Power tool recommendations
 

In a couple of months I will be building a fish room by converting my side of the garage. I will need to build a wall and insulate the room for temperature control. I will also be building all the stands and racks I need. I'm thinking a miter saw and a table saw will be the best two power tools I will need to get the job done. So my questions are: What features do I need to look for when buying a miter or table saw? Is there any other power tools that might come in handy when doing something like this? Do I even need a miter or table saw? I have no power tools other than an electric drill so any feed back would be appreciated. Any good "How to" books that anybody can recommend?

Thanks

Daniel

i would say that if your doing that much wood work a miter saw is a must, a circular saw could do the trick for most things but it would be really slow.

You may also want to get another battery pack or a better drill depending on what you currently have. Nothing slows things down like a dead battery

You might also consider buying factory reconditioned tools. Almost all the major names are for sale at decent discounts as factory reconditioned. Same warranty, same accessorries, but at a 25-40% discounted price.

All my Porter Cable cordless tools arrived looking brand new. I've been using the crap out of them for the last 2 years. My Hitachi sliding compound miter just showed up last week and came in with a few nicks and scratches but with a $250.00 discounted price I can live with a little bit of ugly.

Brett

A good miter saw is a great investment. I prefer the 12 inch because you can do more with it. Rigid, Delta, Hitachi all make nice saws as well as Porter Cable. look at all of them and pick one you like.

I was on the fence about a table saw vs. a circular saw..........the table makes a straighter cut but the circular is cheaper........does that pretty much sum it up?

And do the big stores (Lowes, Home Depot, Harbor Freight) have factory reconditioned tools?

To answer the question about what tools you really need, you need to understand how table saws, miter saws, and circular saws are used. Essentially these saws perform one of two functions: ripping or crosscutting.

The table saw is a fantastic tool for ripping. A good table saw is a not very portable precision instrument. The circular saw is portable, and it is nowhere near as good for precision work as a table saw. for ripping anything that requires any degree of precision, my choice is a table saw, hands down.

What about crosscutting/chopping? Again, a good table saw is not very portable, but you can perform some very accurate crosscuts with it. In comparison, the miter saw is also precise and is quick to set up for chopping and its portable.

I'll take the opposite tack of what most people are telling you, and say that if you own a good table saw and you know how to use it, then a miter saw is nice to have, but totally unnecessary. While you certainly can put one to good use if you've got it, there's nothing you can do with a miter saw that you can't do every bit as well as with a table saw. The difference is that a miter saw performs chopping tasks quickly, and they're very popular with framers (house framers) for just that reason.

Some of your choices will depend upon whether you want to build a stationary wood shop or whether you want to have tools that you can haul to a construction site. Some of your choices will also depend upon the degree of precision that you desire when you make your cuts.

In setting up a stationary wood shop my first choice for a saw would be a table saw. You can do many, many things with it. I've been woodworking for 40 years and I have multiple table saws, a radial arm saw, bandsaws, scrollsaws, circular saws, jigsaws, sawzalls, dovetailers, dozukis, yada yada, but I still don't have a compound miter saw. I've never found a compelling need for one, as I already own tools that can do everything that it does. But then when I build cabinets, I don't need to do the sort of volume with a chopsaw the way that a construction framer would need them for making many repeated similar cuts.

Bear in mind that miter saws are a relatively new invention. They haven't been around for that long. Woodworkers have managed for thousands of years without them.

If you are looking for a miter saw, 12 inches provides more cutting capacity than 10 inches, but costs more. If you're not doing to do really big stuff, then you won't need 12 inches and you won't need a 12 inch slider unless you plan on building a house and cutting 2x12 or fence posts. For 99% of what you'll be doing, a 10 inch compound miter saw will probably be fine. Once you go shopping, prices will probably guide you. A 12-inch compound sliding miter saw will set you back about $600. A 10 inch compound non-slider will cost hundreds less.

A table saw is the only saw that I have. If you want to see what can be done with it just clisk on my red house. My saw is a vintage Craftsman that I actually picked up for $20. It needed a capacitor for the motor to get it running and a new blade. So for about $70, I was ready to go to work. It is really all about your skill, and how creative you are. I used it for everything including 45* angled corners, to making trim. With this creativity, make sure to be safe. There were a couple of times that I had to just flat out "bail out" of a cut. These things should have been thought through more ahead of time. Point is, check Craigslist, ebay for local deals.

Another thing you will probably want to have since you are going inwall is a sawzall. Again, ebay or Craigslist. Good luck to you on your build.

Another thing the table saw or miter saw is awesome for is cutting PVC, so keep that in mind. I also did all of my work with a good combo blade, there is no point in getting 5 different blades at $20-$75 each, just get a good combo blade.

