Next Step: Jointer and Planer Question

[rjboch]

Hi FOG! Hobby builder here and I have been having a blast building out my shop. I have probably acquired way too many Festool tools over the past few months (and love them), but now I realize I am limited to what I can and want to start building (e.g., cabinet doors, furniture, etc). I have already decided that my next big purchase will be a SawStop Cabinet Saw, but I am unsure what to do about a jointer and planer. Any recommendations for jointer and planer?  Pro's and con's with separate or a combo unit? Are there any brand recommendations? Like many others, I have been drooling over the Hammer A3-31 , but not sure about spending another $3k+. I converted 2-bays in my 3-car garage into my shop, so I have room. My wife has been supportive so far...but I don't want to push it. Thanks for any thoughts/recommendations...and happy to be part of the community!!

 

[Bob D.]

There was a what looked to be new SawStop ICS73230 10" Industrial Cabinet Saw that sold today in an online auction for just a shade over $1k. Looks like it was never used. All the accessories still boxed up and strapped down on the pallet with the saw. It was 7.5HP 230V 3PH. Top had some surface rust but some TLC could remove that. I think that saw is about $7k new with all the accessories it had with it like 4 extra cartridges, a Freud dado set, and overarm dust collection. Somebody got a deal.

 

[Birdhunter]

I have the SawStop Industrial model.  It’s a few dollars more than the Professional model, but a lot more saw. I have both the Powermatic jointer and a Powermatic planer, both with helical heads. Both leave extremely smooth surfaces. I think the jointer is 8” and the planer is about 16”. Not sure about the planer width, but close.

 

[sancho57]

[member=70813]rjboch[/member]

coople of ways to go on te jointer. You can buy yer timber s4s which you dont really eed a jointer or S2S straight lined ripped which will give on edge sort of jointed well good enough to run through a saw.

That will hold ya till you can get a jointer.

 

[deepcreek]

It depends on what you're building and how straight/flat you want your lumber.

For instance if the only issue with your S2S board is crown, a tracksaw can give you a "jointed" edge without a jointer and arguably a parallel edge (if your offset is perfect) that is normally achieved with a table saw.

Years ago, I bought a lot of S4S hardwoods but they still tended to have at least a small amount of bow, cup, crown/crook, twist, kink or some combination even with careful stock selection.  That's fine for trim that can be forced and held in position with fasteners.  It works okay for cabinet face frames held in position with pocket screws and sanded flush.  It is a problem for any kind of door.  It's a complete no go for stain grade furniture.

I always wondered how S4S lumber wasn't perfect until I realized that most mills just run it through a surfacer that flattens both sides at the same time and then a gang rip saw to cut both edges.  The feed rollers force the board into position and this does next to nothing to remove irregularities.  Bowed in equals bowed out.  Not to mention that moisture changes in boards from mill to lumber yard to workshop to home cause them to keep moving in undesirable ways.

Now I primarily buy kiln dried rough stock (maybe skip planed so I get a hint of the figure) and follow traditional (machine tool) techniques to turn it into lumber.  Joint one face, joint one edge, plane the other face parallel to thickness, and rip a parallel edge on the table saw.  Most if not all of this can be done with hand tools.  (Not my preference but to each his own.)  In either case, you have to take time to understand what is wrong with the board to begin with in order to use the proper jointing technique to get it flat.

I had a 6" Powermatic helical head jointer and a 13" portable planer for many years.  That's a reasonable setup for most small shops.  I now have a 300mm Minimax combo J/P and would not go back.  I really like the flexibility and quality provided by the Tersa knives.  It also takes up less overall room in my small shop.

This is all my opinion based on my experiences.  Others may recommend differently and that's okay.  Lots of ways to get things done in woodworking.

