Need more power!

June 1, 2004 10:22 AM

I need to stock a home workshop. What basic power tools should I acquire? Which tools aren't really needed? What about good books on maintaining and improving an older home? [more inside]

So, we bought the house mentioned in this earlier thread. Now we're moving from a 1976 ranch style house requiring almost no maintenance to a large farmhouse built in 1903 (now in the middle of the city) on three-quarters of an acre. (Because I'm proud of the place, more info here and here.)

What sort of equipment am I going to need to care for this beast?

The new house includes a nice workshop (formerly a small horse barn) with benches, etc., but I have nearly no tools. I own a cheap drill, that's it. What power tools should a person have in order to care for an older home? Are there good books on the subject?

I'm also interested in learning woodworking as a hobby (though this may change once I actually undertake a project or two). I want tools, etc. that will allow me to build my own bookshelves, for example.

Any help would be appreciated.

posted by jdroth to home & garden (36 comments total)

eh? are you preparing a museum or exhibition? why not wait until you need to do something, then buy the tools you need? that's the way i've always worked.

i guess if i landed on mars with no tools i'd probably buy a "workmate" stand, a simple (single speed, with "hammer" option) power drill, some drill bits for wood (a "set"), maybe 5 and 6mm bits for masonry, some plugs and screws, and a fairly fine tooth saw for cutting wood.

nice thing to have, but not really necessary, is a little stand for the drill. i have one that's just a base, two metal poles, and a thing that slides up + down the poles that you clamp the drill into. it guarantees that you drill straight and allows you to set a depth.

ruler, pencil, tape measure, square. one of those wooden blocks for cutting at 45 degrees. hammer. chisels. really, it depends on what you're doing. better to buy what you need...

since i guess the same people will read this who read other diy threads - i finally mounted my speakers - details added to that thread.

on preview - if you have the space, and are serious about woodworking, get a table saw and small (wood) lathe, i guess. and maybe a proper pedastal drill (especially if you'll be working with metal at all). for bookshelves you need a pencil, measure, square, saw, clamps, the drill you have, screws and glue.
posted by andrew cooke at 10:33 AM on June 1, 2004

What power tools should a person have in order to care for an older home?

Some suggestions, in decreasing order of importance:

Bench vise
Table saw
Mitre saw
Handheld router with router table
Bandsaw
Jointer
Planer
Lathe
Bench grinder

The first three are vital, everything else, not so much.

I suggest frequenting estate sales or the newspaper classifieds for much of that equipment.

That is a beautiful house. I envy you.
posted by trharlan at 10:35 AM on June 1, 2004

ack. sorry, missed power completely. sorry.

a motorised sander saves a lot of time.
posted by andrew cooke at 10:37 AM on June 1, 2004

eh? are you preparing a museum or exhibition?

No, I just have no experience with this sort of thing. I've always avoided handyman projects. Now that we're buying this house, and now that I'm closer to forty than to thirty, I figure it's time for me to learn to care for my own house. :)

why not wait until you need to do something, then buy the tools you need? that's the way i've always worked.

Well, it'd be nice to have the tools on hand before problems arise. But you're right — I certainly don't need to rush out and buy a whole shop at once. I want to have some basics, though.

I suggest frequenting estate sales or the newspaper classifieds for much of that equipment.

I'm all over craigslist, waiting for this stuff to pop up. :)
posted by jdroth at 11:05 AM on June 1, 2004

Congratulations, jdroth!
I picked up a Ryobi 4-Pc. 18V Power Tool Kit around ($160 at home depot) to help out with my own fixer upper. I can't live without it. Not quite contractor grade but perfect for use around the house. The charge of the batteries has been great and the power sufficient for most of my projects so far.

For books home depots home improvement 123 has served me well. Buy a used copy of the older addition for $5- 10 bucks its the same as the newer one. (home improvement isn't like computers, the methods and materials tend to stay the same over the years.

