Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Power Tools). This thread is read-only.
Hey guys,
I’m currently in the process of cleaning out my basement and have discovered that there has been / is a termite presence. As of now, the only damage seems to be the wood that our closet is made of and a dogwood tree in our yard. This is, in my opinion, the perfect time to build and finish a new closet / closet area (as well as possibly start on the road to finishing the basement). I do, however, have a few questions:
- What power tools would be absolutely necessary during the build?
- What brands would you suggest?
- My basement is unfinished, but not in a horrible state. Would it be unwise to build this closet in an unfinished basement?
- What resources can you recommend?
I should mention that I’m looking for mainly corded tools; the prospect of running out of power isn’t too appealing, and I know that batteries and chargers can be quite expensive. However, feel free to sell me on cordless options. I also apologize if this isn’t quite the right forum section.
Thanks in advance for the help!
some could do this job with just a hammer…..jking…..anyway if you only have a closet in your unfinished basement the best tool you can have right now is a plan/layout after you decide how your going to finish the basement then you will know the tool list.
mitre saw
circular saw
sawzall
screw gun/drill/impact
hammer
tape measure
straight edge
level
just to name a few
if you don’t currently own any of these I would suggest buying the tools needed before you start….
comp56 wrote:
some could do this job with just a hammer…..jking…..anyway if you only have a closet in your unfinished basement the best tool you can have right now is a plan/layout after you decide how your going to finish the basement then you will know the tool list.
mitre saw
circular saw
sawzall
screw gun/drill/impact
hammer
tape measure
straight edge
level
just to name a few
if you don’t currently own any of these I would suggest buying the tools needed before you start….
Thanks, Comp. I do have a preliminary vision of what the basement would look like, but the necessity for the closet to be rid of termites and finished comes from the amount of clothes that are stored there. Otherwise, I’d take my time and just do the closet when the whole basement is going to be done.
As for tools, I’ve got hammers, tape measures, squares, levels, and a drill (a dewalt 18v xrp, I believe; with the NiCad battery). I guess I do / did have an idea on the requisite tools that I didn’t have: circular saw. mitre saw, jig saw (??), sander, etc. My main hang-up is what are some quality tools that I can pick up at a great price? There really isn’t too much of a budget, but “best bang for buck” would probably be something that I should adhere to.
Thanks again, when I get back from this trip I will start to go out and get some of these tools in hand, if possible.
It all depends on how complicated the closet is going to be. If its pretty basic you might not need some of the tools. You might want to pick up a small 12v impact driver they are awesome for framing small things.
Yup, what DR said too. Can you post a pic of the area you are planning your build? That’d help guys to see what your up against.
Also what Comp said is dead on too. You could also use a small table saw for cutting up sheet goods but a circular with a straight edge long enough for the walls will do. I’d get yourself some glasses and a mask too….especially if your cutting in the basement.
As far as brands??????? Be prepared for a LOT of opinions!
It’s hard to say without seeing the work, But it sounds like you are mainly missing a saw.
If you are only cutting a few 2x’s you could use a handsaw.
A circular saw would be very versatile for cutting your framing, plywood, etc
If you have a lot of demolition a reciprocating saw is great to have.
All of the work could probably be done with hand tools. Power tools just speed up the job.
Do you plan on having the power tools for other projects in the future?
DR99 wrote:
It all depends on how complicated the closet is going to be. If its pretty basic you might not need some of the tools. You might want to pick up a small 12v impact driver they are awesome for framing small things.
I was thinking that my drill situation was in need of an upgrade, if only to supplement the ailing battery of my xrp drill. I’ll definitely look into that, thanks.
ChrisK1970 wrote:
Yup, what DR said too. Can you post a pic of the area you are planning your build? That’d help guys to see what your up against.
Also what Comp said is dead on too. You could also use a small table saw for cutting up sheet goods but a circular with a straight edge long enough for the walls will do. I’d get yourself some glasses and a mask too….especially if your cutting in the basement.
As far as brands? ?????? Be prepared for a LOT of opinions!