 

[Alanbach]

I’ve been collecting tools and skills for thirty plus years now. My shop is a dedicated two car garage, no cars. Take my word for it, if you stick with this hobby space will eventually become an issue. I own a Grizzly 20” planer and a Jet 8” jointer. I love them (even though they aren’t helical) but I definitely have my days when I would like to have the space that a combo unit would afford me.

People seem to love the Dewalt lunchbox planers. They are not super expensive and can easily be resold if and when you are ready to upgrade. Powermatic and Jet are great 15” planers and the Hammer is reported to be a great choice. Grizzly also has some great choices but you have to do your research carefully. The voltage requirements of these machines may weigh into your choices. If you believe that you will be into woodworking for many years then take the plunge and wire your shop with 220V to support whatever machines you decide are right for you, don’t let the voltage guide you.

I agree with jobsworth that you can probably do without a jointer for a while. Some decent lumber as he described, maybe a very high quality 30 tooth rip blade to cut glue ready rip edges on a high quality table saw with a great fence and a couple of jigs to straighten the occasional rough edge (if you don’t have a track saw). Don’t get me wrong, I love my jointer and I use it more than my planner but that is because I have both.

It all just depends on how much you want to spend and if you want to go big from the beginning as well as how opposed you are to upgrading later. So many ways to go.

 

[cpw]

I was fine for 10 year or so with a RIDGID 6" jointer (you can find any number of similar jointers) and a DW735.  The DW735 is a great planer, just very loud.  If you go that route, it is imperative to add the extension tables.  The disadvantage of the 6" jointer is having to cut things down and then either glue them back together or just have waste depending on the size, what you need, etc. 

If you're looking at Hammer, you might also want to look at Minimax (SCM).  I've upgraded to a Minimax combo machine, which lets me have 16" of jointing and planing.  Honestly, I have never jointed a board that wide, but certainly like the ability to go 10" or more.  If you get a combo machine, you'll have plenty of power for anything you want to do; but it does take up a bit more space [but less than equivalently sized separates] and is very heavy.  The cost is obviously more as well.

I know there is the "buy once, cry once" philosophy, but when I was starting out in the hobby it was much better for me to get a wide variety of tools on a budget, and upgrade them after I had experience using the tool.  It is more expensive, but spread out; and I would have a better idea of what I was buying and what mattered to me after having experience with a similar tool.

 

[BoulderAv]

Combos are usually your best bang for your buck if you want both a large jointer and planer. You can get by without a jointer if you pick good boards and understand how to shim boards to go through a planer, but at some point you will want one. An old and smaller jointer and a new DeWalt lunchbox planer is probably your best budget option (you can convert both to Helical Heads down the road). The old adage applies here of buy once cry once so if you can afford to wait, do that and get the Hammer (in the meantime if you need a planer pickup whatever is decent shape on the classifieds for a cheap price).

 

[Chris Cianci]

Hi,
Another option that I sometimes use even though I have a jointer (6”)and a planer (lunch box)is I just have my local hardwoods supplier do the work for me. Occasionally I don’t want the noise or mess and occasionally I have wood that won’t fit my machines. My wood supplier either does this for free or a small charge either way. It’s a small price to pay while I figure out what my dream machines are.

 

[ben_r_]

I went with the Hammer A3-31 with the SilentPower head. Reason being? When I was researching separates, the prices for a good 12" jointer with helical head were as much as the A3-31 or more. So I figured the $5K spent on the A3-31 was actually the cheaper route compared to buying say a 15" and 12" helical head planer and jointer.

 

[Neal W]

I purchased a Rikon 10" Helical head jointer/planer combo a year or so ago.  It was about $1500-1600 or so (don't remember exactly).      I am a hobbyist as well.

It has served my needs very well over the past few years.  I get flat, straight boards with it.  Its footprint is reasonable as well.   

 

[Mtpisgah]

I bought a 735 and love it. Now I am in the market for an 8” jointer to replace my dad’s crappy 4” Craftsman. If I had known then what I know now, I would have spent $3k on a combo unit.