Let's make some holes!
August 28, 2014 5:14 PM Subscribe
This is a beginner's guide to drills and bits. Need something more basic? Then try An Idiot's Guide to Buying Power Tools or stick with Four Essential Power Tools.
Ooooh. And seeing as I need to put up some shelves, and brackets for speakers, and one of those fancy big antique mirrors, this post couldn't have come at a better time.
And I just learned the "tape on the wall" trick for pre-war plaster so you don't demolish it!
posted by droplet at 5:35 PM on August 28, 2014
And I just learned the "tape on the wall" trick for pre-war plaster so you don't demolish it!
posted by droplet at 5:35 PM on August 28, 2014
At my age each new tool is revelatory, This is my first summer with an angle grinder and have to admit I've spent too much time actively looking for things around the house -or neighbor's-to grind, cut, abraid or just generally rub up against.
posted by hal9k at 5:40 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by hal9k at 5:40 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
Drill baby drill!
posted by TedW at 5:45 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by TedW at 5:45 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
A cordless drill is essential, but I'd also highly recommend an impact driver as well.
So much easier to drive screws, and not much threat of stripping them.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 5:50 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
So much easier to drive screws, and not much threat of stripping them.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 5:50 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
From first person experience I can tell you that bitches love tools.
That was not my experience while dating, but owning tools does get you late night "Please help me change my tire in the rain" phone calls from both men and women, for what very little that is worth.
The choices of what tools to include on the last two links in the FPP seemed pretty much random to me, but maybe I'm not the target audience.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:53 PM on August 28, 2014
That was not my experience while dating, but owning tools does get you late night "Please help me change my tire in the rain" phone calls from both men and women, for what very little that is worth.
The choices of what tools to include on the last two links in the FPP seemed pretty much random to me, but maybe I'm not the target audience.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:53 PM on August 28, 2014
These are really good for making round, tidy holes in wood: Brad Point. The typical twist drill actually makes a rounded triangular hole.
Incidentally, they are also really good at tearing into the palm of your hand and leaving the nerve cord dangling out of the ragged hole.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 5:53 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Incidentally, they are also really good at tearing into the palm of your hand and leaving the nerve cord dangling out of the ragged hole.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 5:53 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I was batoning out steel ribs by drilling holes and then bolting wood batons on.
Three holes to a rib. It took about ten minutes to drill each rib and then a minute maybe to screw the wood on.
A neighbour lent me an impact driver with TekScrews. It let me go right through wood and steel in one go in about 10 seconds per screw. They are amazing.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 5:56 PM on August 28, 2014
Three holes to a rib. It took about ten minutes to drill each rib and then a minute maybe to screw the wood on.
A neighbour lent me an impact driver with TekScrews. It let me go right through wood and steel in one go in about 10 seconds per screw. They are amazing.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 5:56 PM on August 28, 2014
That was not my experience while dating, but owning tools does get you late night "Please help me change my tire in the rain" phone calls from both men and women, for what very little that is worth.
Owning tools also gives you really good changing your own tire in the rain stories, which are good for a laugh, although they are not funny at the time.
Except perhaps to passers-by who are also the type of jerkfaces to whom one gives the finger.
posted by louche mustachio at 6:01 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
Owning tools also gives you really good changing your own tire in the rain stories, which are good for a laugh, although they are not funny at the time.
Except perhaps to passers-by who are also the type of jerkfaces to whom one gives the finger.
posted by louche mustachio at 6:01 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
Not the whole entire finger. That we are saving as a sacrifice to the SAW GODS NO I VALUE SAFETY and my fingers.
posted by louche mustachio at 6:07 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by louche mustachio at 6:07 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Are cordless drill batteries still typically NiCd? Because if they are I recommend corded drills to anyone who doesn't use a drill at least once a week or so; like for example the target audience for an article like this. You have to tend those batteries properly or they get ruined before you get your money's worth out of them. I have a bunch of useless 12v battery packs for a Ryobi drill that I probably used 4-6 times a year. Now I have a corded drill and guess what? It actually works when I need it.
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:09 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:09 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
At some point in my early 20s, I realized that I had not one but two friends who had traumatic childhood experiences involving their father sawing his fingers off with a circular saw. One of my friends had to go to the kitchen and fetch a zip-lock baggie and some ice so her father could pick up his fingers and take them to the emergency room, where one of them was successfully reattached. I am all for power tools, but I am not going anywhere near a circular saw. I'm a klutz, and I don't think I have the presence of mind to put my fingers on ice while I'm waiting for the ambulance.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 6:12 PM on August 28, 2014
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 6:12 PM on August 28, 2014
I dearly wish, not the least for selfish reasons, that we could just degender woodworking and durable good crafting.
Anyhow, a house isn't a home without a drill, socket set, hammer, and pliers.
posted by The Gaffer at 6:17 PM on August 28, 2014
Anyhow, a house isn't a home without a drill, socket set, hammer, and pliers.
posted by The Gaffer at 6:17 PM on August 28, 2014
What, no table saw?
posted by Sphinx at 6:17 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Sphinx at 6:17 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Huh, an article about drill bits that doesn't talk about brad points, which are what you use to drill wood (the most common material your average person drills). You know how your twist drill makes shitty ragged holes in wood? Yeah, that's because twist drills suck at drilling wood.
The article also doesn't mention the cool stuff you can do with forstner bits. Forstner bits can drill clean, angled holes into wood. They can also cut holes at the edge of a board, where part of the bit extends beyond the edge of the wood (example).
posted by ryanrs at 6:24 PM on August 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
The article also doesn't mention the cool stuff you can do with forstner bits. Forstner bits can drill clean, angled holes into wood. They can also cut holes at the edge of a board, where part of the bit extends beyond the edge of the wood (example).
posted by ryanrs at 6:24 PM on August 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
Sphinx, there isn't that much (in my admittedly impoverished experience) that starting out you can do with a table saw but not a circular saw. Use a dado, I suppose.
posted by The Gaffer at 6:35 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by The Gaffer at 6:35 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I would have recommended a jig saw rather than a reciprocating saw in the "four essential tools" list. More versatile, if less capable of the big demolishing jobs. And if you're going to get into "big demolishing jobs", you are ambitious enough to buy five power tools.
They're bang on about the oscillating saw however. I only bought one this year, and I've been able to do easily so many jobs that would otherwise have been giant headaches. Too bad about the noise though - like an angry mosquito with the world's largest megaphone.
posted by Popular Ethics at 6:49 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
They're bang on about the oscillating saw however. I only bought one this year, and I've been able to do easily so many jobs that would otherwise have been giant headaches. Too bad about the noise though - like an angry mosquito with the world's largest megaphone.
posted by Popular Ethics at 6:49 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
The Gaffer: there isn't that much (in my admittedly impoverished experience) that starting out you can do with a table saw but not a circular saw.
