Lots of great, detailed info Zeke. Thanks.

The Snappy brand has a wide assortment of Hex driven bits of different types - screwdriver (Slotted and Phillips), Torx, Robertsons, etc. - as well as several different drill bit styles - twist, tapered - with and without countersinks, etc. I like their chuck style above others for quick release/locking capability. The larger the set - the less expensive per piece.

Rode my bike to the shop this morning to get me some sanity. Found a bunch of vices but most needed a bunch of TLC but this one. Its newest one and in great shape. It only needs a few drops of oil and a few stroke of steel wool pad action. The routers are in pretty bad shape, cracked base or missing. Its not worth fixing. Instead, I tossed in a couple of new Bessy assembly clamps to take place of the dirty router because I know you can use them. They help hold large pieces square and upright. Its like having a third arm. I figure you will more then likely work alone because you wife will get tire of helping your ass after a few time. I also threw in a couple DeSteco hold down clamps for those day you need to save your fingers holding down the stock using your newly made jigs. Can't get to post office this week but will have time next week. Enjoy them. We don't do as much as we use to out of the shop anymore. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1605665697.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1605665697.jpg

Nice Bessey clamps- I've got 4 of them myself - good for holding cabinet and other carcass construction items in square to get bar clamps on. Nice vice as well!

Thank you so much! This is all fantastic. I've been reading up on building a workbench, so I'll have someplace useful to put the vise! No worries on the mailing, whenever it's convenient.

I had a bunch of cheap Irwin quick clamps, and even a few big Jorgensen clamps when I had a garage, but I sold all of that stuff when we downsized.

I'm going to have to start collecting again. I'm hoping that I can find some stuff at garage/yard/estate sales or on facebook marketplace or something so I don't have to rebuild a workshop/tool collection at full retail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcvXnruOJ1w

These. They are like having another arm. I normally use only two to aid assembly.

Wow, those clamps look super useful! I could have used those 1000 times at the old house for sure.

Thanks again!

Woah, put me on your Xmas list.
 

Very nice of you.

You’re going to want a few of these, in different sizes from pretty large to really small, make sure you have at least one that is super thin and can get into tight joints:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1605712491.jpg

Absolutely! Understatement.

Thanks for this thread. Im also a total hack.

I recently had to redo a rotted windowsill. I bought one of those Oscillating saws. Seemed like it would be the perfect thing. Started with the dremel and it was utterly unable to cut into the old fir. Like a joke got really hot. Returned and got a fein and it was much better but still not so productive. A simple chisel was much better. I see these oscillating things but cant for the life of me figure what they are for. Anaemic. And blades are so expensive. Theyre all over for sale but im stumped as to application. They dont do what the box says they do (everything).

I ended up going all in on a bosch variable speed die grinder, not so common around here - where has that been all my life?? Tungsten Carbide burrs and it made short work of everything, super convenient while hanging out of third floor window, first to eat rot, then to smooth in tight places. Great control. And takes dowwn welds with great control like its nothing. Need good protective wear!

Question, folks recommending sawzalls... What do you use it for? I inherited one, a lovely variable speed giant of a sawzall. But much too powerful and uncontrollable with long unsupported blades. My neighbor used theirs to cut deep tree roots and seemed ok if you dont want to mess your chainsaw, i can see for demoing drywall but... When is it that i dont care at all about accuracy with a house? I have the bosch jigsaw and love it, just cant imagine reaching for the sawzall... I literally havent...

Thanks.

I've used a sawzall for trimming smallish tree branches and demo/deconstruction (cutting through studs and nails) work mostly. They'll cut through most things really quickly. I wouldn't tackle a wall that may have wire or plumbing in it if any of it was still live.

I could live without my Sawzall, but for cutting copper pipe, rough construction, roots, and as a tool of last resort, it's handy at times. There's no job where it's the perfect tool.

