What's the first tool?

[Bob Crosley]

OK. Time to get back into woodworking. Last time I tried this, I bought most of my tools up front (all hail Visa!) but then a family medical crisis meant I had to sell them all.

So what's my first tool to buy?

I already have the following:

Circular Saw
Compound Miter Saw
Jig Saw
Some clamps
Compressor
Finish nailer
Orbital sander
Mouse sander
1/4 sheet sander
Shop Vac
Corded drill
Cordless drill
Drill bits
Drivers
Countersink bits
Forstner bits

(Crap, why aren't I making more things with what I have?)

I'm thinking table saw, since things like dado cuts aren't really easy with a circular saw. Of course, others have suggested routers, or a bandsaw.

I'm on a serious budget, so any recommendations for specific models to back up your overall tool recommendation?

Or should I go with some chisels, or planes to let me clean up stuff done with the circular saw?

Thanks for your suggestions!

[pbui3057]

I would think it depends on what type of things you like to make. I vote for bandsaw. A nice bandsaw is really useful with cutting curves or resawing lumber. You can do plenty with a nice bandsaw. If you make lots of bookcases where dados are necessary, then a router would fit the bill. What's your budget? I have seen people use circular saws to cut dados. No where near as easy as a good dado blade but still doable.

[Tom Miller]

Well, what kinds of projects interest you -- what do you want to make?

You might be able to rough cut your lumber with what you have (CMS and CS), and with a jointer and planer you could be in business.

If your saws aren't quite cutting it (pun, take it or leave it) you might choose between a table saw or a band saw.

Re: serious budget -- to me that just means new vs. used, check CraigsList, etc. (FYI, it does NOT mean handtool vs. powered tool, IMO.)

Regards,
Tom

[Kerf]

I think you could add a Kreg Jig to the list, but like the others say, all depends of what type of things you like to make

[dbhost]

I would say with what you list, router and router bits. Don't skimp too badly here, but don't bust the bank either. I have a pair of Hitachi KM12VC fixed / plunge base combo kits that simply ROCK. Combine them with at least the most common bits, a few straight cutting bits, a few profiles, some dovetail bits etc... add a router edge guide to the whole shebang and you just catapulted your woodworking. Now you can do rabbets, dadoes, profiles, dovetails, etc...

Amazon currently lists the Hitachi KM12VC for $128.99 with free shipping.
Milescraft 1203 circle cutter / edge guide for routers. $34.99
4 pack of 1/4" - 20 star knobs to fix the stupid material choice in knobs of the Milescraft guide. $8.25 after shipping (Peachtree is sort of steep on shipping).
MLCS 66 piece 1/2" shank bit set. (The big box of crayons as it were) goes for $189.99.

The next tool should be a drill press. Drilling STRAIGHT holes is VERY important... Get a good WIDE selection of bits, including Forstner bits...

Shop Craigslist, I got my floor model DP for $75.00

Next would be a toss up between a planer and a table saw. No need for a jointer quite yet...

Get a copy of the latest Wood Magazine. They have a great article on ekeing precision from a circ saw...

[Sawatzky]

The heart of most shops is the table saw. I can't imagine doing any kind of woodworking without one. So, I say get a table saw. CL is a great place to look for a used one. For a lot of people this is a buy once tool. Buy the best you can afford. I started with a BT3100 which was a great saw but I quickly outgrew it. I now have a ridgid TS3650 and love it! If I had known what I know now about table saws, I would have gotten the Ridgid first and saved $300.00. Even if you do small projects a table saw will be used on all of them. Routers are great for edges, making doors, and dados, but you can't get a better tool than a table saw to cut your stock to its final dimmensions.

[tseavoy]

I assume that the 'circular saw' is a hand held, some people call a skilsaw. If that's the case, a table saw is the first thing I would recommend. Like the lathe in metalworking, it is the basic power tool. Of all my woodworking power tools, I use the table saw the most.

Tom on Marrowstone

[Tom Slick]

I think that with some creativity a person could build a lot of good projects with a bandsaw, router/router table, and creativity.

