I Need advice on tool purchases

Hi Gang, Heres some background. I work in my garage(SHOP!!) and I have a nice

50" Jet TS and an old Dewalt RAS and crappy ryobi router. Lately I have had delusions of grandeur, thinking about doing some more serious side work. I have a commission to do 7 small carts and another to do an entertainment center. These are from the same client. I am in a position to invest in the shop a bit and I can justify about $5-$600. Im thinking of getting a 2hp Dust collector (Shop Fox), a Triton 2-1/4 HP Router, and a forrest WWII blade.

Im getting a PC nailer set out of what I make for these 7 carts. i dont have a jointer or planer but I dont have much need for them at this moment. Althought I do have a bunch of raw Black Walnut boards that need planing. My work is pretty varied. A bunch of cabinet stuff, but I want to get into some fine blanket chests, furniture n stuff.

Im open to other suggestions. Help me spend my money!

BadAndy

Reply to
Andy H
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The dust collector will be a luxury that will not assist in actual building of a project. Nice to have but will not get all of what your TS, RAS or router put out. You are still going to have to clean up.

If your saw is properly set up I would go with the Blade improvement WWII first.

Reply to
Leon

I am definitely getting the WWII, my questions is: Is there anything else that I am not thinking of that would be useful?

I'd love a jointer but i want to wait until I can get a good one. Im afraid a planer would just sit there for quite a while.

The dust collector is the thing thats got me puzzled. Is it going to be that helpful? Is there something more useful that I should get instead?

thanks! BadAndy

Reply to
Andy H

Yes, EVERYTHING! I have been doing this for 30 or so years and I still need/want everything I see. ;~)

I bought a jointer in 1983. It is absolutely the least used tool in my shop. I could not get along with out a planer. If you rough cut lumber is relatively flat you can run it through the planer and be fine. Keep in mind that a plainer will not by itself flatten a board. You can build a jig to flatten a board with a planer. I use a Jig over using my jointer. A Kreg pocket hole jig is very handy also. What you buy next will be mosty dictated by what your projects are going to be. You will be safe with the planer and or Kreg and you will certainly use both quite often. The plainer is very useful for resurfacing to a specific thickness, smooth up resaw cuts and or making thiner stick.

Again, IMHO the dust collector is a luxury. I have been woodworking seriousely since 1978 and finally bought a dust collector last spring IIRC. I had to have it for a drum sander as at that point it becomes a necessity although I got the DC a year before the sander. My BS turns out an enormous amount of dust when resawing and I got the DC quickly after buying the Laguna BS.

Reply to
Leon

Leon and I don't agree a lot and this is another one of those times. I think the Forrest blade is the most overrated item in the woodworking market. I know there will be people wearing cassocks, and shoes with big buckles, who will be beating on my door for that heresy. The truth is, any of the premium blades (common name doesn't signify lesser quality), Freud, Systimatic, Amana, etc., will do a more than adequate job without the 20% premium in price.

Similarly, with routers, what do you think the extra money in the Triton will get you that a more pedestrian router wouldn't? For the money they get for it, you could have two routers with less glitz. I'm not demeaning the design, but if you do a lot of routing, quantity has a quality all its own. I'd rather have a couple or three P-C 690s for the convenience than one Triton (or, gasp, Festool). However, that's an oversimplification, and your routing needs surely aren't the same as my routing needs.

I did woodworking for a lot of years without either a jointer or a planer, and I've had two of each since then. I can't really quantify how I'd rank them in importance of necessity.

I think I'd like to see a drill press in the mix. I've often referred to it as the most used tool in my shop.

Reply to
LRod

Thanks LRod, I forgot to mention that I have a small Drill press. A 10" Delta. I would like a larger one, 12" maybe?

The Triton Router is $199. I want to mount it into a table and I like the fact that it comes with an edge guide. You think a PC 690 would be better? And buy my own edge guide? The PC is smaller, but "only" 1-3/4 HP. Im leaning toward a planer. As I said i have a bunch of Walnut and i want to get into building nicer things. The planer could open that door for me?

Keep the suggestions coming I appreciate every one! I think Ive ruled out the DC. Not enough bang for my buck.

BadAndy

Reply to
Andy H

I'd say hold onto your money until you really know what you _need_ to do what you're trying to do, myself. (I know, like LRod, I'm up for the heresy stake! :) ).

I agree w/ Leon for what it sounds like you have/intend, the DC early on would seem to be a luxury that probably won't accomplish that much in terms of what it can actually capture at the source which is their real advantage.

OTOH, for what I typically do/way I've become accustomed to work, the jointer is probably the secondmost used of the stationary tools behind (barely) the tablesaw and planer. But, I reclaim a lot of old stuff that isn't that flat often unlike Leon don't much care for the trouble involved in trying to do that step w/ the planer.