Thanks for the reply; a circular saw seems to be the most ‘necessary’ of the bunch. As for safety equipment, I’m covered. I’m pretty much in a situation where I’ve amassed a decent amount of equipment without getting the tools that would really speed along the process 😆
And yeah, I know there are a lot of different brands to go with and even more people that support them. Almost a blessing and a curse to have so many options!
C Harris wrote:
It’s hard to say without seeing the work, But it sounds like you are mainly missing a saw.
If you are only cutting a few 2x’s you could use a handsaw.
A circular saw would be very versatile for cutting your framing, plywood, etc
If you have a lot of demolition a reciprocating saw is great to have.
All of the work could probably be done with hand tools. Power tools just speed up the job.
Do you plan on having the power tools for other projects in the future?
I should be able to post some pictures of the area on Saturday night. The previous owners seemed to have just slapped up some thin plywood type walls and called it a closet. I’m intending to do something that would end up being a bit more…presentable, I guess. And yeah, the tools would definitely be used for future projects.
Thanks guys for the responses, by the time I get back home I’ll probably have the tools I’m willing to buy narrowed down. I’ll have those pictures posted up, then, too.
What brandd are you interested in ?
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torontotoolman wrote:
What brandd are you interested in ?
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I’m currently looking at a Ridgid circular saw, a Hitachi 10″ mitre saw, and I’m not sure what RO sander I want; either a dewalt or bosch, I guess. This is just from some brief ‘research’ (if you could call it that) online.
Bosch seems to make the better sanders out of all the tool companies
Hmm i cant comment on any ridgid tools but i can tell.you iv heard.mixed reviews some good some bad i will agree with the hitatchi miter saw purchase because i my self am thinking about that miter saw and id go bosch over dewalt all the wayCaveman14 wrote:
I’m currently looking at a Ridgid circular saw, a Hitachi 10″ mitre saw, and I’m not sure what RO sander I want; either a dewalt or bosch, I guess. This is just from some brief ‘research’ (if you could call it that) online.
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The ridgid circulars are good saws. Hitachi is good but check the base for casting problems. I’ve heard there have been problems with the tables cracking in rare instances from poor castings. The Hitachi saws are great though. Great power and the features on some of their better saws are really nice. If your thinking about long term use I’d get the dual bevel sliding miter saw. Not too expensive and Dan and Eric did a great review on them. I’ve had a Ridgid miter saw (10″ single bevel non sliding) and the fence was misaligned during welding of the base by about a 1/16″ which sucked. Their sliders seem to be good and the LSA is awesome if you register. As far as sanders go Bosch (personal opinion here). I’ve got 5″/6″ RO that is literally comparable to my Festools and is a wonderful machine. It was manufactured in Switzerland and shows it
i think a finish nailer would be very handy, but you’d need a compressor, unless you can find an 18V one.
i reckonyou’d get by without a recipro/sawzall, and a mitre saw would be best but is a big outlay.
IMO you’d be crazy not to own a cordless drill…
agree DR I love my Bosch sander!DR99 wrote:
Bosch seems to make the better sanders out of all the tool companies
DR99 wrote:
Bosch seems to make the better sanders out of all the tool companies
torontotoolman wrote:
Hmm i cant comment on any ridgid tools but i can tell.you iv heard.mixed reviews some good some bad i will agree with the hitatchi miter saw purchase because i my self am thinking about that miter saw and id go bosch over dewalt all the way
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ChrisK1970 wrote:
The ridgid circulars are good saws. Hitachi is good but check the base for casting problems. I’ve heard there have been problems with the tables cracking in rare instances from poor castings. The Hitachi saws are great though. Great power and the features on some of their better saws are really nice. If your thinking about long term use I’d get the dual bevel sliding miter saw. Not too expensive and Dan and Eric did a great review on them. I’ve had a Ridgid miter saw (10″ single bevel non sliding) and the fence was misaligned during welding of the base by about a 1/16″ which sucked. Their sliders seem to be good and the LSA is awesome if you register. As far as sanders go Bosch (personal opinion here). I’ve got 5″/6″ RO that is literally comparable to my Festools and is a wonderful machine. It was manufactured in Switzerland and shows it
Thanks for repyling, here is what I’m currently considering:
- Mitre Saw:
- http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-C10FCE2-15-Amp-10-inch-Compound/dp/B000V5Z6RG/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1433981909&sr=1-1&keywords=hitachi+miter+saw
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E7UJRI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000E7UJRI&linkCode=as2&tag=tooinact-20
dwain wrote:
i think a finish nailer would be very handy, but you’d need a compressor, unless you can find an 18V one.
i reckonyou’d get by without a recipro/sawzall, and a mitre saw would be best but is a big outlay.