But for $20 from Harbor Freight it's good to have. It's versatile; it's is 'pretty good' at a lot of things if you have a good blade assortment.

Multi tools are great for cutting in elec boxes in drywall and plaster. They will cut off the protruding nails when you do that sill replacement. Best tool for a plunge cut in wood and plastic.

AFA replacing a window sill, The Sawzall is the biz. I cut the sill just inside the moldings or stops at each end. I know a lot of folks cut them in the middle and wiggle them out. My way the sill lifts out in one piece except for 1 inch at either end. I use a chisel (or multi tool) to cut the ends into small sections that remove easily from the nails coming in from the blind side. Slip the new precut sill into place, caulk and lift up with some shims and Bob's your uncle.

Die grinders: watch this:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZQ57jHlp7wM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Wow, I watched the whole thing. I don't think I'll be tackling this kind of work right away, but he certainly makes it seem much simpler than I'd have thought. I also watched his sharpening video, and thought it was interesting that he changes the angle of the teeth on the saw to be progressive (front 2-3 inches are less aggressive than the rest of the saw for easier starting), but he didn't do that in the video below.

Another thing that I noticed is that in the sharpening video, he has the tool to set the teeth, but he didn't mention that in this video. I seem to remember that the teeth on a backsaw (at least, the ones that come with a cheap miter box) don't have a set or at least, not much compared to a regular hand rip/crosscut saw.

<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mTqZTGPPRj0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Nice!

I was watching another video of a guy talking about making a workbench. He said that he buys 2"x12"x16' boards to make workbenches because "they" use better quality boards for 16' lengths. He then rips and crosscuts them in half. I thought that was interesting. I feel like I've also seen or read something talking about S2 or S2S boards, so you get the 2 flat faces, but 2 rough edges. I'm not afraid to use a hand plane or maybe the 3 1/4" planer that Zeke posted about.

<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V9W9xQS-EdQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I've had lots and lots of great suggestions. The plan is going to be to build a workbench first. I'll be gluing up a bunch of boards to make the top, and probably legs and maybe stretchers too. I've had to deal with light-weight, flimsy, rickety benches in the past and don't want to do that this time.

Below is the bulk of the list of tools that have been suggested. I've divided them into 3 sections, power (electrical), air (really just compressor and nail guns) and hand. There's probably some things in the hand tools list that may not have been suggested.

I probably still have a couple/few of the hand tools. I may have 1 or 2 hand planes, probably both #4 or maybe #3. I may still have a coping saw. I have a set of Milwaukee M12 tools, driver/drill (for hex bits), drill (w/chuck) and small saw. I think I also have a 5/8" Makita corded drill/hammer drill.


POWER
circular saw or track saw
12” sliding miter saw
table saw (sawstop or old, then a good fence)
jig saw
planer 3 1/4”
router table
dust collection
cordless drill
corded drill/driver (w/hammer)
belt sander
palm/orbital sander
sawzall
oscillating cutting tool
heat gun
impact driver
angle grinder
router

AIR
air compressor
finishing nail guns

HAND
coping saw
hand saw (Japanese or standard)
back saw
Squares of some sort or multiple sorts?
hand plane (4, 6, block, scrub)
clamps (bar, pipe?)
level
bench dogs
holdfast
prybars

I'll see if I can find some yard/garage/estate sales to track down some old tools or maybe I'll find some stuff laying around "antique" markets that will be usable without being priced crazy.


Now I need to figure out what to get first. The first work that I'll be doing will probably be building the workbench.

I know that there are some things that I might need sooner and some later. I can see using a sawzall to clear away some small trees and stuff around the house that's too big for loppers and over grown. After that, who knows. I'll have to think about it and try to prioritize.

I used to have a bunch of cheap Irwin Quick Clamps. They were great and easy for small items, and I think I was able to buy multipacks at HD so I probably had 10 of them that were 12-18".

