Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get 2,000+ tool plans, full site access, and more.

User Tag List

Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: What are your top 5 tool recommendations?

  1. #1
    kbalch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Clermont, FL
    Posts
    5,034
    Thanks
    2,275
    Thanked 531 Times in 383 Posts

    What are your top 5 tool recommendations?

    What are your top five tool recommendations for a new cross-discipline (wood, metal, etc.) workshop?

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

  2. #2
    Supporting Member Christophe Mineau's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    France, Brittany !
    Posts
    913
    Thanks
    825
    Thanked 1,687 Times in 481 Posts

    Christophe Mineau's Tools
    Hi Ken,
    It's a challenge, for someone like you who has already collected several tens of thousands of tools on that forum to elect a 5 tool shortlist
    For the wood part, handtools :
    - A japanese saw (Ryoba)
    - Some Japanese chisels
    - A good bench with good vises
    - A set (collection) of clamps
    For the metal part :
    - A lathe ! that's my preferred machine, can do everything with it, even some milling ...
    - A Dremel for metal and wood, and ... and ...

    Oups, that's six ...

    someone else ?

    2000 Tool Plans
    Cheers !
    Christophe
    ________________________________________________________________
    Visit my Website : http://www.labellenote.fr/
    Facebook : La Belle Note
    All my personal works, unless explicitly specified, are released under
    Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license.

  3. #3
    Content Editor
    Supporting Member
    DIYer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    3,056
    Thanks
    772
    Thanked 1,850 Times in 1,652 Posts
    Seconding Christophe on a proper workbench. I can't also do without a compressor, and toolboxes to organize it all.

  4. #4
    kbalch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Clermont, FL
    Posts
    5,034
    Thanks
    2,275
    Thanked 531 Times in 383 Posts
    Some good suggestions there, guys. For a general setup, I'd go with these:

    - Workbench w/vise
    - Compressor & accoutrements
    - Dremel
    - Clamps
    - Set of basic hand tools (wrenches, pliers, sockets, etc.) in SAE & metric

    Lots of other possible additions, but that should get someone started out properly.

    Ken

  5. #5
    Jon
    Jon is online now Jon has agreed the Seller's Terms of Service
    Administrator
    Supporting Member
    Jon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Colorado, USA
    Posts
    25,451
    Thanks
    7,928
    Thanked 38,619 Times in 11,284 Posts
    There are a lot of ways you can go with this. I'm going to go non-traditional with my list, as some of these aren't strictly "tools":

    -Multiple large uncluttered flat surfaces (in addition to a workbench). Without this, every flat surface in the workshop gets turned into an ad-hoc table.

    -Great lighting. Overhead lighting, plus tool-specific lighting as necessary. It's also nice to have a headlamp and some small flashlights around.

    -Dedicated workshop computer. An older laptop or desktop computer that you can type on with greasy fingers. I'm constantly consulting the internet, especially when embarking on a new project for the first time.

    -A robust storage and organization system, for both tools as well as fasteners/parts/bits/pieces. Nothing worse than knowing that you have a tool or part, but not knowing where it is. If you misplace a tool, it goes into some kind of strange tool purgatory. You obviously can't use it, because you can't find it. However, you also can't convince yourself to buy it new, because you know that you already have it.

    -Safety procedures for using certain tools. As in, every time you use such-and-such tool, you follow a specific before/during/after procedure. This could be as simple as unplugging a miter saw after every use, or putting on a respirator before switching on any powered sanding device.

  6. #6
    Supporting Member jere's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Posts
    200
    Thanks
    183
    Thanked 117 Times in 69 Posts

    jere's Tools
    Yeah lots of ways to go, if we are talking on deserted island that has extras required for each tool... like blades for a saw

    1 bow/hack saw large that takes bi metal metal blades and wood blades

    2 vise cheap import swivel head variant

    3 center punch/scribe

    4 Hand drill

    5 hammer hatchet

    If we are just talking 5 big use/cost tools

    1 bandsaw with variable speed for wood or metal with blade changes

    2 Machinists vise USA made, old steel as large as possible

    3 belt sander larger and variable speed

    4 Oxy/ace rig

    5 Pipe clamps

  7. #7
    Content Editor
    Supporting Member
    Altair's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    11,727
    Thanks
    1,353
    Thanked 29,257 Times in 9,724 Posts
    1. Dremel
    2. A solid workbench
    3. A computer (quick access to info and tips from the net)
    4. PPE
    5. A lathe.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    14
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
    workbench (dreams start from there)or (if you have one, tools will follow)
    6" bench grinder
    4" vise
    benchtop drillpress
    lighting
    i have found most all the items i ever needed through c/l free section. but my favorite tool is my grinder. i can convert it into a multitude of variable tools.grinding,polishing,sanding and pump motor. i have 9 set up inside,outside and in my work/family van. in the van(old full size ford) it is the only permanently mounted tool i have. the more i think about it the van might be the only tool to have. it is my workbench tool/junk appropriator with lighting ,tunes and a place to hide from the ol'lady!

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Posts
    2
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    #1 decent band saw
    #2 decent table saw
    #3 good strong work bench
    #4 some sort of sander, belt, pad, or combo disk-belt sander
    #5 many hand tools



    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •