Carpentry power tools
Discussion
Chaps, I'd like to buy some bits for basic carpentry i.e. making shelving, coving, wood panelling etc. In the old days I would have used my trust mitre saw for cutting architrave etc, but in the spirit of PH, I need (well, want, anyway) to buy some power tools, which I can justify by telling myself I won't pay a carpenter to make stuff.
So, is this an adequate list? And any do buys/do not buys? They don't really need to be cordless as the work will be done in my workshop, rather than in situ. I have some Milwaukee 18v tools but went a bit pale when I saw how much their compatible circular saws were, for example...
- circular saw
- chop saw
- jigsaw
- electric sander
- work bench
What am I missing that's obvious?
So, is this an adequate list? And any do buys/do not buys? They don't really need to be cordless as the work will be done in my workshop, rather than in situ. I have some Milwaukee 18v tools but went a bit pale when I saw how much their compatible circular saws were, for example...
- circular saw
- chop saw
- jigsaw
- electric sander
- work bench
What am I missing that's obvious?
I never even knew a flipover saw existed!
I doubt I really need one though – I want to do panelling, shelving and perhaps an attempt at some fitted eaves furniture, as a keeping myself occupied at the weekend sort of thing. I think a circular saw with a guide will suffice for this sort of work (or getting the timber merchant to pre-cut some bits)
Router is a great idea too.
And yes, good clamps/workbench are a must.
I doubt I really need one though – I want to do panelling, shelving and perhaps an attempt at some fitted eaves furniture, as a keeping myself occupied at the weekend sort of thing. I think a circular saw with a guide will suffice for this sort of work (or getting the timber merchant to pre-cut some bits)
Router is a great idea too.
And yes, good clamps/workbench are a must.
Harry Flashman said:
I never even knew a flipover saw existed!
I doubt I really need one though – I want to do panelling, shelving and perhaps an attempt at some fitted eaves furniture, as a keeping myself occupied at the weekend sort of thing. I think a circular saw with a guide will suffice for this sort of work (or getting the timber merchant to pre-cut some bits)
Router is a great idea too.
And yes, good clamps/workbench are a must.
You don't need a guide on a CS - just clamp a straight edge on the piece you're cutting, accounting for the edge of shoe-blade distance and cut along that keeping the saw pressed up to the straight edge. Much better method. I doubt I really need one though – I want to do panelling, shelving and perhaps an attempt at some fitted eaves furniture, as a keeping myself occupied at the weekend sort of thing. I think a circular saw with a guide will suffice for this sort of work (or getting the timber merchant to pre-cut some bits)
Router is a great idea too.
And yes, good clamps/workbench are a must.
bayleaf said:
Harry Flashman said:
I never even knew a flipover saw existed!
I doubt I really need one though – I want to do panelling, shelving and perhaps an attempt at some fitted eaves furniture, as a keeping myself occupied at the weekend sort of thing. I think a circular saw with a guide will suffice for this sort of work (or getting the timber merchant to pre-cut some bits)
Router is a great idea too.
And yes, good clamps/workbench are a must.
You don't need a guide on a CS - just clamp a straight edge on the piece you're cutting, accounting for the edge of shoe-blade distance and cut along that keeping the saw pressed up to the straight edge. Much better method. I doubt I really need one though – I want to do panelling, shelving and perhaps an attempt at some fitted eaves furniture, as a keeping myself occupied at the weekend sort of thing. I think a circular saw with a guide will suffice for this sort of work (or getting the timber merchant to pre-cut some bits)
Router is a great idea too.
And yes, good clamps/workbench are a must.
Have a look at what this guy uses most as a starter
http://www.newyankee.com/
(as I recall, mainly a table saw, router, sander and lots of clamps)
Buy from here: http://www.axminster.co.uk/
To the list above I would add dust extraction, a decent bench and a kettle!
http://www.newyankee.com/
(as I recall, mainly a table saw, router, sander and lots of clamps)
Buy from here: http://www.axminster.co.uk/
To the list above I would add dust extraction, a decent bench and a kettle!
Harry Flashman said:
I never even knew a flipover saw existed!
I doubt I really need one though – I want to do panelling, shelving and perhaps an attempt at some fitted eaves furniture, as a keeping myself occupied at the weekend sort of thing. I think a circular saw with a guide will suffice for this sort of work (or getting the timber merchant to pre-cut some bits)
Router is a great idea too.
And yes, good clamps/workbench are a must.
The Evolution Rage 6 is a smaller, cheaper alternative. I find mine extremely useful.I doubt I really need one though – I want to do panelling, shelving and perhaps an attempt at some fitted eaves furniture, as a keeping myself occupied at the weekend sort of thing. I think a circular saw with a guide will suffice for this sort of work (or getting the timber merchant to pre-cut some bits)
Router is a great idea too.
And yes, good clamps/workbench are a must.
My other essentials are a bandsaw and 12" disk sander. Other bench tools are a pillar drill and grinder. Hand tools used often are jigsaw, drill and multitool. Less often used are SDS drill, angle grinder and circular saw.
I almost never use a router - so it shows that what you use reflects you and what you plan to do.
bayleaf said:
You don't need a guide on a CS - just clamp a straight edge on the piece you're cutting, accounting for the edge of shoe-blade distance and cut along that keeping the saw pressed up to the straight edge. Much better method.
Or better yet, make your own saw track. Saves having to mess about lining up the straight edge & takes some margin for error out.Its just one bit of wood with a straight edge (usually just over a board width in length) glued & screwed on top of another piece of wood which is wider. Run the circular saw along it to trim the excess and you have a nice saw guide to use
Or just buy a track compatible saw, tracks are the way forwards and if you get a decent one you can do most table saw type cuts with them.
A table saw will always be better for lots of repeated operations etc but realistically a track saw is a good starting point for a DIY'er with spending a bag of sand on a decent table saw.
I've got the Dewalt circular saw with track base and a couple of lengths of track, it really is very good although with projects looming in the new abode I'm tempted to sell it and put a bit in to upgrade to the Festool saw
pc.iow said:
Dewalt are a poor copy of what they once were.
All my dewalt stuff is excellent and I keep buying it.I've had a little 10.8v 3/8th drive impact gun that gets heavily abused daily at work and it's still just as good as the day I bought it bar the socket ring being a little slack but that happens to all impact guns over time.
Maybe the cheaper DIY stuff is a bit worse but I've not had an issue with anything I've bought.
pc.iow said:
I know, It's Jimmyarm that need telling.
Maybe I am missing something but when we totally refurbished our house - 240sqm of new 25mm ply floors everywhere, 3 new bathrooms, 75sqm of WUFH, new unvented hot water, boiler, windows, walls coming down etc HILTI easily came on top, FESTOOL a close second, FEIN for all the niggly stuff, DeWalt or Makita were not even allowed on site...Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff