What machine to buy next

[tibi]

I was a hand-tool-only guy when I started woodworking, but due to time constraints (my wife does not want to wait forever for new furniture and I do not want to spend so much time in the workshop to get things done), I have decided to introduce some machines into my workflow. I think I have a complete set of hand tools to produce any furniture without electrons ( except some specialty tools).

I have recently bought Record Power Sabre 350 bandsaw and I am just waiting for arrival of Felder Hammer A2-26 jointer/thickness planer.

I have a 3,6x3,6 m workshop. My question is what machine(s) as a hand tool guy would I benefit the most as my next purchase and would help me speed up the process? I am considering a Bosch plunge router and trim router, Record Power drill press, and benchtop morticer. What would you choose for general furniture making as the next machine in my situation? I especially think that morticer and plunge router would cover most tasks. I still want to do most things by hand and only use machines where necessary.

Thank you.

 

[deema]

I would ditch the Record drill press and consider a Sedgwick Morticer. You can drill and mortice with it.

The two most useful bits of kit you have, dimensioning and sizing. I’d wait to see what then takes the most time. For mortice and tendon joints the only additional bit of kit would be a Multico tenoner (get one with modern blocks that can take both carbide and profile cutters). They are IMO for small spaces the best tenoner you can buy.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I think you need to define what problem your trying to solve then chose the tool to make it easier. The thing that caused me most grief was rip sawing. That’s a workout by hand. I went with a track saw as I don’t have room for a table saw and I find them a bit intimidating anyway, which then opened up the world of cabinets (sheet materials) so I then added a domino and router.

On your list if you start with rough sawn lumber the planer thicknesses is going to be the make it faster and easier tool.

 

[tibi]

I think you need to define what problem your trying to solve then chose the tool to make it easier. The thing that caused me most grief was rip sawing. That’s a workout by hand. I went with a track saw as I don’t have room for a table saw and I find them a bit intimidating anyway, which then opened up the world of cabinets (sheet materials) so I then added a domino and router.

On your list if you start with rough sawn lumber the planer thicknesses is going to be the make it faster and easier tool.

Thank you Paul,

as I wrote in my initial post, I already have a band saw and I am waiting for a jointer/thickness planer to come, so sawing and planing are covered. I also find table saws intimidating and I do not have space for one, so a table saw is out of the equation as well.

Personally, I think that I can get the most bang for the buck with a router. I can do dados/ sliding dovetails, trim edges, and also do mortices if I square the corners with the chisel. The only disadvantage is too much noise. But the router is used only for a few seconds/minutes at a time. So it is not screaming for hours. On the other hand, I do not want to make a lot of jigs, so hopefully I will be self sufficient with only a few most important ones.

 

[tibi]

I would ditch the Record drill press and consider a Sedgwick Morticer. You can drill and mortice with it.

The two most useful bits of kit you have, dimensioning and sizing. I’d wait to see what then takes the most time. For mortice and tendon joints the only additional bit of kit would be a Multico tenoner (get one with modern blocks that can take both carbide and profile cutters). They are IMO for small spaces the best tenoner you can buy.

Thank you Deema,

I have looked the Sedgwick morticer, but it is too much money (2400 € for the basic model). I would also have to import it from the UK to mainland Europe, which would cost additional money.

 

[eribaMotters]

Biscuit Jointer.

Colin

 

[TRITON]

DIY vertical panel saw. Up against a wall, takes up very little room.

 

[bourbon]

I've got a small morticer, Used it for one job. It all depends on what you want to make. You say you have hand tools, Use a pillar drill, drill out most of it and tidy up with your chisels

 

[Doug B]

My production of products really took off when I got a spindle moulder, I thought a router table was all I needed until a friend gave me an old spindle moulder which after using for a while I bought a new one & have never looked back.

That & a track saw have been such a game changer for me, my next uplift will be a CNC, I already use a friend’s but getting my own will take me to another level, I guess it just depends on what your aspirations are.

