If you could only buy two of these....

I think you need to take into account what all you will be wanting to build and do you plan on getting more equipment at a later time. If you plan on needing to dimension your lumber to thinner stock or buying rough lumber then the DW735 is a go. I believe that the jointer is a for sure to remove the saw marks and square up your solid stock. The band saw is also a very handy piece of equipment. But if I had to decide for myself I would get the planer and the jointer. Just my two cents worth.

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

Thanks Max. Anyone else?

I would agree with Max. After the table saw, the jointer and DW 735 are the most used power tools in my shop.
Larry

-- Growing older but not up!

I would go for the Dewalt planer. That is a pretty good buy on it. The drill press would be another tool I would consider. But a jointer is a tool that I consider to be a must have. However, if I were in your situation, I would save up the rest and get a better quality jointer than the Craftsman, preferably an 8” one. I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for when it comes to tools and “it is better to cry once when you buy a tool rather than the thousand times you have to use it”.

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

funny you say that. I just heard the same quote earlier today listening to an old episode of wootalkonline. Are you saying the craftsman (orion) jointer isn’t a good jointer, or are you suggesting the size is too small? I was looking at the 8” grizzly, but 650 takes a good portion of my 1500$ budget.

I agree on the Planner. I disagree with Scott somewhat on the jointer because you can run the 8” thru the planner however, I’m not a craftsman fan. For that reason, I’d likely dismiss the jointer and wait until I could get a better brand. My point…get the planner

-- Gary, DeKalb Texas

The planer and the bandsaw. You can pick up a better used jointer for 300 or less…..

The people who have purchased the bandsaw have pretty good things to say about it. I haven’t had much luck finding owners with the jointer. I know the planer is a solid buy.

Would I be better off spending 400~ on the 6” grizzly instead of buying the craftsman jointer?

That’s a good price for the DW735. I recently got the lesser DW734 and am very happy with it, so I’m sure the 735 is the cat’s meow.

I’d get that and save the rest of your money to find a used jointer and bandsaw on craigslist or somewhere similar.

Second hand craftsman 6” jointers seem to be a dime a dozen – I got one in great shape except for some surface rust for $100. Not the best machine in the world, but it gets the job done and it allowed me to stretch my budget.

Definitely the DW735. Although I’ve had some issues with the knives nicking prematurely, others haven’t, I still stand by that planer for it’s superior smooth finish and lack of snipe. And I know for a fact DeWalt engineering is addressing the nicking issue.

I paid around that price for my DW735 but that was when it first came out, now it goes for $649 usually, that is definitely a good price. You won’t be sorry you bought it.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

Any good project has to start somewhere. And with most woodworkers this is with the jointer then the planner.

-- Odie, Confucius say, "He who laughs at one's self is BUTT of joke". http://woodstermangotwood.blogspot.com/ (my funny blog)

I wouldn’t get that jointer. Surprisingly Sears calls it a Jointer/Planer, that’s no planer in my sense of the definition of the machine. But technically I guess they can say it planes one side of a board…

If you’re set on that style/size jointer, look at Delta’s JT160, you can get it for as low as $218.

I just went and looked for Delta’s open stand 6” jointers, no where to be found, they were a staple for years and could be found for around/little over the $300 price range. Looks like B&D kabashed them, no more open stand jointers at all. No wonder Rockler was blowing them out for $199 a couple of months ago.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

13” Dewalt DW735 Planar for 480, i use mine a lot.. you can joint on a well adjusted table saw

-- It's not a sickness, i can stop buying tools anytime.

Here’s a pic of the Delta 6” jointer, JT360, a much better machine then that Sears one. Call around you might be able to find one for close to the same price as that Sears one, I’ll go out on a limb and say you’d be much happier with this Delta.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

Ragman, I have a Craftsman table saw that I have “cried” over using for many years. I am not trying to step on anyone’s toes but I just am not overly fond of Craftsman power tools. I agree with Blankman’s comment on the Sears model. I have never understood how they could possibly refer to it as a jointer/planer. I have a Powermatic 6” jointer that is about 4 years old but wish I had gone with the 8” model instead. It would have been considerably more money but it would have been worth it in my opinion.

