Woodshop tool priorities?

[ColossusX]

We have a house about to start construction and when it's done I'll finally have a shop space.  Currently I dont have any "shop" tools, only power tools and site tools like my table saw.

I'd like to start getting some stuff for my shop now, and buy over time.  Things I know I'll need or want:
Planer
Joiner
Drill press
And I'm sure I need more.

What will provide the most utility and what should I prioritize. I mostly do remodeling and I've done some custom cabinet work.  Would like to start doing more cabinetry and furniture work, like table tops and benches.

Thanks

 

[grbmds]

Hard to prioritize unless you have some starting point for what it is you plan on building first. The best course of action is to accumulate large stationary tools as you build a project and need the tool. However, buying rough hardwood lumber is the least expensive and most flexible way to get the wood you want for furniture, cabinets, and even shop furniture (like a bench). To get that lumber flat, smooth and straight, a jointer and planer are a good starting point (or a jointer/planer combo, depending on what you have money and space for). It would be great to have a 15" helical head planer but I have used a 13" Dewalt 735 planer for over 10 years and it has worked well for me. For most of my woodworking life I got along with a 6" short bed straight knife jointer, but I would recommend getting an 8" helical head jointer. I have used one for the last 7 years and the extra width and helical cutter head yielded a huge improvement to the results I get flattening and jointing boards.

Beyond that, I always feel a table saw is hard to do without, but many do without, using a track saw and/or bandsaw instead. I do not have a full-size tablesaw, but a jobsite saw instead. I find that I get along just fine with that for ripping shorter boards and really haven't built anything I couldn't handle on that saw.

Beyond the basic table saw, jointer, and planer, it's hard to recommend purchases. If I had it all to do over again I wouldn't try to equip my shop with what I thought I would need. I'd rather buy additional tools when I actually couldn't do the desired work with what I already owned. (Not as much fun, but financially more sensible).

Finally, don't underestimate what you can build with the tools you already own until you try.

 

[ChuckM]

If I were to equip a new shop from scratch, my machinery purchases (in order of priority):

1) Cabinet saw (preferably SawStop 3HP & fully loaded) plus the Jessem stock guides (to handle sheet goods easier in addition to its safety functions)
2) Thickness planer (skip the jointer, you can do stock preparation just using the table saw and thickness planer with a couple of jigs)
3) Domino joiner (DF500 or 700 depending on what you usually make, the latter if big doors, big benches, etc.; otherwise DF500)
4) Drill press
5 or 6) Sanding equipment
6 or 5) Routers
7) Mitre saw
8 ) Bandsaw
9) Others like a lathe, scrollsaw etc. based on project needs

Dust collection/shop vacs are considered basics like a workbench, clamps etc.

 

[ColossusX]

I have the df500 domino, the Pro5, rs400, ro125 sanders, track saw, miter saw, mobile dust collectors.  For now I'll probably just use my jobsite table saw, it's pretty serviceable. At least until I have some of the other larger shop tools. 

 

[Mario Turcot]

You are already on a good start. One semi-stationary tool that has not been mentionned yet is a drum sander.

Cabinet saw, bandsaw, planner, jointer, drum sander are all making a lot of saw dust & chips. They requires a bigger dust collection system, mobile shop vac a like comes full in no time.

Essential: Air purifier/cleaner

 

[ColossusX]

Also have the makita cordless router and the dewalt 619 router set.  Want to get the OF1010 soon. 

I plan on having a shop wide DC system, once I figure out what I need.  I have about 9 months to slowly buy some of this so I dont have to buy it all at once

 

[TSO_Products]

I have the df500 domino, the Pro5, rs400, ro125 sanders, track saw, miter saw, mobile dust collectors.  For now I'll probably just use my jobsite table saw, it's pretty serviceable. At least until I have some of the other larger shop tools.

[member=67056]ColossusX[/member] – you may want to ask yourself what you are most likely to be building first: fine furniture or shop- and storage cabinets.
You’ll probably find cabinets constructed from sheetgoods close to the top of your list. Your track saw and dust collection is a great foundation for that type of work.

You may want to widen your view beyond the stationary tools already listed earlier and get a copy of the “Hybrid Woodworker” – an excellent, profusely illustrated and well written guide by Marc Spagnuolo aka Wood Whisperer. It can save you time and frustration in choosing your hand- and power tools wisely.
Invest in quality lay-out and measurement tools right up front. For example: Starrett’s Combination Machinists Square with various blade lengths is a must have in my book.

TSO offers free CAD model downloads and 2-D dimensioned drawings of popular 20mm worktop patternshttps://tsoproducts.com/plans-drawings/worktop-cnc-routing-files/

You can have your  worktop CNC routed by a local Sign Shop to get you up and running with usable tablespace for all manner of sheetgoods work and then some. Add a couple of our Tall Dogs and a pair of UJK Dog Rail Clips, all for less than $ 50.00, and you have expanded your track saw capability to make short work of building plywood or melamine cabinet.

Enjoy your new home and shop!
Hans

 

[ColossusX]

Great idea about quality lay out tools.  I just have standard job site quality squares and such.  Great for framing and even trim, not as good for some of the cabinet work I've done, although I'm sure some of it was user error. 