Hope this helps.
posted by keithl at 11:10 AM on June 1, 2004

Buy a shopvac before or when you buy tools. Get one that clearly does wet/dry and learn how to use it to do both. It will become your best friend. If you're just going to do maintenance then you mostly need some good basic tools: circular saw, good drill with a full set of bits and maybe some wood boring bits, hand sander, jigsaw maybe. Think about if you'll want electric or battery operated versions of these. You might also like some things that are less always-needed like a heat gun and a paint sprayer. Other non-power tools that are helpful in older houses include a voltmeter, a stud finder, an outlet tester and a hell of a lot of clamps. If you can really afford to set up some sort of a shop, you'll want a different set of tools that stay in place: router, table saw, band sander, mitre saw, band saw and a good ventilation system. There are a lot of good woodworking magazines that are designed for really the novice woodworker. My cousin writes for Popular Woodworking and you can grab a few copies from the library or the grocery store and just check out what people are using to do the things they do.
posted by jessamyn at 11:19 AM on June 1, 2004

You really do need to think about what kind of projects you will need the tools for; it sounds like you really only need some very basic things for now. My suggestions would be a good drill, a circular saw, and a belt sander (and consider a bench grinder and mitre saw); I get a lot of use out of these around my house. You can expand your collection as you tackle more ambitious projects. I am a bit of a pack rat and so have more tools than I need (3 drills and a drill press, for example) but my best investment has been a nice set of 18V battery-powered tools that came in their own case with extra batteries and so on. There are a wide variety of these out there with a wide range of tools, prices and quality, so shop around. They also go on sale frequently, so look for sales too; Fathers Day should be a good opportunity in this regard.

On preview, I see that keithl went the same route I did; I got a 6-pc. Ryobi kit at Home Depot and reccommend it, but there are a lot of other choices that may be better for your intended uses and budget.
posted by TedW at 11:23 AM on June 1, 2004

For work around the home the tool you'll use the most is probably a cordless drill/driver. Amazon has a reconditioned tools section that often offers pretty good deals - here's a 14V DeWalt for $150.
posted by nicwolff at 12:05 PM on June 1, 2004

Forget this WAITING advice. Buy tools now, loads and loads of tools. Keep them clean and handy. ITS ALL ABOUT THE TOOLS. Now, as for WHERE to buy. I can say with out a doubt the best value and quality is at GRIZZLY. Full webstore, no middle man, great catalog- this is amazing super hi quality professional level stuff for the smae and less than chincy home depot ryobi poop. Grizzly industries - here.
posted by BrodieShadeTree at 12:29 PM on June 1, 2004

sorry the first post was rather snarky. one advantage of buying
things as you need them is that you can get better quality stuff
because the price is spread out over time.

also, i've been thinking, and really the tools are quite different
depending on whether you're fixing stuff, or making new things - and
also on what you might make.

if i were you, i'd start with fixing things, since moving into a new
house normally means quite a bit of that. for fixing things, you
might prefer battery powered tools (i think i must be a reactionary
philistine because i've never owned any) for convenience, but really
most of the work is done with an assortment of "manual" tools.

if you then try to build a free-standing bookcase, the next thing to
consider is what size you want and where you're going to get wood
from. wood comes in certain standard sizes (maybe one thing to look
for in a book is a list of these sizes and types of wood, and, for
example, the difference between rough and finished/planed timber) and
many places will do some cutting for you. so building something like
a bookcase doesn't necesarily mean a lot of sawing.

on the other hand, maybe you're getting wood cheap from somewhere, or
want a certain kind of timber (ie not standard pine), or want an odd
sized bookcase. in that case you could be cutting a lot of timber and
a table saw would be useful (a table saw is a big flat table with a
circular saw in the middle and a rail parallel to the blade, making it
very easy to cut wood into rectangles). that's serious equipment (and
serious money), so i'd be pretty sure i wanted one before i bought
one.

then you look at how you're going to make the bookcase. the
construction could be very simple, in which case you don't need much
more than a drill and screws and glue, or you might want to make a
fine piece of furniture that could last many lifetimes. in that case,
you need to learn how to make good joints, which might mean a good
saw, chisels, and lots of practice, or a router or similar (something
like an electric drill that works sideways, gouging out wood like
crazy).

but really, it would be pretty ambitious to do something like that
straight off, especially if you're not sure what you're doing (i guess
many people here, like me, were sent outside to "help" our fathers,
and learnt a fair amount even while we sulked, so a lot seems
"obvious" when perhaps it isn't, at all).

i guess i'm just coming round again to saying don't buy stuff for big
projects until you have a clearer idea of what you want. you can do
an awful lot with a few simple hand-held tools. when you get more
ambitious i guess you'll either follow a book, in which case you buy
what you need for the instructions, or you get tired/frustrated with
some particular piece of work and decide to spend the money on a tool
that simplifies it.

