Replies

1. 
   RMillard | Dec 21, 2006 07:37am | #1

   The surface planer is the way to go. While I believe the many variations of jigs that allow the planer to be used to flatten stock, are unnecessarily time consuming, they do work; allowing the planer to function as a jointer, for flattening faces. I use a scrub plane or a portable power plane to flatten stock, and a hand plane to join/straighten edges.

   I'm somewhat of an odd ball, in that I find the jointer of limited use, and I have no desire to own one. Of course the planer is nearly useless for jointing the edges of boards, so you'll need a suitable hand plane for that.

   Rob Millard

   http://www.americanfederalperiod.com

   
   

   ---

   Edited 12/21/2006 12:06 am ET by RMillard

2. 
   ThreePuttJoe | Dec 21, 2006 07:53am | #2

   I agree with Rob that the Planer is the first to get. Although I have both, and use the jointer a lot, I also get one piece at a time, and try to buy the best that I can. Getting the planer allowed me to dimension wood. Of course it helps if it is already surfaced, but like Rob said, you can build all kinds of sleds, etc. I think the jointer opens up yet another arena for you, but going from not having a planer to having one will make a big difference in the stuff you can do. It will allow you to safely taper legs and things of that nature as well. In fact, I will be so bold as to say that the planer is further enhanced by having a jointer, but the jointer is nearly (I said nearly) worthless without a planer.

3. 
   BG | Dec 21, 2006 02:08pm | #3

   tealpete,
   I was in the same place as you and decided to go with the planer first. Rob is correct, between jigs and hand planes and a workbench I can manage most of the woods I encounter (I use a lot of donnage).
   Over the last few years, as money would allow, I've revisited the jointer decision and keep on finding other things that are more important to spend my money on...if I don't get one soon I never will.
   It is very handy, however, to have a belt sander for re-flattening large panels...my arms are just not long enough to easily use planes for these tasks.

4. 
   cadiddlehopper | Dec 21, 2006 02:39pm | #4

   Sounds as if you have a limited budget but expensive tastes, but I don't know how limited nor expensive. For around $750 you should be able to get both tools of reasonable quality. My advice is to do just that otherwise you will waste an inordinate amount of time trying to make a tool do what it was never intended to do. And what is your time worth? It could get dangerous also. Of course, you have to be satisfied with a 6" jointer and a planer without the bells and whistles. Your skill is what really makes a difference anyway. LOL!!

   BTW, get the jointer first. A jointer is considered an essential tool by the majority of machine tool woodworkers. Others get an extra thrill by using hand planes which can do a planer's job as well as a jointer's. You should spend much less time hand planing that way, too, since most stock has been removed by a machine. In case you haven't noticed, a hand plane can cost as much as a decent jointer/planer. On a budget with limited time, I can't see that the choice is difficult at all.

   Cadiddlehopper

5. 
   Knotscott | Dec 21, 2006 03:43pm | #5

   A jointer and planer work great in tandem, and they do different tasks.  The jointer flattens/straightens a face and an adjacent edge, and a planer reduces thickness and makes one face parallel to the other.  I would get the planer first if I could only get one.  With a planing sled and some tricks, you can get a planer to flatten a face, then you can straighten an adjacent edge with a TS or router if need be.  It's very difficult to get a jointer to make to faces parallel to each other at a uniform thickness... 

6. 
   Lataxe | Dec 21, 2006 05:31pm | #6

   Pete,

   If you can find one in the US, get one of these or similar:

   http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/review/review.php?id=25

   The version of the machine in the review is an older one (the version I have had for some 8 years).  The new version has cast iron tables and a redesigned fence but is otherwise identical.

   It is a great machine and does jointing of edges, planing of boards and thicknessing the result into nice, smooth planks ready for your furniture.  It's 10 inch width capacity for all operations will handle most of the planks you need to "dress".

   A jointer without a planer (or vice versa) makes little sense, which is why European manufacturers often combine them into one like this, saving you money and space.

   Lataxe.

    

1. 
   ptu | Dec 21, 2006 06:37pm | #7

   I bought a planer first, because I did a lot of work with rough cut lumber, and did not buy a jointer until much later, which was a mistake. The two machines together do so much work that other wise would be done by hand, that they are real time savers.You should be able to buy both tools for under $600, you don't need anything fancy. Both of mine are Delta, and work well.

2. 
   bww_maryland | Dec 21, 2006 09:43pm | #9

   there has to be an importing business opp for combo machines.  seems the only avail in the U.S. are the high-end ones.

   The site you ref'd had $719 ... that's pounds?  So, ~$1400 U.S.?  More expensive than my DeWALT DW735 12" planer (~$500) and Rigid 6" jointer (~$350), but not that much more and you get a 12" jointer.

7. 
   slo | Dec 21, 2006 07:40pm | #8

   It is true that every thing these two machines do can be done with hand planes .The reason to own them both is to speed up the process of flattening and squaring lumber to a uniform thickness. A planer can be used with a sled to flatten and thickness but not to square it. Squaring can still be done on other machines with jigs or with a hand plane. Ultimately having one not both is a compromise in time savings. Make sure you get one that is large enough to do what ever type work you do or you might end up replacing it. There price increases nonlinearly with size. There are reviews of the quality of the different machines all over for you to check as you narrow your choice

1. 
   tealpete | Dec 23, 2006 12:49am | #10

   Thanks for your and everone elses help . I am looking at a DeWalt 735 they seem to have good reviews Thanks again Happy holidays Pete