If I had to choose between Craftsman and Grizzly products I would choose the Grizzly. One additional note I would add is that you can joint with a router, table saw or planer. Not as easily as you can with a jointer but it can be done. So that is why I would not put the jointer as a “must have” item at this stage.

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

I agree with Scott, I don’t consider Craftsman power tools at all, I do however stand by their sockets and wrenches. There was a day when Sears stuff was good, but those days are long gone. Having bought twice on large power tool purchases too many times now, because I wasn’t satisfied with the first item, I have learned not to do that anymore and scrape and save to buy that second, more expensive item, first now. It actually save money in the long run.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

I say get the 735, then watch craigslist for a quality used jointer.

-- Julian, Park Forest, IL

Just took a drive to my favorite Ace Hardware, one of four stores owned by the same family. These are big Ace Hardwares and they compete well with the BB stores like Home Depot and Menard’s which are both just down the road.

They had a JT360 on display for $369, if they have one I’m sure others will.

But, all their Delta stuff was on in-store sales for on average 1/3 off (except the jointer). So I talked to the tools manager who I know and asked why. They’re dropping the Delta line because Delta is dropping a lot of the products they sold. He said they’re going to pick up a different product line and he mentioned Jet.

It’s happening, B&D is taking Delta down.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

The only thing I have to compare against is the craftsman “zipcode” table saw, which I own, and I have been very happy with it. I don’t know how their other power tools compare, but from the sound of it, not very well. I’ll have to look around for the Delta or Grizzly jointer. The one thing that I don’t like about the Grizzly, and it’s not their fault, is I prefer to see stuff like this in person, which is a plus on the delta side (if I can find one).

If we were to speak in generalities then instead of just these craftsman models, the Dewalt planer sounds like a good buy. Would you say a jointer or the bandsaw should be the next purchase? Oh, or the drill press, which I’ve seen many posts that say it’s a “must have”.

The planer is a must have at that price, As far as the others I don’t have any experience with. You may want to save a few more pennys to pick up a better quality jointer, bandsaw,etc. The only craftsman wood working tool I own is (I hope I don’t get kicked out of LumberJocks for admitting this) a 9 inch table saw that would make a great boat anchor.

-- If at first you don't succeed...Don't try skydiving

what if you could buy all 4 for less then one?

-- http://www.furnituremann.ca/

Jointer. A jointer and planer work hand in hand to flatten and square up boards. The band saw would come after those two.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

quote “what if you could buy all 4 for less then one?”

How would that be possible?

I often read generalizations about Craftsman tools being “less than” that are not based on current models, and I really think they deprive would-be buyers of specific current information about the tools in question. The Pinto was a terrible car, but the new Mustangs sure have some appeal. Things change rapidly, and old models have little to nothing to do with current models. Sears does have some excellent stationary tools in their lineup, along with some clunkers…IMO it’s better to evaluate each tool on it’s own merits, as opposed to disregarding them due to another tool’s performance.

AFAIK, the 14” BS is made by Richen Enterprises (Rikon) and shares many parts with the Rikon, and both are well regarded tools. Their current line of stationary table saws is made by Steel City’s Orion subsidiary and are also excellent with a large generally happy following….the jointer is also made by Orion is easily as solid of a machine as the entry level Delta “Shopmaster” JT360, which has a smaller motor, open splayed leg stand, and weaker fence adjustment mechanism….both are capable tools, but I just don’t happen to think that $310 makes the Craftsman a screaming deal over a deal on the Ridgid jointer or one of the Grizzlies for not much more $...both of those tools are more substantially built than the JT360 at even money.

I’d get the planer and the BS. For dimensioning wood, the planer is very useful…that price is good, but not great. The price on the BS is very good and it’s an excellent machine. The DP and jointer are decent deals, but not quite as attractive as the other two IMO.

