What to do with $2500

[Scott Lindars]

Let's just say I had about $2500 to spend on my starter shop, what would people buy. Here is what I have

Power Tools. A craftmsan 10" table saw with a crappy fence and a burnt out 1HP motor. A Floor length drill press. No problems thus far. New Hitachi Compound Miter saw. Ryobi router ROS, Belt Sander, palm sander A few drills. A old scroll saw that I've never used. A tiny old, old shop vac.

Hand tools: A nice Lei-Neilson dovetail saw The normal things like hammers, screw drivers, etc. A record low angle block plane. A old Stanley Jack plane that needs a new blade, and maybe a new frog. A decent collection of bar clamps 24"-6' Well see what my wife gets for christmas. I've asked a bunch of basic woodworking hand tools to round out the collection( sharpening stones, compound bevels, marking gauge, etc)

Now that the table say motor is dead I'm thinking of replacing that with a cabinet saw. I'd like to see a 6" jointer, 14-17" bandsaw, planer, and maybe a dust collector in the shop. That is about all I have room for. Any other large tools like drum sanders would probably share space on a mobile cart with the planer. The shop is about

20'x10'

[DSphotog]

FYI - If you live anywhere near the Long Island, NY area, you could contact me. I have a complete woodworking shop that I'm looking to sell. I can't do it anymore due to disability.

Best, Dave

[Marc]

Delta X cabinet saw (52' table), good dado set, good blade (forest), mobility kit. Leaves about $400 for a router table, or a jointer (shopmaster or griz). Wait for the next $2500 for a quality bandsaw (laguna 14se) and bench top planer. Sell the Lie Nielsen Dove saw and scroll saw on Ebay and get something more practical like a $150 dust collector (shopmaster) at lowes. It all fits, I know, I have it all and more in a 9' by 20' space. Then, expand the shop. Next $2500 get ..., Next $2500 get ...,Next $2500 get ..., Next $2500 get ...,

[Mike Reed]

It really depends on what you want to build. My experience is based on "cabinetmaking," as opposed to turning or making boxes, for instance.

I would get the basics right away: table saw and bandsaw. I would get a planer before a jointer if you don't get both (I only have a planer, and I have no intentions of getting a jointer, as I use my Record #07 for that work. Get 220V running to your shop if it isn't already. Get a dust collector.

After that, I would build a bench. Buy any tools along the way that would make the project easier. Mortiser? Drum sander? Mortise chisels and handplanes?

If you have money left, set it aside. Start getting through your project list. Let your projects and your work style determine your shop setup. Some folks like more hand tools, and some more power tools. Don't blow your budget on what you think you'll need, and then find out that it's constraining future projects forcing SWMBO to sign off on a new budget.

-Mike

[toller]

I love it when people ask questions like this, and we have no idea what you intend on doing, or what your experience is.

[Dave Hall]

Well, I think he asked "what would people buy", not "what should I buy". Therefor if inclined to answer, tell him what you would buy if you already had just the stuff he mentioned. Me, I would go for a Griz

1023 cabinet saw, deck it out with some blades, dado set, etc. (say $1,200). I would get a HF dust collector with some after market 5 micron bags from Penn state (say $190 total), a decent 6" jointer - no particular suggestions as I have never looked (say $500), a DeWalt planer (which one I am not sure) ( about $300 to $500). Then some good ebay stanley planes, some decent brad point and forstner bits, and if money allowed a decent router (which I doubt the Ryobi is).

Then I would be bummed that I had no bandsaw and probably would rethink the whole priority list ;)

Dave Hall

[Dave Hall]

Well, I think he asked "what would people buy", not "what should I buy". Therefor if inclined to answer, tell him what you would buy if you already had just the stuff he mentioned. Me, I would go for a Griz

1023 cabinet saw, deck it out with some blades, dado set, etc. (say $1,200). I would get a HF dust collector with some after market 5 micron bags from Penn state (say $190 total), a decent 6" jointer - no particular suggestions as I have never looked (say $500), a DeWalt planer (which one I am not sure) ( about $300 to $500). Then some good ebay stanley planes, some decent brad point and forstner bits, and if money allowed a decent router (which I doubt the Ryobi is).

Then I would be bummed that I had no bandsaw and probably would rethink the whole priority list ;)

Dave Hall

[Dave Hall]

Well, I think he asked "what would people buy", not "what should I buy". Therefor if inclined to answer, tell him what you would buy if you already had just the stuff he mentioned. Me, I would go for a Griz

1023 cabinet saw, deck it out with some blades, dado set, etc. (say $1,200). I would get a HF dust collector with some after market 5 micron bags from Penn state (say $190 total), a decent 6" jointer - no particular suggestions as I have never looked (say $500), a DeWalt planer (which one I am not sure) ( about $300 to $500). Then some good ebay stanley planes, some decent brad point and forstner bits, and if money allowed a decent router (which I doubt the Ryobi is).