Easily cut your fingers off with a slip of your grip?
posted by Popular Ethics at 6:50 PM on August 28, 2014
Easily cut your fingers off with a slip of your grip?
posted by Popular Ethics at 6:50 PM on August 28, 2014
One of my favorite tools is my Festool track saw. I occasionally make various wooden things, like little boxes for electronic projects, shelves/mounts for computer stuff, etc. But I'm not especially skilled in woodworking and I always had problems with things not coming together quite right. I'd cut my parts, but they'd usually be off by a little bit, and so the joints would look sloppy.
This saw was the answer. It's really easy to make repeatable cuts better than 1/32". You'll throw out your pencil and start marking with an xacto knife. This saw will cut red oak across the grain so finely that you'll be able to see light through the pores. It can rip slices so thin that the wood curls up as if you used a hand plane. You can shave off slices so fine that you can hold them to your lips and whistle.
The downside is that using it is slow, since you have to set up each cut individually. It's not like a table saw where you set up your fence and some guide blocks, then make fast repeated cuts.
It also costs over $600, which is sort of crazy for a circular saw. But it's a really, really nice tool to use.
posted by ryanrs at 6:50 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
This saw was the answer. It's really easy to make repeatable cuts better than 1/32". You'll throw out your pencil and start marking with an xacto knife. This saw will cut red oak across the grain so finely that you'll be able to see light through the pores. It can rip slices so thin that the wood curls up as if you used a hand plane. You can shave off slices so fine that you can hold them to your lips and whistle.
The downside is that using it is slow, since you have to set up each cut individually. It's not like a table saw where you set up your fence and some guide blocks, then make fast repeated cuts.
It also costs over $600, which is sort of crazy for a circular saw. But it's a really, really nice tool to use.
posted by ryanrs at 6:50 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
Cordless drills? No.
Corded and long extension cords. Works when you want for how long you want.
This is wisdom handed down from my father to his daughters and to his son-in-law. We have taken this to heart. I might add it to our motto "work hard, play nice, have a corded drill"
posted by right_then at 6:52 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
Corded and long extension cords. Works when you want for how long you want.
This is wisdom handed down from my father to his daughters and to his son-in-law. We have taken this to heart. I might add it to our motto "work hard, play nice, have a corded drill"
posted by right_then at 6:52 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
My cordless drill came with two battery packs and a quick charger. I haven't pushed it in a real marathon, but I think it could keep up indefinitely. Fuck extension cords forever.
posted by ryanrs at 6:57 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by ryanrs at 6:57 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
Interesting, I've never missed not having an oscillating tool. I would have put a Dremel or an orbital sander on this list in its place. Table saw /= circular saw and taking one over the other, you gotta go circular. Also, adding a cord to a drill takes any "quick fix it project" to "major hassle." It's fucking stupid for any homeowner to not own an 18 volt cordless drill.
I don't own one, but I would trade them all, and throw in a power mower, for an air compressor.
I fucking love tools and there's nothing like having exactly the right one.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:07 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I don't own one, but I would trade them all, and throw in a power mower, for an air compressor.
I fucking love tools and there's nothing like having exactly the right one.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:07 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
right_then: Cordless drills? No. Corded and long extension cords. Works when you want for how long you want.
Corded drills are lighter, and more powerful sure, but nothing beats a cordless for going wherever, whenever. The new generation of Lithium batteries are leagues better than your dad's old ni-cads. They'll give full power (with little voltage drop) for more than enough time for your backup battery to charge and be ready to swap.
posted by Popular Ethics at 7:11 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
Corded drills are lighter, and more powerful sure, but nothing beats a cordless for going wherever, whenever. The new generation of Lithium batteries are leagues better than your dad's old ni-cads. They'll give full power (with little voltage drop) for more than enough time for your backup battery to charge and be ready to swap.
posted by Popular Ethics at 7:11 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
but nothing beats a cordless for going wherever, whenever.
Except when it doesn't go at all because the battery packs were bad when you went to use it. See my comment above. Corded drills are slightly inconvenient at point of use, but they work all the time. Cordless power tools are for power users who actually use them frequently and get some value out of them before the packs go pfft. And yes, I do know how to maintain batteries.
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:16 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Except when it doesn't go at all because the battery packs were bad when you went to use it. See my comment above. Corded drills are slightly inconvenient at point of use, but they work all the time. Cordless power tools are for power users who actually use them frequently and get some value out of them before the packs go pfft. And yes, I do know how to maintain batteries.
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:16 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Corded and long extension cords. Works when you want for how long you want.
unless i'm hogging out a bunch of really big holes (10-20 3/4" or larger) my Li-ion powered cordless is way more than adequate. I can go a full day of work with a couple of battery changes.
posted by Dr. Twist at 7:17 PM on August 28, 2014
unless i'm hogging out a bunch of really big holes (10-20 3/4" or larger) my Li-ion powered cordless is way more than adequate. I can go a full day of work with a couple of battery changes.
posted by Dr. Twist at 7:17 PM on August 28, 2014
Cordless drills are very convenient for small jobs, but I'm on my third, because eventually the batteries don't hold a charge and each time it's turned out that they don't make them any more, so I end up chucking a perfectly good tool. Meanwhile my first corded drill, a cheapo Black & Decker, lasted 30 years before it wore out. And a corded drill will drill a lot faster and a lot longer than a cordless.
Also, no router?
posted by mr vino at 7:17 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
Also, no router?
posted by mr vino at 7:17 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
One of the things I love about living in a nearly urban suburb are the garage sales. I have a BUNCH of tools (power and otherwise) that I got for dirt cheap.
Air tool kit (impact wrench, regular pneumatic wrench, air hammer) - $20
HEAVY duty electric impact wrench that you bought when you realized that you need much larger air compressor to drive your air impact wrench enough to rotate your tires - $50 (was $180 new)
Dewalt cordless drill with Li-ion battery - $20
Electric chainsaw - $2 (I've gotten the most use per dollar out of this by far!)
Corded drill - $0.50
Reciprocating saw - $10
I have a garage full of tools that have saved me TONs of time and/or money and I've paid less total for them than I would have paid for any one item new.
I'm still on the lookout for a drill press and, now, an oscillating multi-tool.
Table saws are handy for when you need cut a board lengthwise where it would be hard to keep it straight with a circular saw or for situations where you need to make the same cut a bunch of times. Like if you need to take a 2'x4' sheet of plywood and turn it into a bunch of 2"x4' strips.
