Hamish,
Your ? of how serious of a hobbyist I am is interesting...sometimes hard to define yourself :).? I am 62 and until the last year or two hadn't touched woodworking since High School.? I started looking in the mirror a few years ago and said I need some hobbies.? Woodworking seemed attractive so I started researching tools.? I have been very blessed with having some resources from my life's work and my perfectionist, buy a tool once obsession drives me to analyze my purchases in great detail.? The opinions of people like you and groups like this help me a lot.? With that said my projects so far have involved woods with interesting grain patterns, plenty of knots and character.? I may be weird but I seem to get pleasure out of taking a rough sawn board and discovering as I surface all sides and lay the boards out how the look turns out.? I usually epoxy most knots that seem unstable. So with that said I feel the jointer/planer I have is the heart and soul of my hobby.? I am making things that will outlast me for friends, family and charities.? My 6" old rusty Delta jointer and and Dewalt planer just don't seem to be enough.? I would like to have less tear out on knots, be able to make something without having to glue a bunch of 6" boards together, get rid of the snip that is almost impossible to get rid of on my Delta 6" jointer.? I have the resources to buy an A3-41 but don't have the runway to make a bad take off.? I say that all with much thanks and respect for all who their ideas and opinions and thoughts yours was spot on.
