Setting up shop

[Eric DeSilva]

Glen, if I were you I would make an entire list of the tools you will need before you go buying big-ticket items.

That's a big list Grant... And, its precisely why I'd give the advice the other way around. Keep an eye out for good deals, but buy what you need for what it is you want to make next. On that basis, I assembled most of the heavy hardware for my shop for $5300 over the course of one year, including:

- a Delta Unisaw w/52" Bies fence ($700 used on CL);
- JDS Cyclone ($1K new, gotta have DC);
- 18 various sized Bessey K body clamps (avg. $12 ea used on CL);
- a 20" Grizzly planer and an 8" Grizzly jointer ($700 for the pair on CL);
- a 14" PM bandsaw ($700 used on CL);
- a SC 17" DP (new $400 thanks to MS cashback),
- a Jet 25CS shaper ($700 used on CL),
- a Delta 18/36 sander ($600 used on CL), and
- a 2HP power feeder ($300 used on CL).

All the other smaller stuff came as needed or based on good deals...

Just stay away from the slippery green Festool slope--that will cost you dearly (spoken as one who started with a TS-55 and a guide rail for breaking down sheet goods and who is now overrun by systainers). Avoiding Lie-Nielsen is a good idea too...

[Paul Williams 53072]

Yeah for your fantasy shop one can not forget to get the clamps! Obtaining an ample supply of these seemingly mundain woodworking accessories can eat up a small fortune in a hurry.

[Glen Butler]

Yeah Paul, I through in an arbitrary 500 for clamps alone. Do you think thats enough?

Grant that is exactly what I have done. I have a list that just keeps growing and I am finding how little 10 G's gets you.

I thought I had everything mapped out. I had talked to used sellers and was getting some pretty good deals. Turns out they were not completely honest in their representation of the tool. So I am turning to new now. I will forget the bandsaw because I can borrow one if I need it. But I don't for the current project.

Here's the big ticket list:
PM2000 from CPO $2200
? Powermatic 15" Planer/molder $2160
Delta 43-495x Shaper $1600
Used Powermatic 8" Jointer w/ helical head $1500 (keep your fingers crossed on this one, my local dealer has not picked it up yet)

After tax that leaves 2200 for the small stuff. Job specific bits, blades and glue I will just charge to the job.

[Chuck Durst]

Hi Glen,
I would agree with the buy it as you need it. Don't give up on finding good stuff on craigs list and other places, local newspapers, big lots and ect.
I search craigs list 5-7 times a day. In these times people will be parting with good tools cheap. You have too be extremely careful when dealing with people on there, and the old saying runs true there,if its too good to be true it is.I only look at ads with pictures and that aren't too far to travel. I will also 2nd the idea that you cannot have enough clamps, when all else fails buy clamps. Welcome and remember to have fun !!!

Chuck

[Glen Butler]

Just picked up a 1.5 year old Powermatic PM2000 5HP, 1PH, 50" for $2000. Pretty happy about it.

[Jacob Mac]

Just picked up a 1.5 year old Powermatic PM2000 5HP, 1PH, 50" for $2000. Pretty happy about it.

Congrats on the saw.

My only small recomendation is that I just bought a cheap Kreg pocket screw system and I love it. It makes getting my shop set up a ton faster. Jigs, tables, and soon cabinets can be made in half the time. And that helps me get to the projects I really want to do.

I'm not sure I would use pocket screws for any furniture I want to make, but it can really speed up a lot of tasks. Especially when you are first outfitting your shop with outfeed tables and everything else you need.

[Glen Butler]

Thanks for the reminder. I do want a pocket screw kit they are nifty. And I need one for putting down my box newels. I will put that on the list.

[Rob Price]

If it were my money, I would look hard at the 12" jointer/planer combos. I don't have any experience, but I've read two recent reviews (Fine Woodworking I think and Wood mag) that gave them good marks. You get a big wide jointer, and you get a planer with long infeed/outfeed beds. They've been popular in Europe for a while (that's the rumor at least).

It makes sense to me, the 'business end' of each tool is the same.

It would stretch your dollar and shop space. One less outlet to wire, one less DC branch/blast gate/etc.

You can blow $500 on clamps easy. I've seen some good Bessey parallel 4 clamp packs on Amazon lately- and if you search these boards you can buy through Sawmill creek and a bit of the sale goes back here.

Don't forget materials for workbenches/outfeed tables etc as well.

