Best 25k or 50k Workshop?

[Peter Aeschliman]

1. An 8' stroke sliding table saw
2. A 12" jointer with spiral cutter head
3. A ~12" planer with spiral cutter head
4. A minimax 16" bandsaw
5. A passable drill press
6. A domino XL
7. A few high end hand planes, a router plane, and a quality set of bench chisels
8. A nice router table with a 3hp motor
9. Build a roubo workbench using bench crafted hardware.
10. a Clearvue cyclone and nordfab ducting

I think that would get pretty close to using up your budget, but I can keep going.

[Andrew J. Coholic]

Looking to invest $25k to 50k in my workshop (i.e. buy new most likely)

Have about 20x40' to work with.

My goal will be to mostly make household furniture, built-ins, some cabinetry etc.

I don't currently have a sliding table saw, but am wondering if one can get by without a traditional table saw if you have a slider.

My idea would be..
8" joiner/planer
20-24" surface planer
Table saw(s)
Band Saw
Drill Press
Lathe
Shaper
Drum sander
Belt/disc sander
Dust collection system
Air filtration system

Want quality stuff, but for low volume only.
Don't need CNC etc.

If there are any other must haves let me know

Must haves that you may not expect or realize the costs of... since you want a shaper, you will need tooling. Shaper tooling is fairly expensive. A good selection of blades for the saws, selection of sand papers/belts etc.

Also hand tools. It can all add up. Stationary machinery is always thought of first.. since it is large and necessary and so forth - but it is easy to forget all the "small" stuff which can add up to a lot of $$.

I set up a new shop 6 years ago. I have been in business for many years (20+) but I was very surprised at how much money was spent after all the big stuff was in place, to purchase all the hand tools/vacs/supplies etc just in order to get working again. Hand planes, drill bits, chisels, squares, clamps (oh yes, lots of $$ in clamps), etc.

[lee cox]

If you look around for used gear you could have a nice shop for a lot less. You really learn your tools as you bring them up to a good working tool.

[Andrew J. Coholic]

Electricity gets expensive quick too. I'm fortunate to have a close friend who is a commercial electrician who more or less owes me his soul in favors. (Not by accident ) Otherwise his shop charges $120/hr plus material, which is already ungodly expensive and they mark it up substantially.

Oh yes.. I forgot about that. WHen I set up my new shop in early 2011, it was close to $30K just for the electrician's bill. Even when we built our last shop (40'x100', all 600V three phase machinery, back in 1988/89) it was about $12K for the wiring up of things).

[Mike Fritz]

I'd start this process from the other end. Find the best woodworking shop where you can "rent time". It might be the local community college, junior college, etc. Sign up for the woodworking class and start building the projects you like on their tools. Along the way you will start to gravitate toward the projects you like to build and then you will start to figure out your favorite way to build them.

As one example, I started with large stationary tools (actually not so large compared to others on this forum). But over time I have gravitated back toward more portable tools like the tracksaw for example to do all my plywood work. I found it easier for me to keep the wood stationary because I work with large pieces and bring the tool to the wood. I get much better dust collection also this way.

Basically ramp up slowly. Think about what you want to build, get the tools for that and go from there. Or better yet use the local colleges and their shops to get time on their tools and perhaps tap into a great mentor.

[Roger Marty]

Wow, I have less than $2K or so into my hobby so far...Can't imagine starting with a $25k outlay unless you're commercial

Ridgid R4512 hybrid tablesaw: $550
Used Delta/Homecraft bandsaws: $75
Used Boice-Crane 6" jointer: $60
DeWalt dw734 planer: $300
Bench-top drill press: $60
Router + table: $200
1 HP Dust collector + cyclone: $140
Blades / pipe clamps / chisels: a few hundred

[Jim Becker]

Wow, I have less than $2K or so into my hobby so far...Can't imagine starting with a $25k outlay unless you're commercial

When the means is available and it's what someone wants to do, there's no harm in putting together a hobby shop that's the equivalent of a small commercial arrangement. Although I certainly "started" smaller, a couple of really good years (I'm in sales) in the early 2000s before we adopted our kids made it possible to put together something more, which I knew I wouldn't ever be able to do "post-retirement". (assuming I ever get to retire) I have no regrets at all, even when those normal periods of time of little activity come along. If the OP wants to invest in his shop that way, I'm all for it.

[James Zhu]

For 25k, you can equip the shop with Hammer (or equivalent MiniMax) line products (J/P, slider, bandsaw, shaper, Felder RL 140 dust extractor), the rest money goes to your choice of drill press, lathe, drum sander.... For 50k, you can upgrade to Felder line.

For J/P, at least 12 inch width, I would go 16 inch.
For slider, if you want to cut 4x8 sheet goods, you need at least 9 foot slider.

James

[Prashun Patel]

I wouldn't spend your money at once.
It's all contingent upon how you like to work. You cannot know this until you're years in - and even then it evolves.

Personally, I'd get a track saw, cordless drill, a plunge/fixed router, a miter saw, a jig saw, a shop vac, a random orbital sander, and a pocket hole jig (or Jessem dowel jig) and then take it from there.

You can do a surprisingly large number of projects with just this.

Buy your 'big 4' (tablesaw, planer, jointer, bandsaw) one at a time and as needed, if needed.


IMHO, the most questionable purchases would be a table saw (convenient for the majority, but a growing number of hobbyists prefer to work without one), and wide jointer/planers. These are expensive, and take up a lot of space. Some hobbyists don't find it inconvenient to work around a 6" jointing capacity of 12" planing capacity. And while I now own a 3hp cabinet Sawstop, if I were buying now with my current skill set/preferences, I might opt for a track saw and a better bandsaw.

