5 Beginner Woodworking Tools I Regret Buying
5 Tools beginners shouldn't waste their money on.
NEW SAFETY GLASSES NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!!
bit.ly/ShopShades_YT
Here are some of my Suggestions!
3/4" Pipe Clamp - geni.us/JM_PipeClamp
5" Dewalt Corded Random Orbit - geni.us/JM_DewaltSander
Corded Sheet Palm Sander - geni.us/JM_DewaltPlateSander
Cordless Compressor - geni.us/JM_DewaltCordlessAir
18g Brad Nailer - geni.us/JM_18gBradNailer
23g Pin Nailer - geni.us/JM_23gPinNailer
13" DeWalt Planer - geni.us/dFVo7Y
How to make a cheap and easy track saw - www.tiktok.com/@john_malecki/...
Want to see more
- I Tested Pouring Molten Aluminum in Wood - • I Tested Pouring Molte...
- I TESTED More Viral Woodworking TikToks - • I TESTED More Viral W...
I TESTED Pendulum Painting An Epoxy Table - • Upgrading A Free Ping ...
10 Must-Have Tools For Beginner Woodworkers - • 10 Must-Have Tools For...
5 EPOXY Tips I Wish I Knew As A Beginner! - • 5 EPOXY Tips I Wish I...
SQUIRRELLY PUSH STICKS - bit.ly/JM_SquirrellyYT
MERCHANDISE - johnmalecki.com/
PLANS - johnmalecki.com/collections/d...
SAFETY GLASSES - amzn.to/2zhWvRl
Proudly Supported By:
Timberland PRO - bit.ly/JM_TimberlandPRO
Oneida Air Systems - bit.ly/JM_Oneida
Lincoln Electric - bit.ly/JM_Lincoln
Total Boat Epoxy - SAVE 5% : www.totalboat.com/MALECKI5
My Top Tools and Product Affiliates
Woodworking Tools - kit.co/JohnMaleckiBuilds/wood...
Metalworking Tools - kit.co/JohnMaleckiBuilds/meta...
Favorite Finishs - bit.ly/JM_Rubio2021
My Camera Gear - kit.co/JohnMaleckiBuilds/came...
#BeginnerWoodworking #WoodworkingTools #diy
Pro tip: never buy short sections of pipe. It costs many times more per linear foot as buying a 10' section and cutting it down, which they'll do for you right in the store, most times, and even thread them for you if you want threaded ends for later coupling them together. You can also very easily cut them down yourself with an angle grinder if you need to. Current example: a 3' section of 3/4" galvanized is $25 or a 10' is $33.
Thx for the tip!
Great advise! Also, one 10’ bar can make either two 5’ clamps, or a 4’ plus a 6’.
Good advice I didn't think of. Thanks. That's a given for wood orders but just slips my mind with the rare purchase of pipes lol
@@Fun4GA Thanks for explaining how we can add to 10
@@LuckyPineTrees-xs4ki- Yes, Captain Obvious. That’s me! 😂
You can get a porter cable pancake compressor, 25ft of hose and a 16,18 & 23 gauge nailers for $199. It’s the best deal.
I use my Ridgid oscillating sander quite often Definitely invest in a coarser compressor not cordless less money and more air! Belt sanders can destroy s project in a hurry I have 2 they mostly sit
I was going to say this too. Craftsman has this deal too and it goes on sale during the holidays. I’ve gotten so much use out of just the compressor and Brad nailer
Yeah, exactly what I have in my basement workshop. I think I paid a similar price for the PC w/nailers. I also got a stand-alone PC compressor for my garage, much more convenient for topping off tire pressure.
Ridgid has a great combo like this too.
I can’t upvote this enough. I got the compressor and 16g combo which was around $100 at the time but I always wished I had gotten the three nailer combo instead of having to get them separately later. Would definitely recommend replacing the hose with a Flexzilla as it’s way more flexible and easier to roll up. A year ago I got all three Ryobi cordless nailers and I don’t have any complaints so far. The 16 and 18 were 2 for $120 without batteries during Black Friday deals which is well worth it. It’s nice not having to drag out the compressor/hose and wait for to get up ton pressure just for a couple nails.
Agree on all except the belt sander. You can remove a lot more material quickly than with any palm sander. Of course, finishing requires using a palm sander or the like. But for quickly bringing a surface within the limits of a palm sander, you need a belt sander.
I think his point was that a sander can dig holes quickly, so in the hands of a beginner, they should be avoided. Also, no sanding should ever be pressed down (a beginner mistake). Belt, orbital, block, hand…. Let the sandpaper remove the surface, and let the dust get removed from the sandpaper. Pressure retains the dust and makes heat.
Random orbit sander and belt sander have completely different purpose. Former is for finish and latter is for (aggressive) material removal. If you are actually interested in woodworking as a beginner then invest in a hand planes / rasps or a cheap thickness planer depending on what you are trying to achieve. Would never recommend a handheld belt sander to anyone interested in fine woodworking, whatever the experience. You can get a benchtop belt/disk sander combo for cheap.
I am a retired cabinet maker. Spent many hours with all types of sanders. They all have their purpose. And they all require learning how and when to use.
@@sdkee - I guess you’ve never used a scraping card, but that would be the one sander I would never be without. More than the most bang for the buck, it’s a must have in my shop.
Completely agree. To suggest that a random orbital sander can be a replacement for a belt sander is ridiculous. They are for completely different purposes. Just learn how to properly use the belt sander. It’s really not that difficult.
I have been woodworking for 3 years. I finally broke down and bought the Rigid spindle/belt sander. It is a game changer for me. I build toys and furniture with curves so it gets used a lot. Amazing tool.
Yeah the guy is using the belt sander for the wrong project then complains about it.... I can put my belt sander upside down and use it for small pieces can't do that with the random orbit sanders.
I agree. I'm not a beginner, but, I use my Ridgid spindle sander often and haven't ever had any problems or complaints. When I purchased mine the cost was only $199.
While I'm at it, I have a handheld belt sander also. I used it to completely remove the finish off a butcher-block style countertop. That would have taken forever with a ROS. For $45, refurbished, it was worth the purchase for that project alone. But I agree that it is too expensive at full price, and too tricky to use, for a beginner tool.
I use that exact model he has, it's aight. I also use homemade table and sanding discs and drums on my lathe. The oscillating belt sander from rigid is great when it's useful but it gets used less than some homemade sketchy shit.
I got my spindle sander as a xmas gift years ago and i use it all the time. She spent 199 on it as well. I also just got the ridged version of that bench top planer dirt cheep when i got most of a shop from a person retiring and moving into an apartment.
