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What power tools should I add

Posted on 10/5/24 at 7:13 am
Posted by lesgeaux
Member since Jul 2008
3743 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 7:13 am
Currently have a skillsaw, standard drill, sawzall, sander

Want to be able to tackle most around the house projects that inevitably come up.
Posted by diat150
Louisiana
Member since Jun 2005
46068 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 7:13 am to
Oscillating tool
Posted by Macfly
BR & DS
Member since Jan 2016
9520 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 7:21 am to
Not power but speed square and a long spirit level that's 2-3 ft.
Small 2-2.5 gal. wet/dry Shop Vac is what I use to pull remaining water from toilet tank when changing fill valve and cleaning up dust after small jobs in rooms.
This post was edited on 10/5/24 at 7:34 am
Posted by rustyjohnson
LP
Member since Oct 2009
434 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 7:29 am to
Impact driver to compliment your drill.
Posted by BilbeauTBaggins
probably stuck in traffic
Member since May 2021
7198 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 7:52 am to
All mentioned above are definitely worth having when necessary:

Oscillating tool
Impact driver
Shop vac - I would get one with a stainless steel body. Easier to clean and lightweight compared to plastic.

Things you can add that weren't mentioned:
Angle grinder
One-handed hackzall (the small version of a sawzall)
Jigsaw
Posted by Dallaswho
Texas
Member since Dec 2023
2589 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 8:06 am to
If you’re worried about keeping the collection small, get an oscillating tool. It can sand or cut about anything. Just not fast or pretty as when using the correct tool.
I couldn’t imagine driving screws without a 1/4” impact. Impacts have good brush and hole saw attachments too.
If you ever want to build stuff right, you need an angle grinder, chop saw, and welder.
1/2 impact for automotive is life saver.
I build small electronic stuff and work on crappy cars a lot, so the dremel with its tiny cutting wheel is often the most used.
This post was edited on 10/5/24 at 8:17 am
Posted by magicman534
The dirty dell
Member since May 2011
1725 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 8:25 am to
I use the hell out of my miter saw, drill, impact driver, socket sets, oscillating tool, angle grinder
Posted by Howyouluhdat
On Fleek St
Member since Jan 2015
8302 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 9:32 am to
Brad nailer is always good to have
Posted by El Segundo Guy
SE OK
Member since Aug 2014
10889 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 10:41 am to
Some good advice if you're looking for a small sized tool bag. I have 3 shop buildings full of tools, so it's hard to pare it down to basics.

But ill add a dead blow hammer. I use that thing on everything from putting together woodworking joints, to metalworking and all sorts of stuff.

Sometimes things need some persuasion and a dead blow hammer is an inexpensive tool that fits the bill.
Posted by Cubera
Baton Rouge
Member since May 2017
214 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 2:01 pm to
Angle Grinder. Good to sharpen garden tools, cut off rusted bolts, and lots of other random things.
Posted by lsuwins3
Member since Nov 2008
1789 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 3:10 pm to
Nail gun. Wish I would have bought one years ago. Makes many DIY projects a lot easier. Buy a cordless tool and start to add to the set.
Posted by Reubaltaich
A nation under duress
Member since Jun 2006
5198 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 3:33 pm to
quote:

Oscillating tool


One of the MUST-HAVE power tools every DIYer needs.
Posted by LSUBartman
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2007
375 posts
Posted on 10/6/24 at 3:47 am to
Chainsaw
Posted by Obtuse1
Westside Bodymore Yo
Member since Sep 2016
28502 posts
Posted on 10/6/24 at 6:16 am to
I will give the same advice I always give on woodworking forums buy what you need for each upcoming project. This is especially true if you are on a budget. The chances you will correctly anticipate the exact tool you need next are low. Years ago when budget was more of a constraint I would buy one or two tools for each new project that made it faster, easier, or produced better results. I always made sure to still be saving significant money over hiring it done. Over time you will build up quite a few tools AND they will be geared to the projects you actually do. For example, I use a clamp on multi-meter quite often, in fact, I have been ask by friends twice in the last few weeks to borrow mine. It happens enough I bought a cheap one to loan, I am not loaning even a friend my Fluke 87 w/ an i400 clamp to bugger up.
Posted by Shoalwater Cat
Pville
Member since Dec 2017
761 posts
Posted on 10/6/24 at 9:43 am to
8 foot level...
Posted by luvdoc
"Please Ignore Our Yelp Reviews"
Member since May 2005
1038 posts
Posted on 10/6/24 at 10:31 am to
This was the advice I was going to offer, by them as you need them.
Posted by El Segundo Guy
SE OK
Member since Aug 2014
10889 posts
Posted on 10/6/24 at 10:48 am to
Good advice. A few years ago I was convinced I needed a Festool Domino. And I was dead set on getting one, but the project I was doing at that time, I wanted to use dowels. So I bought a Dowelmax jig.

Man I love that thing and use it so much that I've done a 180 on a Domino. I'm just a guy building projects and making furniture. I build stuff for others, but I have no desire to do paid commission work and am not in a production, time sensitive environment and that Dowelmax jig with the 3/8, 1/4 and 1/2 set me back maybe 400 bucks or so vsover 1200.
Posted by TigerBalsagna
tRedStick
Member since Jan 2015
839 posts
Posted on 10/6/24 at 11:43 am to
RotoZip with flush cut attachments. Jigsaw. Stud Finder. Plumb Bob.
Posted by Clames
Member since Oct 2010
17791 posts
Posted on 10/6/24 at 6:43 pm to
quote:

One of the MUST-HAVE power tools every DIYer needs.


Unfortunately the truly good one is no longer in production, Ridgid JobMax. I have the 12V system with the oscillating head, mini-sawzall, sheet metal shear, and jigsaw attachments. I stocked up on spare 12V batteries and some spare parts for my kit, pretty much on of the most useful cordless tool kits I own and I have pretty much every thing.
Posted by WhiskeyThrottle
Weatherford Tx
Member since Nov 2017
6497 posts
Posted on 10/7/24 at 4:23 pm to
quote:

Angle Grinder. Good to sharpen garden tools, cut off rusted bolts, and lots of other random things.



Just a word of caution on angle grinders and specifically with cutoff wheels. I'm pretty lax with safety when using tools, but I've had more close calls with the angle grinders than I have any other high speed spinning tools that I've used. I do weld very frequently and use angle grinders more than any other tool granted, but if you're cutting something and it grabs, you'll be missing a finger and/or in the ER faster than you can realize. It took me a couple of close calls to figure out how to avoid material pinching the blade.

TLDR: Be very careful with angle grinders.
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