If you had to start over . . .

[Martin_S]

I've been lurking here for a while and have enjoyed being about to read some of the comments and opinions about various tools, etc. It helps someone like me who is relatively new at this.

In one of my other interests (amateur astronomy) there are often times questions on newsgroups and forums like "What's the best xxx for so much money." So I would like to ask a similiar question here:

If you had to start again (or had the money to spend for the first time), what tools would you buy if you had $1000 to spend. Of course if you buy a BT3100, that would leave you with about $750 to spend. . . . .

Thanks in advance.

Martin

[Wood_workur]

I would get the bt, and a jointer and a planer, probably from grizzly. Then I woud get a benchtop drill press, and some basice hand tools; square, chisels, hand saw, cordless drill, ect.

[monte]

I would get the bt, and a jointer and a planer, probably from grizzly. Then I woud get a benchtop drill press, and some basice hand tools; square, chisels, hand saw, cordless drill, ect.

Ditto. I would probably do the same.

[kmbanes]

Other than the BT3100...

I would probably do it the same way that I did it the first time.

You have to understand that I am what you might call, well, "frugal".

(OK, I'm a cheap $^*#@^.)

My particular order is going to be defined by what I find on sale. Other than that, I think that it is just an issue of what tools you prefer. Guys have mentioned a jointer, but I would put a CMS on the list before that. And probably an HF dust collector.

No. Jointer first, then DC.

Wait. Band saw. Then jointer, then DC.

Forgot about clamps. I need clamps. Clamps, then Bandsaw. No, then CMS, jointer, DC, Bandsaw.

Work table. I've got to have some place to work.

Work table. Clamps. CMS. Jointer. DC. Bandsaw.

But wait. I cant clamp it until I sand it. I've got to have a Random Ordital Sander. And a belt sander?

OK, I've got it. Work table. Sander. Clamps. CMS. Jointer. DC. Bandsaw.

Aw, crap. About this $1000 dollar limit...

kmbanes

[sscherin]

If I had to start over I'd have to wait months or even years for the right deals to come along again. Almost everything I have was on sale

[maxparot]

If I had to start over again I may not have the time to finish.
I've been collecting tools for over 25 years. Most bought on sale. Some bought for specific projects. My rule for larger purchases has always been simple:
If the tool allows me to complete a project within the same budget as hiring someone else I purchase the tool. (most tool fall into this category)(I bought a small cement mixer and a ramset 2 weeks ago)

So as you can see I'm still working on the first collection I couldn't think of starting over.

[bigsteel15]

I went to a WW show and got 10" BS, 6" jointer, 1 HP DC, 13" planer w/portable stand all for around $1000. All Delta on sale.
I already had the BT3 mind you.
In hind sight I would have held out for a bigger BS and got the Craftex floor DP I wanted instead.

[Otter]

i would buy a nice acre of land some where

it was not the 1000 you spend , it is the 8000 more that kills ya

[thestinker]

Starting over....wow...I don't know that I would want to start over. I don't know how it would all turn out the second go around. Not that is all perfect now, but I am happy with what I have. There are a few tools that I might pass on (the rotozip) and a few tools I might spend a little more on (the rigid shop vac vs the big lots referb). But since all my work right now uses plywood and dimensional lumber, I don't think I would get a planer or joiner. My skill level just isn't there yet. My fianances aren't there either. Hopefuly they will both get there about the same time

[JimD]

My tool purchases have generally been a function of what I was building at the time. What I would buy first would depend on the project.

The things I use the most and would therefore probably get first, are a hand-held circular saw (used for breaking down sheet goods and rougher work), a palm sander, a belt sander, my BT3100, my drill press, and a jointer/planner (INCA). Also some pipe clamps and smaller clamps. Also a PC690 two or three base router setup.

While $1000 seems like a lot, it will not buy all this stuff. That is why you buy enough to do a project and then buy some more. At least that's the way I do it.

Jim

[ironhat]

JimD hit it right on the head, IMHO. Between the intended types of projects - say, cabinets vs jewelry boxes - and the current project - like, are you doing inlay on this one - these seem to be the better choices. As a matter of fact it's the way I wish that I had proceeded after buying things that I thought that I'd like to have vs what I needed next. I get too keen on an item on sale and tend to jump too quickly.
Later,
Chiz

[retired wrench]

when I started..........

Many moons ago, I bought my first saw, a RAS, and still use it, ( in addition to the BT3...)
Then I bought a nice heavy 6``AMT jointer
Then came clamps, cordless drills, RO sanders, Belt sanders, etc etc.........
Last year, aquired my prize for the woodshop, a DW #735 planer, and most recently a Makita ID w/ the 14.4 V set.........then replaced a P.O.S. crapsman router with a red Milw.....etc etc etc..............
TO do it all over again, I`d do it all over again.............and all over again
(we only pass this way one time, I remember my Dad saying how he loved working with wood, but he never spent much money on tools, saved it for `later in life`.......He missed out on some pleasure, he passed on, and the nursing home for my Mom took all of the savings)

[jdschulteis]

[. . .]
In one of my other interests (amateur astronomy) there are often times questions on newsgroups and forums like "What's the best xxx for so much money." So I would like to ask a similiar question here:

If you had to start again (or had the money to spend for the first time), what tools would you buy if you had $1000 to spend. Of course if you buy a BT3100, that would leave you with about $750 to spend. . . . .

Thanks in advance.

Martin

Advice I've commonly seen about astronomy is that the best telescope for you is one that you'll actually use. This of course applies to woodworking as well. A tool that you got a great deal on that sits in the shop unused is no bargain.

What I wanted to build and what I wanted to make it from would play a big role in my decisions. It's possible to make useful and attractive items entirely from sheet goods. In that situation I wouldn't need a thickness planer. If I wanted to make Queen Anne or Sam Maloof style furniture, I would want a bandsaw and would probably skip the BT3100 to stay within the $1000 budget ("Burn the heretic!").

That said, a thickness planer would be near the top of my list. I don't know of a way to achieve its function other than with a solid workbench, hand plane, and winding sticks. It can also face joint mildly cupped or twisted boards by using a sled and shims.

A router would also be near the top of my list for its versatility. It can joint the edges of boards, cut dadoes and rabbets, make decorative edges, cut mortises and tenons, box joints, dovetails, etc.

I would definitely look at used and reconditioned tools to save money.

[jAngiel]

It would all depend on what jobs I had lined up and what tools I needed to do those jobs. I, like the others, bought my bt when we were doing an addition to the house and I needed a few cabinets. Then I need to do some trim work so a CMS came with an air compressor and brad nailer...

Almost everything else came as a result of this forum. When I see a really good deal I splurge and get it if it's on my list of "nice to have" or "need to have".

If it were me doing it all over again, I would do it the same way. Get what I need when I need it and wait for bargins for the other things on my list.

Funny thing is when I cross something off my want list I always read something here that will add two or three things more to the list. I have a lot of stuff and the list is still reallllllllly looooooooonnnnnngggg.