Like rich, I have a full shop of woodworking tools. Since you’re just starting out just buy what you need. Lowes (and I assume Home Depot) sell pine panels. Once you get an idea of what you like doing then you can figure out what are the best tools you will want. When you get to the point where you want to use hardwood you should be able to find a seller who also has tools to do thinks like make panels.
Sooner or later you are going to want to make a panel. Almost anything can be done by hand. Don’t dismiss it. You’ll need more than just a saw. Your boards will need to be flat. Most stuff you can buy isn’t going to be flat. That makes a jointer is almost a must. Most woodworkers find that a 6" wide one limits them so you can find a good one used for around $500 (you don’t want a handheld electric jointer).
A good contractor’s saw on wheels would also be at the top of the list. A track saw can work but I find they are more work. They excel at breaking down large sheets of plywood but most lumber yards will make a cut or two for free. Both the planer and saw on wheels means you can roll them into a corner when not needed to save space. A chop saw is nice to have but table saw with a miter gauge for shorter boards and your circular saw for longer stuff will also get the job done. But cutting boards to length can be done more accurately on the 1F so you just need to get them within an inch or two with the saw.
Other tools like a bandsaw, sanders, routers, etc are nice but if you are limited on room you’ll probably want to wait.
With my 1F, a table saw, and a jointer I can do almost anything I want.
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Aiph5u
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Hey Steve,
jointer and thickness planer are also often offered as one single device, e.g. the Hammer A3 (Video). That really saves space as both devices are useful.
Awesome machines… but I would expect outside of most peoples budget. Anyone looking at those is going to be quite far into their woodworking hobby/business not somebody just starting out.
I always wonder which is more efficient to complete a project with traditional tools or the cnc router. i can make any cut with my cnc but man it takes some doing compared to if i just had more equipment lol
I find myself now wanting to purchase table saws miter saw etc
I think theres a need for a contest. lol traditional tools verses cnc routers
In terms of the comparing the desktop CNC to traditional woodworking equipment, with straight cuts with consistent depth of cut traditional tools will win hands down. Curves with changing radii and varying depth of cut CNC all the way. This equation may change with a different CNC setup, if you’re willing to spend a 50k+ for a CNC, vacuum table, and ATC that can cut up a 4x8 sheet in 5 minutes then I’d say CNC. Plus the CNC has the added benefit of being able to work while I attend to other things.
yeah no hobby machine is gonna keep up unless its in detailed carves but as far as standard joinery dados miters etc i think traditional would win due to time it takes to draw or change a design and then set up machine to cut idk but id like to see some real live contests on this i think it would be interesting
I’m someone else with a fully equipped workspace that I consider compact ( 12’ x 27’) but others think is quite large. Anyway, my first large piece of equipment was a bandsaw which saw me well for five or six years making Japanese shoji screens. Eventually purchased a Delta table saw which I love but would not work well for you. If you are cutting panels on it you need 10 to 12 feet in front of the blade and another 10 ’ past it. That’s a lot of room. My vote would be for a track saw. It can be put away taking up little room, then set up to do your work. Lee Valley makes a nice set of lift offs to hold a series of 2x4’s that acts as a sacrificial table for your work. Take it apart and next to no room is taken up. One thing a track saw can do that’s really hard on a table saw is cut at an angle, you can even do compound angles ( set the blade at an angle and lay the track at an angle across the board. Easy peasy) . If you are careful, you can do rip cuts as well on solid lumber. If you have long pieces you want to cut to length, a Japanese hand saw makes really quick effortless work of that for very reasonable price. Start there and you’ll find your way quite quickly.
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Aiph5u
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it is true that for cutting to length you can do a lot with a Japanese hand saw with laser-hardened teeth. Japanese saws work on pull, not push, so they can be much thinner than traditional Western hand saws, and so can the slot, which means much less effort. I have a collection of such saws and use them since over twenty years, and my European bow saws hardly ever come into use.
I like my push/pull saw that does double duty: it cuts like a table saw in push or like a mitre in pull. It’s not cheaper than two units but it saves space in a cramped workshop.
Note every manufacturer makes push/pull saw, I have a Mafell Erika. Bosch also sells one in some market, there are probably others.
I’m an Industrial Designer and professional furniture and cabinet maker of over fifty years. I’ve owned some of the best professional woodworking machines available. My son, now a pro, has most of my equipment. Consequently, I purchased a sliding Makiita compound miter saw, and a Bosch contractors table saw. I rarely use the miter saw; the table saw with the Osborne EB-3 Miter Gauge is my go-to saw. I recommend the BOSCH 10" Worksite Table Saw with Gravity-Rise Wheeled Stand 4100XC-10. I can cut up full sheets of plywood with ease using available table extensions. I have a Onefinity Woodworker, but I can’t imagine working wood without a table saw, and the Bosch 4100XC-10 is the only one to buy.
