Thanks: 0
Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 12 of 12
-
9th July 2013, 04:36 PM #1Novice
- Join Date
- Jun 2013
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 11
Just starting out — advice on basic tool set
G'day all, first post here. Sorry it's a long one!
I've just bought & moved in to my first home, which means I finally have the room and the purpose to step up the woodworking hobby I've been nursing for a while.
For my first projects (workbench & shelves for the shed) I took the "get the cheap tools first, if you don't like it you haven't lost much, if you do like it use 'em 'til you wear em out then get proper ones" approach.
Well, I do like it, and my ozito bunnings-brand cordless drill has given up the ghost . So it's time to decide which tools to go with, and which brand to commit to battery-wise.
Background info:
I'm very much a beginner with woodworking of any kind. At the moment my planned projects are just easily-constructed basic furniture (next up: outdoor setting), but I can see myself trying more serious projects (I need a carport, wouldn't mind a tool shed, a proper nice dining table to replace the ikea one, built-in wardrobes, etc).
At the moment my tool kit is a useless ozito cordless drill (battery lasts for literally a dozen screws), an ozito corded circular saw which chips everything to buggery but works, and a ryobi mitre saw which can't cut anything wider than 100mm but at least is a lot quicker & straighter than my hand. So far I haven't wanted any other tools, except maybe a table saw.
I believe "the poor man pays twice" and don't mind saving up a bit longer for the more expensive gear if it's gonna be worth it in the long run. That said being a new homeowner the mortgage is looming large so I can't jump straight into Festool territory.
Questions:
- Do I need an impact driver as well as a cordless drill/driver for basic furniture assembly?
- Is there honestly any difference between consumer-level cordless hand tool brands? They seem like there's not a lot of difference if you're not using them day in day out on the worksite.
- At the moment I'm leaning towards AEG as they seem to have good reviews and the best warranty, any thoughts there? (I've read the AEG thread on here)
- Is a cordless circular saw worth the investment over a corded one? I haven't noticed the cord getting in the way yet.
- Is the circular saw chipping everything something I can fix with a new blade/better technique, or should I upgrade from the ozito?
- Any other tool I don't know I need? I'm planning to buy them as I need them.
Thanks heaps for your help.
-
9th July 2013 04:36 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
9th July 2013, 07:06 PM #2
If I was starting from zero, and trying not to spend tooooo much money, for both home repairs and woodwork, in order of purchase....
(power tools corded unless specified otherwise)
Cordless drill (lithium-ion battery) in the $2-300 range
1000mm spirit level...Stanley fatmax or similar
Earmuffs and safety glasses
Track saw w/ 2.4 meters of track (makita or bosch) and good blade (lotsa' teeth for cutting melamine faced material)
Aldi vacuum cleaner w/ power tool control
ROS (Metabo SXE450 as a poor mans rotex)
Chisel set and oilstone for sharpening and a polyurethane face hammer
Low end router (Ryobi or possibly even Ozito)
Ozito multitool and a swag of blades
That'd be my 'first $2,000' worth of tools, anyway.
-
9th July 2013, 08:08 PM #3Senior Member
- Join Date
- Feb 2012
- Location
- Sydney
- Posts
- 187
I love my Ryobi one+ tools, the range is good and they have a good battery life.
Check me out:
www.facebook.com/steamjunkprops Or Steamjunkprops.deviantart.com
-
9th July 2013, 09:38 PM #4
For the second $2,000, I'd blow it on an old PC, three NEMA 23 stepper motors, a geckodrive, a hefty power supply, linear bearings and acme threaded rod.
-
9th July 2013, 11:15 PM #5Senior Member
- Join Date
- Feb 2011
- Location
- Gold Country
- Posts
- 223
Your Ozito Circ Saw chip issue is the blade, it is probably only worth 10% of the saw price. Having said that there are tips and tricks around it to help reduce the chip out.
Tape over your cut, score the timber first, cut slower (the teeth will take less bite each time), use a hand saw if its a critical area where you need a perfect finish, join up to you local woodworking club or mens shed as they might have access to a better quality and bigger range of machines, plus the added bonus of potential help from those with much experience.
My 2 cents..
Shawn
-
10th July 2013, 06:27 PM #6Novice
- Join Date
- Jun 2013
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 11
Great, thanks guys. Splinter, I think you're onto a good idea about the track saw; I haven't used my circular without a straightedge anyway. I also like the way you think with the CNC angle; I haven't looked into that neck of the woods yet, but it's a big overlap with my otherwise geeky interests. Shawn, cheers for advice on circ. saw. I've looked into the local clubs and will no doubt head along to one of them to say hello once I get a bit more experience under my belt & confidence that I'm going to keep it up — don't want to waste anyone's time.
Thanks fellas!
-
12th July 2013, 01:31 PM #7
Good Morning NoSignal
Firstly, welcome to the Forum. Wish I had done something like you when I first started - my biggest mistake was buying crap tools, repeatedly.