(i'm posting in lynx from my text-only server, and have a feeling this post might have odd formatting. sorry about that, but my laptop is packed ready for a trip - i'm just killing time waiting for the taxi...)
posted by andrew cooke at 1:11 PM on June 1, 2004

I lost my shop in the divorce, so I have been faced with the situation of re-stocking from scratch. I agree with most of the above, so my contribution shouldn't be seen as any sort of dissent, just my observations after years of home improvement projects.

Get a basic Black & Decker table saw--there are many better brands, and some cheaper, but this will do until you decide you need better. If it were me, now, I'd spend the money for a better one, but the $100 model is fine for starters.

Get a random-orbit finishing sander, and skip the belt sander. The RO sander will suffice for most of your sanding needs, while the belt sander will not.

A bench vice may not seem like a must-have, but you'll find 100 uses once you have one.

A Workmate, definitely. You can build mounts for your table saw and other items, plut you can use it as a sawhorse and clamp.

Get a decent reversible variable speed drill. My Black & Decker has lasted 16 years so far, under heavy abuse. You can clamp it in the Workmate and attach a bench grinder, too.

Routers are nice. I have an old one that works fine. I built my own router table out of a cabinet door.

The jointer, planer, miter saw, and others might come in handy one day, but they can wait until you know you'll need them.

Don't get a band saw, at least not right away. It might seem really useful, but I almost never used mine.
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:18 PM on June 1, 2004

I recently got into woodworking and the first thing I bought was a jigsaw, a router and a big sheet of plywood and two clamps... Not the best combo really, here's a quick rundown of the tools I have these days and what they do (at least what I think they do)

A table saw lets you do accurate rip and crosscuts (with and across the grain) and when used with a dado blade you can cut grooves so it's a pretty versatile tool, I got my beast of a saw on craigslist for about $300 so doesn't have to be crazy expensive.

A circular saw with a straight edge can give you decent cuts too, and it's much easier to use than a table saw when cutting unwieldly plywood sheets.

A router is good for dados, rounding off edges, joinery (with a jig you can do very nice dovetail joints) etc

A jointer will give you a flat face on a piece of wood, and a planer will get the opposite face parallel to it. Essential when you're wood isn't perfectly flat/square.

What else... a drill press is usefull... and a good shop vac is essential....

Woodworking is difficult to do well, but definitely fun, and always measure twice and cut once...
posted by zeoslap at 1:56 PM on June 1, 2004

Avoid B&D like the plague. Shit quality these days. There are equally shitty own-label products at half the price, so if you're going with B&D, you might as well go with own-label. Note that deWalt is now a B&D brand, too, though I think it still retains most of its quality from years past.

If you were in Canada, I'd strongly recommend Princess Auto for inexpensive yet usually good-quality tools with a killer return policy; House of Tools for same, and Lee Valley Tools for superlative products and the best advice you could wish for.

I'm sure you have similar stores in the USA.
posted by five fresh fish at 1:56 PM on June 1, 2004

For an old house where you're going to do some remodeling or fixup work, I recommend a recipricating saw (commonly called a "Sawzall"). I found it difficult to justify buying for any particular job, but I find myself using mine a lot, for everything from cutting pipes to pruning trees.

I've also got a cheap table saw and a half-inch reversible drill that see a lot of use. But you may want to save some budget for non-power tools, too, like a nice set of pipe wrenches or a gross or two of clamps.

Enjoy your new house!
posted by Daddio at 2:28 PM on June 1, 2004

craiglist.org is a good resource but good power tools go through there very infrequently. I do have to gloat a bit though -- I picked up a powermatic 66 table saw in good condition for $300 plus a $100 motor repair (new ones run around $1800), and from the same guy a got a Baldor bench grinder for $20, they go for about $200. So it does happen, but don't make that your only resource.

I've gotten excellent professional quality tools using other methods as well. I prefer old top quality tools to new tools that I can actually afford.

One method I've used in the past is bartering. I know some guys who have been doing wood working for a long time, and they all have an item or two that they don't use much anymore. I generally trade them computer consulting (like, I'll provide them email, or shell access, or a simple webhosting solution, blah blah) for stuff they essentially don't want.