Yeah, I third the table saw. If you want a bit of both, you can seek out a smaller sized table saw. I also agree that with proper jigs, fences and clamps, anything done with a miter saw can be done with a table saw. Miters are quick and best used for construction. As far as brands, Porter Cable, Milkwaukee, Dewalt, Hitachi, et. al are good.

Ummm...I could never have too many tools. I started with a table saw since you can do it all. Eventually bought the miter saw to do all the crown molding around my house for its portability.

By the way buy good quality tools, they will probably last you a lifetime.

My .0001255 cents.

djfrankie

If we're not talking about really fine finishing work in this room, I'd think a miter saw on a stand and a circular saw would be the main tools to use. The circular saw for breaking down plywood panels for shelving, etc. and the miter saw for cutting the framing (2x4/2x6 etc.)- a circular saw with a speed square would probably work for the framing as well if you don't really plan to do a lot more construction after this project? For the panels, use some clamps and a long straight edge (straight piece of wood?) as a guide and you're probably set to go. You already have a drill, as others said, plenty of power with an extra battery if it's cordless makes sense as well.

Of course, if this project is a good "excuse" to start purchasing a lot of tools, then there are probably thousands of dollars in tools you would have to have. :p

Yep, if I had to pick one it'd be a table saw, hands down, with a decent miter gauge. I'll even go so far as to say Ridgid TS3650 saw ($549 at Home Depot)) and then add an Incra V27 miter gauge ($50 at Hartville Tool thru Dec 31) with a home-built miter fence.

We spent eight years remodeling every room in our house. I love our table saw and it is an invaluable tool. My favorite tool and the one that I have used the most for everything from trim work, to fence posts and framing, crown molding, copper plumbing for trellises and rebar using a cutoff blade, to tank plumbing (makes a beautiful square cut on PVC) is the compound miter saw. IMO both saws are a must have. Many hours of labor and frustration can be avoided by having the right tool for the job.

I too would agree that the table saw gives you the most bang for your buck, but one tool that I really want to add that I'm really surprised no one has mentioned is a router. You can make your own trim, smooth edges, make dovetails, too many things to list.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11481368#post11481368 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by littlefish72 [/i]
[B]I was on the fence about a table saw vs. a circular saw..........the table makes a straighter cut but the circular is cheaper........does that pretty much sum it up?

And do the big stores (Lowes, Home Depot, Harbor Freight) have factory reconditioned tools? [/B][/QUOTE]

Do a miter saw to replace the circular saw and then get a table saw.

Best of both worlds!

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11483755#post11483755 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrRyanT [/i]
[B]I too would agree that the table saw gives you the most bang for your buck, but one tool that I really want to add that I'm really surprised no one has mentioned is a router. You can make your own trim, smooth edges, make dovetails, too many things to list. [/B][/QUOTE]

well, my dovetailer is really just a router with some nice jig sets, so in a roundabout way i guess i mentioned a router. :D

there have been lots of good suggestions about what sort of tools to get. i guess one thing that i'd weigh heavily in my decisions is the portability factor. if you need portability, you'll end up getting a miter saw on a stand for crosscutting and a circular saw for ripping. if you don't need portability and you're setting up a stationary shop, i'd spend the money on a good table saw with a good precision fence. and maybe some roller stands if you're going to be working with large stock.

another thing that nobody mentioned -- storage space and workspace. one thing to consider is how much room all of these tools take up. for most of us, space is limited. as you start to accumulate tools, where to put them ends up becoming a problem. there's only so much room in a shop, and more often than not buying a new tool ends up causing a change in your shop layout. i have to admit, if i had more space i might just get a miter saw, but as it is right now i have so many tools that i have to keep many of the tools rolled off to one side of the shop to keep them out of the way.

so in terms of maximizing the utility of whatever you decide to buy, there's bang for the buck performance to be considered, and there's also bang for the floor space performance that needs to be considered!

BTW, if you look at most pro shop layouts, things tend to be centered around the table saw because its such a high utility item.

hth

Wow! Thanks you guys........I will take all this into consideration for my build.......Any woodworking books or websites that anybody recommends?

And just to let everyone know it is an over sized two car garage and I get half to do with what I want :) So room shouldn't be too much of an issue nor portability.

And for what it's worth I was looking to spend about $200-$250 on tools........I have done some window shopping for tools and I could get both for that price range or one fancier table saw........what features would I need on a table saw that would allow me to do as much as possible? Also I'm thinking about doing some acrylic work like making sumps and possibly tanks......a table saw is a must but with my budget I would like a miter......so i guess what I'm asking is should I just buy a nice table saw or will cheaper one do so i can get a miter?

With a limited budget you may want to consider building your own table for a saw and router and buying a nice miter saw. You'll also get exactly what you want out of it building your own. IMO, most tables are too small. There was a thread showing off one a guy had just built 2-3 weeks ago in this forum. And you'll likely want to have a router for acrylic or stand work.

