What should my next powertool spend be?

[glenfield2]

Thanks to power tools I'm a modestly competent DIY-er. I do stuff around the house and re-fitted a burnt out canal boat recently. No workshop so it's all mainly hand held or portable stuff.
Basically at the moment I have an old but big and heavy Makita circular saw, a Worx mini circ saw, B&Q compound mitre saw, Wickes 1/4in router and cheap power planer and jigsaws plus a very useful Worx recip. cutter. That gets me by but only just.
I'm about to start another boat so it's an excuse to enlarge the tool base. At the moment I struggle with cutting sheet material mainly through handling the size of it, ripping down lengths of timber, including hardwoods and getting finished edges to these, cutting rebates, slots etc. Also accurately cutting curves in ply (I really struggle to get anything usable out of a jigsaw.)
Where could I best spend £5-600 improving my set up? I've tried a dewalt 745 table saw which was very good but would a track saw be more versatile? Any advice on router tables (I worry about routering my fingertips on these)?
I do strive for a quality finish so squareness, simple but neat joints etc are key. And boats are especially tricky as little is square or repeatable and every finished joint shows.

 

[Hot stuff]

A track saw would definitely be a good investment. I've recently been converted and I wonder why I didn't do it years ago.
A very versatile, portable tool that you'll use for loads of things apart from " breaking down sheet goods" as our American friends say.
I bought a Makita one and am in the middle of building a kitchen at home using it. Great bit of kit, thoroughly recommend it.

 

[MikeJhn]

Difficult without a workshop, but ripping down sheet goods a track saw is probably the answer, ripping down lengths of timber a table saw is the most accurate, getting a decent finish a decent planer, power or hand, rebates, slots maybe a Domino, but that is dependent on the size, curves in ply that's a bandsaw, or decent jigsaw and a bobbin sander to finish off.

 

[glenfield2]

I think you've over-spent my budget rather! What would constitute a 'decent' jigsaw or planer? I'm sure it's my lack of skill but I struggle to cut curves with a jigsaw - the blade bends - and to get straight edges with a hand held power plane which is why I was thinking router table. And what's a Domino?

 

[MikeJhn]

Well you did ask. LOL

If the blade on your jigsaw is bending, its either blunt or you are pushing too hard and not letting the blade do the work, you will never get a decent finish with a jigsaw and it will need hand finishing.

Perhaps a small bench top planer may work for you.

I should think you are the only person on here who does not know what a Domino is, LOL its a jointing power tool that makes a loose tenon joint made by Festool, Do a search on here or Google.

Mike

 

[user22161]

You already have two circular saws and it's easy to make your own track for them to cut down large sheets but not a finished edge. Table saw would be my next purchase.

 

[glenfield2]

Yes I Googled 'Domino' - neat tool but 800 quid! Ouch.

 

[MikeJhn]

But then don't forget the cost of the tenons themselves, an expensive, but very professional tool.

 

[MikeJhn]

This may be an alternative: https://www.axminster.co.uk/ujk-technol ... e-ax978206

 

[Phil Pascoe]

What jigsaw have you?

 

[MikeJhn]

I have a very cheap Silverline jigsaw, but always use a new blade when I use it, which is rare.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Sorry, that was meant for the OP - he can't cut clean curves in ply.

 

[MikeG.]

I really don't understand why people advocate for tracksaws when you can achieve the same results by clamping a straight edge to the work and running an ordinary circular saw alongside it as a guide. So if you are on a budget I'd suggest forgetting that idea, and investing a fiver in some aluminium channel.

You haven't mentioned a belt sander. I'm really not sure how anyone manages without. I would suggest that without question this is your next purchase. And don't go to B&Q. Get a decent one, such as a Makita (4"). I don't find a ROS (Random Orbital Sander) anywhere near so useful, so a cheaper one of those, such as a Bosch, should do you fine. Save the rest of your budget because you'll soon be replacing the cheap tools you've got with better ones as they die.

Oh, and seriously, some of the jobs you say you are struggling with are better done with hand tools. Have you got yourself a decent couple of planes, for instance?

