Best tool money you've spent

[Wizard of Oz]

1987 ShopSmith Mark V, with all standard acc. plus a few extra parts. Also a bandsaw, and jointer for the Mark v. Past owner said it just keeps blowing fuses. Paid $125.00 and it turned out to be, someone changed the speed without the motor running. Runs great, and at times very handy.

Oz

[toolmiser]

I bought a 1939 four legged unisaw for $250.00, put on a coat of paint and have used it for 20 years, I guess I added a unifence and castors. I've bought most of my stationary tools used.

Flip side what was you worst tool investment?

[Handplanesandmore]

The worst was a high end dovetail jig that I never really used for any project other than sample joints. I sold it after a couple years, but it looked like new, I basically recovered the price I paid. Worst but could have been worse.

Simon

[Bill Holt]

My story is similar to "glzahn's".   The guy was going through a divorce.  Table saw w/3-1/4 router, 2 Forest WWII blades & Forrest Dado set, Jet 18" band saw, and Jet 1442 Lathe.  All for $1700.  He is a CPA and his goal was for her to get as little as possible.  Tools were less than 3 yrs old.  Their loss my gain.

[Bill Holt]

The dumbest...bought from WN S&S the biggest, badest Porter Cable dove tail jig and a few bits.  IIRC paid $600 (came with a VCR instruction tape), before I ever tried it, I learned hand cut dove tails and most likely it will never see the light of day.

I just had to have it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[packerguy®]

A number of things but my favorite being my PM66 in 2008 when they were clearing out their inventory for $1900 shipped.  

Other stuff that is super important to me and priceless to how I work now....

The spiral heads in my planer and jointer
My festool sanders and vac
CNC
Sharkguard

[JohnnyEgo]

The first true level-up purchase I ever made was when I went from my direct-drive Craftsman garbage special to a Delta Contractor's Saw:



It probably helped that I moved to a small ranch house from a second story apartment as well.

Anyways, I had nearly no money and essentially begged the manager of the Lowes to sell it to me for exactly the cash I scraped up, which was $296 dollars, about $54 and some tax less than the clearance price. He took pity on me and marked it down. The ability to safely saw 3/4" sheet goods without tipping the saw or bogging down the motor was a game changer for me 20 years ago.

Worst tool is probably every dovetail jig I've purchased to date.

[ez-duzit]

Best tool money I've spent is on the Festool TS 55 track saw.

[Enigmatic]

Best deal I ever got was a brand new, never used, Craftsman RAS. The guy I got it from paid over $900
for it. 2 months later, he was transferred to South America.
I paid $100 for it, and even got the original receipt for it.
It was still in the original box, never even opened.

[ianab]

A sawmill. 

Biggest problem is storing all the wood I've sawn.... 


And getting the time to use it to actually build things.  When you have 2 garages full of cypress, cedar(s), sheoak, and a stack of Tasmanian Blackwood drying outside... Then a friend says he's taking down another 6 Blackwood trees, and will I mill it on shares again? Well duh, this stuff is worth about the same as Black Walnut, so of course I'll do that sort of deal. 

Wood does actually "grow on trees", just getting it from the tree to the usable lumber needs a bit of machinery, or a lot of sweat. Usually both.