Which Power Tools used most often?

[Josh Youngman]

0. Shopvac/homeade cyclone
1. TS
2. Router (/router table)
3. SCMS
4. Planer
5. 18v drill
6. Sander (ROS)
7. nailers
8. Jig Saw
9. Circular saw
10. Dremel
11. Biscuit joiner (used rarely)

[Joe Mioux]

outside of the DC.

Table saw because it is so versatile in doing so many things.

However, as I have accumulated tools

I would say planer and jointer tie for second.

then comes various drills

[Paul Greathouse]

As others have said Dust collection is probably used more than any other tool along with measuring and marking devices.

I do mostly cabinet and cabinet related work so my tools and tool usage order may differ from some of the previous posts.

1. Circular saws used in conjunction with my EZ smart guide rail system.
The EZ guide has more or less replaced my tablesaw. Since I mostly work with 1 1/2" or less material, the EZ Smart also serves as my jointer, it gives a perfect edge for face jointing.

2. Thickness Planer: I use alot of rough sawn lumber so my planer gets used on most every project.

3. Routers: Free hand, table mounted and also in conjuction with the EZ Smart guide system.

4. Cordless drill/driver

5. Kreg Pockethole jig.

6. Random Orbit sanders

7. Clamps

8. Senco finish nailers, brad nailers and staplers

9. Porter Cable Dovetail

10. Jig saw, CMS, Biscuit Joiner, Drill Press, Tablesaw

Tools I hope to purchase soon:
Drum sander
Williams and Hussey planer/molder
12" Jointer
Bandsaw

[Danny Thompson]

Easy:
1. TS
2. Router
3. Sander
(1 Random Orbital Sander & 1 Combo Oscillating Spindle/Belt Sander)
4. Drill Press
5. Nail guns
6. CMS
7. Planer
8. Grinder

Don't own one, but wish I did:
Jointer
BS

Don't own one, don't see a need for one:
Scroll Saw

[Vernon Taylor]

Planer
Jointer
Table saw
Kreg Jig
Router
Various sanders(PC330,most used)
Refrigarater
Fein Multimaster

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, since I mostly use solid wood;

1) Dust collector

2)Jointer

3) Planer

4) Tablesaw

5) Layout tools

6) mortiser

7) shaper

8) Hand held tools such as sander, drill, planes, chisels etc.

If you were mostly going to make cabinets from sheet goods, I would pick

1) Dust Collector

2) tablesaw

3) layout tools

4) Sander

5) biscuit joiner or pocket screw jig or Domino

6) hand held tools such as drill, router, planes, chisels etc

regards, Rod.

[Greg Pavlov]

1) Bandsaw.
2) Jointer (if I had one, so a hand plane has to do for now).
3) Mitre saw.
4) Planer.
5) Table saw.
.......

I notice that your list shows band and table saws in reverse order from most of the other lists. Do you have any idea as to why that is ? (I'm asking because, without ever owning one, I *believe* that I would tend to use a bs more than others seem to).

[Jack Briggs]

1) Table-mounted router
2) Plunge router
3) Band saw
4) Drum sander
5) Drill press
6) Spindle sander
7) Jointer
8) Shaper
9) Dremel
10) Pedestal buffer

[BOB OLINGER]

The most used without question is my cordless drill - buy a good one.

[Doug Shepard]

Coffee Maker (actually an Insta-Hot)
TS, BS, Router, Drill Press, Planer, Jointer, Combo Sander, Drum Sander, Cyclone, and Air Compressor all refuse to start without the Coffee Maker turned on.

[Matt Meiser]

Cordless Drill
Impact Driver
TS
Planer
Random Orbit Sander
Jointer
CMS (mostly for utility or rough cuts, but rediscovering it after getting my good blade sharpened. TS with the Incra miter gauge is much more accurate for critical cuts though.)
Drill Press
Router (in table)
Belt/Disc Sander (use it a lot more than I thought I would)
Router (freehand)

As needed:
BS (curved cuts and ripping thick stock)
Scroll Saw (very rare)
Nail guns (less and less--replaced with glues and pocket screws where appropriate.)

[Gary Keedwell]

Measuring tools
Cordless drill
SCMS
Big-3 ( TS...Jointer...Planer)
Portable dust collector
Card scraper
Sanding gear
mineral spirits.& finishing gear



Gary

[Larry Fox]

-TS
-Jointer
-Planer
-DC (same reason as Jim - it is hooked to every tool)
-Measuring / marking tools
-block plane
-various other edge tools
-Tormek
-Bandsaw

[Jesse Cloud]

What an interesting thread!! I don't think any two people gave the same answer! I think there are some trends though:

- You need different tools to work with sheet goods versus lumber. If you are buying rough lumber (which you have to do to get exact dimensions) you will need a jointer and a planer. With sheet goods, one of the guided circular saw systems is probably the best way to go.

- People tend to bond with a particular "go to" tool. There are many ways to accomplish the same thing in woodworking, some will go to the tablesaw for almost everthing, others to the router, others to the bandsaw.

- Whatever you do, you need layout tools. Buy good ones. Unlike those cordless drills, a good square will last the rest of your life. Don't waste money and make errors by buying duplicates. I used to have half a dozen tape measures around the shop until I realized that they varied slightly. Always use the same measuring tool throughout your project.

- Lots of other variables come in: will you be working in a shop or moving stuff around a lot? Do you have room for the big iron (TS, jointer, planer, DC) or do you plan to haul stuff out onto the driveway? What's your budget? What's your timeframe?

- One lesson I learned the hard way - even if your budget is tight, don't buy crap. I bought three "value priced" table saws before I bought a good one, could have bought that good one first and saved $1,000.

Sorry this is so long, but one more piece of advice. Just about all tools are made overseas and the US dollar is doing a nosedive. Sooner is better.

[Barry Beech]

I really don't think that you can do a top 5 so here is what I typically use in a project:

Dust Collector
Table Saw
Jointer
Planer
Clamps
Router in a table
Various measuring tools
Marking knive
Air compressor
Paslode 18 gauge brad gun
Drill driver of some sort (just got the bosch ps40 and have only had a chance to use it on a new deck)
Lie Nielsen #102 L/A block plane
Pair of saw horses
A set of brad point bits
Titebond II or III glue
palm sander


I am sure that I am leaving something or five out.