Also, I go to estate sales. A lot. Probably 10 a month. I might find 1 thing I want per month. It's not that economical unless your time isn't worth much to you, or, like me, you enjoy digging through stuff.

Pawn shops do not usually warrant a mention since the tools are of extremely indeterminable quality and condition.

I vote also that you wait a bit to see what tools you really need before you get them, but start budgeting for a table saw now. For handyman type stuff I wouldn't spend less than $300 on a table saw. For woodworking, I would spend less than $600 or so new (that will get you a decent entry level contractor table saw).

Miter saws are very nice to have, I'd definitely get that upfront too. If you're industrious very good hand models can be had for $100 or so. Good powered ones for $250 or so.

You'll want a drill or two, sounds like you already have one. Buy bits and attachments as you need them. But browse around and find out what's available so you'll know what to look for when the time comes.

I don't think I'd buy any other power tool until I knew I needed it. You almost certainly will end up needing: a jig saw, a circular saw, a router.

Get hearing protection along with your first power tool and use it religiously. Seriously. Either the earmuff kind of the kind you stick in your ears. It should handle at least 25dB. Also you are going to want a decent ($30) face mask, I'm talking about a cartridge type. Preferably one that will take cartridges to protect against dust and other cartridges to protect against solvents (paint, turpentine, mineral spirits, acetone, etc). These aren't power tools but if you're going to use power tools you'll thanks me 30 years from now when you can still hear.

www.woodworking.com is a terrific online communuty for woodworking and has an active section about home improvement type stuff. I'm a member and I highly recommend it.
posted by RustyBrooks at 2:41 PM on June 1, 2004

Whoops, for woodworking I wouldn't spend LESS than $600. In that price range are Ridgid, Grizzly, maybe General International. Jet and Delta both make contractor saws in that general region although they'll be more like $800 probably.

Oh, PowerTools.com is a great place to price shop for power tools.
posted by RustyBrooks at 2:43 PM on June 1, 2004

Argh, that link should be powertools.com NOT power-tools.com. Sumbitches.
posted by RustyBrooks at 2:47 PM on June 1, 2004

I'm going to be in a similar situation as jdroth. All this discussion of where to buy tools is good, but where can someone find out how to use them, and when? Is there a manual that tells you when to clean the gutters, when (and how) to check to see if your foundation is cracking, how to fix the white stuff between tiles in the bathroom, what to do when the ceiling starts leaking, how to fix the toilet, how to winterproof windows, how to keep the windows from becoming un-openable, and what I am supposed to do with a table saw once I own one? How do I find all that stuff out, short of (a) re-enrolling in my middle school shop class, or (b) posting an Ask Metafilter question once a week? I think Amazon has a "for dummies" book, but I am opposed to any book whose title insults me. Recommendations? I don't have to start watching Home & Garden TV, do I?
posted by profwhat at 4:52 PM on June 1, 2004

The most important power tool you can buy is a good quality cordless drill (don't buy dewalt, they work well but not for long). Don't spend a fortune, though - buy in the middle of the price range and accept that, after a couple of years, you will have to throw it out because the batteries will die and it costs less to buy a new drill than replace the batteries. Get two batteries, because the damn things always go flat when you least expect it. If you have two batteries and a one-hour charger, you can work pretty much continuously on mst jobs.

Next, a jig saw - if you want to cut anything that is not straight, you will definitely need one of these. Get one that is variable speed.

Next, a mitre saw - a powered one. You will be amazed at how much you will use this. A word of warning, though - if you buy a cheaper one, don't trust the markings for square and 45o, as they are invariably wrong.

Next, a circular saw - unless you can afford to splash money around or plan on doing a huge amount of work, you can do almost anything with a medium-sized circular saw that you can do with a table saw and a lot that a table saw can't do. if you want to ensure straight cuts, you can clamp a straight-edge to the timber and run the saw along it. This takes some time, but for a home handyman works perfectly well. The #1 thing to remember with circular saws is that they are second only to chain saws in the "this piece of equipment wants to kill me" stakes. Never ever underestimate the damage that one of these saws can do to you in a mind-bogglingly short amount of time.