Hi John, just wanted to let you know I don't even really do woodworking but I watch all your videos because you and your team produce such entertaining content. Thank you!
The first big tool purchase I made was a Bostitch air compressor combo kit that came with a 16 gauge finish nailer, 18 gauge brad nailer and stapler. I've had it for at least 15 years now and everything still works perfectly. I have the 12" Dewalt planer also and I never have issues with it.
Love how brutally honest this is. So many KZheadrs out there going soft so they can get the brand endorsement. I feel like I can actually trust this. Thank you!
I have that very DeWalt Orbital Sander. I use it literally all the time because I have to work outside a lot, and because I use rough, dirty wood (old discarded pallets) it's great for just throwing some low-grit pads on and running over everything to get off dirt, mold, rough edges and other stuff to make the wood nicer to handle, or prep for painting. I also use it for quail cages so they dont have a ton of rough surfaces to hurt themselves on or for their mess to work into. And without a cord, it makes it especially wieldly and handy to have at the ready. Admittedly it wasn't something I originally wanted, since I only got it with a package deal for something else and thought I could give it away as a gift. And granted I'm not some experienced master woodworker, as I've only started doing anything significant the past few months, but so far I am very glad I kept it, because honestly I use it more than any other tool so far besides my drills for wood stuff, and while it takes a bit more time, the finished project is that much nicer. It helps that it's also rather cathartic and soothing to use. That doesn't mean I'm advocating a beginner get one, but it certainly still has it's uses.
As a guitar builder, that Ridgid spindle/belt sander was a game changer for me. Outstanding tool
For its small footprint its a great option
I have never worked with wood and I don’t think I’ll ever woodwork but I’ve seen almost every video you’ve posted in the past year purely because I enjoy watching your videos
I definitely think the Kreg saw guide is worth is if you don’t have the money for a track saw or a table saw. I used mine for years. It was great and it broke once after 6 years and Kreg sent me another one without any questions. It was worth the 30 dollars it cost.
After years and years of struggling to evenly cut plywood sheets using clamps and a 48" drywall T-square, I finally got the Kreg saw guide. I'm kicking myself for waiting this long. I always thought, "eh.. I don't really do that much woodworking, and I only have a few sheet cuts." Now I see the light! I agreed with John on all his other advice tips, but for me the Kreg guide is excellent. (Although, if I was promoting a TikTok video to make a track saw guide, I'd probably say differently. Ha ha)
I got the festool Ts-75 track saw and tracks. Nothing I've ever used cuts this good. Not even our Bosch table saw can cut as fine with a brand new blade on it. The edges of the wood are so sharp they look dangerous. I don't know the kreg setup, but I've used various skill saws on various straight edges with equally inferior results. All of which have provided inferior results to our Bosch table saw as far as the cut itself is concerned. I do hope the kreg system works good. I like kreg. If it was out when I got my track saw it would have been in contention for sure. Nowadays everybody's saws run on tracks! The festool rotex sanders are awesome too. You can switch that baby to turbo mode and remove material almost as fast as a belt sander but with much finer results. Again I know other companies now make sanders like these. I don't know if they're as powerful, but I do know their cheaper. But I've used this festool to sand concrete patch. It's that robust!
Those Parallel clamps were honestly my single absolutely best buy for me, they make my life a lot easier... Getting them on sale helped though.
I was gonna say... I've used pipe clamps for years but these parallel clamps are such a huge upgrade for certain things.
I have that planer and the spindle sander. I rarely use the planer because I mainly work with plywood but the spindle sander has been a huge help when fine shaping templates.
Some added points for nailers if you're considering buying! - For those who plan to nail a lot during projects, cordless nailers are considerably heavier than the corded versions (a couple more pounds adds up over a project while using an extended arm) - Getting the compressor gives you shop air for future tools, vehicle tires, blowing dust off clothes and projects (very handy) - Compressors can extend into pneumatic tools like automotive sanders, grinders, drills and hammers The only upside I can give to a power nailer is that it's quieter in general compared to a charging compressor, and a bit more portable depending on your compressor hose
you won't be able to use this little compressor for anything other than pumping tyres and shooting small nails. would be better of buying a cordless one or purchasing wired big compressor.
Hose resistance is worse than an 8 ah battery which is massive
@@traviswescott253what does it mean? Not a native speaker
@@E_Proxy it means that the air hose constant tension of being dragged around is worse than the weight of a large battery that would run a cordless nailer all week. Which means you could use a smaller battery for day to day, be lighter, less hassle, and no loud compressor.
@@traviswescott253 clear, thank you (it was more of inexperience with compressore than language barriere)
I have made a lot of furniture. Nice to know I made the right choices for a lot of my tool purchases. I use the Pipe clamps for panels. an attachment on the drill press for spindle sanding, a corded orbital sander, and the bigger DeWalt planer. I do, however love my 18 ga brad nailer. It has limited uses, but the places where I do use it *chef's kiss*
Used the heck out of my Rigid spindle/belt sander. Loved it. Also had the same dewalt planer and used it constantly for everything I did. I put it on a dedicated rolling home made cart and loved it. Couldn't afford the 13" at the time.
For nail guns for a beginner I'd suggest one of the 3 gun and compressor kits. Their all Identical but sell under porter cable, craftsman, bostitch and many others brands for around $200.
Porter cable pancake compressor with a harbor freight nailer/stapler is another cheap yet very effective option.
I got the Ridgid set the hose is trash but everything else is great. And I do mean the hose is trash it's in a dumpster right now damn thing burst Friday
I bought the Craftsman pancake compressor with the 16, 18, and 23 nailer for around $150 a few years ago.
Also, a hammer. Dirt cheap.
years ago I got the porter cable combo with the compressor, brad nailer, finish nailer (i don't remember the gauge and don't use it much), and stapler. The stapler is basically useless, but having the two nailers and a compressor that can run all day is worth every penny
I have the Ridgid oscillating sander and I use it all the time. Ironically one of the reasons I like it most is a one-stop-shop sanding station and I like it BECAUSE I don't have to have Several different sanding tool.
I purchased the ridgid sander way back when it was $99 and use it a lot, but now mainly as a spindle sander, because I have a bench top belt sander now as well. Good suggestions, because I have experience almost all of the same as you
I also use mine a lot. I had the drill adaptors and hated them. also have to be careful with the drill drum bits. The bearings are not designed for lateral loads and can get tweaked.
So I’m on the verge of buying the Ridgid sander next week…So I take it y’all recommend it? Any issues? Thanks for any info…
@@juanmendoza7487 not really. I've had mine for years. Never had a problem with it.
