Finish carpentry tools, mostly high end trim work.

[BioNerd]

Hello,

I'm back to carpentry as full time job. A few years ago I sold all tools and truck to start a new career... Here I'm back to my craft, buying tools.

I kept all my hand tools and Japanese saws etc, so I'm good there. The company provides table saw, chop saw and a few other things but I need to get some of those tools for my own self sufficiency and efficiency.

-finish nail guns, 15-18g - 1gal compressor
-grinder
-power hand planer

For the finish nailers I've only used senco and porter cable but I've seen kits out there that include all the guns and compressor from other brands such as dewalt or bostitch. I've used bostitch floor staplers before... Is it stanley now?
Anyone with opinions about dewalt and bostitch pneumatic finish nail guns?

For the grinder, I had a hitachi and I've used bosh metabo and makita.... It's a dumb tool, no science here, wondering if anyone has a porter cable grinder became I'm thinking to get one.

Power hand planer, only used corded and cordless makitas. Anyone using other brands?

The other thing I need is a set of jamber stabila levels...

This time I'm buying more online, are there sites besides amazon and eBay for quality carpentry tools besides rockler, lie Nielsen, woodcraft..?

Thank you very much!


-To be everything, be nobody.

 

[Coldfoot77]

Try cpooutlets.com. They have both new tools and reconditioned. I bought a recon Milwaukee drill impact combo from them 18 months ago, use it every day with no problems. The paint was a little scuffed on the drill but the impact looked brand new.

 

[Just_George]

www.leevalley.com

 

[BlindViper]

I have a few bosch finish tools planer, router, jig saw. I have a porter cable set of nailers. They work great and have done plenty of kitchens. Just watch what size 18 GA brad nailer my set only had a 1 1/4" nailer I bought a 2" separate. I would also pick up a 23 GA pin nailer they are amazing little tools. For a grinder I bought a makita hammer drill at home depot that came with a grinder. I would try that route.

 

[Woody610nb]

If you need power hand tools, take a look at Festool.com. Best German quality, but the price shows.

 

[bcradio]

I recommend the Hitachi for the 15 and 16 gauge... the original style not the new ones.

I also second the 23ga nailer as it will be highly used in finish carpentry. If you do get a chance to buy Festool at a good price, I'd say do it.

 

[Stooge]

Ive been really abusing my porter cable 4.5" grinder for a few years on my various car projects and it hasnt skipped a beat. From knocking it off of moderately high shelves and benches and running it for over extended periods of time and getting caked in body filler dust when i leave it too close to when im sanding, i would definitely buy another one when this one finally gives out, especially when i dont think i paid for than $40 or $50 for it

 

[mf44]

If you need power hand tools, take a look at Festool.com. Best German quality, but the price shows.

Agree. Festool.

 

[Monte]

If you need power hand tools, take a look at Festool.com. Best German quality, but the price shows.

 

[tarbellb]

I have the combo set from Porter Cable which is 3 guns and the 5g compressor. The guns have been pretty good, no complaints really. Maybe size, they seem large?

But the 5g compressor ***** ***. I mean, yes it runs, and pumps. But man the QC on these is terrible. Ive had mine in 3 times for simple stupid problems.

I would look at the Makita Mac2400 4g (big bore) compressor. Ive heard and seen good things about those.

 

[neophyte]

For high quality woodworking tools, stores it will vary depending on what brands you like, and what kind of tools you're looking for.

For hand tools a few options are,

Tools For Working Wood. I've seen them at woodworking shows in the past. They carry high end Japanese and western woodworking tools amongst other things. Some brands are Two Cherries from Germany, Ashley and Ray Iles from England, Clico and Clifton planes from England, Auriou rasps from France, Hock, Kunz, Festool, etc.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/


Highland Woodworking. They carry a number of high quality woodworking tools, and machinery. I've had good luck with them in the past. They carry Lie-Nielsen, along with most other high quality woodworking brands I can think of, and a number I'm not familiar with. They also sell some more affordable brands. If they don''t have it or something comparable it's got to be something obscure.

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/

There's also the Robert Larson Company. They're a direct importer of high quality woodworking tools. They don't sell directly to the public, but they have a list of stores that stock their tools, so there might even be a local store to purchase their products for you.

http://www.rlarson.com/WebPages/WhereCustWebs.shtml

http://www.rlarson.com/welcome.html

I'll give another vote for Lee Valley. They manufacture the Veritas line of tools, which have gotten to the point of being able to compete with Lie-Nielsen and Clifton. They're also very good for specialty hardware.

