Thread: Order of tool purchases

An 8" jointer is definitely worth getting. The workshop I go to for my jointing has two 6" General Internationals and there are times I really wish they had that extra 2". What I would really like is to be able to drive up to my favourite timber yard and use their 20" jointer more often. What a beauty.

Is that drill press capable of having a mortising attachment added on? Some do it well and others just do it and that's about all. I'd look closely at the options there. There are other ways to do M&T than with a stand-alone mortiser or a drill press with a mortising attachment.

12 1/2" or 13" is the minimum "lunch box" style thickness planer I'd consider. If you can read up on owner reviews then do so before handing over the cash. I'm very satisfied with my Ryobi 13" and I know a lot of guys who swear by the DeWalt 735 13".

I've been using my Shop-Vac for my table saw, router table, planer and ros for a while now and it's worked very well. I just upgraded - less than an hour ago - buying a stand alone 1 1/2hp dust collector that was on sale for $C169 and have started running 4" and 2 1/2" lines for my tools. If the budget is looking a bit tight make do with what you have for now and then down the road use this: "But darling, I really need to buy that cyclone style dust collector and air filtration unit. Medical studies have shown that inhaling wood dust can cause all kinds of medical problems, maybe even erectile disfunction!"

Hi,

Thanks for those ideas. I can use a handheld router for mortising I know that. I have seen it done on the table but it seems like a terrible idea (just like blind grooves!). I have a 3HP triton, way too heavy for hand work, leave that in the table and sneek another smaller router into my collection ) Tools from bunnings are not part of the current budget! Anyone care to recommend a good 2hp router for handheld use. Must be plunge and not triton - its hard to find and no parts! I am thinking Makita or Bosch Blue.

In this way I can probably delay both the drill press and dust collection initially and stick with my shop vac. In that way I can go the 8" jointer and maybe a slightly bigger thicknesser. I will look out for the dewalt, anyone know a good place to find them. Bunnings obviously is pointless, all they have is ryobi stuff in that kind of thing.

Cheers
Jason

Jason,

You can use the thicknesser as a jointer. All that is required is a set of sleds. Browse the forum as there are a few threads on this.

This way you only delay the purchase of the jointer if you believe you can live without the jointer for a while.

Dust collection is an essential.

Also as stated, check whether the DP can have a morticing attachment. Otherwise include a dedicated morticer.

Hope this bit helps.

Originally Posted by pellcorp

I will look out for the dewalt, anyone know a good place to find them. Bunnings obviously is pointless, all they have is ryobi stuff in that kind of thing.

Jason - I have the Ryobi 13" planer and it's a beauty.

Okay the DeWalt and some others have three blades to the Ryobi's two but I've run a bunch of hardwoods through mine and it delivers very good results every time.

When I bought the Ryobi it was $C244 compared to the DeWalt 735 at $C454. That was a very special price for the DeWalt. They were selling for well over $C550 and in November I was in the States and saw them at Woodcraft for over $USD700!!!

The Taunton 2008 tool guide gave the DeWalt 735 (not the 734) it's Best Overall but the Ryobi got Best Vaue in a comparison of a bunch of lunch box planers a couple of which bear a striking resemblance to the Carba-Tec model you listed.

As much as many people back home dislike the big B I despise the orange borg (HD) and they are the only place you can buy Ryobi. I swallowed my pride and bought the Ryobi and a Ridgid oscillating spindle/edge belt sander but I still find it difficult to set foot inside one of their stores. Mostly staffed by morons who couldn't get a job asking people if they want to supersize their fries!

Jason,

Re DeWalt - check Dewalt's Australian web site (www.dewalt.com.au) for an agent near you.

OK. You have the TS & BS. IMHO, the next step should be the Dust Collector and maybe a Thicknesser.

Without a DC your TS is rather crippled... a shop vac just won't be able to keep up, esp. during heavy cuts. You cannot productively run a modern thicky or jointer without dust collection, a shop vac will very quickly choke and bring the job to an end pronto. Old, old tools had a chute and would run fine without DC. Very messily though. But it seems that most modern tools have a DC port and no other option. They're built on the assumption that you have a DC... so, the DC has to be the next buy.

Next, I'd buy the thicknesser; as The Bleeder has already mentioned, you can use a thicknesser as a jointer... or for narrow boards less than 4" wide you can even manage to joint on just a TS! The results aren't as accurate as a dedicated jointer, of course, but they should be usable. As a bonus, you'll also be able to thickness.

Then buy a jointer as the budget allows, to make your life easier.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

OK. You have the TS & BS. IMHO, the next step should be the Dust Collector and maybe a Thicknesser.

Without a DC your TS is rather crippled... a shop vac just won't be able to keep up, esp. during heavy cuts. You cannot productively run a modern thicky or jointer without dust collection, a shop vac will very quickly choke and bring the job to an end pronto. Old, old tools had a chute and would run fine without DC. Very messily though. But it seems that most modern tools have a DC port and no other option. They're built on the assumption that you have a DC... so, the DC has to be the next buy.

Originally Posted by Expat

If the budget is looking a bit tight make do with what you have for now and then down the road use this: "But darling, I really need to buy that cyclone style dust collector and air filtration unit. Medical studies have shown that inhaling wood dust can cause all kinds of medical problems, maybe even erectile disfunction!"

Now that is a persuasive argument. Is 10HP DC adequate?

Cheers

Graeme

Originally Posted by Expat

and there are times I really wish they had that extra 2".

"But darling, I really need to buy that cyclone style dust collector and air filtration unit. Medical studies have shown that inhaling wood dust can cause all kinds of medical problems, maybe even erectile disfunction!"

Hey Expat,

What are we talking about here??
Erectile disfunction and wanting that extra 2 inches

Ron

How thick is the timber you are going to joint likely to be?

I would imagine a thicknesser/ planer and a good router table with a sled and a good router will look after your needs. Use the Router to do the jointing.

Another option would be a good straight edge that can be clamped in place so the router can run along it.

Originally Posted by Expat

Jason - I have the Ryobi 13" planer and it's a beauty.

Do you have the model number of the Ryobi? I would like to track it down. I have noticed with Ryobi that they have varying levels of quality, from dreadful to pretty decent.

I know its been a while since you bought it and its probably a new model know, but at least I can research based on this to get an idea.

Expat, nice table on your thicknesser. Any other pics

What would you guys miss about your drill press if you did not have it? I know that you can do mortising on it, but you can do that with a jig and a router. What else might you miss about it.

I am considering forgoing the drill press and trying to stretch the budget to go for both the jointer, thicknesser and DC, I might be able to squeeze some more money out of the financial controller ) But probably not enough to get everything, and the drill press seems the least urgent.

Thats about $6000, I might be able to swing that assuming I get a reasonable price for my Triton WC2K kit and 235mm triton saw!

Originally Posted by pellcorp

I am considering forgoing the drill press and trying to stretch the budget to go for both the jointer, thicknesser and DC,

I spent the first 4 years with out a DC. It didnt bother me one bit. Even now i can hardly be bothered turning it on when i use the Table saw or Jointer. If on a budget, a mask (if it worries you) and a cheap shovel, and a bench top drill press is what i would go for.

Originally Posted by pellcorp

What would you guys miss about your drill press if you did not have it?

• holding metal in place with something and trying to drill metal without one;

• using forstner bits without one isn't too safe in my book;

• I use the d/press much more often than a powered drill, for accuracy as one example; and

• mortising is another example you touched on, but I have a Domino now.

There's other reasons I haven't thought of, but it's one of the unsung heroes in my shed.