Tool Advice Needed

[123ChickieLou]

Quote:
I do have a fairly heavy duty stapler/nailer. It does ok. Well, it could do better, truth be told. I'd love an air type and a compressor but I simply don't have the room or enough use to make it pay for itself. It does work well for stapling chicken wire and hardware cloth so I'll be using it a lot in this project. The nailing part is a bit cruddy. It holds 1 1/2" (I think) brads or maybe 1". Either way, I have to put all of my weight behind it and hold it very firmly in place for it to work properly with brads; mosly it just jams. I guess it would work on panneling or something flimsy but not on 1" or 3/4" slats.

I completely agree with you about trying out a HF before investing big if unsure. TOTALLY agree!

 

[123ChickieLou]

Bare Foot Farm, I will keep the hex screws in mind. The last thing I need is something simple like that going wrong and holding me up for 2 weeks while I figure it out.

Speed, I considered a driver and even a smaller 1/4 or 3/8 drill but none of the reviews equaled what I was looking for. I wasn't willing to go more than $40 w/shipping so the better ones were out of the question for now.


What do any of you think about a Drimell? I saw those on the shelf at wm and passed them up bc they looked to small for the job. They had a lot of flash and bells and whistles but are they good for outdoor projects or just fancy picture hangers?

 

[Carols Clucks]

I have an 1980's DB $20 corded drill that I built about 50 feet of picket fencing with, it did get hot and need to cool down every now and then.

After using better tools of my bf, I blew my tax refund one year on a Ryobi kit from Home Depot. You will not be building a house with it, but for my needs it works pretty good. I do need to get a new battery or two, the downside of cordless. I am adding a few corded Ryobi tools to my tool kit. For Christmas, I got my son a "special price" Ryobi saw/drill/battery/mini charger kit for $50

I put the tin roof on the coop and a small garden shed using a Ryobi cordless drill.


(My bf likes expensive tools too, but after working in and around Los Angeles for years, he would rather take tools to the job that hurt less when stolen. A client of mine when working on one job would have to stop at Harbor Freight every Monday to buy a new set of tools due to the thieves breaking in to heavy lock boxes or his locked work truck every weekend.)

Oh, and I have the Dremel Might Max saw, it is useful on small things or to reach corners etc. But you are not going to be cutting 2x4's with it unless you have a lot of time to spend. Read the instruction, there is a speed dial on it and on a bit remodel job the guys hated them-but none of them had touched the dial and used the right speed for the job. But call Dremel and have them send you out a spare new design nut for the bits.

I would like to get their new saw, there are places I need to reach that a regular skill saw can not fit. (or recp or jig saw)

 

[OldGuy43]

Quote:
I'm assuming you are referring to a Dremel tool; They are fine for their purpose. That purpose is not large construction projects. The saw only cuts to a maximum depth of 3/4". I own four and use them for lots of things, but constructing a coop? No way! A 7 1/4" circular saw with the appropriate blade(s), a decent electric drill, a hammer, a tape measure and a square are all you should require in the way of tools. Anything else just makes it a bit easier.

I do have one more hint to offer. For the wood that will resting on the ground buy some pruning paint and give it a good coat. Be generous. WalMart's garden department has it in a spray can at a reasonable price.

 

[jww6419]

I just bought my dad a BD 20V cordless lithium battery drill. It was 49.97 with drivers, drill bits and other extras. He loves it.It has a fast charge time and claims to hold a charge for 18 months with the lithium battery.

 

[123ChickieLou]

I do have one more hint to offer. For the wood that will resting on the ground buy some pruning paint and give it a good coat. Be generous. WalMart's garden department has it in a spray can at a reasonable price.

OldGuy, what is this pruning paint you write of? What does it do? Why am I to be generous with it?

 

[Ole rooster]

It reminds me mostly of the undercoating you get in a spray can. While mowing with my tractor, I accidently rip off a limb off a peach tree. I bought a can of the pruning spray to coat the wound with. I guess it worked. The tree is still there and not rotten.

 

[NanaLantana]

pressure-treated wood usually lasts a good long while, even if you bury it in the ground for posts. For me, I like to pre-drill my screw holes, that way my wood doesn't split at all. Sometimes undrilled it makes the wood split.

My husband bought me a little lime green Ryobi drill for Christmas last year. it's only 12 V rechargable, but it does the job for me, and fits my hand well. Heck, I re-faced the entire outside of my house last year with that drill! I was driving screws through hardyboard panels - I must have put up 50 of them, and pieces. Around windows, etc - it was an awful job and I'm glad it's done. But, that's just my two cents on a drill. I'm still using it. Just completed a new bathroom, framing, etc. Also, I build my coop with it while I was doing the house. (I get a lot done)

 

[nickie]

Please excuse me, girl speaking...

. I recommend a ryobi + drill 18v. You can get cordless Ryobi products at home depot for decent price and the + feature means as you buy more tool (who doesn't need more tools?) You can pick up the Ryobi ones and they all runny on eachothers batteries. Whole 18 v kits cost about $150 with a factory one year warranty but you can also buy single items. These puppies hold up to a lot (tons) of work and abuse. My husband is an electrician and an over all Mr fixit. I have become quite the Mrs fixity learning from him and after burning up and wearing out a bunch of dewalt products we both like the Ryobi for a bunch of reasons.

 

[OldGuy43]

Quote:
It's actually an asphalt based sealer. It'll keep the wood from rotting.