I've just bought my first couple of hundred feet of rough lumber (great price, far far better than what I've been paying for S4S stuff). I have a table saw, but I don't (yet) own a planer, jointer, or bandsaw.
I can probably afford one of those three tools in the next month or so...so which one should I go for? I was planning on getting a bandsaw next, but given the sudden influx of rough lumber, would I be wiser to put that off until next year and buy a planer instead?
Thanks!
Nicholas
Yes.
I'll play your silly game, which tool is next?
Steps for truing stock.
Absolutely necessary. A flat face to work from, a reference face..
Joint (make flat and straight) one face (reference face) so you have something to true (reference) the remaining three sides to. Not to be done on a planer because the feed rollers will push out any warp and it will reappear as the stock exits the planer. For the same reason use very little down force when jointing.
Joint one edge with the reference face against the jointers fence. This will give you a straight edge that is at 90 degrees to the reference face. Also an edge to reference the next edge.,
Rip a second edge on the table saw with the reference face against the table and the reference edge against the fence. Try to do it on the jointer and it will give you a straight edge but not one necessarily parallel to the first edge.
Now you can plane the piece to a proper thickness with the reference face flat down on the planers feed table. Since the reference face is flat the planer has no warp to press out so the face being planed will be not only be flat but parallel to the reference face.
The jointer performs the two most critical steps in the process (the reference face and edge) but, with sufficient dicking around, there are work arounds. but, without the dicking around, the planer will not perform the functions of a jointer and the jointer will not perform the functions of a planer.
well if your low on money I would get a planer and a hand plane a jointer planer. maybe a scrub plane too. with these you can true up the first side good enough for the planer and then finish both sides. got a twisted board us a scrub to flatten those twists and run the opposite side through the planer. then run the second side through.
The method I use to figure out the next tool is to do a project. I look at what took the longest or the most effort, and get a tool which will take care of that task. I don't like having a half a grand of tool that I won't ever use. I also get a fine appreciation for what the tool is doing for me.
Michael
Nicholas,
Before you run off and buy another power tool you might want to consider some neander methods. I know, I know -- power tools are cool, right?! Well, they are -- I have a bunch of them and I love to use them. But I still have a few left to buy. And quite frankly I wish I would have run into the "power" of hand tools before hand. Consider how much you can get in hand tools for the price of 1 power tool! You'll need a scrub plane for high spots (takes wood off fast), then a jack plane to get it flat, and a jointer to do the edges (and top). If it were me, rather than buying a jointer "and" a planer (you'll need both by the way), I'd spend my money on a few planes and get just the planer. Just a thought anyway. Check out Steve Knight's wood planes -- they're sweet
Sounds complicated -- well, it is, I'll admit -- but for the money (and the joy!) you'll be better off in my opinion (but that's all it is -- and my favorite advice is "do what you want" ;)
Good luck, let us know what you do...
Mike
"Mike G" writes: [...]
There exist very useful combination machines that use the same cutter drum for jointing and planing, very useful if you want to process raw lumber without needing lots of shopspace and money. I used a Metabo machine with very satisfying effects, but a dust (ur rather chip) collection is very advisable, a simple small vacuum cleaner chokes immediately if the huge amount of chips comes in.
Since these tools usually mean that you end up with a 12" jointer they would be worth some serious consideration if they didn't cost as much as my cabinet saw and any two other power tools in my shop.
Well, maybe someday.
I just paid $.40 a bf for some air dried cherry. It had dried for around 3-4 months. Will have to dry a few more months before I can use it, was your stuff dried? You will need a planer and a joiner unless you can find someone else to do it for you.
Scott
I paid Cdn$2.00 a bf for my cherry, which was significantly cheaper than I'd ever seen it before. It's certainly been drying for longer than 3-4 months, but I don't know whether it was air- or kiln-dried (I didn't know enough to ask when I bought it).
I need to get some racking up in my basement and get the wood up off the garage floor this weekend.
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