If you could have just one stationary saw

[Mark AJ Allen]

I have learned to do everything well with speed using hand saws ... with the exception of resawing my lumber. I think a band saw would be the best stationary saw a hand tool user could have.

[Scott T Smith]

Hi Bob

If I were starting over in a small shop, there are 3 machines I would want (if I could get them to fit).

A bandsaw is hugely useful, but really no more so than other machines. I love and use my Hammer 4400 a great deal, but one thing you do need to realise, an 18" bandsaw is a large machine. You may be happy to settle for a smaller 16" machine, perhaps even 14" if it has a good motor and resaw facilities. There is a smaller Hammer out now.

The second machine I would want in a 12" combination thicknesser/jointer with spiral head cutters. The Jet 310 looks to be ideal at its price. Hammer make a more expensive version. This is a relatively small footprint machine and it would take up the donkey work in preparing hardwood rough sawn boards.

The third machine is a floor standing drill press. Mine gets a lot of use - from drilling to grinding to polishing.

These machines will not take up much room if on wheels and capable of being moved around as needed.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Bob, I'm pretty much with Derek. The most used machines in my shop are the jointer / planer, tablesaw, and it's a tossup between the drill press and the bandsaw.

If I were limited to only one power too, I would go with the combo jointer/planer and the Festool route for a tracksaw system. I choose this due to the time savings of converting rough sawn lumber into flat, consistently thick boards.

[Rick Fisher]

#1 Bandsaw, bigger the better .. Something that can resaw without complaining..
#2 Jointer Bigger the better .. Something that can handle a wide board.

[Matthew Hills]

So are you "bandsaw-first-and-only-love" folks factoring in a dust collector to go with it?
(I really dislike the fine dust I get from the bandsaw)

Matt

[Sam Takeuchi]

So are you "bandsaw-first-and-only-love" folks factoring in a dust collector to go with it?
(I really dislike the fine dust I get from the bandsaw)

Matt

What I understood was that he disliked lathe because it's hard to contain fine dust from it, not necessarily anything that spews fine dust (as long as there are reasonably easy way to contain it). If he didn't have dust collection and wanted to avoid fine dust from power tools, most power tools would be out of question, except for portable drill/drill press.

[Jim Neeley]

@Bob,

Since you said stationary, if you do much resaw it'd be bandsaw. If the bndsaw is just for curves I'd go for a planer and handheld power jig saw.

@David,

Many (or at least some) of us have a shop full of power tools (Unisaws, jointers, plainers, bandsaws, drill presses, routers nd router tables, dust collection, etc., etc.). For myself, I'm just choosing to swap over to hand tools most of the time due to the personal satisfaction I get from the result. Making a dovetailed drawer by hand requires attention and skill for each cut. With a router, once my dovetail jig is set up I can crank out 100 drawers essentially without skill. The hand tools re also quiet and I've never hacked up a hand plane shaving loogie.

Just my $0.02.. YMMV.

Jim in Alaska

[Winton Applegate]

For dust collection I hook up my mid size Fein shop vac with the large black hose (ten foot run) to the port on the Laguna bandsaw and that is all that is needed. Easy to swap to longer, smaller diameter silver hose for general shop clean up so I don't have to drag the vac around. Can use both hoses in tandem for that occasional run out onto the drive way.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

A bandsaw is on my someday list - after I live or have access to somewhere I can put it. Dust collection with it has always been on the back of my mind. Good to know your experience with a shop vac, Winton. I've wondered if that's a decent approach; I have some trepidation about going all out on DC with only one powered tool, which would be the most likely outcome when that time comes.

[bob cohen]

Hi Bob

If I were starting over in a small shop, there are 3 machines I would want (if I could get them to fit).

A bandsaw is hugely useful, but really no more so than other machines. I love and use my Hammer 4400 a great deal, but one thing you do need to realise, an 18" bandsaw is a large machine. You may be happy to settle for a smaller 16" machine, perhaps even 14" if it has a good motor and resaw facilities. There is a smaller Hammer out now.

The second machine I would want in a 12" combination thicknesser/jointer with spiral head cutters. The Jet 310 looks to be ideal at its price. Hammer make a more expensive version. This is a relatively small footprint machine and it would take up the donkey work in preparing hardwood rough sawn boards.

The third machine is a floor standing drill press. Mine gets a lot of use - from drilling to grinding to polishing.

These machines will not take up much room if on wheels and capable of being moved around as needed.



Regards from Perth

Derek

I had been thinking bandsaw (18 or 20 inch) followed by smallish (5-6 ft) sliding table saw. But after reading your post, I'm thinking 16 inch jointer planer next, and maybe I will never need the table saw. The 7 or 8 grand saved there sure could buy a lot of hand tools and wood! I forgot to mention in the original post that i still have my drill press, although I would like to replace it with a bigger one.

[Mike Holbrook]

I think we have it down to the final three, thanks to Derek. In my case I have had to break up very large amounts of sheet goods for floors, walls...other construction. The Festool saw is just so great for that kind of work. It is also a better miter saw than a circular saw without the plunging feature. Since I have it for the construction work, I am going to try to use it to replace a jointer when I need a good edge. So I bought a regular planer. If we call the jointer/planer two tools then anyone who has lots of sheet goods to cut might find the Festool saw a good option for the fourth machine vs a jointer.

The other factor for me is, my lumber supplier offers a great deal on surfacing both faces and one edge of the lumber I buy.

In the case of the Festool saw the plunging is easily & precisely repeatable to just over the sheets thickness, so I just keep a nice light sheet of foam insulation/siding to toss over my cutting table surface, the floor, plywood between saw horses... and its game on. For my money I would much rather have the Festool saw than a table saw as machine 4, but I do lots of construction projects for my business and portability is a major factor. I bring this up because new guys like me may be using more sheet goods early on. For anyone doing lots of work cutting sheet goods & more construction oriented work I think the Festool or some plunge circular saw moves up to the top machine spot. Just try to find a construction worker or carpenter who does not swear by his circular saw. The new plunge circular saws sort of bridge between construction/carpentry and fine hardwood work. The value of the Festool saw isn't just in the saw though there is an amazingly well thought out collection of complimentary jigs and fixtures for these saws that tremendously increase their utility.