@@dpoarch Thanks
Hi John. I always appreciate your videos. I agree 100% about the Dewalt planer. Top quality and professional results. You just can't replace a good track saw. I use the Makita and love it. Just wish I could afford the 105 inch piece of track... As far as the cordless nailers I am on the Milwaukee platform and love them. I used to use the compressor and pneumatic guns but a lot of my work I find myself in locations that people in the offices or work areas do not want to hear a compressor running all the time. I do not have to deal with untangling hoses especially when I am up working on a scissor lift. The battery life is excellent and I do not mind the weight. I use a 18 gauge and the 15 gauge DA angle nailer and they handle almost all my needs. Thanks again for the videos. dd
I had the dewalt planer and experienced all the issues you mentioned. I now have the Metabo which costs less than the dewalt but is so much better. Wider feed too for 13” boards
I also have the Dewalt planer, never once popped the breaker. But I go only 1/4 turn at the time each pass.
By the time you buy the pipe clamp, and the pipe, you have spent the same money as a parallel clamps from Harbor Freight which are outstanding, or the Jorgensons when they are on sale. The price of black pipe has gotten completelt out of hand
He must have been referring to when he bought these many years ago.
Yeah if you can get scrap pipe you're better off. All the pipe i have came from who knows where. I know I didn't buy any of it though. I even have a pipe die to thread pipe with. So even if I find lengths of pipe with no thread on it I can make that work. I don't have a power threader but for how often I thread pipe what I got is OK.
I got 12 inch clamps from Harbor freight for less than $5 each. I knelt and wept at the prices for clamps
I've been using pipe clamps for about three decades. I agree the Jorgensons are good -- you can get pretty decent tension on them, but I always forget I have them. I'm always using pipe clamps!
You do woodworking?
Why do you say it? What would your recommendations be?
Lol
He works his wood on a daily basis. He likes sanding it in a spindle sander motion.
He's wrong about the kregg rip guide. Bought one and used the daylights out of it.
Hes a city wood worker in a fake garage or fake back ground. A rear wood worker would have dust everywhere. He tried all these things that really don't need. But the cordless Milwaukee is the way I went. Father in law had Dewalt and he fell in love with the Milwaukee. Don't have to change batteries as often. I had the plug in sander like his and got a cheap place and decker run circles around the Dewalt. But the Milwaukee random orbit sander 18 volt is beyond better. And that Dewalt planer I got the 13" and it's awesome.
To be fair, I found the Kreg circular saw guide you showed very handy. For anyone reading this and not knowing what it is, it's actually a parallel guide, so you can set the width of the cut, and run the outer guide along the reference edge of the wood you are cutting. This allows for accurate repeatable cuts (in lieu of having stable saw) which I found very handy when building some ornament display shelves for our house.
I'm on my second Kreg Rip-Cut and have no regrets. It's definitely one of those tools that I don't use very often but, when use it, I'm so glad I bought it. Definitely worth the money for me.
100% it's a great tool once you get familiar with it. making quick, repeatable rip cuts with the kreg is faster and easier than using a saw guide.
Definitely not one I don't use often but when I use it makes life akot easier. Like if you have to rip shelves or sides for cabinets or bookcases set it rip and just roll.
I use mine to break down panels all the time and it's really nice to have around. Plus... They're like $35. I see it as a tool for a different use case than an actual track saw.
In my experience I neve bought one, I just have a large flat piece of wood that I attach with clamps in any position and angle I want and I get excelent results.
Great info and very entertaining! Sometimes I would really like to have an oscillating belt sander but I don't do regular woodworking. Most of my work is building large radio controlled airplanes and the oscillating sander would be handy for smoothing inside curves. Agree 100% on going with the better Dewalt thickness planer. Glad I did even though it's one of the less frequently used tools in my shop. There are times when it is indispensable.
Killer info. I've been woodworking for 30 years and gotta admit clamps was one thing I bought that all the cool kids had(bessey) and spent thousands on them. I never even considered HF pipe clamps. I'm going out to get some right now. I do have some pipe clamps and they are leaps and bounds easier to clean glue off of than K clamps as well. Thanks man!
Harbor freight has some air nailers/staplers for well under 30 bucks that are workable. However I bought that Ryobi cordless brad nailer before I even had a house and it’s one of my favorite purchases and most used tools. Super convenient, and doesn’t require extra storage space (which was at a premium in my apt rentals).
We have had a HF compresser for over 20 years that has been abused in every way known to man. - Had to replace the pressure sqitch a couple years ago but other then that it is running like new. - We do not use them like a carpenter would but we have every HF nailer they make,,,,If you use Bostich nails, NO problems in over 5 years,,,,,and we are Industrial Contractors.
The 18g brad nailer was the best thing I have added to my home reno kit. Best thing ever.
You can make wedge clamps to pretty much any length you want for panel glue ups from old mdf and/or a piece of 2x3. Total cost would be
A drill press imo is a perfect beginner tool. It allows you to make perfect repeatable holes, you can add sander pits, forsner bits, etc. Wen's cheap drill press has worked for me for a couple years and other than occasionally not having enough power, it's been great and I've used it for so many things.
The problem is that a good drill press (here in the US anyways) is $600 and up. I ended up just making a homemade version (good learning process for new users as well) with a corded hammer drill. Now, I'm not restricted by size, strength, or cost (with drill, it cost me $150, but I went big.) The low cost drill presses (WEN, HF, etc) are all really poor quality, and easily outgrown.
@@carterscustomrods I'd disagree, 99% of people will never need anything above a 10" drill press. The benchtop presses may take more time to drill, but they can still do it. I've drilled 2" deep holes with a 2" forsner bit into hard maple with my cheap drill press.
I picked up an old craftsman from a friend for $40! Great for beginner projects. Will I out grow it, yes, but it was only $40!
My thoughts on your suggestions regarding a beginning wood worker. Number one is buy once cry once. Buy the best or close to the best. When is the last time you regretted buying a quality item? I bought an oscillationg spindle sander specifically to be able to "sand to a line". I made some wooden templates and sanded them to the outline drawn with a pen. It is very difficult to cut right on a line and have the cut smooth. If you have a curvy template you cannot use a table saw and a jig saw or band saw will nut produce a really smooth edge like you need with a template. Bessey clamps are pricey but they are good and more convenient than the iron pipe clamps and lighter in weight too. You don't need a "ton" of clamping pressure even on panel glue ups. That glue coming out when clamped is glue that is no longer in the joint. You don't need more pressure than the Bessey type clamps provide. Belt sanders are seldom needed to never needed in fine woodworking but if you have a lot of material to hog out, they are irreplaceable. I vote for air tools even though I don't have any but not that air compressor. You need to get a quiet type air compressor. Battery sanders are only good if you have next to nothing to sand. As you mentioned, no power batteries drain no dust collection.