Whilst it is presently outside your budget, you might like to go along to a Festool agent and get a demonstration of a drill, sander and saw - this will give you a bench mark against which to compare other products. Festool just work smoother, better, nicer.
I like Master Splinters list of tools, but would make some minor changes:
- For tool sharpening, add a Veritas honing guide - free-hand sharpening is difficult to learn. Also, learn to sharpen via scary sharp - simpler than having to flatten oil/water stones. Graduate to oil/water or diamond stones.
- Add a good quality 60 or 80 tooth saw blade. Keep the courser blade for wood butchering. Finer blade => better finish, fewer and smaller chip outs.
- I used a second hand domestic vacuum.
- Inexpensive modern cutting tools - chisels, hand saws, hand planes, etc - almost always have crap steel in the blades. Think good quality secondhand and restore, or be prepared to pay more.
Veritas Tools - Sharpening - Mk.II Honing Guide
Joining a mens shed is a good idea. This will give you access to advice, encouragement, equipment, etc. For one-off jobs, you can always hire tools, especially expensive stuf that you may use only infrequently.
You might also like to start looking at videos to pick up tips on technique - I like Paul Sellars, but there are many others on the web.
Paul Sellers - YouTube
Fair Winds
Graeme
-
12th July 2013, 01:38 PM #8
-
12th July 2013, 07:46 PM #9
I don't think CNC is necessarily more specialised than many other areas of woodworking can get - just note the number and length of threads on the forum on sharpening, planes and plane restoration and old plane vs. new plane vs. plane blades, sharpening (again), hand saw restoration, quality (or lack thereof) of files for hand saw sharpening, threads on buying/fixing micrometers, surface plate measuring, extreme dust collection and so on.
Jumping into CNC means you gain functionality in a number of operations (planing, thicknessing, scrollwork, intarsia, jointing, dovetailing, carving....even pyrography if you get the feed speeds wrong!) in one go without having to invest considerable time in physically mastering each skill, as well as mastering each supporting skill set, such as sharpening for plane blades.
-
14th July 2013, 12:11 AM #10
Point taken, MS.
I had simply never thought of CNC in terms of it being a very versatile multi-tool. Will need to do a lot more thinking, and to accumulate a lot more information. Will now read the CNC Forum!
Thanks
Fair inds
Graeme
-
14th July 2013, 10:56 PM #11Novice
- Join Date
- Jun 2013
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 11
Thanks for the advice gents, got a couple of vouchers for the green shed this weekend so I snagged a DeWalt impact driver & drill and a 60-tooth blade for the circular saw and am already a much happier camper. A track saw still seems like a good idea but I'll have to do some research & see how much panel work I end up doing before deciding about that.
Next step is definitely some kind of vacuum, it's getting dusty out there already!
Cheers.
-
15th July 2013, 02:43 PM #12Senior Member
- Join Date
- Oct 2003
- Location
- Gold Coast,Australia
- Age
- 49
- Posts
- 350
makita tracksaw can be had pretty cheap, well, cheaper than the festool, and it works very very well.
makes life very easy when it comes to panels / and sitework with panels. I dont have a tablesaw, so i use the tracksaw, and a MDF faced table with holes on it similar to the MFT table from festool and
a series of plastic "dogs" to help me with 90° cuts in a hurry.
having done 15 years without a impact driver, then buying one a few years back, throwing together carcases with an impact driver is easy work. having a kit with both the drill & driver in it and tw batteries would be a good start.
i think, buy quality over qty. biggest mistake i made was to buy cheap tools, when, if you invest in quality, they will repay you in long service life. I still have a lot of quality tools i bought when i did my trade 19 years ago, and they are still going strong. unlike the cheap compressor i bought last month just to get me by. the DIY big Shed places although close by, dont always stock quality gear.
some decent clamps would also be on that list. Bessey brand as a minimum, cheap clamps with drive you insane when they move or slip.
Oh, and the Aldi shop vac is great, best $90 spent by far, i use it every day, and it keeps going, even when rained on sitting in the ute up here in sunny QLD. i run mine with ryobi 20ltr bags, otherwise the pleated filter blocks up quickly.
i have made dust adapters for my makita LXT planer and circular saw, and the tracksaw run off it fine too. even the makita beltsander has a moulded PVC adapter for it. i need to buy another one, just for a spare
Similar Threads
-
Basic tool setup
By olas in forum BOX MAKINGReplies: 1Last Post: 13th January 2012, 01:19 PM -
Basic Tool Kit
By DarkFiend in forum MUSICAL INSTRUMENTSReplies: 12Last Post: 4th December 2011, 07:20 PM -
Basic Tool Trolley WIP
By guerd87 in forum THE WORK BENCHReplies: 4Last Post: 16th September 2010, 07:41 PM -
basic pen tool
By Baldone in forum WOODTURNING - PEN TURNINGReplies: 25Last Post: 31st May 2010, 08:41 AM -
Starting out - Basic tool set
By Yehuwdiy in forum TOY MAKINGReplies: 4Last Post: 13th July 2008, 04:40 PM