on what you want to build. As for that dining room table, well, there you'll need a planer and jointer. Owning those tools opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.......unfortunately you need both to get rough lumber straight, flat, and true though. They are a tandem team that need each other to work properly in most cases.

 

[Canuck]

I agree that a good planer and jointer opens up huge savings in frustration and the wallet when buying lumber. You'll be surprised at how much you can save when purchasing rough sawn or S2S material. I believe that I payed for my planer and 6" jointer with lumber savings in about 18 - 24 months.

Wayne

 

[redknife]

I agree with above, just wanted to note that you can use a planer and table saw to face and edge joint wood. You can either skip plane or use a planer sled for face jointing. A jig on the table saw allows edge jointing. For those reasons, I’d recommend a planer first. Should you have the money, adding both is nice. And then there are hand tool options.

 

[dazart]

I bought an inexpensive Kobalt #4 hand plane this summer but I just can't figure the thing out.

It's wasting away somewhere in my garage

 

[bowman]

Ditto what others have said, start with a planer, even the portables from Dewalt/Porter Cable give decent results once you allow for end snipe.

As I was setting up my shop, I passed on a deal to get a Delta bandsaw and Delta planer as I did not think I would really need either. Wrong! I currently use a bench top bandsaw where I can go as thick as 3" max. I have a PC portable planer that works decently. If I had the option to buy it again, I would probably pass on it and go with the DeWalt model.

 

[KenOfCary]

A #4 bench plane is for finish work. You'll need a #6 or really #7 or 8 for jointing or flattening stock by hand. It is a lot of work and requires practice with your technique but there are members here that can help with the learning curve if you choose to go the hand-tool route.

 

[Mike Wilkins]

You did not say what your budget looks like, but I vote for a combination jointer/planer machine. Having a wide jointer is really sweet, especially if it is the same width of your planer. These are not portable, light weight machines, but on par with industrial machinery in their materials, construction and heft. Grizzly, Jet, Rikon are the far east offerings. Hammer and Mini-Max the Euro options. Good luck and watch those fingers.

 

[dazart]

A #4 bench plane is for finish work. You'll need a #6 or really #7 or 8 for jointing or flattening stock by hand. It is a lot of work and requires practice with your technique but there are members here that can help with the learning curve if you choose to go the hand-tool route.

I think it's more than just that - never used a plane before, so I think from what I've read
(1) it's probably not sharp since it's straight out of the box (and I don't have any sharpening tools yet), and
(2) I don't know how to set the blade so it does what it's supposed to do. I took it apart when I got it trying to follow the directions on the box and I'm pretty sure now it just takes big whacks out of wood. :wconfused:

So I just don't even mess with it now.

 

[Jeff]

A jointer & a planer is nice to have but not a necessity for doing fine woodworking. Budget constraints, available space for 2 new machines with almost stationery footprints, and 220 volts, etc. I did buy a DeWalt 735 lunchbox planer (12"w bed) several years ago but it's a portable roll-around on a stand and that works just fine for me when I want some "custom" dimensions. I buy most of my lumber pre-surfaced at S3S or S4S (about +$1/bf) and that added cost isn't a 2nd mortgage.

Check out The Molding Source in Mooresville and talk with Rick DiNardo to check out his inventory and whether they can surface it for you at a reasonable fee.

Hand planes are not rocket science but there can be a steep learning curve so don't get discouraged; be patient and try a little bit of hand plane set-up and use in small batches. Your Kobalt plane won't work right out of the box but it's all you have for the time being and it needs some help from you too. Guy #1 is a bit anal with what he's doing to his Kobalt #4, but some good information about a few subtle points.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw7lu67ULsk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAYcwubAO2E

I'm pretty sure now it just takes big whacks out of wood.

How do you know that if it's collecting dust on the shelf? It shouldn't be doing that anyway!

 

[TENdriver]

Steve, I’d highly encourage you not to give up on hand tools. A good hand plane is an absolute joy to use. There’s very little in life that I’d go back and change but hand tools are an exception. I even had offers from people to get me started with them but all I could see was “more power” so I really missed out!

If someone offers to mentor you on hand tools, I’d encourage you to pounce.

You’d be amazed what hand tools can do and they really work well when augmented by a few power tools!

 

[MichaelSC]

I own one of these I picked it up barely used for $250.00

 

[dazart]

I own one of these I picked it up barely used for $250.00

That's a combo? How do you like it?
Also, now that I've looked into this more I have another question.

Is the spiral helix cutters/blades worth the extra money? I see people upgrading their dw735 with them, but I see them coating 400. So why not just buy a better planer from the start?

 

[MichaelSC]

Yes,
It is a combo Planer/Joiner.
It does the job, Not the greatest, but when the coins are a factor, I decided this would get me by until I can afford something better.

Sort of a pain to change between the operations, and is loud.... (but all of them are). And you have to learn how to work around the snipe.

Spiral Helix cutters? I don't know much about them, but I know the replacement blades are pretty reasonable, I can buy a bunch of regular blades for the price of a helical cutter. I wouldn't put $400.00 in this machine with the minimal difference it makes. (that's just my 2 cents).

 

[mpholway]

This article might be helpful for coming up to speed on hand planes.

https://www.woodmagazine.com/tool-r...18&utm_medium=email&utm_source=wdm-newsletter

 

[cyclopentadiene]

The bandsaw is my favorite tool in the shop. I could purchase lumber that has been planed. After a table saw, I see the band saw most important as it is useful for all other cuts.

 

[MarkE]

Also, now that I've looked into this more I have another question.

Is the spiral helix cutters/blades worth the extra money? I see people upgrading their dw735 with them, but I see them coating 400. So why not just buy a better planer from the start?

My Grizzly planer has the helical cutter head. Definitely worth having, but I personally would not upgrade a bladed planer to a helical cutter head. It just looks like too much work, and the cost vs just buying a planer that already has one never looked like a good use of my time.

I had a three blade jointer years ago but sold it. Never did get good consistent results from it. I just use hand planes and the thickness planer to do whatever I used to do with the jointer. If I ever decide to get a jointer, it would have to have a helical cutter head. I always found setting the jointer blades to be a time consuming PITA.

 

[MarkE]

the bandsaw is my favorite tool in the shop. I could purchase lumber that has been planed. After a table saw, I see the band saw most important as it is useful for all other cuts.

+1 on this. I would give up my tablesaw before giving up the bandsaw.

 

[dazart]

the bandsaw is my favorite tool in the shop. I could purchase lumber that has been planed. After a table saw, I see the band saw most important as it is useful for all other cuts.

That's an interesting thought.

 

[Raymond]

+1 on bandsaw - I have two. A bench top Delta bandsaw with a 3-1/2 cut depth and a 14-inch with riser kit. The funny part is that most of my cuts are on the Delta bench top bandsaw.