The only problem is the table saws still scare the s**t out of me. In junior high woodshop Mr. Johnson talked a lot about safety. When it came to the table saw, this meant describing why you never stand directly behind the piece you're cutting. Because it could bind (the saw blade catches on something in the wood) and kick the board back at you and it will punch a hole RIGHT THROUGH YOU! Or how you ALWAYS use another piece of wood to push your board the rest of the way through or you could slip just a little bit and cut your fingers off IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE! With every other tool the message was to be careful, respect the machine and you'll be fine. With the table saw it was, "THIS MACHINE IS JUST WAITING FOR AN EXCUSE TO KILL YOU!"
No other tool scares me but I still HATE using table saws even nearly 20 years later.
posted by VTX at 7:20 PM on August 28, 2014 [6 favorites]
Air tool kit (impact wrench, regular pneumatic wrench, air hammer) - $20
HEAVY duty electric impact wrench that you bought when you realized that you need much larger air compressor to drive your air impact wrench enough to rotate your tires - $50 (was $180 new)
Dewalt cordless drill with Li-ion battery - $20
Electric chainsaw - $2 (I've gotten the most use per dollar out of this by far!)
Corded drill - $0.50
Reciprocating saw - $10
I have a garage full of tools that have saved me TONs of time and/or money and I've paid less total for them than I would have paid for any one item new.
I'm still on the lookout for a drill press and, now, an oscillating multi-tool.
Table saws are handy for when you need cut a board lengthwise where it would be hard to keep it straight with a circular saw or for situations where you need to make the same cut a bunch of times. Like if you need to take a 2'x4' sheet of plywood and turn it into a bunch of 2"x4' strips.
The only problem is the table saws still scare the s**t out of me. In junior high woodshop Mr. Johnson talked a lot about safety. When it came to the table saw, this meant describing why you never stand directly behind the piece you're cutting. Because it could bind (the saw blade catches on something in the wood) and kick the board back at you and it will punch a hole RIGHT THROUGH YOU! Or how you ALWAYS use another piece of wood to push your board the rest of the way through or you could slip just a little bit and cut your fingers off IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE! With every other tool the message was to be careful, respect the machine and you'll be fine. With the table saw it was, "THIS MACHINE IS JUST WAITING FOR AN EXCUSE TO KILL YOU!"
No other tool scares me but I still HATE using table saws even nearly 20 years later.
posted by VTX at 7:20 PM on August 28, 2014 [6 favorites]
The drill bit article is accurate.
I advocate a cordless impact driver that you can turn off the impact per Pogo_Fuzzybutt above. You can make this into a router with the proper bits, an undertable mount and patience.
A reciprocating saw is absolutely essential if you are doing remodeling and is my desert island that somehow has electricity tool. You can make this into a scroll saw and you can cut both metal and wood everything and you can [messily] drill.
A circular saw [I like worm drives] is essential for framing and useful for cutting plywood and you can mount it undertable and turn it into a table saw. With a carbide blade you can cut almost anything.
I've never ever seen a professional use an "Oscillating Multi-Tool" and I did this for a living. I would opt for a belt sander here and for relieving the surface in corners you can use an angle-grinder attachment on your drill above.
You need tools that cut round holes, tools that cut lengthwise holes, tools you can fit into the cutting space and tools that grind shit down.
I officially challenge the staff of "artofmanliness" to actually build anything other than clickbait.
vapidave@gmail.com
BTW, drills are the most dangerous tool in my experience. They catch and then torque your wrist.
posted by vapidave at 7:21 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I advocate a cordless impact driver that you can turn off the impact per Pogo_Fuzzybutt above. You can make this into a router with the proper bits, an undertable mount and patience.
A reciprocating saw is absolutely essential if you are doing remodeling and is my desert island that somehow has electricity tool. You can make this into a scroll saw and you can cut both metal and wood everything and you can [messily] drill.
A circular saw [I like worm drives] is essential for framing and useful for cutting plywood and you can mount it undertable and turn it into a table saw. With a carbide blade you can cut almost anything.
I've never ever seen a professional use an "Oscillating Multi-Tool" and I did this for a living. I would opt for a belt sander here and for relieving the surface in corners you can use an angle-grinder attachment on your drill above.
You need tools that cut round holes, tools that cut lengthwise holes, tools you can fit into the cutting space and tools that grind shit down.
I officially challenge the staff of "artofmanliness" to actually build anything other than clickbait.
vapidave@gmail.com
BTW, drills are the most dangerous tool in my experience. They catch and then torque your wrist.
posted by vapidave at 7:21 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I got into a random conversation once with an old man who did a bunch of builder-y work ranging from slapdash theatre carpentry to fine cabinet joinery, and he just waxed rhapsodic about the control and convenience of his old bit and brace. Was this just nostalgia talking, or is there really an advantage?
posted by d. z. wang at 7:24 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by d. z. wang at 7:24 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also four essential power tools is like four essential math tools or four essential makeup tools or four essential writing tools or four essential music tools or four essential relationship tools.
It's tools all the way down.
posted by vapidave at 7:28 PM on August 28, 2014
It's tools all the way down.
posted by vapidave at 7:28 PM on August 28, 2014
I have an 18v Hitachi cordless drill, and a DeWalt corded. The former is for when I need to conveniently drill a hole or 3; the later when I need to count on it to get the job done.
posted by kjs3 at 7:28 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by kjs3 at 7:28 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
Was this just nostalgia talking, or is there really an advantage?
I do a pretty large amount of both framing and fine woodwork and 99.999% of the time when I need to make a hole in somthing, a bit and brace are not my first choice of tool to do it with. I have a couple of them from when I was really into the whole "unplugged workshop" thing, but they now strike me as something akin to a quill pen.
posted by Dr. Twist at 7:37 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I do a pretty large amount of both framing and fine woodwork and 99.999% of the time when I need to make a hole in somthing, a bit and brace are not my first choice of tool to do it with. I have a couple of them from when I was really into the whole "unplugged workshop" thing, but they now strike me as something akin to a quill pen.
posted by Dr. Twist at 7:37 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
As for non-power tools, over time I've found that the four things I reach for most often when doing small projects are the needlenose vise-grip, the clear aquarium silicone, some kind of really sharp blade and gorilla tape. I'm pretty sure with sufficient time and scrap material I could build you a state of the art aircraft carrier with those four things.