Finally, a router - again, buy reasonable quality but there is no need to spend a fortune. Don't go for the biggest, fanciest one you see, get one that is able to be used in one hand if possible. By taking things slowly, you can often do quite heavy work with a small router, but often cannot use a larger one to do smaller work.

The most important thing, though, is to choose the tool that feels comfortable and does what you need it to, no more and no less. Don't get sucked into buying the big shiny tradesman-quality tools, because you don't need them. Buy at the top of the "weekend warrior" range and you should get many years of use from them.
posted by dg at 4:57 PM on June 1, 2004

It's not a power tool, and perhaps obvious, but a good hammer is absolutely essential.

Also, if you're planning on doing a lot of bookcase/furniture style carpentry projects, a biscuit jointer is a worthwhile investment.
posted by nomis at 5:15 PM on June 1, 2004

Don't buy a specialised biscuit joiner unless you plan to make a lot of things that are not 90 degree joins - a router can cut the slots for biscuits just as easily. But, yes, a good hammer is a very worthwhile investment - spend as much as you can afford.
posted by dg at 5:31 PM on June 1, 2004

Power tools I've found most useful around the house are:
*a cordless driver/drill (my DeWalt is half-a-dozen years old now and has built several decks)
* a circular saw (I'm considering a new Porter Cable, or maybe a Hitachi). Corded ones have way more power than cordless and are much cheaper.

With those two, a Workmate, a good handsaw (I love this thing), a nice hammer (20oz), and a decent tape, a good chisel (1", for hanging doors and windows), and a screwdriver set you'll be able to handle most work around the house. As you need them, you can buy the drywall tools (good trowels), the electrical (lineman's pliers and voltmeter) and the plumbing stuff (torch, wrenches, pipecutter).

With these essentials, I'd consider getting good ones. That doesn't always mean huge bucks, but it means not getting the cheapest. There's nothing better than using tools which feel good in your hand and which you can count on. There's nothing worse than busting your cheap-ass flat-head screwdriver, which you've been using because you don't have a chisel, tearing the five-coat varnish finish you've spent the last week getting just perfect.

Some things to think about:

* a corded (hammer) drill. Cordless are excellent for portability, but not so good for drilling into concrete. Also, corded drills will outlast your children.

* Jigsaw or a (small) sawzall---sure you can cut holes in drywall by hand, but why would you want to?

* router --- especially if you plan on doing cabinetry. A router table is really a good idea too, but you can build that yourself.

* Random-orbit sander. You need this far more often than a belt sander. RO's are better than circular palm sanders, but have much more control and get into smaller areas than belt-sanders.

* hand-planers are nice and not too expensive. Just the tool for fixing doors that don't fit right. Also useful for cabinetry.

* Dremmels (or any other small cutting-wheel tool) are surprisingly handy for those small jobs.

Finally, some stuff that's really nice to have, but is hard to justify not renting for the odd weekend you really need it:

* a chop/mitre saw---I'm currently lusting over a 12" compound mitre. These are perfect for decks and absolutely necessary for doing casing and molding.

* a butane nailer---again, a necessity if you're doing moldings, but way too expensive to own for the amount that you'll use it.
posted by bonehead at 6:53 PM on June 1, 2004

Many of the tips and tools featured in Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding may be more than you need or can afford, but the reviews for tools are excellent -- notably giving one tips on what to look for in a tool, even if one is not buying one of the models being reviewed.

As a start, head to a big bookstore and review the selection of home repair/improvement books. This are surprisingly useful and will give the novice homeowner a good start. (The Reader's Digest versions are actually pretty good, I hear. I don't own one myself.)

While woodworking as a hobby will eventually bring you to the need for shop machines, start with those tools that one would see on a job worksite. Many suggestions have been made in this category already.

I am something of a tool maniac -- I have more than I seriously need although I have managed to use them all seriously. I also love hand tools -- my favorites of the moment are Japanese saws.

Knowing what you need or can use for any particular project is important although that should not necessarily stop you from acquiring the basics.

I used to buy all of my hand-held power tools from Tool Crib of the North; they have since become part of the Amazon Empire.

I would start with a circular saw and supplement your drill with a cordless drill-driver. That you already have a shop and workbench is a tremendous bonus.

On preview: that's a nice post by Bonehead. Clear and spot-on, in my opinion.
posted by Dick Paris at 7:13 PM on June 1, 2004

With an old house, and especially if you have kids or pets, don't get too far into a project without some instant lead testers. You may also want to find a lab nearby that will do asbestos testing on a sample.