I have a Ryobi belt sander that I bought for $50 years ago and I find myself using it all the time. I also like the Rigid sander. Harbor Freight has their own version of the same sander. It's perfect for a small shop.
as a beginner woodworker, the quick clamps and pipe clamps is pretty much all you need. Parallel ones are really nice when some of your material isn't perfect - usually to due to my error. For example if something cups or moves on you then that larger grip face of the parallel clamp is a lifesaver -- but I would only buy Bessey on a big sale, and that was more of a treat
The cordless 18g brad nailer though, is a great tool for installing and doing touchups at clients houses without having to carry a loud compressor. The ONLY downside I have with them, is the weight. Trying to get into smaller spaces, or on different angles, the weight can really be a burden on your wrists.
Oh theyre heavier than my fattest uncle. But handy³.
I agree. Larger projects need the air compressor with hose and nailer. But for small touchups, I love the battery operated brad nailer.
Wouldn't disagree, but I use a small air tank with my pneumatic brad nailer (that I bought long before cordless ones existed) and it works great for small jobs. You can run a *lot* of small nails off of that tank. It has a lot of other uses as well, so that's an added bonus. Multi-use tools are always nice.
I don’t use power tools often, but I do own that DeWalt planer - I don’t think I’ve ever tripped the fuse and I’ve used it on several table builds, a cabinet, multiple boxes, a mantle, and my Roubo bench. It IS stupidly heavy, but I also haven’t tipped it over. I usually start my projects from rough 8/4 so I appreciate a planer. Having a jointer from the 60s that someone gave me also helps the process. I certainly wouldn’t mind the better version, but even though I am much further along in my woodworking, I haven’t considered it worthwhile to upgrade. I will say that I am primarily a hand tool woodworker and mostly use power tools for dimensioning lumber, so I am planing the surfaces with a hand plane afterwards so minor surface issues aren’t going to matter to me.
Picked up a Rigid set at home depot a couple months ago. Got a compressor, 18ga nailer, 18ga stapler, and a 16ga nailer with hose all in the package for I think around 350-400...Not an insanely expensive package, HUGE edition to the shop!
You earned a subscriber, John. Nice and informative video, straight to the point, no fluff, good editing. Keep it up.
Parallel clamps are meant more for cabinetry and boxes. Pipe clamps can start to bow over long runs so they have their limits too.I would still recommend parallel clamps for casework though.
I've found the jaws of the pipe clamps to be too short. My dad and I used to do a lot of 3 1/2" benchtops. If you put all of the pipe clamps on one side, the benchtop boards tend to fan. You have to put half of the bar clamps on the bottom of the benchtop and half on the top, which means at least half of your bar clamps need to be very similar so it's all even on the bottom, or things get wonky. The parallel clamps worked well because the jaws were the right length.
If you are already on Ryobi cordless, the 18 ga nailer can be had for ~$90 online battery only, it has bump feature and is a worthwhile addition in my opinion. I also have an air nailer but also grab the cordless unless I need full angled framing size
I have the 18ga ryobi nailer too. Love it.
I have the Ryobi nailer, also, and loved it until it stopped shooting nails. Found a video on how to take it apart and lube it. It started working again for that project. A couple of months later when I got it out again, it wouldn't shoot nails again.
Totally 100% agree about the planer. I bought the orange lunch box planer at first, and I basically had to keep buying blades for it…at $55 bucks for the replacement blades I very quickly offset the price difference between the two
I have just started into woodworking and I agree with most of your suggestion. As a homeowner and a DIY, I went down the Ryobi line for drills, nailer and sanders, all battery powered. I am constantly having to stop and change batteries when I use the orbital sander, nail gun is heavy and clunky to use. Panel clamps are expensive so I went with pipe clamps and found them to be very adaptive. I thought about getting the spindle sander, but noticed the table was support on just one side,NG. I spent the extra money on a good planer (Grizzly) that came with the Heliclal head, very happy with it. All in all a very good video. Thank you for my affirmation.
Nobody asked
After buying my first Black and Decker corded power drill 25 years ago, the very next tool I bought was a Rigid belt sander. I used that thing once and then stored it for two decades. I only recently got it back out, freed up a seized pully and used it again, but you're 100% correct on the orbital sander being more robust. If I made a list of things beginners shouldn't buy (or at least wait to buy), it would be a 1/2" router. Even after years of projects, I find myself using my little 18V Makita router far more than the far bigger and heavier Bosch that I bought first.
I have had the old 12" Dewalt planner (2-blade) for at least 15 years. The overload has never tripped. I would like a bigger one with helical head, but the sucker won't die, and I'm too cheap to upgrade. 😊 Same thing with my Dewalt single bevel non sliding miter saw.
@@Zzrdemon6633 where did you find that planer? Never heard of it,
Yeah I have an old model DeWalt thickness planer and it's never popped the overload. I think once you pop it once it'll keep popping easier then. You have to be careful with running them on extension cords too. Too thin a cord and it'll make the tool bog down.
I've popped the overload when going too deep on heavy boards; especially when the opposite face is warped in a certain way. When the boards are long and heavy, using roller stands on each end while ensuring there's nothing causing additional friction on the infeed/outfeed helps tremendously. If it does pop, successive pops in a short span are much easier. If you have a bunch of planing to do, you might be better off with unplugging it and waiting 15-20 minutes, and then trying again.
I am a full-time remodel contractor and I 100% agree with all of your comments. Everyone around me is using cordless nailers but I still prefer my pneumatic Makita 23, 18, 16 and framing guns. Faster, lighter and as you said, there are many other uses for the compressor on site (inflating my truck tires too!). I use the 2 gal Makita quiet unit @ 60 db that I can run with my clients on a zoom call in the next room! 100% agree with your sander advice too - - - Great tips!
I was a full time remodeler and hated corded nailers. Cordless makes it way faster and safer since you don't need to chase cords around or worry about tripping over them when the wrap around your foot like they always seam to do.
I have the same 18 gauge nailed and the DeWalt planer and love them both. I always buy during the holidays when deep discounts are offered. I never pay full price for expensive tools. I get batteries if they come with the tool or are free with purchase or vise versa. Patience pays. ✌🏽🙏🏽
I am getting into some bigger projects and was actually looking at parallel clamps, but I will definitely be getting some pipe clamps from Habor Freight. Thanks for saving me some money.
