If you could have only one woodworking machine/powertool?

[morfa]

If you could have only one woodworking machine/powertool, what would it be? I generally prefer handtools, but now I'm hopefully going to have a workshop soon, I've been vaguely thinking it might be nice to have something for bigish resawing jobs.

So thought I'd see what powertools you guys think are essential. Which led me to the question above. Pick one and only one. Ideally the tool that is the most flexible.

 

[marcros]

not flexible really, but a time saver. I would probably go for a thicknesser (or planer thicknesser). It all depends on what you want to make though and for what purpose. I have came to realise that I quite enjoy slowly plodding along. If I was doing it for a living, I would be very hungry and bankrupt, but it is a hobby. think twice, measure 3 times, try to cut once!

Most jobs need some element of thicknessing though, and I would prefer the option of sending it through a machine than doing it by hand.

 

[custard]

It's not one Morfa, it's two. A bandsaw and a thicknesser, because ripping and thickness planing to finished dimensions are the two most arduous tasks in woodworking, so it makes sense to get some electrical help!

Furthermore, there are plenty of machines where quality has really nosedived with the proliferation of cheap, far eastern imports. But there are decent offerings in bandsaws and portable thicknessers even at bargain prices. And these two machines have exceptionally small footprints, so can be accommodated in almost any workshop.

 

[Racers]

Band saw, its my most used power tool.

Pete

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

+1 for bandsaw....versatility alone make it invaluable.

Ripping, resawing, planking from logs (on a small scale), radius cuts, veneers, tenons, bevels, turning blank creation.

Its also about the safest "big" machine tool.

Hang on .....this is like desert island discs...desert island tools

 

[bugbear]

If you could have only one woodworking machine/powertool, what would it be? I generally prefer handtools, but now I'm hopefully going to have a workshop soon, I've been vaguely thinking it might be nice to have something for bigish resawing jobs.

So thought I'd see what powertools you guys think are essential. Which led me to the question above. Pick one and only one. Ideally the tool that is the most flexible.

The strong consensus on the OLDTOOLS list is a decent bandsaw.

BugBear

 

[Glynne]

Bandsaw again - the best you can afford.

 

[jasonB]

I'll stick with my combination machine

 

[rdesign]

have a planner/ thicknesser and good hand tools for joints. your next tool can be a bandsaw or table saw but most important thing in Cabinetmaking is 4 side square timber for any project. and as said before hand planing isn't all that fun
Best of luck
Regards Richard

 

[bugbear]

and as said before hand planing isn't all that fun

I'd rate it a lot more fun than hand resawing.

BugBear

 

[rdesign]

and as said before hand planing isn't all that fun

I'd rate it a lot more fun than hand resawing.

BugBear

Yes but i do a lot more planing than re-sawing. but yes Re-sawing is impossible without a band saw but I just buy veneers or constructional veneers

Just jealous as i still don't own a bandsaw! table saw Planer/Thicknesser and lathe all came first with a festool TS55. band saw next on my shopping list

 

[JakeS]

I'd rate it a lot more fun than hand resawing.

I kind of enjoy hand planing, but if I weren't a hobbyist and I were doing enough woodwork for the fun to wear off, I'd have a hard choice still. If you aren't great at hand-resawing (leaving veneers aside!) then you can do a crappy job and plane the boards to an even thickness again in your motorised thicknesser, but even machine-resawn boards need to be planed a bit, so if you're rubbish at hand-planing things square you're screwed!

 

[barkwindjammer]

For me it would have to be the 'Omudescent cranomulator' ™ .........from Bridge City tools -
what does it do ?,,,,,,,,,,,, 'F' knows-but its expensive and most probably facilitates a very simple task but in a very complicated and expensive way

 

[morfa]

I'll stick with my combination machine

I see what you're doing there. Not quite in the spirit of the thread.

However, what do you have and do you rate it?

 

[Tetsuaiga]

Bandsaw or Router

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Coffee machine

 

[Kalimna]

I may have missed a little in your opening post, but what are you intending to do in your new space? For the most part I would agree with the bandsaw proponents, as the little hand planing (to thickness, to square) required after cuts with a well set up bandsaw (with a decent blade - very important) shouldn't take too long. However, if you are likely to be doing anything in small dimensions or that requires easily achieved accurate thicknesses, then a jet/performax drum thickness sander is invaluable. They're not cheap, I bought mine from eBay, but an absolute godsend for certain jobs.

Adam

 

[marcus]

Another vote for bandsaw, as large and heavy as possible!

 

[Eric The Viking]

Bandsaw, definitely. If resawing, planing smooth afterwards is actually quite fun.
Get blades from Tuffsaws, and set the thing up well and you'll wonder how you managed without it.

Or the whatever-it-is from Bridge City Toolworks. You can never have too many things
that look like they're nicked off the latest Star Trek set.

 

[Hbhjoinery]

I'll stick with my combination machine

:mrgreen: Agreed