"Best" first tool

[s1120]

Re: \"Best\" first tool

Being he does not have a shop, or a garage I would say yes, a cordless drill. But, if they had a house with room for a shop, a small table saw would come in real handy, and that is something they may not know how much they would se it till they got one.

With the drill, add a good drill index, or acc kit.

 

[Bird]

Re: "Best" first tool

Todd, I don't have a hole hawg, but my brother does. That thing's dangerous if you aren't used to using one, but when no other drills are powerful enough . . ../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: \"Best\" first tool

<font color=blue>...If it moves and it shouldn't - Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and it should - WD-40...</font color=blue>

Maury...

Very good... I'll have to remember that. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[GrantMO]

Re: \"Best\" first tool

Richard,

I also vote for a cordless drill/driver. I like my 18V Milwaukee with reversible battery. Get one with charger and 2 batteries. Another alternative is a gift certificate to Home Depot or Lowe's and an offer to go with him to pick something out. It's nice to see how these tools feel in your hand.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: \"Best\" first tool

<font color=blue>...Another alternative is a gift certificate ...</font color=blue>

Grant... that may be the best answer yet... {who knows, the buddy may already own 3 cordless drills /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif}

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Re: "Best" first tool

Bird and Tomp

Dremel. Definitely Dremel. Corded and not cordless. The cordless don't have enough staying power. Dremels have numerous available attachments. I'm curently using the router attachment on mine to cut drywall (works like a rotozip). I also have 2 of the snake attachments (work like a dentist's drill). Next I want the angle attachment. Don't know what I'll use it for, but I'm sure something will "turn up". /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Has to be the handiest tool I've ever had. You can re-slot a screw, cut nuts and bolts, drill holes, rout, carve, sand, grind, saw and just about everything else. I've even used it for autobody work.

Buddy of mine had a spindle problem on the back of his car. Worked 3 days in the snow trying to get the busted hub off so he could get at the bolts to replace it. I snagged one of my Dremels and cut a hole in the hub in 5 minutes. Inside of 20 minutes we had the old hub off. Now I just have to get my Dremel back. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

SHF

 

[cowboydoc]

Re: "Best" first tool

We must be from the same school John. I think Grant's idea is also the best. I never even thought of that.

 

[toddler]

Re: "Best" first tool

That is a good idea Grant, of course it would take some of the fun out of it if he didn't get to go pick the tool too. I also agree with the accessory idea. Those Dewalt quick change bit and driver kits look nice.

Dave and Bird,
Have to agree with the super duty drills being potentially dangerous. One of my favorite contractor stories was a plumber who was drilling overhead with one and the bit bound up. It spun him around so fast he couldn't relax his grip and only stopped when the cord wrapping around him pulled itself out. He was fine, so my only comment to his son who told me the story as a warning, was that he was lucky he didn't have a long extension cord on it!

Todd

 

[kerr]

Re: \"Best\" first tool

The duct tape and WD-40 are great,good old vice grips are hard ta beat too.

 

[Bird]

Re: \"Best\" first tool

Todd, when my brother first bought his hole hawg, both brothers were building houses in Alaska and they've told me about the one who went to drill a hole for electric wire through the base plate when they only had the framing done. They said he had a good hold on it and it whipped him around do fast that it used him to take out the wall studs on either side of the hole he was drilling./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif And then I was helping my brother install a generator in a steel compartment under a flat bed on his truck one day when that thing whipped his hand around and knocked a big dent in a sheet of plate steel that I wouldn't have thought I could dent with a hammer. Fortunately, it didn't break any bones, but he sure had a sore hand for awhile.

Bird