Then I would be bummed that I had no bandsaw and probably would rethink the whole priority list ;)

Dave Hall

[loutent]

Hi Scott,

I would put in % terms regardless of actual budget, but your's is certainly adequate to start):

1. 10" table saw (30%) - 0
2. 14" band saw (25%) - 5
3. 6" jointer (25%) - 5
4. 12-13" planer (15%) - 5
5. 1.5 HP DC system (15%) - 5

A little over budget, but in woodworking, everything in "nominal" anyway.

Have fun!

Lou

[aswr]

I would go see my local tool dealer and ask his advice. Tell him that you have a budget of $2500.00 and ask him to put a package together for you at the best price. $2500 is a nice order and I would have certainly worked with you getting you the most for your dollar. Tell your dealer what kind of woodworking you do and ask him his guidance. I believe you will come out better this way and plus you will build a nice working relationship with the dealer. Next time you are ready to buy, he will treat you right again. I would look at a Delta contractor saw with Biesemeyer fence, a 6" jointer( which ever manufacture that can give you the best $)and a Delta USA 14" bandsaw and a Delta 13" bench planer and a dust collector. Good luck and happy woodworking!! Mike from American Sycamore

[Scott Lindars]

My experience is beginner/intermediate. My intention is furnitiure making for our house. No desire to get into wood turning at the momment. I like to work with handtools, love using my planes. Hope that clears it up.

[J T]

Tue, Dec 7, 2004, 11:41am (EST-3) [e-mail] (Scott=A0Lindars) says: A craftmsan 10" table saw with a crappy fence and a burnt out 1HP motor.

You gonna just toss it? If so, I'd take it, if you're close. I'm just east of Raleigh, NC. A rebuilt motor, and it'd be a deffinite upgrade for me.

JOAT Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind dont matter, and those who matter dont mind.

- Dr Seuss

[toller]

I have bought all of my equipment used ; but if I had your budget and plenty of rooom...

Table saw 600 Jointer 400 Planer 400 Router Table 200 Router 200 (for router table) Blades/Bits 200 Air Filter 200 Misc 100 Dust Collector 200

I don't have a band saw and have never missed it, but some people love them. Besides, you don't have the budget for it.

If $2500 is your absolute limit, you might want to look for some used equipment and make your own router table.

[J T]

Tue, Dec 7, 2004, 9:43pm (EST+5) [e-mail] (toller) says: I love it when people ask questions like this, and we have no idea what you intend on doing, or what your experience is.

The answer is very basic. They think we can read their minds; so why would they need to provide us with anything as mundane as pertinent details?

JOAT Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind dont matter, and those who matter dont mind.

- Dr Seuss

[DanK]

[Lazarus Long]

I think what you buy is dependent on what you want to build. I started with a table saw, then got a planer and jointer in rapid sucession. Then a floor standing drill press. Some hand tools along the way.

Through it all, the projects I had skill and desire to build decided which tools I would buy.

I still have a Craftsman TS as you describe, except I put a Biesemeyer fence on it. And the motor isn't burnt out. That fence is the only thing that allowed me to keep that saw. It's a god send.

So assuming you build things as I do, I'd fix that saw, it's actually o.k., not great, o.k. A planer and jointer are high on my list. I started with a 6", but later bought a Delta DJ-20. If you like mortise & tenon joints, a hollow chisel mortiser is good to have. lots of outlets around the shop.

The ideas are not limited to any of that, it again goes back to what projects are in the pipe so to speak. Buy what you need, not what looks good when you show off to friends.

[Lazarus Long]

One other thing, and this is important - get a subscription to a good woodworking magazine like Woodsmith. I began with woodsmith 'cause it has decent projects. That, and the author walks you though their construction. It's very instructive.

Later, a magazine like Fine Woodworking. Less on specific steps you need to do to complete something, more in the area of showing advanced things and a technique for some detail of it.

Much later, a magazine like "Woodwork" where the projects can get so "out there" I've no idea how the builder managed to put them together, but obviously did.

Further, check out the bombe vitrine cabinet on

Jeff provides complete instructions for building one, however, like FWW, he does expect that you know something about joining one piece of wood to another.

[Prometheus]

That's a decent chunk of change for some good tools- just make sure you set some aside for wood!

I'd get a decent table saw (in the shop you've got, it might not be a bad idea to get a contractor's saw rather than a megolithic cabinet saw), a bandsaw, a thickness planer, a bench grinder, a biscut cutter, a good set of chisels, a hand plane, and spend the rest (if you've got any left) on wood.

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

[David Hall]

Well, I don't like that new google interface and that is what caused me to post the same thing 3 times....(yeah, that's the ticket)

Dave Hall

[Dan]

On Tue 07 Dec 2004 06:07:22p, "toller" wrote in news: _Artd.6890$ [e-mail]:

Hey Toller, what 400 dollar jointer would you get? I thought I had to spend over six for a decent one. I've got a vintage craftsman 4'', but the bed's so short I can't get a decent edge on anything longer than two feet.