Hi all,

Birthday coming up, and I'm in a bit of a quandary. I've been
given the opportunity to pick up either a planer OR a jointer
(not both) and I'm not sure which to go for first or which would
be the most useful. I also have little experience with either
tool.

I'm leaning pretty strongly toward the 13" Dewalt Planer as
opposed to their jointer. I don't do much edge gluing, and what
little bit I've done has always come out OK using a good blade on
my TS, so that directs me toward the planer. I think I'm more
interested in getting repeatable thicknesses and smooth finishes
to minimize sanding, plus as long as it's reasonably straight, it
looks like a planer makes almost any type of wood usable.

My woodworking skills run from fair to good, probably more good
than fair. Most people are suitable impressed that I can get an
ego boost from showing off my work, so I assume I'm not too bad.
I see a lot of my mistakes, but others don't seem to.
Since I have no actual experience since my high school daze
many many year ago, I thought I'd see what the folk here think.
Am I right in thinking that a planer would make the better tool
for me at the moment?

Basically, all I see a jointer being good for is making a
straight edge, not that I mean that's not important! But I
think the practicality of being able to slice 1/16 or 1/32 or
less, to a max of 1/8, of materials from 3/4" to 13" would sure
make a nice tool.
Oh, and yes, I understand what snipe is, and that a warped
piece of wood will still be warped after planing it where that's
not the case with a jointer; done enough window shopping to be
able to see that.
But, a jointer is rather limited to not much more than
straigtening and edge, right? Wrong?

Whatever your thoughts, happy to hear them.

Oh yeah, a little sidelight: While perusing the local Ace
Hardware this morning, I noticed a no-name "Planner" sitting next
to the Dewalt planers. I wonder what kind of plane job a
'planner' would do? ;-) It -was- a lot cheaper; wonder why?
g

TIA,

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