[lottathought]

I find that I am in need of some advice.
I have always enjoyed the idea of woodworking. In truth however, I have probably made more sawdust than anything else.

I am getting to the point in my life however that I am wanting to get more serious in this hobby however.
And, as luck would have it, my wife just gave me the go-ahead to add/up-grade a power tool.

I am torn on what direction to go however.
I am thinking that I might need to go one of 3 directions.

I have a very basic Delta 10inch table saw.
It cuts. I have never been terribly happy with it though. The fence is cheap and does not hold true very well. The miter is not very good either.
And it is a small table with no extensions for plywood.

I have a very basic, compound Delta 10inch miter saw.
It also cuts…but has no frills and I do not think that it is what you would call “true” with the angles either.

I also have some other tools like a Ryobi router and table.
I do not have any jointers or planers…etc…

As I said, I am torn on what direction to go.
Would I be better served to upgrade my table saw?
I am considering the Bosch 4000-9. I also have looked at the Rigid.

Maybe it would be a better idea to upgrade the miter saw. I have not set on which one of these to get beyond a 12 inch though if I go this direction.

Still..maybe I would be better served to work with these tools and get something I do not have like a jointer or a planer.

I am planning on building some cabinets and bookcases as well as picture frames in the near future.
Space is also somewhat of a premium as I work out of my garage.
I know that I will eventually upgrade some more but it is unlikely that much more will happen before I start the cabinets and frames.

So I need the advice of some people who know more about this than me.
If you were in my position, what tool would you find most invaluable?
What direction would you go?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[TexasTimbers]

This could be a can of worms but I'll step off in it.

You answered my first question "What are you wanting to build". Since you said cabinets, bookcases, and picture frames I will base my suggestions on that alone.

Cabinet work means you'll be working with sheet stock. your table saw is not going to be up to the challenge in its' present form. But you sound like you are on a strict budget too so let's keep the table saw and upgrade the fence, and build large infeed, outfeed, and side tables to accomodate the 4'x8' plywood you'll be cutting. Instead of doiung this you could also consider buying the Festool panel cutting system for far`less than what a new table saw would cost, and for probably the same as the fence upgrade and material and labor cost of adding all those infeed/outfeed/side tables because you need to use melamine or something as slick to get good results anyway. So there you have two choices for your tablesaw dilemma.

Since you didn't buy a new table saw and might have a little dough left over, you might be better off to buy at least a good benchtop planer before you replace your miter saw. If you will roll up your sleeves you can almost certainly fine tune that delta miter saw to cut accurate angles which are absolutely imperative to make pro grade picture frames.

You can edge joint your stock with your router and a straight edge so skip the jointer for now. You can also make a planer bed which will get your stock flat enough for bookshelves or anything else you might tackle.

These are my initial thoughts subject to change based on your response and further clarification.

 

[lottathought]

Thanks Texas Timbers.
This helps a lot.

I know that to do better quality work I will need better tools.
I just was not sure what was most crucial though.

 

[Jeremy E]

Working on a budget, I think that versatility is a key consideration. Which tools are you most comfortable with using in the greatest variety of ways?

For me, it's the table saw and a router. There aren't alot of cuts you need to make to do the type of work you've described that you can't do nicely on a table saw. I've heard nice things about that Bosch, but if portability isn't an issue, why not go with a cabinet or hybrid saw? Gizzly and Craftsman make some nice machines in your price range. Check them out. Throw in a basic benchtop router table you can mount your current router to.

I have a friend who goes through $100 table saws like potato chips. He keeps a 24 tooth blade on his saw, and just uses it to get close with his cuts. He finishes everything with a jointer, which he uses like a paint brush. He cuts tapered legs, rabbets, you name it, on his jointer. Not my style, but that's my point. What can you use to its maximum potential?

For what it's worth, I wouldn't worry right yet about upgrading your miter saw. A nice miter saw does just that. It make nice miters. It's also handy to crosscut bookshelf sides and shelves, but you can do all that with other tools as well. I'd rather drop $400-$600 on the table saw.

Go buy some tools! You can get analysis paralysis researching all this on the web. 300 opinions on 300 different saw blades doesn't produce a single picture frame. Happy hunting!

 

[send_it_all]

easy answer.....table saw. dont skimp on the fence.

