laner jointed or just planer

[mantis]

if youcould only get one, would you get a surface planer or a planer/jointed?

[poolhound]

if youcould only get one, would you get a surface planer or a planer/jointed?

If I had to choose and in fact I did I would get a surface planer first. I have subsequently also got a jointer but you can edge joint with a router/table and face joint with a planer and sled.

It is much more convienent to have both but even if you do unless you are luckly enough to have a 12" jointer you will still need to ocassionally use the planer sled to jont wide faces.

[dbhost]

You can face joint on a planer with a sled.

You can edge joint on the router table or table saw given the right bits / blades and jigs.

What you cannot do is thickness plane on the jointer...

You are better off getting a planer first.

[Ed62]

I don't own a jointer, but I do own a planer. "Nuff said.

Ed

[Gator95]

Jointer is not particularly useful IMHO without a planer. A planer is very useful without a jointer. Having both is ideal.

If you're wondering what to get first- get the planer.

[drumpriest]

A planer has more impact, I think, because you can start to buy rougher stock, which is typically cheaper. I have both, and I spent a lot more on my jointer than my planer, and I wouldn't want to be without either one of them, honestly, but it depends a lot on what you are doing. If a board gets too long, I don't use the jointer, I do this instead...

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...ewpost&t=27458

There are other methods for jointing, of course, on the table saw, or router table (never liked that one).

If you are buying S4S lumber from HD, then the jointer is more useful as you can straighen out an edge nicely, but ideally you would move to buying lumber from lumber yards, and milling before use, the planer is king for that.

[shoottx]

If you want my answer, for my situation it is easy.

In order to answer your question for your situation, it would be helpful to have some additional information: What kind of projects are you working on, what is the typical size of the lumber you use, what kind of lumber are you using, where are you headed in your woodworking pursuits.

Or if you are still just gathering tools, that could be a third answer!

Please help us with this information and we can help you with better recommendations.