decently priced power tools

[ticklishbondageboi92]

There are a lot of shit tools out there from many different brands and it voukd well be that for instance a drill from deWalt is shit but their angle grinders are good (don't know, don't own either).

For battery drills/screwdrivers I've had good experience with Makita (they make good circular saws too) and Bosch Blue (specifically the blue professional line, their green DIY stuff tends to be a bit shit).

What I am missing from your list for a workshop is a pillar drill. Yes you CAN do most of the work with just a handheld drill, but when it comes to drilling nice straight holes in metal brackets and such or making sure holes are square to the surface nothing beats a decent pillar drill.


I have more thoughts, but typing on my phone isn't ideal. I'll try to remember to get back to this and provide some more ideas.

funny enough im looking at those on screwfix's website, but the plates look kinda small so im not sure how well it would work with bigger bits of wood - for example my idea for stocks is 4ft long, 2 ft high and either 18mm think or 30mm think - the holes i was going to do are along the center - ankle, wrist,wrist,ankle with a 6in or 1ft gap in the middle (depending on what looks better to me) - not sure how a pillar drill would handle that

was also thinking a table saw could replace the circular saw, but again the tables are looking small, so ripping down 8ft long mdf for example might not be possible

[Gregovic]

A pillar drill is never going to be your only drill, it's an addition and compliment to the standard handheld tools. If you can fit something under a pillar drill it'll often be the best choice, but for a lot of larger projects that's often not possible. Especially for the bigger types of wood you'll still be going to the handheld tool. However, for things like drilling holes in hinges, reinforcing plates or brackets that are awkward to hold down while using a handheld drill the pillar drill is absolutely a nice tool to have. Do you absolutely NEED one? No, not really. But I've missed not having mine set up right now on multiple occasions.

At 2ft wide, to drill the holes in your proposed stocks you'd need a pillar drill with about a foot of clearance from the centerline of the chuck to the front of the column. Most home shop size pillar drills are not going to be able to fit that (The technical term for the measurement you are looking for in that regard is "throat depth" btw). My dream shop would contain one of these little beauties (Warning, serious risk to the health of your wallet going to that site). They have some very nice toys for sale... (NO, BAD Gregovic, NO Don't even THINK about it )

If your looking to rip large boards, a "contractor" size table saw isn't really going to do you much good. It can be done if you just need strips that are narrow enough that you can still install the fence, but you need a friend/helper and a lot of patience. Basically anything wider than the table width either side of the saw is going to be impossible on a smaller size table saw. Generally I just get my stuff sawed at the DIY store where I buy so it's in sizes that I can actually handle and work from there.

Apart from the power tools, have a look at buying a good set of hand tools. Things like hand saws, chisels, planes, screwdrivers, scrapers, knives, etc. While power tools certainly have their place, I find I can often do a lot with just a simpel chisel, a scraper or a hand saw. Especially a good quality hand saw (I have good experience with Sandvik saws) can make short work of a lot of things and can often beat getting a power tool out, setting it up and making a cut, at the cost of a little sweat and elbow grease. For things like smoothing out joins or plugs a good bench plane or block plane are tools I sorely miss having. Even for the little carpentry I actually do.


When it comes to battery drills, if I was looking again now I'd probably buy something with a brushless motor. While the Bosch Professional drill (GSR18-2-LI) that I have has lasted me for 3 years and some heavy use during remodelling my house it just gave up this afternoon. I suspect the brushes have worn out, but they are not replaceable and a new motor is €60,- and requires re-soldering wires. I'm not sure I'll be doing that. A brushless drill should at the very least not suffer from degraded performance as the brushes and commutator wear out. My next one will probably be a Makita, as I've used those before and I like the finish and handling of them.

BTW, if you ever experienced the annoyance of having to switch between 2 tools in the drill (like 2 drill sizes, or a drill and a screw bit) and you inadvertently find yourself in an Ikea in a moment of sheer madness, pick yourself up one of these cheapish Fixa battery screwdrivers. They're not powerful enough or fast enough to serve as a main tool, but they're ideal to have around as a backup and secondary tool for those days when you keep having to switch.