I have that Dewalt 734 planer you were saying not to buy and I'm happy with it. I don't have tip over problems because its on a mobile base ( I do all of my thickness planing and sanding right outside the shop, so less shop dust and I don't worry about dust collection on those tools that way), I've never had it bog down but I don't do thick cuts ( but i'm a hobbyist, not doing production)
Agreed, sure the 735 is a bit more but once you add the end tables, that's another 100$
And you can buy the helical head for the 734
Pf
I have the 734 and did a whole kitchen's worth of cabinet face frames and door rail/stiles with it. Soft maple over 40 board foot. I also planed red oak for a 30" by 10 foot bar top. I have done a lot of other miscellaneous planing of maple and pine. I never tripped the 20 amp breaker or the on board overload. I also have not had to even reverse the blades. From time to time i have to wax the bed. I have been very happy with it. Mine is also attached to a rolling cart - was not aware it can be tippy. Using a small roll around dust collector with a thien separator kept clogging at the dust intake so I just run it without collection and sweep - pretty sure my frankenstein dust collection is just not powerful enough.
In Canada the 735 is nearly double the price of the 734. IMO it’s not worth the jump in price for a little extra capacity and 2 speeds.
Excellent video! I will say that a cheap Warrior harbor freight belt sander ($30-$40) plus a hyper tough 2 amp 1/4 sheet palm sander ($20) is an excellent combo, as I really enjoy the ability to flip the belt sander over and sand small pieces that couldn't be done on any type of palm sander. The belt sander is also great at sharpening tools and a few other applications, as i do not have any kind of bench sander. Ace hardware carries belts even the 3x18 that the warrior belt sander uses and you can get 5(!) bi-directional belts for under $10.
My 40 year old, bought new, 24" Makita belt sander is still working strong... sanding 10's of thousands of board feet.... without one repair.... best sander I've ever owned... that includes others that I still have... an older Porter Cable 6x4" orbital, 5" Milwaukee orbital, 4" Makita palm, 18" Bosch belt and a few others... another excellent sander is any 10" sanding disk on a 10" calibration blade for the table saw.... love it..
Another great video, John! The reason I look forward to Sunday mornings is to watch your latest video! You were spot on with your tips and from my personal experience, I've realized that portable, battery-powered tools aren't always the best option. I do 95% of my work in a shop that has plenty of outlets so it's really not a big deal to run a cord to a tool - more power, no waiting for batteries to charge, etc. I honestly think as a beginning woodworker, some of the only cordless tools to invest in would be a cordless drill & impact driver combo kit. I was recently looking at the cordless nailers after seeing all of the KZheadrs with them and thought, wow, that's a tool I need; then I looked at the price, sat back and thought about how much I'd really use it (and would actually need cordless), and decided it wasn't worth the investment... especially when I already have an assortment of air nailers and air compressors. When you plopped the Dewalt planer on the table is when I really perked up because I thought I was going to have to disagree with you BUT you again were spot on and now I might need to sell that exact planer and invest in the upgrade that you recommended. I struggled planing a batch of maple boards thru one of those planers having to take off MAYBE 1/64"/pass - I got the job done, but I think I spent an entire day on the planer. I will say that my DW734 is on the Dewalt stand, so it's not really unstable but that doesn't do anything to help with it being underpowered. Looking forward to future videos! Thanks, John!!
Not to mention longevity. Corded tools will still be working 10 years from now. Due to do batteries along, cordless tools will have a much shorter lifespan. This is fine for a pro that uses tools all day every day and wears them out. For hobby and occasional use corded is a much better value in most case. Except for the most used tools, like drill/driver.
Great video my FOMO was a track saw. Took me a while to get one, and I love it. I tried all the Kreg tool add ons. No comparison.
When I first started, I thought Kreg was a high end God-send of woodworking tools, for all of thier jigs and gimmicky stuff. I bought their pocket hole jig, and then their universal track to attach to my existing circular saw. The trac kit absolutely sucks! I do use the pocket hole jig quiet a bit, but I've determined that the rest of their stuff is gimmicky junk.
Which one?
@@jasonvandergriff7809: Yeah, I bought the Kreg Rip-Cut circular saw guide. I was able to get the job done fairly accurately, but it was pretty awkward to use and not the easiest to make accurate rips.
@@brianeatock4383 Makita Cordless 36volt. It's awesome
I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw you bring out the Dewalt 734 planer because I once made the same mistake myself. I was at the store, contemplating whether to spend an extra hundred bucks on the 735 model or settle for the 734. Thinking it would be just fine, I went with the 734. However, my enthusiasm quickly fizzled when I tried running two walnut boards through it, and the fuse blew twice in succession. I promptly returned it that very day and upgraded to the 735, and what a remarkable difference it made! Your advice was definitely spot-on!
Great solid advices! I just switched back from cordless nail gun to air. The air nail guns are so light and easy to use.
The belt sander can be helpful for pallet wood. I have used it quite a bit when I want the sanding grooves to go with the grain of the board but also a little rough and rustic at the end.
Also good for cleaning up reclaimed wood to remove grit, before you pass it through a planer👍
Also it’s one of my favourite tools. I have two of them. Large and small. It has zero downsides such as vacuum dust collection is a breeze, gouging doesn’t happen when you use it properly, belts don’t stretch if you de-tension them after use, and last a long time. I even use the big one for initial flattening of end grain cutting boards.
A set of professional grade clamps are very nice to have. Pipe clamps are useful for long lengths because they are less expensive.
Plus, there is a reason the name "Pipe Clamp" doe not have the word "Parallel" in them. How many time do you really glue up boards that are wider than 36 inches anyway?
Spot on with the comments about the nail guns. The air compressor is by default extremely versatile and there are a hundred different air powered tools you can buy that can be useful. Several years ago I bought a 6 gallon craftsman compressor that came with 3 different tools in the kit. All three were great and I've added 2 or 3 other items over the years. (They aren't cordless but I don't have to move the compressor often).
Love the belt sander. I had a lot of irregular planks to sand down and and two large timber benchtops that had epoxy paint on them. Blew up my orbital sander in short order and decided a belt sander was the way to go. It did the planks quickly. The recycled benchtops still had residual epoxy on them even after spending two days with some extremely vile stripper to remove it. The belt sander finished the job in no time after working through some finer grade belts I had a surface ready for a final finish with my replacement orbital sander. The result was two really nice solid timber benches with a beautiful polyurethane finish. For a nailer i had a lot of cabinets and shelves to assemble so I brought a very cheap ($30) mains powered nail gun. Its been a case of not being able to afford high quality tools when I was getting started so I went for the cheap and dirty option. The plan has always been that as I get experience and see what I really need I'll gradually replace them with better tools.
