POLL: If you had to choose just one brand of woodworking power tools . . .

[Tom Dworzanski]

What you need it to do for YOUR needs. We are more than glad to help you.

Thanks Marc. I appreciate that. I guess the poll isn't really to make a purchasing decision. I just want to orient myself with what brands people are biased towards. I totally agree this is not a way to make any sort of purchasing decision. It's just a poll for fun. I know it may not be useful -- it's just an exercise in curiosity. I hope no one takes this too seriously -- I'm not trying to open up any big debates, just taking a silly poll

I was surprised several years ago to find a chevy impala was too small for me while a Kia had good legroom and headroom.

Interesting perspective and experience. Def goes to show it's worth investigating things personally to see what actually fits.

its a bit of a trick question because you have to make sure the supplier has everything you need . . . The OP hadn't heard of these brands .. now he has .. That makes this a good post .. its what its all about ..

Exactly right. I would have never thought of checking out Felder, Martin, and similar brands if not for this thread so I gained a lot of perspective from these comments.

I highly recommend a cyclone dust chip collector like the Oneida - not the dust bag filter systems like the Jet. You will enjoy shop time much more, certain tools like planers and bandsaws really require it, definite health benefits . . . I could write a book on my experiences!

Peter, I actually purchased 4 books recently (everything I could find!) on Woodshop dust collection. I'm setting up a new shop and wanted to do that part right from the start. I appreciate the health benefits, but I think for me the best part of putting up some ducts and getting a good cyclone will be the minimization of clean-up time -- something I don't enjoy.

[Martin Wasner]

None of the above.............

Ladies and Gentlemen, your winner of the thread.





I wouldn't do wood working if I had to have everything one brand in stationary equipment.

I have tools from these manufacturers:
1 SCM
1 Diehl
1 Format
3 SAC
4 Powermatic
1 Tannewitz
1 Northfield
1 JLT
1 Murphy Rodgers
1 Donaldson/Torit
1 Striebig
3 Omga
1 Jet
1 Derda
2 Delta
1 Rockwell
1 Whirlwind
1 Tigerstop
1 Apex
2 Ritter
2 Unique
2 Castle
1 Atlas Copco
1 Toyota (It counts, I ain't carrying lumber off the truck)

Some I bought new, most I bought used. No one company does all of it the best. Nor does any one that I know of sell the variety of equipment I'd need. Felder offers a lot of different pieces, but they fall short on dust collection not offering a big enough unit.


If you think your shop is cool because all the paint matches, I don't know what to tell you.

[Steve Schoene]

With no regard to price, Northfield as a full line of stationary tools that will work in industrial context 3 shifts a day. Excessive for my hobby needs, sure but really nice.

[Jim Becker]

If money was no object (or even if it was a factor), I wouldn't choose just one manufacturer because it frankly would be impossible to cover all the bases that way...

[Ben Abate]

Festool
I've own many machines in 40 yrs of woodworking. My shop is outfitted with felder for the past 15 yrs because I couldn't afford MARTIN. But as I see it if you can only have one manufacturer Festool covers a wide range of of the woodworking area. Cutting, sanding, routing, joinery, vacuums, lighting and in all categories Festool gives multiple choices.

They don't offer wide belts or big shapers or large edge banding but they do offer edge banding. I would have to go Festool. They offer a very complete line of machines

Your question was if we had to choose one company.

[Ben Rivel]

Other: Felder

[andy bessette]

...If you think your shop is cool because all the paint matches, I don't know what to tell you.

Sig line material!

[Andrew J. Coholic]

Ive got about $70,000+ worth of Cantek machinery in my shop, made in (gulp!) Taiwan. Wow, I didnt know that it was total garbage and I should have bought something else that was made as far away from China as possible (insert rolling eyes here, lol)

Its funny (but not really) that in the past 6 1/2 years Ive been running our new facility, the only machinery I have had to do some repairs on were both made in Italy and from pretty respected companies. One was a set of plastic guide rollers that started cracking off the bearings (they changed to a new type of plastic supposedly better) and one was a pneumatic issue. I had to pay for the new parts since it was past the 1 yr warranty.

My Cantek stuff (widebelt sander, 20" planer, 16" jointer, dovetailer, 7.5HP tilting arbor shaper, edge bander) has run pretty much daily since purchased and besides regular lubrication and cleaning, has proven to be very good equipment.

[Martin Wasner]

I forgot I've got Cantek and Denray too. lol

Cantek isn't incredible, but it I do think it's a really good value. You get a lot for not much. Before getting my rip saw, I was considering getting a Cantek rip saw. I think they're about $18k new. A comparable Diehl is about $25k. My Diehl just shredded the spur gear in the gear reduction today for the feed belt. Grrrr

[Tom Dworzanski]

I'm going to leave this poll open in perpetuity, but 24 hours in, these are the results:

Powermatic - 38.46%
Other - 34.62%
Grizzly - 13.46%
Delta - 7.69%
General International - 3.85%

I'm not too surprised by Powermatic getting the most votes based on this list.

I definitely learned about many high-end European manufacturers and others which are represented in Other. I appreciate all you guys posting those brands in the comments.

I'm surprised Grizzly did as well as it did since I got the impression it is more of a bargain brand. If you had no limitations, several of you guys would choose a bargain brand? Or is there something about Grizzly that is special despite the lower price?

Delta did okay and General got a couple votes.

[John Sincerbeaux]

I'll play.

Machinery: Martin
Hand power tools: Festool
Hand tools: Lie Nielsen
Old School Machines: Northfield, Oliver, kindt Collins, delta, PM, and many more

I just purchased a 50 year old Kindt Collins 24" disc sander. I don't believe there is a company anywhere in the world making disc sanders like it today?

[rudy de haas]

Of these only grizzly has the full range of tools you need in a wood working (or metal working) shop. Powermatic seems to get the most votes, but their catalog is nowhere near as complete, so really a non starter because the question envisages everything, not just the key power tools.

[Rod Sheridan]

But of course that doesn't include all the other tools that get used in the shop either. This wasn't specifically big stationary tools, but *ALL* tools. It just can't be done.

Brian, it was all power tools.

I can live with that assortment of power tools.

I don't really need a sander, I normally scrape or plane surfaces so I'm OK..........Rod.

[Rick Fisher]

I'll play.

I just purchased a 50 year old Kindt Collins 24" disc sander. I don't believe there is a company anywhere in the world making disc sanders like it today?

We're going to need pictures of this new 24" Disc sander John.. Rule #11034 ... sorry to have to pull out the rule book ..

[Rick Fisher]

I recently bought a Houfek 36" single head wide belt sander. Its another brand, made in Czech.. 2000 lbs.. It took 6 months to arrive. If your interested in brands, houfek makes rugged machines, sanders, shapers etc.. I ordered this machine with a 15hp motor.. I learned from my last sander that I don't need massive motors, it was a 24" SCM with a 12hp .. I never used more than half the available power ( Ammeter ) ..

This machine has;

Variable feed speed
A pneumatic platen with anti dubbing sensors for veneer
Automatic air blower / cleaner for the main belt
Automatic feed belt centering
Power rise, fall,
Automatic thickness sensing
It uses a 75" belt instead of 60" ..


In the world of wide belts, its a little machine. Houfek has a 7 series which has similar features to the big German sanders like constant passline etc..

I think Houfek is a pretty good company.. The electronics are all Eaton and Siemens, the motors are Italian.. I picked it over an SCM and Felder of similar price.