Tools for Furniture Assembly

[bluecomputer]

I've had to put together a lot of the furniture that you assemble yourself recently. My question is what tools that you use to save time and make it easier?
So far I've used the basics, power drill and power screwdrivers. Using the torque limiter on the drill prevent me from making any stupid mistakes. Oddly enough I've been using metric Allen bit sockets a lot. Much faster then those useless wrenches that come with the furniture.

 

[metal1313]

pretty much what i do, low torque settings and allen bits in the drill/driver. and a soft faced mallet

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

5mm, 5.5mm and 6mm hex bit sockets and my ¼" drive cordless impact make short work of turning piles of Ikea **** into assembled piles of Ikea ****.

 

[blue dog]

my ¼" drive cordless impact make short work of turning piles of Ikea **** into assembled piles of Ikea ****.

Thats not only funny right there, its the absolute truth.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

yeah but also add a rubber mallet

 

[taterdog]

Makita 10.8v lithium impact is awesome for putting furniture together

 

[Trucky]

Pratt-Read flat head and phillips drivers (handles are just great, the only ones i can stand to do anything of size with..), a hammer, tape measure, sharpie, and i'm ready to go. Who needs electricity anyways.. nut drivers or anything else as necessary.. ooh, and a square.

 

[Stuey]

Rubber mallet + T-handle metric hex drivers.

In my experience, cordless drill + IKEA furniture = fubared IKEA furniture. The quick knock-down fasteners are really designed for hand-tightening. A cordless driver with low clutch setting might be okay, but my drill had too much oomf. An impact would just be utter madness. I don't have the self control to pull that off w/o damaging something or driving fasteners too deep.

 

[Danglerb]

My lesson was use the stuff they include. I put together a nice big desk in my bedroom office and used "good" yellow glue. Couple years later I discovered the desk won't fit through any doors or windows, and the cheap white glue comes apart with some heat and effort, mine is going no place without a saw.

BTW I like a lot of IKEA stuff, much better than the cheap USA knock down furniture.

 

[MrMark]

IKEA stuff is all PoziDriv. Phillips is not the right tool for those screws.

So are all the Euro Cabinet hinges BTW.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Rubber mallet + T-handle metric hex drivers.

In my experience, cordless drill + IKEA furniture = fubared IKEA furniture.

In my experience, IKEA furniture in perfect condition=fubared IKEA furniture.

Yeah, just razzin'

Knock down furniture is the main reason I build quite a bit of my own furniture. If you mention IKEA around a woodworking forum you gonna get fried.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

The last time I assembled furniture was after several moves (I was the only family member who didn't buy a new house and move in a 30 day period). I still tire thinking about moving my parents and both siblings families.

A adjustable wrench if you don't know the nut size (or have enough box end wrenches) can be a good thing. But I prefer to size the nuts and use a box end wrench, personally.

 

[Monte]

 

[Trucky]

Maybe if I made ~$30 an hour

 

[Altec]

I used the 18V DeWALT 1/4 impact driver, a 6-in-1, and a claw hammer. Plus a assortment of bits for the driver.

An assistant doesn't hurt either...

 

[Monte]

Maybe if I made ~$30 an hour

if you own that tool you will make $30.- an hour

 

[georgewilliam]

Every tool have their own use, as per my point of view every tool is important for Furniture Assembly.