 

[lottathought]

Thanks guys,
And it seems that there are some updates in this area.
Texas Timbers was correct in that I am working with a budget.
The budget was originally set because I am getting a Birthday present.
(Wife wanted to get me a tool as a gift.)

She had not actually signed on to a garage makeover..(as she put it)
Basically, she wants to know that I am going to actually use these tools and they will not just sit in the garage.

We got to talking yesterday however and she did admit that I seem to be spending more time in the garage as time goes on.
So I might have a few more tools in my near future. :thumbsup:


And, as luck would have it, I was in Costco yesterday and happened to stroll over to the tool isle.
They had a section of saw blades.
Whatever I am going to do...saw-wise, I do know that I am going to have to supply it with saw blades.

One thing that I have read over and over again is that a good quality blade is VERY important.
I am just not sure how to judge what a good quality blade is supposed to be just yet.
I have googled and searched for a place to get saw blade reviews but I am getting nothing.

I read that Forest and Everest are the tops.
I am just wondering if they are the only "good" blades out there.

For example..in Costco, they had a 12", titanium coated blade with 100 teeth.
It was from Nicholson and it was part of the Predator series.
(I am thinking that Nicholson is part of Cooper tools.)

Now I realize that a 12" blade will not fit my 10" saw.
But..it got me to thinking. What specs do you look for on a saw blade?
-Is it a general rule that the more teeth, the cleaner the cut?
-Is a titanium coating actually better or just a marketing tool?
-What exactly seperates the 100+ dollar blade from this 40 dollar blade?
-What are the names to look for and what are the names to avoid?
-Do you always want the most teeth possible or are there different teeth for different jobs?
-How long can I realistically expect a blade to last?


I know I am asking a lot of basic questions. I just do not really know where I can go and not suspect that the salesman is only trying to sell me something in his stock.

 

[Daveb]

Here's my 2c based on my own experience.

The first major tool I bought was a big table saw (on wheels). I have not been disappointed. It's the cornerstone of my small shop. Slowly, I have added new specialty blades and other shop tools.

If you get a large saw with a good fence and a wide infeed table, you can do most anything. A nice blade will give fairly good edges for joints without a jointer. A dado blade makes nice rabbets for cabinets - but you can make jigs to cut rabbets without a dado blade.

Without a nice table saw or other panel cutter, you will always be trying some other way to compensate.

Also, a wide infeed table provides a nice surface for glue-up and other light bench needs. I have a very small space, so I wheel the saw to the middle of the room and use the table on many occasions.

Regardless, half the fun is making do with what you have an enjoying the time in the shop. I also like the good ideas suggested above.

 

[solidwoods]

Maybe a combo jointer/planer.
Who makes that one? Hitachi? or Makita?? Tan color,,
They have been around 15yr or so and I don't know if they are still made. I think 6" jointer and 12" planer.
I'm an 8" jointer min. fan though. Maybe a portable 12" to go with it. A portable 12" planer can be put on a sliding shelf and stowed under a cabinet.
jim

 

[Nancy Laird]

What to buy?????

A good table saw would be my choice for the first major tool (It was when I started my shop). I got a Unisaw and have not regreted it at all. Presently there is a smokin' deal on Steel City Tool Works Table Saws. Their 35-623 Deluxe Table Saw w/50" Industrial Fence is on special for $1,199.99.

Take a close look at this one as it is a great table saw.

 

[Nancy Laird]

One thing that I have read over and over again is that a good quality blade is VERY important.
I am just not sure how to judge what a good quality blade is supposed to be just yet.
I have googled and searched for a place to get saw blade reviews but I am getting nothing.

I read that Forest and Everest are the tops.
I am just wondering if they are the only "good" blades out there.

Don't stick just with the Forrest blades. Freud makes some very good blades, but our preference is for Everlast. As far as we are concerned, those are the best on the market when you can find them--they are a little shy :icon_smile: .

Nancy

 

[coffeetime]

Might want to check and see if you have a good local saw sharpening shop. Most I've ran into are retired wood workers of some sort. These guys usually know there stuff about the different types of blades. A good one can tell you what to buy and what to avoid. Your going to want a good sharpening shop anyway, so this is a chance to check one out and maybe learn a little in the process.

Mike