Yep I bought one for detail work when refinishing a floor. Now I use it as a shaper or almost a power plane. Not needed for a beginner but very useful.
Great video. As someone who started out as a mechanic I can’t imagine not having a compressor but even now as I predominantly focus on woodworking the compressor is very useful around the house. The cordless nailers are way overpriced and completely unnecessary if you work in a shop. Also I never understood the cordless sander since it is hooked up to a vacuum anyway. I appreciate the honesty John and I am very glad to hear my glue ups are just as good with my pipe clamps.
I started out as a mechanic too, but 95% of the tools I use at home now are cordless. My air compressor, which is about as big as you can get on 120v, primarily exists for inflating tires at this point. Really only my air hammer and large impact are the only things that use air any more. At least on that end.
When I first got an air compressor I thought every house should just be plumbed with air. When you're first starting out cheap air tools are cheap. I have air everything. Air drills, air sanders. air die grinders. You name it I have an air tool for it. But as I went along I replaced most of my air tools with electric ones.
Dude you just crushed me 😂 i own 4 out of 5 tools you mentioned and I planned to buy 3 honourable mentions 😂😂😂 you really got me thinking with my choices and for that, thank you 💪
hahahah im glad i caught you before the honorable mentions!
Buy what you want and don't let any KZheadr dissuade you. Get multiple opinions of course, but in the end, everyone has their own needs/budgets or fall into deals that make a certain tool worth it. For example I use my Ridgid Oscillating Belt/Spindle sander A LOT even though he doesn't. I also love my Kreg Rip Cut that I just bought. It isn't junk. It works for me.
@@stevenlarson6125 sure but it all comes down to what are you actually doing. I did buy some stuff from that list and it's just collecting dust so I can relate to that surprisingly accurate list for me. As for the sander I can't see myself not using it. It's first on my shopping list to sand things shaped on the band saw that I can't do on a belt sander because of the angles. Right now I'm sanding it with a sandpaper on a broom stick so the need sander shape checks out 😂
Great list man. The only reason I have a belt sander is I got it from my dad. old Porter Cable, solid, works well, I used it twice I think. I prefer to use either a planer for larger projects or my trusty Scrub plane for fast wood removal. Compressor is definitely the way to go. Even if you have a battery system set up, pneumatic tools are universal. They all work with the same connector. And you can pump up your own tires, blow leaves, etc. seriously, 2 best tools for any garage are an air compressor and a power washer. best investments I've ever made. Yeah I know, power washer isn't a woodworking tool, but once you have one at the house, you don't know how you lived without it for so long, just like the air compressor.
Great video. I would add a dovetail jig. I bought the porter cable almost 20 years ago when I was starting. Shortly after, I learned to hand cut my dovetails. It's faster and they look way better.
K-bodies aren't great if you're a BEGINNER. But I regret waiting so long to get some. I can use them for TONS of things other than panel glue-ups. They are GREAT.
I agree. I also agree that pipe clamps are plenty for beginners. As a semi pro, I think I must have 100 clamps that are for 12" and bigger, and another 50 for smaller clamps. One just can't have too many clamps.
I use pipe clamps on a lot of things too. The thing is you can't buy pipes new. You have to just find some from somewhere.
K bodies are the best clamps out there. I started off with 3/4” pipe clamps, but soon went to K Bodies and wouldn’t go back.
I agree with everything except for the Ridgid oscillating sander... I use mine daily! I really wouldn't want to be without it! ... When I first got it, I made a little cubby hole to store it in, but lifting it out daily got old fast and I quickly realized that I needed to build a cart for it and give it a dedicated spot in my shop.
I use my Ridgid oscillating spindle/belt sander a lot, too. I’m not a beginner by a long shot, but it has given huge value for money. I mostly use it in belt mode for adjusting small items.
Cordless palm sander is really nice for finish trim work on new builds. Have it on n my bag, perfect for when I catch one tiny thing that needs sanded for 1/2 a minute, especially if a ladder is required. Way better than screwing around hooking up your sander to an extension cord, then trying to find a outlet that actually has power. I’m there and gone before I’d even be plugged in with a corded one
My fiance and her daughter got me a handheld belt sander for Christmas. Was from harbor freight off of their damaged box table for about 20$ I can use it by hand or clamp it to my work bench and use it as a stationary belt sander. All in all for the price and use I have gotten out-of it im glad I have it
When I was first getting into woodworking, Biscuit jointers were the #1 must have. I might have 3 of them somewhere in the shop, but I haven't used one in nearly a decade. Great video, and I like that you touched on the idea of buying some of these used, or an upgraded counterpart, which is great. Too many deals out there waiting to be had.
I use mine all the time 😊
Had one for nearly twenty years. Never used it
I totally agree about the clamps. You can also find the pipe clamps at garage sales. I have over 20 of them now, only the first 8 were bought new. Also agree about the cordless sander. I have one and the battery is off the side, meaning the weight is unbalanced. I have to work more to hold it level. I never use it, always use the corded model.
I consider myself as a beginner after 2 years when it comes to wood working and if you’re not doing framing or roofing. Battery powered nailers are a must specially the Milwaukee line
Love the clamp advice. I was genuinely shocked with the planer. I've looked at it quite a few times and have it in my wishlist. I appreciate the heads up.
Dewalt 13" for sure on the benchtop planer. I've been eying it latley. It outperforms higher priced options on durability and lifespan while being upgradeable to the same level over time.
Grizzly makes a similar model with a helix head. I sold my DeWalt and love my Grizzly
@@markmonson6118 which Dewalt model did you have? The DW734?
Well, I definitely couldn't afford bessey parallel clamps starting out, they are amazing. I got mine by waiting for sales on the multipacks but they really are the best clamps. I still use my k clamps a lot but haven't touched a pipe clamp since.
Totally agree, I have some really long pipe clamps that I use because they are 7’ long- besides that I never reach for pipe clamps over the bessey clamps.
I agree with most of this, in fact I was pretty proud of myself for not falling for these hype tools until you pulled up the ridged spindle sander. I used it once for a project I was doing and have not used it since. I bought a very affordable porter cable thickness planer, and it suffers some of your same issues. I have to clamp it to a surface, but overall it was a great tool for the $150 I paid and nowhere near as expensive as the nice Dewalt 13 inch. If I had the $600 to buy the Dewalt I probably wouldn't do it, and use that money elsewhere when starting out. Great video.
