# Top 5 Must Have Stationary Tools for Your Workshop



## bali_carpenter (Nov 21, 2009)

I'm asked, all the time, "What's the first tool I should get?" My tongue-in-cheek answer is "A credit card with a high limit." But since people really do want advice on tool purchases, I've developed "George's Top 5 List." It's important to understand that this is my list of preferred tools, and there will be no shortage of woodworkers who will disagree with my choices. Cool. This is America. Freedom of choice and all that. Let's not get into an argument over it. The Guild is all about passing along information, so feel free to submit your Top 5 list. Can't wait to see it.

1.*Table saw:* I don't think there will be much argument here. A table saw is at the heart of most shops, and can't be beat for ripping, crosscutting, and a gazillion types of joinery. The only real question is what type of saw is best for you. In large part that's a question only your checkbook can answer.

2.*Router table:* This might be where the fisticuffs start. Why a router table as my second choice? It's so versatile. With the right fence set up I can edge joint boards, like I could on a jointer. (No, you can't face joint, but I'll live with that for now.) I can make any number of joints, create doors, and profile edges. I can remove the router and use it hand-held for work at my bench. A good router table simply provides lots of bang for the buck.

3.*Surface sander:* This boils down to a question of sander versus planer. If I can only have one, I'd rather have the sander. With an aggressive abrasive I can plane wood, although it will be slower than a planer. The real pay off is when I put a fine abrasive on the machine and finish sand pieces before assembling projects. I love being able to send large slabs of wood through the sander, pieces that wouldn't fit in a planer. Early on in my professional cabinetmaking days I saw the benefit of putting assembled face frames and doors through a sander. What a time saver!
4.*Band* saw: I use my band saw a lot. I've got a sled I use for crosscutting tiny pieces, like I'd use for pen turning. Big blades go on when I'm cutting fireplace logs into usable lumber for my woodworking. The band saw is a great way to cut tenons, and I've even mastered cutting through dovetails on the band saw. Another extremely versatile tool.

5.*Lathe:* This choice may raise some eyebrows. I'm just preaching the turning gospel here. I love working on the lathe. From pens to green-wood-natural-rim bowls, I can't get enough. You can take a lathe project from start to finish in an evening, which isn't possible with most "flat" woodworking. My kids all started turning at a very young age. With the right project selection the lathe is a great way to introduce kids to woodworking. The lathe is my opportunity to depart from "standard" woodworking, and have some fun in the shop.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*OK, Let's see....*

1. Table saw 
2. Bandsaw
3. Planer
4. Router table
5. Compound Sliding Miter Saw
5. Jointer
5. Dust collector
5. Drum sander/Wide belt sander
5. Drill press
5. Metal Lathe 
5. Mig welder.....:blink: bill


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## Gorp (Jul 17, 2009)

woodnthings said:


> 1. Table saw
> 5. Mig welder.....:blink: bill


I am one of those woodworkers that has a Mig Welder. If you get one and learn to weld it becomes priceless. 

How else can you make mobile bases.:thumbsup:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Right on brother!*



Gorp said:


> I am one of those woodworkers that has a Mig Welder. If you get one and learn to weld it becomes priceless.
> How else can you make mobile bases.:thumbsup:


LIke this: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/members/woodnthings-7194/albums/mobile-base-10-craftsman-ts/ :thumbsup::thumbsup: bill


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## Steve G. (Oct 4, 2007)

woodnthings said:


> LIke this: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/members/woodnthings-7194/albums/mobile-base-10-craftsman-ts/ :thumbsup::thumbsup: bill


Nice work there bill... I to have a welder in my shop, it's amazing the amount of things you can do with it:yes:


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## John in Tennessee (Jun 11, 2008)

*Y'all aren't eve close.*

A storage cabinet bolted to the wall and floor filled with 100's


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## Nate1778 (Mar 10, 2008)

Good list, planer and joiner would be in there in lieu of the sander and lathe, but that is me. Coarse limiting it to five is tough as can be.....