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:38 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:38 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
I've never ever seen a professional use an "Oscillating Multi-Tool"
almost every contractor I've worked with uses them, they are really,really handy when you need it.
posted by Dr. Twist at 7:40 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
almost every contractor I've worked with uses them, they are really,really handy when you need it.
posted by Dr. Twist at 7:40 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
I'm two paragraphs in and the drilling article has already misspelled "carbide", not specified which kind of carbide (they mean tungsten carbide) and mistakenly listed tungsten carbide as is softer than cobalt steel. Not a good start.
posted by MeanwhileBackAtTheRanch at 7:47 PM on August 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by MeanwhileBackAtTheRanch at 7:47 PM on August 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
I've never ever seen a professional use an "Oscillating Multi-Tool"
I have one. I'm a professional builder. I bring it to work every day and use it at least one out of four days. For mortising behind door striker plates, for cutting sheetrock with minimal mess, for demoing trim, for cutting off exposed shims after hanging doors, and much more.
BTW, drills are the most dangerous tool in my experience. They catch and then torque your wrist.
For me it's boxcutters. And ladders. I've been lucky, but seriously, the most dangerous tool on any jobsite is the ladder.
posted by MeanwhileBackAtTheRanch at 7:59 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
I have one. I'm a professional builder. I bring it to work every day and use it at least one out of four days. For mortising behind door striker plates, for cutting sheetrock with minimal mess, for demoing trim, for cutting off exposed shims after hanging doors, and much more.
BTW, drills are the most dangerous tool in my experience. They catch and then torque your wrist.
For me it's boxcutters. And ladders. I've been lucky, but seriously, the most dangerous tool on any jobsite is the ladder.
posted by MeanwhileBackAtTheRanch at 7:59 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
"almost every contractor I've worked with uses them, they are really, really handy when you need it.
posted by Dr. Twist "
I was arguing, poorly, that they weren't one of the essential four and weren't irreplaceable relative to other tools that serve multiple purposes. But hell yes I want one.
An aside, I've worked remodeling and construction in six regions in North America [five of those in the US] and the local practices differ by quite a lot.
posted by vapidave at 8:06 PM on August 28, 2014
posted by Dr. Twist "
I was arguing, poorly, that they weren't one of the essential four and weren't irreplaceable relative to other tools that serve multiple purposes. But hell yes I want one.
An aside, I've worked remodeling and construction in six regions in North America [five of those in the US] and the local practices differ by quite a lot.
posted by vapidave at 8:06 PM on August 28, 2014
When I cleaned up the woods next to my house the summer after I moved in, I found 3 cordless screwdrivers, non-working, of course. FYI, rechargeable batteries should be recycled.
I used to hate and fear power tools, until a kind person showed me how to do some simple tasks safely and quickly. Then I got some tiny tools - a little jigsaw and a sander. I was able to rebuild my bulkhead doors with that crappy little jigsaw.
posted by theora55 at 8:08 PM on August 28, 2014
I used to hate and fear power tools, until a kind person showed me how to do some simple tasks safely and quickly. Then I got some tiny tools - a little jigsaw and a sander. I was able to rebuild my bulkhead doors with that crappy little jigsaw.
posted by theora55 at 8:08 PM on August 28, 2014
Speaking of ladders, if you fall 10' off a ladder and onto concrete, you bounce.
And that's one to grow on.
posted by persona au gratin at 8:10 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
And that's one to grow on.
posted by persona au gratin at 8:10 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I really can't take seriously any list of absolutely essential power tools that doesn't include a dedicated lock mortiser. I personally keep two in the garage and another in the trunk, just in case.
posted by echo target at 8:16 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by echo target at 8:16 PM on August 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
"the most dangerous tool on any jobsite is the ladder"
I'm always amazed at how cavalier people are about ladders. I've been fired for saying "oh hell no" when asked to ascend a poorly footed ladder.
A lack of healthy fear is probably the most dangerous. I worked as a a pressure washing person three stories up on an extension ladder and was always careful. I fucked myself up with a drill when I wasn't paying attention several times.
But yeah, a drill mistake can fuck up your wrist and maybe take a finger but a ladder mistake can ruin everything.
posted by vapidave at 8:20 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm always amazed at how cavalier people are about ladders. I've been fired for saying "oh hell no" when asked to ascend a poorly footed ladder.
A lack of healthy fear is probably the most dangerous. I worked as a a pressure washing person three stories up on an extension ladder and was always careful. I fucked myself up with a drill when I wasn't paying attention several times.
But yeah, a drill mistake can fuck up your wrist and maybe take a finger but a ladder mistake can ruin everything.
posted by vapidave at 8:20 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Four essential power-tools:
1) Cordless drill.
2) Corded masonry drill.
3) Flashlight.
4) 1958 Bridgeport lathe/milling combination tool, reconditioned and calibrated. You may need: two 350+ lb. men* and two engineers to get it off your pickup and into your basement.**
(*Nods to Tony T., who cannot now nod back to me as an equal, tho at the time we wrangled that beast but good. The unspoken truth about weight loss - it makes you =weak=. Unspoken save by my physical therapist, who yells at me for attempting feats of strength.)
(**Also, later that same summer, up the street at the wrought-iron fence place, they had a 1976 Ford Pickup parked out front with a Bridgeport mill in the bed, bottoming out the suspension. It was parked out there for weeks, seven layers deep in bubble-wrap. I wandered by one afternoon as three guys were looking up at it.
"You can't figure out how to get it down without a crane, and you can't afford a crane," I said.
"You don't even know what that is," sneered the old guy who owned the place.
"That is a Bridgeport Milling machine. It's the second one on this street," I replied.
"Then how do we get it down, smart guy?"
"You will need two engineers and two guys like me, first off, and a jug of Jack and two bottles of merlot and a growler of Coddington's Pumpkin Ale...")
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:27 PM on August 28, 2014 [15 favorites]
1) Cordless drill.
2) Corded masonry drill.
3) Flashlight.
4) 1958 Bridgeport lathe/milling combination tool, reconditioned and calibrated. You may need: two 350+ lb. men* and two engineers to get it off your pickup and into your basement.**
(*Nods to Tony T., who cannot now nod back to me as an equal, tho at the time we wrangled that beast but good. The unspoken truth about weight loss - it makes you =weak=. Unspoken save by my physical therapist, who yells at me for attempting feats of strength.)
(**Also, later that same summer, up the street at the wrought-iron fence place, they had a 1976 Ford Pickup parked out front with a Bridgeport mill in the bed, bottoming out the suspension. It was parked out there for weeks, seven layers deep in bubble-wrap. I wandered by one afternoon as three guys were looking up at it.
"You can't figure out how to get it down without a crane, and you can't afford a crane," I said.
"You don't even know what that is," sneered the old guy who owned the place.
"That is a Bridgeport Milling machine. It's the second one on this street," I replied.
"Then how do we get it down, smart guy?"
"You will need two engineers and two guys like me, first off, and a jug of Jack and two bottles of merlot and a growler of Coddington's Pumpkin Ale...")
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:27 PM on August 28, 2014 [15 favorites]
eventually the batteries don't hold a charge and each time it's turned out that they don't make them any more, so I end up chucking a perfectly good tool.