Agree with most, but k body or bessie clamps are amazing if youre making cabinet doors. Big shops use pipe clamps because the people are sloppy and dont take care of things. That Kreg saw guide is amazing as well for anyone needing to do work on sawhorses.
Excellent list. I'm more of a hobbyist and DIYer than actual woodworker, but I agree with most of this list. I have a belt sander I picked up for $5 at a garage sale 5 years ago, and I've only used it 3x, all for retrofitting doors. But I disagree on the nailgun. While air-powered tools are indeed cheaper and more versatile in the long run, I physically cannot handle the pitch/sound of an air compressor, especially indoors. The Ryobi battery-powered nailgun is an excellent introductory gun, and can get into places where a nailgun/compressor combo is too bulky or annoying to work around.
I second this. In fact, the video talks about how heavy the cordless version is and specifically mentions how hard it would be to deal with on a ladder. Well, I've tried both, and running an air compressor hose up a ladder is much more trouble and even dangerous than a cordless tool that is unlikely to snag on something and pull you off balance.
Great video. I wanted the K clamps like everyone else, but I now have a wall full of the pipe clamps. I have the Porter Cable brad nailer you mentioned--love it; and my compressor. I did a lot of research before buying a benchtop planer and went with the 13" Dewalt model you mentioned and am very satisfied. And for sanders, plug the damn thing in! Keep 'em coming!
I can't speak to much of what you said but a woodworker definitely needs a corded sander. We'd destroy a battery powered one before very long. A cordless one might be handy for quick jobs if it came in a bundle that you got cheap but it ain't gonna be great for your main one.
Ditto on the pipe-clamps. Pipe couplers are a great idea. Thanks! Came to the same conclusions about battery vs. air for nail guns, vs. cords for sanders. It's a less convenient set-up to plug in the lines, but it's constantly inconvenient to lug the weight of a battery. Still luv my cordless drill and jigsaw. It's hard to bite the bullet for an air compressor, but they open a a lot of doors. When I redid my roof (the purpose of projects is to justify tools) I found a pretty-used american made contractor-grade compressor for a few hundred bucks and it's been well worth it. A few years in to pay someone to replace starter switch contacts for $250, but it continues to earn it's keep. I chose a very-used model in order to afford a quality design with enough cfm to do a lot of things: A Rolair twin tank unit w/ 7 to 8 cfm at 90 psi. Just barely enough for small sand-blasting and a good paint gun (not HVLP); definitly enough to push grinders or multiple nailers, etc. over a long hose. On cold winter days, do you remember the lines at your gas station to check the air in your tires? Nice to have an air compressor (just follow the instructions about starting up in the cold). Thanks for doing this one. Learned a lot about planers. Would be interested in your thoughts about growing into the world of routers. I recently bought a trim router and a few blades for a special project (.. and what is the the purpose of projects ?) but I can see there is more to know about routers.
Good video. Growing up, I worked with my dad & woodworking. He had the pipe clamps and I thought they were very cool and versatile for what length you wanted to clamp up.
Wow! The DeWalt compressor, without battery, is £350 here in the UK (about US$430). Then you'd need to add a charger and battery(s), as well as the air nailer. With the Ryobi cordless nailer being about £180, it changes the maths quite a lot!
Why should you by cordless compressor in your shop, I bought a silent Hyundai compressor 25 liter for 175 euro and a 3 nail guns for 60 euro. Use it almost daily for 2 years and still happy whit it.
We’re still getting our tax money back, just using American owned brands to do it.
As a diy woodworker I'd say the biggest trap are cheap hand tools. Made that mistake several times. Especially chisels. Ended up with a set of Stanley short blade chisels that have lasted me 15 years now and were under £50. Always sharpen up nice.
I find cheap chisels aren’t much of a problem as long as you take good care of them. An MDF wheel on a bench grinder with a little buffing compound makes short work of sharpening and brings it up to a near mirror finish. I do a lot of destruction for materials, so having chisels that I’m not too concerned about damaging is pretty invaluable for me
@@snaile2876cheap chisels definitely have their place. I was telling some former colleagues that my most effective workbench was actually just a pallet cut in half and then plopped on a scrap 2x4 and 4x4 frame. I literally don't care about it because it was practically free, so I'm not precious about what I do to it.
Cheap chisels are the best! You put them out where people can find them, and keep your 100+ year old Buck Brothers chisels out of sight. When someone comes along to borrow a chisel to chip the grout off their bathroom tile, you can tell 'em just to keep it.
@@jeffspaulding9834 You're not wrong!!!!
Some cheap chisels can be OK. Chisels are a crap shoot. Before they got a name Narex chisels were cheap. They're the best chisels made. So price is not always an indicator of quality.
I agree with everything you said except the dewalt planer dw 734. I love mine. Mine has never tripped the built in circuit breaker since I've owned it. I do agree its top heavy so I've got it mounted to a platform I built with infeed/outfeed. Works great IMO. My only complaint is minor snipe. But you get that with the dw735 too from what I've seen on other YT vids.
I agree. I bought a cordless rotary sander the other day -I'm taking it back because, as he said here, it had no power. It stopped with just about any pressure I put on it when trying to sand off paint from my window.. taking it back tomorrow.
Great advice John, as a professional builder and woodworker I have fallen for most of the internet product placement and influencers as I look at these with great interest. Love the clamp comments, so bloody true about the old pipe clamps.
If you can't do it with a pipe clamp that sounds like a skill problem to me.
Didn't know much about the pipe clamps, really like the bang for your buck you can get for them!
You can also get rubber protector pads that are made for the clamps to minimize damage to the wood.
So I bought the Ridged sander you showed. Love it, and use it all the time. I also bought the Ridged planner like the Dewalt you showed. Never ever have I had issues with the breaker. It has awesome power. I run walnut and maple , and other 10 to 12 inch slab cuts all the time. I do have mine fixed to s stand from Harbor fright... but yeah its awesome too.
Thanks for this, John--good info! I have just one caveat to add, concerning the compressor. I few years back I bought a B&D pancake compressor, which crapped out after only a couple hours of use. The cause: a failed pressure regulator disc, without which the unit can't function. It was made of plastic, and B&D did not sell any kind of replacement part. Which meant my brand new compressor was now a doorstop. (The warranty period had expired.) I don't know how many of these pancake compressors are also made with plastic pressure regulator discs, but I would advise checking that out before buying: a) is the disc made of plastic or metal, and b) are replacements available from the manufacturer. If not, I would steer clear.