 

[Sideways]

If you don't have a router, get that first because they are incredibly versatile and solve problems that are time consuming to solve by other means. Get a good one. They are one of the most precision hand power tools and a quality router will be better balanced at 22,000 rpm, smoother to use, to plunge, with fences that move smoothly and lock rigidly.

If you haven't room for a tablesaw, your next purchase should be a tracksaw and rails. If you can afford it, mafell or festool are worth it. You will get good straight edges without fuss and with a precision you probably can't match by hand and not with your bandsaw.

After those 3 and depending on what you make, I'd vote for the biscuit jointer. I borrow a friends lamello when I need one and absolutely rate it. It's not a daily use tool for me but if I couldn't borrow one, it would be on my shopping list.

 

[thikone]

If you haven't room for a tablesaw, your next purchase should be a tracksaw and rails. If you can afford it, mafell or festool are worth it. You will get good straight edges without fuss and with a precision you probably can't match by hand and not with your bandsaw.

After those 3 and depending on what you make, I'd vote for the biscuit jointer. I borrow a friends lamello when I need one and absolutely rate it. It's not a daily use tool for me but if I couldn't borrow one, it would be on my shopping list.

I would second that. I also started with hand planes only and a workbench in my apartment.

Track saw is all I need instead of table saw. The rest I do with hand saws (and a miter saw) and a shooting plane. Works much better for me than noisy dusty circular saws (table, miter) and also more precise.

And biscuit jointer or better yet domino is a great boost. Initially I bought a hollow chisel mortiser for about the same price as domino. However, I use domino much more often now that I have both...

With routers I have limited success. They tend to create more mess in my hands than to help. But I do plan to try one in a router table. I bought Incra Wonder fence with Incra LS Positioner seven years ago. I hope I can build MFT like table with tilting rail guide for track saw and LS Positioner and Veritas Twin Screw vice that I could also use as workbench for power tools.

So, track saw + domino + dust extractor from Festool can be seen as next "big machine".

By the way, dust extractor with good filtration is my third machine. It is needed for my planer/thicknesser and for my bandsaw and also costs like one of those machines. At least ones with good filtration do cost a lot. For example, Felder RL 125 or AL-KO Power Unit 120 that I have, or any big cyclone type. If you don't have one then it is definitely your next machine, if not the first!

 

[Ttrees]

Another option is to research on every option, so the knowledge is there
should something come up locally.

A machinists pillar drill might pop up from time to time,
for the same money as a new machine of lesser quality, shouldn't be a big ask compared to more
specialized stuff, or..if even just a cheapie with some broken handles or the likes,
I got a NaeroK (ish) one for 40 pounds, pretty much the same as something competitively priced new, but perhaps has a bit more power, eager to get kitted out with some CMT forstner bits someday, but can't make me mind up to go metric or imperial, lol.

 

[Skottex]

Hello Tibi.
I have a small workshop like yours (3m x 4m) and I had to use wisely the small space I have.
This is my personal tier list:
1) Tracksaw + MFT: my main tool in the workshop. It is super versatile and it acts similarly to a small sliding table saw.
You need to couple it with an MFT style table to extract it's full potential. No need to buy the original MFT, you can do your own using some wooden fence and integrate it to your assembly table to save space.
BTW it is not a 100% precise tool, when doing miters you still need to clean the cut at the shooting-board to obtain perfect degrees.
As brand I would go for Mafell or the newest Festool one, I have the TS55 and is a pain to zero the angles.
2) medium sized Router: Not much to explain here but the reason I went for a mid-sized one it was because it is powerful enough to do most of the work and it is small enough to use it as trimmer
3) a Jointing system: I suggest the Domino and as budget alternative the Virutex AB200 doweller.
4) Router Table: I went for a cheap big router (Hikoki M12VE) and I've integrated it with the assembly/MFT table.

What I don't suggest:
-Pillar Drill: I have one but I used it only when I was building Jigs. Now that I do only hardwood projects it is there accumulating dust.
-Mitre saw: again very useful for jigs or frames and for sizing stock I'm using the jigsaw. If you really need one, because of your projects, I suggest to look for a second hand cast-iron one, like OMGA T55 or t50, which are really precise