I’m a carpentry student with a couple of years of experience in the industry and I’m getting interested in purchasing my own set of power tools. I was hoping for some advice on a good brand/model of circular saw, drill and reciprocating saw to pick up. I’m looking for tools that are tough and powerful but not overly cumbersome as I will be bringing them from jobsite to jobsite fairly often. I’m willing to spend some money but I don’t want to pay the top of line prices for Hilti tools or anything like that. Thanks in advance for your advice.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
A high-performance single-family home builder shares tips from his early experience with two apartment buildings.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Fine Home Building
Follow
-
Fine Homebuilding
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial Now -
GBA Prime
Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
Cheap tools?
I'm willing to spend some money but I don't want to pay the top of line prices for Hilti tools or anything like that.
You're talking about buying the tools you will use every day.
Do you really want to buy something cheap, something that everytime you pick it up you think to yourself "Why did I buy this cheap piece of junk?"
Cheap tools are not a good investment and eventually you'll throw them away & pay for the decent tool you should have bought.
Buy quality once, you'll never regret it.
Joe H
PS, Hilti may be the cream of the crop for some tools, but just about every company makes a few tools that are truly better than the others.
Corded drill, Milwaukee.
Recip saw, PC.
Circ saw, I have an old Makita hypoid that weighs a ton but will cut a bridge in half if necessary. Also a PC sawboss 6" left blade that will do most of what I need.
In my (amateur) opinon, the first thing you want, besides some decent manual tools, is a corded circular saw. But there's a lot of personal preference involved in this decision. If you can't just borrow for a month or two I'd suggest you pick up either a moderately priced new unit or a decent used unit until you get familiar. On the job ask to try out your coworkers saws and find out what features you prefer.
You want a unit that's not too heavy, not too light, has a reliable, easy-working guard, seems to make straight, clean cuts, and has enough power.
When you buy, don't be ashamed to buy used.
I'd suggest refurb/recon/used tools once you are sure you know what you want. I bought a Milwaukee super sawzall from Amazon.com for 100 bucks with a case and free shipping. It is like new in almost all respects, except for a mark that indicates it's a refurb.
I don't know what kind of tools you want, but I'll throw out a recommendation for a PC mag saw. http://search.toolking.com/baynote/socialsearch?customerId=toolking&code=www&q=4200220 I bought mine refurbed too.
Yeah, I bought a PC because it's one of the lighter units but still has a nice large, flat baseplate, and I have trouble holding the saw flat if the baseplate isn't decent.
I really like mine for the same reasons, plus the saw has good power too. Mixed feelings on the quick change, but no problems with it so far.
Jump in head first!
I agree with JoeH about the quality insight. If you are new in the game and want to start your own kit, here is my advice. These tools are a license for you to make money and become an artist. You can make as much cash as you want and are willing to work for. Just look at the builder you admire most. He did what was necessary to get the tools and develop the trade. Go to HD or Lowes open an interest free credit card and buy a Milwaukee 7 1/4" circ (approx. $130), a Makita 18 volt impact driver and drill combo kit, and a Milwaukee sawzall (after all they did invent it and I have gone through 2 Dewalt's and 2 PC's). Next buy a Makita jobsite radio that works with your batteries and make sure you load your IPod with your favorite song because nothing is better than being a carpenter!!! Cheers Eric Rodabaugh, A&E Builders Corp., Long Island, NY
The Rigid brand 18v tool LiIon set might be what you are looking for. Lifetime warranty on the batteries too.
One important thing is to not get too tied up in tools like they were a fancy car. You want tools that are rugged and which do the job you need them to do. If a used/reconned unit will do the job, then there's no point in having a new unit just because it will be shiny for a few weeks. (Not that you shouldn't buy new if the deal's right, but just don't let "flash" turn your head.)
It's all too common for folks to set out in business, be it carpentry or lawyering or shopkeeping, and spend too much capital on things they don't need. You buy tools because you need them to do your job, not because they make you feel good.
(OK, every now and then you can drop a minor wad on some "toy", but understand that it's that, and don't try to rationalize that you "need" it.)