Rips and crosscuts can be done on the BS then the cut smoothed out with the router used as a joiner. A properly tuned BS with a proper blade and fence will cut very straight. The BS will also cut curves, resaw... The router will dado, rabbet, edge treatments... It would require more work than a TS but it is versatile.

[Knottscott]

A functional TS would at the top of my list. Generally used will get you the most for you money. Buy one you like that's capable of accurate rips and crosscuts that you'll enjoy using. I'm a fan of the full size belt drive saws with induction motors but lots of folks here make great stuff with the BT style saws. Blade choice and setup are key factors in the final performance of any saw.

A router (or two) would also be high on my list. The Hitachi mentioned by DBhost will be a tough value to beat....I've had several and find the Hitachi gets best bang for the buck for hand use. The Freud FT1700 gets high marks for table use and value on sale. Get a few decent bits too.

If you use a lot of hardwoods, I think a planer and/or jointer will eventually be excellent additions. I like to use these two tools in tandem, but in a pinch, I could make a sled and coax the planer to flatten a reference face, then do a 90° reference edge adjacent to that face with the TS or router.

Good luck and have fun!

[tfischer]

Here's the order I'd buy things in:

Table Saw
Router/Bits
Jointer
Planer
Bandsaw

Unless you plan on doing a ton of curves, the BS can wait (and your jigsaw can do some of that). You really almost have to have a table saw. I suppose one could argue that you buy the router & bits first, since you could theoretically cut everything with the skilsaw, but it's pretty hard to put a finishing edge on a project without a router...

If you can find a used BT3K, you won't be paying a lot and it's a decent saw for the money. If you bought a mid-range router and a set of MLCS bits, you're going to be spending $200-$250. You could probably get both for around $500 if you shop around or find a used router somewhere.

Next would be the jointer and planer - it's hard (and expensive!) to make projects from milled lumber that you buy at home depot or whatever, because you're severely limited in what you can buy, and projects assume you can mill your own. If you have a lumber yard or wood dealer that will do custom milling for you, that would be another alternative.

The above is essentially the order I bought my stuff in (although I owned the router ahead of time). No regrets...

Good luck!

-Tim

[Richard in Smithville]

A good friend of mine who is published and does many seminars once did a talk for people starting a workshop. His thinking was that if he was limited to two tools, he would go with a table saw and a router. With the right jigs, he could replicate the results of all the rest of his shop tools.

[Bob Crosley]

This is awesome info, guys. I'm really sorry that I neglected to say what kind of projects I'm interested in.

Most of what I'm interested in doing involves some kind of cabinet, or 'square' work. Furniture, tables, bookshelves, etc. At this point, I don't have much interest in lathe work or scroll work, etc.

And to budget, it really is kind of open, what it means is how long it will take me to fill out my shop, and how long it will take for me to buy tools. I mean, if I wanted a Unisaw, I could eventually get one, but it would be 18 months or so before I got one. I'd rather buy decent tools used or on sale, and not worry that I had to wait 18 more months to buy the next tool I need.

[gjat]

20 years ago I built two captain beds with drawers, a toy box, a bookshelf with toy box attached with less than the tools you have listed. All I had was a circular saw, sanders, drills, and files. My kids are grown and all furniture is still functional and being used. I would only add a router to your list and start building. Your satisfaction, abilities, and desires will develop and help you appreciate your tools and guide your future purchases. Woodworking is a hobby about building stuff, not collecting tools. Money spent on plans and wood for stuff you actually build is a better investment then on a bandsaw you may rarely use for what intrests you.

[pelligrini]

Here's the order I'd buy things in:
Table Saw
Router/Bits
Jointer
Planer
Bandsaw

That's what I would suggest as well, but I go with a thickness planer before the jointer. I pretty much procured my tools in that order too. I would still like a decent bandsaw, but I have been able to make due without one.

[Bill Stock]

Love my TS, but I probably use my CMS more. I wish I'd sprung for a SCMS, but there are not enough times that the $69 wonder doesn't do the job. I do a lot of outdoor wood, so that's why I use the CMS or CS more. I also use the CS (orange beast) for most panel work.

I'd say, SMS or CS, Router, Drill Press. If you don't do much trim work, get the CS over the CMS.