Well, if you buy one tool that you find not to your liking or up to your expectations are you going to take a chance and buy another only to possibly find out the same thing once again? Not that that always happens but more of a chance that it could if it happened once. I don’t tend to take another chance and that might be wrong but I don’t like to find out the hard way.

And do you take a chance because a bunch of people say it’s great? Maybe their expectations are not up to yours. People claim that some tools are great that I wouldn’t use even if you bought them for me. I’d put them on eBay though and use the money to buy something better.

I read a lot of reviews, especially when about to make a big purchase, but you can’t even believe those reviews. When was the last time you read one that said the product stunk? Never. At least in the mags. I’ve read reviews that don’t mention known flaws or problems. It’s ridiculous. That provides a disservice.

And that being said, who am I that ragman should believe me? But I was the only one to point out that the 735 has a knife nicking problem and it’s not just me experiencing and reporting that.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

BS and Planer. One can more easily joint manually and a DP although nice to have is far less essential to woodworkers IMO.

-- JMP

Seems like the bandsaw could go a long ways toward resawing material to be put through the planer. In that respect, they kind of go hand in hand.

I have quite recently “upgraded” a couple of the tools I didn’t spend enough on. My advice is to be very careful with the idea of convincing yourself you have to get 2 of them from that list. I personaly list tools in this order of importance: jointer, planer, tablesaw. Many people like the idea of the versatility of a bandsaw and I agree it has its place. But if you want to take full control of your work and buy lumber in the rough and ensure it is milled properly I think that is the correct order of tools. You have the tablesaw you say so I would suggest buying a jointer and planer. The dewalt planer I think would be a great buy. However, the jointer I would skip. I agree with those who say 8” or better , and I myself today bought a spiral cutterhead to replace the straight knives in the grizzly G0490 I have. Given the 1500 bucks you mention I would seriously consider looking at a grizzly jointer or a used jointer. Grizzly has free shipping on many right now. Good luck with your purchases, always fun to get to shop for tools!

ragman, yep but if you have a warped board the only way to make it flat is to make one side flat on a jointer then plane it to the thickness you want. If that’s not done a planer will follow that curve and you’ll have a board the thickness you want but it won’t be flat.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

BlankMan – Better off taking a good look for yourself to see how a tool is designed and made. Screen online information carefully for design and construction input…I pay very little attention to the “I love it”, “I hate it” comments….I’m more concerned how it’s made and what specifics led to their euphoria or disappointment. There are some opinions/review that I pay more attention to than others too.

Is the Craftsman 22124 bad choice compared to the nearly identical Steel City 35605 because it says Craftsman? Or was the Craftsman 1617 router anything “less than” the nearly identical Bosch 1617? Take the nameplates away and you’ve got two nearly identical tools in each case here….if one happens to be on sale for 35% off, why pass it up because of the name tag? I’m just saying…even a blind squirrel finds a nut or two….don’t dismiss the good stuff at Sears without checking it out first.

Here’s a bad example of a table saw regardless of the brand it’s sold under:

Here’s a good example of a saw that I’d be very supportive of getting at the right price & circumstances:

Just remember to give me your ‘old’ stuff. ;-)

Yep, the bottom saw is the one I own, and I’ve had nothing but a positive experience so far. Got it at the same closeout sale for 550. Felt like a steal at the time, and I still think it was money well spent.

knotscott, I’d have to say I agree with you on the whole and that Craftsman looks good.

I’m just going from personal experience. When I started woodworking I knew nothing about these tools/machines. I bought a Ryobi BT3000, got caught up in all the hype, it really looked good. Bought all the attachements they made for it, had about $1000 into it. Then I found out it’s accuracy was crap, unless you wanted to tweak it and baby it all the time. Which I didn’t.

So I started looking around for a new saw and was seriously considering Jet and General, only because of the price point, in the $800 range. A woodworking friend had told about this thing called a Unisaw, which was the ultimate saw he someday would like to have, but at it’s price at the time it was out of reach for me.

