New to woodworking - table saw advice

[AZ Engineer]

Here is an interesting candidate for a planer.
https://cleveland.craigslist.org/tls/d/m...37971.html

[jteneyck]

Congrats on milling your own wood.  I, too, mill much of the lumber I use.  It's a very rewarding activity, but recognize that the lumber you get is not likely to be nearly as straight and true as what you buy from a commercial supplier.  As such, you really, really, really need a jointer and a planer to get it flat before taking it to the tablesaw.  OK, you can make it flat and parallel with hand planes, too, that's how it was done before machines were invented, but you'll tire of that fun after a few boards.  

With twisted or cupped stock you can't easily get by with just a planer, either.  You need a jointer to get one surface flat.  As has been said, wider is better.  I'd never be happy with anything less than 8" wide.  I have a 14" jointer/planer it doesn't seem too wide now that I've had it a couple of years.  But 8" is fine for many people and a lot easier to come by though not as easy as a 6".  But seriously, I'd pass on one of those.  The one place I would compromise is on a planer.  I could get by just fine with a 12" lunch box planer if I had to, and it would be a good paring with an 8" jointer.  

As has been said, by old, used if you can, Unisaw, Powermatic, General, or one of the European combo machines.  New is nice, sometimes, but used is a much, much better bang for your buck.  Look for a hobbiest selling his machines. Stay away from equipment from commercial/industrial shops.  And look for a used bandsaw, too.  You're going to need one.  What order to buy machines?  Whichever one comes along first at a good price.  Yes, it would nice to have a tablesaw first, but if you first see a jointer or a bandsaw for a good price buy it.  

John

[nmazzino]

I was actually just looking at that Powermatic 100 in person. Hopefully in the future I can get something like that. Getting started all at once is very expensive. 

I did see a Unisaw near me but said it was pre 1940 so I was uneasy about purchasing something that old. 

I have began reading a few books from the library and talked to a local gentleman that works in a wood shop store and he mentioned the same thing about using 2-4" planks and gluing them together to help with warping and the moisture. 
That multiple thickness rule is a helpful to have. Thank you for sharing. I will be ordering that book.

[nmazzino]

Here is an interesting candidate for a planer.
https://cleveland.craigslist.org/tls/d/m...37971.html

I actually contacted this guy a day or two ago. I am out of town with work currently and was not able to to get it before he needed to move. 
That seemed like a great deal tho!

[Large Wooden Badger]

I was actually just looking at that Powermatic 100 in person. Hopefully in the future I can get something like that. Getting started all at once is very expensive. 

I did see a Unisaw near me but said it was pre 1940 so I was uneasy about purchasing something that old. 

I have began reading a few books from the library and talked to a local gentleman that works in a wood shop store and he mentioned the same thing about using 2-4" planks and gluing them together to help with warping and the moisture. 
That multiple thickness rule is a helpful to have. Thank you for sharing. I will be ordering that book.

actually the older unisaws are better in my opinion.  Mine is of that vintage and I sold a newer one when I got it.

[nmazzino]

Congrats on milling your own wood.  I, too, mill much of the lumber I use.  It's a very rewarding activity, but recognize that the lumber you get is not likely to be nearly as straight and true as what you buy from a commercial supplier.  As such, you really, really, really need a jointer and a planer to get it flat before taking it to the tablesaw.  OK, you can make it flat and parallel with hand planes, too, that's how it was done before machines were invented, but you'll tire of that fun after a few boards.  

With twisted or cupped stock you can't easily get by with just a planer, either.  You need a jointer to get one surface flat.  As has been said, wider is better.  I'd never be happy with anything less than 8" wide.  I have a 14" jointer/planer it doesn't seem too wide now that I've had it a couple of years.  But 8" is fine for many people and a lot easier to come by though not as easy as a 6".  But seriously, I'd pass on one of those.  The one place I would compromise is on a planer.  I could get by just fine with a 12" lunch box planer if I had to, and it would be a good paring with an 8" jointer.  

As has been said, by old, used if you can, Unisaw, Powermatic, General, or one of the European combo machines.  New is nice, sometimes, but used is a much, much better bang for your buck.  Look for a hobbiest selling his machines. Stay away from equipment from commercial/industrial shops.  And look for a used bandsaw, too.  You're going to need one.  What order to buy machines?  Whichever one comes along first at a good price.  Yes, it would nice to have a tablesaw first, but if you first see a jointer or a bandsaw for a good price buy it.  

John

Hi John,

Yes it is a very rewarding activity! I really enjoyed it. What set up do you have for milling? This was my first time milling and I really enjoyed it. I got about 40 white oak planks and just built my first table with them. 

What are your thoughts on the Jet 10" jointer/planer combo? I have heard they are better to buy separate. But, for starting out I was considering that one. 

That is great advise on purchasing order. I have been really focused on getting the table saw first as the heart of the wood shop and could potentially miss other deals that way.

[Cooler]

The number one thing for me when I bought my contractors' table saw was that it come with a 48" fence.  Otherwise anything wider than 24" involves arithmetic.  And arithmetic is one thing I would like to avoid on my free time.

I might be inclined to get one of those saws that have the "saw stop" feature.  

Unless you are doing heavy duty cabinet work, a contractors' saw should do fine.  You can certainly get one for under $1,200.00.

Lowes shows it for $1,000.00.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Delta-15-Amp...404788-_-N

[nmazzino]

The number one thing for me when I bought my contractors' table saw was that it come with a 48" fence.  Otherwise anything wider than 24" involves arithmetic.  And arithmetic is one thing I would like to avoid on my free time.

