# Table saw, planer, and jointer on a budget



## kyumanaz (Oct 31, 2008)

I am a disabled veteran, trying to supoport a family of 5, and set up a shop. I am looking to spend under $1,000 on a tablesaw, and want to stay under $1,000 for the jointer and planer combined. Any suggestions?


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## BHOFM (Oct 14, 2008)

That shouldn't be a problem.

What are you going to be doing? Building?

Is this to make extra money or hobby?

A trip to Lowes is the place to start.

Makita table saw, Delta planer and jointer, pretty good
stuff and all should be less than a grand.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

You should be able to purchase all the above for a lot less that a total of $2000. 

As BHOFM asked, what are you planning to do? If this is how you are going to be making your living than you may want to use one set of criteria. If this is going to be for home projects than other factors may be used.

Personally, I would go into Sears and look at the Craftsman tools. All of my larger, and most smaller, power tools are Craftsman and I am very pleased. Lowes and Home Depot (HD) can also outfit you for under $2000. 

Good luck and welcome aboard. What branch of the service were you in? I am retired Air Force.

George


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

You should be able to squeeze a router or maybe a dust collector into your budget for that price if you're careful. Lowes, HD, Sears, or even Grizzly can set you up if you time the sales right. Buying used is another viable option to maximize your purchase power. 

There's currently a 25% promotion called Microsoft Cashback through their search engine called Live.com. You can save 25% per transaction up to $200 per. Grizzly has several items available on Ebay, and even if they don't have what you want, it's possible to contact their Ebay team and have them list what you want so you can get the discount. If you have 220v, you can buy a 3hp industrial Grizzly G1023SL tablesaw for ~ $855 delivered after discounts. 

Here's how it works (there are no significant strings and the savings are real). The Cashback discount is currently 25%. You need to originate a search though Live.com that results in an Ebay hit that shows the "Live Search Cashback" symbol






. Search words "chisels", "coffee", "Wii", "laptop", or "coins" work for me just about every time. It doesn't matter what you search for initially, as long as it results in a hit that has that symbol that links you to Ebay.

Then enter Ebay thru the link from your Live.com search. You should see the "Microsoft" Cashback banner at the top of the page






. Once you've got that banner, that session and the stated discount is valid for 60 minutes....after an hour you can repeat the process to refresh it. Now you can search Ebay for any item you want, but it must be listed as a "Buy It Now" item, and they must accept PayPal as payment, and you must pay using PP. You'll see the Cashback banner at every step of the checkout process right up to confirming the purchase, so you'll know what your saving. Note that the discount is subject to change without notice. 30% is as high as I've seen it. You're allowed up to 12 cashback transactions per Ebay account...each transaction has a cap of $200. You might even check your emails for a 10% Ebay coupon that can be stacked!

Once you make the Buy It Now purchase, you'll receive an email from the MS Cashback folks stating that you've earned Cashback. It'll provide a link to set up a "Live ID" account with Microsoft. Your cashback will be available after 60 days, at which time you'll get another email with a link where you can request your payment. It typically goes straight to your PayPal account but I've read where others requested a check. 

Good luck!


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

This all depends on your shop space, and what you want to do with it... What level of equipment you are wanting. But an example here would be.

#1. Ridgid TS3550 lightly used as seen on Houston Craigslist recently. $225.00 (The TS3550 / TS3650 are well regarded contractors type saws).
#2. Ridgid 13" planer. $299.00 new, I have seen the same model that is currently in store going new in box on Craigslist for $175.00. 
#3. Rockwell Delta 8" planer, again Craigslist. These come up pretty often. $350.00 or so. 

So if you shop used, you have spent less than half your budget, get a good router, router bits, and some sort of dust collection with the remaining $$...


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## steve mackay (Oct 5, 2008)

For two grand ? Craftsman or Griz. Lotsa plastic on Craftsman though. Better construction on Griz.

By the way . . . thank you for your service ! If your going to make $ on the enterprise I've found theres lots of funding available for us "semi-broken" GIs. And not just loans but grants and such. You've probably got dynamite connections for selling if you play them right.


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Actually, in the grand range, the Craftsman saws that are out there are Steel City hybrids with different labels aren't they?

And I never noticed he mentioned about being a veteran... Sorry about being late to the party O.P., but thank you...


