An African or European swallow?

Wait, wrong cult movie.

If I were a serial killer, I'd be African and European.

Bren R.

I have a Bosch D handle router. I just can't get used to it, so I don't ever use it. Interesting how so many of us have different preferences with regards to tools. Probably a really good justification for tool fondling at a store to make sure that whatever a person buys, it is a tool that will actually get used...

Ken - here's a couple pics of my router table with the Incra fence. There are times when I want the fence to run the length of the table, and times when I want it to the right, so I made it movable. When cutting dovetails with the Incra, I move the fence to the right side. The little gauge with cable is a digital bit height gauge that I was figuring out where to mount. I have since mounted it to the table.

That is one beauty of a router table!!!!
Please put it in your will for me.

So I've got a line on an 8" jointer and a 15" planer for $1K total. They're both rebuilds, being rebuilt and sold by a guy I took a sharpening class from. He's a pro woodworker and seems pretty trustworthy. It seems like a good deal to me, but there's a few wrinkles:

1. They're big and my shop/shed is small--like 12x15 small--and full of crap. They do come on mobile bases, though.
2. They're both 240V, and I am certainly not wired for that (I'm still running extension cords out the window for my table saw), so this would be a buy now, run later once I get the electrical done type of thing.

They're both Grizzly models: The jointer is a G1018 and the planer is the equivalent of a G0453, although it has legs, not a cabinet.

What do you guys think? Good deal, wrong time? Bad deal? Oh my god don't pass it up?

If you do buy them now, you're going to want to get an electrician out there sooner rather than later so that you don't have $1000 worth of obstacles in your shed.

Also, since we're talking about spending your money, to extend your shop space, I'd consider putting a pergola in front of the shed. You could put retractable shades on the sides and top, and even install a ceiling fan beneath it. Great place to work on projects. Plus, when it's not in use as your indoor/outdoor shop, it'd be a great outdoor space to gather around a chiminea or fire pit in the fall and winter.

I had never thought of that, Peter. We were just talking about tearing out the shed and putting in a garage, but clearly I'm talking about doing tens of thousands of dollars of work to have $1K worth of tools. It's a tough equation.

You could probably build yourself a nice pergola with retractable shades for ~$1k, not including the 240V and 120V outdoor electrical boxes.

FWIW Ken, that garage will increase the value of your home immensely , (I should say it would here where I live ,may be different where you are). Plus there is nothing like working in a shop where you aren't running into yourself. Big undertaking for sure but if you love woodwork I say go for it. A guy that used to work with me built a garage from a kit he got at home hardware. Did it all himself except the trusses, all after work and weekends. Most expensive part was the cement pad.

Well, that'll happen at some point, but the immediate question is whether I should get the tools or not.