I can't speak to other brands, but DeWalt and Ryobi do not suffer this problem. I've a ryobi drill I bought in... 1998 or so, and I'm on my 3rd set of batteries. First NiCad, then Lithium and now the Lithium 1+ or whatever they call it.
My dad has some DeWalt cordless tools of about the same vintage and they are still going strong.
But jeez, even at that - I was out to buy a new battery a couple months ago and Home Depot had a sale on a Ryobi pack - drill, driver and two batteries for not much more than the cost of a double battery pack.
Now, I am living large. 2 drills +driver means pilot hole, actual hole, driver for the screw. Projects go so fast now...
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 8:56 PM on August 28, 2014
I can't speak to other brands, but DeWalt and Ryobi do not suffer this problem. I've a ryobi drill I bought in... 1998 or so, and I'm on my 3rd set of batteries. First NiCad, then Lithium and now the Lithium 1+ or whatever they call it.
My dad has some DeWalt cordless tools of about the same vintage and they are still going strong.
But jeez, even at that - I was out to buy a new battery a couple months ago and Home Depot had a sale on a Ryobi pack - drill, driver and two batteries for not much more than the cost of a double battery pack.
Now, I am living large. 2 drills +driver means pilot hole, actual hole, driver for the screw. Projects go so fast now...
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 8:56 PM on August 28, 2014
Four essential power-tools:
1. Poke a hole in yourself machine.
2. Cut your finger off machine.
3. Slice your arm open machine.
4. Rip your skin off machine.
Power tools are a menace, you don't need em. Use hand tools, they require finesse, not brute force. For example, here's my hand-operated drill. It is incredibly difficult to poke a hole in yourself when you are supplying the power with your own hands.
posted by charlie don't surf at 9:04 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
1. Poke a hole in yourself machine.
2. Cut your finger off machine.
3. Slice your arm open machine.
4. Rip your skin off machine.
Power tools are a menace, you don't need em. Use hand tools, they require finesse, not brute force. For example, here's my hand-operated drill. It is incredibly difficult to poke a hole in yourself when you are supplying the power with your own hands.
posted by charlie don't surf at 9:04 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
It is incredibly difficult to poke a hole in yourself when you are supplying the power with your own hands.
The scars on my hands from poking holes in myself with various screwdrivers when they slipped out of the screw head would like to respectfully disagree with you.
posted by soundguy99 at 9:50 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
The scars on my hands from poking holes in myself with various screwdrivers when they slipped out of the screw head would like to respectfully disagree with you.
posted by soundguy99 at 9:50 PM on August 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
"the most dangerous tool on any jobsite is the ladder"
I'm always amazed at how cavalier people are about ladders.
It's like the Sunk Cost Fallacy in action - you wrestled the damn ladder into position, then you climbed up it, then you still can't reach what you need to reach, but to do it right you'd have to climb down, and then wrestle the ladder into a better position, and then climb up again, and you already put all that effort into getting up in the first place, so you just think, "Ah, fuck it, I can just lean out a little further . . . . . ."
posted by soundguy99 at 9:59 PM on August 28, 2014 [6 favorites]
I'm always amazed at how cavalier people are about ladders.
It's like the Sunk Cost Fallacy in action - you wrestled the damn ladder into position, then you climbed up it, then you still can't reach what you need to reach, but to do it right you'd have to climb down, and then wrestle the ladder into a better position, and then climb up again, and you already put all that effort into getting up in the first place, so you just think, "Ah, fuck it, I can just lean out a little further . . . . . ."
posted by soundguy99 at 9:59 PM on August 28, 2014 [6 favorites]
It is incredibly difficult to poke a hole in yourself when you are supplying the power with your own hands.
It's also harder to put a hole in anything else. I have both hand and electric drills (and of those, both corded and cordless). I use the cordless drill probably 99 percent of the time.
posted by Dip Flash at 10:59 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's also harder to put a hole in anything else. I have both hand and electric drills (and of those, both corded and cordless). I use the cordless drill probably 99 percent of the time.
posted by Dip Flash at 10:59 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
If any if you are into making box-like things (ie. cabinets, boxes, doors, thungs built of aligned wood), the Festook Domino is amazing. Way better than dowels, biscuits, etc.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:39 PM on August 28, 2014
posted by five fresh fish at 11:39 PM on August 28, 2014
Amazing to me how much torque battery drills have, really any current battery powered tool. Battery drills were gutless pigs when they first came out, but now they pretty much can do whatever you need to do, and pretty much do it all day long.
I've still got and use my corded tools. I have but just one battery drill, bought it for ten bucks at harbor freight, it's every bit as good -- maybe better -- than the highest priced drill when they first came out.
A drill that has torque behind it can throw you right off a ladder, it can snap your hand around to where you crush your finger(s), it can jerk you such that it's about enough to break your wrist or bones in your forearm.
A circular saw isn't too dangerous, in my experience, which is considerable. Keep a sharp blade in it and it will go where you want it to go; a saw with a dull blade in it, that's a dangerous saw, way more prone to bind, to not follow your line, to make you concentrate on that bullshit and then you'll make a mistake that will make you unhappy.
The article was right, about worm drive saws; your average weekend warrior will not really make use of it. But oh man, do they ever have torque. Damn. They make fast work of cutting through anything. They're heavy, and a bit awkward to move to where your cut starts; you'll use your forearm and wrist a lot, biceps and triceps, too, getting it into place, but you start that cut and it's all the difference in the world.
And ladders are very dangerous. I don't have near enough respect for them, I'll climb up even when they're not solidly planted -- really dumb.
posted by dancestoblue at 12:38 AM on August 29, 2014
I've still got and use my corded tools. I have but just one battery drill, bought it for ten bucks at harbor freight, it's every bit as good -- maybe better -- than the highest priced drill when they first came out.
A drill that has torque behind it can throw you right off a ladder, it can snap your hand around to where you crush your finger(s), it can jerk you such that it's about enough to break your wrist or bones in your forearm.
A circular saw isn't too dangerous, in my experience, which is considerable. Keep a sharp blade in it and it will go where you want it to go; a saw with a dull blade in it, that's a dangerous saw, way more prone to bind, to not follow your line, to make you concentrate on that bullshit and then you'll make a mistake that will make you unhappy.
The article was right, about worm drive saws; your average weekend warrior will not really make use of it. But oh man, do they ever have torque. Damn. They make fast work of cutting through anything. They're heavy, and a bit awkward to move to where your cut starts; you'll use your forearm and wrist a lot, biceps and triceps, too, getting it into place, but you start that cut and it's all the difference in the world.
