What would everyone recon for first power tool choices?
drill,driver??
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I would recommend a combo kit with a drill/driver and impact driver. Great combination of tools. That takes care of drilling and driving tasks that are tough with hand tools. Then I would consider a circular saw or jigsaw.
Howdy
What jobs are you thinking of for power tools diy home repair or construction I agree with JoelLikesTools. For a mechanic or gearhead a mid-torque impact wrench or power ratchet.
I agree with Jon98 here, it really depends on what kind of work you are doing. For normal DIY or construction sort of things I think a drill/driver is the most basic tool, perhaps followed by whatever sort of saw best suits the work you are doing. For automotive work I think a 3/8" compact impact wrench would be the best starting point; that is my most commonly used power tool when I am doing auto work. Other sorts of jobs or hobbies might prioritize other tools.
If you’re just starting out combo kits can be a great value since you can get multiple tools plus batteries and charger for a very very good price. The combo kits are less of a value once you have tools since there’s a good chance they have tools you might already have, making them less attractive as a deal.
As for what brand or model to suggest? Tell us more about what you’re doing and what your budget might be. Also, what might you plan on doing in the future? If you just need a drill there are countless companies which could satisfy that need. But if you think you will be using more power tools in the future then it pays to think about what system you might want to buy into.
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@KokoTheTalkingApe i am a normal person
For everyone else, i will be doing diy as well as woodwork to start with. But would also be intrested in doing automotive stuff later on, my dad has most tools of which i have been using so i think a drill/driver, impact driver and a multi-tool would satisfy most of my needs.Thinking of going with dewalt and 18v asthat is what my dad has so we could share bats charegers etc
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*chargers
and thanks for the help guys
@JoelLikesTools and @Jon98 would a jigsaw be better as it can cut curves as well as straigt with a guide?
If you’re planning to do rip cuts on sheet goods or need to cut a lot of dimensional lumber, go with the circular saw. If you’re doing smaller or more intricate work, the jigsaw may suffice. I find myself using a circular saw far more than a jig saw.
I’m a mechanic now but many years ago I worked as a form setter for my dad. Even then I couldn’t cut straight with a circular saw so a miter saw might be better
I would wait and see what types of projects come up for cutting. Fm2176’s advice is solid and pretty much what I would say. Once you know which saw you need most search and find a good one to buy. A saw is one tool you want to be nice and reliable.
I love my miter and bought it first. I did find myself needing to compliment it with a circular saw after a few projects.
Yes, agreed, that’s good advice.
I’d add that as far as straight-line cutting goes the Jigsaw can do it, but it won’t leave as clean an edge as the circular saw will. There are trade-offs for certain. Jigsaws are also very slow compared to a circular saw.
Miter saws are great, but like any other saw there are things they are good for and things they can’t do. Miter saws are great if you want to cut 2x4’s to length but they’re not going to rip a board or a piece of plywood. It’s really all down to what you are doing.
When I first bought my tools I was doing a lot of hobby projects and I used the jigsaw the most. These days I rarely touch it, and I find I use the circ saw and the miter saw much more often.
That’s it. I’d add that a jigsaw is physically narrower, so it can fit in odd locations, if that ever comes up. It can also take blades for metal, plastic, etc. so it can cut things like electrical conduit, metal studs, copper pipes, etc. It can also start a cut in the middle of a board or panel. So it’s handy for installers, plumbers, etc.
A jigsaw is also probably safer, because the blades have short teeth and cut only on the up-stroke (or down stroke, if you have a special blade.) They also can make a vertical cut, so if you’re cutting to a mark on one side of a board, you don’t have to flip the board to finish the cut, or use a hand saw to finish.
Jigsaws also have a thinner kerf, so they remove less material total, if that matters. They also cut on the upstroke, so the top of the workpiece will have splinters (that are easily removed with sandpaper.)
But jigsaws require clearance under the workpiece. Circular saws can cut through sawhorses and other wood supports. Some people put a sacrificial work surface like a piece of foam insulation or homosote on their work benches. Circular saws are faster and easier to cut straight with (though if you’re using a guide, that’s a wash.)
Another option is to get a good Japanese-style pull saw. For crosscutting, they’re surprisingly fast and clean.
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Good choice on DeWalt because I am biased. But good idea on sharing batts with Dad… This one at 99 bucks at HD is about as inexpensive as it gets with the two 1.3 batteries a bag and charger… https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-20-Volt-MAX-Cordless-1-2-in-Drill-Driver-2-20-Volt-1-3Ah-Batteries-Charger-Bag-DCD771C2/204279858 A great start based upon what you wrote…
IF I were you and had a few more bucks, I’d consider a “hammer drill.” If you ever have to go into concrete or brick, you will thank yourself. This is a great deal at 149 bucks https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-ATOMIC-20-Volt-MAX-Brushless-Cordless-Compact-1-2-in-Hammer-Drill-Tool-Only-w-20V-POWERSTACK-Compact-Battery-Kit-DCD709BWP034C/318895414 AND you get the new 2.9 PowerStack battery that is getting great reviews, almost as a gimme.
