Favorite power tool

[toolaholic]

My favorite power tool is the router. I have the Bosch 1617 kit, the Bosch 1618 Evs, the Bosch 1611 plunge router, Bosch 7 amp colt, and the Milwaukee 5625-20 in a benchdog table. I just think making profiles and hogging dadoes is fun. When I got my nos 1611 I put a 1 1/2 Freud straight bit in it and made a dadoe in scrap pressure treated lumber to test router. I enjoy reading the router books to build jigs too. What’s your favorite power tool?

 

[subroc]

Well this is a right tool for the job kind of question.

I like having drills, circular saws, I like my 12" sliding miter saw.

That said, my favorite tool is my 65 year old Craftsman floor model table saw (the image I am using as my avatar).

 

[Borntoolate]

Cordless Drill. No contest. Just to useful and gets used all the time.

I have a nice router set up and when needed it can do what otherwise might not be doable. But I just don't need it nearly as often as the cordless drill. But every tool could be your favorite when you need it and when not having it would make things either very slow and difficult or nearly impossible.

So maybe my answer should be that my favorite power tool is the one I am using at any given moment!

 

[rshadd]

Bosch PS21-2A... I use this often.

 

[ive]

Gentlemen, none of those are even combustion powered.

Favourite tool; Chainsaw. Bigger the better.

 

[thool]

I like my angle grinder a lot, very versatile tool.

 

[seber]

1/4" M18 impact. I didn't even know what they were until I got one. It immediately became my most used tool.

 

[FMB4]

Several types of small 1/4 inch shank wire wheels (chucked in a bench top drill press), drill (cordless, drill press, and corded hand held), belt sander, and rarely these days, my jig, recip and circ saws).

So, for me it would be my drill press overall.

 

[Dumber than lumber]

My bandsaw is current favorite. It is a Shopsmith. Actually have two of the bandsaws.

 

[Borntoolate]

After the cordless drill I might want to say BurrKing 2" x 72" variable Speed belt sander. Useful for many things from knife sharpening, drill bit sharpening and knife making if you are so inclined. Plus many others... Put a ceramic belt on it and you can take your grinding wheel to craigs list. With that belt you can hog off metal in no time and the grinding wheel becomes obsolete.

 

[Ilikeike]

Cordless drills,
I could not imagine having to drag an extension cord everywhere I use a cordless drill around my house/yard.

 

[ike]

^thanks for the support

 

[lardy1]

Porter-Cable 690 router. I have a few attachments, a mobile table setup and various bases. Not necessarily my most often used power tool but it does so many things. Would be hard to give it up.

 

[Wheelingit]

Makita cordless drill and DeWalt cordless sawzall and chain saw.

 

[Masheen365]

I’ve been blown away by how often I use my M18 6.5” circular saw. I haven’t used my Makita hypoid gear saw since I got the M18. Really any of my battery power tools would be my favorite. Besides the stationary tools, I don’t see the point in cords anymore.

 

[Ton ton]

Corded drill 1/2" Chuck. I will let someone else recommend a good brand of corded drill.

 

[Ton ton]

Actually I like them all. As long as the tools are in good operating condition.

 

[M635_Guy]

For house stuff it's my M12 Surge. For car stuff my M12 Stubby has probably been eclipsed by the Gen 2 Mid. Not much bigger than the Stubby with the 3.0 HO and eons more powerful.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

All of them of course this is Garage Journal. Lol. I’ve only got few power tools I’d say definitely my Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2 impact.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

My cordless impacts and cordless ratchet

 

[BreeStephany]

My favorite by far is my impact driver, which is a Makita XDT16Z brushless impact driver.

Working as an electrician, I have definitely put it through its paces on an almost daily basis, driving large self tappers, lag screws and bolts, tightening bolts (1/4" ~ 5/8"), built many racks and tightened a whole lot of strut straps with it.

I have dropped it off a lift a few times and o far, and outside of wearing away at the outer molding / grips & bumpers and popping off the glow-in-dark ring on the front, it is still going strong and have yet to have an issue with it.

I used to be a Milwaukee fangirl, and still love a lot of their M18 products, but I have been very impressed with Makita's drills, impact drivers and compact metal saw

 

[FMB4]

I've had a corded (of course) variable Makita 3/8" 10mm drill since '81 or so. I replaced the chuck about 5 yrs ago, and the cord end male plug about 10 ago. Used it as a pro motorcycle and then auto mech for ~ 15 yrs. It's still going strong to this day.

 

[bassJAM]

Favorite by usefulness is my 18v Bosch impact, it's been used every weekend for going on 10 years though my new 12v multi-head drill is starting to get used equally as much.

Favorite by "I wish I could use this every day" is my 550xp chainsaw. Muffler mod, +1 drive sprocket and a 13" bar and this thing cuts like a light saber and is light enough that my back doesn't feel it after a day of cutting.

 

[engineer2]

Back in the day we all used a cordless drills to drive screws with moderate success.
My impact driver was a game changer. I use it almost every day for something. In 9 years it's had a lot of use and some abuse (driving screws until the anvil is too hot to touch), the battery life is great, and it just keeps working.
Amazing the same tool can finesse tiny screws in electronic devices and also do lug nuts.

 

[honcho]

M12 Hackzall. I use it for yard work trimming trees and bushes and a lot for cutting up **** to fit in the trash can since the county will only take trash in the can. Sometimes I even use it for building something. More often it seems like it's used for taking things apart!