And ladders are very dangerous. I don't have near enough respect for them, I'll climb up even when they're not solidly planted -- really dumb.
posted by dancestoblue at 12:38 AM on August 29, 2014
d. z. wang: "he just waxed rhapsodic about the control and convenience of his old bit and brace. Was this just nostalgia talking, or is there really an advantage?"
You can drill holes with a brace that can't be done with a cordless. For example I use a brace with spoon bits for drilling clean holes in curved wood. Also a brace is the ideal tool for sinking high torque fasteners like lag bolts. I can do it faster than those little impacts and it is blissfully quiet to boot.
posted by Mitheral at 12:38 AM on August 29, 2014
You can drill holes with a brace that can't be done with a cordless. For example I use a brace with spoon bits for drilling clean holes in curved wood. Also a brace is the ideal tool for sinking high torque fasteners like lag bolts. I can do it faster than those little impacts and it is blissfully quiet to boot.
posted by Mitheral at 12:38 AM on August 29, 2014
Probably an artifact of US building techniques, but they don't mention masonry bits at all - a cordless drill with a no 6 masonry bit covers 80% of your drilling needs if you live somewhere with actual bricks in your walls.
posted by Dr Dracator at 2:43 AM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Dr Dracator at 2:43 AM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Re oscillating multitools, we have this cheap as hell one (we actually have a second one from, I think, Porter and Cable, which I haven't taken out of the box because I'm already used to Mr. Cheapo). We learned about it from a contractor who does various stuff for us--they've been used in our house to cut away trim in order to install a new cabinet flush against the wall, to cut away rotted wood around the toilet where the previous owners had let condensation drip for fifteen years, and various other fussy little projects that are nonetheless high impact.
They're awesome. The downside to using them is that the vibrations are kind of hard to take when you hold them for a while, and they're really noisy so they are the kind of tools where you are really grateful for ear protection.
I got a corded drill for my birthday and the difference is night and day.
I have a nice plunge/fixed router which I haven't yet learned to use. I keep meaning to do an AskMe about it. I don't have a router table, and feel like it would be stupid to buy one, that I should build one, and that is keeping me from learning to use the router. I should do something about that (I primarily want it for dadoes for shelving and occasional need to put a proper edge on something so it looks professional).
I have learned a ton about power tools since buying a house. I used to be terrified of our circular saw. Terrified no more! I can use it one handed! Because I'm missing my other hand! Just kidding! But really I can use it one handed. At first I was so scared I clamped every single piece of wood I cut and used both hands on the circular saw (it's got a fussy lock) but now I just hold the piece with my hand. I guess I will eventually come to the same familiar understanding with the router.
I'm a woman, and yes I do love power tools.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 4:09 AM on August 29, 2014
They're awesome. The downside to using them is that the vibrations are kind of hard to take when you hold them for a while, and they're really noisy so they are the kind of tools where you are really grateful for ear protection.
I got a corded drill for my birthday and the difference is night and day.
I have a nice plunge/fixed router which I haven't yet learned to use. I keep meaning to do an AskMe about it. I don't have a router table, and feel like it would be stupid to buy one, that I should build one, and that is keeping me from learning to use the router. I should do something about that (I primarily want it for dadoes for shelving and occasional need to put a proper edge on something so it looks professional).
I have learned a ton about power tools since buying a house. I used to be terrified of our circular saw. Terrified no more! I can use it one handed! Because I'm missing my other hand! Just kidding! But really I can use it one handed. At first I was so scared I clamped every single piece of wood I cut and used both hands on the circular saw (it's got a fussy lock) but now I just hold the piece with my hand. I guess I will eventually come to the same familiar understanding with the router.
I'm a woman, and yes I do love power tools.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 4:09 AM on August 29, 2014
Are cordless drill batteries still typically NiCd?I don't think so. At least the drill I got five years ago was not, and I was hunting for something cheap. And with Lithum Ion the batteries are relatively tiny, hold a charge for (at least) months in the garage, and give ludicrous amounts of maximum torque when using it as a screwdriver.
I sympathize with you, though. The false sense of security from those drill batteries lead me to thoughtlessly purchase what seems to be the last generation of lead-acid cordless outdoor tools. I can't finish trimming my small yards without running through two sets of batteries, the batteries lose charge over a few weeks if not left plugged in, and they take several hours to recharge.
posted by roystgnr at 4:47 AM on August 29, 2014
While it is true that I have a friend who lost an eye from a flying snapped drill bit, a power drill is pretty much the safest power tool. I don't get the fear in some of the comments. A circular saw now (or table saw, or drill press or router, I have lots of things that need care).
And I can't believe nobody has mentioned a shop bandsaw.
Owning one has completely changed the way I do just about any wood work, they are just so quick and convenient for any cut short of ripping a panel.
posted by bystander at 4:59 AM on August 29, 2014
And I can't believe nobody has mentioned a shop bandsaw.
Owning one has completely changed the way I do just about any wood work, they are just so quick and convenient for any cut short of ripping a panel.
posted by bystander at 4:59 AM on August 29, 2014
That was not my experience while dating, but owning tools does get you late night "Please help me change my tire in the rain" phone calls from both men and women, for what very little that is worth.
In my experience karma is a wheel, and being the person people call in a situation like that is worth a lot.
posted by mhoye at 5:52 AM on August 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
In my experience karma is a wheel, and being the person people call in a situation like that is worth a lot.
posted by mhoye at 5:52 AM on August 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
There's a karma wheel tire joke in there, but more importantly - what kind of car doesn't come with both tools you would need to change a tire already?
posted by Dr Dracator at 6:02 AM on August 29, 2014
posted by Dr Dracator at 6:02 AM on August 29, 2014
There's a karma wheel tire joke in there, but more importantly - what kind of car doesn't come with both tools you would need to change a tire already?
It's not that people expect you to bring a jack and a spare tire, it's that being known as a person who owns some tools means that you get the "please come and help me" or "please explain to me how to do this" calls for some pretty random stuff. I bet the same thing happens more generally, such that working at Google would mean getting calls about someone's computer that won't start up.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:14 AM on August 29, 2014
It's not that people expect you to bring a jack and a spare tire, it's that being known as a person who owns some tools means that you get the "please come and help me" or "please explain to me how to do this" calls for some pretty random stuff. I bet the same thing happens more generally, such that working at Google would mean getting calls about someone's computer that won't start up.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:14 AM on August 29, 2014
Cordless tools are quite useful in the woods if you don't want to lug a generator around.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 6:24 AM on August 29, 2014
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 6:24 AM on August 29, 2014
"Ah, fuck it, I can just lean out a little further . . . . . ."