I already have the mft style files, just no luck getting any of the cnc shops to respond to my inquiries

 

[huntdupl]

I’ll suggest another book you can get through Taunton, ‘Small Woodworking, Shops’. Even if you have a ton a room, this book puts precedent on quality of flow through a shop versus having every machine in the catalog. It has a ton of quality storage and organization solutions as well.

Edge sander has always been on my list. Think I’d get much more use out of it than my drum sander - Supermax 19-38 - affordable, works well, easy to change abrasives.

Dedicated assembly table, think about flow, and make dust collection #1.
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[sancho57]

Basics

Table saw / track saw

big table mounted router OF2200/ 3 hp

small hand held router (MKF700/ 1010)

planer

Clamps various lengths and types.

work bench (MFT / Paulk what ever)

Hand tools: wrenches, allen wrenches, Combo wrenches, sockets, chisels.

Miter saw (Kapex, dewalt, Bosch Makita etc)

sanders (R/O ES 150/3,RO 150 etc)

sander paper for sanders various grits machine and hand sanding

radio (tunes are always nice)

Thats good for starters.

 

[RussellS]

I have the df500 domino, the Pro5, rs400, ro125 sanders, track saw, miter saw, mobile dust collectors.  For now I'll probably just use my jobsite table saw, it's pretty serviceable. At least until I have some of the other larger shop tools.

Based on what you already own, I'd advise the next important tool to get is a jointer/planer combination machine.  Hammer, Felder, MiniMax are the usual names.  12" or 16" size with those spiral cutters.  And a bigger dust collector.  In the future maybe a bigger table saw or sliding table saw.  Need a router now probably.  Maybe, maybe later get a band saw and drill press.  Right now you have enough tools to make joints and dimension wood.  And sanders.  But you do not have anyway to really flatten and thickness wood.  So jointer/planer now.

 

[cpw]

Core of my hobby shop is:

Sawstop 3HP + built in router table w/ 3HP PC Router in a woodpecker lift
MM16 Bandsaw
FS41e Jointer/Planer
3HP Dust Collector

That was a big investment over several years (about 6). They were purchased in that order, each thing upgrading my originals.  I started out much smaller; and also over several years (the 6 years or so before that).  The originals they replaced were purchased based on when things were on sale or when I absolute needed them:
RIDGID TS3650 Contractor Saw
9" Tabletop Bandsaw
1HP Double Bag Delta Dust Collector
DW735/RIDGID 6" Jointer

If you do get one of the big jointer/planers, you need a big dust collector to go with it.  If you can buy already prepared lumber and sheet goods, you can build a lot of interesting and useful stuff without the initial money for a jointer/planer.

 

[ColossusX]

I was actually looking at getting your original planer/joiner combo, the dw735 and a rigid 6"

 

[ChuckM]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=8UONmuQt_98

 

[cpw]

I was actually looking at getting your original planer/joiner combo, the dw735 and a rigid 6"

I built a whole kitchen with them.  The reason I upgraded was to get the wider jointer, there were enough times that I needed to cut things in half and then glue them back together or just waste 25% of an 8" board that it was a bit frustrating.  I went with a combo to preserve space, since I would not have a lot of room for both the planer and the bigger jointer.  I haven't found the combo switch to be overly burdensome yet, but if you can afford the space [which for me in my area is more expensive than the tools] having separates is probably nice.

 

[ScotF]

I would buy a nice bandsaw as the first purchase and then add a jointer and planer - as big of a jointer as you can fit and afford as the first three. I would then add other tools per project. Sounds like you have a table saw already and I assume other power tools. Dust collection is also important on bigger machines, but a nice cyclone unit would be ideal if you have the space.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Maybe the best way to work out future tool purchases, would be to get some of your tasks or projects underway. This will tell you what other purchases need to be made.

 

[Thompmd]

I’m kind of in a similar position. By far the nicest piece of machinery was a Sawstop 3hp professional model with a 52” table. I have to admit I’m surprised how little time I’ve spent on projects and how much I’ve spent on what I call infra structure.

My thought was/is buy the best tools you can afford, my friend said he spent as much on his table saw as my SS but he did it over 20yrs and 3 saws.

 

[ColossusX]

Lots of good advice.  Thank you.  I've mostly used sheet goods and pre finished stock to build what I've needed.  I'll see what projects come up and decide what to get from there.  I would like to start working with live edge slabs for custom shelves and table tops.  For now, I'll keep an eye out on a decent planer and bandsaw and a good shop dust collector.  I've seen some decent used units on FB Marketplace.

 

[blaszcsj]

Lots of good advice.  Thank you.  I've mostly used sheet goods and pre finished stock to build what I've needed.  I'll see what projects come up and decide what to get from there.  I would like to start working with live edge slabs for custom shelves and table tops.  For now, I'll keep an eye out on a decent planer and bandsaw and a good shop dust collector.  I've seen some decent used units on FB Marketplace.

[member=67056]ColossusX[/member] if you are looking at slab work, a router (OF 1400 or 2200) and a router sled for planing the slabs is probably the best bet. Woodpeckers has a decent setup for inspiration or purchase. It can also double as planer/jointer. it would also take up the least amount of space and you could likely unload the woodpecker kit when you are done with it relatively easy to recoup money if you dont need it any more.