Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes?

[measure once cut remeasure]

I've been running a mid 80s Powermatic PM66 ever since. Not one problem ever, even though dust removal is worthless, and one might expect more wear on parts.

A shark guard over blade dust collection hood is not as inexpensive as it use to be, but it is a good solution.

[Cian]

Here's my journey.  I don't know if I'd call them outright mistakes, but for me it was simply a budgetary question at the time.  I did learn quite a bit along the way to make better (or just educated) purchasing decisions down the road - thanks to many folks here.  I would take heed and avoid any of the benchtop tools though - those are arguably limited or one-time use tools almost.

First DP:

Current DP:


First jointer:

Current jointer:


First bandsaw (was actually pretty decent):

Current bandsaw:


First planer (should've kept this):

Current planer:


First TS:

Second TS (Great saw. Could've just stopped here but really wanted a cabinet saw for the dust collection):

Third TS (Realized I still needed a TS while I built my basement shop and saved up for a cabinet saw. I still have this - it's that good):

Current TS (my dream saw):


First DC (sold it before even using it):

Current DC:


Cian - adding no value whatsoever

[Lumber Yard®]

Cian has it correct... lot's of tools are purchased as "make do" tools as we build or shop into what we want it to be. We use some crappy tools along the way to get by and/or because we didn't know any better. I've just flipped them when the opportunity comes along to upgrade.

I don't have pictures of all my tools that I've used in my shop but almost every single stationary machine has been "upgraded" to some level or another. Poor tool purchases for me are the tools that don't ever get used... most of that stuff gets flipped on Ebay/CL in my shop fairly quickly because my shop is small and there isn't room to just house machinery. Again, tools purchased and used for awhile as we figure stuff out, build our tool budgets, or wait for a "gloat" purchases aren't really a mistake IMHO.

My upgrade journey for each tool type (I'm sure I missed some):

Tablesaw: Craftsman King Sealy, Craftsman Emerson Contractor saw, Unisaw
Bandsaw: 12" Skil, 14" Delta, 17" Grizzly & 18" Rikon
Lathe: HF steel frame, PSI mini, Jet 1220vs
RAS: Dewalt MBF, Dewalt GWI
Dust collector: HF 2HP, Grizzly 2HP Cyclone
Planer: 13" lunchbox, 15" Powermatic, 20" Grizzly spiral
Jointer: 6" Delta, 8" Grizzly spiral
CNC: Fireball V90, DIY 24x36 80/20 Build FLA100
Drum Sander: Jet 16/32, Grizzly dual drum 24", Jet 22/44 Osc.
Drill Press: HF Benchtop, Delta benchtop, Craftsman 17" floor
Belt sander: 3 in 1 combo, Jet 6" Osc Edge sander
Spindle sander: 3 in 1 combo, Jet Osc. Spindle
Shaper: Seco 3hp, Shop Fox 3hp, NO SHAPER decided it wasn't worth the footprint it took up.

This doesn't include portable power and hand tools or non-WW tools (ie welders, compressors, horizontal metal bandsaws etc.) which have constantly evolved in my shop to find the right level of performance vs. cost.

[Aram]

A shark guard over blade dust collection hood is not as inexpensive as it use to be, but it is a good solution.

I'm using one! Love it. 
 
 Of course it does not help with dust piles in the cabinet when using a sled, etc.

[gov.cheese]

If there's a winner, here, I'm in the running. Back in the late 80's when I was first putting together a shop I came across this:

   

8-1/4" Ryobi radial arm saw seemed like a perfect solution for a small shop. The most untunable, inaccurate, out of adjustment POS ever made.

[oakey]

a lot/most them little ryobi saws were recalled
the motors fell off during use [ kinda give a guy a heart failure] if you survived
i bought several at garage sales over the years and got 75 bucks IIRC
I still see one once i a while, I believe the recall is long gone
the motor was plastic and it failed over time causing it to fall off while cutting

[Pirate]

Freud 1700 router.
5 times Freud sent me repair parts. 3 different parts.
Then after warranty the speed control died. Bypassed and using external control.
I learned to lock height from above table, don't tighten much.
One of very few tools I've bought new.
All other tools in shop that are mostly 40+ years old just keep working.

[Murray M]

Here's my journey.  I don't know if I'd call them outright mistakes, but for me it was simply a budgetary question at the time.  I did learn quite a bit along the way to make better (or just educated) purchasing decisions down the road - thanks to many folks here.  I would take heed and avoid any of the benchtop tools though - those are arguably limited or one-time use tools almost.

First DP:

Current DP:


First jointer:

Current jointer:


First bandsaw (was actually pretty decent):

Current bandsaw:


First planer (should've kept this):

Current planer:


First TS:

Second TS (Great saw. Could've just stopped here but really wanted a cabinet saw for the dust collection):

Third TS (Realized I still needed a TS while I built my basement shop and saved up for a cabinet saw. I still have this - it's that good):

Current TS (my dream saw):


First DC (sold it before even using it):

Current DC:


Cian - adding no value whatsoever

Thanks for putting together such an interesting story. So generous! 

And nice stealth gloat: shop with hard wood floors! Cheers (from my shop with uneven concrete)!

[mdhills]

Thanks for putting together such an interesting story. So generous! 

And nice stealth gloat: shop with hard wood floors! Cheers (from my shop with uneven concrete)!

I think his real stealth gloat is the team of gnomes that come out every night to sweep that hardwood floor and brush out every crevice in the tools...

And my mind still boggles at the folks who don't use jointers.
Unless all the work is turning or plywood, seems like an integral part of the process.

For me, probably dovetail jig.  It was simple to use and worked well on one cabinet I made for shop, but I've done all others by hand since.  (I think the issue is that I don't especially like routers--light chamfers/roundovers okay, but otherwise....)


Matt

[AHill]

Buying Powermatic replacement parts when the equivalent Jet parts are about 20% cheaper - just a different color.