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Lots of people on here "set a lot of store" by craigslist.

Craigslist is only good as a real shopping alternative for people living in or near large population areas. Here in the Florida Panhandle you could go years looking for a decent shape piece of large woodworking equipment. I would expect that at least 2/3 of the people in this country would have the same experience.

George


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Maybe, but Yuma isn't that far from Phoenix or Tucson. The right saw would be worth a drive...

You have a good point though, so let's talk new.

Ridgid TS3660 $549.00 (Home Depot). 
Ridgid Planer $369.00 without stand, $399.00 with.
Grizzly GO586 8" jointer $791.50

Just FWIW, a jointer is kind of debatable. If you have a planer and a table saw, there are some techniques that you can use for jointing without a jointer. Go to Youtube and search for Wood Whisperer, he has a video called the Jointers Jumpin where he shows alternative jointing methods. Your money might be way better spent on a good router, bits, and a table.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

steve mackay said:


> For two grand ? Craftsman or Griz. Lotsa plastic on Craftsman though. Better construction on Griz.
> 
> By the way . . . thank you for your service ! If your going to make $ on the enterprise I've found theres lots of funding available for us "semi-broken" GIs. And not just loans but grants and such. You've probably got dynamite connections for selling if you play them right.


Steve - The only significant plastic on the bigger Sears hybrids made by Orion/Steel City is the motor cover, which is same material used for the Delta Unisaw's cover.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

knotscott said:


> Steve - The only significant plastic on the bigger Sears hybrids made by Orion/Steel City is the motor cover, which is same material used for the Delta Unisaw's cover.
> View attachment 5340


I have recently looked at that saw in Sears and it is VERY NICE. The only fault that I could find with it was that there is no T slot track in the fence. Personally I look at Rigid and Ryobi as something I would buy if I did not have the funds to purchase a Craftsman.

George


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## kyumanaz (Oct 31, 2008)

I want to find something to make extra money on the side. I thought of aderondak furniture, but I take too long, and by the time I finished it looked like an indoor piece. I currently have a Rigid 10" miter saw, Bosch fixed and plunge base router kit, Bosch jig saw, Dewalt corded drill, and some hand tools. I have thought about making signs to start, but I would love to build custom doors, or remodeling. I worked with my father in construction while I was in school, and did some remodeling. I need extra income, but I know that I have to re-learn much, and ease my way back into it. :thumbsup:


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## steve mackay (Oct 5, 2008)

Got to re-think'n the Craftsman cabinet so pulled up that prifesional jobber. 'Bout, what, 1,200 with shipping ? Dug out my Griz book just for fun . . .'bout 900 with shipping. And I won't have to buy those wondefull extended "maybe, maybe not" warrantees. Guess it comes down to the individual tastes and trusts.


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

GeorgeC said:


> I have recently looked at that saw in Sears and it is VERY NICE. The only fault that I could find with it was that there is no T slot track in the fence. Personally I look at Rigid and Ryobi as something I would buy if I did not have the funds to purchase a Craftsman.
> 
> George


To each their own I guess. Quite a few TS3650s and TS3660s are out there, as well as Ryobi BT3000 and BT3100s. Their owners are an unusually dedicated lot. No they are NOT cabinet saws, and if the grunt of a pro cabinet saw is what you determine the value of a saw by, you will never like them. I personally own a Ryobi BTS-21, and have gotten used to the sliding miter table. It cuts oak and pecan just fine with the right blade, typically a Freud 40T General Purpose blade, and a Zero Clearance Throat plate (had to shop build one, no big deal.)

Heck the BT3x00 is such a popular saw (Along with its Craftsman brothers) that there is a dedicated forum (much more active than this one BTW) that sprung up around that saw...

If you are running a one guy shop, even doing small run production work, that BT is still a pretty nice saw, with a lot of very high end features for a reasonable price. Of course to buy one new you would have to grab a Craftsman 21829 (Join Craftsman Club and wait for a sale to get the price back around $400.00).


