Hey everyone! I'm diving back into woodworking and I've started to build my collection of tools. I'm a bit confused about the best approach for jointing and planing my boards. Should I go for a hand planer, an electric hand planer, or maybe even set up a router table? What have you folks found works best for most of your projects? Just a heads up, I don't own a table saw or miter saw yet. Any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
I wouldn't bother with a miter saw; I prefer radial arm saws. You're definitely gonna want a planer, though - Dewalt's a solid choice. Down the line, a band saw might also come in handy. Just keep an eye out for good deals and individual project needs!
It really depends on what kind of woodworking you're planning to do. Are you thinking about using rough cut lumber, or will you be working with sheet goods? If you're building furniture, hand tools might also be part of your workflow. Knowing your project goals can help decide the tools you'll need.
Honestly, I recommend getting a table saw and a miter saw before worrying about planers or jointers. They’re pretty essential for most woodworking tasks. When you do choose a planer, the Dewalt models are super popular and reasonably priced. But you might find that you can get by without a jointer, especially starting out. Focus on those saws first!