I watched my dad painting our house on a 20' extension ladder do something similar. He got finished painting the section he was on and needed to move over so he put both hands on the ladder and hopped the damn thing over a couple of times. He also did this going down a hill! I was a I'm-never-going-to-die 17 at the time and I thought then (and think more so now) that it was insanely dangerous.
posted by VTX at 6:46 AM on August 29, 2014
I watched my dad painting our house on a 20' extension ladder do something similar. He got finished painting the section he was on and needed to move over so he put both hands on the ladder and hopped the damn thing over a couple of times. He also did this going down a hill! I was a I'm-never-going-to-die 17 at the time and I thought then (and think more so now) that it was insanely dangerous.
posted by VTX at 6:46 AM on August 29, 2014
Power tools are a menace, you don't need em.
If I had to use hand tools to rip a 4x8 sheet of plywood and cut a dozen 2x4's for my basement workbench, I'd still have a pile of lumber in my basement. There's a place for hand tools and a place for power tools.
My only emergency room visit in the past 15 years was due to an 8 inch chef's knife, a garlic clove, and carelessness. Almost any tool can separate you from your skin if you don't take precautions.
posted by cmfletcher at 6:50 AM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
If I had to use hand tools to rip a 4x8 sheet of plywood and cut a dozen 2x4's for my basement workbench, I'd still have a pile of lumber in my basement. There's a place for hand tools and a place for power tools.
My only emergency room visit in the past 15 years was due to an 8 inch chef's knife, a garlic clove, and carelessness. Almost any tool can separate you from your skin if you don't take precautions.
posted by cmfletcher at 6:50 AM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
what kind of car doesn't come with both tools you would need to change a tire already?
Sometimes you want a third tool -- a hammer to knock the frozen wheel off the axle.
And the difference between using the crappy scissors jack packed into the trunk and a hydraulic jack is immense. Likewise the difference between the tire iron packed into the trunk and a power tool to loosen/tighten the nuts.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:57 AM on August 29, 2014
Sometimes you want a third tool -- a hammer to knock the frozen wheel off the axle.
And the difference between using the crappy scissors jack packed into the trunk and a hydraulic jack is immense. Likewise the difference between the tire iron packed into the trunk and a power tool to loosen/tighten the nuts.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:57 AM on August 29, 2014
I'm liking the look of the oscillating multi-tool. I've never seen one in the wild.
My menfolk are always borrowing my corded drill for when they need to drill into brick or concrete. It's more powerful than their cordless ones and less heavy. Much easier for me to handle in that I don't have to engage my body weight to help the hammer action along. I find it unfair though that they can exert the same pressure with the use of just one hand. Just one hand and the hefty shoulders attached to it.
They both do a fair amount of DIY. As is common in this situation, if I want a shelf put up it's quicker to do it myself. I have more problems selecting the right fixings for a wall that's not solid than anything else.
My essential household toolbox would contain: corded drill, ratchet screwdriver set (manual), medium spirit level, retractable tape measure, handsaw, wood glue, pliers, medium hammer, (gaffer tape). The gaffer tape is like, naughty. If a job needs more than these things it's time to call for help. - Oh, and string. You can never have too much string. It's chief purpose is to reassure you that should you ever need to tie anything up, or down, or together, or run a plumb line because the spirit level broke, there is the string.
I freely admit that the above is more of a girlscout-type toolkit than a super-manly one.
posted by glasseyes at 7:26 AM on August 29, 2014
My menfolk are always borrowing my corded drill for when they need to drill into brick or concrete. It's more powerful than their cordless ones and less heavy. Much easier for me to handle in that I don't have to engage my body weight to help the hammer action along. I find it unfair though that they can exert the same pressure with the use of just one hand. Just one hand and the hefty shoulders attached to it.
They both do a fair amount of DIY. As is common in this situation, if I want a shelf put up it's quicker to do it myself. I have more problems selecting the right fixings for a wall that's not solid than anything else.
My essential household toolbox would contain: corded drill, ratchet screwdriver set (manual), medium spirit level, retractable tape measure, handsaw, wood glue, pliers, medium hammer, (gaffer tape). The gaffer tape is like, naughty. If a job needs more than these things it's time to call for help. - Oh, and string. You can never have too much string. It's chief purpose is to reassure you that should you ever need to tie anything up, or down, or together, or run a plumb line because the spirit level broke, there is the string.
I freely admit that the above is more of a girlscout-type toolkit than a super-manly one.
posted by glasseyes at 7:26 AM on August 29, 2014
The golden rule: don't buy cheap tools.
Now, that is a rule that can be bent. If you don't plan to use the tool more than once a year, then you can get away with junk.
Otherwise, spend on quality. The tools will last longer, handle better, be more accurate, perform better. You will experience less frustration, get better results, and find more enjoyment in your work.
Be aware that a lot of brand names have been purchased by vulture capitalists, who have shopped production out to third-world countries, cut every possible corner, and are cashing in on a traditional quality brand name based on old glory while delivering a low quality product.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:46 AM on August 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
Now, that is a rule that can be bent. If you don't plan to use the tool more than once a year, then you can get away with junk.
Otherwise, spend on quality. The tools will last longer, handle better, be more accurate, perform better. You will experience less frustration, get better results, and find more enjoyment in your work.
Be aware that a lot of brand names have been purchased by vulture capitalists, who have shopped production out to third-world countries, cut every possible corner, and are cashing in on a traditional quality brand name based on old glory while delivering a low quality product.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:46 AM on August 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
I don't have to engage my body weight to help the hammer action along
Oh man, if you need to drill a lot of concrete, try out a rotary hammer instead of a hammer drill. A hammer drill is just a drill that does a little bit of hammering. A rotary hammer is more like a little jack hammer that happens to turn the bit, too.
posted by ryanrs at 8:10 AM on August 29, 2014
Oh man, if you need to drill a lot of concrete, try out a rotary hammer instead of a hammer drill. A hammer drill is just a drill that does a little bit of hammering. A rotary hammer is more like a little jack hammer that happens to turn the bit, too.
posted by ryanrs at 8:10 AM on August 29, 2014
I want to feed the idiots who made that last link their own tools, while the tools are plugged in and running.
posted by clvrmnky at 8:27 AM on August 29, 2014
posted by clvrmnky at 8:27 AM on August 29, 2014
The article was right, about worm drive saws; your average weekend warrior will not really make use of it.
I disagree on this. A weekend warrior would probably get a lot out of a worm drive. It's not that they need the torque, it's that the torque is really handy because it will negate the effects of bad cutting technique. Put pressure on a board in the wrong way, and a regular saw will often bind and kick back. Most of the time a worm drive will go right through is situations like that.
I have a nice plunge/fixed router which I haven't yet learned to use. I keep meaning to do an AskMe about it. I don't have a router table, and feel like it would be stupid to buy one, that I should build one, and that is keeping me from learning to use the router. I should do something about that (I primarily want it for dadoes for shelving and occasional need to put a proper edge on something so it looks professional).