[Shannon SteelSlave]

(Raising hand) What brands do we think of for good starter tools on an intelligent budget?

[Gregovic]

(Raising hand) What brands do we think of for good starter tools on an intelligent budget?

I don't think there is a singular answer to that. Even amongst a single brand some tools are shit and others are great.

One thing to keep in mind is that of the 18 companies that control 91 percent of the global market, just 4 own all the different brands that make up 48%. So if you think Ryobi and DeWalt tools look very similar, you'd be right. Here's and interesting read on the topic from Popular Mechanic. Always take the time to look around on the internet and see if you can find out what brands are positioned at within the group, steer clear of the bargain basement stuff and probably avoid the highest end ones of the large conglomerates.

Generally I like buying brands like Makita or Hilti, since their brand is the only tool line they have. They have but one reputation to ruin if they fail, so they tend to try harder. Unfortunately that also means generally their tools are a bit more expensive. Festool is absolutely amazing, but their prices are NOT for the average hobbyist (though some good deals can be had second hand at times)

Then it also matters what you intend to do with your tools. If it's just drilling the occasional hole or tightening a few screws here and there, basically go for whatever low end tool you can get at a deal. If you intend to remodel your house or professionally build BDSM dungeon furniture for a living, spend (much) more because a cheap tool is not worth the frustration and you'll probably end up buying a new tool again when it inevitably breaks. If you're somewhere in between, decide on a budget that you're only just comfortable spending, then find a tool that'll fit in that range. In general, there is nothing out there that is absolute utter garbage. There's also nothing for sale any more like the cast aluminium craftsman drills of old that your great grandson will still be using to mix his cement with. In general you get what you pay for and more expensive is usually better in some way.

[Shannon SteelSlave]

Mr. Bondageboi, I hope that hearing from our smartest members on this subject has helped you decide what brands to shop. Hopefully one day, you will pass on what you have learned. (Or maybe another Skywalker is listening) Have fun, play safe, and show and tell what you do.

[bound_jenny]

From the "It Ain't What It Used To Be" files:

My Dad had a Craftsman drill he bought from Sears in the 1960s, with a lifetime warranty. It toughed out 40+ years (I never remembered any other one!). When it finally died, he took it to the local Sears outlet (years before they all closed) and they gave him a new one, no questions asked.

Now that's tough. And it was not made in China!

Products now are built for consumption, not use. They're disposable. I heard, not too long ago, that the concept of what is a "durable good" nowadays is considered by most people to be three years!

Seriously, for me, I consider something as durable when I don't remember what year I bought it. My old Maytag washing machine quit in 2017. I vaguely remember buying it in the 1980s... That's what I mean.

Jenny.

[Blacky]

...Products now are built for consumption, not use...

That's as sad as it's true...

[Shannon SteelSlave]

Planned obsolescence makes me so mad. They decide when there is more profit in selling whole units, rather than service and replacement parts.

[Sergio]

I'm going to echo what's been said above. My father bought Black and Decker and Stanley and I still have one of those mains drills that must be close on half a century old but which I turn to when I need to drill something like a concrete lintel. Their newer stuff though is no longer in my tool store.

In the early 2000s my first battery drill was a Makita kit that survived a three year refurbishment during which it was borrowed many times by various labourers, but finally the batteries lost their capacity so it's on permanent loan to a family member who only needs it for ten minutes at a time.

In recent years I reequipped with Ryobi, starting with a drill, driver and two battery starter kit to which I've added saws, grinders and bigger batteries. Although it's only been three years I'm very happy. Ryobi pioneered the common battery principle which everyone has since copied. Look out for the bargains in B&Q and in particular, Homebase, but otherwise there are online stockists with good prices.

If you're near London or Surrey I'd be happy to offer advice as I've thought through how many devices could be made and controlled but don't have the space to do it myself.