Woodcraft is also good. If you have a local franchise were you can go to purchase or look at tools and supplies they can be very helpful. Woodcraft now owns Japan Woodworker, another very good source for tools with a slightly different selection from the Woodcraft site.

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/

For power tools I'll give another recommendation for Festool, although the prices are high. For more affordable brands for woodworking power tools I'd probably recommend Bosch, Makita, Metabo, Dewalt-depending on tool, and some Milwaukee items.

Porter-Cable used to be a go-to brand for high quality woodworking tools, but Stanley/Black&Decker purchased them, discontinued a number of specialty items, and changed the focus of the brand, so I'd be wary of any tools that aren't one of the older designs.

A few other high end brands for woodworking are Mafell, Virutex,and Lamello.

Lamello is the finest manufacturer of Biscuit or plate joiners, but they also manufacture some other specialty tools.

http://www.lamello.com/en

Mafell is mostly tools for Timber framing, and cost wise they're more expensive that festool, but they make some good designs for finish carpentry.

http://service.mafell.de/index.php?IdTreeGroup=12955&lang=en

Virutex is a spanish company that manufactures a number of specialty tools designed for doing individual jobs very efficiently.

http://virutex.com/index.aspx

Also, if you don't have an oscillating tool yet I'd recommend a Fein Multimaster or Supercut.

 

[fury9]

Menards masterforce levels are made by stabila and are less expensive. Don't forget the micro pinner 23ga. porter cable has a nice one.

 

[Toolfool]

I've been doing finish work for 29 years. My favorite nail gun line is Fasco (love my brad nailer and narrow crown stapler), if you can find a local distributor. Amazon seems to have competitive pricing on a lot of tools, and delivery is usually pretty quick. And if you're an older guy, like me, a quiet compressor is a must (California Air Tools).

 

[Southernbuild]

Another vote for the Bosch handheld planer. Just keep in mind, that they make two models, a one and two blade version. The two blade model (which I own) seems to cut better than the single blade unit a co-worker had. The dual blade unit runs at a slower rpm, but with duel blades, you get more cuts per minute. Which should lead to longer tool life, and explains the smoother cut.

 

[BioNerd]

Thank you guys!

I got to use festool before most of their stuff was released in the us, I think at the time you could only get the plunge skillsaw with its rails, the table, maybe the vacuums and systainers... It was all metric still, is it imperial now? It was a pita to set up sometimes. I mostly worked on hardwoods.

I also think that they are cool tools but extremely overpriced. I used everything because their distributor was working with our company and a couple others to get feedback before introducing the whole line into the market. Again, I only know metric festool.

Using them for this short period gave me no perspective of their durability but they seemed to be very well fabricated.

I fell in love with their oscillating sanders. omg

Lee valley is a really cool site too, forgot to mention that one on the first post.

I recently saw a 1 gal dewalt compressor, it was very quiet. Quieter than the small 1 gal senco.
There is a set of 15 and 18 g plus the compressor on amazon for like 300. Anyone used this guns? I used the compressor, really good, quick at reloading.

The other option I'm considering is to save up for paslode cordless guns. I know they are awesome, I've used them a lot.... But again, sooooo pricey!!

Also, thinking to get a set of makita 18v tools to replace my current. My company uses this line so it would be way easier. I really really love the hand planer but its so expensive!

I don't really believe in overpriced tools, I think that we have to remember that oldtimers didn't have all this stuff and their work against ours is as precise and even more bad **** sometimes.

I guess this last statement helps me cope with the fact that I'm broke so I can't afford expensive stuff anyways, so I have to be skilled without the cool gear...

Thank you very much for the replies!




-To be everything, be nobody.

 

[ZRX61]

Another vote for the Bosch handheld planer. Just keep in mind, that they make two models, a one and two blade version. The two blade model (which I own) seems to cut better than the single blade unit a co-worker had. The dual blade unit runs at a slower rpm, but with duel blades, you get more cuts per minute. Which should lead to longer tool life, and explains the smoother cut.

What he said, I've got one

 

[mtnwalton]

Another vote for the Bosch handheld planer. Just keep in mind, that they make two models, a one and two blade version. The two blade model (which I own) seems to cut better than the single blade unit a co-worker had. The dual blade unit runs at a slower rpm, but with duel blades, you get more cuts per minute. Which should lead to longer tool life, and explains the smoother cut.

+1
I've also got a Festool hand planer, bought it mainly because of the available scallop knives available for it. But Bosch is fine and costs much less.