With that kind of budget buy used...I just bought a delta compound miter saw in a pawn shop the other day...it look good it could be an amp or so more but the most important thing is--> it cut's square
and I only paid $30 with tax..Do yourself a favor and don't buy the cheapest thing you find new...that includes harbor freight

along the lines of power tools. Is there anything like nail guns, or other tools that aren't necessary but make life much easier. I just got quoted 600 for my stand, and that doesn't include that 150 I'm going to spend tomorrow on the steel stand. I spent 450 on my Oceanic Starphire Tank and refuse to spend 750 dollars and not have anything to show for it besides a stand. For that price I'll spend the 200 in lumber and spend 550 in tools.

if you're on a budget, i think that your best bet is to buy quality tools one piece at a time. maybe if you know someone with tools then you can borrow them or better yet, invite an experienced tool-bearing friend over to help you with your project.

one thing that i would advise against is buying a bunch of cheap tools because you have a limited budget to work with. cheap tools are cheap tools, and you get what you pay for. quality tools are more expensive, but they are made well. they provide good, reproducible results and they'll last your lifetime. cheap tools have flimsy construction, poor precision, weak motors, and even if they don't fall apart, you may end up smashing them because they can't produce a straight cut when you really need it. don't skimp on buying good quality.

while there may be good deals at pawn shops, the tools always seem to be overpriced to me -- as if they're priced near retail and you have to barter to get the price down. insofar as much of it is probably stolen, i'd rather just buy it new and keep a clear conscience. but that's just me.

So $250 is going cheap for just a table saw? I will confess my ignorance on power tools because I have no idea what makes a good one a good one. If I try to some used equipment I still would like some advice on what features to look for. I would assume that there is angle adjustments and variable speeds on table saws but is there anything else?

You can get a decent smaller table saw at Home Depot or Lowes for $250. I would look around Craigslist and ebay though if I were you.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11488921#post11488921 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by littlefish72 [/i]
[B]So $250 is going cheap for just a table saw? I will confess my ignorance on power tools because I have no idea what makes a good one a good one. If I try to some used equipment I still would like some advice on what features to look for. I would assume that there is angle adjustments and variable speeds on table saws but is there anything else? [/B][/QUOTE]
$250 is somewhere in the middle (new, retail). Honestly, you never having used one (or at least not much), I'd recommend not buying a table saw now. When you do, it will be the most dangerous tool you own.

For now, I'd recommend a [url=http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=116704-67702-C10FCE2&lpage=none]cheap miter saw[/URL] , a [url=http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=99129-30-5007FK&lpage=none]good circular saw[/URL] , a decent battery powered drill and extra battery, and a finishing nail gun. After a few years, you can get a table saw, [url=http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=118985-67702-C12LSH&lpage=none]better miter saw[/URL] , and whatever else you may fancy.

For the drill, I really like my [url=http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00911581000P?filter=Power+Supply%7C14.5V+and+above&vName=Tools&cName=Portable+Power+Tools&sName=Drills]Craftsman 19.2v[/URL] . One thing I really like about it is the batteries are cheap at 30 bucks a pop rather than $90 for Dewalt/Bosch/etc even though I haven't needed new ones yet. On the nail gun, if you don't already own a GOOD compressor, and likely don't have a pressure regulator, go with CO2 gas powered.

Last, if you decide to get a cut out/dremel tool, look for one that's lightweight and has variable speed. Rotazip maybe? I just know I hate my Dewalt cut out tool. It's so unwieldy I'd never attempt cutting glass with it. I know it's not a wood working tool, but thought it worth mentioning.

i look at it a little differently. when i buy a tool, i like to buy a good, quality tool that i will keep forever so that i only have to buy the tool once. it just bugs me to buy a something that isn't exactly what i want, just to get me by, because later on i'll inevitably buy the tool that i really wanted in the first place. then i have two tools, one that i like and one that i don't like, and i've spent more money than if i just bought the right tool in the beginning.

here's an example: i'm putting in an upstairs tank with a downstairs sump. to do the plumbing, i need to drill two holes, one for the send line and one for the return line. the holes need to go into a tight space between a floor and a ceiling that is hard to access, and the only way to make the holes is with a right angle drill. because i'll be drilling through 2x12 and through an oak floor, i'm going to need a serious right angle drill. so i bought [url=http://www.milwaukeeconnect.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_27_40028_-1_684309_192164_192137#]this one[/URL].

with the drill and the bit kit, its going to cost me over $450 (over $200 per hole) to make the two holes that I need for the water lines. my only other option would be to rent the tool, or to pay someone else to drill the holes for me. i've done that before, and looking back on the situation, i wish that i had just bought the tool in the first place.

dammit. nemo is eating my wallet again.