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## ponch37300 (Feb 27, 2008)

My small garage serves as a woodshop, metal shop, auto repair shop and storage and many more uses. Here is my wleder I couldn't live without.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

1. TS (no question for me)
2. Router/router table
3. Planer
4. Jointer
5. BS (DC was a close consideration)

What's a lathe? :laughing:


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## xeddog (Dec 14, 2009)

Just joined this forum and saw this. Just thought I'd add my $.01 worth.

1. Table Saw
2. Bandsaw
3. Jointer
4. Drum Sander
5. Free Standing Drill Press

I saw many other people that added a router and/or router table. But I believe the question was STATIONARY tools so a router doesn't really count. That leaves a router table. I have one built into my table saw as a wing so I did not count that either? 

Also, I did not include a planer. To me, the question imply's that a person can only get 5 tools for what ever reason. I agree with a previous post that said you can "plane" with a drum sander even though it will take a good deal longer if you need to take a lot of material off. Very difficult to sand with a planer. Also, planing highly figured wood can be problematic with a planer and is no problem with a drum sander.

Many people mentioned a Dust Collector. That was a more difficult item to leave off the list since dust collection IS a necessity. I guess it boils down to your definition of "tool". The two tools that I have found that absolutely positively MUST have dust collection are the band saw and the drum sander. The other tools make bigger chips and most of that material just drops to the floor, but the bandsaw and the sander really do make DUST that gets all over everything. If I were to bandsaw a bunch of maple and then sand it with the drum sander (and NOT use the DC), my garage would look a little dusty when I left, but if I came back in a couple of hours it would look like it snowed in there. Imagine what it would look like if I did that with bloodwood. 

But some of my other tools include (in no order except the order in which I think of them):

1. Oxy/Acetylene torch
2. Mig welder
3. 6x48 belt sander with disk
4. Planer
5. Lathes (wood and metal)
6. Jig saw
7. I still have a radial arm saw, but it is tucked in behind my wood lathe and I cannot get to it any more.
8. And lastly, believe it or not I have a sewing machine. It is an industrial walking foot machine that I use for canvas and such. It has come in quite handy a few times.

Like I said, just my penny's worth. Not bad for a garage shop huh?

xeddog


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*Air Compressor*

I am sure many of you have overlooked this puppy. It gets used so often for so many different things it has become invisable. I use it without thinking. I certainly would and actually have put it in the top 5 when I started my latest shop. Here is my priority:

1. Table saw 
2. Air Compressor
3. Drill press
4. Band saw
5. Lathe


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Just FWIW, my list is slightly different, but I don't separate some things out like the OP did...

Since we are talking stationary machines....

#1. Table saw. (Router table built into extension wing).
#2. Band Saw. 
#3. Drill Press.
#4. Lathe.
#5. Dust Collector.

There are other important machines, that at least in my experience don't really need to be stationary models. Things like Jointer, Planer, Compound Miter Saw. (I'm REALLY wanting a slider these days...).

Drill press is sort of a hit or miss thing. Some guys want a floor model jointer, and a bench top drill press. Whatever. Both types of tools are important. I opted for a floor model DP and Bench Top jointer and have been happy with the results, so far...


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

I'm not sure I like this thread... all my tools are mobile, not stationary  I guess that's not true... my large bandsaw doesn't really move anywhere. 

So that goes on the top, I guess...
Tablesaw, though like I said mine moves all over the place.
Planer, though that is also portable and usually sits on top of the tablesaw when I'm using the planer...
That's it. Everything else is a mobile/hand tool.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

#1. Table saw. (Router table built into extension wing).

#2. Dust Collector.

#3. Jointer

#4. Drill Press

Eventually....maybe....everything listed except the DC will be on wheels, too.


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## Colt W. Knight (Nov 29, 2009)

In my shop I use these the most. 
1. Table saw. 
2. Router/table 
3. planer 
4. Oscilating spindle/belt sander 
5. Band saw. 

