Need help choosing some power tools

[bushhawg73]

I am in the market to buy a few new power tools. I have a bunch of interior home projects to do this year. I will be painting rooms, replacing base boards, building shelving and installing beadboard on the walls. I may also be installing some new cabinets in bathrooms and kitchen. The items I am looking for is a portable table saw, air nail or brad guns and a compressor to run them. I am looking for suggestiuons on what you have used and what has worked well for you. I am kind of leary of oil less compressors but I do not need or have the space for a big unit at this time. I do have my eye on a table saw, see link below. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[griff99]

I have a bunch of Ridgid tools, including a cast iron table saw and they have held up well. I haven't used the one you mentioned, but if I could go back and change things I probably would have bought a portable saw instead of the one I did.

My nail guns are all Dewalt and some have been purchased as factory refurbished, saved me quite a bit of $$$. They are all great guns and have held up very well. I'd suggest the same ones I have, 15 gauge finish nailer, I have the D51275K but it has been replaced by the D51276K, 18 gauge brad nailer (D51238K) or the narrow crown stapler (D51422K). You may not need both the brad nailer and a narrow crown stapler, I bought the brad nailer to do some molding work and then later bought the stapler for installing some lattice, had I done things in the reverse order I probably would have just gotten the stapler, but they were only about $50 each so it wasn't the end of the world.

I have 2 air compressors, a 4.5 gallon Porter Cable portable (C3151) oil free, and a Kobalt 30 gallon oil filled. I like them both for different reasons, and both have held up very well to projects similar to what you are asking about. Unless you are going to use air tools that require a lot of continuous air you don't really have to worry about the oil vs oil free argument. Most smaller oil free units like the one I mentioned are designed for short bursts of a lot of air, the kind that nail guns require. They will however run louder than an oiled unit. You can't really have a conversation while my PC is running, but you can talk in a normal voice standing 2 feet away from my Kobalt.

 

[5lima30]

Some brands seem to have niches for different types of tools. In my experience I have had good results with Makita and Hitachi for miter saws and circular saws. For worm drives Milwaukee, Porter Cable tend to be industry standards. Hitachi makes a nice portable table saw and Rockwell for stationary/ cabinet maker saw. I've have several Porter Cable nailguns that I really like that being said a friend who has a tool rental business swears by Hitachi nailguns for durability. YMMV.

 

[saturdaymechanic]

If you are doing baseboards, I would recommend a miter saw to cut the angles.

I used a cman one when cutting the molding around the floors I put in a couple years ago. It did the job but when I do get a garage, I will upgrade to a larger DeWalt.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

home diy'er use cman is okay for a saw air compressor and guns go porter cable pancake with 3 gun kit for 399 you won't be sorry you'll loke for places to use it i promise

 

[bushhawg73]

I got this last year and love it. It makes cutting base boards so easy and the cuts are really smooth. Dewalt 716, below is a link
http://www.dewalt.com/tools/machinery-miter-saws-dw716.aspx

 

[griff99]

That's a very nice saw, I have the 718 sliding compound saw, I have only needed the sliding a few times but it really comes in handy when I do. What are you using for a blade?

 

[bushhawg73]

As far as I can remember it still has the 32 tooth factory installed blade. I want to install a higher tooth count blade but this one still cuts great and the blades are not cheep.

 

[Gregg33]

For power tools I like Makita and have had good luck with them. Although many are made in PRC, it's very tough to buy any american made power tools these days.

Oil less compressors aren't all bad. I bought a Campbell Hausfeld oil less going on 15 years ago. I'm not sure of the size, I think it's the biggest you can get in an oil less. Although it has sat dormant for several months sometimes, it has also had some heavy use at other times. It works as good as new, although it's always been very loud. For the average do it yourselfer an oil less is adequate imo.

 

[halfxspaid]

I bought one of these and have done lots of trim so far with no troubles!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0031ZDYTU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[griff99]

As far as I can remember it still has the 32 tooth factory installed blade. I want to install a higher tooth count blade but this one still cuts great and the blades are not cheep.

They aren't but they can be resharpened, mine came with a 60 tooth I believe, it's out in the garage right now, but it had a relatively thick kerf, I bought a 2nd Dewalt blade, a fine finish one for my molding projects. Apparently I have used that blade a lot more than the original one because I had to have it sharpened this past summer. So now I try to only use it for precision cuts and I use the other one for everything else.

 

[griff99]

I bought one of these and have done lots of trim so far with no troubles!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0031ZDYTU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

My neighbor built his "shed", 12x16 it's a small house, with that compressor.

 

[bushhawg73]

Thanks for all the information, I post up the new additions after the tax check comes in. Feel free to post if you have any other suggstions.

Since my last post I have been looking at some Rigid nail guns and a compressor. The price is pretty good and I hear the warranty is good.

 

[Scout Driver]

On the farm we have had excellent results with DeWalt tools, both the corded and cordless. Stick with the same brand and series with all of your cordless tools and you will have the advantage of having many batteries on hand that will work in all your tools. You also have the option of buying "bare" tools for less money since you will already have batteries and chargers on hand. Grab a DeWalt jobsite radio while you are at it. They will charge DeWalt batteries as well as operate with them.

I know that I'm a little off of your original topic, but I just wanted to throw out some of my random knowledge today.

Have fun shopping!!

Scott