OK, time to be fair. We’ve had over 90 posts about the worst power tools. Now how about the best?
Mine would be the Delta Unisaw that my grandfather bought just before WWII.
— J.S.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
A standardized approach, quick-to-install hardware, and a simplified design make building custom casework cost-effective.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I have a Millers Falls circ saw that must be thirty years old. I wish I could still buy parts. I broke the handfle mount so I temporaried it and use it for a masonry blade only now for the last ten years. i have a great fondnes for that saw, in spite of the way I have treated it.
The tool that I had my first affair with, in terms of falling in love with it on first contact and display, was my Bosch jigsaw. I saw it demonstrated at a tool show back in about '86 and could not believe what he was doing with it, so he handed it to me to prove it to myself that it was no trick or slight of hand...we still see each other pretty regularly
But my favorite overall is probably my W&H molding machine. I like using it, and it has not only made me lots of money but brought high esteem in the eyes of clients. They don't really care how I make the moldings to match, they are just glad that it does.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Another vote for W&H. Purchased mine at an auction for about $400.00, made that back first time I used it. Some time I will finish the stand I started making for it a few years ago.
The machine is amazing, it sounds like a garbage disposal grinding up the wood and real nice moldings come out the other end.
Rockwell 315.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Calvin
I still have mine grease fitting and all.
Cheers
Mac
Mac, have acquired two more. One found by a buddy plumbing a remodel and another given to me by a good carpenter with Lou Gehrigs disease. I treasure all three.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Black and decker firestorm drill
Digital Technology CNC..7.5 HP Perske Head and a 3HP Bosch head..way cool. Carter vacuum pods and all.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Every human choice bows like a slave in submission to the absolute creative will, yet this does not deprive us of freedom or fear of taking responsibility for what we choose
( Mansavi V,(3097-98_)))))>
Boy! You better explain THAT one.Quality repairs for your home.
Aaron the HandymanVancouver, Canada
Sioux vsr drill. i dont know why i like it so much but whenever I'm using anything else, all i can think about is how badass my sioux drill is.______________________________________________
--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
lol, i was thinking the same thing.______________________________________________
--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
Makita 6916 impact driver
Jon Blakemore
Everyone I own !!!
Besides the fact that Piff and me were on the same farm in the same year back when in Tennessee....we also have another thing in common.....(belive it or not : )
The Williams and Hussey machine.
I'm re riggin' it after not using it for some time.
I'm up to moldings again
Be uhhhhhhh...a republi....I mean a democr.......I mean
SCULPTED.....whewwwwwwww
a
The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
be a fine piece of work - I mean wood - molding that is.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Silver Manufacturing Co. 36" bandsaw. Understand the co. closed down in 1943. I bought a truck with a power lift to move it, and us, from Denver to Va. Unisaw came along for the ride.
Truck was a POS requiring a new engine in Kansas City. Parts of the frame are now in my new building, box is a storage facility for a buddy, and (new) engine is in his F250.
Happened into a nice Crescent here a few years later. Kept the Silver.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Craftsman router, 30+ years old, back when Craftsman made good tools; Makita cordless drill, 15yrs and still going strong.
a few:
my great grandfathers 20" sliding t-bevel
grandfathers stanley door holding jig
porter cable 6" R.O.S. w/variable dial bought when it first came out and use it at least once a day and never have had a problem with it although it does look like it been through the war.
Craftsman 12V cordless drill (actualy a Ryobi) my wife bought for me 15-20 years ago. The look-alike they sold later was krap, but this unit is still going strong. Has been to Puerto Rico, Mexico twice, helped build my deck (though most of the screws were driven with an older Craftsman VSR corded), helped reside the house, been on many Habitat jobs. Worn out (& rebuilt) two batteries.
Not as powerful as some of the new 18V pro models, but has stood up to all sorts of abuse and is still reliable.
lot of tools i don't even think about much, but something pretty recent that if i lost i'd go right out and buy another.. kreg jig. it makes assembly so much easier and 3 times stronger. larry
hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.
I had a cabinet guy flake out, and had to build a medicine chest for an odd opening, and my kreg jig came to the rescue, that and my makita impact driver have got to be on the top of my list
DUH! I forgot my favorite power tool, honda H828 track drive two stage snowblower..... starts first pull every time, and it munched through all the drifts we had 20 + inches..... did munch a shear bolt on my neighbors newspaper (I have a shared driveway and boy are my neighbors worst case scenario)
Edited 1/23/2005 9:24 pm ET by jrobbins
I just saw someone using one of them blowers yesterday...cool.
I have the HS624, great snowblower. Bought the light kit, too. The hydrostatic drive is the best, and it never gets stuck. Well worth the price difference over the "disposable" stuff at the local Big Box.
Other favorite power tools are my Makita 12v impact driver and the Fein MultiMaster.... but I could probably list all of my power tools because each is good at what it does.
Also at the top of the list are my Porter Cable 3 beam laser and the PLS 1. Not power tools, but hard to get by without them.
Edited 1/25/2005 6:31 pm ET by danski0224
My only beef with the honda is that the shear bolts are expensive, and it wont start with the key in the off position (I had a real embarrasing moment one snowy morning)
Yeah, I hate that. My Ahrens won't start when the fuel shutoff valve is closed either.
Delta Sidekick 10" sliding compound miter saw with built-in fold-up stand and table extensions...at this moment in time.
makitsa 14.4 drills, have 4 of them, use them all day every day, installing kitchen cabinets, every time one fails for what ever reason, just go get a new one
sounds silly, but the oldest is 12 years old, newest is 2 years old old, and i cant tell the difference except a couple of the batteries dont hold a charge the way the new ones do
but in the meantime i have 4 drills, 8 batteries, and 3 chargers(1 burnt out)
theyn all will drive 3 inch scvrews all day, every day
caulking is not a piece of trim
My fav power tool has gotta be my Bosch 1511(?) EVS plunge router. Aside from the miles of edges its put on wood for paying projects, its "milled" all of the custom mouldings in my home. Great tool! I only hope that when it finally dies, the newer model Bosch`s are on par.
Honorable mention, although not power, goes to the PaneLift drywall lifter I purchased last year. Sheetrocking has never been one of my favorite tasks, but having this thing actually makes me look forward to rockin`. I hang more boards with less effort alone than I used to with even two helpers. This thing is a must for anyone in the remodeling biz!
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
I'm thinking about buying one of those drywall lifts, its getting very annoying planning and making the trips to the rental place in the next town over; that and the 30$ a day will eventually add up. Too bad its like #5 on my list of expensive tools I need to buy :/
Its gotta be my 708 slider on the Sawhelper superfence. It makes hacking wood a breeze. It speeds the process up and gives me much greater accuracy, too.
All I can tell you, is that if you even do an occassional drywall job, its well worth it. J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Dewalt 12" compound. Got when it first hit the market 10+ years ago. Been to hell and back with me and still splits hairs where I want it to.
Makita 8" tablesaw, 18 years old set in a Rouseau table. Workhorse if there ever was one.
Bosch jigsaw. Almost 15 years old and going strong. Never been fixed or anything.
Bosch jigsaw. Almost 15 years old and going strong.
Another of my favs. Keep reading rave reviews of the new model, but can`t justify buying one till the old one craps out. I think I stand a better chance of losing the blade change screwdriver. That is the only one that will work with the saw, right? ; )J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
I've read this title a few times ...
nothing popped to mind till now ...
clicked to open it ...
saw my answer was already posted by U.
"Dewalt 12" compound. Got when it first hit the market 10+ years ago. Been to hell and back with me and still splits hairs where I want it to."
same thoughts ... still going strong.
about 2 or 3 years ago it was sticking on ... took it in for a good cleaning and rebuild ... they just cleaned it and threw in a new switch .. I only paid for the cleaning ... not sure if it was 7 or so years of gunk ... or the switch .... but it's been running fine since.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Trim is what I mostly do. I know the sliders are great, used them all, but that Dewalt is an extension of me and I think is the best saw for trim there is.
I have the 12V Makita impact driver. Sure made a believer out of me - two guys on the crew each went out and bought one after using it, and I got a second one.
We're a noisy bunch some days
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Porter Cable 3 1/4 horse speedmatic router. Never leaves the table. Use the bulletproof PC 690 for hand work.
I'll just have to be redundant and echo the love for the 12V Makita impact drill. I got it with the rebate on my 12" slider. What a treat that was.I've almost had to say something because my partner at work keeps grabbing my drill, "Let me see that impact, it's just so much easier." It gets me excited thinking about how nice that 14.4V must be.
if best means fulfilling a tool's designed intention my Fein Multimaster has to be near the top of my list
Gotta be my Dewalt 14.4v drill.
This is the one tool that I know inside and out, and just know before I go to tackle a job whether or not it's got the umph necessary. It's the tool that is kinda like an extended part of me because I know it so well, and feel so comfortable using it.
Sometimes a tool just becomes part of you, and is comfortable to work with. You get so used to it that no other brand or style feels right. This is the one for me.
We've been through a lot together, and it finally bit the dust.
James DuHamel
He who dies with the most toys.... Still dies!
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?" MARK 8:36
http://www.godsfreemusic.com
My FAVORITE tool is almost always the "one I am using at the time"...and ditto on the drywall lift. Just got ours and can't wait to break it in! BeckRe-Home Solutions Inc.
Not the first to say this, but yet another vote for the Makita Impact Driver.
Current best is my Panasonic 15.6V driver. Like many have said, that thing has become an extension of my arm.
Prior best, believe it or not, was a Craftsman 1/3 sheet vibrator sander, bought in the early '70's. It sanded using either an orbital motion, or a straight line motion. I used it on literally hundreds of projects. It actually never quit working completely -- but the blue glow from the windings got to the point where it was scaring me a bit.
I finally replaced it with whoever's ROS, which doesn't work nearly as well.Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.
I had a Walker Turner 3 hp table saw that I got from a retiring German cabinet maker. It was build prior to WWII and was as solid as a battleship. Unfortunately, I snapped a part (my fault) and could not find a replacement. I was totally bummed when I had to get rid of it.
By far the one tool I can not live without, My Sawzall over the years it has saved me more time than any other tool I own, but I love them all.
Edited 1/30/2005 8:29 am ET by Frank