Other Power Tools

Workshop Power Tools

Nothing marks the transition from a dilettante to a serious do-it-yourselfer like power tools. Corded or cordless, buying your first power tool is a rite of passage for anyone looking to do serious work about the house. While hand tools can do almost any job, power tools can easily be ten or more times faster so it often becomes a matter of why even bother with a hand tool.

One of the first tools many people get is a drill or driver. Whether you use it for drilling holes in wood or just driving fasteners into place you'll soon wonder how you ever managed without one. While you may want a corded model if you do a lot of heavy drilling, for most people a cordless drill is all they need for the majority of jobs. You may drill one hole and drive a hundred screws.

Cutting one piece of wood is a job for a handsaw. Cutting a stack of wood takes power. A circular saw can rip its way through a stack of planks in no time so you can get on with the rest of your project. A good saw can last almost forever so long as you take care of the blade and don't let it overheat. With a sharp blade moving at high speed, you do have to take reasonable safety precautions, but it's still one of the most common tools available.

Anyone who wants portability can't go wrong with cordless tools. The availability of high capacity rechargeable battery packs was a game changer for more than one industry. Modern cordless tools are almost as powerful as corded ones and don't tie you to the mains. That portability makes a big difference, especially when your extension cord is just a little too short to reach.

When you have a really big job, you need the security that comes from drawing power directly from the mains. Cordless tools work well enough, but even when you have enough power you still have to consider changing or charging your batteries. Once plugged into the mains, a circular saw can go all day with no worries about power.