pds@tove.UUCP (Dave Stotts) (10/24/85)
I am thinking about purchasing a planer for my woodshop. I have several rooms in my house to finish off, and I think that I can save enough money planing rough lumber down to siding to make the cost of the planer low enough to justify in the short term. So I wonder if any of you woodworkers out there have a planer now that you are pleased with that you would tell me about... or if you have one you are not pleased with, tell me why it is no good. Here's another topic for discussion... which power tool is more useful to you as a woodworker...a table saw, or a band saw? Table saws are more often the first tools purchased for a shop, but several articles I have read in Fine Woodworking on setting up a shop have recommended buying a band saw first, as it is more versatile (resaws lumber) and its work less easily duplicated by other tools. Any opinions? Dave Stotts Univ. of Maryland Computer Science
lwc@mgweed.UUCP (Larry Ciesla) (11/01/85)
Dave Stotts writes: > > > I am thinking about purchasing a planer for my woodshop. I have several > rooms in my house to finish off, and I think that I can save enough money > planing rough lumber down to siding to make the cost of the planer low > enough to justify in the short term. So I wonder if any of you woodworkers > out there have a planer now that you are pleased with that you would tell > me about... or if you have one you are not pleased with, tell me why it is > no good. > > Here's another topic for discussion... which power tool is more useful > to you as a woodworker...a table saw, or a band saw? Table saws are more > often the first tools purchased for a shop, but several articles I have read > in Fine Woodworking on setting up a shop have recommended buying a band saw > first, as it is more versatile (resaws lumber) and its work less easily > duplicated by other tools. Any opinions? > > Dave Stotts > Univ. of Maryland Computer Science I have had a band saw for about two years now, and wonder how I ever did without it. But the bandsaw has a number of limiting factors that make it unusable in some situations - try to cut a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood in half with one! Bandsaws and table saws each can do certain operations that cannot be done on the other. Since many of the cuts done with a bandsaw might be done with a hand held scroll saw, or even an old fashion coping saw, I would opt for the table saw first. Of course, one could argue that the operations done with a table saw could also be done with handheld saws, and so why not get a band saw first. As for myself, my first saw was a radial arm saw. Now, we could easily get into the discussion - which is better? The radial arm saw or the table saw!! One thing is certain, though, which ever you buy. Buy the best quality tool you can afford, and have fun! Larry Ciesla
armstron@opus.UUCP (Joe Armstrong) (11/04/85)
>Dave Stotts writes: >> Here's another topic for discussion... which power tool is more useful >> to you as a woodworker...a table saw, or a band saw? Table saws are more >> often the first tools purchased for a shop, but several articles I have read >> in Fine Woodworking on setting up a shop have recommended buying a band saw >> first, as it is more versatile (resaws lumber) and its work less easily >> duplicated by other tools. Any opinions? >> >> Dave Stotts >> Univ. of Maryland Computer Science In answer to the question above I say a table saw. Of course this all depends on what kind of woodworking you do. I do a lot of ripping of both hard and soft woods. My first saw was a radial arm saw because of its diversity. Like others, however, I came to realize that it was the most dangerous tool in my shop. I have since gotten a table saw and my next major purchase will be a band saw. My radial arm saw has been retired to a crosscut saw as I value all of my fingers dearly. Just to keep the ball rolling, how about some suggestions on buying a good bandsaw - models, sizes, etc. Any recommendations on where to buy from? Has mailorder worked for anyone? Joe Armstrong ...!nbires!armstron