But then I started thinking. What if I buy the Jet. Or the General. Drop another $800 and find out later that I’m not satisfied with it either. Then I’m out $1800 at that point. I bit the bullet and bought the Unisaw, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and macaroni and cheese for months. ;) But boy, that was one of the best things I ever did.

What it came down to was why buy something from a manufacturer who is trying to copy what you really want? What you’d really be satisfied with. That’s what Jet for one was doing at the time. I really didn’t consider Jet much at that time, considered them a Delta rip-off. But then I bought Jet’s benchtop oscillating spindle sander because for my needs it fit the bill the best. Once I got it and started using it, my opinion of Jet did a 180.

So I guess what I’m saying is go with the tried and true, and not with others that are trying to attain just that.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

Wow, ragman, that was an exceptional deal. The fact that it has a Biesemeyer fence pretty much says it will be accurate. That Biesemeyer fence probably is worth half of what you paid.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

ragman – $550 is definitely “the right price & circumstances”! (it’s the $1100 MSRP that makes me squirm a little!)

In case you haven’t seen what’s under the hood, here’s a bird’s eye view of your saw sans top:

22124:

Steel City 35605:

they look pretty similar to me :))))

Hi Ragman;

I wouldn’t pressure yourself into believing you can get two tools by taking advantage of this sale.

The planer, as has been stated is a good buy, but I would wait for something better, regarding the others.

A good rule is to buy the best machines, even if it means waiting a while to get them. Poor quality tools can pick very bad times to let you down.

Woodworking is supposed to be fun for us, so fighting with a tool all the time, or having it determine the quality of our work, turns the fun into aggravation.

An example of dependable quality happened to me this week, when a friend stopped by the shop, wanting a couple of laminate tops for his kitchen. This is not the type of work I usually do, and since it was already two in the afternoon, I was in a bit of a hurry, since it meant putting away the tools I was using, to make room for these tops, and the tools for them.

After cutting all the parts for both tops, we started installing the laminate. When we installed the laminate on the 8’ “L” shaped top, I realized, I never cut the end of the “L” .

My choice was to cut it to the right width, and have the black line on the top of the counter, or cut the particle board, without cutting the laminate, and gluing on a new edge.

Using the table saw, I cut the excess off the 8’ top, leaving the laminate untouched. I was able to glue the new edge on, and proceed as there had been no mistake.

Using less than quality tools, this would have been a hit or miss proposition. With my unisaw, I was confident in a successful conclusion. I didn’t have to wonder if the tool felt like working with me, that day.

Always buy the best you can, and save for the next tool. Nothing worse than buying the same tool over.

Have fun,

Lee

p.s. since I’m supposed to be a professional, don’t tell anyone about my mistake. LOL

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

A lot of people have said similar things. What concerns me most is the deal I made with my wife. I need to make sure I have what I need to make the crib and changing table. That was sort of the deal, the garage and tools for furniture for the baby in the fall. So I’m really trying to focus in that direction for the moment.

Thanks guys. Any other tools jump out at you for the projects I mentioned?

ragman, just came across this:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/6-Jointer/T20835

Looks pretty much like that Delta at the cost (with shipping) of that Craftsman you were looking at.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

ragman, if your looking for a good “Cheap” jointer…...go to home depot and buy theirs for $80/$90 more…roughly $400.

I know you said only two…but you also said you had a $1500 budget. You could buy the Ridgid jointer at home depot, Dewalt planer, and Ridgid Dril press and still be under your $1500.00 buget by far.

And if your going to make a crib….a drill press is a must !!!!!

-- Don S.E. OK

I’ve looked at that Rigid in the past and thought, ‘not bad’. But their site lists it at $429 so that be $120 more plus sales tax if picked up locally (and there is sales tax).

But, I noticed Home Deport is calling it a Jointer/Planer too just like Sears. Is that the new trend? That could be misleading to newcomers. A lot of advice is to get a Jointer and a Planer, so they buy one of these thinking that they got a deal and got both in one, only to find out… Or is that the intent? Misleading marketing…

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI