Woodworking, must have tools?

[David M.]

I'm looking into starting some woodworking for various stand/canopy builds. What are the basic must have tools, as well as things that may make life easier, to start doing DIY stuff like this?

 

[143MPCo]

@dbl

 

[pilot108]

A good sliding miter saw helps a lot. That is probably my most used tool.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'll start:

Other then the obvious...hammer, screwdrivers, etc., I say:

Primary Tools
Hand drill with bits
Hand circular saw (and a straight edge jig)
Kreg pocket hole jig

Secondary Tools
Saber saw
Orbital sander

Tertiary Tools
Table saw and/or Radial Arm saw
Drill press


EDIT TO ADD: Oops, @pilot108 posted while I was typing...so I'm not first. I'll probably think of more as well....

 

[Clownman727]

Watch some new ankee workshop videos on youtube and learn from the master. Norm Abrams!!

 

[Clownman727]

New Yankee Workshop

 

[David M.]

Is harbor freight a good place to go for these things? I know their quality can be questionable.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Tools that I use with frequency, I buy quality....most are DeWalt. Tools I know I won't use much, I've been purchasing Harbor Freight....i.e. Oscillating Tool.

 

[dbl]

Obviously this will depend on your goals and maybe more important, your budget. If you're just building one stand, you may not need a bunch of expensive tools. But if it's something you want to do in replication, then it would be better to make an investment in some good equipment. Just off the top of my head:

• A good flat working surface with good lighting
• Drilling/Screwing
  • Electric or cordless drill/screw gun
  • A good quality set of bits
• Clamps
  • Various sizes - I've found you can never have too many clamps

• Pocket Hole Set
  • You won't regret this purchase, it will become your best wood friend
  • Kreg's are popular and usually readily available - what most of us use

• Cuts/Chop cuts
  • Can be done with circular saw - used in conjunction with a square of some type
  • Easier done with a miter/compound miter saw
  • Even easier done with a sliding compound miter saw - most flexibility

• Long cuts/rips
  • Long cuts can be done with a circular saw and straight edge guide, but:
  • Far easier with a table saw

• Sanding
  • An orbital palm sander is a great choice as the "finish" wood you're likely going to be using is probably been planed

• Supplies
  • Another area where enough is never enough
    • Glue, screws of varying sizes and lengths

That's a snap shot of what you'll need. When it comes to tools, I like to buy quality. Yes, they are a little more expensive, but they are often easier to use and should last a lot longer.

Good luck and please let us know if you have specific questions.

 

[dbl]

Adding on to what might be next:

• Jig/saber saw and blades (probably should have been included in my first list)
• Router and bits
• Biscuit joiner
  • Can be used to build door frames in lieu of miter cutting corners
• Drill press
• Belt sander or possibly planer - if you're buying stock that is not been planed
• The list goes on and on the more advanced your project and skill set grows.

One last comment on saw blades. These fall in the same line as equipment - buy good blades. Diablo/Freud are pretty available and pretty good. It's like everything else, you get what you pay for.

 

[d2mini]

Table Saw and Miter Saw are my two must have big power tools.
For hand power tools, a standard drill, but if you can also add an impact hammer drill, that would be great. The hammer is much better for driving lots of screws. Ryobi sells a great 18v battery combo set. In fact, for the avg weekend DIY'er, Ryobi makes some really nice tools at good prices. As mentioned above, Dewalt makes great stuff too. I just went through the whole research process for a new table saw to replace my 15 yo Delta saw and ended up with this one...
http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-1...Pro-Modular-Guarding-System-DWE7480/204511988
As mentioned in one of the posts above, I recently got a Kreg jig for pocket holes and it's awesome.

You are also going to need a decent work surface. A good first project is a workbench!
I just recently finished this one. If I need to rip some large pieces on the table saw, i just lift off the miter saw and have a nice long outfeed table.
After this pic I added plywood sheets to the bottom sections so i'd have storage for other tools and stuff.

 

[David M.]

First off, great info. Thank you! Budget is low, as is most things reef related. Looks like I can get most of the things I need at Harbor freight. I'll have to look up reviews on each piece I interested in. Craigslist is also an option but used tools don't sound too great. I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions. Again, thank you!

 

[NHreefguy]

I'd say everything that needed to be said was said. +1 on the kreg pocket hole jig. As far As used tools go, if stuff is taken care of it should last a long time. My first air compresser was from like the 70s. If you can find good stuff on craigslist I'd say go for it

 

[dbl]

Don't be afraid to look at Craigslist. You might be able to pick up a used high quality piece of equipment for what you're about to pay for a not-so-great piece new. As @d2mini just mentioned, he just replaced a 15 year old Delta saw, and he replaced it with another high quality piece of equipment. Just two weekends ago, I picked up a very nice 10 year-old jointer and saved about $1,000 in doing so.

You never know, you might get lucky, just be careful.

 

[David M.]

