The challenge of deciding where to draw the line

[Rick Cicciarelli]

I'm in the process of trying to buy a new house that comes with an old barn and I'm finally starting to see the possibility of having my 'shop' come to reality in the old barn. There would be lots to do in getting the space fixed up for a shop (wiring, flooring, finished walls etc) and I'm starting to come to the conclusion that unless I want to wait another 10 years to have a budget to finish the shop and buy tools, I may have to compromise on some of the tools. There definitely seems to be a line draw between power requirements/budget when you have to decide between
14" vs 17/19" bandsaw
6" vs 8" jointer
benchtop planer vs 15" floor model
router table vs 3 hp shaper

Is it really worth waiting forever to get the bigger tools or should I just go with the smaller stuff for now, and sell/upgrade down the road as the budget allows?

[Cary Falk]

I would say look at CL for your starter stuff that way when you upgrade you don't loose much $$$. Upgrade when you have the money and start with the most annoying tool.

[richard b miller]

imho, it depends what you want to build. could you get by with a 14 BS vs a 17/19 (mines a 14") ? my dewalt 12.5" planer works just fine - do you need the extra 2.5"?
at present, i don't even own a jointer. i use my planer and TS for all, but do you really need the extra 2" on a jointer?

are they worth the extra $$ or can you get by with a little bit smaller and basically have a nice shop too?

[Al Launier]

As stated above, much depends on what you intend to build as that usually determines what you need for equipment. Most woodworking shops that I'm aware of start small within their budget & then grow in terms of tools, equipment & facility as their income grows. You don't have to start off with everything in place. I think the last sentence in your post speaks wisely.

[Rick Cicciarelli]

Grizzly makes all of these responses problematic. I have watched CL forever and anytime something worthwhile pops up around here, it's priced at or above what I could buy new from Grizzly.
In addition, Grizzly makes drawing the line challenging. Things like $650 for a 6" jointer vs $875 for an 8". I've got a pile of rough cut 8/4 cherry that is 7-11" wide. I'm considering resaw capacity on band saw and width on jointer.

[John K Jordan]

Rick, I had the same dilemma - I was saving money to build a shop here at the farm but I knew the shop would take every dollar and I wouldn't have any left for good tools! I think it's worth waiting for the good tools.

What I did was buy the big tools when I found them at good prices and put them still crated in a storage building. This method took longer to save enough to build the shop and had a few risks but worked out for me. I literally waited the dreaded 10 years you mentioned but now I have my dream shop full of everything I "need" and more. In my case I spent the 10 years fixing up the old barn and other farm buildings, remodeling the house, landscaping, fencing, cutting roads, dirt work for the new shop, etc. so I probably wouldn't have had time to actually play in the shop anyway!

If I had an extra building like you I would consider sinking everything into turning it into a shop now and compromise on the tools, buying smaller and used tools such as a bandsaw and do without some until I could afford good tools later. However, I justified a good new SCMS and a few other things as part of the cost of the construction - I saved a huge amount by building the whole thing myself (except for pouring and surfacing the concrete.) You can buy a cheap portable table saw to get by, do without a jointer, use some hand tools for a while.

Another option: I know several people who hauled in a portable building big enough for a small shop with a few tools (I personally recommend a lathe, bandsaw, grinder, and workbench!). This might give you enough immediate shop space to let you concentrate on getting the new shop space ready on a more relaxed schedule AND save up for the tools.

JKJ

[Mike Wilkins]

I vote for getting the shop set up first. Outfit the place with good flooring-concrete with a sleeper system on top; insulate the walls before you move in and start hanging cabinets on the walls (like I did); good lighting and plenty of 110 and 240 outlets around the perimeter. If the room is there, try to get a finishing room and lumber storage separated from the main shop.

As for tools; all of us started with smaller/affordable tools until our skills and needs exceeded our current tools. And then upgradeitis took over and we started drooling over tool catalogs and web offerings.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Van Huskey]

Buy used now! Get the basics you need to get going and you can re-sell them when it comes time to upgrade. Buying new machines then upgrading later can be expensive.

