Hi Sean, I started in the hobby a few years back and had the same questions
as you, I've got a few more tools now, and I think the best purchase I've
ever made was my dust collector. The procrastinator that I am, I've yet to
get it permanently mounted, but I'd much rather move the 10' hose from
workstation to workstation, than wear a mask, or worse yet, breathe in the
dust. I previously had a smaller 12x20 basement shop, but have recently
graduated to a 24x24 garage and even with that the dust thrown from the
router and table saw would make it tough to work in. I wear contact lenses
and they would constantly bother me when "enjoying the hobby", until I got
the dust collector. Don't go small either, I bought a 1.5 HP unit (King)
and I wouldn't recommend anything smaller. Having given the healthy option,
my next tool would have to be the table saw, as most people will agree, it's
the heart of the shop. Best of Luck and happy shopping.




"Sean" wrote in message
...
Would be interested in (as a fairly newbie starter) what people would
consider to be the essential power tools in a workshop and in what
priority you would buy new equipment. I appreciate that the equipment
would suit the types of things that are being made, but what I do is prett
basic small items of general furniture. The idea is to start small and
steadily build up the equipment, learning new stuff and getting more and
more complicated as I go along.

I presently have a sliding compound mitre saw, pillar drill/morticer,
circular saw, router, standard drill, power driver/drill and palm sander.
The obvious things missing from my shop at the moment are a table saw,
router table and a surface planer/joiner.

Appreciate your input.