Seems like the craigslist near me has slim pickins. Found a miter saw that may be worthwhile, but the harbor freight seems decent for what I need. Looked up some reviews and the miter saw, router, circular saw are all on the "good" list. I doubt you can mess up a clamp so I'll probably go there for all my clamp needs, at 2-3 bucks per clamp cant beat it. I already have a hand drill, probably need some better bits. But again, harbor freight. I have a sander I got a walmart, and thats done me pretty good for my re-painting projects. The pocket jig is something I need to look into, seems like something I'd want, but not need immediately.

As for a table for all the tools, thats a great idea! Good way to test out the product I'm buying!

 

[David M.]

Would a table saw work in lieu of a miter saw?

The only reason I can see getting a miter saw would be for the angled cuts, which I'm assuming a table saw can't do.

 

[David M.]

Also what size clamps should I be looking at? So far I've picked out 4 x 12" and 4 x 6". Figured that would cover the bases.

 

[dbl]

Would a table saw work in lieu of a miter saw?

The only reason I can see getting a miter saw would be for the angled cuts, which I'm assuming a table saw can't do.

In very general terms, think of a miter saw as a "short cut" saw. So you buy a 2x4 that is 8' long. You want to cut that to say 36" for your stand legs. Although it technically can be done on a table saw, it's a lot more difficult. That is where your miter saw comes in to play. You can also use a regular circle saw as well, along with a right angle square. You use the square as a guide for your circular saw to cut a straight line. So the miter saw is not only for making angled cuts.

In very general terms, think of a table saw as a "long cut" saw. So you bought a piece of plywood to skin that new fancy stand. A table saw will make it a lot easier to make that long cut through the plywood. Again, a regular circular saw will work, but you'll need a guide (a long straight device) to clamp to the plywood, and then run your saw along the guide.

NOTE: To the woodworkers out there, don't shoot me for the above terminology. I'm trying to keep this as basic as possible. Hopefully I'm making my point and not adding further confusion!

Bottom line...It's two different pieces of equipment for different purposes.

Questions?

 

[TaylorPilot]

Table Saw - Get a Dewalt. They are a little more expensive, but their rack system for the fence is awesome. Once you get it dialed in and parallel, it is dead on every time. Honestly, I've gotten to where I don't even use a tape measure. Just put the fence on the mark and cut away, they are always perfect.

Miter Saw - I have a large Dewalt, but it might not be necessary. If you are on a budget and only plan on cutting stuff up to maybe a 2X6, you can get away with a 10". A 12" is preferable, and even better is a 12" that has a sliding arm. The unit doesn't just hinge down, it slides forward. I have one that cuts up to a 14" wide board. It's great for cutting shelving. Again, that isn't at all necessary if you are on a budget to start with. They are mostly for getting good straight cuts for miters.

Drill - I have a cordless Dewalt. They last for years and I use it atleast a few times a month on personal projects. Everything from stirring paint to polishing my wheels.

Router - I would get a router with a 1/2" shaft. Allot of the larger bits for doing doors only come in 1/2", and even the ones that do come in smaller shafts, usually aren't as good because of flex and chatter. Variable speed is nice, but not required. Mainly, you want a decent base, that allows for small precise adjustments when doing joints. Your first project is going to be building a decent router table/work bench. You can look around for ideas. I have a Bosch. It came with two bases. A standard, and a plunge. I have the standard mounted permanently under my table. It is neat because you can either turn the adjustment knob under the table, or it has a key that you can stick into a hole on the top of the table to adjust it from above. It is a poor mans router lift, which usually cost several $100s all on their own.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_136633-353-1617EVSPK_1z0wcl8__?productId=1014955&pl=1#img


Pocket Hole Jig - Get one, they are awesome. I have the Kreg model. I also got the locking pliers that go with them. The jig snaps onto it and it works amazing. I just built a canopy and stand using one.

With these, you can build allot of stuff. You'll need other small items like clamps and drill bits.

Next, I would work on a compressor and nail guns. They make those little carry around ones that they sale with some finishing nailer for around 300. I have had one of those for 10 years and it is still going strong. Although, I rarely use it anymore because I have a huge one. But it is nice if you are working far from your shop (back of house), where you can just move the compressor.

Wood working stuff is fun, but I will say you are looking at atleast a grand to get quality stuff to start with. If you are going to make just a few project, or are doing it to try and save money, it's cheaper to just have someone do it for you. However, if you enjoy building stuff with your hands and take pride in it, then it is pretty fun to have all that stuff to work with.

 

[erk]

It all comes down to how long you want to take to build something. You can use all hand tools and buy some hand me down tools from Craigslist. Rip saw, cross cut saw, tenon saw, hand plane, chisels, and a hammer. Only really need a saw, chisel, and a hammer. You can use traditional joinery which will hold a lot better than screwed together butt joints. If you don't want to take a long time to build a stand, then circular saw and pocket hole jig with simple butt joints. You can spend more money and get a router and use the router to make mortise and tenons or half lap joints instead of butt joints. This will go faster than a chisel, but is difficult for a beginner. You say you have a small budget, so I would go the hand tool route until you figure out that you'd rather use a circular saw than a hand saw. I don't recommend a miter saw over a table saw because with a table saw you can make all sorts of sleds and jigs to get the same cuts the miter saw can make and more. More bang for your buck. Also, you can cut the large sheets of plywood with a table saw and you can't with a miter saw.