IMO you’d be crazy not to own a cordless drill…
I’ve been thinking about a nailer, and I agree, a battery operated one would probably be more convenient. As for the drill, I’ve got one; although it and its battery are showing their age.
I haven’t use either the ridgid saw or the hitachi miter but I have that same bosch sander and it’s awesome I’ve used it on quite a bit of projects and it’s never let me down the dust catcher works very well but fills quickly other than that very nice!
All kidding aside, Skilsaw has sucked for years but they are the original. They recently came out with this….
I will have this saw soon. I’ve ordered it and am looking forward to putting it to use. It is all magnesium. This is Skils first foray into the pro market in a long time and the saw is reportedly blowing the competition away. I’d really consider getting that. The weight is truly incredible and every metal component of the saw is magnesium. Super light. Even blows the small corded Ridgid away in the weight department.
Additionally, I’ve used that Bosch and it is one of their most popular sanders.
The sliding miter that you posted….well…if I were you, AND, you were planning on doing some serious woodworking and or DiY work, that is a phenomenal saw and was on my shortlist for a sliding miter. For the price you would be hard pressed to find a better saw. Dewalt and Bosch make fantastic sliders too and several members are in possession of both the Dewalts and Bosch Axial Glides. My most precious tool for general use is my miter saw.
Consider this, save a $130 if money is tight and buy a Grade A (basically new) machine from BigSky Tools reconditioned by factory techs.
If you did the math, a sliding miter saw, circular saw and the sander would cost you $520 mini shipping. Then you’ve got the makings of a kick butt shop.
Heck….with that consider buying yourself a new Dewalt 20v drill….and……a Milwaukee M18 Hammer……and……a Makita 18v jigsaw….AND…….divorce…..:(
Ahhhhhhhhh……young Grasshopper….welcome to the world of Tool Porn. Yes…..you’ve joined a group of highly dysfunctional tool porn peddlers looking to destroy another member…..;)
I cant talk about stil sidewinderz but i do use there worm drives everyday and they really are the standard for us framers they are beast when it comes to cutting woodChrisK1970 wrote:
All kidding aside, Skilsaw has sucked for years but they are the original. They recently came out with this….
I will have this saw soon. I’ve ordered it and am looking forward to putting it to use. It is all magnesium. This is Skils first foray into the pro market in a long time and the saw is reportedly blowing the competition away. I’d really consider getting that. The weight is truly incredible and every metal component of the saw is magnesium. Super light. Even blows the small corded Ridgid away in the weight department.
Additionally, I’ve used that Bosch and it is one of their most popular sanders.
The sliding miter that you posted….well…if I were you, AND, you were planning on doing some serious woodworking and or DiY work, that is a phenomenal saw and was on my shortlist for a sliding miter. For the price you would be hard pressed to find a better saw. Dewalt and Bosch make fantastic sliders too and several members are in possession of both the Dewalts and Bosch Axial Glides. My most precious tool for general use is my miter saw.
Consider this, save a $130 if money is tight and buy a Grade A (basically new) machine from BigSky Tools reconditioned by factory techs.
If you did the math, a sliding miter saw, circular saw and the sander would cost you $520 mini shipping. Then you’ve got the makings of a kick butt shop.
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If yur going for nailer id go with paslode all day!!!! From my personal experience the dewalt frameing nailer isnt worth the moneyCaveman14 wrote:
Thanks for repyling, here is what I’m currently considering:
- Mitre Saw:
- http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-C10FCE2-15-Amp-10-inch-Compound/dp/B000V5Z6RG/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1433981909&sr=1-1&keywords=hitachi+miter+saw
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E7UJRI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000E7UJRI&linkCode=as2&tag=tooinact-20
I’ve been thinking about a nailer, and I agree, a battery operated one would probably be more convenient. As for the drill, I’ve got one; although it and its battery are showing their age.