 

[Ali]

You already have two circular saws and it's easy to make your own track for them to cut down large sheets but not a finished edge. Table saw would be my next purchase.

As Graham suggested, do you have any floor space for stationary machines? A table saw or bandsaw would open new doors for you.

 

[Marineboy]

I really don't understand why people advocate for tracksaws when you can achieve the same results by clamping a straight edge to the work and running an ordinary circular saw alongside it as a guide. So if you are on a budget I'd suggest forgetting that idea, and investing a fiver in some aluminium channel.

Fair point, but track saw is quicker (no need to clamp guide, just position it on the work), produces an edge which requires no further finishing, and can be used with an MFT top (not the Festool one, a cheaper looky-likely) to do bang on accurate angled cuts. And the track can also be used with a router guide. It may well be horses for courses but I wouldn’t be without mine.

 

[Tasky]

Basically at the moment I have an old but big and heavy Makita circular saw, a Worx mini circ saw, B&Q compound mitre saw, Wickes 1/4in router and cheap power planer and jigsaws plus a very useful Worx recip. cutter.

Hmm..... one of these, perhaps:
https://www.axminster.co.uk/numatic-nvd ... r-ax782721

At the moment I struggle with cutting sheet material... ripping down lengths of timber, including hardwoods... Also accurately cutting curves in ply

Bandsaw, bandsaw, bandsaw.
Not really portable, though.

Any advice on router tables (I worry about routering my fingertips on these)?

Do you not use push-sticks or similar safety grip devices?

 

[glenfield2]

Thanks for all the comments. In answer to various queries - I have a cheap jigsaw and TBH it seems as good/bad as others I've tried. Maybe part of the problem may be trying to curve cut thicker (9 - 12mm ply), the other part is probably operator error.
I do use a circular saw with a clamped guide (an old 6ft alloy level) for sheet cutting now. I find the little mini Worx one easier and almost as good as my big Makita for cutting though it can snatch and sometimes wander if one's not careful. Track saw enthusiasts swear by them but why?
I'd like to be able to make simple framed 'Shaker' cabinet doors so a tool that cuts rebates, slots, accurate simple lap joints would be good. Hand router and chop saw do these now but not very accurately. Makes me think a router table would be useful.
A confession: I'm **** with hand tools - wreck chisels and hand planes. Never mastered how to sharpen them either.
And, yes, I'd love a workshop - I can set tools up in the boat I'm fitting out but all will have to go back into the garden shed after it's done.

 

[MikeJhn]

Track saws make cutting sheet goods easy for even the most cumbersome DIY enthusiast.

If you are looking to make "Shaker" type doors and cabinets then a router table will make the whole thing that much simpler and quicker, rails and stiles fit together with the negative and positive bits and as long as you started with straight timber the doors will be square, the panels can be easily made out of 6mm plywood, the grooves in most stile and rail cutters being that size.

Here's one I did earlier, its a raised panel door, but easy on the Router table, it was a practice piece and my first attempt, I can't remember back that far:

 

[MikeG.]

......... I'm dung with hand tools......Never mastered how to sharpen them either........

Those two statements are directly connected. If you can't sharpen, you can't use a handtool. Full stop.

I've worked with a friend on a boat. I follow a few boat builds on Youtube. For the life of me I can't begin to imagine how you could work on one without handtools. I'm no handtool fanatic, but they are indispensable.

Of the other advice you've had, the router table is going to make the biggest transformation to your woodworking. If you are going to be doing raised panels and scribed end-grain joints, then you'll need a half inch machine. Don't listen to anyone who says you need a bought router table, or even a manufactured insert. It's a flat bit of wood (ply, MDF etc) with a hole in it, a router underneath and the cutter sticking through, and a simple fence. That's an afternoons work to make yourself. A micro-adjusting router lift is dead easy too..........home made again.

 

[Hornbeam]

There does seem to be a fascination with power tools but my view on them is that while they do things a lot quicker than hand tools you also make mistakes bigger and faster.
There is a very good reason why traditional apprenticeships focus on hand tools first
My advice is that whatever you purchase spend time learning to use hand tools
Ian