Lead is not too big a deal because it's relatively easy to take reasonable precautions (seal the area, wet-sand if possible, use an exhaust fan, and mop with soap and water afterwards), but if you don't check for lead paint first, you could happily dry-sand off layers of lead and scatter the dust all over your house.

Asbestos, and especially asbestos-coated ducts, are a hugely expensive pain to deal with and are usually best left alone if they're in good condition.

Remember, you didn't just buy an old house, you also bought into the past 100 years of mankind's materials science folly.

I should know, the damned stuff is EVERYWHERE at our house.
posted by ulotrichous at 7:54 PM on June 1, 2004

Gorgeous house. Canby, eh? Say no more, say no more.

I suggest a good first aid kit with lots of band aids, a cooler/fridge for nothing but beer, a radio or wireless connection for your guilty pleasure music strictly confined to the shop, 1000 packs of zip ties in various colors and a good wet/dry vac.

There are loads of garage sales this time of the year. Lots of nice, old, worn and serviceable equipment is out there in 'best offer over a quarter' bins.

What fruit and veggies will you be growing? How about some hops?
posted by TomSophieIvy at 8:24 PM on June 1, 2004

"I lost my shop in the divorce.."

That really sucks. Sorry to hear that.
posted by Keyser Soze at 8:24 PM on June 1, 2004

New Complete Do It Yourself Manual. Get one, you need it.

Maintaining a house is a lot of work, 'specially an older one. Did I mention that's gorgeous? It's worth considering finding a contractor now who will help you with bigger and complicated jobs, and help you learn. Contractors are dollar expensive, but time-cheap. In many cases they can solve a problem quite quickly. Also, they can also do something about 1/2 as good as you can if you're willing to put in the 3 days vs. their 4 hours.

Some key lessons from such easy projects as 'covering the bathroom walls' and 'How long could a fence possibly take?':

That job is 4 times bigger than it seems. Not the part you can see, it's the part you can't see until you've started that's gonna nail you.

Plumbing? That's 4 trips to the hardware store. More, if you actually cut open a pipe.

'Lectricity can kill you? Yeah, maybe, but's it's hella simpler than installing crown moulding.

Lumber looks cheap. Until you have to buy enough to do something.

You may be the only person in the world that appreciates that you did it right.

That lumber may look true, but it ain't. And even if it is, whatever you're sticking it up against ain't either.

Your house inspector should have given you a report. Good as gold, you should use it as a guide.

That's bout all, best of luck!
posted by daver at 9:14 PM on June 1, 2004 [1 favorite]

Your house inspector should have given you a report. Good as gold, you should use it as a guide.

Amen, brother!

Actually, our house inspector gave us a wonderfully complete report and the sellers had an entirely different inspector check out the house before they prepped it for sale. So, we have two reports to go on. We're compiling a list of projects that we want to do. (The top two will require contractors: refinishing the hardwood floors, which have been hidden beneath carpet for nearly fifty years; and remodeling the bathroom, which is a hodge-podge of styles, and an afterthought, since the outhouse was the bathroom when the house was built.)

The first project I'll tackle — and I hope this isn't too ambitious — is to remove a section of railing on the back porch (which was the front porch when the house was built) and then to construct a set of steps to the porch. I figure this project is low-risk. And if my steps are of poor quality, they can easily be replaced when I've more experience under my belt.

All of your advice has been wonderful. I appreciate it. This house is a project, and we know it, but I look forward to learning new skills.

Stay tuned for another queston next month about maintaining roses. We've inherited 134 rose bushes! :/
posted by jdroth at 9:41 PM on June 1, 2004

Besides the tools mentioned above, I'd like to voice a second for the dremel sort of tool. with the added attachments, it will do a wonder of things, from cutting to sanding to grinding to pedicures.

And clamps. Clamps galore! Found I can never have too many of them. Though, vice gripes in a variety of sizes are handy too.

I'd also like to second the suggestion to head to a used bookstore and check out reference books there. Depending on your skill level (or level of bravery) a lot can be learned from them. Oddly, the reader's digest books have been rather helpful in figuring out what is wrong and what needs to be done to fix it in our old 1920 house. Mind you, following the one page explanation on HOW to fix it is a horse of a different color. But they make for good starter guides.
posted by jeribus at 9:52 PM on June 1, 2004

JD -- deckwork is a good place to start. Tolerances are fairly low and mistakes seem to easily pass notice. Anyway, paint hides a multitude of sins.