I might be inclined to get one of those saws that have the "saw stop" feature.  

Unless you are doing heavy duty cabinet work, a contractors' saw should do fine.  You can certainly get one for under $1,200.00.

Lowes shows it for $1,000.00.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Delta-15-Amp...404788-_-N

That Detla saw looks pretty good for the price. For a starter saw and then I can have something reliable for at least a few years and still afford to get a planer/jointer.
For just being a part time hobby, I am sure that saw will be enough for my current needs.  

I just looked at the saw stop saws at a wood shop near me and they had a high end contractor one for 1500$ I was considering.

[Hank Knight]

Sometimes it's worth traveling to pick up good deals on Craigslist.

There's an older Powermatic 66 10" table saw for sale in Westerville OH for $1,150.00. It's a single phase, 220V machine that belonged to a hobbiest.

https://columbus.craigslist.org/tls/d/po...87262.html

Powermatic is one of the consistently reliable brands. They were made in the USA for a long time (don't know if they still are). Delta used to be a solid performer, but the company has been bought and a sold several times in recent years and now owned by the Chinese. Service and parts for Delta machines are simply not available from the company nowadays. Jet is a good brand and so is Grizzly, although I hear fit and finish on Grizzly machines is not on par with Jet, Powermatic etc.

You mentioned a Jet (I think it was Jet) 10" Combination jointer/planer. I have used combination jointer planers for years and have found them to be quite reliable. I had an Inca (Swiss made) 10" jointer/planer for 20 years and lived it. I had an opportunity to upgrade to a Hammer (Austrian made) 12" combo machine several years ago and I am very happy with it. Ideally, I'd love to have separate machines, but there is no room for separates in my small shop. A combination machine gives you the advantage of both necessary dressing operations (jointing and planing) in a single machine. They almost always offer greater jointer capacity than the standard jointers used in home shops - 10" (or 12" in my case) vs. 8" capacity for a Delta DJ20 or the comparable Powermatic or Jet machine commonly found in smaller shops. The trade off is a shorter table that makes dressing long boards a little more awkward. If what you're working with is in the 4' to 6' length range, you won't miss the table length; and working longer boards is not out of the question - I've done it many times.

Here's a tip for searching craigslist: Go to your local Cleveland Craigslist and key up "tools." Enter whatever tool you're looking for in the search window and search for it. After you've exhausted Cleveland, go to the location window at the upper left of the screen and click on the little arrow. That should bring up a menu of many locations in your general area of the country. Click on any city and the search will shift to that location. In a matter of minutes you can search everywhere in Ohio and neighboring states. I found the Powermatic 66 in Westerville this way.

Good luck with your new adventure.

Hank

[nmazzino]

Sometimes it's worth traveling to pick up good deals on Craigslist.

There's an older Powermatic 66 10" table saw for sale in Westerville OH for $1,150.00. It's a single phase, 220V machine that belonged to a hobbiest.

https://columbus.craigslist.org/tls/d/po...87262.html

Powermatic is one of the consistently reliable brands. They were made in the USA for a long time (don't know if they still are). Delta used to be a solid performer, but the company has been bought and a sold several times in recent years and now owned by the Chinese. Service and parts for Delta machines are simply not available from the company nowadays. Jet is a good brand and so is Grizzly, although I hear fit and finish on Grizzly machines is not on par with Jet, Powermatic etc.

You mentioned a Jet (I think it was Jet) 10" Combination jointer/planer. I have used combination jointer planers for years and have found them to be quite reliable. I had an Inca (Swiss made) 10" jointer/planer for 20 years and lived it. I had an opportunity to upgrade to a Hammer (Austrian made) 12" combo machine several years ago and I am very happy with it. Ideally, I'd love to have separate machines, but there is no room for separates in my small shop. A combination machine gives you the advantage of both necessary dressing operations (jointing and planing) in a single machine. They almost always offer greater jointer capacity than the standard jointers used in home shops - 10" (or 12" in my case) vs. 8" capacity for a Delta DJ20 or the comparable Powermatic or Jet machine commonly found in smaller shops. The trade off is a shorter table that makes dressing long boards a little more awkward. If what you're working with is in the 4' to 6' length range, you won't miss the table length; and working longer boards is not out of the question - I've done it many times.

Here's a tip for searching craigslist: Go to your local Cleveland Craigslist and key up "tools." Enter whatever tool you're looking for in the search window and search for it. After you've exhausted Cleveland, go to the location window at the upper left of the screen and click on the little arrow. That should bring up a menu of many locations in your general area of the country. Click on any city and the search will shift to that location. In a matter of minutes you can search everywhere in Ohio and neighboring states. I found the Powermatic 66 in Westerville this way.

Good luck with your new adventure.

Hank

Hi Hank, 

That is a great find and almost exactly like something I was looking for! I am going to contact the seller. I really would love a Powermatic. Thank you for that. And that is a good Craigslist tip, I did not know that. 

What saw do you currently have and your opinion on it?

I have heard some bad reviews from folks at a local woodworking store on Grizzly. I am not sure if that is just because they do not sell Grizzly there. But, I have also read some bad reviews on forums. So, I am little hesitant to go with Grizzly. 

Yes a Jet 10" combination jointer/planer is what I was looking at. It is the JJP-10BTOS B3NCH 10in. Do you have any opinions on this one? I am trying to stay around