You probably don't need a router table. Only worth it if you're producing a lot of the same part.
The way to learn how to use routers is to first read everything you can about how to use them safely: which direction to move them, how to pivot into a cut, how to clamp your work down. Then get some scraps and practice.
And maybe practice doing some cuts in ways you're not supposed to. Be really focussed on keeping the machine away from your body enough to allow you cause a kickback and recover from it. Get a feel for how the machine gyrostabilizes itself. For precision, practice moving at a consistent rate, and practice learning what that rate feels like and sounds like with your particular machine. Also get a feel for how to pull it away from the work smoothly, turn it off and set it down upside down so it can spin down. Get hyper aware of where the bit is and what it is going to do.
I found the router to be the scariest power tool to learn to use freehand. A lot of power that can do unexpected things. But once I'd figured it out, no other tool has ever made me uncomfortable, except maybe a 9 inch angle grinder with no guard and a diamond wheel. The principles of safety that a router forces you to learn translate to most other tools, but they're more immediate and in your face with a medium sized router.
posted by MeanwhileBackAtTheRanch at 9:46 AM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
I disagree on this. A weekend warrior would probably get a lot out of a worm drive. It's not that they need the torque, it's that the torque is really handy because it will negate the effects of bad cutting technique. Put pressure on a board in the wrong way, and a regular saw will often bind and kick back. Most of the time a worm drive will go right through is situations like that.
I have a nice plunge/fixed router which I haven't yet learned to use. I keep meaning to do an AskMe about it. I don't have a router table, and feel like it would be stupid to buy one, that I should build one, and that is keeping me from learning to use the router. I should do something about that (I primarily want it for dadoes for shelving and occasional need to put a proper edge on something so it looks professional).
You probably don't need a router table. Only worth it if you're producing a lot of the same part.
The way to learn how to use routers is to first read everything you can about how to use them safely: which direction to move them, how to pivot into a cut, how to clamp your work down. Then get some scraps and practice.
And maybe practice doing some cuts in ways you're not supposed to. Be really focussed on keeping the machine away from your body enough to allow you cause a kickback and recover from it. Get a feel for how the machine gyrostabilizes itself. For precision, practice moving at a consistent rate, and practice learning what that rate feels like and sounds like with your particular machine. Also get a feel for how to pull it away from the work smoothly, turn it off and set it down upside down so it can spin down. Get hyper aware of where the bit is and what it is going to do.
I found the router to be the scariest power tool to learn to use freehand. A lot of power that can do unexpected things. But once I'd figured it out, no other tool has ever made me uncomfortable, except maybe a 9 inch angle grinder with no guard and a diamond wheel. The principles of safety that a router forces you to learn translate to most other tools, but they're more immediate and in your face with a medium sized router.
posted by MeanwhileBackAtTheRanch at 9:46 AM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
...if you fall 10' off a ladder and onto concrete, you bounce.
Then I writhe on the ground in pain for a while. . . If I'm lucky.
I have a corded DeWalt drill. Since I got a decent cordless, the DeWalt hasn't left the drawer. If I ever get into a project so prolonged that the battery in the cordless depletes, I know where the DeWalt and the extension cord are. Till then, I am enjoying not having to use them.
The most important use for a drill: pilot holes. If you're going to drive a nail or a screw into wood, drill a pilot hole. It takes seconds, and will save you having to recover from a split workpiece.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:14 PM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Then I writhe on the ground in pain for a while. . . If I'm lucky.
I have a corded DeWalt drill. Since I got a decent cordless, the DeWalt hasn't left the drawer. If I ever get into a project so prolonged that the battery in the cordless depletes, I know where the DeWalt and the extension cord are. Till then, I am enjoying not having to use them.
The most important use for a drill: pilot holes. If you're going to drive a nail or a screw into wood, drill a pilot hole. It takes seconds, and will save you having to recover from a split workpiece.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:14 PM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
louche mustachio I wish someone would bring me a bouquet of wrenches and screwdrivers.
Here you go! Just a few I threw together for a quick bouquet.
posted by mlis at 12:50 PM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Here you go! Just a few I threw together for a quick bouquet.
posted by mlis at 12:50 PM on August 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
is that a Phillips head? I hope she's not allergic ...
posted by Kirth Gerson at 1:35 PM on August 29, 2014
posted by Kirth Gerson at 1:35 PM on August 29, 2014
Thanks to this thread, I have found that replacement blades for my circular saw are available as Subscribe and Save items on Amazon.
Regarding tool quality, like anyone else I enjoy working with quality tools, but I have been pleasantly surprised by a few Harbor Freight tools. The heat gun has two moving parts (the power switch and the fan) and has been working well for years with occasional use. Their oscillating tool was one of the first ones out after the Fein patent expired and works fine, though the blades for it are pretty expensive, as I guess they learned from the razor blade mfgs. The biggest surprise was a palm sander that did yeoman work helping refinish a set of kitchen cabinets and is still trucking. If any of them break I won't be too unhappy.
posted by exogenous at 11:41 AM on September 4, 2014
Regarding tool quality, like anyone else I enjoy working with quality tools, but I have been pleasantly surprised by a few Harbor Freight tools. The heat gun has two moving parts (the power switch and the fan) and has been working well for years with occasional use. Their oscillating tool was one of the first ones out after the Fein patent expired and works fine, though the blades for it are pretty expensive, as I guess they learned from the razor blade mfgs. The biggest surprise was a palm sander that did yeoman work helping refinish a set of kitchen cabinets and is still trucking. If any of them break I won't be too unhappy.
posted by exogenous at 11:41 AM on September 4, 2014
You don't know of sanding until you've used a Festool sander. No dust. It's freakin' miraculous. Life-changing.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:43 AM on September 5, 2014
posted by five fresh fish at 12:43 AM on September 5, 2014
I have yet to experience the glories of dust collection. My last couple of projects have gone between moving the stuff outside so I don't have to worry about the sawdust, or working indoors to avoid the the brutal late summer heat we've gotten, and then sweeping up the basement.
posted by exogenous at 7:11 AM on September 5, 2014
posted by exogenous at 7:11 AM on September 5, 2014
I hope you're wearing an proper cartridge dust mask. Not a paper mask or, heaven forbid, no mask
posted by five fresh fish at 1:44 PM on September 5, 2014
posted by five fresh fish at 1:44 PM on September 5, 2014
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From first person experience I can tell you that bitches love tools.
Makin' stuff tools. Not the ...colloquial sort.
I wish someone would bring me a bouquet of wrenches and screwdrivers.
posted by louche mustachio at 5:25 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]