I'd use a jointer more but mine is out of commision right now. 

I mostly build guitars and jewelry boxes.


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## mmwood_1 (Oct 24, 2007)

My top 5:
1)TS, absolutely.
2)router table for OP's stated reasons, and more.
3)jointer-it's hard to do good edge joining without it. Yes, it can be done on the router table, in a pinch, but you cannot flatten door stiles and rails with the RT like you can with a jointer, so that you can then....
4)run them through the PLANER! I have tried running figured maple through a drum sander and, sorry, but no way! With sharp blades, and very light passes, I rarely get tear out, even on figured maple. If I have panels or slabs too big for my 16" planer, I rent time on a 36" wide belt sander at another local shop. So I get to use a $30,000 sander for a fraction of the cost.
5)drill press-again, if you're doing euro hinges, good luck boring holes without a drill press.

-I went 14 years without a band saw. Rarely needed it, and when I did, rented time on one.
-Went 10 years without an air compressor. I love having it these past 6 years, but it's not in my top 5.
-TS, jointer, and planer are the only tools in my shop which could be effectively served by a dust collector, and I've never had the $$ for one. I've always used a large capacity shop vac or central vac and hooked it up to whichever one of these 3 I'm using. It's about 90% effective.

It brings to mind the question of which 5 NON-stationary tools I use most...
1)25' Stanley tape measure
2).05mm mechanical pencils
3)12" Bridge City Tool Works combo square
4)Japanese saws
5)my $18 Stanley block plane

OMG, my router, my drill, my chisels, my sharpening stones, my clamps,....

Fun post for us with slightly OCD tendencies. Making lists...


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## Gorp (Jul 17, 2009)

5 NON-stationary tools I use most...
1. Hammer.
2. Rubber hammer.
3. Nylon Hammer.
4. Sledge Hammer.
5. Chipping Hammer. For the welder of course:laughing:

:smile::smile::smile::smile:


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## b00kemdano (Feb 10, 2009)

I have a tendancy to be a stationary tool. Especially when I'm standing there wondering where in the hell I left my tape measure(s) this time. :blink:


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## Dean Miller (Jan 29, 2009)

TS is the standard answer, but I betcha the tool you touch the most is your cordless screwdriver. I would be on the way to the hardware store immediately if it broke.


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## mmwood_1 (Oct 24, 2007)

Dean Miller said:


> TS is the standard answer, but I betcha the tool you touch the most is your cordless screwdriver. I would be on the way to the hardware store immediately if it broke.


If you mean an electric cordless screw driver, I don't have one. If you mean a standard screwdriver, yeah, I use it a lot but not nearly in the top 5.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Table Saw
Router Table
Planer
Jointer
DC
Sander


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I agree, lets raise the number to 8 maybe 10?*

This is all theoretical and pretty much personal anyway, so "standards" be damned, and just get what you need as you go. I got tools I wanted, but didn't need and then I needed them later. Then I wanted better ones or more than one, so that's just how it goes. Some tools won't die, so you end up with a newer one cause you just want it. Then the old one is a backup, but you use it anyway cause you don't want to burn out or dull the blade in the new one right off....DUH?:laughing:
That's my experience anyway. :thumbsup: bill


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

I'm with mmwood on this one... I don't own an electric screwdriver of any type and I use screwdrivers as a whole far less than my other tools.


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

b00kemdano said:


> I have a tendancy to be a stationary tool. Especially when I'm standing there wondering where in the hell I left my tape measure(s) this time. :blink:


I must have at least ten tape measures placed strtegically around my shop, but it seems that every time I need one I become a stationary tool. You are not alone.

Gerry

Based on what I seem to use the most:
1 Table saw
2 CCSMS
3 Belt/disc sander
4 Drill press
5 Band saw

All subject to change, depending on my current project.

_I am currently nearing completion of my router table, so that will likely become a heavily used item when I start building raised panel cabinet doors._

_Gerry_

_I have a mig welder, but never tried using it for woodworking. [Just being cheeky]_


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