Most useful power tool

[cyred4d]

Okay, I am seriously thinking of contacting Binghams and building my own laminated recurve. In your opinion what power tool would be the most useful for a new builder getting started? I am limited in the amount of space I have available. Thanks for any and all input.

[Mike Most]

I bought a bench top spindle sander, when I first contacted binghams.......  

[PEARL DRUMS]

A dust collector hands down. Glass is mean stuff and if your space is limited that means your not in your own shop, containing that dust is even more important.

[rover brewer]

I would say a sander,belt,spindle,palm any of these and Pearl Drums is right about the glass dust you want to make sure your not breathing it.

[cyred4d]

Thanks guys for the feedback. Been reading a lot on here and this is the place to go for information.

[scrub-buster]

I only make selfbows, so for me, it would be the band saw.  The belt sander would be a close second.

[eagleone]

belt sander for me

[Dick in Seattle]

another vote for belt sander, preferably vertical edge oriented.   I converted a 6X48 from horizontal to vertical and it immediately became the mainstay of the shop.  I'd vote for a drum sander second.  The saws are wonderful to have, but there are alternatives.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

That's hard to pick just one. I think the band saw is very valuable, but so is the belt sander, and I guess if I didn't have the belt sander I could just get by with drum sanders for the drill press? Man, I sure use that belt sander for all kinds of stuff, not just bow building but lots of projects. Drum sanders are cheap though, if you have a drill press it comes in real handy for getting close to your lines when your trying to rough in your limb profile.

I've already got a dust collector cause my father is a wood worker.

[NYArrow]

IMO belt sander...since I don't have a bandsaw. (working on getting one though)

[jsweka]

Another vote here for the spindle sander. Great for forming riser fade outs and for getting the limb profile close.