[glenn bradley]

Grizzly makes all of these responses problematic. I have watched CL forever and anytime something worthwhile pops up around here, it's priced at or above what I could buy new from Grizzly.
In addition, Grizzly makes drawing the line challenging. Things like $650 for a 6" jointer vs $875 for an 8". I've got a pile of rough cut 8/4 cherry that is 7-11" wide. I'm considering resaw capacity on band saw and width on jointer.

Don't size your machines by the lumber at hand, size them based on what you will build. For example, I wasted money on a 6" jointer that was too narrow to do the job most of the time. I now have an 8" jointer that is wide enough most of the time. A wider jointer would be cool but, I would only get the advantage of it a few times a year and I would have to sacrifice the floor space all year long. I made a planer sled back when I had a 6" and all is well.

Your ability to buy used will vary with your area. In my area, large machines bring a premium but, small machines are plentiful. When I re-started woodworking I paid $180 for a 10" Craftsman contractor saw and a 12" craftsman bandsaw. This let me put more cash towards dust collection which is important no matter how small your tools. I think it is good advice to start small and used and upgrade / replace things when the tool stops you from doing things, not your craft.

Later I got about what I paid for the used tools and moved up. I was able to move up in a decidedly educated direction because I had started to establish the kinds of things I would be making. A 10" tablesaw is fine for me although it is now a 3HP machine. A 17" bandsaw is adequate for my work and would never change if it had another horsepower or two (it may never change anyway).

I use a lot of figured material so the higher original outlay for carbide insert heads made sense. They have already paid for the cutterhead upgrade cost and are paying dividends every time I use them now. this brings to mind your power installation. Provide yourself with 220v power capabilities, you'll go there eventually.

[David Spurr]

Fix up the barn now and sell and upgrade later.

[Robin Frierson]

I started with only hand tools...built a nice rowboat with no stationary machines. First machine was a drill press so I could build a nice workbench and drill the dog holes. Then a craftsman table saw...later Dewalt lunchbox....then finally the 8in jointer and I was ready to go. You can go without a bandsaw.....I did for years just using a jigsaw for curves. . And save money by buying used.

[Nick Stokes]

Don't wire up a shop without the 220 capability. Where I am now is limited to 110v. I got lucky to find an old DJ20 that I can run at 110, but i'm limited to 14" bandsaw, 1.75hp sawstop, and dewalt 735 planer.

Regardless, buy used tools to start the shop. Then when you upgrade you sell them for close to what you paid, there is no loss...

[Prashun Patel]

I advise not waiting to make things, and to buy the best tools you can afford.

Don't be afraid of reselling. I've switched out at least half of my tools and they do sell. Some of those initial purchases greatly informed my upgrades.

I also would also make the decision per-tool.

Personally, I got by nicely for years with a 6" jointer and benchtop planer. I only upgraded because I wanted to, not because I was limited in what I could make.

Two things I'd do now tho: wire for 220 and plan your dust collection ducting.

[Peter Aeschliman]

Definitely definitely DEFINITELY buy used tools to start. You don't have to buy minimax and festool machines on day 1.

I find that the depreciation for average to higher quality tools is a one time event, assuming they are well cared for. For your standard Asian made machine (jet, grizzly, etc), there's a one time depreciation hit of roughly 50%.

So if you buy used and take care of the tools, you will probably be able to sell them for what you paid.

This gives you the ability to learn how the machines work and what you like to make with very little financial risk.

I bought a used Jet lathe, for example. I thought for sure I would love wood turning. But after 5 years of the machine collecting dust, I decided to sell it and use the cash to upgrade my jointer, which I use on every single project. And I sold it for what I paid.

I get the tendency for people to recommend buying"the best tool you can afford," but I my take is a little more specific... "Buy the best tool you can afford IF you're sure it's a tool you need and will use often". Give yourself room to learn which tools you rely in the most. It's best to allow the learning process to occur without taking big financial risks.

Good luck!

[James Gunning]

The one tool buying decision I regret is buying a 6" jointer vs. 8" or larger. I bought a jointer and planer to work with rough stock. Not much rough stock is more than 12" wide, but a fair amount can be wider than 6". If I had to do it today, I would buy a 12" combo jointer/planer, partly because I have limited space. There are some workarounds to the narrow jointer, but they are all less than ideal. Most other tools aren't that critical in size. I did buy an 18" bandsaw, but honestly could have gotten by with a 14" with no issues.