When it comes to jointers, a flat table and fence are especially important. And the longer and wider the bed the better. Usually the best compromise for any home woodworker is a full cabinet 6" jointer. The X5 is a very reliable machine and I love mine. You can get 6" jointers for less $, but remember to stay at least with the 6" size and to test for table bed flatness.

Being a basement shop - a dust collector is paramount! You need to collect the dust at the source. Unless you intend to use more than one machine at a time, a 1hp collector should pull enough air to do the job for an average sized shop. I would suggest upgrading the bag on this to a lower micron size filtering ability.

This machine has a great track record and is proven to be reliable. The 13" width comes into play more often that you would think, as opposed to the 12" models.

I obtained this drill during Christmas 2006. It comes with 2 batteries and the charger is very fast. I have driven over 100 screws into 2x4 on one charge. It has 2 speeds (driving vs drilling) and obviously 2 directions. This drill (not the battery) is made in Switzerland and the build quality is very apparent. This is an excellent all-round cordless drill.

This corded saw is a tough rig. It has a switched LED light which actually seems to help a lot. Again, I chose a corded saw for a saw that I think would need to handle long hours and heavy material. If you only use this in the woodshop, then by all means try the Makita 18v cordless 6 1/2" saw.