I also had, I think, two 3' cabinet bar clamps two 5' cabinet bar clamps like what is pictured below.
https://www.hardwareworld.com/files/pi/lU/Y/IRU7.jpg
I'd never heard of pipe clamps, but I've seen those recently. They look like a budget version of the bar clamps. Is it worth getting the pipe clamps? It seems the nice, long flat clamping surfaces of the cabinet bar clamps are nice.

Here's my take on the work bench, Steve. Do you want to play and take three months to make the bench that's so nice that you are afraid to scratch it? Its a tool but a lot of real craftsmen will jump me on that. What the fook is the real need to dovetail a work bench? With just that, you will get a hundred opinions but at the end, its a flat surface used to hold up your projects. Typical boy answer "but, but it has to hold up to a category 5 typhoon just in case".:rolleyes: Who posted that workbench that won the award? That's not a bench, its an art object.

Here's how we make them at the shop (drawing). We abuse the hell out of them and they last a very, very long time. When the top has seen better days, top get replaced only. We have the typical heavy duty solid maple top work benches too, but those were bought used and I think they must be 50 years old. They sure need new tops but I am not spending money for new Maple tops, that's for damn sure. For your house, and my own at my home, I say spend a few bucks and use a hardwood, not 2x4 like that vid. Get 8/4 Beech or Birch. Its hard enough to hold up to a lot of abuse. Its still in very , very good shape but the ones at the shops, no way. At the shop, ours are build with 1" MDF, for heft, glues and screwed to a 3/4 P lam (formica top) with oak edges for durability. Its not on casters. Those tops must be 15 years old. The reason I like Formica is very easy to clean. Wood glue doesn't stick to it and large pieces assembled can easily slide across it without scratching the finish piece. No clamps are on those. Our lower assembly bench are made the same way.

I wouldn't spend too much time with a hand plane on a work bench unless you like to play. Cut it off with a cross cutting guild and edge it with a solid piece of lumber. Screwed and glued and go make furniture on it. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1605770774.jpg

Forgot to add. It dosen't have to be that big. 3.5' x 6' would ideal imo.

Ah, we aren't gonna to use much of that stuff so I rather see it go to a good home. It requires too much time to clean. I bought a bunch of those corner clamps, but we never seem to really use it unless its something huge but there are always help around. Its faster to yell for someone then spend the time to wrestle the pieces into the corner clamp, but working alone, those things are like having another person around.

Personally, I would take out the following:

Hand, coping, and back saw (unless you are planning to cut a lot of hand cut dovetail joints. Must siimple joints can be cut on the table saw)
I don't think I have used a coping saw since I was 12. Take a jig saw to it and be done with it in 1 min and a hell of a lot more accurate too.

Try to get the steel I-beam bar clamps but they are lots more money then pipe clamps. I love these old fashion ones and they just work and work. Nothing fancy. Steel, and indestructible. Don't buy those alum square tube junk. Bessy have them too, maybe rebranded?https://www.amazon.com/Jorgensen-7272-72-I-Bar-Clamp/dp/B0000224CK/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=jorgensen+bar+clamps& qid=1605772118&s=power-hand-tools&sr=1-6

My second choice and they have their place for a certain glue up application https://www.amazon.com/Bessey-KRE3540-REVOlution-Parallel-Clamp/dp/B07BTPLQ3R/ref=sr_1_25?dchild=1&keywords=bessey+bar+clamp&qid =1605772273&sr=8-25

You will need some of these https://www.amazon.com/Bessey-Clutch-Clamp-Set-4-Piece/dp/B00P9G1LCQ/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=bessey+bar+clamp&qid= 1605772405&sr=8-8 We bought a large amount of some expensive ones for a large hillside deck build that required lam. bend rim joist that ran 50'. Clamps had to be left overnight for glue to dry. I will see about digging some of them out and get you a few so you can get started. There's a bit more room in that box. Man, that's going to be a big bill on shipping:(