You'll want a cordless driver/drill, a tape and a framing square at minimum. It's almost always better to use screws on a deck, rather than nails. Look for square-drive (Robertson) or a six-pointed star (Torx) screws. Don't buy the four-point (Phillips) screws---they're useless. You might need a power saw, but you can probably simply buy the lengths you need for railings and a stair. A wrecking bar would probably also be handy.

Good luck!
posted by bonehead at 5:53 AM on June 2, 2004

Did anyone say

MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE.
posted by BrodieShadeTree at 10:08 AM on June 2, 2004

Robertson screws are a Canadian invention, and the first screw that had practical application in production lines. Phillips were invented some time later, and are actually designed to pop out under torque. Torx are a corporate-design half-breed, giving a balance between the insertion angle and non-slippage of Robertson and Phillips (Robertson requires dead-on bit/head alignment, which is an issue in production.)

The best home-use head is Robertson. The best production-line use is Torx. Phillips should be relegated to the dustbin of history.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:13 AM on June 2, 2004

And here, I suppose, is the opposite question. I've had a recent bit of good luck at garage sales and have a reasonably decent table saw, benchtop router and drill press. I also have a handheld drill. What should I pick up to round it all out (other than a workbench, natch)? Hand saws?
posted by codger at 1:59 PM on June 2, 2004

Lots of good advice above. We try very hard to keep our tool budget/investment/storage to a minimum. With that in mind, I'd like to add a couple of suggestions;

1. A lot of people are pack rats these days. A good way to get to know the neighbors (other than when they stop by to ask about your project as you are building the new stairs) would be to request to borrow some (small) tool (and obviously return immediately and in good condition).

2. For infrequent projects we rent the larger, more expensive tools at a local rental center, or if need be at Home Depot.

3. We also have an old house, though nothing in the league of your new place (congratulations!). Even though we have a couple of Home Depot's and a new Lowe's within a 5-mile radius, I've made it a point to shop occaisionally at the little neighborhood hardware store, that's been here since this area was mostly farmland. The oldtimers running the place (and their kids and grandkids) really know a lot about how these old houses were built, and can often offer simple solutions that Joe Associate at HD wouldn't have (or have the time) to offer.

Good luck! Oh, one more thing, from experience: Put 95% of your stuff in the garage and plan to spend the first month doing the floors, painting, fixing any other problems your inspector recommended. Once you get your stuff moved in, it'll be a pain in the ass to get your projects done.
posted by vignettist at 2:53 PM on June 2, 2004

I didn't see safety discussed above, so I'm adding that. Good eye protection. I have goggles. Good hearing protection. I prefer the ear muff type. I have a respirator and a bag of filter masks. I also have vinyl gloves on hand.

Don't underestimate how loud power tools are. If you're using them in an enclosed space, it can be especially damaging. I think Fine Woodworking had a blurb that shop vacs are the loudest thing in a shop.

Don't get careless, lazy, or rushed. I was amazed at how many experience woodworkers on a forum commented that they had seriously injured themselves on their tables saws.

I don't know if your wife will be using any of the tools and safety equipment, but what works well for you may not work well for her. Most goggles are too big for me. The respirator almost reaches my ears. Filter masks are too big. Most earplugs were too big.

With tools(power and things like hammers) the main problem is I have to expend too much energy just holding onto it, that it's harder to use. My husband's grip reaches all the way around most of our tools, but a lot of the time my fingers don't meet my thumb or palm. So if she's going to be using the tools, you might want to try them out together.
posted by lobakgo at 4:46 PM on June 2, 2004

lobakgo, just be thankful that you are not left-handed. Next time you are holding a circular saw or electric planer, put it in your left hand, hold it in a position where you wold normally use it and have a look at where the dust outlet is facing. You know how you get that stream of sawdust blowing out away from you? I get that same stream pointing directly at me (usually my face).

On the subject of safety, I want to echo my statement above about circular saws - these are very evil, dangerous things and you can never be too careful with them.
posted by dg at 7:06 PM on June 2, 2004