Sorry to hijack this thread but I didn't know so many folks here are knowledgeable about power tools.

I am looking to get a drill press setup and a basic power saw for home use (in an apartment) and the wife is not going to let me buy a ton of tools that take up space, so I need to get something super compact.

I actually seriously thought about just buying hand tools (I have a few already including a hand drill) but that is slow going. I already have a 1/2 inch drill (Hitachi) that I wanted to covert to a drill press but seems rather difficult.

Don't laugh but I might spring for a Dremel kit, which you can buy a sort of drill press thing for, and it also has cutting blades (sawing). It will be weak, but if I cut a little bit at at time over several passes it should work.

The router is the one I am scratching my head about. The Dremel can do some sorta-routing stuff but I want to make joints. Home Depot can cut the wood for me, so MAYBE I won't need a power saw (maybe use a hand saw) but I do want a drill press and routing ability.

Mostly I want to make some very basic small tables, storage boxes, etc. at home, and preferable able to make decent mortise + tenon joints. Drill wood and plastic mostly. Not sure about thin metal.

Any advice?

Feel free to PM me so that this thread is not actually totally hijacked. Sorry OP! 

Sorry to hijack this thread but I didn't know so many folks here are knowledgeable about power tools.

I am looking to get a drill press setup and a basic power saw for home use (in an apartment) and the wife is not going to let me buy a ton of tools that take up space, so I need to get something super compact.

I actually seriously thought about just buying hand tools (I have a few already including a hand drill) but that is slow going. I already have a 1/2 inch drill (Hitachi) that I wanted to covert to a drill press but seems rather difficult.

Don't laugh but I might spring for a Dremel kit, which you can buy a sort of drill press thing for, and it also has cutting blades (sawing). It will be weak, but if I cut a little bit at at time over several passes it should work.

The router is the one I am scratching my head about. The Dremel can do some sorta-routing stuff but I want to make joints. Home Depot can cut the wood for me, so MAYBE I won't need a power saw (maybe use a hand saw) but I do want a drill press and routing ability.

Mostly I want to make some very basic small tables, storage boxes, etc. at home, and preferable able to make decent mortise + tenon joints. Drill wood and plastic mostly. Not sure about thin metal.

Any advice?

Feel free to PM me so that this thread is not actually totally hijacked. Sorry OP! 

I know somebody makes a "sort of drill press thing" for regular drills, or you could go to sears and pick up a table top drill press which might be a better option. They would also have a small table top jig saw that could function as kind of a band saw to do the things you want to do. Check out a laminate router for routing, I don't know if the bits are interchangeable though, it's been years since I've used mine.
Hope this helps.........Hijacker! 

Get a Small drill press.  I have a Delta.  Less "bit walking" than add a drill to the press stuff

Sorry to hijack this thread but I didn't know so many folks here are knowledgeable about power tools.

I am looking to get a drill press setup and a basic power saw for home use (in an apartment) and the wife is not going to let me buy a ton of tools that take up space, so I need to get something super compact.

I actually seriously thought about just buying hand tools (I have a few already including a hand drill) but that is slow going. I already have a 1/2 inch drill (Hitachi) that I wanted to covert to a drill press but seems rather difficult.

Don't laugh but I might spring for a Dremel kit, which you can buy a sort of drill press thing for, and it also has cutting blades (sawing). It will be weak, but if I cut a little bit at at time over several passes it should work.

The router is the one I am scratching my head about. The Dremel can do some sorta-routing stuff but I want to make joints. Home Depot can cut the wood for me, so MAYBE I won't need a power saw (maybe use a hand saw) but I do want a drill press and routing ability.

Mostly I want to make some very basic small tables, storage boxes, etc. at home, and preferable able to make decent mortise + tenon joints. Drill wood and plastic mostly. Not sure about thin metal.

Any advice?

Feel free to PM me so that this thread is not actually totally hijacked. Sorry OP! 

A precision drill guide should fit your needs. I got one at Home Depot for $38 (made by General Tool) and I use it lot more than my drill press.