I don't know about you, but I enjoy a lovely relaxing weekend after a hard week's work! The idea of getting home on Friday evening, feet up with a beer, sounds like heaven! Then, Saturday and Sunday, go for a nice meal, maybe a walk in a beautiful park, watch the game with the guys? That is my idea of a great weekend and what weekends should be! If you agree with me, could you please tell my wife?
Her idea of a good weekend is to make us build something or clean something! Last week I was informed that we needed a new shed. The truth is the old one was a little worse for wear! So during the week, we went looking for a new shed. Well, in all of Sydney, there was not one that my wife liked; they were all too big, too small, too ugly, too flimsy, or another multitude of things I would have never imagined could upset my better half!
We even talked to a couple of companies that build sheds made to measure, but wow! Those things are expensive! My wallet and I were not convinced! But, on the other hand, my wife loved the idea! So, in the end, we decided to build one from scratch that my wife would agree to, and I wouldn't have to remortgage the house to pay for it!
But there was one problem, it's been so long since I've done any woodworking projects that I don't have any woodworking tools! So, as you can never have enough power tools, I went to see the Sydney power tool experts!
I almost got carried away! So many online tutorials show a massive amount of specialised power tools! If I had the room, I'd buy one of each. But with a few select power tools, you can do amazing things!
So here is my take on must-have woodworking power tools! I'll try to explain why I think you need these tools along the way.
Cordless Power Drill: This is one of those tools that everyone should have! I've always preferred corded power tools, as you don't have to worry about charging batteries. But a drill/screwdriver combo is one of those tools that is worth buying cordless! My old cordless power drill was an old Bosch, green range, the DIYers range; if you, like me, use this tool a lot, spend that little extra for a professional tool. In the long run, it's worth it! Your choice of brand is a personal choice. My current drill choice is the DeWalt range of brushless drills, great tools without breaking the bank! I bought a drill and impact driver dual pack with two batteries, but that's for a future project and maybe another article! NOTE: if you're buying your first power drill, don't forget to buy a set of bits, including screwdrivers, spanners, and drill bits. You'll have to buy more specific bits for certain jobs, but to start, get yourself a good quality set!
Circular Saw: This is a must for all woodworking projects! If you need to cut down large pieces of wood, there is nothing quicker than using a circular saw! I say that, but in the end, I didn't buy a circular saw, but a plunge saw. You might ask what the difference is; well, it's the more sophisticated older brother of the circular saw! A plunge saw gives a much cleaner cut. But more importantly, a plunge saw can be used with a track, making it possible to get perfectly straight cuts on large sheets of wood! Many people will say that woodworkers need a table saw, and they are fantastic if you have the room for a big table! Otherwise, they just aren't worth it! But a plunge saw with a long track gives you the best of both a circular saw and a table saw!
Jigsaw: Once you've cut a big piece of wood down to size with your plunge saw, you will often need to shape it! Again, if you're a pro and have a workshop, you'd have a bandsaw! But as a DIYer like me, I have nowhere to put a bandsaw (well, maybe in the future shed I'll have the room), and for the times I'm going to use it, I can't justify the expense! But with a good jigsaw, the right blade and a steady hand, you can get very accurate cuts!
Sanders: There are many types of sanders on the market! But I think that you only really need two types: a belt sander and a random orbit sander. A belt sander for bigger, heavy-duty jobs will save you a lot of time! A random orbit sander to finish the job or for a more delicate, smaller job! Also, notice I said random orbit sander; you have regular orbit sanders and palm sanders. Both are usually cheaper, but will often leave an ugly pattern of scratches on more delicate work than a random orbit sander! While buying sanders, get a lot more sanding disks than you think you'll need! They are cheap and never go off, so if you don't use them, they'll be there for next time, and if you do need them, you'll save yourself another trip to the store!
Router: This is probably the woodworking power tool I use the least. But definitely, a tool that can save you a lot of work and is needed for finer jobs like cutting rabbets, dadoes and grooves or making contours. If you make yourself a router sled, you can use it to level large wood slabs.
Of course, you will need other non-power tools for woodworking projects! I suppose you'll have most at home already, but for the beginner, here is a list of hand tools to complement the power tools above:
Must have in every tool box:
- Claw hammer, a general multipurpose hammer, is a must-have in any toolbox!
- Spanner set
- Screwdriver set
- Spirit level
- Set square
- Tape measure
More specific woodworking:
- Chisel set
- Mallet, either a wooden or a cheaper rubber mallet will also do the trick. A must if you use woodworking chisels!
- Japanese saw
- Furniture clamps. Optional, but worth their weight in gold!
There are many more power tools out there. And you might find that you need a specific tool that's not on this list for a particular job you have at hand, but for me, these are the essential tools you need to have at hand for most woodworking jobs! If you're doing a specific job and need some help, talk to the Sydney power tool experts! They know a lot more about power tools than I do and are happy to help you with any questions you might have!
Anyway, now that I have all the power tools, I can start building my new garden shed over the next few weekends! Of course, by the time I've bought all the power tools, it probably would have been cheaper to get someone to build me a shed, but knowing my wife, I'm sure they'll be plenty more opportunities to use my new power tool collection!