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## kyumanaz (Oct 31, 2008)

*brands*

I have looked more, I found a Delta at Lowes for 600 after buying the fence seperate. Lowes now has the lower end Delta planer, joiner, drill press, and band saw. For about 2,400 you can buy them all. I have the Grizzly catalog, and I like their equipment as well. Sorry, but I couldn't ever go Hitachi or Ryobi. Though made overseas, the bucks stay here. I grew up using a 54 Craftsman saw in my dad's shop, and I feel the weight is important as well as price. Does anyone out there have the Delta or Grizzly 12" planer or 6" joiner? How do they perform/ ease of use? Thank you. After being out of things so long, it is hard to throw the money down on a possible dissapointment. I know that I will expect heavy, accuracy, and power after using an old saw for so many years, and I don't want a suprise after I spend the money that is so hard to come by. If I had never known old school "American" machines, I would not have expectations. When we moved my dad's shop to Pennsylvania, it took 6 guys to move his old 50's Delta lathe, and 4 to move the table saw. They also run on the original motors, after being run hard for over 50 years.

:tank: Thank you all, TANK.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> I have looked more, I found a Delta at Lowes for 600 after buying the fence seperate. Lowes now has the lower end Delta planer, joiner, drill press, and band saw. For about 2,400 you can buy them all. I have the Grizzly catalog, and I like their equipment as well. Sorry, but I couldn't ever go Hitachi or Ryobi. ...
> 
> :tank: Thank you all, TANK.


That Delta 36-980 is a good tool IMO and a good choice for new in that price range. Delta offers at least three 6" jointers...the benchtop models in general offer a mixed bag for anything other than small pieces. They're also very loud and not overly solid. The larger JT360 is a functional 6" jointer...it has few advantages over a Griz 6", Ridgid 6", or Craftsman in the $350-$400 price range but is solid nonetheless. Neither of the planers you mentioned have cutterhead locks and will be more prone to snipe. After s/h, the 12" Griz offers no advantage over the competition in this case. I'm sure the Delta DP is fine, but I've been so impressed with my inexpensive Harbor Freight 13" DP (38142), that I've got to at least give it a plug...powerful, quiet, smooth, good quill travel, and was on sale for $144....it has far exceeded expectations and will be tough to beat in that price range.

Did you consider the possibility of buying Grizzly items on Ebay with the current MS Cashback 25% deal? 

Good luck!


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## kyumanaz (Oct 31, 2008)

Yes, I will probrably go with the Grizzly planer and Joiner. I want to buy the lower end Delta tablesaw, bandsaw, and drill press at Lowes. like 1,400 for all three. As with most, it depends on how work goes. I have been fighting the VA for almost 2 years now, so if I get the win, the back pay will be nice. It is messed up when the VA doctors are astonished that I am rated such a low percentage, but when you put in to be re-evaluated it gets denied. I have messed up ankles, both knees and hip needs replaced, ruptured disk in back, partial paralisys in my left hand, and I am only rated at 60%. That is why I am looking so hard to get the best I can for as little as possible. I have medical issues and my VA hospital is 200 miles away. This means I miss work, and pay. No regrets in my 8 years in the army. I was a tanker, and we are the gods of the battlefield.

:tank:


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

You might want to double check the Hitachi, Grizzly, etc... thing if made in the U.S. is important to you. To get U.S. made tools, you will pay mucho $ more, but generally get far superior steel, cast iron, etc.. And if made in U.S.A. is important, you will be writing Delta, Grizzly, etc... off. However Hitachi has tool plants here in the U.S. Take a look at the country of origin stamp on the floor models, you'll be surprised. My Hitachi KM12VC has a U.S. production stamp on it.

It sounds like you want a Contractors or Hybrid type saw with a cast iron top. So the BT with its aluminum won't cut it for you. Take a good look at the Hitachi C10FL, being produced by Hitachi Koki U.S.A. Inc, is actually U.S. built. (please verify on the stamp on the machine.).


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## Wood Hack (Feb 26, 2008)

*Go Grizzly*

I would go with Grizzly for all three will be your best bang for your buck.

Grizzly G0661 Riving Knife Contractor Saw Tablesaw $821.50 with freight included

Grizzly G0586 8" Jointer $741.50 with freight included

Grizzly G0453 15" Planer $795.50 with freight included

With the Live Cashback this comes to $2,159.62 Delivered

You could go with a benchtop planer and a 6" Jointer to stay well under but I would buy that saw for sure.

*Thank you for your service to our great country.:thumbsup:*


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