Tools, Sharpening and Power Machinery - $150 hd gift card to spend

yet another thread looking for reccomendations...

so i got a $150 gift card for hd, and now i need some advice on how best to spend it. the first thing i'm thinking of is a table saw. space is a condideration for the next couple of years, but the plan is for another house with more room for a real workshop in no more than 4 years. i'd like to keep my total spending under $450 as well. given the store i'm limited to, and curent budget, if there is a model worth grabbing at tis time, or hold off and just buy something else. i could also see picking up a nice jigsaw, which would be almost free with this card amount. if i went that route, is there any models out there for around $300 or less that you could see being worth buying, even if in 4 years you were going to have room for a bigger, better model?

The world's best selling jigsaw is the Bosch 1587. I've got one that came in a steel case, which I feel is a nice bonus. Bosch's 1590 is an improvement over the old standby. They are both EXCELLENT saws.

As far as table saws go, I think most of the bases were covered in the recent thread on table saws in this same forum. When looking for saws, checking out websites like Sears, HD, Lowes, Amazon and reading reviews (Amazon) can help prevent you from buying something you'll regret.

My goodness, an OP with money to spend and Rapture is asleep! I agree with searching the recent thread. You will mainly need to be concerned with...do you want portability, large table, stationary, fence type, motor size, most of which is covered in the thread. Anyway, shop smart and don't dive on the first one you see. You may not even want to buy the table saw with the card, but buy some smaller tools and locate a table saw at another retailer.

i guess this was more about being limited to hd to spend this dough. as far as table saws go it would seem they have only one or two that keep coming up in the threads that get my interests, the ridgid and the bosch. both of which are running around $550. unless i missed one thats in my current price range thats worth grabbing i think i'm just going to wait, get by using my circular saw and hold off till the budget grows and i can really buy anywhere.

the jig saw is really the only main hand held power tool i haven't picked up. the 1590 is available at hd for around $159, so looks good there...what about any others they have? heres the link to the jig saws : http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?marketID=86&onlineStore=false&locStoreNum=1239&Ntk=AllProps&N=10000003+90086+502323&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&langId=-1

anyone see another model they like? i like milwaukee's tools, and their jig saw says sold out online, but i've had the store order me things direct that was sold out before.

thanks guys.

What to buy depends a lot on what you plan on doing. For general wood shop use, a table saw is likely to be a good choice.

My goodness, an OP with money to spend and Rapture is asleep! I agree with searching the recent thread. You will mainly need to be concerned with...do you want portability, large table, stationary, fence type, motor size, most of which is covered in the thread. Anyway, shop smart and don't dive on the first one you see. You may not even want to buy the table saw with the card, but buy some smaller tools and locate a table saw at another retailer.

:D

I actually have a giftcard to the same place!!! How cool is that! I'm trying to sift through my thoughts as well on what to buy. I may just save up for a nice tablesaw as well.

I knew we'd hear from Rapture on this one!

heres the follow up. i ended up buying a jig saw, the dewalt dw331k for 169.00. why did i choose the dewalt? well, my intention was to pick up the bosch but when i got to the store there was one of those cool little rebate flyers in front of the dewalt offering me an instant rebate for a free dewalt sheet palm sander with the purchase of the jig saw. i couldn't resist the offer. the sander is the d26441k. for some reason its not on the hd website, as either an online or instore product. odd.

but what do you folks think? i've got another dewalt orbital sander thats been great, and i have plenty of friends who love their stuff. good buy, or return?

Hard to go wrong with DeWalt. I only have a few of their tools, but I've been happy with all of them.