I'm working on expanding my woodworking tool collection and have a budget of about $700. Currently, I have a table saw, miter saw, plunge router, circular saw, oscillating sander, spindle sander, and jigsaw. I'm considering whether I should invest in a planer, a jointer, or even a router table next. I plan to start making more cutting boards but eventually want to tackle furniture projects. What do you think I should prioritize?
3 Answers
If I were you, I'd grab a planer first. It's really one of the best investments I've made in my workshop. A jointer is great but a planer will give you more versatility. Just make sure you have the ability to build a router table yourself to save some cash!
Seriously consider your project roadmap! A good router table can function like a jointer. With $700, you could snag a solid Milwaukee router and a nice table. I just scored a DeWalt 735x planer for $600 during a sale. Plan ahead and you might find similar deals!
I definitely recommend going for a planer. You don’t really need a jointer unless you’ve got a planer. A router table is a nice addition, but the planner is more critical for your projects. If you keep your budget in check, you can get a decent benchtop router table in addition to the planer.