Thread: Need help - buying power tools and getting started!

Gidday there,

welcome to the forums. There is a wealth of information here, so it's a great starting point for what you are looking at.

If you look at the top of the screen, you'll see the search function. It is your friend. There are a large number of threads just like this one, which hopefully will come up with some appropriately chosen search terms.

So far as tools go, the best advice generally is to buy what you need for a particular job. That way you don't buy things you're not going to use, and you don't have to outlay a huge amount of money all at once. You will find that you gradually build up a nice set of tools that'll do you in good stead.

So far as the so-called "essentials" go, I would consider the following to be essential in any toolkit:

1) setting out and marking stuff - tape measure, rulers, squares, pencils, and probably a level from the sounds of what you're doing.

2) again, from what you're doing, a cordless drill sounds like a good starting point.

Other than that, just get what you need.

No doubt your next question will be about brands/quality. The answer will depend on your budget, but if you can restrain yourself enough that you don't have to declare bankruptcy due to your new found tool fetish (join the club), then most people recommend buying the best quality you can afford.

So far as good quality versus price goes, I personally think that you can't go too far wrong with Makita for most stuff. It's not top of the line, but it's most certainly nowhere near the bottom either. It's also readily available and you won't have to search too hard to get what you need, whereas some of the other/better brands are only around at speciality stores.

That's it for now. Best of luck - and use the search function until your eyes go square!

sCORCH

Once you've marked and drilled, you probably need to cut a bit. There are dozens of kinds of saws because each does a certain job well. So work out what you need to do, then do a bit of research on the best tool for THAT job.

As for asking at Bunnings.......

Apparently some people have at very good help from Bunnings staff.

Apparently, although this seems to be almost urban legend. It seems the days when you could trust the guy at the hardware store to advise you are long gone, and the Bunnings style of stores has done the most damage.

Doesn't hurt to ask, but don't be disappointed if you don't get much help. And whatever they tell you, remember their job is to sell stuff, not necessarily to help you. So ask around a few places (other hardware, other tool stores like Glenfords etc: forget which stores you have in Melbourne, maybe some of the guys down there can advise). If you let people know which part of the city you are in, they may be able to steer you in the right direction.

And never hesitate to ask questions here. There is almost always someone willing and able to give you good advice,

Hello Conno,

I'd suggest a different approach. Buy some very basic tools that you KNOW you will use, such as those suggested by Scorch, and then buy tools as you need them. We've just renovated our house, or finished it from lockup stage, and it was our policy to buy rather than hire tools, so that you have them for future jobs.

Right now, your first purchase should be a good cordless hammer drill: Makita are good value, as are Panasonic, Bosch, Hitachi, De Walt, Metabo, and so on.

There are a number of factors to take into account
* Type of work you do - furniture, housing contruction - I was amazed my builder friend didn't know what a cabinet scraper was.
* How serious you are - can you wait for the accurate expensive tool or happy with the cheaper one eg. I spend $240 on a makita circ saw where a $50 GMC one would have done the job.
* budget
* get mutlipurpose tools - there's nothing my circ saw does my jigsaw couldn't, but there's lots a jigsaw can than the circ can't.

Remember you can do a lot with a little, if you think about it. I remember using clamps, 2 toolboxes and a bit of rug holding a project cause I didn't have a vise.

I build furniture what I found useful was...
* Combination square - $20
* Pencils - $5
* Steel ruler - 1m - $10 (I think more accurate then tape measure)
* Tape measure (for longer jobs)
* Chisels - I've been happy with a $20 3 pack of irwin chisels
* Tennon saw - stanley $20
* Clamps - irwin quick grips for small jobs, cheap F clamps from super cheap auto for big jobs

* A couple of screwdrivers
* Drill - I use a makita $129 corded model... cause it's better value for me then the $250 base cordless or $800 top range
* Jigsaw - power saw
* Sand paper
* Stanley no 5 bench plane

After that...
* Random orbital sander
* Marking gauge

And by that time you'll have a pretty good idea what you want.


I can't find it now but there was a "Getting Started in Woodwork" 10 part mini video series on finewoodworking.com.
That'll be perfect for you. GOes through starter tools and quickly why and how to use them.

Cheers, excellent advice guys, much appreciated.

