What next

Since you are short on room a planer might be a good idea. You can use it as a jointer with a sled to
get boards flat. Use your table saw with a good blade for jointing the edges of boards.
You will also get at least twice the width vs a jointer. It will store out of the way when not used.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I Agree with Gary, but for a different reason. I have a jointer and a planer and the jointer does not get very much use after I got a special blade from my table saw designed for smooth ripping, known as a glue-up blade. It has virtually replaced my jointer. I still use the planer a lot.

I guess it will depend on the type of stock you will use often. I seldom use anything thicker than 2 inches so the glue-up blade suits me perfectly. Also with the glue-up blade you don’t get snipe at all. As far as getting a flat edge from a board that has two irregular edges to begin with, you have to create a very simple jig for that.

-- Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and love.

Gary, Thanks for the idea. Is this how it would work: screw or double tape the board to be planed to a already flat board (mdf) and plan the top side of the subject board, once that is planed, take the sled off and plane the opposite side. I hope I got it?

Dalec

That’s it. I would use little wedges to level the board out though. Gravity and pressure from the feed rollers
will keep them in place. I would use plywood rather than MDF so that you could screw a “hook” to the
front edge of the sled. This hook would be thicker than the plywood. It will keep the board being planed from sliding off the sled.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Chamoruboy and Gary,

Thanks for the responses. Your suggestion of the planer was a bit of surprise to me, in as much as I had not thought about using a sled to the same result as a jointer. I have read about it on LJs, but had not put the two together.

You guy are great.

Dalec

Have you thought about a bandsaw?

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

another thought is the JJP-12 by Jet. Price is about $1800 but you get a tool that converts back and forth between a 12” jointer and planer in one tool. The conversion time looks to be less than 15 seconds. Pricey, I know, but if there is interest in both tools, it would something to consider.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Mot,

The band saw is near the top of the list for me. I am leaning toward the planer right now. Do you have any recommendations as far as band saw brand and model? Another purchase beyond what I am looking at now is probably another year away.

sbryan55,

$1,800 as you said is pricey. It would be nice to combine the jointer function with the planer, but the budget just doesn’t have the kind of reach.

Thanks for suggestions.

Dalec