When you buy your first of these four, I'd get a cyclone dust collector, a larger one than you think you need. But I would not pipe it permanently until you've purchased 3 or 4 of your larger tools.

A hobbyist shop is a highly individualized space so don't mistake the responses in this thread (incl mine) as anything more than personal (albeit well informed and valid) preferences.

[Mark Blatter]

I wouldn't spend your money at once.
It's all contingent upon how you like to work. You cannot know this until you're years in - and even then it evolves.

Personally, I'd get a track saw, cordless drill, a plunge/fixed router, a miter saw, a jig saw, a shop vac, a random orbital sander, and a pocket hole jig (or Jessem dowel jig) and then take it from there.

You can do a surprisingly large number of projects with just this.

Buy your 'big 4' (tablesaw, planer, jointer, bandsaw) one at a time and as needed, if needed.


IMHO, the most questionable purchases would be a table saw (convenient for the majority, but a growing number of hobbyists prefer to work without one), and wide jointer/planers. These are expensive, and take up a lot of space. Some hobbyists don't find it inconvenient to work around a 6" jointing capacity of 12" planing capacity. And while I now own a 3hp cabinet Sawstop, if I were buying now with my current skill set/preferences, I might opt for a track saw and a better bandsaw.

When you buy your first of these four, I'd get a cyclone dust collector, a larger one than you think you need. But I would not pipe it permanently until you've purchased 3 or 4 of your larger tools.

A hobbyist shop is a highly individualized space so don't mistake the responses in this thread (incl mine) as anything more than personal (albeit well informed and valid) preferences.

I agree with what virtually everyone has said, but this advice from Prashun is spot on perfect. I don't know why you are doing this, hobby or commercial, where you plan to go, so keep a big chunk of the money in the bank and start smaller. I could not think of a single way to improve on Prashun's advice.

[lowell holmes]

This is an impossible thread.

I suggest you start with one or two tools to get your feet wet. None of us can tell you what your bent is.

I would start with minimum investment for a tool or two I fancied. I started with a simple bench and a few hand tools.

My first tools were hand tools, power and manual.

After my interests developed, I bought a table saw on line, I still have it. Along the way I bought a jointer, a band saw, a drill press, and a miter box saw.
I never bought two tools at once.

[Brad Shipton]

I agree with Lowell. Impossible. OP post #1, time to wait for him to respond.

[paul cottingham]

Yep. If I started over, I would buy a bandsaw (big one) and as big a jointer/planer combo as I could justify. I hardly ever edge joint by machine, but a combo machine would cover my bases at a reasonable cost. Add a d/p (I'd look for a used delta 220, but I have a real thing for them) and a mortiser, and good dust dust collection, and be done with it. Yes, no table saw. Too dangerous, too much real estate, Too much money, too crappy dust collection. Rip on the big band saw. Clean up with hand planes or your big jointer/planer.

Invest saved money (and space!) in hand tools, and benches.

Forgot to add, if you are bent on using sheet goods, add a track saw. Safer and more versatile and more mobile than a table saw.

[Eric Commarato]

If your in it for the long haul, this is what I would buy...

A Wadkin PK sliding table saw, if you can find one. Or an Oliver 260 Slider. This would be my saw utilized for joinery.
A 10" General, Powermatic, or Unisaw, yes the old U.S. or Canadian built cabinet saws set up for general stock preparation.
A 10" General, Powermatic or Unisaw, set up only for Dado work.
A couple General drill presses, the old Canadian versions.
A Moak, Porter, or American 16" or 24" Jointer for the big stuff
A 12" Northfield HD Jointer form the small stuff
A Moak or Northfield Shaper
A Hammond Trim-O-Saw with sliding table for delicate tasks not requiring a tilting arbor
A Moak or Northfield 30-36" band saw for big stuff
A 14" General (15") or Powermatic 141 for small stuff
A band saw mill
A couple Lamello plate jointers...

There's more but I think I'm approaching the $50,000 mark.


An American Rotary 25 HP Phase Converter...If I don't have 3 phase readily available.

[Van Huskey]

If your in it for the long haul, this is what I would buy...

A Wadkin PK sliding table saw, if you can find one. Or an Oliver 260 Slider. This would be my saw utilized for joinery.
A 10" General, Powermatic, or Unisaw, yes the old U.S. or Canadian built cabinet saws set up for general stock preparation.
A 10" General, Powermatic or Unisaw, set up only for Dado work.
A couple General drill presses, the old Canadian versions.
A Moak, Porter, or American 16" or 24" Jointer for the big stuff
A 12" Northfield HD Jointer form the small stuff
A Moak or Northfield Shaper
A Hammond Trim-O-Saw with sliding table for delicate tasks not requiring a tilting arbor
A Moak or Northfield 30-36" band saw for big stuff
A 14" General (15") or Powermatic 141 for small stuff
A band saw mill
A couple Lamello plate jointers...

There's more but I think I'm approaching the $50,000 mark.


An American Rotary 25 HP Phase Converter...If I don't have 3 phase readily available.

Where is he going to get the extra square footage to put those things in? 800 sq ft is not a lot of shop room.

I wonder how much longer the thread will go with no guidance from the OP but if nothing else it is a look into peoples minds on how they would spend the money.

Take for example the last poster, who I am not picking on (and assume he just forgot) but has a shop with 3 table saws, 2 jointers, 2 drill presses and not enough bandsaws and no planer...