Check this out...

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworki...rted/index.asp

For doing odd handyman jobs, Boz has it more or less covered. I'll add:

• Buy the best quality <whatever> that you can afford at the time. This is not necessarily the most expensive or the one with the most "features." Do the research!
• A corded hammer-drill is a must. Battery drills are more of a convenience than a need.
• A small circular saw will cut a straighter line than a jig-saw and can check out frames which a jigsaw can't do. It's better to have both.

If you're limited for shed space, give some thought to buying a 2nd-hand Triton workcentre. There's usually a one or two good value ones for sale on these forums. That'd give you most of the functionality of a tablesaw/router table while still being able to stow it away with little effort.

(Don't let the tool snobs put you off this... it's nice to have all the fancy gear if you've a humongous shed to fit it in, but if you're working from a 2x2 garden shed, climbing over the mower & garden rakes... )

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

For doing odd handyman jobs, Boz has it more or less covered. I'll add:

• Buy the best quality <whatever> that you can afford at the time. This is not necessarily the most expensive or the one with the most "features." Do the research!</whatever>
• A corded hammer-drill is a must. Battery drills are more of a convenience than a need.
• A small circular saw will cut a straighter line than a jig-saw and can check out frames which a jigsaw can't do. It's better to have both.

If you're limited for shed space, give some thought to buying a 2nd-hand Triton workcentre. There's usually a one or two good value ones for sale on these forums. That'd give you most of the functionality of a tablesaw/router table while still being able to stow it away with little effort.

(Don't let the tool snobs put you off this... it's nice to have all the fancy gear if you've a humongous shed to fit it in, but if you're working from a 2x2 garden shed, climbing over the mower & garden rakes... )

"I can do that! Woodworking Projects," published by Popular Woodworking is a good introductory book. It details some recommended tools, how to use them and has 17 projects, including bookshelves.

I already had a Bosch drill from about 30 years ago, I have a Makita cordless hammer drill as well. I bought a Maktec (hobbyist Makita) compound mitre saw., a Bosch jigsaw (buying again, I'd choose another brand). The CMS is good for shortish crosscuts -basically anything the blade cuts by being lowered onto the workpiece.
[ame="http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=CH5dW-QcgeI"]YouTube - MAKING STRAIGHT CUTS WITH A HOMEMADE JIG[/ame] shows how to make a straight cu with a hand-held saw. He's got lots of other good videos too, mostly about two minutes long.I've found some good videos here too: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheWoodWhisperer

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

(Don't let the tool snobs put you off this... )

Someone's gotta listen to us

Originally Posted by Johncs

I've found some good videos here too: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheWoodWhisperer

I'd agree with that, even though I'm a total amateur, his vids have given me a few ideas about how to solve some problems.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Buy the best quality <whatever> that you can afford at the time. This is not necessarily the most expensive or the one with the most "features." Do the research!</whatever>
A corded hammer-drill is a must. Battery drills are more of a convenience than a need.

Agree with that too, I wish I'd found this forum before I started buying tools, I probably wouldn't have bought green bosch at all, would have looked for the blue at least. I had no idea that the colour made a difference before I read about it here.

Even though I'm only a hobbyist, I want things to last as long as they can, so the info here is invaluable.

Been saving up for the tools they don't sell at bunnings ever since

i started out with 1 Irwin chisel, 1 Irwin tennon saw, $20 cord drill, $30 random orbit sander, and...that was it...lol...
later i bought 2 cheap bunnings clamp and a no.5 Stanley plane, and was able to cut my first finger joint and build a few boxes, cabinet etc
Then i bought a sharpening stone, 4 more clamps and some marking tools.

That cost around $220, and well I believe that's what u need to get started...lol...keep in mind that it is not very comfortable or pleasant doing woodwork with only these tools

I recommend going to your local libary and borrow some woodwork books, magazines etc
and definitely ask questions on the forum, best advice!!!!

I am new here, too, and I notice Makita tools are well thought of by many.

Some 35 years ago when, I think, we bought our first Makita it was made in Japan, unless I am remembering wrongly. Last week, I bought a Makita circular saw and, at home, was surprised to see it was made in China.

Am I correct about the originals being Japanese made and, if so, is the quality still as good, please?