You can research the living poo out of which is best, but even the bottom line hammer drills beats the poo out of like a Ryobi and I know from personal experience.
There are essentially four versions of DeWalt, Brushed, Atomic, the regular one and FlexVolt. Same batteries on all of them. You can get some really good deals on the older but still gooder (sic) brushed versions and knock off quite a few bucks when you get a sale.
The brushed are older but still excellent tools for a homeowner. The atomics are brushless and considered a “compact” version but that can be hard to tell on some tools. Atomic also has a few special tools like the 4.5 inch circular saw you can get for 99 bucks on sale in the future That is one of my favorite tools https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-ATOMIC-20-Volt-MAX-Cordless-Brushless-4-1-2-in-Circular-Saw-Tool-Only-DCS571B/308961100 and will do 95% of what most homeowners need. It is amazingly handy…and I’ve seen deals with it and a 3 amp hour battery for 159 before…
The regular brushless are endless and you will pay more for them but generally all good tools.
FlexVolt is the beast of the bunch and the tools are generally hard core and for professional use but some great tools… There are also a sub branch of the regular tools called Flexvolt plus that are a bit more powerful than regular brushless tools IF you use a FlexVolt battery…
So, have fun, it will take you awhile but you will become addicted whatever color you end up choosing, black and red? Teal? Yellow and Black…
That saw seems great might search around and see if i can find any other varients/kits
I would definitely look around for kits or combo deals. If you’re just starting out buying tools then it’s very hard to get better value for your money in my opinion. I’d keep an eye open for whenever there’s another wave of sales.
For example, for Black Friday last year Home Depot had an awesome deal where if you bought a Dewalt combo kit you got either one, two, or three free extra tools depending on exactly which kit you bought. They weren’t the only one either, that was just an example. I don’t know if you can wait that long but there’s usually great deals on power tools around Father’s Day.
My advice, FWIW. Go cordless.
If you’re just a homeowner that uses tools as little as possible, brushed tools are fine. If you are a hobbyist or planning projects, go brushless. Watch out for combo deals, many are brushed and you have to read the fine print!
Go with the better brands, and stick with 1 to avoid battery mayhem. Avoid 12v, go with 18-20v unless you just do light indoor work. You will never regret Makita, Milwaukee, DeWalt, all make great tools.
For wood guys, a drill, driver, and 7-1/4 saw are good for starters.
Later on, you will want to add a reciprocating saw, orbital sander, maybe an angle grinder, and a jigsaw. Have fun!
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As others have stayed, shop around and wait for a deal if you can. It seems that Lowe’s and The Home Depot are constantly putting something or another on clearance–the best time to shop the latter is at the beginning of the year, when already discounted holiday Special Buys are marked down. I paid $54 each for two Milwaukee M18 brushless compact drills with charger and 2.0Ah battery, and passed on some similar Makita kits for the same price.
If you’re lucky, you can also score big at Lowe’s. I took advantage of the Bosch promo last year, where buying a bare tool netted a free starter kit. At the same time, they were resetting the Bosch displays, so I scored an 18v bandsaw for about half off and still got the free battery and charger.
Finally, if you are a light DIY’er or simply can’t afford to buy into or expand upon a system like DeWalt’s or Milwaukee’s, Ryobi Days is coming up in a few months. I own a bunch of Ryobi stuff and while it isn’t my first choice, I haven’t had an issue so far.
I’d agree, though for woodworking I’d put an random orbit sander ahead of the circular saw. There’s no hand tool that can really substitute for a sander, whereas I used a Japanese pull saw for years (and got pretty good with it!) And sometimes I still prefer it, when I don’t want the noise, dust, and rough cuts a circ makes. Framers and cabinetry guys will likely feel different.
And yeah, it seems like 12 v tools are increasingly for pros, surprisingly. The brushless 12 v tools can rival cheap 18 v tools, but for more money. And pros will want the lower weight, where DIYers won’t care as much.
If it’s between impact driver and drill, I’d recommend the impact driver unless you know you will do a lot of drilling. Much more powerful, makes driving screws easier and less trouble with your wrists, and I think there’s even a bit for drilling with them now. Also, don’t be afraid to go to a pawn shop. I picked up a sweet Hitachi drill/driver combo for a song. They looked ratty but work fine. That’s what I expected though, from a brand with a lifetime warranty. Any brand does that, they have high confidence in their quality!
@koko what would you sugest for a pull saw? brands, types etc