[Zeke]

I've worked with wood almost all my life. One precept that I have invoked to keep from going overboard for shop tools is, "If I can't make it in someone's driveway, I will hire out the work to a shop." Well, I've made a lot of cabinets both at home and out on jobsites with the basic tools.

That having been said, I have always found lumber in any species available already thicknessed. Therefore, no need for a thickness planer. I use a very nice hand held planer that will mount to a base for edging.

Sliding chop saws have just about eliminated the need for a radial arm saw. Get a good one.

Look hard at the line of Kreg tools. I have a biscuit joiner, but Kreg would be able to do those jobs. Both is better.

I don't understand vertical drum sanders. I see on TV people using them on outside radii. That's for a stationary disc sander. But, get a good hand held belt sander and a vibrator and be done with it.

So, there you have it, a nice table saw, a good chop saw and a few hand held power tools and you can do it all.

I won't say don't get a drill press. If you do, spend a little more because they can do a lot of things. One of those things is drum sander.

A band saw will complete most any shop. Not a lot of things that a band saw will do that you can't do by hand, but you could say the same about a table saw.

Dust collection? I have a couple of box fans and the air compressor.
Oh, speaking of air compressors, you need a good one. Two words: nail guns.