The pro tool addicts here can spend $10K in a hurry, but you can create a lot of sawdust with good stock prep (jointer planer), a good TS, BS and a good router setup. The rest is gravy (IMHO). I would start piece by piece, and add tools as you come across the need for them. A big shopping spree is cool, but you may end up with tools you don't need/use. I made my first several pieces of furniture with a router and table saw and some hand tools.

[Andrew Joiner]

Hi Glen,
I reposted this cause it looked like it got buried.
Most Grizzly stuff is pretty good. Search around here and you will get to know what works and what doesn't.

What are you going to make in your shop? That is probably the first step to setting up shop. No need to buy a vertical panel saw if you never will cut panels.You can save a lot of money to buy material with if you plan ahead. This place is a good start. Wait until you really have a need for machine before you buy.

You might want to learn about planer sleds and straight line rip jigs.

I bought a new Powermatic 6" jointer in 1970 and used it in my cabinet shop for 3 or 4 years. I was buying S2S stock.Then I found out it's more cost efficient and easier to buy lumber S3S. A good blade and a decent table saw set-up beats a jointer any day, especially on long stock edges! Oh and even a cheap rip blade won't ever chip out an edge like a knife can.
I never found the need to go back to owning and maintaining a jointer.

Recently I got a deal on some beautiful rough planks. I only bought the stuff that was flat in the rough. I ran it thru a lunch box planer and straight lined the edge on the table saw with a jig. I made some nice furniture with it.

Even if I had a source for lots of cheap rough lumber,I would still flatten it with a planer and a sled. Holding down long heavy stock to a jointer table is hard work.

[tyler mckenzie]

I set up my shop this year from scratch, it seemed pretty daunting in the beginning. I had all the same questions as you. Before i offend some here, this is what i do for a living, in my business good tools equals quality output. I left a cabinet shop that could afford the best (scmi, felder, etc) and i knew i wouldn't be happy with your local tool store offerings, or the green bears mail order. All i can say is buy used North Amerian or European, you'll never look back. I spent roughly $6000 and now have a complete shop.

my major machines found on the cheap:
General 130 planer
Poitras 12" jointer
12" delta table saw
20" davis wells bandsaw
14" Walker turner bandsaw
2hp dust collection
12"x36" Walker turner lathe

Educating yourself about mechanical condition is half the fun. The hunt can pay off in a big way.

Spend the remander on some nice walnut, and get cutting.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

Would you recommend a festool plunge saw for precutting exceptionally crowned stock for the planer?

Nope.
A thousand and one other reasons, yes- just not that specific one.

The TS55EQ/TS75EQ's really shine on sheet goods and specialty cuts where the plunge feature is required.

It's outstanding dust control also makes it ideal for use "on site" - where "on site" may happen to be the living room and/or kitchen of an expensive house.

From the sound of things you may have in mind, you might want to look at the EZ forum here. The two systems (three if you toss in the DeWalt) really only converge where they use a rail system to semi capture a saw.
Other than that, the systems all deviate from each other in the details & specialty applications.

[Glen Butler]

Here is the way I see my needs and why. If you disagree or I am incorrect in my thinking let me know. But know this. I am a perfectionist. If I am going to do something myself it better look at least as good if not better than what I would get.

I need a table saw. Given

I need a jointer. I am doing stain grade treads and risers as well as box newels and need perfectly straight lumber to glue up.

I need a planer. For the same reasons above as well as I may be doing a wood floor in a species not available in tongue and groove and will need to thickness plane the 3/4 stock to 1/2. Also doing cabinet door raised panels will be easy to glue up and smooth.

I need a shaper. Gives a better finish than a router table because of cut angle and vibration ~free environment. Better for large bits. Can hold the work piece easier. Putting a tongue and groove on my flooring.

I need a molder. I am making cabinets for my client though I am ordering the cabinet doors from a third party because they have more options and a reasonable price. They don't provide trim and I want to make sure the I can create trim using the same species of wood for a better finish.

I need a vacuum. Given

I need a router table system including router plate and fence for things not necessary on the shaper.

I need a dovetail jig. All the cabinet shops in the area make dovetailed boxes and I need to be comparable.

I need an HVLP booth. I would make my own with an explosion proof motor an a spare room but I need to filter all the air coming in and get dust out for a perfect finish.

[Bill Houghton]

I can imagine doing a full power shop, but even there, I can't imagine not having:

a block plane
a couple of chisels
at least one combination square, 12"
a 6" or 12" rule, or both
a tape measure