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Skill Saw has been divorced from the Skill brand. Bosch bought Skill and turned it it to a value tool brand for the most part. They did have the worm drive but that was about it of the higher grade tools.
Good Job Chrisk lure them all in BUAHAHAHAHAH!!! BUAHAHAHAHA!!!ChrisK1970 wrote:
Ahhhhhhhhh……young Grasshopper….welcome to the world of Tool Porn. Yes…..you’ve joined a group of highly dysfunctional tool porn peddlers looking to destroy another member…..;)
Here’s a direct link…
I have that bosch sander and it is a great little sander.
I have A 10″ hitachi sliding liter saw that I have had for years and it is a nice tool.
I’m not a fan of rigid power tools I use a Dewalt dw364 and love it. I also have a older porter cable saw a soil worn drive that is a beast.
If I were to buy another corded circular saw I would get a other dewAlt dw364 or a makita. I have seen a lot of guys using those for years.
I have been very happy with this circular saw. It’s not much more than the ridgid.
http://t.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-15-Amp-7-1-4-in-Lightweight-Circular-Saw-DWE575/203273038/
Edit
After the $20 off $100 it’s the same price.
the bosch sander, the dewalt circ saw are great choices.
Lots of brands make good mitre saws. i think a good middle ground between a 10″ drop and 12″ slider is a 12″ droppy. you get quite a large cut depth and width, without the bulk (or cost) of a slider…
this looks like good value, 12″ dewalt for $220. – http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW715-12-Inch-Single-Bevel-Compound/dp/B000ASBCK4/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1434002851&sr=1-2&keywords=miter+saw
Thanks for all of the replies; the suggestions have been overwhelming! I already feel the urge to buy it all, as ChrisK hinted at ;D . There’s been some pretty solid backing for the Bosch sander, so that’s an automatic buy, unless something just feels off when I go to try it out (which I doubt). The reconditioned Hitachi seems to be a great buy, especially if the problems they (hopefully) fixed dealt with any casting errors. I like that the Sidewinder is all magnesium and that already comes with a pretty quality blade, so there is a bit of an extra value in there. As stated, the reviews seems quite positive.
I guess that the only real decisions I’ve got left are which nailer to get (Paslode nailers are McLaren priced!), If I should get another drill (or just more NiCad batteries), and what accessories I should spring for (although things like hole saw and masonry bits are probably better to have than not to have).
Again, thank you for all of the suggestions. Getting in under the ~$600 (so far :lol:) price mark is quite nice, tbh.
I.know paslodes are pricy but they are worth it but if your not playing on frameing all the time.or your not a bif time framer maybe you will.enjoy the dewalt nailer i look at it from a pro framer stand point but as a diyer or a weekend worrier i can see it being a good fit but if you have the funds i say paslode all day and drilld go with milwaukee or makitaCaveman14 wrote:
Thanks for all of the replies; the suggestions have been overwhelming! I already feel the urge to buy it all, as ChrisK hinted at ;D . There’s been some pretty solid backing for the Bosch sander, so that’s an automatic buy, unless something just feels off when I go to try it out (which I doubt). The reconditioned Hitachi seems to be a great buy, especially if the problems they (hopefully) fixed dealt with any casting errors. I like that the Sidewinder is all magnesium and that already comes with a pretty quality blade, so there is a bit of an extra value in there. As stated, the reviews seems quite positive.
I guess that the only real decisions I’ve got left are which nailer to get (Paslode nailers are McLaren priced!), If I should get another drill (or just more NiCad batteries), and what accessories I should spring for (although things like hole saw and masonry bits are probably better to have than not to have).
Again, thank you for all of the suggestions. Getting in under the ~$600 (so far [emoji38]) price mark is quite nice, tbh.
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torontotoolman wrote:
I.know paslodes are pricy but they are worth it but if your not playing on frameing all the time.or your not a bif time framer maybe you will.enjoy the dewalt nailer i look at it from a pro framer stand point but as a diyer or a weekend worrier i can see it being a good fit but if you have the funds i say paslode all day and drilld go with milwaukee or makita
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I feel as if I wouldn’t be using a nailer as much, or nearly as much, as the circ and mitre saws. And if I’m gonna get a nailer, I’d get both a finish and framing one. Given that, I’m looking at the Ryobi Airstrike line. The Guys seem to really like them, and they’re honestly what I’d value a nailer at right now in my ‘career’. If I can’t buy them, however, I will look at rental options.