Great justification on the cordless air compressor and nailer. Would have never thought of it in that way. Luckily, I have gotten pretty good use out of my 18 gauge brad nailer. Also, Ryobi has bump mode!
I actually use that rigid oscillating sander all the time. But a lot of what I make in my shop is small items for an Etsy store so this tool makes very fast and efficient edge sanding on small items. I almost never use the spindles though. Basically just the belt sander portion.
They also go on sale for substantial discounts at Direct Tools Outlet on occasion. I picked up mine for just over $100. It was definitely worth it and I use it all the time with my CNC side of the business.
It's used very often in guitar building too. It's an extremely good tool for some things but I agree with John that it shouldn't really be something a general woodworker should look to get unless they know for sure they are making things that make good use of it.
Ok, in the first 5 minutes this dude saved me from buying overly expensive clamps that I already had sitting in my Amazon shopping cart. Thank god. And I still have 10 minutes of content left.
Same here 😂
Finish Carpenter here, I love my Milwaukee cordless brad nailer! It has the bump option too. I do agree that it is heavy but that has never been a problem for me. You are right though not a beginner tool that is needed.
Thanks, John. I personally like my belt sander as it removes lots of material, way faster than the random orbital sander, but you're right, if you are not careful, you can destroy your project. With practice, this becomes a great tool. Thanks for the advice on the spindle sander, I was looking at that same one... I love my pipe clamps. So easy to change the length by just buying the right pipes (which are pretty cheap). As a rule, I do not buy tools if I do not have an immediate need. I always look at doing stuff with what I have, first... Great video!
I've had a belt sander since HF was bright orange and it's definitely a rarely used tool. A plane of similar cost would honestly be more valuable for most uses.
Learn how to use a scrub plane. When you learn how to use hand planes your belt sander will get a lot less use woodworking. Shavings > dust! That and spend the time to learn how to sharpen and use a card scraper. I know getting that to work ain't easy. But once you do it's amazing. I still use sandpaper but I use a lot less sandpaper today than I used to. Now I use sandpaper to rough a surface up so it'll accept a finish. Burnished wood stains funny.
You're focusing on specific brands and then you generalise it on the hole type of tool. Take a makita belt sander or another quality brand and you'll have a dust collection connection on the machine. The belt sander is also a lot better to achieve plane surfaces than a rotary sander. These are more for finishing. The pipe clamps do not have the depth as the parallel ones, which can be important when gluing cabinets or thick stuff. Overall I got the impression you're still not that experienced and now you think spreading your smattering is a good idea. Stopped the video and got a thumb down.
I totally agree with not needing a planer straight off. I started off doing most of my surfacing by routing or shaving with my table saw and then sanding
I bought the Kreg rip-cut jig thing thinking the exact same thing. Found it way more of a hinderance than just clamping down a long chunk of scrap MDF. I genuinely hated it and it just sits there collecitng dust on my shelf outside. Also I just bought myself the Ryobi One+ HP Brushless 18g Brad Nailer and that thing is incredible, it's shockingly quick, penetrates deep, even has a bump mode!
Another guy with $10,000 worth of Woodpecker tools telling me how to save money! Let me summarize, don't buy Festool and don't buy Woodpecker when starting out. Belt sanders? Use mine more for DIY than woodworking but great for "coping" countertops, etc. Mine was a $40.00 Back and Decker.
Festool and Woodpeckers are not intended for beginners or hacks. Profitable and experienced craftsman are their intended audience.
He likely got all of those tools for promotional consideration. Woodpecker gives their stuff to a lot of influencers.
You should not buy a parallel clamp. You will need at least a dozen of them. And that’s a fact.
Another guy being sponsored all over the place
He gives useful advice. The tube clamps are a great piece of advice. I was thinking about them and now Im sure
I use my Morticer in preference to other methods. Also I love my Ryobi 18 gauge nailer. I recommend both for a beginner.
I definitely agree with John's point about air-nailer > battery-nailer. It may be even more simple than that... I think for most folks with a shop or garage, air power is the go-to style for all the reasons he listed (weight, power, functionality, etc). So if you've already got that air-nailer-hose setup, then JUST purchasing the battery-powered air compressor INSTANTLY gives you mobility. Plus, you get the added benefits of air power for a blow gun for cleaning, a tire inflator, air hammer chisel, impact wrench, die grinder, etc, etc. And if you come equipped with enough charged batteries for the compressor, you won't even need access to electricity on the job site. Great tip, John! Thanks.
Great call with the drill press spindles. I didn’t know they were a thing and was looking at getting a spindle sander. Definitely gonna get those instead.
Great advice on the pipe clamp! Thank you. Regarding the air compressor and nailer, I would argue that, you WILL find yourself eventually moving from pneumatic to battery in certain applications. It's going to happen. So the earlier you choose your battery platform, the earlier you build your collection of battery tools and batteries, therefore making it cheaper in the long run to add to your collection. My advice, start at pawn shops, you'll likely get the tool for a quarter of the price, and usually the battery is included for free. Before you know it you've got 5 or 10 batteries now you can start buying the tools new.
This will also teach you what tools have resale value. Remember the pawn shop was willing to pay money for these tools. Because obviously they're easy to sell. Meaning they are popular because they work.... No particular order... DeWalt Milwaukee Makita
Good points. I bought a belt sander for a specific purpose a couple of decades ago. Since then, I've used it maybe twice.
I bought the flexible orange Rigid hose kit and it comes with adapters. The one fits perfectly on the Dewalt orbital sander
I am on board with most of your takes, except for the planer.. sort of. I went with a Wen tabletop (it is basically a clone of that Dewalt) and I have been more than happy with it. Granted, I perma mounted mine, and created an integrated in/outfeed table which solves most of the problems you had with instability, and I haven't had any issues with tripping the breaker. But, in general, I agree that even though I am happy with mine, that going ahead and investing a few more dollars for the 13" would be worth it. The only other thing I would maybe disagree with is that I'd get a corded pancake compressor. Battery powered is handy, but just like with your point that cordless sanders aren't worth the extra price because, for one, you almost always have a plug nearby, you'd save a good bit by going corded pancake compressor, and usually get a good bit more volume.
I went with a corded 26 gallon quiet compressor that has wheels. Has 2 quick connects that I have 3/8” hose connecting two 25ft 3/8” hose reels Gives me air anywhere in the shop or outside, and it’s able to run my paint shaker, 18 gauge nailer, die grinders, among other pneumatics I would have loved having the option of portability that the battery powered ones have, but in the 3 years I’ve had this one I’ve only moved it twice. Once for a new drain valve install and another time when I got a bigger workbench