Help me spend some money

[tommyt654]

I'd find the nearest HD and get them to order you one of the Steel citys and then apply the HF 20% off coupon, should get it to you for about $750, as far as a mortise machine, Jets and Delta as well as the Steel city all are about the same.Grizzly has a nice little router table for around a $130 shipped as I recall thats not to bad, just get a router w/lift already built in. HD and Lowes both sell the tablesaw from Steel City so even if they won't accept the HF coupon they will at least have to make good on the p/m + 10% off as Lowes sells the SC tablesaw for about $816 while HD has it for $890, less the p/m and 10% puts it in the $800 range after taxes , http://www.grizzly.com/products/Rout...h-Stand/T10432 , http://www.lowes.com/pd_230123-26463...saw&facetInfo= , http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053 any advantage would go to the steel table as you would be able to use magswitch implements.

[LCHIEN]

Think infrastructure, not tools. You need a new workshop. When you look at all the space, the tools will come later....

[jdon]

Along health preservation line, how about adding a good dust collection system to your list?

[Knottscott]

AFAIK, the Rikon comes with a cast iron top only, but the nearly identical Steel City 35990C comes in cast iron, and the 35990G comes with granite. Granite is flatter, heavier, won't rust, and is less prone to warp, however it is more fragile....more fragile doesn't mean "fragile", but it is something to consider. Cast iron is condusive to magnetic featherboards and jigs, but granite is not.

[jnesmith]

Get ye a Domino.

[JimD]

I don't know about the table saw but I have always looked fondly at the Home Depot model. Seems like a nice saw for the money - but not terribly powerful either. I like my extension rails but saws with long rails also take up a lot of space.

I would build the router table. It is not a hard project and I think in this case home made is better than bought. I built one that is kind of a cross between the New Yankee Workshop model and plans that incorporate a homemade lift from American Woodworker's article several years ago. With respect to whether you need a lift, I think it is a much better way to make small adjustments. My lift attaches to the back of the cabinet and the top is hinged. So to change bits I raise the top. Much faster than cranking the bit up. A wooden router table will dampen vibration nicely. The router still screams as they always do but at least you don't feel the vibration.

I have my biggest router in my router table. It is an old Ryobi R-500 that pulls 13.3A if I remember right. Part of the reason it is in there is it started sticking (it is a plunge router). I also use one of my PC690s in my B3100 extension table sometimes. There is no huge difference. I take multiple bites with both routers. A 15A might do it in one cut but it also might not cut very smooth and ruin the wood. I'm not sure a 15A router would be a priority for me.

I like my Jet mortiser but I also don't think it's anything special. The hold down works so-so and the handle likes to unscrew and could be longer. I would look closely at the hold down. Getting the chisel out of the first plunge is the toughest part of using my mortiser.

Jim