Still looking at the suggested drills.
Iv heard very good things about the ryobi air strike probably the only ryobi tool il buy is the finishing.nailerCaveman14 wrote:
I feel as if I wouldn’t be using a nailer as much, or nearly as much, as the circ and mitre saws. And if I’m gonna get a nailer, I’d get both a finish and framing one. Given that, I’m looking at the Ryobi Airstrike line. The Guys seem to really like them, and they’re honestly what I’d value a nailer at right now in my ‘career’. If I can’t buy them, however, I will look at rental options.
Still looking at the suggested drills.
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In all honesty caveman U won’t go wrong with any of the main brands out there ita just up to what attracts U and what line Carrys more of UR daily needs, I have the Dewalt 20v line for wood working mostly which I seriously need to approve on to keep up with U guys and milwaukee line for more of there mechanic tools that they offer plus there m12 line is awesome its the best of both worlds for me, not knocking other brands I just haven’t had the privilege of trying them. Man if I were to let the Tool junkie in me decide I would buy them all!!!
Bigmikez wrote:
In all honesty caveman U won’t go wrong with any of the main brands out there ita just up to what attracts U and what line Carrys more of UR daily needs, I have the Dewalt 20v line for wood working mostly which I seriously need to approve on to keep up with U guys and milwaukee line for more of there mechanic tools that they offer plus there m12 line is awesome its the best of both worlds for me, not knocking other brands I just haven’t had the privilege of trying them. Man if I were to let the Tool junkie in me decide I would buy them all!!!
I kind of feel the same way, too. They aren’t big brands for no reason. It’s just that I like to get popular, and quality, opinion before spending any kind of money on anything. There are quite a few items that I just wouldn’t have known about if I didn’t watch the TIA guys and if I didn’t search these forums.
agree bro!! my Tool game went up and wallet got so thin after finding these guys lol! And I wouldn’t have it any other way!;) T.I.A FO LIFE!!! LOL! Good luck man with UR searching for the right line to get into I know if I were to start over again it would be hard to choose.Caveman14 wrote:
I kind of feel the same way, too. They aren’t big brands for no reason. It’s just that I like to get popular, and quality, opinion before spending any kind of money on anything. There are quite a few items that I just wouldn’t have known about if I didn’t watch the TIA guys and if I didn’t search these forums.
i agree that buying Paslode guns is overkill for a DIYer. I certainly don’t think he needs a framer anyway, just an ok finish gun will be helpful, Hitachi are widely acknowledged as an excellent value for money ‘trade’ brand for nail guns.
The only thing about buying a 10″ mitre saw to look out for is the cutting width. I couldn’t quite cut 140mm decking boards (a very common size of decking + lumber in Australia), with my old 10″ Bosch miter saw. I think a slider, or a 12″ will serve better…
Even Dewalt is kinda overkill for a Diy guy for a nailgun. Depending on your needs you could probably get away with a Harbor Freight gun. It gets really good reviews. http://www.harborfreight.com/21-angle-full-head-framing-air-nailer-69927.html
My estwing does a great job for framing. It’s cordless too. LOL
I have 2 framing nailers and 4 finish nailers but I still just grab my hammer and a handful of nails for small framing jobs. Finish work is a different story though. I’ll take the time to drag the compressor around.
just watched a few reviews on UTube on harbor freights framing nailers and they look pretty good, not bad..DR99 wrote:
Even Dewalt is kinda overkill for a Diy guy for a nailgun. Depending on your needs you could probably get away with a Harbor Freight gun. It gets really good reviews. http://www.harborfreight.com/21-angle-full-head-framing-air-nailer-69927.html
I have a Porter Cable heavy duty circular ive used a fair amount around the house. It cuts like a beast
I built a wardrobe and a small entertainment unit a few months bad using a cir saw and a router. To cut out screws and nails I made dados and rabbits.
[External image (i.imgur.com), not copied]
[External image (i.imgur.com), not copied]