I don't know what you're using for a blade on the TS now, but while I agree the WWII is excellent, there are others less expensive. But, if your heart is set on it, I won't say you would go wrong there as an investment.

For the router, can't comment too much on Triton; never had opportunity to see one even--been satisfied w/ the Hitachi and Makita I have (and I can't think of models, undoubtedly they're now old enough to be out of production anyway) but for most stuff I use the shaper rather than router anyway unless it's smaller or need the plunge or the mobility of working on fixed pieces.

But, as rare as it is in the rec, :) I really think when you know what you need is the time to go shopping, not just when you have a whim. IOW, start on your projects and see where you're stuck doing something the hard way and then decide what it takes to solve that problem. You'll probably be happier in the long run.

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Reply to
dpb

You're not the only person to make this claim. I'm the odd-ball. I use my jointer all the time. If a board touches the table saw fence, I run it through the jointer first.

If the OP's worried about his health, I'd recommend an air-filter over a dust collector. It's the small stuff that'll kill you, not the big particles that collect on the floor. Plus, he probably already owns a shop vac.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

TS and an old Dewalt RAS and crappy ryobi router.

serious side work. I have a commission to do 7 small

$5-$600. Im thinking of getting a 2hp Dust collector (Shop

moment. Althought I do have a bunch of raw Black

some fine blanket chests, furniture n stuff.

I went for years with a jointer and not planer. Then I got a planer and I don't know how I got along without it. It helps create incredibly uniform material that's easy to square and build. It also save a little money if you buy rough wood.

I don't know what you mean by "carts," but if you are doing any curve work, you might consider a bandsaw as well.

I agree with others that a dust collector is a luxury since you are not working in the house, where it might be a necessity.

S.

Reply to
samson

Thanks Jeff, I never even thought of a Air filter! Dont know much about them, my shop is 18 x 18 with a 12" ceiling, would an Airfilter get all of the suspended dust?

Reply to
Andy H

Same here. Sure, you can get along without one, but why? It makes life easier.

No, it won't get all of it, but it will get a surprisingly high portion of it. It's best to use a dust collector and air filter in combination; the two together will get nearly everything.

Reply to
Doug Miller

I agree the combination will get nearly everything. My thought was that he could use a shop vac now for dust collection and couple that with an air filter to provide a safer environment.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

Hey , hey, Hey!!!!!!! ;~)

I

Actually I have bought more Systematic blades between 1988 and 1999 than I have Forrest baldes. I will agree that they do do a good job. Up until I mounted a Forrest I thought the Systematic was a steal at $59. But like many others I prefer the Forrest. I very very seldom have to do anything to a cut edge before applying the finish. For me that is worth the difference in price. And the price difference comes out closer to a 40% price difference and or 66% more expensive.

You might want to take a look at the Triton prices. IIRC they are well over $100 cheaper than they were 3 or 4 years ago. IIRC they may be on the cheap end these days.

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Reply to
Leon

Well to throw in my 2 cents again. ;~) My Rockwell DP is the oldest tool in my shop. I got it in 1979 IIRC. Anyway, you may not get too much for your money going from a 10 to 12". Consider also, a Radial Arm Drill Press. Mine is a 36" bench top model that will let you swing the head left to right, tilt the head 90 degrees left or right and typically is cheaper than the full stand up height versions. The head will extend well past the table or bench if you need the extra height capicity. One draw back is that you typically only have 4 speeds but with that in mind I very seldom take mine off of the slowest speed setting.

Reply to
Leon

I'd want a jointer, the table saw's companion.

Reply to
Phisherman

Jeff wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@e10g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

The purchase of dust masks wouldn't be a bad one either. They can affect some people's breathing, so make sure you get ones that you can use.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Please help me understand this (newbe here). If I rip a board along a fence on a table saw with a decent blade, I assume I'll end up with a pretty nice cut. Will the jointer give me something "extra"?

Thanks, Bill

Reply to
Bill

Only if the side next to the fence is straight. I have in fact ripped rough wood that way (but the other edge was straight but rough). And, you can make a sled to guide curved boards through the saw, or you can make a jig for use with a router.

Otherwise, you run the risk of kickback. Kickback can be very hazardous to your health.

Jim

Reply to
Jim

Nothing like one for quickly cleaning up the shop; beats hell out of a shop vac. My 2HP JET has sucked up stuff I wish it hadn't (ie. the plastic push stick that came with the TS and once sucked the arbor washer from the TS. When that hit the impeller it split the housing. Had to buy another washer, too. Damnit.

Reply to
Dave In Houston

You beat me to it, Jeff.

Leon, you can sweep the floor. Sweeping your lungs is not an option :-).

I have a very small shop with no room for a dust collector. But one of the first things I built was a dust collector that hangs from the ceiling.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

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