I would buy a router + table before I bought a miter saw, drill press, band saw, or even a jointer/planer.
Decorative edges and mouldings, mortises, dados, grooves, slots, rabbets, hinge mortises, hell all of the operations that go into panel doors. And you can use a router, especially in a table, as an edge jointer, so in a pinch you can get into making panels without buying a jointer. Routers are hella versatile.
I’d agree with router before a drill press, miter saw, bandsaw, and a jointer. However, for simple furniture projects, I’d argue a planer is the second most important tool behind a table saw. You can use a planer with a sled for face jointing, and a table saw sled for edge jointing. Yes, you need a router for edge profiles, but not for dead simple tables and cabinets.
Exceptionally versatile tool, and necessary to take you to the next level, but not more important than a planer.
I would buy a router + table before I bought a miter saw, drill press, band saw, or even a jointer/planer.
Decorative edges and mouldings, mortises, dados, grooves, slots, rabbets, hinge mortises, hell all of the operations that go into panel doors. And you can use a router, especially in a table, as an edge jointer, so in a pinch you can get into making panels without buying a jointer. Routers are hella versatile.
I’d agree with router before a drill press, miter saw, bandsaw, and a jointer. However, for simple furniture projects, I’d argue a planer is the second most important tool behind a table saw. You can use a planer with a sled for face jointing, and a table saw sled for edge jointing. Yes, you need a router for edge profiles, but not for dead simple tables and cabinets.
Exceptionally versatile tool, and necessary to take you to the next level, but not more important than a planer.