 

[67King]

Pressure washer.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Right now it's the Ryobi One-Handed Reciprocating Saw. I got it not sure I'd have any uses for it, but I wanted one. Then I got my US General 44" toolbox delivered and it came on a pallet. I had no way to lift the toolbox off so instead I used this thing to cut the pallet away and it did the job like a champ. I jokingly call it my cordless hacksaw.

 

[HenryAZ]

Corded drill 1/2" Chuck. I will let someone else recommend a good brand of corded drill.

Metabo BEV_1300-2 (German manufactured). One nice feature is the ability to preset 12 different speeds, by using a 6 position dial and the two speed range main switch. It remains variable speed up to the preset limit. Available speeds from 180rpm up to 3100 rpm. This comes in very handy for drilling steel. It also has a clutch that stops the drill when it jams up, keeping you from being thrown around by its torque. I've noticed more and more cordless drills are also incorporating this clutch feature.

 

[Ton ton]

Metabo BEV_1300-2 (German manufactured). One nice feature is the ability to preset 12 different speeds, by using a 6 position dial and the two speed range main switch. It remains variable speed up to the preset limit. Available speeds from 180rpm up to 3100 rpm. This comes in very handy for drilling steel. It also has a clutch that stops the drill when it jams up, keeping you from being thrown around by its torque. I've noticed more and more cordless drills are also incorporating this clutch feature.

You ****. Now I have to find a local distributor for Metabo. I like to buy my stuff locally if possible.

 

[Fialaja]

Corded sawzall. I have a Makita jr3070 That I picked up from Lowe’s on clearance due to it being a floor model with no case. That saw can keep up with any Milwaukee and has all the bells and whistles such as clutch, orbital action variable speed dial, and counterbalance. I also have the 11 amp Porter cable tiger saw- made in USA 11.5 amps, it’s a beast. Got it used off eBay, took it apart and rebuilt it with new grease and some replaced parts. I also have 3 Made in USA Milwaukees. The oldest being an 11 amp super sawzall 6521-21 my BIL bought me as a birthday present probably 20 years ago, the second was a floor model from sears hardware bought on clearance, and the third was a total rebuild from eBay, listed as for parts, not running. I completely disassembled it, cleaned i, repainted the plastic handles, regreasked it, new bearingsand seals, etc...I also have a small one hand use Ridgid fuego that is quite handy.

 

[CHRIII]

I agree with Borntoolate that my favorite is the one I'm currently using. With that said, I do have some favorites.

I'm sort of late to the cordless tool scene. I have a Dewalt 18V hammer drill and a Craftsman impact screw driver. Both were and are good but since I have gotten the Ridgid 18V brushless drill/driver and impact driver they are hardly used. If I were starting out again, I think I would probably go completely (or nearly so) cordless as I'm continually amazed by what they are capable of doing.

I've also got a Ridgid 12" miter saw and stand that I really, really like. It has the ability to do things that I have yet to learn how to do.

My favorite gas powered tools are my Stihl chainsaw and weedeater.

 

[jsaw]

I would have a difficult time choosing just one, I have a few, and use them all. If I had to pick just one It would be My Matco/ Ingersoll Rand 3/8 impact wrench . it is a brute, but at the same time I is very light compact and controllable.

 

[PelicanPines]

Fein MultiMaster... with a full round medical grade saw blade.

 

[Badgerstate]

My favorite power tool is the router. I have the Bosch 1617 kit, the Bosch 1618 Evs, the Bosch 1611 plunge router, Bosch 7 amp colt, and the Milwaukee 5625-20 in a benchdog table. I just think making profiles and hogging dadoes is fun. When I got my nos 1611 I put a 1 1/2 Freud straight bit in it and made a dadoe in scrap pressure treated lumber to test router. I enjoy reading the router books to build jigs too. What’s your favorite power tool?

For me its the table saw. Its like having your own little saw mill and you can cut boards in the exact dimensions that you need, when you need it.

 

[neophyte]

I would saw oscillating tool such as the multimaster or Fein Supercut(or whatever Fein is currently calling them).
You can use oscillating tools to make cuts you really can’t make with even obscure hand tools, as well as use them to replace other power tools, although not always as efficiently.
Oscillating tools are also very safe for most uses unlike a huge number of power tools.

 

[joel63]

I would not want to have to do without my Snap-on CTS761 screwdriver.
I picked up a second one at bargain (to me) price so I don't have switch sockets or bits.

 

[GeoBruin]

A lot of folks are answering based on tools they use the most, and I can see why those would be someone's favorite. I certainly grab a cordless impact and cordless drill all the time and they definitely make my life easier.

But in terms of pure joy using the tool, it's probably a toss up between a portaband and a mag drill. As a fabricator, it's so awesome knowing there is scarcely a piece of steel I will encounter that I can't cut or drill.

 

[neophyte]

A lot of folks are answering based on tools they use the most, and I can see why those would be someone's favorite. I certainly grab a cordless impact and cordless drill all the time and they definitely make my life easier.

But in terms of pure joy using the tool, it's probably a toss up between a portaband and a mag drill. As a fabricator, it's so awesome knowing there is scarcely a piece of steel I will encounter that I can't cut or drill.

For pure joy using a tool, that would have to be a sheet metal nibbler(except the chips that stick in your shoe soles), or a double cut sheet metal shear.

 

[GeoBruin]

For pure joy using a tool, that would have to be a sheet metal nibbler(except the chips that stick in your shoe soles), or a double cut sheet metal shear.

Oh my gosh. I totally forgot about my shear. Using a Beverly shear is about the most satisfying thing there is.

 

[jives]

Makita cordless impact driver. Nothing I've used saves as much time and effort compared to not having it. Screws, nuts. . . oh my the pain before the driver!