Power tools - most useful items?

[Time Waster]

We've been bodging a table in a shed using whatever wood we had. Measuring, sawing by hand, drilling by B&D corded drill from 20 years plus ago and screwing by hand. We've got a cheap powered driver but any difficulty like today it's not powerful enough. A lot of slipping screwdriver later we got it done.

This leads me to thinking I need better tools and some lowered. What do you find you use most often? What is your advice on what I should get first, second and so on. Money isn't growing on trees for us so we're going to have to buy over time.

Currently we've got cabled drill which is two speed and a hammer option not not very powerful, a wood saw, tenon saw, screw drivers, hammers, powered saw (good for rough cuts like through branches but it's cabled) and a few others. My thinking is fixing on a battery brand then getting tools around them. Thinking driver and drill first two (separate items not drill driver). Then a powered saw like a disc cutting blade (scary but good for straight, perpendicular and angled cuts - can be cabled as if probably cut items where there's a socket anyway). Not sure what else.

Anyway, what tools would you recommend and the order of purchase? I'm not going to be doing anything fancy, just cut wood to size and screw togethern or to something else.

My dad is old school DIYer. He has a basic drill bit uses manual tools for most things. I just know that with only hand tools I'm put off doing more. Hence my thinking of powered tools.

 

[Slick]

A good powered driver is a must for me these days. That and a half decent drill, and I'm set.

 

[classic33]

 

[I like Skol]

We've got a cheap powered driver but any difficulty like today it's not powerful enough. A lot of slipping screwdriver later we got it done.

Sounds more like you need better screw bits rather than a new driver. The bits don't last forever (although some are better than others) and once they lose their edge the slipping starts and wrecked screws which are difficult to drive home is the result. Many people soldier on regardless with worn bits!

 

[Jameshow]

I have both basic DeWalt (work) and Stanley fatmax (home) both have been good. Ryobi are gvm.
Bosch Makita and Milwaukee pro level good but expensive.

We have ave two 10.8v drills at work which for general drilling and screwing screws are excellent. Wickes sell it for £34

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-10-...4oe7gteW1fe9sHCX76Hktwfo_bJAgWhIaAprPEALw_wcB

 

[Time Waster]

Sounds more like you need better screw bits rather than a new driver. The bits don't last forever (although some are better than others) and once they lose their edge the slipping starts and wrecked screws which are difficult to drive home is the result. Many people soldier on regardless with worn bits!

The hand powered screwdrivers slipped a bit, fairly new but it was hard work getting the screws in. Predrilled the wood being attached to the wooden wall but not where it was screwed into made it hard work once hit the wall. Can't reach to predrill that.

The cheap driver doesn't slip it just reaches a point when it no longer turns the head but has loud clicking within the driver. If using it you can lock the head and use it like a hand powered screwdriver. It has a lot of different heads. Something like 8 rows of 6 heads I think. The crosshead have small ones through to large ones with a kind of flat tip. You can take a few heads out to match the screw exactly. So it won't slip. The heads are good still.

 

[classic33]

The hand powered screwdrivers slipped a bit, fairly new but it was hard work getting the screws in. Predrilled the wood being attached to the wooden wall but not where it was screwed into made it hard work once hit the wall. Can't reach to predrill that.

The cheap driver doesn't slip it just reaches a point when it no longer turns the head but has loud clicking within the driver. If using it you can lock the head and use it like a hand powered screwdriver. It has a lot of different heads. Something like 8 rows of 6 heads I think. The crosshead have small ones through to large ones with a kind of flat tip. You can take a few heads out to match the screw exactly. So it won't slip. The heads are good still.

Are you using a Philips when you should be using a Posidrive or JIS?

 

[Time Waster]

Tried pozidrive and Philips, can't remember which worked better but one did so used that.

 

[classic33]

Tried pozidrive and Philips, can't remember which worked better but one did so used that.

If you're using the wrong one on the wrong screw head, you'll just create problems for yourself.

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

20mm Oerlikon… difficult to mount cleanly on road bike bars, but great in heavy traffic.

@Ming the Merciless got me a line on one…

 

[Gunk]

I have both basic DeWalt (work) and Stanley fatmax (home) both have been good. Ryobi are gvm.

I agree with your views on Ryobi. I use the Ryobi One system for home DIY. once you have invested in a couple of batteries and a charger the bare tools are very good value (and I am addicted to buying them!). I have had their hammer drill for about 10 years now and it’s probably most used power tool I have.

 

[berty bassett]

If you’re struggling with screws, not only could it be the wrong /worn bit , it could be cheap screws . Some of the screws out there are just not up to doing what they are supposed to do without pre drilling and really soft wood . You try using them in old ‘proper wood ‘ or go thru a knot then you’re the one who’s screwed ! ( see what I did there ! )

 

[dicko]

Workmate, cordless drill with screwdriver, compact circular saw, battery screwdriver, universal saw and finally a Mitre saw. Cost about £300 the lot.

 

[MichaelW2]

After no research, I got a Ryobi drill and work it quite hard.
The only problem is getting exact perpendicular holes. Do any drills come with an alighnment guide.
Mini router is incredibly useful. The plastic guide on mine broke several times and I replaced it with a heavier duty press router.
All my other tools are hand powered. Also have a Workmate folding bench which is essential.

 

[oldwheels]

For the limited work I do now I have a big breast drill and a smaller hand turned one. Quality of drill bits is very important and cheap ones are no use. I do admit to having a battery screw driver but I inherited this and did not buy it myself. Sawing is done by hand the old fashioned way. A bit like myself I suppose.